The New Tri-State Defender - February 18-24, 2021

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

Brrr! It’s cold

Whopped by winter storm, area residents dig in, out

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Brrr! And that is putting it mildly. It was cold as (insert you preferred word here), with snow levels deeper than the boots of some and traveling conditions that posed threats to life.

Blankets of snowfall, icy roads and single-digit wind chills froze movement around the city this week.

Monday’s (Feb. 15) temperatures plummeted to near zero as government offices shut down and COVID-19 vaccine stations canceled all appointments.

Snow continued to blanket Memphis Wednesday (Feb. 17) evening, adding to the traffic misery.

Wednesday’s temperatures remained in the low 20s, with windchill factors in the teens. Temperatures are expected to remain in the 20s Thursday, with a chance of more precipitation.

The sun is forecast to reappear Friday, with temperatures in the high 20s.

Icy conditions on roads and bridges continued to make travel dangerous for private citizens, disrupted the operations of emergency vehicles and impeded the delivery of goods and services.

Grocery stores and fast-food restaurants limited their hours of operation, if not closed for business altogether.

All the accompanying problems are plaguing households and businesses in a winter storm – broken water mains, burst pipes, frozen pipes under the sink and, power outages.

Warming centers opened around the city, and Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland declared a state of emergency as residents and businesses hunkered down and sheltered in place against the brutally cold conditions.

The Memphis Fire Department and the Office of Emergency Management personnel worked to make sure people without shelter are taken to warming centers.

Social service agencies and restaurants donated food to warming centers. Three meals a day were being served.

Approximately 150 persons have sought shelter in warming centers, which have been opened 24 hours each day, according to officials.

By Wednesday, two heavy snowfalls wrapped the city in 2-6 inches of snow. The area remained under a Winter Storm Warning set to expire Thursday evening.

The virtual learning model adopted by Shelby County Schools has been unaffected by the snow and wintry weather.

“There is no need for snow days because the students don’t have to

SEE COLD ON PAGE 2

This Ida B. Wells illustration (I. Garland Penn., 1891) was published in The African-American mosaic, a Library of Congress resource guide for the study of black history and culture / Debra Newman Ham, ed. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, 1993.

Telling the story!

Ida B. Wells’ legacy: a point of measurement, path forward by

Erica R. Williams

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

“I’d rather go down in history as one lone Negro who dared to tell the government that it had done a dastardly thing than to save my skin by taking back what I said.”

These words, credited to journalist and suffragist Ida B. Wells, underscore the courage of a woman who decided to make it her mission to expose racial injustices, even if it meant losing her life.

Telling the truth, especially when marred with injustice and inequality, is no easy feat.

For Wells, who was born into slavery during the Civil War, the price to pay for revealing such discrimination could be fatal.

Still, she charged on, eventually launching an anti-lynching crusade, reporting on the gruesome acts that

SEE WELLS ON PAGE 2

SC officials to tackle racial disparity in COVID-19 vaxxing

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Almost as quickly as the COVID-19 rollout of vaccines across the nation, a distribution disparity gap opened between communities of color and whites receiving the vaccines.

According to an analysis of 17 states by the Associated Press, African Americans in each of those states were being vaccinated at levels well below their percentage of the general population.

The numbers were the more re-

markable since African Americans represent a larger percentage of the nation’s healthcare workers designated for priority vaxxing.

North Carolina and Mississippi were among the states releasing racial demographics.

In North Carolina, African Americans make up 22 percent of the population and 26 percent of the healthcare workforce. However, only 11 percent of those vaccinated are African American.

In Mississippi, 15 percent of vaccinations administered were given to

African Americans, while that community comprises 38 percent of coronavirus cases and 42 percent of total fatalities.

The Racial Equity and Health Policy Program at the Kaiser Family Foundation said data currently being reported shows a “consistent pattern of a mismatch between who is receiving the vaccine and who has been hardest hit by the pandemic.”

During a CNN town hall meeting

Tuesday (Feb. 16) night, President Joe Biden addressed how his administration plans to combat the racial

disparities in COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

“The biggest part of this is physical access,” Biden said.

Tennessee’s numbers reflect a similarly growing racial gap in African Americans being vaccinated and those of their White counterparts.

In a Shelby County Joint Task Force update Feb. 9, Shelby County Health Department data placed the total number of vaccines at 80,000. Of that number, the breakdown was 43 percent White, 22 percent African American, 14 percent classified as

“other” and 19 percent unidentified.

“I wasn’t surprised by the racial gap in vaccinations,” said Dr. Stanley Dowell, an internal medicine specialist in Memphis.

“My patients are seniors, for the most part, and some of them have told me, ‘Hey, Doc, I don’t have a car,’ or ‘I can’t wait in line three or four hours to get the vaccine.’”

Dowell said appointments are made online also, and many of his patients don’t have access to a com-

SEE VACCINE ON PAGE 2

Tim Garfield shoveling a path in his driveway.

Jamal Hampton had his hands full playing in the snow.

(Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises)

she considered “barbaric practice of Whites in the South used to intimidate and oppress African Americans who created economic and political competition.”

The cause was especially personal for Wells, whose friend, Memphis business owner Thomas Moss, and two other black men were lynched by a mob of White men.

For local Black journalists, the connection to Wells is striking, serving as a reminder of the significance of telling the stories of the racially and economically disadvantaged in the city Wells called home for 16 years.

“How can one woman have the gusto to talk about lynching, run her own company and demand to be treated as an equal,” local television journalist Kelli Cook said. “They were literally killing people for talking back then and exposing those types of things, but she did it.”

Omer Yusuf, a local digital news journalist, wrote about Wells last May after it was announced that she would receive a posthumous Pulitzer.

“Writing about her was one of the

humbling experiences,” Yusuf said. “She started her career here and you can’t help but recall all the struggles she went through as a journalist in Memphis. Her news office was set on fire, among other things.”

Yusuf said after learning more about Wells, he has been deeply impacted by her work and her story.

“She was so amazing. So brave and, as a journalist, you want to live up to that and continue her legacy.”

Cook, who also serves as the President of the Memphis chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, said the history of Memphis is too important for Black journalists to ignore.

“I tell all new journalists who come to Memphis that they should visit the National Civil Rights Museum and

learn about the history of Memphis,” Cook said. “When you read the story of Memphis – Ida B. Wells, Martin Luther King Jr., Benjamin Hooks and others who have come through our city – it speaks to the struggles we have now with education, poverty.”

Many journalists agree that the stories of Black Americans in Memphis, past and present, are quite complex, but still need to be told.

The Rev. Dr. L. LaSimba M. Gray Jr., a member of the board of directors for Best Media Properties, the parent company of The New Tri-State Defender, Memphis’ 70-year-old, African-American-owned publication, emphasized the importance of the Black Press in telling those stories in a way that the mainstream media may not.

Gray, who has a long history with the TSD, recalled delivering the newspaper as a young boy.

“I remember when we were given the opportunity to deliver the Tri-

COLD CONTINUED FROM FRONT

go outside in the weather to get to school,” said the Rev. Larry S. Lewis, a retired teacher, who taught math more than 40 years.

“My wife, Brenda, is a teacher at Bethel Grove Elementary, and they have maintained their regularly scheduled classes every day this week. The virtual model makes all the difference.”

Cheryl Walters said she has braved

chilling cold weather before, living on the street, but it can be scary in freezing temperatures and icy snow.

“I’ve been out here for a few years now,” said Walters. “There are people who were out here with me, and they aren’t here anymore. You can go to sleep in that cold, and it will just kill you. The police have just come and found people on the street wrapped up in a blanket. But they didn’t make it.” Walters is taking shelter in a warming center..

Presently, there are three warming centers in Memphis: The Ruth Tate Senior Center on Marjorie Street in South Memphis; The Lewis Senior Center on North Parkway in Midtown and the Hollywood Community Center on North Hollywood Street in North Memphis.

Families without power are encouraged to get to the nearest warming center. If transportation is an issue, or a ride is needed, contact the city of Memphis Call Center at 3-1-1.

State Defender,” Gray said. “That was my first introduction to business and the Black Press.”

Gray, a well-known civil rights activist in his own right, has watched the growth and shift with the times, but he points out that the publication’s purpose always has remained the same – to tell the stories of Black people in Memphis.

“We need to be able to tell our stories,” he said. “If we don’t tell our stories, often times the validity and authenticity will be left unknown.”

Yusuf agreed, pointing to the distrust some members in the Black community have with mainstream media.

“It’s important that we tell our stories because we have the knowledge and the respect. We are in those communities. They are our friends, our family and our neighbors,” Yusuf said. “When you have others telling those stories, that’s when you often times have instances of miscommunication or narratives that feed stereotypes.”

The Black Press has long been known as a form of activism, dating back to the 1800s, when the first African-American newspaper, The Freedom’s Journal was published.

Within just a few years of its incep-

VACCINE

CONTINUED FROM FRONT puter, nor do they understand how the Internet works.

“Those who really want to be vaccinated are motivated,” said Dowell. “They are going to get it done. And those who don’t have the means or resources to get to a vaxxing station, we should reach out to them in some way. We have to devise ways to get them vaccinated.”

Health Department Medical Officer Dr. Bruce Randolph agreed.

“We have to push back on this disparity in every way we can,” said Randolph. “The Johnson & Johnson vaccine should be approved for emergency use shortly. It doesn’t have the refrigerator requirements of the Pfizer and Moderna presently on the market. Also, the single dose can be made more easily accessible.”

Vaccines being administered through 11 Walmart Stores across the county is a strategy Shelby County plans to expand, said Randolph. “Some areas of the county don’t have a Walmart,” said Randolph. “There isn’t one in North or South Memphis. We want to develop multiple partnerships with the community, public health systems and hospitals. “We want to utilize senior centers, community gathering places, primary providers, churches, home health nurses and other partnerships that will make vaccines more accessible.”

Memphis Branch NAACP President Van Turner Jr. said the organization is greatly concerned about the racial disparity in COVID-19

tion, other Black newspapers across the country were created, exposing issues of voter suppression and Jim Crow laws.

The Black Press became one of the main forms of resistance among African Americans.

Wells was the co-owner of two Memphis-based publications: The Memphis Free Speech and Headlight

“Her history with Memphis has to be recognized. She was run out of town and we want to bring her back,” Gray said, referring to Wells’ leaving Memphis due to excessive death threats.

Gray is a part of a group of local leaders known as the Memphis Memorial Committee working to get a life-size statue of Wells erected on Beale Street. That memorial is set to be placed later this year.

For local journalists like Yusuf and Cook, the statue is more than just an overdue memorialization of Wells, the audacious journalist, suffragist and advocate.

It’s also a reminder, as a journalist, to carry out Wells’ legacy by doing what she once recommended: Right the wrongs by turning the light of truth upon them.

vaccinations for Memphis and Shelby County.

“This racial gap in vaxxing is the reality of our situation,” said Turner. “It is an issue we have to address, and we have to address it with urgency. Our seniors have obstacles preventing them from gaining access to the vaccine, and we have to bring the vaccine to them.”

Turner applauded Randolph’s plan to involve multiple partnerships in distributing the vaccine more effectively in communities of color. Turner said he will get the NAACP involved in the effort.

“I think it would be great for the NAACP to be made a satellite vaxxing station,” said Turner. “We could organize it like a voter registration drive. A bus could make pick-ups and bring people to our headquarters to be vaccinated. We want to help in any way we can, and I plan to reach out to the health department to see what we can do.”

Tuesday, Biden gave three specific ways his administration aims to help reach a larger population in areas that are tough to get vaccines:

• Send a million vaccines a week to community centers that care for the “toughest of the toughest neighborhoods in terms of illness” moving forward.

• Make vaccines available to more than 6,000 pharmacies across the country “because almost everyone lives” near a pharmacy.

• Send mobile vans and units into neighborhoods that are hard to get to, including the elderly and minority communities, who may not know how to register for the vaccine, “particularly in rural areas that are distant or in inner city districts.”

(Courtesy photo)

Dr. L. LaSimba M. Gray Jr.

NAACP lawsuit: Trump, Giuliani incited Capitol riot

Lawsuit alleges violation of the Ku Klux Klan Act

TSD Newsroom

Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson filed a federal lawsuit accusing Donald J. Trump, Rudy Giuliani, the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers of conspiring to incite a violent riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th, with the goal of preventing Congress from certifying the 2020 presidential election.

The lawsuit alleges that, by preventing Congress from carrying out its official duties, Trump, Giuliani and the hate groups directly violated the 1871 Ku Klux Klan Act.

“January 6th was one of the most shameful days in our country’s history, and it was instigated by the President himself,” Thompson said. “His gleeful support of violent White supremacists led to a breach of the Capitol that put my life, and that of my colleagues, in grave danger. It is by the slimmest of luck that the outcome was not deadlier.”

Following Trump’s acquittal by the U.S. Senate in the second impeachment trial, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell openly encouraged litigation against Trump, saying: “We have a criminal justice system in this country. We have civil litigation. And former presidents are not immune from being accountable by either one.”

The lawsuit was filed in Federal District Court in Washington, D.C. by the NAACP and civil rights law firm Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll.

The plaintiffs assert that the insurrection was the result of a carefully orchestrated plan by Trump, Giuliani and extremist groups — such as the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys — to stop the certification of the Electoral College using intimidation, harassment and threats.

After witnessing Capitol police barricading the doors of the House chamber with furniture, Thompson and fellow lawmakers donned gas masks and were rushed into the Longworth House Office Building, where they sheltered with 200-plus other representatives, staffers and family members.

NAACP officials said the nation’s oldest civil rights organization is representing Thompson because the events on January 6th amounted to one more attempt by Trump and his allies to make sure that African-American voters were disenfranchised – this time, by trying to stop members of Congress from doing their job and certifying the election results.

“Since our founding, the NAACP has gone to the courthouse to put an end to actions that discriminate against African-American voters,” said Derrick Johnson, president/CEO of the NAACP. “We are now bringing this case to continue our work to protect our democracy and make sure nothing like what happened on January 6th ever happens again.”

The lawsuit alleges that Trump and

“We are now bringing this case to continue our work to protect our democracy and make sure nothing like what happened on January 6th ever happens again.”

— Derrick Johnson, president/CEO of the NAACP

Giuliani violated 42 U.S.C. 1985(1), often referred to as the Ku Klux Klan Act. The legislation was passed in 1871 in response to KKK violence and intimidation preventing members of Congress in the South during Reconstruction from carrying out their constitutional duties. The statute was intended specifically to protect against conspiracies.

“The insurrection at the Capitol did not just spontaneously occur —

it was the product of Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani lies about the election,” said Joe Sellers, partner at Cohen Milstein, chair of the firm’s Executive Committee and chair of the Civil Rights & Employment Practice Group.

“With the Senate failing to hold the President accountable, we must use the full weight of the legal system to do so. The judicial system was an essential bulwark against the President

during his time in office, and its role in protecting our democracy against future extremism is more important than ever.”

Thompson said while the majority of Republicans in the Senate “abdicated their responsibility to hold the President accountable, we must hold him accountable for the insurrection that he so blatantly planned. Failure to do so will only invite this type of authoritarianism for the anti-democratic forces on the far right that are so intent on destroying our country.”

Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) later confirmed that he has joined the lawsuit. The NAACP indicated it expected other members of Congress will also.

Private citizen Donald J. Trump and Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson now are adversaries in a lawsuit charging the former president with inciting the Capitol riot. (Photos: Screen captures)

Supt. Ray is still focused, still on course!

by Curtis Weathers

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Over the last few weeks, the hand ringing and drama surrounding Shelby County Schools and the system’s decision to remain virtual have been riveting.

But as of last week, the drama part is all but over.

SCS Superintendent Joris Ray announced last Friday that all teachers and employees would be returning to their buildings by Monday (Feb. 22) to prepare for those students who opted to return to their schools for in-person learning.

Children in pre-kindergarten and grades K-5 will return March 1 and students in grades 6-12 one week later on March 8.

Students opting not to return to their schools will continue exercising their virtual-learning option.

Furthermore, parents who chose the virtual learning option earlier in the school year can change their decision and select the in-person option if they so choose. They simply need to call their school for more information.

Over the last couple of weeks, several things happened that led to Ray’s abrupt reversal of his decision to continue all virtual indefinitely.

In last week’s press conference, he cited declining numbers of COVID-19 cases and a legislative proposal to cut funding for school systems that do not offer at least 70 days of in-person learning this year as reasons for his decision.

The bottom line, however, is that he simply ran out of support and Tennessee lawmakers were determined to force his hand if necessary to provide an in-person option for SCS students.

Keep in mind, this decision did not happen in a vacuum.

From the governor and lawmakers to the Greater Memphis Chamber to members of his own school board, the pressure on Ray to reopen had been mounting for weeks.

Danette Stokes, president of the United Education Association of Shelby County, put it more plainly at last week’s press conference, “He has done everything in his power to protect us over the past year,” she said. “Yet, he is being forced — by leaders in Nashville — who are forcing us to reenter.”

Be that as it may, all signs indicate that it is time to move forward.

Despite the circumstances, I think the superintendent has put the district in the best possible position to better ensure the health and safety of students, teachers and school staff as the spread of the virus continues to ravage our communities, albeit to a much lesser degree.

Think about it, at the very least, he bought teachers and students some additional time. Elementary teachers have an extra week to prepare for their students’ return; middle and high school teachers an additional

two weeks to prepare. The number of new cases in Shelby County has averaged just over 200 per day over the last seven days. The weekly positivity rate, which is at 7.4 percent, has fallen for the sixth week in a row. That’s down from the 9.4 percent in the previous weeks and down from the record-high 17.5 percent in late December.

The infection rate remains below 1.00, and active cases overall continue their sharp decline.

Community spread throughout Shelby County will continue to dissipate and vaccine distribution among teachers will hopefully get underway between now and mid-March.

Public health experts all agree that by March 1, if conditions on the ground continue on their current trajectory, a return to in-person learning will be a lot safer for everyone involved.

However, the one disturbing issue in all of this drama is the lack of progress in the prioritization (or lack thereof) of teachers and school staff in the vaccination process. No one quite understands why.

State lawmakers and health officials continue to remind district leaders how important it is that our schools return immediately to in-person learning (as if they need reminding).

Yet, the superintendent still does not know when Memphis teachers will start receiving COVID-19 vacci-

nations in mass, even though he has pleaded with health officials and state leaders for months to move them up on the prioritization list. They continue to refuse.

(Monday (Feb15), the Shelby County Health Department took 1,200 vaccine doses in danger of being thrown out and allocated 900 to SCS and 300 to municipal schools.)

Nevertheless, the governor now has his talking points. All school systems throughout the state are now offering in-person learning options (he’s happy now).

Through recently passed legislation, the state is addressing the issues of learning loss, Tennessee teachers are getting well-deserved bonuses and pay increases, etc., etc., etc.

In the meantime, Ray continues to do a masterful job of staying focused and sticking to his priorities of following the science and his commitment to the health and safety of district students and employees.

But we are not out of the woods yet. And as the superintendent often says, “We are stronger together, Coronavirus will not defeat us, because we are 901!”

Stay safe, everyone; there is light at the end of the tunnel.

(Follow TSD education columnist Curtis Weathers on Twitter (@curtisweathers); email: curtislweathers@gmail.com.)

Standing on the side of love, Part I

by Linda S. Wallace Special to The New Tri-State Defender

When singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen urged us to meet in “The Middle” during Jeep’s stunning Super Bowl LV commercial, for one fleeting moment I was hopeful the message would get through. This feel-good commercial, however, was much maligned by critics, who argued retribution – not compromise and conciliation – was the better path.

With picturesque spots of America as backdrop, Springsteen urged our divided nation to meet in the middle, which just happens to be the U.S. Center Chapel near Lebanon, Kansas. The advertisement urged us to trade in rhetoric for enlightenment as it ended with the words: “To the ReUnited States of America.”

Jeep pulled the commercial after it was panned and then reported that Springsteen had been recently arrested for a DWI and other related charges.

In my mind, forward-thinking Jeep won the night. They were just a bit ahead of the rest of us as corporate America has been lately.

America has not been able to heal its lingering racial wounds, in part, because citizens are guided by instinct, rather than research, when they respond to hate and bias. Powerful displays of civility and inclusiveness matter in a world that is constantly battling hate, prejudice and division. It seems people may shift racial attitudes after encountering an appealing or friendly person promoting democratic messages such as inclusiveness, harmony or anti-racism.

In fact, Brian Lowery, now a professor of organizational behavior and senior associate dean of academic affairs at Stanford University Graduate School of Business, goes so far as to suggest that even subconscious racial stereotypes may be reversible.

He suggests that people may change feelings toward another ethnic group as a result of brief interactions with likable role models promoting egalitarian or democratic values.

Subconscious or hidden biases toward other racial groups often surface without our knowledge, Lowery’s research suggests. While conducting word-association exer-

cises, he found that research subjects more quickly associated the faces of African Americans with negative words and the faces of Whites with positive words.

However, if he exposed the participants to appealing African Americans or White Americans displaying democratic attitudes, such as an anti-racism T-shirt, these associations or hidden biases began to shift.

The groups’ associations about African Americans were then less negative.

In an interesting twist, Lowery tried the experiment again using an unfriendly, though egalitarian, role model. This time the participants did not experience the same shift in attitudes.

So you see, yelling at people and calling them racist may not be the better approach.

As The Cultural Coach, I have received many emails from people who feel combat – the use of sterile, blunt messages about racism – is more effective than my approach.

I always ask: “Where’s your research?”

I next ask them to try their preferred approach for 12 months and write down all the breakthroughs and outcomes. Not one person has ever written me back.

Isn’t the end goal to open more hearts to healing, ears to listening and minds to understanding?

Lead by example, readers. Then write to me at culturalcoach@aol. com and share what happens next.

Next week in “Standing on the side of Love, Part II,” I will share some practical tips for serving as a friendly, egalitarian role model for justice and equality.

(Linda S. Wallace is a free-lance journalist and communication specialist who helps clients develop cross-cultural messages for the workplace and the media. Readers are invited to submit questions on work or personal problems related to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or physical differences. Address your questions to culturalcoach@ aol.com.)

This small chapel near Lebanon, Kansas is reported to be at the geographical center of the United States. (Screen capture)

Linda S. Wallace

Curtis Weathers

Supt. Joris Ray speaks to what so many have wanted an answer to: When will Shelby County Schools return to in-person learning.

“Return stronger” is the theme SCS Supt. Joris Ray and his administration have embraced toward the goal of returning to in-person learning. (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises)

Dontae’s mother will be his ‘voice’ at 2nd Unity Walk against gun violence

by Erika Kelley

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

(Erika Kelley is Moms Demand Action Local Group Lead Volunteer, Everytown for Gun Safety.)

I am a pastor’s wife, a mother, grandmother, an Everytown Survivor fellow, a national organization that seeks “evidence-based solutions in every town” to end gun violence, and a leader in Memphis Moms Demand Action.

I am a survivor of gun violence.

As a someone born and raised in the Frayser community, I have witnessed the city of Memphis go through many

Erika Kelley

changes. I have watched communities grow as well as some communities decline. But through it all Memphis is home.

I love my city. The rise in gun violence, however, has shaken our city to its core.

Many families, homes and communities have been touched by this tragedy called “gun violence.

On March 18, 2016 my son Don-

tae Bernard Johnson was taken away from my family due to gun violence, and that is a pain that I wouldn’t want any family to go through.

Having to bury your child taken from you is hard. The pain is real and, as a survivor of gun violence and a leader in my community, I feel I have a responsibility to stand and say something; to advocate and be Dontae’s voice.

The number of homicides in Memphis spiked dramatically in 2020, ending with 332 homicides. We are in just the second month of the new year and there already have been more than 30 homicides.

Our city is hungry for help. Gun violence is an issue that impacts fam-

ilies every single day. Doing nothing about the gun violence crisis is unacceptable and it is time to stand with our city and do something to end gun violence.

Gun violence is a public health crisis, just as much as COVID-19. My question to my city is how many more families must be torn apart? How many more communities need to be traumatized? How many more children have to die?

We have to do something.

That is why I am asking you to join me and a host of others Feb. 27, as we pledge to protect your community with the second of many Community Walks Against Gun Violence. We will meet at Hillcrest High

School parking lot at 4184 Graceland Drive in Whitehaven, where we will assemble at 9:30 a.m. and begin the walk at 10 a.m.

Show up and support as we pledge to protect your family. Please wear your mask and we will be social distancing as we follow Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines.

Let’s stand as we come together as a city to say enough is enough, let’s end gun violence.

Love & Peace

(To contact Erika Kelley, Everytown Survivor Fellow, call 901428-9284; email: erikakelley2015@ gmail.com.)

Tennessee has too many guns in the wrong hands

by Amy Weirich Special to The New Tri-State Defender

We had never met, but I would know her face anywhere. Kind smile. Quiet. Polite. Sad.

I felt the sadness when I walked in the room and introduced myself. She carries that everywhere and always will.

Her granddaughter had been murdered a few weeks earlier. The man accused of the murder was due in court that day and I was meeting her for the first time.

I sat down next to her, introduced myself and talked a little bit about the case and what to expect over the next few months; that we would do everything we could to make the process as smooth as possible and answer her questions.

That we would be there for her every step of the way.

Then I asked her about her granddaughter. She was raising her.

“She was my little buddy,” she explained. Though it didn’t need to be said. You could feel that. Then,

Amy Weirich

through the sadness, a small smile as she played a video on her phone for me of the young girl dancing. The kind of happy, free dance that only a child can do. She died as a result of a gunshot. The gunman intended to kill someone else. That doesn’t make it less of a crime. That doesn’t make it less difficult for this woman on holidays. Or Saturdays. Or nothing days.

Guns. This week Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee announced he wants to drastically change gun laws in Tennessee.

Currently, under Tennessee law, you must apply for and be granted a handgun permit if you want to carry in public.

“The citizens of this state have a right to keep and bear arms for their

A permit is what separates the folks who hope they never have to pull the trigger from the folks who are itching to pull it.

— Amy Weirich

common defense; but the general assembly has the power, by law, to regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent crime.”

That is the first sentence in the current statute on handgun permits. The law goes on to outline who can obtain a permit and how to do it.

If you are a convicted felon, do not apply. You can’t possess a gun.

If you struggle with mental health issues, do not apply. You are not eligible for wearing of arms.

Have you been convicted of domestic assault? If so, no thank you.

Have you been trained on handling a handgun? No? Come see us when you have.

A permit is what separates the folks who hope they never have to pull the trigger from the folks who are itching to pull it.

Gov. Lee wants to pass constitu-

tional carry. Another way of saying permit-less carry. Anyone. Everyone. Wear your arms.

Currently, if an officer sees someone in public with a handgun, they must be able to produce their permit. If they don’t have one, they can be charged with a crime. If they have one, we know they are trained and not prohibited under the law from possessing a deadly weapon.

Without the permit system, there is no way to know who carries to protect and who carries to prey. If the permit process is onerous and unfair because of costs associated with it, eliminate the costs for applying and being trained.

Why would we eliminate the need to be trained on proper storage and handling of a deadly weapon?

We have seen gun crimes spike across our county and country. Too

many guns in the hands of those looking for a victim. Any victim.

If you are outraged, impacted, moved by any of this, join us Saturday, Feb. 27for our Second Unity Walk. We will gather at 9:30 a.m. at Hillcrest High School parking lot at 4184 Graceland Drive in Whitehaven. We will walk a little more than a mile through the Whitehaven community. To show our unity. To show our commitment to stopping gun violence in Shelby County.

Our first Unity Walk in the Downtown area was a huge success. More than 500 supporters came out to show their commitment to the cause.

We immediately began planning our second one and hope you will help us make it even bigger and better.

(Amy Weirich is the District Attorney for the 30th Judicial District and a member of the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission Board of Directors. The Board voted unanimously to oppose permit-less carry legislation.)

LEGACY: Ida M. Porter

TSD Newsroom

As the life of COGIC Supervisor Ida “Maddie” Bell Flagg Porter was celebrated last Saturday (Feb. 13) at Memorial Park, her son, Bishop Brandon B. Porter, delivered the homegoing message.

Those in attendance had in hand a synopsis of her life story, which was titled “A beautiful life.”

Born Sept. 25, 1927, she died Feb. 3

The widow of Bishop W.L. Porter, who was the founder of Greater Temple COGIC and organizer of Tennessee Central Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, Mrs. Porter was remembered as “a woman whom God equipped

with knowledge, wisdom, understanding and compassion to minister to the needs of society.”

In 1971, she and her husband founded Community Projects Daycare Center. It was the largest, privately-owned daycare in

Memphis and was licensed to serve 250-plus children. She was known as “Mother Porter” because “she exuded love and drew the respect than an ideal mother should.”

“Mother Porter” leaves a sister, Elvie “Chick” Owens; two sons, Bishop Brandon B. Porter (Melody) and Dale Porter; a daughter, Evangelist Vivian Renita Porter-McBride; god-daughters Mary Darden Glass and Curtis Joy; grandsons Dalebert Porter, Melvin McBride, Ronald Porter Sr., Keith Porter and Brandon Porter II, Bryson Porter (Kristen); granddaughters Torri Porter and newborn Braxton IdaMarie Porter and a host of other relatives and friends.

Award-winning radio host takes esteemed Starks Legacy Award

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Native son, Markhum “Mark” L. Stansbury Sr., has been named this year’s recipient of the coveted Starks Legacy Award, sponsored by the Memphis Theological Seminary (MTS).

Stansbury will be honored during the historic, virtual 34th Annual Henry Logan Starks Celebration, Feb. 25.

“Thank the Lord for the Rev. Amella Starks-Umoja for nominating me,” said Stansbury.

“The Henry Logan Starks Legacy Award was named for her father. And I can remember the Sanitation Strike of 1968. I knew some of the activists. Rev. Starks was pastor of St. James AME Church. He was fully engaged in his community, and his legacy is defined by his great works,” Stansbury said.

The award is presented, during a banquet, annually to a community figure exhibiting the qualities of character and commitment to service reflected by the life of Rev. Starks. This year’s theme is “Reimaging the Story: A Season of Change.”

“This is a truly a great vote of confidence,” said Stansbury. “And this honor is a great blessing to me. I praise God for giving me the opportunity to help others. It reminds me of a turtle on a fence. He didn’t get there by himself. He had a lot of help.”

Stansbury is a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, where he honed communications skills as editor of the yearbook.

At the age of 18, he got his first real job as a radio personality and gospel announcer at WDIA, where he currently has worked for more than 50 years. He went on to receive his bachelor’s degree in history from Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee in 1966.

Upon graduation, Stansbury was named public relations director for the school. Following that early professional coup, Stansbury worked as a community relations manager, a life insurance agent and special assistant to the governor of Tennessee. Stansbury distinguished himself by working as an administrator with four University of Memphis presidents. Stansbury also is an

award-winning news photographer, who worked for the African-American newspaper, The Memphis World, as well as the Tri-State Defender He also served a brief stint at The Commercial Appeal as a reporter and copy editor.

The annual scholarship banquet awards education grants for deserving students pursuing a theological education at MTS. The legacy award is named for Dr. Starks, who became the first African American to join the seminary’s faculty.

A statement released by MTS called Starks a “gentle giant” who filled the halls of MTS with his mantra, “You are somebody.”

It reads in part:

“In the shadow of MLK Day and on the heels of inauguration, at a time of concern about the peaceful transition of power, many in our nation feel overlooked, cast aside, or unimportant. Dr. Starks’ words remind us of our collective, inherent worth.

“…Rev. Dr. Henry Logan Starks was a leader of the Civil Rights Movement in Memphis, and a man who worked to make the beloved community a reality. Upon his death, local newspapers described Dr. Starks as a leader “…in the elite class with Dr. (Martin Luther) King, A. Phillip Randolph and Medgar Evers.”

MTS deemed Starks worthy of the legacy award naming for having “exemplified excellence in theological education and service.” He was celebrated, both in life and in death, by greeting everyone with the same exhortation, ‘You are somebody.’”

(For more information on the virtual Starks celebration, call the seminary office at: 901-458-8232, or visit the website at memphisseminary@edu.)

Bishop Brandon B. Porter reflects on the life of his mother, COGIC Supervisor Ida “Maddie” Bell Flagg Porter. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Mark L. Stansbury Sr. “I praise God for giving me the opportunity to help others.” (Courtesy photos)

Mark L. Stansbury Sr.

New Tri-State

BrittGibson, Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield appear in “Judas and the Black Messiah” by Shaka King, an official selection of the Premieres section at the 2021 Sundance

‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ is the must-see movie of the year

by Cortney Wills theGrio

“Judas and the Black Messiah” is the film everyone is talking about, and rightfully so. Everything from the costumes and props that set the film firmly in the late 1960s to the real-life footage included was strategically selected to tell a story Hollywood would typically pass on.

Directed by Shaka King, who co-wrote the screenplay with Will Berson, the film is based on the assassination of 21-year-old Fred Hampton, a chairman for the Black Panthers Party.

The story was written by Kenny and Keith Lucas. Ryan Coogler and Charles D. King produced the film.

“The first thing to make my ears prick was the Lucas Brothers’ brilliant decision to couch Fred Hampton‘s ideas in an undercover crime drama. I think that that made the movie not only accessible to a wider audience but it also, quite frankly, made the studios comfortable with investing the kind of money it would take to make a movie of this scope and really to make a period drama,” Shaka King told theGrio.

“The truth of that is that I don’t think we could have even gotten a traditional Fred

Hampton biopic made today.”

The impeccable cast includes LaKeith Stanfield starring as William O’Neal, an FBI informant whose duplicitous actions set a sinister plan into motion. Daniel Kaluuya delivers his most impressive performance to date as Chairman Fred Hampton, the leader of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panthers, who was gunned down by police at the age of 21.

Dominique Fishback is flawless as Deborah Johnson, who spent much of her pregnancy fretting over what his allegiance to the cause would mean for the life she carried in her womb.

Ashton Sanders, Algee Smith, Martin Sheen, and Jesse Plemmons round out the cast in the film that feels like a damning indictment of the FBI and the Chicago Police Department, told from the perspective of a man who managed to fool himself just as well as he deceived the Black Panthers.

When we first meet the film’s Judas, William O’Neal, he’s boosting a car by impersonating a federal officer. When he’s busted for his crime, he takes a plea deal proposed by Special Agent Roy Mitchell (Plemmons), who tasks him with infiltrating the Illinois chapter of the Black Panthers after being pressured by the higher-ups to keep tabs on their charismatic leader, Chairman Fred Hampton.

As O’Neal embeds himself into the organization, he sees a side to the Panthers not often highlighted in our history books. He seems affected by everything from the free breakfast programs, to the speeches, to the loyal members, but not enough to make him abandon his mission.

Meanwhile, Hampton is busy seeking out the support of other organizations, unifying former foes, and using his incredible oratory skills to inspire those around him to fight for their freedom. He’s also busy falling in love with Deborah Johnson, a woman who is moved by his words and dedicated to the cause, even after her man is arrested and imprisoned, unaware that she’s carrying his child.

O’Neal solidifies his standing in the organization by stepping up after Hampton’s arrest and playing a significant role in rebuilding their headquarters after a shootout with police prompted authorities to bomb it. When Hampton is released from jail, he’s overwhelmed by the progress made in the organization and in his life, with Johnson’s pregnancy in full swing.

When one of their comrades, Jimmy Palmer (Sanders), is killed in the hospital, another member, Jake Winters (Smith), takes matters into his own hands and seeks revenge on the authorities by sparking a shootout that ultimately claims his life.

Hampton is on his way back to prison after his appeal is denied, and O’Neal mistakenly believes his work is done until he’s faced with a final request from his handler. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover isn’t satisfied with Hampton behind bars and he instructs Agent Mitchell to “neutralize” the threat once and for all.

That means he needs to know the layout of Hampton’s apartment, and O’Neal provides the blueprint. He also drugs Hampton with sedatives the night before he’s scheduled to turn himself in, ensuring he had no chance to survive the impending attack.

As planned, authorities break into the apartment and open fire on a sleeping Hampton, who’s lying next to his pregnant fiancée. Johnson doesn’t shed a tear as she hears one final shot fired into the man she loved with the barrel of a gun pressed against her belly.

Judas and the Black Messiah tells a story we should already know, in a way that we aren’t accustomed to seeing. Based on facts and informed by authentic experiences, the result is a staunch reminder that the government will stop at nothing to stifle our power.

“Judas and the Black Messiah” is available in theaters and on HBO Max.

BOOK REVIEW: Amber Pickens – Coloring success and Black History

by Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

Amber Pickens is celebrating Black History Month in a big way.

The dancer, actress, and singer has added author to her long list of titles with the release of “Blooming in Motion,” a coloring book that celebrates Black history in the performing arts through dance.

Pickens’ original illustrations honor nearly two dozen dance legends, including dancers and entertainers Alvin Ailey, Eartha Kitt, and Debbie Allen, whom she met as a fourth grader.

“When I met her, my eyes were opened to the world of dance and so much more,” Pickens told NNPA Newswire.

“She planted other seeds like choreographing and producing and making sure to build our communities,” Pickens added.

Allen, the famed dancer, choreographer, and actress, released a statement expressing her delight over being included in Pickens’ book.

“I am so proud to be included in Amber’s coloring book,” Allen wrote.

“It is very important that young black and brown girls see images of themselves that they can celebrate.” Pickens said Allen often reminded her and other students to find ways to give back to their community.

She remarked that Allen opened a new world for her and others.

“She introduced us to teachers from all around the world,” Pickens recalled. “It was life-changing, it was powerful.”

A Juilliard School graduate, Pickens made her choreography directing debut in January at the Sundance Film Festival.

Her film, “Passing,” is based on Harlem, New York, in the 1920s.

Originally, the “Passing” role was intended for a friend who thought Pickens would be better suited.

“Someone approached one of my friends and asked him if he was interested in a small project. He didn’t have any idea what it was,” Pickens recalled. “They did describe the type of dancer they wanted, and he pointed them to me.”

Written by Nella Larsen, “Passing” takes a close look at racial identity, racism, and white privilege. Netflix has picked up the film, and it is ex-

pected to air in the coming months.

Pickens grew up in Dallas, Texas, and began dancing at the age of 2. She said her mother wanted her to participate in activities that matched her high-energy level.

She performed in church and at school and later earned a scholarship to Debbie Allen’s dance camp.

Pickens said she spent her summers in New York attending Broadway camps, the Alvin Ailey dance studios, and taking voice lessons. She also studied her mentor, Allen, closely and desired to emulate her success.

“She taught us how to focus, how to shut everything out, and how important all of that was,” Pickens stated. “I learned so much from her, and I want to do the same for others. Give back.”

In 2011, Pickens received an invite to study at The Juilliard School.

In 2015, she graduated from Juilliard with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and later made her Broadway debut in Cirque du Soleil’s “Paramour.”

Additionally, Pickens has performed in “The Wrong Man” and was also cast in the long-running televi-

sion hit, “Law & Order: SVU.”

In keeping a full calendar, Pickens hosts “Kickback & Chat with Amber Pickens,” a talk show broadcast on local cable television in Texas and state schools.

“I want people to realize that Black history is (American) history,” Pickens told NNPA Newswire. “(Black-American) heroes] helped to shape the world.”

She said her new coloring book shines a positive spotlight on African American dance and entertainment legends, adding, “Even as an adult, I do not hear about these individuals on a regular basis.”

“You have so many Black kids in the ballet world, and we’re forced to compare our bodies and our ways when we should be celebrating our differences and learning from each other, not questioning our beings. Coloring is such a joy, and it takes you away from what’s going on in the world and increases positivity in your life.”

(Follow NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent Stacy M. Brown @ StacyBrownMedia.)

Darrel

Film Festival.

(Photo: Courtesy of Sundance Institute; photo by Glen Wilson.)

Amber Pickens: “I want people to realize that Black history is (American) history. … (Black-American) heroes) helped to shape the world.”

(Photo: amberpickens.com)

COMMUNITY

The New Tri-State Defender, February 18 - 24, 2021, Page 8

Living with COVID-19 – Part XVI

(This is the 16th installment of The New TriState Defender’s ongoing account of three Memphians coping with the coronavirus amid government-directed efforts to slow the virus’ spread.)

by Jerome Wright

jwright@tsdmemphis.com

As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches a full year of negatively impacting the lives of people here and around the world, disrupting businesses and most people’s daily activities, three Memphians The New Tri-State Defender has followed since April continue to make personal and career adjustments to cope with the pandemic.

The TSD last checked with nonprofit founder Margaret Cowan, barber and musician William Gandy Jr. and entrepreneur James Cook just before Thanksgiving. Here is what is happening in their lives as the new year takes off.

Cowan

Cowan is the founder of the nonprofit I Am My Sister’s Keeper, which helps single working mothers increase their earning potential.

When we last checked, she felt God was telling her to shift her nonprofit focus from South Memphis, which is home to several organizations working to improve residents’ lives, to the Raleigh area. She said a swift series of events confirmed that calling.

She moved into a new apartment in Raleigh on Jan. 7. In the process, I Am My Sister’s Keeper has added five new mothers, bringing the number to 25, and donations of goods and money have increased.

“We do a ‘Sunday Shop.’ Every other Sunday, the moms can shop for items, such as toiletries and nonperishable food items,” she said.

On the Wednesday before the Sunday shopping event, Cowan asks for requests from the moms about what they need. The items are boxed and distributed via curbside pickup to maintain COVID-19 safety protocols.

Meanwhile, she spends one day a week at a YMCA branch, helping the organization with its bulk food-giveaway program.

One of I Am My Sister’s Keeper’s initial goals was to build affordable housing for the program’s moms.

Because of financial realities, Cowan said,

“We’ve had to change our focus. Now, we’re focusing on, for the moms who need it, developing bank accounts, where the moms make deposits and we match them, so they can buy cars for cash.”

Cowan also wants to create a fund called Project Hope that would help her moms, who need assistance, pay deposits and first-month rents for better housing. The moms would have to meet certain conditions, such as credit counseling, Cowan said.

Gandy

COVID-19 still has taken a big bite out of the barbering business, Gandy said.

That has not slowed him down, however, in his effort to create a movie based on his book and musical production “Grandma’s Big Vote,” about his 106-year-old grandmother Mary Alice Gandy, who made national headlines when she cast a vote for the first time in her life. She voted for Barack Obama in 2008.

But, COVID-19 has slowed the effort. The pandemic resulted in Gandy having to cancel a meeting with potential investors and filming has stopped because virus-safety issues have prevented casting calls for the movie.

However, there is good news on the movie front. Amazon Prime Video is airing the musical and the movie trailer. Search for “Grandma’s Big Vote,” which was released Jan. 20, which just happened to be inauguration day.

Gandy also has released a new blues composition “Chucks and Pearls,” which has been a signature clothing style of Vice President Kamala Harris.

The pearl necklace holds a special meaning to Harris because it represents her sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA), the first African-American sorority in the country.

The sorority’s founders and the women who expanded the organization are referred to as the 20 Pearls.

Regarding the Chucks, they are Harris’ favorite sneakers, which she frequently wore on last year’s campaign trail.

Gandy said his “Chucks and Pearls” is a “down-home blues” song that celebrates all women, not just Harris.

You can find him performing the song on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=YrkCsNsJXvw

Cook

James Cook owns and operates two restaurants at Memphis International Airport —Lenny’s Grill and Subs and Runway 901 Bar & Grill. He has been operating the eateries on a reduced schedule because the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant drop in airline passenger traffic, which buttress Cook’s eateries.

Airport officials said passenger volume dropped 56 percent in 2020. When the pandemic really took hold in April, Memphis airport passenger traffic had dropped about 94.5 percent from April 2019.

Cook said Thanksgiving travel sparked passenger surge, but Christmas passenger travel was a bust.

“It was kind of like they got it (holiday travel) all out of their system (at Thanksgiving),” he said.

Meanwhile, the ice and snow has negatively impacted his restaurants.

Airport officials announced Wednesday (Feb. 17) morning that some restrooms and restaurants were closed due to a loss of water pressure amid the freezing temperatures.

Cook said his restaurants would have been impacted, if he had decided to open. However, he had made a business decision to remain closed, reasoning that weather-related flight delays and cancellations would drop passenger traffic to a trickle. He said he will monitor the situation daily to decide whether to open.

Tuesday, though, he was able to provide lunch for airport employees, who were working to keep the runways and airport roadways clear.

On another note, Cook said he is awaiting approval from state regulators, so he can open his style shop. He expects that to happen soon.

And, he said his new clothing design enterprise (www.nubiandesign) has been doing well.

The entrepreneurial spirit runs in the Cook family. His wife, A’Seri, has launched a courier and delivery service, MMJ Logics. MMJ are the initials of their children’s first names — Michael, Mickhel and Jamie.

Cook’s sister, Jannah Cook, has even started an event-planning business, Theory and Design.

“She had been doing it for five years, but decided to do her own thing,” Cook said. (Jerome Wright is deputy editor for The New Tri-State Defender.)

City Council vote on Pipeline delayed; push mounts against project

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Keenly aware that construction on the proposed Byhalia Pipeline was projected to begin this month, participants Monday afternoon on a virtual ZOOM protest signaled their continuing resolve to stop the venture altogether.

A key Memphis City Council resolution regarding the pipeline project is on the agenda for Tuesday’s regularly scheduled meeting, which has been reset because of the storm that has much of the area shut down

“It (council consideration of the resolution) will happen on the 23rd, next Tuesday,” said Justin J. Pearson, chairman of Memphis Community Against the Pipeline (MCAP). “This gives us more time to continue building our coalition.”

Several elected officials, who have taken a stand against the pipeline, joined Monday’s collaborative conference discussion.

Congressman Steve Cohen pledged action in Washington with the Secretary of Transportation. Cohen committed to work “federally” with the Transportation Committee to propose banning all pipeline construction.

Memphis City Councilman Edmund Ford Sr. told participants he would push for a ban on pipeline construction in committee next week before the resolution comes to a full council vote.

The resolution to either allow the pipeline or vote it down was introduced by Councilman Dr. Jeff Warren. Councilwoman Patrice Jordan Robinson, who has expressed support for the community, had questions about the city council resolution.

“Our job is to represent the interest of those in our district,” she said. “But I consulted with some individuals who have worked with the pipeline. From my understanding, all they needed were two permits: one from the U.S.

Court and the other from the Tennessee Environment and Conservation Division. They have them both.”

Last Monday (Feb. 8), the Shelby County Board of Commissioners delayed a vote on whether the Byhalia Connection Company would be allowed to purchase land in the 38109 ZIP code.

Pearson and other opponents of the pipeline continued voicing concerns about oil spills, pollution of the water and soil and the lack of safety measures to prevent such a catastrophe.

All-Plains American, purveyor of the Byhalia Connection and other pipelines around the nation, did not release an additional statement. Press inquiries were referred to a prior statement detailing a commitment to speak with residents with questions about the pipeline. That statement also conveyed a commitment to stay open to being more responsive to community concerns.

Monday’s discussion included an update

by Marie Odum, spokesperson for her father, Clyde Robinson, who has accused the Byhalia Pipeline operators of trying to take their family land.

“My father said he feels like they are trying to take something he has worked hard for,” said Odum. “My dad said he feels like he felt when they would work all day and get paid $2.00 a day.”

Odum said Robinson was being taken to court by the pipeline to “take the land” because her father told Byhalia Connection that he didn’t want to sell it for the price they were offering.

“First, they offered my father zero dollars,” said Odum. “Then they offered him $750 – little of nothing. He refused to sign, so they are taking him to court and trying to take the land by eminent domain.”

Byhalia Connection representatives are adamant that they are not trying to “steal anyone’s land,” characterizing the legal procedure as a “simple easement dispute.”

Great potential, promise gone with death of political strategist Ken Taylor

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The recent death of Kenneth “Ken” Taylor, said those who knew him, left a tremendous void in service to the community and Tennessee Democratic Party politics.

Mr. Taylor, 36, died unexpectedly Monday (Feb. 8).

“After the campaign, we stayed in touch,” said Marquita Bradshaw, the history-maker, who became the first African-American woman to win the primary candidacy for statewide office for a major political party in her 2020 U.S. Senate Democratic campaign.

Although Bradshaw lost her bid, Taylor was proud of the coalition-building work they had done across the state to reach “at least a million Tennesseans.”

Taylor grew an army of volunteers, who relentlessly worked a telephone bank, reaching out to voters in East Tennessee who have traditionally voted Republican.

“Sometimes we would talk two or three times a day,” said Bradshaw. “He was a great thought partner. But it wasn’t just to me. That was the way Ken was. He was a very loving person. He had a love for people, and a song in his heart.”

Taylor left his small-town, rural home in West Tennessee after graduating high school to settle in Shelby County as a University of Memphis student.

A masterful communicator, the world of politics opened up to Taylor as he worked in high-profile, Democratic campaigns.

Taylor perfected his “king-making” skills before establishing Kingmaker Strategies, a communications firm serving high-stakes clients all over the country.

In 2016, at barely 30 years old, Taylor became executive director of the Beale Street Merchants Association. He promoted the entertainment district, where Taylor said everyone should be able to come and have a “safe and exciting time.”

At the time of his death, Taylor was working as the Memphis Education Fund chief of staff. He had served with the company for less than two years.

Deidre Malone, CEO of the Carter Malone Group and past president of the Memphis Branch NAACP, recalled meeting Taylor when he was just starting out.

“When I was president of the NAACP Memphis Branch, I recruited a few young folk to join the organization and serve with me,” said Malone. “Ken Taylor was one. I had worked with him before on (former Memphis mayor A C) Wharton’s campaign and considered him a ‘son.’

“The last text I received from him was when Judge Teresa Jones passed. He wanted to know if I was okay. Ken was smart, funny and had a great sense of politics. I will miss him. I can’t believe he’s gone, but I know he is in a better place.”

Malone said Taylor’s family and friends need prayer at this very difficult hour.

Ken’s endeavors also boast positions working with Wellstone Action Network and Service Employees International Union. He served ash of operations at Soulsville Charter School, the State Training and Education manager for Progressive Majority Washington and Faith Outreach coordinator for Working Washington.

Accolades in a stellar career cut short include graduate of the Leadership Memphis Executive Program, named a “40 under 40 of Memphis Urban Elite” and honored one year as “Big Brother of the Year.”

His collegiate career highlight was sitting on the Governor of Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL), where his work was recognized by the Tennessee General Assembly.

Taylor lived in Harbor Town with his German Shepherd, Senator.

Serenity Funeral Home hosted a service on Saturday (Feb. 13).

Justin J. Pearson (upper left), chairman of Memphis Community Against the Pipeline, sets the context for Monday’s virtual rally against the proposed Byhalia Pipeline. (Screen capture)

Kenneth “Ken” Taylor

Tennessee pushes ahead with in-person testing, remote learners included, during pandemic

by Marta W. Aldrich Chalkbeat Tennessee

While at least six states are seeking to cancel student testing this spring as the pandemic grinds on, TennesAsee isn’t wavering in its plan to give tests in person to most of its nearly 1 million students.

“Let’s test and see where we are,” said House Education Committee Chairman Mark White, calling the results crucial to understanding how much students know after a year of learning disruptions. “I think it will help us in the long run.”

His gung-ho attitude is shared by Gov. Bill Lee and most Tennessee policymakers who are trying to figure out how to target support for students who have fallen behind.

But it runs counter to thinking in states like Illinois, Michigan, New York, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington, where leaders have said they intend to ask the federal government to waive testing requirements for a second straight year.

Whether and how to test this spring are the latest pandemic questions being debated and brainstormed in every state. While testing could start as soon as March in some places, the spread of more contagious coronavirus variants, some possibly resistant to vaccines, might cause more school buildings to shutter and disrupt the tests again.

The Biden administration is accepting state requests for testing waivers, but has not indicated whether it will approve them or issue a blanket waiver as former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos did last spring. Miguel Cardona, the president’s nominee to succeed DeVos, has said testing could be useful this year — but that schools should not test students on campuses that are closed for safety reasons.

Those wanting to cancel tests say they can’t create an ideal testing environment when some

students are learning in person, some remotely, and some both. Officials also worry about the stress that weeks of annual assessments would add to an already difficult school year.

But in Tennessee, state officials believe testing can be done safely and well with careful planning. Last summer, they brushed aside early calls for cancellation from the state’s largest teacher organization, which questions the validity of assessment results even in normal years. And as for more recent concerns raised by several school boards about whether remote students should have to participate, they say adequate safety protocols are in place.

Since early fall, state and local school leaders have mapped out the logistics for giving assessments to more than 726,000 public school students from April 12 to June 10.

The Tennessee Department of Education widened its testing window by several weeks to provide more flexibility because of varying school calendars and the potential for illness and quarantines to disrupt testing.

“The health of our students, families, and educators is paramount,” said department spokeswoman Victoria Robinson, detailing meetings, training, guidance, and adjustments aimed at following health protocols and policies.

Why test in person?

With approximately a fifth of its students learning remotely, Tennessee has practical reasons for requiring all students to test in person.

First, it’s a more secure environment, with test administrators and proctors on site to make sure students are doing the work themselves. Second, it alleviates concerns about internet bandwidth at home that could put some students at a disadvantage if tests were given online.

Perhaps most important, though, is Tennessee’s plan to administer paper-and-pencil tests one year before transitioning to online exams under its 2019 contract with testing company

Pearson. The state planned to use the paper tests last spring before assessments were canceled nationwide because of the emerging virus. Since then, Pearson has stored about 75 tons of materials, for which the state already has paid $11 million, in its warehouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

To keep students socially distanced during testing, the state has encouraged staggering schedules or securing additional testing locations like libraries, churches, or community centers. Most districts that offer remote learning plan to test those students separately from classmates learning in person.

In rural Dickson County, just west of Nashville, testing coordinator Ray LeComte is looking to use large meeting rooms in churches to test students who are learning virtually. Meanwhile, in-person students will test in school classrooms already set up for social distancing.

“It’s going to be an adventure, but we’ll get it done,” LeComte said of his 8,000-student district.

Rutherford County Schools, the state’s fourth-largest school system with more than 47,500 students, expects to bring in distance learners to school buildings on days when other students aren’t there. The district already tested some of its high school students on nontraditional schedules in November and “it went very well,” said testing coordinator Kevin Whittington.

“The No. 1 thing is you have to communicate with students, parents, and stakeholders that we’re offering a very safe testing environment,” Whittington said.

Getting families on board

State testing in the fall went smoothly for about 50,000 high school students, Assistant Commissioner Casey Haugner Wrenn said last month in a report to the State Board of Education. The bigger test happens this spring when

hundreds of thousands students are to take their TNReady assessments in grades 3-8 and endof-course exams for high schoolers.

Whether remote students will show up to test in person is a concern.

State lawmakers recently approved a oneyear policy with incentives for districts to encourage student participation. In addition to allowing test results to be excluded from teacher evaluations, it lets districts exclude the scores from their state ratings, as long as at least 80% of their students take the tests. In a normal year, the federal government requires 95% participation, and Tennessee is seeking a federal waiver for the lower threshold.

“I think everybody across the country is expecting a lower participation rate this year,” said Scott Marion, executive director of the Center for Assessment, which advises about 40 states on testing matters.

But Marion said, “there’s nothing magical about 95% participation, or even 80% participation” when it comes to data.

“There are political polls that are based on calls to a thousand representative households across the country,” he said, and the same representative analysis can be applied to test results.

Others say the more student results, the better, especially in a state like Tennessee that for 15 years has used data to inform its education improvement work.

“Data-driven decisions are the right thing to do for students, and the way we do that is by having assessment data on how students are doing,” said David Mansouri, president and CEO of the State Collaborative on Reforming Education, a Tennessee research and advocacy organization.

“I think 80 percent is an indicator meant to say we care about knowing how students are doing,” he said, “and we want to make sure there’s a good-faith effort to administer the test this year.”

Williamson, Pelicans freeze over Grizzlies defense with 144-113 win

quarter and the Grizzlies could not regain their footing. This isn’t the first time New Orleans has gotten the best of the Grizzlies.

“They’ve played well and we haven’t,” said head coach Taylor Jenkins.

The Grizzlies have now lost five straight games against the Pelicans, with this defeat coming at a seemingly critical time in the season.

to be frozen as the Pelicans throttled the Grizzlies 144-113.

Both teams traded blows in the first half, although the Grizzlies often held a short lead.

Kyle Anderson (19 points, six rebounds) and Dillon Brooks (18 points, four rebounds) had impressive showings through two quarters, both hitting their stride early.

Ja Morant looked great and played aggressively the entire game. He ended the day with 28 points, including two coming from a rim-rattling slam in the fourth quarter.

The Pelicans’ powerhouse trio of Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and Williamson combined for 80 points with Williamson, the 2019 number one pick, leading the charge with 31 points.

Despite Memphis’ offensive spurts, New Orleans got the best of them in the third

Memphis has a busy schedule ahead of them, playing three games in the next four days. With the NBA quickly approaching its (albeit controversial) All-Star break, the Grizzlies need to “lock in” in order to keep their playoffs hopes alive.

“It’s tough playing back to backs. We really can’t sit down and dissect this game.

“I feel like we just got to take pieces – we feel like that hurt us this game – and try to fix it next game,” said Morant. “We got four in five days. We can’t let one game carry over into the next.”

While the team has faced stiff competition this season, the Grizzlies have had their fair share of chances to improve their record.

This game, for example, should have been a lot closer than the stat line displayed. Defensive hiccups and poor ball management sealed Memphis’ fate.

Both teams had 19 turnovers, but New Orleans was

able to take the ball from their opponent’s hand 14 times. In a game where Williamson and Ingram are on point, this can’t happen.

Morant had an outstanding night with the ball in his hands, but it wasn’t enough to offset the team’s performance on defense.

Being so close to the halfway mark also calls into question if the Grizzlies will ever be at full strength.

Both Jared Jackson Jr. (meniscus surgery recovery) and Justise Winslow (hip surgery recovery) haven’t stepped foot in a game this season.

The list of sidelined Grizzlies seemed to double this week as Desmond Bane (personal reasons) and De’Anthony Melton (shoulder soreness) were unavailable as well.

After losing by one of their largest margins this year, any of the players mentioned above could have made a contribution to the defensive effort.

The commanding size of both Jackson and Winslow, especially, could have turned the tide against the vertically gifted Pelicans.

Fortunately, the Grizzlies will have many opportunities this week to make up for Tuesday. The Grizzlies will play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday (Feb. 17). That will be followed by the Detroit Pistons and Phoenix Suns on Friday (Feb. 19) and Saturday (Feb. 20).

For McFerrin, the time is now to retire as coach of Tigers

by Terry Davis Special to The New Tri-State Defender

“It is time for a new season in my life,” according to Melissa McFerrin, who has retired as head coach of the University of Memphis women’s basketball program.

McFerrin’s mid-season decision was announced Sunday by UofM Director of Athletics Lair Veatch. The move brings her 13th season to an abrupt halt. Associate Head Coach Michelle Savage will guide the team through the remainder of the 2020-21 season. A national search for a permanent head coach will be conducted at the conclusion of the season.

“In arriving at the decision to retire, this time, personal reasons have won out over professional ones,” McFerrin said in the release detailing her retirement. “I have coached my entire career with personal and professional goals in alignment. … But things change over time.

“I remained at Memphis the past two seasons to see the renovation of Elma Roane Fieldhouse completed and to coach a group of young women in which I have a tremendous belief.”

Memphis is 4-10 overall and 2-7 in the American Athletic Conference this season. The Tigers are scheduled to return the court on Wednesday (Feb. 17.) against Wichita State. Their game scheduled for Monday (Feb. 15)

has been canceled because of inclement weather.

“Coach McFerrin notified me of her decision this morning, and I want to thank her for her dedication to coaching Memphis women’s basketball for many years,” said Veatch. “She had a long career coaching the Tigers, and we all wish her nothing but the best in her future endeavors.”

McFerrin won the thirdmost games in Memphis history, with a record of 193-199. The Tigers made four-straight tournament appearances from 2010-13. In her second season (2009-10), the Tigers went 20-14 and reached the WBI finals. In 2010-11, McFerrin led the Tigers to a 21-13 record, the program’s most wins since 1998-99. Memphis went 25-8 the next season and finished runner-up in the Conference USA regular-season standings and earned a WNIT bid.

In Memphis’ third year in the American Athletic Conference (2015-16), the Tigers

went 18-13 overall and 12-6 in AAC play, making another WNIT appearance. In 2016-17, Memphis defeated Vanderbilt for the first time in almost 30 years and defeated No. 20 USF for the second-straight season. The next year, the Tigers won at Vanderbilt for the first time in program history.

In April 2019, McFerrin agreed to a two-year contract extension. The backdrop included a finding that associated a “negative culture and atmosphere” with the basketball program. An outside investigation called for by the university had been launched earlier that year when nine former players complained of an abusive environment they attributed to her. Several other former players stepped forward in her defense.

What now is McFerrin’s final Memphis team entered the season with the excitement of a renovated arena, the loss of only one senior and a chance to show growth from last year’s injury-riddled season. Said McFerrin at the onset of the season: “We expect to participate in the postseason this year, and nothing less will be accepted.”

(The New Tri-State Defender intern Liaudwin Seaberry Jr., who reports on the University of Memphis women’s basketball team, contributed to the development of this story.)

Melissa McFerrin (Photo: Terry Davis)

Ja Morant being Ja Morant. (Photo: Twitter)