|
Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to speak at the 30th annual prayer breakfast. The news has picked up some of what I said, and I have posted the entire video here. For those who prefer to read the message, I have included a rough transcript below.
I look back, and this is one year to the day since I had the amazing opportunity to serve as mayor of this city. I wake up literally every day excited to do this work. People often approach me and ask if I am stressed out about my job, but I can honestly say that I am not stressed because I do what I firmly believe, and I let God control the rest.
I wake up feeling privileged because it's such an honor to serve in this seat for the city I love - the city that made me who I am. Everything I am is because of this city and because of you all.
 And I'm happy to say that over 2024, we've made some progress. We're trending in a better direction than we were just a year ago. And that's something we can all be proud of. I always say that we're not taking victory laps. We're not saying mission accomplished. We have a lot more to do. But I think it's right to say we're trending in a better direction.
We opened Historic Melrose, a building that had been vacant for 40 years in the heart of Orange Mound. What was once an emblem of blight and decay is now a vibrant, welcoming library in the heart of one of the most historic black communities in the nation. We can be proud of that. We opened 200 units of affordable housing at Tillman Cove in the heart of Binghampton. We gathered black mayors from across the country to engage in an open dialogue about strategies to address crime in our communities.
And we took lessons from those conversations. We've seen a reduction in crime in all of our communities. I'll give it up for Chief Davis on that. Overall, crime is down 13 percent. And while I give Chief Davis the praise and the credit for it, it's not just her. It's all of us.
We've seen gains in education, and things are trending in a better direction. On 901 Day, we welcomed 11,000 people into Downtown Memphis. One more time: eleven thousand people came to Beale Street for an all-day event, and there were ZERO incidents. We hosted that event in part because our young people need to have opportunities to be kids. Some of those kids live in situations that some of us couldn't even fathom. And it's okay for us to provide opportunities for them to be children again.
I want to say it again: we are moving in a better direction. My goal for this administration, for this term, and the term after this - because I'm claiming the next one, is that I want this to be seen as the golden years. I think oftentimes we have an affinity for what was and how we had it back in our day. We gotta make sure that these are the golden years for our young people. I want them to remember that this is when Memphis finally went to the next level.
We always talk about how much promise and potential we have as a community. It's time for us to begin realizing that potential. I want this to be a season that's defined by growth and opportunities for people who haven’t had those opportunities before.
 We know we have challenges. Poverty has been one of the most nagging challenges we've had in our community for too many years. Transportation is an issue that we have to figure out. We have issues with the DOJ that we have to figure out. Education - we have to figure that out. Crime is on the decline, but we are still working. We are still pushing to move it even lower.
My hope for all of us - as the leaders in this community - is that we double down on hope and opportunity and turn down the drama and the foolishness. We don’t need our city to be a spectacle. Our kids are looking up to us. We have to be the adults in the room. And, no, we're not going to agree on everything. I understand that. But we can dial down the drama and show our kids real leadership.
That's my goal: for us to be on a collective mission to be the leaders our community needs.
We're tackling issues that have been plaguing our city for many decades, so we know change won’t happen overnight. However, it is important to remember that we're trending in a better direction. We've already started to make real progress. Let's continue to work hard and push for the best possible Memphis. Together, we can do it.
I look forward to being on this journey with you all.
(Watch the full video at bit.ly/memprayerbreakfast)
Positive News from the Public Safety Front - In January 2024, I stated that I wanted to achieve an overall 10% decline in crime, and look what we were able to do together! The percentage decreases represent 2024 over 2023:
 Total Crime: Down 13.3%
 Homicides are Down 30% - with 100 fewer homicides in 2024
 Murders are Down 29% - with a 51% decrease in Q4
 Motor Vehicle Theft is Down 39%
 Fugitive Team Results: 1022 Warrants Cleared
 Crime is down in (almost) every Zip Code
We shared our own good news this week - and would love to share yours. If you have good news to share, please send us a note at goodnews@memphistn.gov
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 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, 38114, 38116, 38118
Community Engagement:
Memphis Academy of Civic Engagement. The MACE program was created to give citizens of Memphis 18 and over an in-depth insight on various aspects of Memphis, divisions of city government, and community involvement. Sign up for the free 7-week program to hear from government officials and community leaders to increase your civic understanding of our city. Applications are due by 5:00pm on January 10. See more and apply here.
Strategic Community Investment Fund Grant Workshop. HCD will be accepting applications for the Strategic Community Investment Fund grants until the end of the month. Make sure you are following the best practices by attending this workshop with our Grant Coordinator, Tonya Johnson. Register here.
Social and Community Shout-outs:
 Happy New Year. 2024 was filled with exciting new initiatives, accomplishments, and unforgettable community moments. Thank you, Memphis, for making it all possible. We look forward to what we can do together in 2025. View and share our 2024 recap here.
 Winter Wonderland. Join the Children's Museum of Memphis for their Winter Wonderland exhibit from now until January 5. This is a great family friendly event to start the new year off with activities, fun, and laughter. See more details here.
Memphis River Parks’ Events. Kick off the new year with fresh adventures by the river! Memphis River Parks offers a variety of FREE events along the riverfront, perfect for all ages. Plan your next outing today! See more and share here.
|
