I had the pleasure of participating in the second Decatur Dinners on August 25. There was an earlier dinner on April 28. These dinners offer an opportunity to discuss racial issues in a way that is personal and intimate and hopefully in a way that leads to more conversations and progress. 

I particularly enjoyed the fact that the dinners began with a short play/reading. This reading was commissioned by Out of Hand Theater and was written by Minka Wiltz. Out of Hand Theater hired actors to perform the readings at the dinners. This reading was a great way to open up the conversation.

I related to aspects in the script. It was written in the form of journal entries as the writer discussed things on their mind. It talks about raising a black child in a racist society. I particularly could relate to the work dynamic in the reading.  How afro-Americans  get messages like, "We don't matter as much as they (white people) do" and "you don't belong here." 

Thank you Out of Hand for commissioning this and thank you, Minka Wiltz, for writing it. Your writing has confirmed my feelings. It lets me know that I am not alone.