“Dear White People”: Nationally Anticipated Movie examines racism from the setting of an American PWI

JESSICA STUBBS | Correspondent

“Dear white people, please stop touching my hair. Does this look like a petting zoo to you?” Is one of the many hilariously biting lines from this fall’s newest releases, “Dear White People.”

A Winner of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival’s Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent, Dear White People is a sly, provocative satire of race relations in the age of Obama.

Directed by Justin Simien, Dear White People is set for release in mid-October with much anticipation.

The New York Times’ A.O. Scott wrote, “Seeming to draw equal measures of inspiration from Whit Stillman and Spike Lee, but with his own tart, elegant sensibility very much in control, Mr. Simien evokes familiar campus stereotypes only to smash them and rearrange the pieces.”

Surprisingly through all of its best promotional efforts, the film is missing what seems to be their target audience: African-American college students attending Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs).

After seeing a trailer for the movie, some were both in shock, because they’ve never seen the trailer, and awe, because of their anticipation for a movie that is relevant to one of many cultural issues on campus here at NC State.

Khadija Lawrence, a junior, laughed through the whole trailer. Reffering to her and a friend she said, “We are definitely seeing this movie…when does it come out?”

Like several students around campus, of all ethnicities/races, they are anticipating the release of a movie that examines existing racism.

College students today are not the same as college students of the 50s and 60s.

We have different issues to struggle with in our everyday life, but who knew that racism would still be one of them?

Though the ugly monster doesn’t rear its head as boldly as it did decades ago, it is still ever present wearing different masks to stay hidden.

“Dear White People” covers all aspects of being black at a PWI, like assimilation, black tradition, being an “oreo” (being physically black, but socially white), and many others. Dear White People hits theatres October 17, 2014. Visit our website to view the trailer.