From the editors, 

The murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade and George Floyd are among the latest reminders of the United States’ long history of systemic racism, police brutality and white supremacy. Black lives matter. We wish this statement went without saying, but of course, it does not. The recent protests have impressed upon us the imperative for action and the danger of silence in the face of injustice.  

As a student newspaper, we seek to be a platform for voices from our student body and community. We acknowledge that we have too often failed to be a trustworthy platform by overlooking non-white voices, especially Black voices. We reaffirm our commitment to anti-racism, to providing oversight of our city, our university and our organization, and to amplifying non-white voices.

No social media post or letter is sufficient to solve the systemic issues that plague Georgetown University and our country. In an effort to mobilize our platform and provide immediate support, we are raising funds to support Black Lives Matter D.C. 

Members of The Hoya will match donations up to $500 to BLM D.C. Direct message a screenshot of your donation to BLM D.C. to @TheHoya on Twitter or @The_Hoya on Instagram. We will publish our donation total on our social media accounts at the conclusion of the fundraiser. We also encourage our staffers, former staffers and readers to support Black journalists by donating directly to the National Association of Black Journalists, as suggested by our colleagues at The Emory Wheel. 

Our commitment goes beyond this letter and beyond raising money. As well as centering and listening to non-white voices, we know that to be anti-racist requires self-reflection. We are aware of our failures that have promoted racist and destructive ideas, and we are implementing structural changes to ensure accountability within The Hoya. 

As we report on these and future protests, we will not publish identifying information of protesters in photos without their consent. The safety of protesters is paramount, and we are responsible for fair coverage without endangering the people involved.

Our reporting on Black and Latinx communities must extend beyond covering prominent movements and instances of injustice and include all facets of their experiences. We also plan to constantly reevaluate our coverage of racial justice issues and our identity language. 

We cannot overlook the lack of internal diversity within our organization. These gaps in our collective consciousness are unacceptable and an impediment to our work as reporters. Journalism can only be a platform for truth if it is a platform for everyone. We have been in discussion in the past with other student groups to identify why Black and Latinx students might not feel comfortable in our organization, and we will continue to do so. We will focus on recruiting a staff of diverse backgrounds and lowering barriers to entry in our application process. For our current staff, we will redouble our efforts to provide mentorship and opportunity. We fully commit to ensuring student journalism is not just open, but truly accessible, to all. 

Non-white voices need to be centered right now and always, and we want to use our platform to ensure that this happens. If you are interested in writing for us or know of a story that should be covered, please reach out to [email protected] or [email protected], or DM us on any social media account. If you would like to anonymously submit feedback for The Hoya, fill out this form. 

Journalism usually requires objectivity, but to not stand firmly against these injustices is to be complicit in them.

This post was updated June 6 at 11 p.m.