The Baylor University NAACP and LatinX Coalition hosted a protest in response to a party a fraternity hosted on Saturday night they found racially insensitive.
According to the Baylor Chapter of the NAACP, the Baylor University Chapter of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity hosted a "Mexican Appropriation Party," where students dressed as maids and construction workers.
Hundreds of students from different backgrounds participated in the protest that started at the Student Union Building.
Students chanted "Dear Baylor, love thy neighbor" as they made their way to Fountain Mall.
Several students, including Hispanic-American students shared their thoughts about the party.
"My mom she cleans offices for a living. She doesn't do it because cleaning is great or because it is part of our culture; she does it because she wants something better for me," Baylor University Grace Rodriguez said at the protest.
Rodriguez was visibly emotional when she spoke to the crowd.
"What happened this weekend is not because of people trying to make fun of race. It's because people don't understand the sacrifice of us students being put here."
The students also had some requests for the Baylor University Administration, including making cultural competency training mandatory, punishing the Kappa Sigma Fraternity and receiving an apology from the group. In addition, they would like the university to create a multicultural cabinet through the Student Government and for the university to have more diverse faculty and staff.
"[The event] wasn't to attack the fraternity. It was to get [the] attention of the administration and Baylor University itself because this is not just a fraternity problem... it's a whole university problem that the minority students here don't feel as comfortable than the majority of the students do," Baylor NAACP Incoming President Kristen Williams said.
A spokeswoman said Baylor University is investigating the incident and taking the matter seriously. She added the university is following established disciplinary procedures for student organizations.
The national Kappa Sigma chapter released this statement:
“The Kappa Sigma Fraternity has learned of a social event that occurred with our Lambda-Tau Chapter at Baylor University at an off campus location on Saturday evening. Kappa Sigma has suspended the operations of the Chapter, while we conduct an investigation in cooperation with the University. The allegations are inconsistent with the values of Kappa Sigma and upon the completion of the investigation, the Fraternity will address the findings in an appropriate manner. “
Baylor University also sent a statement on Monday afternoon explaining the suspension means all the fraternity activities, including meetings, social events, and new members have been canceled pending the completion of the formal inquiry.
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