Editor’s note: There are currently no members of the Northern Star Editorial Board who are black. This, along with the fact that the majority of our staff is white, is evident of our organization being as much a part of the problem of racial inequality in our society as many other institutions. We will continue to keep this in mind as we work toward increasing our inclusivity, and as we advocate for the social change our community is working toward.

The increased spread of awareness for the Black Lives Matter movement over the past week has been inspiring for us at the Northern Star. We support the black activists and allies who are rising up to demand change from government systems that have underserved them for far too long.

With the resources our news media organization has, we are making a promise to amplify the voices of our black community members, as well as any group that is faced with oppression. Your voices have a place here, and we are making it our mission to put a spotlight on black voices more often.

We are reaching out to local organizations that represent black communities in DeKalb to invite guest columnists to share their stories and opinions through our platform. We hope to bring new points of view to the Northern Star that will allow our community to remain educated and aware of the experiences of our black peers.

We will also be publishing regular race and culture features to further promote inclusivity and diversity. The many diverse groups that make up the NIU and DeKalb community deserve more representation.

Our dedication to amplifying the voices of the black community and other minority groups does not end there. We will continue to explore new ways to represent more people through our media. We are also open to any suggestions and feedback from our community on how we can better achieve this goal.

While uplifting the voices that demand justice and social change can make a difference, we recognize that this is not enough. True change won’t be possible with words alone. Now is the time to take action. We strongly encourage our readers to join us in actively supporting the Black Lives Matter movement by having open dialogues and difficult conversations with peers, signing petitions and making donations whenever possible.

Visit this website for a vast list of important resources:

https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/

Black experiences matter. Black inclusion matters. Black ideas matter. Black voices matter. Black lives matter.