Editor, Daily Nexus,

As a member of the black community, I am proud to know that some are willing to fight for equality. As a member of the black community, I am hopeful in knowing that eventually the Nexus will depict all of the students at UCSB without bias. But I did not write in order to blame you for the injustice because – let’s face it – like a comedian plays to his crowd, the Nexus writes to their target audience – Caucasian undergraduates.

On the other hand, I did write to offer you a bit of advice for such a political and sensitive situation. Do not run or blatantly give up while watching the fire in the eyes of the Black Student Union. Do not hide under a stereotype of the angry black man showing up the too-scared-to-say-something white boy. It is not as if we are savages ready to tear down the cubicles of your office or force you to start a black column with a featured black writer. It is actually simple.

Rather than fill your pages with the writings of an ignorant sex columnist, feature an article about the amazing works of Indus, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Gospel Choir, Hermanos Unidos – this list could go on. We continue to picture the UC system as higher learning for the Asian and Caucasian, but you, as a school paper, have a voice – a voice that people listen to.

Rather than promote alcohol, something that needs little promotion, promote diversity. Promote attendance at cultural events. Highlight happenings in and around every community, not just the black community, or the Chinese, or the queer. Every group earns a front-page article once in a while, and I often wonder where the ones that are actually printed come from. Not only do you have the ability to change the face of UCSB, but you have the ability to answer the questions of our mind. You can feed the burning fire of knowledge, or you can continue to cloud our minds with pop-up garbage, in one ear, out the other.

This is your responsibility as a school paper. Like it or not, you have to attend the events that matter most to some, and little to most. You have to help spread the word. You have to advertise for the diversity of the students, their lives and their cultures. This is what a college paper should be about. Intrigue me, teach me, add to my mind more than just a new word once a week from the crossword section.