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.
