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Happy Birthday to MSPJC’s Executive Director: Brad Watkins

Join us in wishing Brad Watkins a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Brad has been the Executive Director of the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center for over 3 years, but between his time as an Organizing Coordinator, of various program areas, and a volunteer he has been with the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center for 11 years. There is no one more dedicated to restoring peace within the Memphis community through fighting injustice and oppression! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Some people talk about being “woke” or dedicated to social justice. I just compare them to Brad. “How Brad are you?” “Stay Brad.” – Lani Lester

“¡Feliz Cumpleaños Brad! Thank you for being a great ‘jefecito’, for the chocolates on the secret spot, and for all your support for doing the work I love.” -Gio Lopez

“Listen to your OLD Uncle Brad” -Bennett Foster

“Brad is the Darth Maul to my Asajj Ventress: If he got chopped in half, I would not rest until his torso was avenged.” -Chris Martin

“Another year older, ay? <~~ Not really an old age jab. 🙂 Okay, I’ll be serious. It’s been great working for you and learning your ways. Thanks for always extending grace when I need it most! I truly appreciate all that you do. Happy Birthday Brad!” -Ashley 3:16

“Eat more vegetables. I love you. Live long and prosper.” -Faith Pollan

“You are the most charismatic, energetic, enthusiast I know about social justice.There is no one better at being a mentor than you. Happy Birthday Brad and may you have as much joy as you bring to our  lives.” -Tamara Hendrix

“I’ve worked for MSPJC for about five years now. In that time I’ve gotten to know Brad as a mentor, a colleague, and a friend, I think what I appreciate most is his consistency. Brad is consistently a good friend, ally, and a source of wisdom. He is consistently a voice for what is just and equitable, and consistently brings tangible solutions to the table. Memphis is lucky to have somebody like Brad poking and prodding, consistent and persistent in pushing this City to be the best it can be. Happy Birthday Captain B!” -Paul Garner

“Happy Birthday, Brad! We are all enriched by your passion for justice, equity, history, sci-fi, and (questionably) good television. Thank you for the sacrifices you make so we can live in a more just and loving community. I’m grateful for your life well-lived and your friendship!”  -Meredith Pace

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Let’s all recognize the past and nearing birthdays of staff members: Bennett Foster (August 2nd), Justin Davis (August 22nd), Julia Powell (August 25th), & Paul Garner (September 4th). All of you shoulder a lot of work each and every day, and MSPJC wouldn’t be half as great without you! Happy Birthday!!! 

 

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Juvenile Justice Project’s Youth Conference!


Juvenile Justice Project is hosting its first Youth Conference (click here) September 22 and 23 at Belle Forest Community School. This event is free and open to the public. Current and potential community service partners, area leaders, and middle and high school aged teens are encouraged to attend the Friday session where we will learn community organizing skills and youth centering techniques. Saturday will be exclusively youth driven and youth attended. We will feature workshops on non-violent conflict resolution, knowing your constitutional rights, sexual assault awareness, entrepreneurship, and more. We will also have a mix and mingle lunch on Saturday for teens to learn more about local organizations, mentorship opportunities, higher education providers, and apprenticeship openings. Make sure you register at http://midsouthpeace.org/event/jjpyc/

There are many great ways to get involved with this awesome conference. We need volunteers to help facilitate, clean up, and set up. This is a perfect opportunity for people who have court ordered community service or if you just want to get involved in Hickory Hill. If you are part of an organization that offers opportunities for youth involvement we welcome you to table at the “Mix and Mingle Lunch”. We are also looking for donors or people who want to be food sponsors for the event. We intend to serve food Friday night, breakfast and lunch on Saturday, and snacks throughout both days.

If you are interested in the opportunities or in supporting the JJPYC in another way please contact Faith Pollan at faith@midsouthpeace.org

 

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Wall Street Journal Feature & Meeting Location Change


MBRU leadership was recently featured in a Wall Street Journal article about how budget cuts have robbed transit service from those who need it the most! “Sammie Hunter, 53 years old, spends three hours a day taking two buses to his $12-an-hour job in the kitchen of a local hospital. Much of that time is spent waiting outside for the buses to arrive. “I deal with it, you know? I don’t have a choice,” said Mr. Hunter, who co-chairs the Memphis Bus Riders Union, an advocacy group in his hometown.” Read the full article here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/americas-city-buses-lose-momentum-1502539200

Our next general meeting is Saturday, September 9th from 12-2 PM! Because the Cossitt Library is undergoing renovations, we’ll be meeting instead at the Memphis Center for Independent Living, 1633 Madison Ave. It’s across the street from Cash Saver, and accessible via the #2 bus. Hope to see you there!

 

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Upcoming Workshops: Register Now!

Grassroots Organizer Training for 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!

Upcoming Workshops!

• September 21, Privilege and Oppression Awareness, 6pm – 8:30pm
I want to Register!

• October 19, Facilitation Skills when disruption happens, 6pm – 8:30pm
I want to Register!

• November 3-5, Community Organizing Skills Training (14+hour training – Fri. Sat. & Sun.) Learn and develop foundational skills to be an organizer and create systematic change in a group or community, keeping nonviolence as a foundation.
For more information and registration click here.

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.

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

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Lafleau ~A H.O.P.E Benefit~

Bring your friends, bring your tampons, bring your money…. and join us at Laveau/Lafleau, first annual tampon drive for homeless women and community awareness, 2266 central avenue at the Laveau/Salon, Saturday, August 19 starting at 6:30PM! All proceeds go to Sister Supply, a brilliant company that provides women’s menstrual hygiene products to women in need.

Silent Art Auction • Waffle Cream Food Truck • Lisa Michaels is the Master of Ceremonies • Live Performances by SnagglePus & Louise Page •

Facebook Event: HERE

Silent Auction Includes:
Laveau- $200 worth of services
Underground art- one hour of tattoo time
KP from No Regrets – one hour of tattoo time
Nathan Parten from Trilogy – one hour of tattoo time
Ashley Benham – $300 worth of photography services
Delta Groove Yoga – 4 class pass
Aunt Key’s Apothecary – $140 cleaning services
Maethel Jensen – Massage time and gift basket

And up for grabs right now is the $240 worth of professional hair care from State Beauty Supply.

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HOPE Rally For Affordable Housing at City Hall!

Homeless activists stand in solidarity with the community and demand free shelter for all!

In conjunction with the National Housing Week of Action, members of Homeless Organizaing for Power and Equality (H.O.P.E.) and allies held a rally on Tuesday, July 25 from 3:15-3:30 p.m. outside City Hall to call on our Mayor and City Council to address the unconscionable lack of housing and free, accesible shelter for women, men, pregant persons, the LGBTQ community, and people with disabilities. Attendees were encouraged to come inside for the City Council meeting at 3:30 and stay to pull comment cards.To quote myself , “Memphis is the only city its size without a free ,public,year-round shelter that is inclusive and accesible to all. Memphis can be a city of opportunity , but only if we make sure there are options for our most vulnerable.”

We had some great responses and thanks to those that spoke. H.O.P.E. will continue to fight for a free shelter until we get what we want.

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Filing Complaints Against MPD Officers: What To Do Before, During, & After

Are you trying to file a complaint against a Memphis Police Officer? Back in 2012, we first documented the process and barriers we observed when filing a complaint against Memphis Police. Since then, we’ve assisted many others in trying to navigate the process in search of justice. While this should in no way be taken as a substitute for advice from an attorney, here are a few lessons we learned along the way….Read More

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Know Your Rights Workshops & Upcoming Youth Summit!

This week Memphis United had the opportunity to conduct Know Your Rights Theatre workshops with Girls Inc as well as Start Camp for entrepreneurship at Southwest Community College. We believe that youth are the solution not the problem. Thank you for the opportunity to meet these amazing, young change makers. If you are interested in us hosting a workshop for your organization you can email Faith Pollan at faith@midsouthpeace.org. 

We are also preparing to host a Juvenile Justice Youth Summit the first weekend of September. If you are interested in volunteering for this event, getting involved with the Juvenile Justice Project as a whole, or if you know a young person who might want to present at the summit you can also contact Faith Pollan at the aforementioned email address. You can also sign up as a community service partner at bit.ly/2kfB7Qr

The Juvenile Justice Project is also excited to welcome back intern Montez Reed. Montez is a Rhodes student who interned with us since last spring. He has been a huge asset to us and we are thrilled that he has decided to return to intern with JJP at the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center.

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H.O.P.E. Demands Housing for All!


ACTION ALERT!! In conjunction with the National Housing Week of Action called “Our Homes, Our Voices” July 22-29, under the National Coalition for the Homeless, H.O.P.E. is having a rally at City Hall on July 25 at 3:15 p.m. We demand that Congress lift the low spending caps required by the Budget Control Act equally for defense and non-defense programs and ensure the highest level of funding possible for afforadable housing.

Locally H.O.P.E demands a FREE, accessible, city run shelter for people experiencing homelessness; inclusive of marginalized groups such as single women, single men, LGBTQ community, and people with disabilities. We beleive that access to safe, affordable shelter is a human right. We call on the city of Memphis to enact an ordinance for minimum standards for all shelters including transparency and accountability to the consumer, ADA compliance, new standards for sexual misconduct by staff, standards for staff training and ethics and the creation of an oversight board within the executive branch made up of those currently and formerly unsheltered which will provide oversight into allegations of misconduct within shelters.
#HousingForAll

Come join us for the rally and support our citizens!

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PERL General Meeting & PR Training!


Join PERL, Thursday, July 27th for our monthly General Interest meeting! The general interest meetings are open to everyone interested in organizing (and strategizing) around improving the enforcement of rape laws in Memphis, -while also making the process more accessible, transparent, and all around easier for the victims of sexual assault. PERL welcomes (and loves) new opinions, insight, or perspectives on the issues with the current process and accessibility. For more information please check our website: http://enforcerapelaws.org/

PERL would also like to announce a Public Relations Training in which we are partnering with the University of Memphis:
Think that only big corporations need public relations? Think again! In this hands-on workshop, you will learn the basic concepts of public relations, how public relations can help activist causes, and the nuts and bolts of press release and op-ed writing. Each participant will leave with public relations knowledge and materials to take their activist messages to the next level.

Presented by University of Memphis professors Stephanie Madden, Ph.D. and Melissa Janoske, Ph D. 

There is a suggested donation of $10 per person, but no one will be turned away for inability to pay. Lunch is included.
Please RSVP on the Facebook event page or email info@enforcerapelaws.org

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