Greensboro, NC -- According to stophazing.org, the term "hazing" is any activity expected of someone joining a group, or required to maintain full status, that humiliates, degrades, or risks physical or emotional harm regardless of the person's willingness to participate. It is a serious issue, with very serious consequences.
Just last year, Florida A&M University drum major Robert Champion died in a hazing ritual. 11 people were charged in his death.
Now students at North Carolina A&T are speaking up to make sure no hazing happens here. This week is the university's anti-hazing week. Greek students wore shirts in their organization's colors that bore the same message: I am Champion.
A&T student Olivia Campbell said, "People don't really think about I don't that person, thats not going to happen to me, you know, I don't know these people how does it connect to me. When you start connecting it to people they know, when you start thinking about how would your parents feel about if they had to see you in casket, how would you feel if you see your brother or sister or your friend in a casket because of hazing."
Courtney Jones agreed saying, "I really want to stress the fact that its bad. Just don't do it. [...] Tradition or not, its just something that doesn't need to happen because the end result is going to be way worse and have way more consequences then the benefits of what people think they are doing."
The "I am Champion" shirts are also avaialble for purchase, they're not exclusive to greek students.
WFMY News 2