Last week, an article was written from the current president of Men In Color targeting the actions of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity in relation to the annual 3v3 MIC Night Basketball Tournament on April 13, 2019.
The article consisted of several key points, concluding that the miscommunication between our organizations on the 3v3 tournament, and other events alike, defines the Greek community, (specifically the “azure and blue,”) as “members (that) do not care about BLACK STRUGGLES, LIVES and ISSUES that are faced by PEOPLE OF COLOR and other OPPRESSED groups.”
This week, the Executive Board of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity, on behalf of all its members spanning from nations across six continents, is responding to these allegations with two distinct purposes. First, the acknowledgement of our shortfalls. And second, to defend against the harsh and unfounded allegations made at the end of the MIC president’s article.
A few weeks before the launch of the 3v3 MIC Night, the ATO Executive Board deliberated on a core issue. Our annual Hockey Tournament, fundraising towards cystic fibrosis for the past decade, was accessible to only a fractional demographic of the St. Lawrence community. Hockey, as evident in the socio-economic breakdowns on the professional level, is a sport that is not accessible nor reasonable for all members of the St. Lawrence community to participate in.
We decided to make a change, highlighting basketball as a sport that is more inclusive to the greater St. Lawrence community. ATO’s President, Mauricio Bustamante ’20, having strong connections with MIC, reached out to possibly collaborate with MIC on their annual 3v3 event instead of throwing our own. However, once acknowledging how close to the event our offer was made, understanding the quick work of the MIC members to publicize the event and the general dismissal felt from MIC leadership in allowing us to co-sponsor their marquee annual fundraiser, we decided it was best for both our organizations to move towards creating our own event.
Mistake 1: The Executive Board of ATO could have been clearer with MIC leadership on our decision to move in a new direction.
Mistake 2: The Executive Board of ATO could have been clearer with the chapter on the progression of these internal discussions.
HOWEVER, the article did use wide and misleading claims in order to frame ATO members in a negative and deceitful light.
Fact 1: At no point in time did the Executive Board of ATO discourage any member from participating in the MIC 3v3 Basketball Tournament, nor was the absence of any ATO member from this event indicative of their stance on issues that affect marginalized members.
Fact 2: The signature event was not presented to the ATO National Representative as our own signature event. The representative was instead informed constantly on the progress of our conception of a new, more inclusive event.
Fact 3: The Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity did in fact donate funds to the La Sociedad Hispana towards their Carnival Festival, which took place on the same day as one of our own initiatives of community outreach, Peter Rabbit in the Park. Several other Greek Organizations also donated funds.
Fact 4: The Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity does not collaborate with clubs with intentions of exploitation. We respect the experience of all our members, taking pride in a brotherhood (and Executive Board) that reflects the diversity present in our chapter, and work towards improving upon that progress for years to come.
The article written by the President of MIC did bring up several valid points, but the absence from a philanthropic event does not in turn characterize individuals as not caring towards the experience of oppressed groups. Members of the ATO Executive Board, and brothers throughout our chapter, are more than aware of the progress our campus culture must make to better incorporate students of marginalized backgrounds.
Our creed begins with the phrase “To bind men together in a brotherhood based upon eternal and immutable principles, with a bond as strong as right itself and as lasting as humanity; to know no North, no South, no East, no West, but to know man as man.”
We are not a fraternity that is blind to the issues present in the world, and we do not disregard our members that are forced to experience these issues every day.
We are a fraternity that supports all of our brothers and is in the process of revolutionizing ourselves, and the rest of the Greek community, to be better. From this experience we will learn. But we will never allow ourselves to be subjected to false and ambivalent claims on our character.