PHOTO BY BRYCE JOHNSON Deborah L. Plummer, psychologist and author of “To My White Friends Who Know Me,” leads a discussion with Arnetta Pierce, member of the BEDI council.
On April 5, the Belonging, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Advisory Council hosted two showings of “To My White Friends Who Know Me,” a play that emphasizes having conversations about race, at the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center.
“This is a very special production. This is our grand finale of our Diversity Week,” Eileen Petzold-Bradley, member of the BEDI Council, said.
Diversity Week ran from April 1 – 7. Some events included Cultural Expressions Day on April 4 and the film premiere of “Open Dialogues: Gen QueerZ” on April 2.
The play is based on the life of Deborah L. Plummer, psychologist and author of the play. Broken into three acts, “To My White Friends Who Know Me” is about building strong, healthy cross-racial relationships.
“That second act with the four Black women talking, that’s a window into the kind of things that Black people say when white people aren’t around and their own awareness and work that we have to do in terms of racial identity,” Plummer said.
Around 160 people attended the play. Bill Adams, professor in the Department of Communication, Media, and the Arts, enjoyed watching the performance.
“I loved it because they were so honest, and they brought these social issues to light in a theatrical way,” Adams said. “All the actors were super strong and likable and believable.”
After the play, Plummer and Arnetta Pierce, member of the BEDI Council, led a discussion on the play’s themes. The Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center, Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center, and the Office of the Provost/Academic Affairs
cosponsored the play.
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