06/02/2020
💙💛 💙💛
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“Brothers,
The events of the past week have been heartbreaking and so I write to you today on behalf of the national leadership of Alpha Phi Omega to let you, our student and alumni members, know that we share in your pain, anger, confusion, and sadness.
No one should ever have to live in fear. No one. We condemn and denounce racism, brutality, hate, violence, and bigotry as we call for all of Alpha Phi Omega to stand with our black community members in the battle against inequality and systemic racism.
Furthermore, we recognize and appreciate the change and peace that many brothers are seeking to make in their communities both locally and globally. It reminds us that Alpha Phi Omega was founded to help college students learn how to make a positive difference on our campuses and in our communities through service to others - in order to create a better, more peaceful world in which to make a living and a life.
Now is the time to join together as students, alumni, chapters, regions, and most all of, as dear friends, to find ways to battle hate through meaningful and thoughtful service and clear and focused leadership. We must help those who struggle to be heard. We must come together to build better and stronger communities through compassion and service.
As one of the world’s largest Greek-letter organizations, Alpha Phi Omega can also do more to better educate and empower college students on being stronger, more inclusive community leaders. Let us work together to seek equity and further inclusivity for all on our campuses and in our communities. It is more urgent than ever that we seek to understand opinions different from ours and to seek resolutions and systems that create a more peaceful world. In the coming days, I will ask our program committees to focus more of their work on social justice and inclusivity programming, and we will communicate these efforts in the coming months.
While we cannot change the past, we can work to change tomorrow by being a positive force in our communities. The world is calling out for Leadership, Friendship and Service, and all of us in Alpha Phi Omega have a role to play.
Thank you,
Robert M. Coop, P.E. “
