People Reportedly Wore Blackface to 'Kanye West' Themed UCLA Fraternity and Sorority Mixer

Black student groups at UCLA are understandably unhappy after reports leaked out of a predominantly white fraternity and sorority that held a “Kanye Western” themed mixer. According to the student paper, guests wore “baggy clothes, plumped lips and padded bottoms, or as “Kardashians.”

The Daily Bruin reports that Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and Alpha Phi sorority held the event on Tuesday night, also referred to as a “raid.” The paper also says that photos of the event—now evidently deleted—show people “with their foreheads covered in charcoal.”

One lone photo supposedly of the partygoers lives on in screenshots:

(That Instagram page has been deleted. Alpha Phi’s Instagram is currently set to private, and their Twitter has been deleted. Facebook pages for both organizations remain active and already being flooded with very unamused comments.)

Members of the Afrikan Student Union said they would be releasing a statement today in response to the event, as well as photos of the party:

A movement called #BlackBruinsMatter is also quickly taking shape on social media:

We’ve contacted UCLA’s press office for comment and will update if we hear back. The university told the Daily Bruin in a statement that it is gathering information about the party, adding that, in general, students should try to display some level of cultural sensitivity to others: “Put simply, just because you can do something does not mean you should.”

To make things just a smidge worse, the party took place during UCLA’s welcome week for Black students.

Update, 11:50 a.m.:

UCLA sent Jezebel the following statement, which is identical to the one they sent to the Daily Bruin:

We are concerned about these allegations and earnestly working to gather information about what occurred, talking to all those involved. While we do not yet have all the facts, the alleged behavior is inconsistent with good judgment as well as our principles of community. We remind students that while they are free to celebrate in ways that draw on popular culture, their specific choices can cause harm and pain to fellow members of their community. Put simply: Just because you can do something does not mean you should.

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