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Van Meter promotes Groove Phi Groove at GSU

Tierre Van Meter is on a mission to bring back and recruit new members to Groove Phi Groove (G-Phi-G) at Grambling State University. 

Van Meter is a graduate of Grambling State University class of 2000, a resident of Oakland, Calif. and member of the non-greek social organization Groove Phi Groove

Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship, Inc. ® (G-Phi-G).

G-Phi-G will return to GSU this semester

G-Phi-G is an international, non-profit, organization dedicated to community service, mentoring and heightening community and cultural awareness.

It was founded at Morgan State College in 1962, by purposeful disciplined revolutionaries. 

The non-greek brotherhood prides itself on being conscious men of service and collective action. They aim to work with individuals and organizations who are invested in empowering others.

Van Meter said G-Phi-G had been a part of Grambling student organizations since 1975.

He said G-Phi-G has always been about uplifting the black community with community service giving back to lower income areas. 

During his stint at GSU G-Phi-G started a lyricist lounge in Wheatley Hall where they and the students would come together and perform poetry and other lyrical arts.
“It was the best decision he could have made while in college,” Van Meter said.
Van Meter said G-Phi-G  has kept him grounded in the black community even after college. 

He said G-Phi-G is also about a knowledge of self, knowing your roots.
Normally fraternal organizations are centered around Greek culture because Greeks are credited with bringing about modern science.
“We as Grooves tend to believe the praise and honor blindly given to the Greeks for centuries rightfully belong to the people of Africa,” Van Meter said. “The theft of this great African legacy led to the erroneous world opinion that the African continent has made no contribution to civilization. Therefore our fellowship is happy to be known for being 'Unique Because We Are Non-Greek.”

Van Meter said Groove-Phi-Grooves will pledge this fall for the the Tiger Five alumni chapter. 

The tiger five is the name of the chapter for G-Phi-G which is named after the school's mascot and being the fifth school with a tiger to join G-Phi-G national memberships.

Groove-Phi-Groove was featured relationship in Spike Lee’s movie “School Daze” which featured a fraternity called G-phi-G — or gamma phi gamma — was based off the brothers of Groove-Phi-Groove. 

Van Meter said had the chance to talk to Lee when came to California before and told that Lee told him while he was in school at Morehouse college he didn’t really like the way black Greeks organizations were carrying themselves. 

Lee didn’t really like the greek he found the pro blackness, self-awareness of the members and the positive black messages were spread on campus, Van Meter said.

Although G-Phi-G identifies as a social organization compared to greek organizations they still do the same things greek organizations do such as strolling/step teams, parties, community service, but they stay in the realm of pro blackness instead of greek knowledge.

For more information about Groove-Phi-Groove visit their website www.GroovePhiGroove.org

Historic photo of G-Phi-G members.