When Herman Chapman '04 visited Hamilton as a
prospective student, he stayed overnight with Chandler Long '03. Little did he
know that within a few years the two of them would launch Brothers Organization,
a group that provides unity and support for men of color on campus.
Herman Chapman '04 strolling on campus with his "study buddy," Jeremy
Berry.
The idea
came after Long attended a lecture by filmmaker Spike Lee sponsored by the
Colgate Brothers Organization. He was so inspired by the philosophy behind the
group that he approached Chapman about starting a similar organization at
Hamilton. Soon the two began writing a constitution, raising funds and
recruiting members. "Finding members was tough at first since we couldn't really
offer much incentive to join because we didn't have any history to fall back
on," Chapman explained. "Plus we didn't have any money, so we spent a lot of
time doing things such as yard work around the community to raise
funds."
Just two years later, the group has earned club status and receives
Student Assembly funding to publish a newsletter and bring influential speakers
to campus. Last year, for example, the group co-sponsored cultural critic
Michael Eric Dyson as part of the C. Christine Johnson Voices of Color lecture
series. Brothers also emphasizes community service, participating in a
"study-buddy" program with a local high school, a Junior Frontiers program to
encourage young entrepreneurs, and the Boys and Girls Club of Utica. To provide
support to its own, Brothers organizes study sessions for exams, and is working
with alumni of color to develop an internship program.
But perhaps the most
surprising thing about these enterprising students is their backgrounds.
Brothers consists of about 30 members -- members who are Black, Asian, Latino
and even female -- who meet weekly to plan service projects and discuss topics
ranging from racial incidents on campus to affirmative action.
"Our
membership is not selective, but we do expect a certain level of commitment,"
Chapman said. "Our goal is to get people together and relieve tension between
groups on campus by providing an inclusive environment where people can express
themselves."
