History
"Once you start a movement, the momentum, the inertia is always operating and it's pretty hard to stop it. You cannot even stop it. One individual cannot stop it. You stop now, and somebody picks it up, and it keeps going." -Philip Vera Cruz
In 1990, a spirited group of Filipino college students attending the University of California, Irvine conceived of a new organization. Ostensibly labeled as "The Dark Boyz" because of their dark skin and Ilocano heritage, they sought a community where brothers and sisters could thrive in a kinship guided by the principles of intellectual awareness, social responsibility, personal integrity and brotherly love. In May of that same year, these seventeen founding fathers united to create "The Dark Boyz", reclaiming the label as their own. In the spirit of true brotherhood, and in jest, the brothers adopted the first letters of "The Dark Boyz, TDB, and quasi-translated them into the letters Theta, Delta and Beta, to miic the traditional Greek fraternal system.
What began as a lighthearted attempt to organize a closely-knit group of friends auckly grew in popularity and population into an organization spanning four chapters. After its founding in 1990 on the UCI campus, Theta Delta Beta expanded to Cal State Fullerton in 1991. Three years later, they established themselves at UCLA in 1994. The newest chapter is located on the campus of Cal State Long Beach.
From its humble beginnings, Theta has evolved into an organization of the heart. And embedded at its heart is the unconditional love that inspired the seventeen founding fathers to create the brotherhood. The brotherhood has quickly grown into well over a hundred strong and has evolved into a true family. The name, "The Dark Boyz", that our entire family continues to embrace, with its roots and rich history, certainly fits the organization's timeless values and culture.
Theta Delta Beta cultivates and celebrates the intellectual, imaginative and humanitarian promise of each its brothers and lil' sisters in a family that practices mutual respect, embraces diversity, encourages education, and inspires a passion for unconditional love.
Purpose
The development of the individual as a responsible, mature member of society is the primary goal of the brotherhood today. In fulfilling the purposes of brotherhood, we dedicate ourselves to the principles of:
Intellectual awareness
Brotherhood creates an atmosphere conducive to the expansion of the individual's intellectual horizons, the interchange of ideas within the academic community, and the pursuit of scholastic excellence.
Social Responsibility
Brotherhood requires the individual to commit himself and accept his responsibility to participate.
Personal Integrity
Brotherhood generates a standard of personal integrity, a framework for the individual to maintain honesty, exhibit loyalty, and retain a sense of self-discipline.
Brotherly Love
Brotherhood inspires and expresses the interaction of the individual with his fellows, his pride in Theta Delta Beta, and respect for the wisdom of its traditions.