Although he retired from the University over 10 years ago, Errol Lam is still making contributions to the community, trying to start the first organization for mixed race students and interracial couples.

“I first thought of coming up with a group like this a while back when I was at a shopping mall in Toledo. I was surrounded by many couples, the majority of them being mixed and married with children,” Lam said.

The goal for the newly formed organization, which still remains nameless, is for people of mixed races or those involved in an interracial relationship to come together and hopefully share common experiences, Lam said.

He also hopes the group will encourage others to be more accepting and not judgmental.

Lam has been in an interracial marriage to wife Faye for more than 20 years and expresses wholeheartedly what he wants students to get out of the organization.

“I want people to realize that interracial people do exist in our society and that they are an integral part of this society. If the topic is never raised, then we are denying that a whole group of people don’t even exist,” he said.

He added he is hoping that eventually more students will begin to attend meetings and take over the group so it becomes a student-run organization.

For his first meeting, Lam read aloud a poem by Maria Root titled “Bill of Rights for Racially Mixed People.” Students then analyzed the poem to find a part that reminded them of something they could relate to or a common experience.

Clinical psychology grad student Alexis Hamill expressed much interest in the poem and also took a lot from the meeting.

“I found a clear connection between this discussion about mix races and the line of work I want to go into,” she said. “I encourage others who also want to be [a] therapist to attend these meetings regularly.”

The next meeting will be held Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. in Room 222 in the Union. For more information, contact Errol Lam at [email protected].