UC Santa Barbara Sorority Accused of Excluding Black Prospects

A California sorority faced serious accusations after being caught sidelining prospective members because they were Black. The Alpha Phi chapter at UC Santa Barbara became the center of this storm following complaints posted on the anonymous app Yik Yak. Hundreds of messages gathered thousands of upvotes, demanding accountability from the organization according to News-Press reports.

Leaders within the local sorority stated they were blindsided by these events. They explained that an outside representative hired by Alpha Phi International handled member selection this year. That recruiter allegedly prevented Black members currently in the group from attending recruitment events as well. Chapter President Alana Nielsen told News-Press that existing members spoke out immediately after noticing a sharp lack of diversity during the process.

The chapter began with a pool of roughly 1,200 potential new members. Existing sisters talk to prospects and record initial impressions to decide if they are a good fit for the next round. However, things went wrong when the selection phase arrived. Nielsen said that while she and her executive board were present, outside representatives sent them home during the decision-making process.

When the final list was released only 250 names remained with obvious demographics missing from the group. 'There was clearly a large and noticeably diverse group of women who were missing,' Nielsen told the outlet. She noted that all members felt those excluded women did not reflect the people they had reported on or wanted to see return. Nielsen tried to speak with the representatives about these alleged discriminatory cuts but was told it was unnecessary.

Instead, she learned the day should end on a happy note with music and a dance party despite her concerns. The president insisted on speaking out alongside other frustrated members who felt angry about the situation. 'One by one, other women started standing up and sharing how they felt,' Nielsen said as tension rose inside the room.

Sky Achola, a Black member of the chapter, described being removed from most recruitment events along with other Black sisters. She recalled an intense scene filled with screaming and crying when she confronted the recruiters. 'I think something that really stood out to me is that even the white members of our chapter were standing up, like really feeling and sharing in our pain,' Achola said to the outlet.

It was real solidarity." The sorority discovered that among the three outside representatives, only one held the power to make final decisions, according to Nielsen. That representative was reported straight to Alpha Phi International and immediately removed from the UCSB house. Nielsen said the group chose to move forward with recruitment, but now members take greater control over what remains. "Continuing recruitment wasn't about moving past what happened or pretending it didn't happen," Nielsen stated. "It was about saying, we're not gonna let this experience define who we are or how we operate moving forward." Achola described an intense scene of screaming and crying as she recalled confronting the recruiters. The sorority learned that of the three outside representatives, only one was responsible for making the decisions, according to Nielsen, who said they now are in control of the recruiting process. On October 1, members released a collective statement through an anonymous Instagram account, cited by the New York Post. "We have chosen to remain in the recruitment process because we believe that our members have the power to create meaningful change from within," the statement read. The president added that Alpha Phi International has sent representatives from its health, wellness and accountability department, while Achola hopes to see an investigation. The Daily Mail has reached out to Alpha Phi International, UC Santa Barbara and the sorority's local chapter for comment.