The Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity chapter at the University of Georgia self-suspended operations indefinitely over the weekend after racist messages from a chapter group messaging app were posted to Twitter, according to NBC.
Screenshots of the messages from a GroupMe for the school’s fraternity chapter were posted Saturday evening by African American student Arianna Mbunwe, who said some of the comments were directed at her.
Mbunwe, a junior, posted photos and videos on Twitter of students appearing to disregard social distancing and mask guidelines. She also criticized UG’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
“They were targeting me because my account has become very popular for exposing the people who are contributing to the rise in cases,” she said in an interview with NBC Monday.
Mbunwe – in a Sept. 5 tweet – criticized a university sorority member who was alleged to have broken social distancing guidelines but had posted a black square on her Instagram account with #BlackoutTuesday, a social media campaign for racial justice.
In a GroupMe chat group titled “Sex Drugs and Darby House,” Lambda Chi Alpha members talked about Mbunwe’s tweet.
“Lord give me the strength to not call that woman a racial slur,” a GroupMe member wrote. Another user named “Ghost of Aunt Jemima” wrote: “I guarantee you she … just sits in her room saying how white people are racist because she’s mad she didn’t get a bid lmao.”
UG’s Interfraternity Council president, Brennan Cox, said in a statement Sunday – one prompted by the screenshots – that the council was “aware of the racist, sexist and otherwise discriminatory comments made within a GroupMe” for the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter.
Lambda Chi Alpha’s national organization denounced the chapter members’ comments in a statement Monday.