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This week, I wrote an Op-Ed in the Daily Memphian. I wrote it because I believe the education of our children is a critical issue for all of us, not just those of us who have children in the Memphis Shelby County School system.
I believe most of us can agree on what really matters to Memphis. Although we may have differing approaches or solutions, our highest priorities are primarily unified. Our community clearly recognizes the importance of the city's water supply. We're aligned on celebrating our cultural heritage. We can all agree that diversity is our superpower and one of our strongest brand statements. And I believe that each of us would agree that there is no resource more precious, no rallying cry more poignant, and no issues more critical than those related to our youth.
To succeed as a city, we simply must create a community that better supports our next generations.
During the FY25 budget cycle, our administration asked the Memphis City Council to include funding for capital improvements in the Memphis Shelby County School District. And while it is primarily the county's responsibility to fund our schools, I believe it was the right decision to ask for that funding. I believe it is incumbent on us to do our part to make this most critical system more resilient and successful. Strategic investment in families and youth is essential to our holistic strategy to change the trajectory of our city and create a stronger Memphis.
A strong school system is important to the recruitment of talent; people want to live in cities with good schools. It is vital for workforce development, and for developing job- and college-ready skills and mindsets. Even if you do not have kids participating in the system, I ask you to treat the current school board election as a key vote worthy of your highest attention. Your selections will help - or hinder - the work of creating the Memphis we all deserve. I implore you to consider each candidate's commitment to our community and their willingness to collaborate and to seek innovative solutions for our youth.
We need smart, capable leaders on the school board who are prepared to join us in creating a safer, stronger, more future-ready Memphis. The current election for the Memphis Shelby County School Board provides an opportunity to elect leaders aligned with the vision required to transform our city.
I urge you to learn as much as you can about the topics that the school board will address. I urge you to exercise your right to help elect the best leaders for our schools. And I urge you to vote for individuals who are prepared to confront our shared challenges and who are champions of collaboration.
Because I believe that, at the core, we all agree that our children and our children's children deserve a better Memphis.
Please read the entire opinion piece here, it is my hope to influence more Memphians to care about this issue and to vote for candidates who are committed to helping turn the ship!
I also sat down with Dr. Marie Feagins, MSCS Superintendent, to talk about her first 100+ days and what she is looking forward to in the weeks, months, and years ahead. You can watch that whole interview here (click below):
 Watch the full video here.
More Education-Related News: The City is Expanding our Support of Teachers and Encouraging New Homeownership!
Through the Division of Housing & Community Development, the City of Memphis is dedicating $500,000 to down payment assistance for teachers moving into the City of Memphis. Funds are available for current MSCS employees, as well! For more info and eligibility, please email dpateachers@memphistn.gov or call 901-636-7474.
Weekly Crime Trend
The report below provides our weekly update on Part 1 Crimes. It updates daily and shows a continuous rolling 7-day total compared to the prior 7-day total. The date range for each 7-day period is shown below the table. The charts on the right show the calendar week trend, comparing 2023 to 2024. We maintain two crime dashboards, the Weekly Crime Trend report can be found here, and the Crime Analytics dashboard can be accessed here.
Our Strike Team worked in the following zip codes this week: 38106, 38109, 38111, 38115, 38116, 38117, 38118, 38128
We couldn’t mention our Blight Strike Team without mentioning that Steve Shular, Memphis’ favorite community advocate, is retiring! Steve is the absolute gold standard in customer service. On behalf of all of us whose lives are better because of his work, we salute him! We wish him the best and will miss him greatly!
Social and Community Shout-outs:
 Free English Language Courses. The Bert Ferguson Community Center hosts free English Language Courses for Adult Learners this Saturday, July 20th from 9:30am-12:30pm. See full details here.
 Citywide Youth Talent Show. The Office of Youth Services hosts “Beyond the Stage” Youth Talent Show & Community Bash this Saturday, July 20th from 4pm-7pm. See full details here.
Healthier 901 Fest. Join the movement for a healthier Memphis! Download the Healthier 901 app and stay connected with local health initiatives before Healthier 901 Fest on August 31st! See full details here.
 Memphis Parks Football Tournament. Memphis Parks hosts 2nd annual Highschool 7-on7 Football Tournament this Saturday, July 20th at 9:30am at Liberty Pocket Park. See full details here.
 Putting with Pearl. Councilwoman Pearl “Eva” Walker hosts Putting with Pearl this Sunday, July 21st from 12pm-2pm at The Links at Whitehaven. See full details here.
 Memphis HCD Awards. Congratulations to the thirty-three agencies awarded $5.5 million through the FY25 Strategic Community Investment Fund! See full details here.
Weekly round-up
 🌟Weekly Round-Up: Celebrating Achievements, Inspiring Future Generations, and Advancing Infrastructure!🌟
This week in Memphis was marked by impactful events and significant progress:
Strategic Investment💵🏡
Future Architects🏢✏️
Crisis Intervention Training🚔🧠
Bring Your Child to Work Day🧑🧑🧒🧒🏢
Building Bridges🚧🌉
And, in case you missed it last week, please check out our "We Love Memphis!" compilation and share what you love about Memphis in the comments! Facebook. Instagram. LinkedIn. Youtube.
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