The New Tri-State Defender - March 23-29, 2023

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March 23 - 29, 2023

VOL. 72, No. 12

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Multiple housing issues emerge as HUD regional administrator listens

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WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH – LEGACY

by Karanja A. Ajanaku kajanaku@tsdmemphis.com

With Jose Alverez, regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as the hub, a roundtable discussion about local housing issues unfolded in the Memphis office of Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) on Tuesday.

“Our priority now is we want to know what is working, we want to know what is not,” said Alvarez at the end of the one-hour session. “There are certain initiatives that we have through HUD that we want to make sure we provide information as needed.

“And the initiative also is to listen,” emphasized Alvarez, disclosing that he would be doing the same later in the day during a meeting with Mayor Jim Strickland.

“We want to make sure that we understand what the city is going through so that we can find solutions together.”

Cohen said the meeting, in part, was to “know who to call and what to do” regarding working together to “make housing more affordable and safer.

Dr. King talked about housing being a right and it should be in America.”

Housing, he said, is a key to a good

Rep. Steve Cohen convened stakeholders to address ways they could work together even more to address housing issues in Memphis. (Photos: Karanja A. Ajanaku/The New Tri-State Defender) education, which unlocks doors to opportunities and the likelihood of a better life.

“Memphis, I think, is slipping a little bit in getting people good, clean, safe affordable housing and we need to work on that,” Cohen said, acknowledging the good work of the people in the room.

He mentioned Peppertree and Serenity as two instances of local housing problem areas involving federally-subsidized property management.

Alvarez said housing “is a crisis not just here in Memphis but nationwide. And while the President’s fiscal ’23 HUD budget includes $32.1

Verna Hawkins Lambert and her husband, Thomas Lambert, were married for 34 years. (Courtesy photo)

Jose Alverez, regional administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said listening to housing stakeholders is critical to being able to help address the national housing crisis on the community level. billion for the housing choice vouchers program, the largest one-year increase in vouchers since the program was authorized, I recognize there is still work to be done.”

Kenneth Free, the Alabama HUD field officer, said he met several times with Peppertree residences “and I think we have moved that in a posi-

tive direction. … As of last week, we had 53 housing choice vouchers that were issued to the families. They are being provided relocation assistance working through the Memphis Housing Authority….”

Felecia Harris with the City of

kajanaku@tsdmemphis.com

A first-floor meeting room at the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library was turned into a solutions-seeking unit for several hours on Sunday afternoon (March 19).

Officially, it was the “Black Family Forum,” hosted by Norman Redwing and the North Memphis-based Afrikan Village Institute. The point

out of this mess that we are in.

“Even though we did not create the darkness, we are living in it. We got to find a way out. This is a wonderful start.”

Dr. Warren Harper, a licensed psychologist and professional counselor, took the position that the Village was not broken but that is was “fractured, disorganized” and suffering from “anti-unity.”

The solution involved tying into basics that had roots that extended

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

back to Africa and had been passed along to him by elders who never really talked into terms of Africa.

Those basics include truth, justice, righteousness, reciprocity, balance, order and harmony.

The Rev. Althea Greene, a Memphis pastor who chairs the Memphis Shelby County Schools Board, focused on education.

“We spend a lot of time in Memphis

SEE VILLAGE ON PAGE 2

SEE LEGACY ON PAGE 2

SEE HUD ON PAGE 2

Seeking solutions to save the ‘Village’ of reference was to view the African-American community as the “Village” and then address its needs.

A five-member panel of professionals was assembled to address a set of designated topics including whether the village is broken.

Redwing said the need was great, pointing to “the pain and trauma that exists in our communities. We’re looking for solutions. We’re just not here to have a good conversation. We need some solutions. We got to come

by TaJuan Stout Mitchell I met Verna over thirty years ago, she was new to Memphis.

Her life in Memphis started as a career move as an architect. She was talented. I did not have anything done to my house without her guidance.

While leaving a school board meeting, she said that she may be working for the school system.

She was from the East Coast and had worked on a major project at the Memphis International Airport. She said someone from her hometown told her to contact me when she gets to Memphis, and they said I would take care of her.

The person’s name was not familiar and when I looked puzzled she was hurt. I quickly asked “who” once more as if I couldn’t hear for the noise. She repeated the name and I just smile and said, “They sent you to the right place.”

To this day, I never told her I didn’t know the person, but it didn’t matter. Her warm and humbled spirit let me know God sent her in my life, and that settled it.

We were “Forever Friends”, and I hooked her up. She built a village of friends that loved her.

Truth is I introduced her, but it was all Verna. Her goodness radiated. She loved the Lord and found Mississippi Blvd Christian Church where she could worship and serve. Verna was a caregiver that opened her home to her mom, who preceded her. She loved supporting small businesses and Jim and Samella’s became her spot.

She loved interior designed and had a “soul-a-dex” of Black and small businesses from furniture makers, upholstery and drapery designers.

Verna loved reading and found a book club. She loved traveling and formed a sideline travel busi-

Juvenile Court Judge Tarik Sugarmon (above) shared an overview of Juvenile Court and pending legislation on the state level that he viewed as detrimental.

The Rev. Norman Redwing said it is time to progress to a focus on solutions to address the trauma evident in many communities in the “Village.” (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New TriState Defender)

by Karanja A. Ajanaku

Verna Hawkins Lambert built ‘a village of friends that loved her’

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The New Tri-State Defender

VILLAGE

CONTINUED FROM FRONT blaming this person and that person for what is going on in our city. We want to blame the school system for the problems but most of the crimes that are committed are committed after school hours,” she said.

“How do we stop blaming the church, the education system, the family. I think if we could just stop and identify what’s wrong and start having conversations about what can we do to make all of this right.

March 23 - 29, 2023

Page 2

NEWS

Panelists: (r-l): Dr. Warren Harper, the Rev. Althea Greene, Jeffrey Higgs, Lucille Catron and Rose N. Crawford.

How do we bridge the education system back with the faith base? How do we bridge it back with the community? …

“It’s going to take a village to turn our situation around.”

Jeffrey T. Higgs, executive director/president of the LeMoyne-Owen College Community Development Corporation, urged an economic perspective.

“Our young people have got to come out of (schools) with technical degrees and career-ready. It’s great to talk about the good old days. …

But we have got to prepare these young people. …

“Black men … we have abdicated our responsibilities to the village. We are the protectors and we have not done that. There are too many single mothers, too many young men who do not know who their daddies are. We’ve got to do a better job of protecting the village.”

Lucille Catron, an Orange Mound clothing store owner and a Beale Street entrepreneur, talked about the value of starting from the ground

up and meeting the needs of children, for whom hunger is a way of life for many.

“And we can’t be afraid (of our children),” she said. “They want love like anybody else.

That’s all they ask for.”

Rose N. Crawford picked up on the love theme.

“Love is the answer,” she said. “Where is the love amongst us Black people?”

Crawford recalled times past when “Black people were together. …We have babies raising babies… What is going to happen there? That

The theme at the Black Family Forum was “Nothing About Us Without Us.” (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSWEnterprise/The New Tri-State Defender) baby that’s raising that baby is losing out and then that baby is also losing out because they are not being taught, they are not being shown love. I am sorry, the churches are not there to show love for the people.”

With the floor opened for comments, a succession of speakers came forth. There were calls for taking personal responsibility, taking advan-

tage of programs developed by grassroots people and a plea for a central vehicle for keeping up with programs and opportunities to address the myriad needs of the village.

There was a call to organize the “village” around one school that could be developed as a model.

Afterward, many exchanged cards and sources of information.

HUD

access to capital.

“We know that if we help a homeowner preserve that asset, we are helping them in terms of wealth building. … We don’t want to lose any more homeowners.”

MHA’s Dexter Washington said the housing authority is one of the oldest in the nation and the focus for the last 25 years has been revitalizing aging housing.

“Now we have our focus on other ways of strengthening our housing communities,” he said, detailing the effort of converting from the public housing program to the Section 8 platform.

“One of the concerns with that is after conversion there are certain supports and funding mechanisms in place for social services for housing residents that go away once we do Section 8 conversion. That is something we are constantly looking for ways to fill the gap.”

Amy Schaftlein, executive director of the private, non-profit United Housing, said, “We’re all about creating more access to home ownership. Our priority is to close that gap between Black and white in our city.”

That involves education, lending and using home funds to build new units, mostly single-family housing development.

“Home funds are hard to use, especially for home ownership,” she said. “So, any ways that we can work on some of the compliance to help more families connect with homeownership is really what I am looking for.”

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

The Rev. Dr. J. Lawrence Turner delivered the eulogy at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church. (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender)

The family of Verna Hawkins Lambert at the homegoing service attended by many of the friends she made throughout the years.

LEGACY

CONTINUED FROM FRONT ness. We were on the hunt to make the best pound cake and after years of testing recipes, it was my sister-in-law’s seven flavor pound cake recipe that became our favorite. She loved her sorority and was totally devoted. They loved her, too. Beverly Robertson, April Hubbard, Lynette Hall Lewis, and her sorority sisters were true angels.

When she greeted you it was, “Hey, Queen.” And when “we” departed we always said, “UNO”, it was our term for “You know, God loves you, and so do I.” Verna’s mom was creative and a seamstress who could make anything according to her daughters. That creative sense was taken to a new level when Verna, as a teen, read an article in Ebony Magazine Tuskegee In-

stitute, a HBCU, where she could study architect. Determined to attend, she graduated in 1982 with a BA in Architectural Design.

Her greatest love was family. She was totally devoted to Thomas, Zamyra, Adolphus but those two beautiful brownskinned little princesses were her complete joy. Thomas and Verna had a life together for 34-years and they supported their daughter’s entrepreneurial spirit. Zamyra designed scented candles for the home and is now a physician’s assistant. She really loved being a mother and being a grandmother brought her a new purpose and joy.

She was a builder. Verna built a life, family, friendships, and community. When you see the airport runway, Uptown Memphis, the FedEx Forum, public housing transformed, like Lamar near Interstate 240, schools with air conditioning, over twenty new schools like

Robert Church or renovated schools like Larose Elementary, and Riverview Elementary that was Verna Hawkins Lambert working in silence and on her wall to rebuild Memphis.

Her last project was the Memphis Landmark Universal Life Building.

Verna’s mother, Novel L. Hawkins, died during the pandemic of natural causes.

She leaves behind her father, Kermit R. Hawkins, a husband, Thomas Lambert, who adored her, a daughter, Zamyra (Adolphus) Hall; bonus daughter Khiana (James) Hayman, one bonus son, Vaughn (Rowshawn) Lambert; two granddaughters, Amelia, and Olivia Hall; one grandson, Jacob Hayman.

Verna has one sister, Nina (Donald) Smith, and a host of family, Forever Friends, and godchildren whose lives she touched.

Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development said the dire need for housing in Memphis amounts to an estimated 30,000 units.

“We are working constantly not only on being able to adjust our housing levels in terms of number of units but, more importantly, that it is affordable, that it is safe.”

Harris said one of the areas that most often prompt daily calls is the need to rehab in North and South Memphis.

She also said exploration is underway to see if approaches not traditional to Memphis might work here to address the shortages and conditions.

Kathy Cowan, executive director of LISC Memphis, which works to expand affordable housing opportunities, and improve neighborhoods and economic mobility in Memphis, shared the effort to establish a home-preservation effort here based upon a model LISC worked with in Detroit.

The home-loan program for lower-income homeowners makes use of city block grant funds in conjunction with other leveraged funds. The launch date is April 11.

“By making it a loan, we are hoping to keep regenerating that fund as well as constantly leveraging and try to grow this fund.”

Cowan noted that 54-plus percent of the local housing stock is rental. A lot of our low-income citizens can’t get

The New Tri-State Defender

March 23 - 29, 2023

NEWS

Pay raise considered for MPD officers

Metro Shopping Plaza sale still an up-in-the-air deal

by James Coleman

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

A resolution seeking $3.5 million for the purchase of the Metro Shopping Plaza on E.H. Crump Boulevard, just west of Danny Thomas, was tossed back to the committee level on Monday (March 20) after supporters couldn’t close the deal with the Shelby County Board of Commissioners.

The move came after a team of stakeholders and community leaders, including representatives of Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and Memphis City Council member JB Smiley Jr., supported the purchase during Monday’s commission meeting.

One of the key sticking points was that $3.5 million was significantly higher than the appraised value of about $900,000.

“Mayor Harris decided he wanted to present in his proposed budget $3.5 million for Shelby County government to enter the development space and take an opportunity to give something back to a community that’s largely underserved,” said Danielle Inez, director of Innovation and Performance Analysis for Shelby County.

If eventually approved, the resolution would put the county’s bid second in line for the purchase.

Another offer, also for $3.5 million, has been in the works for more than two years. How-

ever, a Phase I study conducted by the Memphis Downtown Commission “uncovered a few things,” including the need for remediation to clean up coal ash.

“We have been working to get a Phase II done. That’s where we are now. The Phase II, it’s currently been completed. It’s in review, which will take about another two weeks.

We have our financing in place to purchase the property,” said Jeffrey T. Higgs, executive director/president of the LeMoyne-Owen College Community Development Corporation.

The offer for the shopping center, which has seen better days, has received two extensions since June from the property’s owners, Don & Ron Corp. If the deal falls through, the county’s offer would immediately close on the property.

“When you all approved the TIF last year…When the TIF was approved, it was always intended that this property would be a significant project as a part of it,” said Paul Young, president of the Downtown Memphis Commission.

The $3.5 million Memphis/ Soulsville TIF passed during the late-night wrangling over of Harris’ 2023 budget in July.

In 2020, the Memphis City Council passed a resolution naming the neighborhood in immediate need of blight reduction for the purpose of investing in the shopping center.

It was followed by a $1.5 million allotment to the Down-

Page 3

town Memphis Commission to address those concerns. Of the funds, $1.2-$1.3 million remain.

“The City Council stands ready to support this,” said Memphis City Council Vice Chair Smiley.

Located at 432 East E.H. Crump Blvd., the plaza was once home to numerous shops, meeting places and eateries catering to Soulsville residents and surrounding neighborhoods during the 1970s and 1980s.

Originally named the “Freedom Center South Shopping Plaza,” it opened in 1968, just months after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Among its first occupants were a Mahalia Jackson’s Fried Chicken franchise, supermarket, clothing stores and a Harlem House restaurant.

Today, few tenants remain.

It is currently anchored by a beauty supply store, which also is owned by Don & Ron Corp.

“This property…has sat underutilized for many, many years in that community.

Across the street from the property, the City of Memphis made a $4 million investment in a $12 million project, which is Mason Village,” said Young.

Meanwhile, other landmarks in the surrounding area, such as the STAX Museum of American Soul Music and the ongoing South City development project have seen multi-million-dollar redevelopments, revitalizations, or improvements.

The Metro Shopping Plaza sign shows its wear as a faith-based message brings to mind hope for a better future. (Photo: Karanja A. Ajanaku/The New Tri-State Defender) Although the proposal was praised for its need, particularly in an underserved community, commissioners were left with lingering questions. For instance, an earlier appraisal priced the property at under $900,000.

“Despite the appraised value, the owner has stood firm on the amount. In fact, I think they actually wanted more than $3.5 million…There have been instances where we have paid more than the value of the property…100 North Main is an example,” explained Young.

However, the next time the resolution comes up in committee, an appraisal will likely be one of the first topics of discussion.

“The 2022 appraisal is $899,700…My recommendation is for us to have our own appraisal of the property, so we can make the best decision there is. I don’t want to go by what I heard on this, that or the other,” said commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. “We don’t have anybody that said they had a certified appraisal for the property.”

by Jerome Wright jwright@tsdmemphis.com

The Memphis Police Department could be the recipient of a significant funding increase that would provide salary hikes to help recruit new officers and increase pay for veteran officers.

That possibility was proffered by City Council member Chase Carlisle during a meeting Tuesday (March 21) of the council’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee meeting.

Carlisle’s suggestion came after Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis and her top brass updated committee members on a variety of issues, including the number of specialized police units, auto thefts and juvenile offenders. The discussion also touched on the number of officers available to manage the myriad of enforcement duties.

Commenting on the MPD’s low compensation rate compared to other major cities, Carlisle, chair of the council’s Budget Committee, said, “You have to have the best possible compensation package if you want the best possible officers.”

Carlisle said he and other members plan on bringing an

MPD pay increase that would elevate the department’s topout pay to the highest in the region.

The budget chair said funding for police salaries would be part of $30 million in new funding the City Council that the council could propose.

There would be $15 million for police pay, accompanied by $5 million for the city’s affordable housing trust fund, $5 million for the Memphis Area Transit Authority, and $5 million for youth programming at libraries, parks and community centers.

Carlisle did not say how the city would fund the increase but said it could take increased city revenue in the form of taxes.

“If it takes a revenue increase, then that’s what it is going to take,” Carlisle said.

The city is about to enter budget deliberations for the 2023-2024 fiscal year that starts July 1.

Between now and then, Carlisle’s proposal could undergo several changes, plus Mayor Jim Strickland administration’s budget proposal may or may not include a similar proposal.

(Jerome Wright is deputy editor for The New Tri-State Defender.)

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PERSPECTIVE The New Tri-State Defender, March 23 - 29, 2023, Page 4

State of the District Address: ‘Triumphant Together’

by Curtis Weathers

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Memphis-Shelby County Schools interim Superintendent Toni Williams on Tuesday (March 21) gave her 2023 State of The District address.

It was her first, and I must admit, I was impressed. She did an outstanding job.

Just watching Superintendent Williams over the past few months, she seems to be a true personification of one of her Curtis favorite phrases, “AuWeathers thentic Leadership.”

And based on everything I’ve heard and seen, she really does practice the art of “leading by listening.”

In terms of moving the district forward, she touched on a number of areas in her remarks.

The path forward in academics, she said, is focusing on literacy, attendance, pre-K expansion, extended learning, improved support for English language learners, the district’s CCTE programs, and workforce development.

I want to reflect on four areas from that list that really caught my attention during her presentation: literacy, the CCTE program, attendance (truancy) issues, and teacher support.

The superintendent started her address first by celebrating last year’s academic improvement. The district achieved a Level 5 performance rating and has enrolled 3,500 more students in advanced-level courses this year than the previous year.

While we still need to improve performance overall, we are indeed, according to the numbers, “trending” in the right direction.

Interim Supt. Toni Williams and members of the Memphis Shelby County Schools Board at the State of the District event on Tuesday.

Two of the MSCS students showcased at the State of the District event.

Literacy At the top of her list of concerns is the district’s literacy rate among elementary students, especially among district third graders.

Tennessee’s third-grade literacy law passed in 2021, will be in full effect this school year. It requires school districts to hold back third graders who do not pass the Tennessee Ready Reading Test.

According to state data, nearly twothirds of third graders in the state failed the test last year. In Memphis-Shelby County Schools, only 23 percent of third graders completed the last school year reading on grade level.

Reading proficiently by the end of third grade is a crucial benchmark in a child’s educational development.

The struggles that come with poor literacy are far reaching, putting strains on both the individual and the entire community. The ability to read and write at a third-grade level eventually turns into a quality-of-life issue that will ultimately affect hundreds of thousands of people in our community.

There are efforts underway to get Tennessee legislators to amend the new law.

But in the meantime, while the district is doing much to address this issue, Superintendent Williams made it clear, “we need a lot of help” in this area.

Teacher Support

an additional $27.3 million in teacher salaries.

This is part of a plan to address a teacher shortage that is impacting not only Memphis-Shelby County Schools, but school districts across the nation.

The shortages are fueled by a number of factors. Low pay is just one of them.

Other reasons include low morale, lack of student discipline, mounting political and academic pressures (i.e., CRT), as well as health and safety concerns.

The superintendent is in discussions with teacher leaders about decreasing teacher workloads and creating a more vibrant culture of celebration in the district that might help enhance teacher retention.

And congratulations to all of the Teachers, Principals, and Supervisors of the Year nominees, who were recognized during the presentation.

Your great work is inspiring and impacting so many people in so many ways. Keep up the great work.

The superintendent ended her remarks with this inspiring quote, “If we unite, no matter the endeavors, we will be Triumphant Together!”

Good Job, Superintendent Williams.

The superintendent’s plans to provide much-needed support to teachers was good news to many. The district plans to invest

(Follow me, TSD’s education columnist, on Twitter @curtisweathers. Email me at curtislweathers@gmail.com.)

Interim Supt. Toni Williams delivered her first State of the District Address on Tuesday. On Wednesday Williams confirmed she is a candidate to be the next superintendent. (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises) CCTE Programs I was happy to see a large portion of the superintendent’s address promoting the district’s College Careers and Technical Education (CCTE) program. It is a very important program that does not get enough attention.

Students who go through the district’s CCTE programs can earn associate degrees while in high school and get high-paying jobs shortly after graduating in many of the career fields they are working in.

According to Superintendent Williams, the district’s CCTE program’s goal is to prepare students not just to graduate but to step into real jobs, right out of high school, that pay good wages.

Truancy Memphis is the most dangerous city in

the United States of America. With a population of just over six hundred thousand, Memphis has a crime rate that is 237 percent higher than the national average, and juvenile crime, in particular, is spiraling out of control.

Many believe the large increase in juvenile crime is partly driven by the large number of teens absent from school without supervision.

The district is concerned with chronic absenteeism and the high truancy rate in our schools and is putting in place some innovative procedures and technologies that will help address problems before they become unmanageable.

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The New Tri-State Defender

March 23 - 29, 2023

Page 5

RELIGION

T.D. Jakes’ success hack: Change your thinking rooms that others couldn’t is so we can reach back into the community to bring more people into the room to have an opportunity at upward mobility.

Right now, to be honest, the reason faith has an important part to do with our progress is because when you’ve been oppressed for so long, it takes faith to believe that it is yet possible to achieve your dream. When you grow up, you don’t see anyone in the neighborhood who’s breaking out or breaking forth except for what’s been marketed to us. What’s been marketed to us is Hip Hop, sports, entertainment, acting, comedy and even preaching – all of which we have excelled in.

However, what is not being marketed to us is science, technology, engineering and mathematics. As a result, our kids don’t grow up seeing people who look like them building, coding, making apps or just doing the things the world is demanding right now. Our school systems even struggle to keep up with the kind of courses and curriculums that are necessary for us to be airborne in those areas.

by T.D. Jakes theroot.com

My theme for the year 2023 is “disruptive thinking.”

In my upcoming guidebook, “Disruptive Thinking: A Daring Strategy to Change How We Live, Lead, and Love,” I explain how to challenge the traditional ways of thinking that keep us stagnant. Until we, as a Black community, disrupt the old constructs we were taught and exposed to, we will deprive ourselves from exploring the vastness of our innovation or creativity.

The harm of traditional thinking and doing The traditional thinking of problem-solving or the wellworn rules of the generations before us no longer serve us today. … Our parents did the best they could with what they had to inform us on how to make money or take care of our families. Though, the reality is the world is changing rapidly. Within the last five years, technology alone has surged significantly with the development of artificial intelligence.

Everything in society seems to be moving so fast while we seem to be getting further behind by the limits of this traditional mindset.

The more we include topics like passive or aggressive income in our table conversations, in the barbershop or any other space where it can enter the ethos of our culture and community, the more it is possible for those ideas to be manifested and the more normalized they become as opposed to being seen as strange or “not Black.”

Faith versus figures Another perspective that sometimes restricts our thinking, within the Black faith community, is resistance to the system of capitalism. The Bible says, “The love of money is the root of all evil,” (1 Timothy 6:10). It doesn’t say that money was the root of all evil. If capitalism is an evil system, it’s an evil system because there is no justice and there is no equity. I think that the system often feels contra-

Closing the gap

T.D. Jakes’ guidebook on disruptive thinking is available May 9. dictory to everything that we teach and understand about faith because there is no justice. Though, when there’s equity and nobody is being oppressed, the system ceases to be evil. At the moment, it’s lost its equilibrium. If you have a shovel and I have a teaspoon and you tell me, “Dig your way up,” don’t be surprised when you dig further than I do. Equal tools create equal outcomes.

What makes the system evil is that a few are hoarding and hiding the opportunities from the masses. That’s why those of us who have broken glass ceilings and gotten into

The good news is we have the most educated group of young people we have ever had in the history of this country. The bad news is they have debt from all of that education and they can’t figure out how to pay off those student loans and get liberated so they can enter into these jobs with equal playing fields. As a result, they feel stuck on the ground while others are escalating.

On the other hand, we are facing a huge problem as a community being the nation’s top consumers but poorest investors. We have got to stop bragging about how much technology we bought or the clothes we wear and start talking about how many shares we own.

To change our language, the T.D. Jakes Group (which operates globally through T.D. Jakes Real Estate Ventures, TDJ Enterprises, T.D. Jakes Foundation & T.D. Jakes Ministries) is proactive in helping Black people pursue entrepreneurship and acquire wealth. …

(As told to Kalyn Womack.)

‘105 Years of Proclamation’ …

Women’s Day …

Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover, president of Tennessee State University (and a native of Memphis), was the guest speaker as the Rev. Willie Ward Jr. and Mt. Pisgah C.M.E. Church, 2490 Park Avenue, observed Women’s Day last Sunday (March 19). Memphis City Council members Cheyenne Johnson and Jana S. Washington, along with Ebony Barnes, made a special presentation to Dr. Glover. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)

That was the theme as the Rev. Dr. James B. Collins and Progressive Missionary Baptist Church, 394 Vance Ave., celebrated the church’s 105th anniversary last Sunday (March 19). (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)

The New Tri-State Defender

March 23 - 29, 2023

ENTERTAINMENT WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH: LITERATURE

‘I Am Debra Lee’ – absorbing, fascinating with no punches pulled

by Terri Schlichenmeyer Special to The New

Everybody’s looking at you.

They’re wondering what you’re going to do next, because you often surprise them.

They don’t know what you’re about to say because you’re never predictable. So, stand up, throw your shoulders back, let them watch and learn a thing or two.

As in the new memoir, “I Am Debra Lee” by Debra Lee, represent.

Back when she was still in grade school, little Debra Lee’s father decided that she would be a lawyer someday – and so she was. Though she often pushed the envelope and was her own person, it was hard to even think of disappointing the Major, a man who always admonished Lee to be a “nice girl.”

Back then, Lee “lived and breathed Black culture,” a feeling she carried through law school and into her first big job at a law firm that “treated its associates well,” and where she instinctively found a mentor who helped her in her niche. He passed along to her a few choice clients, which eventually led Lee to a life-changing introduction to Bob Johnson, who was then the CEO of Black Entertainment Television, or BET. It was a soul-searching time for Lee. Personally, she’d had a pregnancy she didn’t want, and an abortion, then a marriage that failed. Professionally, the law firm she worked for was no longer a good fit. Johnson offered her a job and a title but it involved a considerable salary cut, which was tough to take.

Still, Lee looked at the long picture and leaped at the opportunity.

The job had its downsides, specifically, eternally long hours and an overwhelming workload with no work-life balance whatsoever but Lee was undaunted. She learned about the industry and herself, found her limits and sailed past them, and enjoyed the chance to befriend people whose names pepper the tabloids.

She never seriously considered reaching

Debra Lee (Photo: Anderson Hopkins) for the stars until she was named COO, with a public face to maintain, a reputation to uphold, and a list of things she’d never do.

And then she did one of them...

For readers who are unfamiliar with the whole story, let’s just say that you’ll want to be prepared. “I Am Debra Lee” contains a big ka-boom.

Leading up to that, though, is a treat: the inner mechanics of a media empire are told side-by-side here with the story of a long, exhausting journey and the personal sacrifices it demanded.

It isn’t presented as a burden, however; instead, author Debra Lee holds her tale with a steely grip and no apologies, making sure that she’s clear on the extra work it took being a Black woman in a mostly-man’s world. There’s not a single ounce of poor me in that but rather, a series of subtle lessons to accompany the outright advice that Lee scatters about.

And then there’s that ka-boom. Read about it from this first-person point of view, and you won’t be sorry.

If you’re ready for an absorbing, fascinating memoir that pulls no punches, “I Am Debra Lee” is absolutely worth a look.

“I Am Debra Lee: A Memoir”

by Debra Lee c.2023, Legacy Lit Books $29 256 pages

Page 6

COMMUNITY The New Tri-State Defender, March 23 - 29, 2023, Page 7

Council steps toward clarity vote on residency rules

by James Coleman

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

People’s Convention update...

The Rev. Dr. Earle J. Fisher, founder of UPTheVote901, and community partners gave an update on the planning process for the Memphis People’s Convention 2023 during a press conference in front of City Hall on Wednesday afternoon. For more information, visit www.TSDMemphis.com.

(Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender)

The “1 Million Black Fathers March” visionary team: Corey Travis, Cynthia Pulliam, Omar Baruti and Shantwan Nabors. (Courtesy photo)

Marching toward ‘1 Million Black Fathers’ to build stronger families

TSD Newsroom A three-day call for “All Black Men & Family” has been sounded for April 1-3.

The summons is to the One Million Black Fathers March being organized by Parenting With A Purpose Inc. and Centurion Community Support Center.

The official march day is April 3 and features Dr. Umar Johnson as the guest speaker in Robert R. Church Park. The free event begins at 4 p.m.

The weekend begins on April 1 with the Drum Major for Justice Parade. The step off is at 10 a.m. with the route winding down Danny Thomas to Robert R. Church Park. The free event will include a Health and Job Fair. Also scheduled is a Father & Child Tik Tok challenge, workshops, live music, food trucks and more.

On Sunday (April 2) the emphasis will be the Black Father’s March Gala at the Candle Light Ballroom, 3015 Park Avenue. Admission is $100, with tickets via cashapp.

With at least two, and maybe three, declared candidates for the looming Memphis mayor’s election facing residency requirements, the Memphis City Council’s Personnel & Governmental Affairs Committee held the first round of discussions on Tuesday (March 21), concerning a proposed referendum to clarify the rules.

The result: The council, on first reading, passed a referendum ordinance requiring candidates for Memphis mayor and Memphis City Council members to live in the city for a year before election day.

If approved, the referendum would not impact this year’s city elections, which are Oct. 5.

At issue is the five-year residency requirement for Memphis mayor and City Council that was adopted by referendum in 1967, still is on the books and that may be unconstitutional.

“In 1967, when we adopted home rule…It made the council be resident voters for five years; mayor was made the same,” said Allan Wade, the council’s attorney.

For Wade, the proposed referendum will be his second stab at eliminating the rule from the Memphis City Charter. He authored the last referendum addressing residency for candidates in 1996 after its constitutionality was struck down by the Tennessee Supreme Court.

That year, a professor, who moved from Ohio to teach at Vanderbilt University, challenged its constitutionality after he was denied the right to vote in the governor’s election.

“The Supreme Court says you restrict someone’s right to travel.

That they can’t travel to a place and become a part of the fabric of that place because of some duration,” said Wade. “In 1996, when we adopted the new form of government in terms of the structure, we eliminated the durational residency (voting) requirement because there was a lot of argument about whether it was constitutional or not.”

However, the requirement for candidates has remained.

“The ambiguity that existed here is that we tied our durational residency to being a resident and voter.

It wasn’t just being a candidate. You had to be a resident voter as well, which made some ambiguity as to whether that was constitutional or not,” said Wade.

At the time, the update to the charter was meant to protect the interests of Memphians, particularly Black voters.

The proposed ordinance will make an independent provision for may-

“The ambiguity that existed here is that we tied our durational residency to being a resident and voter. It wasn’t just being a candidate. You had to be a resident voter as well, which made some ambiguity as to whether that was constitutional or not.”

— Allan Wade or and council.

Otherwise, the requirements will stay the same.

“They won’t be linked hand in hand, like they are now. Which is a different Allan paradigm, and it Wade probably needs to be that way,” said Wade.

The current problem came to a head after Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. announced he was running for Memphis mayor.

It was given further impetus after the longtime Bartlett resident purchased an East Memphis home in February. Later, former Memphis Mayor Dr. Willie W. Herenton also announced his candidacy. He has lived in Collierville since mid-2020.

Also, Memphis NAACP President Van Turner Jr., who is running for city mayor, also has a residency issue. He was living outside the city until late last year.

Both nascent campaigns were buoyed by an opinion Wade authored in November saying the residency rule had already been removed from the charter.

It was contradicted by Shelby County Election Commission attorney Robert Myers, a former Election Commission chairman, who said the charter’s requirement remained in effect.

Bonner and Turner, a former county commissioner, have filed lawsuits in Chancery Court challenging the residency requirement.

Council members also discussed stripping the age requirement to run for mayor and council, which is 30 years of age, for a lower number.

“The number I had in mind was 21,” offered council Chair Martavius Jones.

It was quickly seconded by council member Jeff Warren.

Dr. Umar Ifatunde, also known as Dr. Umar Johnson (Photo: Twitter) A silent auction is set for 6 p.m. onsite.

For more information, call 901-246-9659.

Visit www.TSDMemphis.com on Friday for the backstory powering the march.

Hall of Famers...

As a sponsor of Tri-State Baseball Academy, Tony James (fourth from right standing) accepts the induction trophy into the Memphis Amateur Sports Hall of Fame on March 20. Freddie Nelson Sr. (third from left standing) was inducted as Adult Team Manager/ Coach. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)

The New Tri-State Defender

NEWS

Two employees of town near planned Ford truck plant indicted

by Adrian Sainz Associated Press

Two employees of a rural Tennessee town that resisted a takeover attempt by the state after Ford Motor Co. announced plans to build an electric truck plant nearby have been charged with the theft of town funds and official misconduct, officials said Wednesday.

Reva Marshall, the former finance officer for the town of Mason, and Michele Scott, Mason’s human resources manager, have been indicted by grand juries in two counties, the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office said in a news release and an investigative report.

Both Marshall and Scott were charged with receiving tens of thousands of dollars in improper wages, benefits and reimbursements from Mason by submitting timesheets for many more hours than they actually worked, officials said.

They also worked full-time for the Memphis-Shelby County Schools system while also employed by Mason, receiving compensation from both entities for the same hours of work, officials said.

In a report released Wednesday, investigators also questioned tens of thousands of dollars in credit card transactions and reimbursements by town employees.

Marshall and Scott were indicted in west Tennessee’s Tipton County, where Mason is located, and in Shelby County, which includes Memphis. Online court records did not show if they had lawyers to speak on their behalf about the charges.

Mason’s mayor did not immediately respond to a phone call and email seeking comment.

The allegations are the latest in a string of financial problems that have beset Mason, located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northeast of Memphis. The state comptroller’s office said the town has experienced 20 years of financial mismanagement.

The 2020 Census shows Mason’s population at about 1,330. But that fell to less than 800 after a private prison closed.

The town’s current lead-

ership is mostly Black, but white leaders were in charge for many of the years that the state said Mason’s affairs were mismanaged. The town has seen investigations into misconduct and accounting irregularities, including one by the comptroller’s office cited in a report in 2016, when its leaders were mostly white. Several officials resigned.

Last year, Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower asked Mason’s town leaders to surrender their charter, pointing to the financial mismanagement. After Mason voters refused to do so, Mumpower later said the state would take over its financial supervision.

The news of the takeover attempt sparked national attention as many questioned its timing because Mason is near the site of a future $5.6 billion Ford electric pickup truck factory. The plant is expected to employ about 5,600 workers at the plant, and construction will create thousands more jobs.

Town leaders filed a lawsuit – with the help of the NAACP – hoping to stop a full takeover of its finances. Mason and the state later struck a deal for a scaled-back supervision of the town’s finances.

“The Comptroller’s Office continues to have enhanced supervision over the Town of Mason’s fiscal condition,” the news release said. “This includes ensuring the town maintains a balanced budget; requiring the town to provide monthly financial records and reports to the Comptroller’s Office; and requiring implementation of policies to address audit findings.”

Construction has begun for the planned Ford factory in neighboring Haywood County. Officials say the plant, called BlueOval City, will boost west Tennessee’s economy. The factory is expected to bring both small and large businesses to the area, including hotels, restaurants, health care facilities and suppliers for the plant, among others.

Real estate values also could increase.

Ford has said it has not been directly involved with Mason’s financial situation, but it has reached out to state and local community leaders about it.

March 23 - 29, 2023

Page 8

CLASSIFIEDS

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH LAUDERDALE PASTOR POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT 682 South Lauderdale Street Memphis, Tennessee 38126 Apply online at www.first baptistlauderdale.org or https://www. facebook.com/profile. php?id=100089583129895.

Application Deadline: April 15, 2023.

Emergency Food and Shelter Grant Funds Available Shelby County has been selected to receive $497,460 under Phase 40 of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). EFSP funds are Federal funds awarded through the Dept. of Homeland Security. These funds are earmarked for 501 (c)(3) agencies to supplement emergency food and shelter services provided in Shelby County, TN. Non-profit agencies meeting this criteria may contact United Way of the Mid-South at https://form. jotform.com/UWMS/efsp-applicant-screening-tool to initiate the application process. The deadline for application submission is April 12, 2023 at 5:00 pm.

LEGAL NOTICE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RFP NUMBER 23-0006 GROUND MAINTENANCE SERVICES Sealed proposals for Ground Maintenance Services will be received by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (Authority), Procurement Department, Memphis International Airport, 4150 Louis Carruthers Dr, Memphis, TN 38118 until 2:00 PM local time, May 1, 2023. A listing of all proposers responding will be posted to the Authority’s website one (1) hour after the response deadline. Responses to Requests for Proposals will not be opened.

A complete Request for Proposals Packet with submittal instructions, additional data, and response format may be found on the Authority’s website (www.flymemphis. com) on or after March 20, 2023.

A mandatory meeting and site visit will be held Wednesday, April 6, 2023, at 1:00 pm in the Authority’s Board Room on the Mezzanine Level, Terminal B of the Memphis International Airport, 2491 Winchester Road, Memphis, TN 38116. All attendee must register at www.eventbrite.com.

All Proposers are responsible for checking the Authority’s website up to the submission deadline for any updates, addenda, or additional information. In accordance with the Authority’s purchasing policies, the Authority will give preference to businesses located in Shelby County, Tennessee when awarding contracts and making purchases, unless prohibited by law. The successful Proposer must sign a contract with the Authority that includes Federal Aviation Administration provisions, if applicable, regarding the Buy American Preference, Foreign Trade Restriction, Davis-Bacon, Affirmative Action, Debarment and Suspension, and Drug-Free Workplace, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The Authority reserves the right to reject any or all responses to this Request for Proposals in whole or in part; to waive any informalities, technicalities, or omissions related to this Request for Proposals; and to reject responses on any other basis authorized by the Authority’s purchasing policies.

The Authority is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination based on the grounds of age, race, sex, color, national origin, disability, marital status, military service, or sexual orientation in its hiring and employment practices and in the admission to, access to, or operation of its programs, services, and activities.

By order of: Scott A. Brockman, A.A.E. President and CEO Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority

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: Fred Mendius Tax Parcel #: 03508900000020 Tax Sale #: 1801 Price Offered: $$12,900.00 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 10:30 a.m. on April 24, 2023, 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 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1 MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150 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: Loring Michael Mitchell Tax Parcel #: 06100100000040 Tax Sale #: 1803 Price Offered: $$3,000.00 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 April 24, 2023, 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 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1 MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150 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: Anthony Elion Tax Parcel #: 03400300000170 Tax Sale #: 1203 Price Offered: $$1,800.00 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 10:00 a.m. on April 20, 2023, 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 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1 MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE

TSD CLASSIFIEDS

1509 Madison Ave. Memphis, TN 38104 PH (901) 523-1818 HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

DEADLINES: Display ads Friday 5 p.m.

Classifieds ads Monday 5 p.m.

STANDARD RATES: $6.00 per line for 1 column ad.

Rates are non-commissionable and are quoted at the net rate. No refund for early cancellation. For additional information contact Sales Dept. at

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: Taylor Made Industries Inc Tax Parcel #: 02909000000010 Tax Sale #: 1802 Price Offered: $$21,600.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten

(901) 746-5201 or email: advertising@tsdmemphis.com.

ADJUSTMENTS: PLEASE check your ad the first day it appears. Call (901) 523-1818 if an error occurs. We can only offer in-house credit and NO REFUNDS are issued.

THE NEW TRI-STATE DEFENDER assumes no financial responsibility for errors nor for copy omission.

Direct any classified billing inquires to (901) 523-1818.

(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 April 24, 2023, 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 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1 MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150

SPORTS The New Tri-State Defender, March 23 - 29, 2023, Page 9

Tigers bound for WNIT Super 16 round with two-win confidence

by Liaudwin Seaberry Jr.

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The University of Memphis Tigers still have a lot of post-season hunger in them. Bring on Bowling Green.

The Tigers (22-10) earned a spot among the WNIT’s Super 16 with a 79-62 victory over Ball State University at the Elma Roane Fieldhouse on Monday night. Memphis’ second win in the tournament sets up a trip to the Stroh Center in Bowling Green, Ohio, where they will play the Falcons (29-6) of the Mid-American Conference.

“There was never a time that I questioned whether this team wanted

to win and that’s why this team has the ability to continue their season,” said Memphis head coach Katrina Merriweather.

The Tigers charged at Ball State’s Cardinals with a 20-0 opening run.

The visitors from Muncie, Indiana took the punch and pushed back with a 32-12 run in the second quarter. At the half, Memphis led by seven (3932).

Fifth-year senior Jamirah Shutes, who turned in a 23-point performance for Memphis, said the Tigers remained confident.

“Basketball is a game of runs, and we knew that they had shooters,” Shutes said. “It was not as if we didn’t

expect them to not make a run.”

As she did in Memphis’ opening-round takedown of Jackson State, Shutes stepped up strong in the second half, scoring 14 or her gamehigh 23 points.

The Tigers shifted to a gear the Cardinals could not match in the fourth quarter. Memphis limited Ball State to 3 of 12 shooting in the final frame of play, turning an 8-point lead into a 17-point final deficit.

Emani Jefferson scored 15 points for the Tigers, with Madison Griggs adding 11 points.

Thursday’s game against Bowling Green is set to tip off at 5 p.m. It will be a return to familiar territory for

Memphis head coach Katrina Merriweather and the Tigers were in full-joy mode after pulling away from Ball State and claiming the right to keep rolling in the Women’s National Invitation Tournament. (University of Memphis Women’s Basketball, Twitter) Merriweather.

“From my days of coaching in Ohio, we know that Bowling Green will be tough and undersized but will play hard,” she said.

“What’s got me encouraged about this team is (they are) not tired of each other, and they want to continue playing and winning with one another.”

Process is the road to progress for Ja Morant

by Terry Davis

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Process – by definition – is a series of actions or steps taken in order to achieve a particular end. Applied to Ja Morant, it is reality.

The All-Star point guards return Monday night to the Memphis Grizzlies after an NBA-imposed eightgame suspension was a step forward.

Tuesday, he practiced with the team in the familiar confines of FedExForum and answered questions from the media afterward.

More steps.

The “particular end” of the process is a “better” Ja Morant – a person better able to handle the stress in his life; someone who makes a 180-degree better decision than the one that landed him on a social media post briefly flashing a gun in a Denver-area strip club after a loss hours before to the Nuggets.

Morant was on the bench in street clothes as the Grizzlies overcame the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night.

Head coach Taylor Jenkins met with the media before tipoff.

“The reception (by the Grizzlies team) was great. Everyone welcomed him with (open) arms. He addressed his teammates and staff. He got a playgroup in. We are hopeful for Wednesday. Good first day back.”

The crowd was supportive, deliv-

ering a standing ovation.

Morant’s next chance to play comes Wednesday night when the Grizzlies host the Houston Rockets. Memphis is second in Terry the Western ConDavis ference with 11 games to play.

Morant had his first public interview last week with ESPN’s Jalen Rose. Tuesday’s after-practice session was a Memphis media affair.

Q – How have the last two weeks been?

“They have been pretty good. I have spent that time learning and taking the time to better myself. I am trying to get to a better space mentally.”

Q – What type of counseling program have you been involved in and is there an ongoing or outpatient aspect of that?

“It is ongoing and (a) continuing process for me. I have been there for two weeks, but that don’t mean I am completely better.”

Q – Whose decision was it?

“Mine.”

Q – What was it for?

To be a better me. Learning how to be there for myself. Realigning

Ja Morant worked his way into the sideline mix as the Grizzlies prepared to take the court against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night at FedExForum. (Photo: Warren Roseborough/The New TriState Defender) myself with my personal life. Being more responsible and more smarter.

Leading a better life. I have made mistakes in the past that has caused some unnecessary attention, not only to me but to my family, team and organization. I am completely sorry for that. My job now is to be smarter and more responsible.”

Q – Was alcohol the reason for the issues?

“I don’t have an alcohol problem.

I didn’t go there for alcohol. I went there for counseling. I went there to learn how to manage stress. Coping with stress in a positive way.”

Regarding being outgoing on social media.

“I won’t be doing that at all. Action speaks louder than words. That is my main focus now. Super excited to be back with my teammates. That is the main thing for me right now. I am going to keep the main thing the main thing. I am going to continue to go through this process (toward) being a

better me. If I do that, not only will it help me, but it will help everybody around me as well.”

Q – The most difficult part to accept?

“Just being away. I made a terrible decision. That is what hurt the most.

I sent a message to them apologizing.

It was better to talk to them in person.

Being able to be back to do that, really helps a lot.”

Q – Gun violence is big in Memphis and kids look up to you. What is your message to them?

“I don’t condone any type of violence at all.”

Q – With your platform can you still continue to be Ja Morant” “I am always going to be Ja. I won’t change for anybody. The only problem with me now is I need to get to a space mentally, that I am very comfortable in. That is why I made the decision to take the time away.”

Q – What was the process in accepting your role in some of the

things that happened? (Media reports have linked Morant to several confrontations in recent months.)

“I did not have a role and I did not say that I did anything wrong. All of those cases are sealed and I can’t speak on those. When I have my time to, I will. Everybody will know the truth on what happened in every incident that I have been in.”

Q – While you were out did you fear that you would miss the rest of the season?

“That wasn’t what was on my mind at all. I just wanted to get in a better space mentally for me. That is the number one thing, being healthy in all areas of life.”

On getting to play Wednesday.

“I don’t know. That is another thing that has been tough for me. Going out with the team, I felt uncomfortable.

That is how I feel right now. … Once I feel I am back in rhythm and in good condition to go out there, I will go out there.”

Tracking the Grizzlies …

For much of three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday night, the Memphis Grizzlies had a head case before self-correcting in the final quarter and nudging ahead for a 112-108 win at FedExForum.

(Photos: Warren Roseborough/ The New Tri-State Defender)

Kyrie Irving of Dallas drives to the basket, where he is met by Memphis’ Tyus Jones. Irving had 28 points but was held in check in the decisive fourth quarter.

With 22 points and 14 rebounds, Santi Aldama keyed an off-thebench force that helped the Grizzlies overcome the Mavericks.

The New Tri-State Defender

March 23 - 29, 2023

Everyday dedication meets everyday appreciation We celebrate the commitment of our employees with initiatives like Sharing Success, which awarded 96% of colleagues additional compensation this year, nearly all in stock. This is the sixth time teammates received this award, totaling more than $4 billion.

We are committed to being a Great Place to Work for our teammates in Memphis and around the globe. This includes providing leading benefits, minimum wage at $22/hr on track to $25/hr by 2025 and opportunities to build a career with us. These are key reasons we’ve been named America’s Most JUST Company.

Trevia Chatman President, Bank of America Memphis

Go to bankofamerica.com/memphis to learn more.

What would you like the power to do?®

Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender. © 2023 Bank of America Corporation. All rights reserved.

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