Divine Nine hosts National Pan-Hellenic Council Week 2019

Victoria Abella/Staff Writer

National Pan-Hellenic Council Week 2019, Divine Magic, featured social gatherings and forums from Monday, April 8 through Friday, April 12. Social events including Black Wall Street were held on both campuses.

NPHC President Ron Ulysse, and brother of Phi Beta Sigma’s Lambda Tau chapter, spoke to Student Media to reflect on how students got to connect, learn and engage throughout the week.

“The week of events is actually very much strategically planned… Monday and Tuesday we were aiming for having social events [so people can get familiar and start recognizing faces]. It’s been said a lot of times that NPHC have a hard time showing their presence on campus and having their faces seen often,” said Ulysse.

Roll Call Monday at the outside recreational courts at MMC was the introductory kickoff event to the week. Roll Call Mondays are usually held at the center of the housing quad every third Monday of the month, in which organizations are able to present their new members.

“Students just get a chance to experience what NPHC is like outside of the professional forum we may hold and, because of a lot of our aspects outside of fraternity and sororities are professionalism and service, I don’t want the students on our campus to believe that it is just that,” said Ulysse. “I want them to understand that we’re normal students just like them and that we enjoy having that fun with them and having that chance to fellowship with them.”

Moving on to Wednesday and Thursday, the NPHC transitioned over to forum events. Iris Elijah, FIU alum, associate general counsel and former member of NPHC, was in attendance to have a conversation with the students.

“We wanted them to know that it leaves a lasting impression on individuals so we brought in alumni members from different areas of the school,” said Ulysse.

On Thursday night, faculty advisor Joseph Kimber led the Black Wall Street event, which was centered around the Tulsa Race Massacre.

“It was a massacre that occurred in 1921 on 30 blocks of black owned businesses, and when I say black owned businesses, I mean all 30 blocks of that street that had been massacred was black owned business,” said Ulysse. “There were movie theatres, hair stores, banks even – different kinds of stores that allowed for the black community to thrive in their own community.”

It is reported that the total number of deaths is 36, marked one of the deadliest riots in America. This business district in the Greenwood District in Tulsa had been prospering, hence being known as the Black Wall Street.

After watching a docuclip summarizing the Tulsa Race Massacre, Kimber opened up an open discussion. They further examined why Black Wall Street was so successful in it’s time.

“Although Black Wall Street picked back up in the years following, it never recovered back to its former glory so that’s something we definitely wanted to pin point and talk about because supporting black owned businesses is something that our community, we feel, lacks in,” said Ulysse.

Ulysse said the turnout was great, and a lot of new members were in attendance and seemed excited and ready to put in work for their organizations.

“I’m very happy to see how comfortable they are as well as being able to speak,” he said, excited for their future and growth in the NPHC. “A lot of our organizations stand for and speak for supporting black businesses.”

The NPHC ended off the week of events with a friendly competition, the Stroll Off. The team with the best strolls out of all three rounds wins. Ulysse was proud to mention that his chapter is a two-time champion.

You can keep up with the NPHC on Instagram @fiunphc.

Featured photo courtesy of Ron Ulysse.

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