Mid-South Peace & Justice Center

In May of this year, a group of community members came together to hear about Community and Police Reconciliation.  We discussed how this project will be lead by the communities that are suffering the most from negative interactions with the police. We reviewed the history of why the community and law enforcement have come to the point of needing reconciliation.

Over the years there have been incidents such as:

1.) The mistreatment (beating) of Duanna Johnson, a transgender woman.  

2.) Members of the Latino community feel that even if they are documented citizens their voices aren’t being heard fairly. Leaving them to feel they can’t report crimes of injustice such as robberies, mistreatment by landlords, domestic violence and other crimes.

3.) African Americans feel an injustice when they are stopped for minor traffic violations or just for being Black.  

4.) There has been a wholesale move away from community policing towards the BlueCRUSH model of data-driven policing. This has resulted in community members only having interactions with police officers when there is an emergency and/or something bad happens.

5.) Almost weekly reports in the media of criminal activities committed by law enforcement officers themselves.

The Mid-South Peace and Justice Center has worked in communities across the city for more than 30 years. A consistent problem that is brought to our attention is the negative relationship that exists between law enforcement and the community. We believe that since policing is a tax-payer funded operation, that the entire community should be involved in setting the agenda of how we deal with crime. Right now many feel as if they are victims in the process of addressing crime and handling police misconduct. We hope to engage the community to become leaders on this issue, so that the community can set the agenda.

In Memphis and Shelby County, citizens have real concerns where the hurt and pain will need to be addressed, in order to move forward in a reconciliation process.  The citizens of Memphis should know that conditions and concerns have an opportunity to change with their voices.  We are hopeful in the new leadership of the Memphis Police Department. Director Armstrong is a native Memphian and has signaled that he would like to move forward towards a positive working relationship with the community. When a community is healthy and safe we all benefit.

As the citizens of Memphis and Shelby County lead the process toward moving forward to reconciliation, we will be a continued support for the citizens of Memphis and Shelby County that wish to take control over all aspects of their lives. Including in this instance, how we handle crime in our community. Will we handle it with brute force? Or will we focus on community based solutions? That is the conversation this project seeks to engage in.

So, what is reconciliation? That is something that we all have to decide and it is a conversation that is starting now. Join us by contacting Melissa at 901.725.4990 or melissa@midsouthpeace.org.

Homeless Organizing for Power and Equality (H.O.P.E.) is the name of a Mid-South Peace and Justice Center sponsored organization who’s members are exclusively people who are currently or have formerly experienced homelessness.

H.O.P.E is currently working very hard to organize around issues of core concern in this year’s Shelby County Commission budget proceedings.

The Road Home is the umbrella name give to three specific funding requests that H.O.P.E. is making before the Shelby County Commission addressing housing and the intersections between homelessness and criminal justice.

1. H.O.P.E. is requesting  $250,000 of County funding for the Mayors’ Plan to End Homelessness. These funds will be used to provide early outreach and In home case management and wrap around services for 100 of the most vulnerable individuals experiencing homelessness in our city. These are individuals who are projected under current conditions to die within the next two years without housing and services. These funds will bridge the gap for these individuals moving into permanent supportive housing until their Medicare benefits are processed. Without such funds the new units of housing available for those grappling with addiction and mental illness and other health related issues will be set up to fail. This will aid the Community Alliance for the Homeless in reaching the goal of housing 100 unsheltered individuals by Christmas of 2012.

2. H.O.P.E. is requesting a one time expenditure of $200,000 of capital improvement funds to convert blighted and MHA properties into permanent supportive housing. For an investment of $200,000 we can provide new units of permanent supportive housing for 25 homeless families with disabilities and 43 units of permanent affordable housing for low income families over the course of the next 36 months.

3. H.O.P.E. is requesting $100,000 in operational funding in support of Judge Bill Anderson’s proposal of a Veteran’s Court within General Sessions Division 7. H.O.P.E. stands in full support of Judge Bill Anderson’s proposal for the creation of a Veterans Court within General Sessions Court. This Court will help veterans who suffer from the trauma or war to be diverted out of the Criminal justice system and into programs suited to address their needs with dignity beginning July 1st of 2012.  As 20%-30% of those experiencing homelessness are veterans this is a core issue of concern to H.O.P.E.

The training started with one of the most successful slogans in the past 40 years: “We are the 99%!”

But who are the 99%? Have you ever thought that you were part of the 99%?  What does it mean to be part of the 99%? Who are the 1%? Those and many other questions were answered after sharing in the 99% Spring Action Training, Dozens of trainings took place all around the country, getting together approximately 100,000 people concerned about the issues happening in our country. This included people who already are involved in some kind of social action or people who only want to know what this 99% concept is about.

The training included information about the origin of the 99% concept, the history of the economy break down and the history of the effectiveness of the Non-violent Direct Action.

The most moving moment of this training, from my point view, was to share our own concerns based in our own experiences, taking into account that we were a very diverse group, and that we have diversity of ethnicity, culture, economic background, language, religious beliefs and sexual orientation. In spite of all of that, we identified our similarities in the struggle and realized that every single one of the participants is trying hard to survive in this broken social and economic system.

Understanding that the people have the power to make changes without using violence is a huge accomplishment, putting it into action is the challenge.

We, the people, take the challenge. We come out to speak like we did in the non-violent action of May 1st. In solidarity with Homelessness Organized for Power and Equality (H.O.P.E),  a Mid-South Peace and Justice Center sponsored organization who’s members exclusively are people who currently or formerly have experienced homelessness.

The May 1st action highlighted the injustice that our state government has committed using the law SB2508 against people most affected by the inequality of our economy system, people who experience homelessness.

This law SB2508 makes it a Class A Misdemeanor to sleep on public property owned by the state.  Criminalizing poverty is not a solution, but is a marginalization of those who are most in need.  And we need to be aware of this as a community who cares, because there are in fact several laws, like the anti-immigration laws, that also are criminalizing those who are most in need among us.

What we need is education, not marginalization.  What we need is to empower ourselves; to take charge of our country, our economy, our society and create justice through peace.

If you want to know more about this training or other trainings, please contact us at Mid-South Peace and Justice Center 901-725-4990 or by email at gio@midsouthpeace.org

*Nuestros entrenamientos también están disponibles en Español* 

Our trainings are also available in Spanish.

A proposal coming before the Shelby County Board of Commissioners could muffle opposition to controversial land developments. Child impact statements currently provide a comprehensive means to communicate—to the county commission and city council—the concerns of children, families, and entire neighborhoods over new land developments that could affect their health, safety, education, and physical environment. Right now, the county commission and city council cannot consider any proposed resolution or ordinance involving safety, health, education, or land use without first receiving a child impact statement. The land use requirement could be lost if a proposed change to the Commission’s rules of order is passed.

Keep our kids safe from land use decisions that allow industrial and other unwanted developments to locate next door to homes and schools—blighting our neighborhoods and endangering our children’s health and safety. Please sign our petition at:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/494/273/301/urge-shelby-county-commissioners-to-keep-protecting-kids/

Commissioner Mike Ritz will propose to do away with considerations for children and families in land use decisions on Wednesday, May 16th during the commission’s public committee meeting. We are asking that all concerned contact their county commissioners and Commissioner Ritz to voice opposition to any resolution that would weaken the use of child impact statements. We also urge all to attend the county commission meeting on May 16th. Time and room location to follow.

To locate contact information for your county commissioner, go to http://www.shelbycountytn.gov/index.aspx?NID=1209  or http://shelbyvote.com/index.aspx?NID=122

For more information contact Mike Schmidt at 901-568-8273 or mschmidt@memphis.edu.

For the past 5 months organizers with the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center have been working with the real experts on the issue of homelessness, those persons who have directly lived and experienced it for themselves.

Homeless Organizing for Power and Equality (H.O.P.E.) is the name of a Mid-South Peace and Justice Center sponsored organization who’s members are exclusively people who are currently or have formerly experienced homelessness. Members of this organization will receive training and support as they direct and lead street campaigns around the host of issues,challenges and injustices suffered by our brothers and sisters who live on the streets of our community. These campaigns are all centered around H.O.P.E.‘s four principle values of DIGNITY, SELF DETERMINATION, SOLIDARITY and MUTUAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT. Currently H.O.P.E. has weekly membership meetings on Thursday nights at the MANNA HOUSE, with an open discussion group meeting on Thursday mornings.

Currently the group is in the planning stages of joining the MAY 1st DAY OF ACTION  in conjunction with various labor, immigrant rights and social justice organization. Each of the groups involved are working towards May 1st actions around various issues of injustice with H.O.P.E. leading the charge on SB2508. This grossly unconstitutional law was recently passed by the Tennessee Legislature and shamefully signed into law by Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam. SB2508  makes it a Class A Misdemeanor to sleep on public property owned by the state. This new law will effectively make homelessness a crime with a penalty of a jail sentence up to 11 months and 29 days and/or a $2500 fine. The members of H.O.P.E. see this for what it is a further continuation of the criminalization of poverty in our state and our community.

The group is currently in the planning stages of a protest centering on SB2508 and the rampant civil rights and police harassment violations within our local criminal justice system at 201 POPLAR. At this event on MAY 1st. members of H.O.P.E will stage host a press conference about the inhumanity of SB2508 and representative of the group will present a official letter and list of grievances to Shelby County District Attorney General Amy Weirich and Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong. H.O.P.E. asserts that District Attorney Amy Weirich and MPD Director Armstrong should come forward and publicly state that neither the DA nor MPD will make arrest or prosecute offenders under this unconstitutional law.

If you or your congregation or organization would like to help H.O.P.E.’s day of action please contact Organizing Director Brad Watkins at 901-725-4990 or by email at brad@midsouthpeace.org

H.O.P.E. is also pursuing the creation of a Worker’s Co’op to facilitate a part time income sources for it’s members. One such venture would involve the creation of a member owned and operated organic cleaning and janitorial service for area churches, businesses and union halls. The other venture, led by H.O.P.E. organizer Paul Garner would involve members of H.O.P.E. being trained in silk screen printing for the creation of t-shirts for organizations, church youth organizations, political campaigns and grassroots organizing groups.

Both of these services will be fully owned and operated by the members themselves.

If you have a background in business or are a business student who is interested in aiding our members in how to write a business plan,bylaws and the basics of operating a business please contact Organizing Director Brad Watkins at 901-725-4990 or by email at brad@midsouthpeace.org.

Homeless Organizing for Power and Equality (H.O.P.E.) is the name of a Mid-South Peace and Justice Center sponsored organization who’s members are exclusively people who are currently or have formerly experienced homelessness. Over the past few months our members have been hard at work not only planning, mobilizing and organizing a movement for justice on our streets but also building community through mutual emotional support within the group itself.

Memphis Bus Riders Union Issues Warning To Community About “Scam Artists”

The Memphis Bus Rider Union (MBRU) is a grassroots effort to advocate and organize for badly needed reforms of our public transit system in the Memphis area. This week it has come to our attention that there have been reports of individuals who are using the name of the MBRU to solicit donations at bus stops and at terminals.

This is untrue and those who are soliciting donations are not in anyway connected with the Memphis Bus Rider Union. The MBRU at this time has not and currently is not asking for financial donations and urges the public and the media to spread the word not give money to these individuals as they are performing a scam. The MBRU will continue to outreach efforts at bus stops and at terminals but only for the purpose of distributing flyers and surveys.

“It is deeply troubling and sad that anytime the community comes together on a issue for positive change that there will always be opportunists and users.  The MBRU will not allow the actions of unethical people to distract this organization from it’s goals and work, which is ensuring that transit dependent riders needs and desires are the first and foremost priorities of MATA,” says MBRU member and MATA customer Brad Watkins.

The next meeting of the Memphis Bus Riders Union will be held Saturday, April 14^th at the Memphis Center for Independent Living- 1633 Madison ave, from 12 noon until 2pm.

For more information please contact the Memphis BusRiders Union at our website at MBRU.org by email at ttfmemphis@gmail.com or by phone at 901-205-9737  

Worldwide LGBT Civil Rights March, Millington, TN.  Saturday April 21st

Quickinformation:

Unite Against the War on Women Rally

What:  Unite Against the War on Women Rally

Where:  Tennessee State Capitol Building – Nashville, TN

• Women across the United States will march in all 50 state capitols in support of women’s rights and equality.
• Buses are being arranged from Memphis.
• TN Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeAreWomenMarchTN/
• National Website http://www.unitewomen.org

“Help defend women’s rights and pursuit of equality. Join Americans all across the United States on April 28th, 2012, as we come together as one to tell members of Congress in Washington DC and legislators in all 50 states, “Enough is enough!”

Unite Women strongly supports diversity and welcomes women and men of all ages without regard to their race, color, creed, political affiliation, disability, religious or spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, education or income level, marital status, employment status or immigrant status. 

Everyone is invited to join, plan, and rally as we unite to demand that every person be granted equal opportunities, equal rights, and equal representation.

This is what grassroots democracy looks like!”

Melissa is a native Memphian who is a product of Memphis City Schools and attended Treadwell High located in the Highland Heights area. Melissa attended college at State Technical Institute and Christian Brothers University studying paralegal through the National Academy of Paralegal studies. Melissa’s work skills were in Legal and Executive Administration until June 4, 1994. Her life changed and has lead her to work strongly in the community with grassroots organizations which also inspired her to start her own non profit outreach organization known as S.O.L.I.D.s Inc. (Scope Of Life Illuminates Destiny), a ministry working with the people, for the people of our communities.