University of Memphis campus organization Peer Power hosted a research hub Tuesday headlined by a question-and-answer session with Memphis Mayor Paul Young.
The event was full of cameras, Peer power members, and concerned citizens.
UofM students had the opportunity to ask Mayor Young about a wide range of topics from Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer to potholes.
“I separate political stuff from the business stuff,” said Mayor Young, when asked about concerns over Musk’s xAI. He called the project a “statement” that Memphis would host the most powerful computer in the world.
A UofM senior asked Mayor Young about his plans for potholes.
“We are using technology where we spot potholes quicker, now we have cameras that are on top of our garbage trucks that scan the ground, identify the potholes,” said Mayor Young. “Then it creates a ticket, which then our team goes out and fills.”
Mayor Young also shared how the city had filled over 80,000 potholes last year, 30,000 more than was filled in 2023.
Other organizations that attended the event were the Shelby County Health Department and OUT Memphis, and the City of Memphis Urban Fellows.
Each organization hosted tables to help students know that they have resources available to them.
“We go out to the community and talk to individuals about opioids and the fentanyl crisis taking ahold of Memphis, Shelby County,” said public health coordinator Latonya Sallie.
Sallie gave out packets that contained fentanyl test strips and naloxone, (the generic medicine commonly called by the brand name Narcan).
“What the hope is that if we can get the naloxone and the strips into the hands of residents, we can save a life,” said Sallie.
Peer Power’s event gave UofM students the opportunity to interact with several of the most important people and organizations in the city.
