Introducing the Black Voices Project, the newest addition to The Daily Orange Opinion section. The project works to amplify the stories of Black students and community members who are often underrepresented at Syracuse University, a predominantly white institution.

SU’s Black student population is unacceptably low. As of fall 2020, only 6.8% of the SU student body, and 7.7% of our newsroom, identifies as Black or African American It’s time for that to change, and this movement toward stronger representation starts with sharing the stories of the underrepresented. 

Within a private institution such as SU, there is no excuse for silencing the voices of marginalized communities. Black students at SU have been through the most unfortunate events of discrimination. From Black Lives Matter movements dispersed throughout the U.S. to the #NotAgainSU movement right on our own campus, Black students at SU are yearning to have their voices heard. The goal of the Black Voices project is to make this dream a reality.

We at The Daily Orange understand that this is a miniscule step toward total inclusivity and equality at the predominantly white institution we all claim as our university. Sharing raw, undiminished Black stories is our way to ensure that SU is truly our collective university.

Black SU students and community members are more than encouraged to share their stories of hardship, happiness and perseverance through this newly implemented platform. Black Voices is the first step toward making space for each and every marginalized voice in a publication that has focused on white voices for nearly all of its 117 years in print.

It’s past time for The D.O. to uplift Black voices. If you have a story that can break the barriers of our predominantly white newsroom, send it over to opinion@dailyorange.com. Our goal is amplifying your narrative. The Black Voices Project is a step toward doing so.