It all started at the SUNY Potsdam men's basketball game Tuesday night. During halftime, students dressed in black, locked arms around the court, singing and chanting. The goal: to peacefully protest.

"To see that many people -- it was over about 150 students, I want to say -- and honestly, students that weren't even from our school had [gotten] down and sat down with us," said SUNY Potsdam Senior and P.O.W.E.R. Member Jean-Michael Huallanca. "And that was just powerful in that sense as well."

On Wednesday, demonstrations spread across campus. The message: Minorities matter, and more needs to be done by the university to protect students and the professor targeted by a hate note.

"I think support is needed, not just amongst the student campus, but the SUNY system itself," Huallanca said.

Officials say they're working tirelessly to do that. The SUNY system's Chief Diversity Officer, Carlos Medina, came to campus to speak to the president about what's happening, and to hear students' concerns and learn about their demonstrations.

"Given the urgency we have and that we're facing, I think the students did a phenomenal job," says Medina.

"I am proud of our students for speaking up," said SUNY Potsdam President Kristin Esterberg, "for saying what's on their [minds], for expressing the feelings that they have, and doing so in a way that was really peaceful."

They're speaking up through social media, too. A group called P.O.W.E.R. -- Potsdam's Oppressed Working Every Resource -- is promoting hashtags like #PotsdamItsEnough, with the same goal of bringing attention to campus injustices.

"To peacefully sit in these places, if it means for us to hold up signs and protest in the rain, snow, whatever weather conditions, we're going to do it," said SUNY Potsdam Senior and P.O.W.E.R. Member Kevin Agyakwa. "Beacuse at the end of the day, we as students demand, and we as students rightfully deserve, tangible changes."

The campus is using the power of its words, both written and spoken, to make a better SUNY Potsdam for all.