The New Tri-State Defender — February 4-10, 2021

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

February 4 - 10, 2021

VOL. 70, No. 5

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COVID-19 UPDATE

‘Suspicious’ case stirs concern; Walmart added to vaxing mix

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

While the number of new COVID-19 cases and deaths are declining, that positive news has been somewhat diminished by the worrisome news that Health Department officials are investigating whether

the virus variant B.1.1.7 has reached Shelby County.

“We are presently looking into a suspicious case of COVID-19,” said Dr. Bruce Randolph, medical director of the Shelby County Health Department. “The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) is looking into whether or not it could be the B.1.1.7 variant that was found

in the UK (United Kingdom).”

Randolph continued, “Whether or not this variant has reached Shelby County, it is important to continue wearing a mask in public, avoid crowds, wash hands frequently and thoroughly, get tested and vaccinated, when available.”

Randolph explained that although the new variant was more contagious, it was less lethal. He said Shelby County has “a plan at the ready” if there is a breakout of the

variant.

“We are prepared to begin early notification and more intense contact tracing should we have an outbreak of this new variant.”

The United Kingdom variant has been verified in Tennessee, outside of Shelby County.

The Health Department Wednesday reported 254 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the total to

SEE COVID-19 ON PAGE 2

AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH – LEGACY

In Memphis and beyond, Cicely Tyson – by declaration – was ‘not a quitter’ TSD Newsroom Actress Cicely Tyson died leaving behind a body of pioneering work that – taken as a whole – served as proof to the essence of a message she once delivered in Memphis – finish what you start.

Tyson gained an Oscar nomination for her role as the sharecropper’s wife in “Sounder,” won a Tony Award in 2013 at age 88 and touched TV viewers’ hearts in “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman.” She was 96.

Tyson’s death last Thursday (Jan. 28) was announced by her family, via her manager Larry Thompson.

A onetime model, Tyson began her screen career with bit parts but gained fame in the early 1970s when Black women were finally starting to get starring roles. Tyson refused to take parts simply for the paycheck, remaining choosey.

In 2011 as the National Civil Rights Museum observed its 20th anniversary, Tyson received that year’s Freedom Award.

If Cicely Tyson’s just-released memoir, “Just As I Am,” is not on your must-read list for the year, add it!

Five years later, Tyson, whose memoir “Just As I Am” was published this week, was back in Memphis as the keynote speaker for Agape, the religious-based organization whose mission is to provide children and families with healthy homes. The gala theme that night was “Love thy neighbor,” with organizers saying Tyson –- as a civil rights and human rights activist — was “a living example of what we are trying to do.”

The venue was New Direction Christian Church in Hickory Hill. Tyson was greeted with a standing ovation. A reporter covering the event for The New Tri-State Defender observed that Tyson immediately began disseminating wisdom to a crowd of attentive listeners hanging on to her words of love and hope.

“We need to stop criticizing ourselves and blaming ourselves for what others have done or not done to us,” Tyson advised before adding, “Sometimes we get so busy complaining about what we don’t have that we forget to enjoy the things we do have. This makes it harder to help others.”

SEE TYSON ON PAGE 2

In honor of #MLKDay2021, WFGM, FedEx and the Memphis Grizzlies gave away boxed meals, toiletries and backpacks at the corner of MLK Blvd and Danny Thomas while supplies lasted. (SCSK12Unified, Twitter)

Race, politics, power loom as state, two big school districts dispute reopening

by Marta W. Aldrich and Laura Faith Kebede Chalkbeat Tennessee

In the pitched debate over school reopening, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has repeatedly chided leaders of the state’s two largest school districts for not “putting the needs of students first.” His Republican colleagues in the state legislature are threatening to strip funding from the Memphis and Nashville districts if they don’t pivot quickly and reopen their classrooms.

Although Nashville announced a gradual return starting this week, Shelby County Schools Superintendent Joris Ray has stood firm. The district is sticking with all-remote learning indefinitely. Ray accused state leaders of being out of touch with the needs of Memphis students, who are mostly Black, living in poverty, and disproportionately affected by the deadly virus.

The profound disconnect is the latest Chamber example of how a President decade-long rift beBeverly tween Tennessee’s state-level deci- Robertson’s sion-makers and ur- open letter ban school leaders to SCS can boil over and Supt. Joris shape policy affectRay, Page 4 ing the state’s most vulnerable students.

Like previous state battles involving Memphis and Nashville, this one is shaped by politics, race, and power — with both sides claiming the moral high ground.

“We’ve seen this before,” Memphis City Councilman Martavius Jones said of the seemingly intractable debate. “It feels like another case of us versus them.”

New, however, is the global health crisis that is disrupting classrooms and disproportionately affecting people of color. The stakes are high because COVID-19 is a life-threatening virus that is putting a generation of students at risk academically and emotionally.

“At the end of the day, our children are suffering,” said Dianechia Fields, a Memphis parent who wants state and local leaders to find a way

SEE SCHOOL ON PAGE 2

Cicely Tyson wearing her Freedom Award medal as the National Civil Rights Museum celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2011. (Photo: Warren Roseborough)

The New Tri-State Defender

February 4 - 10, 2021

Page 2

NEWS COVID-19

SCHOOL

83,489 cases since the beginning of the pandemic. There were 3,730 active cases.

There were seven new virus-related deaths, bringing the total to 1,296.

Health Department officials at Tuesday’s (Feb. 2) Shelby County COVID-19 Joint Task Force update were cautiously optimistic as newly transmitted cases and deaths continue falling, and vaccine distribution smooths out wrinkles.

Presently, the plan put in place by the Tennessee Health Division to prioritize the order of persons eligible to receive the vaccine will continue to be followed.

Randolph said there are no immediate plans to alter the state’s prioritization.

As Shelby County Schools administrators try to find a safe way to get back to in-person learning, Randolph said he anticipates that teachers will be scheduled for vaccination “sometime later on this month.”

And, in another sign of working out vaccination issues, health officials announced that Walmart is scheduled to become vaccination sites across the county.

Locations across the MidSouth will become sites by appointment. Nearly a dozen stores in Shelby County are participating.

“The Walmart Pharmacy program is being allotted a number of doses in inner-city stores,” said Alisa Haushalter, county Health Department director. “Individuals can be referred to Walmart by the Health Department, but the person would have to make the appointment on their own.”

Randolph said the Health Department’s recommendation for in-person school is that all teachers be vaccinated prior to the date in-person format is implemented for Shelby County Schools.

“This is important because you have certain teachers who could be at greater risk,” said Randolph. “It would be an especially dangerous situation for teachers who may have one or several pre-existing conditions.”

In other Shelby County updates, the Division of Corrections reports that 151 inmates and 154 employees have tested positive for the coronavirus. One person died. It is unclear whether the fatality was an inmate or employee.

At the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office of Corrections, 287 detainees and 343 employees have tested positive. One employee died.

According to the health department, 90 percent of acute care beds and 94 percent of ICU beds in the Mid-South are currently being utilized.

A total of 64,430 vaccines have been administered — 48,607 persons have been given a single dose and 15,823 have received their second vaccine dose.

to collaborate. “At some point, we have to stop fighting each other and sit down and come to reasonable and sensible solutions.”

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

The reddening of Tennessee Much of the fracture can be traced to politics.

Mirroring a regional flip, Republicans gained control of Tennessee’s legislature in 2008 and, two years later, the governor’s seat, too. That historic shift, in a state where Democrats had mostly reigned for more than a century, has profoundly changed the working relationship of state government with its two remaining Democratic strongholds.

In the decade since, Tennessee’s reform-minded legislature has singled out Memphis and Nashville for multiple controversial education initiatives, even if their locally elected officials oppose them.

GOP leaders point to the high concentrations of low-performing schools that have languished in both cities as justification to intervene.

Beginning in 2012, the state took over dozens of schools in Memphis and a few in Nashville through its Achievement School District. The takeovers, which handed control to charter operators that for the most part have also struggled to improve the schools, angered people in neighborhoods where schools were a source of pride.

The legislature also approved measures aimed at luring private charter organizations to use public money to open and operate schools that are supposed to use innovative teaching methods. Memphis begrudgingly became home to most of the charter schools, while Nashville’s school board pushed back the hardest.

More recently, the legislature passed a school voucher law that would give taxpayer money to eligible families who leave public schools to pursue a private education. The 2019 law, which was championed by the governor, only applied to Memphis and Nashville, opening the door to a successful legal challenge. The state has appealed the ruling.

TYSON

CONTINUED FROM FRONT Tyson urged that night’s crowd to follow the lead of Agape’s staff and always “finish what they start.”

Tyson’s life and career were testaments to hard work and

W.H. Brewster Elementary School recently handed out new headsets to students, thanks to donations from the Memphis community. (Screen capture) In separate litigation, Memphis and Nashville school boards are challenging the adequacy of state education funding, especially for urban schools. Their 5-year-old lawsuit, which is set for trial in October, aligns with Democrats’ calls to invest more money in education in a state that still ranks near the bottom in per-pupil spending.

The lawsuits have infuriated state Republican leaders, while providing recourse for local officials who believe Capitol Hill isn’t giving them a fair shake.

“Since 2010, the legislature has kind of quit listening to the people on the ground in its biggest urban areas, especially in Memphis,” said Marcus Pohlmann, professor emeritus of political science at Rhodes College. “They’ve imposed policies that are premised on the idea that school choice is pretty much the answer to everything.”

Many urban educators long have argued for an approach that is more comprehensive — and expensive. Their want list includes expanding early childhood education and wraparound programs that combat poverty and improve health care.

“It’s just like playing whacka-mole if you’re not trying to solve the systemic problem,” said Miska Clay Bibbs, school board chairman for Shelby County Schools.

Tennessee’s school reopening debate has centered on the state’s two most diverse school systems, which also are led by Black superintendents.

“The undercurrents of race cannot be ignored,” said Sen. Raumesh Akbari, a Memphis Democrat.

“The official line is that this is not about race,” said Akbari, who is Black. “But it’s difficult for Memphians to think otherwise when folks from other places in our state are trying to decide what’s best for Memphis and Shelby County, and it’s in conflict with the decisions of local school leaders who know their community best.”

Trust in state government, including its predominantly white legislature, is particularly low in her hometown, she said. About 65 percent of the population is Black.

Memphians are still smarting over legislative decisions that prompted the school board to give up its charter for Memphis City Schools, which served students who were mostly of color and from low-income families. That move led the city district to merge in 2013 with the suburban Shelby County district, which served more affluent students who were mostly white.

A year later, six suburban towns seceded and created their own school systems after Republican legislators passed a new law to allow it. Their exodus is considered one of the nation’s most egregious examples of public education splintering into a system of haves and have-nots over race and class.

“That was a big thing,” recalls Councilman Jones, who served on the city school board before schools were desegregated, then quickly resegregated. “It led to a lot of mistrust,

perseverance. She rose to fame after being nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the 1972 film, “Sounder.”

She starred in Alex Haley’s “Roots” and landed the title role in “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman,” which earned her an Emmy Award.

Despite her resume, roles

didn’t always come easy. Her refusal to participate in blaxploitation films at times made it hard for her to find work.

“People ask how I cope and have held on for so long,” Tyson said. “I tell them that I believe in divine guidance and I know who I am and whose I am.”

‘Race cannot be ignored’

and that has never dissipated.”

Dianechia Fields’ mistrust only grew when she began traveling to the Capitol in 2016 to lobby for education policy changes with the parent advocacy group Memphis Lift. Fields, who is Black and has two sons in Memphis schools, was surprised by how little rural white legislators knew about the state’s largest school district and the experiences of Black parents and students. One lawmaker remarked that he didn’t know Memphis parents cared about their children’s education.

“That was eye-opening,” she said. “They didn’t know.

They just knew what they saw on paper. But none of them had visited schools to see what was actually happening.”

Multiple surveys conducted by Shelby County Schools show parents and educators have serious concerns about whether schools can keep students and teachers safe from the virus. Most say they don’t want to return to classrooms due to their city’s large number of COVID-19 cases.

Many Memphis students live in crowded and multigenerational homes with older family members who are more at risk of dying if they get sick.

“The health concerns are real,” said Pohlmann, who has authored several books on education and race in Memphis.

“People are dying, and the feeling is that, if you have to err, maybe you err on setting back kids’ learning a little bit in order to protect lives. Kids can recover, but dead people don’t come back.”

Who gets to decide?

Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson said he believes in local education control, but not when it runs contrary to state policies aimed at “the best interest of kids.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently said there’s little evidence of coronavirus transmission in schools if precautions are followed. By contrast, staying remote has put a strain on students’ mental health and compromised access to food for children from impoverished families.

Other data shows that Black and Hispanic students, as well as those in schools that serve

Acknowledging that it isn’t always easy to overcome both professional and personal challenges, Tyson shared a bit of advice.

“If we have the courage to take the first step, it’s the biggest step to get out of our own way. The minute it enters your head, just do it.”

low-income students, are falling further behind in reading and math.

“The state sets the parameters in which the [school systems] operate and provides about two-thirds of the funding,” said Johnson, who represents an affluent district south of Nashville and co-sponsored the bill to tie funding to reopening. “When they are not adhering to the letter or spirit of those parameters, we have every right to intervene – and we will.”

Johnson has little patience at this point for school systems that don’t offer an in-person learning option. “These are massive school systems.

They have enormous facilities.

They’ve had ample warning and plenty of time,” he said.

But that kind of top-down talk feels more like a “master-slave narrative” in which “I know what’s best for you,” says Natalie McKinney, a former policy director for Shelby County Schools.

“We cannot purport to say we’re changing something for the better for someone and we don’t include them in that process,” she said.

Others worry that choosing a combative tone ultimately will be counterproductive.

“Power dynamics go both ways,” said Joshua Glazer, an education policy professor at George Washington University, who has studied education and race in Memphis. “Local districts depend on the state for funding. And the governor and state education agency really need school districts to carry through and implement their plans. There’s a web of interpendence here where all these different players really need to work together.”

Unfortunately, Glazer said, the divide over how to best reopen schools follows years of other disagreements that have created a debilitating level of mistrust between the state and districts in Memphis and Nashville. Without a history of healthy institutional relationships to fall back on, he said, “things can very easily spiral downward, which it seems to be doing.”

“COVID didn’t invent these problems; it just put them in the limelight,” Glazer continued. “And there’s no vaccine that will cure when cities and the state can’t work together.”

Tyson, 91 years old at the time, Tyson told the audience that she still had a lot of work to do.

“God isn’t done with me yet,” she declared. “And I’m not a quitter.”

(This story includes a report by the Associated Press.)

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PERSPECTIVE The New Tri-State Defender, February 4 - 10, 2021, Page 4

UNFILTERED:

Chamber President Beverly Robertson’s open letter to SCS Supt. Joris Ray January 30, 2021 Dear Dr. Ray and Shelby County School Board Members: I am writing to express both my gratitude for your tremendous efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and my concern over the current state of affairs.

I join the entire community in expressing appreciation for the hard, complicated work you and your teams have advanced in sustaining remote learning.

This has included securing devices and hotspots to ensure all children have the opportunity to learn. Your efforts have also not ignored major issues like food insecurity with the considerable energy expended to provide students with meals and snacks.

I would, however, not be totally candid if I failed to also give voice to the deep frustration and mounting confusion many community leaders, business executives, and ordinary citizens have continued to quietly express about the reopening of Shelby County Schools. This frustration has escalated in recent weeks with the missed opportunities to share re-opening plans, the verbal clashes with officials in Nashville, and Friday’s announcement that schools will be closed indefinitely – a word that exacerbates concerns.

My motivation and interests are steeped in generations of personal and professional history with public schools. I am native Memphian (Orange Mound, USA) who attended and graduated from Memphis City Schools. My three children attended and graduated from three different Memphis City Schools, and my granddaughter is

currently a middle-schooler with Shelby County Schools. I am a former public school teacher and my daughter currently teaches in the district. Additionally, I cannot name the countless number of district teachers, leaders, and family members of students who are friends, neighbors, and fellow church and organizational members. Few people care more about the health and welfare of teachers and students than I do.

Please know that we all have appreciated your deliberation around the school reopening issue. Early-on in the pandemic, the prevailing thought was that keeping schools open would put educators at risk and accelerate community transmission. So, out of an abundance of caution, schools were closed and school leaders indicated that they would rely on science to inform their decisions on when to reopen.

Nearly one year later, it is im-

Beverly Robertson, president of the Greater Memphis Chamber portant to highlight what the science and recent data are telling us.

• In the Fall of 2020, 11 school districts in North Carolina with more than 90,000 students and staff were open for in-person education for 9 weeks. During this period, school transmissions were rare (32 infections were acquired in school). There were no cases of student to staff transmissions.

• In November 2020, PEW Charitable Trusts published information about a study conducted by Emily Oster PhD, Brown University Economics Professor, who tracked the rate of COVID-19 spread in a small sample of the nation’s more than 130,000 public schools, 3 million students and 422,000 teachers.

School buildings tend to be substantially safer than most other settings in the community. About the pandemic, Professor Brown notes, “We’ve ranked schools far too low in terms of their intrinsic value and far too high in terms of

the COVID risk.”

• Newly released CDC guidelines have recommended that students return to in-person instruction with appropriate safety protocols. This decision has been backed by Dr. Anthony Fauci.

We share your worry about health and safety, and we realize that it would be optimal to ensure that all teachers are vaccinated prior to reopening. It is, however, now clear that the vaccination of teachers is not a prerequisite in reopening plans outlined by national health experts and officials. If you would also consider the phenomenon of “vaccine hesitancy” especially among African-Americans, I believe it compels us to view teacher vaccinations as an important, ongoing strategy as opposed to a singular condition that must be met before any teacher or student is allowed the option to physically return to school. With that said, please let me know how we can help advance teacher vaccinations.

Based on meetings and discussions, the following items and questions have also continued to surface: • What specifically does SCS need in order for teachers and students to return?

• What pilots or beta tests at selected schools have been run to outline the operations for a potential return? The district’s Reopening Task Force on which I served definitely highlighted this and other important recommendations.

• What benchmarked strategies are being implemented to get teachers back to work?

• What is the vaccine distribution plan for teachers once they are available and how can we support it?

And most of all, the following point is the most urgent and demanding: • What are the aggressive strategies and the overall plan for addressing learning loss with SCS schools and students?

We want to do all we can to ensure that learning/instructional loss will not result in a low skill, unprepared workforce at a time when there is a drastic shift in requirements for available jobs. Our ability to attract new investment with higher wage jobs will be heavily dependent on SCS graduates.

I want to remind you all that this entire community has a vested interest in the success of Shelby County Schools’ students.

They belong to us all, and we stand ready to deepen our support of their success.

Respectfully, Beverly C. Robertson

COMMENTARY:

Back to normal? What’s normal?

by Julianne Malveaux NNPA Newswire

I got my first COVID vaccination last week. No big deal, an achy arm, but otherwise, just like a flu shot. The young lady who administered the shot smiled and said, “after you get your second shot, you can get back to normal.”

I wanted to ask her what was normal, but the man in line behind me seemed impatient, so I smiled and made my way out of the store.

I thought about it all the way home, though. What’s normal? I don’t think crowding thirty or forty young people into a classroom is normal. I don’t believe that food lines snaking for blocks is normal. I don’t think that high Black unemployment rates are normal. I don’t think the wealth gap is normal.

I don’t think that more than 400,000 people dead is normal. The inability to formally mourn our departed loved ones isn’t normal. Crazy white people storming the Capitol surely isn’t normal. And conspiracy theorist, Marjorie Taylor Green, is so far away from normal that she is on the insanity spectrum.

In the ten months since the pandemic hit, we have seen changes in our communications, our employment, our economy, and more. Many of us, reasonably, yearn for the “normal” days when we could sit at a restaurant and have a meal, go to a play or a concert, invite a bunch of folks over to gather. But we should ask ourselves what was normal about our normal.

In other words, were we so comfortable in our world that we didn’t look outside our world? We can’t miss the food lines now, but there were food lines, too, a year ago. We are focused on disparities now, but those disparities aren’t new. Does back to normal mean accepting the inequities and absurdities of life as it was?

Somebody tweeted that “Rona was a disruption, and she is an opportunity.” I embrace that sentiment (though I had to do a double-take at “Rona” and pray that nobody chooses to name their child after this virus). This virus is an opportunity for us to scrutinize what we consider normal and how we need to change it.

Let’s start with education and the achievement gap. Students who come from low-income families don’t have the same academic support that others do. They often don’t have the technology to do virtu-

al learning or the support to work through their assignments. Too often, their parents are essential workers – nurses, bus drivers, grocery store workers.

Do we ever take a look at the people who serve us and notice that they are disproportionately Black and Brown? When we see them do we wonder about their facts of life, about their challenges, or do we know the status quo as “normal”?

Is it normal for teachers’ unions and mayors to be so far apart? If we want students back in their classrooms, why can’t we vaccinate every teacher and school worker? But the conflict between teachers and elected officials, especially in Chicago, calls for a national conversation with educators, students, and parents. We’ve heard from everyone but students in this conversation. What are they thinking and feeling? Is any of this normal?

We never saw mask-wearing as standard, and even now, with more than 400,000 dead, some fools refuse to wear them. But here’s the real deal – vaccine or not, I’ll likely be wearing double masks until the end of the year, and so should you.

People who have had the vaccine have still tested positive. They still need to wear masks and wash their hands frequently.

Economist and author Dr. Julianne Malveaux: “Does back to normal mean accepting the inequities and absurdities of life as it was?”

But too many have made mask wearing a political statement. Our non-mask-wearing former president contracted COVID and got priority treatment and had access to the drug Regeneron, which is not available to the general public. And he still won’t wear a mask, emboldening his sycophants.

I really don’t know what is normal anymore, but I am sure that if 2019 was normal, we must embrace the abnormal.

Or, we need to define the new normal as safe, fair, and equitable. As my anonymous tweeter said, “Rona” is an opportunity for us to check ourselves and maybe get it right.

(Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist and author. She can be reached at juliannemalveaux.com. #NNPA BLACKPRESS.)

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The New Tri-State Defender

February 4 - 10, 2021

Page 5

RELIGION

‘Holy Hydration’ sermon delivered with a personal touch

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Monumental Baptist Church’s weekly “Prayer, Power, Praise” podcast featured a uniquely gifted minister last Saturday (Jan. 30) morning.

Dr. Tonya Lyons is a minister, however, many Memphians will also know her as a dentist and owner of New Image Smiles in the Hickory Hill community.

Posts during the live stream of her 37-minute sermon showed that the message was resonating with many, both men and women.

“I know something about needing Jesus to reach down and pick me up,” said Lyons. “Many people know my story. It’s all in my book. And boy, do I have a story to tell.”

Lyons sermon topic, “Holy Hydration,” comes from John 4:7-15, and takes a fresh look of the woman who meets Jesus at the well. Lyon identifies with the woman through her own personal experience.

“This woman has a bad reputation among the townspeople,” said Lyons. “She is morally bankrupt. Jesus meets her at the well. Was it an accidental meeting? I think not.”

Lyons spoke later about how she understands what “this woman” must have been going through.

“In 2009, I was diagnosed with breast cancer,” Lyons said. “I was, at that time,

first lady of Solid Rock Christian Church.

My last name was Anderson. Well, my husband left me immediately. I lost my husband and my pastor on the same day.”

Lyons said it was a time of great sorrow.

She felt alone and abandoned, that she had lost everything that mattered to her.

“And just when things seemed they couldn’t get worse for me, my husband got married 63 days after the divorce became final,” said Lyons. “I suffered through breast cancer and a divorce all at once.

So, I understand what it feels like to need the living water that Jesus gives because you’re at your lowest point.”

Like the Biblical character in this passage, Lyons finds that “the real truth” of Jesus is that He will come seeking for those who have lost their way.

“Nicodemus came looking for Jesus to inquire of him in the night,” said Lyons.

“He had some questions for Jesus. But in the very next chapter, Jesus comes looking for a woman who had come to the well. It is one of the longest conversations that Jesus has with anyone. He is the Good Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep.”

Lyons contends that the well represents a place where people find temporary fulfillment.

“We all have a well,” said Lyons. “A well is a place where one can find temporary life, but not living water. For some, it may be weed, or sex, or prescription pills.

For me, it is chocolate cake. That is my well. Don’t judge me.”

Youth Day at historic Mt. Pisgah offers glimpse of the future TSD Newsroom Cameron Nicholas Kuykindall, who recently “accepted his call to ministry,” brought “Today’s Word” at the Youth Day service held at Mt. Pisgah C.M.E. in Orange Mound last Sunday (Jan. 31).

Kuykindall, who turns 15 on March 2, worked his way through the acronym P.R.E.S.S. (Passionate. Relevant. Essential. Sincere.), which was noted as the theme on the service program.

For the letter “R” and the word relevant, he directed listeners to Proverbs 22:2 – “The rich and poor meet together: the Lord is the maker of them all.”

Noting that the passage does not directly reference the word relevant, Kuykindall, a student at Middle College High School and Christian Brothers University, concluded that the essence of the verse shows why God’s word is so relevant.

A member of Mt. Olive CME Cathedral, where the Rev. J. Peris Lester is pastor, Kuykindall aspires to be a CME minister and start his own youth ministry founded upon this principle: “When we invest in the

children, we invest in the future.”

Mt. Olive, located at 2490 Park Ave., is pastored by the Rev. Willie Ward Jr. The church’s Youth Day observance featured a salute to two honorees – Antonio Lamar Williams and TarJon Bernard Dearbone.

Williams, 15, is in the 10th grade at Craigmont High School. An active member of the Mt. Pisgah Church family – Sunday School, Jr. Usher Board and various programs – he loves sports aspires to become a math teacher and plans to “keep God in his life.”

Dearbone is a 12-year-old honor student at Scotlandville Pre-Engineering Magnet Academy and an active participant in Mt. Pisgah’s Sunday Monday Services reading scriptures, engaging in holiday skits and introducing speakers. He envisions a career in the NFL and plans to pursue a college degree in psychology. His motto: “Trust God, have faith, use sound judgement and stay ready.”

(For more information, visit www.mtpisgahcme.com; email the Rev. Willie Ward Jr. at williwardjr@aol.com; call 901-5733030.)

D. Tonya Lyons drew upon John 4:7-15 for her fresh-look sermon of the woman who meets Jesus at the well. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley) Lyons is an 11-year cancer survivor, and a happy, healthy mother, minister and dentist today.

“It took my ex-husband 11 years to apologize to me,” Lyons said. “Eleven years, but that’s OK. Now, I’m waiting for the man God has for me – my Boaz.”

Boaz is the rich man in Israel, who chose Ruth to be his wife. Her husband had died young, and she refused to leave her mother-in-law, Ruth, to return to her people, the Moabites. She takes care of Naomi by gleaning in the fields of the rich, and God

rewards her with Boaz as a new husband because of her faithfulness.

“I have prayed and asked the Lord to please send me the man that He wants me to have,” said Lyons. “I tell my friends, ‘Just wait on God.’ I wouldn’t want to have married just somebody who came along, and then meet a man later who I perceive the Lord had for me. That would be tragic.”

Lyons has been practicing dentistry for 27 years. She is a member of Limit Breaker Church, where the Rev. Donald Walker is pastor.

Mt. Pisgah’s Youth Day honorees included Antonio Lamar Williams, who welcomed the congratulations of Cameron Nicholas Kuykindall (right), the Youth Day speaker, and CYF Director Darrell S. Catron. Also honored was TarJon Bernard Dearbone (not pictured).

(Photos: Tyrone P. Easley)

The Rev. Willie Ward Jr. (right), pastor of Mt. Pisgah CME Church, talks with Cameron Nicholas Kuykindall, the Youth Day speaker.

The New Tri-State Defender, February 4 - 10, 2021, Page 6

AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

Gloria J. BrowneMarshall’s ‘She Took Justice’ Journey

by Whitney Johnson

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Playwright, writer, civil rights attorney and criminal justice professor Gloria J. Browne-Marshall was able to finish two books and two plays in the 10 years it took for her to complete “She Took Justice.”

Her devotion to this undertaking has brought numerous untold stories and unrecognized figures closer to their rightful place at the forefront of our collective history.

Each vignette throughout the book depicts the fiercely courageous means by which countless Black women — who were often denied the right to protect their own families, their own bodies, or even their own existence — still managed to help bring justice for their race, their gender and their perpetuity against all odds.

Thanks to this labor of love, Browne-Marshall has bestowed upon us cause for celebration, as well as call to action.

With the turn of every page, the heart breaks, but the mind is enlightened, and the soul is empowered to inspire in us a desire not only to know more, but to do more.

The New Tri-State Defender: Why did this particular book demand completion?

Browne-Marshall: “These women demanded to have their time in the sun. These are the ones who scraped and scratched and, in my psyche, were like, ‘You’re not going to rest until we see sunlight.’

“I didn’t want it to turn into an encyclopedia of Black women we should know, so I feel terrible for leaving so many people out. But there are thousands, thousands.

“These we know about because they had law cases. But multiply that by all the women who did the same thing and either paid the price with their lives, or didn’t win, or didn’t go to court.

“So, each one of these women represents hundreds of thousands of others.”

TSD: What do you hope readers take away from spending time with “She Took Justice”?

Browne-Marshall: “Anyone trying to make their way in the world can learn from these women, who had so many obstacles and still believed despite what the law said, despite what society said.

“That self-belief is a faith that’s beyond what anyone can see. Anybody can gain from that. Oppressed people can gain from it more, but even people who believe they have the world by the tail will at some point face something tragic and have to figure out how they can brush themselves off, stand up and keep going.

“So, all of us can learn from these women how you have to have some light inside of you that shines despite all the circumstances outside of you.”

TSD: What could we take away from the lives of these women when it comes to the change our communities still seek?

Browne-Marshall: “I believe these women didn’t think just of themselves. They thought of the future.

Gloria J. Browne-Marshall: “I think Black women need to understand how much power they have in their DNA. That’s why my book starts with Queen Nzinga, so that we understand that we have warrior queens in us.”

“And, what we need to take from their lives is that we not just stand on their shoulders. We exist in the world that they dreamed they might have lived in, but knew they couldn’t. And that’s what we must all do.

“We must do work for the unborn. We must do work for generations in the future that would be able to partake in a level of freedom that we would love to have.

“We have to think about how wonderful we want the world to be and create that world for somebody knowing we will not enjoy it.

“They fought against tremendous odds, knowing the consequences. For them, the consequence was death. But they stood up anyway.

“I think that’s what we need to do.

“Oppressed people must be knowledgeable about the fight we’re in, have the courage to fight and realize we didn’t get this far by people giving us things. That’s why “She Took Justice.”

“Most people think justice is given out. No. She had to take her own justice because justice wasn’t going to come to her. She didn’t wait for justice to come, or she never would have gotten it. They just had a lot more courage. I don’t see courage in great amounts nowadays.”

TSD: With the spirit of these women in mind, what are your thoughts on how Black women today are often perceived by Black men, and even by themselves?

Browne-Marshall: “There’s more economic, social, educational parity between Black men and Black women because we have the circumstance of being in those slave ships together, of working in the field together.

“Black women were lynched, not in the same number, but they were also lynched like Black men were lynched.

“So, what we need to understand is our pains are so similar in so many of the same places that, in a Black relationship, sometimes we’re touching on each other’s pain, and we have to take turns in the healing of each other…

We had Black families from the 1600s. Why now do we have such an underrating of Black families? These fierce Black women, many of them were married, and those Black men during that day understood the Black woman was exceptional.

“I think Black men need to better appreciate what a good Black woman can do for him, but also appreciate the commonality of injury that should allow us to see each other’s pain, and heal each other’s pain without trying to compete for the light.

“We can take turns healing, take turns enjoying each other, take turns in the light…”

I think Black women need to understand how much power they have in their DNA. That’s why my book starts with Queen Nzinga, so that we understand that we have warrior queens in us. And I named quite a few of them.

If we understand that we have warrior queen DNA, we understand that trying to emulate somebody else is not a position of strength. It’s giving away your power. Your position of strength comes from learning more about your culture in order to learn how you can be your natural self and your strongest self.

(Be sure to also check out SHOT: “Caught a Soul,” another of Browne-Marshall’s recent works about a Black teen haunting the White officer who shot him. As a 30-minute one-act stage play, which recently received a Pulitzer Center Grant, it is available to the public as a free virtual staged reading at https://vimeo.com/496755244.)

Books, children and the intersection with African-American History Month

by Terri Schlichenmeyer

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Black History Books for children Ages 3 to 18 Various authors and illustrators, Prices: $14.95 to $27.00

When you’re a kid, there are so many things to learn.

Someone has to teach you your A-B-Cs, and to count to a hundred.

You have to learn to tie a knot and set the table and stay safe. And this month, you should learn more about Black History, and that can be fun with these great books...

For the littlest reader ages 3 to 5, “The ABCs of Black History” by Rio Cortez, illustrated by Lauren Semmer is a great way to start the lesson. This most fundamental book includes holidays, cities, people, and music that forms the base of Black History, in colorful drawings and a format that’s fun.

Slightly older kids ages 4 to about 7 – those who still love picture books – will want “Stompin’ at the Savoy”

by Moira Rose Donohue, illustrated

by Laura Freeman, which is a book about the life of famed drummer Chick Webb; or “Life As You Climb: The Story of Ella Baker” by Patricia Hruby Powell and R. Gregory Christie, the tale of activist Baker and her inspirational work.

Also look for “The Teacher’s March! How Selma’s Teachers Changed History” by Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace, illustrated by Charly Palmer. It’s the story of Reverend F. D. Reese and his co-workers in Selma, Alabama, in 1965.

For middle graders, “This is Your Time” by Ruby Bridges is a quick but impactful book, perfect for Black

History Month. Bridges, of course, is a Civil Rights worker and this is the story of her life, and the day she was six years old and was escorted by federal marshals, a little Black girl heading to a white school. Her tale will inspire young readers to help create justice in their classrooms and neighborhoods.

Also for older kids ages 12 and up, “Ida B. The Queen” by Michelle Duster looks like it might be a storybook. The truth is that it is a story – it’s a bunch of stories, in fact – first, of Ida B. Wells, crusader, writer, and suffragist, but not just her. The book is also about the people she inspired, the singers, lawmakers, inventors, thinkers, and others. Keep in mind that this is a big book, with lots of side-bars in a skinny cover; having a bookmark and notebook nearby

might be handy.

And finally, for high school readers, “Separate No More: The Long Road to Brown v. Board of Education” by Lawrence Goldstone begins more than 100 years ago with a landmark ruling on education for Black citizens and ends with another one that turned the first one upside down. Not just a story of an event, though, this book also looks at the people involved: judges, parents, teachers, politicians, citizens, and students who merely wanted to go to school.

If these books don’t quite fit your child’s interests, ask your librarian or bookseller for ideas. There’s sure to be a book that you and your child will love to read and share because, when it comes to Black History, there’s really so much to learn.

COMMUNITY The New Tri-State Defender, February 4 - 10, 2021, Page 7

FUNdraising Good Times, Part I

Investments in capacity building carry forward for decades

by Jim Coleman

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Investments in Black-led institutions in the late 1960’s and 1970’s continue to bear fruit to this day. The story of Dr. L. LaSimba M. Gray Jr. shows how investing in Black-led organizations and institutions – and training their staff – contributes to decades of organizing and fundraising.

Dr. L. LaSimba M. Gray Jr. began his fundraising career during a time when the philanthropic community was investing in the development of Black fundraising professionals at historically Black colleges and universities.

It was 1969 and like today where there was a raised consciousness on the need to invest in Black-led organizations and institutions. In practical terms, this meant that when Dr. Gray was hired at Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee he was immediately sent to Atlanta, Georgia and New York City for training.

“It was eye-opening!” Dr. Gray shared.

It was also a networking experience, planting seeds that bear fruit to this day.

“In New York I met another HBCU alumnus, Joe Taylor, who mentored me in fundraising. He sat me down and showed me how to define goals, the steps to reach them, and how to find people who will help you reach those goals.”

“I also attended annual meetings of UNCF that included workshops and training. Back home we had to

Dr. L. LaSimba M. Gray Jr., veteran activist and pastor emeritus of New Salem Baptist Church, continues to organize, now leading volunteers to raise $250,000 to build a life-size bronze statue and plaza dedicated to the life and work of Ida B. Wells. Dr. Gray confers with Larry and Andrea Lugar of the Lugar Foundry in Eads.

The Lugars were commissioned to generate Ida B. Wells’ image for the Beale Street statue. (Courtesy photo) implement what we had learned.

There were regional offices we could call upon for technical assistance and I did that quite a bit.”

The training provided by UNCF and others was funded by philanthropists who believed in capacity building. It was no accident that there were training opportunities available.

And leadership within Black colleges gave their new fundraising staff opportunities to take responsibility, be accountable, and lead.

After Lane College, Dr. Gray worked with a community outreach program that was part of a sickle cell anemia research project run by the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

“It was like today with COVID-19.

We had to navigate facts vs. community experience and the bad experiences Black people had interacting with the healthcare system. There was no trust, and I was attacked for ‘helping an attack on our people’ by encouraging people to take blood tests and participate in research projects. From that I learned to keep track of what people are saying, how to control my emotions and keep my eyes on the goal.”

That work brought him in touch with people from corporate America, including Johnny Arnold. Arnold attended a fundraising golf tournament that Dr. Gray led.

“Mr. Arnold pulled me aside saying he would help make it the biggest event in the southeast. And he did.”

Only later did Dr. Gray learn that Arnold’s son suffered privately from sickle cell anemia and that his support of the golf tournament was his quiet way of ensuring funds were available for community outreach.

Dr. Gray continues to organize, now leading volunteers to raise $250,000 to build a life-size bronze statue and plaza dedicated to the life and work of Ida B. Wells.

“We have a diverse team and we are over half way to our goal. All volunteers.”

NEXT WEEK, Part II: Organizing and managing an all-volunteer solicitation team.

This item is courtesy of Mel and Pearl Shaw of Saad&Shaw – Comprehensive Fund Development Services.

For more information, call 901-5228727; visit www.saadandshaw.com.)

Snapshot of planned Ida B. Wells statue set for debut

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The late Dr. Miriam DeCosta-Willis, the accomplished Civil Rights activist, author, historian and University of Memphis educator, had one more dream in December 2019.

She wanted her beloved Memphis to pay tribute to an iconic pioneer of civil rights, Ida B. Wells.

The city was long overdue to pay tribute to Wells’ anti-lynching work, which had its impactful genesis here.

Health challenges inspired Dr. DeCosta-Willis to reach out to another noted author and historian, and pastor emeritus Dr. L. LaSimba M. Gray Jr. She would not embark on this endeavor without him, DeCosta-Willis told Gray. He said, “Let’s do it.”

On Jan. 7, DeCosta-Willis’ death placed the reins of the project squarely in the hands of Gray.

“Of course, we knew Dr. Willis was facing serious health challenges,” said Gray. “But we both agreed that there was a need for this work.

Ida B. Wells’ life and legacy must be remembered.

“Although we lost Dr. Willis, the work goes on, and Friday (Feb. 5) gets us another step closer to the vision’s fruition.”

Friday, at the appointed site, Gray and other proponents of the project will offer Memphians a snapshot of what the life-sized statue will look like at the corner of Downtown’s Beale and Fourth Streets. A silhouette of the artistic creation will be unveiled.

‘Accelerate Memphis’ plan moves to state level after City Council OK

“Too many Memphians, especially our young people, don’t know who Ida B. Wells was.”

— Dr. L. LaSimba M. Gray Jr.

Larry and Andrea Lugar of the Lugar Foundry in Eads were commissioned with the weighty task of generating Wells’ image.

“I had already worked with Larry and Andrea Lugar to erect a life-size statue of Bishop Isaac Lane on the Lane College campus (in Jackson, Tennessee) in 2018,” Gray said.

“It was the commemoration of my 50th anniversary as a graduate of the institution. The Lugars have marked the Memphis landscape with statues of Elvis Presley, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Little Milton Campbell, Bishop G. E. Patterson, and others. I felt they were right for this project,” Gray said.

Gray wants Friday to kick the fundraising effort into overdrive as excitement builds surrounding the ceremonial unveiling set for July 16.

“The unveiling of the statue and the other surrounding creations honoring Ida B. Wells is scheduled on her birthday, July 16,” said Gray.

“We presently stand at 55 percent of our $250,000 goal to complete work on the project. As we move into the second and final stage of fundraising, our eyes are fixed on the prize.”

Professional fundraisers Saad and Shaw of Memphis is directing the funding effort. Gray said the second phase will urge “every citizen,

organization, and corporation in the Memphis area” to donate.

“Dr. Willis and I made a covenant to see this work through,” said Gray.

“In Chicago, where Wells made her home and raised a family, it took nearly a decade to build a statue to honor her. I promised in the very beginning that it will not take us nearly 10 years to honor Ida B. Wells in this way.”

The public is invited to the Friday event. Starting time is 10 a.m.

“The cause is noble, and it is just,” said Gray. “Too many Memphians, especially our young people, don’t know who Ida B. Wells was.

But her statue and exhibit right outside of historic First Baptist Church on Fourth Street will extol her contributions to the struggle for equality and justice for her people – African-American people.”

Wells published a newspaper in the basement of First Baptist Church on Fourth, denouncing the practice of lynching. She raged, particularly, at the lynching of three, successful African-American businessmen, who ran a grocery store, by whites.

In 1892, Wells was forced out of Memphis, fleeing for her life, as the threat of lynching was made against her because she refused to stop writing about it.

She made her home in Chicago, but never returned to Memphis, even years after the threat of lynching was assuaged.

Donations can be made via PayPal or Venmo, IdaB.Wellstatue@ gmail.com and Cash app: $IDABWELLSTATUE.

Neighborhoods across the Bluff City moved closed to much-needed investment after the Memphis City Council approved Mayor Jim Strickland’s proposed “Accelerate Memphis” plan on a 12-0 vote during the Tuesday (Feb. 2) council meeting.

The plan calls for a laundry list of capital improvement projects throughout the city. It includes $75 million to spur development in 34 neighborhood anchors, with each receiving $400,000 for improvements such as public Wi-Fi and installation or improvements to sidewalks, street paving and crosswalks.

Historically underserved neighborhoods and communities such as Soulsville, South City, Hollywood/Klondyke, Highland Heights, Oakhaven, Orange Mound, Raleigh and Whitehaven would receive more funding.

Eight intersections, including Lamar and Kimball, would receive safety upgrades. An additional $7.5 millions would fund expanded high-speed Internet access and affordable housing.

Another $75 million would be used on improvements to city parks, playgrounds, community centers, golf courses and other amenities. Fifty-million dollars would be invested in repairs at AutoZone Park and FedExForum.

Vacant Melrose High School would be given new life as a library and housing for seniors. Mud Island Amphitheater would also receive upgrades, allowing it to host musical acts again.

Deferred maintenance projects – those long overdue for upgrade or repair – will likely be the focus of most of the work.

To pay for the projects the council approved a balloon debt plan. This will allow the city to complete projects and cover their costs within the next three years. The bill comes due in five years, with a 25-year payment plan.

“These are ridiculously low interest rate requirements. Even then, it still surprises me that the current payments for five years will only cost five percent of the principal,” said Councilman Worth Morgan.

Those payments become due the

same fiscal year that the city debt drops precipitously. The resulting “debt cliff” will reward the city with $63 million in wiggle room.

“We’re finally coming to the end of – to make it kind of a common term – like a mortgage. Where almost every payment is entirely principal,” Morgan said. “So for the next five, six years we’re making majority principal payments rather than interest. That is how we get our total debt down from $1.35 billion down to around $800 million.”

The plan will head to the Tennessee State Comptroller’s Office for review. If approved, the city can use the $180 million in capital appreciation bonds that make up a large part of the financing.

Without a balloon payment – such as more conventional bonds – the projects would put the city at its debt capacity. With the financing, the city has a debt capacity of $689 million.

“Where we are right now, we really have only about $8 million of borrowing capacity – of additional debt service that we can take on if we were to go the traditional route,” said Councilman Martavius Jones.

The plan has already been presented to the comptroller’s office, which capped the plan at $200 million. The other $20 million that make up the total comes from conventional bonds, which don’t require approval from the state. The balloon payments top out just shy of $12 million annually.

Combined, estimates put the total payment at $14.3 million per year.

“It seems to me that the only downside of doing this balloon note was we are reducing our borrowing capacity in the future from $726 million to that $689 million – or $39 million less borrowing capacity,” said Councilman Jeff Warren.

Same-night minutes were approved for both resolutions. Paperwork will be sent to the mayor’s office following council action in two weeks.

Voting for the items were councilmembers Frank Colvett Jr., Rhonda Logan, Patrice J. Robinson, Edmund Ford Sr., Michalyn Easter-Thomas, J.B. Smiley Jr., Cheyenne Johnson, Chase Carlisle, J. Ford Canale, Morgan, Jones and Warren.

Councilwoman Jamita Swearengen was not present.

“Mother Dear!”…

Nettie Coleman recently took note of her 88th birthday, which was accented with a drive-by celebration in Indian Hills in Westwood. Her name was lettered across the front lawn, along with a birthday greeting.

(Photos: Tyrone P. Easley)

February 4 - 10, 2021

The New Tri-State Defender

Page 8

CLASSIFIEDS PUBLIC NOTICE THE MEMPHIS URBAN AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION In compliance with federal regulations 23 CFR 450, the Memphis MPO is proposing three (3) amendments to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-23 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which are associated with an Air Quality Exempt Packet. The MPO is proposing to adopt the 2021 Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan (CPT-HSTP) Update, which was made available for a 30-day public review period ending February 7, 2021. The Memphis MPO will present for approval a resolution recommending that the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) be the designated recipient of the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) allocation of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding in the Memphis Urbanized Area. The MPO will also present the 2020 State of the MPO Annual Report, the FY 2021 Transportation Alternatives (TA) projects, elect a Transportation Policy Board (TPB) Chair and Vice-Chair, and elect a TPB Representative for the Freight Advisory Committee (FAC).

The public is hereby given notice that English language copies and Spanish language summaries of the items listed above are available for review and download from the Internet at: www. memphismpo.org. If you require a physical copy of any of the items listed above, please contact Pragati Srivastava at Pragati.

Srivastava@memphistn.gov. The Memphis MPO Transportation Policy Board (TPB) will hold a virtual public hearing on Thursday, February 18, 2021, at 1:30 p.m.

If you wish to participate in the meeting, please visit the MPO’s website. Requests to comment and/or any written public comments must be submitted by 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 16, 2021. Comments may be submitted to Pragati Srivastava, Memphis MPO, 125 N. Main Street, Room 450, Memphis, TN 38103 or via email at Pragati.

Srivastava@memphistn.gov.

It is the policy of the Memphis MPO not to exclude, deny, or discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, immigration status, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran status, familial or marital status, disability, medical or genetic condition, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal or state law in its hiring or employment practices, or in its admission to, access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. For any and all inquiries regarding the application of this accessibility statement and related policies, or for persons that require aids or services to participate either in the review of these documents or during the hearing, please contact Nick Warren, at 901-6367146 or Nick.Warren@memphistn. gov.

This notice is funded (in part) under an agreement with the State of TN and MS, Departments of Transportation.

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Gospel Fire Network Tax Parcel #: 08902500002590 Tax Sale #: 1604 Price Offered: $1800.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of

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at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice.

If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:30 a.m. on March 4, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

February 26, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT

NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Kenneth Hall, Jr. Tax Parcel #: 06904300000070 Tax Sale #: 1201 Price Offered: $1000.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice.

If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:30 a.m. on March 5, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Crook-Boga Community Development Corporation Tax Parcel #: 02109900000020 Tax Sale #: 1604 Price Offered: $800.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 1:30 p.m. on

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Jocelyn V. Henderson Tax Parcel #: 05200100000150 Tax Sale #: 1101 Price Offered: $300.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice.

If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:30 a.m. on March 5, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Jocelyn V. Henderson Tax Parcel #: 04102900000230 Tax Sale #: 704 Price Offered: $100.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice.

If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:00 a.m. on March 5, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Gospel Fire Network Tax Parcel #: 08205800001000 Tax Sale #: 1604 Price Offered: $900.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice.

If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period,

all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:00 a.m. on March 4, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: (Re-Advertisement) United Investments, LLC Tax Parcel #: 05900600000400 Tax Sale #: 1603 Price Offered: $600.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 2:00 p.m. on February 10, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property:

Tax Parcel #: 02904900000010 Tax Sale #: 1304 Price Offered: $200.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:30 a.m. on February 24, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Sacred Heart Rentals, LLC Tax Parcel #: 03805000000050 Tax Sale #: 1604 Price Offered: $5500.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 2:00 p.m. on February 22, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400

AGA RE, LLC

Shelby County Land Bank 584 Adams Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 (901)222-2400 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Jocelyn V. Henderson Tax Parcel #: 02203100000110 Tax Sale #: 1604 Price Offered: $600.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice.

If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:00 a.m. on March 5, 2021, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort.

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The New Tri-State Defender

February 4 - 10, 2021

Page 9

NEWS

The Delta Boule, KUDZUKIAN Network launch ‘The Journey’ TSD Newsroom “The Journey” – a podcast chronicling the ascent of 50 local businessmen of all stripes – launched on Martin Luther King Day with a focus on “the everyday man and the extraordinary man.”

The podcast, which reflects a partnership between The Delta Boule and the KUDZUKIAN network, is part of the Boule’s initiative to reach further into the community to meet young men and boys where they are. At its core is the goal of inspiring young men just starting their professional track or finding their way.

Hosted by KUDZUKIAN CEO and founder Larry Robinson, each weekly episode is designed as an open-book conversation about the path and the process. Listeners and viewers will hear from men in their own backyard who own and operate businesses, work within the creative ecosystem, who are pioneers in their field and those who are captains of industry.

Guests include Dr. Neal Beckford, the first black ear, nose and throat specialist; actor and producer Princeton James; Johnny Moore, president of SunTrust/Truist Bank; attorney Robert Spence; and photographer Malik tha Martian.

Robinson said young men – young people in in general – must know that there is no microwave success.

“They also have to know that there are so many options that extend well beyond sports, being a CEO or being in corporate America,” he said. “There is pride in the man who’s the contractor. There’s pride in the man who has a janitorial services company. There’s pride in the military man or the mechanic.”

Glenn Sessoms, a Boule board

member, said, “We’re partnering with KUDZUKIAN because they have the ability to get the message to young people in a way they are Larry touched. We Robinson want to reach them where they are and give them hope about what they can be, especially in these unusual and challenging times.

“We believe this is a Glenn groundbreakSessoms ing initiative that will change many lives in the Memphis area and beyond. We’re excited what the podcast will do for us as a community.”

Delta Boule/Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity is an African American fraternal organization and nonprofit that “believes in modeling leadership through the pursuit and support of education and honoring their civic responsibility.”

Founded in 2014, KUDZUKIAN, which houses 15 podcasts, specializes in creating edutainment programming as well as “turn-key” production of on-demand virtual, in-studio and livestream content across multiple media platforms.

The Journey launched on MLK Day as a tribute to who Dr. King was and what he represents to Black people in this country. The podcast can be accessed on the KUDZUKIAN app, YouTube channel or website (https://kudzukian.com).

New-father Anthony Miller, a Chicago Bears standout receiver and former UofM star, said while interacting with the children at the Boys and Girls Club at 894 Isabelle he could “see my son growing up.”

(Courtesy photo)

Anthony Miller gives to Boys and Girls Club

by Terry Davis

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Former University of Memphis wide receiver and current Chicago Bears’ Anthony Miller recently made a trip back to the city to, among other things, pay a visit to a group of young followers.

Miller, through his connections with former Tigers associated with the Ira Samelson Jr. Boys and Girls Club at 894 Isabelle, became a mentor for the kids at that facility.

Club Director Gwendolyn Woods and Program Director Nyrone Hawkins are both former Tigers.

During the season, Miller and some of his Bears teammates set up a Zoom meeting with nearly 30 kids from the club. Participating in the call were team receivers and a few coaches.

The kids got to ask questions at the end of the call. That solidified the bond between Miller and the kids.

Keith Blanchard, president and CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis, was present for Miller’s return to the club.

He also was there for the presen-

tation of a $15,000 donation to the organization.

“The donation does a lot, not only financially, but the fact that Anthony comes out and hangs with the kids.

They still talk about the Zoom call he made to them, Blanchard said.

Miller added, “It is good to give back to the kids in any way that I can.

I got the opportunity to hang out with them and that is nice as well.”

On how it felt hanging out with the kids while being a new dad, Miller said, “That makes this mean even more. When I see them, I see my son growing up. How I can positively impact these kids’ lives. I am going to do that.”

With many charities reaching out to him for his support, Miller said it can be hard to decide which one to help.

When it came down to it, though, the club was an easy choice.

“It wasn’t hard. I have a good relationship to this place. I am going to come back again soon. I enjoy the kids and I enjoy this community,” Miller said.

Club director Woods was raised in Memphis and graduated from Central High School, and was a member of the track team at the University of

Memphis.

Recalling how Miller was able to form a bond with the club, Woods said, “This club is very close to the University of Memphis. Once a Tiger is always a Tiger and that is how we developed the relationship.”

She said Miller’s support “really meant a lot, especially to the kids; to see someone from that area to go off and to do great things.

“He is still humble and cares about the kids, and wants to spend time with them to put a smile on their face.

It really impacts their lives. We really appreciate that.”

Miller, who was a former walk-on, graduated from the U of M as a consensus All-American and the most decorated player in school history.

He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. With the most touchdowns by a Bears’ rookie since 1996, Anthony helped lead the team to a playoff appearance.

Off the field, Miller is passionate about impacting the youth and community in Chicago and his hometown, Memphis.

On June 27, Anthony welcomed his son, Anthony Miller III.

The New Tri-State Defender

February 4 - 10, 2021

Page 10

SPORTS

Tigers outman UCF Knights; offense rocks!

by Terry Davis

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The Tigers tore through the University of Central Florida Knights 96-69 Monday night (Feb.1) in the first of four straight home games.

It was the most points the Tigers have scored in a game this season.

The previous high was 94 points against Mississippi Valley State.

“I am really proud of these guys.

The first of two this week,” said Penny Hardaway, “We have to do it again on Wednesday.”

Memphis (10-6, 6-3 American) and the Knights (4-8, 2-7 AAC) were set to face off again on Wednesday night (Feb. 3).

On Monday night, the Tigers did something that they rarely do – get off to a fast start.

Memphis opened up a 17-3 lead five minutes into the game. The Tigers changed the starting lineup, inserting Boogie Ellis and removing Jayden Hardaway.

The Tigers’ defense contributed to the Tigers scoring 52 points in the first half, taking a 52-29 lead into the break.

The Knights committed 19 firsthalf turnovers and 28 for the game.

Memphis scored 40 points off those turnovers.

Memphis had a season high 20 steals for the game.

The Tigers have been on a hot shooting streak. Alex Lomax, known for his defensive skills, connected on four three-pointers – a career high for Lomax.

The team made a total of 13 total three-pointers, also a season high. The previous high was 12 against MVSU. On the most impressive things

from the game, Hardaway said, “We shared the basketball. We only had seven turnovers at halftime. The way we shot the ball from three-point range was very impresTerry sive. What imDavis pressed me the most is scoring 96 points and shooting well from behind the line.”

Memphis has played better has a team when the players are all involved in scoring.

The Tigers had five players to score in double digits. Landers Nolley II led the way with 20 points.

DeAndre Williams had a perfect night. He scored 15 points and was six for six from the field and three for three from the free throw line.

Williams was named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll. He is the seventh member of the team to make the list this season.

On his team feeding off of his energy Williams said, “I notice sometimes my teammates be down, I try to do what I can to pick their spirits up. That is me as a person. I am happy and joke around. When it is time to get between those lines, I am serious.”

The other players in double digits were Lomax (14 points), Lester Quinones (13 points) and Ellis with (11 points).

On why the offensive is flowing better Hardaway said, “We were playing this way before we went to South Dakota. It has taken us this long to get guys to buy in to playing team basket-

Grizzlies poised to regroup after Pacers halt win streak at seven

by Terry Davis

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Memphis head coach Penny Hardaway shouts out instructions en route to the win over UCF. (Screen capture) ball and sharing the basketball. It is starting to look a lot like we thought it would at the beginning of the season.”

Hardaway was disappointed in how his team played with a big lead over East Carolina a couple of weeks ago. On how he felt about how his team played with a lead Monday, Hardaway said, “I think this was a complete game. We did some plays off in the second half. We put pressure on them and forced 28 turnovers.

When you put your pressure on teams and make them turn the ball over that is what you want.”

Jordan Nesbitt, the midterm enrollee, made his Tiger debut in the game.

Nesbitt played six minutes and had two rebounds and an assist.

There were questions about whether Nesbitt would see the court this season. That question was answered in his first game that he was available.

On Nesbitt Hardaway said, “We put him out there, because we had an opportunity to. We wanted to see what he has. The energy he had in his body drained him because he was nervous.

He is a tough and good defender. Once everything slows down for him and he starts making the simple plays everything is going to be good for him.”

All good things must come to an end. The Memphis Grizzlies seven game winning streak is no exceptions. The Grizzlies traveled to play a well-rested Indiana Pacers on a second night of back-to-back games.

The Grizzlies lost to the Pacers 134116.

Memphis was fell behind early and just never got its rhythm going. Taylor Jenkins gave a very brief press conference after the game and said, “The Pacers played well and said the Grizzlies didn’t have it tonight. Team is positive in the locker room and ready to bounce back.”

The Pacers were deadly from longrange connecting on 16 three-pointers compared to the only 9 for Memphis. Every time the Grizzlies make a charge at the Pacers, they would immediately go on a run to push the game back to double digits.

This was Memphis only second loss of the season on the road (7-2).

The is still one of the best road records in the NBA. Another streak came to an end for the Grizzlies. They had an NBA high of having five straight road games with at least 30 assists. They had 27 against the Pacers.

Memphis did not get into any type of offensive rhythm. Tyrus Jones and Ja Morant each stated the team was not mentally ready to play the game.

This was the third game in four days all on the road for the Grizzlies. The last game of a long road trip has historically been bad for most teams.

Many have their minds focused on getting back home to be with family. On not finding the rhythm Morant said, “We were not here tonight. We have to continue to get better. We

have to learn from this loss. Prepare for the next game and continue to play Grizzlies basketball.”

Morant had 10 points and 5 assists.

On why the team play back Morant said, “I have to be better. I was a no show. I have to lead the charge.

What I am most proud of is it was very positive in the locker room. We all know we can bounce back and learn from it. That is what is good about this team, we are able to turn the page and not let one game lead to more.”

Jones coming off a career high 14 assists against the Spurs only had 3 assists and 12 points against the Pacers. On why the team did not play up to their level Jones said, “We have to use it as a learning experience. We can’t let fatigue win. It is all mental, you have to be locked in. You have to push through. It is three in four (days), there is where the good teams separate themselves from the great teams. That is where we want to be.

The next time we are in this situation we will know how to prepare.”

The Grizzlies had four other players in double digits. Dillion Brooks showing no signs of fatigue tried to carry the team scored 25 points.

Desmond Bane had 16 points off the bench, DeAnthony Melton and Xavier Tillman each had 12 points.

The Pacers starters scored 96 points led by Domantis Sabonis with 32 points. The starters connected on 13 of the team’s 16 three-pointers.

Next up for the Grizzlies will be a day off before they return to action against the Houston Rockets at the FedexForum. The game will tipoff at 7 pm central and can be seen on Fox Sports South. There are a limited number of tickets that are available for the game to the general public.