5 Reasons to See 'Dear White People'

It’s the first film in years that really confronts Black identities This film, produced by Black people, examines racism on different scales – whether it’s obvious or subtle. The film follows the story of a predominantly white university where activist and head of Black residence hall, Samantha White, ignites a college campus culture war that challenges conventional notions of what it means to be Black. You will help to grow Black cinema Black directors and filmmakers from Will Packer to Lee Daniels have found success in recent years with films ranging from comedy to period films. According to Reuters.com, "A-list actors such as Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Viola Davis and Will Smith have also found roles in action and big-budget blockbusters for diverse audiences." The fact still remains that Black artists and voices are still underrepresented and unappreciated in Hollywood. A study released this past August by the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California stated that of the more than 600 major Hollywood films released since 2007, less than 7 percent had Black directors. Around 10 percent of speaking roles went to non-white actors, but for films with a Black director, 40 percent of characters with speaking roles were minorities. It perfectly reflects the everyday struggles of Black students at predominately white colleges Dear White People draws similar parallels with the “I, Too, Am Harvard” movement that was spurred by the Black college students of Harvard. According to the movement's Tumblr page, "Our voices often go unheard on this campus, our experiences are devalued, our presence is questioned -- this project is our way of speaking back, of claiming this campus, of standing up to say: We are here. This place is ours." Dear White People helps reinforce the need to bring attention to these experiences in hopes of changing them. Although it’s a Black film, it’s not just for Black people Movies with predominantly Black casts generally attract Black audiences because other races falsely believe they won't identify with the characters and their stories. Dear White People is attempting to show that issues faced by Black people are just as important as those faced by white people in hopes of getting their attention. Dear White People is a fresh take on being Black in a white world. It may be an immediate turn-off for people who believe we live in a post-racial America, but Dear White People is an important reminder that we don’t. It’s still a must-see — especially for white people.

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