UT Latino Community Affairs has planned a march against racism for Thursday afternoon following a controversial party thrown by Texas Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) fraternity Saturday night. Although Fiji claims the party was Western-themed, guests told The Horn that the theme of the party was communicated to them as "border patrol" and party guests wore ponchos, sombreros and construction gear, including hard hats with "Jefe" and "Pablo Sanchez" written on them.
According to the Facebook event for the march, it's scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. at the Cesar Chavez statue on the West Mall area of campus and will go to the Fiji house, located at Guadalupe Street and West 27th Street. Latino Community Affairs is a registered student organization that works to unite and empower Latinos, according to its description listed with the university.
There has been national outrage since news of the party broke early this week. According to the event, the march is meant to show UT administration disappointment over how "events like this KEEP occurring and how there have yet to be proper repercussions set in place for such incidents."
UT said in a Monday statement that it is investigating the incident.
In 2012, UT’s Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, along with Delta Delta Delta and Zeta Tau Alpha sororities, came under scrutiny for Mexican-themed parties with racially insensitive behavior surrounding them. At a party co-hosted by the two sororities, guests were photographed wearing t-shirts that read "illegal" and "border patrol." ATO planned a party with a "border to cross" event in which guests would have to go through obstacles to get between the two sides of the party, which would represent the U.S. and Mexico. However, the fraternity cancelled it following backlash from the Facebook event for it. A similar march followed.
The Facebook event for the Thursday march goes on to state that the Multicultural Engagement Center in the Student Activity Center on UT's campus will serve as a space to voice concerns and make posters for the march. Fiji President Andrew Campbell said in a statement earlier this week that Fiji never meant to offend anyone.
"It is never the intention or goal of any of the members of Texas Fiji or invited guests to portray any racial or ethnic group in a negative manner,” Campbell said in the statement. “If any individual or cultural groups were offended, Texas Fiji apologizes for any insensitivity that our guests or members may have portrayed. Once again, it is never Texas Fiji's intent to alienate or demean any ethnic group."
Representatives from UT, Fiji and the Interfraternity Council, which is charged with overseeing its member fraternities like Fiji, were not immediately available for comment on the march.