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The Upward March of Humanity: Will We Lead?
By Josh Holly (Tennessee 1997), Chairman, Committee on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
The face of Phi Gamma Delta has changed dra- In September 2020, the Archons established the matically since its founding, and for the better. Committee on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion with two All you must do is look through the pages of this primary goals: 1) to seek to understand the needs of magazine from 75, 50, 25, and even 10 years ago to see our brothers of underrepresented identities, our chaphow diversity has grown. Our brotherhood today is as ters and our campuses; and 2) to make recommendastrong as it has ever been, and efforts to recruit men tions for actions which the Fraternity should consider who espouse our values - regardless of their race, creed, increasing diversity in our membership, and to better color or sexual orientation - have powered Phi Gamma support equity, inclusion and respect for others within Delta to these heights. However, we must also recognize Phi Gamma Delta. that Phi Gamma Delta has had moments in its history - moments we are not proud of surrounding race and Our Committee is comprised of twelve undergradudiversity - where it has not fully lived up to those values. ate and graduate brothers, representing a range of As a Fraternity, we operate within the broader Greek experiences and viewpoints. One of the brothers who community, our host institutions and local communities; has agreed to serve on this committee is Ed Robinson our brothers are exposed to the tough conversations (Bucknell 1986). As a brother of color and Purple happening within society. Courageous Leaders have an Legionnaire at Bucknell, Ed provides a special perspecobligation to do more than just “participate” or “respond” tive and offers his thoughts on the importance of Phi to queries about these issues: we must lead by example. Gamma Delta’s efforts.
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"O Captain! My Captain!" By Ed Robinson (Bucknell 1986)
The movie Dead Poets Society is set at Welton Academy, a school steeped in tradition and with a proud heritage of producing disciplined robots, stuffed with knowledge (data and formulas). It is an inspirational and transformative story about the dangers of conformity and the struggle to thrive within narrow confines determined by others. It’s a battle between Mr. Nolan, the authoritarian old-guard headmaster, and Mr. Keating, a new English teacher who is also an alumnus of Welton. Mr. Nolan demands that students and teachers adhere to exacting, time-honored learning regimens. Objectives designed to preserve the school’s reputation for preparing boys to attend elite colleges and universities and satisfy their parents’ (rather than their own) plans for their future. Mr. Keating, on the other hand, encourages his students to light their own candles, find their own voices and become passionate free thinkers, capable of being more than they ever envisioned. Mr. Keating does not dispense knowledge; rather he encourages the boys to experience life by coloring outside the lines. To seize the day (Carpe diem!), knowing that the longer they wait, the harder it will be to break free
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from their yokes, challenge their own world views and assumptions and discover themselves.
“You have to decide who you are and force the world to deal with you, not it’s
idea of you.” - James Baldwin As a Purple Legionnaire, I’m reminded of Newton D. Baker’s definition of fraternity: “...an association of men, selected in their college days by democratic processes, because of their adherence to common ideals and aspirations. Out of their association arises a personal relation which makes them unselfishly seek to advance one another in the arts of life...” Few young men select fraternities today based upon glorious precepts from the past. Rather, they join for more contemporary or practical reasons, especially an attraction to those they already identify with. Young people like them who reside within their existing comfort zones. Some measure of conformity is natural and essential to fraternity. If brothers do not conform to shared values, standards and rules, the group will not hold together; there will be no cohesion. But being out of step on occasion is the only way to evaluate ourselves honestly and consider new ideas and new ways of living consistent with our values. Positive traditions and rituals are also important. They are meant to unite communities of individuals and give depth, meaning and a common frame of reference to our experience. Tradition should serve the organization, guiding it into the future, not holding it in the past.
“The past is never dead. It’s not even
past.” - William Faulkner Racism existed in America long before Phi Gamma Delta. And as a fraternity, we have never been immune from its influence. For example, from the 1920s until 1968, Phi Gamma Delta’s Constitution restricted membership to white, Christian men. Younger brothers, seeing the diversity today in their own chapters and/or on their campuses, may be astounded to learn this history. As a Black man initiated into the Delta Chapter at Bucknell in 1983, I remember first being struck by the realization that my father would have been excluded solely because of his race. And now, as the principal graduate advisor and past co-chairman of our chapter house’s centennial celebration, I am struck by the residue that remains from this unfortunate legacy. What can Phi Gamma Delta contribute to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion? How can each of us use this experience to recommit to our core values, gain new insights and broaden the expression of our most cherished traditions? One obvious possibility is to illuminate our past, warts and all, to identify and understand where we’ve fallen short. Another is to follow Mr. Keating’s lead and meet brothers where they are. Encourage us to stand atop our respective desks, to assume higher ground and consider alternative perspectives. To meaningfully engage us in active learning experiences that facilitate deeper connection, not just with people who look like us or believe like we do or are of our socioeconomic status. “What will your verse be?” - Robin Williams Our greatest asset is educated men. Men who seek to discover personal meaning and context within the values and traditions they’re associated with. Brothers who grapple with the truth of what it means to be alive today and are committed to truth, justice and the upward march of humanity. Men who may disagree with the ultimate conclusions of others yet allow themselves to see new insights and be profoundly impacted through their encounters. “Success” will be when enough Fijis embark on journeys of self-discovery. When like Nehemiah, they refuse to “come off of the wall,” and won’t allow setbacks (which will come) to sap them of their confidence or commitment to this work. My personal expectation is not that every Fiji say in unison “Black Lives Matter,” but that we encourage those (especially white brothers) who believe it, to say so and live it. This is the most pressing work of our time and everyone has a role to play. It will take intentional and concerted efforts to succeed in cementing new mindsets. Mindsets that over time will be difficult to undo. We must take the good intentions expressed among ourselves in private and convert them into public action and impact. Systematic racism and other structural inequalities hinder too many from achieving their full potential. Truly living our Creed and serving the world with the best that is in us demands attention to this issue. Perge!
t t t As Brother Robinson notes, navigating how Phi Gamma Delta embraces diversity, equity and inclusion will be instrumental for the future of the Fraternity and our chapters. Our mission as a DEI Committee calls us to go beyond simply encouraging our brothers to embrace diversity. We feel our charge is to recommend ways the Fraternity can empower and enable all brothers to be allies and advocates for inclusion - whether within their home chapters, external organizations or professional settings. Brother Robinson’s experiences are likely similar to some and different from others. A strength of Phi Gamma Delta is that our tens of thousands of brothers have different and unique stories. A key question the brothers on the committee will contemplate: How can we empower all our brothers to be Courageous Leaders on issues of race, diversity and inclusion so all of our brothers - and everybody with whom we come in contact - feel valued within Phi Gamma Delta and by our brothers? To accomplish these lofty goals, the brothers of the DEI Committee are analyzing Phi Gamma Delta’s history; reviewing the educational programming available to our brothers - undergraduates and graduates alike; examining the language and imagery the Fraternity uses; and gathering deeper insights from our undergraduates and graduates. Following those and other methodical steps, we will turn to drafting recommendations that address diversity, equity and inclusion at the institutional, regional and chapter levels. While the brothers on the DEI Committee are leading the conversation now, we stand on the shoulders of brothers who have worked hard to build a more diverse and inclusive brotherhood. The Archons have taken a definitive step to move the Fraternity down this path, which is based on the glorious precepts of Phi Gamma Delta, because a more diverse brotherhood that embraces inclusion will strengthen our Fraternity. Finally, as an invitation, we encourage all brothers to be part of this conversation, and we will work to create opportunities for brothers to engage with the committee. t
Committee on Diversity Equity & Inclusion
Comments? Write to us at diversity@phigam.org.
Josh Holly (Tennessee 1997), Chairman
