Mid-South Peace & Justice Center

Tagline

Mobile menu contact icon

Mobile menu contact information

Paul Garner

by

HOPE Survival Guide 2019: A Guide to Services for People Experiencing Homelessness

The Survival Guide is compiled annually by the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center. Until this guide was created, there was no single resource for people experiencing homelessness to reference so that they can access the services they need independently.

The Agency Listing and Reference sections of this Guide provide information about public and private agencies and organization offering services to homeless people.

Please note the following:

  1. All the information in this Guide was collected from the agencies themselves and every effort possible was made to ensure accuracy. If there has been an error, please contact The Mid- South Peace and Justice Center and we will update them on our next list.

  2. Inclusion of a particular program or service in this directory does not constitute endorsement, nor omission disapproval of a program or service.

  3. Please be aware that many of the agencies and organizations listed in this Guide have limited resources. The fact that they are included does not guarantee that they are able to help everyone who is referred to them.

The page layout of this document is set especially so you can print and distribute your own copies of the survival guide. Please print and distribute widely!

Click here to download and print the 2019 Suvival Guide

GET LISTED!

To get your organization or church ministry in the next edition of the survival guide: CLICK HERE

If you are looking for an online database of area shelters and services, please visit: memphishomelessoptions.org

by

Questions Remain About the Shooting of Brandon Webber

In the days that have followed since US Marshals killed Frayser resident, Brandon Webber in the process of serving a warrant for his arrest on allegations of Mr. Webber being involved in car theft and a shooting in Southaven, Mississippi, many questions remain unanswered.

We at MSPJC want to extend our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of Brandon Webber, who now will have no day in court to answer for these allegations. We are also grateful that there was no further loss of life nor any loss of life among law enforcement despite the false statements made by Sen Marsha Blackburn. The growing conversation since has been dominated by dissecting every part of this young man’s life. Since then there have been numerous questions, calls for peace, and a series of recriminations.

Memphis sits at a sadly familiar crossroads. Steven Askew, Terrance Calton, Martavious Banks, Darrius Stewart, Abdoulaye Thiam—the list of names seems endless—young black men who were shot by Memphis Police officers, convicted of wrongdoing in the media, and at no point does the public see any accountability or transparency following subsequent investigations. These tensions are taking all of us to a dangerous place as many in our community feel that police can kill young black men and women with seeming impunity.

These are but some of the underlying causes for last week’s events, decades of frustrations that cannot be so easily alleviated, especially when the path forward seems unclear.

Another aspect of the badly needed conversation are deescalation tactics and cultural sensitivity training and standards of behavior and conduct. MPD officers, taunting an already grieving and angry crowd as seen on  live-stream only served to bait and incite violence. However, even this analysis risks missing a larger point. When we reduce every situation to individuals, we ignore systemic and procedural factors that drive the issue. We often try to atomize each situation down to a “case by case” basis, which on the surface seems reasonable, but “case by case” can also become a smoke screen to ignore systemic issues and patterns.

It also makes every dispute a personal one, between the community and the individual officer/s, but not the institutions responsible. Thus, even when an officer is found guilty of wrongdoing, the blame is thrust solely upon that individual officer, and there is never a systemic review of policies and practices. The misuse of the term “bad apples,” which is not about an individual making a group look bad, but a warning about how corruption if unaddressed spreads furthers this atomization.

We at MSPJC have had conversations for years with individuals in Law Enforcement who often express that the community does not understand what it’s like for them. We think this is largely true, but it is true because the institutions of law enforcement don’t give the public information about their actual internal processes or procedures or policies.

The rules are often kept hidden and then selectively revealed to the public on a “need to know” basis.
The entire mindset of this is part of the problem and further alienates the community that Law Enforcement is tasked to serve. This creates a toxic power dynamic, making it harder for the average citizen to even know if proper procedure is being followed in the first place. This, in turn, decreases the likelihood that a complaint filed with internal affairs will be sustained due to semantics—and that is the intention, if we want to be intellectually honest. This makes it nearly impossible for the institution of MPD to be fully trusted, and by extension this falls on the individual officers.

So often, the only outlet for residents who do want to learn more is via MPD’s own processes with things like ride-alongs, the Ambassadors Program, and other such things Our concern with ride-alongs and some of these programs, is that they serve more as a persuasion/recruitment tool than an informative/collaborative one. It reduces the position and responsibilities of law enforcement officers, away from the systemic and towards an anecdotal, sympathetic, and individualized narrative. It’s also a program that is completely under the power of the agency being questioned. In all things, it’s either MPD’s way or the highway.

What we need is real transparency about Law Enforcement agencies, their rules of engagement, policies concerning descalation and escalation, so that the public can fully understand them. The public also needs full information about their rights during  encounters with law enforcement. We need a truly collaborative atmosphere and attitude from the leadership of such agencies.

As it stands, one cannot truly work with MPD. You can work for MPD, or you can be labeled as against MPD, but there is no true give and take, in a collaborative manner from the institution of MPD with the community. That puts the officers in the middle.

We need a crime fighting strategy drafted from the communities involved to be executed by MPD, rather than predetermined courses of action that are sold to the community or hoisted upon them without consent. This goes for redevelopment plans as well, which often work the exact same ways in our poorest communities.

We are very disappointed that Mayor Jim Strickland spoke with so little empathy or understanding of what really happened on last Wednesday, with the horrible loss of life of Brandon Webber, and that It was yet another canary in the coalmine of the massive historic and generational issues between the black community and MPD.

MSPJC still has the following questions, which so far, remain unanswered:

1. Who ordered and authorized the use of tear gas, and when? Was the Mayor consulted, and when did he know?
2. When was local Law Enforcement informed by the Marshals that an arrest was being attempted of an alleged dangerous criminal, in a residential area?
3. How many officers who were injured was due to tear gas?
4. Is MPD investigating or disciplining the officers who were taunting and telling the crowd to “bring it” earlier in the night before things escalated?
5. What are MPD crowd control procedures? Were they properly followed?

To be clear, there is no relationship to heal, because the relationship for the Black community  has never been a good one. On a core level, that is what we have to deal with as a city. There’s no better time in the past and one can’t expect generations of Memphians to mistrust their own eyes without any systemic willingness to change.

We have to build something new and we have to do that together.

What we hope our Mayor and our leadership in Law Enforcement and many others will pause and consider is, while people keep talking about improving the relationship, what are you willing to actually do? What are you willing to change? How can we move from decades of tactics like “Jump and Grab” and occupation-style tactics like Blue Crush to actual collaborative relationships?

Peace has a price. Are our elected and appointed leaders ready and willing to give up power and secrecy to embrace peace?

 

by

A War On The Poor: Work Requirements for Benefits Hurts Memphis Families

 

 

During the last legislative session, the TN state legislature passed a draconian bill instating work requirements for recipients of benefits like Families First and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This is cruel legislation passed by cruel people with the intention of setting people up to fail in an effort to wipe them off of their benefits.

Last year, MSPJC began providing flexible opportunities for young mothers who must now work up to 30 hours of community service a week in order to maintain their benefits and provide for their children. This is especially burdensome for those who rely on our broken transit system.

For the past several months have been working with at least 20 women, completing close to300 hours every week, but this is just scratching the surface here in Memphis, where 62.3k or 24.8% of our total population receive food stamps (SNAP). This problem is only going to get worse now that TN has expanded work requirements for Tenncare recipients. According to a recent study by Georgetown University, once these changes go into effect, 68,000 TN residents could lose Tenncare entirely. Until Tennesseans can roll back this harmful legislation, MSPJC will continue to work to be an ally to those most affected.

We invite you to be a part of this important work by making a donation of anything you can, or become a Sustaining Member of Mid-South Peace & Justice Center!

by

Saying Goodbye To MSPJC Training Director, Gio Lopez

As Gio Lopez Prepares For Her Next Chapter, She Remembers Her Time With MSPJC
Gio Lopez

Hello Friends,

Transitions can be exciting and a little sad as well, but in my opinion it is always a sign that we keep on rolling.

After eight and a half years, it’s now my time to continue rolling on to different lands. I’ll be leaving my staff role as G.O.T. Power Training Director the last day of November 2018.

I’m deeply thankful for all the opportunities of growth I have found during my time at the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center (MSPJC). I remember starting as an office coordinator for the Center when the former Executive Director, Jacob Flowers and Education Coordinator, Allison Glass trusted me enough for such an important position.

I’m saying this because when I started the job, I didn’t have any prior experience in this specific field, also considering that I thought my English was very limited.

During the first months in my position, I got more and more involved in the heart of MSPJC’s work, realizing that was something I’d wanted to be involved with since I was in college. A couple years later, I started working directly with Allison (then Training Director) in the training department, where my passion for theatre, art, and social justice mixed perfectly for me, becoming the Training Coordinator in 2015. MSPJC trusted once again in my abilities and my passion, investing greatly in building my facilitation skills and learning as a trainer for social justice. This experience allowed me to serve my community, focus on my personal growth, and get more in touch with my internalized oppression to be able to dismantled it. For this and much more, I will always be thankful with MSPJC.

Gio Leading a G.O.T. Power Training

I’m also proud of how much our training department, G.O.T. Power, is growing, and continuing to serve our community, opening spaces for learning experiences, building our community’s capacity through building skills in grassroots organizing,  and providing support for people doing community work and offering anti-oppression and liberation education.

Bennet Foster, with who I have being working for several years now, first as MBRU Coordinator, and as a Training Coordinator for the last year, will be taking care of G.O.T. Power until a new Director takes my place.

We are exited for the new accomplishments to come!

Please consider making a donation to MSPJC so we may continue to provide affordable spaces for learning on social justice.

Con mucho amor

Giovanna ‘Gio’ López

pronouns: she/her/ella

Donate Now

Become a Member

by

This Summer: Know Your Rights!

We’ve had a busy summer so far with the Juvenile Justice Project and Know Your Rights Theatre. We kicked things off June 4 at the Boys and Girls Club of Hickory Hill. Since then we’ve done workshops at Mitchell Community Center, McFarland Community Center, Cunningham Community Center, and Hickory Hill Community Center. We have already taught over 200 kids and teens about their rights during police stops and we’re just getting started!
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 kids 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, tell them how to safely exercise their rights (which we tie back to the constitution and case law), as well as teaching them deescalation techniques. We believe that when we approach law enforcement from a place of knowledge, instead of what many of us learned on TV Cop dramas, that everyone is safer.
We have a busy summer ahead of us! We’re asking for your support with food & beverage donations for our JJP Days of service (mostly snacks) and your financial support. Donate today at https://midsouthpeace.org/get-involved/donate-now/

 

by

Trolley Folly! We’re Coming Soon to Your Neighborhood! UCW Celebrates Juneteenth THIS Saturday!

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.

—–

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

by

Member Spotlight: Mike Krause! Summer Survival Continues!

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.

by

Schedule a Unique Training for Your Group or 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

 

by

Register Today! Marshal Skills Training June 21st!

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!

—————————————————————————–
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

Want to help transform your community? Join our monthly giving program #MyMSPJC Sustainers!