Archives for June 2018

H.O.P.E. would like to thank Marcos Pizza for providing pizzas for the H.O.P.E meetings on the 1st Wednesday of the month. H.O.P.E  is a supportive advocacy group for people with the experiences of homelessness. One of the ways in which we learn about the aforementioned needs and strategize how we can best support one another through this work is through our weekly Wednesday meetings in which we invite people experiencing homelessness to fellowship, share, and brainstorm. It is very important that H.O.P.E. continues to hear from the homeless community about the differing levels of oppression that many of us may face when attempting to navigate through the impending hardships of scarce services available in Memphis. For many groups and organizations offering free food at meetings is a plus for their attendees, but for H.O.P.E. it is a necessity, due to the fact that most often the meal offered at H.O.P.E. meetings may be the only meal they will have that day.

As H.O.P.E. grows in numbers our expenses grow as well. How can you help? You can help by donating prepared foods on Wednesdays to our meeting that afternoon. Don’t have time to cook or buy prepared foods and bring them to our meeting space? We also accept monetary donations towards this cause. Neither of those options seem feasible for you presently? We are also looking for restaurants willing to donate food to our meetings. As always, all forms of donations are completely tax deductible.

If you would like to discuss how you can offer support to HOPE please call Tamara @ 901-254-5964 or email tamara@midsouthpeace.org.

This summer the Juvenile Justice Project is proud to introduce our 6 interns! Brianna, Marquinna, Brianna, and Shamira are our four high school interns from the Board of Education‘s Summer Internship Program. We’re also thrilled to have Casey and Monae, from the University of Memphis. They have been helping to facilitate our Know Your Rights Theatre Workshops, all over the city this summer! In addition, our high school interns have been working on our Youth Council to help plan new  volunteer opportunities for other teens.

We have had a busy week with Know Your Rights Theatre Workshops. We’ve done almost 15 KYR workshops at Hickory Hill Community Center, Orange Mound Community Center, Pine Hill Community Center, and Douglas Community Center. This summer we will be running over 100 Know Your Rights Theatre workshops. We will be at the Boys & Girls Club of Hickory Hill, Girls Inc, and almost every community center in the city. Each of these sites serves over 100 youth from elementary through middle school that will be learning how to more safely navigate experiences with law enforcement. We use improv theatre to help them act out realistic scenarios with police, explain how to safely exercise one’s rights (which we tie back to the constitution and case law), and demonstrate techniques to deescalate conflict. We believe that when we approach law enforcement from a place of knowledge, instead of what we learned on Law & Order, that everyone is safer.

We have a busy summer ahead of us. We need food and beverage donations for our JJP Days of service (mostly snacks) and your financial support.

Donate today at https://midsouthpeace.org/get-involved/donate-now

Last Thursday we held our Marshal Skills Training. In this training, participants explored the roles of a Marshal (or Third Party Nonviolent Intervenor – TPNI), skills for non-violent intervention and de-escalation during a nonviolent direct action.

We had a diverse group of participants with different experiences in marshaling, which made for a rich training, where participants shared experiences, knowledge and wisdom.

We are thankful for these participants’ passion to keep our demonstrations and direct actions, nonviolent and safe for everybody!

Marshal Skills Training Participants 

If your group are in need of a Marshal Training contacts us! gio@midsouthpeace.org

Upcoming *.*.* FREE Self-Care Workshop *.*.*
Self-Care with Movement and Sound  ::  August 23 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm (only 3 spots available)

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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

 ≈• 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

 Greetings, transit warriors! MBRU’s next meeting is coming up in two weeks! Join us Saturday, July 14th from 12-2 PM. We’ll be talking about new developments in mobility, MATA’s upcoming budget, and doing outreach in the South Memphis area. Join us at A Step Ahead Foundation, on the 4th floor of the Crosstown Concourse!

Also, we had a great time co-sponsoring the United Campus Workers’ Juneteenth celebration! Last Saturday afternoon, MBRU members had some great fellowship with our allies like Fight for $15, Black Lives Matter, and the Memphis Feminist Collective. We also got to tell community members from all over town about our transit work, and hear a lecture from Dr. Charles McKinney about the greatest labor win in our country’s history! An ask from UCW: SIGN this petition asking to raise the minimum wage for University of Memphis staff!

Finally, MATA was recently selected for a program that works on On-Demand transit service.  According to MATA, this program will provide technical assistance, research tools, and other guidance as they look into using on-demand service for “both people in disadvantaged neighborhoods and paratransit riders.” The program selected 6 transit agencies total, including agencies in Baltimore, Austin, and San Francisco. MBRU will be looking into these efforts, and we hope that MATA keeps the community involved in this process as we talk about improving options for Memphis riders. Read MATA’s full press release here.

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MBRU holds meetings on the 2nd Saturday of each month from 12-2 PM; our next meeting is July 14th at the Crosstown Concourse. 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!

Greetings, transit warriors! This week, the Main Street Trolley will start running every 20 minutes, every day. MATA announced this via Nextdoor, and you can view their announcement here. As public transit in our city continues to be underfunded, we wonder why Memphis prioritizes trolley service over much-needed improvements for our buses and MATAPlus. Let’s shift the focus to the working class folks, people of color, and people with disabilities who rely on service outside of downtown for their livelihoods.

Also, be on the lookout: MBRU will be coming to your neighborhood this year! We want to hear from more riders about what your transit needs are in your communities. And remember, you can always contact us about concerns you have at (901) 205-9737 or MemphisBRU@gmail.com. Stay tuned for more updates on this!

Finally, we wanna remind folks about a great upcoming event from one of our allies. United Campus Workers is hosting their 5th annual Juneteenth Celebration THIS Saturday, June 23rd! Come down to the IBEW Union Hall (1870 Madison) from 2-5 PM for food, fellowship, and special guest speaker Dr. Charles McKinney! Bus riders can get there on the #2 Madison. To RSVP on Facebook, click here.

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MBRU holds meetings on the 2nd Saturday of each month from 12-2 PM; our next meeting is July 14th at the Crosstown Concourse. 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

HOPE Salutes Michael Krause

When I think of service and dedication to H.O.P.E. as well as to the community of those experiencing homelessness, I think of Michael Krause. Not only does he volunteer his time with the H.O.P.E. group in any capacity we need him to, but he has also worked at Case Management, Inc, for at 20+ years, providing mental health services for those who are experiencing homelessness. Michael also volunteers with the First Presbyterian soup kitchen, the Memphis Health Center, as well as the Hospitality Hub. Michael Krause is known to our community as the go-to-guy for all information on homeless services as well as the free things to do in our city. He is a proud supporter & member of the Pink Palace Museum, and is known for inviting others to come join and see the exciting exhibits there.

As if that wasn’t enough to keep him busy, Michael is also an active member of the Memphis Bus Riders Union and the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center, volunteering his time with both. Michael has fought tirelessly for the rights of bus riders, from the picket line to MATA board meetings, and to City Hall. Any given day you can find Mike, as he is affectionately called, wearing his HOPE or his Memphis Bus Riders Union t-shirts. Mike wholeheartedly believes in the mission and vision of HOPE and MBRU and is on of our most relied upon members. So kudos to Mike for winning the Mary Knox Lanier Award from the Community Alliance for the Homeless! If you would like to share in celebrating with Michael, his award will be presented to him at the Excellence Awards on Tuesday, June 26, 11:00 a.m. at Case Management , Inc.
-Tamara Hendrix, Organizing Coordinator, H.O.P.E.

Summer Survival Continues
As we told you about in past newsletters, we are starting our Summer Survival campaign.  The first dates of this program will be June 23, 30, and July 12. The rest will be be announced soon. Summer Survival is where we feed the most vulnerable and hungry school age children this summer. We would like to provide sandwiches, bottle water, and chips as well as hygiene kits if necessary. We also need volunteers to help pass out the food, which is a good opportunity for those who need community service hours. Youth volunteers are welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult if under 18. We need your help to make this summer great for those in need!

For more information about how you can help donate or support HOPE or those who do the work to combat homelessness,or would like to put on a HOPE shirt and volunteer,  contact Tamara Hendrix, (901)725.4990 or  tamara@midsouthpeace.org.

 Feed the Movement!

H.O.P.E. would like to thank Marcos Pizza for providing pizzas for the H.O.P.E meetings on the 1st Wednesday of the month. H.O.P.E  is a supportive advocacy group for people with the experiences of homelessness. One of the ways in which we learn about the aforementioned needs and strategize how we can best support one another through this work is through our weekly Wednesday meetings in which we invite people experiencing homelessness to fellowship, share, and brainstorm. It is very important that H.O.P.E. continues to hear from the homeless community about the differing levels of oppression that many of us may face when attempting to navigate through the impending hardships of scarce services available in Memphis. For many groups and organizations offering free food at meetings is a plus for their attendees, but for H.O.P.E. it is a necessity, due to the fact that most often the meal offered at H.O.P.E. meetings may be the only meal they will have that day.

As H.O.P.E. grows in numbers our expenses grow as well. How can you help? You can help by donating prepared foods on Wednesdays to our meeting that afternoon. Don’t have time to cook or buy prepared foods and bring them to our meeting space? We also accept monetary donations towards this cause. Neither of those options seem feasible for you presently? We are also looking for restaurants willing to donate food to our meetings. As always, all forms of donations are completely tax deductible.

If you would like to discuss how you can offer support to HOPE please call Tamara @ 901-254-5964 or email tamara@midsouthpeace.org.

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 to meet the specific needs of 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

 ≈• 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

Join us THURSDAY & Be Prepared for the Next Protest! Demonstrations play a crucial role in our movements. Rallies and marches display the power and discipline of a campaign which can increase the pressure for change. Organizers often call on volunteer marshals to help manage large groups of people, avoid internal disruption, and prevent police violence. In this workshop participants with develop their skills for non-violent intervention and de-escalation. Join us as we prepare for the next action!

Register Here!

Date: Thursday, June 21st

Time: 6p.m. – 8:30p.m. Please, be on time.

Location: 1350 Concourse Ave, Suite 451, Memphis, TN 38104 – A Step Ahead Foundation

*Limited to the first 14 people who register.

Cost: $20-$45 Sliding scale.

Registration online or by phone is required to attend.

 More information here!

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Upcoming *.*.* FREE Self-Care Workshop *.*.*

Self-Care with Movement and Sound  ::  August 23 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
————————————————————————————–

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 to meet the specific needs of 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

 ≈• 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