Fraternity celebrates diversity: ‘We have white guys from all over the country’

The University of Miami is well known for being one of the most diverse private research universities in the United States. Its unique geographic location acts as a gateway to the southern hemisphere, attracting a variety of latino students. UM officially has a demographic breakdown of 49 percent white, 27 percent Hispanic or Latino, 8 percent black, 12 percent Asian or Pacific Islander and 3 percent multiracial, according to the Office of Undergraduate Admission. Nowhere is this vast diversity represented better than in the university’s Greek system.

Delta Psi Beta, the second largest fraternity on campus, is celebrating its annual Diversity Week starting on Oct. 1. In anticipation of the event, The Miami Hurricane sat down with Delta Psi Beta Vice President Josh Stephens to discuss Diversity Week.

TMH: How diverse is Delta Psi Beta, and how do you believe it has impacted the fraternity experience as a whole?

S: Delta Psi Beta is massively diverse, and we’re very proud of it. We truly uphold the University of Miami tradition of cultural inclusion, as our brothers come from all walks of life. We have white guys from Virginia all the way to California. In fact, out of our 87 brothers, only 60 are white males from the Northeast. Twenty-six are white males from the west coast.

I believe having a wide range of perspectives really teaches us how to be accepting of others and how to see the important things that are happening in this country. For example, why does everything have to be about race for some people? Race and racism has never once been an issue brought up within Delta Psi Beta. Our minds are open to all of the shades of white in our house.

TMH: How and why did Diversity Week begin?

S: Diversity Week began in the fall of 2013, after the Black Lives Matter movement began. Being such a diverse group of gentlemen, we know that every life matters equally. To show this we developed Diversity Week, a week where we pair up with a sorority that embodies our same wide range of WASPs to celebrate how all of our lives matter just as much as those protesters’ lives.

TMH: What other events do you have planned to celebrate and respect the range of cultures we have on this campus and in this country?

S: Delta Psi Beta Cinco de Drinko is always great. Tequila and sombreros es muy bueno, por favor!

Conner Barrett is a sophomore majoring in political science.