On Nov. 18, 2015, I sat with a close friend of mine preparing to interview for UC Berkeley Panhellenic Council’s first-ever executive position for community development. The position was created by several women hoping to combat institutional and systemic discrimination and exclusivity in the Greek system, and it presented me with an opportunity to lead that change. I have been passionate about ending the rampant discrimination in our community since my first day on this campus. After hours of practice in preparation for the interview, I was ultimately elected to vice president of community development. I served in the spring semester of 2016 with excitement, enthusiasm and spirit. I felt lucky to start a movement for change on my campus.

My return to campus this fall was met with a disheartening realization: The national Greek system, particularly the National Panhellenic Conference, or NPC, is still extremely reluctant to progressive change. Unfortunately, the bold moves of CalGreeks on this campus have been repeatedly invalidated by national institutions.

On Sept. 21, I was notified that the National Panhellenic Conference decided to remove me from my position as vice president of community development on the Panhellenic Executive Council here at UC Berkeley. This decision was made because the chapter we belonged to, AOII, had its charter unreasonably revoked over a financial dispute, leaving us “unaffiliated.” Despite the entire Berkeley Panhellenic community voting to keep former AOII members on the Panhellenic Executive Council, the national organization decided to remove me with the justification that policy must trump community decisions. The local needs and desires of our community were overlooked.

Greek organizations, particularly the Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council, have historically been criticized for racism, sexism, homophobia and more. My position was created to encourage a more inclusive, diverse, accessible and safe community. My work so far has included workshops on gender equity, cultural appropriation, mental wellness and eating disorders, critiques of dress codes and makeup requirements, encouragement of less heteronormative social events such as “sister mixers,” restorative justice training for myself and my whole committee (which consists of one member from every Panhellenic chapter), alteration of language in meetings and media communications, planning for making Greek houses more accessible and a panel in which minority students were able to voice their concerns and reflect on their experiences with the Greek system. Additionally, I have engaged in many wonderful conversations with various members of our community who have given me and my position incredible support.

Now, the institutions that are AOII and NPC have decided to remove me from my position, taking away the power, validity and momentum behind the move for change. How can the Greek system produce change within the confines of (frankly) corrupt institutions? Where do we go from here, given that these institutions have repeatedly disappointed me and my community? All I can say right now is that I will continue to fight for change in our community, but unfortunately it will not be as vice president of community development.

On Sept. 21, a national organization decided that it would favor policy over community development. Their faces and names are not known to me or my peers, yet their decisions continue to disempower our community.

Shame on you, AOII. Shame on you, NPC.

Michelle Cera is VP of community development for the Panhellenic Council.

Correction(s):

A headline that previously accompanied this op-ed mistakenly named the campus as the body responsible for this decision. In fact, it was a national organization.