Can the Hilltoppers Find a Middle Ground?

Sarah Solazzo ’26 Assistant News Editor

Every few Wednesdays, the Weissman Room fills with students discussing political issues. Middle Ground, a student-organized conversation platform, tackles a variety of polarized global topics. Similarly, Students United for Racial Equity (SURE) created Community Conversations as a way for the community to engage in discussions about race, identity, and culture. Recent Middle Ground conversations following the presidential election and the Israel-Hamas war have left many students reflecting on what makes for a productive dialogue.

Middle Ground aims to create a space for open and constructive dialogue on polarizing topics, but its leaders are continually refining its approach. Ethan Lemberg ’25 and Claire Corwin ’25 coordinate the platform, with Lemberg stating that its purpose is to “foster open and constructive conversations on topics that polarize our community, especially those often met with silence.” Corwin emphasized that “it’s meant to be a conver-
sation, not a debate.” Despite their efforts to establish a respectful environment, Lemberg acknowledged that “when people are passionate about the topic... showing mutual respect and not talking over one another...doesn’t work.” Corwin noted that the conversation prompts “should have been less subjective, and
instead based on undeniable facts.” To address these challenges, Middle Ground plans to shift to less controversial topics, as Corwin explained, and Lemberg suggested additional changes, such as “organizing a two-on-two debate with audience participation and ensuring that a moderator guides discussion.”

Community Conversations aims to foster a different environment than Middle Ground. Yuki Heeger ’25, a SURE leader, explained that while Middle Ground frames its questions as yes-or-no, prompting two-sided debates, Community Conversations avoids leading questions, encouraging open-ended discussions that acknowledge a spectrum of viewpoints. Heeger hopes that Community Conversations “can be a space for people to reflect on their own reactions and viewpoints, as well as learn from other perspectives.” Furthermore, Heeger noted that because Community Conversations is led by SURE, “it tends to focus on how current events and politics are related to race...whereas Middle Ground is broader.”

Becky Harper, Director of Equity and Community, shared her thoughts: “If the goal of Middle Ground is to create a space where everyone has a voice and people actively listen and offer diverse perspectives, then a debate may not be the best format to achieve the desired outcome.” Harper also acknowledged Middle Ground’s revision efforts, noting that “several students who attended recognized that it could have been more productive and successful and were already identifying ways to make adjustments accordingly.”

Many students have attended Community Conversations and/or Middle Ground, offering varying perspectives on their effectiveness. Jackson Mokotoff ’25 shared that “when people are actually trying to find a ‘middle ground,’ the conversation is productive.” Mokotoff added that, due to Middle Ground’s popularity, he “prefer[s] Middle Ground to Community Conversations.” Aniseh Siewert ’25 remarked that Middle Ground conversations “can...be difficult as some people cite statistics that are from biased sources or are not accurate,” suggesting fact-checking as “a helpful addition to future Middle Grounds.”Josie Schiff ’28, a participant in Community Conversations, found that “there's always a variety of opinions and it's also a great way for people to be more educated about leading topics.” Theo Friedman ’25 said, “I love to hear from my classmates and learn from the diversity of perspectives in our community. SURE does an amazing job guiding the discus- sions while providing for an authentic dialogue.” Ella Rinaldi ’26, who appreciates Community Conversations for their “open discussion,” wished “more people would show up,” adding that “in order to have good conversation, the room should be inviting, like you’re hanging out with friends rather than in a class.”

In the end, some level of respectful disagreement is positive, sources said. According to Lemberg, “I actually think it's great to have heated debates; it shows people care. If Middle Ground can show that people with drastically opposing views can civilly debate, it sets a great precedent for the community and especially for young kids at Hopkins.” Harper emphasized that “The adults are here to help and are passionate about helping students cultivate their voices while learning essential skills, like engaging in dialogue and navigating differences.”

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Can the Hilltoppers Find a Middle Ground?