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Members of the Divine Nine at Florida A&M University sponsored a walk last month in honor of Caleb Wilson. The idea came from senior Sydney Bellamy after learning of Wilson’s passing. Wilson was a Southern University student who passed away following an unsanctioned hazing ritual while pledging Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Bellamy, who is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., felt compelled to show solidarity following Wilson’s death.
“Well, after the tragedy happened,. I was just thinking of ways that our university, our campus, could reflect on this and show our support for Southern University as well as Caleb and his family,” Bellamy said. “The only way that I could really think of was a walk where we could bring all ‘D-9s’ together. That way it could be more effective and more transformative.”
Beginning in the Efferson Student Union at FAMU, the roughly 100 Greek-letter organization members walked together around the HBCU to the student services main building. The massive bronze snake in front of the Center for Access and Student Success, or CASS Building, is a unique feature of the FAMU campus. Following the walk from top to bottom of the campus, the students held a brief ceremony to honor Wilson. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity member Victor Culpepper, Jr., read a few remarks following a short prayer.
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“I think that we should have that type of fellowship throughout the year. Throughout the fraternal year, sorority year”. Culpepper said. “I think that it’s tragic, to say the least, that we have to come to this type of measure, but I think that, like I said, the impact that it’s having on the immediate people who it affected was shown today.”
One member of FAMU's Delta Sigma Theta Sorority who knew Caleb Wilson's brother served as the HBCU link between Southern University and Florida A&M. During the brief ceremony, she contacted him, and he expressed his gratitude to everyone who took part and how much it meant to him and his family during this trying time.
Bellamy acknowledged that she was rather nervous about deviating from the norm to create the event. Her anxiety subsided as everyone arrived to take part in the event.
“It really does warm my heart just to have everyone here. All the different sororities and fraternities and just Greek life as a whole at FAMU,” Bellamy said about the event.
