^- Professor Alan DeSantis once wrote that homogeneity
^in most sororities and fraternities is so strong
^that many minority students don't even bother
^attending rush functions
^with those that do facing almost certain rejection.
So we decided to try doing something about that.
Excuse me everyone.
When you guys do join this beautiful institution,
you should consider joining Eta Phi Upsilon.
(jaunty music)
Hi there, I'm Aria
and I've always been fascinated with Greek life.
There's a lot of controversy surrounding them
but at it's core I think there's something valuable
about it's potential to bring people together,
if given the right opportunity.
So I figure what better way to experience Greek life
than by starting an all-inclusive fraternity.
No hazing, no exclusion
and up and running in three days.
To help me on this endeavor I bring in my good buddy, Nando.
^- I never joined a fraternity back in college
^because I just didn't feel like there was a place for me
as a queer brown kid I just didn't feel
like I belonged there.
Which is why I'm excited now to have a fraternity
that's all-inclusive, because we're not only
inviting people from all ethnicities,
it's all genders, all ages, all sexualities, everything.
- [Aria] So to begin, we host our first chapter meeting
having invited everyone we know in the hopes
of recruiting as many pledges as possible.
^- I'm Andrew, and I'm a ride-share driver.
^I never had the frat experience because
I could never afford to go to the big college in my town.
Plus I was pretty socially awkward,
I still am socially awkward in a lot of things.
I wanted to join this fraternity
just to get a sense of belonging
because it's never too late to try something, even now.
- [Aria] Unfortunately, even with Andrew,
the turn out is not quite what we hoped for.
- We thought maybe a few more people might show up,
maybe there's traffic or something.
- But the show has to go on.
You have been awarded the position of Treasurer.
- Oh.
- Sure.
- Petey, you've been awarded the roll of Social Chair,
congratulations.
- Thank you.
My name is Petey Plastic
and I'm an international LGBT rap superstar.
I met Aria off of Craigslist when he hired me
to teach him a class about, what was it,
social responsibilities --
I'm excited for this frat because it's all-inclusive.
It's usually hard to be a gay boy joining a frat
with a bunch of other straight boys
but I'm very happy that everyone here is
very inclusive towards all the people in the LGBT community.
- [All] Eta Phi, Eta Phi, Eta Phi,
Eta Phi, Eta Phi
- [Aria] Sororities and some fraternities
usually produce recruitment videos.
So we decide to follow their example
by quickly filming one of our own.
- Do you guys have acting training?
- [Petey] No.
- Like high school, maybe.
- As long as it gets the message across.
(high pitch whistle) (beep)
- Man, it's really hard being my school star polo player
and not having anyone to share my successes with.
- Wow, the sunset really is beautiful here in Maui.
I wish I had fraternity brothers to enjoy this with me
because I'm really lonely.
- Well luckily I just joined Eta Phi Upsilon
and now my brothers can come celebrate
my victory today with me.
Thanks for coming bro.
- No problem bro.
- Are you in a fraternity?
- Well actually, yes I am, I'm an Eta Phi Upsilon.
- Could you give me your number?
I'm free Friday night.
- Oh sure.
- Lucky for me, my brothers are here
because I am in a fraternity.
I am an Eta Phi Upsilon
and we just turn it up all the time.
- Hi there, I'm Aria,
- And I'm Fernando
- And we're the founding fathers of Eta Phi Upsilon.
- A fraternity that is inclusive for everybody and anybody.
- Come rush Eta Phi Upsilon today.
- And become a part of our family.
- [Nando] The next day we decided to expand
our recruitment efforts by visiting a local university
and try and convince some students to join us.
- [Aria] I'm also able to convince Katherine,
an actress I've worked with,
to join us in our efforts.
And after we have the other members sign up
for audited classes so they can be marked
as being enrolled in school.
We start trying to spread the name of Eta Phi Upsilon.
- Walk like students, walk like students.
^- Should we go to these boys?
^She's on the phone.
- She's on the phone.
- How about this boy?
No he's on the phone too.
Everyone's on the fucking phone.
- What up, what up man?
Hey, yo
ah, classes lately, right?
- We're opening an all-inclusive frat,
it's called, alpha, what is it?
- Eta Phi Upsilon.
- It's all-inclusive, like I said,
everyone's allowed to join.
- Just a great community of people with a common goal.
- We accept everybody.
^I wrote a song in honor
of our wonderful fraternity.
It's a rap, it goes like this (snapping)
♪ Everybody raps along with Eta Phi Upsilon ♪
♪ Eta Phi Upsilon, everybody rap along ♪
♪ What's your eta for today ♪
- When I was in high school I felt rejected
and on the sideline and I was never admitted
to any of the socie social clubs so, you know,
I think it's important to have something inclusive.
- However as the day goes on it seems like nobody
^is interested in joining us.
- Do you have a minute?
No?
Ah.
Okay, thank you.
^- Talk to me for a minute?
^- No it's all good.
- Have a good day guys. - Have a good time.
- I've been rejected so many times.
I feel like all the boys I reject on Grindr.
- Until suddenly an angel by the name of Farzan appears.
Everyone's welcome in this fraternity,
^isn't that nice?
- Like women, men, ages, whatever.
We started it yesterday we have four people,
^it's an all-inclusive.
- Ah, consider it five!
(cheering)
- This is our newest member.
Yes, he joined!
- [Aria] While we celebrate our one small victory,
^we remembered something that another student had told us.
^So on our final day we decide to try selling cookies
^around the office to raise money for a party
^to kick off our new fraternity.
- We're fundraising for our fraternity,
^Eta Phi Upsilon and our, yes --
- I would love to give you some cookies
^but we would love some money.
^- Mm-hmm.
- [Aria] Luckily our coworkers eventually pay up
and we're able to sell out all our cookies.
But unfortunately we make less than $20
which isn't quite enough for a party.
- [Nando] So we decide to find a party to crash
and make our own.
And by some miracle I find out that my friend Blake
is actually having a party that night
and we convince him to let us come.
- [Aria] We start inviting everyone we know
to Blake's party that night.
It's Blake, you remember Blake?
- [Woman On Phone] Yeah.
- [Aria] Before meeting up with the rest of the frat.
It's not our party
but we're gonna make it our party.
[All Affirming]
- Own it. - What's up bro?
- If you don't mind we'll put up some of these decorations
because we are celebrating -- - You'll put that in my house
- Yeah, because if you don't mind we have
a few people coming who we're gonna pledge.
But just a few. - Oh, okay, let's do it.
(cheering)
- [Nando] Once we tidy up Blake's place a little bit
more guests start to arrive.
And the party begins.
(energetic music)
- [Aria] And after the party is in full swing
we invite everyone outside for one final pledge ceremony,
inducting as wide a variety of people
that we felt matched the all-inclusive theme
of our fraternity.
- I think inclusivity is really cool.
- This is inspiring, that everyone despite
their orientation, gender or how they dress
or how they act is included in this fraternity
and I think it's very inspiring to me.
- It's a lot of people who you wouldn't think
would get along are getting along.
- This frat means actually a lot to me.
It's just been, just a blast.
As a little goth gay kid you don't really get to do
this that often.
♪ Everybody raps along with Eta Phi Upsilon ♪
- This has been an incredible experience.
We all got to feel included in something that
didn't reject anyone.
♪ What's your eta for the party today ♪
- Non traditional is great.
And that's what we are.
- [Aria] We may not have any actual students,
we may not have any money
and we may very well be the most rag-tag motley crew
to ever try and form any kind of organization
but to me, this is the greatest fraternity in the world.
- [All] Eta Phi Upsilon
(energetic music)
♪ Everybody raps along with Eta Phi Upsilon ♪
♪ What's your ETA for the party today ♪
- [Katherine] That's basically it.
- Just keep dancing.