A group of students plans to form a new fraternity for Hispanic men, despite considerable criticism lodged against greeks this year.
Trinity sophomore Roberto Lopez and Trinity freshman Freddy Montero are working to establish Lambda Upsilon Lambda, La Unidad Latina, at the University.
Lopez and Montero said their agenda for the new fraternity includes cultural awareness and educating members about Hispanic history.
Montero said he saw a need to start the fraternity because of the unique problems Hispanic males must face when placed in a new environment such as the University.
"I'm a first generation American. I learned English in school--being Latino males we have stereotypes along with additional pressures at school," Montero said. "It's like living a dual life, the culture, the language, it's so different. I never had to really stand up and express my individuality."
The fraternity will provide an outlet for Hispanic men not easily found in Mi Gente, a campus cultural group, Lopez said.
"Mi Gente is dominated by Latino women. As a Latino male, I felt on the outside initially because it couldn't inherently address the issues of Latino males," he said.
Trinity senior Sira Veciana, co-coordinator of Mi Gente, said that no single organization can be expected to fulfill everyone's needs. The majority of Mi Gente officers are female.
Perhaps the fraternity could be another organization on campus to help fulfill the needs of Latino males, Veciana said.
Lambda Upsilon Lambda was founded on February 19, 1982 at Cornell University, said Rick Quiles, founder of the Brown University chapter and chair of the fraternity's national Board of Trustees. There are currently 18 chapters located predominantly in the Northeast.
The fraternity has alumni chapters located in New York City, Philadelphia, Buffalo and Providence.
"Association with the fraternity may start at the college level, but it's a lifelong commitment," said Ruben Rodriguez, the fraternity's national president.
Trinity junior Mike Bown, president of Duke's Interfraternity Council, said that the new group has yet to seek IFC recognition.
Montero said that the fraternity would be interested in IFC recognition. But the group will not seek to become a residential fraternity because that would perpetuate discriminatory housing practices toward women, Lopez said.
Montero first learned about Lambda Upsilon Lambda when he was at Brown University while looking at colleges. When he came to Duke he wanted to start a chapter. He met Lopez, who had the same idea.
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