Message from the 2020 FSL Council Presidents
Summary
6/3/2020 Statement on recent events
Full Description
As members of the Fraternity and Sorority Community, our organizations must live by our values of inclusion, respect, and service. As a community privileged with a campus-wide and national platform, it is our responsibility to join in elevating the voices of marginalized communities, speaking out against injustices like the tragic murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and others, and affirming that black lives matter.
Our community is the birthplace of the American college fraternity and our past is woven with William & Mary’s history of perpetuating slavery and racial discrimination. We recognize our past and know it cannot be separated from our present. It is our responsibility to be better people, and respect everyone regardless of skin color, creed, background, gender identity, or any other differences. We cannot change our past, but we can learn from it, taking action now to establish a more inclusive, empathetic, and empowering future.
Racism has no place in our community, on our campus, or in our world. As members of organizations that call on us to be positive forces in the world, it is time to put action to our values. If you are able to, we invite you to join us in donating to the National Police Accountability Project and Campaign Zero, or other organizations supporting the cause. We also encourage you to collaborate with other organizations on campus to educate yourselves and take action and sign petitions for justice. Furthermore, we implore you all to read, watch, and listen to the educational resources compiled by The Lemon Project on the W&M Fraternity & Sorority Life website.
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Signed,
Luke Scarano, IFC President
Maddison Wester, NPHC President
Meredith Jackson, Panhellenic President