“Birds of a Feather” is a saying we all know as Roadrunners. It accounts for the many different backgrounds that comprise our student body. When you step foot on UTSA’s campuses, one might notice the many different appearances within the endless wave of students.

But as a community, we care for one another, no matter the color of our skin, sexual orientation or gender, which is why I am here to implore all my fellow ‘Runners to apply their knowledge of love and acceptance for our peers to the recent events involving police brutality.

Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd — these are the names of just some of the innocent lives lost to police brutality, the names of people murdered because of their skin color. I could go on, and the list would take many pages.

This is the reality we live in. We can’t stay silent. Because our campus is the epitome of diversity, as a student body, the size of our platform is infinite. Speaking to the non-Black student body, I believe we need to use our privilege by standing hand in hand with our Black friends to educate the world about the racial injustices in our country.

We cannot leave our fellow ‘Runners alone, in pain, mourning the loss of their brothers and sisters. Each of us has to stand up and get involved, sign petitions, donate money and do anything and everything we can to disperse hate and racism from our country. And it all starts individually.

An Instagram post or a retweet is the bare minimum, and if that is all you have brought to the table thus far, please participate more.

To my fellow ‘Runners who choose to not support the cause or defend “blue lives” as if the police profession is a skin color belonging to people who have experienced generations of racism, please think again about what should matter right now. Black Americans have fallen between the lines of marginalization that have silenced their voices for far too long.

Non-Black students have never felt the types of racial inequality that Black Americans do, and it hurts me to know there are people in this world who see my fellow students, friends and coworkers as threats to society. We must do everything we can to our fullest potential to put a stop to racism.

Past generations ignited the flames of racism, normalizing the divisive attitudes we see now. Although today, the fire continues to burn viciously. This is why it is our full responsibility as young Americans to be the change we want to see. Black lives matter every day — not just during times of civil unrest.

To all my fellow UTSA students, faculty and staff, we as a community need to utilize our platform and bring change on campus that will transcend to the rest of the country and beyond. Our campus stands for equality among all aspects of life. You belong here. Hate does not.