“HeLa” from Community College of Aurora Explores Complicated Legacy of Henrietta Lacks

The Community College of Aurora is bringing back their production of “HeLa” by Lauren Gunderson and Geetha Reddy from January 26 – 28. “HeLa” explores the complicated history of Henrietta Lacks, and her immortal cells which were harvested without her knowledge, and those cells being the foundation for medical innovation for decades. Through her daughter, Deborah Lacks, “HeLa” looks at the legacy of one family and the systemic injustices the medical field has imposed on communities of color. KGNU’s Veronica Straight-Lingo had a chance to speak with Co-Director Stacey D’Angelo. She begins by explaining her role in the production and the significance of holding space for the many complicated aspects of this production.