El Iluminador Summer 2006 Print Issue

8/8/2019 El Iluminador Summer 2006 Print Issue

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2/282 El Iluminador Summer 2006

Hello and Welcome to the Summer 2006 edition of El Iluminador!

How long does it take to publish a publication like ours? Some times longer than we would like. The

issue ofEl Iluminador was published a year ago. The why boils down to resources both of the intellectua

and the financial kind. Moving forward our goal continues to be to have this publication available to th

brotherhood on a quarterly basis. The current International Board of Directors has made this also part of the

commitment to the brotherhood, and it is my conviction that the next IBOD will also see the value on having

this publication available to our brothers. As Editor-in-Chief I commit to continue working on making th

publication happen on a regular basis with content that is engaging and relevant, and which keeps to the purpose

of El Iluminador a publication about our Brothers created by Brothers. My goal is to bring this publication to

Sigma Lambda Beta at no cost and eventually at a profit. We are currently fully-funded by our organization but

as we maintain a more consistent schedule and solidify our distribution we will seek out advertisers.

Now to this issue,

Happy 20th Anniversary Sigma Lambda Beta!

This issue contains most of our usual sections plus also, in time for convention, a look and the thoughts

and feelings of most of our 2006-2008 IBOD candidates. We continue to highlight the accomplishments of ourChapters, Colonies, Alumni Associations and our individual Brothers, we spotlight the talent of our Brothers,

and we pay our respects to those members of our family who have gone before us.

Please enjoy the contributions from our fellow brothers and keep on submitting!

The Staff and Editorial Board of El Iluminador.

Brother Csar R. Barradas

Editor-in-Chief

Brother Gerry OlmedoEditor- Electronic Version

Brother Diego Back

Correspondent

Brother Elvis Garcia

Correspondent

Brother Juan Gutierrez

Editorial Board

Brother Eric SimeonEditorial Board

Brother Fernando Tirado

Staff Consultant

Mr. Andrew Reynolds

Editorial Consultant

Contributors:

Brother Maximo Z. Anguiano II, Brother Carlos C. Arreola, Brother David Ayento, Brother Ian Bautista,

Brother Alejandro Builes, Brother Delane Cleveland, Brother Benjamin Feller, Brother Jos Guardiola, Broth

Juan Gutierrez, Brother Salvador Hernndez, Brother William D. Marquez, Brother Roger Montalvan, Brother

Daniel Navarro, Brother Pool Paucar, Brother Guillermo Puente, Brother Roberto A.Torres, Brother Manuel

Trejo, Brother Juan Valdez.

Contact us:[email protected] - [email protected] - [email protected]

Summer 2006El Iluminador is the official internal

publication of Sigma Lambda BetaInternational Fraternity Inc. designed to

keep its brothers informed about issues

that affect our organization and ourcommunities, and to share the views,

interests, stories, accomplishments,challenges, and hopes of the brothers of

Sigma Lambda Beta with the brotherhood

of Sigma Lambda Beta. It is a publication

about our Brothers created by Brothers.No part of this paper may be reproduced

in any means for purposes other than

fraternity business without the prior

written consent of the Editor.


3/28El Iluminador Summer 2006

Fellow Brothers:

My name is Guillermo Veterano Puente and I am a

proud Brother of the recently established University of

Alabama Colony of Sigma Lambda Beta. Our journey in

bringing the brotherhood to the Heart of Dixie was a long andcostly process. Nevertheless, the fruit of our labor has already

shown its profitable result. Alabama is a state that is very

traditional and conservative, which means that Betas overall

could be seen as a new threat to good ole southern ways.

Before Sigma Lambda Beta came into our campus, no other

organization showed any type of diversity. The year 1986 is

already remembered well here at UA, a burning cross was lit in

front of the AKA house when they moved to Sorority Row. In-

state students are brought up in either black tolerant schools or

white tolerant schools. When an AP reporter asked a mainstream Greek student what kind of diversity he had in

his fraternity (referring to any minorities), he responded, Of course we have diversity, we have a brother fromnorthern Florida (avoiding the question sarcastically). Not very long ago the first black female rushed a

mainstream sorority. She made it through rush but not without controversy.

Our Bama Brothers did not just choose to join the expansion efforts because of all the advantages this

fraternity has to offer, but also to bring a Purple & White Remedy of diversity to our school. We were given

that chance April 9th

, 2006 in Orlando when the Founding Ship of the UA Colony crossed into the Eternal Beta

Brotherhood. For that we show deep appreciation, especially to:

-Brothers of the Southeast District, who were all represented well at the time of our crossing and establishment.

-Brothers of the Rho Alpha Chapter at Florida State University and Delta Gamma Chapter at Florida A&M

University, who drove hours and worked their hardest for our expansion to become a reality.

-Brother & International President Ammar Corazon Mufleh who entrusted us with his Burden ofBrotherhood and Hard Work that spring morning in Tampa.

-Brother & SE District REC Officer Gil-Cancel Balance Comas, who shared his wisdom and showed us the

true meaning of Brotherhood by giving 186% towards the establishment of our Colony.

-Brother & ME of our Founding Line Rafael Matador Hernandez, who gave up an entire semester of his

college career, only to move six hours away from home to a state he had never been in before. All his sacrifices,

just so that we would be well educated to face the obstacles that occur when forming a new entity in such a

traditional university. And last but not least.

-The Brothers of the Most Honorable Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity Inc., who did not hesitate to

commend us for our accomplishment and gave us the chance to carry our hard earned letters in this new Beta

territory.

The South has always been a frontier for many nationally recognized organizations, and Sigma Lambda

Beta has just breached it. Our UA Colony is not just working to survive, but to thrive and make a difference in

this region. We hope in the future we will influence the expansion efforts of other southern colonies, so that we

can further spread the same Opportunity that we received. Until then, we hope you see our UA Colony as an

asset to our Fraternity and better serve the needs and wants of our people.

Among Colleagues and Brothers,

Brother Guillermo Veterano Puente

University of Alabama Colony


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5/28

20 yearsBy Brother Alejandro "Tybara-Chie" Builes Omicron Alpha Chapter, PennState University.

20 years of history, 20

years of memories, and onemore year until SLB can legally

drink, at least with our letters

off .In all seriousness, Sigma

Lambda Beta has been a part of

my daily existence for a largeportion of my adult life. For the

last nine years, it has brought

me life-long experiences and

friendships as well as personaland professional growth.

Though I was born in Medellin

Colombia, I grew up almost all

my life in New York. I can stillremember ten years ago, I had

just completed my first full yearat Penn State University. I

think it's safe to say that life in

State College Pennsylvania isquite different than NY. Being

away from your family, your

community, the culture you

were brought up in, takes manycollege students by surprise.

The culture/shell shock isunfortunately enough to drivecertain folks out of college.

When people ask mewhat SLB means to me, I

always respond "family". This

brotherhood has introduced me

to some of my closest friends

I've ever had. Brothers who

helped me get through somevery difficult times as an

undergrad, and brothers who

continue to help me growprofessionally as an alumnus.

Many of my fraternal brothers

who come to my house aretreated by my parents like they

were part of the family as well.

My mom always jokes that I

have "more brothers than shecan feed for dinner".

In a world that continues

to push for worker productivityand long work hours, our social

and family lives tend to fallvictims to "re-prioritization".

We put more time and energy

into our careers and sometimeslet our other responsibilities fall

to the wayside. As our brothers

graduate and move on to

challenging and prosperouscareers, we must make sure to

not forget our "family", bothblood and fraternal. Someonebefore us worked very hard to

ensure we went to college,

earned our degrees and theopportunity to advance. Their

efforts allowed us to prosper

and we must not forget to pay

back our debt. "Opportunity for

Wisdom, Wisdom for Culture",

that's why I joined SLB.

What will the next 20

years bring to SLB? I hope itbrings a constant interaction

between mature Alumni and our

younger Brothers. I hope thatwe build on our sense of

"familia" and ensure that we as

Alumni mentor the Brothers

that will come after us. It's ouresponsibility to ensure the

success of our younger

generations, just like those that

came before us helped clear theway for us.

As your VP of Alumni, I

will continue to do everything

in my power to ensure thestructure is set for Alumni

Associations and individual

Alumni to pool their talents,

resources and good will towardsthe betterment of our fraternity.

One step at a time, one brick ata time. We will continue to lathe road for brothers to

capitalize on their potential and

support each other every step ofthe way. This is my

E.T.E.R.N.A.L . promise to all

of my brothers.

Por VidaBy Brother Salvador Chato Hernndez Phi Alpha Chapter, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

I have been a Brother of this honorable

fraternity for a little over three years now, and these

past three years have been the best years of my life.

I was first introduced to Sigma Lambda Beta fiveyears ago, as a junior in high school and at that

time, the Delta Beta chapter (University of

Nebraska at Omaha) was brand new. Thesebrothers were everywhere in the community. It

wasnt just one or two brothers, it was the whole

chapter. I remember these men reaching out to hig

school students, and inspiring them to get a higher

education. There was one brother in particular, whI saw as a mentor, Brother Edgar Suave DeLeon.

He inspired me to be a better student, leader, and

person. Even though, he may not realize it, but heplayed a tremendous role in my life. It was becaus

El Iluminador Summer 2006


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of these brothers, I knew that one day I would wear

the exact same letters, and do the exact same things

these men were doing for our people and the

community.

To think, that this happened five years ago

and now I am a senior who will be graduating from

college in May of 2007. As a fraternity, we havebeen around for 20 years, growing into the

strongest, largest, and most diverse Latino basedfraternity. It is an exciting time to be a brother

because we are so young, and the opportunities to

help continue the structuring of SLB are there. Ifeel that we have accomplished a lot at such a

young age, but at the same time, I feel that it is

little, when compared to possibility of what we can

accomplish in the future. As we continue to grow

and expand, the possibilities and opportunities will

also grow.

I am excited for the future of Sigma Lambda

Beta, as we continue to structure and mold Sigma

Lambda Beta into the premier fraternity. It willtake time, but I believe in another 20 years from

now, Sigma Lambda Beta will be at the top, settingthe standards for other Greeks. I wish a happy 20th

Anniversary to all the Brothers across the Purple

and White nation!

Por Vida!

Productivity, Prosperity, and Eminence

By Brother Maximo Z. Anguiano II Grand Valley State University

To be a part of Sigma

Lambda Beta InternationalFraternity Inc. is such a

blessing. Its hard to put into

words the exact feeling of being

a Brother, as it is easier to justexperience rather than explain.

Its an honor and privilege to be

recognized along with this

illustrious Brotherhood.

On our 20th anniversary,I feel so lucky to help carry on

the legacy that our founders

nationwide began. Our

respected organization hascovered so much ground in such

a short period of time and

accomplished what has takenother organizations far longer.

In twenty short yearsweve grown tremendously,

literally chartering from coast to

coast, developed strong alumni

associations in every major

region in the country, and

investing in our financial future.

Brothers nationwide

should be mindful of all this,

because imagine what we willcollectively be able to achieve

in the next twenty years. Even

more intriguing, Brothers young

and old will have theopportunity to take an active

role in giving back to theorganization. This can be done

from the local stage to the

national level, in areas such as

chapter advising, financialdonations, running for a

position on the IBOD, or by

becoming a part of an alumniassociation.

Every Brothereverywhere helps make a

difference inside and out of this

organization. Over the past

twenty years, this Fraternity has

helped mold leaders and

winners into positions that makean impact on society. Most

notably, we collectively have

made our world a better place to

live for all men of color.The future looks very

bright for our Brotherhood. We

have to give thanks and pay

tribute to those Brothers whohave given their all to make our

organization what it is today.Without them, we would not be

in the position of greatness that

our Fraternity is in. We are in a

great position to do even betterthings for the forthcoming

years.

Our first twenty years

could not have gone better.Heres to the future and manymore years of productivity,

prosperity, and eminence.

6 El Iluminador Summer 2006


7/28

My (Sigma Lambda Beta) StoryBy Brother Benjamin Contable Feller

Authors Note: For those Brothers that had the opportunity to attend Convention 2002 in Washington D.C., a

portion of the title may sound familiar. For those who were not in attendance, Brother Mary Peterson

challenged each brother present to write My Story. So, I share with you My (Sigma Lambda Beta) Story, a

portion of My Story. Ive long sought an avenue to share this and I thank El Iluminador and Brother Csar

Fantasma Barradas for the opportunity.

I could never pinpoint the uneasiness,

but I always felt misunderstood. I liked

different genres of music than most of

my high school friends

Having grown up in ahigh school community with

900 students, and being the only

minority in the population, I

never envisioned myself asa brother of our beloved

fraternity or any fraternity

for that matter. After all,minority student affairs

were foreign and

completely non-existent in mylife up until the time I entered

college at the University of

Nebraska Lincoln in 1997. Ivealways known my identity as a

Mexican-American citizen

growing up through the years.

My Grandparents always madesure we were proud of that fact.

Yet, in attempt to assimilate my

family into mainstream

America in the 1950s and1960s during times of civil

injustice, my family (aunts anduncle) lost many of the Mexican

customs and traditions. It was

simply my Grandfathers way

of making sure his family fitin and did not face any more

obstacles than the brown skin

presented.It is tough to reflect on

that fact, but the lessons Ilearned from many years ofstories about the packing houses

in Omaha, NE would eventually

intrigue my mind. I knew I had

to find a way to learn aboutthose customs and traditions

that had long been lost.

Traditional education teachingsin the area I grew up

undoubtedly would not teachme that, and that is where My

(Sigma Lambda Beta) Story

begins.

Most people would notthink that Latinos and Omaha,

NE belong in the same

sentence. However, what started

as a small group of familiesmigrating to the area to work at

the area packing plants in the

mid 1900s has spawned intoone of the largest and fastest

growing Latino communities in

the country today. Even as Ireflect on my own childhood,

the face of the south side of

Omaha has completely changed.

What started as a few smallLatino owned businesses and

one Latino dominated Catholic

Church (Our Lady ofGuadalupe) has turned into

hundreds of Latino owned

businesses and churches fromevery denomination. It has truly

been phenomenal to watch the

transformation of the place Iwill forever call home. The

once English named storefronts

have now been transformed into

panaderas, palateras,carniceras and the like. This

transformation has definitely

played a huge part in mydevelopment as a leader.

After entering college inthe fall of 1997, I received

several letters at my on campus

residence informing me of

several different minoritystudent events that

transpired every year. Not

knowing the doors theseevents would eventually

open in my life, I chose to

ignore them completely. Afterall, I had made a successful

high school career of not

dealing with anything minority-related. However, during my

second year of college, I chose

to expand my horizons.

Although my high school yearsproved to be successful, I never

quite felt 100% comfortable in

that setting. I could never

pinpoint the uneasiness, but Ialways felt misunderstood. I

liked different genres of musicthan most of my high school

friends, I loved what I perceived

as my Mexican culture (even

though I would find out later Idid not know much about it),

and my family always came

first. I never pursued an outletto communicate those

differences, but Sigma LambdaBeta helped me find men whohad those same interests and

also taught me ways to

communicate the differences we

shared amongst variouscultures.

(Continues on page 9)



8/28


Eleven Brothers Illuminate the Road to OpportunityBy Brother Ian Bautista

The Sigma Lambda

Beta Educational Foundationhas gone public with its self-sustaining scholarship fundcampaign. The scholarshipfund, known as theOpportunity for Wisdom

Fund, will provide an on-going source of undergraduatescholarships for our brotherswho display a commitment totheir academic duties.

Founding Father

Brother Ricardo Zamudio and Chairman of theSigma Lambda Beta Educational Foundationpointed out that, The campaign is a symbolic andpractical first step towards financial independence

and academic success for the EducationalFoundation and for our undergraduate brothers.Even though the Fraternity itself is an importantlegacy for our brothers, Opportunity for Wisdomwill generate scholarships for undergraduatestudents, our brothers, for many years to come,remarked Zamudio.

Already, $11,000 in commitments have been

secured towards the goal of at least $18,000 that

will be required to support two scholarships fundedannually from the interest earnings of the fund.Opportunity for Wisdom founders, who

will be specially recognized at the 2006 SigmaLambda Beta Convention in Henderson, Nevada,

lead the way towardscreating a path to successfor Sigma Lambda Betamen for many years tocome.

The initial eleven

founders of the fund arebrothers: Rudy CalderBenjamin Feller,Guillermo Macalpn,Cirilo Martnez, AmmarMufleh, Mary Peterson,Esau Schwarz, Anthony

Ybarra, Ricardo Zamudio, Joel Rhea, and JoelArias, pending approval of a fundraising effortBrother Sam Centellas might also be added to thefounders list. If more than $18,000 is raised, the

Foundation will award more scholarships in thefuture. All brothers contributing to Opportunityfor Wisdom prior to July 1, 2006 will beconsidered Founders of the fund.

Brothers contributing to Opportunity forWisdom, will be eligible to deduct their gift of$1,000 or more from their Federal income taxobligation. Those wishing to join in the foundingclass of donors to Opportunity for Wisdom, maycontact Bro. Ian Bautista, Board of Trustees

member of the Educational Foundation (phone(414) 359-1040 x 3620 or [email protected]),or any representative of the Educational Foundationfor more information. See the Foundations websiat: www.slbfoundation.com for more details.

Opportunity for Wisdom Fund kicks off!!


9/28

All of those diffe

instantly turned to common ground

w

rences I shared

M

with my high school friends

ith the members of the fraternit .

he beginning ofa definite relief

and my line brothers aseventh year of being

y (Sigma Lambda Beta) Story

ontinued from page7)

reer

red towards minoritystudent mester

ed

o

, that

ould

this

, at tas

I was

n

e new fraternity had a strongpresenc

ization

ds

rney

gh one of them would

not mak

t

myself during the education process than I had

learned up until that point in my life. Those issues

t

s,

d,

nd d ourmembers of the brotherhood.

uld

eopportu

I

rothers

imese

lf

e

page 15)

(C

After deciding to attend a ca

development program cates during the later part of the fall se

(November 1998) of my sophomore year, I realiz

there were issues out there that affected me that I

had been blind to for many years. At this particularprogram, I met Brother Stephen Ojos Reyes, wh

would turn out to be my dean of pledges, or DOP,as we called it then. We talked briefly and he

quickly informed me about a group of

brown students, as he calledit met once a week to

discuss issues going on

throughout the campus. I w

eventually decide to joingroup, called MASA, Mexican

American Student Associationthe spring semester of 1999. It wto see faces similar to mine walking the same

college path I was walking. After attending a few

meetings and meeting several of the members,informed of a new fraternity that had formed in the

previous semester, and was approached by a few of

the members to attend an informational meeting forpotential members. Brother Reyes happened to be

one of those members. Having met him only a fewmonths previous, I figured the informational sessio

was worth attending.Before attending the informational session,

it was apparent that the. After completing some independent

research about Greek life in general and being

approached by Brother Joseph Sabio Phillipsabout the possibilities the fraternity presented, I

decided that this organization was for me. I had

loosely explored Greek life as an incomingfreshman, but decided that Greek life was not an

interest of mine. However, this Greek organ

was something different, and the establishedmembers made me feel welcome. All of thosedifferences I shared with my high school frien

instantly turned to common ground with the

members of the fraternity.On February 25, 1999, I began my jou

with four other men. Althou

e it all the way through, the bond createdbetween myself and the men I would initiate with,

was and still is unforgettable. I learned more abou

that I was ignorant to quickly caught up to me. With

a line brother that lost his father to violence in theRussian/Afghanistan conflict, a line brother who

repeatedly crossed the border from Mexico in

search of opportunity, and a third line brother who

faced many of the same struggles as me growing upin a split family household, it became apparent tha

we all could rally around these struggles. Thesethree men shaped my membership from the very

beginning, and are why I continue to be an active

brother today.Fast forward past

many events, road trip

meetings, community

services, and overallgrowth in the brotherhoo

I just celebrate

Im not quite sure how seven years go by so

quickly, but it has been the seven best years of my

life. Although my line brothers and I are all spreadout across the world now, not a day passes without

me thinking about them. They continue to make me

proud through all of their accomplishments.I always knew from the very early stages of

membership that I wanted to remain involved withthe brotherhood for as long as my schedule wo

allow. Through the years, I have had thnity to serve at various levels and have

enjoyed every bit of the experience. Seeing theimpact that Brothers have had on the organization,

have always admired the efforts of those B

who continually choose to give back with their tand talent. I have always strived to be one of tho

Brothers. Much as I never envisioned myself being

a part of the Brotherhood, I never envisioned mysebeing in a position to assume a leadership position

at one of the highest levels at this stage of my

membership. Ive learned that hard work andpersistence will lead to great results. With thecooperation of the entire organization, we can soar

to heights never seen before. Fortunately, I hav

been able to build an area of professionalknowledge, which is a direct result of my

educational endeavors. I hope to be able to use that

knowledge to enhance the incredible base that hasalready been formed.

(Continues on



10/28



11/28

Epsilon Gamma Chapter at Prairie View A&M University.y Brother Manuel Patron TrejoB

As we move forward into the new era in time of Brotherhood Sigma Lambda Beta, Epsilon Gamma

Chapter at Prairie View A&M University, thanks all Brethren for their support and assistance on achieving

chapter

your support!!! The Dirty South has been representing here at PV since the fall/winter of

1991, w

ters. There wano e-m

&M Universitys historical black campus. It took a lot of hard work and dedicationthe two

t. The Dos Lobos rushed many lines,

but the

ME

e colony at PVAMU gain chapter status as the Epsilon GammaChapte

and

status.We, the PVBETAS, express our thanks and gratitude to all surrounding chapters and colonies of the

Dirty South, for

Texas Bound Baby PVAMU. Our two PV founders, #1 Daniel Rude Alcantar and #2 Jose MelloLuna, enlightened this Historically Black University with a new Latino based fraternal swing.

In the early 90s you can recall SLB as a Paul Revere type story, meaning if you wanted to start a colony

outside of Iowa, you had to send letters, via postal mail, up state to the SLB National Headquarail! Our two Prairie View founders story was quite a tall tale that shows the intestinal fortitude of what

our fraternity is all about.

The two PVAMU founders were inspired by Sigma Lambda Betas accomplishments and felt a need to

bring this to Prairie View Afounders of our colony, the Dos Lobos line, flew up north to the lovely city of Chicago in the state o

Illinois to meet and show how bad they wanted to be a part of SLB. They were rushed into the fraternity and

inducted by some of the national eighteen founding fathers and the SLB members of UIC. They brought thisback down to the Prairie lands of Texas on the outskirts of Houston.

You may be wondering how a Latino based fraternity survived at a Historically Black College and

University (HBCU)? The truth is it was not easy, and we almost didn

way things go down here if you are not apart of the Divine Nine it is very hard to be recognized as aGreek organization. It took until the Zeta Line for Prairie View to resurrect. In the spring of 2005 SLB

returned to PVAMU. From there we were able to achieve colony status in less than a semester and chapter

status in less than a year. Brother Jacob "Papi" Rodriguez and Member Educators, Ricardo Valdez and ALiborio Betancourt, helped revive PV.

We thank the brothers that came before us not only in our region but in the nation, and we give special

recognition to the brothers who helped thr of Sigma Lambda Beta.: Magdaleno Orozco, Manuel Trejo, Jorge Martinez, Jesus Del Valle, Juan Pirir

David Grimaldo, Armando Guiterrez, Isais Palacios, Jaime Juarez, Juan Carlos Ramirez, Gerardo Torres,

last but not least Aaron Funk.



12/28


The Southwest District of Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, Inc. By Brother Diego Chapin Back, Southwest District Governor

As many brothers know the Southwest

District is the largest District in the nation. Itencompasses five states, which include: California,Idaho, Washington, Arizona, and Colorado. With

19 entities and 4 alumni associations within the

Southwest, each school, as well as each alumni

association in each state goes beyond the call. Fromhelping their communities and putting Sigma

Lambda Beta at its highest, to scholarship, to

cultural awareness events; each school makesSigma Lambda Beta at their respective regions the

powerhouse of the Greek community. In the pages

that follow, you will find an update of what eachschool and chapter in the Southwest hasaccomplished and wishes to accomplish within this

2005-2006 Academic year. The Southwest Distric

is one of the premiere Districts in the nation and

shall continue the trend of excellence within theGreek Community.

CONGRESSI SUPERAMUS, DIVISI CADIMUS

State of Colorado:

Auraria Campus Colony is the newest entity to the Colorado region. This group of six dedicated brothersis diligently working towards establishing the fourth chapter in Colorado. Located in the downtown Denverarea, Auraria Campus, is a prime location to establish the brotherhood in the state of Colorado. Their

accomplishments include the development of a Latino council and bringing many high caliber speakers to theircampus. Currently, Auraria Campus is spearheading the Latino graduation for their campus and the new Latin

student Orientation. Auraria Campus is seen as a critical entity to the state of Colorado. By developing and

sustaining a strong chapter the brothers of Colorado can use the Auraria Campus as a spring board to further the

growth of Sigma Lambda Beta in the state of Colorado and throughout the region.

Iota Chapter-Colorado State University has long been an established and solid chapter of Sigma Lambda

Beta. In its 16th

year of existence, the brothers of Colorado State continue to work closely with the campus andcity of Fort Collins community. The Iota chapter has established many annual events which include the

Hispanic Latino Leadership Institute (HLLI), Hispanic Heritage Month, and Cinco de Mayo. Currently, the Io

chapter is planning its 4th

Annual Los Manos Youth Leadership Conference, a College Culture Workshop, and aDiversity Leadership Training in conjunction with the Poudre School District.

Lambda Chapter-University of Colorado Boulder also displays a strong presence within its campus andcommunity. The brothers of the Lambda Chapter have continued to develop many quality programs despite

having only approximately half of their brothers active due to study abroad and recently graduated brothers.

Currently, the brothers of CU-Boulder are planning a Women of Color Appreciation Dinner where they will

recognize women of their community and their mothers. They are also planning their annual San Juan EasterEgg Hunt and their participation in the La Raza Youth Conference.

Upsilon Beta-University of Northern Colorado Over the past few years it has gone from a stagnant colonyon the UNC campus to a powerhouse organization both within their Greek System and within the community.

This is due to the tireless efforts of both new and alumni brothers throughout the state of Colorado. This year

the brothers of Upsilon Beta were awarded the Chapter of Year from NALFO and won the highest fraternityGPA for the third straight semester. Currently, the chapter is putting its focus on its 3rd Annual Latino Youth

Leadership Conference, in which they host well over 300 children from the Greeley community.


13/28

State of Washington:Phi Beta Chapter-University of Washing ill be putting on the 3rd Annual Comedy

Jam, which is a cultural event. This event i B letters out there. Nothing is gained but

cognition with this event. The last couple years have been directed towards Latin comedians. This year is

ton Phi Beta Chapter w

s basically to just get the SL

re

more diverse where an Asian comedian will be performing along with 2 Latino comedians. Their Philanthropy

is the 3rd Annual Volleyball tournament where all proceeds go the American Diabetes Association. Phi Betacelebrated its five year anniversary in March. State of Idaho:

Beta Gamma Chapter-University of Idaho will be hosting th

. The brothers will

e 1st NW Banquet in Moscow, ID; the start of

something big for the future Northwest District be competing in a step/stroll competition and

st the official after party for the event. In April they will be having their Women's Appreciation Dinner,ho

which is nominated for Program of the Year at the University of Idaho. Finally, the University of Idaho will

finish the year with their philanthropy, Volleyball Tournament where all proceeds will go to the Inland NW

Blood Center. State of Arizona:University of Arizona - Kappa Alpha Chapter ester of 2006 the Kappa Alpha Chapter

of Sigma Lambda Beta had two major events jor event was an annual Menudo Breakfast

ld at a local church. This event is held in conjunction with Kappa Delta Chi Sorority. This is considered to be

eek is Called Betaeek and considered to be the most important week for the Fraternity. The activities begin on Tuesday with a

ing

nd are

s

for the Spring Sem

going on. The first ma

hea major Cultural event as well as a community service function. A portion of the proceeds is donated to a

scholarship that is given to an incoming student to the university. This scholarship is given out at their annualBanquet. The banquet is held every spring semester to recognize a Latino and Latina in the community. This is

a high recognition for the recipients of this award since a lot of people are considered for it.

Arizona State University - Chi Beta Chapter for the Spring Semester of 2006 the Chi Beta Chapter of

Sigma Lambda Beta had a week long of events to honor its most honorable fraternity. This ww

community service event, where the brothers sponsor a school to shadow for the day. This is very important

because it gives the young children the importance of going to college and that it is possible to succeed

academically. The next day event is considered to be the most important event, because it honors one of our

brothers in the Omega Chapter, Brother Victor Correa Ortiz. Brother Victor passed away because of a drown

incident. In his memory the XB Chapter hosts a CPR Awareness workshop in which the people who atte

trained to properly perform CPR on someone in need. This is special because help from donors and sponsors a

well as the Chi Beta Chapter, anyone who attends this workshop does not have to pay anything to attend. State of California:University of California - Santa Cruz as a young colony, they are producing big events within their sixmonths of existence in Santa Cruz. A big eve Identity Diversity Talk

onsored by Sigma Lambda Beta and other clubs on campus. UCSC is closing the gap at this school and

reat event that involved not

ly the community of Santa Clara, but surrounding communities.

nt for the Spring Semester was the

sp

changing the perspective other officials have on Greek Organizations as a whole.

Santa Clara University - Psi Alpha Chapter they have done various community services and cultural

awareness on campus. One that they did last semester was Posadas. This was a g

on



14/28

State of California (continued):

San Jose State University - Lambda Alpha Chapter last Semester they brought in a notable speaker to

lk to the community of San Jose State about pertin ition, their

community service as well as their in Annual Northern California formawhat keeping them busy.

t

popular not only for Sigma Lambda Beta, but for the Dominguez Community.

rthermore, these brothers on that campus have brother nights, community services, and study hours to help

s with different organizations. A big fundraiser that this chapter does is a

Taping. They go and watch a favorite sitcom and in return get money for the chapter. This chapter grows

ethe Los Angeles area and they clean it every

onth. They also do an annual step show that teaches the rest of the LMU community the culture of stepping.

rganizations on

mpus.

in the past three consecutive years the title of Philanthropy Fraternity of the Year. In addition, they

ve attained an above 3.0 GPA among all the active brothers.

nine years old. In addition, they have taco salescampus and Garfonos nights as fundraisers.

unity

ta ent issues that face college students. In add

volvement with the planning of the 5this

California State University - Dominguez Hills - Tau Chapter the First Chapter established in the wes

coast in 1992 is still keeping the trend of excellence. A big Cultural Awareness that they do every year is LasPosadas. This event is highly

Fu

other brothers. They have been on their campus for 14 years and these brothers on that yard are still goingstrong with all their programming.

University of California - Irvine - Theta Alpha Chapter is also a notable campus known for communityservices and cultural awareness events on their campus. They feed the homeless, as well as have different

cultural awareness events on campu

TVand grows each semester with the addition of new members.

Loyola Marymount University - Beta Beta Chapter within the last year it has done various community

services and cultural awareness events on and off campus. A big Community Service that this campus has is thAdopt-A-Highway. They adopted a highway off a freeway in

m

In addition, they feed the homeless, have a CPR awareness in April, and a Car-Show in May. This academicyear of 2005-2006, the LMU Chapter is focused on not only winning the Cultural Fraternity of the year, like

they have done in past years, but also on winning Fraternity of the Year on their campus.

Long Beach State University - Kappa Beta Chapter running the Show on their campus, the Kappa Beta

Chapter is a notable entity at Long Beach State. Their Community Services and Cultural Awareness that theyprovide the community of Long Beach, CA is what keeps them apart from the rest of the o

ca

Occidental Chapter - Omicron Beta Chapter this young Chapter has made an impact on the campus of

Occidental College. As the first multicultural Latino based Fraternity on their campus, these group of menhave won

ha

Cal State University Los Angeles - Pi Beta Chapter this chapter keeps the Community Service events

going at their campus. A big community Service that they do is the Reading to Kids. Every other Saturday,

they go out to a low income area to read to children from four toon

Cal State University - Northridge Colony this group of men has various community services with other

organizations on campus. In addition, they team up with other chapters in the Socal region to promote our

principles.

San Diego State University Colony is a young colony with high expectations. These men do various

community services with the city of San Diego and have made a strong impact within the San Diego comm



15/28

State of California (continued):

Southern California Region as a whole a big Community Service is the Los Angeles Marathon. Sigma

Lambda Beta in Southern California com

outhern California Alumni Association SCAA does many events throughout the year to keep the

asketball Competition, and a Co-Ed Softball tournament between the Chapters of Sigma Lambda Beta and

l

s the

My (Si

What will it take to enhance the base? I haven strengthen our

st, we must position the

rothers with professional talents in the most

approp

n the

. Without stretching too far into the

busines ke

.

s

t

treating the Brotherhood as if it were our personalbusiness.

We must start to build a legacy of

partnership throughout the country. We need to start

d

n our reputation, and serve our

commu hip

our

els our

s

lt

allow

us to bua

o

c.

es as a whole to set up, give water, and clean up

S

undergrads and alumni in touch. Some events that the SCAA operate are the fall Semester , Turkey Bowl

Football competition, the spring semester Beta Cup Soccer Tournament, the summer term Beta Hoops

BSigma Lambda Gamma.

SCAA operates regular workshops for the undergrad chapters, from e-board transitions, to financia

operations, to how to run an effective chapter/colony. SCAA brings everything to the table and furnisheundergrads the necessary tools to become successful individuals in life.

gma Lambda Beta) Story

(Continued from page 9)

several ideas that I firmly believe ca

structure. First and foremo

B

riate areas. With the ever-evolving alumnipopulation, we must retain the talents of our fellow

Brothers after their undergraduate studies have been

completed. There is certainly a positive trend inumber of active alumni Brothers, and I commend

those that are assuming responsibilities with alumni

activities. Alumni initiatives will continue to be acrucial element to our success as we build on our

foundation.Next, we must start to strategize our

operations as owners of this organization. We, asBrothers, hold the keys to the longevity of this

organization

s side of the organization, we must taactions to ensure our operations have a long-term

goal, and are not just fulfilling a short-term need

When we recruit, when we educate, and when wecomplete service activities, we must think of the

impact we have on the fraternity as a whole. We

must start to think about the big picture of ouroperations. By big picture, I mean the impact we

have on the entire Brotherhood when we makedecisions at the local level. Although our number

are increasing rapidly, we are not immune to

deficiencies that can weaken our Brotherhood. One

bad decision has the ability to significantly affecour entire organization. We must take actions to

derail those potential weakening activities by

sharing best practices, benchmarking activities, anpromoting a unified Brotherhood throughout the

country regardless of the area where you were

initiated. We must continue programming activitiesthat build o

nities simultaneously. The partners

attitude is contagious when utilized effectively. Ifirmly believe that a legacy of partnership within

the Brotherhood will carry us into the future.Last, we need to find ways to empower

Brothers. We must do a better job of providingcritical information, the information that fu

operations, to our Brothers. Identifying Brother

that have the technological and organizational skilsets to help us provide that information is pertinen

to our success moving forward. This will also

ild on the transparency in our operationsthat have already been established. As the Sigm

Lambda Beta homage states, an informed Brother

is a dangerous Brother. If we want to build alegacy of partnership and ownership about Sigma

Lambda Beta, we must be treated as such by ourHeadquarter operations, our fellow Brothers, and

our colonies, chapters, and alumni associations.

This will enable us all to join hands and continue t

build the foundation for the next generation ofSigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity In



16/28

Brother Anselmo Cara Bueno R.I.P.

October 15, 1978 May 3, 2006By Brother Carlos C. Arreola

It is with great sadness t Cara Bueno passed away

He was a devoted brother, great frie im.

For those that did not know him, he became a brother at our Alpha Alpha Chapter at Purdue University West

ade an immediate impact on

e university and the surrounding community. He held various positions within the chapter throughout his

underg

r, and the Indiana Alumni Association.

r

friends everywhere he went. We all mourn suc

great loss. He will be forever remembered and missed. We love you and will forever cherish our memorie

hat I write this. On May 3, 2006, Brother Anselmo

nd, and will be missed by all who knew h

Lafayette, IN. He entered our beloved brotherhood on December 15, 1996 as the captain of a line of simen. At the time of his crossing, the chapter was a small one. Yet, this brother m

th

raduate career.

As an alumnus, he returned to his hometown of East Chicago, IN and began his career at Mittal Steel

Company #7 Blast Furnace as an Operations Engineer. Even as an alumnus, he continued his service to the

community, the chapte

Anyone who knew him would all agree that he had an infectious personality. Whether he knew you fo

five minutes or five years, you felt you had known him for a lifetime. He always tried to make everyone feelcomfortable. For this reason and many more, he had countless

a



17/28

Brother Daniel Enrique "Cortes" Roman R.I.P.

July 30 1986 July 23 2005By Brother Pool "Tiburon" Paucar

Daniel Enrique Roman was born July 30, 1986. He resided in Kissimmee, Florida where he attended all

up to high school there, graduating with Honors. He became involved in the band, playing the bass guitar. He

was always a humble, generous, and loving young man. He was always loved by many, from children to

teachers; he had that carin

As reality checked in, graduatio nd college. Things changed, and

destiny had placed him at Florida State Univers ons. His first semester was

a calm one, the usual schoolwork, occasional partying, the numerous episodes of Smallville, Batman, andFamily Guy, countless hours on Superhero chatrooms, and most importantly his frequent visits home.

As time continued, second semester came around. He had already settled in and got accustomed to livingon his own. It was time for a change, and along with some friends, he attended a Sigma Lambda Beta

informational. It was a start of a whole new chapter in his life. With his mindset, courage, strength, dedication,

and the everlasting bond of his nine line brothers, on April 21, 2005 he PROUDLY became a Brother of SigmaLambda Beta International Fraternity Inc. Amongst the Brotherhood, he was known as #72 Cortes of the Rho

Alpha Chapter. He had lived up and continued to live up to his name, meaning courteous and felt the

extraordinary accomplishment, which he so rightfully earned and everyone saw.On July 23, 2005, a week before his 19th birthday, he passed away in a tragic car accident on Floridas

turnpike. He lived up to his name up to the time of his death, every single day. His mother knowing of the love

he had made for Sigma Lambda Beta, allowed his Crossing shirt to eternally rest with him.

For those who ever got the extraordinary chance to truly meet a wonderful man, he was known for hislove of Batman & Superman, his spaced shuttled Matrix, and his control of spending money. Even though he

may have left our sights, he will not leave our hearts, for he will always be one of Las Diez Maravillas Del

Mundo.

g & welcoming presence.

n h attead passed and it was time to

ity where he majored in Communicati



18/28


Preparing for the next 20 yearsBy Brother Alejandro Builes, Vice President of Alumni Operations

As Sigma Lambda Beta rounds the corner

on it's first twenty years of existence, I think it's

critical that we reflect on who we are today, andwhere we want to be tomorrow. Nine years ago, I

was first introduced to the concept of "Opportunity

for Wisdom, Wisdom for Culture". These words,

and their similarity to the concepts that I have

always held dear in my heart, led me to join a

family of 4,000 plus brothers with similar ideals.

A brotherhood that stood for Cultural Awareness,

Scholarship, and Service. In a world where society

moves us forward at the speed of light, it is critical

that we have a firm understanding of where we are

going. We must learn to navigate our lives on ourterms, else we might see another 20 years pass us

by in the blink of an eye.

I believe that now more than ever, it is

critical that we look back to the words of our

Founding Fathers and ponder on how we continue

to live the creed today. SLB has grown into the

largest Latino based fraternity in the world, far

surpassing our Founding Father's wildest

imagination. Our network of brothers is truly

"coast-to-coast". Our leaders have invested yearsinto carefully developing the fraternal structures we

have today. With the values our Founding Fathers

instilled into the organization, the dedication and

hard work of our brothers, and the continued

enhancement of our infrastructure , SLB is poised to

continue to produce leaders that will positively

impact our "community, our country, and the

world".

So now what? How do we live up to the

high ideals of a Sigma Lambda Beta man? How do

we continue to ensure that a concept from 20 yearsago continues to be a driving for the betterment of

our people?

It is my belief that our Alumni hold the keys

to our future. We have the potential to be a driving

force of empowerment for our people. As our

Alumni base and respective networks continue to

flourish, our brothers access to resources throughout

the world will continue to grow. This network, if

leveraged appropriately, can provide opportunities

for growth for our brotherhood and communities

alike.

I ask you to imagine a world where SLBbrothers are interconnected with brothers of similar

ideals throughout the world. A world where our

undergrads are being prepared for the real world by

their Alumni mentors, giving them a leg up on the

competition and ensuring a prosperous career upon

graduation. Imagine a world where SLB brothers

throughout the country are pooling their collective

resources in order to support the same philanthropic

initiative and therefore greater impact on the issues

at hand. Imagine a world where brothers and

supporters of SLB have attained positions ofleadership within our government and corporations

and have the sphere of influence to continue to push

the highest ideals of SLB. In this world, many of

the obstacles that face our communities today can

be overcome by the collective compassion and

resources of the largest Latino based fraternity in

the world.

Your SLB National Alumni Senate is hard at

work building the interconnections and best

practices that will enable our Alumni networks to

flourish into this world. Three years ago, we hadthree active Alumni Associations. By convention

'06, we could have as many as 17 AA's throughout

the country. This growth is being driven by

revitalization in the role of Alumni within our

fraternity. The next two years, our Alumni Senate

will focus on grassroots projects geared towards

making these Alumni Associations more efficient

and viable, as well as more in touch with the needs

of our undergraduates. It is our intention to make

the world we dream of a reality.

This reality can only be accomplished withyour support. We need our current Alumni and

future Alumni to continue to support our

organization after graduation. Our Alumni

movement has a clear goal, the development and

advancement of our brotherhood. All we need is

your help to ensure that path that was laid twenty

years ago, continues to be the path to a better world.

One that we look forward to sharing with our

brothers, sisters and children for years to come.


19/28

SLB and Caterpillar, Inc.By Brother Roger Ace Montalvan

Brothers of the most

honorable Sigma Lambda Beta,

I hope all is well with you and yourloved ones and hope the first half

of 2006 has blessed all of you withsuccess and happiness.

I am Roger Montalvan, an

alumnus of Texas A&M University

Eta Beta Chapter, with aBachelors of Science in Electrical

Engineering. As an undergraduate,

I never anticipated I would acceptan offer to join Caterpillar, Inc. as a

participant in the Manufacturing

Professional Developm

urchasing/Logistics,

Operati

the position focuses on purchasing,

the participant will be assigned

specific suppliers to monitor their

and if nt supplier

ntimely delivery of

If the positioparticipa

cts to m

ce thets to the

the factory

ns, orspace.

e operation

here the parti

the floor tPut sim

ce as

an, in a safe andr. The s

goals encompass Peo

ost (P

ople isprovin

Quality

tomerelive

right pa

aking the customerwait. Cost involves running to

budget, doing everything in your

power to produce the required

equipment, providing workers the

eer

d

g concerns and

o

.

c

conference in Chicago, IL, and Iwas able to help recruit two fellow

brothers the following year in

Dallas, TX. Francisco Prado

ent Program

(MPDP), a program targetingengineers with mechanical or

manufacturing backgrounds. Putsimply, Caterpillar, Inc. made me

an offer I couldnt refuse. The

only negative outlook I couldforesee would be leaving the nest

from Houston, TX and moving to

the Illinois area.Caterpillar, Inc. is the

largest producer of earth-moving

equipment, with the Big 3facilities located in Peoria, Ill,

Decatur, Ill, and Aurora, Ill. The

program was designed as the tool to

develop y

performance,replacemen

costs or u

product.logistics, the

assigned proje

inventory, reduto deliver par

throughout

dock transactiofactory storage

Th

role is w

oung leaders to fill theshoes of the older, experienced

workforce. The program is a 3-

year rotational program, whereparticipants complete annual

positions in P

directly onproduct flow.

goal is to produ

parts as you ctimely manne

ons Supervision, and

Process Engineering.The purchasing or logistics

role introduces the participant to

the pains of dealing with suppliersand controlling material movement

from the supplier, through the shop,

and ultimately, to the customer. If

Delivery, and C

focus under peinjuries and im

in your area.

ensure your cusor no defects. D

producing the

time and not m

eed be, find ato alleviate

amount each day (maintaining

the

n focuses onnt may be

anage

time neededline

, monitoring

even manage

s supervision

cipant works

o controlply, your

many quality

right tools) and eliminating the

need to work overtime.The process engineering

rotation involves being the direct

liaison between engineering andoperations. When a new product i

introduced, the process engin

provides the correct tooling anprocedures needed to manufacture

the product, and in some cases,

even design the new station to

manufacture the product. Theprocess engineer spends time on

the floor addressin

upervisor

ple, Quality,

QDC). The

reducingg ergonomics

is simple:

has minimal

working with the operationspersonnel and management to

troubleshoot problems.

The reason I chose t

highlight my job is because I wasprovided my first opportunity to

recruit minorities for our program

Caterpillar, Inc. recruited me inry involves

rt at the right

2004 at the Society of Hispani

Professional Engineers (SHPE)



20/28

Cervantes of Santa Clara Caterpillar, Inc.s offer to join our

program.

As we shut down our booth

and packed everything on theshuttle bus, Felipe spotted a

Caterpillar employee he knew from

school. The employee introduced

Felipe to our coordinator who spentthe entire 25-minute ride back to

the hotel conversing with Felipeand learning about his interest in

manufacturing. When we departed

the bus, the Cat employee told mehe was a brother from Southern

Illinois, and as time would tell,

Felipe also accepted Caterpillar,

Inc.s offer to join our program.Our program has been in

existence since January 2000, andof the five Hispanic males in the

program, 3 of us are brothers. The

program has grown from its first

class of 12 participants to over 110

participants. Our most recenttraining brought us together in San

Diego, CA where everyone was

wondering what the 3 Latino males

were doing with their hands (seepicture attached).

To the engineering brotherswho have a strong interest in

manufacturing and have at least a

2.8 GPR, make sure you visit theCaterpillar, Inc. booth at the next

SHPE conference Im sure you

will run into one of us.

University Psi Alpha Chapter and

elipe Gomez of Southern Illinois

Univer er.

. Our


21/28


Zeta Beta Chapter Brother JOINS TEACH FOR AMERICA

DANIEL NAVARRO TO TEACH MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE IN NEWARK NEW JERSEY AS PART OF

NATIONAL MOVEMENT TO CLOSE THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP

Gainesville, FL May 15, 2006 Daniel Navarro, a brother at the University of Florida and 2001 graduate

of Stranahan High School joined Teach For America. Teach For America is the national corps of

outstanding recent college graduates who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public schools andbecome lifelong advocates for educational excellence and equity. Navarro, who recently completed his

studies in Food Science and Human Nutrition from The University of Florida, will teach middle school

science in Newark, New Jersey.

Navarro joins the 2006 corps along with 3,500 other recent college graduates, chosen from nearly19,000 applicants. Those selected bring to the position such qualities as leadership, perseverance, personal

responsibility, strong critical thinking, the ability to influence and motivate others, and strong organizational

ability.

I truly believe that I can make a difference in the lives of so many students I will come across in mytwo years of teaching. I think these students need a positive role model and someone who can help guide

them through the struggles they will face throughout their academic career. said Navarro. Whether I stay

in teaching beyond this experience or continue on to graduate school for Health Administration, Im

confident that my experience in Newark will shape my future work and how I approach those I servethrough my chosen profession.

Before heading to Newark with his fellow 2006 corps members, Navarro will participate in Teach For

Americas intensive five-week summer training institute in Philadelphia. There, he will learn the

overarching approach utilized by successful teachers in low-income communities, teach in a summer school

program, work with a faculty of experienced educators, and participate in numerous professionaldevelopment activities. Once in Newark, Navarro will continue his professional development and have

access to Teach For Americas local training and support resources.

Corps members go above and beyond traditional expectations to impact the lives of children growing up in

low-income communities. In fact, a recent independent study found that students of Teach For America

corps members make 10% more progress a year in math than is typically expected, while slightly exceedingthe normal expectation for progress in reading.

At the same time, through their teaching experience, corps members gain insight and conviction that

influences their career trajectories and sense of civic duty, making them a powerful leadership force

working from within education and from every other sector to effect the systemic changes needed to ensure

educational opportunity for all.

Since its first 500 corps members entered classrooms in 1990, more than 14,000 outstanding college

graduates of all academic majors have joined Teach For America. Corps members teach in 22 locations in

underserved communities across the country. For more information on Teach For America, please visit:www.teachforamerica.org. or contact: Brother Daniel Navarro at 954-559-9335.


22/28

University of Minnesota, Alumni on the moveBy Brother Delane Cleveland

as things came along and with all

the support of the alumni, the work

of four became the work of 10

because the alumni support is so

strong here.

On a mild spring day in

inneapolis, nearly 20 brothers

these newly transplanted

brothers, the men back inM

of the Alpha Beta Chapter

After playing a veryacti

bro

AreAus

beg

IBMbro er

goo

dinfam t for the brothers at

the ni

Bet

becthe

a fo

eno

Sig

Unihalf

or c

further their education.

leav

rela

youfirs

to a

his

samtrait in this Brotherhood is our

wil

ourimp

thro

While other

ommunities feel the impact of

Minneapolis are left to plug the

Ladrillo Anunciacion, , has

for help.

then as

the work of

people leave, said

no means is SLB the first

and organizing recruitingevents, and helping with any

extracurricular activities

involving the undergrads.

From an alumniy they

can contribute to a chapter is tosupport show up at events and

e

brother from an alumni brotherd all

separat

yshe

r of

represe

ent, the

they cant give as much time as

cycle.

g men

going.

i Association. He is

currently a reporter for KOTA-

TV in Rapid City, SD.

gathered to send off Brother holes. standpoint, the biggest wa

Abraham Gladiador Arevalo. Brother James

ve role in his five years as a

ther of Sigma Lambda Beta,

valo was heading off totin, TX where he would

in his career working for

. This dinner was the

had a tough year as president of

the Alpha Beta Chapter. With

only four active members lefton campus, he felt the need to

call on the Alumni Association

make our numbers look larger

than they really are.

Anunciacion said. Thegeneral public cant determin

or distinguish an undergrad

th s final way of saying

dbye.

However, goodbye

ners have become an all-tooiliar sigh

Before the school year

started, I thought Id be a lot

more frustrated, Anunciacion

said. But

because were so young an

within the same age group.

But, as brothers go their

own

U versity of Minnesota.The once mighty Alpha

a Chapter has ironically

ome victim to the success ofbrothers who helped make it

rce in the Midwest District.

things camealong and

with all the

support ofthe alumni,

e waand t

numbe

guys

Of the 40 men honoredugh to wear the letters of

ma Lambda Beta from the

versity of Minnesota, nearlyhave moved to other states

ountries to pursue careers or

four became the work of 10because the alumni support is so

strong here.

Strong support despitethe number of departures is one

of the things the reigning

Alumni Association of the Year

nting the fraternity at differevents continues to decline

men of the Alpha Beta Chapter

learn how to take it all in stride.Many brothers are

getting into their careers and

Its always hard toe the trustworthy

tionships you develop with

r Chapter Brothers, so at

prides itself upon, but some ofthe members say its not easy.

Theres always an

affect when

theyd normally like to,Anunciacion said. But, thats

a part of any chapters normal

t, it was kind of a hard fact

ccept, Arevalo said from

home in Austin. At the

e time, I think one common

Brother Arun Motilall, Vice

President of the Minnesota

Alumni Association. But, by

Perhaps the real

challenge lies in recruitin

who can help keep the cycle

lingness to further progress

selves so as to positivelyact our local communities

ugh our education.

priority. People just have to

pick up the slack and work

harder.Picking up the slack

comes in the form of attending

Brother Delane Cleveland is a

member of the Alpha Beta

Chapter and the Minnesota

Alumn

c



23/28


"What does it mean to occupy a

place when at one and the same

moment you can be everywhereand nowhere, via GSM and WAP,

via avatar and alias? What is there

left to represent by means of

buildings when there is little

collective meaning anymore and

messages are becoming more and

more individualistic?

WILLIAM DEMETRIAL

MARQUEZ

While my art is Digital Fabrication, I work as a design Architect with A2SO4 Architecture. Having

traveled to Dubai, Italy, and most recently Marrakech, Morocco on Projects, I use this form of design as

an alternative to the pencil and ruler. This innovation is inspired by technology, but more importantly

pushed forward by digital exchange... Alas, this creative outlet is my art. Please


24/28



25/28

A Tradition that keeps BurningBy Brother Jos Oso Guardiola

I may give away everything I have, and

even give up my body to be burned - but if I have

no LOVE, this does me no good.Then you feelthe heat coming towards your body and in a second

you hear a PSSSSSSSSTTTTT or maybe a crack orsome popping and the foul smell of your burnt skinslowly airs up to your nose. Then the brother that is

branding you grabs a paper towel and pats down the

freshly burnt skin. After that you have some time toget ready for the next letter, and a brother reads the

same passage from the bible. (1 CORINTHIANS

13), over again and you stare at the point they toldyou to stare at so you dont see the hot iron hanger

that is molded like one of our beloved fraternity

letters burning you.

All this is done at a brothers house, with

only brothers in the room, branded or unbrandedbrothers. The brother getting branded and the

brother branding are not under the influence of

alcohol or drugsits a dry branding process. Soboth brothers are in the right mind to do this

beautiful body modification of burning our letters

on our skin. This type of ritual is practicedthroughout our Purple and White nation from coast

to coast. I have been branding for 6 years now and

still have the same fire when a brother emails me orcalls me and asks to be branded by me. It has

always been a pleasure and honor, knowing that the

brother you are going to hit up doesnt care how its

going to look or come out, because you never knowhow it will look after it heals, but still the love of

the fraternity drives him to burn his own flesh with

the letters we pridefully love.

Branding has been around for years in our

fraternity and nobody really knows where it started

or what chaptered started it, but one thing is forsure, is Greek branding comes from the African-

American fraternities, and now is a practice that we

have taken in and made it our own tradition. I

remember being in Talent Search, a program

through the Trio Program at Colorado StateUniversity, and I remember seeing my counselor,

Brother Nate El General Cadena, and seeing thebrand on his arm. That was in 1994. little did Iknow I would be handed down a tradition that many

say started at his chapterlater my own chapter

the Iota Chapter. Iota branding comes directly fromthe Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Brother Cadenas,

good friend was a Que, and branded him and

taught him how to brand and that started a traditionthat continues to this day.

Many Brothers old and new have gone

through the sacrifice of getting our letters brandedfor many different reasons, but whatever those

reasons are, one reason is always for the love of theletters and the fraternity. Dont get me wrong, one

thing I tell the Brothers I brand is that there are

great Brothers that are not branded and that the

Brother makes the brand, and the brand does not

make the Brother. The brand means much more to

us than just a body modification that scars andsometimes keloids and sometimes becomes just an

unrecognizable scar or it just fades away. Yet its

another sacrifice we went to show our love andpride for our fraternity. At any event, you can

always see a brother with his sleeve rolled up or

shirt off, pridefully displaying his brand to the

world. Displaying the pain he went through to getbrandedthe long weeks of picking the scab so it

can come out nice and maybe keloids, or maybe just

enough scars so you can see it. Brothers take greatpride in their brands. To this day, branding is a

practiced ritual coast to coast in our family, and it

will continue to be a tradition forever, as long as we

have brothers that want to show their love in thisform.



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HAPPY 20THANNIVERSARY

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From your f

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With this hermanos, we conclude the Summer 2006 issue of El Iluminador,

Thank you to all of the Brothers that took the time to share with us their stories, goals, challenges, and successes

lease remember that this is a publication for Brothers by Brothers, so your contributions are what make El Iluminador.

e need writers, photographers, artists, etc. We can help you put it in words and get it out there to the Purple and Whi

ation.

You probably noticed that not every section outlined at the beginning of the publication was represented on this

sue. It is all about the contributions Brothers. If you have something to contribute for the next issue by all means s

in. If you have a story or an article you are not sure would be material for El Iluminador, please contact us and we

iscuss. Want to see what other brothers have written? Visitwww.eliluminador.com.

e want to hear from you, is there something you would like to see, you liked, did not like, etc?lease email us at: [email protected]

eas, questions, concerns,

lease emails us at: [email protected]

eady to send in an article, a poem, artwork, etc.?

lease email it to :[email protected]

hank you to all of our current and past staff and Board Brothers who have in any way contributed to El Iluminador.

l I.

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El Iluminador Summer 2006 Print Issue

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