State Senator Fattah draws 40 to forum

Nearly 40 students crowded into the W.E.B. DuBois College House Multi-Purpose Room last night for an open forum with Pennsylvania State Senator Chaka Fattah on African American issues and political involvement. Fattah came to campus at the request of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity's Psi chapter, whose headquarters are at the University, but who has members from Drexel and Villanova as well. Fattah's visit to campus was the second in a series of educational and entertainment events, called "Alpha Week," which commemorate the fraternity's founding. According to Alpha Phi Alpha Vice-President Kristofer Love, a College junior, the fraternity invited Fattah to speak because of the impact he has had on the University and surrounding community during his term. Fattah is serving his second term as Senator from the 7th District, which includes West Philadelphia and University City. Prior to that, he served in the State House of Representatives for six years. Fattah now chairs the Senate's Education Committee, and is Vice-Chairperson of its Finance Committee. As well as creating access to higher education, Fattah's priorities include rebuilding urban America and improving public housing projects and child development programs. In his remarks, Fattah stressed the theme of African American empowerment through unity. Dramatic and radical changes in public policy can affect incredible changes in the lives of economically and educationally disadvantaged citizens, he said. Fattah added, though, that an unwillingness to talk about urban issues – because emphasis on those issues may be perceived as favoring minorities – has meant that African Americans are not yet seeing the results they would want. The decline of the political party structure in America, combined with the existence of "meaningless party platforms," Fattah said, has created a lack of focus on substantive solutions to problems affecting the African American community. "The African American electorate is going to have to try to coalesce around a set of party issues to guide their elected officials," he said. "[We need to] do what other groups have done – organize and move to effect the desired outcome. "We are tied together as a group," Fattah added. "Only with the achievement of the group will individuals be able to attain their own aspirations." In his speech, which coincides with the University's week-long commemoration of Martin Luther King Day, Fattah also discussed his opposition to the decriminalization of drugs, explaining that the impact of such an initiative "in our communities would be even greater than what we currently see." Lastly, Fattah addressed the issue of racism. "In every part of the [criminal justice] process, there are race-influenced results," he said. "The system ought to be color-blind." Students who attended the program responded positively to the points Fattah presented. "It was a good forum," said Drexel sophomore and Alpha Phi Alpha brother Moses Hart. "I didn't think it would be as informative as it was, but I learned more about my community than I would have sitting in a classroom." Wharton junior Biren Johnson, also an Alpha Phi Alpha brother, agreed with Hart. "It was very informative," he said. "It's very important for everyone, not just African Americans, to get involved in politics, because you can't complain about a problem and not do anything about it – to get involved is the most important thing." Fattah's daughter, Frances, is a College freshman at the University.