VIDEO: The Role Black Greek Lettered Organizations Play In The African-American Community

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)-Being a member of a Black Greek Lettered Organization is a life long commitment.

Members continue to stay active in their organization even beyond their college years.

“Without us giving back, our communities can not strive, they can not thrive,” said Sherell Drake, who’s a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Black Lettered Greek Organizations have always been a pillar In the African-American community, it’s something they pride themselves in.

“We are about helping the community, uplifting one another and being busy, being the face of the African-American people,” Drake explained.

“Our children there in jeopardy so now we have to come back and represent in a manner so they can say they were actually successful also, and our stories aren’t that different from their stories,” said Michello Garrick, who’s a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Continuing to give back and trying to make a difference in the community is a top priority for all of the nine organizations.

Garrick and Drake are both active members of Greek organizations that give back all over the Golden Triangle Area.

“We’re all about community service,” Garrick explain. “We did Ring The Bell for Salvation Army, we try to do food drive and give back during Thanksgiving.”

“We’re busy in the Boys and Girls Club’s, we have impact of days, and here recently we participated in the Martin Luther King day of service where we fed the community,” said Drake.
Once members graduate college, they then make the transition over into graduate chapters in an effort to give back to give back and stay active in their organization.

Also, if someone doesn’t join an organization while being an undergrad, they can express interests in joining a graduate chapter.

“Once you transition into the graduate level it gets even more intense because you have more things to juggle,” Drake described. “You have family, you have jobs, careers, children, your children’s extra-circular activities.

“Once you’re in a graduate chapter, you’re expected to do more,” said Garrick.

Members of BGLO’s tell WCBI the standard is set high for each organization to set the right example and be positive role models and leaders in their communities.

Years down the line, members believe BGLO’s will continue to be a strong and dominant force in the African-American community.

“No matter how much you give it’s never enough because there’s always more work to be done,” said Drake.

“There’s always new challenges that comes up that we feel like, what role can we play in this particular challenge to make it a little bit better for someone else,” said Garrick.

All nine of the predominantly black organizations have active grad chapters here in the Golden Triangle Area.