By Evans Erilus

Second part of a three-part series on the journey of two black students at Northeastern.

Students like Jamil Abdullah, a 29-year old who has been through many trials throughout his college experience, adjust through understanding and breaking down stereotypes at the university in order to learn how to excel academically in a foreign environment. Other people, like Ann Lawrence,* have less difficulty with stereotypes, but deal more directly with cultural awareness.

Raised in Providence, R.I., Lawrence, a junior journalism major, grew up in a predominantly black environment. However, she had exposure to whites at a very young age.

“I had a lot of white friends and they came to high school with me,” Lawrence said. “My adjustment was more that none of my close friends went to my high school, so I had to adjust with making friends. Racially, it wasn’t an adjustment, but I think that stems from the way that I was brought up, and me just being open-minded.”

The daughter of a Jamaican immigrant, Lawrence credits her family background for her attitude.

“My father taught me to be tolerant of people,” she said. “He came from another country and instilled that in me. My nephew is half-white … I’ve just been raised in a very humble household. I never had the newest sneakers, I never had the newest fashions, so I can understand what it’s like.”

As important as her family life was in her development as an individual, Lawrence also points to another source of her self-realization.

“Granted, your parents raise you, but you’re out of your house 75 percent of the time; if you come from a working family, how much time are you really spending at home?” she said. “It’s important to surround yourself with positive people, because those are the people that shape and mold you more so than your parents do. They guide you, and after a certain age, your friends kind of raise you.”

That tolerance has extended from her home to the classroom at Northeastern. Lawrence was in an English class where they were reading a book, “Things Fall Apart,” written by African author Chinua Achebe. Lawrence was the only black person in the class.

“A fellow student made a comment, saying he didn’t like the book but didn’t think he could get into it because he wasn’t black and then everyone turns and looks at me, ready for me to speak up as the only black person in my class,” she said. “I have nothing to say to that, other than it’s an ignorant comment and I wasn’t offended by it. Just because I am black doesn’t mean I know anything about indigenous people from Africa, but it seems as if it was assumed.”

It is not the first time this has happened to her.

“People expect me to speak on behalf of the black race,” she said. “That’s just my view; I can’t speak for the whole race.”

Still, Lawrence admits it was surprising to see the dearth of minorities when she came to the university.

“It was shocking,” she said. “I anticipated that there would be more black people [at Northeastern]. They do tell you it’s like five or six percent black when I came to this school; however, it’s still shocking. You’re instantly bombarded with a multitude of white people. Then you have the whole adjustment as far as you moving in here and having roommates of a different race. You get excited just to see another black person because you don’t run into them that often.”

Though her cultural adjustment has been two-fold, as a daughter of an immigrant trying to adapt to this learning environment, she has not realized any disadvantages involved with her background by the white population.

“It seems that people are more accepting of people from other countries,” she said. “They have a perception that immigrants are more hard-working than other people, but a lot of other people are fascinated with Jamaican people. From what I know, my father hasn’t encountered any difficulty and neither have I. I tell people what I am, and I’m proud of it.”

This is especially true at Northeastern, where Lawrence’s career objectives are thriving.

“I’ve never encountered anyone that’s encouraged me to do less than what it is I am capable of doing. Maybe it’s because I know there are people who I know hold the key to my academic future. I usually interact with them enough so that they know who I am and what I’m capable of.”

*Source’s name was changed to protect her identity.