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Update: This workshop has reached capacity, but we are now accepting waiting-list only participants. In the event that someone cancels, individuals on the waiting-list in the order in which they reached out to us will be offered the former participant’s slot.

Community Organizing Skills Training explores with the participants the foundational skills to be organizers and create systematic change in a group or community, keeping nonviolence as a foundation.
This training will build knowledge and experience of core organizer skills in a hands-on, direct manner, while also drawing out the expertise that the group has within. The result is a training that is fully interactive and has direct application in each session.

Who should attend this Community Organizing Skills Training?
Experienced and less-experienced organizers,  activists, community leaders and any other people who wants to learn what ‘community organizing’ is about.

Topics covered include:
Intro to Organizing, Campaign Planning, Facilitating Meetings, Working with Media and Intro to Nonviolent Direct Action.

Where:  Location to be determined.

When: Friday, June 23: 6-9pm;

Saturday, June 24: 9am-5pm and

Sunday, June 25: 2-6:30pm

≈•≈•≈•≈•≈ No partial attendance allowed ≈•≈•≈•≈•≈

Cost*: If your annual income is:

Less than $15,000 You pay: $30

$15,000-$25,000: $50

$25,000-$35,000: $100

$35,000-$45,000: $150

$45,000-$55,000: $225

$55,000-$65,000: $300

Over $65,000: $375

Organizational Budget over $65,000: $375

Sliding scale based on the individual’s income.
If your organization is sending you to the training, use the organizational budget to determine the fee.
Please consider that it costs MSPJC $200 per person to do the training.
Fees includes 14+ hours of training, simple snacks, light breakfast and lunch on Saturday, materials and follow up support from a network of the mid-south best organizers and activists.

To get your name on the waiting list please email Gio Lopez. Her email is listed below.

*Some scholarships may be available, please request scholarship application by email or phone.
Donations for workshop scholarships gratefully accepted!

For more information call 901-725-4990 or email to gio@midsouthpeace.org

Job Title: Organizing Coordinator
Reporting to: Organizing Director

Background:

Founded in 1982, the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center (MSPJC) is a membership-based organization dedicated to organizing, strategizing and acting to educate and train new community leaders to drive campaigns of their own for racial, economic, environmental and social justice. We work to build the capacity of disenfranchised communities to organize movements that shift power and dismantle oppression

The Youth Organizer is responsible for coordinating various aspects of the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center’s Juvenile Justice Project (JJP), with the goal of reducing youth recidivism in the Hickory Hill & Bartlett areas by eliminating barriers to young people completing their court ordered community service. This includes direct outreach and engagement to Identify, recruit and retain Churches, Community Organizations, Schools, Community Centers, etc as partners that will act as service sites for young people with with unserved court ordered community service hours. The Youth Organizer is also responsible for coordinating multiple conferences with workshop opportunities for both project partners and youth that will engage participants in education around topics like developing community organizing skills. This is a full time salaried position, 40 hours a week. Applicants must be competent in basic computer and communication skills. Knowledge of Excel, Word, Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator, and prior experience in community organizing is a plus. A certain degree of creativity and latitude is required. The position reports directly to the Organizing Director.

 

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identify, recruit, & retain Service Site Partners for the JJP that will provide meaningful service opportunities for young people.

• Develop promotional materials for JJP.

• Regularly attend community events relevant to the constituency of the JJP as a means of networking and recruiting new partners.

• Provide regular updates about the progress of the JJP through social media bulletins and e-mail newsletters.

• Set up meetings to explain methods and goals of the JJP to potential Service Site Partners (Churches, Community orgs, etc).

• Assist Service Site Partners in developing ideas, concepts for “outside the box” community service projects.

• Generate database of Service Site Partners with all relevant contact info and service descriptions.

• Map Service Site Partners as a means of aiding Juvenile Court in placing young people with recruited Service Site Partners in proximity to their home addresses to eliminate mobility barriers.

• Coordinate and organize conference events to connect service partners and young people to community resources, and engage participants in community organizing workshops, as well as brainstorming sessions on alternative, neighborhood based community service projects.

 

GENERAL STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES:

Minimum Qualifications:

• All candidates must have a “can do” attitude, enjoy a fast-paced environment, be highly organized without losing sight of larger objectives, and be committed to justice and equality for all people across issues,identities, and communities.

• Excellent writing, verbal and interpersonal skills, including public speaking;

• Demonstrated ability to forge productive and healthy collaborations;

• Understanding and enjoyment of multifaceted advocacy that combines legislative strategy, grassroots organizing, media relations, policy analysis and coalition-building activities;

• Ability to think “big picture” as well as to translate ideas into realistic, actionable plans;

• Commitment and desire to work in a multi-cultural environment where diversity based on race, ethnic origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, physical ability, family status and other characteristics is an important and practiced value;

• Able to handle and appropriately prioritize multiple tasks in a timely and efficiently manner;

• Keen analytical skills, attention to detail, and ability to take initiative;

• Ability to collaborate on projects with staff from other departments, and a high level of personal investment in contributing to the priorities of the organization as a whole;

• Willingness to travel and work evenings and weekends as projects demand it;

• Experience developing and managing work plans as well as training, supervising, and developing interns and volunteers is preferred;

Demonstrated experience with local issues in Memphis is strongly preferred, specifically any experience with the criminal justice system and law enforcement is desirable.

Salary and Benefits:

Annual salary of $32,500 depending on experience for full time employment. Includes benefits including health care stipend,vacation, and sick leave.

The Mid-South Peace and Justice Center is an equal opportunity employer. People of color, women, and transgender people are encouraged to apply.

To Apply:

Please forward via email a letter of interest, resume, and three references to Brad Watkins at (Brad@midsouthpeace.org).

Please include “Organizing Coordinator Position” in the subject line. Deadline: May 26th 2017, or until filled.

Join us on Thursday, May 11th, as we CONTINUE to watch the watchers!

Activists and community members fought long and hard to re-establish Memphis’ Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB), to review cases deemed unsustained or unfounded by MPD’s Internal Affair. So far this year, FOUR cases have been sustained by CLERB in favor of civilian complaintants.

We learned that as of Thursday, April 13, 2017, letters were sent to Memphis Police Director, Michael Rallings, outlining CLERB’s findings and recomendations in theses cases. By ordinance, the police director has 10 days to respond publicly to these recomendations and explain what he will or will not do in response.

Last Friday marked 10 full business days since the last CLERB meeting, when we were told these letters had been sent. By next Thursday’s meeting it will have been 19 full business days. In the meantime, we will be working to learn if Director Rallings has indeed complied with City Ordinance. The complainants in all of these cases have waited long enough, most of them years for some sort of answers, and we expect a satisfactory response by the next CLERB meeting.

Join us! Next Thursday, May 11th, City Hall (125 N Main, 5th Floor)
4-6PM (Public Meeting, so come and go as you please)
#PoliceAccountability #WatchTheWatchers
****Free Parking on Mud Island Lot (Poplar & Front)****

Dia Sin Inmigrantes La Huega Rally

On May 1st, meet us at Clayborne Temple at 5 PM to march to the National Civil Rights Museum. On this day immigrants and allies should not go to work, school or buy anything. We are going to make it clear that this country cannot function without immigrants. This is only the beginning of our struggle for permanent protection, dignity and respect.

Estaremos teniendo un rally por el dia sin inmigrantes que da inicio a una temporada de boycotts y huelgas.

For more information click here.

Juvenile Justice Project: Welcome to Our New Partners!

Thank you and welcome to our newest partners with the Juvenile Justice Project! We’re working to build networks of churches and organizations to address our high number of youth offenders and the lack of opportunities for court ordered community service.

If your organization would like to partner to provide opportunities for our young people, please take a minute to fill out this form: tinyurl.com/jjp

Milllennials For Memphis
Heal The Hood Foundation of Memphis
Youth Leadership Initiative- Memphis
Green House of Deliverance for Domestic Violence
Alpha Kappa Alpha Mu Epsilon Chapter
ManKind Project
The Life Center Church
Love, Stewardship, & Christ Ministries
Anointed Outreach Ministries
Operation He’s My Brother
Millionaire Grind Clothing
North Memphis Farmers Collective
New Direction Christian Church
Memphis Alternatives to Violence Project
Bethel Church
Capleville United Methodist Church
New Sardis Baptist Church

For more information on the Juvenile Justice Project, click here: midsouthpeace.org/jjp or contact Paul Garner: 901.725.4990 or paul@midsouthpeace.org

 

Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board Monitor:

The Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board or CLERB is an independent, non-police Mayoral Agency with the authority to investigate allegations of misconduct filed by civilians against the City of Memphis Police Officers. The Board is composed of 14 members of the public, appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council with the jurisdiction to receive, investigate, hear cases, make findings and recommend action on complaints concerning the City of Memphis Police Officers. Complaints may be made by any person whether or not the person is a victim, or witness to the alleged misconduct.

The Mid-South Peace & Justice Center led a successful campaign to re-establish and strengthen the powers of CLERB by ordinance of the Memphis City Council, however, there are still issues that must be addressed for the board to be an effective tool for accountability.

The monthly meetings of CLERB are public, but often they are not widely attended, because they are not publicized. It has also become apparent that some members of the board may not fully understand the roles and responsibilities of their position, which is troubling, but not something which cannot be corrected.

We are seeking individuals who will attend the meetings on the second Thursday of each month, from 4-6PM at City Hall (125 N Main) to act as a monitor; observe the deliberations, record them, and analyze them from a legal perspective in such a way that this information can be made available to the general public.

Complainant Advocacy:

Another issue we have identified with CLERB, is a lack of advocacy for complainants. When complainants contact the review board, they often have no context or information about what to expect from the CLERB process, nor is there anyone officially appointed to help them review their own case, or assist them understand what to expect for the proceedings.  To that end, we are seeking individuals with experience in law to assist CLERB complainants with analyzing their Internal Affairs files, and help them be better prepared for the review process.

These positions could be approached as externship opportunities, school projects, etc for individuals studying law and the criminal justice system. For more information, please contact Paul Garner, Organizing Director with the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center: 901.725.4990 or paul@midsouthpeace.org

Do you have strong Board Leadership, Financial or Fundraising, Legal, Peace making, or Community Organizing expertise and looking for a new way to use said experience for the good of the Mid-South community? Well it is your lucky day, because the Mid-South Peace & Justice has just the opportunity for you!

We are now excepting applications to join the MSPJC Board of Directors. To obtain a copy of the position description, bylaws, and application please send an email expressing your interest to ashley@midsouthpeace.org. Once you have fully read the information and completed the application please email your completed applications to MSPJC’s Board of Directors Chair Person, Meredith Pace at meredithpace@gmail.com or bring it to the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center.

The deadline for all completed applications is April 26th, 2017. 

We strongly encourage all applicants to reach out to us as soon as possible, and look forward to reviewing your application to become one of our new Board Members!

​This Friday, March 31st at Christian Brother University (University Campus) 7 PM, join us at the Vanderhaar Symposium to support and congratulate Justin Davis for being awarded the 2017 Vanderhaar Symposium Student Peace Laureate. Justin has been a long time intern here at the Mid-South Peace & Justice Center as a Community Organizer with Memphis Bus Riders Union, where he also holds the office of Secretary. Throughout his time here he has worked deligently with MBRU, and brings the same tenacity and spirit to every project that is thrown his way. We cannot imagine anyone being more deserving of this honor than Justin. Congratulations Justin!!!

Know Justice, Know Peace

April 1st, 2017 at Christian Brothers University

The Gandhi King Conference is an annual conference bringing together modern visionaries of nonviolence and social change with community leaders, activists, academics and organizers to train, learn, plan and organize to create a culture of liberation and justice for all. Our goal is to create a stimulating environment where scholars, activists, educators, practitioners, artists and students can build community and explore interconnections. We invite participants to engage in various modes of exploration, including papers and presentations, hands-on practitioner workshops and a youth summit. We aim to foster an experience in which attendees will have multiple opportunities to meet and dialogue in both formal and informal settings, against the unique historical backdrop of Memphis, Tennessee.

Register here!

This is a FREE Event, but Registration is required.
Suggested Donation  $25

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