Professor Nadine Cosby hosted a discussion event, titled “The N Word,” in the End Zone on Feb. 15.

The event was sponsored by the Student Life Diversity Committee and the Mass Communication Department. Cosby, a professor in the Mass Comm. Department, said the event was meant to serve as a “safe space and an open forum” to talk about the use of the N word in the modern day as well as the history of the word in society.

The word originally comes from a Latin word that means black or dark, and is still used as a derogatory word for people of color. The derogatory nature has been displayed in TV, theatre, commercials and even nursery rhymes such as “Eenie Meenie Miney Mo.”

The stigma behind the word rose with the civil rights movement and relatively disappeared in the ‘80s and ‘90s, when its use became mainstream by black and Hispanic people in comedy and rap.

The conversation then shifted from the origin of the word to an open forum which involved various debates such as if the word is being reclaimed, the -er vs. -a ending, who can use it and if the word should be said at all.

Senior Tyreke Israel, president of the Black Student Union, and junior Kalie Steverson were active in the discussion and argued about the reclamation of the word.

“We’re trying to take away its power,” Israel said.

Israel, a New York native, said he hears the word in abundance as a synonym for brotherhood, as well as having a “lyrical meaning with it being used as an interjection, adjective and greeting.”

“In your bubble of New York, it’s easy to forget that in another city it is not being used with the same sense of comradery,” Steverson said. “With today’s political climate with the rallies we are seeing we must be aware.”

Cosby also led the discussion on the -er vs. -a ending.

“The younger generation has this idea that they are reclaiming the word,” Cosby said. “When the -er ending is used it holds the same power.”

The use of the word by Hispanic and white individuals was also discussed. Cosby stated as a matter of fact that Spanish people are of African descent, and that she lacked to see why anyone would use a word where its original intent was “dehumanizing a group of people.”

Cosby spoke of the use of the word in modern media.

“We’ve become completely desensitized when you hear it constantly in music and entertainment,” Cosby said. “It is important to consider the ripple effect that comes with saying the word in any situation regardless of in music or in conversation.”

Junior Justin Henry, executive vice president for the Student Government Association, helped lead the conversation with Cosby.

“The only way for society to advance is to learn and grow, and this idea expands way beyond technological advancement. In order for society to advance we must understand the other,” Henry said. “The n word is one that is so negatively charged with hate and animosity because of its historical context. It just isn’t appropriate to say, and even though society has desensitized through the use of pop culture, the harsh realities and the impact the word has had on individuals throughout history still exists and will never disappear.”

Freshman Matthew Saint Louis believes that using the word in general shouldn’t be supported.

“I don’t understand how we can applaud people for turning negatives into positives and making something out of nothing,” freshman Matthew Saint Louis said. “For some reason using this word and turning it into a positive is a problem.”

One student asked Cosby what she thinks will need to be done to completely abolish the use of the word.

Cosby stated the need for full cooperation, and that in today’s society and political climate she does not fully understand how we can get there. As far as what we can do with the community and with ourselves, we can abolish the use of the word from our own tongues. If we allow the use of it to escape our own tongues, then it creates a sense of it being fine to use and it spreads.

Black History Month will be celebrated at Iona until the end of February with various events such as “Stay Woke,” “HAIRitage,” “Excellence in Color” and “Black Queer Experience.”