FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 1, 2020

ATHENS, GA – JUNE 1, 2020 – To date, over 200 members have petitioned the Sorority to state our commitment to actively fighting anti-Blackness within our communities. We recognize that as an Asian-interest sorority, we owe much of our existence to the historically Black organizations comprising the National Pan-Hellenic Council that paved the way for us. Furthermore, we will not remain complicit as our own members’ lives are made to feel insignificant by society. We stand with them as they have stood with us. Delta Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. and the Delta Phi Lambda Foundation denounce the injustices and violence against the Black community that are far too common today. Black Lives Matter.

We encourage our members to channel their grief and anger due to these injustices into action. Change requires knowledge and empathy. Both are needed to take action. We recognize that this action may look different based on each person’s circumstances. Some options for members include: donating time and money, writing to your elected representatives demanding change, attending protests, and voting in local and national elections.

Be an Ally. There are difficult conversations to be had about racism within our communities. There will be discomfort as we work to confront learned anti-blackness, but we must all take the first step by talking to the people we love and following through with our actions. To be an ally is to…

1. Take on the struggle as your own.
2. Stand up and speak out, even when you feel scared.
3. Acknowledge that while you, too, feel pain, the conversation is not about you.
4. Transfer the benefits of your privilege to those who lack it.

 Don’t be a bystander

1. Recognize the freedoms and strives made by Black American activists during the Civil Rights Era and their connection to our own abilities to experience freedom
2. Support Black-owned businesses
3. Refuse to remain complicit by upholding the model minority myth

Delta Phi Lambda pledges to mobilize and no longer remain silent. We stand in solidarity with the Black community and commit to:

1. Requiring our chapters to host an anti-racist programming event externally or educational event internally for members,
2. Hosting bi-weekly meetings for Sisters to have safe spaces to discuss current events,
3. Establishing a committee to provide programming and/or guides that are specific to anti-racism within the Asian community, and
4. Providing resources for chapters and individual members on topics such as how to educate the community and how to protest peacefully and safely (if Sisters choose to do so).

Delta Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. and the Delta Phi Lambda Foundation wholeheartedly support the Black community and our mutual fight for justice and the right to not merely survive, but to thrive. We see you, we hear you, and we stand in solidarity with you.

Resources

Read more about the Do’s and Don’ts of being an ally in the Guide to Allyship.

Talk to your family: Dear Mom, Dad, Uncle, Auntie: Black Lives Matter to Us, Too

Protesting Safety. Should you choose to protest, we want you to remain safe. Below are tips on how you can keep yourself and others safe during a protest:

1. Research 

your rights as a demonstrator and what to do if you believe your rights have been violated.

1. What to bring/wear: 

nondescript, solid color, layered clothing; sneakers or comfortable shoes you can run in if you need to get to safety; heat resistant gloves; goggles and masks; emergency contacts written down; a backup battery for your phone; water for drinking and tear gas; snacks; cash/change and identification; washcloth; earplugs; protest signs; bandages; and first aid supplies

1. What NOT to bring/wear: 

cell phone without first turning off Face/Touch ID, going on airplane mode, and disabling data; jewelry; anything you don’t want to be arrested with; contact lenses

1. Recommendations: 

use the buddy system, cover identifying tattoos, and tie your hair back, keep your phone charged, data disabled, Face/Touch ID off, and airplane mode on; research attorneys offering pro bono services in your area

Visit ACLU.org for more information about your rights as a protestor.

Donations. Below are some organizations you can donate to:

1. George Floyd Memorial Fund

: official GoFundMe to support the Floyd family

1. Minnesota Freedom Fund

: a community-based nonprofit that combats the harms of incarceration by paying bail for low-income individuals who cannot otherwise afford it; opposes “pay-to-play” justice

1. Black Visions Collective

: a black, trans, & queer-led organization that works to dismantle systems of oppression, violence across Minnesota

1. Campaign Zero

: an online platform that utilizes research-based policy solutions to end police brutality

1. Reclaim the Block

: a coalition that advocates for and invests in community-led safety initiatives in Minneapolis neighborhoods

“The beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be anti-racist. Anti-racism is the commitment to find it, including in yourself. And that’s the only way forward.” - Ijeoma Oluo

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Delta Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. is a 501(c)(7) non-profit organization that advocates Asian awareness and empowers women to lead through values-based programs and Everlasting Sisterhood®. Delta Phi Lambda’s national philanthropy is osteoporosis awareness education and prevention, emphasizing the importance of promoting healthy lifestyles and behavior in young women. Founded in 1998, Delta Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. has grown to over 20 undergraduate chapters and 4 alumnae chapters spanning the Southeast, Midwest, and Northeast regions of the U.S.

Delta Phi Lambda Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was founded in 2010. The Foundation empowers the women of Delta Phi Lambda and the communities they serve by funding scholarships and leadership development grants.