San Francisco is known as one of the most diverse cities in California, with many different neighborhoods with their own culture and ethnicity, and SF State is embracing this well known visage of San Francisco with two new student organizations this semester; the reintroduction of a gay fraternity that has be on a hiatus for 24 years, and new ‘Afro’ themed floor of housing created by the Black Student Union.
San Francisco State University has not seen a gay fraternity amongst its student organizations since 1992, however after 24 years, the fraternity Delta Lambda Phi has made a come back. It has taken a year for the fraternity to finally be acknowledged as a national oranization amongst many other Greek organizations. However, the wait has been worth it, since the goal of the fraternity according to an article in the Golden Gate Xpress, “… is to create a brotherhood like all fraternites, but we really feel like creating a home for the large queer male population at SF State,” said Kyle Mears, the president of Delta Lambda Phi in the article by Gabriella Povoli.
Even though the organization is uniquely known by their sexual orinentation, the fraternity is welcoming male students of any sexual orientation.
In regards to the different themed living communities here at SF State, a new themed floor of housing will open up next semester called ‘Afro’. This new community living theme is aimed towards African American culture and African American Students, yet the floor will be open to all ethnicities. The floor’s approval came last month when the Black Student Union advocated and protested for either a multicultural center or an Afro themed floor at the ‘pouring rights rally’ last year. In an article by the Golden Gate Xpress, director of news and news media at SF State, Jonathan Morales confirmed the new themed housing, which will be available in Fall of 2017. In the Xpress article he said of the new floor, “SF State is strongly committed to social justice and wanting to proactively respong to the black lives matter movement by taking these steps to promote access and achievement for African American students and this type of program is one way we are going to do that.” The floor will be available in the regualr housing application.