WATCH: The Legacy Of Brotherhood: Phi Beta Sigma
We dive deep into the brimstone and brotherhood of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00 So how about that blue five?
00:02 You know!
00:03 It's the brotherhood and sisterhood for Essence.
00:06 So this month we're celebrating the Divine 9 organizations.
00:10 Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Omega Psi Phi,
00:14 Kappa Alpha Psi, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta,
00:18 Phi Beta Sigma, Sigma Gamma Rho, and Iota Phi Theta.
00:22 We're showing love to our staff that are Divine 9 members.
00:25 My name is Kelvin Byers.
00:26 I'm the Senior Social Manager here for Essence,
00:29 and I crossed spring 2009
00:32 into the illustrious Phi Beta Sigma fraternity incorporated.
00:35 The reason I chose Phi Beta Sigma
00:37 wasn't because I thought it was the coolest thing on the yard
00:42 or because all the bros dressed the flyest
00:45 or simply because they had all the girls.
00:47 It's just simply, they were the ones that were doing the work.
00:58 I'm a huge advocate on community service
01:01 and a huge advocate for just betterment of our society.
01:05 And those were the brothers that were on the yard
01:07 actually holding the blanket drives,
01:08 actually going to the soup kitchens,
01:10 actually working in the community.
01:12 And that's what I really wanted to do.
01:14 So I will say that Phi Beta Sigma kind of chose me
01:16 because my heart for human interest was really there.
01:19 I think my proudest moment to date
01:22 has to be being able to represent Phi Beta Sigma
01:25 on a national level, serving as Assistant State Director
01:29 for the state of Kentucky for two years.
01:31 Through that, my efforts really helped build
01:33 not only our undergraduate chapters
01:35 with the community service work,
01:36 but also helped bring Phi Beta Sigma
01:38 to a national platform.
01:39 I think these organizations are super important in 2024
01:41 because when you look back at the early 1900s
01:44 when we were founded, there was a lot of segregation
01:46 and there was a lot of just people not being able
01:50 to do the things they love to do
01:51 because of the color of their skin.
01:53 And Phi Beta Sigma for Essence was founded
01:54 on the inclusively, not the exclusively.
01:57 And as we come to 2024, we see the strike down
01:59 on affirmative action and people not being able
02:01 to do simple things because the way they look
02:03 or the way they love or the way they pray.
02:05 I think that these organizations are still here today
02:07 to help push the agenda that we are all important.
02:10 And I think that's why we are still relevant today.
02:13 ♪ Phi Beta Sigma's got souls ♪
02:23 ♪ Phi Beta Sigma's got souls ♪
02:27 - Me and my line brothers still are in contact today.
02:30 Me and my chapter brothers still talk all the time.
02:32 I think it's super important because we have more
02:34 than just those four or five years, six years,
02:38 if you took that long in college.
02:39 Together, we actually built a foundation and a family.
02:43 I can call on my Phri brothers anytime I'm in need
02:45 and vice versa.
02:47 My Phri brothers even got me my first job,
02:49 like my first job post-college.
02:50 So it's more than just a step in the stroller on the yard.
02:53 These are lifetime bonds that we're making.
02:55 I think a common misconception that people have
02:57 about the Define Night is that we are just stepping
02:59 in the stroller and yelling on the yard.
03:01 We are actually in the communities doing the work.
03:03 We are in our government, being government officials,
03:06 making policies.
03:07 We are change makers.
03:09 And I think that once we step aside
03:12 from just being hooting and hollering,
03:14 seeing as the cool people on the yard,
03:16 that you see that we actually are the ones
03:18 that are putting in the work
03:19 and making the future a little bit brighter.
03:21 (upbeat music)
03:23 (upbeat music)
03:26 (upbeat music)