SLB El Iluminador - Spring 2011 Print Issue

8/6/2019 SLB El Iluminador - Spring 2011 Print Issue

1/20

Spring 2011

SlacktivismWhat are you doing

to create Change?

SLBA Powerful Force for

Peace and

Understanding

NeoManifesto

The


2/20

From the EditorExecutive Ofce

igma Lambda Beta Internationalraternity Incorporatedxecutive Oce

25 E. Zeller St., Ste. D & ENorth Liberty, IA 52317

-888-486-BETA

Sta

Editors

Carlos Frevert, Editor-in-Chie

oaquin, Managing Editor

icky Cortez, Copy Editor

hingi Mavima, Copy Editor

ving Roman, Design Editor

Contributors

Pablo Saba

Benjamin Cartagena

Bryan Rojas

Christopher Temblador

It was early on a Friday morning... April 5th, 1996. The day I went rom

being a mere moral to becoming a tall Lambda Beta Man. There were

only single letter chapters back then. The P-list was still pretty new, as was

email or that matter. My chapter brothers let that night or Founders inMichigan as the raternity was celebrating its 10th anniversary. It was a

huge milestone and we were loving raternal lie.

I you would have told me that day, that 15 years later, I would be helping

the raternity celebrate its 25th anniversary, as the Editor-in-Chie o El

Iluminador, I would have laughed at you. I could not imagine mysel

being a chapter president, let alone being involved at a national level. I

could not have been more wrong.

My story is one o thousands o stories spread across 25 years o

Brotherhood. From the rst initiation at Danorth Chapel, to the latest

initiation that is probably occurring as you are reading this, each Brothers

story is unique. Each Brothers journey is what makes Sigma Lambda Beta

the powerul organization we are today.

Since the day I crossed, my Brothers have been at each and every transition

o my adult lie; the day I let or the military, the day I got married, the

birth o my children, and the death o my ather. They have been there

through my successes and my ailures. They have never let my side.

Weve laughed, weve cried, weve ought, and weve overcome. Thatswhat being a Lambda Beta man is all about.

As we begin the journey into our next 25 years o history, El Iluminador

also begins its own transition. I will be moving on rom my role as Editor-

in-Chie and passing the torch onto Brother Ricardo Cortez. Over the past

three years, we have built a solid oundation or a sustainable publication. I have every aith in Brother Ricardo

to take our work to the next level and evolve El Iluminador into the premier raternal publication that it deserves

to be.

I cannot express enough my gratitude to all the contributors and editors o El Iluminador. Without the hard work

and dedication o each and every one one o them, we would not be where we are today. All o you have my

sincerest thanks.

It has been an absolutely humbling experience to serve the Brotherhood in this capacity. I want to thank everyone

or their continued support o El Iluminador, and I look orward to seeing some great things rom the new team

in the uture.

Carlos Frevert

Editor-in-Chie

2 el iluminador eliluminador.com


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In This Issue

Find us Online

All photos are used under a Creative Commons agreement

and attributed accordingly. Photos not attributed are either

clip art or photos taken by the editors.

National Websitesigmalambdabeta.com

El Iluminador Websiteeliluminador.com

Twitter

twitter.com/sigmalambdabeta

YouTube

youtube.com/sigmalambdabeta

Facebook

facebook.com/slb1986

SLB: A Powerul Force or Understanding

Slacktivism

The Neo-Maniesto

Theory on Beta Extinction

Lies o Our Presidents

A Warriors Creed

BETACON 2012

How to Say It

Couch Epiphany

4

6

8

11

12

14

16

1718

Spring 2011 el iluminador 3


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ence at the end o the day. What I mean by that is, taking advan-

tage o the many opportunities lie hands you to make this Earth a better

place to inhabit along with the 6 billion other people with whom we share it.

Now, I dont mean to say this in an elitist tone or anything, but i you are a Broth-

er o the most honorable Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, then you most

likely have had too many o these opportunities to count. Each day that has passed since I

have had the honor o calling mysel a Brother o this Fraternity, my worldly outlook on lie and

just about everything else has changed. This is because each day has provided me with an opportu-

nity to open my eyes and expand my understanding o those who might look, speak, eat, pray, and

think dierently than I do. As I am sure you are well aware, cultural awareness plays a huge role in

this Fraternity, yet many o us dont realize how this ounding principle has an immense capacity orpositive change in the world. Beore we get there, though, we must start at the basis: Brotherhood.

For those Brothers who have had the ortune o having Chapters as diverse as the one I crossed into, you

should denitely understand rom where I am coming. As an associate member I was placed in a group o

6 determined men who were all as similar to each other as the 32-favors Baskin Robins boasts; a Palestin-

ian/Honduran, Gujarati-Indian, Filipino, Colombian, and two Arican-American/Caucasians. Now picture

the possible dierences among us that were present in just about everything that makes us human. Thats

SLB

Bettering our community, country, and the world seems like a vicious undertaking that

might require a huge eort on the behal o those undergoing the immense task.

Sure, nothing worth anything is just given to us but maybe the enormity o the task at

hand is being blown out o proportion. Yes, we do live in a world where it seems to be the case

that hate, war, and all other sorts o negativity run rampant. And yes, it does also seem that

these social ailments seem to have aected an astronomical proportion o our worldspopulation. However, i you ask me, its the little things that make a huge dier-



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by Pablo Saba

A Powerful Force for

Peace and

Understanding

5 dierent religions, 7 dierent languages, 6 dierent places o birth, and a combined mixture o

10 dierent ethnic/racial cultures jam-packed into a single unit. Now as we underwent our journey

across the pits o disunity, you could only athom the degree to which my eyes were opened. Natu-

rally, as one grows close to another, one is exposed to the dierent dimensions o the others way

o lie. This, o course, was inevitable given the rampant dissimilarities that existed among

us. In the end, what resulted was 6 minds uniting into a single state o understanding.

In search o the brotherhood between the six o us, we learned so much

more about not only ourselves but the dierent parts o the world rom

where we came. I realized that upon becoming your Brothers keeper,

you have also adopted the struggles he aces- whether he is an undocu-

mented Brother who ears being asked or his papers, a Japanese Brother

whose amily remains in peril in the atermath o a natural disaster, or a Libyan brother

whose country people are in the midst o an armed struggle or justices and equality. In living up

to our creed and to better not just our communities or our country, but the world, we must take

into consideration what makes up the very abric upon which our bonds are built; our Brotherhood.

With Brotherhood, we become aware o not just the manner in which we all live our lives, but

the obstacles each o us aces. When I throw around the term understanding, I mean thatonce we understand where we all come rom and the adversity we have aced to arrive where

we are, then we can all join together and advocate or one another as i we are

acing any struggle that another is going through. This is the true meaning o Brotherhood

and a true example o unity. For this, I am eternally grateul and innitely proud to be a Broth-

er o Sigma Lambda Beta because only within this Brotherhood do I see such a thing occur on

an ongoing basis. It is because o this reason alone that I truly believe we are steadily on

the path to bettering all o our communities, our country, and without a doubt, the world.



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In the year 2011, and particularly or the millennial generation, its hard to imagine what the world was like

beore the Internet. The World Wide Web has completely changed the way we interact, learn, and conduct

business. Like all things, there are pros and cons. There are numerous benets to the Internet; however, there

are some aspects that are disadvantageous as well. For instance, consider the act o communicating. The Inter-

net has allowed us to communicate practically and conveniently with our riends,

amily, and co-workers at nearly light-speed (amongst other benets). On the

other hand, the same means have helped acilitate individuals poor interper-

sonal skills (hermits), corroding grammatical competencies (lol),

and even cyber-bullying (See: www.stopcyberbullying.org). With

any debate, the angle one takes political, social, economical,

Slacktivismmedical, etc. helps individuals believe

their cause as act. A true Sigma Lambda

Beta man must look at both sides o any argu-

ment with an open-mind. There is no right

or wrong answer to any o what is going to

be communicated here. Nonetheless, the goal

is to prevent you rom becoming a Slacktivist.

I you consider yoursel to be an activist, or

simply as a Brother o Sigma Lambda Beta, ask

yoursel: What am I doing to create change?

Additionally, how much time throughout your

day do you spend casually browsing the In-

ternet? The bottom line is, creating real, con-

crete, empirical, act-driven change involves

more than liking a Facebook status. Sure, tweeting the color o your bra might, in some obscure way, raise

awareness to breast cancer. Congratulations, youre an Internet warrior! For an apathetic and complacent

generation that lives in the now, I guess this is our modern-day activism (who would risk the dangerous be-

havior o marching in the street, anyway?). But i you havent let your chair, and at least had a verbal con-

versation with someone, youve arguably done nothing. Creating this awareness might bring attention to

the issue; itll probably make you eel pretty good too. However, i you orget about that issue you blogged

about, the online petition you signed, or the Facebook group you joined, then your eorts might be in vain.

Please dont misunderstand the point o this article. Certain types o activism may have their place on the

Internet. Inormation on protests and political campaigns has spread through social networking mediums. I

its considered worthy, then the media may also mention the cause. However, this is only a start. Our gen-

eration has to demand more rom each other in order to create real change. Activists ght or their causes

usually as a means to achieve political goals. Do you think Barack Obama made change by sitting at home

on his laptop, writing about what the American government and people should do? You cant make the club

(sometimes slactivism or clicktivism)is a portmanteau ormed out o the

words slacker and activism. The word

is usually considered a pejorative term

that describes eel-good measures,

in support o an issue or social cause,

that have little or no practical eectother than to make the person doing

it eel satisaction (Wikipedia)



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What are you doing to create Change?by Joaquin

in the tub and you cant climb the ladder o success with your hands in your pocket, either. However, you can

click your mouse, while eating a ham sandwich and sitting in your lazy-boy recliner to re-tweet inormation on

Japan disaster-relie eorts. Ask yoursel, what has more eect: physically participating in a demonstration at

your state capital building or writing a blog about an issue? There is strength in numbers and blogs today are

a dime a dozen- good luck getting people to read them, too. Even this very article may have little eect, i it

doesnt engage you to do something. Would it be more benecial to write the Governor o your state a letter or

meet with her/him at her/his oce? Something is better than nothing, but some people are more serious about

achieving their goals than others. Consider your actions along with the best possible way to achieve your plan.

And surely Brothers o Sigma Lambda Beta can relate, or at least be empathetic. We all know those paperless

Brothers who respond to every email, barking about what should be done and when it should be done. Those

Brothers sit at home and criticize the knock. They point the nger at those daring enough to get involved; thosethat are bold enough to lead, organize, and push the boundaries o the ordinary. The point o this article is to

let you know that clicktivism is not good enough. Writing emails is not good enough. Being good is not good

enough. Sure, it may be a start. But in order to create the types o serious changes that we desire, we have

to demand more rom ourselves. We have to hold each other accountable to higher standards. I we dont,

we allow mediocrity to be placed on the same level as excellence, and that wont change anything. I we, as

Sigma Lambda Beta men, strive to hold each other accountable or intellectual excellence, to better serve our

world, and or continued participation, then we -at the very least- need to have these types o conversations.

Activism is derived rom the word act. To act, or action, involves activity. Activity is the opposite o inactivity. And

slacktivism is dangerously close to inactivity. Slacktivism should not be conused with activism or activity in anyway. At a certain point, the inorming,

the web-surng, and Facebook groups

have to turn into action. At some point,

you have to get up and do something.

Even coming to consensus on an issue will

not change the world. Posting a Facebook

status may only evoke an oh thats nice

response. Dont we want more, though?

Besides, these Facebook posts get lost in a

sea o Nikki Minaj songs, videos o street

corner ghts, and the Charlie Sheen tweets

with which our generation is inatuated.

In short, you cant click your way

to a better world; you have to work or it. Dont be that Brother who preaches over the internet world

--chillin at home, drinking his purple juice-- yet do nothing in the real world. Dont conuse aware-

ness with change. I you want to create change, why not become a U.S. Senator? Think Big(ger). Youll

be a better person by getting out o your room and physically attending a meeting/event. Trust.



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Neo ManifestoYou have crossed over into the ruitul land o the Greeks. The air smells resher, the water tastes cleaner,

your words sail more true and all on ears that now listen more intently.

You eel you have new purpose and see a world which is pregnant with opportunity and promise. You

are ocially a Brother or Sister o [insert three Greek letters here] Fraternity or Sorority, Incorporated.

Your letters shine bright as they rest rmly against your chest which is currently infated with a great

sense o pride. You now want to roadtrip to every entity your particular organization boasts and meet

every Brother or Sister o yours you can. You see a stroll at some event and you spend many hectic,

consecutive nights trying to perect said stroll until you trip and all clumsily into the closet o your dorm

room which is now ull to the hilt with para. Your tikis, decorative paddles, lettered shirts, jackets,

hoods, hats, etc. ll you with immeasurable pride.

by Benjamin Cartagena

This high you eel will be matched by ew moments in your lie, however, a sobering realization will even-

tually overcome you: it is signicantly more dicult to be an active Brother/Sister o a Fraternity/Sorority than

it is to be an associate member or pledge. You now have a lietime responsibility to contribute to the overriding

goal o your organization. The parties will likely become less requent as the business meetings become more

so. That stroll you were so ond o practicing becomes routine as stroll practice begins to seem more obligationthan jubilation. You are now representing something larger than yoursel- as the clich goes. You are now be-

ing asked to put to use all the knowledge you have hopeully accumulated in your pursuit o membership.

You, sir/madam, are a neophyte. The neophyte or neo seems to be the lowest rung on the Greek ladder;

however, the aim o this missive is to serve as a prominent salvo: The neophyte is a powerul exponent in

any organization and this maniesto is your guide to initial and continued success in your organization.

Knowledge is indeed power. Your organization undoubtedly has a peculiar history and set o principles. You

should by this time either know these or be studying, or your own edication, said history and principles. It can

be said that to know ones organization is to love ones organization. Use this

euphoric period to verse yoursel in your organizations by-laws, constitution,

mission, and any other piece o knowledge you can get your hand on and try

as best you can to urther integrate this inormation into your everyday lie. I

once had a Brother tell me, Ive orgotten more than you ever learned. I smiled

respectully and inormed him that his comments lit a re in me that intensied my pursuit o said orgotten

knowledge and I thanked him without a hint o sarcasm.

neo

The



9/20

phyte

Exceptionalism has its place, that place is your heart. Some may tell you that no organization is

better than any other. However, truth be told, they chose their path as you have chosen yours. The choice

may not have been one colored by signicant bias, it would be misleading to say that one didnt chose his/

her organization because he/she thought it was a better choice or them. That said, I eel as i I made

the best choice or me and that my organization is the best or me. Steer clear o walking the yard

boasting o the superiority o your particular organization. Your decision and actions thereater should

speak or themselves.

Love is a battleeld and war never changes. The yard is oten a place where Greeks put on tre-

mendous displays o my-Frat-is-better-than-your-Frat-ism. This may seem unbecoming and engender

a eeling in you that may encourage you to sing the high praises o your Brotherhood/Sisterhood in a

way that is equally obnoxious. You must ght this impulse. The quality o your organization will not be

tarnished or harmed by staying out o the ray and producing quality programming which expresses

the values and principles o your organization ully and artully.

Deeds complement words, however, the opposite is not always true. Many

new members become ghosts when the hard work o building or contribut-

ing to the chapter becomes more taxing. You must resist the impulse to take

a backseat approach to Greek Lie. I you have been initiated into an es-

tablished chapter, shadow an active Brother/Sister as you will one day

be asked to take on greater and greater responsibility in your chapter. I

you are, as I happen to be, a ounding Brother/Sister o your entity, the

hard work will be immediate and at times overwhelming. This work-

load should have been expected but even i you nd yoursel caught

o guard, weather the storm and build a strong nucleus or uture suc-

cess. Your schools Greek Oce should be your home when you are not

in class or the library. Remember that words have a way o inspiring people

to do great things but great deeds inspire deeds that are innitely greater.

Knowing your creed by heart is not impressive, since living it every

day without exception isexpected. You have chosen

this organization and its

creed is the guiding vision.

That vision is now your vision. Nothing is more monumental and rev-

olutionary than a man or woman who has a word he or she keeps.

The keeper is valued or his/her dedication to executing the word he/

she keeps and when that applies to a creed the eect is magnied.



10/20

You have taken on this vision or the uture as your own and you must complete the goals necessary to realize it.

Graduation is the goal, but it is not the end. I your grades happened to have suered in any way while

you were an associate member, there is no better time to lock down on your studies and ensure that your

educational prowess does not take a backseat to any other endeavor. However, the true measure o a

Brother/Sister is their ability to balance their studies and organizational responsibilities. Time management is

key. Make sure you have a binding schedule which you ollow that accounts or any and every oreseeable

obligation you have as a student rst and a Brother/Sister second. You will be o great need as an alumnus

or you organization, so do not allow yoursel to miss out on graduating. Just as stated previously, you will

have much more responsibility and your decision will hold even greater

consequence as a post-graduate.

Neophytes are not orever, Brothers/Sisters should be. All things being equal,they are not. You will nd yoursel with less infuential voice as a new member

than you may experience ater you have established yoursel as a long active and con-

tributing member o your organization. Take solace in the act that your hard work in the years and decades

to come will not be in vain. Pay your dues! I mean that both literally and guratively. Do not complain, but

suggest. Be both seen and heard. Know your acts and your words will carry great het. Live your creed and

principles everyday and you will nd that ulllment as a Brother/Sister is not given but earned.

That which you earn you keep, and that hungry neophyte will give way to an accomplished prophyte to

whom the world seems ripe with opportunity or wisdom and promise or a greater tomorrow.

neo manifesto continued....

youwillfndthatulfllmentasaBrotherorSisterisnotgivenbut

earned



11/20

Theory on Beta Extinctionby Shingi Mavima

Sitting with my neos, sharing Beta tales o old

One disconcerting trend became distinct

They asked with such a memory o a glorious past being told

How did many ormidable Chapters become extinct?

They lost sight o what it means to don this purple and white

They spent ten weeks on line and thought they had it made

No one took the responsibility o updating the chapters website

Spent days at lengths stomping the yard and orgot about their grades

They never sat down to outline their goals

New members got away with not attending retreats

They were too lazy to learn even the most basic o strolls

Got high at public parties, acted a ool, never discrete

They didnt pay their dues

Never revisited the documents given to them during the process

Never paid attention to the hazing cases that made the news

They won a ew awards one semester, but orgot to progress

Their secretary never orwarded the minutes to the chapters mailing list

They looked down upon those who held them accountable, called them Haters

They ound the lure o petty Greek bees hard to resist

And instead o proper risk-management, they worried more about being branded skaters

They arrived late to Chapter meetings

Stayed silent while other Bros reerred to women as bitches

They orgot the humility implicit in our greeting

Man-handled associate members, then blackmailed them not to be snitches

They got intoxicated in their letters

Forgot to give back to the communities we hold dear

Taught their pledges to disrespect other orgs and GDIs, were just plain better

And reused to recruit anyone dierent rom the status quo: the nerds the cripples the queers

They crossed a ten-man line and stopped recruiting

Never submitted their paperwork on time

They got too comortable and lost their ooting

And when issues came up that aect the entire brotherhood, they stayed silent as mimes

Mind you, such instances are rare

And these entities remain in the museums o our memories, immortal and close to heart

Where we see them constantly reminding us, telling us to be aware

It takes a lietime to build organizations to excellence, but a lapse in judgment will see us all apart



12/20

Immigration is a delicate subject, and when it comes

to answers there are not many; at the end o it all, it

becomes a matter o what we can do versus what we

would like to do. A great idea is nothing more than an

idea unless we can realistically make it happen, and

even then nothing is ever written in stone. Thereore,

even a ool-proo legislation seems to ail at times. It isan understatement to say that there are a lot o uncer-

tainties when it comes to politics; ater all it becomes

a chess game o checks and balances, where one

by Bryan Rojas

L I E SOf Our Presidents

player tries to outdo the other.

Uncertainty o what is to come is

a part o lie. Hopelessness in un-

certainty is the reality that many

immigrant students had to ace

when the Senate ailed to pass

the Dream Act. As children, they

had no voice or vote when they

were brought to this country.

They were brought to the United

States in search o opportunities

and a better quality o lie. The same pursuit that 18

men in the middle o Iowa had 25 years ago, when

they started what would become larger that anyone

would ever envision. Immigrants come to the land o

opportunity chasing a dream; whether it is education,

work, or maybe something as simple as happiness. It

is because o this that Sigma Lambda Beta was creat-ed to meet the wants and needs o our people. Now

as college students, college graduates, or college

geared students, the opportunities or which these

immigrants have worked so hard

have vanished. In many cases,

these students consider the

U.S. their only home and know

nothing else. The Dream Act

gives undocumented students

a chance to make their dreams

o higher education more than

just a dream.FACT: They are NOTall o Hispanic-Latino descent-they come rom many countries.

FACT: They are NOT all o Hispanic-Latino descent- they come rom many countries.

FACT: They were brought to the U.S. at a very young age.

FACT: They came to this country with their parents and have been raised in the U.S. just like their classmates.

FACT: Many are high achievers who have excelled academically throughout their schooling.

FACT: Many dont even realize they are here in violation o immigration laws.

FACT: They are our athletes, leaders, and uture doctors, lawyers, and teachers.

FACT: They are your Brothers and Sisters, activists, athletes, leaders and members o Greek Letter Organizations.

Barriers, Lies, and Education.

We all have to ace obstacles and barriers every day. Rent, bills, work, relationships, amily, involvement, service,

and last but not least education are things many students need to learn to juggle while in school. Being a student

in the U.S. is not easy and rom what it seems, its going to get harder beore it gets easier. In an economy that

is in a downward spiral, education is becoming a privilege even or the privileged. There are many barriers that

undocumented students may ace and even though I would like to shine light on all their issues, the reality is that

one cannot really know what it is like unless one was to walk in their shoes; however my attempt is simply to

have people understand.

Who are these students?



13/20

All o us do not have equal talent, but all o us should have an equal

opportunity to develop our talent. John F. Kennedy

everywhere that reedom stirs, let tyrants ear

George W. Bush

those values upon which our success depends - honesty and hard

work, courage and air play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism

- these things are old Barack Obama

A lot o undocumented students eel a sense o hopelessness and helplessness because their

legal status does not allow them to reach their ull potential. Its like they have been lied to their

whole lives- ater all, hard work, honesty and dedication didnt really pay o. They were told that i

they stayed in school and continued to work hard they could be anything they wanted to be. This is not always

the case, because even i they were to graduate top o their class, employment o undocumented proessiona ls in any

ield is not an option. Careers that require state licensing, background checks or Social Security Num-

bers (nursing, law, teaching, etc.) become unattainable beore these students can even reach their nal destination.

The Current immigration laws limit opportunities to legalize undocumented stu-

dents status. There are no legal mechanisms to regularize their situation. They can-not go to the back o the line when the line doesnt even exist. So, ater all, maybe

there isnt a way i there is a will. Many o them have done everything they can

to be exemplary citizens; however at the end o it all they are in a path to nowhere.

Undocumented students at times are treated as criminals, tyrants and terrorist. They

live in ear o being detected, imprisoned and deported by immigration authorities.

They have to live double lives araid o showing a part o who they are, having toclose doors on themselves in ear o being detected as illegals or criminals or

something over which they had no control. The United States takes pride on being the

home o the brave and the land o the ree; however we are treating these students as

second-class citizens that have to pick and choose their sae havens and to whom to come out.

Education is becoming a privilege that is only or the privileged that can aord it. It is almost

like we are walking backwards, and going back to the days where education was only orthe higher classes. Undocumented students are unable to obtain nancial aid (grants, schol-

arships, loans, etc) rom an institution o higher education, making their dreams o higher

education many times no more than simply that, dreams. The ew that managed to pay

or school through work and private scholarships eventually realize that there are many things

money cannot buy, like licensing or internship opportunities, making them drop out or prematurely stop their edu-

cation. Undocumented students are unable to join the U.S. Armed Forces and serve their country, aord insurance,

get a driver license, nd a decent job, and travel among other things that many o us take or granted. The list o

barriers that these students ace continues, this is but a small sample o what they have to go through day ater day.

government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it;

oster productivity, not stife it Ronald Reagan



14/20

It is important to note that Brothers in the military

are more than just soldiers; they are ocers, man-

agers, engineers, specialists, role models, and he-

roes. They are in almost every branch o the military

composing o various ethnic groups, ages, and

lie experiences. They come rom dierent geo-

graphic regions and have earned college degrees.

Some are married and have amilies. Some joined

In this journey, lie can be lonely in the mili-

tary, says brother J. Godoy (U.S Navy, 1993-1997). Most oten you are away rom your

amily and you miss birthdays, like the birth o

a newborn. However, the military can also be a

place or a new awakening. Brother Victor Dan-

iel Marines (U.S Marines, 2002-Present) states

that you create a work ethic where there is a,

hunger to be better [but you need to] know

yoursel [to] seek sel-improvement. With

because they had a amily history o military men

serving in this country and in other countries such

as El Salvador. Others joined due to dicult lie ex-

periences and uncertainties during college, while

others joined ater college or urther educational

and career opportunities. For some, attaining citi-

zenship was a actor and being in the military did

not only lower the cost but sped up the process.

more minority men represented in the armed

orces, your sel-identity becomes reinorced butit also allows or new interactions to occur with

the various cultures present. As Brother Godoy

notes, In harms way, we are all in this togeth-

er. Your perception o people changes, you lose

stereotypes, you stop being dierent and you

see the similarities. [To explore more about lie

in the military, check out myviewinglens.com,

created by Brother John F. Gomez (U.S Navy)].

I AM

Walk A Mile In My Boots

by Christopher Temblador

A WARRIORS CREED

Warriors are not made overnight.

Any Brother or soldier will tell you,

it is a process. In this process, there

are some duties that call or us to go

above and beyond. Unortunately,

not all are always prepared or dar-

ing to take on responsibilities bigger

than onesel. Most oten, the ear o

the unknown prevents us rom en-

gaging urther than what we assume

to know. I you are a member o this

Fraternity, that notion should ail to

exist because we have taken the unknown step to unlock the mysteries o this great Fraternity.

As we become united by an oath o service, our Brothers in the United States military continue to

serve this country with a warriors creed as their guide. The ollowing is a testament o that process.



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Brother Timothy Whightman (U.S Army

2000-Present) recalls his nephew asking, Un-

cle Tim, when can I have letters like that? He

would later come to nd out that his nephew

had become a Brother o this great Fraternity.But what makes us so great? As a role model to

his nephew, Whightman states that in combat,

as in brotherhood, there is no such thing as die

or quit. Just like our process as Brothers and in

the military, the rst stage to building such an at-

titude starts with in induction. For Brother Ma-

rines, going through boot camp was, like having

a big brother guiding you to be a better person.

Similarly, within this process, one has the opportu-

nity to take on leadership and community service

initiatives. Brother Mario Roberto Flores Mejia (U.S

Navy, 2010-Present) notes that during his time as a

Brother, he became more prepared to be a leaderin the Navy because being a brother taught him to

take initiative. It is this type o drive that Brother

Kevin E. Torres (U.S Army, 2003-Present) acknowl-

edges to be an advantage. Brother Torres also

shares that there are certain principles that have

carried on to his proessional lie. Even in this set-

ting there are proessional rivalries but as he states,

at the end o the day, we are all still military.

One distinction that came across in talking to

Brothers was the type o discipline earned. For

some, the military oered more and because

there was more structure as ar as ranks, you

have to earn your stripes, Brother Godoy notes.

However, he also explains that you do not have

to just be in the military to look or discipline.

Despite the magnitude o their discipline, these

Brothers have aced adversity, persevered, and

are successul. Some o their proud accomplish-

ments have been graduating rom college, earn-

ing advanced degrees, and becoming teachers.

Others accomplishments include becoming a

ather, having a proessional career, being able to

provide or their amilies and touring the world.

Brother Carlos Frevert (U.S Air Force, 1998-Pres-

ent) has done several tours nationwide and abroad

but notes that assisting the victims o Oklahomas

1999 tornado was one o his notable accomplish-

ments or which he was awarded a medal. Withinvolvement in the military and traveling just like

our Brotherhood allows, most have still been able

to be active by visiting Brothers wherever they are

stationed, helping establish new chapters, and

even with leadership positions in the Fraternity.

The Fraternity has become a powerhouse over the last 25 years o its existence and during the process o

this story, I cried, I laughed, I learned and I was inspired. On behal o these men in the armed orces, our

Brothers, there is still something you can do to support them in Brotherhood.

You can start by simply communicating with them, saying thank you, or sending them a care package

with candy bars. As times have changed, Brothers do ace more severe traumatic stress when they return,

setting up a wounded soldier program through your Chapter or a small prayer can go a long way.

Letters, Uniorms and Brotherhood

In the Face o Glory

All Call to Young Brothers



16/20

To conclude I will leave you with a ew words they wanted me to share with you as a Brother:

Beore making judgments, get educated. Learn rom your successes and your ailures. The reason we

exist is to retain Brothers. Brotherhood goes beyond networking, i your mission is to better aect

change nationally, you are on the right path. Keep in mind that people behind you are watching each

step and you will never be 100% prepared. However, do not be araid to live, and never lose sighto what makes you a Lambda Beta man. I share this message with you on behal o all the Brothers

mentioned above. I hope I did not let them down, especially i they are abroad at this time reading

this article, and I hope you were inspired by their stories just as I have been. LB!!!

A Warriors Creed, Continued....

June 21-24, 2012Hyatt RegencyTampa, Florida

Early Bird Registration$275 per delegate by April 27, 2012

Hotel Cost$129 per room/per night

BETACON 2012



17/20

I communication is the key to success, then El Iluminador is committed to helping you nd your key.

Behold, behold! Interpersonally speaking, there are really only three things you need to say in lie. Sigma

Lambda Beta gentlemen must master the art o saying these particular phrases, because these three

phrases have withstood the test o time--They are arguably the three expressions that mean the most in

lie. Ive learned that people will orget what you said, people will orget what you did, but people will

never orget how you made them eel.--Maya Angelou. So lets make people eel. Use the ollowing

examples as starting points and then eel ree to master your own versions.

Thank YouMy avorite part about you? Everything!

Thank you!

Always know that I will eternally be grateul o you.

Words cant describe the gratitude or everythingyouve done.

Im speechless and astonished.

A gentle touch, a beautiul soul, a loving riendwith a heart o gold. Thank you.

Im SorryIve got this hug Ive been wanting to give

you or a long time. What do you say?

To hurt someone as kind as you is the most

ridiculous thing Ive ever done. Im sorry;itll never happen again.

Sometimes people do dumb things or no

reason. And Im guilty o that right now.

I apologize.

I Love YouThere are 7 billion people on planet earth. But there is not one single person like you.

Youre a true blessing in my lie.

Words cannot express how much I care about you, but I can love you or the rest o our lives.

Im going to love you or all that you are and challenge you to be all that you can be.

Reference: Fadie, S. (2010). Words to the Rescue: The sentiment guide for the tongue tied. Orange Sky Books.

beeloquent beelegant beepic

Brothers,

HOW TO SAY IT

by Joaquin



18/20

Ever since I pledged, Ive had this notion that somehow membership here was orever, and membership

elsewhere was not. Elsewhere meaning the mainstream Greeks. As with any raternal organization,

this couldnt be urther rom the truth, but I never took the time to really think about it. I took what I

was told as gospel, and I went with it.

So picture this, I get home rom work and I turn on my TV and what do you know? Greekis about to

come on. Pretty exciting as the show is usually a summer show but this year they brought it back during

winter! Yeah, youre probably not excited. Its ok.I you didnt know, Greek is a show on ABC Family about stereotypical raternity and sorority lie. I know

what youre thinking, Why is he watching that? How can he even relate? The show is based on the

everyday lie o a group o people that are part o the traditional raternity and sorority system.

Traditional? Yeah, the correct way o reerring to those organizations that have been here or many,

many years. Longer than us at least.

Usually, you will hear them reerred to as white Greeks. Which is considered oensive and completely

disregards the diversity o our generation, and how these organizations -despite their age- have contin-

ued to evolve.

Well, let me get to my point. This isnt about how I watched the show. This is about how a show like this

made me realize something pivotal.

Alumni. Who they are What they do Why? Alumni.

So imagine this. a national rep goes to visit a house. Mind you, this national rep is an alumna rom that

chapter. Shes running around, directing the girls, criticizing them, pretty much driving them nuts. Then,

you have a recently graduated member who is struggling with her identity as a recent alumna. Shes no

longer allowed to engage in the undergrad business.

She eventually conronts the national rep and says, How do you do it? How do you stick around and not

want to be a part o all this? Its here that I had this amazing revelation. The rep says,

I am not here to relive my glory days. Im here to make sure they live theirs.

Wow. what a simple statement. It got me really thinking, though. So what is the point o alumni?

Couch Epiphanyby Ricky Cortez



19/20

Currently, all I know about the way o being an alumnus is that Im supposed to stay involved. In-

volved, as in involved and in the mix o all that undergrad business.

But, wait! I cant get those words out o my mind. They keep resonating as i someone yelled inside a

tunnel.

Im not here to relive my glory days. Im here to make sure they live theirs.

What do those words mean? They mean that ater my years in college, I have accrued great knowl-edge. Knowledge that is no good i I keep it to mysel. I have to pass this inormation down and on,

and make sure that those young-ens are inormed, up to date, and know whats going on.

So, wait. Im not supposed to continue to program, and set up community service and cultural aware-

ness presentations? Im not supposed to operate in the same mode as those undergrads?

Thats right, Im not. But now, I dont know anything else. What should I do?

Hmm I just cant get those words out o my mind. To make sure they live theirs.

This means I need to be a mentor, a teacher, a leader. I need to be the ountain o wisdom the under-

grads need to help them solve their problems. I need to show them there is a smarter way to do it andthat it doesnt have to be harder.

But I can only mentor so much, and so many. Then what else do I do? I used to go rom meeting to

meeting, and event to event. Now, however, I have a ull-time job, and I cant do that stu anymore.

Man, I cant imagine what all those with amilies have to juggle! So there has to be a way or them to

give back as well. Sure enough, you contribute. Be it to your oundation, or directly to your chapter,

you give back. You provide the resources that you know would have made it so much easier or you

to achieve greatness when you were back there, on the feld.

Turns out, I can give back, I can ensure success without having to steal the spotlight. I mean, I hadmine or a good amount o time, and I made sure I took advantage o it. Now its up to me to hold the

spotlight on someone else. The only thing is that now I know one more thing, and I have to pass it on.

I cant allow or new grads to eel as lost and conused as I did, and I shouldnt orce them to have to

fgure out what I fgured out.

What i they never do? I have to go an extra step and mentor them as well. Create a system that

allows or an easier transition rom grad to young proessional and rom young proessional to pro-

essional. That way one day, they can help other new grads, and they can help those undergrads live

their glory days.

So there I was, on my couch with my ace lit up. It made sense. It fnally clicked. Those white Greeksdont kick you out once you graduate. They dont cut your ties and say, thanks or the last our years,

have a great lie. They orce you to grow up. They orce you to have to move on.

To become an adult. To give back in a greater capacity. To ensure that their organization continues to

succeed. Ater all, its the new blood that will make that success possible.

I had such a tarnished bias is it possible that with so many years -and sometimes hundreds o years-

o experience, white Greeks actually have it fgured out? Is it worth looking into? Is it worth learn-

ing about? Could that be their ormula or success? Can we take it and make it better? How do we

fgure out the next 25 years?

Simple we Think Big.Spring 2011 el iluminador 19


20/20

Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity Inc.

Executive Ofce

125 E. Zeller St., Ste. D & E

North Liberty, IA 52317

1-888-486-BETA

http://eliluminador.com

Documents

SLB El Iluminador - Spring 2011 Print Issue