It has been just over 90-days since the death of George Floyd reignited a flame on a call for justice and equity for all. In those 90 days, we have seen pushes for systemic change taking place at the grassroots level, we’ve seen companies fumble their way through branding changes, politicians attempt to unite and divide the people and through it all we still find ourselves back in this scenario where another Black man has been shot at the hands of police and a city and a nation recoils in horror and anger.
As a Fraternity composed of men whose very existence often makes them the target of suspicion and aggression we are appalled at the actions that took place in Kenosha, Wisconsin, this week. From the shooting of Jacob Blake by the police to the tacit support given to armed wannabes who would openly fire on unarmed protesters we voice our outrage, demand justice, and push our membership to do the same. The violence that has been shown to come from those who feel a sense of entitlement in this country has manifested itself beyond angry customers who would physically assault someone for being asked to wear a mask to individuals who drive out of state or hundreds of miles to gun down others.
For those of our brothers in the states of Illinois and Wisconsin, we urge you to reach out to the offices and elected officials listed at the bottom of this message and ensure that they act swiftly and judiciously. It may feel appalling that we are back to voicing the same disgust as we did 90 days ago, but it is the very fact that we must voice this disgust again which means our work is far from over.
We as a Fraternity have a responsibility to voice our outrage but our actions must be more than just our statements. So it is fair to ask, what are we doing ourselves to push for changes? In the last 90-days, we have seen our individual brothers lead conversations on anti-Blackness in higher education and the greater Latinx community. We have seen our chapters and regions come together and raise funds for national movements such as Black Lives Matters and local sources such as the Minnesota Freedom Fund. We’ve hosted national video calls in support of our National Day of Healing for the brotherhood. Through our Education Foundation funds have been allocated for local chapters to put on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programming this upcoming school year. This list is the beginning of the work being done but it will not be the end of it. We will continue to push forward at our local entities and as a Fraternity that spans from coast to coast to demand justice and equity.
For those seeking ways to make an immediate impact on the current situation we direct you to the following:
If you would like to make a financial contribution we direct you to:
Milwaukee Freedom Fund (Extending support to protestors in Kenosha) https://bit.ly/mkefreedomfund
For Wisconsin brothers, contact the following offices and demand justice for those whose lives were ended by an armed out of state aggressor and push for body cameras to become a standard part of police equipment.
Kenosha City Attorney Office webcityattorney@kenosha.org 262-653-4170
Kenosha Mayor’s Office mayor@kenosha.org 262-653-4000
For those brothers living in Illinois, contact Lake County, IL State’s Attorney, Michael G. Nerheim at 847-733-3000 or via email at statesattorney@lakecountyil.gov and demand an investigation into who provided an underage minor with a firearm and transported him across state lines before and after the shooting.
Finally for those brothers who are unsure of where to turn for support or help, please know that the members and staff in our Executive Office are available to you and can be reached at (319) 242-7540. Xavier Romano’s direct office number is (319) 242-7542.
Fraternally,
The Executive Board of Directors of Sigma Lambda Beta