History, Secrets, Symbolism and

Candidate Training
Victor ”Insistente” Ramirez
Undergraduate Operations Manager
 Antes de Empezar
(Before We Start)

• No Cell Phones
• No Writing Utensils
• No Paper Allowed
 What is a Secret?
• According to Merriam-Webster Online, a
Secret is:
– Anything that is kept from knowledge or view
– Revealed only to the Initiated (that is you!)
– Anything that we do not acknowledge publicly

• Icebreaker: What things do you consider a

Fraternal Secret?
 What is/is not considered a Secret?

• Our History
• Our Training
• Our Symbols
• Fraternity Business and Interpersonal Brother
Relationships
 Our History - The Breakdown
• Don Jose Marti dies in 1895 in Dos Rios.
– Don Jose Marti was the last pillar to be alive.
– Because of this, he intensely studied the other 5 pillars’ strengths and
weaknesses.
– His death was a symbol of how all that belief and ideals should not
ever be forgotten.
• A group of young students from various parts of Latin
America went to the United States to study.
– These men believed in keeping the study of these six men alive in their
hearts.
– These men were the ones that gave birth to the Union
Hispanoamericana (UHA) in 1898 at RPI
 Our History Cont.
• Organizations of the First Merger
– Union Hispano Americana (UHA)
– Pi Delta Fí (PDF)
– Fí Lambda Alfa (FLA)
 Our History Cont.
• The First Merger (1921)
– UHA and Pi Delta Fí had very similar goals
– Pi Delta Fí came in touch with Fí Lambda Alfa
most probably from related networking back in
Latin America
– In June 11, 1921, the new Fí Lambda Alfa was
born in New York City
– Fí Lambda Alfa is to be the first major seed to Fí
Iota Alfa’s birth.
 Our History Cont.
• Organizations of the Second Merger
– Club Hispanoamericano (1904)
– Sociedad Hispanoamericana (1904)
– Sigma Iota (1912)
– Other Clubs and Organizations
 Our History Cont.
• The Second and Final Merger (1925-1931)
– For the purposes of this presentation, we will skip
directly to this part of our history.
– FLA and SI Networking
– FLA and SI Negotiations
– The Birth of Fí Iota Alfa
– The rest, as they say, is history……. Until 1976.
 Our History Cont.
• Fí Iota Alfa (1931-2006)
– Went through various generations before its undergraduate
inactivity in 1976
– The 1930-1940s Generation (1st Generation)
– The 1950-1970s Generation (2nd Generation)
• The Disconnect happens during this generation (1976)
– The 1980-1990s Generation (3rd Generation)
• The Reconnect happens during this generation (1984)
– The 21st Century Generation (4th Generation)
 Our History Cont.
• Fí Iota Alfa (1983-1986)
– How did the re-emergence happen?
– The Legend of the Phiota Legacy
– Ivan Moreno and the Re-Founders
– Pre-1984 Alumni Apathy
– The Rebirth of Fí Iota Alfa
– Fí Iota Alfa’s New Direction and Philosophy
– The FamIliA Ideology
 Fí Iota Alfa Today
• Changes
• A deal that made the Fraternity’s future link with its past
• Recovered Documents
• Propósito 21
• The Rebirth of Pan-Americanism and the Six Latin American
Leaders (Pillars)
• Reclaiming our National Presence and the Birth of the
Corporate Structure
• The Global Latino Leader
• A copy of the Belief Statement is going to be given to you at
this time.
 Pre-1984 and Post-1984 FIA
• Pre-1984
– Main ideal was
“Hispanoamericanismo” which is the
Latin American word for Pan-
Americanism.
– Only admitted Latin American
natives that spoke Spanish.
– Operations were like a traditional
mainstream Greek organization.
– Pledge process was a duration of
three months and there was one
pledge class per school year, only by
invitation.
– Members wrote articles on current
Latin American events and how the
Fraternity could play an important
part in shaping those events for the
good of the Latin American people.
• Post-1984
– Before 1993, Main ideal was Familia,
which focused on the social aspect of the
Fraternity today.
– Anyone, regardless of creed, ethnic
background or knowledge of language can
be a part of the Fraternity. However, after
1994, a stronger focus was placed on
members believing in Pan-Americanism.
– Operations used to be more like a Black
Greek organization, in the present,
operations are a mix of Mainstream and
Black Greek practices.
– Anyone that meets the requirements can
submit a petition to enter the brotherhood,
pledging happens all year round.
 Verbal Secrets
• Por La Patria Latino Americana (PLPLA)
• Semper Parati, Semper Juncti (SPSJ)
• Omne Rarum Carum (ORC)
• Las Verdades (The Truths)
 Verbal Secrets
• The Truths – Pre-1984 • The Truths – Post-1984
– Patria (O’Higgins) – Love/Heart (O’Higgins)
– Fraternidad (San Martín) – Trust (San Martín)
– Libertad (Bolívar) – Honesty/Truth (Bolívar)
– Justicia (Juárez) – Respect (Juárez)
– Raza (Martí) – Reverence (Martí)
– Igualdad (Miranda) – Unity (Miranda)

• The Truths from Pre-1984 were ideals that were discussed as a

means to achieving the Pan-American ideal, while the Truths
from post-1984 are universal ideals which better explain the
pre-1984 version of the Truths.
 Semi-Public Secrets
• Some Elements of our Candidate Training are
semi-public
– Choosing your candidate name
– Choosing your line name
– What is taught (but not in what specific order)
• Fraternidad
• Fraternal Hymn (Por La Patria)
– A copy of both Hymn and Fraternidad will be
provided for you for your convenience.
 Symbols - What is a Symbol?
• According to the Merriam-Webster online Dictionary,
A Symbol is:
– Something that stands for or suggest something else by
reason of relationship, association, convention or
accidental resemblance; especially a visible sign of
something invisible.
• Our symbols are public, however, their meanings are
secret, this is very important!
• The only semi-public symbol are our colors from the
Fraternity’s flag.
 Our Symbols
• The Letters of the Fraternity
– The Greek Symbols through
FIA’s lifetime have stood for
different things.
– 1931 - 1950s
– 1950s - 1970s
– 1984-Present
 Our Symbols
• The Lion Pin
– Also known as the
Pledge Token
– Six Sides
– Rampant Lion
– Azure Superior Dexter
– Gules Inferior Sinister
– What does it represent?
 Our Symbols
• The Shield Pin
– It has been the neophyte pin
since 1931
– In Spanish, it was called
“Alfiler del Neófito”
– Shield Design
– Colors
• Or, Azure, Gules
– Bands diagonally placed
– What does this represent?
 Our Symbols
• Brother Badge
– Origins unknown, mostly
used by pre-1984 Alpha
Chapter as their main
symbol
– Six stars
– Roman Fasces
– Banner
 Our Symbols
• Insignia (Coat of Arms)
– Crest
• Lambrequins
• Roman Fasces
• Double Edged Ax
• Spear
– Shield
• Knight
• Lions
• Shield
• Banner with Motto
 Our Symbols
• Insignia (Coat of Arms)
– Secret Version
– Double Edged Ax
– Meaning
 Symbols of Recognition
• Difference between
Official and De Facto
• Our Official Hand sign
• Our Official and Secret
Handshake
– The Phi Hand sign
• History
• Our De Facto Chants
Dedication and Questions
Semper Parati, Semper Juncti

Thank you!!!
P-H-I!!