Resident is proud of CH's diversity

To the Editor:

Nothing has made me prouder than returning home to the city of Cleveland Heights after 27 years and discovering that it hasn’t lost its commitment to cultural diversity.

This past January and February, within the span of three weeks, I attended stellar performances of “Intimate Apparel” at Ensemble Theatre, which is housed in the Coventry P.E.A.C.E. Campus, and “Skeleton Crew” at Dobama Theatre, which is located in the Cedar Lee district.

After leaving Ohio, I lived in several cities in four states. None of those cities possessed, within two miles of my residence, two performing arts theaters that simultaneously hosted two African-American female playwright productions with majority African-American casts.

Reflecting on my childhood, I was privileged to have had the opportunity to live among, and routinely interact with, neighbors, classmates, teachers and staff of different races, ethnicities and religions as a student at Oxford Elementary, Monticello Middle and Cleveland Heights High schools.

I applaud Cleveland Heights for staying the course of diversity after all these years, and for continuing to make the effort even when it isn’t considered the popular thing to do. I have always been grateful for having spent my formative years in Cleveland Heights, and I remain a proud resident!