CONFIRMED PARTICIPANTS ONLY: Please join us for the first session of Common Ground at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 24 in Palmer Hall’s Hardie Auditorium at Rhodes College.

What is Common Ground?

Picture a room with about 10 ordinary residents sitting in a circle. It’s a truly diverse group of people. There are men and women, blacks, whites, Asians, Native Americans, Hispanics and other ethnic groups. They represent different religions, backgrounds and generations.

For six weeks, this small group of diverse people agree to meet at a regular time for two hours. Each week, they sit with a trained facilitator who leads an in-depth discussion on race relations.

It’s hard to talk about race. So it’s easier to avoid the topic. In this safe and open environment, it’s been proven that people will listen and freely share their thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions. As a result, participants are learning more about themselves and others, building trust within our communities and developing relationships across racial divide.

During their time together, they share stories about what they have experienced in their lives in the Mid-South or other communities. And in that time, something special happens. They begin to get a glimpse of new possibilities and start to understand how a person of another race, gender, religion, age or sexual orientation sees the world.

Common Ground ends with an action forum. Participants from the small groups will come together and take the talk to the next level. They will develop and implement specific recommendations on how to improve race relations in our community.

Participation in Common Ground requires a six-week commitment, meeting every Thursday evening, from April 24 to May 29, and attendance at a follow-up action forum. Meetings will be held at Lindenwood Christian Church, 2400 Union Ave., Memphis, TN 38112.