Common Ground and The U of M plan partnership

Common Ground, true to its name, is looking for a little common ground with The University of Memphis tonight.

The community advocacy group will join the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy at 5:30 p.m. in the Panhellenic Ballroom to discuss a partnership between the two groups.

Members of both groups will put their heads together to evaluate ways to impact neighborhoods surrounding the campus.

"If we're successful, we'll try to launch a big project, like a clean-up project or festival," said Stan Hyland, head of SUAPP. "It depends on what comes out of the dialogue. We'll see what happens."

Common Ground is a local program that encourages Memphis residents to have honest discussions about race issues, Hyland said.

"We're adding another dimension to Common Ground," he said. "We're trying to get students and the neighborhood around us to talk about Common Ground."

Wendi Thomas, founder of Common Ground and columnist for The Commercial Appeal, said a partnership would help spread the group's message of understanding.

"Clearly, people want to talk about these types of things," she said. "Even when I have a friend of another race, I'm not friends with them because of that. I'm friends with them because we work together or we both like to knit. We don't sit and have conversations about race."

Thomas said she felt a moral obligation to increase communication about race relations because she grew tired of writing about them.

"It's not that people are mean, racist or bigots," she said. "In our society, we just don't have those types of conversations."

Members of the groups will form committees to focus on action plans to eliminate racial divide in the community, said Tarrin McGhee, Common Ground director.

"I think merging with the School of Urban Affairs will be a perfect relationship," she said. "I think it's great anytime we can share the experience with college students."

Student involvement will be essential to the success of the united programs, McGhee said.

"If there are students who feel like race relations in Memphis could be better, then Common Ground is a good place to start," she said. "We would like to see more student involvement, but the ultimate goal is to improve race relations in Memphis."

Some students, like Willie Moss, sophomore criminal justice major, said the program could encourage students to explore new tables in dining halls on campus.

"I would like to see why people don't mix up (in the Tiger Den)," he said. "Maybe they sit with people who look the same as they do. They have to step out of their comfort zones."

Jamel Turner, junior English major, said Common Ground could open students' eyes to racial divide on campus.

"It could offer awareness," he said. "People just need to make an effort."

While the program could help some students, Teryn Vachon, freshman biology major, said she would not benefit from joining Common Ground.

"I've gone to public schools in Memphis my whole life," she said. "I've been acquainted to the melting pot my whole life."