I was lucky enough to have been able to see the Sedehi Diversity Project twice (as an orientation leader, we had the chance to see it before the incoming class). Though the majority of people viewed the show once, I think I got more out of it the second time around.
Last year, I began my career at Muhlenberg College. This meant that I was required to attend the Sedehi Diversity Project, and I was pretty excited about it, seeing as our school is a very theater-based college.
This year’s production was unlike the last, and it wowed the whole audience. I sat through an impressive discussion with two great facilitators, and the things that my orientation group brought up because of it fascinated me. This show was outstanding, discussing relevant topics on and off campus such as queer representation, the use of pronouns, race relations, and religious visibility.
This year’s project surfaced some controversial issues-our Campus Safety Office’s view on our minority population, safe spaces on campus, and Muhlenberg’s investments. Each fact and story was backed up with extensive research into the topic (this was brought up by the actors themselves). Such as the fact that Muhlenberg College invests in private prisons.
Though the production did display the negatives surrounding our campus and our location, the director and actors made sure to add positivity. Last year, this seemed problematic to me, the project instilled a fear in me that I had chosen the wrong school. I was very happy this year that my orientation group did not feel the same way. It featured a diverse cast of students of all different races, genders, sexual orientations, and religions to make sure that every voice is heard.
Overall, our campus was very impressed by the creation of this year’s Sedehi Diversity Project. Though it had to incorporate negatives about diversity on Muhlenberg’s grounds, the project also provided a positive outlook on the direction we are going as a college community.