The New Tri-State Defender - July 7-13, 2022

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July 7 - 13, 2022

VOL. 71, No. 27

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‘Family’ of regulars always came ‘home’ for lunch at Stein’s

Willistine Myrick concentrated on taking care of business on her last day of business as she for so many years to the delight of customers. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Forty-four years, almost to the day, Stein’s opened to a busy, lunch-time crowd in 1978 that just never stopped.

It closed to great fanfare for the last time Friday (July 1).

Tuesday through Friday, the home-cooked food drew a faithful crew of diners, who only ate lunch at Stein’s. On the restaurant’s last day, the steadily swelling crowd was reminiscent of that first day.

“I already had a beauty shop on the other side,” said Willistine Myrick, the eatery’s proprietor. “I had about 400 clients at my beauty shop. They all knew I was opening the restaurant (on Lauderdale just south of E. Mallory). And I put out flyers, and the word got out like that. It was crowded the very first day, and I feel blessed that it just never dropped off.”

On Monday, July 4, three days into her “retire-

ment,” Myrick sat down for a post-closing interview, arranged by one of Stein’s most prominent regulars, Southern Heritage Classic founder Fred Jones.

Two stories emerged: One was the making of “Ms. Stein,” and the other was a band of regulars, who held court daily at the “Truth Table.”

Myrick reflected on a difficult childhood that shaped her gentle, soft-spoken personality so endearing to customers.

A bunch of regulars took the center table, like they had a standing invitation for lunch. The two narratives converged.

“She’s like family,” said Jesse Chatman, director of administrative services at LeMoyne-Owen College. “I’ve been going to Ms. Stein’s for more than 30 years.

“For the past 15 years, I have worked at LeMoyne, where I can eat free of charge. But I eat at Stein’s. It’s kind of like coming home for lunch to eat with family.”

SEE STEIN’S ON PAGE 2

POLITICS 2022: District 86 Democrats will weigh value of longevity in state House race

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Will Richardson and his supporters believe the District 86 Tennessee House of Representatives seat needs a vibrant infusion of new ideas.

Backers of incumbent Rep. Barbara Cooper maintain that House relationships built by Cooper across the aisle are invaluable to the state Democrats.

“Representing constituents of a House district requires the ability to know what’s going on in that district, and what residents need to make their lives better,” said State Rep. G. A. Hardaway, a staunch supporter of Cooper, 92 “Rep. Cooper is still as sharp as she ever was. She is our go-to person in all things education. Her abil-

Will Richardson, who is seeking the Democratic Party nomination for state House District 86, was among those who engaged members of the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators during their visit to Memphis. ity to serve is still a relevant asset in the state legislature.”

Richardson disagrees. He says constituents feel that District 86 needs a change in leadership.

“I have canvassed the district and voters, who have been loyal to Ms. Cooper in the past, are saying now that it’s time for fresh, new ideas.

Incumbent Rep. Barber Cooper participated in the Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators’ recent Memphis tour stop. (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender) They want someone energetic, who is able to spend more time in the district to understand what residents in Cora Lake and Westwood are really concerned about.”

Cooper pushed back on Richardson’s assertion.

“To say I don’t get around my dis-

SEE VOTE ON PAGE 2

TCAP scores for Memphis-Shelby County Schools return to near pre-pandemic levels, but gaps persist

by Samantha West and Kaitlyn Radde Chalkbeat Tennessee

Nearly 17 percent of Memphis students in grades 3-12 performed at or above grade-level expectations in math and English on state standardized tests in 2022 – a sign that the district has recovered some ground from the steep academic declines caused by the pandemic.

Memphis-Shelby County Schools’ latest scores under the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program, also known as TCAP, show an overall proficiency increase of about 6 percentage points from last year and a near return to pre-pandemic levels.

The district-level results, which the Tennessee Department of Education released to the public on Wednesday, largely mirror statewide scores, which showed improved proficiency across all subjects and grades last school year. But the results also underscored that Tennessee’s most vulnerable student groups – a such as children with disabilities, those from low-income families, and students of color – continue to lag behind their peers academically.

MSCS officials on Tuesday called the gains in the latest batch of scores “good news.” They touted near total recovery in reading at all grade levels, including the district’s strongest high school English scores in five years.

A year earlier, the district’s profi-

ciency rate slid to just over 10 percent, reflecting the impact of the learning loss during the height of the pandemic.

But administrators stressed that they have a lot of work ahead to get proficiency rates where they should be.

Only about 21 percent of MSCS students in grades 3-12 met or exceeded grade-level expectations for English in the latest school year – up about 7 percentage points from last year, and about level with the 2019 score. (The state didn’t administer TCAPs in 2020.) And only about 13 percent of MSCS students in grades 3-12 met or exceeded grade-level expectations for math in 2022, up from 7 percent in 2021, but not quite back to the 2019 rate of 23 percent.

MSCS also saw smaller gains in social studies and science, with proficiency rates of nearly 22 percent and about 19 percent, respectively. In 2021, nearly 15 percent of students met or exceeded grade-level expectations for the subjects.

“Definitely, we’re proud of the progress,” said Angela Whitelaw, deputy superintendent of schools and academic support. “But we’re not satisfied.”

The latest scores come as Tennessee’s largest school district faces heightened scrutiny in the community. Citing poor academic performance, two education advocacy organizations, Memphis Lift and

SEE TCAP ON PAGE 2

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The New Tri-State Defender

July 7 - 13, 2022

Page 2

NEWS

Marsh said the district is increasing educators’ access to professional development and coaching. And under the district’s latest $2.1 billion budget, MSCS teachers will receive a 2 percent raise this school year and $1,500 retention bonuses.

“As we move into year two of this, we’ve put some very strong tools in place,” Marsh said of the pandemic recovery effort. “We really want to make sure moving forward that we’re supporting our teachers and pushing our students to even greater heights.”

TCAP

CONTINUED FROM FRONT Whitehaven Empowerment Zone, have called on Supt.

Joris Ray to resign and urged the state to audit the district’s finances.

“We don’t want to go into another school year and get the same results,” Sarah Carpenter, executive director of Memphis Lift, told a gathering of community activists, parents, and school board candidates last month. “Our babies are smart. Our children can read. It’s something not being done from the top down.”

Ray and school board members have called the accusations “political antics.”

Heading into the next school year, Whitelaw said, the district plans to continue its focus on students who live in poverty and face heightened barriers to academic success. Nearly 60 percent of MSCS students

are considered by the state to be economically disadvantaged.

The latest TCAP scores show that for grades 3-12, only about 15 percent of low-income MSCS students are considered proficient in English, 8 percent are proficient in math, and 13 percent

are proficient in science – about 5 to 7 percentage points below the rates for all students in each subject.

The gap is wider in social studies: About 14 percent of low-income students in grades 3-12 meet grade-level expectations, compared with about 22 percent overall.

To close those gaps, Whitelaw said the district will continue strategies it adopted this year to boost recovery, many of which Ray introduced during his state of the district address. They include increasing small group instruction, expanding before- and after-school tutoring; offering

more honors and Advanced Placement courses; and expanding the district’s CLUE program for talented and gifted students.

The district is also working on ways to better support teachers, said Amie Marsh, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction.

VOTE

CONTINUED FROM FRONT

“You can’t cook for people all these years and they not become family,” said Willistine Myrick. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)

STEIN’S

CONTINUED FROM FRONT The colorful collection of regulars was not just coming to eat. Stein’s offered a place for “gathering.”

There is a difference, customers said.

“We were just like family, like brothers, having a meal together,” said Curtis Williams, owner of Allied Bonding Company. “And I guess we did what brothers do, talk about each other, and laugh about it.

“And boy, did we laugh. But we could also share situations going on, and get great advice for resolving them, you know, like family. There were sisters, too.”

Jones, who has dined at Stein’s every day for two decades, helped create the camaraderie of “Truth Table” regulars.

It is not King Arthur and the round table of knights, but it’s

a ‘thing,’ nevertheless.

“I ate at Stein’s four or five times a week,” said Jones.

“But there were a whole lot of us you could call ‘regulars.’ It wasn’t just the home-cooked food, or the close friendships we made over the years. They were great, but really, it was Ms. Stein that made Stein’s what it was. She’s special.

She’s family.”

NIKE Director of Global Community Impact Willie Gregory has been coming for 15 years. For him, every day is a good day for lunch.

“Tuesday was ‘Turkey Neck Tuesday.’ Wednesday was lasagna. Thursday was liver and rice, and Friday was fish,” said Gregory. “If you wanted something different, you could let Ms. Stein know the day before, and it would be waiting for you. She cooked so clean and healthy. Fish was fried in peanut oil.”

Willistine Myrick always was a nurturer.

Southern Heritage Classic Founder Fred Jones Jr. (left) was a fixture at Stein’s for years and fittingly was present for its last day.

“You can’t cook for people all these years, and they not become your family,” said Myrick. “My mother died when I was 13, and I had to care for six under me. I was always making sure everybody was okay.”

Myrick left Helena, Arkansas in 1964, for more opportunity.

“I worked and enrolled in Allura’s School of Beauty,” said Myrick. “It was over there at Vance and Third. I finished the nine-month course and started working in a couple of beauty salons. I had clients who followed me from school.

I decided one day I could open my own.”

Stein’s Beauty Salon opened in 1968, where it still operates today. Clientele grew quickly. They were always looking for something to eat, and Myrick thought opening a restaurant would be a great idea. Well, she did, it was, and the rest is history.

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Myrick has lots of valid reasons for permanently closing the restaurant — time for retirement, health issues aggravated by stressful work, food costs, finding dependable employees.

Several factors made Friday, July 1, the perfect day to close. After all, Stein’s opened its doors in July.

“I closed on Friday,” said Myrick. “It’s only been three days, and I feel better already.

The stress was raising my blood pressure. I’m just going to rest and enjoy being home.”

Is this really the end of Stein’s?

This is it for now, but who knows about the future?

“We’re sad about the closing,” said Gregory. “But I’m happy for her. It’s time to go home and enjoy herself.”

Chatman had another idea.

“I guess we’ll have to find another place,” said Chatman.

“Or, maybe, pray that she gets better and comes back.”

trict, and I don’t know what’s going on is ludicrous,” said Cooper. “I was approached

by Mr. Richardson before the primary to express interest in running for my seat. I wasn’t sure about another run at that point. But, of course, I decided I would in the end. Attacking my age is his main strategy, I guess.”

Richardson said 25 years in the state legislature is long enough. He suggests that age prevents Cooper from “getting around in the district” and taking an active part in meetings, activities and other public functions.

“As I have campaigned, I have moved around the district every day,” said Richardson. “Even at age 45, it is very taxing for me. I can’t imagine how someone in their 90s would be able to do it. The district needs a vibrant, energetic representative. Rep. Cooper needs a driver wherever she goes. This isn’t about beating Ms. Cooper. This is about continuing her work.”

Cooper says mobility has not been a hindrance in either getting around the district or drafting insightful and far-reaching legislation.

“Last year, I sponsored a conflict resolution bill that would include a school curriculum for resolving conflict among young people,” she said. “Children would be taught age- and grade-appropriate strategies as alternatives to picking up a gun. I know my constituents want something done about all the killing.”

Richardson, a 1994 Central High School graduate, grew

(Samantha West is a reporter for Chalkbeat Tennessee, where she covers K-12 education in Memphis. Connect with Samantha at swest@ chalkbeat.org. Kaitlyn Radde is a data reporting intern at Chalkbeat. Connect with Kaitlyn at kradde@chalkbeat.org).

up in Frayser. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1996.

He is the proprietor of Community Services, LLC, a home healthcare company, and Fat Charlie’s Speakeasy, a bar in Harbor Town.

Richardson is also an ordained minister at Golden Gate Cathedral, where he is chief minister with Mobile Homeless Ministry.

Real estate agent Tish Plummer Alexander supports Richardson’s candidacy as an “exciting” prospect.

“It’s good to see young leaders emerging,” said Alexander.

“Our youth can relate to young leaders as inspiring role models. Mr. Richardson is a very humble man, and he is ready to serve. He would be a great state representative. It’s exciting to see new energy in that district.”

Richardson is married to Latonia Richardson. The couple has three children and one grandchild. He made an initial run for public office in a 2019 city council race.

Hardaway called Cooper “one of the hardest-working” legislators in Nashville.”

“I start work early,” said Hardaway. “When I get to the office, no one is there with me, except Rep. Cooper. Sometimes, I stay there working until 10, or 11, at night. She and I are the only ones still there.

At 92, that is still her level of commitment.”

Cooper has no plans to change her campaign strategy to fight “ageism.”

“We are running our campaign, just as we are accustomed to doing,” said Cooper.

“Money can’t buy a House seat. The voters decide. I will continue to serve my district as long as I am sent back to Nashville.”

The New Tri-State Defender

July 7 - 13, 2022

Page 3

NEWS

Emmett Till’s family seeks arrest after 1955 warrant found A search group comprised of Till’s family members found the warrant charging Carolyn Bryant Donham of kidnapping

by Murjani Rawls Theroot.com

A search group comprised of Emmett Till Legacy Foundation members found an unserved warrant charging Carolyn Bryant Donham — identified as “Mrs. Roy Bryant” in the 1955 kidnapping of the Mississippi teen. The Associated Press reports Leflore County Circuit Clerk Elmus Stockstill said the group discovered the warrant last week inside a file folder that had been placed in a box. There has been an ongoing search for the warrant.

“They narrowed it down between the ’50s and ’60s and got lucky,” said Stockstill, who certified the warrant as genuine.

Two members of Till’s relatives’ cousin Deborah Watts, head of the foundation, and her daughter, Teri Watts, were a part of the Legacy foundation collective in the search party. Upon the discovery, the family has renewed calls for Donham to be arrested.

“Serve it and charge her,” Teri Watts told the AP in an interview. Watts also states that the Till family believes the newly discovered warrant accusing Donham of kidnapping should be considered new evidence.

A now 80-year-old Donham said to be

living in North Carolina, has made public comments about the new prosecution claims. The Associated Press notes that District Attorney Dewayne Richardson’s office previously cited that they would Emmett prosecute the case.

Till They did not offer any comments about the discovery of the 1955 warrant, but noted the Justice Department’s determination in December 2021 when they closed the investigation.

When the Associated Press asked Leflore County Sheriff Ricky Banks about the discovery, he added, “this is the first time I’ve known about a warrant.”

From the Associated Press: “I will see if I can get a copy of the warrant and get with the DA and get their opinion on it,” Banks said. If the warrant can still be served, Banks said, he would have to talk to law enforcement officers in the state where Donham resides.

As a law professor at the University of Mississippi, Ronald J. Rychlak points out

In this Sept. 22, 1955 photo, Carolyn Bryant rests her head on her husband Roy Bryant’s shoulder after she testified in the Emmett Till murder court case in Sumner, Miss. Stymied in their calls for a renewed investigation into the murder of Emmett Till, relatives and activists are advocating another possible path toward accountability in Mississippi: They want authorities to launch a kidnapping prosecution against the woman who set off the lynching by accusing the Chicago teen of improper advances in 1955. (AP file photo) that arrest warrants can “go stale” due to time and changing circumstances. However, if combined with new evidence, the 1955 warrant could be necessary for establishing a new basis for prosecution.

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“If you went in front of a judge, you could say, ‘Once upon a time, a judge determined there was probable cause, and much more information is available today,’” Rychlak said.

PERSPECTIVE The New Tri-State Defender, July 7 - 13, 2022, Page 4

“It is a lengthy ballot. There are a lot of changes and one of the greatest assets to an election is a well-informed electorate.”

— Bennie Smith

Shelby County Election Commissioner Bennie Smith (left) and the Rev. Dr. J. Lawrence Turner, founder/chair of the Black Clergy Collaborative of Memphis, each pitched the necessity of being prepared to vote during the BCCM’s recent candidate forum for Shelby County District Attorney General candidates. (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender)

Voting requires being ready to do so!

by Karanja A. Ajanaku kajanaku@tsdmemphis.com

Taking his text from the “Book of Elections,” Shelby County Election Commissioner Bennie Smith told those attending a recent district attorney candidate forum at Saint Andrew A.M.E. Church that passion was no substitute for preparation when it gets down to casting a ballot.

“We may be passionate about our politics, but it will require some skill to vote in this election,” said Smith, the commission’s secretary, regarding the County General Election and State/Federal Primary Election on Aug. 4.

“It is a lengthy ballot. There are a lot of changes and one of the greatest assets to an election is a well-informed electorate.”

Tuesday (July 5) was the deadline to register.

Early voting runs July 15-30, Monday through Saturday.

Tennessee’s deadline to request an absentee ballot is July 28. Officials are urging voters to act

right away if they want to vote absentee. Those ballots must be returned by mail in time for the county election commission to receive them no later than the close of polls on Election Day. At the candidate forum hosted by the Black Clergy Collaborative of Memphis (BCCM), Smith sought to engage the audience as he emphasized voter preparation and awareness about “some information that I think all voters need to know.”

“So, if I can get a show of hands from the crowd if you know your precinct number. … Whoa. All right. Keep your hand up. … Now lower your hand if that precinct number is four digits. All right, so not many people lowered their hands and not many people raised their hands.”

Smith detailed that as a result of redistricting, “we changed everyone’s precincts. So, if you were fortunate enough to know your precinct and raise your hand, you very likely have the wrong one.”

What had been 300-plus precincts were reduced to 146, he

said. “What that means for the electorate is that where you used to go and vote, that may not be the place anymore.”

Pivoting, Smith turned to senior citizens and paper ballots.

“Citizens age 60 and older, you are automatically eligible to request a paper ballot and vote by mail. This election, this is something that has not been rather publicized, so I’m definitely out letting the electorate know that.

“This particular election has more than 60 races on the ballot. You’re talking 8, 10, 15, 20 minutes standing at a machine to vote. So, if you don’t want to be a part of that, you can, if you’re 60 years or older, you can request that paper ballot. They’ll send it in the mail to you and you can sit in the comfort of your home and fill out … all 60-something races and mail it back.”

Noting that there are rules governing how ballots can be requested, Smith said he would be moving to get that information – and more – out to the electorate.

“I’m doing some initiatives where I can go out and do some type of question and answer where I can give information to the voters so they can be aware leading up to the election. And in closing, passion is not a substitute for skill.”

He directed the audience to his website – benniesmith.com.

“There’s going to be an election section and in that election section I’m going to post dashboards where you can look up your address and see what your old precinct was … and then see what your new precinct is, so you can be completely informed of this information.”

The Rev. Dr. J. Lawrence Turner, the senior pastor of Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church and BCCM’s founder and chair, echoed Smith’s appeal for voter awareness and engagement.

“Where the difference is made is not in sentiment. It’s in action,” said Turner. “And the action and the way that you express your voice is to show up by your early voting or on election day to vote.

On July 16, the second day of early voting for the August election at all early-voting locations, the Shelby County Election Commission and the Shelby County Voter Alliance will host the first Voter Ready Expo.

The expo will offer early voting, an opportunity to look up polling locations, a firsthand look at the new November voting machines and voter registration.

“This is an ideal time for voters to become more engaged in our election process,” said Linda Phillips, administrator of Elections for Shelby County. “The best way to ensure our elections are well-executed and truly reflect our community’s voice is by keeping our community informed of opportunities to participate in the process.”

The Voter Ready Expo on July 16 is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at all early voting locations.

(For more details and a list of early voting locations, visit shelbyvote.com. This story includes a report by the Associated Press.)

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The New Tri-State Defender

July 7 - 13, 2022

RELIGION

Page 5

Seminar messenger…

Friendship Baptist Church, located at 1355 Vollentine Ave., was the venue as the Tennessee School of Religion (TSOR) hosted a seminar that featured a message by the Rev. Dr. Melvin Charles Smith (right), senior pastor of Mount Moriah-East Baptist Church, 1248 Haynes St. The Rev. Dr. Ed Parker Jr. is TSOR president. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)

Going galactic …

The 20/50/75 Frank Ray Conference Galactic Gala, which was held July 4 at the Pink Palace Mansion in honor of the Rev. Dr. Frank E. Ray Sr., senior pastor of New Salem M.B.C., yielded this moment with Mr. Ray and his grandson, Frank E. Ray III. The elder Ray, 75, has pastored New Salem for 50 years. This is the 20th year for the annual conference. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)

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July 7 - 13, 2022

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The New Tri-State Defender, July 7 - 13, 2022, Page 8

Twists, braids, locs, bantu knots, and other African-inspired styles worn by African-American men and women were all considered unprofessional and were not allowed in some workplaces. The CROWN Act changed everything on July 1. The law says all hair is professional. Discrimination, punishment and other penalties for an employee’s hairstyle is illegal in the state of Tennessee. (Courtesy photos)

CROWN Act protects ethnic hair wearers at work, will ‘boost natural hair industry’ across the state

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Natural hair stylists celebrated the passing of Tennessee’s CROWN Act, which became effective Friday (July 1).

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Takila Phillips. “I have been a natural hair stylist for more than 20 years. And I hear about so many stories, especially from young, Black men who are forced to cut their dreads and locs because of their jobs.

“This law is going to be a great economic boost for natural hair stylists across the state. My product line will be flying off the shelves. This is so exciting.”

The CROWN (Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair) Act is a nationwide movement to prohibit employers and schools from using hair discrimination to deny employment and educational opportunities because of culture-based hairstyles, such as braids, locs, twists, bantu knots, and all other African-based designs and creations worn on kinky hair.

A national movement formed around the CROWN Act to make it federal law.

Although the measure passed in the U.S. House of Representatives, it stalled in the Senate.

A call for state legislatures to adopt the law spurred activism within individual states to ratify the CROWN Act. Tennessee joined 16 other states in making the CROWN Act law.

Tennessee state Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) became champion for the act when she introduced it in 2021.

“I introduced the bill last year, and it easily passed in the Senate,” said Akbari.

“When it got to the House, there were some issues. They wanted to amend the bill, so that it was changed slightly, but nothing major.”

The CROWN Act finally cleared the House in 2022 and returned to the Senate, where it was passed again.

Gov. Bill Lee signed Tennessee’s CROWN Act into law on May 27, 2022, with an effective date of July 1.

“This bill recognizes that all hair is professional,” said Akbari. “The white-collar standard of which hairstyles are acceptable, and which are not is effectively being re-defined with the CROWN Act. No longer can an employer in Tennessee discriminate, retaliate, penalize, or otherwise, punish an employee for wearing braids, locs, afros, or any other styles that define who we are.

“The hairstyles we choose to wear are expressions of who we are,” said Akbari.

“We can be professional without wearing

our hair straight. Our hair is professional.

All hair is professional.”

Those who have experienced discrimination in the workplace because of their hair styles celebrated the bill’s passing.

Raumesh Jason Fields, 24, Akbari is now securely employed with a company that does not discriminate, based on his afro. But it wasn’t always his reality, he said.

“When I was a teenager, I applied to work at Chuck E. Cheese,” said Fields. “I went in for my interview, dressed neatly, making eye contact, and smiling, doing all the things you do in a job interview.

“I was told I had the job, on one condition — that I cut my hair to about a quarter inch. I didn’t get the job because I just couldn’t do that. I wouldn’t do it.”

Natural hair specialist Brinetta Carlton, owner of A Natural Fit Salon and Spa, praised the passing of CROWN Act in Tennessee because it will liberate both men and women to wear all kinds of styles without fear of a workplace reprimand.

“Quite a few customers say their job will not allow certain styles considered to be ‘unprofessional,’ said Carlton. “Black men and women in all kinds of positions can express who they are through their hair. They can also explore and experiment with different styles. Business is picking up already. Natural hairstyles give people more options. Our industry will grow tremendously.”

Akbari added, “My mother is the Hair Doctor. We have always believed in wearing our natural hair. When I was just out of law school, I was told to straighten my hair because it was ‘professional.’

“I was wearing it curly like it naturally is, but that was not viewed as professional. No one will ever have to be ashamed or fearful on the job because of their hairstyle.

This is a great victory.”

Natural hair stylist, Takila Phillips, and her brother, Choya Hampton, sport super long braids, a style popular with both men and women.

Jason Fields celebrates the CROWN Act. Although it is too late to save the job he was denied, it will prevent others in the state of Tennessee from being targeted. Fields was denied a job because he refused to cut his hair off.

The New Tri-State Defender

July 7 - 13, 2022

Page 9

NEWS

Viola Davis conquers colonizers in ‘The Woman King’ trailer ‘I’ve never had a role like this before. It’s transformative,’ Davis said.

by Stephanie Holland theroot.com

The Woman King trailer is a call to arms for Black women everywhere.

When Viola — as Nanisca, commander of the real-life Agojie warriors —said, “We fear no one. And we fear no pain. I offer you a choice, fight or we die,” I was looking around for my sword. Ok, sign me up.

I’m ready to follow Viola Davis into battle.

Don’t look at me like I’m the only one.

Set for release Sept. 16, “The Woman King” stars Davis as Nanisca, the leader of an army of women warriors defending the kingdom of Dahomey from white colonizers. The star-studded cast includes John Boyega as King Ghezo, Thuso Mbedu as Nawi, Lashana Lynch, Adrienne Warren, Sheila Atim, Masali Baduza and Angélique Kidjo.

The trailer features Nanisca convincing King Ghezo that they must fight back against the Europeans coming to take over Africa. She recruits women from across the land to join the king’s guard. In typical historical epic fashion, she gives a rousing, inspirational speech, but this time it hits differently, as everything she says feels extremely real and timely.

It’s worth noting that this is based on the true story of the Agojie, actual African warriors who defended the Kingdom of Dahomey, which is now Benin. These are the women that Black Panther’s Dora Milaje are based on.

To believably become Nanisca, the Oscar-winner found herself undergoing a hardcore training regime.

Viola Davis’ warrior epic “The Woman King” will hit theaters in September 16, 2022. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, Davis stars in the historical movie as Nanisca, general of the all-female military unit in the Kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. (YouTube) “We started intensely a few months before shooting — four hours a day, five days a week,” Davis told Vanity Fair. “Weight training, sprinting, martial arts and weaponry training for the machete.”

This role is the culmination of years of work for the “Fences” star. She knows what a privilege it is to find a character like this for a Black actress, so she never takes these opportunities for granted.

“I’ve never had a role like this before,”

Davis said. “It’s transformative. And to be a producer on it, and to know that I had a hand in bringing it to fruition…. There’s always a vision you have for your career, but there are very few roles as an actress of color. Dark skin with a wide nose and big lips. I’m just gonna continue to say it.

Those stories are extraordinarily limited.”

The magnitude and importance of this story is not lost on the Tony-winner, and it’s not something she takes lightly.

“I knew what it would mean to us as Black people. Something that has never been done before. And what it would mean for Black women sitting in that movie theater. The responsibility is really high.”

If we can trust anyone with that responsibility, it’s Viola. Who else could be Amanda Waller, Michelle Obama and Nanisca all in the same year?

“The Woman King” is scheduled to hit theaters on Sept. 16.

COMMUNITY The New Tri-State Defender, July 7 - 13, 2022, Page 10

Memphis Branch NAACP details upcoming Freedom Fund event TSD Newsroom “The State of Black America” will be the theme when the Memphis Branch NAACP hosts its annual Freedom Fund luncheon at the Hilton Memphis on July 30.

The theme is chosen to put focus on progress, pitfalls, and the future strength of African Americans in politics, economics, business and education.

“Now, more than ever, it is im-

perative that we unite as a community and align on the economic and political priorities that most impact communities of color,” said Van Turner Jr., president of the Memphis branch.

“We must capitalize on the momentum we have built over the past year few years and continue to push for legislation and reforms that address the systemic racism faced by the Black community.”

This year’s keynote speaker is

Judge Carlos Moore, the 79th president of the National Bar Association (NBA).

A nationally renowned and award-winning trial lawyer, Moore, a Moss Point, Miss. native, is the managing partner of The Cochran Firm – Mississippi Delta, which is based in Grenada, Miss.

In July of 2017, Moss became the first African American appointed as Municipal Judge Pro Tem for the City of Clarksdale, Miss. In May of

2020, he was the first African American named Municipal Judge Pro Tem for the City of Grenada.

The NAACP Memphis Branch is one of the largest branches in the United States and is 104 years old.

The national group was founded 109 years ago.

Tickets and sponsorships for the Freedom Fund luncheon are available via the NAACP website www. memphisnaacp.org. Or, call 901-5211343. With a $130 donation, attend-

Van Turner Jr.

Judge Carlos Moore

ees will also receive a 1-year membership to the NAACP. The Freedom Fund luncheon is the Memphis Branch NAACP’s largest fundraiser and funds its local programming initiatives.

Current Freedom Fund Series Sponsors include presenting Sponsor FedEx, Kroger and Baptist Memorial Healthcare.

UPTHEVOTE901 sets candidate forum for school board District 6 TSD Newsroom

Pamela Moses (right) had a front-row seat as Shelby County District Attorney Gen. Amy Weirich, who is seeking reelection, debated Democratic Party challenger Steve Mulroy at a candidate forum hosted by the Black Clergy Collaborative of Memphis at Saint Andrew M.B.C. on Monday night. With Moses are supporters and activists Karen Spencer McGee (l) and “L.J.” (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender)

For activist Pamela Moses, the journey continues to win back her right to vote

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

With Pamela Moses acting as her own attorney, a Shelby County Circuit Court judge recently put the local Black Lives Matter founder on a path to challenge a life-long voting ban in front of a judicial panel appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court.

In the June 29 court hearing, Corbin-Johnson determined that a state statute less than a year old applied to Moses’ petition. That provision assigns a petition such as Moses’ to a special three-judge trial court.

Karen Spencer McGee, a social justice activist and staunch supporter, said Moses still was deciding whether to represent herself or hire counsel for the upcoming court session. Moses did not comment directly.

What has become a voting-rights odyssey for Moses dates back several years. In 2015, she pleaded guilty to multiple charges: tampering with evidence, forgery and perjury, stalking, theft under $500 and escape.

The permanent revocation of her right to vote was tethered to the charge of tampering with evidence.

Moses maintains she was not told that she would permanently lose her right to vote by entering the guilty plea.

In 2019, Moses decided to run for mayor and filed for the restoration of her voting rights, thinking that her probation on the 2015 guilty plea was over. Moses continues to maintain that she did not intentionally try to vote illegally, but relied

on signed documentation by Tennessee Department of Corrections staff.

In January, Moses, who was charged with illegally registering to vote, was given a six-year sentence after a jury trial. She served three months before the sentence was overturned. Subsequently, she was granted a new trial, pointing to evidence that the faulty-information scenario had not been brought forward for her initial trial.

Later, Shelby County Attorney General Amy Weirich dismissed charges. However, that did not get Moses her voting rights back.

Supporters and activists have staged several rallies on behalf of Moses over the past few weeks.

Many were hopeful that Wednesday’s hearing would end her disenfranchisement.

“We were really hoping that everything would finally be over,” said McGee, aka Momma Peaches.

“We had a rally just this week. The momentum built from the time of P. Moses’ release was so strong that we felt restoration of voting rights would follow the dropped charges.”

McGee and other activists helped to bring Moses’ case to national attention, emphasizing the length of her prison sentence compared to “white, Republican men” convicted of voting for dead relatives and casting multiple ballots.

“We were all really disappointed that this case was not over already,” said Brandon Price, a community activist. “Moses has already been through so much. … Pam is free now, but the mental and emotional scars are still there.”

In 2018, there were over 50 thousand voters registered in School Board District 6, which takes in ZIP Codes 38109 and 38116. But less than 14 thousand people actually voted.

“That’s less than 30 percent of registered voters,” point out the Rev. Dr. Earle J. Fisher and his colleagues with UPTHEVOTE901. “We want to ensure those numbers increase in this election.”

With that goal in mind, the group is hosting a MSCS District 6 Candidate Forum at Riverside Baptist Church, 3590 S. Third Street, 38109 on July 16 at 11 a.m.

Early voting starts next week (Friday, July 15th). Election Day is August 4th.

Candidates confirmed for the forum are: Charles Everett, Timothy Green Jr., David Page, Tiffani Perry and Keith Williams.

To register, visit https://bit.ly/3ABVKjn. (To volunteer with UPTHEVOTE901, email upthevote901@ gmail.com.)

Grand re-opening…

Chasity Monroe, the owner of Pink Noire Beauty Supply and Cosmetics, was a picture of excitement during her store’s recent grand re-opening. Pink Noire, located at 152 N. Avalon, opened in April. The re-opening was made grand with the addition of 1,500 more square feet of space. “So we will have over 3300 square feet of all things beauty. We’ll also have two vanities where we will be providing services as well. …If your shop is for beauty, you want to feel beautiful and be in a beautiful space.” (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender)

The New Tri-State Defender

NEWS

Gov. Lee responds to outcry over Hillsdale charter leader’s criticism of teachers

by Marta W. Aldrich Chalkbeat

Praising teaching as both a profession and a calling, Gov. Bill Lee sought Wednesday to defuse the backlash that arose after a leaked video showed him sitting silently as a conservative education adviser mocked teachers, their training programs, and diversity officers.

But the Republican governor didn’t reject or disavow the recent remarks by his friend Larry Arnn, president of Michigan’s Hillsdale College, who said that “teachers are trained in the dumbest parts of the dumbest colleges in the country.”

Lee also sidestepped questions about whether he would end any “partnership” between the state and Hillsdale, a small, conservative Christian school that Lee has invited to bring a hundred of its “classical charter schools” to Tennessee.

“I disagree with activism from the left, but I fully support our public schools in this state and our teachers as well,” Lee told reporters, citing higher spending on teacher pay and public education every year since he took office in 2019.

The governor’s response came a week after Nashville station WTVF released portions of a nearly two-hour video taken with a hidden camera at a private event hosted by Hillsdale in Franklin, south of Nashville.

During the June event, which Lee attended, Arnn compared modern education to “the plague,” and dismissed degrees earned by higher education diversity officers as “easy.”

Speaking of Hillsdale’s charter school work, Arnn said: “We are going to try to demonstrate that you don’t have to be an expert to educate a child because basically anybody can do it.”

At his annual state address in January, Lee lauded Hillsdale as a “standard bearer in quality curriculum” and said Tennessee was formalizing a partnership with the college based on its approach to civics education. But critics worry about Hillsdale’s embrace of American exceptionalism in its charter school curriculum, especially in light of a new Tennessee law that prohibits classroom discussions about systemic racism In a radio interview Wednesday with conservative talk show host Matt Murphy, Lee said Arnn’s remarks about teachers and teacher training were taken out of context and not aimed at Tennessee educators.

“I’m not going to rebut someone who was speaking about left-wing problems in public education in this country that have actually hurt the genuine work of our teachers,” Lee said. “That’s why we in our state passed a law prohibiting critical race theory. That’s why we in our state passed a law that allowed parents to have access to what their kids have access to in a library.”

He added: “I will put our teachers up against anyone in the country when it comes to their performance and their value.”

Leaders of Tennessee’s two major teacher organizations were disappointed, however, with Lee’s explanation, which comes amid a looming educator shortage.

“Gov. Lee missed a real

Gov. Bill Lee answers reporters’ questions about Michigan’s Hillsdale College at a Nashville event on July 6, 2021. (Photo: Marta W. Aldrich / Chalkbeat) opportunity to really separate himself from Mr. Arnn,” said JC Bowman, executive director of Professional Educators of Tennessee, who has called Arnn’s remarks an “insult” to students who attend colleges of education and the professors who teach them.

Tanya Coats, president of the Tennessee Education Association, said Lee’s muted response showed that his loyalties lie with charter school operators.

“The video is clear. Gov. Lee allowed an out-of-state privatizer to stand on a stage in Tennessee and insult public school educators and teacher prep programs,” Coats said.

Lee, who is running for reelection, enjoys significant support in the polls. But since the June 30 TV report, he has faced swift and sharp criticism over Arnn’s remarks, from frequent critics as well as some political allies.

Hendrell Remus, chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, called Lee’s reaction “a new low for the governor,” while fired-up educators across the state started a #ProudToTeach campaign on social media.

The Tennessee Charter School Center, an ally of Lee’s that works to bring more high-quality charter schools to the state, said in a statement that it “categorically rejects” Arnn’s comments, while the head of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association called the remarks “incredibly disturbing.”

The Tennessee State Board of Education, which works closely with teacher training programs to address both teacher quality and supply, issued a statement after the video was leaked and called the teaching profession “vital to the continued success of our state.”

Several members of Lee’s own political party have also voiced their displeasure with Arnn’s comments.

“The vast majority of teachers have huge hearts and are in education because of their commitment to our children,” tweeted state Rep. Jeremy Faison, chairman of the House Republican caucus. “To argue that they are bottom of the barrel is wrong & ignorant. The guy from Hillsdale doesn’t speak for any Tennessean I know.”

State Sen. Ken Yager of Kingston, chairman of the Senate Republican Caucus, wrote in a tweet: “As a former classroom teacher, I have some idea of the challenges our public school teachers deal with on a daily basis. They do an outstanding job preparing our youth. I support them and say thank you.”

(Marta W. Aldrich is a senior correspondent and covers the statehouse for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Contact her at maldrich@chalkbeat.org.)

July 7 - 13, 2022

LEGAL NOTICE Request for Statement of Qualifications MSCAA Project Number 22-1460-00 Airfield Pavement Replacement Program (Pop-Outs) - Design Statements of Qualifications for Airfield Pavement Replacement Program (Pop-Outs) - Design will be received by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (Authority), Procurement Department, 4150 Louis Carruthers Road, Memphis, TN 38118, until 2:00 PM local time on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. The Information Package, including a description of the scope of services, the selection criteria, the required response format, and additional instructions may be obtained on the Authority’s website at www.flymemphis. com on or after June 28, 2022.

All Respondents are responsible for checking the Authority’s website up to the submission deadline for any updates, addenda or additional information. The successful Respondent must meet the DBE participation goal for this project, which is 20%, and sign a contract with the Authority that includes Federal Aviation Administration provisions, if applicable, regarding 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 in whole or in part; to waive any informalities, technicalities, or omissions related to this request; and to reject responses on any other basis authorized by the Authority’s purchasing policies. This project is funded under a grant contract with the Federal Aviation Administration.

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 LEGAL NOTICE Request for Statement of Qualifications MSCAA Project Number 22-1457-00 Aeronautical Obstruction Evaluations Statements of Qualifications for Aeronautical Obstruction Evaluations will be received by the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (Authority), Procurement Department, 4150 Louis Carruthers Road, Memphis, TN 38118, until 2:00 PM local time on Tuesday, July 26, 2022. The Information Package, including a description of the scope of services, the selection criteria, the required response format, and additional instructions may be obtained on the Authority’s website at www.flymemphis.com on or after Tuesday, June 28, 2022.

All Respondents are responsible for checking the Authority’s website up to the submission deadline for any updates, addenda or additional information. The successful Respondent must meet the DBE participation goal for this project, which is 4%, and sign a contract with the Authority that includes Federal Aviation Administration provisions, if applicable, regarding 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 in whole or in part; to waive any informalities, technicalities, or omissions related to this request; and to reject responses on any other basis authorized by the Authority’s purchasing policies.

Page 11

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https://us06web.zoom.us/ j/83456583082?pwd=U3hEZkU3dE10ajNHSG8vUm4zM0doQT09 Passcode: 490001 The Open House is designed to discuss the various aspects of Security Services with the Memphis Airport to include but are not necessarily limited to minimum experience needed as a prime & subcontractor, staffing responsibilities, compliance with laws, regulations, ordinances, and contract specifications and terms of contract length.

The Open House will include presentation of information on the following areas: description of the Disadvantage Business Enterprise program, security guard experience, qualification requirements, DBE certification, anticipated timetable for the selection and estimated time of contract start.

The Open House will be useful for small businesses, minority and women business owners seeking to contract with MSCAA. You may RSVP to the Open House by emailing bdd@flymemphis.com.

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: Darriel Rogers Tax Parcel #: 03501700000110 Tax Sale #: 1702 Price Offered: $3500.00 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 September 7, 2022, 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: Dana Sanders Tax Parcel #: 04200200000280 Tax Sale #: 1702 Price Offered: $3800.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher,

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.

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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 September 7, 2022, 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: Bertha Hines Tax Parcel #: 0450290000002c Tax Sale #: 1703 Price Offered: $3000.00 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 1:00 p.m. on September 7, 2022, 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

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: Jacquelyn Ingram Tax Parcel #: 05000100000090 Tax Sale #: 1304 Price Offered: $1500.00 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 September 7, 2022, 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: Mohamad Elabiad Tax Parcel #: 04203700001680 Tax Sale #: 1701 Price Offered: $5300.00 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 September 7, 2022, 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: Taft Bradley Tax Parcel #: 07103900000380 Tax Sale #: 1702 Price Offered: $36100.00 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 September 7, 2022, 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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By order of: Scott A. Brockman, A.A.E. President and CEO Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority

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The Open House will be held July 22, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in the Memphis Shelby County Airport, terminal A Board Room, mezzanine level, located at 2491 Winchester Road, Memphis, TN 38116 or you may join via Zoom at:

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The New Tri-State Defender

July 7 - 13, 2022

Page 12

SPORTS

WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Brittney Griner is escorted to a courtroom for a hearing in Khimki just outside Moscow, Russia, on Friday, July 1, 2022. (AP Photo: Alexander Zemlianichenko)

Biden tells Griner’s wife he’s working to get her home

by Darlene Superville Associated Press

WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden spoke Wednesday with the wife of detained WNBA player Brittney Griner, who is on trial in Russia, to reassure her that he is working to win Griner’s freedom as soon as possible, the White House said.

Biden’s conversation with Cherelle Griner followed Brittney Griner’s personal appeal to the president in a handwritten letter from the basketball player the White House received on Monday. In the letter, Griner said she feared she would spend forever in detention in Russia and asked Biden to not “forget about me and the other American Detainees.”

Griner has been detained in Russia for four months and is currently on trial, accused of possessing vape cartridges containing cannabis oil.

The call was placed as Griner’s family has become more aggressive in pressuring the Biden administration by speaking out about her case, including through Brittney Griner’s letter to the president and several television interviews by Cherelle Griner, who said she did not think the government was doing enough to bring her wife home.

“The President called Cherelle to reassure her that he is working to secure Brittney’s release as soon as possible, as well as the release of Paul Whelan and other U.S. nationals who are wrongfully detained or held hostage in Russia and around the world,” the White House said in a statement. “He also read her a draft of the letter the President is sending to Brittney Griner today.”

Biden offered the family his support and committed to making sure they receive “all possible assistance” during the administration’s pursuit of Brittney Griner’s release, the White House said.

Griner, 31, is in the midst of a trial in Russia that began last week after she was arrested on Feb. 17 on charges of possessing cannabis oil while returning to play for her Russian team. The trial is scheduled to resume Thursday.

Fewer than 1 percent of defendants in Russian criminal cases are acquitted and, unlike in U.S. courts, acquittals can be overturned.

Cherelle Griner told “CBS Mornings” in an interview Tuesday that it was “disheartening” to her that she had yet to hear from Biden during her wife’s detention.

A representative for Cherelle Griner did not immediately respond to a text message from The Associated Press. Cherelle

Griner was scheduled to speak publicly Wednesday night at a rally in Phoenix organized by Brittney Griner’s WNBA team.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Wednesday that Biden “has been clear about the need to see every American who is wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad released, including Brittney Griner.”

“This has been top of mind for the president,” she said. Jean-Pierre added that Biden is updated daily on the status of efforts to win freedom for Brittney Griner and other Americans the U.S. government believes are being wrongfully detained in Russia and elsewhere.

Representatives for Brittney Griner on Monday shared excerpts from her letter to the president.

In one, she wrote, “…As I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever.”

The letter was delivered to the White House on the Fourth of July, which Brittney Griner said is a special day for her family.

“On the 4th of July, our family normally honors the service of those who fought for our freedom, including my father who is a

Vietnam War Veteran,” the center for the Phoenix Mercury said. “It hurts thinking about how I usually celebrate this day because freedom means something completely different to me this year.”

Griner’s supporters have encouraged a prisoner swap like one in April that brought home Marine veteran Trevor Reed in exchange for a Russian pilot convicted of drug trafficking conspiracy.

Russian news media have repeatedly speculated that she could be swapped for Russian arms trader Viktor Bout, who is serving a 25-year sentence on conviction of conspiracy to kill U.S. citizens and providing aid to a terrorist organization.

Russia has agitated for Bout’s release for years. But the wide discrepancy between Griner’s case – involving alleged possession of vape cartridges containing cannabis oil – and Bout’s global dealings in deadly weapons could make such a swap unpalatable to the U.S. Others have suggested she could be traded along with Whelan, a former Marine and security director serving a 16-year sentence on an espionage conviction that the U.S. has repeatedly described as a setup.

(AP Basketball writer Doug Feinberg contributed to this report.)