The Multicultural Greek Council retools a showcase event to educate the Mizzou community about racism.

Published: Sept. 17, 2020

By Jocelyn Racelis

The Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) will repurpose their annual Traditions Night event Sept. 18 to shine a light on systemic racism in several different parts of the Mizzou community.

“Education and awareness of the topic is the first step in dismantling systemic racism within the justice system,” says Phuong Bui, president of Alpha Phi Gamma Sorority, Inc.

“We will share our experiences we’ve had with systemic racism and share resources for those who need it as well in our community,” Bui says.

MGC is the governing council of multicultural-based organizations, including historically Latinx and Asian sororities and fraternities, at the University of Missouri. Although some of these organizations are cultural or identity-based, they are not cultural or identity-exclusive.

In the past, Traditions Night showcases MGC chapters and fosters communal aspects between councils. Typically, each chapter participates in strolling or saluting to showcase brotherhood or sisterhood.

MGC decided this year, however, to use the event to educate the Mizzou community. Each MGC chapter has selected a topic related to systemic racism that is especially important to its members. Five chapters and the executive board will present their topics online via Zoom.

• MGC Executive Board — Systemic Racism within Greek Life
• Alpha Phi Gamma National Sorority, Inc. — Systemic Racism in the Justice System
• Delta Xi Nu Multicultural Sorority, Inc. — Systemic Racism in Higher Education
• Kappa Pi Beta Fraternity, Inc. — Systemic Racism in the Workforce
• Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. — Systemic Racism in Healthcare
• Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc. — Colorism and Anti-Blackness within the Latinx Community

Andrew Pham, secretary of Kappa Pi Beta Fraternity, hopes the event will spark meaningful conversations while also fostering a place to make new friends.

“Everyone has a place on campus, and for me, it was MGC,” Pham says. He encourages students to “get involved in something, and if you haven’t found that something on campus, look toward MGC.”

Traditions Night events will begin at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 18 on Zoom.