UCLA Students Reportedly Wore Blackface To a Kanye-Themed Frat Party This Week
UCLA students are in an uproar this week after a fraternity hosted a Kanye West-themed western party, which reportedly included some partygoers wearing blackface. The party, hosted by the Sigma Phi Epsilon frat and Alpha Phi sorority, took place on Tuesday night, with attendees dressed in baggy clothes or like the Kardashians to fit the theme. Once photos from the party hit social media, students began to voice their displeasure and expressed concerns that the actions were racist and demeaning of the black culture.
The Afrikan Student Union is planning to meet later today to discuss this situation, and the council is urging students to wear black to the meeting. According to the LA Times, student Kelsee Thomas confronted members of the fraternity during the party, and while one member of the fraternity apologized, he also laughed at her when she asked him to write a letter to the black student union. Thomas later posted about the incident on Facebook, and said that they're hiding racism and ignorance behind frat and sorority themes.
“Everyone keep in mind that simply because I go to one of the top ranked institutions in the country, doesn't mean I'm any farther away from ignorance and racism as anyone else. They just hide it behind frat/sorority themes, anonymous postings, and micro-aggressions,”
UCLA is currently investigating the incident and talking to students who were at the party on Tuesday night. “While we do not yet have all the facts, the alleged behavior is inconsistent with good judgment as well as our principles of community,” UCLA told KNBC-TV. We'll continue to update this story when more details become available.
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