Letter from the editors: reporting on injustice

June 3, 2020

NKU is moving forward in the fall.

As journalists, it’s our job to report the truth.

We strive for objectivity, neutrality and unbiased reporting.

While the facts of our nation’s history may be uncomfortable and disheartening, in order to grow from our history, we must first learn it truthfully.

Let us tell you the truth.

Forty of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence owned slaves.

Ten of the first 12 presidents owned slaves.

Up until 1868, Black Americans were legally considered three-fifths of a person.

Black Americans are incarcerated at more than five times the rates of white Americans.

Black Americans are three times more likely to be killed by police than white Americans.

Eight of the 100 largest cities’ police departments kill Black men at higher rates than the United States murder rate.

The recent unjust deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd sparked Black Americans and allies to fight against systemic racism and hatred toward Black Americans—specifically police brutality and white supremacy.

As Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor of The Northerner, we stand with the protesters fighting for a community whose rights have been constantly denied since before the creation of this country.

The fight looks different for everyone involved. Some donate. Some protest. Some amplify Black voices on social media platforms. Some write to politicians demanding reformative legislation.

Nevertheless, vital voices are being heard.

History is being made and it’s our job as journalists to document it accurately. At The Northerner, we aim to give a platform to the people whose stories are in need of being heard. Right now, those stories are of Black Americans who are being treated as less than human, protesters who are being treated like enemies in a war zone and journalists whose constitutional rights are being denied.

We at The Northerner are dedicated to writing stories that promote diversity and capture the news as it affects our student body.

We want to uplift these voices. We want to tell their experiences. We want to see real change.

As journalists, we will continue to report the truth.

We will strive for objectivity, neutrality and unbiased reporting.

While the facts of our nation’s present environment may be uncomfortable and disheartening, by staying silent, we perpetuate violence that Black Americans have experienced for centuries.

Black lives have always mattered. Black lives will continue to matter.

Black Lives Matter.

-Editor-in-Chief Natalie Hamren & Managing Editor Josh Kelly

For ways to educate yourself and donate to this movement:

Donate:

NKU Freedom Fund: Venmo @NKU-Freedom

Cincinnati Bail Funds: https://www.givelify.com/givenow/1.0/NTU5MjE=/selection

Columbus Bail Funds: https://www.paypal.me/columbusfreedomfund

Lexington Bail Funds: https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/lexington-bail-fund?fbclid=IwAR3L2Ciw97_cBM5M1pAAy16O9PVYiJSIl-qSjohymGOm4qxVioJHrzAOyYM

Louisville Bail Funds: https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/louisville-community-bail-fund/

Various Black Lives Matter organizations: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ab_mn

Register to vote: