About Gamma Xi Phi
Gamma Xi Phi is a predominately African American organization of men and women in the arts, including literature, visual art, music, theater, and dance.
GXP was established at Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey on October 7, 2010, on the principles of Philanthropy, Sodality, and Elevation.
The purpose of Gamma Xi Phi is to honor the achievements of artists through fellowship, philanthropy, social justice, and service.
Gamma Xi Phi creates a world in which artists are valued as thoughtful and justice-oriented leaders in their communities and in their careers.
Gamma Xi Phi promotes philanthropy and service to the arts, brotherhood among all artists, and leadership development in artistic professions through collegiate and community outreach to people of color across the world.
The 2023-25 theme is Gammas Out Loud: Artistry Maximized Professionally. This theme underscores our collective desire as an organization to publicly live out the values that we hold dear, while performing our duties as a professional association of artists. We invite the public to get AMPed with Gamma Xi Phi.
Active Artists
Brothers and Sisters of Gamma Xi Phi are actively engaged in the creation of art, music, theater, and more.
Our members have earned honors such as Emmy awards, Clio awards, African American Book Awards, the Kimbilio National Fiction Prize, and the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award. Members have been quoted in national media such as the Washington Post and Meet the Press.
Gamma Xi Phi incubates talented members who gain traditional and independent success; are awarded grants and contracts for their work; and who serve as professional leaders in national arts nonprofits.
Most importantly, members of Gamma Xi Phi never stop creating or serving the arts.
History
The idea from four friends attending Ramapo College has grown into an international fraternity centering the arts and justice. This is our story.
The Genesis
In the early morning hours of October 7, 2010, four friends attending Ramapo College in Mahwah, New Jersey, performed the initial research necessary to start a fraternity of their own. Deciding on letters, colors, symbols, and an initial purpose, these friends soon announced the existence of Gamma Xi Phi to the world. The Founders of Gamma Xi Phi were Malcolm Minor, Ashli Johnson, Tahir Register, and Kanisha Taylor. They were joined by eight other undergraduates and a chapter advisor, Professor Regina Cash-Clark, to form Alpha Chapter, which was recognized by the university in Spring 2011. The Founders enlisted the assistance of Rashid Darden, a novelist based in Washington, DC, to serve as a consultant to Alpha Chapter.
The House Expands
Beta Chapter was organized in Fall 2011 by eight charter members, three of whom would become National Presidents of the fraternity. The first National President was Storme Gray, a painter, poet, and nonprofit professional living in Northern Virginia. During this administration, the fraternity settled on a national constitution, a formal purpose, and articles of incorporation. GXP was incorporated in the District of Columbia in 2012. During that year, Alpha Chapter grew with the initiation of Brigette Ramos. In 2013, the fraternity initiated its first honorary member, music historian Kevin Coombe. In addition to the initiation of Beta Chapter's first line, the fraternity also initiated honorary member Christopher Brient, Assistant Artistic Director of Step Afrika! In October 2013, the fraternity held its first National Convention in Newark, New Jersey, in which Founder Malcolm Minor was elected National President.
Solid Foundation
During Founder Minor's administration, the fraternity chartered Gamma Chapter in Newark, New Jersey. Brother Demetrius Beynum formally transferred his membership to Alpha Lambda Chapter, making him the first active at-large member of the fraternity. Chapters of the fraternity continued significant programming around the fraternity's national program of service. Honorary members Allen Uzikee Nelson and Ernest Perry were initiated in 2015. Brother Rashid Darden was elected National President at the 2015 National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The National Program was re-organized under the theme Investing in Artists for the Community and the World. Additional strides were made in the fraternity's policies and procedures, including the membership process and program reporting.
The Pivot
At the 2017 National Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, the fraternity amended its purpose to its current form, ``to honor the achievements of artists through fellowship, philanthropy, social justice, and service.`` The fraternity also shifted to membership purely being on an invitational basis. Under National President Sharnell Bryan's leadership, the fraternity continued to grow with the chartering of Epsilon Chapter in 2019. Rashid Darden was re-elected National President at the 2019 National Convention in the District of Columbia. Several important policy decisions would take place during the first nine months of the administration that would set the fraternity on track for expansion despite the global pandemic. The fraternity gained five new chapters, its first domestic and international at-large initiates, and record-breaking numbers of convention registrants. The fraternity also gave out its first Bruce Hawkins Prizes for Excellence in the Arts and Justice.La Toya Hankins
Gamma Xi Phi is led by a seasoned and talented literary artist.
Sister La Toya Hankins is the author of SBF Seeking and K-Rho: The Sweet Taste of Sisterhood. She has published multiple short stories with JMS Books, including “Married to the Struggle,” “Heat Wave-Southport,” and “Challah and Calloo.” Her work has been featured in anthologies “Black From the Future,” and “Lez Talk: A Collection of Black Lesbian Short Stories,” published by BLF Press.
Sister Hankins has been involved in Gamma Xi Phi as a charter member of Theta Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi in the Raleigh/Durham area, where she has served as Program Director. She has served as Gamma Xi Phi’s National Secretary, and was elected to the National Presidency in 2023.
Fraternity News
-
The Phi Chapter of Gamma Xi Phi hosted a jazz lunch at the Conway Women’s Club.
-
The Gamma chapter showed up and showed out at the 5th annual Paterson Poetry Festival
-
Gamma Xi Phi members engaged in virtual and in-person programming during October to raise awareness about the increasing trend of books being challenged and banned
Contact
PO Box 346, Conway, North Carolina, 27820
ExecutiveDirector [at] gammaxiphi.com
