Fraternity Life | Ask Uncle Gary

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Eleven Months Later

Altadena, CA. Nearly a year after the Eaton Fire carved its way through the foothills, the town is still living in its shadow. Eleven months sounds like enough time for life to snap back into place, but for many families, the calendar doesn’t match reality. People are still scattered across borrowed bedrooms, spare couches, and motel rooms that were never meant to be home. Entire neighborhoods feel like they’re holding their breath.

Dec 30, 2025

One of Us

Dear Uncle Gary, I’m a sophomore at my dream university in Rhode Island, and I just pledged my dad’s old fraternity. He’s white, my mom’s Black, and growing up, I heard all his stories of brotherhood, campus life, the whole legacy, and I was excited to build my own version of that. So far, everyone’s been welcoming. But now and then, I hear things like, “You’re not like those other guys,” or “I think of you as one of us.” It’s subtle, but it stings. I know they mean it as a