Our final AFLV reflection is from Cyrus Johannes, Psi U
What made AFLV so interesting was the breadth of Greek life related topics that were covered. I learned about the history of cultural organizations, ways in which racism manifests itself within Greek life, how much we as organizations can change the culture around sexual assault, and how I as a leader can more effectively motivate others while taking care of myself. Some of the discussions were on very concrete matters, such as who to contact and how during a crisis, but other talks were more abstract in that the speakers discussed issues for which there is no simple solution or agreed upon method of acting, such as changing the culture around drinking on campuses. What I enjoyed most about the trip was how united 3,700 students from different organizations and councils were. Everyone I interacted with wanted to make change at their own universities, and many I talked to specifically wanted to create greater campus unity. It was both reassuring and worrying that campuses across the country struggle with bringing different Greek and non-Greek organizations together. At Lehigh IFC and Panhellenic organizations rarely stray from having events between each other which creates divides that are difficult to overcome.
AFLV came at an interesting time for me in that it validated some of the work my chapter was already doing and encouraged me to continue down the same path. The Connector party that Psi U hosted that same weekend was a small step towards greater campus unity, but it was a step nonetheless. We are hoping to begin making strides in the near future by co-hosting more events, both social and non-social, with CGC and non-Greek groups. In addition, AFLV taught me that making change on campus is best achieved by working with students rather than a top-down approach. Going forward, I hope to work with my chapter and other chapters on campus to improve our community and move away from unhealthy cultures. The work I can do alone is nothing compared to what we can achieve as a community, and I hope to help motivate some of those achievements.