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■■ NEWS
MSCS addresses lead, pest control and HVAC concerns in press conference
In its first press conference of the school year, MSCS emphasized district-wide commitment to transparency
By Judith Black Moore TSD Contributing Writer
The Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) district held a press conference Friday to address community concerns regarding recent findings of lead in select school water fixtures, a flea issue at Berclair Elementary and reports of HVAC interruptions at Central High School.
District officials emphasized that the purpose of the briefing was to ensure transparency and reaffirm the district’s commitment to student health, safety and comfort.
Lead testing results
According to MSCS officials, risk management teams collected water samples from school buildings earlier this summer and received results on July 27. Within 24 hours, all relevant departments and regulatory agencies were notified, and letters were sent to affected personnel August 1 in accordance with state law.
Twenty-seven individual water sources — defined as single sinks or fixtures — in 24 schools tested above acceptable lead levels. Facilities teams immediately shut off those sources before the school year began. District plumbers are now working to replace or repair them before retesting.
“No students were exposed to lead,” said one district official. “We acted before the first day of school, turned off all affected fixtures and will not turn them back on until the water tests safe.”
Pest control at Berclair Elementary
The district confirmed reports of fleas at Berclair Elementary in early
August. Pest control teams treated the school twice last week and then completed a more thorough three-tier treatment, which officials say resolved the issue.
“I have not had a single report of fleas since the full treatment was completed,” MSCS Facilities Officer Michelle Stewart stated. “We are confident the problem has been addressed and will continue to monitor the building closely.”
HVAC at Central High School Reports
of warm classrooms at Cen-
tral High School prompted checks by building engineers, who found temperatures between 74 and 76 degrees in the affected rooms. Officials stressed that the readings did not indicate a true HVAC system failure.
“There were no major HVAC issues in the district today,” Stewart said. “Our systems are old, but our engineers and technicians are on site daily to make sure students and staff are safe and comfortable.”
Superintendent Roderick Richmond closed his first press conference of the 2025–2026 school year encouraging parents to communicate directly with teachers or principals about concerns and to reach out to district leadership if issues are not resolved.
President Calvin Anderson Editor Stephanie R. Jones
Trump’s proposed SSI cuts could hit Memphis’ poorest families
By Stacy M. Brown BlackPressUSA
A proposed rollback of protections for the nation’s poorest seniors, children and disabled adults could have harsh consequences in cities like Memphis, where many low-income families rely on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and food assistance to survive.
The Trump administration is preparing to impose sweeping cuts to SSI — slashing benefits by as much as one-third for hundreds of thousands of Americans.
In its nonstop assault on the most vulnerable Americans, the Trump administration is preparing to impose sweeping cuts to Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a program that provides a lifeline for the nation’s poorest seniors, children and severely disabled adults. The proposed rule would strip eligibility from hundreds of thousands and slash monthly payments by as much as onethird, even as new data confirms Social Security’s trust funds are facing insolvency within the next decade.
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), nearly 400,000 people stand to lose critical income. That includes more than 275,000 who would see cuts of about $300 a month, and over 100,000 who could lose their benefits entirely. The changes target families already under strain, specifically SSI recipients living with relatives who receive SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
In Memphis and Shelby County, where more than 150,000 residents rely on SNAP and nearly one in four live below the poverty line, the proposed rule could strike particularly hard. Many SSI recipients here live with family members who share housing and food assistance — precisely the kind of arrangement now being targeted.
Reversing protections for struggling families
The Biden administration had expanded the definition of “public assistance household,” shielding recipients from the harshest penalties. That safeguard ensured that low-income families receiving food assistance would not be punished for offering shelter to an elderly parent or disabled child.
Trump’s rollback would erase that protection, returning to outdated rules from 1980. “Receiving food assistance from SNAP would no longer be enough to qualify a family as a ‘public assistance household,’” CBPP analysts warned. “The resulting SSI benefit cuts would be felt in low-income households with disabled family members or older relatives across the country.”
The typical multi-person SNAP household with an SSI recipient survives on about $17,000 annually — well below the poverty line. Under the new rule, a woman with Down syndrome living with low-income parents could see her benefits plunge from $967 to less than $700 a month, with families forced to track and report household expenses line by line.
In Tennessee, the average household receiving SSI gets about $802 per month, according to state data, with total household incomes often falling below $17,000 annually. Memphis families already stretched thin could see monthly SSI benefits drop by several hundred dollars under the new rule — forcing difficult decisions about rent, food and medicine.
Fallout across the states
Every state would be affected. California could lose benefits for 57,600 people, New York 35,900, Florida 30,800 and Texas 23,600. Even small states like Vermont, Wyoming and
In Tennessee, the average household receiving SSI gets about $802 per month, according to state data, with total household incomes often falling below $17,000 annually.
Alaska face losses.
While Tennessee-specific estimates have not been released, local advocates warn that thousands of families in Memphis and across the state could be at risk. Cuts to SSI would compound other challenges facing low-income Memphians, including rising housing costs, food insecurity and limited access to in-home care services for disabled residents.
Advocates warn that the proposal would drive more disabled people into institutions, increase homelessness and add crushing red tape.
The cuts come as Social Security marked its 90th anniversary. Nearly 70 million Americans depend on the program, but the latest Trustees’ report projects its trust funds will be depleted by 2034, triggering an automatic 23% cut to monthly checks unless Congress acts.
Unions
and lawmakers push back
Unions and community groups are mobilizing. The AFL-CIO’s “It’s Better in a Union” bus tour stopped in Bakersfield, California, where California Nurses Association president Sandy Reding blasted the Trump budget bill as “a cruel piece of legislation that will have disastrous consequences for the most vulnerable in our communities, including the patients I care for in Bakersfield.”
In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) President Everett
Kelley pledged to fight Social Security staffing cuts. “Across the country, we are using our voice — as workers, as parents, as people who care about our communities — to demand that this administration and Congress do whatever it takes to protect Social Security,” Kelley asserted. “The American people deserve nothing less.”
Democratic leaders are also taking action. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is preparing a September bill he calls the “Keep Billionaires Out of Social Security Act,” aimed at reversing Trump’s cuts, reopening shuttered field offices and restoring staffing.
“Social Security to me means my life,” said Ellen Carter, a New York recipient. “It means medicine gets paid; it means that I have a place to sleep at night.”
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced a companion bill in the Senate that would add $5 billion in funding, restore staff, safeguard data and launch an investigation into the Department of Government Efficiency, which has overseen the Trump administration’s Social Security cutbacks. “Trump and his Republican allies have made it crystal clear — holding on to earned benefits requires vigilant defense,” Wyden said.
The stakes for millions
For the 7.5 million Americans who rely on SSI each month, including many with severe disabilities, the stakes are life and death.
“For 90 years, we’ve kept America’s greatest anti-poverty success story alive,” Jessica Lapointe, president of AFGE Council 220, told reporters. “We serve widows, orphans, the elderly, disabled, every vulnerable soul in your families and your communities, and they deserve respect and dignity when they come for their earned benefits.”
By Brianna Smith-Herman TSD Contributing Writer
Inside a newly renovated pinkthemed space at the Mendenhall Center, nearly 30 girls ages 9 to 17 and dressed in lots of pink are learning the art of hairstyling, braiding and much more. They make up the inaugural class of Teens Slay University, which held its official opening August 9.
Memphis entrepreneur Donna Carol, founder of Teens Slay U, said the training program was created with a mission beyond teaching styling techniques. Carol wants to help young girls discover their gifts, explore career opportunities and grow into the best versions of themselves.
Teens Slay University teaches girls and teens how to operate an equitable, sanitary and professional business, thus preparing them for life after high school and equipping them to take part in the workforce as entrepreneurs.
“I also want them to understand that you can still be young but be called to
■■ BUSINESS
Teens Slay University opens to empower young girls through hair braiding and confidence building
build, create and serve people while operating in the gift that God has entrusted you with,” Carol said, describing her work as both a spiritual calling and a business venture.
Beyond technical skills, the program covers client relationships, professionalism and business fundamentals — even preparing some students for licensure. In Tennessee, hair braiders are not required to hold a cosmetology license, but they must register as hair braiders. Carol is not a licensed cosmetologist but Regina Fox, who is and has several years of teaching experience, leads the training sessions. Together, they welcome and prepare new students every 60 days, while also inviting the community daily to receive affordable styles from young ladies who have braid certificates.
Participant Addison Campbell, 17, said the program has been transformative. “It’s really helping me gain more clientele, build my confidence and push myself to the next level so that when
I get out into the real world, I’ll know what’s really going on,” she said.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young praised the initiative. “This is what Memphis is all about. We have many years to go and many more young women who will be
able to play a part in this,” Young said. “To the parents, thank you for bringing your young ladies each day, allowing them to participate and grow. Thank you for pouring into this next generation. Salute,” Young added.
Dressed in pink, participants in the inaugural class of Teens Slay University practice hairstyling techniques at the Mendenhall Center on Friday, Aug. 9, 2025. The youth empowerment program, founded by entrepreneur Donna Carol, combines braiding skills with confidence building and business training to prepare girls ages 9 to 17 for careers in entrepreneurship and beauty. (Brianna Smith-Herman/Tri-State Defender)
Learning to lead boldly from the King
Book Review:
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
Watch and learn.
If you’ve ever had to do something thorny or tricky, something you’ve never done before, that’s how you get good at it: You watch a video online or see someone do it in person before trying it and putting your own spin on it. See one, do one, show one, they say. As in the new book “Lead Boldly” by Robert F. Smith, it’s always best to learn by example.
Though he was there at the March on Washington in August 1963, Smith doesn’t remember it. He was an infant in his mother’s arms then, but he grew up on stories of that day and other accounts of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s efforts. He cut his teeth on tales of Jim Crow, the Green Book and the lack of generational wealth. Understanding this history is why, in his business, he reaches for the seven principles that Dr. King taught.
Leaders, he says, know the importance of equal opportunities, and they work to change wealth gaps and to raise up future generations of Black citizens — often through CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions), which help underserved areas.
Leaders build community, then they work to move everyone forward by encouraging STEM education
in local schools and by ensuring that the latest technology is within reach of all citizens. They meld both sides of America into one cohesive citizenry to harness the power of togetherness and to create equity and opportunities. Leaders build bridges between their group and others, and they work to keep them strong. A good leader is brave enough and willing enough to step up and declare that something’s wrong and to see that it is fixed.
And finally, you can “lead boldly” by taking the reins, gathering your team and continuing on with efforts to better all citizens in all corners.
Looking for some inspiration from the C-Suite?
You might find it inside “Lead Boldly,” but you might also notice that what you’ll read here is somewhat inadequate. Rather than hearty information, it’s a lot of opinion — valid opinion, but opinion nonetheless — that may work better for younger, up-and-comers. Worse: there’s really not enough of it.
That can be frustrating. Smith, author and head of Vista Equity Partners, starts each chapter with a different speech by Dr. King, and he then makes each relevant for anyone who hopes to make change. After those rousing words, though, readers may be left wanting more direction. You’ll be fired up … and then cooled
down quick, probably because this book is relatively short, at just 240 pages roughly half of which is speech transcripts. That leaves the other half to cover a lot of ground.
Which it does but just not enough.
This isn’t a bad book. It’s full of great information, but it feels incomplete. Perhaps the best way to get the most out of it is to study the speeches and use Smith’s lessons as a launching pad. Do your own homework and then let “Lead Boldly” inspire you further.
“Lead Boldly: Seven Principles from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” by Robert F. Smith c.2025, HarperCollins Leadership $31.99
■■ ENTERTAINMENT
People’s Hip Hop Awards light up Memphis with unforgettable first show
By Dalisia Ballinger TSD Contributing Writer
The Bluff City was the center of the hip hop world Sunday, August 17, as the first People’s Hip Hop Awards Experience made its debut at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts. The highly anticipated event drew fans from across the region and brought together some of the culture’s most recognizable names for a night of music, movement and history.
Actor Omar Gooding hosted the awards, guiding the crowd through a lineup that showcased Memphis’ talent and its influence on hip hop culture. On the red carpet, Big Boogie, La Chat, and Diamond from Crime Mob stopped to speak with media and fans, all echoing the same message that Memphis is one of the genre’s most important cities and continues to raise the bar for what hip hop can be.
Inside, the stage was alive with nonstop energy. The Memphis Jookers delivered a set that blended dance with rhythm, while Kinfolk Thugs hit the stage with a raw, authentic performance that had the audience moving in unison. The Eastside Boyz kept the energy sky-high, turning the Cannon Center into a full-on party.
One of the evening’s most emotional moments came during a heartfelt tribute to the late Gangsta Boo, a pioneering member of Three 6 Mafia whose influence on hip hop continues to resonate. Her best friend and fellow group member La Chat honored her legacy with a powerful performance that had the audience cheering and tearing up at the same time.
“I’m very happy to be here,” La Chat said following the tribute. “It feels like my career just started all over again.”
The show also paused to honor another trailblazer: Mia X, the groundbreaking first lady of No Limit Records, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Sharing the stage with her protégé Silkk the Shocker, Mia X reflected on her journey and the state of hip hop today.
“Hip hop is constantly growing, constantly evolving — especially when you’re talking about the transitions of women in this genre,” she told The Tri-State Defender. “Artists like La Chat and GloRilla are just a few that come out of Memphis that’ve definitely changed the game, and I’m happy to be a part of this celebration.”
Her words drew cheers from the audience, many of whom had grown up listening to her music. The award presentation and the tribute to Gangsta Boo stood as reminders that hip hop’s future is deeply rooted in the legacies of its past.
The People’s Hip Hop Awards Experience made clear from its very first year that it is more than just another award show. By centering on fans — the people — it created an atmosphere where artists and audiences celebrated side by side. Organizers say the event will return, aiming to grow into one of the country’s premier hip hop gatherings.
For Memphis, the night was more than entertainment. It was validation of the city’s longstanding contributions to the culture, and a signal that its role in shaping the sound of hip hop is far from finished.
Ladia Yates, left, and Syreeta Dotson accept the Best Choreographer Duo award at the People’s Hip Hop Awards Sunday, Aug, 17 in Memphis.
A crowd gathers to greet CMG artist Big Boogie as he arrives on the Red Carpet at the People’s Hip Hop Awards.
■■ ENTERTAINMENT
Big Boogie performs before fans at the People’s Hip Hop Awards Sunday, Aug. 17, at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts. (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/The Tri-State Defender)
Big Boogie’s daughter holds her dad’s award for Artist of the Year.
Memphis rapper, songwriter La Chat performs for the hometown crowd.
Diamond of the Crime Mob performs.
By Dalisia Ballinger TSD Contributing Writer
The Memphis Police Department, in partnership with the Tennessee Highway Patrol , has launched a public service campaign, “One Night One Choice,” with a potentially life-saving message for teen drivers: one reckless decision can change everything.
The jarring campaign — currently airing on television and radio and featured across billboards, digital platforms, and social media — was developed by Trust Marketing and produced by Memphis-based Spotlight Productions. Local talent from the Young Actors Guild bring the emotional story to life, showing just how quickly fun can turn into tragedy when distraction, speed and impairment collide.
The PSA opens with a group of teens piling into a car, laughing and ready for a night out. “We fixin’ to be turnt!” the driver says, while a front seat passenger drinks from a red cup and another teen in the back passes a blunt. Seconds later — impact. The crash shatters the scene, underscoring the campaign’s sobering point: one night, one choice, and a life can be lost forever.
Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis reinforces the message with MPD’s award-winning “Ride around but brake it down” tagline, refreshed for this campaign to focus squarely on teens.
“Everything we do is created to increase public safety,” Davis said. “We want our young people to understand they are part of the mission. We trust them to make wise decisions, protect themselves and look out for their friends. We hope this campaign sends a personal message: ‘We believe in you and want you to be careful so you can enjoy the bright futures you deserve.’”
The campaign arrives during what safety experts call the “100 Deadliest Days” for teen drivers — the period
■■ NEWS
MPD’s ‘One Night One Choice’ campaign urges teen drivers to slow down, stay sober
#BrakeItDown #TeenDriverSafety
between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
AAA reports that between 2019 and 2023, more than 13,000 people were killed in teen-involved crashes, with over 30% of those fatalities occurring during this summer stretch. Distractions play a major role, with other teen passengers being the leading distraction, followed by cell phones and in-car technology. Studies by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show the risk of a fatal crash increases with every additional teen passenger.
“One Night One Choice” builds on MPD’s successful “Brake It Down” reckless driving campaign, which in its first year helped reduce serious or fatal vehicle incidents by nearly 10%, according to Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security data. The campaign has also earned five Addy Awards from the American Advertising Federation and four Telly Awards for its creative impact in public safety messaging.
Trust Marketing President Ryan Rob-
ertson says the recognition is meaningful, but the real reward is seeing the message resonate.
“Speeding and reckless driving is a public safety crisis with real-world consequences for us all,” Robertson said. “The fact that teens and young adults in Memphis are re-thinking dangerous choices means the work is saving lives. Kudos to MPD and THP for confronting this behavior head-on.”
See the video here: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=jhltuMeGF5Y
The Memphis Police Department and Tennessee Highway Patrol launch a gripping PSA to remind teen drivers that one reckless decision can cost a life. Featuring local youth talent and a real message: fun can turn tragic in seconds. #OneNightOneChoice
University of Memphis receives $1 million from Ghana to resolve scholarship crisis
By Dalisia Ballinger TSD Contributing Writer
The University of Memphis has received partial funds from the government of Ghana to address outstanding scholarship obligations for Ghanaian students, ending weeks of uncertainty over tuition payments, housing and visa statuses.
The Ghana Scholarships Secretariat (GSS) announced that the government made available $1 million to help settle arrears owed to the university, following concerns that unpaid balances could have led to scholarship revocations, evictions and even deportations of Ghanaian students.
The issue stems from a 2023 Memorandum of Understanding between the University of Memphis and the Republic of Ghana through the GSS program. The agreement was intended to cover tuition and fees for Ghanaian students studying abroad, with 185 students currently enrolled in the program. Earlier this summer, the situation reached a critical point. Any student with an unpaid balance had until July 11 to pay. Those who did not meet the deadline saw their fall courses dropped, holds placed on their registration accounts and risked losing housing and other campus support. University officials warned that students were facing academic dismissal and visa complications due to no fault of their own.
At a news conference in Accra, Ghana, July 30, GSS Registrar Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei reassured the university and students that the government was taking steps to prevent negative conse-
“The money is currently with the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, and it will move from there to the Bank of Ghana, then to Washington for the final transfer.”
— Alex Kwaku Asafo-Agyei
quences for students. “We are on course with the issues regarding the Ghanaian students at the University of Memphis. Ghanaian students will not be deported, I give you that assurance,” he said.
According to Asafo-Agyei, the government had already made a partial payment of $400,000 to the university and is processing an additional $1 million. The remaining debt, totaling approximately $2.2 million, will be addressed after an ongoing audit.
“The money is currently with the Controller and Accountant General’s Department, and it will move from there to the Bank of Ghana, then to Washington for the final transfer,” he explained.
University officials confirmed that receiving the funds provides relief to students who had faced uncertainty and potential disruptions to their studies. While a portion of the debt remains, the transfer marks a significant step toward ensuring Ghanaian students can continue their education at U of M without interruption.
The University of Memphis has received a $1 million payment from the government of Ghana to help resolve outstanding scholarship debts for Ghanaian students, easing fears of academic dismissal, housing loss and deportation.
COMMUNITY Leaders talk crime, justice and solutions at TSD’s safety community forum
By Candace A. Gray TSD Contributing Writer
At a time when crime remains top of mind for many community members, The Tri-State Defender brought law enforcement and justice system leaders face-to-face with the public during a community forum Tuesday night, Aug. 19, at the Hickory Hill Community Center.
Moderated by civic leader Lori Spicer Robinson, the forum featured a candid conversation among Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis; Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr.; District Attorney Steve Mulroy; and Bill Gibbons, executive director of the Public Safety Institute and president of the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission and a couple dozen community members.
Key takeaway: Crime is down. But that’s not enough. It’s going to take all of us working together to make our community better.
Each panelist acknowledged that while data shows crime is trending down across Shelby County, public trust and perceptions of safety are lagging behind.
“We’re not finished,” Gibbons said. “Crime is down across all major categories compared to 2024, but we know people aren’t necessarily feeling that yet.”
He explained that Memphis, like other major cities, saw a spike in violent crime during the pandemic, particularly aggravated assaults and homicides. At the same time, other crimes like burglaries and robberies dropped, as more people were home. Gibbons said the city is now seeing a gradual return to pre-pandemic norms.
Chief Davis emphasized that statistics don’t tell the full story. “A 22% drop in crime means 8,000 fewer victims.
That matters,” she said. “But we’re not in this work to rack up arrests. We’re here to change lives and keep people safe.”
She described MPD’s efforts to partner with nonprofits and community organizations to reach young people before they become involved in crime. Programs, such as D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) that targets children ages 10 to 12, aim to intervene early. But Davis acknowledged the environment is challenging, especially with permit-less carry laws and easy access to high-powered weapons.
“We’ve had to work with local, state and federal partners to address gang-related crime and gun violence,” she said. “But it’s not just about enforcement. It’s about rehabilitation.”
District Attorney Mulroy echoed that sentiment, stressing the need to balance public safety with fairness and reform. He introduced the office’s
“V11” initiative, which focuses on 11 categories of violent crimes and his office’s commitment to giving those cases more priority to move them through the court system faster. He also outlined a vision for more meaningful offender supervision, tailored mental health and educational services, as well as increased accountability for repeat offenders.
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” Mulroy said. “We’re trying to break the cycle.”
He said this is done through prevention, intervention and enforcement.
Sheriff Bonner took the opportunity to advocate for a long-overdue overhaul of the county jail system. With nearly 2,800 men, 335 women and more than 80 juveniles in custody, Bonner said the outdated facilities are costing taxpayers millions while failing to meet basic needs — most importantly, mental health needs.
“These buildings were built more than 40 years ago. Wi-Fi didn’t even exist,” Bonner said. “It’s not the best place for rehabilitation, but we’re doing everything we can to help people reenter society stronger than when they came in.”
Bonner pointed to educational and trauma-recovery programs such as Final Escape and Inside Circle as crucial steps toward rehabilitation. “If we don’t teach these young people how to read, how to work, how to heal, what are we releasing them to?” he asked.
During the Q&A portion, residents raised concerns about communication gaps, wrongful arrests and neglected neighborhoods.
Daron Pleasure shared that he was recently arrested during a routine traffic stop for a warrant that had been dismissed five months earlier. Both Davis and Mulroy acknowledged the system failure, with Mulroy apologizing publicly. “We don’t want to reopen any case that’s already been dismissed,” he said. “We have enough to do. We have to do a better job fixing these issues.”
Attendee Donald Merriweather described the pain of losing his grandson to violence at Cane Creek Apartments and the sense of abandonment and, ultimately, waning trust he felt after the detective on the case was promoted and communication stopped.
Davis responded by highlighting a new grant-funded victim support unit that will employ five full-time staff and an attorney focused on nuisance properties. “We’re being more aggressive with absentee landlords. If they don’t install cameras or hire security, we will push for ownership changes,” she said.
Other community members asked about SkyCop cameras, neighborhood watch programs, specialty training and traffic enforcement. Officials pointed residents toward neighborhood pre-
Darlene Wilson-Lane poses a question to the panel at the TSD in the Community Forum, Tuesday, Aug. 19, at Hickory Hill Community Center. (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/ The Tri-State Defender)
■■ COMMUNITY
cinct meetings and city-funded neighborhood safety grants, which offer up to $2,500 for things such as equipment and signage.
In closing, panelists agreed that forums like this are essential for building trust.
“We want to hear from you more often,” Davis said. “This kind of en-
gagement helps us do better.” One way citizens can engage is through registering for Connect Memphis Mulroy added, “We believe in reform, and it only works when the community is involved.”
Gibbons acknowledged that public frustration is valid, especially when system errors lead to mistrust. “When
I was DA, I saw how messy data entry can be. That’s not an excuse. Just context,” he said. “But the sheriff is right, we need a new jail, and we need the community to help us finish the job.”
Bonner, who has served more than four decades in law enforcement, likened the panel’s collaboration outside the forum to a marriage: “You don’t
always have to agree, but you work together. And with the community’s help, we can get closer to solving these problems.”
The forum was made possible by event sponsors The Tri-State Defender, Xfinity, W&T Contracting Corporation, Dr. Telisa Franklin and the Hickory Hill Community Center.
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “C.J.” Davis talks with attendees at the TSD in the Community Forum focusing on crime and justice.
