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On Feb. 27, 2025, the Haitian American Student Association at Syracuse University released a statement addressing a growing issue: declining attendance at student organization events, particularly within Black and cultural groups.

Their message was clear: if students continued not to show up, cultural organizations risked losing their platform. At the time, national rollbacks of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives were already creating uncertainty for Black student organizations, making the lack of support on campus feel even more devastating.

It’s been a little over a year, and students still aren’t showing up.

For some, nothing has changed. These events are still happening. People just aren’t going.

Now, participation feels optional.

At first glance, it seems like SU students are prioritizing individual needs over collective responsibility. But this explanation is incomplete. Students do care. We’re recognized as one of the most socially aware generations, with strong concerns for societal issues like racial equity, mental health and civic engagement.

I’m not going to pretend I attend every on-campus event, because I don’t. But I do care about our community, and I would be........

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