The New Tri-State Defender - 5/31/2018

Promoting patriotism over protest?

Scholar says African Americans rejected the idea 100 years ago during WWI — and it likely won’t work for the NFL now.

Former hoops star Tywanna Smith provides the assist on financial and business affairs for pro athletes.

Sports, Page 8

Perspective, Page 4

May 31 - June 6, 2018

VOL. 67, No. 22

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DOWN TO BUSINESS

BIG THINGS POPPIN’!

Entrepreneur behind ‘Green Goddess Popcorn and Tea Lounge’ advocates for health and women — one kernel at a time

by Erica Horton

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

‘Educating individuals on healthy eating options is my passion. I want to do workshops about healthy eating for the community, not necessarily about going vegan, but just adopting healthier eating habits.’

— Omi Iyalaje, Founder, Green Goddess Popcorn & Tea Lounge

A Memphis-born vegan chef is working to become a beacon of health in the community with her new store Green Goddess Popcorn and Tea Lounge.

Omi Iyalaje, a wife, mother of six, birth worker, herbalist, motivational speaker and lifestyle coach, owns the lounge located in Binghampton at 3078 Summer Ave. Open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, Green Goddess Popcorn and Tea Lounge offers over 34 different international teas, including black teas, green teas, white teas and medicinal teas.

There are also more than a dozen flavors of gourmet vegan popcorn, at least three vegan pastry options and more. With flavors like Zesty Garlic, Gourmet Ranch or Caribbean Curry—made with organic curry powder, vegan sugar, coconut oil, non-gmo popcorn, sea salt and love—it’s easy to devour a bowl for $4.75 while enjoying the Green Goddess atmosphere and free Wi-Fi. Iyalaje is optimistic about her new space and hopes to inspire more of the black community to embrace healthy eating options.

A vegan for 21 years, Iyalaje wants people to know that eating healthy can taste good too. She said a problem people have when they first encounter vegan food is that the options are repetitive—veggie and black bean burgers—or not palatable.

“Educating individuals on healthy eating options is my passion. I want to do workshops about healthy eating for the community, not necessarily about going vegan, but just adopting healthier eating habits,” she said. “We definitely plan on offering yoga classes, meditation, popcorn and movie nights, live music, retreats and much more.”

Iyalaje will also kick off a monthly vegan tapas tasting on July 1 featuring six vegan entrees and three cocktails.

A calendar of events will be available soon at greengoddesspopcorn.com and on her company’s various social media sites.

For now, the primary focus of Green Goddess will be popcorn and teas. “(W)hen you’re a creative, there’s only so much you can do. So I’m going to focus on the popcorn. I offer meal prep for individuals and I am also a personal chef. Maybe in the next two years, we will do a savory menu in the store.”

SEE GODDESS ON PAGE 3

The 800 Initiative hailed as a setup to win

Goal: higher market share for African-American-owned businesses

by Dr. Sybill Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The historic Universal Life Building at 480 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in ZIP Code 38126 is envisioned as a fitting place to nurture and develop African-American-owned businesses.

On Tuesday, Mayor Jim Strickland and an array of business leaders rolled out “The 800 Initiative” for African-American-owned businesses with Universal as the backdrop.

The 800 Initiative was devised after a disparity study showed that some 800 African-American-owned businesses were “stuck in the beginning stage” of developing a profitable enterprise.

“Our goal is to increase the annual revenue of these 800 companies by $50 million by the year 2023,” Strickland said.

The economic-development push consists primarily of three main components: 1) Technical assistance; 2) Business coaching by successful Sherica professionals; and 3) FinanHymes cial support through loans and grants.

Strickland is proposing a $500,000 expenditure in the city budget this year and for the next two years. Joann Massey, director of Business Diversity and Compliance for the city, said the initiative would officially start after meeting with the Memphis City Council.

Mayor Jim Strickland said the goal of The 800 Initiative is to increase the annual revenue of 800 African-American-owned companies by $50 million by the year 2023.

(Courtesy photo) Massey noted Universal Life’s “history of hope and prosperity for African-Americans.”

“Universal Life will provide a place where there is one central location for resources, open to all businesses, regardless of their race or gender. They can receive help to develop into real economic players in the local marketplace.”

Sherica Hymes, owner and proprietor of leadership development firm, Polished Consulting LLC, was on hand for the initiative’s unveiling.

“I felt so encouraged and so inspired on Tues-

day,” said Hymes. “I wanted to make sure that this wasn’t just all talk and that the city was truly committed to equity and fairness when it comes to minority businesses. But Mayor Strickland has established those relationships needed to help minority businesses get a seat at the table.

“It’s also very important that when large city contracts are awarded, winners of those bids must include a certain percentage of minority businesses

SEE THE 800 ON PAGE 2

Sherra Wright

Judge sets Wright’s bond at $20 million

‘A danger even while in custody’ report says

by John Semien

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Shocking and repugnant is how Criminal Court Judge Lee V. Coffee described a report on Sherra Wright’s run-ins with jail staff just a day before her bond hearing on Wednesday morning.

Coffee cited the report before setting a $20 million bond for Wright, who is suspected of masterminding the plot to murder her ex-husband, former NBA basketball stalwart and University of Memphis star Lorenzen Wright.

Sherra Wright was “a danger even while in custody,” according to details shared from a report by jailers. She and an alleged accomplice, Billy Ray Turner, are accused in a murder conspiracy. Both have pled not guilty. Prosecutors say Lorenzen Wright was shot to death for a $1 million life insurance policy.

Sherra Wright has married twice since divorcing Lorenzen Wright and also is known as Sherra Wright-Robinson.

Turner’s bond was set at $15 million earlier this month. At the time, Sherra Wright’s bond hearing was postponed until Wednesday. Coffee said a report on her actions while in jail show a disturbing pattern that indicates “there is a disconnect.”

Before bond was set, prosecutor Paul Hagerman said he was prepared to ask for a $10 million bond prior to reading the report.

“I’m not sure even a $10 million bond is adequate,” he said before Coffee announced his decision.

“Can you trust someone on bond who a day before was sanctioned three times,” Hagerman asked. “Can someone like that be trusted out in this community?”

Coffee said he was shocked by details in the report and would not allow the information released in its entirety.

“Ms. Wright does appear to be an ongoing danger to Shelby County, Tenn.,” Coffee said in addressing one of the considerations for bond. “I don’t know

SEE WRIGHT ON PAGE 2

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WRIGHT

CONTINUED FROM FRONT but something is not right (when someone causes that kind of trouble before their bond hearing.)

Prosecutors said that on Tuesday Wright stripped off all of her clothes, flooded her cell and told guards, “I’m going swimming, yall.”

The report detailed Wright cursing at guards and noted that a chemical spray had to be used to get her to comply with demands on at least one occasion. She also allegedly broke other infractions, including passing food to other inmates.

Wright remained stoic throughout the hearing, gesturing “no” with her head when she heard the high amount of her bond.

Defense attorney Blake Ballin said Wright has spent most of her life in Memphis and has had nothing more than traffic violations prior to being accused in the murder of Lorenzen Wright, whose badly decomposed body was found in a field in Southeast Memphis near the TPC Southwind Golf Course in July of 2010.

May 31 - June 6, 2018

Ballin said Wright also has extended family and deep roots in the community and that the prosecution’s case is “built on sand.”

The prosecution’s star witness “is a convicted murderer and he’s a liar,” said Ballin, referring to Wright’s cousin, Jimmie Martin, who is serving time for murdering his girlfriend. “You wouldn’t trust him to walk your dog around the corner.”

Martin, who is cooperating with prosecutors, directed investigators to a murder weapon found in a lake in Walls, Miss., in 2016. Turner was arrested at a convenience store in Collierville on Dec. 5, 2017. On Dec. 15, Wright was arrested in Riverside, Calif. and subsequently extradited to Memphis.

Turner served as a deacon at a church in Collierville. Wright once attended the church.

In announcing his bond decision, Coffee said, “It does appear to be a reasonable likelihood of conviction in this case.”

Wright and Turner are set to be back in court for a status hearing on July 11.

Page 2

NEWS

THE 800

GROW YOUR BUSINESS:

CONTINUED FROM FRONT to retain that contract,” Hymes said.

“I feel like we are being set up to win.

Small businesses are the heartbeat of this city, and Memphis is majority African American. When minority businesses are winning, the whole city wins.”

Is The 800 Initiative a slam-dunk for minority businesses?

Is generating $50 million in receipts over the next five years as easy as engendering business partnerships, providing technical assistance and awarding loans and grants?

It may not be as Mark Yates simple as that, but Mark Yates, newly appointed chief visionary officer for the Black Business Association, likes the formula.

“What we have is an overwhelming number of black businesses are one-person shops,” said Yates. “Fifty million in annual receipts over the next five years is the goal, but it is achievable because all the ingredients are there. These minority businesses will have access to capital,

Maybe you’re ready to start your journey as an entrepreneur.

Or maybe you’re ready to take your small business to the next level.

Either way, here are some resources: Co.Starters at Epicenter: For Early-Stage Minority Firms www.epimemphis.com/costarters/ Propel: City of Memphis Accelerator Program for Growing Minority-Owned Businesses www.memphistn.gov/business/propel_accelerator High Tech, High Growth: Visit Start Co. to Learn about High Tech, High Growth Programs http://neverstop.co/ Universal Life: Set an Appointment for a Business Assessment www.memphistn.gov/business/business_development_center (Source: the800.org) business coaching and technical assistance – everything they need to grow and prosper. Let’s just say I am very hopeful.”

After the initiative has begun, quarterly reports will gauge the progress of participating businesses, Yates said.

Lead partners of the plan were on hand, including Christian Brothers University, Start Co, Epicenter and FedEx. FedEx has pledged, in addition to the $1.5 million from the city, another $1 million over the next four years.

Tennessee Small Business Development Centers, the Black Business Association of Memphis and the Mid-South Minority Business Council will also partner with The 800 Initiative at a later time.

The 800 Initiative leadership partners will reach out to each business, but business owners may also contact the city’s Office of Business Diversity and Compliance for more information. That number is 901-636-6210.

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May 31 - June 6, 2018

The New Tri-State Defender

Omi Iyalaje is on a community-service mission anchored by entrepreneurial creativity, including Green Goddess Popcorn and Tea Lounge in Binghampton.

Page 3

BUSINESS

GODDESS

CONTINUED FROM FRONT Iyalaje founded Green Goddess Vegan Foods in 2008 with a focus on flavorful vegan popcorn infused with superfood ingredients. The same year she launched her company, Iyalaje secured a contract with the Memphis location of national health food retailer Whole Foods Market. Eventually, she expanded to Whole Food Stores as well as cafes and coffee shops in Nashville, Knoxville and Atlanta.

Her Green Goddess logo and character is meant to inspire and empower women.

“She is definitely an energy by herself. Her pigmentation is green because green represents life and without the woman there wouldn’t be life because we are the creators and givers of life,” Iyalaje said.

“Without the earth there wouldn’t be any vegetation. So we personified what that Green Goddess would look like in a physical representation.”

As she was creating the Green Goddess, it was also important to Iyalaje to have some

(Courtesy photo)

The Green Goddess logo and character is designed to inspire and empower women. (Courtesy photo) positive representation of African Americans in stores.

“When you look in the marketplace in stores, you see a lot of African Americans in servitude positions like Uncle Ben and Aunt Jemima. So, to see the Green Goddess, to see confidence and pride, to see love of self is what we wanted to represent when the Green Goddess was created in terms of the image.”

Empowering women is one of Iyalaje’s many passions. Her company’s sister nonprofit,

Green Goddess Global, works to support women whose lives have been affected by domestic violence, substance abuse, human trafficking and poverty.

Participants in Green Goddess Global go through a nineweek program to learn to love and nurture themselves, learn healthy eating habits and develop entrepreneurship skills.

The non-profit uses five cents of every bowl and bag purchased to help program participants. After that comes a sixmonth apprenticeship for the

women who work with Iyalaje to package, season and bag the popcorn.

At the end of the six months, participants have the option of going to another program or staying with Iyalaje full time.

Iyalaje said she manages her business life by keeping her personal life in order and that it’s the best advice she has ever received as an entrepreneur.

“If you don’t have your personal life in order, then it’s going to be hard to have your business life in order. Your household is a business,” she said.

“How you do things at home is going to be a direct reflection of how you run your business. Before you take on entrepreneurship, you want to make sure your personal life is organized.”

(Email Erica Horton at ericaevolves@gmail.com.)

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PERSPECTIVE The New Tri-State Defender, May 31 - June 6, 2018, Page 4

NFL tells players patriotism is more important than protest – here’s why that didn’t work during WWI

by Chad Williams, Brandeis University The Conversation

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.)

The recent decision by the NFL regarding player protests and the national anthem has yet again exposed the fraught relationship between African Americans and patriotism.

The controversy has taken place nearly a century after another time when African-Americans painfully grappled with questions concerning loyalty to the nation and the struggle for equal rights.

In July 1918, at the height of American participation in World War I, W. E. B. Du Bois, the acclaimed black scholar, activist and civil rights leader, penned arguably the most controversial editorial of his career, “Close Ranks.”

“Let us, while this war lasts, forget our special grievances and close our ranks shoulder to shoulder with our own white fellow citizens and the allied nations that are fighting for democracy,” he advised his fellow African-Americans. Du Bois acknowledged that this was “no ordinary sacrifice,” but black people would nevertheless make it “gladly and willingly with our eyes lifted to the hills.”

Pressured from league owners, white fans and the president of the United States, black NFL players are now faced with the dilemma of closing ranks and forgetting their “special grievances,” or continuing to protest against racial injustice.

The history of African Americans in World War I, as I have explored in my work, offers important lessons about how to confront this challenge.

The NFL, race and the national anthemLast season, during the playing of the national anthem, dozens of NFL players kneeled, locked arms and raised their fists in protest against police and state-sanctioned violence inflicted upon African Americans. Their actions elicited a fierce backlash, much of it fueled by President Donald Trump, who encouraged his overwhelmingly white base of supporters to boycott the NFL so long as players, in his view, continued to disrespect the flag.

Seeking to avoid further controversy, on May 23, Commissioner Roger Goddell announced that for the upcoming season, “All team and league personnel on the field shall stand and show respect for the flag and the Anthem.” Not following this directive could result in teams being fined and players subject to “appropriate discipline.”

Approximately 70 percent of the players in the NFL are African American. They have also been the most visible faces of the national anthem protests, which began in

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2016 with quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who is currently unemployed and suing owners for collusion to keep him out of the league.

I see the decision by the NFL as an unmistakable attempt to police the actions of its majority black work force, impose what amounts to a loyalty oath, and enforce through intimidation and threat a narrow definition of patriotism. The message is clear: Either demonstrate unqualified devotion to the United States or be punished.

African Americans and World War I African Americans confronted the same stark choice during World War I. In previous conflicts, African Americans had sacrificed and shed blood for the nation.

But patriotism alone has never been enough to overcome white supremacy.

By 1917, as the United States prepared to enter the world war, disfranchisement, Jim Crow segregation, and racial violence had rendered African-Americans citizens in name only.

B l a c k people thus had every reason to question the legitimacy of fighting in a war that President Wo o d r o w Wilson declared would make the world “safe for democracy.” African Americans immediately exposed the hypocrisy of Wilson’s words, while also seizing the opportunity to hold the United States accountable to its principles. They did this, in part, by serving in the army, as some 380,000 black soldiers labored and fought to not just win the war, but to also make democracy a reality for themselves.

African Americans also recognized the importance of protest. Discrimination and racial violence continued throughout the war, highlighted by the East St. Louis massacre in July 1917, where white mobs killed as many as 200 black people. In response, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People organized

President Calvin Anderson Associate Publisher/ Executive Editor Karanja A. Ajanaku

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a Silent Protest Parade in New York City, where more than 10,000 black men, women and children peacefully marched down Fifth Avenue carrying signs, one of which read, “Patriotism and loyalty presuppose protection and liberty.”

‘Closing ranks’ and the costs Just as it does today, protesting racial injustice during the war carried risk. The federal government wielded the repressive power of American nationalism to crush disloyalty to the United States. The Espionage Act (1917) and Sedition Act (1918) severely curtailed civil liberties by criminalizing “disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language.”

“100 percent Americanism” entailed the policing of immigrant communities, restricting freedom of the press, jailing anti-war activists, and monitoring African Americans, including W. E. B. Du Bois, for potential radicalism. This pressure, along with the personal desire to demonstrate his loyalty to the nation, compelled Du Bois to soften his critiques of the government and issue his call for African Americans to “close ranks.” “ T h e words were hardly out of my mouth when strong criticism was rained upon it,” Du Bois later remembered. Even during a time of war, most African Americans refused to set aside the “special grievances” of segregation, lynching and systemic racial abuse. And Du Bois paid a heavy price. William Monroe Trotter, the fiery newspaper editor and civil rights leader from Boston, branded Du Bois “a rank quitter,” adding that his one-time ally had “weakened, compromised, deserted the fight.”

But African Americans, having fought for democracy, would surely be rewarded for their loyal service and patriotic sacrifices, Du Bois reasoned.

To the contrary, they were greeted with a torrent of racial violence and bloodshed that came to be known as the “Red Sum-

mer” of 1919. White people, North and South, were determined to remind black people of their place in the nation’s racial hierarchy. Race riots erupted throughout the country and the number of African Americans lynched skyrocketed, including several black veterans still in uniform.

The NFL’s decision is essentially an attempt to appease the mob in 2018.

Echoing the backlash following World War I, the vitriolic reactions to the national anthem protests reflect what happens when African Americans physically and symbolically challenge an understanding of patriotism rooted in white supremacy and racist ideas of black subservience. I believe the NFL has acquiesced to the threats of President Trump and the unrest of its white fan base by establishing a policy that requires black players to remain docile, obedient employees, devoid of any outward expression of racial and political consciousness, which sole purpose is to entertain and enrich their owners.

And now, the NFL wants black players to “close ranks” by giving them the false choice between standing for the pledge or hiding their protest in the locker room, conveniently out of sight of fans in the stadium and away from television cameras.

The league ignores any mention of the “special grievances” of police brutality, racial profiling and antiblack harassment that remain alive and well. Ironically, the NFL has been the one to transform the flag into a political weapon to silence black activism, protect its corporate interests and maintain a racial status quo. Displays of patriotism and loyalty to nation are meaningless when not accompanied by the actual freedoms and protections that come with being a citizen.

W. E. B. Du Bois would spend the rest of his life questioning his decision for African Americans to “close ranks” during World War I. He ultimately recognized that until America reckoned with its racist history and embraced the humanity of black people, the nation would remain deeply wounded.

At the age of 90, reflecting on the questions that shaped his decades of struggle, Du Bois pondered, “How far can love for my oppressed race accord with love for the oppressing country? And when these loyalties diverge, where shall my soul find refuge?”

Like the battlefields of France 100 years ago, the football fields of NFL stadiums are just one place where African Americans have historically sought to answer these questions. And simply closing ranks has never been sufficient. In this moment of racial repression and moral mendacity, when the ideals of democracy are undermined daily, the debate over national anthem protests reminds us that the fight to affirm the sanctity of black life is much longer and deeper than a Sunday afternoon game.

This article was originally published on The Conversation.

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The New Tri-State Defender

May 31 - June 6, 2018

RELIGION

Pastor Kneeland looking toward retirement after health scare

Page 5

LEGACY: The Right Rev. Cornal Garnett Henning Sr.

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to the New Tri-State Defender

Congregants were preparing to hear the Sunday morning sermon at Union Valley Baptist Church, an iconic landmark in the heart of South Memphis. Pastor H.O. Kneeland was reminding the church to pray for those on the “Sick and Shut-In List.”

Before the Rev. Kneeland could finish the thought, he collapsed on the pulpit. “(E)verything just went black,” Kneeland recalled. “I don’t remember anything else.”

Members and loved ones were, understandably, concerned.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the 86-year-old Kneeland at Union Valley. Back in 2015, he began thinking about retirement.

But the succession process took a back burner as the day-to-day matters of running a church had to take front-and-center. The time got pushed back further and further, and soon, it was no longer such a great priority.

Now, three years later, the issue of retirement rushes back into the picture.

“It’s one thing to decide you’re going to retire,” Kneeland said. “You try to figure out the perfect time to walk away from the work you’ve done. And you want to feel confident you are leaving the church in capable hands. It’s one thing for you to decide, but it’s quite another thing when God is speaking.

“I’ll be 87 in August, if the Lord lets me live. So I’ve been here a long time. I believe the Lord is telling me it’s time.”

Kneeland got his start at Woodstock Baptist Church in Frayser “back when Frayser was the country.”

“I was pastor at Woodstock for two years before the Lord brought me over to Union Valley,” he said. “I guess you could say the church and I have grown up together. For 60 years, it has been my life. I have been as close to some as I was to my own family.”

When he came to the church in the early ’60s, Kneeland created the building fund drive. Less than a year later, there was enough to purchase the church’s present site at the corner of Cummings St. and McLemore Ave. “Back in those days, most households had two parents. Now, many black families consist of a mother raising children without the presence of a father in the home,” said Kneeland reflecting on environment changes familiar to many pastors.

“The absence of the father has led to a host of other trends that are troubling – increase in poverty, homelessness, violent youth crime,

The Rev. H.O. Kneeland

“It’s one thing to decide you’re going to retire,” Kneeland said. “You try to figure out the perfect time to walk away from the work you’ve done. And you want to feel confident you are leaving the church in capable hands. It’s one thing for you to decide, but it’s quite another thing when God is speaking.”

– Rev. H.O. Kneeland teen pregnancy and high drop-out rates.”

The days of Sunday-only church activity are long gone, he said.

“People need emotional support, spiritual guidance and practical help because the needs have grown so wide and diverse. Wholistic ministry, addressing the whole needs of a person, is needed. New leadership, effective leadership must be put into place to come behind me.”

According to his daughter, Linda Holland, retirement seems to be the next chapter for her father.

“My dad needs a stint in his heart, but his kidneys may be too weak to stand such a serious operation,” she said. “He has worked so hard for so many years for Union Valley. We feel it’s time to retire, and I’m just happy he feels that this may be the time, also.

“We want to keep him here as long as we can, and we want him feeling good. It’s time for him to enjoy the fruits of his labor all these years. So, an official retirement announcement is coming soon, I hope.”

Family, friends and some who admired him from a distance attended a homegoing service for Bishop Cornal Garnett Henning Sr. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley) In the space between midnight and daybreak of May 15, Bishop Cornal Garnett Henning Sr. passed away, closing the last chapter of a life lived “on the front line of social and political advancement.” He was 82.

A devoted member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, The Right Rev. Henning was eulogized at First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles on May 23. The internment was held at New Park Cemetery in Memphis after a homegoing service at St. Andrews A.M.E. on May 26.

Those celebrating Mr. Henning’s legacy included the Rev. James Lawson, who is noted as the minister responsible for getting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Memphis in support of the striking sanitation workers in 1968. Lawson is pastor emeritus of Holman United Methodist Church and former board chairman of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), Los Angeles.

Mr. Henning was born in Memphis, where he attended Booker T. Washington High School prior to earning his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Wilberforce University and his Master of Theology Degree from Payne Theological Seminary.

His first pastoral appointments were in Nashville. In 1972, he was appointed to Ward A.M.E. in Los Angeles, having served previously in the city as a youth minister at First A.M.E.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)

In the years that followed, Mr. Henning’s ministry and administration in churches and communities where he served was marked by effective activism for social justice. His numerous ministerial service stops and jurisdiction included West Africa and the Republic of Rev. Cornal Garnett South Africa.

Henning Sr. He fought for farmworkers’ rights with Caesar Chavez, traveled to Cuba and Nicaragua on faithbased missions and participated in the Million Man March organized by Minister Louis Farrakhan. Early on he embraced the Black liberation theology espoused by Dr. James H. Cone. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Mr. Henning leaves his wife, Ernestine Darnester Lee Henning; his daughter, Carma Garnetta Henning (aka Carma Chinyere Love); two sisters, Yvonne Henning Parks and Bishop Elizabeth Anne Henning Byfield; a brother, Dr. Herman William Henning Jr.; and two grandchildren. Preceding his death were two children, Cornal Garnett Jr. and Helaine Aleece; a sister, Zettie Henning; and two brothers, the Rev. John Patrick Henning and George Miller Henning.

Back together…

Mt. Nebo Baptist Church was the setting on Sunday as the Hudson family capped its three-day reunion. Pictured (sitting, l-r): Paula Mitchell, Wilma Wright, Bobbie Williams and Shelia Hudson; (standing, l-r): Darrell, Cedric, Terry and Myron Hudson (veteran sales representative for The New Tri-State Defender). (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

The New Tri-State Defender

May 31 - June 6, 2018

Page 6

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY CALENDAR MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN/ OIL PAINTING WITH JUDY NOCIFORA

WHAT: Memphis Botanic Garden/ Oil Painting with Judy Nocifora DATE: 5/31/18 STARTS: 09:30:AM WHERE: Memphis Botanic Garden 750 Cherry Rd., Memphis, TN 38117 DESCRIPTION: $235 MBG members/$260 non-members

MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN/ BOTANICAL BARS-STOP AND SMELL THE ROSE

WHAT: Memphis Botanic Garden/ Botanical Bars-Stop and Smell the Rose DATE: 5/31/18 STARTS: 06:00:PM WHERE: Memphis Botanic Garden 750 Cherry Rd., Memphis, TN 38117 DESCRIPTION: Advanced tickets required. $30 MBG members/$40 non-members.

MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN/ PALETTE KNIFE AND BRUSHWORK TECHNIQUES

WHAT: Memphis Botanic Garden/ Palette Knife and Brushwork Techniques DATE: 5/31/18 STARTS: 01:30:PM WHERE: Memphis Botanic Garden 750 Cherry Rd., Memphis, TN 38117 DESCRIPTION: $140 MBG members/$165 non-members

BUCKMAN ARTS CENTER AT ST. MARY’S SCHOOL/BUCKMAN DANCE INTENSIVE WHAT: Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School/Buckman Dance Intensive

EVENT LISTINGS

The New Tri-State Defender Community Calendar features selected items published on TSDMemphis.com. To submit an event visit TSDMemphis.com and look for the EVENTS menu along the top of the page.

DATE: 5/31/18 STARTS: 11:00:AM WHERE: Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School 60 Perkins Extended, Memphis, TN 38117 DESCRIPTION: Tuition is $150 for students ages eight and up.

BIG JUMP TEEN AMBASSADORS/SOUTH MEMPHIS GLIDE RIDE

WHAT: Big Jump Teen Ambassadors/South Memphis Glide Ride DATE: 5/31/18 STARTS: 06:00:PM WHERE: South Memphis Farmer’s Market 1400 Mississippi Blvd., Memphis, TN 38106

BUCKMAN ARTS CENTER AT ST. MARY’S SCHOOL

WHAT: Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School DATE: 6/1/18 STARTS: 11:00:AM WHERE: Buckman Arts Center at St. Mary’s School 60 Perkins Extended, Memphis, TN 38117 DESCRIPTION: Tuition is $150 for students ages eight and up.

INFORMAL COMMUNITY DIALOGUE ON CHILDHOOD BULLYING

WHAT: Informal Community Dialogue on Childhood Bullying DATE: 6/2/18 STARTS: 12:00:PM WHERE: Singleton Community Center 7266 Third Road, Bartlett, TN 38135 DESCRIPTION: In 2016, in the United States, more than 160,000 children missed school every day out of fear of being bullied! Doing nothing is not an option!

Event Details: The Writers’ Block Literary PopUp Shop Informal Community Dialogue on Childhood Bullying Saturday, June 2, 2018 Noon - 5 PM Open Discussion: 12:30 PM 2:30 PM Singleton Community Center 7266 Third Road, Bartlett, TN 38135 Moderators: Jessica Malone, LMSW and Whitney Davis, Business Owner Panel: 1). Bridgette Bowman, Chief Probation Officer, Juvenile Court of Memphis and Shelby County 2). Cody Childress, Millington Municipal School Board Member, Position 4 3). Nicole Gates, Public Affairs Specialist, Shelby County Mayor’s Office 4). Lee Harris, Tennessee Senator, 29th Senatorial District 5). Stephanie Love, Vice Chair, Shelby County School Board Member, District 3 6). Leshundra Robinson, Executive Director, UCAN of Memphis 7). Regina Thompson, Assistant District Attorney General, Shelby County District Attorney General

READY TO ROLL!

This spot near the South Memphis Farmers Market at 1400 Mississippi Blvd. is a jumping on-and-off point for Explore Bike Share, which recently was launched to promote bike culture in Memphis through community development, bike education and safety training, along with encouraging exercise and healthy lifestyles. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley) Office The event is free and open to the public! The doors open at 11:30 AM! MORE INFO: https://www.yvonnejames.com/ childhood-bullying-dialogue

WEAR ORANGE BLOCK PARTY

1988 2018

30

YEARS of EXCELLENCE! Sanders Catering, Inc.

WHAT: Wear Orange Block Party DATE: 6/2/18 STARTS: 12:00:PM WHERE: Lester Community Center 317 Tillman St, Memphis TN 38112 COST: no-admission-fee, DESCRIPTION: ‘Orange is the color that Hadiya Pendleton’s friends wore in her honor after she was shot and killed in Chicago at the age of 15 — just one week after performing at President Obama’s 2nd inaugural parade in 2013. After her death, her friends asked us to stand up, speak out, and Wear Orange to raise awareness about gun violence.

The color orange has a long and proud history in the gun violence

prevention movement.

Whether it’s worn by hunters in the woods of Pennsylvania, activists in East Brooklyn, New York, or Hadiya’s loved ones in Chicago, orange honors the more than 90 lives cut short and the hundreds more wounded by gun violence everyday -- and demands action. Orange expresses our collective hope as a nation — a hope for a future free from gun violence.

Wear orange and join us for a Community Block Party. Kids activities, live music, snack food, and the opportunity to join the movement to end gun violence. ‘

MEMPHIS FARMERS MARKET (MFM) OPEN SATURDAYS APRIL 7-OCTOBER 27, 2018

WHAT: Memphis Farmers Market (MFM) Open Saturdays April 7-October 27, 2018 DATE: 6/2/18 STARTS: 08:00:AM WHERE: Memphis Farmers Market 567 S. Front St., Memphis, TN 38103

DESCRIPTION: Every Saturday, April 7-October 27, 2018, 8:00 am-1:00 pm.

AMERICAN RED CROSS/BLOOD DONATION OPPORTUNITIES/ MEMPHIS

WHAT: American Red Cross/Blood Donation Opportunities/Memphis DATE: 6/11/18 STARTS: 11:00:AM WHERE: Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc. 1100 Ridgeway Loop Road, #200

WINE DOWN FOR BIZTOWN, PRESENTED BY JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT’S YOUNG PROFESSIONALS BOARD

WHAT: Wine Down for BizTown, presented by Junior Achievement’s Young Professionals Board DATE: 6/15/18 STARTS: 05:30:PM WHERE: Junior Achievement 307 Madison Avenue, Memphis, TN 38103

Vance Ave./Downtown

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We emphasize meeting families’ needs, not goals. Like you, we are part of this community.

Our services do not end with the funeral. We value a life-long relationship of support and care.

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EAST MEMPHIS: 729 N. White Station Rd. • OAKHAVEN: 3237 Winchester Rd. See the Memphis Cash Saver grocery ad at memphiscashsaver.com

The New Tri-State Defender

May 31 - June 6, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT

Page 7

Ballet on Wheels Dance School and Company is Memphis’ only non-profit, pre-professional, community-based classical ballet school and youth dance company. Tamia Elliott starred as Annie.

(Photos: Courtesy of Ballet on Wheels)

“Annie:

The ‘Dance-sical’” puts a twist on the broadway classic

by Joyce Kyles

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Attendees witnessed a future Misty Copeland, Ashley Murphy or Ebony Williams over the Memorial Day weekend as they experienced a magical twist on the broadway classic “Annie” at the Ballet on Wheels Dance School and Company’s End of Year Dance Recital.

“All in the name of dance,” said Chauniece R. Thompson, executive artistic director of Ballet on Wheels (BOW).

Annie: The “Dance-sical” provid-

ed a unique blend of several genres of movement. Classical ballet, modern dance, jazz and boys hip hop were all represented as an effervescent movement of young dancers stole hearts and delighted audiences with multiple performances.

“It’s a twist on the movie and broadway play, but it’s all in the name of dance, which I think makes it a little different,” Thompson said.

“We’re trying to portray the story of Orphan Annie, the mean old Miss Hannigan and the stories of the orphans, which are our younger youth dancers, and just being able to bring

that story to life on the stage.”

The native Memphian and accomplished dancer is using the arts to help shape the lives of students and provide stories of lessons to be used long after they graduate from program.

“We’re here for those lessons.

We’re here for the light bulb moments,” Thompson said.

Pride beams from Thompson as she shared the story of Kaiah Warr, a former student who graduated, moved away and has since returned to work with the dance company.

“She’s a powerhouse who’s able to relate to the students and teach-

ing them choreography.” Thompson said. “It’s very refreshing. She choreographed three or four pieces for ‘Annie,’ so it’s extra special seeing her work on stage. That’s what makes me smile.”

Ballet on Wheels Dance School and Company is Memphis’ only non-profit, pre-professional, community-based classical ballet school and youth dance company. It offers scholarships and financial assistance so

that “students are able to dance and the parents are not having to worry about the financial side, if that is an obstacle.”

Thompson said, “We teach dance, but we teach so much more about life and we’re very serious about that. We’re proud of the processes we take to ensure they’re responsible in dance, at school, in their homes, communities and extracurricular activities.”

The New Tri-State Defender

May 31 - June 6, 2018

Page 8

SPORTS

Educating and empowering athletes to elevate the game Tywanna Smith moves from pro-ball to sports management

by Brianna A. Smith

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Tywanna Smith is a brand builder, an entrepreneur and best-selling author of “Surviving the Lights: A Professional Athlete’s Playbook to Avoiding the Curse.”

Her experience as a professional basketball player, business owner and financial advisor puts her in a unique position to provide comprehensive advice and perspective to other professional athletes regarding their sports branding, business management and financial needs.

Raised in West Memphis, Ark., Tywanna discovered her love for the game of basketball at a young age, spending hours playing basketball with the local boys in her town. One of them was her cousin, Marcus Brown, who went on to become a professional basketball legend overseas.

“Marcus inspired me to pursue basketball,” Smith said. “However, I always stayed true to my parents’ guidance to put my academics first.”

Smith earned both undergraduate and masters degrees in business administration from The University of Mississippi (Ole Miss). She was also a four-year starter for the women’s basketball team and while at Ole Miss, she led the women’s basketball organization to its first NCAA tournament in years.

Following her MBA graduation, she played pro ball in Europe. That’s where she recognized a need for sound advice for pro athletes like herself.

“I had many agents approach me to advise me on how to manage my money,” she said.

“But with my educational background in business and finance, I felt that most of the financial advisors that I spoke with were not always honest or helpful.

“I realized that many professional athletes, with incomes in the multi-millions, could be easily exploited or left ill-prepared to make the proper financial decisions to support themselves into retirement,” Smith continued.

West Memphis native Tywanna Smith is a brand builder, an entrepreneur and best-selling author of “Surviving the Lights: A Professional Athlete’s Playbook to Avoiding the Curse.” After playing basketball at the University of Mississippi, Smith played professionally overseas, where she recognized that athletes need good financial advice. She’s now an agent and business manager.

(Courtesy photo) This discovery inspired her to focus on helping athletes manage their finances and their brands.

After her second season of playing professionally, Smith was approached to join the corporate world with Merrill Lynch (a wealth management division of Bank of America), as a financial advisor.

She decided to retire from professional bas-

ketball to become a financial advisor, where she focused specifically on helping athletes.

“I found myself helping my clients protect their assets, build and monetize successful brands, coordinate community initiatives, secure marketing endorsements, and more.”

In June 2016, Smith launched her own sports marketing and management agency, The Athlete’s Nexus, which provides branding, busi-

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LEGAL NOTICE TO BIDDERS Sealed bids (or Request for Proposals, where indicated as RFP) will be received at the Office of the City of Memphis Purchasing Agent, Room 354, City Hall, 125 N. Main St., Memphis, TN 38103,

All ads subject to credit approval. The New Tri-State Defender reserves the right to correctly classify and edit all copy or to reject or cancel any ad at any time. Only standard abbreviations accepted. Copy change during ordered schedule constitutes new ad & new changes. Deadlines for cancellation are identical to placement deadlines. Rates subject to change.

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until 2:00 p.m. Friday, June 8, 2018, for furnishing the City of Memphis with the following: PRODUCTS AND/OR SERVICES (1) RFQ #38858-2 POLICE UNIFORMS –

AT LAST! Final Expense Made Easier!

Ages 0 - 85 Coverage Amounts as Low as $3,000 Will Include Wood Veneer or Steel Gauge Casket Guaranteed Issue for Ages 0-85 Call Leon at 901-433-9581

TECHNICIAN CLASS

(2) RFQ #38859-2 POLICE UNIFORMS – RECRUITS (3) RFQ #38861-2 AUTOMOTIVE PAINTS, MATERIALS, & SUPPLIES (4) RFQ #38862-2 BATTERIES (5) RFQ #38908 EASEMENT MACHINE THE BELOW BID (#6) IS DESIGNATED AS A SBE BID PER ORDINANCE #5366 (6) RFQ #38909 JANITORIAL SERVICES FOR CENTRAL LIBRARY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS: All bidders must be licensed contractors as required by Title 62, Chapter 6, of the Tennessee Code Annotated. Bidders’ license number, expiration date and that part of the classification applying to the bid must appear on the envelope containing the bid; otherwise the bid will not be opened - except if the bid amount is under $25,000.00.

CERTIFICATION BY EACH BIDDER MUST BE MADE WITH RESPECT TO NON-DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT. THE CITY OF MEMPHIS ENCOURAGES THE PARTICIPATION OF SMALL AND MINORITY BUSINESSES IN THE PURCHASING PROCESS. THE BELOW CONSTRUCTION BID (#7) IS DUE ON JUNE 15, 2018 (7) RFQ #3463 CONSTRUCTION OF: MPD HOLT TRAINING ACADEMY DRIVING TRACK RENOVATIONS [PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS AND DEPOSIT INFORMATION AVAIL-

ABLE FROM: Antonio Adams, Director, City of Memphis, Division of General Services, 125 N Main, 5th Floor, Room 588, Memphis, TN 38103; Phone #901-576-6156] Construction Project Note(s): A Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference will be held on June 5, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. CT at City Hall, 125 N Main, 5th Floor, Room 558, Memphis, TN 38103. For further information please contact Antonio Adams at 901-576-6156.

THE BELOW CONSTRUCTION BID (#8) IS DUE ON JUNE 22, 2018 AND IS DESIGNATED AS A SBE BID PER ORDINANCE #5366 (8) RFQ #3462 CONSTRUCTION OF: FY2016 ROOFING MAINTENANCE [PLANS, SPECIFICATIONS AND DEPOSIT INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM: Mr. Ben Witt, Ross Witt PLLC, 6500 Stage Road, Suite 3, Bartlett, TN 38134; Phone #901-231-9488 x 102] Construction Project Note(s): A Non-Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference will be held on June 7, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. CT at Building Design & Construction Department, City Hall, 125 N Main, Room 554, Memphis, TN 38103. For further information please contact Mr. Ben Witt at 901-231-9488 x 102.

By Order of the Mayor of the City of Memphis, Tennessee.

Jim Strickland, Mayor Eric S. Mayse, City Purchasing Agent NOTICE TO BIDDERS Shelby County Government has issued Sealed Bid number I000455B for Ready Mix Concrete, Shelby County Roads & Bridges. Information regarding this Bid is located on the County’s website at www.shelbycountytn. gov . At the top of the home

ness management and financial planning services for professional athletes. The mission of the agency is to manage clients’ lifestyles so they can focus on their professional careers.

She acts as a mediator between her athlete clients and all the aspects of running their brand.

“I am committed to helping each professional athlete become a better citizen, a better role model, and a better businessman, she said.”

Though her client list is heavy on U.S. athletes playing abroad, it is impressive: Marcus Brown (retired NBA player and the Euro-League’s 3rd all-time leading scorer); Sonny Weems (Maccabi Tel Aviv, NBA); Terrence Metcalf (retired NFL player); Desmond Mason (NBA’s Seattle Supersonics); Troymaine Pope (Seattle Seahawks ) and many more.

Utilizing her knowledge from her professional career on and off the court, Smith created a written blueprint for athletes, on how to avoid the downfalls that come with successful athletic careers.

Over the past decade, Smith has helped over a dozen professional athletes protect their assets, evaluate business opportunities, secure marketing endorsements, coordinate community service events and appearances, start non-profit organizations, and make significant life decisions. And she continues to educate, empower, and elevate athletes.

In February 2017, she authored “Surviving the Lights: A Professional Athlete’s Playbook to Avoiding the Curse.” It quickly became a best-seller on Amazon and has received a number of positive reviews.

“The book guides athletes in their careers at every level, as well as, in their transition to life after sports,” she said, “Such as helping high school athletes get exposure, advising college athletes choose the correct agents, and instructing professional athletes to get the most out of their contracts financially.”

Tywanna is married and a proud mother of two boys.

(Tywanna Smith can be contacted at www. tywannasmith.com.)

page, click on the dropdown box under “Business”, Click on “Purchasing” and “Bids” to locate the name of the above described Sealed Bid.

SEALED BID DUE FRIDAY, JUNE 15TH, 2018 AT 2:30 PM CST (SB-I000455B) READY MIX CONCRETE Shelby County is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer, drug-free with policies of non-discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or military service.

By order of MARK H. LUTTRELL, JR., MAYOR SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Brianna Chambers Tax Parcel #: 04203600000360 Tax Sale #: 205 Price Offered: $200.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice.

If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 2:00 p.m. on June 28, 2018, 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 MIKE BLACKWELL (901) 222-2581 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: Morial White Tax Parcel #: 04905900000200 Tax Sale #: 1402 Price Offered: $3,600.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice.

If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 1:00 p.m. on June 29, 2018, 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 MIKE BLACKWELL (901) 222-2581 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: LeMoyne Truevine MB Church Tax Parcel #: 02505000000010 Tax Sale #: 704 Price Offered: $100 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 June 28, 2018, 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 MIKE BLACKWELL (901) 222-2581

COMMUNITY The New Tri-State Defender, May 31 - June 6, 2018, Page 9

SPLITTING DUTIES

OK secured to shift $12.5 million in testing work from Questar to ETS

by Marta W. Aldrich

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Tennessee is banking that two companies are better than one when it comes to fixing the state’s troubled standardized testing program.

The legislature’s fiscal review committee gave its blessing Wednesday to hiring New Jerseybased ETS for some chores previously handled by Minnesotabased Questar.

Education Commissioner Candice McQueen said the shift will allow Questar to focus on delivering and scoring the state’s TNReady tests in math and English language arts — tasks that the company has struggled with the last two years.

It also will consolidate all of the state’s test design work with one company since ETS, also known as Educational Testing Service, already develops the questions, instructions, and materials for Tennessee’s social studies and science exams.

Beginning July 1, the change will add up to $12.5 million to ETS’ existing $25 million contract with the state Department of Education that runs through September of 2020.

State officials expect the extra money will be offset by renegotiating down the cost for Tennessee’s $30 million annual contract with Questar, whose oversight of online testing this spring was plagued by interruptions from a string of technical problems.

McQueen told lawmakers that both companies have done solid work creating test questions and aligning them with Tennessee’s new academic standards — but that ETS has managed that task better.

“They have a much longer history in test development and design,” she said. “They do all our teacher licensure exams. They work across many states. … We’ve had positive interactions with them.”

Splitting the TNReady work among two companies marks a departure for the state Department of Education.

Tennessee has used one testing company at a time since launching the new test in 2016. The first was North Carolina-based Measurement Inc., which McQueen firedover online failures that led to the cancellation of most exams that first year. The state then hired Questar to take over, and except for some scoring problems, TNReady went

Education Commissioner Candice McQueen has been under fire for her oversight of the state’s standardized test, which has had a string of problems since its 2016 rollout. (Photo: TN.gov)

better in 2017. But this school year, Questar had significant challenges with computerized exams as the state returned to online testing statewide for its older students.

“Testing, we’re learning, is very complex in terms of the number of things that one company is expected to do,” McQueen said.

Beyond creating the questions, testing companies provide Tennessee’s online and paper tests, score the answers, analyze the results to make sure they’re reliable, and report the data.

“We know that certain companies do some pieces much better than others,” McQueen said.

Questar’s contract ends in November but, even with this year’s problems, likely will be extended through next spring since the company will oversee testing this fall for high school students on nontraditional block schedules.

Earlier this month, Gov. Bill Haslam said switching companies in the middle of a school year would present a “practical problem.”

McQueen and her staff faced stern questions about the ETS contract before gaining approval of the fiscal review committee. Among members’ concerns: the cost of testing services, whether the change will smooth out testing next year, and ETS’ purchase of Questar last year. (For details on that deal, read TNReady’s new testing company also owns the old one.)

“They are separate companies,” McQueen said of Questar becoming a subsidiary of ETS. “They have separate contracting, separate contract management, separate CEOS. We were working with ETS before we got in a relationship with Questar.”

(Follow @marta_w_aldrich; email: maldrich@chalkbeat.org.)

Recognized for excellence…

Bruce Elementary School at 581 South Bellevue held its end-of-the-year honors program on May 22, handing out certificates and accolades marking outstanding achievement and effort. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

SCS budget sent to county leaders for approval

by Laura Faith Kebede Chalkbeat Tennessee

A $1 billion budget for Shelby County Schools that includes a 3 percent raise for all teachers and raising the district’s minimum wage to $15 per hour has been directed to county leaders for the next step in approval.

School board members unanimously approved the 2018-19 general budget during their regular meeting Tuesday.

District leaders are asking commissioners for about $13 million from the county’s expected surplus to add services for Memphis students, most of whom live in poverty. But early budget numbers from the county indicate an $8 million boost to education funding, of which $6 million would go to Shelby County Schools.

The rest would be split between the county’s other six school systems.

The budget, up from $985 million last year, also includes more behavior specialists, school resource officers, and school counselors, along with a controversial revamp of workforce training classes that nar-

SCS $12.7 MILLION BUDGET REQUEST:

• $2.1 million for 30 more school resource officers.

• $8 million for an overhaul on workforce training classes and more advanced courses.

• $2.6 million for reading specialists in middle and high schools. rows the focus to higher paying and regional in-demand jobs.

Shelby County Schools plans to use $49 million of its savings to make those investments happen (up from $36 million a month ago).

In recent years, county commissioners and school board members have urged district administrators to spend more money from its reserves.

Board members said Lin Johnson, the district’s chief of finance, could do more to reroute savings to the classroom. Board member Kevin Woods took issue Tuesday with a proposal to ask for $6 million more than the county allocated.“It’s really a hard sell when you just showed me your bank account,” Woods said.

“How do you make the case for the additional $6 million when you have $80 million in savings?”

Johnson clarified that the district’s

savings account, which had $88 million at the beginning of the school year, would shrink by about $20 million under the budget proposal because some of the unused reserves from this year would roll over to the new budget. He cautioned against using that money for recurring costs since those funds wouldn’t be guaranteed next year.

“We need to sustain the decisions the board has made as far as our financial sustainability and we see this ask to the county as, one, a contribution to that sustainability and backing the academic programming currently,” Johnson said.

This is the second year that Shelby County Schools did not propose major cuts to fill a funding gap.

(Follow Laura Faith Kebede@ kebedefaith; email: lkebede@chalkbeat.org.)

Memphis to orange up for National Gun Violence Awareness Day TSD Newsroom Individuals in Memphis and nationwide will wear orange in observance of National Gun Violence Awareness Day on Friday (June 1).

On Saturday local volunteers with the Memphis chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America will host a Wear Orange Block Party from noon to 2 p.m. in Howze Park next to Lester Community Center, 317 Tillman St. There will be speakers, snacks, activities for children and families, including opportunities to remember victims and survivors of gun violence.

Why orange?

Orange is the color hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others from being shot. Orange is also the symbol of the gun violence prevention movement.

Those who wear orange pledge to “honor the lives of Americans stolen by gun violence,” to help keep firearms out of dangerous hands and to protect children from gun violence.

The Wear Orange campaign began in 2013 following the shooting death of Hadiya Pendleton in Chicago a week after performing at President Obama’s second inaugural parade. She was 15 years old.

Orange was Hadiya’s favorite color. Following her death, Hadiya’s friends at a South Side Chicago high school asked classmates to honor Hadiya’s life by wearing orange.

Today the Wear Orange campaign is a coalition of more than 500 nonprofit organizations, elected officials, artists, advocates and. It is spearheaded by the national nonprofit organization Every-

town for Gun Safety.

Skylines and buildings nationwide will be illuminated in orange beginning June 1.

The Tennessee landmarks include the Tennessee State Capitol and Gateway Boulevard Bridge (Nashville), Liberty Tower and Ross’s Landing Pier (Chattanooga), and the Big River Crossing in Memphis.

More than 350 Wear Orange events will take place across the country during Wear Orange Weekend. All events are searchable via an online map http://act.everytown. org/event/wear-orange-2018/ search/ and easy to track by following the #WearOrange hashtag.

(For more information about the Memphis observance, contact Katy Spurlock at kspurlock@tuci.org.)

Party over here…

When Eugene Phillips (right) throws a party at his home there often is a cause involved, such as the fundraiser he held for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The occasion drew vocalist Anita Ward of “Ring My Bell” fame (1979) and her husband. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley)

The New Tri-State Defender

May 31 - June 6, 2018

Count It !

Count your pain pills.

Lock It !

Lock your pills to keep them secure.

Drop It !

Drop off unused and expired pills at a drop box location near you.

For more information please visit

CountItLockItDropIt.org

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