I was disheartened to know that in Julianne Shumko’s article “BU Hispanic organizations focus on cultural education” (Nov. 18, pg. 1) there was no mention of Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity’s contribution to Latino students as well as the entire BU community. Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity is the “Oldest Latino Fraternity in Existence” and has been present at Boston University since 1996. Since that time, Phi Iota Alpha has become one of BU’s strongest Latino groups with a consistent track record of fine programming and an involved alumni network.
Since its establishment in 1996, Phi Iota Alpha’s BU chapter has co-sponsored a variety of events with many of the groups mentioned in Ms. Shumko’s article, such as La Fuerza, “Taco Shop Poets,” Danzon dance performances and Latinos Unidos’ “Comedy Rhumba.” In fact, many past presidents and executive board members of these groups were brothers of Phi Iota Alpha,, including the founder of Danzon. Phi Iota Alpha in collaboration with other multicultural Greek organizations, established BU’s Multicultural Greek Council to address the needs of multicultural Greek letter organizations on campus. In addition, Phi Iota Alpha was recognized in 2002 for excellent multicultural programming by the Office of Multicultural Affairs.
Since receiving full recognition by the university in 1999, some of Phi Iota Alpha’s memorable events include “Comedy Rhumba,” Boston’s only Latino comedy show, and “The Latino Food Sale,” the organization’s annual fund-raiser that brings traditional home-cooked meals to BU students’ door steps. Always committed to working in the community, Phi Iota Alpha sponsored numerous fund-raisers to address those less fortunate in Colombia, El Salvador, and Guatemala.
On a social level, Phi Iota Alpha has sponsored numerous GSU dance parties providing area students access to salsa, merengue, bachata and other traditional Latin rhythms. Phi Iota Alpha has also committed to maintaining a close working relationship with BU faculty and staff, constantly maintaining dialogue with the Office of Multicultural Affairs and partnering with professors such as Claudio Veliz for roundtable discussions on Latin American history, politics and culture.
In the end, cultural programming at BU is not only handled by traditional cultural organizations like La Fuerza, Latinos Unidos, Asian Students Association and UMOJA. Multicultural Greek letter organizations like Phi Iota Alpha, Alpha Phi Alpha and Lambda Phi Epsilon, to name a few, make it a part of their mission to not only provide brotherhood and social events for their individual members but to also provide cultural programming and service to their respective communities.
In an effort to paint an accurate and holistic view of cultural organizations and programming at BU, I strongly encourage to include multicultural Greeks in future reporting. Multicultural Greeks like Phi Iota Alpha, not only spice up BU’s Greek life by providing men a fraternal bond with a Latin flavor but also involve and serve the entire BU community through a constant promotion of Latino traditions, history and values. I look forward to reading about organizations like Phi Iota Alpha in the future.
Julio Irving Cotto
CAS ’02
The writer is a member of Phi Iota Alpha.
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