Behind the Writing: Reflections from Dr. Deborah L. Plummer

Writing has always been my most honest form of processing. Long before I called myself an author, I was a lifelong observer—scribbling thoughts about race, trust, and belonging in the margins of everyday life. Over the years, those scribbles evolved into essays, books, and research that I hope bring readers closer to understanding themselves and each other.

I write not for perfection or persuasion, but for clarity. My work has always sought to name the invisible forces that shape our relationships—to explore the tension between what we hope for and what we live—and to discover what happens when we approach each other with curiosity instead of certainty.

Every project I’ve undertaken—from Some of My Friends Are… to Racing Across the Lines to The God I Know—has been rooted in a single belief: our differences are not our deficits. Writing helps me hold that truth steady, even when the world feels divided.

Through my partnership with Getting to We, I’ve been able to connect research with real human stories, showing that trust, equity, and inclusion aren’t abstract—they’re lived daily through our choices and relationships. Writing, for me, is not an act of conclusion but of conversation—an invitation to reflect and join in a dialogue that continues to unfold.

What inspires your own writing or reflection?