Editorial: Repaint Castle Drive BLM mural

What as soon as served as a strong recognition of the significance of Black lives is now barely seen because the phrases “Black Lives Matter” proceed to fade on Fortress Drive. 

The Northern Star Editorial Board believes that the phrases Black Lives Matter must be repainted on Fortress Drive, because the motion has continued to push for equality. 

Black Lives Matter was based in 2013 after Trayvon Martin, a Black teenager, was shot and killed in Florida, in keeping with the Black Lives Matter website.  

The motion grew as Black folks continued to be murdered in America, some even by cops. 

In Might 2020, George Floyd, a Black man, was killed by a police officer because the officer kneeled on his neck, taking away his capability to breathe. 

Floyd’s demise drew nationwide consideration as a video of the incident circulated on the web, sparking protests towards racism and police brutality. 

Black Lives Matter was then painted onto the street in honor of George Floyd’s reminiscence only a month after an unknown prison vandalized the Middle for Black Research on Sept. 16, 2020, by spray portray the n-word onto the constructing, according to the Northern Star. 

The perpetrator was by no means caught, forcing NIU police to shut the case 5 months later, according to the Northern Star. 

Whereas it’s not been mentioned that the on-campus incident motivated the college to color the mural, the incident is proof that racism can occur anyplace, even on our personal campus. 

Virtually two years later, the mural is sort of unreadable, as a result of the phrases have been painted in water-based paint. 

“Although the picture could fade, our dedication to social justice and to a robust Huskie neighborhood will stay vivid and robust,” mentioned Paul Kassel, dean of the Faculty of Visible and Performing Arts, in an April 3 Northern Star article. 

Whereas consideration to the motion has continued to fade on social media, identical to the mural has continued to fade, the Black Lives Matter motion will not be a short lived pattern. 

The significance of Black lives can’t be washed away like water-based paint. 

About 17% of Northern Illinois College’s 16,234 college students are Black, in keeping with pupil enrollment information from Fall 2021. 

These college students have to know that their college helps a motion devoted to defending their lives. Whereas including some paint to a street can’t repair years of abuse and oppression, it could actually no less than remind us, particularly these in energy, that we should maintain ourselves accountable and proceed to do higher by marginalized communities.

The college ought to repaint the phrases Black Lives Matter with a extra everlasting paint to higher present assist for Black college students.