Embracing Our Roots
We believe that in order for man to truly discover who he is, he must first discover his roots.
As young Latino men of their day, our founders took great pride in their heritage and created our legacy with what they learned through text and oral history. They learned that the modern day Latino's heritage can be traced back to not only the Spaniards that conquered, but also the indigenous indians that inhabitated the Americas, and even the African slaves that were displaced. Latinos today are in fact the children of many generations of mestizos and mulattos.
As homage to our oppressed ancestors and a reminder of our roots, our founders adopted an indigenous native of Caribbean, the Taino, as the mascot for the brotherhood. They also attached deep, cultural meaning to every aspect of the organization, from its structure to its secretive rituals.
Unlike other Greek-letter organizations, our chapters, pledge classes, and brothers are given unique names that are culturally relevant to their respective brothers and the geography of the surrounding area. It also has a significant meaning to all involved the creation of the name. Not only does this give the chapter the opportunity to form a unique identity of its own, but, along with other names, it amalgamates into a grand tale.
Diversity
We believe in strength through diversity. In our brotherhood, it's not enough to learn about your own ancestors' history; we make it a point to teach each other our cultural differences and similarities.
Our members share what they learn with their communities by conducting workshops, sharing spoken word poetry, and performing in stepping & strolling events.
Although originally founded as a Latino organization, Lambda Sigma Upsilon has proven to be one of the most diverse fraternities in the nation with over 100 countries across the globe represented within the brotherhood.
