The devastating murder of George Floyd in May ignited important conversations on race in America. It exposed the underlying systemic racism and inequalities that have historically plagued the Black community. This moment is creating powerful conversations surrounding what actions institutions should take to create change and increase opportunities for Black people.
This fall, the Indiana Daily Student will launch a Black Voices section to increase representation for Black students on IU’s campus.
The Black Voices section will give students a space to share stories about being Black. For example, Black students could voice concerns, share successes, celebrate blackness and discuss injustices throughout campus and beyond. The opportunities for discussion in the section are endless. Not only will it give Black students a voice, but the section will also educate others on campus and in the local community on what they can do to contribute to the fight towards justice.
The section will give more representation to minority students on campus. While the goal of the Black Voices section is to uplift the voices of Black students, other students of color are welcome to contribute.
Writers do not have to be employed at the IDS or be part of the Media School to contribute. A student is able to write anywhere from one piece a semester to multiple times a week. If a student would like to regularly write, they can join payroll.
It is important to note that the IDS will continue to recruit minority students for all sections of the paper. The IDS recognizes we must continue to do our part in making every section of the newsroom diverse in order to create an inclusive environment and permanent change.
Interested in being involved? Email blackvoices@idsnews.com for more information.
Jaclyn Ferguson
Black Voices editor
The IDS is an important platform at IU and in Bloomington. As staffers, it’s important for us to use this platform to elevate Black and other underrepresented voices at IU.
The Black Voices section is our first step forward.
We also know this isn’t enough. As Jaclyn said, we will continue to recruit underrepresented students to work on all our desks. We will continually audit our past coverage to see where we can minimize harm in the future, in line with our code of ethics. We will also continue to listen to your concerns, complaints or ideas.
Like many other organizations, the coronavirus pandemic has not been kind to our budget. While we’ve had to cut back in other areas this fall, we are grateful for the Media School to provide funding for Black Voices.
This funding does not affect our independence. There will be no prior review by the Media School, for example, and the IU administration cannot influence our editorial decisions.
We are excited about the launch of this new section and can’t wait to work with new contributors.
Jacob deCastro
Fall 2020 editor-in-chief
