Recently I came across a degrading, insensitive and highly racist image of what appears to be an NIU student. This young white woman had a blackface on and noted the context of the photo as “Once you go black you never go back.” She sent this photo to multiple other NIU students.

Living on a campus where cultural degradation is humorous amongst my peers is a huge threat to my humanity and my livelihood. Never once when any black student agreed to partake in a relationship with NIU would they see this campus as being intolerant to black people.

This has not been the first time where I have heard, seen or encountered racist remarks pertaining to my culture; however, this should be the time in which we have a discussion about the issues a majority of the world would rather put behind them. Already attending a predominately white institution, I cannot continue to go here or let my peers go here knowing that this campus does not take urgent action on racist matters.

The history of blackface has been used to denigrate my people to make us look grotesque, seem subhuman and animalistic. Understand that this heightened sense of brass insolence toward black people only supports white privilege.

This young woman here is seen openly wearing an NIU shirt representing the school to her fullest while promoting blackface. I do not believe this institution would let the act of a culturally intolerant student become the primary quintessence of its integrity. Every student, no matter creed, color and sex, should be fully defended by NIU. This university says its mission is to have “a community of diverse people, ideas, services and scholarly endeavors in a climate of respect for the intrinsic dignity of each individual.” This here should not only sound and look aesthetically pleasing online, but should also carry as much weight in person, as well.

Major discourses on cultural disrespect and appreciation should always be an impetus to drive campus facilitators to want to have a unified university. This demeaning act from this student not only should spark conversations of why she felt it was humorous, why she felt it was ok to broadcast her ignorance, but also why campus officials do not exude any empathy for the black populace (that also lives on this campus) when we are continually and perpetually vilified, humiliated and ridiculed.

NIU should represent change, acceptance and dignity. Conversations on the appropriateness of how to address black culture have been failed too many times. There has to be attention brought to this matter because people have got to learn — learn how to be socially aware of their actions and how not to implicate old racist ideologies and language to a generation that is more accepting than its ancestors and predecessors were.

Energy should be invested in making sure every culture on campus never has to feel vulnerable, exposed and unprotected due to lack of consciousness, idleness and repercussions from a university they fully trusted to once protect them.

As students we only want NIU to rectify this situation and make sure this student’s insensitivity and nescience is put to a cessation. The Dalai Lama once said, “just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.”