That one single moment...
Music bumping, Greeks strolling, “Blu Juice” on deck and an entire block packed with hyped college students. The Mu Epsilon chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. always has the wildest house parties, sometimes lasting until 6 a.m.
How did the Florida State Sigmas manage to dodge noise complaints and keep their parties jumping until the break of dawn? They had a secret weapon: The White Sigma. By using his cop-conning abilities, white privilege and a smile that would make your grandmother say, “Awwww,” Ricky Meinke was able to keep the cops at bay.
“It was sad that this was the case,” he said, “but it was beautiful because Sigma parties never stopped when I was in the chapter.”
Meinke is a 2014 graduate of Florida State University where he majored in political science and international affairs. He is currently a graduate student at LSU majoring in higher education administration. After graduation Meinke sees himself working in a big city such as Washington D.C., Boston or New York at a university in multicultural affairs, orientation, or Greek life.
This year at LSU, Meinke serves as the graduate assistant for the African American Cultural Center where he has been responsible for the reestablishment and creation of the Black Leadership Council, has worked on the Minority Women in STEM Initiative, and has assisted with signature programs, such as Umoja, the Multicultural Student Leadership Conference and the Black History Month Committee.
He says he is still navigating what its like to be a white professional in multicultural affairs, but says he feels good.
“Multicultural affairs isn’t one community,” Meinke said, “It’s a lot of communities.”
He is sure to keep his own privilege in check so it doesn’t blind him to experiences his students may be having. He knows racial dynamics will change from place to place and knows it takes patience to learn different communities. Continuous learning is the key to him. If he becomes comfortable, then he’s not doing his job.
“He goes above and beyond his job description and I truly believe he cares,” said sports administration junior and Black Student Union president Destinee Merida. “Never once has he tried to pretend that he knows what we go through, but he is very open to learning and trying to understand what struggles we face by being minorities.”
Meinke enjoys working with students, but is still trying to figure out why multicultural affairs stands out to him. Although he comes from a German, Irish and Lutheran background, he didn’t have much of a defining culture growing up.
“I don’t go around wearing lederhosen with my German voice,” he said. “In terms of culture there wasn’t a lot within my family outside of typical white culture.”
Born in Queens, New York, Meinke moved to Tampa, Florida at the age of 8. The area was not diverse, with primarily white schools and neighborhoods. His two best friends from middle school, who are Jewish and Indian, opened him up to experiencing cultures outside of his own.
He has experienced an Indian wedding and funeral and traditions of Jewish and Indian faiths. Those experiences helped him understand that differences aren’t something to be afraid of, but to embrace and learn from.
As a master’s candidate, he has done considerable research on privilege and would like to write his thesis on it. Every day he questions himself on how he’s using his privilege. He could be selfish and silent or he could use it for others; not in a way to feel sorry for them, but in a way of service he said.
“Ricky is someone who knows he's more privileged than most people, but uses that to help others and the community,” said marketing senior and AACC Ambassadors president Vani’Tra Braud. “He strives to do and be better and help others on that same journey.”
Though these experiences set up the stage for where Meinke is now, it took one moment, witnessing a white Sigma at a step show, to change Meinke’s entire college experience. Meinke is a testament that one single moment can empower a student to do what they want, because you never know how powerful one moment could be. He credits his current position in the AACC with him being at that step show.
Let’s rewind to the summer of 2010, the start of Meinke’s freshman year at FSU.
One day, he met up with a high school friend and her roommates and agreed to go with them to the annual step show, Summer Oasis. It was Meinke’s first experience with the black community at FSU. He was the only white guy in the crowd and didn’t know what to expect.
As members of Phi Beta Sigma graced the stage, Meinke noticed they had a white brother. The crowd treated him no differently than his black counterparts, calling his name with the same enthusiasm.
“Seeing him up on stage with so much comfort and support from the community opened the door for me to navigate different communities at Florida State,” Meinke said.
From there, Meinke joined an organization called CYPER the following fall with one of his friends who was interested in hip-hop. CYPHER stood for Cultivating Your Personal Hip-Hop Elements Respectfully. The organization not only taught him the history of hip-hop, but set him up with several mentors who had different experiences in terms of race, which was eye opening to him.
Part of the CYPHER activities board was the Market Wednesday Chair. Market Wednesday is a deep tradition at Florida State, where organizations table in the union courtyard from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. From the hours of 12 to 1 was Sound Hour. During this time, members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, which included Phi Beta Sigma, would step and stroll.
Meinke’s mentors filled him in on which organization was which. He noticed the Sigmas were among the people. Even though they were Greek they weren’t removed from the rest of the students. He valued their sense of community.
Meinke attended a step show in the spring. When he looked into the crowd, he noticed many Sigma alumni and even brothers from FAMU, right across the tracks, who had came out to support the brothers performing. The center of the crowd was filled with blue and white Sigmas and Zetas. Not only did Sigma come with a huge brotherhood but a sisterhood as well, as Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. are the Sigmas’ constitutionally bound-sister sorority. After doing research on the fraternity’s values, Meinke knew he was making the right choice.
After becoming an orientation leader as a sophomore, he gained the confidence to make the jump. He was able to have conversations with a previous orientation leader who happened to be a Sigma, as well.
In spring of 2012, Meinke’s dad was diagnosed with cancer. He immediately considered dropping out of school to take care of his father. His family knew how much orientation meant to him and encouraged him to stay. Though this derailed his plans of joining Sigma at the time, it also reaffirmed his choice.
Brothers he had never met before reached out to him and gave him their numbers in case he needed anything. They would take him out to lunch and dinner and would hang out with him, making sure he was okay. Meinke formerly expressed interest in joining the organization and the following spring he crossed on February 22, 2013.
Aside from CYPHER and Sigma, Meinke was the on-campus recruitment chair for Light the Night, a leukemia walk. Because Light the Night didn’t have many diverse organizations participate, he strived to connect with different minority student groups.
Meinke also participated in the alumni association and was an orientation leader for two years. Orientation was one of his best experiences at Florida State and is what introduced him to student affairs.
Orientation developed his leadership skills, while CYPHER made him more comfortable with the African American community at FSU. He credits those two experiences for him being where he is today.
Many of the organizations Meinke has chosen to be a part of are spaces originally created for African Americans. CYPHER was a hip-hop club. Phi Beta Sigma is a historically black Greek-lettered organization. The African American Cultural Center caters to black students.
Meinke has been well prepared by his fraternity brothers for the questions that come along with being a white man in a black space, but once he tells his story, it all makes sense.
How did the Florida State Sigmas manage to dodge noise complaints and keep their parties jumping until the break of dawn? They had a secret weapon: The White Sigma. By using his cop-conning abilities, white privilege and a smile that would make your grandmother say, “Awwww,” Ricky Meinke was able to keep the cops at bay.
“It was sad that this was the case,” he said, “but it was beautiful because Sigma parties never stopped when I was in the chapter.”
Meinke is a 2014 graduate of Florida State University where he majored in political science and international affairs. He is currently a graduate student at LSU majoring in higher education administration. After graduation Meinke sees himself working in a big city such as Washington D.C., Boston or New York at a university in multicultural affairs, orientation, or Greek life.
This year at LSU, Meinke serves as the graduate assistant for the African American Cultural Center where he has been responsible for the reestablishment and creation of the Black Leadership Council, has worked on the Minority Women in STEM Initiative, and has assisted with signature programs, such as Umoja, the Multicultural Student Leadership Conference and the Black History Month Committee.
He says he is still navigating what its like to be a white professional in multicultural affairs, but says he feels good.
“Multicultural affairs isn’t one community,” Meinke said, “It’s a lot of communities.”
He is sure to keep his own privilege in check so it doesn’t blind him to experiences his students may be having. He knows racial dynamics will change from place to place and knows it takes patience to learn different communities. Continuous learning is the key to him. If he becomes comfortable, then he’s not doing his job.
“He goes above and beyond his job description and I truly believe he cares,” said sports administration junior and Black Student Union president Destinee Merida. “Never once has he tried to pretend that he knows what we go through, but he is very open to learning and trying to understand what struggles we face by being minorities.”
Meinke enjoys working with students, but is still trying to figure out why multicultural affairs stands out to him. Although he comes from a German, Irish and Lutheran background, he didn’t have much of a defining culture growing up.
“I don’t go around wearing lederhosen with my German voice,” he said. “In terms of culture there wasn’t a lot within my family outside of typical white culture.”
Born in Queens, New York, Meinke moved to Tampa, Florida at the age of 8. The area was not diverse, with primarily white schools and neighborhoods. His two best friends from middle school, who are Jewish and Indian, opened him up to experiencing cultures outside of his own.
He has experienced an Indian wedding and funeral and traditions of Jewish and Indian faiths. Those experiences helped him understand that differences aren’t something to be afraid of, but to embrace and learn from.
As a master’s candidate, he has done considerable research on privilege and would like to write his thesis on it. Every day he questions himself on how he’s using his privilege. He could be selfish and silent or he could use it for others; not in a way to feel sorry for them, but in a way of service he said.
“Ricky is someone who knows he's more privileged than most people, but uses that to help others and the community,” said marketing senior and AACC Ambassadors president Vani’Tra Braud. “He strives to do and be better and help others on that same journey.”
Though these experiences set up the stage for where Meinke is now, it took one moment, witnessing a white Sigma at a step show, to change Meinke’s entire college experience. Meinke is a testament that one single moment can empower a student to do what they want, because you never know how powerful one moment could be. He credits his current position in the AACC with him being at that step show.
Let’s rewind to the summer of 2010, the start of Meinke’s freshman year at FSU.
One day, he met up with a high school friend and her roommates and agreed to go with them to the annual step show, Summer Oasis. It was Meinke’s first experience with the black community at FSU. He was the only white guy in the crowd and didn’t know what to expect.
As members of Phi Beta Sigma graced the stage, Meinke noticed they had a white brother. The crowd treated him no differently than his black counterparts, calling his name with the same enthusiasm.
“Seeing him up on stage with so much comfort and support from the community opened the door for me to navigate different communities at Florida State,” Meinke said.
From there, Meinke joined an organization called CYPER the following fall with one of his friends who was interested in hip-hop. CYPHER stood for Cultivating Your Personal Hip-Hop Elements Respectfully. The organization not only taught him the history of hip-hop, but set him up with several mentors who had different experiences in terms of race, which was eye opening to him.
Part of the CYPHER activities board was the Market Wednesday Chair. Market Wednesday is a deep tradition at Florida State, where organizations table in the union courtyard from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. From the hours of 12 to 1 was Sound Hour. During this time, members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, which included Phi Beta Sigma, would step and stroll.
Meinke’s mentors filled him in on which organization was which. He noticed the Sigmas were among the people. Even though they were Greek they weren’t removed from the rest of the students. He valued their sense of community.
Meinke attended a step show in the spring. When he looked into the crowd, he noticed many Sigma alumni and even brothers from FAMU, right across the tracks, who had came out to support the brothers performing. The center of the crowd was filled with blue and white Sigmas and Zetas. Not only did Sigma come with a huge brotherhood but a sisterhood as well, as Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. are the Sigmas’ constitutionally bound-sister sorority. After doing research on the fraternity’s values, Meinke knew he was making the right choice.
After becoming an orientation leader as a sophomore, he gained the confidence to make the jump. He was able to have conversations with a previous orientation leader who happened to be a Sigma, as well.
In spring of 2012, Meinke’s dad was diagnosed with cancer. He immediately considered dropping out of school to take care of his father. His family knew how much orientation meant to him and encouraged him to stay. Though this derailed his plans of joining Sigma at the time, it also reaffirmed his choice.
Brothers he had never met before reached out to him and gave him their numbers in case he needed anything. They would take him out to lunch and dinner and would hang out with him, making sure he was okay. Meinke formerly expressed interest in joining the organization and the following spring he crossed on February 22, 2013.
Aside from CYPHER and Sigma, Meinke was the on-campus recruitment chair for Light the Night, a leukemia walk. Because Light the Night didn’t have many diverse organizations participate, he strived to connect with different minority student groups.
Meinke also participated in the alumni association and was an orientation leader for two years. Orientation was one of his best experiences at Florida State and is what introduced him to student affairs.
Orientation developed his leadership skills, while CYPHER made him more comfortable with the African American community at FSU. He credits those two experiences for him being where he is today.
Many of the organizations Meinke has chosen to be a part of are spaces originally created for African Americans. CYPHER was a hip-hop club. Phi Beta Sigma is a historically black Greek-lettered organization. The African American Cultural Center caters to black students.
Meinke has been well prepared by his fraternity brothers for the questions that come along with being a white man in a black space, but once he tells his story, it all makes sense.
