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■■ NEWS
MacKenzie Scott gives $70 million to UNCF to financially strengthen HBCUs
By Glenn Gamboa Associated Press
NEW YORK — Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated $70 million to the UNCF, as the nation’s largest private provider of scholarships to minority students works to raise $1 billion to strengthen all 37 of its historically Black colleges and universities.
The gift is one of Scott’s largest single donations ever and among the first to be publicly disclosed in 2025. Famously private, Scott only discusses her donations through her website and does not confirm them until after the recipients do.
“This extraordinary gift is a powerful vote of confidence in HBCUs and in the work of UNCF,” the nonprofit’s President and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax told The Associated Press in a statement. “It provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our member institutions to build permanent assets that will support students and campuses for decades to come.”
Lomax said Scott’s donation would be used for UNCF’s pooled endowment, which aims to establish a $370 million fund — $10 million for each UNCF member HBCU. That fund will be invested and designed to pay out about 4% annually, which will then be divided among the HBCUs to help stabilize their budgets. Increasing HBCU endowments is a priority since they trail endowments at non-HBCUs by 70%, according to the UNCF.
The broader $1 billion fundraising effort is an attempt to help HBCUs address the funding disparity they face when compared to other colleges and universities. A 2023 study by philanthropic research group Candid and ABFE, a nonprofit that advocates for investments in Black communities, found that the eight Ivy League schools received $5.5 billion from the 1,000 largest U.S. foundations compared to
$45 million for 99 HBCUs in 2019.
Since Scott, a novelist who received the bulk of her fortune after divorcing Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, signed the Giving Pledge in 2019, promising to donate more than half her wealth, HBCUs have been among her favorite grantees. She previously gave UNCF $10 million in 2020.
Though Scott hasn’t addressed HBCU donations specifically, she wrote in 2020 that her funding decisions were “driven by a deep belief in the value different backgrounds bring to problem-solving on any issue.”
Scott hasn’t made any announcements about her giving since she acknowledged $2 billion in gifts in 2024, bringing her total to $19.2 billion.
According to Forbes, Scott’s net worth is currently around $34 billion.
Her unusual donations — which are much larger than most foundations give at one time and carry no restrictions on when they can be used or what they can be used for — financially strengthened the nonprofits that received them, said Phil Buchanan, president of The Center for Effective Philanthropy, which studied Scott’s giving over three years.
— Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
President Calvin Anderson Editor Stephanie R. Jones
“They are going to go to the major Black cities across the country. This is just a stepping stone. I think we need to stay united and stay strong because we will be sending the wrong message if we acquiesce at this point.”
— Erika Sugarmon
Shelby County commissioners urge governor to call off National Guard deployment, invest in Memphis neighborhoods
By James Coleman TSD Contributing Writer
Members of the Shelby County Commission approved an add-on resolution Wednesday, Sept. 17, requesting that Gov. Bill Lee call off plans for a National Guard deployment to Memphis and instead invest in the city’s most crime-ridden areas.
However, a separate resolution that acknowledges the deployment as inevitable was pushed to the next meeting Monday, Sept. 22. That item would ask that troops, if sent, operate under the direction of local law enforcement.
“I don’t think the National Guard is going to change that narrative,” said Commissioner Charlie Caswell Jr. “If they are to come to our city, we want our local authority to still have control over this process, because they know this community.”
Meanwhile, an ordinance requesting Gov. Lee not send guard troops is expected to be introduced by the Memphis City Council Tuesday. Co-sponsors Jerri Green, JB Smiley and Pearl Walker announced their intentions during a Friday, Sept. 19, press conference. Council member Jeff Warren is another sponsor. He did not attend.
On Sept. 12, Memphis Mayor Paul Young confirmed the Trump administration’s plan to deploy the Guard to Memphis. According to the president, the troops would be sent to “fight crime.”
Other cities have already seen troop deployments. In Los Angeles, the National Guard has mainly been used during immigration protests. In Washington, D.C., soldiers were sent in mid-August following the assault of a Republican staffer. D.C. police were also federalized for 30 days. Critics say the president used the incident as a pretext to expand federal power.
They argue the real goal isn’t crime reduction but interference in Democratic-majority cities. Trump has also threatened to send troops to Chicago, though Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has resisted. Some members of the Shelby County Commission say Tennessee should do the same.
“They are going to go to the major Black cities across the country. This is just a stepping stone,” said Commissioner Erika Sugarmon. “I think we need to stay united and stay strong because we will be sending the wrong message if we acquiesce at this point.”
Opponents of the deployment also point to falling crime rates. According to Memphis Police Department data, the city’s violent crime rate has dropped 22% in the past year, down to 2,501 incidents per 100,000 people. Still, that number remains nearly three times the national average.
Commissioners approved Sugarmon’s resolution by a 3–2 vote, with three members abstaining. The resolution not only opposes deployment but also calls for investment in high-crime areas like North and South Memphis —- both
home to long-marginalized communities of color.
It asks the governor to “direct state support towards strategic public safety investments,” including a new crime lab to serve local law enforcement. Currently, most forensic analysis for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office and Memphis Police is handled at the state lab in Jackson.
Still, like in Illinois, the decision ultimately lies with the governor. Many on the commission expect Lee, a Republican, to go along with the president’s plan.
Caswell said he supports many of the investments Sugarmon is calling for, particularly funding for education and addressing the “root cause” of crime: poverty. But he also acknowledged that, in his district, some residents are calling for the Guard.
“Some of the things asked for in the resolution we’ve asked the state the last three years,” Caswell said. “Yet to see anything.”
The District 6 commissioner said many in his community of Raleigh would support a deployment if it would bring down crime. He told colleagues there are “30 to 40” people near his home armed with AK-47s on any given night.
“Constituents in my community are begging for something to get done,” he said. “Young people are saying they want the National Guard.”
Commissioner Britney Thornton agreed. After talking with residents,
she said many aren’t afraid of troops on their streets. They’re hopeful the presence might lead to fewer shootings.
“Sometimes the advocates can be a little away from the pulse of what’s on the street,” Thornton said.
As currently written, the deferred resolution requests “terms ensuring legal and strategic utilization of federal, state, and local resources” if the Guard is deployed. It is expected to be amended before the full meeting on Sept. 22. Caswell said he wants to tailor the resolution to limit troops to “federal public facilities” and to “provide protections and support” for county residents.
In D.C., troops have largely been used to support law enforcement, conduct security patrols and carry out “beautification tasks” like picking up trash. If deployed in Memphis, the soldiers would likely be Tennessee residents with experience as military police.
“I am not in support of the National Guard coming at all,” said Commission Chairwoman Shante Avant, a co-sponsor of Sugarmon’s resolution. “But I do think that we should be proactive in the way that inter-agencies need to work together and also on behalf of the communities that we are serving.”
Before the commission moved on from Caswell’s proposal, Commissioner Michael Whaley suggested combining the two resolutions. Sugarmon quickly shut that down.
“I don’t want them co-mingled,” she said.
Memphis leaders condemn Trump’s National Guard deployment as GOP raves
City Council prepares resolution requesting reversal; NAACP Memphis issues statement
By Lee Eric Smith TSD Contributing Writer
A group of Memphis City Council members have drafted a resolution formally asking Gov. Bill Lee to reject President Trump’s planned National Guard deployment to the city. The resolution is expected to be introduced at the next City Council meeting where it will be presented publicly and, if adopted, serve as an official expression of the council’s opposition to the deployment..
Council members are not alone rolling up the welcome mat extended to the Guard. Both the Memphis Chapter of the NAACP and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund have added their voices to the opposition.
“The Trump Administration is disgracefully using our servicemen and women as pawns in his political game set to breed chaos and fear throughout the Black community,” said NAACP Memphis President Kermit Moore. “Make no mistake, we deeply respect the National Guard and the men and women who serve in our country’s armed services. But the military should not be weaponized against the American people they swore to defend.”
Jin Hee Lee, Legal Defense Fund director of strategic initiatives, condemned “this continued attack on Black communities … and the misuse of military resources for the administration’s own improper ends.”
“History has shown that aggres-
Councilman JB Smiley Jr.
“Hate has no place in Memphis. Not from an out-of-touch president, an absent governor, or from troops occupying our streets. Occupations don’t make us safer. They lock us inside, isolate us from our neighbors, strain our economy and keep us living in fear. That’s not safety — that’s intimidation.”
— JB Smiley Jr.
sive law enforcement strategies, like saturating neighborhoods with officers or employing militarized tactics and resources, do not improve public safety but instead create an atmosphere of fear, especially among Black residents,” the LDF said in a statement.
The specifics of the Guard deployment remain unclear — how many troops, what duties and for how long.
Mayor Paul Young has emphasized that he did not request the Guard, but said
his goal is “to make sure that as they come, I have an opportunity to work with them to strategize on how they engage in this community.”
Meanwhile, Memphians are already noticing more and more motorists detained by State Troopers on the I-240 loop. And while the National Guard deployment gets the headlines, federal agencies like the FBI and DEA are all increasing their presence alongside the Memphis Police Department.
Leaders speak out on social media
Councilman JB Smiley Jr. offered some of the sharpest words. In a Facebook video statement on Sept. 12, he declared:
“Hate has no place in Memphis. Not from an out-of-touch president, an absent governor, or from troops occupying our streets,” said Smiley, also a candidate for Shelby County Mayor. “Occupations don’t make us safer. They lock us inside, isolate us from our neighbors, strain our economy and keep us living in fear. That’s not safety — that’s intimidation.” Listen to more here: https://www.facebook.com/ watch/?v=24620306374324564/
Councilmembers J. Ford Canale and Jana Swearengen-Washington struck a more measured tone in their joint Instagram statement on Sept. 16, acknowledging painful memories of the 1968 National Guard presence in Memphis but pledging to hold federal and state partners accountable.
“For many Memphians, the very mention of the National Guard recalls painful memories from 1968,” they said. “We will do everything possible to ensure this deployment is focused on what Memphis truly needs — longterm solutions built on trust, fairness and respect.”
https://www.instagram.com/reel/ DOoxkL3j4mp/
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Memphis) called the deployment not only misguided but racially motivated.
“It’s a racist move,” Cohen said flatly. “This is a Black city, it’s a Black mayor, and it’s a white president who likes to cater to white people who like to send powerful troops or law enforcement officers after Black people. And it’s been a curse of this country for decades, centuries.”
Sawyer: ‘Dual-authorized National Guard’ will strain a broken system
On Sept. 15, Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer warned that the Guard’s presence could overwhelm a justice system already stretched beyond its limits.
“Imagine when a dual-authorized National Guard, meaning they have the right to arrest under the authority of Governor Bill Lee, strains our already strained resources,” Sawyer said.
Tuesday, she described the situation inside 201 Poplar, where more than 200 detainees were recently packed into an intake room built for 40 to 50 people. “The sheriff himself has told you all that the jail is strained, intake is strained. His staff can’t take it, my staff can’t take it,” she said.
Sawyer said that in less than a week of Tennessee Highway Patrol enforcement, “they have added thousands of tickets a day to our docket” and “dozens of arrests.” And, she added, conditions inside the jail were deteriorating.
“I woke up at 6:30 this morning to a text message because the air conditioning is out in the jail … since Saturday, the detainees and the staff have been without air,” Sawyer said. “We are now heading into 95-degree heat. Intake is
overflowing, the jail is strained and our courts are overwhelmed. Adding the National Guard to that mix will break this system.” Listen here: https://www.facebook.com/ watch/?v=1717658095606592
Gov. Bill Lee: ‘thank You to President Trump’
Not surprisingly, many GOP leaders seem giddy about the move.
“The first thing I want to say is thank you to President Trump,” said Gov. Bill Lee in a statement posted at Whitehouse.gov. “We’ve been working with the Trump Administration for months on a strategy for Memphis… We now will have resources to finally address an issue that has really dragged on for way too long.”
■■ NEWS
Sen. Bill Hagerty thanked Trump for engineering an “extraordinary display of federal, state and local governments coming together and setting partisan politics aside to do what’s in the best interest of Americans and keep their
communities safe.”
“While Democrats refuse the help, I’m grateful for President Trump’s willingness to send federal resources to Memphis,” said State Sen. Brent Taylor on X. “We don’t have to live this way. Safe and clean streets are in our future, and I appreciate all who partner with us to make our community a better place to raise a family.”
Brace for impact
Even as Memphis pushes back, leader after leader expresses a desire to figure out how to make the deployment work in benefit to the city.
“We want to make sure that whatever resources are provided, they reinforce the strategies that we know are working in Memphis,” Mayor Young said pre-
“The president wants a picture — ‘We’re sending troops into Memphis! But on the ground, you might see (troops) picking up trash. I just don’t think it warrants the hysteria some are trying to create.”
— State Rep. Antonio Parkinson
viously when verifying that the Guard would indeed come to Memphis. “My commitment is to make sure that we work strategically to ensure that this happens in a way that truly benefits and strengthens our community.”
Police Chief CJ Davis wants no doubt about which agency is responsible for policing Memphis.
“We want to make sure that our community members understand that the Memphis Police Department is the primary public safety agency in the city of Memphis,” Davis said on Sept. 12. “Ideally, we’ll have a memorandum of understanding so we’re all on the same page about who’s doing what.”
State Rep. Antonio Parkinson, a Marine veteran, noted that in other cities where Trump has sent troops, it has generally amounted to a lot of flash but very little bang.
“The president wants a picture — ‘We’re sending troops into Memphis!’,” Parkinson said. “But on the ground, you might see (troops) picking up trash. I just don’t think it warrants the hysteria some are trying to create.”
If that is the case — if troops are going to have large blocks of unassigned time — Parkinson wants to take advantage of it.
“They’re not all infantry. Some are military police, some are in accounting, some in medicine,” he said. “Let’s get an inventory of who’s coming, what jobs they do, and then backfill where we’re short. That frees up our own resources to do more in our community with the people they know and love.”
The Memphis Branch of the NAACP joined city leaders in condemning President Trump’s planned National Guard deployment to the city. Local and national NAACP officials say the move risks inflaming tensions and undermining public trust, particularly in Memphis’ Black communities.
Gov. Bill Lee
‘Three Generations’ mural honors power of black fatherhood
Artist Cameron Hill imbues work with memories of his own recent loss
By Lee Eric Smith TSD Contributing Writer
Long before the speeches, before the camera clicks, before the sheet was pulled back to reveal “Three Generations” — a mural featuring iconic actor John Amos, along with his father and son — Cameron Hill was already painting through tears.
“This wasn’t just another mural,” said Hill, the Memphis native also known as Cam the Artist. “My father passed away a little over a year ago. He was my best friend, and painting this… brought it all back.”
The mural, emblazoned on the side of a building on Front Street near Union Avenue, depicts Amos, his father John Amos Sr., and his then-teenage son K.C. Amos, painted from a real photo taken in 1987.
“There were moments I’d be out here thinking, ‘I wish I could call my dad right now,’” Hill said. “But I kept going. I finished it, and now it’s here for everybody.”
Titled “Three Generations,” the mural captures a rare and powerful portrait of Black fatherhood. Painted over the course of a week — early mornings, late nights and long days in the Memphis heat — the mural is the latest installment in the Wall of Fame public arts initiative led by the MVP3 Foundation, and it was officially unveiled Monday, Sept. 15.
“I want everybody in Memphis to come out and see it,” Hill said. “Take pictures, tell your kids about it. Support the arts. There are so many dope creatives in this city who don’t get the spotlight, and they deserve it.”
Why Memphis?
So why is the dad from “Good Times” getting all this love in the city of Memphis?
“People may not realize this,” said Marie Pizano, founder of the MVP3 Foundation, “but John Amos had fallen in love with Memphis. We were working on several projects together. He wanted to move here, help build up a real media and arts industry based on integrity, storytelling that uplifts.”
Before his death in August 2023, Amos had been in town for a documentary rollout and was collaborating with MVP3 on both narrative and student-led films. What began as a professional partnership grew into something more rooted.
“We felt the love here,” said his son, K.C. Amos, who attended the unveiling. “Memphis showed up for us. My father was looking at homes here. I may be next.”
For Pizano, “Three Generations” is
more than tribute — it’s a promise.
“We’re going to finish what he started,” she said. “Through film, music, public art, and most of all, through the next generation.”
The photo, the Mustang, the memory
The original photo that inspired the mural was taken in 1987. And KC has vivid memories of that day, memories of generational fatherhood that the image embodies.
“On the way to the shoot, I spotted a ’65 Mustang for sale,” he recalled, smiling. “Afterward, my grandfather — a master mechanic — took me back to check it out. He popped the hood, gave me a wink, and I knew it was gonna
work out.”
K.C. had saved up gas money and lunch money for months. That day, the 16-year-old bought his first car. But it’s the moment just before — frozen in a single photograph — that now will greet southbound motorists on Front Street.
“Isn’t it something?” KC said, gazing up at the mural. “In the photo, my father’s standing in front of his father. And now I’m standing in front of him. It’s generational. It’s love.”
He paused.
“This picture embodies how much my father meant to people. So many have told me, ‘Your dad was my dad,’ you know? That’s what this is. A strong Black father, standing tall.”
KC Amos delivers remarks during the unveiling of the Three Generations mural in Downtown Memphis on Sept. 15, 2025. The mural, created by Memphis artist Cameron Hill, honors the late actor John Amos and the legacy of Black fatherhood.
Cameron Hill
■■ COMMUNITY
“This is about legacy: about fathers who show up, about stories that need to be told. It is an honor, privilege and pleasure to give this key in honor of the life and legacy of Mr. John Amos and his wonderful family. He’s earned it and so has his son, carrying that legacy forward.”
Legacy in action
The mural unveiling wasn’t just a ceremony. It was a celebration. A crowd gathered to hear prayers, proclamations and personal reflections. County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. presented a proclamation and key on behalf of the Shelby County Commission. Appropriately, his father, City Councilman Edmund Ford Sr., was in the audience, a living example of the generational throughline embodied in the mural itself.
“This is about legacy: about fathers who show up, about stories that need to be told,” said Ford Jr., in his remarks. “It is an honor, privilege and pleasure to give this key in honor of the life and legacy of Mr. John Amos and his wonderful family. He’s earned it and so has his son, carrying that legacy forward.”
The next generation
The day’s celebration also included a nod to legacy in motion: the presentation of the inaugural MVP3 John Amos Integrity Award to Joshua Casey, a nursing and theater student at Southwest Tennessee Community College.
“Integrity isn’t just what we do when people are watching,” Casey said. “It’s who we choose to be when no one is. I accept this award for every young person who wonders if they belong in spaces like this. You do.”
Casey was nominated by his former instructor Thomas King, who praised his student’s growth from a quiet, comic presence in class into a leader on stage and off.
“He’s got a caregiver’s heart and a performer’s spirit,” King said. “The kind of student who makes you believe in the future.”
The work behind the wall
The “Three Generations” mural is the latest and most visible expression of
— Edmund Ford Jr.
the MVP3 Foundation’s commitment to using the arts as a tool for education, healing and transformation.
Founded by Pizano, MVP3 has become a quiet force in Memphis’ creative landscape, providing real-world training to students in filmmaking, TV production, music and visual arts. That includes a 36-week film and TV program at Westwood High School, where 50 students are currently learning hands-on skills to help them break into the entertainment industry — not in Los Angeles or Atlanta, but right here in Memphis.
“We’re not just painting murals,” Pizano said. “We’re building a movement. We’re helping young people find their voice and giving them the tools and platforms to share it with the world.”
That movement is growing. MVP3’s partnerships with Southwest Tennessee Community College, the University of Memphis and others have laid the foundation for a citywide pipeline of student creators that flows into the MVP3 Network, an expanding media platform where student-produced content is seen by millions worldwide.
“Film and TV affect our mental health,” Pizano said. “What we see, what we hear — it shapes us. That’s why we’re focused on producing stories that heal, that uplift, that speak to who we really are. And this mural? It’s a piece of that.”
The father we all knew
To many in the crowd, John Amos wasn’t just an actor. They saw him as their father.
His portrayal of James Evans Sr. on “Good Times” in the 1970s was more than just a role. For a generation of Black families, it was the first time they saw a father on TV who looked like theirs — hardworking, principled, emotionally present and rooted in love. That role made history and has had a
lasting impact.
“I remember when I was very young, every day at four o’clock, “Good Times” would come on,” said Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr., recalling the show’s place in his childhood. “That show was the closest thing to real life for a lot of African-American families.”
Amos, however, wanted more from the role. He famously pushed back on producers over the show’s increasing reliance on slapstick and caricature, particularly around J.J. Evans’ “Dy-nomite!” catchphrases. Eventually, those creative disagreements led to Amos’ character being killed off in the third season and the legendary scene where
family matriarch Florida Evans (Esther Rolle) smashes a plate on the floor and cries out: “Damn, DAMN, DAMN!!!!”
“When John Amos did ‘Good Times,’ you saw struggle but you saw a family unit,” Pizano said. “We don’t have shows like that anymore. We need more stories that reflect real love, real fathers and real families.”
Amos continued to make his mark on screen and stage. His role as Kunta Kinte in Roots earned him an Emmy nomination and deepened his legacy as a storyteller of dignity and truth. Later, he brought wisdom and warmth to roles in “The Fresh Prince of BelAir,” “The West Wing,” and of course, as Cleo McDowell in “Coming to America,” cementing his status as both comedic and cultural icon.
And as KC Amos stood beneath the mural, his father’s image towering above him, the weight of that legacy was clear.
“I see him looking down at me,” he said. “And I know he’s proud.”
Memphis Music Hall of Fame
By Candace A. Gray TSD Contributing Writer
Alocalcelebration of Memphis’ indelible impact on the worldwide music industry will be in full effect this Thursday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. at the Cannon Center, 255 N. Main St., as the Memphis Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony honors its newest cohort of inductees.
Marking the 14th celebration and 13th induction ceremony (cancelled one year due to COVID-19), Memphis Rock & Soul Museum will honor those who have made significant contributions to blues, jazz, country, hip hop, gospel and every genre in between in a star-studded night in Memphis and world music.
“Memphis is an amazing place,” said John Doyle, executive director of Memphis Rock & Soul Museum and Memphis Music Hall of Fame (MMHOF). “It’s the 29th largest city in America, but the only one on the planet that has its own hall of fame. No other city can say that. And that is due to the Black music that came out of Memphis that influenced so many artists around the globe.”
This year’s celebration is one of Black music foundations and origins — from gospel to blues to country and more.
International superstars Eric Gales, who recently paid tribute to BB King for what would have been his 100th birthday, John Mellencamp and Martina McBride will present some of the prestigious awards this year.
“John Mellencamp is coming to honor Robert Johnson because he was so moved and influenced by his music,” said Doyle. “Artists like Eric Clapton, Elvis Costello, John Mayer and other rockers have all been inspired and played Robert Johnson’s music.”
This year’s MMHOF honorees include Art Gilliam, Cordell Jackson, Robert Johnson, Denise LaSalle, Wendy Moten and Johnnie Taylor.
“If for no other reason, everyone should flood the Cannon Center to celebrate Art Gilliam, who was the first Black man to own and operate a radio station in America,” said Doyle.
Background on the 2025 MMHOF Inductees
Though there are hundreds of artists who have been
honored and hundreds more to go, the awards celebrate people from every area of artistry, from production to marketing and promotions, label owners and more. Here is a little history on this year’s inductees:
• Art Gilliam, president and CEO of Memphis’ WLOK Radio for 45+ years, who became the first black radio owner in Tennessee and the entire Southeast.
• Cordell Jackson, the “Rock ‘n’ Roll Granny” who became the country’s first female recording engineer and the first woman to start her own record company, Moon Records, in 1956.
• Robert Johnson, who became one of if not “the” greatest blues musician of all time despite only having recorded 29 songs.
• Denise LaSalle, the late blues singer, songwriter and producer known as “The Queen of the Blues.”
• Wendy Moten, whose first single hit the Top 10, has recorded and toured with other Country music hit makers and finished first runner-up on The Voice, Season 21.
• Johnnie Taylor, “The Philosopher of Soul” who began his career in gospel with Sam Cooke and The Soul Stirrers before creating million-seller hits at STAX Records.
“When you go to the movies, you want to be enter-
Cordell Jackson
Art Gilliam
Awards brings out the stars
tained and learn something. With everything going on in this climate, this night will be exceptionally entertaining and is one where we can forget about all the headlines and celebrate the incredible artists that have put Memphis on the map for their leadership, artistry and invaluable contributions to our culture
and society,” said Doyle.
“The night will feature musical tributes and even a performance by Wendy Moten, who, along with the Memphis Music Hall of Fame Band, headlined an international festival in Porretta, Italy, last year,” Doyle added.
Musical tributes will feature Billy Rivers and the
Angelic Voices of Faith (to honor Art Gilliam); Jerome Chism, Bird Williams and Gerald Richardson (honoring Johnnie Taylor); Jonathan Ellison and Karen Wolf (tribute to Denise LaSalle); and Susan St. John (to honor Cordell Jackson).
Memphis Music Hall of Fame Band will provide the foundational sound for all the artists. Musical Director Kurt “KC” Clayton says it’s no easy feat.
“After the selection committee has decided who will be inducted, that’s when my work really starts,” said Clayton. “I want to make sure the musical tributes are done respectfully to honor the artists and their families. It’s always been about respecting their legacies.”
Clayton has been in charge for seven years, and at last year’s awards show, the band caught the eyes and ears of international festival producer, Graziano Uliani, who founded the Porretta Soul Festival in 1988 in Porretta as a tribute to Otis Redding. Wendy Moten headlined the festival in 2024 and Jerome Chism headlined in 2025.
“Working with Graziano was a true testament to you never know who’s watching and appreciating what you do,” said Clayton. “It’s just such an honor to do what we do, to represent Memphis and take that Memphis sound to international stages. It’s simply an honor.”
For more information about previous winners, visit online at https://memphismusichalloffame.com/ or in person at 126 Beale Street (in the former Hard Rock space).
Tickets can be purchased at TicketMaster.com
Robert Johnson
Johnnie Taylor
Denise LaSalle
Wendy Moten
■■ NEWS
MICAH’s annual public meeting puts human faces on city crises
Interfaith organization issues call to ‘Stand up, speak out, demand a better Memphis’
By Lee Eric Smith TSD Contributing Writer
When President Donald Trump announced he would send the National Guard to Memphis, the order landed like a thunderclap — another reminder of how outsiders often see the city’s problems as ones to be contained by force.
But inside Christ Missionary Baptist Church on Sept. 14, the mood was different. Instead of soldiers and Humvees, there were choirs and clergy, mothers and tenants, immigrants and youth. And from the pulpit came a defiant statement, read aloud by MICAH clergy:
“We are troubled that our national leaders, the president, Governor Lee, believe that military intervention is the answer to the challenges we face in Memphis. … True peace in Memphis is only possible with real justice.”
That contrast, troops in the streets versus neighbors organizing in the pews, defined the 7th Annual Public Meeting of MICAH, the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope. The coalition gathered hundreds to highlight its 2025 priorities: transit equity, affordable housing and transformational justice. Public officials in attendance were pressed for clear “yes or no” commitments on those demands, while community members poured out stories of struggle and survival.
‘40,000 strong’ for
better transit
Speakers underscored how public transit touches lives across class and circumstance. One advocate, leaning on crutches, told the crowd she relies on MATA Plus.
“Riding the bus isn’t about the havenots,” said Allison Donald of Disability
Connection Midsouth. “It’s about every mother trying to get to work, every father rushing to pick up his kids. Forty thousand people ride MATA every day.
We are 40,000 strong.”
Coalition leaders pushed for a referendum to establish dedicated funding for MATA — a move Mayor Paul Young has acknowledged but not yet embraced. A wave of applause swept the sanctuary when the audience was asked if they would back such an investment.
Housing crisis hits home
Few sections drew more murmurs of agreement than the one on housing.
LaFrancine Bond described the stress of unsafe, unaffordable housing: “It re-
duces your peace, increases your stress and makes your day-to-day life feel like work.”
Christine Hall of the Memphis Tenants Union spoke of tenants living with mold, leaks and broken A/C in subsidized apartments. “They were fed up,” she said. “They started organizing a tenant union to demand dignified housing.”
The Rev. Sandra Summers, inter-faith officer at MIFA (the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association), put it bluntly: “Public housing should be a safety net. Instead, too often it is inhumane.”
MICAH called on the Health, Educational and Housing Facilities Board, which grants millions in tax breaks to developers, to meet with tenant groups. To press the point, attendees were
asked to scan a QR code and flood the board chair’s inbox with emails.
“Housing is a human right,” declared co-chair A.T. Harrison, as the crowd roared it back to him.
Injustice inside the jail
Perhaps the most searing testimony came from those who had endured Shelby County’s justice system.
Ethel Kilgore recounted how her son was jailed after a traffic violation and was left without showers for 16 days, losing 70 pounds in custody.
“They’re talking about building a new jail,” she said. “But sunshine doesn’t make trash look better. A new building won’t fix what’s rotten inside.”
Josh Spickler, executive director of Just City, added the case of Rockez McDaniel, who died in July after being jailed during a mental health crisis. “He was never accused of hurting anyone,” Spickler said. “He should have been taken to care, not a cage.”
MICAH’s demands include halving booking times, ensuring court appearances within 72 hours, and diverting people with mental health conditions to treatment within 24 hours.
Immigration and fear
The most hushed silence of the evening came when 24-year-old Erika Alegría spoke. An immigrant raised in Memphis, she described losing her stepfather and uncle to deportation and the toll it has taken on her siblings.
“My uncle was the father I never had,” she said, choking back tears. “He was deported, and later he was killed in Honduras. I felt that pain twice.”
She also recounted a cousin detained by ICE in July, leaving two children behind. “The fear is real,” she said. “The
Members of MICAH’s Housing Committee lead a call-and-response to “Get Up, Stand Up” during the coalition’s 7th Annual Public Meeting at Christ Missionary Baptist Church on Sept. 14, 2025. Adopting the tune of the Bob Marley classic, the group urged the crowd to demand safe, affordable housing across Memphis. (Photos: Lee Eric Smith/The Tri-State Defender)
fear of going to work, the fear of taking our kids to school. I encourage you to be like Queen Esther, to courageously speak truth to power.”
MICAH’s Immigration and Inclusivity Committee framed those stories as part of a larger call: to end the dehumanization of undocumented neighbors and to resist policies that tear families apart. The committee announced an event later this month, Listening to the Voices, Writing the Stories, in partnership with Evergreen Christian Church, as a step toward amplifying immigrant voices.
“As Matthew reminds us, ‘I was a stranger and you invited me in,’” said committee co-chair Sandra Pita. “Our city must treat immigrants not as outsiders but as beloved members of the community.”
Youth voices at the center
The loudest cheers of the evening may have been reserved for MICAH’s Youth Council, a group of middle- and high-schoolers who presented their own research on issues that affect students directly.
In 2023, they launched a petition against gun violence that gathered more than 500 signatures, sent their demands to the state legislature and published a voter guide based on candidate responses. In a mock referendum organized by the students, nearly 80 percent of participants supported tougher gun safety measures.
This year, the students turned to education. Branding their survey “for youth, by youth,” they gathered more than 60 responses from across Memphis-Shelby County Schools. A third of students reported their schools don’t offer all the classes they want; a quarter said they lack the clubs and activities they seek. Only about a third felt their input is heard by school leaders.
“They tell us education is about us,” said Marc Williams, a sophomore at Hollis F. Price Middle College High School. “So why aren’t they listening to us?”
The council is continuing to collect data through an online survey, urging young people to add their voices. “This isn’t about minor inconveniences,” said
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Marc Williams, a student at Hollis F. Price Middle College High School, speaks during MICAH’s 7th Annual Public Meeting at Christ Missionary Baptist Church on Sept. 14, 2025. Representing MICAH’s Youth Council, Williams called for a greater student voice in education policy and decision-making.
White Station High senior Alsahra Altareb. “It’s about the obstacles that keep us from learning and growing. Through this survey, we are both raising our voices and proving that youth can lead.”
Raising resources, building power
Beyond testimony, MICAH launched a fundraising drive toward its $100,000 goal for the year, including $10,000 that night to support organizing work.
“Action is not free,” said Curtis Davis Jr. “From canvassing neighborhoods to speaking at the legislature, it all costs money. When you invest in MICAH, you invest in justice.”
The road ahead
MICAH leaders stressed that its task forces meet the first Monday of each month and invited the public to stay engaged.
“We gather at a time when the air is thick with anger and division,” said the Rev. Dr. Gina Stewart, senior pastor of Christ Missionary Baptist Church. “But Memphis is made up of people who love this city. Together, we can ignite the change we envision.”
From redemption to reckoning: Bond set for Shelby County Re-entry director and his wife
By Dalisia Ballinger TSD Contributing Writer
For years, DeAndre and Vinessa Brown were seen as champions of second chances. Together, they built Lifeline to Success, a nonprofit dedicated to helping formerly incarcerated men and women find their footing in society. DeAndre Brown himself knew that journey all too well. He spent more than two years in prison before rebuilding his life through community work, eventually rising to become the executive director of the Shelby County Office of Re-entry.
But now, the couple’s story of redemption is colliding with a new chapter, one of allegations, betrayal of trust and the courtroom’s unforgiving spotlight.
After two tense days in court, Judge Lee Coffee set the bond conditions for the couple accused of misusing more than $625,000 in public funds.
On Tuesday, Sept 23, Coffee ruled that DeAndre Brown would remain behind bars unless he can post a $500,000 bond, while his wife, Vinessa, was released on her own recognizance.
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office alleges the Browns, who were arrested in August, siphoned money meant to help others into their own pockets — spending on a Jamaican getaway, Memphis Grizzlies tickets and more than $285,000 in improper compensation. State investigators say grant money was also funneled into mortgage payments and personal expenses, chipping away at the very mission the couple once championed.
Though free for now, Vinessa’s movements are tightly controlled. She must surrender her passport, stay inside Shelby County unless granted permission to leave and follow a 9 p.m. curfew. She is also barred from handling money in any organization.
DeAndre Brown’s defense team pleaded for a $35,000 bond, but Judge
Coffee was unmoved. In a pointed rebuke, Coffee openly questioned how Brown had ever been entrusted with public funds in the first place.
“I don’t know why, I don’t know how, I am absolutely befuddled, absolutely befuddled — why the Shelby County government, the mayor, why the state of Tennessee, the governor, the City of Memphis, would give money to a person to run a nonprofit organization when they had been convicted of stealing money from a nonprofit organization in the past,” Coffee said.
“That is illogical, makes no sense at all,” he added.
Brown’s attorneys admit their client likely cannot afford the steep bond. For now, he remains in custody, awaiting the next phase of a case that has stunned many in the community.
Still, amid the swirling controversy, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris has publicly stood by Brown. In a letter to Judge Coffee, Harris vouched for the man who once worked at his side, writing, “It is my belief that Mr. Brown poses no threat to the community and that, if granted bond through release on his own recognizance or bond being lowered, he would fully comply with the court orders.” The mayor also emphasized Brown’s contributions through initiatives that he said have “benefited the community as a whole.”
This isn’t the first time DeAndre Brown’s name has been linked to redemption and risk. Pardoned by Governor Bill Lee in 2023, Brown had become an example of what it means to rebuild a life after prison. Yet today, the man once lifted up as proof that change is possible sits in a jail cell, fighting accusations that threaten to undo everything he built.
Both DeAndre and Vinessa Brown are due back in court October 31 at 9 a.m.
Shelby County Commission votes to move all MSCS board elections to 2026
By James Coleman TSD Contributing Writer
A process to amend elections for members of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board of Education has come full circle, after county commissioners narrowly passed a substitute resolution that cuts short the terms of some board members during the Monday, Sept. 22, meeting.
It was the first reading. If the item passes on a third and final reading, all nine seats of the school board could potentially be placed on the 2026 ballot. Meanwhile, a referendum ordinance to allow for recall elections of county officers and school board members found near-universal approval. It passed 11-0.
Former chairman Michael Whaley offered the substitute school board amendment as a way to “create structural change” to the county’s election calendar. The resolution would cut the number of elections by aligning school board elections with the County Commission and other elected offices.
“I believe in the long term, fewer, higher-quality elections drive higher turnout. It’s better for democracy,” said Whaley. “Often, you see voter fatigue.” The replacement would also serve as a “mechanism” for “displeased” voters to remake the school board. It supplanted a resolution that called for staggered elections for board members, allowing them to finish their current four-year terms. Several were elected as recently as 2024.
Commissioner Erika Sugarmon had proposed moving all nine school board seats to the 2030 election, allowing 2024 winners to serve full terms. Under her plan, the other four seats would have been elected to a onetime, two-year term in 2028 to reset the cycle.
“Any resolution that abridges the terms of duly elected officials represents an unprecedented erosion of democracy. Voters elected school board members for four-year terms. To cut those terms short, in effect, is a backdoor recall. The constitutionality of the statute itself is questionable.”
— MSCS board member Natalie McKinney
“I think it’s a mistake to rely on this as a means to air a grievance with any individual board member or as a whole,” said Whaley. “What does remedy that is a recall, if it’s between terms, or it’s voting for a candidate in the next election.”
The push to replace the school board comes after the firing of former MSCS Superintendent Marie Feagins. In eight months on the job, the erstwhile administrator built a large following among students, teachers and the community. She also quickly drew the ire of the school board through several alleged violations.
For the most part, Whaley’s replacement is a dead ringer for a resolution he offered in January. Its main goal is to “enact the authority” vested in a new state law. However, the kickstart date of 2030 was scratched out. No starting point was offered in the successful replacement.
Still, Megan Smith of the county attorney’s office confirmed during the meeting that the practical effect of the resolution would be to align all nine seats to the 2026 election.
“This is to make it as simple as possible. It’s simply authorizing existing state law,” said Whaley. “What I’m attempting to do with this substitute is to avoid — I think we got into calling out specific districts, names, time frames — I’m just looking at the plain language of
the law.”
Earlier in the year, the Tennessee legislature passed House Bill 1383, which allows county commissions to align local school board elections with general county elections.
Of course, Whaley’s resolution could also trigger a lawsuit. The whole reason Whaley’s original proposal was replaced was because it would prematurely terminate board members’ terms. On its face, the item runs afoul of the state constitution. Article XI, Section 9 “restricts legislative power over the terms of local officials” like school board members. This includes “abridging” terms of office.
“Any resolution that abridges the terms of duly elected officials represents an unprecedented erosion of democracy,” said MSCS board member Natalie McKinney. “Voters elected school board members for four-year terms. To cut those terms short, in effect, is a backdoor recall. The constitutionality of the statute itself is questionable.”
Smith agreed with the assessment. When asked, she could not forecast whether the commission would avoid a lawsuit. Members are awaiting a legal opinion from state Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti on the matter. The request was issued when Whaley’s original resolution was under consideration.
“This item does institute alignment as authorized by state law. It would institute that law legally in 2026,” said Smith. “As to whether or not you will or will not get sued, we cannot predict that. We certainly can’t predict the defense at this time.”
The murky legal outlook wasn’t enough to dissuade a majority. The item passed 7-5. Voting in favor of the resolution were Amber Mills, Edmund Ford Jr., Mick Wright, Britney Thornton, Brandon Morrison, David Bradford and Whaley. Voting no were Chairwoman Shante Avant, Miska Clay Bibbs, Charlie Caswell Jr., Henri Brooks, and Erika Sugarmon.
Sugarmon also supported the referendum ordinance allowing for recall elections. Like the other item, it will require more work on the state level.
“Presently, there is no state law or charter authority for the County Commission to recall school board members. If this referendum were to be enacted, it would basically sit there until authorized by a state law amendment,” said Smith.
If both items pass on a third and final reading, voters could be deciding on the ordinance alongside candidates for school board and the County Commission.
Sugarmon also told commissioners that state lawmakers have said they plan on taking authorization up for consideration.
“They will be looking at it at the next assembly. It will be on the ballot in August of 2026,” said Sugarmon. However, if a concurrent push for a recall at the state level continues, it could push the timeline back. A new school board would be in place by then. If that happens, Sugarmon’s referendum proposals “may not go on the ballot at all.”
BofA raises U.S. minimum hourly wage to $25, increasing starting salary to more than $50K
The increase delivers on a pledge to hit $25 by 2025
TSD Newsroom
Bank of America announced Wednesday, Sept. 17, it has raised its U.S. minimum hourly wage to $25 per hour. With the increase, the minimum annualized salary for full-time employees in the U.S. will rise to more than $50,000.
The increase, which goes into effect in early October, applies to all full-time and part-time hourly positions in the U.S., affecting thousands of employees across the nation.
This is the company’s latest move after steadily increasing its minimum wage over the last several years, from $15 per hour to $25 per hour. With the
increase to $25, the starting salary for full-time U.S. employees at the bank will have gone up more than $20,000 since 2017.
“Our strong and rising minimum starting salary provides opportunities for our teammates to build a long-term career at Bank of America,” said Sheri Bronstein, chief people officer, Bank of America. “Competitive compensation is one of the many ways we are helping to drive American economic growth and opportunity.”
BofA currently has 170 employees and 11 local financial centers in Memphis where many new starting pay positions are based.
“This increased starting salary, combined with our skills-based professional development programs and career mobility, reflect our commitment to creating a workplace where every teammate has the opportunity to start and grow a
career,” said Trevia Chatman, president of Bank of America Memphis.
“This along with industry-leading benefits ranging from 16-weeks of
parental leave and caregiver support to tuition reimbursement, make BofA a leading employer in Memphis,” Chatman added.
By Dalisia Ballinger TSD Contributing Writer
Memphis leaders and airport officials gathered earlier this month to celebrate a transformative $50.6 million federal investment that will modernize Memphis International Airport, strengthen its role as a global hub and reinforce the city’s reputation as both an economic driver and a premier tourist destination.
The funding, secured through the bipartisan Congressional infrastructure bill and a $5 million community grant championed by U.S. Rep. David Kustoff (R-TN) marks a significant step forward for the airport. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN), a longtime member of the House Transportation Committee, has worked for nearly two decades on advancing improvements to Memphis aviation infrastructure.
“Memphis is not only a FedEx city, it’s a tourist city, a great city and an international city,” Cohen said. “Our airport is the gateway to Memphis. When people arrive, their first impression should reflect the vibrant, welcoming and world-class community we are. This investment helps make that possible.”
Construction for the airport’s modernization has already been underway for several years. Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority President and CEO Terry Blue told The Tri-State Defender the overall project will cost roughly $700 million, making it “certainly one of the biggest projects financially that the airport has ever done.”
The transformation began with the redesign of Concourse B, which reopened in 2022 with expanded gate areas, natural light and modern amenities for passengers. This summer, crews started demolition on Concourse A, which will become home to the airport’s new administration offices
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Memphis International Airport secures $50.6 million for modernization and infrastructure upgrades
and a state-of-the-art checked baggage inspection system.
“This project will be transformational for the airport,” Blue said, noting that the upgrades will improve efficiency for both cargo and passenger travel while creating a first-class experience for visitors.
The latest $50.6 million infusion will support several major projects including:
• De-icing and Snow Removal Storage Facility to provide secure shelter for snow removal equipment.
• Airfield Rehabilitation to upgrade taxiways including Taxiway Alpha, essential to FedEx and airline operations.
• Taxiway Bravo Realignment to reconfigure outdated geometry to improve efficiency and safety on the airfield.
• Terminal Modernization and Seismic Program to enable the expansion of passenger areas, relocation of ground transportation, and structural updates.
The modernization effort is expected to take about six years to complete.
Airport leaders emphasized that Memphis International is more than just a point of departure or arrival, it is one of the region’s most powerful economic engines.
“Memphis International Airport is the handshake to the world,” said Blue. “It’s often the first impression visitors
have of our city. With these improvements, we will not only support FedEx and air carriers, but also enhance the passenger experience, attract more flights and create new opportunities for tourism and business.”
The upgrades are also expected to generate significant construction jobs and long-term employment opportunities tied to expanded air service and cargo capacity.
“Tourism depends on air travel,” Cohen said. “We want people flying into Memphis to immediately feel they’ve arrived in a city that is strong, vibrant and exciting. This airport will reflect that energy and help us continue to grow.”
Direct flights, such as the recently added service between New York and Memphis, are part of a larger push to expand air connectivity. Blue noted that his team is working daily to bring in new routes to meet community needs.
As Memphis invests in its airport, officials see the modernization not only as infrastructure progress but as a symbol of the city’s forward momentum.
“Memphis is FedEx. Memphis is the airport. Memphis is music. Memphis is tourism,” Cohen concluded. “This investment ensures we keep building on that legacy for generations to come.”
A conceptual rendering shows the planned exterior of Memphis International Airport following a major modernization effort supported by $50.6 million in new federal funding. Upgrades will include terminal expansion, seismic improvements and reconfigured ground transportation areas. (Courtesy Memphis International Airport)
Designing a better Memphis: The legacy of Self+Tucker Architects
A partnership built on vision, respect and community has made Self + Tucker Architects a force in redefining the city for generations to come.
From the edge of the Mississippi River to the neighborhoods of South Memphis, the city’s architecture unfolds like a narrative — and many of its most defining chapters bear the imprint of Self+Tucker Architects.
This year, the firm marked 30 years of shaping not just structures but the way Memphians and visitors experience the Bluff City. Juan Self and Jimmie Tucker’s projects remind us that architecture can be more than design. It can be memory, dignity and hope.
Self’s path to partnership began in 1989, when he came here to open the Memphis office of McKissack & McKissack. His assignment: and expansion of the National Civil Rights Museum. “My work there was both fulfilling and rewarding. I would not trade that experience for anything,” Self recalls. Yet the strain of running an office alone was clear. “Getting the work, producing the work, managing staff, clients, invoicing, was too much to sustain long term,” he says.
“Consequently, I knew that when I started a firm, it would be with a partner. Jimmie and I met at the right time on both our journeys. Jimmie has been an incredible partner for over thirty years.”
Their partnership is built on balance and respect. “Diversity of opinions, backgrounds and philosophies is a superpower when coupled with a singleness of vision,” Self says. “Where one is weak, another is strong. Respect for each other and for each other’s opinions is paramount to achieving balance. Both of us are stronger than either of us.”
For Jimmie Tucker, who returned to Memphis in 1995, founding the firm was more than a professional decision.
It was a calling to shape the future of his hometown. “Each day my aspirations are to be the consummate professional, an award-winning designer, an influential mentor and teacher, and a proven leader for architecture and community revitalization,” he said.
future. “The revitalization of historic spaces is part of the DNA of our firm,” he explains. “To remember our past while looking to the future symbolizes hope. Hope for our communities, our neighborhoods, our city, our people.”
Both managing partners, Self and Tucker’s leadership is visible in marquee projects. The $250 million FedEx Forum brought the NBA to downtown Memphis. Big River Crossing gave the city the longest public pedestrian bridge across the Mississippi. The expansion of the National Civil Rights Museum secured its global standing as a site of conscience. The Stax Museum and Academy leveraged cultural heritage to spark neighborhood revival.
Their reach, though, extends into the neighborhoods where investment is most needed. Self+Tucker has designed more than 1,700 units of affordable housing across Memphis, from College Park to Uptown Square to Cleaborn Pointe at Heritage Landing — projects that provide not only homes but also dignity and stability. This commitment underscores their belief that architecture can and should serve every community.
Still, Tucker emphasizes the importance of smaller-scale efforts. “My mantra is to ‘design like you want to change the world,’ ” he says. “It is in designing placemaking projects in some of the most neglected locations in Memphis that I believe this commitment is indeed improving the city of Memphis and the region one neighborhood at a time.”
Additionally, Self views preservation as essential to building a stronger
That philosophy is embodied in the Universal Life Insurance Building, which houses their firm. Self+Tucker helped restore the Egyptian Revival landmark to gain its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. “We have partnered with the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University to research and create exhibit panels for an exhibit space in the renovated building,” Tucker says. “The exhibit honors the original founders of Universal Life, Dr. J.E. Walker and A. Maceo Walker, two of Memphis’ most successful businessmen.”
Reopened in 2018, the building anchors the Memphis Heritage Trail and serves as both a reminder of African American achievement and a catalyst for future economic vitality.
Beyond projects, Self finds inspiration in mentorship. “I am truly inspired daily by the younger architects and designers on our team,” he says. “In fact, they are one of the primary reasons I’m excited to come to the office every morning. Our entire team gives me hope for the future of our profession and for the legacy of Self+Tucker Architects and for the city of Memphis.”
For Tucker, investing in people also means rethinking the role of architecture itself
“I have come to understand that making buildings is not the only nor perhaps the most effective way to im-
prove communities,” he says. “Instead, my efforts extend well beyond individual structures to large-scale, strategic interactive plans. I work carefully with neighborhoods to research and detail the challenges they face and develop potential physical solutions and socio-economic strategies to transform those communities.”
To experience Memphis today is to see a city reshaped with the input of two men who believed design could uplift. Cross the Mississippi on Big River, walk through a museum that preserves history, or stand at the corner of a South Memphis market, and the landscape reflects the touch of Self+Tucker.
“It is my hope that STA’s work will inspire the architectural community in this region and beyond to design with empathy and community focus,” Self says. “That respect for the power of place, history and, more importantly, people will help move us towards a better Memphis and a better world.”
For 30 years their work has proven that architecture is not only about form but about belonging. In their care, Memphis’ landscape has become not just a collection of structures but a reflection of the people who call it home.
Juan Self Jimmie Tucker
Self+Tucker Architects is housed in the historic Universal Life Insurance Building.
Learn how Black women often face a ‘double tax’
Book review
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
Your favorite Uncle will want to hear from you in about six months, maybe sooner.
He’ll want to talk about your wallet, first and foremost. He’ll be interested in your home and your workplace, and he’ll check your memory and your math skills. Nice guy, he’ll probably ask after your family, too. You can’t avoid Uncle Sam’s inquisitiveness, but with “The Double Tax” by Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman, you’ll see how to stop the “pink tax” from being worse if you’re black.
When she was a young child, Opoku-Ageyman noticed that when it was time to leave for church, the women in her family struggled to get ready on time. Hair, make-up, dressing, it all took more effort for her mother and sisters than it did for the menfolk.
Generally speaking, women have social requirements they must follow that manufacturers have seized upon, leading to “pink taxes,” or extra costs placed on things for women that are identical to products made for men. Unfair, yes, and in the case of Black women and life, she says, there’s often a double tax.
Take, for instance, hair.
Studies show that a woman’s looks are linked to her checkbook, and hair and beauty products matter. Products marketed to women cost more than those marketed to men, and the cost is even higher for Black women’s products. That’s if they can find them nearby.
Women go up against gender ste-
reotypes when applying for jobs; Black women go up against stereotypes of gender and race, which can also lead to “tokenism” and wage gaps. Women get stuck in lower-paying jobs and are often discouraged from reaching for STEM-related careers, but studies show that Black women suffer higher rates of this discrimination.
So what can be done?
Fund minority businesses, Opoku-Ageyman says. Change how your business uses resumes. Support better access to education for Black women. Be transparent in your organization’s pay scale. Revisit your company’s policy on motherhood. Finally, identify gaps in the system and close them Doing so will help now and later.
Sometimes, it seems like life is all uphill. And that may be twice as apt for women of color, as you’ll see in “The Double Tax.”
But is this a book you need?
Read a little, think about its first few pages, and you may decide that OpokuAgyeman isn’t talking to you. If you’re a woman of color, what’s here is old news; instead, she seems to be talking more to male supervisors, bosses and CEOs of all races with personal stories that underscore her points. That doesn’t mean white women won’t learn a few things – raising another woman up is always a good action. But men who don’t pay the pink tax will surely get more from the book.
Although what you’ll find here is a bit broad, this book will open eyes to what’s hidden in plain sight, and you’ll find ideas for change that can affect the status quo. For that, “The Double Tax” is a singularly helpful book.
$29.00
256 pages
“The Double Tax: How Women of Color are Overcharged and Underpaid” by Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman, foreword by Chelsea Clinton c.2025, Portfolio
