A Clarion Call for Transparency and Community Building

Photo Credit: ABC11

A Clarion Call for Transparency and Community Building

Triangle Iotas call for justice, accountability, and bridge building following killing of Andrew Brown Jr.

CONTACT

Stan Chambers Jr.

Polaris

Alpha Epsilon Omega Alumni Chapter

Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.

aeo.iotaphitheta@gmail.com

(919) 641-0469

DURHAM, N.C. (May 10, 2021) - The Alpha Epsilon Omega Alumni Chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., is calling for justice and accountability. We are distressed at yet another incident highlighting the ongoing disconnect between law enforcement and people of color, particularly in the African-American community, as well as all marginalized and disenfranchised groups.

We call for an immediate end to the “us-versus-them” mentality. The change we want to see starts with conversations, actions, and repercussions that lead to better enforced policy and procedures, not more lives lost. This basic, yet vital necessity to hold law enforcement accountable when they commit unlawful acts against the citizens they are sworn to protect, now becomes even more evident in our current state of civil unrest.

We demand ongoing, meaningful conversations that enhance the lives of our fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, and neighbors. We demand great integrity when a law enforcement officer’s accountability is questioned within moral conscience. These calls to action must be answered to help build trust between those who protect and those being protected accordingly.

A clarion call for doing what is right isn’t always easy, nor does it come lightly. Our beloved fraternity, an international organization of mainly African-American men, has many members who are active police officers and sheriff’s deputies. We realize the dangers they face daily. We thank them for risking their lives to protect our communities. But as a historically Black fraternity, we cannot ignore the dangers that are prevalent for Black men, especially when encountering law enforcement - just because of the color of their skin.

Whether its Ferguson, Louisville, Minneapolis, Elizabeth City, or many other places across our country, we are constantly reminded that no community is too big or small from the challenges that stem from decades of societal and institutional racism.

Our organization is also no stranger to the societal unrest we face today.

Iota Phi Theta was founded in 1963 during a time of great social injustice and civil unrest. As such, our fraternity strives to enhance the communities we serve by, in part, advancing the equal treatment of all people. Achieving this, in part, requires accountability not only on our part, but from those who serve our communities.

We understand that body camera footage is considered evidence, but in times of great accountability, it is when our public institutions should be the most accountable to themselves and their communities. It shouldn’t take a court order to do what’s right. It shouldn’t take clashes between police and residents to do what’s right.

We ask Sheriff Tommy Wooten II and the Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office to release all body cam footage related to the killing of Andrew Brown Jr. Is such not, in the words of the department’s mission statement, “committing ourselves to the people, traditions, and diversity of our county”?

We also ask the sheriff’s office, the Elizabeth City Police Department, and all other law enforcement agencies in Pasquotank County and throughout Northeastern North Carolina to engage in regular and purposeful community building. It shouldn’t take a shooting to open lines of communication between a community and those who protect it.

Lastly, we ask our brothers and sisters of the National Pan-Hellenic Council who live, learn, and work in Elizabeth City to be active members of any coalition working to build understanding and trust between residents and government entities. In turn, we are more than willing to assist our Pasquotank County brothers at Elizabeth City State University and throughout the community with similar efforts.

Our condolences run deep for the family of Andrew Brown Jr. Simultaneously, our desire runs deep for the type of coalition building that limits these type of fatal misunderstandings.

From our ongoing Law Enforcement Series to our overall award-winning Time To Build Initiative, the men of Alpha Epsilon Omega will continue our work in ensuring this happens.

About the Triangle Iotas
The Alpha Epsilon Omega Alumni Chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., has empowered change in the Triangle region of North Carolina for nearly 30 years through service, leadership, collaboration, and action. This focus has resulted in multiple state and regional awards, including the fraternity’s 2020 N.C. Alumni Chapter of the Year and the 2021 Eastern Region Social Action & Impact Award. Visit triangleiotas.org to learn more about our efforts.

Justice Served, But The Work Continues

Triangle Iotas react following conviction in George Floyd’s murder

DURHAM, N.C. (April 20, 2021) - The Triangle Iotas are relieved justice has been served in Derek Chauvin’ conviction on murder and manslaughter charges following George Floyd’s killing, but one conviction does not exonerate history or lessen the work that lies ahead, chapter Polaris Stan Chambers Jr. said.

“Vice-President Harris said it simply, and said it best: 'A measure of justice isn’t the same as equal justice,’” Chambers said. “We must continue educating and enhancing our black communities and continue building bridges between our black communities and law enforcement. A conviction of this magnitude is still in vain if it doesn’t foster long-term substantial change.”

Today’s verdict is substantial for the Triangle Iotas, which launched its Time to Build Initiative following Floyd’s killing. From the Voter Education Series to the ongoing Law Enforcement Series, the initiative has involved multiple community partners with the goal of helping others become more informed. The effort was honored on Saturday with the Social Action & Impact Award from the Eastern Region of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.

“George Floyd may have received justice, but there are so many others who haven’t, nor will they ever,” Chambers said. “As such, we must continue any work that ensures everyone wins. One victory does not conclude an ongoing battle for equal and sustained justice.”

About the Triangle Iotas
The Alpha Epsilon Omega Alumni Chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., has empowered change in the Triangle region of North Carolina for nearly 30 years through service, leadership, collaboration, and action. This focus has resulted in multiple state and regional awards, including the fraternity’s 2020 N.C. Alumni Chapter of the Year. Visit triangleiotas.org to learn more about our efforts.

VIDEO: Know Your Rights When Stopped By The Police

Knowing what you can and can’t do when interacting with law enforcement can make the difference between life and death.

Two members of the Triangle Iotas, who are also police officers, led a discussion where they explained what citizens should and shouldn’t do in various encounters with law enforcement and answered questions from participants.

The event was part of the Triangle Iotas’ Law Enforcement Series, which is under the chapter’s Time to Build Initiative.

EVENT: Know Your Rights When Stopped by the Police

Join us for this important conversation

Knowing your rights could make the difference between life and death.

Learn from current police officers about what you can and can't do when you're stopped by the police.

We will stream this conversation live on our Facebook page this Thursday at 7 p.m.

We look forward to seeing and hearing from you.

Triangle Iotas host virtual voting rights discussion

What Are Your Voting Rights?

Triangle organizations host vital virtual discussion
as millions of NC residents prepare to vote

 
DURHAM, N.C. (Oct. 26, 2020) - What rights do voters have? What problems could they face at the polls? And what can they do about them? 
 
Courtney Patterson, chairman of the Lenoir County Board of Elections, and Landon White, a civil rights attorney who has helped groups identify voter suppression tactics, will walk voters through the answers during a virtual conversation on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m.
 
“Many have already voted through absentee ballots and early voting, but millions across our state will vote right before and on Election Day,” said Stan Chambers Jr., Polaris (president) of the Triangle Iotas. “We want to ensure voters, especially black and brown voters, fully understand what should and shouldn’t happen when casting their votes in person.”
 
The free Zoom discussion - which the public can register at triangleiotas.org/time-to-build - is the final workshop in the Voter Education Series hosted by the Triangle Iotas, also known as the Alpha Epsilon Omega Alumni Chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. Along with the North Carolina Black Alliance, and the Beta Pi Sigma (Durham) and Theta Lambda Sigma (Cary) alumnae chapters of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., the five-part series aimed to increase voter literacy among underrepresented communities ahead of the November election. Previous sessions can be viewed at triangleiotas.org/voter-education-series.
 
Through the monthly series, which began in July, hundreds participated in expert-led discussions ranging from gerrymandering to the Electoral College and ways to make your vote count. The series is part of the Time to Build Initiative, a broader community effort by the Triangle Iotas launched following the deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd. This effort is also part of #MuchMoreThanAHashtag, a joint national initiative between Iota Phi Theta and Sigma Gamma Rho to increase local community engagement.
 
“From the coronavirus to demands for police reform, one of the common themes highlighted this year is the continued inequities black and brown communities face,” Chambers said. “Through our Voter Education Series, and our broader Time to Build Initiative, we hope to enhance these communities one effort at a time alongside our community partners.”
 
For reporters interested in covering the session, please reach out to Stan Chambers Jr. at aeo.iotaphitheta@gmail.com. You can also register for the session at triangleiotas.org/time-to-build.

CONTACT
Stan Chambers Jr.
Polaris (President)
Triangle Iotas
aeo.iotaphitheta@gmail.com
(919) 641-0469
 

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About the Triangle Iotas
The Alpha Epsilon Omega Alumni Chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., has empowered change in the Triangle for nearly 30 years through service, leadership, collaboration, and action. This focus has resulted in multiple state and regional awards, including the Triangle Iotas being honored as the fraternity’s 2020 N.C. Alumni Chapter of the Year. Visit triangleiotas.org to learn more about the chapter.
 
About the North Carolina Black Alliance
The Alliance is an intergovernmental network of African American legislators, county commissioners, school board members, and municipal elected officials centered by a commitment to ambitiously address broad issues of inequality and fairness. The Alliance collaborates with strategic partners to advance the work of those organizations and to enhance intentional collaboration with black constituencies. For more information, visit ncblackalliance.org.
 
About the Beta Pi Sigma Chapter
The Beta Pi Sigma Alumnae Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., was chartered on April 13, 1951 in Durham, N.C., and currently serves Durham and Orange counties. Our goal is to serve and advocate for the greater good nationally, regionally, and locally. We are a chapter of love, understanding, encouragement and solidarity. For more information about the chapter, visit bps1922.com.
 
About the Theta Lambda Sigma Chapter
The Theta Lambda Sigma chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. (also referred to as the Cary Alumnae Chapter) was chartered in 1997 with a goal of bringing community service and positive representation to southern and western Wake County. In line with the sorority's motto, "Greater Service, Greater Progress", the "Blue House | Gold Market" chapter continually endeavors to provide quality service and programs to the community. The chapter's current initiatives center on community involvement, mental and physical health initiatives, and programs aimed at educating and empowering youth.

AEO launches Voter Education Series with gerrymandering discussion

The Triangle Iotas, in partnership with the N.C. Black Alliance, launched its five-part Voter Education Series with a detailed discussion about gerrymandering and its impact on black communities.

The conversation, which was hosted for free on Zoom, detailed how gerrymandering is influenced by the Census and redistricting, which often negatively impact black communities.

Upcoming conversations, which will be posted on the Time to Build page, will focus on the electoral college, making one’s vote count, being an informed voter, and your rights on Election Day.

Where Do We Go From Here? AEO launches community effort in response to killings

Where Do We Go From Here?

Triangle fraternity chapter launches community input, collaboration effort following recent killings

DURHAM, N.C. (June 9, 2020) – The killings of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd have spurred a group of Triangle men to tackle this daunting question: Where Do We Go From Here?

The Alpha Epsilon Omega (AEO) Alumni Chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., created a page – triangleiotas.org/timetobuild – to solicit public input regarding how the black community moves forward following the deaths of Arbery, Taylor, Floyd, and countless others from racism and police brutality. The effort is part of a longer strategy to engage, educate, and empower supporters to take action.

“So many people are angry right now. So many people are asking what they can do,” said Stan Chambers Jr., AEO president. “They all have ideas and they want to help. We want to turn their ideas into a cohesive, goal-oriented plan that ensures the work towards equality, inclusion, and success for African-Americans and others continue long after the protests end.”

AEO will use the community’s ideas to outline a plan within the next 60 days, which will be public, consisting of actions with 0-3, 6-9, and 12+ month deadlines. The chapter also plans to launch an information series exploring topics related to voting (i.e. – How does the electoral college work?) within the next two months.

“No one organization, no one person has the ability to solve systematic racism and inequality on their own,” Chambers said. “As members of a fraternity founded during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, we felt duty-bound to do our part in implementing change, and we want the community to be part of the solution.”

About Alpha Epsilon Omega

The Alpha Epsilon Omega Alumni Chapter of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., uses mentorship, community service, and strategic partnerships to make a difference in the Triangle. Chartered in 1995, the chapter has earned multiple state and regional awards through its work in “Building a Tradition, Not Resting Upon One.” Visit triangleiotas.org to learn more about the chapter.

About Iota Phi Theta

Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., was founded on Sept. 19, 1963 – less than a month after the March on Washington – by 12 non-traditional students at Morgan State University committed to “The Development and Perpetuation of Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship, Fidelity and Brotherhood Among Men.” The fraternity has grown to over 40,000 members and 300 chapters across the globe. Visit iotaphitheta.org to learn more about the fraternity.