The New Tri-State Defender (August 20-26, 2020) by The Tri-State Defender

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August 20 - 26, 2020

VOL. 69, No. 34

Akbari rises up, again, at 2020 Democratic Convention by Jennifer L. Sharp Special to The New Tri-State Defender

From former ﬁrst lady Michelle Obama’s compelling speech to the heartwarming stories from everyday people, the 2020 Democratic National Convention (DNC) has been a trending topic on social media this week. The DNC, which was held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years by

the United States Democratic Party and administered by the Democratic National Committee. During the DNC, the committee and the Party oﬃcially nominate a candidate for president and vice president and adopt a comprehensive party platform. This year’s virtual DNC is giving the viewing audience an opportunity to experience the entire convention from the safety and comfort of their homes. “This is a neat experience and it is well-produced,” said Tennessee

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Worth Morgan

Tennessee State Sen. Raumesh Akbari, who spoke forcefully at the Democratic National Convention in 2016, did so again Tuesday at the virtual gathering that marks 2020. (Image: Screen capture) State Sen. Raumesh Akbari of Memphis. “This convention is very inclusive, and it has shattered viewing records.” During the second night of the convention, Akbari was among the 17 “rising stars” engaged to deliver the keynote address. In the spotlight, Akbari talked about the constituents who build this country, especially during the pandemic. “The nurses in Memphis who came out of retirement to treat patients during this pandemic, you built this country,” said Akbari.

She also talked about how Joe Biden fought for women’s rights and how he will continue to ﬁght for women’s rights if elected as the 46th President of the United States. “Joe Biden has been ﬁghting for women his entire career. As senator, he authored the Violence Against Women Act. And as president, he’ll restore funding for Planned Parenthood. He will codify Roe v. Wade and make reducing maternal mortality, especially for women of color, a

SEE DNC ON PAGE 3

Non-partisan collective targets voter registration, turnout in November by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell Special to The New Tri-State Defender

A multi-pronged coalition has launched a local voter registration and Election Day turnout drive. Representatives of the NAACP, AFL-CIO, Teamsters and MICAH (Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope) and the A. Phillip Randolph Institute (APRI) on Tuesday announced their apolitical partnership aims to get more voters registered for a massive turnout in the general election on Nov. 3. The “Continue the Dream Voter and Volunteer Alliance” is a substantial, local response to threats of voter suppression through mail-in and absentee voting, which has developed on the national front. President Donald Trump said in a White House briefing last week that he plans to block additional funding and election assistance for the U.S. Postal Service to thwart efforts to expand mail-in voting capacity. Kendra Lee, political fellow coordinate of the APRI, said her organization is “ecstatic” to be joining in the Voter and Volunteer Alliance. “It is important to return power back to the people,” Lee said. “Memphis has a history of advocacy and a history of organizing. Politics are about people, and power should be in the hands of the people.” APRI successfully sued the Tennessee Election Commission to ease excuse requirements for absentee ballots during COVID pandemic, stating in filing documents that people “should not have to choose between staying safe and exercising their right to vote.” NAACP Political Chair Ian Randolph said the coalition wants to ensure that “all people get to flex their power on Nov. 3.” “Voting is power. And the time

SEE VOTE ON PAGE 3

Rev. Dr. Kevin Brooks, social justice minister at Providence AME Church, led a handful of marchers to the site where 17-year-old Brandon Fleming was fatally shot on Sunday. (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises)

‘Code of care’ advocated as gun violence claims another teenager by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The recent slaying of yet another child in Memphis this year sparked a call to action by a local clergyman and community advocates. Brandon Fleming, 17, was fatally shot Sunday (Aug. 16). He is among the 24 children killed by gun violence in Memphis this year, according to police, compared to 14 children last year. “The news was so devastating; the burden was just too great. I had to do something,” said Dr. Kevin Brooks, Providence AME Church Social Justice Minister. This past weekend, which saw at least four homicides and numerous aggravated woundings, was a particularly violent one for Memphis. The assault victims included Elijah Mitchell Lewis, the oldest son

of Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell, the Grammy-winning engineer and producer, who runs South M e m p h i s ’s historic Royal Studios, the Brandon music recordFleming ing facility tied to Hi Records and the legendary Willie Mitchell. He was shot and critically wounded Saturday in Cordova. Glenn Smith, 32, has been charged with aggravated burglary, attempted second-degree murder, and possession of a ﬁrearm during the commission of a dangerous felony in connection with the shooting, according to Shelby County court records. Fleming’s slaying moved Brooks

and a handful of others to rally against violence on Memphis’ streets Monday (Aug. 17). Like many of his peers, Fleming was not only excited about going into his senior year at Booker T. Washington High School, but he had signed up for the Black Male Achievement program, an after-school and Saturday mentoring initiative for males aged 8-21. Science was his favorite subject, and Fleming had high hopes of playing basketball as a senior. “Brandon was kind of a quiet guy,” said Ladazier Mathis, 18, Brandon’s sister. “He played a lot of basketball. We have a basketball goal at home. He had a best friend, but he really didn’t talk to me about any girlfriends.” Although few in number, marchers called out Brandon’s name as

SEE GUN ON PAGE 2

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JB Smiley Jr.

Council holds its ground after mayor takes stand Veto override nixes public safety/crime referendum by Erica R. Williams Special to The New Tri-State Defender

“Let the public vote,” is what Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said to City Council members Tuesday (Aug.18), as he vetoed a decision the body previously made to take a public safety referendum off the November ballot. Within an hour, though, the council voted to override the mayor’s decision. Strickland’s veto was sent in a letter to City Council Chairwoman Patrice Robinson during the council’s regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday (Aug. 18) meeting. In the notice, Strickland said he took the action because the council’s decision “strips the right of the citizens of Memphis to decide on public safety and crime prevention.” The council passed Ordinance No. 5756 Aug. 4, which remove a referendum from the November ballot, asking whether the city should expand the boundaries Jim in which police Strickland officers and fire fighters can live up to two hours outside city limits. The ordinance, at least for now, ended a long-running debate on whether police officers should be able to live outside Shelby County. After a short, but somewhat heated debate following the mayor’s notice, the council overrode the veto in a 7-6 vote. Councilmember JB Smiley Jr, who received word of the mayor’s letter during the council meeting, immediately brought the topic up to the body for discussion. Councilmember Worth Morgan likened the decision to remove the question off the ballot to voter suppression. “The people have the right to weigh in and vote on this decision and we are robbing them of that opportunity. And I think it is absolutely wrong,” he said. “And here is the most obvious case that I have ever seen, where we are purposely removing a question from the ballot that people cannot participate in how they

SEE COUNCIL ON PAGE 2

The New Tri-State Defender

August 20 - 26, 2020

Page 2

NEWS

Tennessee postal workers struggling amid cuts, backlogs by Adrian Sainz Associated Press

Postal workers in Tennessee are urging the public to support them as they struggle to keep delivering mail while sorting machines get removed, employee overtime is cut and mail piles up at distribution centers and post oﬃces. Five processing machines that sort mail at a rate of 38,000 pieces per hour have been removed from the Memphis area in the past 30 days, U.S. Postal Service union representatives said Tuesday. Another important machine that sorts larger pieces of mail also has been taken oﬄine in Memphis. Meanwhile, letter carriers are working 11 to 12 hours a day — sometimes on their

COUNCIL CONTINUED FROM FRONT are governed. People cannot have a say in Memphis public safety.” Smiley countered, calling Morgan’s voter suppression-claims comparison “laughable.” Smiley warned of making the accusations during a time of what he called, “real voter suppression.” “Voter suppression is what Harold Ford Sr. went through…. that is what voter suppression is,” Smiley said, referring to Tennessee’s first black U.S. representative. “This is simply individuals who represent certain districts voting the will of their constituency.” Councilmember Martavius Jones, a consistent proponent of putting limitations on police residency since he began serving his first term in 2016, said he’s happy the council stood on their decision. “We would have been going down a slippery slope to take every issue that may be contentious or may not be enough votes on the council to pass a measure, but putting it on a ballot seems like an effort of last resort,” he said. Council members voting to override the mayor’s veto were Michalyn Easter-Thomas, Rhonda Logan, Smiley, Robinson, Cheyenne Johnson, Jamita Swearengen and Jones. Voting against were Chase Carlisle, Frank Colvett Jr., Edmund Ford Sr., Morgan, J. Ford Canale and Jeff Warren. The divide on issues related to public safety and police reform didn’t end after the override of Strickland’s veto. Later in the meeting, council members discussed Oper-

day off without overtime — to get through a mail backlog caused by several factors, including the removal of sorting machines and orders to leave undelivered mail in post offices rather than making second trips to homes in a day, union leaders said. Delays in deliveries of medicines, paychecks, absentee and mail-in-ballots and even letters from family and friends directly affect people’s lives, the union leaders said. “We connect the dots in America through this beloved service,” Melvin Richardson, president of the American Postal Workers Union Local 96, said during a news conference in front of the Kenneth T. Whalum, Sr. Post Office in Memphis. “When you take

ation LeGend, the initiative that would allow federal law enforcement agencies to work with state and local law enforcement to ﬁght crime in select cities, including Memphis. The council ended up voting down a resolution by Easter-Thomas that expressed opposition to the federal operation’s presence in Memphis. Easter-Thomas warned that the federal agents will not be “working with” the Memphis Police Department, but instead “working over them.” Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, said the federal presence is in response to the city’s spike in violent crimes. He added that, whether the council liked the operation or not, they didn’t have any say on if the federal resources would come to Memphis. “With all due respect to the council, no one’s permission is necessary for us to surge these federal resources into Memphis. Federal law still applies here on the streets of Memphis,” Dunavant said. As long as I›m the United States attorney, we will, in fact, aggressively, consistently and unapologetically enforce that federal law against the worst of the worst criminals for harming our citizens and terrorizing our community.” Smiley countered, “I have to be skeptical of the true intent of the federal agents,” he said. “I’m just not sure if the federal agents are here to address violent crime.” Smiley also delayed discussion of his sponsored bill that would allow an online, public portal documenting police misconduct. The next Council meeting takes is scheduled for Sept. 1.

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, right, D-Tenn., stands alongside postal worker union representatives after a news conference about problems with the U.S. Postal Service on Tuesday (Aug. 18) in Memphis. (AP Photo/ Adrian Sainz) the resources away, you make it impossible to complete the mission that we’re here to do for the American public.” U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, a Memphis Democrat, spoke at the news conference with the

CONTINUED FROM FRONT they proceeded from Booker T. Washington High School to Boyd Street, where Fleming died. “Mario called and told me that Brandon Fleming, one of our young men participating in Black Male Achievement, was killed Sunday,” Brooks recalled, referencing Mario Byers, a former Boys and Girls Club director, who worked with Fleming and other boys growing up in that community. “The sense of apathy and a ‘life goes on’ attitude elicited a response in me that compelled me to do something,” said Brooks. “So, I called for a march on Monday evening — 100 men and women, anyone who believes that black lives do matter.” Byers said it was heartbreaking to ﬁnd out that Fleming had been killed. “The Boys and Girls Club was closed in this community because of the violence, the poverty and the crime. But these are children who need that club the most. “Closing it in this community was not the right move. Our elected oﬃcials and others in leadership should reinvest in this community.” Brooks said the pandemic most detrimental to the African-American community is the “pandemic of violence.” Fleming’s death was one of nine shootings that happened between last Friday and Monday, and one of 173 homicides in Memphis this year. Last year at this time, the homicide count was 111. According to police, no witnesses have come forward with information on Fleming’s death.

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ocrats warned could imperil the November general election. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy is scheduled to testify before the U.S. Senate on Friday on mail delivery delays and service changes. Democrats and some Republicans say actions by the new postmaster general, a Trump ally and a major Republican donor, have endangered millions of Americans who rely on the post oﬃce to obtain prescription drugs and other needs, including an expected surge in mail-in voting this fall. DeJoy announced Tuesday he is halting some operational changes to mail delivery that critics warned were causing widespread delays and could disrupt voting in November.

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union representatives, all of whom are Black. He said African American postal workers are being unfairly aﬀected by the cuts. “African Americans historically have known the post oﬃce

as a place where they can get employment and serve and have a good job and a good middle-class income,” Cohen said. Letter carriers already were stressed because of cuts in staﬃng levels during the new coronavirus outbreak, said John Walker, president of the Memphis branch of the National Association of Letter Carriers. “Letter carriers are tired. They’ve been worn out,” Walker said. “But they’re professional employees for this company and they come in every day with the mindset to deliver the mail.” Their complaints have been echoed across the country. The U.S. House plans an emergency vote to halt delivery delays and service changes that Dem-

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Deke Pope makes the point that it is important to show young people that “there is a way out of poverty and these dire circumstances.” (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/ GSW Enterprises) “We are losing our humanity because it’s business as usual when there is a new murder victim,” Brooks said. “We need to say his name – Brandon Fleming. “He mattered. His life mattered. His mother is distraught. His sister is distraught. We have become so used to murder that we are desensitized to it.” First responder Malcolm Robinson, who is both a firefighter and a registered nurse, said young people need to know that their community cares about them. “I felt it was important to be there (at the march/rally) because I have a son, I have nephews,” said Robinson. “There are all these other black, young people who look like me. They are reflections of me. I feel it is my duty, both on and off the job, to show up in the communities we serve, and to make myself available.” Deke Pope, 78, marched with Brooks and other residents and supporters. He helped to organize one of the first Black Student Associations at Memphis State University (now, the Uni-

versity of Memphis). “As an elder in the community, as a father, a husband, and long-standing resident of Memphis, I felt it was important to be there at the march Monday to support Rev. Brooks and to show that we are concerned about our young people,” said Pope. “They are our children, and we want to show them that there is a way out of poverty and these dire circumstances. I came from meager beginnings, myself.” In the Mitchell shooting, police found Mitchell after responding to a shooting at a residence at 1510 Beaver Trail Drive in Cordova. It belongs to Samantha Wilson, who was Lewis’ girlfriend, according to a Memphis Police Department afﬁdavit attributing the assertion. In a Monday (Aug. 16) social media post, Boo Mitchell wrote: “This is the most diﬃcult thing for me to post. Please excuse me if I’m a little scattered. Yesterday our oldest son Elijah Mitchell (Elijah Lewis) was taken to Regional One

Health for a gun shot wound to the back, broken ribs and other injuries. “Suspect, his girlfriend’s ex lover, broke in her house and waited for him, shot him in the back then beat him after he was down. His front teeth were all beaten out. “Unfortunately the bullet went through his spinal cord and he has lost all of the feeling in his legs. Suspect has been arrested and is in custody. We are grateful and thankful that Elijah is alive. We have a lot of work ahead of us. “This is the most devastating (thing) that has ever happened to me or my family. We are thankful for the amazing team of doctors and nurses at Regional One Health; they have been nothing less than angels through this. Please keep Elijah and my family in your thoughts and prayers. We know that God is in charge and we are praying and hopeful that one day he will fully recover.” Elijah Mitchell was carrying on the family music tradition by working as an engineer at Royal.

The New Tri-State Defender

August 20 - 26, 2020

Page 3

NEWS “Of course, anyone over 60 may request an absentee ballot. Also, those who are caring for a COVID-19 patient, as well as those who have COVID-19, may also vote absentee. But no one will be given an absentee ballot for fear of catching COVID-19.” — Van Turner VOTE CONTINUED FROM FRONT to exercise that power is by marching to the voting booth to vote. Our role in the alliance is focusing on voter registration, encouraging early voting, and educating people about absentee voting,” Randolph said. NAACP Memphis Chapter President Van Turner said absentee voting can be exercised by anyone over the age of 60 and allowances are being made for the pandemic. “Of course, anyone over 60 may request an absentee ballot,” Turner said. “Also, those who are caring for a COVID-19 patient, as well as those who have COVID-19, may also vote absentee. But no one will be given an absentee ballot for fear of catching COVID-19.” The NAACP has continuously sponsored voter registration drives throughout the year. Memphis Executive Director Vickie Terry said those who do not choose absentee voting and need transportation to the polls would be safely transported in vehicles that have been thoroughly sanitized. “Everyone will be wearing a mask and social distancing will be observed,” Terry said. “We want people to feel conﬁdent that they can be transported to the polls in a clean and safe environment. We want to take the fear out of voting.” MICAH’s Meggan Kiel said the organization is still open for volunteers who can work in the virtual phone bank. “We have the complete list of those who have been purged

from voter rolls in Shelby County,” Kiel said. “Everyone on the list will be contacted to inform them that they have been purged because many don’t know that. They get an opportunity to re-register in time for the Nov. 3 election.” Teamsters Local 66 AFLCIO President James Jones said the concerted voting effort is needed now like it has never been needed. “We are coming together as a collective so that everyone who wishes to vote will have that opportunity,” said Jones. “Purging voters and other voter suppression tactics must be fought aggressively to make sure those tactics do not succeed.” Suzanne Thompson, Shelby County Election Commission public relations, acknowledged that some Republican-run states have used purging and other suppression strategies that are not lawful. “We want to give all voters in Shelby County every opportunity to exercise their right to vote,” said Thompson. “Our administrator, Linda Phillips, goes out to give talks about how individuals can go about getting their voter rights restored. People can register to vote online at: GoVoteTN.com. Everyone must be registered by Oct. 5, to be eligible to vote in the general election.” Early voting will run Oct. 14-27. Requests for absentee ballots must have a postmark of Oct. 5 to be honored. To volunteer for the Vote and Volunteer Alliance, or to secure a ride to the polls, call the NAACP oﬃce at: 901521-1343. All community organizations and churches are encouraged to join.

Tennessee State Sen. Raumesh Akbari settles into the setting from which she delivered a segment of Tuesday’s 17-person keynote address. (Screen capture images)

DNC CONTINUED FROM FRONT top priority,” said Akbari, the only local politician to represented Memphis during the DNC’s keynote address. “This was a tremendous honor to share our vision for America and to share a virtual stage with amazing people such as Stacy Abrams,” she said. A measurement of the

“The Democratic ticket is super exciting. Senator Kamala Harris is a strong woman who does not back down from a ﬁght, and she will give Pence a run for his money (as vice president).” — Tennessee State Sen. Raumesh Akbari

an absentee ballot and turn it in early, visit the candidates’ websites to do your research regardless of who you are voting for and ﬁnd ways to support your candidates by donating or volunteering.”

DNC’s success will be whether eligible voters will be stimulated to cast ballots during this year’s presidential and local elections. “The Democratic ticket is super exciting. Senator Ka-

(To view the full keynote address, visit https://bit.ly/3iP98o2. To view all of the 2020 Democratic National Convention videos, visit https://bit. ly/322IFfW.)

mala Harris is a strong woman who does not back down from a ﬁght, and she will give Pence a run for his money (as vice president),” she said. “My advice for voters is to vote early in person or request

Man featured on reality TV charged in nephew’s killing

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Memphis woman named as co-conspirator ST. LOUIS (AP) – The son of the owner of a St. Louis-area soul food restaurant that was the setting for the reality show “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” has been charged in a murder-for-hire plot that resulted in the death of his nephew four years ago. James Timothy Norman, of Jackson, Mississippi, was arrested Tuesday in the March 14, 2016, fatal shooting of his nephew Andre Montgomery, who was gunned down near a park in St. Louis. Norman, the 41-year-old son of Sweetie Pie’s owner Robbie Montgomery, faces a federal charge in St. Louis of conspiring to use interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder-for-hire, resulting in death. The U.S. Attorney’s office in St. Louis said in a news release that Norman conspired with a woman, Terica Ellis, of Memphis, Tennessee, in Montgomery’s killing. In 2014, when Montgomery was 18, prosecutors say Norman obtained a $450,000 life insurance policy on his nephew that listed Norman as the sole beneficiary. Prosecutors allege in the criminal complaint that in the day’s leading up to Montgomery’s death, Norman flew to

A customer picks up some to go food from Sweetie Pie’s owner Robbie Montgomery, center, and Montgomery’s son James Timothy Norman, right, at Sweetie Pie’s in St. Louis on Tuesday, April 19, 2011. Norman, of Jackson, Miss., was arrested Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020 in the March 14, 2016, fatal shooting of his nephew Andre Montgomery, who was gunned down near a park in St. Louis. (David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) St. Louis from Los Angeles, where he was living at the time, and Ellis traveled to St. Louis from her home in Memphis. On the day of the killing, Ellis used a temporary phone to determine Montgomery’s location, then she called Norman. Ellis’ phone location placed her near Montgomery at the time of his death, according to the complaint. Immediately following the shooting, Ellis placed another call and then began traveling back to Memphis. Prosecutors say Ellis, who faces the same charge as Norman, later deposited more than $9,000 in cash in various bank

accounts. A week after the killing, Norman contacted the life insurance company in an attempt to collect on his nephew’s policy, prosecutors said. Federal prosecutors declined to say who was the alleged shooter. Both Norman and the victim, who was Robbie Montgomery’s grandson, appeared on “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s,” which ran for ﬁve seasons on the Oprah Winfrey Network starting in 2011, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Before opening the restaurant, Robbie Montgomery was a backup singer for Ike and Tina Turner.

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PERSPECTIVE The New Tri-State Defender, August 20 - 26, 2020, Page 4

Michelle Obama: Vote for Joe Biden like ‘our lives depend on it’ Excerpts from former ﬁrst lady’s speech to the 2020 Democratic National Convention

ood evening, everyone. It’s a hard time, and everyone’s feeling it in diﬀerent ways. And I know a lot of folks are reluctant to tune into a political convention right now or to politics in general. Believe me, I get that. But I am here tonight because I love this country with all my heart, and it pains me to see so many people hurting….

Michelle Obama: “So, it is up to us to add our voices and our votes to the course of history, echoing heroes like John Lewis….” (Screen capture image)

I am one of a handful of people living today who have seen firsthand the immense weight and awesome power of the presidency. And let me once again tell you this: the job is hard. It requires clear-headed judgment, a mastery of complex and competing issues, a devotion to facts and history, a moral compass, and an ability to listen – and an abiding belief that each of the 330,000,000 lives in this country has meaning and worth. A president’s words have the power to move markets. They can start wars or broker peace. They can summon our better angels or awaken our worst instincts. You simply cannot fake your way through this job. As I’ve said before, being president doesn’t change who you are; it reveals who you are. Well, a presidential election can reveal who we are, too. And four years ago, too many people chose to believe that their votes didn’t matter. Maybe they were fed up. Maybe they thought the outcome wouldn’t be close. Maybe the barriers felt too steep. Whatever the reason, in the end, those choices sent someone to the Oval Office who lost the national popular vote by nearly 3,000,000 votes. In one of the states that determined the outcome, the winning margin averaged out to just two votes per precinct – two votes. And we’ve all been living with the consequences. When my husband left office with Joe Biden at his side, we had a record-breaking stretch of job creation. We’d secured the right to health care for 20,000,000 people. We were respected around the world, rallying our allies to confront climate change. And our leaders had worked hand-in-hand with scientists to help prevent an Ebola outbreak from becoming a global pandemic. Four years later, the state of this nation is very different. More than 150,000 people have died, and our economy is in shambles because of a virus that this president downplayed for too long. It has left millions of people jobless. Too many have lost their health care; too many are struggling to take care of basic necessities like food and rent; too many communities have been left in the lurch to grapple with whether and how to open our schools safely. Internationally, we’ve turned our back, not just on agreements forged by my husband, but on alliances championed by presidents like Reagan and Eisenhower. And here at home, as George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and a never-ending list of innocent people of color continue to be mur-

dered, stating the simple fact that a Black life matters is still met with derision from the nation’s highest oﬃce. Because whenever we look to this White House for some leadership or consolation or any semblance of steadiness, what we get instead is chaos, division, and a total and utter lack of empathy. Empathy: that’s something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. The ability to walk in someone else’s shoes; the recognition that someone else’s experience has value, too. Most of us practice this without a second thought. If we see someone suﬀering or struggling, we don’t stand in judgment. We reach out because, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” It is not a hard concept to grasp. It’s what we teach our children. And like so many of you, Barack and I have tried our best to instill in our girls a strong moral foundation to carry forward the values that our parents and grandparents poured into us. But right now, kids in this country are seeing what happens when we stop requiring empathy of one another. They’re looking around wondering if we’ve been lying to them this whole time about who we are and what we truly value. They see people shouting in grocery stores, unwilling to wear a mask to keep us all safe. They see people calling the police on folks minding their own business just because of the color of their skin. They see an entitlement that says only certain people belong here, that greed is good, and winning is everything because as long as you come out on top, it doesn’t matter what happens to everyone else. And they see what happens when that lack of empathy is ginned up into outright disdain. They see our leaders labeling fellow citizens enemies of the state while emboldening torch-bearing white supremacists. They watch in horror as children are torn from their families and thrown into cages, and pepper spray and rubber bullets are used on peaceful protestors for a photo-op. Sadly, this is the America that is on display for the next generation. A nation that’s underperforming not simply on matters of policy but on matters of character. And that’s not just disappointing; it’s downright infuriating, because I know the goodness and the grace that is out there in households and neighborhoods all across this nation. And I know that regardless of our race, age, religion, or politics, when we close out the noise and the fear and truly open our hearts, we know that what’s going on in this country is just not right. This is not

who we want to be. So what do we do now? What’s our strategy? Over the past four years, a lot of people have asked me, “When others are going so low, does going high still really work?” My answer: going high is the only thing that works, because when we go low, when we use those same tactics of degrading and dehumanizing others, we just become part of the ugly noise that’s drowning out everything else. We degrade ourselves. We degrade the very causes for which we fight. But let’s be clear: going high does not mean putting on a smile and saying nice things when confronted by viciousness and cruelty. Going high means taking the harder path. It means scraping and clawing our way to that mountain top. Going high means standing fierce against hatred while remembering that we are one nation under God, and if we want to survive, we’ve got to find a way to live together and work together across our differences. And going high means unlocking the shackles of lies and mistrust with the only thing that can truly set us free: the cold hard truth. So let me be as honest and clear as I possibly can. Donald Trump is the wrong president for our country. He has had more than enough time to prove that he can do the job, but he is clearly in over his head. He cannot meet this moment. He simply cannot be who we need him to be for us. It is what it is. Now, I understand that my message won’t be heard by some people. We live in a nation that is deeply divided, and I am a Black woman speaking at the Democratic Convention. But enough of you know me by now. You know that I tell you exactly what I’m feeling. You know I hate politics. But you also know that I care about this nation. You know how much I care about all of our children. So if you take one thing from my words tonight, it is this: if you think things cannot possibly get worse, trust me, they can; and they will if we don’t make a change in this election. If we have any hope of ending this chaos, we have got to vote for Joe Biden like our lives depend on it. I know Joe. He is a profoundly decent man, guided by faith. He was a terrific vice president. He knows what it takes to rescue an economy, beat back a pandemic, and lead our country. And he listens. He will tell the truth and trust science. He will make smart plans and manage a good team. And he will govern as someone who’s lived a life that the rest of us can recognize.

When he was a kid, Joe’s father lost his job. When he was a young senator, Joe lost his wife and his baby daughter. And when he was vice president, he lost his beloved son. … His life is a testament to getting back up, and he is going to channel that same grit and passion to pick us all up, to help us heal and guide us forward. Now, Joe is not perfect. ...But there is no perfect candidate, no perfect president. And his ability to learn and grow – we find in that the kind of humility and maturity that so many of us yearn for right now. Because Joe Biden has served this nation his entire life without ever losing sight of who he is; but more than that, he has never lost sight of who we are, all of us. Joe Biden wants all of our kids to go to a good school, see a doctor when they’re sick, live on a healthy planet. And he’s got plans to make all of that happen. Joe Biden wants all of our kids, no matter what they look like, to be able to walk out the door without worrying about being harassed or arrested or killed. He wants all of our kids to be able to go to a movie or a math class without being afraid of getting shot. He wants all our kids to grow up with leaders who won’t just serve themselves and their wealthy peers but will provide a safety net for people facing hard times. And if we want a chance to pursue any of these goals, any of these most basic requirements for a functioning society, we have to vote for Joe Biden in numbers that cannot be ignored. Because right now, folks who know they cannot win fair and square at the ballot box are doing everything they can to stop us from voting. … But this is not the time to withhold our votes in protest or play games with candidates who have no chance of winning. We have got to vote like we did in 2008 and 2012. … We’ve got to vote early, in person if we can. We’ve got to request our mail-in ballots right now, tonight, and send them back immediately and follow-up to make sure they’re received. And then, make sure our friends and families do the same…. …So many of you are already going that extra mile. Even when you’re exhausted, you’re mustering up unimaginable courage to put on those scrubs and give our loved ones a fighting chance. Even when you’re anxious, you’re delivering those packages, stocking those shelves, and doing all that essential work so that all of us can keep moving forward. Even when it all feels so overwhelming, working parents are somehow piecing it all together without child care. Teachers are getting creative so that our kids can still learn and grow. Our young people are desperately fighting to pursue their dreams. And when the horrors of systemic racism shook our country and our consciences, millions of Americans of every age, every background rose up to march for each other, crying out for justice and progress. This is who we still are: compassionate, resilient, decent people whose fortunes are bound up with one another. And it is well past time for our leaders to once again reflect our truth. So, it is up to us to add our voices and our votes to the course of history, echoing heroes like John Lewis who said, “When you see something that is not right, you must say something. You must do something.” That is the truest form of empathy: not just feeling, but doing; not just for ourselves or our kids, but for everyone, for all our kids.

Information • Inspiration • Elevation Published by Best Media Properties, Inc. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Mailed subscriptions to The New Tri-State Defender are available upon request. One Year, $35.00; Two Years, $60.00. Request can be emailed to subscriptions@tsdmemphis.com or mailed to Subscriptions, The New TriState Defender, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN, 38103. Delivery may take one week. President Calvin Anderson Associate Publisher/ Executive Editor Karanja A. Ajanaku

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The New Tri-State Defender, 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN, 38103. GENERAL INFORMATION: Any and all inquiries may be submitted in writing by calling (901) 523-1818 or by email. TELEPHONE: Editorial, administration, display advertising, classiﬁed advertising: (901) 523-1818. Fax: (901) 578-5037. The New Tri-State Defender (USPS 780-220) is published weekly by Best Media Properties, Inc., 203 Beale Street, Suite 200, Memphis, TN 38103. Second-class postage paid in Memphis, TN.

The New Tri-State Defender

August 20 - 26, 2020

Page 5

RELIGION

CME church celebrates mealdelivery success TSD Newsroom Through its One Church One School (OCOS) ministry, the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church delivered 6,000-plus meals to students of Shelby County Schools. The meals were delivered June through August, with the last meals delivered last Friday (Aug. 14) from the CME Church’s international headquarters at 4466 Elvis Presley Blvd. OCOS was founded by Bishop Henry M. Williamson Sr., who presides over 50 churches in Shelby County. Among the key organizers were Dr. George Coleman and Doris F. Boyd (transportation coordinator). The initiative involved the coordinated eﬀort of volunteers who used vans, cars and buses to reach students in their homes

and apartments and at community centers. “These men and women , churches and pastors of the CME Church should be commended for this volunteer eﬀort in making this possible,” church oﬃcials said in a media release. “The biblical mandate, ‘Love thy neighbor as thyself’ has truly been carried out by these tremendous men and women who have volunteered time and service without any coast (gas and labor). Their reward has been the happiness and gratitude on the face of hundreds of children, who have received these meals prepared by the YMCA and the Department of Agriculture.” OCOS is a CME partnership with Shelby County Schools. The program pairs churches with schools to help meet the needs of students and the school.

Bishop Henry M. Williamson Sr., along with his wife, Mary, and Jeremiah Owens notes the number of meals provided to SCS Students. (Photos. Tyrone P. Easley) The CME’s One Church One School outreach ministry was a volunteer-driven operation to meet the nutrition needs of SCS students.

The BLVD. links up to host back-to-school giveaway TSD Newsroom Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church and the Academy for Youth and Empowerment are holding a Drive Thru Back to School Fair on Saturday (Aug. 22) to ensure that Memphis students are fully prepared for the ﬁrst day of virtual classes. The back-to-school fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the church’s Midtown sanctuary parking lot at 70 North Bellevue Blvd. While free and open to students of all ages, parents and guardians are encouraged to

Infant baptism... Morrow family friends and supporters were in attendance last Sunday at Mt. Pisgah C.M.E. Church in Orange Mound for the infant baptism of Mason Mitchell Morrow conducted by Pastor Willie Ward. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

register prior to the event online at: tiny.cc/blvdschool or by texting SCHOOL to 901-446-4242. There is a ﬁve-child limit for each family. Supplies set for distribution include: · Headphones · Backpacks · Pencils and loose-leaf paper · Notebooks · Markers On Thursday and Friday between 10 a.m. and noon, volunteers will be stuﬃng backpacks in preparation for Saturday’s event.

The New Tri-State Defender

August 20 - 26, 2020

Page 6

NEWS

19 facts about the 19th Amendment on its 100th anniversary Tennessee became the 36th state to ratify the 19th Amendment on August 18, 1920, pushing the amendment over the adoption threshold. by Dianne Bystrom and Karen M. Kedrowski One hundred years ago, the 19th Amendment enfranchised millions of women across the United States following a seven-decade campaign. The struggle to expand voting rights to women resonates today as the country continues to debate who should vote and how. As scholars of civic engagement and women’s suffrage, we have compiled “19 Things to Know” about this landmark amendment. Together they reveal the strength and determination of the suffrage movement as it battled for this fundamental right of citizenship. 1. Many early suffragists were also abolitionists. They include Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass and Harriet Tubman. 2. The first women’s rights convention took place in Seneca Falls, New York, on July 19-20, 1848. Of the 11 resolutions demanding equality – in the workplace, family and education, for example – only women’s right to vote drew opposition before it was approved. Although abolitionists had called for women’s voting rights before 1848, suffragists later viewed the convention as launching the U.S. women’s suffrage movement. 3. In 1869 the movement split over disagreements about the 15th Amendment, which granted voting rights to African American men but not women. The National Woman Suffrage Association lobbied for a federal amendment, while the American Woman Suffrage Association pursued a state-by-state strategy. Recognizing that a divided movement was hurting their success, the groups merged in 1890 as the National American Woman Suffrage Association, or NAWSA. 4. Suffrage was a mass movement with diverse voices. They included the National Association of Colored Women, the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, farmers’ organizations and the Women’s Trade Union League. Most of these organizations became active in suffrage after the creation of NAWSA. 5. Women’s suffrage depended on male supporters, among them state legislators and members of Congress. Only men could vote in state referenda to extend the vote to women. Men did so in Colorado, New York and Oklahoma. Meanwhile, thousands of women opposed suffrage. They thought it would undermine women’s influence in the home and family. 6. Several political and social movements during the Progressive Era, 1890-1920, prioritized suffrage. Women realized they needed voting rights to reform child labor laws, promote public health, and prohibit alcohol and prostitution. These suffragists framed their roles, as wives and mothers, as political virtues to advance a more moral government.

Thirteen leaders of American Colored Women: Back Row – Miss R.J. Dunbar, Mrs. M.F. Waring, Mrs. M.E. Joshenberger, Mrs. A.W. Dickerson, Mrs. L.A. Pendleton, Mrs. M.M. Bethune. Front row – Miss N.H. Burroughs, Mrs. B.T. Washington, Miss E.C. Carter, Mrs. N.L. Napier, Mrs. M.B. Talbert, Miss H.Q. Brown, Mrs. S.W. Stewart rights in 15 states and the Alaska territory, and limited suffrage, including voting in presidential elections, in another 12 states before 1920. Their influence helped build momentum for the 19th Amendment. 10. In 1913 Alice Paul organized NAWSA’s first women’s suffrage parade in Washington, D.C. The police failed to provide the suffragists with adequate protection, and spectators attacked the marchers. Paul formed a rival suffrage organization, the National Woman’s Party, in 1916. 11. In a speech titled “The Crisis” at NAWSA’s 1916 convention, president Carrie Chapman Catt outlined her “Winning Plan” to focus efforts on a federal amendment while encouraging women to work in their states for the level of suffrage that could be achieved. 12. In 1916 Jeannette Rankin, a Republican from Montana, became the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress. Lawmakers greeted her with a standing ovation when she was introduced in the House of Representatives. A committed suffragist, Rankin voted for the 19th Amendment in 1918. 13. In 1917 the National Woman’s Party organized protests outside the White House to pressure President Woodrow Wilson to support women’s suffrage. For several months, suffragists protested in silence six days a week. Wilson initially tolerated the demonstrations but later became embarrassed by them. 14. Thirty-three suffragists picketing outside the White House on Nov. 10, 1917, were arrested and jailed. They were fed maggot-infested food, beaten and tortured. The

9. Millions of women enjoyed the right to vote before the 19th Amendment was ratiﬁed. Women had full voting

15. The Republican Party was viewed as more supportive of women’s suffrage than Democrats until 1916, when both parties publicly supported state suffrage. Congress approved the 19th Amendment in 1919 with bipartisan support: 83% percent of Republicans in the House and 82% in the Senate, and 53% of Democrats in the House and 54% in the Senate. Some Democrats from the South opposed voting rights for African American women. 16. Carrie Chapman Catt founded the League of Women Voters on Feb. 14, 1920, at the NAWSA convention. Tennessee became the final state needed to ratify the 19th Amendment six months later. 17. Some 500,000 African American women could vote in states where their male counterparts were enfranchised, according to the 1920 U.S. Census. But in the South, African American men and women remained disenfranchised through state-imposed literacy tests, poll taxes and violence. African American women continued the fight for voting rights. In 1920 Mary McLeod Bethune of Florida led voter registration drives while risking racist attacks. Fannie Lou Hamer of Mississippi organized African American voter registration efforts in the South in the early 1960s. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 outlawed discriminatory voting barriers adopted in many Southern states after the Civil War. 18. Some 10 million women voted in 1920, a turnout rate of 36%, compared to 68% for men. Women voter turnout rates have gradually increased and exceeded male turnout rates since 1980, when 61.9% of women voted compared to 61.5% of men. In 2016, 63.3% of women voted compared to 59.3% of men. 19. In January Virginia became the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, following Nevada, in 2017; and Illinois, in 2018. The ERA was first introduced to Congress in 1923, approved in 1972 and ratified by 35 out of constitutionally required 38 states by 1974.

7. Besides the leadership provided by the national women’s suffrage associations, hundreds of local and state organizations engaged thousands of volunteers as well. Some of the earliest state associations were organized in Kansas in 1867, Iowa in 1870 and Washington state in 1871. 8. African American women reformers saw suffrage as an important goal. They began forming their own clubs in the 1880s and founded the National Association of Colored Women in 1896. Unlike predominantly white suffrage organizations, the NACW called for other reforms to address the economic, educational and social welfare of African American women and children, such as job training programs, fair wages and child care.

suﬀragists protested with a hunger strike and were brutally force-fed. They were released after the Washington, D.C. Court of Appeals declared their arrests unconstitutional.

The recent resurgence of women’s activism has refocused attention on gender equality issues, including the ERA, which supporters argue is needed to protect women’s rights. Although the U.S. House voted in February to remove the original deadline set by Congress and pave the way for its ﬁnal approval, no action is expected in the Senate this year. Fannie Lou Townsend Hamer rose from the Mississippi Delta to become a powerful voice in the civil rights and voting rights movements.

(Dianne Bystrom is former director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics, Iowa State University. Karen M. Kedrowski is director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center, Iowa State University.)

The New Tri-State Defender

August 20 - 26, 2020

Page 7

ENTERTAINMENT

Morreco Coleman making moves with film on Memphis basketball legend TSD Newsroom Memphis native Morreco Coleman, now a Los Angeles County film producer, has reached the semi-finals of the Burbank International Film Festival for his basketball documentary about the life and times of award-winning NCAA coach and LeMoyne-Owen College Jerry C. Johnson. The film festival, which began in 2009, highlights filmmakers focused on social and environmental subjects. Founded by Val Tonione, it will be held Sept. 9- in Burbank, Calif Coleman’s hour-long film, “1st Forgotten Champions: “The Legacy of Jerry Johnson” highlights the career of Johnson, whose 1975 championship team from LeMoyne-Owen College won the NCAA Division III competition. The first African-American coach to win a NCAA Division III Championship, Johnson was LeMoyne-Owens head coach for 46 years. Johnson, now 102, learned the game of basketball from John B. McLendon Jr. who learned it from James Naismith, who at the age of 30 invented the game in 1891. McLendon learned the game directly from Naismith while a graduate student at the University of Kansas. The first African-American head coach in any professional sport, McLendon has been called a “major contributor to the development of modern basketball and coached on both the college and professional levels during his career.” Coach Johnson retired in 2007. Several legendary professional athletes and coaches appear in the film, including University of Memphis head basketball

Morreco Coleman coach Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway, former UofM coach John Calipari (now with Kentucky) and former UofM coach Josh Pastner (now at Georgia State). Former Memphis Mayor Dr. Willie W. Herenton is among others featured in the film. Herenton played for Johnson at LeMoyne-Owen, Memphis’ only HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Coleman, who is also an animator and graphic artist, graduated from Memphis College of Arts. His first film, “Gangsta Walking The Movie,” competed in the 2015 Memphis International Film and Music Festival. He describes “Gangsta Walking” as a “collaborative project about the hip hoprap and dance culture in Memphis.” It featured a who’s who list of 30 Memphis rappers and hip-hop artists, including DJ Squeeky, Drumma Boy, MJG, 8Ball, Soni D, Skinny Pimp, Lord Infamous, Gangsta Boo, and Oscar winners DJ Paul, Juicy J and Frayser Boy of Three 6 Mafia.

COMMUNITY The New Tri-State Defender, August 20 - 26, 2020, Page 8

MLGW gives OK to speed up process of getting energy-supplier proposals by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division President J. T. Young now has the approval of the utility’s board to quicken the process of hiring a consultant to help attract proposals that could lead to a new power supplier. At a meeting Wednesday, MLGW’s commissioners let Young know he had their approval to hire the consultant without going through every aspect of the normal of process. That move came after several registered their concerns about what already has been a lengthy process of deciding whether to stick with the

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) as the city’s power supplier or take its business elsewhere. “We don’t want to move fast or wrong,” Young said. “Of course, we will do all we can to accommodate moving as quickly and efficiently as possible.” A request-for-proposals process embraced by Young was projected to have extended into October. A majority of the board’s members are looking to have a consultant selected before September runs its course. TVA has been MLGW’s power source for 80 years. Receiving bids from multiple energy suppliers will allow Memphis to “ground truth to the findings”

that savings would amount to “at least $120 million dollars, and up to several hundred million dollars annually,” if MLGW were to break from TVA, Young said. In a statement released later, TVA officials said the power supplier respects and supports MLGW’s decision to pursue RFPs as it looks to its long-term energy supplier. “We are excited about the opportunity to engage in the RFP process – put the facts on the table – and prove that TVA in partnership with MLGW is the best option for the people of Memphis and Shelby County,” the statement read. “When it comes to energy costs, Memphis starts from a position of

strength. In partnership with TVA, MLGW today provides the thirdlowest energy costs in the nation among its peers. TVA’s commitment is to keep energy costs stable over the next decade.” An Integrated Resource Plan made public in early August gave a projection of what a switch of power supplies might mean for Memphis. It was presented to the Memphis City Council at its regular meeting on Tuesday. Dr. Stephen A. Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), called Wednesday’s meeting by the MLGW a “shot across the bow,” signaling that MLGW is “setting the stage to break

loose from TVA’s J. T. dictatorial, longYoung term contract arrangements.” In its released statement, TVA stressed a recently announced plan to deliver “$2 billion in value to the people of Memphis focused on investing in core communities, regional economic development, and addressing energy burden challenges for small businesses and residential customers. “These are real, tangible investments, not hypothetical figures in a study,” the TVA statement asserted. “These are commitments TVA will deliver, not unbacked promises.”

MATA sets limited service for Labor Day TSD Newsroom

Unity and longevity... The Umoja Foundation was the host for a double celebration last Sunday – the 4th Annual B. F. Booth Day and Minister Suhkara Yahweh’s 82nd “Earthday” – in Booth Park, 1524 Texas at South Parkway. Umoja is the Kwanzaa principle meaning to strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race. (right) Minister Yahweh with Patricia Lee. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley)

The Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) will operate abbreviated service on Monday, September 7 in observance of the Labor Day holiday. The schedule adjustments: * Fixed route bus and MATAplus service will operate on a Sunday schedule. * The Main Street Trolley rail line will operate on a Sunday schedule from 10 a.m.-6:20 p.m. running every 20 minutes. * MATA rubber-tired trolley buses operating on the Riverfront line will operate on a Sunday schedule. Trolley buses will not operate on Madison Avenue, but fixed route service is available at Madison and Cleveland on Route 2 and 42. * The Groove shuttle service serving Harbor Town and the Medical District will not operate. * MATA’s Customer Information automated line (901.274. MATA) will be available, but live calls to 901.274.MATA in the MATA Customer Call Center will not be answered since the Call Center will be closed. All live operator calls to 901.274. MATA will be answered on the next business day. * All live calls to MATAplus Reservations at 901.722.7171 (prompt #2) will be answered from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. * To check on the status of a MATAplus trip, calls to MATAplus Dispatch at 901.722.7171 (prompt #3) will be answered from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. * MATA’s Customer Comment Line at 901.522.9175 is available for customers to leave messages. * The customer service counters at Airways Transit Center (3033 Airways Boulevard), American Way Transit Center (3921 American Way) and the William Hudson Transit Center (444 North Main Street) will be closed. * The lobby at the American Way and the William Hudson Transit Centers will be open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. except from 1-2 p.m. for sanitation. The lobby at the Airways Transit Center will be open 24 hours (sanitation is performed hourly). * The MATA Administrative Offices located at 1370 Levee Road will be closed. (For more information, visit www.matatransit.com.)

The New Tri-State Defender

August 20 - 26, 2020

COMMUNITY

Page 9

CLASSIFIEDS

“This is a historic endeavor and we encourage everyone to participate in this pressure test as we gear up for virtual learning. We want to ensure our teams are prepared to support our students and families in the event any technical issues arise.” — SCS Supt. Dr. Joris M. Ray

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Community Power Up Days to test virtual space before SCS starts academic year TSD Newsroom Shelby County Schools (SCS) is partnering with the City of Memphis and Shelby County Government to conduct what is being dubbed a community-wide Power Up Hour in advance of the fully virtual opening of schools on Aug. 31. The goal of the Power Up Hour is to have all virtual and in-person students and staff across each organization log onto devices, simultaneously. This will allow Internet providers to gauge broadband capacity, troubleshoot and respond accordingly to any challenges. The first Power Up Hour is set for August 20 from 9 a.m.-10 a.m. A second will take place the following Thursday, August 27, during the same time slot. “This is a historic endeavor and we encourage everyone to participate in this pressure test as we gear up for virtual learning,” says SCS Supt. Dr. Joris M. Ray. “We want to ensure our teams are prepared to support our students and families in the event any technical issues arise.” The backdrop, according to SCS, is the recognition that students will be joining the virtual space with other schools, community organizations and businesses across the county – ushering in more than 95,000 students and staff using the same Internet networks.

“In these uncertain times, ensuring our young people have certainty in regards to their education is paramount,” Mayor Jim Strickland said. “By everyone working together on this inaugural ‘Power Up Hour,’ we’re helping to stress test the system and work out any potential issues so our children hopefully don’t have to experience any once their school starts back in a couple of weeks.” Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris said, “Online capacity in our community is an important part of bridging the digital divide. … “We are grateful for the hard work of Shelby County Schools and local Internet service providers to ensure there is enough online capacity for virtual learning across the County.” Here’s what is being asked of all citizens of Memphis/Shelby County during the Power Up Hour: • Download and play a 3-minute video (ie. YouTube, a video sent via email, etc.) • Engage on a streaming platform (ie. Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc.) • Engage with an interactive website (ie. Khan Academy, etc.) During the test hour, IT personnel and Internet providers will closely monitor the network for any crashes, capacity issues or troubleshooting needs.

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Desby D. Freeman Tax Parcel #: 04908000000220 Tax Sale #: 1602 Price Offered: $600.00 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 2:30 p.m. on October 1, 2020, 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

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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: Phinese Jordan and Latarius Sawyer Tax Parcel #: 07310400000350 Tax Sale #: 1603 Price Offered: $6000.00 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 September 29, 2020, 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.

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: Desby D. Freeman Tax Parcel #: 04908000000190 Tax Sale #: 1602 Price Offered: $600.00 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 October 5, 2020, 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

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

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:

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Andre Dotson, Jr. and Lakisha Dotson Tax Parcel #: 07200800000190 Tax Sale #: 1602 Price Oﬀered: $5000.00 Terms: Cash

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: Norma Lester Tax Parcel #: 04201700000060 Tax Sale #: 703 Price Offered: $50.00 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 9:00 a.m. on October 9, 2020, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office,

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 3:00 p.m. on October 5, 2020, 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

SPORTS

The New Tri-State Defender, August 20 - 26, 2020, Page 10

GRITGRINDGRIZZ:

First year head coach Ryan Silverﬁeld puts the UofM Tigers football team through practice paces. (Screen capture: gotigersgo.com)

AAC champion Tigers know ‘nothing will be handed to us’ by Terry Davis Special to The New Tri-State Defender

While there are skeptics to whether there will be college football in the South this fall because of COVID-19, the University of Memphis is planning on there being a season. The play-or-not play question has been answered in some conferences. The Big 10 and the Pac 12 already have agreed to postpone their seasons. Others, like the ACC, Big 12 and SEC plan to play. The University of Memphis football program has returned to the practice field and is preparing for their season-opening game against Arkansas State on Sept. 5 at Liberty Bowl Stadium. The game now is only one of five football games slated for that day. The Tigers play in the American Athletic Conference and the conference has issued protocols on how to conduct practices. The U of M returned for the fall semester this week. The football team has a policy of not announcing, who if anyone, has been infected with the COVID-19 virus, so it is not known if any placers has contracted the virus. Memphis has announced that there will no tailgating allowed for the home opener. There are several options for a limited number of fans to be attend for the game, including a limited attendance option for season ticket holders. The Tigers are coming off their most successful season. An appearance in the Cotton Bowl capped off the season and they raised the banner of the American Athletic Conference Champions at their practice center. Memphis returns most of their offensive weapons, including Brady White and Kenny Gainwell as weapons. Memphis has put three star running backs in the league over the last couple of years ⸺ Darrell Henderson, Tony Pollard and Antonio Gibson. White, who passed for 4,013 yards and 33 touchdowns, has been named to many watchlists this season. He was named a finalist for the 2019 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and the Manning. He is one of the top returning quarterbacks in the conference. With the absence of the Big 10 and Pac 12 not playing this season, the door could be open for NFL scouts to give White more consideration as a possible NFL-caliber quarterback. “Chemistry-wise things are going really good. We haven’t skipped a beat with timing. We are getting little things down pat. We go against a good defense every day. We get unique looks in certain situations that we can work on,” White said on the development of the offense during camp. White will have some great targets to target this season. Returning is the leading receiver from last season in Domante Coxie. Coxie had 1,276 yards and he had nine touchdown receptions. Gainwell was the second leading receiver with

610 yards and three touchdown receptions. Gainwell had 1,459 rushing and 13 rushing touchdowns last season. “My personal goal this season is to get at least five yards every time I get my hands on the ball. I have the mindset of going hard every Terry time I get on the field, and Davis learn everything I can from my coaches. “I want to teach everyone behind me and teach them everything that I have learned,” Gainwell said. Calvin Austin III was a breakout star last season. The track star had 315 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Memphis got some expeRyan rience for Rodrigues Clark. Silverfield Because he only played in four games, he was allowed to keep his redshirt season. Newcomer Kalyn Grandberry was a first-team NJCAA All-American after rushing for 1,289 yards and 10 touchdowns as a freshman last season. Defensive lineman O’Bryan Goodson and T. J. Carter will look to keep the defense in the top 10 in the nation from season. Carter, a senior defensive back from Nashville and was a freshman All-American, looks to continue to be one of the best defensive backs in the country. First year head coach Ryan Silverfield knows that depth will be a key asset in this COVID-season. Memphis has plenty of depth at all positions, most notably at the running back and receiving positions. The defense also returns many key pieces, as well. Every returning player on the team has not known a losing season. Keeping the players hungry is going to be a task for the coaching staff. “I don’t like to talk about the past, but I asked the team if anyone could raise their hand if they had won a bowl game and no one could raise their hand,” said Silverfield. “We talk about having a chip on our shoulder. It is the grit and grind mentally of Memphis. Nothing will be handed to us. We challenge them every day,” Silverfield said. Last season, many of the most of the Tigers’ faithful expected the team to go undefeated. This year most just want the season to be played. “No one will put more expectation and pressure on us than ourselves. We have some great opponents starting on Sept. 5. We want to play at a high level,” said Silverfield. Memphis as a new top to play under this season. The new indoor practice facility has finally been completed. This has a dream of many prior coaches to have a facility to show recruits and to have as a daily practice option.

Despite missing playoffs, #GRZNXTGEN gives us hope for next season – whenever that is by Lee Eric Smith, lesmith@tsdmemphis.com

Quick show of hands: If I’d told you at the end of the 2019 NBA season that your freshly blown up and rebuilding Memphis Grizzlies would narrowly miss the 2020 NBA Playoffs in Orlando by losing an August playin game to the Portland Trailblazers, would you have believed, Memphis? And the answer is: Of course not. There’s so much wrong in that last paragraph, you would have been scratching your head – phrases like “NBA Playoffs in Orlando” and “play-in” game? What the heck is a play-in game? But that’s not why you wouldn’t have believed. The real reason? Rebuilding a roster into a good team, let alone a playoff contender is a dicey proposition. It requires a savvy front office, patience and a whole helluva lot of good luck – and at the end of the 2019 season, there was no reason to believe that Memphis had any of those things. Literally a day after their 2019 finale (a 132-117 win over Golden State) and only hours after media exit interviews with then-coach J.B. Bickerstaff and then-GM Chris Wallace, both men were ejected from their positions. That summer, Mike Conley, the last member of the Grit N Grind Core Four, was traded to Utah. A few weeks later, the Grizzlies hired some nobody named Taylor Jenkins as their head coach and drafted some flashy kid out of Murray State with the No. 2 pick. Truth is, a successful rebuild may depend on luck more than anything else. Ask the New York Knicks, who have been rebuilding for most of the past 20 years. Or the Chicago Bulls. And prior to becoming a dynasty, even the Golden State Warriors had been a perennial bottom feeder for decades. I understand why Chris Wallace was skittish about disbanding a successful Core Four before he had to. There’s no guarantee you’ll find your way out of the woods. So many things have to go just right – things which depend on sheer luck. Lately, your Memphis Grizzlies have been EXTREMELY lucky. First, it was lucky ping-pong balls that changed the narrative from sending Boston an owed pick to salivating over the possibility of Memphis landing its first true NBA Superstar in Ja Morant. And even though new GM Zach Kleimann had clearly done his homework in assembling the roster, you still don’t know if the pieces will fit together. Will Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant get along? Or will they clash over whose team it is? Will player chemistry help or hurt the team? Would Jenkins be in over his head? Of course, we know these an-

swers now. The team jelled faster and better than anyone could have reasonably expected, playing a run-n-fun style of basketball that would have given the Core Four fits in a head-to-head Lee Eric Smith matchup. Jackson finally gave Memphis a stretch four, Morant was a walking highlight GIF, Jonas Valanciunas quenched our thirst for a big man who posts up on the block. And, yes . . . WINNING! With the Grizzlies firmly in the No. 8 spot back in March, this season was already a rollicking success before COVID-19 pressed pause on the season. That’s why a disappointing 2-7 record in the NBA bubble is really no reason to be sad – especially considering that injuries sidelined Jackson, backup point guard Tyus Jones and newcomer Justise Winslow, who has yet to suit up. And in a nationally televised play-in game on ABC, Morant gave tantalizing glimpses of what Grizz fans certainly hope to see for years to come in the playoffs – 35 points, eight assists and four boards; not flinching or choking despite facing NBA Bubble MVP Damian “Dame Dolla” Lillard. Despite missing Jackson, Jones and Winslow, the Grizzlies had a chance to win until the very end. I can’t wait to see what team does next season when healthy. Ah, next season. September is usually the time of media days and training camps. This year, it’s Conference championships. The NBA Finals may well be played in October, which is when the regular season would ordinarily start. Understandably, the league is heavily focused on completing this season; tentatively a new NBA season would start on Christmas Day. But like everything else affected by COVID-19, there’s just no way to say for sure when that will happen, or what it will look like. Will there be another bubble? Will fans get to settle in at FedExForum and enjoy the show with masks on? There are just too many unknowns. Let me be clear: Like every Grizz fan, I wanted a Grizz-Lakers matchup in the first round – a playoff baptism of fire that would accelerate the team’s development even further. The eight seeding games certainly simulated the intensity of a late-season playoff battle. The young cubs have added valuable experience to their already precocious talent. I can’t wait to see how they grow, how they evolve into the league powerhouse we want them to be. I can’t wait to watch them play again. Whenever that is.