A PWI is a Predominantly White Institution. I went to Immokalee High School in Florida, and according to Niche, the student diversity percentage at Immokalee High is 75.9% Hispanic, 18.8% African American and 2.8% White. When I started school at North Central, I shivered in the new environment. I now identified as a minority. I remember after I committed to North Central on April 11, 2019, I received an email about a “Recent Campus Bias Incident.” I froze because this was the first time I had ever heard of the n-word being used toward Black students.
North Central has done an excellent job of helping minority students with organizations like Premier Scholars, Black Students Association, Multicultural Office and diversity training. With all of the diversity training around campus, I have become a watchdog. North Central has done respectable work at spreading awareness.
One thing people do not fully acknowledge is that racism comes in so many different forms. It is no longer just Klansman, Nazis, blackface, or somebody calling you the n-word with the hard “R.” Racism comes in various forms like microaggressions and fetishes. I learned about these forms of racism at North Central.
I began experiencing being the only Black person in the room at North Central. My experience of being the only Black person in a room is to be constantly alert. I monitor how I talk, how I eat, how I dress, how I comb my hair. Overall, I monitor every inch about myself. I control myself a lot because of the insecurities that I now feel. I do not want people to stereotype me as “just another Black man.” When you’re the only Black in the room, all eyes are on you.
Morgan Ariel, ’23, shared her experience since starting college.
“My experience at North Central has been great but also a culture shock. I love being involved on campus; however, coming from a community with mainly Latinos and African-Americans, it’s hard to see people who don’t look like me a lot and be the only Black person in my class,” said Ariel.
Similarly, Ariel feels as though no matter what she’s doing, eyes are always on her.
“Even with simply walking around campus or just being myself, you feel like people are always watching you or watching what you do. Not saying I’m changing my ways or myself for anybody, but it can get frustrating to feel like you can’t be yourself because people stare or judge you for behavior that you grew up around and were appreciated for,” said Ariel.
Fortunately, Ariel found a space on campus early on where she feels at home.
“I will acknowledge that North Central does a lot of with trying to make students feel included and be more diverse, but sometimes it feels forced and not genuine. The Office of Multicultural Affairs has been my safe haven since I’ve been here. It’s where I feel most welcomed and supported. They are a big part of why I’m still at North Central,” said Ariel.
Kenny Miller, ’21, has also found a community on campus where he can express himself freely.
“Being noticed in the theater department has helped me achieve so many great things. I’ve been able to try different things and find the one thing that I love to do — make a statement,” said Miller.
Dadourcha Jean Pierre, ’22, feels incredibly supported by student organizations like the Black Student Association.
“My experience as a Black student at North Central College was interesting, to say the least. I learned about so much news through the multicultural students and the Black Student Association. There were definitely some hard times, but with the help of my friends and some faculty members, we got through it together,” said Jean Pierre.
Jean Pierre finds comfort knowing she is not alone.
“It can be hard to be in a different atmosphere. With this experience, I learned that my story could be similar to other students’ tales. Minority students across universities or colleges have different experiences. If you are a minority at a North Central, what have you experienced?” said Jean Pierre.
Editor’s Note: I cannot speak for every Black student in every PWI. Some students may have other experiences from mine. I am very open to what other people have experienced through North Central. For Black History Month, I wanted to talk about my Black experiences at a PWI.
