Born out of racial tension on campus, the Transforming Community Project (TCP) was created in 2005 in the search to find a common ground for respectful discussion.

Following explosive arguments between various campus groups, former journalism professor Catherine Manegold and former chair of African-American Studies Leslie Harris felt something needed to change.

Separately, they presented plans addressing their concerns to Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Earl Lewis. Manegold called for a lengthy project to research Emory’s racial history while Harris suggested a series of community dialogues to discuss racial topics in a historical context.

Lewis combined the two projects into TCP, a five-year effort to foster race-conscious research into Emory history and create safe and productive spaces for dialogue on race.

TCP is now celebrating its five-year anniversary during Founder’s Week, a week-long festival of academic, social and cultural events that commemorates the founding of Emory College in 1836. TCP members planted 1,500 flags on the quad in the shape of the letters “TCP” yesterday to represent the people who have participated in the program over the last five years, said Harris, co-founder and co-director of TCP.

Co-director of TCP Jody Usher said the 1,500 flags “represent new and lasting relationships across race and status.”

TCP facilitates three tiers of groups that foster dialogue, research and documentation of Emory’s racial history. Members of the Emory community may enroll in these discussion groups that meet throughout the semester.

Harris said that the program was originally slated to last only five years but that TCP will continue to facilitate dialogue and research for at least another five.

“Originally we were going to stop after five years, but instead we’re moving forward,” she said. “We’re adding to the topics of our community dialogues to look at other areas of diversity.”

TCP received a $300 mini-grant last year and used the money to attend President Obama’s inauguration and create a documentary. TCP has also been involved in sponsoring exhibitions, speakers and lunch dialogues on campus.

Future dialogue topics will include Middle Eastern conflicts, gender and sexuality.

Usher said that TCP was created to promote dialogue about race history and to “bring people across racial lines.”

College junior Caroline Wilson has been involved with TCP since spring 2008 and she said that though Emory is a diverse campus, she believes there is a dichotomy between diversity and the way diverse groups interact.

“In every dialogue group there is always something new to learn,” she said. “Everyone comes from different places and it really helps me understand the dynamics of race more.”

Wilson co-founded a dialogue group geared toward freshmen called “Dooley’s Dialogue” in fall 2008 in order to discuss the history and dynamics of race, stereotypes and social action.

“There is not a whole lot of social mixing,” she said. “This is not necessarily a bad thing, but we need to be aware of the differences between us and build a safe community for talking about our differences instead of letting them become our problems.”

TCP is open to any member of the Emory community, including students, faculty, staff and alumni, Harris said.

Harris said that the racial and status diversity of the groups helps members of the community to form relationships they may not have otherwise.

“People can feel connected to a larger part of the community than just their department or their dorm,” she said.

Harris said that in the past five years, TCP has promoted dialogue and helped Emory to develop a greater sense of comfort in terms of asking difficult questions about race.

“By talking about [race issues] more openly, people feel more connected to the University,” Harris said.

College junior LeShonda Lillard, who has been involved with TCP since May 2009, said she appreciates the broad spectrum of dialogues and the relationships she has formed over the year.

“I have built personal relationships with faculty members on campus,” she said.
Lillard noted that she has enjoyed meeting influential and intelligent community members through TCP.

“I think students would be surprised to know that some issues or conflicts are still going on today on campus,” she said. “Being involved in TCP gives you a way to try to change some of these issues and gives you insight into what the administration and faculty members are dealing with.”

“TCP reflects something special about Emory and I’m not sure this could’ve happened in the same way at other places,” Harris said.

She added that a presentation that reflects on the history and accomplishments of TCP will occur tonight in Cannon Chapel to celebrate five years of TCP and to give people a taste of the TCP experience.

— Asst. News Editor Molly Davis contributed reporting.

Contact Kate Borger.