Archives for January 2018

StreetWise INK has been reaching out to likeminded organizations that focus on economic justice, and we were extremely grateful when the fine folks at Democracy at Work asked us if we’d like to become Community Partners!

“Democracy at Work is a non-profit 501(c)3 that advocates for worker cooperatives and democratic workplaces as a key path to a stronger, democratic economic system. Based on the book Democracy at Work: A Cure for Capitalism by Richard D. Wolff, we envision a future where workers at every level of their offices, stores, and factories have equal voices in the direction of their enterprise and its impact within their community and society at large.”

Prof. Richard D. Wolff has a really informative show called Economic Update that you can check out here: http://www.democracyatwork.info/economicupdate

You can read our Coop Profile on their site here: https://www.democracyatwork.info/profile_streetwiseink

Democracy at Work is currently helping StreetWise Ink raise funds to expand our existing projects. If you’d like to be a part of our success financially, please make a one-time or monthly donation via PayPal or check out our Wish List here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18vIqylh-OZPfiPkOjHXRq10rK_A_jk6pfcf60SKUcBI

≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈ Please Let Us Know What You Think ≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈•≈

The Training Department of the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center (G.O.T. Power) would like to hear from the movement community. We want to know what you think about us and how we could better support your work or group! Please take a couple minutes to complete this short survey. This survey is for everyone, whether you have attended a workshop or not! Feel free to list your name or remain anonymous.

G.O.T Power Survey

Upcoming Workshops and Trainings

Online Registration will open soon. For question regarding registration, please email to GotPower@midsouthpeace.org

G.O.T Power Calendar 2018!

Grassroots Organizer Training for Power (GOT Power), Mid-South Peace and Justice Center’s training program, is committed to building our community’s capacity through building skills in grassroots organizing, providing support to people doing community work and offering oppression awareness and liberation education.

Our method of education is Popular and Direct Education. Direct education means education that directly confronts and challenges the current system of injustice, which includes traditional education. Rather than traditional education, which gives all the expertise to textbooks and teachers, Direct Education invites the expertise of the people themselves. Direct Education is about liberation and empowerment — going to the direct source of wisdom: the community itself!

Please contact us to get more information and schedule a training in your group or community. Fees are negotiable, scholarships are available and donations for scholarships are greatly appreciated.

Trainings can be designed specifically for established groups, organizations, campaigns, coalitions, etc. Comprehensive weekend workshops on specific organizing skill sets, issue or community-specific formats are available.

Trainings in Spanish are also available. All trainings are offered in English or Spanish as requested. We work and collaborate with bilingual trainers and facilitators.

G.O.T Poder – Entrenamientos en Español

For more information visit G.O.T.Power or write to GotPower@midsouthpeace.org

The Memphis Bus Riders Union is a grassroots organization fighting for accessible, affordable, and equitable public transit in our city. Our members are people who depend on MATA and supporters, and our work is essential for highlighting the racism and classism present in Memphis’ grossly inadequate bus system. 

Happy New Year, transit warriors! Before we celebrate 2017 at the Anniversary Gala, we’ll be hard at work planning for the year ahead. Our first meeting of the year will be on January 13th from 12 to 2 PM, at the Memphis Center for Independent Living (1633 Madison)! You can get there on the #2 bus route. Because the Cossitt Library is closed for renovations, keep an eye on our newsletter for upcoming meeting locations!

We’ll also be downtown this Monday, January 15th, at 9 AM for the annual MLK Day Parade! Dr. King’s legacy includes important work around the racism and classism of public transit in the South, and we’re happy to come out and celebrate that legacy every year. We’ll meet at the little park on Main Street & A.W. Willis, next to the North End Terminal. Find the Teamsters’ event page on Facebook here.

In the past week, MBRU has been following the current fight around Kroger.  Kroger has recently announced the closing of two stores in South Memphis and Orange Mound, communities that have also suffered from insufficient bus service. Without these stores, many people will have to travel farther for things like fresh produce, and these closings show how many parts of our city have little or no access to the resources they need to thrive. Please support the efforts of residents organizing in these communities! Follow this event page by JUICE Orange Mound to hear about what residents there are planning.

Finally, if you haven’t taken Memphis 3.0’s Transit Vision survey, you can find it here! We want to make sure that the voices of bus riders are heard as the City prepares a long-term plan for MATA services. 

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MBRU holds meetings on the 2nd Saturday of each month. If you have any questions, or you’re interested in joining our work, contact organizer Justin Davis at justin@midsouthpeace.org. And follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see more updates!

Throughout 2018, The Klondike Smokey City Community Outreach Team will focusing on arming the KSC Neighborhood with Rights and Policy Awarenesses that will address the immediate needs of their families which will also address the outside barriers that directly affect students attendance, behavior, and course performance.

The Whole Child Strategy is an initiative that focuses on how to solve the growing trend of poor attendance, behavior and course performance.  Whole Child is dedicated to working with communities to develop capacity and identify resources and long-term sustainable solutions necessary to ensure that students arrive at school ready to learn and succeed. The Klondike Smokey City Neighborhood is the pilot for the Whole Child Strategy initiative. To lead the efforts, Whole Child has formed an implementation Team, (The I-Team),  informally know in the Klondike Smokey City Neighborhood as the Community Outreach Team. The team is made up of a Neighborhood Facilitator, a Neighborhood Meeting Specialist and a Neighborhood Organizer.

The purpose of the I-Team is to promote civic engagement by developing strategies to recruit diverse members of the community for the purpose of participating in the neighborhood meetings, as well as create awareness about  Whole Child Strategy Inc. Starting in the month January, the team will  focus on Community capacity building through a Know Your Rights and Policy Awareness Series that will marry the needs of the community and the immediate needs of the families. The goal is to let community members see that attending monthly neighborhood meetings will not be a waste of their time.

During the September 2017 Neighborhood Meeting, the participants compiled a list of barriers that contribute to the attendance problem. One outside barrier that was unanimously agreed upon was transportation. To give a solution to this barrier, we are inviting representatives from Shelby County Schools, The Achievement School District, The Bus Riders Union and RyeCatcher to give meeting participants information that can aid in a solution for the transportation issue. Representatives from SCS, the ASD and the BRU will share transportation options and Arthie of RyeCatcher will present the need and benefits of asset mapping. With the information presented during the January 25th meeting attendees will be equipped with the information they can use to obtain more routes for school bus pick up as well as restore the routes to the 31.

The KSC Neighborhood meetings are at Dave Wells Community Center every 3rd Thursday of every month. Keep an eye out in the newsletter for more information about the project. If you have any questions, or you’re interested in joining our work, contact organizer Cassandra M. Smith at cassandra@midsouthpeace.org.