Racism allegations sparked mass exodus from NC sorority. Now the chapter is suspended
Members of a sorority at a university in North Carolina left in droves at the beginning of the school year amid allegations of racism spurred in part by a stunted attempt to start a committee focused on diversity.
Now the organization is facing scrutiny from its national chapter.
Operations at the Zeta Tau chapter of Alpha Xi Delta at the University of North Carolina in Asheville have been suspended until further notice, Alpha Xi Delta National Headquarters confirmed in a statement to McClatchy News on Wednesday.
“Alpha Xi Delta takes all allegations of racism and antisemitism seriously,” the statement said. “We do not tolerate racism or antisemitism of any kind, and we condemn all acts of bigotry, violence and hatred.”
The national organization said it’s now working with university officials to “determine next steps.” It’s unclear when exactly the Zeta Tau chapter was suspended.
A representative from Alpha Xi Delta - Zeta Tau at UNC-Asheville did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment.
In August, a post on the chapter Facebook page declared at least 17 members were dropping out. The author of the post, who wasn’t publicly identified, said Zeta Tau wasn’t a “safe space for people who are Black, Brown, Jewish or who have any other religious affiliation other than white Christianity.”
“Alpha Xi Delta is a racist and antisemitic organization,” the post said. “If you planned on coming to recruitment for the Zeta Tau chapter I strongly advise you not to.”
One day later, the members who left posted a follow-up statement explaining their decision.
They said multiple sisters faced “repeated forms of discrimination” over the last year, including microaggressions, tokenism and gas lighting. As a result, some wanted to form a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee to help educate members.
But chapter leaders “intentionally blocked DEI work and discrimination continued,” they said. “There were plenty of chances for accountability but white fragility was the overarching response.”
The former members said they took it to the national chapter but felt like their concerns were dismissed.
“This is not a sisterhood,” the statement said. “This is not what we signed up for. This is not a safe space.”
Kayla Bledsoe, a former Alpha Xi member, told the Asheville Citizen-Times the idea for a DEI committee came after George Floyd’s death last year.
Floyd, 46, died after now-fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into his neck for more than 9 minutes, as three other officers chose not to intervene. His death sparked an avalanche of protests and calls for racial reconciliation across the nation.
But Bledsoe said they were immediately met with opposition from chapter leaders, the Citizen-Times reported. When they finally consented, she told the newspaper, some white members seemed disinterested with their backs to the camera during online meetings.
“I think it was just white people just not really wanting to talk about (race),” Bledsoe said, according to the Citizen-Times. “I think it’s really uncomfortable when white people personally are being called out, like they get very uncomfortable and shut down.”
At least 25 of Zeta Tau’s 28 members left the sorority as a result, the newspaper reported.
This story was originally published October 6, 2021 at 6:39 PM with the headline "Racism allegations sparked mass exodus from NC sorority. Now the chapter is suspended."
