The New Tri-State Defender - April 1-7, 2021

COGIC national election lands two local bishops on General Board

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

“When it is known that you have some interest in church governance, your body of work becomes relevant,” said Bishop David Hall, newly elected prelate to the Church of God in Christ General Board.

“I ran a good race in 2016, but I came, in 15th place. I felt this year, I had a good chance. I came in ninth.”

program into a next-level operation. See Sports, Page 9. (Photos: Terry Davis)

Black Business Association turns to Ernest Strickland

by Dena Owens

Special to the New Tri-State Defender

The Black Business Association of Memphis, a leader in minority business growth and development for the city, has named Ernest Strickland as its new president and chief executive officer. He began his new job Thursday (April 1).

Strickland, who has served the Greater Memphis Chamber for the last 15 years – most recently as senior vice president for workforce development – brings extensive experience in economic development, along with hands-on practice as a business owner.

BBA’s new leader comes at a time when many minority businesses have closed permanently, locally

and nationally due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Others continue to struggle to keep the doors open. Only a few are thriving.

“Ernest is the right man at the right time,” said former BBA president and CEO Mark Yates, now chairman of the BBA Board of Directors.

“He will ultimately take BBA to the next level.”

Strickland’s Chamber job provid-

Ernest Strickland

ed networking opportunities with executives from top companies worldwide. Traveling the globe representing Memphis allowed Strickland to see first-hand what businesses need to compete, not only in the city, but on

SEE BBA ON PAGE 2

Memphis on track for state’s first mass vaccination site

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Memphis received more good news on the COVID-19 vaccination front Wednesday (March 31) morning when White House officials announced that a new federal mass vaccination site will be opened in Memphis next week.

In a press briefing, Andy Slavitt, White House senior advisor for COVID-19 Response, said it will be

the first federally run, mass vaccination site in Tennessee.

The good news out of Washington comes as local officials reported the rate of people being vaccinated has steadily increased.

As of Wednesday, the Shelby County Health Department said 317,937 total COVID-19 vaccine doses had been given out in Shelby County and 103,220 people had gotten two shots.

About 11 percent of the total

county population has been fully vaccinated, officials said, meaning they have received two shots of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The federally-run site will be at the Pipkin Building. Federal authorities plan to administer 3,000 doses a day at the site. It will be operated in collaboration with the state of Tennessee. On Wednesday, the Health De-

partment reported 90 new virus cases that were the result of 1,420 tests. There were two new virus-related deaths, the agency reported.

Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, at Tuesday’s (March 30) COVID Joint Task Force meeting, emphasized the importance of getting vaccinated and continuing to follow masking, social distancing and hand-washing guidelines.

And ninth place was great standing in a field of 16 bishops vying for a seat on the 12-member General Board. Hall, who is pastor of Temple COGIC, ascended to the national church’s highest executive, governing body.

Bishop Brandon B. Porter, pastor of Greater Community Temple COGIC, will serve his second term on the General Board.

“After being re-elected to the General Board, Bishop J. Drew Sheard, our new Presiding Bishop, asked me to serve the board as its secretary, which is a strategic part of the new administration,” Porter said.

Bishop J. Drew Sheard

“So, my desire is to make sure I help our new leader, and advance the vision of the presiding bishop and general board.”

The elections were held on Feb. 23, but final results were delayed because of several challenges launched against the results.

The elections were never-before-seen, like so many other “firsts” spawned by the COVID-19 world pandemic.

The Church of God in Christ made history with its first election of new leaders on a virtual platform.

“In the past, the saints vote during the Convocation when it’s an election year,” said Hall. “But because of the pandemic, there was a virtual election to choose a new presiding bishop and general board.”

Porter also weighed in on this year’s first virtual election.

“Well, because the whole

Bishop David Hall

Bishop

COGIC CONTINUED FROM FRONT

process was new and not planned years in advance, I’m sure there are many things that could have been improved,” Porter said. “For one thing, questions and concerns from the General Assembly could not be heard.

“That’s normal in any democratic process. I believe, going forward, most would rather have our elections in an in-person voting setting, so that all concerns can be fairly heard and acted upon.”

The Church’s General Assembly is a body of delegates from all the jurisdictions. They vote each election year as a representative entity, voting the will of their particular jurisdiction.

The current Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. of West Angeles COGIC in Los Angeles had announced last year that he would not be seeking re-election.

The new presiding bishop is elected from among the 12 bishops on the

BBA

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

an international scale as well. His dealings frame his vision for the BBA going forward.

“There’s a heightened awareness and intentionality around the value of creating wealth in the African-American community,” Strickland said.

“When Memphis is able to speak to wealth creation, in addition to addressing poverty, we will shift the conversation and ultimately shift the outcomes. If we get this right, Memphis is a different city – a competitive city.”

Yates, who left the BBA in January to serve as Regional Vice President (West Region) for Tennessee Valley Authority, said Strickland’s skills in economic development – in a majority Black city – strengthen his un-

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

“Please

Lee said. “That’s more important now than ever before. We have found new variants in Shelby County.”

Health officials were in a “wait and see” mode as spring break revelers return from beaches and other popular vacation destinations.

Although new cases continue decreasing, the new virus strains have city and county officials watching the progression of the variants.

David Sweat, Health Department Chief of Epidemiology, confirmed that four cases of the P1 strain of Brazil had been detected. Health officials are urging people across Shelby County and the Mid-South to get vaccinated for mitigation of all strains.

“In the past, the saints vote during the Convocation when it’s an election year. But because of the pandemic, there was a virtual election... .”

— Bishop David Hall

general board.

As the results were being calculated, there were charges of cyberattacks and other irregularities. Three days later, Blake issued a statement of rebuke for how the election process had played out.

Blake and the General Board had determined that the best course of action would be to postpone the elections, originally scheduled for November of 2020. However, Blake and the board of bishops never agreed to a re-scheduled election date.

Blake wrote that the “spirit of our election” and the “public display of

derstanding of what minority-owned businesses need to thrive.

His focus underscores talent, business acquisition and talent acquisition.

“At the heart of business is its people … its talent,” Strickland said.

The BBA, a 47-year-old organization, will provide enhanced coursework, networking support and one-on-one counseling for African-American professionals.

“In addition to developing the proper sales channel to position products and services in the market, a company’s success or failure, in large part, hinges on talent – specifically leadership talent,” said Strickland.

“We’re working to design next level leadership training for minority owners, managers and entrepreneurs. This training will include business acumen skills, executive presence and sales and conversation skills – to

Dr. Bruce Randolph, the department’s Health Officer, had warned weeks ago that getting vaccinated is a powerful weapon against the virus and any of its variations.

“When variants pop up, it means that the virus is mutating in an attempt (to thrive),” Randolph said. “Vaccines are effective against COVID-19 and all its variations.

According to officials, the variant from the U.K. is becoming the dominant strain. It presently comprises 30 to 50 percent of the new cases in Shelby County. It’s predicted that the U.K. variation will have passed the original strain in new cases by April.

The U.K. variant is 50 percent more transmissible when compared to the original virus out of China. The vaccines have shown to be effective against this variant.

The P1 variant, on the oth-

Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr.

our campaigns” challenged the fundamentals of Biblical principle.

“The unsuccessful attempt to conduct the Quadrennial election on Feb. 23, 2021, challenges our Constitution,” Blake said.

Blake also said that the chairman of the General Assembly does not have the authority or power to make decisions and take actions on behalf of the Church; that only the presiding bishop and the general board has that constitutional power.

The General Assembly chair re-set the election date.

Blake further used the statement to call for the postponement of the virtual election.

A resolution of the matter was sig-

name a few.”

The BBA will also provide guidance to succession-challenged businesses.

Many minority and women-owned enterprises (MWBEs) are owned by baby boomers, according to Strickland.

“Working with our strategic partners, we’ll develop an ‘early warning network’ enabling us to begin conversations, in a timely manner, to properly plan and match these companies with Black entrepreneurs for acquisition.”

“Start-ups are great. However, we feel strongly that acquisitions represent an opportunity to accelerate MWBE business growth and success.”

In his Chamber role, Strickland recently managed a crisis for a Blackowned vaccination company in Memphis.

er hand, is 200 percent more transmissible than the original and can create havoc in a community very quickly, said Dr. Manoj Jain, the infectious disease expert.

“It can create havoc very quickly as it’s done many cities in Brazil,” Jain said. The P1 is worrisome because it evades the vaccine and can re-infect those who have already had the virus. So, it can also infect those who have been vaccinated.”

Jain said, however, the P1 can be contained with urgent actions now: Wear masks, avoid crowds, practice social distancing, and continue vigorously washing hands frequently. Also, vaccinations become very important, he said.

Mayor Harris added, “We’ll have to do more than just get vaccinated if we are going to beat this virus.”

“We are certainly praying that our challenges with the pandemic will have reduced dramatically by November.”

— Bishop Brandon Porter

naled on March 1 when a joint statement was released by Blake and Bishop L.F. Thuston, General Assembly chairman. The show of unity touted a “high integrity third party vendor” that would be selected by March 5, to “administer the Quadrennial Election under the supervision of the Election Commission.”

A smoothly executed election process took place on March 20, and election results were published the same day.

“I ask all of you to pray for the future of COGIC,” Porter said. “We have several new officers, and we must work together for the edifying of the people. We are still a great

Ted Lyons, pharmacist and owner of ShotRX, contacted Strickland seeking advice on adding capacity, not only for vaccinating individuals against COVID-19, but providing much needed education, given vaccine hesitancy and traditional mistrust in the black community.

Strickland supported the company by activating his network and landing the owner an audience of key local officials responsible for delivering COVID-19 vaccines.

His effort resulted in a POD (point of dispensing) site at a Black church, reaching hundreds of citizens with both education and vaccinations.

Prior to joining the Chamber, Strickland, a native Memphian, owned and operated Investors First Realty, a residential real estate investment firm.

He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Memphis and an

Church with a great future, and I am excited to see the amazing things God has planned with our new leader and team.”

Hall asked for prayer for the church as “it seeks to change the hearts and minds of unbelievers.”

The Convocation, held annually in November, had a nine-year run in St. Louis. Last year, the confab was cancelled due to the pandemic. So, the city’s 10th year did not happen.

This year, the Convocation is slated to return to Memphis. Porter, who is credited with being instrumental in having the week-long event return, said, “It was time to come home.”

“We are certainly praying that our challenges with the pandemic will have reduced dramatically by November,” said Porter. “It would be heavenly to have all the saints gathering again after so many months of deaths, difficulties, and disappointments. Yes, it would be a glorious homecoming for Memphis and the COGIC saints.”

MBA from Bethel University. Strickland serves on the Greater Memphis Workforce Board, the New Memphis Board of Trustees and Whole Child Strategies Board of Directors.

As the father of five children, including twin girls, Strickland also serves as manager or “Dad-ager” to rising Hip Hop/R&B singer Mille Manny of the single “Braid My Hair.”

“I see the world through a solutions-oriented point of view. Business enterprise represents one structure for solving problems. The owner (risk-taker) has an opportunity to be rewarded with profit, as well as the ultimate reward – community building,” Strickland said.

“This process – or better yet –this ‘journey’ is motivation for me,” Strickland said.

Defense takes aim at bystanders in George Floyd case

Prosecution building case around eyewitnesses’ testimony

The Associated Press

To the prosecution, the witnesses who watched George Floyd’s body go still were regular people – a firefighter, a mixed martial arts fighter, a high school student and her 9-yearold cousin in a T-shirt emblazoned with the word “Love” – going about their daily lives when they happened upon the ghastly scene of an officer kneeling on a man’s neck.

“Normal folks, the bystanders,” prosecutor Jerry Blackwell called them in his opening statement. “You’re going to see these bystanders, a veritable bouquet of humanity.”

But some of the same people are being portrayed as unruly, angry, even threatening by Eric Nelson, the attorney for Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis officer charged with murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death. Nelson has told the jury about the hostility the officers faced, how they were distracted and perhaps frightened by people at the scene –repeatedly describing the bystanders as a “crowd,” and calling the neighborhood a “high crime area.”

“As the crowd grew in size, seemingly so too did their anger,” Nelson said in his opening statement on Monday. “And remember, there’s more to the scene than just what the officers see in front of them. There are people behind them, there are people across the street, there are cars stopping, people yelling. There is a growing crowd and what officers perceive to be a threat.”

The carefully calibrated language by each side is no accident. As Nelson cross-examined Donald Williams, a former wrestler and a mixed martial

arts fighter who has also worked security, he peppered his questions with the word “crowd”: “Have you ever had to deal with a crowd of people?”

“Have you ever had to deal with a crowd of people that was upset?” and “Is it easier or harder to deal with a crowd that is upset?”

Video of the scene suggests something less than a crowd – around 15 people can be seen on surveillance video on the sidewalk in front of Cup Foods, where Chauvin pinned Floyd to the street. That camera shows Darnella Frazier, who made the most widely seen bystander video, walking past with her 9-year-old cousin, then returning to begin filming, one of the first people to stop and watch. Others gather, one by one.

A still image of body-camera footage from Officer Tou Thao, who was facing the bystanders and admonishing them to stay on the sidewalk, shows 14 people. At least five are female, including Frazier, her cousin and two teenagers. One bystander is a small child. At least three people have their phones out to capture the scene. Of the 14, only one – a teenage girl two steps into the street with her phone out – is off the sidewalk at that point, although the live video shows others stepping into the street at times.

Nelson has suggested there were others off camera – across the street and on the other side of the intersection – though the broadest camera view so far does not show a crowd at the intersection. He has also highlighted passing cars that may have heightened officers’ stress.

Mike Brandt, a local defense attorney closely watching the trial, said Nelson “obviously needs to come

up with some explanation as to why the cops kept doing what they were doing.” He said he did not think it would be persuasive.

“When you look at the ‘crowd’ you have visions of two or three people deep fanning out 180 degrees (if not more) around the officers,” Brandt said. “That really wasn’t the case.”

Video shot by Frazier and others showed people upset by what they were seeing. Blackwell said bystanders first sought to “intercede with their voices,” then began taking video. Before long, some were imploring Chauvin to have mercy on Floyd.

“You got him down – let him breathe,” someone yelled. A woman said, “How long y’all going to hold him down?”

Concern grew when Floyd went si-

lent. “He’s not responsive right now,” someone said. Onlooker Genevieve Hansen, a firefighter, urged officers to check his pulse. Another asked, “Did they (expletive) kill him?”

Hansen said she was on her way home from a walk when she saw the police vehicles.

“I was concerned to see a handcuffed man who was not moving, with officers with their whole body weight on his back, and a crowd that was stressed out,” she said.

She said she identified herself as a firefighter but officers refused to let her come to Floyd’s aid. She admitted raising her voice and using foul language “because I was desperate” to help Floyd. In cross-examination, Nelson asked her how she would react if she was fighting a fire and a

crowd of bystanders took issue with her work. Hansen said she wouldn’t have a problem.

No bystander was more vocal than Williams, and Nelson worked to draw him out.

Nelson asked if Williams grew angrier as the arrest continued, and the mixed martial arts fighter agreed that he did. Nelson also noted that Williams called Chauvin names – “tough guy,” “real man.” He called him a “bum” 13 times. When Williams appeared to step off the curb and Thao touched him, Nelson said Williams threatened the officer.

Williams didn’t disagree.

“Yeah, I did,” he said without hesitation. “I meant it.” But he said his anger was directed at what was happening to Floyd.

This May 25, 2020, file image from a police body camera shows bystanders as former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was recorded pressing his knee on George Floyd’s neck for several minutes in Minneapolis. (Photo: Minneapolis Police Department via AP)

In This Place, There Is Wellness

by Anasa Troutman

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

As the Historic Clayborn Temple board and team work together to reimagine our sacred building we spend a lot of time thinking about how our work inside of the building can be reflected outside the building. Inevitably, these conversations bring us back to three things; restoration, cooperation, and wellness.

Is normalcy in our schools right around the corner? I hope not!

by Curtis Weathers

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The sudden and unprecedented shuttering of our nation’s school buildings due to the COVID-19 pandemic forced educators to face the most jarring and rapid change of perhaps any profession in history. Within a moment’s notice, teachers were asked to leave their classrooms indefinitely and, without adequate time and preparation, create an entirely new virtual learning environment for their students.

It was not just the move from the classrooms to the world of virtual learning that was so jarring. This interruption challenged basic norms about instruction, attendance, testing, funding, the role of technology, and, above all, the human connections that hold it all together.

Curtis Weathers

selors all at the same time.

No one could have anticipated the stress levels they have had to endure, and nothing in their training prepared them for what has taken place. But this is a chance to think entirely out of the box going forward. The pandemic has given educational thinkers and planners permission to explore new and exciting ways to deliver high-quality educational services outside traditional norms.

Restoration and cooperation are words that are easy to connect to Clayborn’s legacy. Obvious connections can be made there. Wellness, on the other hand, might seem like a bit of a stretch, but in reality, wellness is the cornerstone of our vision and the foundation from which we work to restore our city and make each other whole.

When we speak of wellness, we are not focused on individual wellness. We understand that there are brilliant practitioners here in the city who are far better equipped for that than we are. When we speak of wellness, we are focused on the wellness of the city as a whole. Our collective wellness, the wellness of our shared culture, is the most powerful pathway to a free and prosperous Memphis for all of us.

Cultural wellness sounds like a complex ideal to achieve, but it only requires that we adopt a simple ethic of love. When I say love, I do not use love as a noun, a feeling or emotion of affinity. Rather I use love as a verb, as a commitment to one another, expressed through actions. This ethic of love catalyzes a change in culture, away from a mindset of scarcity, of hoarding and squabbling over resources, to a belief that abundance means abundance for all of us.

An ethic of love requires an expectation of humane treatment for every human being, without exception. An ethic of love requires accountability of just actions that allows every human being to experience the world as a place of safety, freedom, and opportunity, a place where joy and sustainability is possible.

The conversation about cultural wellness and systemic love always makes me think of my grandmother. My Grandma Edna was an amazing woman. She raised my father and his two brothers alone, worked a fulltime job, and served diligently in the church that her parents helped build from the ground up. My grandma was a brilliant, adventurous woman who taught us how to enjoy life. As rich as her life was, as much of herself as she gave, there was a time when my grandmother lived in abject poverty. Growing up, I heard

AT A GLANCE:

In This Place There Is... – A three-part series intended to educate and frame our interconnectedness as Memphians and humans and inform the public on the work being done at Historic Clayborn Temple.

Part I: In This Place, There Is Wellness – Why cultural wellness is the cornerstone of the vision and foundation from which Historic Clayborn Temple works to restore the city.

Part II: In This Place, There Is Cooperation – Cooperatives as a business model. Past examples, the resiliency of present-day co-ops and the future.

Part III: In This Place ,There is Restoration – Restorative Economics as a model to build a society that works for all of us.

When we speak of wellness, we are focused on the wellness of the city as a whole. Our collective wellness, the wellness of our shared culture, is the most powerful pathway to a free and prosperous Memphis for all of us.

many stories of her suffering. At night when my granny or one of her boys had to go to the bathroom, they would throw a shoe down the hall to scare the rats away, then rush down the hall and back before the rats felt safe enough to come back out. A true ethic of love would transform us into a community that would never allow a mother and her children to live in such horrendous, dangerous conditions.

We see these conditions persist today in poverty wages and substandard housing. The US is suffering with a wound in our cultural DNA caused by a lack of ethics that align with our stated values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As we continue to fight for justice in the most basic areas of life, for food, clothing, housing, jobs, and safety, too many of us are barred from life and liberty, much less the pursuit of happiness. When we embrace an ethic of love, we stop fighting for basic survival and embrace love, belonging, and purpose. A society of love, belonging, and purpose is a society committed to everyone. Cultural wellness, built on love leads to positive practices, policies, and systems in our society.

Individual wellness is centered in

the self but cultural wellness permeates through our communities and reverberates out to systems of government, education, finance, and public safety with the acknowledgement, transparency, accountability, and care of love. Historic Clayborn Temple’s role in creating individual, community, and cultural wellness is to see this sacred place reborn as a hub of personal healing, relational restoration, artistic production, social innovation, economic justice, and community transformation.

We have a long way to go, but when I close my eyes, I see our collective wellness coming to life in this place, one conversation, one transformation, one step at a time.

We invite you to join this conversation about love. On April 5th, we will host THRIVE, a virtual gathering to talk about economic restoration and the promise of collective action. All are welcome. We are also building the In This Place Community Leadership Council. The Council will convene learning circles focused on implementing restorative economic models in Memphis’ historically Black neighborhoods. These circles are designed to share information, connections, and access to resources Black Memphians need to reimagine and restore their neighborhoods.

In This Place There Is Wellness. Join us. We learn, share, grow, laugh, play, and build together.

To register for the April 5th THRIVE event or to nominate yourself or someone else, or apply to participate in the Community

In the blink of an eye, the pandemic turned normalcy on its head and was abruptly and completely upended indefinitely. Thankfully, after what feels like a lifetime, we are beginning to emerge from the ravages of Covid 19 and are slowly and cautiously returning to some semblance of normalcy. Educators, support staff, and some students are getting vaccinated, and more and more school buildings are once again opening their classroom doors for in-person learning.

But as our education systems navigate these unprecedented challenges, experts argue whether returning to pre-pandemic normalcy is the direction our schools should be headed in.

Many of these experts, however, agree that we are faced with an unprecedented opportunity to reimagine and reshape how we provide high-quality education to our children.

What we did before the pandemic is not the “normal” we should be looking to return to, nor is it the normal our teachers, administrators, students, and parents want either.

For years now, our nation’s education community has pursued technological innovations to improve teaching and learning in the classroom at a snail’s pace. Our academic institutions’ slow tempo of change, with its centuries-old lecture-based approaches to teaching, entrenched institutional biases, and outmoded classrooms, is lamentable. In light of what we are experiencing with this pandemic, to return to that level of normalcy would be criminal. Normality, or what we remember as normal, should be properly and ceremoniously put to rest.

For educational leaders and innovators, this is a rare opportunity. We cannot just box up all the technology and innovations we have been introduced to and return to chalkboard teaching and learning in our classrooms.

The role of teachers has rapidly evolved, becoming in many ways more difficult and complex than when in-person learning took place before the pandemic. Teachers from kindergarten to college have had to quickly reimagine human connections and interactions to facilitate learning.

“Crazy,” “frustrating,” and “exhausting” are words many educators have used to describe teaching during this pandemic. These teachers had to become technology wizards, Zoom screen DJs, cheerleaders, and coun-

Long-standing assumptions about when, where, and how instruction must occur have shifted in ways that make it impossible to simply return to “normal.”

People’s perception of remote learning has been permanently altered, especially as it relates to regular classroom instruction, professional development, parent conferences, tutoring, and how schools provide various ancillary services.

In order to build back stronger education leaders must apply the technological skills they are learning and integrate them into our normal educational processes.

It is absolutely critical that we empower teachers and invest in the necessary skills development and capacity building to exploit the full potential of virtual and blended learning going forward. We cannot let this opportunity pass without making significant improvements to our current educational infrastructure.

So instead of returning to normal, we should be thoughtfully and purposely designing and creating our “new normal.”

Forward-looking districts are using this moment to develop new and creative possibilities, such as expanding access to services like tutoring, mentoring, counseling, and enrichment.

Some families, left with few options, have charted new paths by forming pods, joining micro-schools, and taking a much more significant role in ensuring that their children have access to adequate instruction and social-emotional support.

While these changes have certainly caused a degree of inconvenience, they have also prompted new examples of educational innovation.

There are examples from around the world of companies, consortiums, and collaboratives of all stripes coming together in innovative ways to bring high-quality creative experiences to children and adults at every level.

This pandemic is showing us how adaptable and resilient educational systems, policymakers, teachers, students, and families can be.

But what excites me the most is knowing that the use of information technology in education is now being accelerated and that virtual learning will be elevated from a “casual” to a “significant” new normal in our educational systems.

So welcome to a whole new world of educational innovation and anxious anticipation of what the “new normal” will look like. I cannot wait to see what will emerge.

Take care, everyone, continue wearing your masks, and stay safe.

Originally an organizing location for AFSCME Local 1733 in 1968, Historic Clayborn Temple is where Memphis sanitation workers declared their humanity with the “I am a man” signs captured in this image shown at an event at the site. (Courtesy photo)

Anasa Troutman

Pandemic inspires church name change, renewed commitment

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchel

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

When the pandemic hit Shelby County in March of 2020, Bishop Lee Salter was founder and pastor of Anointed Faith World Outreach Center. But the physical toll COVID-19 was taking on the Frayser community sparked a radical change.

“People were not only dying, but those let behind were losing hope,” said Salter. “We were following health department and CDC guidelines. So, I started streaming our services live from my home. Then, we started streaming them from the church. The praise team started coming up to the church to open services, but that wasn’t enough.”

Salter began to see people losing hope as the days of isolation turned into months, and children were kept out of school. Members who were more vulnerable with pre-existing conditions were encouraged to stay home and continue tuning in to the live-stream services.

But the caring prelate made safe home visits—masks and social distancing—as he saw some of his own members grow weak in faith and hope.

Shut up in the house 24 hours a day was wearing on many families,” said Salter. “The pandemic was wrecking the minds and hearts of God’s people. This was of great concern. And I remember, it was the third Sunday in August when the Lord spoke to me and told me to change the church name to ‘Anointed Faith Transformation Center.’

Salter said there was quite a bit more than just a name change. That was a pivotal moment, not only in the church’s 20year history, but a life-changing moment

for Salter’s ministry.

“Our mission has always been to build faith, transform lives, and release fresh oil anointing,” said Salter. “That is a part of our mission statement. But Frayser is a community that has great distrust—not only for law enforcement, but for each other. Many communities have churches, but the church is not really present in the community. People come into the community to attend church, and then they go back home across town where they live.”

Salter said Frayser residents have suffered a great “disconnect and distrust of each other.” He sensed that people there wanted something better, a different, more loving kind of community.

Firmly rooted …

“The level of poverty in Frayser has triggered the lawlessness we see,” said Salter. “People want to come into the community and help, but there is a great fear because of the high level of violence and criminal activity.”

Salter begin to ask how he could do more in the community, how the church could do more to help. People started coming up to the church because the doors of Anointed Faith were open when other churches were locked.

“People came up to the church, broken-hearted and living without hope,” said Salter. “We cared about our community before, but with the name change came a renewed commitment to mending those

broken hearts and giving hope through the gospel message of Jesus and Him crucified. With real transformation comes a renewed outlook on life. That is what we are working for every day.”

Anointed Faith has made more intensified outreach of young people living in Frayser. Young adults who have reached out to the church are given the message that “because you become a believer doesn’t mean life becomes dull and lackluster.

“Many feel that when you get saved, your live becomes boring,” said Salter. “But we show them that the gospel liberates the heart and mind. It gives people hope for the future. It is transforming change. That’s the change we are working for—one heart at a time.”

Like other small churches who have resorted to live-streaming and recording services on social media platforms, Anointed Faith boasts a virtual congregation that ranges from Gary, IN., to Atlanta, GA, to parts of Florida and far-away countries like Nigeria.

Anointed Faith was started in Salter’s home back in 1999, when he felt led of God to plant a non-denominational church. In 2000, the church moved into its first building at 858 Ayers St., near Jackson Ave., in north Memphis. The next location was in Nutbush, at 3767 Orchi Rd.

In 2015, the congregation moved to its present location, 4091 Overton Crossing. Videos of recorded services as well as weekly service times may be accessed on Salter’s Facebook page: Bishop Lee Salter.

Services are open to the public. Masks, temperature checks, and social distancing guidelines are strictly enforced.

Scholarly recognition...

These young scholars were saluted for their academic progress and achievements during a recent program at Mt. Pisgah C.M.E. Church, 2490 Park Ave., where the Rev. Willie Ward is the host pastor. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

Black history was celebrated as a heritage of unshakeable faith during this service at St. James Baptist Church, 1930 Hurst, on March 14. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

At Anointed Faith Transforming Center, Bishop Lee Salter and his wife, Teresa Salter, have each other’s back. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

TAKE 3: Trio of women entrepreneurs share business, leadership and life tips

by Brianna Smith-Herman Special to The New Tri-State Defender

With Women’s History Month in mind, I reached out to a high-profile event strategist, a self-published author of a children’s book and a celebrity cosmetologist to find out how they built successful business enterprises rooted in their passions.

Growing an idea into a business that leads to an empire isn’t easy. And while Cynthia Daniels, Mia Jaye and Mary Jubert Watson can attest to that, each is walking that walk in her own way.

Cynthia Daniels: ‘A journey of discovery’

Daniels, the founder of Memphis Black Restaurant Week (MBRW), is the chief event strategist of Cynthia Daniels & Co., a full-service event planning and design company that specializes in executing large-scale corporate and social events. MBRW is credited with generating $1 million-plus for the minority-owned restaurant community since 2016.

TSD: What is (the) unique skill that (has) helped you become successful?

Daniels: I think not being afraid of rejection has helped me to become successful. When you’re creating something that’s never been done before, companies don’t always want to take risks on you. Over the years, rejection has made me work harder to prove my capabilities as an entrepreneur.

TSD: How was the journey to what you successfully do now? What general advice would you give to a woman that is new to entrepreneurship?

Daniels: It was a journey of rediscovery in my late 20s that led me to relocate to Memphis and finally figure out what I was truly passionate about at age 37. I left an amazing job to start my event planning company after discovering how much I enjoyed it through volunteering with nonprofits.

I would tell any woman that’s new to entrepreneurship to work in what you’re naturally good at and outsource what you can to experts. I’ve spent countless hours trying to do things myself to save money, until I realized how much valuable time I was wasting.

Mia Jaye: ‘Look within and self-reflect’

A Detroit native, Jermia Jerdine, whose brand name is Mia Jaye, graduated magna cum laude from the University of Memphis with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She was pursuing a course of becoming a top-level executive before adjusting her aims after the birth of her son.

In 2015, she self-published ‘No Way, Tré You Can’t Have Your Way: Fruit Instead Of Junk Food Today (Volume 1).’ Her interest and intense desire for healthy foods and healthy choices propelled her (in 2016) to become the founder of a non-profit organization, Fresh Start Kidz, Inc., that promotes healthy eating and living among children and adults.

Three years later, she embraced the mindset of supporting women and serving as an advocate for moms. In 2020, she launched Mia Jaye’s Toolbox – a Podcast space for grown women that provides tips, tools and support to help them grow, glow and unleash their inner boss.

TSD: Why is work-life balance important for women? And how have you achieved a healthy work-life balance?

Mia Jaye: The key word here is “balance” and every aspect of life requires it. There has to be work and rest periods. There has to be time dedicated to being fully present and fully engaged. There has

to be time devoted to God, your family, yourself and any other area of importance so that you can re-energize, reset and water the seeds you are planting in the world.

So, whether it is work-life balance, mom-life balance or any two demanding areas of priority which calls for your attention, reaching an equilibrium is important for your health, success and sanity.

For me, I have utilized the tools presented to me by my former life coach, Sharon Green, who taught me how to implement the wheel of life into my life. I learned how to prioritize what is important and assign a goal to each area of priority. From there, I would create tasks as to how I would achieve those goals.

For example, I ranked my family as a nine and my career as an eight. By doing this, I could easily see that my family was a top priority and that more tasks should be allocated there over my career. And that is how I achieve balance in various aspects of my life.

TSD: What is a quote that you live by? And why does it resonate with you?

Mia Jaye: “Once you reflect over your past mistakes, triumphs and obstacles ... you gain knowledge on who you are and who you need to become.”

This a quote that I quoted after performing my yearly reflection. Every year that I would answer the question while reflecting, I found myself growing, learning, and channeling energy that I hadn’t yet noticed to exist. It’s a powerful exercise to look within and self-reflect. And I do it often.

Mary J. The Stylist: ‘Know your worth’

Known as Mary J. The Stylist, Mary Jubert Watson owns Mary J’s Hair Studio and is the CEO of Mary J’s Hair Collection and Mary J The Label, fashion brand. Her full-service salon specializes in promoting healthy hair, natural hair silkening and extensions.

She is known for her exclusive premium virgin hair extensions in a variety of styles, textures and lengths. All are to assist women with adding fullness, volume and individual creativity to their hair.

TSD: What do you think are your unique skills that have helped you become successful?

Mary J. Watson: Some unique skills that have helped me to become a successful hairstylist is my originality, creativity being financially literate and setting my own standard for excellence. Having a strong work ethic, being loyal, honest and professional are also some positive attributes.

TSD: How was the journey to what you successfully do now? What general advice would you give to a woman that is new to entrepreneurship?

Mary J. Watson: The journey to what I successfully do now has been life chang-

ing. I’ve been blessed with countless opportunities, rewarded for what I love to do, and the ability to inspire and motivate women along the way.

The advice I would give a woman who is new to entrepreneurship is to:

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Kendrick P. – ‘The world is yours ... be you!’

by Najee El-Amin

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The music industry is beginning to take notice of one of Memphis’ most promising artists. Kendrick P. has been making music since he was 17 years old and there has been no looking back since.

“I feel like I’m here for a reason,” says Kendrick. “ The music is going to walk me into whatever my purpose is on this earth.”

Since his debut, Kendrick has produced countless hits and numerous projects. Kendrick averages 93,000 monthly listens on Spotify with his hit single Blessings on Blessings being the fan-favorite. The track speaks on avoiding drama and staying focused on the real goal at hand. P’s lyrics deliver a meaningful message and backs it up with an effortless flow that makes it hard not to put the song on repeat.

The music video to Blessings on Blessings is now being circulated The video is in rotation on BET Jams and YO! MTV.

Kendrick continuously intertwines music genres and is honing in on his unique R&B style. He has been influenced by numerous talents before him ranging from soul legend Sam Cooke to contemporary icon Roddy Rich.

Kendrick P.’s only goal isn’t to be famous, he also wants to make an impact on the place he came from. He intentionally stays away from glamorizing street life and gun violence as he wants the younger generation to know there are other avenues in life.

“We have to tell them they can do something different and elevate themselves,” says Kendrick

“You don’t have to be a tough guy to be real. The world is yours...be you!.”

His most recent album, W.Y.A.F. (What You Ask For) has been especially successful earning over two million streams. “Fallen”, “Vibe Slow”, and “Those Jeans,” are some of the most notable pieces on the album and continue to deliver Kendrick’s unmistakable vibe.

The Coronavirus pandemic put the world at a standstill but this time in isolation proved to be beneficial for Kendrick.

“Having to be stuck in one space gives you no choice but to hone in on your craft,” said Kendrick. “I recorded a whole lot of music over quarantine, that’s all you really could do. I maximized as much as I possibly could within that time frame.”

He plans on traveling as much as possible once the conditions return to some version of normality.

Kendrick isn’t alone in his journey to the top. His manager, Ricardo Hunter believes that he and Kendrick are on the verge of greatness.

“He makes great music and it’s not just that. It’s the team he has around him now,” says Hunter “Everybody plays a part.”

Hunter has worked with some of the top artists in the nation including 2Chainz, Young Dolph, and Moneybagg Yo. When he caught wind of Kendrick’s music, he knew that there was a lot of potential within the young star.

Since the pair have been working together Kendrick’s stream on Apple music has gone from a few hundred to 40,000. They’ve also been tirelessly working to expand the markets that Kendrick’s music is played in. They plan on dropping another project in May that is bound to turn more people into Kendrick P. believers. Kendrick and Hunter say it is only up from here.

“Every record that we put out, we’re trying to take it to the max,” says Hunter. “He can go to the moon. He has so much talent.”

Kendrick

Brianna SmithHerman

Mary J The Stylist

Mia Jaye

Cynthia Daniels

COMMUNITY

The New Tri-State Defender, April 1 - 7, 2021, Page

7

On April 4, NCRM moving to help break the ‘Silence’

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The National Civil Rights Museum is co-producer of “Breaking the Silence,” a virtual event that debuts on April 4 as “an intergenerational call for unity and action.”

Several Memphis-area ministers and others actively engaged in community-support efforts have signed onto a letter boosting the event, which will feature recorded, online-readings by celebrities and activists of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s historic 1967 Vietnam speech.

The speech, delivered a year to the day before King’s assassination in Memphis on the balcony of the old Lorraine Motel, identified the triple threats of racism, militarism and extreme materialism. The virtual event on Sunday (April 4) is part of the museum’s safety-protocol observance of the annual commemoration.

“Dr. King’s assassination is a constant reminder of this nation’s turmoil, the issues that prevail and the hope that we will universally choose love as he advised us to do,” said Faith Morris, the museum’s chief marketing and external affairs officer.

Area ministers who signed onto the support letter are:

Rev. Cheryl Beard, CEO, The Rosa T. Beard Debutante Club, Inc.; Pastor Charlie Caswell, founder, Legacy of Legends CDC; the Rev. Earle J. Fisher, Ph.D., senior pastor, Abyssinian Baptist Church; Dr. Peter Gathje, director, Manna House; Rabbi Micah Greenstein, senior rabbi, Temple Israel; the Rev. Floridia Jackson, spiritual director, Memphis School of Servant Leadership; Dr. Kelvin D. Lake, lead pastor, Rhema Life Church; the Rev. Dr. Gina M. Stewart, senior pastor, Christ Missionary Baptist Church; and the Rev. Don E. Williams, retired pastor.

TSD Newsroom

SisterReach, a Black-woman-led nonprofit advocating for the human rights of Black women, women of color, teens, LGBT+ people and their families, has launched its latest community resource, Pearl’s Pantry.

The pantry provides an experience combining the basic needs of the community with a safe, upscale ambiance similar to what one would find in department stores or boutiques. Community members will be able to shop for clothing, food, hygiene, and

“I could never again raise my voice against the violence of the oppressed … without having first spoken clearly to the greatest purveyor of violence in the world today: my own government.”

— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., April 4, 1967, New York City’s Riverside Church

A live webinar putting King’s speech in today’s context will follow the pre-recorded reading.

Panelists for that program are Medea Benjamin, Code Pink founder; Ash-Lee Henderson, co-director of the Highlander Center; Bill McKibben, 350.org; and Director of the TEWA Women’s Center, Corrine Sanchez. Noted scholar, writer and activist Barbara Ransby will moderate the panel.

Dr. King’s address was controversial at the time because it marked his articulation of the relationship between the struggle for civil rights domestically and the global struggle against what he referred to as “giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism.”

At the time, his speech, known as “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence,” drew intense criticism from institutions ranging from the New York Times and the Washington Post to the NAACP. Many felt he had moved outside of his narrow lane.

King’s target in 1967 was the escalating American war in Vietnam while decreasing the war on poverty. Program sponsors assert that in 2021 one could easily substitute “Black Lives, Native Americans

baby needs-all free of charge.

“Pearl’s Pantry is another way to honor the life, legacy, and request for the services SisterReach would provide to mothers, babies and families, by my mother, Pearl Williams,” said Cherisse Scott, CEO & Founder of SisterReach.

“Mom knew firsthand what it meant to navigate subpar social services and receive practical support for basic needs when she was a young single mother raising myself and my siblings. The impact of COVID-19 has presented ongoing uncertain times for hundreds of families across

or the poor and his charge would ring true as ever in the United States. Clearly it is our own humanity that is at stake.”

J. Craven, the filmmaker – who created “Breaking the Silence” – said, “Dr. King talked about racism, militarism and poverty being the triple threat to progress. … I couldn’t help thinking about the timeliness of Dr. King’s speech all these years later.”

Frayser-area activist Caswell, who signed onto the letter circulated in association with the virtual reading of King’s ’67 speech, echoed that sentiment.

“Many of the elements in Dr. King’s speech are so relevant today,” Caswell said. “Education is a barrier for so many. It should not have taken a pandemic to give every child access to technology and laptops.

“Now, some of our children’s hotspots don’t work properly, so learning is an issue, especially in Frayser. These are the same children who fall behind in school, won’t be able to find a job or will only be able to get a low-wage job.

:Or, end up in jail and the cycle of poverty continues for another generation.”

the Mid-South. People need realistic, tangible assistance to sustain themselves and their families.”

Scott said people also need and deserve to have resources presented in a way that does not tokenize, degrade or demean them based on their need.

“Pearl’s Pantry operates with a spirit of dignity and respect and provides a caring and nonjudgmental experience for all who walk through our doors. Every aspect of it, from the art decor and music, to the types of food and clothing we provide, has been selected based on the high quality and dignity worthy of those whom we

AT A GLANCE

Each April 4th, the National Civil Rights Museum commemorates the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as he stood on the balcony outside room 306 at the Lorraine Motel, the centerpiece of the museum. This year, the museum presents two virtual commemorations.

• Beginning at 5 p.m., “Remembering MLK” will reflect on King’s life, teachings, courage, diplomacy, philosophy, love and legacy through prayer, performances and reflections. Featured: King’s ally and civil rights icon, the Rev. James Lawson, and Dr. Bernard Richardson, executive officer for Religious Affairs at Howard University.

• At 6:01 p.m., the time King was shot, “attendees” will be taken to the Lorraine balcony for a global moment of silence followed by a rendition of King’s favorite gospel hymn, “Precious Lord,” performed by vocal ensemble Adajyo.

• The commemoration continues with the premier of “Caged,” a musical tribute written by African American composer Brian Nabors, performed by Iris Orchestra’s Artist fellows and Memphis Symphony Orchestra/University of Memphis fellows, featuring emerging African American and Latinx musicians.

• “Breaking the Silence” – an intergenerational call for unity and action. The virtual commemoration presents renowned activists such as Dr. Ibrahm X Kendi, Alice Walker, Jane Fonda and others delivering King’s “Beyond Vietnam” speech.

(Learn more and register for the free webinar at www.kingandbreakingsilence. org.)

serve,” said Scott. Community members will have an opportunity to learn more about and connect more intimately with the work of SisterReach, as well as their Pearl’s Pantry partners, Walking Into A New Life, Memphis BStars, Peake Wellness, and Agape Affirming Ministries.

Cherisse Scott: “The impact of COVID-19 has presented ongoing uncertain times for hundreds of families across the Mid-South. People need realistic, tangible assistance to sustain themselves and their families.” (Courtesy photo)

These celebrity figures will be among the high-profile activists bringing to life the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in his 1967 speech dubbed, “Beyond

Vietnam: A Time to Break the Silence.” (Courtesy images)

Faith Morris Pastor Charlie Caswell

Tennessee lawmakers sending Gov. Lee permitless carry gun bill

by Jonathan Mattise

The Associated Press

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov.

Bill Lee can soon sign off on his proposal to let most adults 21 and older carry handguns – concealed or openly — without a license that now requires a background check and training.

Republican lawmakers in the supermajority finished their work on the bill Monday as it passed the House 64-29, following the Senate’s approval earlier this month. Some Republicans defected to vote against the measure, whose opponents include influential law enforcement entities.

A Republican approaching his reelection campaign for 2022, Lee

proposed the National Rifle Association-backed legislation last year before the COVID-19 pandemic caused lawmakers to narrow their focus. Nationwide, at least six states are also weighing similar measures this year, with supporters eager to join nearly 20 others that currently don’t require permits for conceal carry. Meanwhile, more than 30 states allow for permitless open carry. Lee and GOP lawmakers have sought to sell the proposal by tying in harsher penalties for those who commit certain gun-related crimes, with the governor setting aside $17.7 million in his budget plan for the bill largely due to an anticipated increase in incarceration.

That hasn’t budged Tennessee police chiefs, sheriffs and prosecutors, who consider the state’s existing permit system an important safeguard for knowing who should or shouldn’t be carrying a gun.

Law enforcement organizations opposed to the current legislation include the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association and the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police.

House Majority Leader William Lamberth said the fee-based permits would still be needed to carry guns across state borders. He said people need to take classes and shoot at the range regularly. But he said getting a permit and training shouldn’t stand in the way of Tennesse-

THE NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER CLASSIFIEDS

ans carrying a handgun. “We do not think that you should have to do those things to exercise your 2nd Amendment rights,” said Lamberth, a Republican from Portland. “This is a massive step forward for freedom.” Democrats have said the proposal shows Republicans aren’t making good on their promise to support law enforcement.

“Anyone who votes for this legislation tonight, don’t ever say you back the blue,” said Democratic Rep. Bo Mitchell of Nashville.

On Monday outside of the Capitol, Shaundelle Brooks urged the bill’s defeat by retelling the story of her son Akila DaSilva, who was one of

four people killed in a 2018 shooting at a Waffle House in Nashville. She was joined by a group of faith leaders who collected hundreds of letters opposing the legislation.

“We know our loved ones are never coming back,” Brooks said of those who have lost loved ones in shootings. “We don’t want your sympathy. We want your action.”

The push in Tennessee came after Republicans in the General Assembly relaxed the state’s handgun law in 2019 by allowing people to obtain a concealed-carry-only handgun permit that didn’t require them to demonstrate ability to fire a weapon. The new permits became available at the start of 2020.

LOSB, and Section 3 Contractors under these rehabilitation programs. The Shelby County Government reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any informalities therein. By order of LEE HARRIS, MAYOR SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Scott Walkup, Administrator NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Marcino Pigram Tax Parcel #: 07104800000360 Tax Sale #: 1301 Price Offered: $4000 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:00 a.m. on April 29, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort. Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Marcino Pigram Tax Parcel #: 07104800000360 Tax Sale #: 1301 Price Offered: $4000 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:00 a.m. on April 29, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort. Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Fredrick Hayes Tax Parcel #: 08201000000820 Tax Sale #: 1603 Price Offered: $800 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 1:00 p.m. on April 29, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort. Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Jessica Laura Ramos Tax Parcel #: 02105900000170 Tax Sale #: 1602 Price Offered: $500 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 2:00 p.m. on April 30, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort. Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400 1509 Madison Ave. Memphis, TN 38104 PH (901) 523-1818 FAX (901) 578-5037 HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. DEADLINES: Display ads Friday 5 p.m. Classifieds ads Monday 5 p.m. STANDARD RATES: $6.00 per line for 1 column ad. Rates are non-commissionable and are quoted at the net rate. No refund for early cancellation. For additional information contact Sales Dept. at (901) 746-5201 or email: advertising@tsdmemphis.com. BEER PERMITS Flat Rate: $35 GENERAL INFORMATION: Some categories require prepayment. All ads subject to credit approval. The New Tri-State Defender reserves the right to correctly classify and edit all copy or to reject or cancel any ad at any time. Only standard abbreviations accepted. Copy change during ordered schedule constitutes new ad & new changes. Deadlines for cancellation are identical to placement deadlines. Rates subject to change. ADJUSTMENTS: PLEASE check your ad the first day it appears. Call (901) 523-1818 if an error occurs. We can only offer in-house credit and NO REFUNDS are issued. THE NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER assumes no financial responsibility for errors nor for copy omission. Direct any classified billing inquires to (901) 523-1818.

must display your

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SPORTS

The New Tri-State Defender, April 1 - 7, 2021, Page 9

Katrina Merriweather bringing her ‘first class’ record to the UofM

by Terry Davis

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Katrina Merriweather – the first African American to lead the University of Memphis women’s basketball Tigers – has a track record with “firsts.”

The former Wright State University (WSU) head coach was named the Tigers’ new coach on Monday (March 29) succeeding Melissa McFerrin, who retired amid the 2020-21 season.

Merriweather guided her Wright State teams to three straight NCAA appearances, a first for the program. In this year’s NCAA tournament, the No. 13-seeded Wright State team knocked off No. 4 Arkansas. It was the first time WSU had won a NCAA tournament game.

The Tigers logged a 4-15 record this past season, their fifth straight losing campaign. At her media debut on Monday, Merriweather acknowledged that the UofM program has experienced “some bumps basketball-wise” with several contributing factors.

The winner of three Horizon league championships at Wright State, Merriweather said she plans to build upon the integrity of the Memphis program, including what has been accomplished in the community and in the classroom.

While the Memphis area historically has produced talented players, many have not chosen to play at the University of Memphis. Merriweather’s goals include getting more of that talent pool to stay at home.

Recruiting in a pandemic has been tough for coaches. And, new NCAA rules allowing college athletes to transfer and become immediately eligible has changed the college hoops landscape.

“I think you have a track record

of taking care of kids and being able to hold people accountable; that is what everybody wants,” Merriweather said on recruiting players. “I have a lot of support in sports, whether it is high schools or AAU, that know who I am as a person. They will easily tell young people that this is a great place to be.”

Merriweather has a deep basketball pedigree. She encouraged her famous and successful AAU-coaching father, Keith Merriweather, who won the very first Nike summer league title, to switch from coaching AAU-level boys teams to guiding girls teams.

A successful player at the University of Cincinnati, Merriweather has played at the Tigers’ Elma Roane Field House. She envisions reaching out to former Memphis players for help in growing the program to the next level.

Fresh off of coaching the men’s basketball team to the National Invitation Tournament title, Tigers’ head coach Penny Hardaway, who attended Merriweather’s debut, said, “I think we are headed in the right direction. …

“No knock on coach McFerrin,” said Hardaway. “I understand with a new coach the city is buzzing. The players around town are excited. The players here are excited. I think great things are about to happen.”

Hardaway spoke to the university now having African Americans as head coaches guiding its basketball programs.

“She is making history. That is a lot of weight on her shoulders,”

real Memphian. She even mentioned the wings on Beale Street and how friends are looking forward to visiting the city and sampling the Bluff City’s great food.

Champs!

Tigers wrap historic season with NIT title

by Terry Davis

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

FRISCO, Texas – For the University of Memphis Tigers, the season is done, the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) has been won and head coach Penny Hardaway already is peeking ahead at what could come after the championship run.

“I am so excited for the boys for the way they have worked all year,” Hardaway said after the Tigers ran away from the Mississippi State Bulldogs 77-64 to claim the NIT crown. “We tried to be great and they met the challenge. It wasn’t easy. Every day was a grind. I never let up because I wanted them to be great.

“It is a championship not only for us, but for the school and the city. It is a huge start to where we want to go.”

Memphis coach Penny Hardaway communicates what he wants done.

(Photo: Terry Davis)

That destination is a long-sought return to the NCAA Tournament and a chance to win the coveted “Big Dance” title. The Tigers came close but didn’t net a NCAA bid in the pandemic affected, roller coaster of a season.

“It is very gratifying,” Hardaway said of the NIT title. “We have to thank God for the opportunity. To be here now from where we started is a blessing. These kids started to figure out it is not all about me. It is about

my brother and me.”

The Tigers got off to a blistering start, scoring the first 13 points of the game and not allowing the Bulldogs a basket until 12:42 was left in the half. Memphis’ trademark defense ignited the run as the Tigers (20-8) forced five turnovers and swatted away two shots.

The Bulldogs pushed back, weathered Memphis’ response and then mounted a 19-8 run to end the half tied at 33 with the Tigers. The Bulldogs were happy to be tied, Memphis was looking for answers as to why the game was tied.

Foul trouble was a culprit. Two fouls each sent DeAndre Williams and Malcolm to the bench with eightplus minutes left in the half. Add to that the Tigers only shot 29 percent from the floor, while the Bulldogs finished the half connecting at 42 percent.

The Tigers started the second half with another run and with 16:09 left in the game they led by three (40-37). That’s as close as the Bulldogs got to the Tigers the rest of the way. Memphis improved its shooting in the second half (67 percent) and turned the defensive intensity up even higher.

Boogie Ellis led the Tigers’ scoring punch with 23 points. Landers Nolley II, who was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, had 10 points. Lester Quinones contributed eight points and ripped a career-high 16 rebounds. D.J. Jeffries came up big

with 15 points and DeAndre Williams had 12 points.

“This is one of the most talented teams I have ever played on,” Quinones said. “Everybody on this roster has something to give. I feel other things think it is a mismatch at every position. No one on this team feels like they can be guarded. It felt like an All-Star team.

“We came closer together off the court. We decided to let the game come to every single person.”

Nolley, who tends not display much public emotion, showed more than has been his tendency. On his feeling about winning the NIT championship and the MVP trophy, Nolley said, “For me it has been a journey … to put my trust into a new organization. The guys just having my back,

what else can I say. “This feeling is unreal. If you had told me we would be NIT champs at the end of the season, I would have told you that you were lying.”

Memphis point guard Alex Lomax, who missed the Tigers stretch’ run after an injury, played the last 40 seconds of the game.

“We wanted everybody to play when it got down to the end,” Hardaway said. “We want everybody to do well, and everyone has contributed to this. Alo has been through everything with me as a player. I know it was killing him not to be able to play. Those 40 seconds meant the world to him. He kept the guys level-headed during practices and games.”

NOTES AND NEXT:

• For Hardaway, it was his third 20-win season since taking over

as the head coach at the university where he starred before finding pro-level stardom in the NBA.

• The Tigers’ D.J. Jeffries and the Bulldogs’ Cameron Matthews were teammates at Olive Branch High School. Matthews led Mississippi state with 19 points and six rebounds.

• The Tigers have one other NIT championship to their credit. They won in 2002 under John Calipari. They placed third in 2001 and were runners-up in 1957.

• With the new NCAA transfer rules, there is no guarantee that this Memphis team will come back intact. While everyone is eligible to return, the transfer portal and the NBA may be enticing options for some. Nolley said the team would get together in a week or so without the coaches to decide their fate as “a family.”

Hardaway said. “To have an African-American female coach along here with me, I think that is special. I think these kids are going to look at

that and be inspired.”

A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Merriweather pledged to do the things it takes to become a

Penny Hardaway and Katrina Merriweather – the University of Memphis’ head basketball coaches – are used to making history. (Photos: Terry Davis)

At Wright State University, Katrina Merriweather was used to snipping nets for her teams’ winning ways. (Courtesy photo)

DeAndre Williams draws attention in the paint. (Photos: Terry Davis)

Penny Hardaway, with assistant coaches Tony Madlock and Jermaine Johnson, signal that the Tigers are No. 1 in the NIT this season.

Terry Davis

As she shows here, Katrina Merriweather, the former Wright State coach, who is taking over at the UofM, brings plenty energy to charge up her players. (Courtesy photo)

‘Essential’ takes on a whole new meaning with COVID.

Get vaccinated when it’s your turn.

I’m an essential worker, because everyone needs food. You know what’s essential for me? Not getting COVID. And it’s a virus that keeps changing. Vaccines are here. But until enough of us are vaccinated, we still need to mask up, stay 6 feet apart, and avoid crowds. Whenever I see that, there’s a smile behind my mask.