While many of us may never see it directly, racism is a real-life problem.

That is why it was encouraging to see OSU-N Dean William MacDonald make a public call for people to stand up against racism. When such a high-profile official makes this topic a priority, it becomes a priority.

We echo McDonald’s call and encourage everyone to join the fight against racism.

While we believe most agree with the general call to fight racism, many people may question what they can do to make a difference. The good news is that everyone can do something.

The first thing we must do is not ignore racist incidents when they occur. We believe problems must be highlighted and not hidden for them to be addressed. It is too easy for people to say that racism isn’t a problem when people facing racist actions don’t report them.

Secondly, we must all be anti-racism advocates. This can take a variety of forms, from calling out friends who share off-color jokes to fighting for policies that ensure fairness for people regardless of their background.

We understand that some may be upset with the attention being given to racism this year — some have said it’s not a problem locally. We wholeheartedly disagree and will rephrase a statement made by MacDonald.

If one member of our community experiences any form of racism, then we have not done enough to promote racial justice and equity.

Let’s all do enough together. That’s the only way the problem gets solved.

The Newark Advocate