Phi Iota Alpha (ΦΙΑ)
Founded	December 26, 1931 (1931-12-26) (age 76) Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Type	Social
Scope	International
Mission Statement	Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity is a brotherhood dedicated to the promotion and preservation of Latin American Culture. Events 1481 - Battle of Westbrook - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, or RPI, is a Nonsectarian private Research University located in Troy, New York Fraternities and sororities (from the Latin words la frater and la soror, meaning "brother" and "sister" respectively are fraternal
Motto	Semper Parati Semper Juncti
Colors	Gold       Navy Blue       Red       White
Symbol	Lion
Flower	Red Carnation
Publication	The Phiota!
Factoid	The oldest inter-collegiate Greek-letter organization established for Latino Americans
Free label	Phiota
Headquarters	49 East 41 Street Suite 449 New York, New York, USA
Homepage	www.phiota.org

Phi Iota Alpha (ΦΙΑ), established December 26, 1931, is the oldest Latino fraternity in existence ^[1] and works to motivate people, develop leaders, and create innovative ways to unite the Latino community. Navy blue is a dark shade of the Color Blue. Navy blue got its name from the dark blue (contrasted with white worn by officers in the Royal Navy since Red is any of a number of similar Colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of Light discernible by the human eye in the wavelength White is a Color, the perception which is evoked by Light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive Cone cells in the Human eye The lion ( Panthera leo) is a member of the family Felidae and one of four Big cats in the Genus Panthera. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 1481 - Battle of Westbrook - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. History Established in 1998 NALFO the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations set out to become the uniting force for Latin-based fraternities and sororities Hispanic (hispano hispánico hispânico Hispānus adjective from ''Hispānia'', the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula) is a term that historically The organization has roots that stem back to the late 1800s to the first Latino fraternity, and the first Latino student organization in the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[2] The brotherhood is composed of undergraduate, graduate, and professional men committed toward the empowerment of the Latino community by providing intensive social and cultural programs and activities geared toward the appreciation, promotion and preservation of Latin American culture. Fraternities and sororities (from the Latin words la frater and la soror, meaning "brother" and "sister" respectively are fraternal

Membership in Phi Iota Alpha is open to all men regardless of race, creed, color, or national origin who challenge themselves to develop a strong network for the advancement of Latino people. ^[3] Phi Iota Alpha's membership includes prominent and accomplished educators, politicians, businessmen, and four former presidents of Latin American countries. Phi Iota Alpha utilizes motifs from the Pan-American revolutionary period and uses images and colors depicting the time of Latin American revolutionaries and thinkers to represent the organization.

History

Origins

RPI, Birthplace of Phi Iota Alpha

Phi Iota Alpha was founded at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, New York, in 1898. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, or RPI, is a Nonsectarian private Research University located in Troy, New York Troy is a City in New York, US, and the County seat of Rensselaer County. ^[4] A group of Latin American students including organized the Union Hispano Americana (UHΑ) as a cultural and intellectual secret society based on the ideology of Pan-Americanism. Secret society is a term used to describe a variety of organizations Pan-Americanism is a movement which through diplomatic political economic and social means seeks to create encourage and organize relationships associations and cooperation between ^[5] The immediate goals of the UHA was to provide a cultural environment for students of Latin America and Spain. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The UHA is the first association of Latin American students ever founded in the United States. ^[2] The UHA expanded to several colleges and universities in the United States; however, due to the secrecy imposed upon its members, not many records were kept.

The expansion and growth of the UHA was based on compromise and the ultimate need of similar organizations to unify and become more powerful. In the Northeastern United States, a group of Latin American students decided to organize a cultural and intellectual fraternity; as a result Pi Delta Phi (ΠΔΦ) fraternity was founded at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1916. The Northeast is a region of the United States. As defined by the U Shortly after its foundation, Pi Delta Phi initiated a search to expand to other colleges and universities where they became aware of the existence of other similar organizations. ^[6]

Consolidation

Union Hispano Americana emblem

Pi Delta Phi established communications with Phi Lambda Alpha (ΦΛA) fraternity, which had been recently founded in 1919 at the University of California, Berkeley. Phi Lambda Alpha (ΦΛA, established 1919 at the University of California Berkeley was the first Latin American based Greek Lettered collegiate fraternity on the West Coast The University of California Berkeley (also referred to as Cal, Berkeley and UC Berkeley) is a major research university located in Berkeley ^[7] After some communication, these two organizations realized the existence of a non-Greek letter secret society, the Union Hispano Americana. As a result of intensive correspondence and various interviews, the three organizations merged. In their merger agreement, the three organizations adopted the name of Phi Lambda Alpha fraternity, with the distinctive emblem & constitution of Pi Delta Phi, and the goals & motto of the UHA. This new union was formalized in June 1921, in the City of New York. The City of New York

Meanwhile, in the Southern United States, another similar organization was under development. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive In 1904, an organization with similar goals as Phi Lambda Alpha was founded under the name “Sociedad Hispano-Americana” at Louisiana State University. Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, generally known as Louisiana State University or LSU, is a public, Coeducational In 1912, this organization changed its name to Sigma Iota (ΣI) and became the first Latin American based fraternity in the United States. Sigma Iota (ΣΙ, Established March 12, 1912 was the first Latin American based Greek Lettered inter-collegiate fraternity in the United States ^[8] Between 1912 and 1925, Sigma Iota expanded rapidly in the United States, South America, and Europe. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a As a result of this, Sigma Iota became the first international Latin American based fraternity. ^[9] By 1928, Sigma Iota had lost many of its chapters and therefore sought to stabilize its operations by consolidating its chapters in the United States with a more stationary and well-rooted organization.

Phi Lambda Alpha was seeking to expand throughout the United States and to promote the ideology of Pan Americanism. Sigma Iota Fraternity was in search of revitalizing some of its defunct chapters. Thus both organizations complemented each other and began to work towards the creation of the fraternity now know as Phi Iota Alpha. ^[6]

Founding

In December 1931 in Troy, New York, delegates from Phi Lambda Alpha and Sigma Iota assembled with the objective of forming a unified fraternity to address the needs of Latin American Students in universities in the United States. Year 1931 ( MCMXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1931 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Troy is a City in New York, US, and the County seat of Rensselaer County. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous

On December 26, 1931, the first day of a three-day convention, Phi Iota Alpha was born as both groups agreed to the merger. A creed is a statement of Belief — usually Religious belief — or Faith often recited as part of a religious service ^[10] They resolved to unify under one name, one banner, one organization and one ideal. The next day of business was dedicated to preparing the details of revising the constitution, working on the creation of a shield to represent the newly formed national Latino brotherhood. On December 28^th, by the end of the three-day convention, the majority of the merger was completed. Now the last step in the merger was the ratification of some of the chapters of Sigma Iota that were not represented at the convention.

The fraternity was incorporated as a national organization on October 28, 1936, under the laws of the State of Louisiana, under the name and title of Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity. The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America ^[11]

Expansion

Union Latino Americana

Main article: Union Latino Americana

After unification, Phi Iota Alpha expanded nationally as well as internationally. Union Latino Americana (ULA was the short existing Pan American Governing body of Hispanic fraternities created in the early 20th century At the international level, the Fraternity sponsored the 1932 convention in New York City with the purpose of forming the Union Latino Americana (ULA). ^[1][12] The ULA was a Pan American governing body of Hispanic fraternities which provides the framework for the implementation of Pan-American ideology. The ULA organized Latin America into 22 zones with each of the 21 Latin American countries constituting a zone, and Phi Iota Alpha representing the 22nd zone in the United States. All zones are bonded by the same constitution and internal rules and regulations. By 1937, the ULA had several well-established and functional zones including:

Union Convention 1938

• ΦIA - Phi Iota Alpha in the D. C. and the states of the  United States
• ΦKA - Phi Kappa Alpha in  Cuba
• ΦΣA - Phi Sigma Alpha in  Puerto Rico (U. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Phi Sigma Alpha Fraternity (ΦΣΑ (aka Fi Sigma Alfa) commonly known as La Sigma, is a fraternity established originally as the Sigma Delta Alpha Fraternity Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} S. )
• ΦTA - Phi Tau Alpha in  Mexico

In September of 1938, the Phi Sigma Alpha zone decided to separate from the ULA and eventually, to form Phi Sigma Alpha Fraternity of Puerto Rico which exists to this day. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. ^[13]

History: 1939–1983

The outbreak of World War II greatly hindered the growth Phi Iota Alpha in the United States. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including After the war the Fraternity drafted and implemented a new expansion strategy. As a result, the post war period saw positive internal growth for the Fraternity. In the early 1950s, Phi Iota Alpha eradicated any remnant of its political agenda. With only a few chapters, the Fraternity continued to pursue it's mission. The Fraternity was again incorporated as a national organization on January 9, 1953, when the Secretary of State of New York accepted the incorporation of Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity. ^[14]

The 1960s were very challenging years for Phi Iota Alpha. The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 The effects of the Vietnam War and the '60s counter-culture created an anti-institutional atmosphere amongst many college students. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia Counterculture (also " counter-culture " is a sociological term used to describe the values and norms of behavior of a Cultural group, or In addition, this drastically reduced the enrollment of Latin American students in American universities. This in turn hindered potential membership to the organization. As a result, by 1968, after many years of struggle, the only active undergraduate chapters were at LSU, and at RPI. The chapter at RPI became inactive in 1973 with the graduation of its Secretary General. The Secretary General took with him the chapter's official fraternity documents. By 1976, the last active brother from the chapter at LSU graduated, thereby marking the closing of the undergraduate chapter at LSU.

Phi Iota Alpha Brother Bolivar DeGracia. (bottom row, second from the right) Member of the IFC Athletic Council at LSU 1972.

From 1977 to 1983, the Fraternity witnessed a period of inactivity at the undergraduate level. Some efforts were made to re-establish Phi Iota Alpha at the undergraduate level, but these efforts were not successful. Throughout this period, brothers continued to maintain communication, and continued to accomplish the mission of the organization. The history, ideals and goals of the Fraternity never diminished; they simply did not have active undergraduate members to cultivate them. Phi Iota Alpha continued to exist with the many Alumni members, and chapters as they continued to develop their professional lives mostly in Latin American countries and in the United States. ^[6]

Alpha Chapter, 1984

History: 1984–2000

In 1984, a group of young men at RPI, set upon learning about the Latino based fraternity that once existed on their campus, re-established Phi Iota Alpha. After the re-emergence of the Fraternity, the last Secretary General instituted the members of the RPI chapter as the Alpha Chapter of Phi Iota Alpha. In the 1980s the Fraternity dedicated its efforts to rebuilding the organizational infrastructure and to expand to several universities in New York State. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous By 2000, Phi Iota Alpha had chartered chapters across the United States. ^[6]

75th Anniversary

Phi Iota Alpha declared 2006 and 2007 to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee. Preparations consisted of nationwide activities and events, including the commissioning of intellectual and scholarly works, presentation of exhibits, lectures, artwork and musical expositions, the production of video presentations. The 75th Anniversary Celebration was launched with a pilgrimage to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on October 13, 2006, and culminated with the Demisesquicentennial Anniversary Convention on the weekend of July 27 to July 29, 2007, in New York City. In Religion and Spirituality, a pilgrimage is a long journey or Search of great Moral significance Events 54 - Nero ascends to the Roman throne 409 - Vandals and Alans crossed the Pyrenees Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1214 - Battle of Bouvines: In France, Philip II of France defeats John of England. Events 1014 - Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars: Battle of Kleidion: Byzantine emperor Basil II inflicts a decisive defeat Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[15]

Chapters

Further information: List of Phi Iota Alpha Chapters

National programs

Phi Iota Alpha asserts that through community outreach initiatives, the fraternity supplies voice and vision to the struggle of Latino and Hispanic Americans in the United States and Latin America. This is the list of chapters of Phi Iota Alpha the oldest intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for men of Latino descent The fraternity provides for charitable endeavors through its Foundations, providing academic scholarships and support for community development projects.

Union Foundation

Union Logo

Established in 2004, the Union Foundation is the Fraternity's philanthropic arm. The foundation is an initiative designed to impact the lives of Latino communities in the areas of education, economic development, and social progress. The Union Foundation is a private, charitable non-profit organization. ^[16] The Foundation was created in order to:

• Provide scholarships and grants to Latino youths to enhance their educational and career opportunities.
• Support community programs and other 501(c)(3) tax exempt organizations that support civic empowerment and educational improvement within the Latino community.
• To increase awareness of Latino issues to the greater philanthropic community covering issues such as, but not limited to, educational achievement, civil rights, state of the workforce, and overall community health.
• To engage in other activities related to supporting and educating the public concerning Latino issues.

Affiliations

Further information: North-American Interfraternity Conference, National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations

The fraternity maintains dual membership in the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) and the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC). Membership requirements Member The NIC membership requirements are detailed in the By-Laws of the North-American Interfraternity Conference History Established in 1998 NALFO the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations set out to become the uniting force for Latin-based fraternities and sororities History Established in 1998 NALFO the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations set out to become the uniting force for Latin-based fraternities and sororities Membership requirements Member The NIC membership requirements are detailed in the By-Laws of the North-American Interfraternity Conference

NALFO is composed of 23 Latino Greek-letter sororities and fraternities, of which Phi Iota Alpha is the oldest member. The association promotes and fosters positive interfraternal relations, communication, and development of all Latino fraternal organizations through mutual respect, leadership, honesty, professionalism and education. ^[17]

The NIC serves to advocate the needs of its member fraternities through enrichment of the fraternity experience; advancement and growth of the fraternity community; and enhancement of the educational mission of the host institutions. ^[18]

Phi Iota Alpha is also a member of the NIC Latino Fraternal Caucus. One of the only four Latino fraternities that are part of the NIC. ^[19]

Fraternal ideology

Beliefs

Members of Phi Iota Alpha share a life-long commitment to Latin American culture. Phi Lambda Alpha (ΦΛA, established 1919 at the University of California Berkeley was the first Latin American based Greek Lettered collegiate fraternity on the West Coast Phi Sigma Alpha Fraternity (ΦΣΑ (aka Fi Sigma Alfa) commonly known as La Sigma, is a fraternity established originally as the Sigma Delta Alpha Fraternity Sigma Iota (ΣΙ, Established March 12, 1912 was the first Latin American based Greek Lettered inter-collegiate fraternity in the United States Union Latino Americana (ULA was the short existing Pan American Governing body of Hispanic fraternities created in the early 20th century This is the list of chapters of Phi Iota Alpha the oldest intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for men of Latino descent Membership requirements Member The NIC membership requirements are detailed in the By-Laws of the North-American Interfraternity Conference History Established in 1998 NALFO the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations set out to become the uniting force for Latin-based fraternities and sororities Involves intellectual development, cultural consciousness, personal growth, personal achievement and social awareness. Members of Phi Iota Alpha believe that the Latin American community in the United States and in the Latin American countries are in need of new sources of intellectual capital to identify, address and solve the difficult challenges they face. Therefore, the organization is dedicated to developing in its members an awareness of the common values and traditions of the nations of Latin America and to preparing them to become active participants in the process of advancing the social and economic conditions of all Latin Americans.

The fraternity instills in its members a Global Latino perspective. This is an orientation that transcends the existing national boundaries that have separated Latin America. It builds on the spirit and traditions of Pan-Americanism, and supports and promotes actions leading to an eventual unification of all the countries of Latin America. ^[20]

Mission

• Promotion of personal, community, and Pan-American development through the ideals of Simón Bolívar and José Martí as well as other Pan-American intellectuals and their philosophies;
• Creation of a Latin American consciousness,
• Intensification of education with a Latin American character;
• Economic and social mobilization of Latin American communities globally;

• Intensification of contact between Pan-American Countries with the intention of forming a unified network of professional and economic contacts in order to ultimately achieve the unification of Latin America;
• Conservation of the integrity of the Latin American character.
• Rejection of war and violence as a means to achieving unification. ^[20]

Pillars

The organization has five pillars, respected historical figures from Latin America:

Don Simón Bolívar	Don José de San Martín	Don Bernardo O'Higgins	Don Benito Juárez
Don José Martí

Symbolism

Pan-American symbolism

Phi Iota Alpha chose to use Pan American symbolism as more representative the ideals of the organization. Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar Palacios y Blanco,Venezuelan or commonly known as Simón Bolívar ( July 24, 1783 &ndash José Francisco de San Martín Matorras, also known as José de San Martín ( 25 February 1778 – 17 August 1850) was an Argentine Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme ( August 20, 1778 &ndash October 24, 1842) South American independence leader was one of the commanders Benito Pablo Juárez García (benit̪o paβ̞lo xwaɾes gaɾsia ( March 21, 1806 – July 18, 1872) was a Zapotec Amerindian José Julián Martí Pérez ( January 28, 1853 &ndash May 19, 1895) Born in Havana from Spanish parents his short life was dedicated to gaining As evidenced in this painting of San Martín's proclamation of Peruvian independence

Phi Iota Alpha chose to use Pan-American symbolism as more representative of the goals and ideals of the organization. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Phi Iota Alpha utilizes motifs from the Pan-American revolutionary period and uses images and colors depicting the time of Latin American revolutionaries and thinkers to represent the organization. This is in contrast to most other Latino fraternities that traditionally echo themes from the Pre-Columbian period of Latin American history. The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences Phi Iota Alpha's constant reference to Pan-American ideals in hymns and poems are further examples of Phi Iota Alpha's mission to imbue with a Pan-American cultural perspective.

Colors

The Colors of the fraternity in Spanish Heraldry are oro, azur, gules and plata.
The Colors of the fraternity in English Heraldry are or, azure, gules and argent. This article is about the heraldic tincture. For other meanings see Azure (disambiguation. In Heraldry, gules (pronounced with a hard 'g' is the tincture with the colour Red, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures called "colours" In Heraldry, argent is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals"
The Colors of the fraternity in Spanish are oro, azul marino, rojo and blanco.
The Colors of the fraternity in English are gold, navy blue, red and white. Navy blue is a dark shade of the Color Blue. Navy blue got its name from the dark blue (contrasted with white worn by officers in the Royal Navy since Red is any of a number of similar Colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of Light discernible by the human eye in the wavelength White is a Color, the perception which is evoked by Light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive Cone cells in the Human eye ^[21]

Badge

The badge is the most prominent symbol of membership. The Official Badge of the Fraternity is a gold pin in the shape of a Roman fasces topped with a double-edged ax and crowned in the superior of the fasces of six stars, each star with an argent pearl at its center. Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Fasces (ˈfæsiːz a Plurale tantum, from the Latin word fascis, meaning "bundle" symbolize summary power and Jurisdiction A pearl is a hard roundish object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled Mollusk. The fasces are held together by two ropes in gold that tie the fasces at the top and at the bottom and in which the middle is tied in the form of an x-shaped cross. A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other dividing one or two of the lines in half In the middle of the fasces, above the ropes lies an argent riband in which engraved to it are the Greek Letters Phi Iota Alpha. The badge dies at the bottom with a golden sphere that culminates the fasces. ^[21]

Flag

The official flag consists of three bands in or, azure, and gules of equal height. The Greek letters ΦΙΑ in Or are located on the Azure field at the center outlined with white. The chapter letter is carried on the Gules band sinister in argent. ^[21] The flag is modeled after the flag of Simón Bolívar's Republic of Gran Colombia. The Flag of Gran Colombia was based on Francisco de Miranda 's Tricolour, which served as the national flag of the First Republic of Venezuela The short-lived republic that consisted of present-day  Colombia,  Venezuela,  Ecuador, and  Panama. Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Ecuador topics. Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America.

Crest

The Fraternity insignia, coat of Arms or crest, consists of a blazon composed of an Or (gold) Shield, Gules Chevron lowered a third charged with six argent Stars, three dexter, three sinister. Insignia (the plural of Latin insigne: emblem symbol is a Symbol or Token of personal power, Status or Office A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short in European tradition is a design belonging to a particular person (or group of people In Heraldry and heraldic Vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of most often a Coat of arms or Flag, which enables a person to A shield is a protective device meant to intercept attacks The term often refers to a device that is held in the hand as opposed to Armour or a Bullet proof vest A chevron (also spelled cheveron, especially in older documents is a V-shaped pattern A star is a massive luminous ball of plasma. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the Energy on Earth At the fess point, under an oval azure field, the Latin American Map in Or, surrounded by a steel chain made of twenty-one links. FESS is also an acronym for Functional endoscopic sinus surgery. A chain is a series of connected links. This article is about the literal physical chain The Greek Letters Phi Iota Alpha in azure in dexter, fess point and sinister of the chief, occupying a third part of the canton. A chief is a term used in heraldic Blazon to describe a charge on a Coat of arms that takes the form of a band running horizontally across At the base, a Phrygian Cap in gules facing dexter. The Phrygian cap is a soft red conical cap with the top pulled forward worn in antiquity by the inhabitants of Phrygia, a region of central Anatolia The principal bordure is double in azure and argent, respectively. In Heraldry, a bordure is a contrasting border around a shield traditionally one-sixth as wide as the shield itself The shield is crowned with a frontal steel helm with nine bars and adorned with argent lambrequins falling at dexter and sinister. A helmet is a form of Protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries a variation of the hat In Heraldry, mantling or lambrequin is drapery tied to the helmet above the shield The crest is formed by a Roman fasces in Or, in vertical position, and a Double-edged Ax. A pair of Lions Rampant with sanguine tongues supports the shield. The lion ( Panthera leo) is a member of the family Felidae and one of four Big cats in the Genus Panthera. In Heraldry, supporters are figures usually placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up The riband for the motto at the Lions' feet, in argent, with azure letters states: Semper Parati Semper Juncti. ^[21]

Membership

Phi Iota Alpha's membership is predominantly Latino and Hispanic American in composition. José Francisco de San Martín Matorras, also known as José de San Martín ( 25 February 1778 – 17 August 1850) was an Argentine Members come from the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. As Phi Iota Alpha expanded, the ranks of membership grew to include a plethora of prominent and accomplished, educators, politicians, businessmen, and four former presidents of Latin American countries.

Notable members

Politics

Fmr. President of Honduras Carlos Flores with President Bill Clinton

Mariano Ospina Pérez
Fmr. President of Colombia

Alfonso Robelo Callejas

• Eric Arturo Delvalle^[23] - Former President of  Panama
• Carlos Roberto Flores^[24] - Former President of  Honduras^[25]
• Mariano Ospina Pérez - Former President of  Colombia
• Carlos Lleras Restrepo - Former President of  Colombia
• Miguel Hernandez Agosto - Former President of the Popular Democratic Party of  Puerto Rico
• Alfonso Robelo Callejas^[26] - Founder of the Democratic Movement Party of  Nicaragua
• Emilio Bacardi - Former mayor of Santiago,  Cuba and son of Bacardi Founder Facundo Bacardi
• Angel Ureña - National Hispanic media campaign spokesman for Hillary Clinton
• Enrique Oltuski^[27] Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Merchant Marines of  Cuba - Author of Vida Clandestina: My Life in the Cuban Revolution^[28]

Diplomacy

• Eduardo Vallarino Arjona - Former Ambassador to the US from  Panama
• Guillermo Chapman - Former Ambassador to the US from  Panama
• Harry A. Eric Arturo Delvalle Henríquez (born February 2, 1937) is former Panamanian head of state Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. Carlos Roberto Flores Facussé (born 10 March 1950) was President of Honduras from January 27, 1998 to January 27, Honduras in Spanish, República de Honduras) is a democratic republic in Central America. Mariano Ospina Pérez (born in Medellín, Antioquia on November 24, 1891 - died in Bogotá on April 14, 1976 Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. Carlos Lleras Restrepo ( April 12, 1908 Bogotá - September 27, 1994, Bogotá was an important Colombian lawyer Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. The Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico ( PDP) ( Spanish: Partido Popular Democrático de Puerto Rico, PPD) is a Political party Puerto Rico (ˌpwertoˈriko officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ("Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico" {{lang-en|"Associated Free State of Puerto Rico"}} Luis Alfonso Robelo Callejas (born October 11, 1939) a Nicaraguan Businessman, was the founder of the Nicaraguan Democratic Movement The Nicaraguan Democratic Movement ( Movimiento Demócratico Nicaragüense - MDN is a right-wing Nicaraguan political party with social democratic ideology Nicaragua (ˌnɪkəˈrɑgwə officially the Republic of Nicaragua () is a representative democratic republic and the largest nation in Central America Santiago de Cuba is the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island nation of Cuba The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Bacardi is the world's largest family-owned spirits company best known as a producer of Rums including Bacardi Superior and Bacardi 151. Don Facundo Bacardí Massó ( Facund Bacardí i Massó) (1814 – May 9 1887) was a Spanish – Cuban Rum businessman Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton (born October 26 1947 is the junior United States Senator from The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. Diaz- Current Ambassador of Panama to the Russian Federation & Community of Independent States
• Osvaldo Velasquez- Former Council Member of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, an organization that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985.

Business

• Manuel J. Cutillas^[26] - Former Chairman of the Board and CEO of Bacardi Ltd.
• Manuel Gaetan^[29] - Former President Emeritus of the Bobbin Group of Miller Freeman
• Orlando A. Gutierrez^[30] - Former President of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers
• Alberto C. The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE was founded in Los Angeles California, in 1974 by a group of Engineers employed by the city of Los Mariaca - Senior Managing Director of Bear Stearns

Education

• Ernesto E. The Bear Stearns Companies Inc, based in New York City, was one of the largest global Investment banks and securities trading and brokerage Blanco, P. E. - Professor Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT
• Dennis Camacho - Director of Student Activities, New York Institute of Technology, Manhattan Campus
• Tomas L. Lopez-Gottardi - Director of Undergraduate Studies, University of Miami School of Architecture
• Juan R. Guardia, Ph. D. - Director of Multicultural Affairs and Visiting Instructor, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, Florida State University
• Christopher MacDonald-Dennis, Ed. D. - Assistant Dean of the Undergraduate College and Director of Intercultural Affairs, Bryn Mawr College
• Carlos Sanchez - Assistant Prinicipal, Port Chester Middle School
• José Luis Solache - President of Lynwood, California School District
• Osvaldo Velasquez- Profesor of Medicine of The Universidad de Panamá
• Roberto Antonio Gordillo-President of the National Association of Librarians and Archivists of Mexico & Director of the National School Librarians and Archivists of Mexico & Deputy Director of Libraries and Archives of the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit of Mexico. Lynwood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States of America.

Media

• Jorge Avellán - Reporter and News Director for Univision Detroit, Michigan
• Omar Cabrera - Sports Anchor for Univision New England, Boston. WUDT-CA, in Detroit Michigan, is a low-power affiliate of the Univision Spanish-language television network Michigan ( is a Midwestern state of the United States of America. Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States and Puerto Rico. WUNI channel 27 is the Univision Television affiliate for the Greater Boston market

Religion

• Juan Alfredo Arzube^[31] - Former Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, California

Fraternal dates of celebration

• April 14th (Pan-American Day)
• October 12th (Day of the Race)
• December 26th (Founding Day Anniversary and Day of the illuminated Latin Americans)
• September 15th – October 15th (National Hispanic Heritage Month)^[21]

See also

• Phi Lambda Alpha
• Phi Sigma Alpha
• Sigma Iota
• Union Latino Americana

References

External links

• Phi Iota Alpha National Website
• Union Foundation Website