SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – The #NotAgainSU Movement at Syracuse University has opened the eyes of many in the greater Syracuse community. However, one group of students on campus has always faced prejudices, while getting little media attention.
The indigenous student population at Syracuse has been dealing with moments of prejudices, small and large, for years. The NotAgainSU movement has opened their eyes to the power of teamwork and protest. However, in order for real change to occur, the University needs to make massive structural changes.
Maras Jacobs has seen issues like this throughout her time at Syracuse. “There’s things that go unreported all the time,” she said.
Jacobs, an officer for the Indigenous Students at Syracuse student organization, or ISAS, has seen issues since her freshman year, when a student wore an offensive Pocahontas costume for Halloween. After much debate, the other student did apologize to her, but there are still many small issues that continue adding up for the indigenous community. And these small issues do build a toll.
“After so long, you start to feel like invisible,” Jacobs said. “Like you, your problems don’t matter, your issues are not going to be heard, so why am I gonna, why am I gonna take this to the next level.”
Nathan Abrams, another officer at ISAS has also felt similar issues, but not just with fellow students. He has seen his faculty show ignorance towards the indigenous community.
“You’re supposed to be here to learn,” Abrams said. “You shouldn’t have to be the one to teach.”
The recent bias incidents on campus have shaken both Jacobs and Abrams. Both said that they have had trouble paying attention to anything else going on with something new popping up every day.
“I feel less certain that this campus as a whole, is as inclusive and safe of a space that it claims to be,” Abrams said.
While neither are certain of the outcome of the movement, Jacobs said at the very least the protests show the power of students coming together in solidarity.
“If you have something to say, and a group of people that support you, you can go really far,” Jacobs said.
Indeed, the NotAgainSU movement has come a long way in giving students a safer campus community. That being said, the students have done their part. Now, it’s up to Syracuse’s administration to finish the job and acknowledge that they need to change.
For more information:
http://multicultural.syr.edu/programs/native-student-program.html
