This isn’t your typical meet and greet.
A networking event in Georgia is trying to improve race relations — by encouraging white people to “Come Meet a Black Person.”
Cheryle Moses, the founder of Urban MediaMakers, is organizing the “Come Meet a Black Person” event to celebrate the organization’s 16th anniversary.
She was inspired by a 2013 study from the Public Religion Research Institute that revealed about 75 percent of white Americans don’t have any nonwhite friends. About 65 percent of black Americans don’t have any white friends, according to the study.
“In the black community we know of white people who don’t have a lot of black friends,” Moses told CNN. “But still, seeing a statistic about it just opened our eyes.”
The event, which is scheduled for Thursday in Lawrenceville, includes a “get-acquainted scavenger hunt,” along with food, drinks and giveaways, according to the Facebook page.
“Why? Because with the divisive and racist atmosphere of this country, we want to do something to positively challenge the negativity,” the page says.
Moses told CNN that reaction to the event has been mostly positive — though some people questioned the title at first.
“It’s a great opportunity to start relationships,” she said. “And if you have a relationship with somebody, you are inclined to treat them like yourself. If you don’t have that relationship, then you’ll only treat them based upon what you may have seen or read somewhere.”