Oxford Joins Forces with UM’s MPartner to Enhance Services for Spanish-Speaking Residents
The city of Oxford has recently embarked on an impactful partnership with the University of Mississippi’s MPartner program in response to the inadequacies experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aimed at augmenting services for its Spanish-speaking community, this partnership marks a significant step towards comprehensive, inclusive community welfare.
Collaboration to Address the Language Divide
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oxford, like many other cities worldwide, faced challenges in its outreach to various communities. Particularly glaring was the dearth of resources for Spanish-speaking residents. As a proactive measure against this discrepancy, a collaborative alliance was forged with Mpartner, an initiative by the University of Mississippi committed to aligning academic resources with municipal priorities to address pressing community needs.
The Shared Mission
A primary focus of the partnership will be to bolster engagement with the Hispanic/Latino community. This will be achieved through various initiatives including the translation of the city of Oxford’s official website and numerous brochures available through Visit Oxford into Spanish. Furthermore, MPartner is set to organize bilingual outreaches and offer interpreter services at communal events such as health fairs and local resources fairs.
Envisaging Improved Community Connection
Mayor Robyn Tannehill has expressed great enthusiasm regarding the partnership. Upon identifying gaps in resources available to the Spanish-speaking community, Mayor Tannehill was instrumental in discussing the possibility of a partnership with Laura Martin, the Director of MPartner. Mayor Tanehill said that the collaboration was envisioned right at the outset to focus on improving outreach to the Spanish-speaking community and determining how their needs could be better catered to.
Strengthening Bonds through Shared Responsibility
The shared responsibility between the university and the city is poignantly symbolized in the formal partnership agreement signed by Chancellor Glenn Boyce and Mayor Robyn Tannehill on February 12. Affirming the commitment of the university to the city, Chancellor Boyce stated that the collaboration aims to enrich the community by leveraging resources, pooling talents, and uniting in efforts that benefit lives all around.
Broader Community Impact
Beyond improving linguistic support for Spanish-speaking citizens, other collaborative undertakings have been proposed under the partnership. These projects include strengthening food security organizations such as LovePacks and the Oxford Community Market as well as creating effective marketing materials for Oxford-University Transit.
In summary, the partnership between the City of Oxford and the University of Mississippi’s MPartner reflects a commitment to improving community inclusivity and responsiveness. By addressing language barriers and broadening access to essential services, this collaboration exemplifies the potential for partnerships between municipalities and academic institutions in addressing pressing social challenges.
