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Diversity Dialogue addresses topics of race, class, gender and religion

September 28, 2016

Defamation: The Play will kick off this fall’s series of Diversity Dialogues at 6 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 29, in the Carl Sandburg Auditorium of the Holmes Student Center.

Defamation is a play that explores the highly charged issues of race, religion, gender, class and the law with a twist: the audience is the jury. The premise is a civil suit: A South Side African American woman sues a Jewish North Shore real estate developer for defamation. The legal issue is whether or not she was falsely accused of stealing his watch and causing her financial harm. Through deliberations and post-show discussions, the audience engages in civil discourse that challenges pre-conceived notions and ultimately delivers the verdict.

The Diversity Dialogues were launched earlier this year to provide a space for members of the university community to talk openly and honestly about complex and important matters.

The events are sponsored by the College of Law, College of Visual and Performing Arts, First- and Second-Year Experience, Office of Academic Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Student Involvement & Leadership Development. They are Business Passport Approved and Honors Engaged.

For more information, go to: go.niu.edu/diversity.

In the video below, Chief Diversity Officer & Senior Associate Vice President for Academic Diversity Vernese Edghill-Walden talks about the importance of the Diversity Dialogues series.