Dr. Antonio L. Ellis
I write this letter with a heavy heart, knowing that your life was cut tragically short due to the senseless and inexcusable act of hazing. Your death is not just a loss to your family, your friends, and your community, it is a devastating indictment of a culture that has long plagued Black Greek-letter organizations (BGLOs) and continues to stain the very institutions that were meant to uplift Black men.
As a higher education professor and an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, I am deeply grieved and outraged. I have dedicated my career to mentoring students, advocating for safe spaces in higher education, and preserving the integrity of Black fraternal organizations. Yet, once again, we find ourselves mourning a life lost to an archaic, violent tradition that has no place in our brotherhoods.
Caleb, you should have been welcomed into the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated Beta Sigma Chapter at Southern University with open arms, guided by the principles of manhood, scholarship, perseverance, and uplift. Instead, you endured suffering that no one should ever experience, all in the name of proving your worth. The truth is you were already worthy. The moment you aspired to be part of something greater; to contribute to a legacy of Black excellence, you embodied the very essence of what these organizations claim to stand for.
The question now is not just how we grieve your loss but how we ensure that your death is the last of its kind. How do we finally put an end to this dangerous cycle of violence masquerading as tradition? How do we reclaim Black Greek life as a space of empowerment rather than one of fear and harm?
First, we must acknowledge that hazing is not a rite of passage, it is a betrayal of our values. Those who engage in hazing do so not out of love or tradition but out of a perverse need to dominate, to validate their own suffering by inflicting it upon others. This cycle of trauma must end. Every fraternity and sorority must take a stand, not just in words but in action, to eradicate hazing at every level, undergraduate and alumni alike.
Second, real accountability must be enforced. Too often, perpetrators of hazing are shielded by secrecy, institutional apathy, and weak enforcement of anti-hazing policies. Universities, fraternity headquarters, and alumni must adopt a zero-tolerance stance. That means meaningful consequences for individuals and chapters that violate the fundamental principles of our organizations. It means more than just suspensions; it means legal action when necessary. No one should be allowed to harm another person in the name of brotherhood and walk away unscathed.
Third, we must redefine what it means to “earn” membership. Pledging should be a time of learning, growth, and deep reflection on the historical significance of our organizations. It should be about scholarship, leadership, and service, not about brutality. The strongest bonds of brotherhood are not built through trauma but through trust, respect, and shared purpose.
As a member of Alpha Phi Alpha, I take no pride in pointing fingers at another fraternity. Hazing is not exclusive to Omega Psi Phi or any one organization, it is an issue that affects us all. We must hold ourselves accountable as well. We must confront our own histories, acknowledge where we have failed, and take bold steps to ensure that we do not continue to fail the next generation of young Black men seeking leadership and belonging.
Caleb, your life should have been one of promise and potential. You should have been preparing to leave your mark on the world, to uplift others, to embody the principles of your chosen fraternity. Instead, we are left mourning a future that will never come to pass. But we will not let your death be in vain. Your story will be a catalyst for change, if we as a community have the courage to finally say, “Enough.”
To my fellow fraternity men, past and present: The time for silence and complacency is over. If we truly believe in the values we profess, we must stand up and say that hazing has no place in our organizations. We must be the generation that puts an end to this cycle once and for all.
Caleb, I grieve for you. I grieve for your family, for your loved ones, and for all who knew you. But I also make this promise: Your name will not be forgotten. Your loss will be the wake-up call that forces us to confront the darkness within our organizations and reclaim the light of true brotherhood.
Rest in power, Caleb. Your life mattered. And we will fight to ensure no other young man suffers the way you did.
Dr. Antonio L. Ellis is a senior professorial lecturer at American University School of Education and director of the Summer Institute on Education Equity and Justice.
