The Wake Up Continues....
Soror Nakisha Thomas
Sigma Delta, Florida International University
To my beautiful, sophisticated, devestating sorors and those honorable, intellegent men of "Fine" Beta Sigma, I greet you in the spirit of sisterly love. I would first of all like to take the time to thank and congratulate two people who I am very proud of Brother Kerry Gillard and Soror Shanice Stewart. I am so happy to see the talent that abounds in our family, being used for our family. Your work has shown you are willing to do whatever is necessary to help our family.
I write to you all today to respond to the editorial written by Brother Gilliard imploring the Undergraduate Leadership to "Wake Up". In July of 1996 I was elected as the National Undergraduate Member At Large for Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. In this position I am the only undergraduate to sit on the National Executive Board, and am responsible for voicing the concerns of the undergraduates on a national level.
It has been a job that I have found rewarding and exciting, but also frustrating. It is because of this that I feel I can answer Brother Gilliard's editorial by issuing the following challenges to my undergraduate sorors and brothers not only of the blue family, but of all BGLO's.
My first challenge to you would be to realize that you are members first, and undergraduates second. You are as entitled as any other member of your organizations to the privileges that membership offers. You are entitled to a voice, a vote, and all other amenities due your position. However, you also bear all of the resposibilities that membership carries. You are responsible to PAY your dues. You are responsible to follow the rules of the organization, like them or not. You are responsible for representing these organizations in ways that will not bring reproach upon your family. I have heard it said, and I will say it again, Membership has its privileges and its responsibilities.
So the next time you attend a conference enjoy the privilege of membership and get a seat as close to the front as you can so that you can be involved and informed instead of choosing the seat as far in the back as possible.
My second challenge to you would be to hold your leaders accountable for their actions. I am constantly baffled at how I must solicit the concerns of the group that I represent, instead of them bringing them to me. This is not a Zeta problem or a Sigma problem and I can say that with confidence as I have sat down and discussed this very matter with national officers from at least 5 of the 9 BGLO's. Graduates on a regular basis make their concerns known to their national officers. They write, call, E-mail, and fax them while your undergraduate officers never hear from you. In my time in office I have recieved only two unsolicited calls and one E-mail message from a soror telling me what I should do while I am in office. I am sure that I can speak for most undergraduate officers when I say that I have no problem with this. I believe that I am here to serve you. You should dictate my actions, and then hold me accountable for my responses. I challenge you to pick up the phone and call or E-mail your national undergraduate officers and see what they have done during their tenure in office. If you can't reach them many of them along with myself will be in Indiana this month I will be happy to take them any messages that you may have.
My final challenge to you is simple, REMEMBER YOUR OATH. This challenge is one that I say with a heavy heart as I am truly touched every time I remember the day that I stood before God and the assembled witnesses and said my oath to Zeta. I believe that now is the time for us as undergraduates to get "Back to the Basics...With a New School Twist". We must get back to representing the princples that our organizations were founded upon, serving our community with the knowledge and innovative ideas that the new school offers. We must get back to the basics of being sisters and brothers with the new school twist of using these new modes of communication to exband our circle of Blue and White freinds to be truly a worldwide network of brothers and sisters.
We mest get back to the basics of being preeminent scholars, realizing that we now have the potential to learn and do more than our forefathers ever did. The old motto used to be "The sky is the limit", but I know I can do better.
I say this all to say that as we prepare for the 21st century the challenge is issued to each member of these organizations to begin cleaning their house. You don't need a title to do something, so activate yourself. To my sorors I issue a special challange to put me and the rest of your national officers to the test. I can be reached at zphi1920@yahoo.com, if you want to see change, then I challange to make your voice known. Our International Grand Basileus, Dr. Barbara West Carpenter has been an angel to your undergraduate officers. She has done nothing but support our endeavors and is always willing to listen to our concerns. Allow us to be your voice for change.
In closing I can say only one thing as I do my best to "Position Zeta for Preeminence in the 21st Century,,,The New Millenium, may God order my step in his way, and let the work that I've done speak for itself. My prayers and good wishes are with you as I hope yours will be with me.
Yours In Service,
Nakisha Thomas
Former National Undergraduate
Member at Large
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
A.K.A.
"Baby Blue"-(Baby of the National E Board)