Suffolk University Alumni Magazine 2008/2009 - (Page 26) Above: “Mr. Hazelwood” and students in his third period African American History class “ You can be an object in the world, and have things done to you; or you can be a subject. Which do you want to be?” “Good afternoon!” Mr. hazelwood greets the students heartily as they file into class. “Today we’re going to name stereotypes and we’re going to talk about how to counteract them.” The spring-semester senior year African American history class has been underway for only a week, and it would be fair to say that all 30 students in the room are paying attention. hands shoot up. responses ring out. “The only way Black people can ‘succeed’ is through drugs, sports, or music.” “Black students can’t get into good colleges.” “rap and hip hop are never about anything meaningful.” “Good job! Excellent.” hazelwood steps out from behind his desk. “These are the myths. Now, how can we start to shatter them?” over the next hour, the class ranges across American culture and history, invoking as antidotes to negative stereotyping such prominent African American figures as Barack obama, oprah Winfrey, and Coretta Scott king. Affable and warm, with an impressive command of the students’ names so soon into the term, Mr. hazelwood offers a stream of information and encouragement. “I want to hear your thoughts,” he says. “I want you to really think about the idea of resistance. African American history has been filled with moments of resistance to things that are not right.” only one point goes unspoken, although it is surely not lost on the students: Mr. hazelwood himself belies negative stereotypes about African American men. he stands, for want of a better phrase, as a positive role model in this school in which 70 percent of the students are people of color and 70 percent of the faculty is not. [26] SUFFOLKARTS+SCIENCES//2008/2009 ALUMNI MAGAzINE
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