The impact of a white foundation
My visit to Alpha Sigma Alpha National Headquarters this weekend has granted me the opportunity to reflect on the importance of race in senses of belonging. When walking into the chapter history room with 14 other people and being the only person of color I already felt like a token.
But after looking around at past Executive Directors and National Presidents, I soon found myself even more at odds with the concept of truly knowing where I belong.
Psychology Today states “A sense of belonging is a human need, just like the need for food and shelter. Feeling that you belong is most important in seeing value in life and in coping with intensely painful emotions.”
During the stressful time of growth and development that takes place in college have a place in which one can belong is a necessity for success. Often, greek life is seen as a place where people can find their home, a place that gives them value and place that helps them grow. But with that, when one is surrounded by difference it can create a struggle with expressing similar values and goals because of uncommon experiences. One of the most important aspects of having a successful sense of belonging is being around similar people with somewhat similar experiences. This is not saying that you should not be around people that are challenging you but stating that you need some similar ground to base experiences off of.
In a greek organizations that were founded without great diversity in mind many National Panhellenic Association and Interfraternity Council chapters struggle with national diversity. This is something that is not reflected at UMBC because of its campus culture and diversity. UMBC is seen as different to many chapters on a National Level, but the problem that students that are in greek life at UMBC face is that when faced with experiences Nationally they do not fit into the “typical” mold of a “Phi Kapp” or a “ Phi Mu.”
While this is something that should not exist because all of the national organizations no matter what their campus make up. From this when one is on their own ( similar to my current situation) they lack the greater connections that could exist because they are walking on eggshells already because of their difference. It is interesting to think about how a place that could feel like home and a sense of belonging in on setting does not always exist in all settings. It is important for people to create connections with people based on their experiences, but when the experiences and traditions of a National organization have been mainly decided on by white women without taking people of color into account until recently there will still be spaces of great difference and distinction.
While this is one of the goals of the United States (hopefully), it is important that organizations realize that their foundation similar to that of the United States was founded for and by white people but that is not the world that everyone lives in today. The UMBC chapter of Alpha Sigma Alpha is 30% white, and 5/7 people on the executive board are minorities. These are people who focus on the daily welfare of the chapter that were not even considered during its founding.
