Before LSA senior Ashley Soto entered the University of Michigan, she knew she wanted to join a culturally- based sorority on campus. Soto, who is now president of the University’s Alpha chapter of Delta Tau Lambda Sorority, Inc., had an opportunity to visit the University through the sorority’s high school outreach program. After her first year, she decided to join the sorority. “I didn’t want to join a Panhel (Panhellenic) organization, just because I didn’t feel comfortable as a black Latina doing that,” Soto said. “That’s kind of the reality of things for some students of color. But, once I found out that there was a way of joining multicultural Greek life, I knew that I had seen a lot of people in my community be a part of it, and I wanted to be a part of that community.” Engineering senior Spencer Chen had a similar experience to Soto, saying though he did not intend to join Greek life before coming to the University, he was able to find a community in the Iota chapter of Asian-American interest fraternity Pi Alpha Phi, which helped him open up to his identity. “I originally joined because I first met a few of the brothers, and they were very warm and welcoming,” Chen said. “And before I came to college … I wasn’t very accepting of my culture. They helped guide me to not only accept myself, but embrace it.” The National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Multicultural Greek Council oversee culturally based fraternal organizations (CBFOs). NPHC, also known as the “Divine Nine,” is made up of historically African-American sororities and fraternities founded during the early 1900s, when Black students were not permitted to join historically white fraternal organizations. MGC was founded in 2002 with the mission of embracing multiculturalism and providing a space for communities of color in Greek life. “We were founded based on the idea of inclusivity,” Chen said. Thousands of University of Michigan students and local community members filled Hill Auditorium to hear American rapper, actor, philanthropist and activist Common speak at the Handleman Lecture on Thursday night. Answering questions posed by Scott DeRue, dean of the Ross School of Business, Common discussed how he aims to use his platform as a force for positive change. Hosted by the Business School and sponsored by the Joseph and Sally Handleman Charitable Foundation, the annual event invites a prominent figure to campus each year to speak on relevant business topics. As part of their curricular activities, all first- and second-year Business students were required to attend. Common opened the event by sharing how he found his voice through rap at the age of 12. Seeing the love and joy his work brought, Common said he knew he wanted to become a rapper when he realized his work had impact. “When I found my voice, I started to figure out what I stood for and who I am,” Common said. “My voice really became something that I knew was mine when I found out it had purpose,” When asked about formative moments in his childhood, Common said learning the story of Emmett Till, a Black 14-year- old who was lynched after being accused of whistling at a white woman in 1955, has been the strongest influence in shaping who he is today. “Me seeing that as a little kid and knowing that he was just like me, from Chicago, it made me feel like I had to live for something greater,” Common said. “It made me realize, someone died just because he whistled at someone, so what am I going to do with this michigandaily.com Ann Arbor, Michigan Friday, September 27, 2019 ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick spoke in a conversation-style event about climate change and the role of business and politics in environmental sustainability. The event was the first installment of the Environmental Law & Policy Program’s 2019-2020 Lecture Series. Patrick, who served as governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015, first discussed the importance of encouraging innovation in businesses through the government, public policy and impact investing. “The kind of innovation that is happening in the clean and alternative energy I think is just wildly exciting,” Patrick said. “How do you enable the folks who are doing this? We need to help catalyze the private sector with this kind of research. … We need to elevate that, which is a thing that people in senior public positions can do by showing up to events, understanding what’s happening and encouraging.” According to Patrick, one of the key faults in governing and politics is the idea that there can only be a single solution for issues like climate change, when in reality these problems often have multiple angles and solutions. University of Michigan Provost Martin Philbert announced a campus-wide extended reality initiative — an umbrella term for augmented, mixed and virtual reality technology commonly referred to as XR — last week. XR Initiative Director and University alum, Jeremy Nelson, said the technology will enhance learning both on campus and online. “These are advanced technologies that allow you to experience different environments, different perspectives in a way that may be challenging to do if you’re not able to travel somewhere or to see inside of an atom,” Nelson said. “It opens up lots of opportunities for expanding the learning experience for students and learners around the world.” Nelson works in the Center for Academic Innovation, which is spearheading the three-year initiative. A new fund will support projects related to XR on campus. GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail news@michigandaily.com and let us know. INDEX Vol. CXXVIII, No. 142 ©2019 The Michigan Daily N E WS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 O PI N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 CL A SSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 S U D O K U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 michigandaily.com For more stories and coverage, visit Cultural fraternal organizations talk challenges, support in ‘U’ community Students express concern over lack of recognition, publicity for events Influential singer- songwriter Bob Dylan will be blowin’ in the wind all the way to Ann Arbor on Nov. 6 to play a concert at Hill Auditorium. Bob Dylan and his band are being brought to Ann Arbor by an organization called Live Nation, a live-entertainment company that produces concerts. Samantha Musil, manager for Student Services and Major Events at the Center for Campus Involvement, assisted Live Nation with the venue setup. “We rent the space to Live Nation,” Musil said. “We also provide event coordination for on-campus requirements... For example, hiring security, ambulance services and stage labor in order to set up the stage and bring up their equipment.” Many Bob Dylan fans on campus are excited for his arrival, as some have been growing up listening to his music since childhood. Bob Dylan to perform at Hill in November CULTURE Former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick talks climate change Politician discusses regional greenhouse gas reduction, sustainability Provost’s XR effort integrates learning INNOVATION Follow The Daily on Instagram, @michigandaily ASHA LEWIS/Daily Deval Patrick, former Governor of Massachusetts, speaks about his state’s embrace of pro-environmental policy during the Great Recession as part of the Michigan Law Environmental Law & Policy Program Lecture Series in Jeffries Hall Thursday afternoon. CLAIRE HAO Daily Staff Reporter SONIA LEE Daily Staff Reporter See GOVERNOR, Page 3A RUCHITA IYER/Daily Musician and actor Common speaks on purpose and finding a vocie at the annual Ross School of Business Handleman Lecture in Hill Auditorium Thursday evening. See DYLAN., Page 3A See REALITY, Page 3A SONIA LEE Daily Staff Reporter See FRAT, Page 3A See COMMON, Page 3A FRANCESA DUONG Daily Staff Reporter Common gives Handelman Lecture on progress, purpose Entertainer highlights using business as force for positive change Multi-year initiative brings technology to classes, coursework ALEX HARRING Daily Staff Reporter Student tickets sold out to see musician perform on campus FootballSaturday The Michigan marching band created a special Mary Poppins- themed show in honor of late administrator Maggie St. Clair. » Page 1B