Author: Janel Davis

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Stalking HIV

The hospital known for researching children’s cancer will unleash its medical arsenal to fight another deadly disease at this year’s Cooper-Young Festival, September 14th.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital employees are getting out from behind their test tubes and computers and into the neighborhood to help educate adolescents and young adults about HIV. As part of this outreach effort, the hospital will host an educational booth, complete with knowledge quizzes, on-site testing, and referral-agency information.

“We offer a five-question quiz to see where people are in their HIV knowledge,” says Sally DiScensa, family nurse practitioner and HIV outreach leader. “When you hear the questions [from the public], you realize people don’t know how the disease is contracted, how it is transmitted, and other diseases that can result from HIV.”

Nearly 50 volunteers, including St. Jude data analysts, doctors, and nurse practitioners, will operate the booth. Last year, volunteers quizzed more than 750 festival attendees and conducted 119 tests. This year, the noninvasive, oral ORASURE test will be administered to anyone who thinks they are at risk for the disease. “The test takes only three minutes and is done with a swab similar to bite-wings used in dentists’ offices,” says DiScensa. “Regardless of the results, everyone [is scheduled] for post-test counseling, which reviews risky behavior patterns and sexual partners.”

In addition to St. Jude employees, booth volunteers from other outreach agencies, including the Memphis/Shelby County Health Department, Friends For Life, and Memphis Regional Planned Parenthood, will also participate.

When cases of HIV infection in children started hitting the news media in the early 1980s, treatment of this disease was a natural segue for St. Jude. The first cases the hospital handled were perinatal (mother-to-child) infections and HIV-tainted blood transfusions.

“St. Jude recognized that this was going to be a problem at that time,” says Dr. Pat Flynn, St. Jude’s lead infectious-disease specialist. “Very early, we realized that HIV was going to be a disease that had a lot of similarities with the way we managed leukemia.” Similar infections and social support systems for cancer and HIV patients led to the beginning of the hospital’s program in 1987.

Since that time, the program’s clientele has changed, because mother-to-child infections have dramatically decreased (due in part to studies performed at St. Jude) and donated blood now undergoes rigorous testing. In 1993, the program began treating adolescents, most of whom had contracted the disease through sexual transmission. According to the Centers for Disease Control, half of newly infected individuals in the United States are under 25, one-fourth are under 22, and the Southeast region of the U.S. is seeing the most new cases.

Besides conducting disease studies, the program is designed to identify adolescents with the disease and get them into care. Flynn says the patients are usually disenfranchised and come to the program with additional problems that must be addressed.

The regional program runs in tandem with the hospital’s in-house programs, sharing support services, lodging assistance, and some staff. Each year, about 20 new teenagers are referred to the program from area agencies, hospitals, and gynecologists. No child has been turned away. Each of the 80 adolescents currently enrolled will be tracked until the age of 24, when they will be referred to adult care. The program’s social-work division also helps clients obtain their GEDs, enroll in Job Corps, and acquire employment.

“One of the things with these kids is that you have to be very forgiving,” says Flynn. “Monday, they may be ready to go, take their [medication], exercise, and by Friday, they may say, ‘Let’s start this next week.’ Unlike what usually happens with cancer patients, most of these kids don’t have support systems. It gets very frustrating sometimes when it seems like for every step forward, we’re taking two steps backward. And sometimes the frustration of ‘why did this have to happened to this kid?’ gets to us. These kids have already taken so many blows before they get to us.”

Flynn and her staff decided to attempt to curb the adolescent-infection rate two years ago with the implementation of their community-outreach initiatives. In addition to the Cooper-Young Festival, the staff also distributes information at health fairs and presents high school workshops.

“I would be content not to see new patients coming at the rate at which they are coming. Hopefully, that’s where our outreach efforts will balance our new-patient accrual,” says Flynn. “We would consider it a tremendous success if we were able to reduce the new-infection rate in Memphis.”

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It’s a Woman Thing

Everyone knows women aren’t funny — at least, not as funny as men — or so goes the long-held belief. When one thinks of comedy and comedians, names like Eddie Murphy, Chris Tucker, and Jim Carrey come to mind. And in the world of improvisational comedy, the same holds true, with Drew Carey, Ryan Stiles, and Wayne Brady of television’s Whose Line Is It Anyway? as the most recognizable figures.

But at this year’s Memphis Comedy Festival September 5th through 8th, the women of comedy are looking to shake things up and tickle a few funny bones in the process. Call it a laugh riot, because on Saturday night, 12 women will get onstage for the female-only performance of “Ladies Night.”

“Our goal is to have a damn good time,” says San Francisco comedian Shaun Landry, co-founder of “Ladies Night.” “There are a lot of talented women coming to this festival, and it’s all about getting up and performing with someone you’ve known for years.” Although Landry cocreated the improvisational troupe Oui Be Negroes, nothing beats laughing with the ladies. “There are so few women getting good play in the world of comedy. I dig the idea that we can get together out of our respective dude companies and bring the estrogen!”

“Ladies Night” was spawned from Chicago’s annual Funny Women’s Festival. After hamming it up with female comedians from across the country, Karen Herr, of the all-female group goga (girl-on-girl action), came up with the idea to keep the excitement going. “We had such a good time in Chicago that we didn’t want it to end. So I thought, Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all of these talented ladies could perform together all the time at other [comedy] festivals around the country?”

The show will feature comedians chosen by Herr on their reputation for “being funny.” Most of the women are also members of their own improv troupes, with names like Slap Happy, All Jane No Dick, and the Village Idiots. The show will also include stand-up comedians who regularly perform solo. “[Female performances] provide different points of view and different sensibilities,” says Landry. “There is a liberating feel to [the show], and there is a lot of support from the other women involved. It’s like Waiting To Exhale for comedy.”

But don’t expect to be lulled with jokes about women as comforting mothers, supportive wives, or helpless victims. The ladies’ show is all about attitude. Landry says the show is set in the “badass” style of ladies in the ’70s. “[The ’70s was] an era when women were bad. They were powerful. They weren’t taking any crap,” says Landry. “This was a time when we had strong images from Charlie’s Angels and Wonder Woman — women who could kick some butt and look beautiful doing it. And that’s what this show is about: strong women being happy about being themselves.”

The ladies say the show is about “pushing the envelope” and creating fun topics and situations that are not normally thought of as female subjects, including atypical relationships and fantasy storytelling.

“In general, men have a license to be more raunchy,” says Herr. “This show is about breaking down the gender-based restrictions on women. It’s all-women and very physical, but we don’t have to male-bash in the process.” In fact, the women have challenged the men at the festival to hold an all-male night of improv comedy. According to Landry and Herr, they readily accepted but “were not nearly as organized as the ladies.”

When approached with the “Ladies Night” concept, Memphis festival organizer Greg Childers was still putting together ideas. “It seemed like a good idea because females are underrepresented,” he says. “I hope [‘Ladies Night’] will continue to be part of the festival.”

While it was designed to showcase local talent, the two-year-old Memphis Comedy Festival will include more than 30 performances by comedians from across the U.S. and Canada. This year, the festival will be held at the Bonkerz Comedy Club at Bally’s Casino in Tunica, Mississippi. In addition to evening performances, the festival will also feature comedy workshops taught by veteran comedians. “Last year, all of our performances sold out,” says Childers. “I hope the festival grows a bit more but does not get out of hand. What we need is more Memphis participation.”

“With these shows, we hope to raise consciousness of the value of female comedy. We want to develop a stable of women who are constantly learning, performing, and connecting with other women,” says Landry.

Ladies Night hits the Bonkerz stage Saturday, September 7th, at 10:30 p.m.

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Keeping It On the Court

Memphis Man II Man

Police officers have long sought to become more than just patrolmen in the neighborhoods where they work. Through community involvement and outreach programs, many officers seek opportunities to build trust with residents.

With 17 years of policing between them, officers Michael Spearman and Jimmy Warren of the Public Housing COACT Unit are reaching out to the youth of 22 public housing developments.

As part of their community involvement, the officers have sponsored and helped coach several youth-oriented programs — most importantly, basketball teams for boys in grades six through nine, including this year’s 8th/9th-grade standout team, Memphis Man II Man.

In June, the team was invited to a National Amateur Athletic Union invitational tournament in Newton, Kansas. The team posted an impressive record, with nine wins and one semifinal loss. But the boys scored off the court as well. During their stay on the campus of Tabor College in Hillsboro, they got a chance to learn about life outside their neighborhood.

“That was a good learning experience for the guys. For some of them, that was their first time going out of town that far,” says Spearman. “It really boosted their morale for wanting to attend college, as opposed to always talking about going straight to the NBA. For those 13 guys, it really changed their focus.”

“The exposure that we’re giving them now will have a lasting impression on them. The premise of this trip was to let them be exposed to life outside the projects and see the other side and interact with other cultures,” says Warren.

But work with the team didn’t begin — and doesn’t end — with this tournament. Warren started working with neighborhood youngsters 11 years ago in the LeMoyne Gardens Housing Development. “We saw a need to get involved with the kids there,” says Warren. “And as we started communicating with them, we realized that a great way to reach them was through basketball.”

With help from Coach Harold Smith, Vance Middle School assistant principal, the officers have built basketball teams that compete with area-wide Police Athletic League teams.

In addition to ensuring that the boys are athletically prepared, the mentors hold the players academically accountable; they are required to maintain a 2.0 GPA. “We also keep up with [school] attendance, because in the real world, attendance is key. If you can go to school, you can go to work,” says Spearman.

“Community policing is the key to keeping crime out,” Spearman adds. Their diligence seems to be working. Public-housing crime statistics have been reduced.

But most important, players and parents say, are the changes that the program has made in their lives.

“I spend at least three hours a day at this gym,” says Marvin Webb. “The coaches have taught me how to be a man and respect myself, my parents, and other people.” Webb’s play in the Memphis Man II Man program has earned him a scholarship to Christian Brothers High School.

Gerald Sprattlin acknowledges the program’s positive influences on his son Gerald Jr. and on himself. “Gerald Jr.’s life has changed. [The coaches] have grabbed hold of him and made him change. We’re from Chicago, from a neighborhood where flying bullets and shootouts were common,” says Sprattlin. “Gerald’s maturity has totally increased, and my parenting skills have gotten better.”

The officers’ next trip is later this month, when they take the 6th/7th-grade team to a St. Louis tournament. They also plan to expand the program to include a girls’ team coached by female officers in the unit.

“I’m just a villager, not the chief, and I want the village to prosper,” says Smith. “And in order to do that we’ve got to raise strong warriors.”

The Memphis Police Department implemented the Public Housing COACT Unit in July 1996. The unit, which is housed in the LeMoyne-Owen section of the city, is staffed by 20 patrol officers, two lieutenants, and one major.

Since the program’s start, the unit has performed several community-service projects, including free counseling for housing residents. “The goal [of the unit] is to change the public-housing stigma and perception,” says Major Carolyn Jackson.

With programs like Memphis Man II Man, the perception is changing everyday.

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Hepatitis C

Carol Westmoreland didn’t think much about it when her body began to feel tired. Working 14-hour days as a client consultant, fatigue had become part of her job. One day in June 1997, she slowed down enough for a doctor’s appointment, and what started as a routine physical soon became the unthinkable.

Westmoreland was diagnosed with hepatitis C already in its late stages. Doctors estimated she had had the illness for at least 15 years. “I was already at stage 3 to 3 1/2 when the doctor found it, but [fortunately], I had no cirrhosis [of the liver],” Westmoreland says during a hepatitis C support-group meeting. She was immediately placed on the organ-donor list, given a short time to live and an even shorter time to find a donor. “I got my liver totally by coincidence,” she says. “The donor had hepatitis B, and I had taken the hepatitis B vaccine for an overseas trip. Of the people that matched the donor, I was the only person on the list who had had the vaccine.” After only four months, Westmoreland received a new liver.

Although she takes 30 pills a day and spends $2,200 a month on prescription drugs, Westmoreland is one of the lucky ones. A twitching in her hands is the only remaining trace of her illness.

The People’s Disease

Westmoreland is one of the four million Americans (estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) affected by the liver disease, one out of every 50 people. Although more than four times more people are infected with hepatitis C as have HIV, most of the carriers don’t know they are infected.

“About 80 percent of people who have hepatitis C don’t know it,” says David Sloas, a gastroenterologist with the Gastroenterology Center of the Mid South. “Many people are not aware that you can have hepatitis C and not have unhealthy liver enzymes. Until the disease becomes advanced, it usually causes very little in the way of symptomatology. That’s why it’s not picked up unless someone has routine screenings and the doctor notices that their enzymes are elevated or unless they give blood.”

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) gets its name from the inflammation (itis) of the liver (hepat) caused by the virus that lives inside liver cells and reproduces. Like hepatitis B, hepatitis C is a blood-borne disease. Because tests were not developed for the C-type virus until 14 years ago, the virus spread silently for years through blood transfusions (before 1992), needle sharing, and tattooing. Many of its recognized victims are 40- to 60-year-olds who are seeing their doctors for other reasons, only to discover they have late-stage hepatitis. “[Hepatitis C] is not a typecast disease. It is an across-the-board disease with no respect for race or gender,” says Sloas.

The American Liver Foundation reports that, following the increased number of blood donations made as a result of the September 11th tragedy, as many as 10,000 people nationwide learned that they were infected with hepatitis C.

No one knows how long hepatitis C has been around. Tests have long been given for the A and B types of the virus. But not until 1988, through DNA analysis, was type C isolated. Before this discovery, the illness was known as “non-A, non-B hepatitis.”

Laboratory tests used to detect hepatitis-C infection include the liver-enzyme test, which measures the amount of certain liver enzymes in the blood. High levels of these enzymes, especially alanine aminotransferase, can suggest liver damage. (Antibody tests are blood tests that look for antibodies against the virus in the blood.) A positive test means that a person has been exposed to the virus because the immune system has started to make antibodies in response to the infection. Doctors can also order viral-measurement tests to determine the amount of virus in the blood. A liver biopsy is performed after the disease has been positively identified. The procedure involves inserting a thin needle into the liver and removing a small amount of tissue to be examined. The biopsy can be used to confirm that a person has chronic hepatitis, to determine the condition of the liver, and to help establish the best treatment.

How Hepatitis C Is Spread

Infection Source

Transmission Possibilities

Definitely

 Rarely Suspected
Between family members

Job exposure to blood

Needle injuries

IV drug use (shared needles)

Transfusions

Hemodialysis

Orally

Sexually

Anal/Oral Sex

Mother to child at birth

Body piercing

Acupuncture/tattooing

Recreational cocaine

Source: American Liver Foundation

Disease Progression

David Prince was on a health kick when his illness was discovered. An avid runner, Prince visited his doctor in 1998 for severe foot fungus and stomach cramps. Thinking the symptoms were due to his exercise regimen, he was shocked to learn that he had been living with hepatitis C since 1975. “I think there’s still a lot that’s not known about hepatitis C,” says Prince. “Some of it is still a guessing game.”

The guessing game is due to the difference in each individual’s response to the virus. “The ongoing inflammation of the liver in some people will progress to cirrhosis, in which the healthy liver is replaced with scar tissue,” says Sloas. “More than 90 percent of the people who contract hepatitis C become chronic [with the disease lasting more than six months]. They do not ‘clear’ it, meaning they keep it, it stays active, they don’t make antibodies to it. And that’s the exact opposite of [hepatitis] B, in which 90 percent clear it and only 10 percent become chronic.”

Most patients live from 15 to 30 years after the point of diagnosis, until, if they are fortunate, a liver transplant is performed. During this time, HCV steadily progresses. The longer a person is infected, the faster the progression. With time, the disease doesn’t slow down, it speeds up. Advanced age and alcohol and tobacco use have been found to speed the progression, as have certain genotypes and subtypes of the virus, according to Sloas. There are six genotypes and many subtypes, with genotype 1 being the most difficult to treat. As the genotype number increases, the disease becomes easier to treat and can result in less damage. But Sloas warns that patients may develop several genotypes and subtypes because the virus can mutate. HIV co-infection increases the risk of cirrhosis and speeds up the progress of the hepatitis virus. Chronic HCV, left untreated, can also lead to liver cancer.

By the time many patients are diagnosed, they are already cirrhotic. Shirley Durst, leader of the monthly support group, explains that HCV is usually divided into four stages, with each stage progressing toward end-stage HCV. At age 57, she is at stage 4. “I have a very scarred, cirrhotic liver,” says Durst. “I’ve had to have my spleen removed because of the scarring.” Durst contracted hepatitis C from a blood transfusion. Since her diagnosis, she has held the support group together for 10 years.

The progression of the disease has made hepatitis C the leading cause of liver transplants. More than a third of the over 17,000 names on the transplant list have end-stage hepatitis C. The shortage in donor organs will result in almost 2,000 HCV deaths each year, according to the American Liver Foundation.
Estimated cost for a transplant and related procedures can be more than $300,000.

Treatment

“I had my first physical ever in January [2002], and my liver-enzyme levels were high. I had a liver biopsy two weeks ago, and that’s when I found out that I had had hepatitis C for 25 years before [doctors] found it,” says Lynne Andrews. Andrews is new to the support group and admittedly knew nothing about treatment for the disease.

HCV is usually treated with interferon shots (a protein produced by cells in response to infection by a virus) or alpha interferon with ribavirin. Ribavirin is used to slow virus replication and is taken in pill form. Treatment usually lasts six months to a year.

But not all HCV patients respond positively to interferon. “Interferon kicked my butt,” says Westmoreland. “My body would not respond to it. My only chance was a transplant.”

With the different combinations of drugs used to treat HCV, the treatment can be expensive, costing more than $20,000 for 12 months, and it can have uncomfortable side effects. “I had to take antidepressants to combat sudden mood swings,” says Prince. “My appetite was bad at first, but luckily, I stayed the same weight.” Some patients also report flu-like symptoms, including fatigue, fever, head and muscle aches, hair loss, and even worsening of existing heart conditions. Ribavirin may destroy some red blood cells, causing tiredness.

Even with the side effects, the treatments have a more than 50 percent success rate. The virus is never cured but goes into remission or is undetectable in follow-up tests.

Changing Attitudes

The American Liver Foundation predicts that the death rate for hepatitis C will triple over the next 10 years, exceeding the number of deaths due to AIDS. The number of people diagnosed with HCV will also triple. Volunteer doctors on the foundation’s hepatitis C commission estimate that 1.8 percent of a selected population is infected with the virus. “Based on the formula, these statistics seem too high,” says Sloas. “Yes, the number of people diagnosed with HCV will triple, but we will see fewer new cases develop. [For example], hepatitis C patients only make up 5 percent of my clientele.”

The 80 percent drop in new cases is due in large part to medical advances and lifestyle changes: Blood used in transfusions is now being tested for the virus; tattoo and body-piercing establishments must adhere to sterilization requirements for their instruments; and the danger of sharing needles for IV drugs is better known.

“Physicians’ perceptions were different in the past,” says Sloas. “Hepatitis C was thought of as a hippie, druggie disease. A lot of doctors thought a major infection source and transmission possibility was by sexual intercourse.” However, hepatitis C is less likely to be sexually transmitted than hepatitis B, which involves a greater number of bodily fluids, like semen. “The lifestyle choice that is prevalent in new cases is the use of nasal drugs,” says Sloas. Drug users inhale cocaine or other substances through straws. Often, nosebleeds result, leaving remnants of blood on the straw, which are then passed on to other users.

Celebrities have given the disease a face, bringing hepatitis C and its impact into the limelight. Former Baywatch babe Pamela Anderson admits to being infected with the disease while receiving a tattoo in Tahiti, and country singer Naomi Judd has also announced her infection. “I’m glad to see that the stigma has been removed from [the illness],” says Sloas. “We’ve got to teach kids about hepatitis C the same way we teach them about sex.”

Looking Toward the Future

Winn Stephenson, president of the American Liver Foundation, Mid-South Chapter, sees education as the key to lowering HCV statistics. A hepatitis victim, Stephenson was diagnosed with auto-immune hepatitis during a 1985 routine physical and is unsure how he contracted the virus. Since taking the helm of the chapter in February, Stephenson’s plan for the chapter has included developing education and support groups. He plans to organize monthly awareness campaigns and provide members of the organization with information on treatment advances. “We have to blast the word [about hepatitis] from every place,” says Stephenson. “Nowhere is too small to give a quick elevator-length speech.”

But his main goal is funding. “As a country, we’ve got to swing government funding to get better medication and treatment,” says Stephenson. “At the end of the day, money buys power.”

“At present, it is not cost-effective or necessary to test everyone for hepatitis C,” says Sloas. “Only people who know they are at risk for previous exposure need to be tested. If you are at risk, ask your doctor to test specifically for hepatitis C.”

New treatments are currently in development by such companies as Vertex and Eli Lilly. The treatments may replace the common drugs or be added to them in a drug cocktail, as with HIV viruses. None of these treatments will be available for several years.

“The disease is a long ride,” says Prince. “You need patience because you have to wait on everything.”

Some Symptoms of hepatitis C

  • Fatigue is the most common symptom — nearly all people with hepatitis complain of some degree of tiredness
  • Stress
  • Depression
  • Muscle and joint aches and pains
  • Anxiety and irritability
  • Headaches
  • Sleep disturbances
  • Jaundiced eyes
  • Less common symptoms include pain or discomfort in the abdomen on the right side, itching, nausea, appetite/weight loss, and mental fuzziness
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Summer Calendar

Theater

BARTLETT COMMUNITY THEATRE. Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center, 3663 Appling Rd. (info, 382-2527). Showing July 19-27: Damn Yankees, a comedy about a baseball-crazed city.

BARTLETT PERFORMING ARTS AND CONFERENCE CENTER. 3663 Appling Road (385-6440). Actor’s Studio Drama Camp with Lisa Lax: Theater workshop for ages 6-14: July 8, 15, 22. $150 per week. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; weekly performance: 2-3 p.m. Fridays.

CIRCUIT PLAYHOUSE. 1705 Poplar (726-4656). Showing through July 14: Over the River and Through the Woods, family comedy about grandparents willing to go to great lengths to keep their grandson from moving away. Showing July 26-Aug. 25: God’s Man in Texas, a dramatic comedy about politics behind the scenes in modern-day televangelism.

GERMANTOWN COMMUNITY THEATRE. 3037 Forest Hill Rd. in Germantown (754-2680). Auditions: six men and nine women are needed for 70 Girls 70. Come prepared with 16 measures of a song, dance clothing, and tap and soft-toe dance shoes. 2:30 p.m. Sat., June 29. Fun In Theatre: the theater program has been expanded to Pre-K through 12th-grade students. $75-$225. July 8-27. Showing Aug. 30-Sept. 15: 70 Girls 70, residents of a senior citizens’ home become a “gang” of shoplifters to improve their home and themselves.

GERMANTOWN PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE. 1801 Exeter (757-7256). Showing through June 30: The Vagina Monologues.

MEMPHIS UNIVERSITY SCHOOL THEATER. Hyde Chapel (on MUS campus), 6191 Park Ave. (260-1300). Showing July 11-20: Chicago.

MORGAN WOODS THEATRE. 7771 Poplar Pike (757-7206). Showing through June 29: Jack and the Beanstalk. Showing July 29-Aug. 3: Charlotte’s Web.

THE ORPHEUM. 203 S. Main (tickets, 743-ARTS). Showing through June 30: Beauty and the Beast. Showing Aug. 6-11: West Side Story.

PLAYHOUSE ON THE SQUARE. 51 S. Cooper (726-4656). Showing through July 28: Dinner With Friends, Donald Margulies’ Pulitzer Prize-winning drama which examines the effects of divorce. Showing Aug. 9-Sept. 15: Smokey Joe’s Cafe, a musical including 40 of rock and soul’s greatest hits from the ’50s and ’60s.

THEATRE MEMPHIS. 630 Perkins Ext. (682-8323). Showing through June 30: The Man Who Came To Dinner. Summer KidsWagon Classes registration: The intense classes will include lessons in acting and stage and costume design, culminating in a performance of Many Moons by James Thurber. $250 per child. 10 a.m. Tues., July 2. Showing July 19-Aug. 4: My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra. Showing Aug. 30-Sept. 22: 42nd Street, a musical fable about a chorus girl who saves the day when she steps in for the injured star on opening night.

THEATREWORKS. 2085 Monroe at Florence (274-7139). Showing July 5-28: Closer, a play involving two young couples and their attempts to find the intimacies that capture their hearts.

VOICES OF THE SOUTH. At the Buckman Performing & Fine Arts Center (reservations, 323-0128). Showing July 10: Places of Enchantment. 8 p.m.

Art

Art Happenings

OPENING RECEPTION. For work by Carol Sams and Tad Lauritzen Wright. David Lusk Gallery, 4540 Poplar Avenue in Laurelwood (767-3800). 6-8 p.m. Fri., July 12.

OPENING RECEPTION. For “Findings: The Jewelry of Ramona Solberg,“ National Ornamental Metal Museum, 374 Metal Museum Drive (774-6380). 3-5 p.m. Sun., July 14.

OPENING RECEPTION. For work by Phyllis Bailey. Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Rd. (685-1566). 5-7 p.m. Thurs., July 18.

OPENING RECEPTION. For the work of Jack Grue 1896-1956. Christian Brothers University, University Gallery in the Plough Library, 650 East Parkway South (321-3000). 5:30-7:30 p.m. Fri., July 26.

OPENING RECEPTION. For work by Priscilla Cunningham. Durden Gallery, 509 S. Main (543-0340). 6 p.m. Fri., July 26.

OPENING RECEPTION. For “Petite Packages,“ work by artists who work in small format. Perry Nicole Fine Art, 3092 Poplar, Suite 16 (405-6000). 6-8 p.m. Fri., Aug. 2.

OPENING RECEPTION. For “Eight Days in Exile,” part of an artists’ camping retreat on Horn Island, Mississippi. Artfarm Gallery of Fine Art, 652 Marshall Ave. (848-7880). 6-10 p.m. Fri., Aug. 2.

EDGEFEST. “25 Years Without the King.” The festival will include area studios and artists spaces open for viewing, art sales, live music, and kids’ activities. Marshall Ave. (info, 725-5625). 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., Aug. 17.

OPENING RECEPTION. For “Horn Island 18.” Memphis College of Art, Overton Park (272-5100). 5:30-8:30 p.m. Sat., Aug. 24.

OPENING RECEPTION. For work by Steve Winn. Durden Gallery, 509 S. Main (543-0340). 6 p.m. Fri., Aug. 30.

OPENING RECEPTION. For work by David George Hinske. Mariposa ArtSpace, 505 S. Main St. (543-8535). 6-9 p.m. Fri., Aug. 30.

CLOSING RECEPTION. For “Eight Days in Exile,” part of an artists’ camping retreat on Horn Island, Mississippi. Artfarm Gallery of Fine Art, 652 Marshall Ave. (848-7880). 6-10 p.m. Fri., Aug. 30.

Ongoing Art

ALBERS FINE ART GALLERY. 1102 Brookfield Rd., Suite 103 (683-2256). Showing through July 31: work by Michael Barringer.

ARTFARM GALLERY OF FINE ART. 652 Marshall Ave. (848-7880). Showing August 2-30: “Eight Days in Exile,” part of an artists’ camping retreat on Horn Island, Mississippi.

ART MUSEUM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS (AMUM). 142 Communications/Fine Arts Building (678-2224). Showing through Sept. 7: “Twenty @ 20,” a retrospective exhibition of 20 artists featured during the museum’s 20-year history. Showing in the ArtLab through July 27: “Brushes,” work by U of M alumnus Ron Koehler.

ART VILLAGE GALLERY. 410 S. Main (521-0782). Showing through June 30: “The Ringside Doctor,” photos by Dr. H.H. Johnson, a ringside physician throughout the 1940s and ’50s, whose “clients” included boxing greats Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, and Archie Moore.

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY. University Gallery in the Plough Library, 650 East Parkway South (321-3000). Showing through July 12: work by Judith McWillie. Showing July 26-Aug. 30: work by Jack Grue. Showing July 26-Aug. 30: work by Jack Grue 1896-1956.

COURT SQUARE GALLERY AND FRAMING. Highway 64, Somerville, Tennessee, Court Square (466-0011). Showing through July: “Spring/Summer Sampler,” work by Ellen McGowan, Keith Webb, Tommy Lynn, and Mark Davis.

DAVID LUSK GALLERY. 4540 Poplar Avenue in Laurelwood (767-3800). Showing through July 6: work by Ted Faiers. Showing July 9-Aug. 3: work by Carol Sams and Tad Lauritzen Wright. Showing Aug. 6-24: The Price is Right 4: Back with a Vengeance.

DAVID MAH STUDIO. 888 S. Cooper (272-8880). Showing through July 8: work by Matthew Hasty.

D’EDGE ART & UNIQUE TREASURES. 552 S. Main (521-0054). Showing through June: work by George Hunt, Judy Woods, Frank D. Robinson, Stephen Hudson, and Debra Edge Taylor. Showing through August: work by George Hunt, Judy Woods, Mary Mayfair Matthews, and Debra Edge Taylor.

THE DIXON GALLERY AND GARDENS. 4339 Park (761-5250). Showing through July 14: “Painters of Buenos Aires: School of La Boca 1900-1940,” an exhibition of 50 paintings by artists from La Boca, a neighborhood of European immigrants in the Argentinean capital. Showing July 28-Sept. 29: “From Fauvism to Impressionism: Albert Marquet at the Pompidou,” 60 paintings and works on paper from the Pompidou Center in Paris, which illustrate Marquet’s artistic career from 1900 until his death in 1947.

DURDEN GALLERY. 509 S. Main (543-0340). Showing through July 25: work by Streater Spencer. Showing July 26-Aug. 27: work by Priscilla Cunningham. Showing Aug. 30-Sept. 25: work by Steve Winn.

FLEMING-ASSOCIATES-ARCHITECTS, PC. 5124 Poplar Ave. (767-3924). Showing through Aug. 31: work by Jim Going.

GALLERY 32. Inside the office of Rebecca Barton, D.D.S., 1918 Exeter (854-5044). Showing through July: work by Colleen Newport Stevens, Paul Egolf, Debra Fagan Carpenter, and Janine Hackney; French paintings by Fontaine.

GERMANTOWN LIBRARY. 1925 Exeter Rd. (754-3702). Showing through June 29: work by Barbara Champlin.

GREATER MEMPHIS ARTS COUNCIL. 8 S. Third St., Suite 300 (info, 252-0802). Showing through Aug. 9: “Eight Second Universe: Painting with Light,” work by Fred Asbury.

THE HOUSE OF MEWS. 944 S. Cooper (272-3777). Showing through September: work by Debbie Crawford.

JAVA CABANA. 2170 Young (272-7210). Showing through July 4: “Kaleidoscope of Images from the Middle West to the West,” photographs by Megan Singleton.

JAY ETKIN GALLERY. 409 S. Main (543-0035). Showing through July: a summer group show featuring new work by gallery artists.

LISA KURTS GALLERY. 766 S. White Station Rd. (683-6200). Showing through July 31: a summer group exhibition.

MARIPOSA ARTSPACE. 505 S. Main (543-8535). Showing Aug. 30-Oct. 27: “A Narrow Slice of Pi,” work by David George Hinske.

MAYOR JIM ROUT’S OFFICE. Lobby, 160 N. Main (info, 578-2787). Showing through July: work by Charlie Agnew, Richard Knowles, Leslie Staub, Allison Steward, Anna Tsantir, Pamela Black Wagner, and Jodi Walker.

MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN. 750 Cherry Rd. in Audubon Park (685-1566). Showing through July 14: work by Pamela Hassler. Showing July 18-Aug. 25: work by Phyllis Bailey. Showing Aug. 29-Sept. 29.: work by Robbie McQuiston.

MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART. Overton Park (544-6200). Showing through July 21: “Myth, Memory and Imagination,” an exhibition from the collection of paintings, photography, sculpture, and folk art assembled by Julia J. Norrell and reflecting the essence of Southern life. Showing through July 28: “Almost Warm and Fuzzy: Childhood and Contemporary Art,” a traveling exhibit that explores childhood through 40 works by 31 artists. Showing through Sept. 22: “Side By Side, Part II.” Showing Aug. 18-Oct. 27: “Worlds of Transformation: Tibetan Art of Wisdom and Compassion,” the 30 Tibetan tangkas in the exhibit range from the mid-13th century to the early 20th century.

MEMPHIS COLLEGE OF ART. Overton Park (272-5100). In the Main Gallery: showing through Aug. 4: 10th annual Student Summer Exhibition. Showing Aug. 19-Sept. 14: “Horn Island 18.” In the Cossitt Gallery: showing through June: work by Anita Whatley-Khalphani. Showing July-August: work by Gordon Dover.

NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM. 450 Mulberry (521-9699). Showing through Sept. 15: “The Main Event: The Ali/Foreman Extravaganza Through the Lens of Howard L. Bingham,” the exhibit captures the 1974 boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire.

NATIONAL ORNAMENTAL METAL MUSEUM. 374 Metal Museum Drive (774-6380). Showing through July 7: “Metal Under Glass: An Enamel Invitational,” an exhibit of work from American, Jamaican, and English artists. Showing July 14-Sept. 15: “Findings: The Jewelry of Ramona Solberg.“

PAUL EDELSTEIN GALLERY. 519 N. Highland (454-7105). Showing through June 30: work by British artists Gary Gilchrist, Jeremiah Stansbury, and Greg Cartmell.

PENCZNER’S FINE ART GALLERY. 1436 Poplar Ave. (278-3217). Showing through Aug. 31: “Hungarian Memories,” work by Paul Penczner.

PERRY NICOLE FINE ART. 3092 Poplar, Suite 16 (405-6000). Showing through July: work by Kristen Myers and Andy Reed. Showing August 2-31: “Petite Packages,“ work by artists who work in small format.

SOUTHSIDE GALLERY. 150 Courthouse Square, Oxford, MS (662-234-9090). Showing through July 13: work by Memphis photographer Lake Newton and Boston artist Sarah Beth Wiley.

THEATRE MEMPHIS. Hal Miller Gallery, 630 Perkins Ext. (682-8323). Showing through June 30: work by Isabel Klitzner.

Educational

Exhibitions and Events

CHILDREN’S MUSEUM OF MEMPHIS. 2525 Central (320-3170). Showing July 1-31: “Playing Together: Games,” an exhibit of games requiring strategy, math, coordination, and physical skills. Expanded Addition Opening: grand opening entertainment and festivities will include unveiling the museum’s additional 8,000 square feet. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., Aug. 3.

LICHTERMAN NATURE CENTER. 5992 Quince Rd. (767-7322). Summer Nights: The evenings will include a puppet show, amphitheater performance, and a guided family hike. Members $4, nonmembers $5. 6-9:30 p.m. Fri., July 26, and Fri., Aug. 2.

MALLORY-NEELY HOUSE. 652 Adams (523-1484). Showing through Sept. 30: “Five Families: 150 Years,” which focuses on the lives of the pioneering families of the Mid-South from the 19th and 20th centuries. Volunteer Orientation, 2-4 p.m. Sat., July 27.

MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN. 750 Cherry Road (685-1566). Candlelight Tours of the Japanese Garden of Tranquility: sample Japanese treats and green tea in the Sculpture Garden before exploring Japanese folklore and symbolism with tour guides. Members $3, nonmembers $5, children $1. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., July 18; 7:15 p.m. Thurs., Aug., 15.

MEMPHIS PINK PALACE MUSEUM. 3050 Central (320-6320). Showing through Oct. 20: “Behind the Scenes: Curious Collections of the Pink Palace,” a collection of strange and intriguing items found within the museum.

MEMPHIS ZOO. 2000 Prentiss Place in Overton Park (276-WILD). Showing through Oct.: Butterflies and Spiders: The exhibit includes rare spiders, interactive displays, a spider lay, and more than 40 species of live butterflies in all stages of development. Memphis Zoo Members-only Night, Fri., July 12. The Middle Kingdom — A Celebration of Chinese Culture: In honor of the exhibit, the opening celebration will include native music, dance, and art. 1-6 p.m. Sun., July 28.

PARKIN ARCHEOLOGICAL STATE PARK. Hwy. 64 and 184 (870-755-2500). Kids’ Day: activities will include a waterslide, water-balloon toss, and snacks. 1-3 p.m. Sat., July 6. Kids’ Craft Series: Each week kids can make a new Native-American craft like necklaces, corn-shuck dolls, and arrowheads. $1. Through Aug. 3. Saturday Kids in the Park: Free morning activities, including crafts, games, and nature programs. 10:30 a.m. Through Aug. 3.

THE PYRAMID. Showing through Sept. 15: “Czars: 400 Years of Imperial Grandeur,” with more than 250 objects from the height of the Romanov Empire.

SHARPE PLANETARIUM. In the Memphis Pink Palace Museum, 3050 Central (320-6320). Showing through June 29: Moldy Oldy Laser Show Festival, Friday and Saturday nights in the planetarium, laser shows with music from the Beatles, Metallica, Pink Floyd, and Pearl Jam. 8:30 and 10 p.m. Showing through Aug. 25: “Backyard Universe,” observing the heavens from the backyard, and “Saving the Night,” preserving the view of the stars and planets for urban dwellers. Showing through Sept. 8: “Starlit Nights,” be introduced to the stars of the Summer Triangle, Scorpius and Sagittarius. Showing through Sept. 22: “Our Place in Space,” endangered animals explore the cause of day and night, the importance of the sun, and the beauty of the constellations while trying to complete a crossword puzzle. Showing Aug. 10-16: “Elvis: Legacy in Light,” to honor the 25th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, the laser show will feature Elvis’ milestone songs. Showing Aug. 30-Nov. 24: “The Voyagers,” travel the world and seek out new lands with 15th-century explorers as they navigate the globe using the sun, stars, and moon.

UNION PLANTERS IMAX THEATRE. In the Memphis Pink Palace Museum, 3050 Central (320-6320). Showing through June 28: Journey into Amazing Caves, expedition leaders Dr. Hazel Barton and Nancy Aulenbach explore caves in Arkansas, the Grand Canyon, Greenland, and the Yucatan Peninsula, and T-Rex: Back to the Cretaceous. Showing June 29-Nov. 15: Space Station, a story of the partnership of 16 nations building a laboratory in outer space.

Tours

DAVIES PLANTATION. 9336 Davies Plantation Rd. (386-0715). Built in 1807, Shelby County’s oldest house is an eight-room log structure with period furnishings in a country setting. $4 for adults/$2 for students.

DOWNTOWN ELVIS-STYLE. Walking tour of more than 30 sites related to Elvis, led by the authors of Memphis Elvis-Style. $10 plus 50 cents for trolley fare. Begins at Elvis statue on Beale (info, 761-1838). 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays. By reservation only.

GIBSON GUITAR FACTORY. One block south of Beale in the Memphis Rock ‘N’ Soul Museum (info, 543-0800, ext. 101). The on-the-floor tour covers the 14 workstations of about 100 workers making over 80 guitars a day, including sanding, painting, buffing, electronics, and final tuning.

MEMPHIS QUEEN LINE. Monroe at Riverside Drive (527-2628). Daily sightseeing cruises, $12.50 adults, $9.50 children, 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. every day, 10:30 a.m. Fri.-Sat. Evening music cruises, $34.50 adults, $27 children, 8-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.

MEMPHIS ROCK ‘N’ SOUL MUSEUM. One block south of Beale between Second and Third (543-0800). The artifacts, pictures, words, and, of course, music that defined “the Memphis sound.”

SUN STUDIO TOUR AND MUSEUM. 706 Union (521-0664). Learn the story of the legendary “Birthplace of Rock ‘N’ Roll!” Free tours for Memphis residents.

Concerts

Rock, Blues,

Rap, Country

SCREAM TOUR II. Performances by Lil Bow Wow, B2K, and IMX. Mid-South Coliseum (tickets, 525-1515). $32.50. 7:30 p.m. Thurs., July 25.

EDDIE MILES. The Orpheum, 203 S. Main St. (tickets, 525-1515). $30-$35. 7 p.m. Thurs., Aug. 15.

ELVIS 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT. The Pyramid (tickets, 525-1515). $20-$75. 8 p.m. Fri., Aug. 16.

RANDY NEWMAN. Sixteen-time Oscar nominee and this year’s Academy Award winner for Best Song will perform his uncommon brand of musical satire. Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center, 3663 Appling Rd. (385-6440). 8 p.m. Fri., Aug. 16.

ALICIA KEYS. The Orpheum, 203 S. Main (tickets, 525-1515). $49.50. 7:30 p.m. Tues., Aug. 20.

FESTIVAL IN THE GROVE AT SHELBY FARMS. The new summer-concert series will feature world-class concerts presented in a relaxed setting. Shelby Farms (tickets, 818-9595). Season tickets $100-$325. Kallen Esperian with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, 8 p.m. Sat., June 29. Bluegrass Festival with David Grisman, Peter Rowan, and Tony Rice, 6 p.m. Sat., July 13. Dennis DeYoung (Styx) with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, 8 p.m. Sat., Aug. 17. The Temptations with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, 8 p.m. Fri., Aug. 30.

Classical, Jazz, World, Gospel

HOPE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES. The series will include performances by many of Christian music’s most critically acclaimed artists. Hope Presbyterian Church, 8500 Walnut Grove Rd. (info, 755-7721, ext. 1900). Kim Hill, $10 advance, $12 at the door, Sun., July 14. Bruce Carroll, Rob Frazier, and Jim Cole, $10 advance, $12 at the door, Fri., Aug. 2.

LIVE LIVE AT THE GARDEN SUMMER CONCERT SERIES. The second year of classical, jazz, and blues performances. 750 Cherry Rd. (info and tickets, 685-1566). Gates open at 5 p.m. Concerts start at 8 p.m. Pops With the Plants with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and the Stax Academy of Music, Thurs., July 4. Dr. John, Mavis Staples, and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Thurs., Aug. 8. Kathy Mattea with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Fri., Aug. 23.

DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN. A concert featuring music from the film O Brother, Where Art Thou?. DeSoto Civic Center (525-1515). $40.50-$68.50. 7:30 p.m. Wed., Aug. 7

SUNSET ON THE SQUARE CONCERT SERIES. Outdoor summer concert in Collierville’s historic Town Square each Thursday through July (info, 853-1666). Free. 7-9 p.m. June 27: Brother’s Keeper. July 11: Tropix. July 18: Web Dalton Band. July 25: Noble Sounds.

Opera/Voice

THEATRE MEMPHIS. 630 Perkins Ext. (682-8323). Showing July 19-Aug. 4: My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra. Adults $25, students $15.

Dance

DANCEWORKS SUMMER DANCE PROGRAM. “A Chance to Dance” will feature guest teachers Judith Davies of Canada and Nancy Ammerman of Nashville. Ages 7-18. Southwest Tennessee Community College (info, 333-5174). July 8-Aug. 2.

Comedy

ROBIN WILLIAMS. The Orpheum (tickets, 525-1515). $52-$97. 8 p.m. Sat., July 6.

Other Shows

RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET. The Arlington for the Arts musical-comedy production will combine elements of Shakespeare, science-fiction movies, and rock-and-roll hits. College Hill Park Amphitheater, Chester St., Arlington (info, 539-3636). Fri.-Sun., June 28-30.

MEMPHIS SONGWRITERS’ ASSOCIATION SHOWCASE. Performances will include John Dillard, Brian Haynes, Eric Hughes of the Eric Hughes Band, and MSA president Dennis Burroughs. The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, 130 Peabody Place (info, 577-0906). 7:30 p.m. Tues., July 2.

ORPHEUM THEATRE MOVIE SERIES. Movie showtimes are 7:15 p.m. Tickets: adults $6, children $5 (info, 525-7800). July 5: The Godfather II. July 12: Annie. Aug. 16: Braveheart. Aug. 23: The Birdcage.

SWING INTO SUMMER. The Bartlett Arts Council will sponsor the community-awareness and fund-raising event featuring live music by the Mercedes Knights jazz orchestra, a silent auction, and a cash-prize swing-dance contest. Bartlett Performing Arts and Conference Center, 3663 Appling Rd. (tickets, 263-3088). $10. 6-10 p.m. Sat., June 29.

VERTICAL IMBALANCE. The Memphis improvisation group will perform games that rely on audience suggestions. Little Theatre, Theatre Memphis, 630 Perkins Ext. (info, 309-5422). $5. 10:30 p.m. Sat., June 29.

Literati

BOOKSIGNING BY MADISON SMARTT BELL. Author will sign Anything Goes, the story of a 20-year-old guitarist traveling the country with a rock-and-roll cover band. Square Books, 160 Courthouse Square, Oxford, MS (662-236-2262). 5 p.m. Thurs., June 27.

BOOKSIGNING BY MELISSA SANDERS-SELF. Author will sign All That Lives: A Novel of the Bell Witch, based on the supernatural legend of the Bell Witch of Tennessee. Davis-Kidd Booksellers, 387 Perkins Ext. (683-9801). 6 p.m. Thurs., June 27.

BOOKSIGNING BY ELIZABETH MITCHELL. Author will sign Three Strides Before the Wire: The Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing, a chronicle of thoroughbred racing as viewed through the performance of Charismatic, the 1999 Kentucky Derby winner, and its jockey, Chris Antley. Square Books, 160 Courthouse Square, Oxford, MS (662-236-2262). 5 p.m. Mon., July 8.

BOOKSIGNING BY LORIAN HEMINGWAY. Author will sign A World Turned Upside Down, a harrowing account of the tornado that struck Jackson, Mississippi, in March 1966. Davis-Kidd Booksellers, 387 Perkins Ext. (683-9801). 6:30 p.m. Mon., July 8. Square Books, 160 Courthouse Square, Oxford, MS (662-236-2262). 5 p.m. Thurs., July 25.

BOOKSIGNING BY CARY HOLLADAY. Memphis author will sign Mercury. Square Books, 160 Courthouse Square, Oxford, MS (662-236-2262). 5 p.m. Wed., July 10.

BOOKSIGNING BY WILLIAM PRICE FOX. Author will sign Wild Blue Yonder. Square Books, 160 Courthouse Square, Oxford, MS (662-236-2262). 5 p.m. Wed., July 17.

BOOKSIGNING BY JOHN PERRY. Author will sign Lady of Arlington, the story of Mary Curtis Lee, the great-granddaughter of George Washington and wife of Confederate general Robert E. Lee. Davis-Kidd Booksellers, 387 Perkins Ext. (683-9801). 6 p.m. Thurs., July 18.

2002 FAULKNER AND YOKNAPATAWPHA CONFERENCE. The conference will examine “Faulkner and His Contemporaries.” Campus of the University of Mississippi and Square Books, 160 Courthouse Square, Oxford, MS (662-236-2262). Sun.-Fri., July 21-26.

BOOKSIGNING BY E. LYNN HARRIS. Author will sign A Love of My Own. Davis-Kidd Booksellers, 387 Perkins Ext. (683-9801). 7 p.m. Thurs., Aug. 8.

BOOKSIGNING BY FANNIE FLAGG. Author will sign Standing in the Rainbow, a novel chronicling the lives of various members of a small Missouri town from the 1940s to 2000. Square Books, 160 Courthouse Square, Oxford, MS (662-236-2262). 5 p.m. Tues., Aug. 20.

BOOKSIGNING BY SUZANE NORTHROP. Author and renowned psychic will sign Second Chance: Healing Messages from the Afterlife. Davis-Kidd Booksellers, 387 Perkins Ext. (683-9801). 7 p.m. Wed., Aug. 21.

BOOKSIGNING BY COREY MESLER. Author will sign Talk. Burke’s Book Store, 1719 Poplar (278-7484). 5-7 p.m. Fri., Aug. 23.

Speakers

GRACE-ST. LUKE’S SUNDAY MORNING SPEAKER SERIES. Speakers will address current political issues of local, state, or global concern. Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, McClure Hall, 1720 Peabody Ave. (info, 272-7425). 9:15-10:15 a.m. June 30: “Feminist Interpretation of the Bible, Part I,” presented by Memphis Theological Seminary professor Mitzi Minor. July 7: “Feminist Interpretation of the Bible, Part II,” also presented by Minor. July 14: “Celtic Saints and Their Favorite Thin Places,” presented by W. Seldon Murray. July 21: “A Jew’s Perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” presented by Dr. David Patterson, director of Judaic Studies at the U of M.

PALLADIO INTERNATIONAL ANTIQUES FirST SATURDAY LECTURE SERIES. Cafe Palladio, 2169 Central Ave. (276-3808). Free. 10-11:30 a.m. July 6: “Antiques in a Contemporary Environment,” presented by Tomm Walden of Midtown Galleries. Aug. 3: “Recognizing Majolica,” presented by Margaret Melcher.

Workshops

SELF-DEFENSE CLASSES. The Memphis Sexual Assault Resource Center will teach how assailants choose victims, how to reduce the risk of being attacked, and basic self-defense techniques (registration and info, 327-0233, ext. 126). Free. Bartlett Recreation Center, 7700 Flaherty Place, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thurs., June 20. East Shelby Library, 7200 E. Shelby Dr., 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thurs., June 27. Christ United Methodist Church, 4488 Poplar Ave., 10 a.m.-noon Sat., June 29.

CREATIVE GIFTS WORKSHOP. Classes will include learning to make handmade books, spirit figures, mandalas, and personalized comic strips. Clifton Gallery, 3401 Summer (registration 323-2787). $90. 6-7:30 p.m. Thursdays, through Aug. 1.

AVIATION SAFETY SEMINAR. Hosted by the North Central Institute, Clarksville, Tennessee. Holiday Inn Select Downtown, 160 Union Ave. (info, 931-431-9700). Fri.-Sat., June 28-29.

COMPUTER TRAINING SEMINARS. Presented by the American Society of Training and Development. Computer Resource Center, STCC, Macon Cove Campus, 5983 Macon Cove (registration, 333-4277). 2-3 p.m. and 3-4 p.m. July 11: “Your Computer As a Digital Multimedia Center.” Aug. 8: “Creating Web Pages.”

ALGEBRA AND BIOLOGY CAMPS. Memphis Urban Systemic Program will sponsor the free camps for Memphis City Schools students. Fairview Junior High, 750 E. Parkway South (info, 722-4552). “BioExplorations” camp: 8:30-noon. Mon.-Fri., July 8-12. Algebra I camp: 8:30-noon Mon.-Fri., July 22-26.

ORFF SCHULWERK INSTITUTE. Internationally renowned faculty will present the three-level institute. University of Memphis, Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music (info, 678-3760). Mon., July 15-Fri., July 26.

FREE WILL BAPTISTS ANNUAL CONVENTION. Memphis Cook Convention Center, 225 N. Main St. (info, 615-361-1221, ext. 344). Sun.-Thurs., July 21-25.

GENERAL GRAND MASONIC CONGRESS CONVENTION. Memphis Cook Convention Center, 225 N. Main St. (info, 313-881-5080). Sun.-Fri., July 28-Aug. 2.

Sports

45TH FEDEX ST. JUDE CLASSIC. John Daly, Bob Estes, 2001 winner Chris DiMarco, and other golfers will compete in the professional golf tournament benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Tournament Players Club at Southwind (info, 748-0534). Through June 30.

LONG ROAD RACE. The second Memphis MotorWerks and Memphis Amateur Cycling Club road race. Race will begin at Gratitude Methodist Church, Millington-Arlington Rd. (info, memphiscycling.com). $15 plus UCSF license. Race B, 8 a.m., and Race A, 11 a.m. Sat., June 29.

TIME WARNER ROAD RUNNER 5K FIRECRACKER RUN. Benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The Racquet Club of Memphis, 5111 Sanderlin Ave. (info, 765-4409). $15. 7 p.m. Wed., July 3.

UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS FOOTBALL. Liberty Bowl Stadium (678-2331). Tickets $7-$20. Home game: Murray State, Sat., Aug. 31.

MEMPHIS REDBIRDS. Minor-league professional baseball team plays home games at AutoZone Park (ticket info, 721-6000). Home games: Portland, 6:05 p.m. Thurs., July 4; 7:05 p.m. Fri., July 5; 6:05 p.m. Sat., July 6; 2:05 p.m. Sun., July 7. Nashville, 7:05 p.m. Thurs., July 11; 7:05 p.m. Fri., July 12; 6:05 p.m. Sat., July 13; 2:05 p.m. Sun., July 14. Tacoma, 7:05 p.m. Fri., July 19; 6:05 p.m. Sat., July 20; 2:05 p.m. Sun., July 21; 7:05 p.m. Mon., July 22. Las Vegas, 7:05 p.m. Tues., July 23; 7:05 p.m. Wed., July 24; 7:05 p.m. Thurs., July 25; 7:05 p.m. Fri., July 26. Nashville, 7:05 p.m. Fri., Aug. 9; 6:05 p.m. Sat., Aug. 10; 6:05 p.m. Sun., Aug. 11; 7:05 p.m. Mon., Aug., 12. Iowa, 7:05 p.m. Tues., Aug. 13; 7:05 p.m. Wed., Aug. 14; 7:05 p.m. Thurs., Aug. 15; 7:05 p.m. Fri., Aug. 16. New Orleans, 6:05 p.m. Sat., Aug. 17; 6:05 p.m. Sun., Aug., 18; 7:05 p.m. Mon., Aug. 19; 7:05 p.m. Tues., Aug. 20. Oklahoma, 7:05 p.m. Mon., Aug. 26; 7:05 p.m. Tues., Aug. 27; 7:05 p.m. Wed., Aug. 28; 7:05 p.m. Thurs., Aug. 29.

MEMPHIS MERCURY. Women’s soccer team composed of current and former collegiate-level players. Mike Rose Soccer Complex, off Nonconnah and Forest Hill-Irene (info or tickets, 755-6330). Home game: Chicago, 8 p.m. Fri., July 12.

MEMPHIS EXPRESS. Men’s soccer team composed of current and former collegiate-level players. Mike Rose Soccer Complex, off Nonconnah and Forest Hill-Irene (info or tickets, 755-6330). Home games: Kansas City, 7:30 p.m. Fri., July 5; 7:30 p.m. Sat., July 6. Tampa Bay, 6 p.m. Fri., July 12.

MEMPHIS XPLORERS. Arena football. Home games are played in the DeSoto Civic Center (tickets, 525-1515). $7-$25. Home games: Louisville, 7:30 p.m. Sat., June 22. Tulsa, 7:30 p.m. Sat., July 6. Peoria, 7:30 p.m. Sat., July 27.

Expos

MEMPHIS AREA IRIS SOCIETY RHIZOME SALE. Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Rd. (info, 735-8251).9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat., July 13.

BRIDAL EXTRAVAGANZA. Agricenter International, 7777 Walnut Grove Rd. (info, 458-4458). $6-$8. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun., July 14.

MARKETPRO COMPUTER SHOW AND SALE. Agricenter International, 7777 Walnut Grove Rd. (info, 301-984-5950). Sat.-Sun., July 20-21.

RONALD MCDONALD’S “BIG SCOOP.” Agricenter International, 7777 Walnut Grove Rd. (info, 312-7478). Sat., July 27.

MID-SOUTH LIVING HOME SHOW. Agricenter International, 7777 Walnut Grove Rd. (info, 662-890-3359). Fri.-Sun., Aug. 2-4.

MID-SOUTH HUNTING AND FISHING SHOW. Agricenter International, 7777 Walnut Grove Rd. (info, 854-6589). Fri.-Sun., Aug. 9-11.

MEMPHIS CACTUS SOCIETY SHOW AND SALE. Memphis Botanic Garden, 750 Cherry Rd. (info, 681-0700). Sat.-Sun., Aug. 10-11.

STELLER PROMOTIONS ANTIQUE SALE. Agricenter International, 7777 Walnut Grove Rd. (info, 918-489-5164). Fri.-Sun., Aug. 16-18.

MEMPHIS GIFT AND JEWELRY FAIR. Memphis Cook Convention Center, 225 N. Main St. (info, 241-9865). Sat.-Tues., Aug. 24-27.

KIDS COUNT. Agricenter International, 7777 Walnut Grove Rd. (info, 543-2338). Sat., Aug. 31.

Misc. Fun

SATURDAY SUNDOWNS AT THE ZOO. The zoo will extend its hours and lower its prices. Live performances in the amphitheater by Sparkman the Magician. 2000 Prentiss Place (276-WILD). $5. 5-9 p.m. Saturdays, through August.

KIDS IN TECHNOLOGY SUMMER CAMP. Memphis and Shelby County students will learn how to build their own computers. Business Advisors, Perimeter Office Park, 2506 Mt. Moriah Rd. (info, 360-9516). Through Aug. 9.

SUMMER SUNSET SERIES. Events will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Grove, a park on the campus of the University of Mississippi (info, 662-915-7206). June 27: movie night showing of Casablanca. July 4: a holiday celebration. July 11: movie night showing of Shrek. July 14: performance by the Kudzu Kings. July 18: Thacker Mountain Radio Show. July 25: movie night showing of Robin Hood. July 28: performance by the Germantown Symphony.

CASUAL DAY 2002. Memphis employees will make a small donation to dress casually for a cause. Proceeds will benefit UCP of the Mid-South (info, 761-4277). Fri., June 28.,

CELEBRATE AMERICA FESTIVAL. Bellevue Baptist Church’s choir and orchestra will salute America’s Christian heritage, memorialize the events of September 11, and call for a revival of faith. 2000 Appling Rd., Cordova (347-2000). Free. 6 p.m. Sun., June 30.

WMC STAR-SPANGLED CELEBRATION. This year’s event will include a performance by Grammy Award winner Train, Saint Peter Home Picnic in the family area, a car giveaway, and a fireworks finale. Shelby Farms (info, 544-1995). 3 p.m. Wed., July 3.

STARLIGHT SPECTACULAR. The old-fashioned picnic will include a patriotic concert by Bellevue’s orchestra. Bellevue Baptist Church, 2000 Appling Rd. (347-2000). Free. 7:30 p.m. Wed., July 3.

RED, WHITE, AND BLUES CELEBRATION. With live music and fireworks. Tom Lee Park and Beale Street (info, 529-0999). 4-10:30 p.m. Thurs., July 4.

GERMANTOWN FAMILY FOURTH. With the River City Concert Band, arts, crafts, and fireworks. Municipal Park, Exeter Rd., Germantown (info, 757-7382). 5:30 p.m. Thurs., July 4.

COLLIERVILLE’S 17TH ANNUAL INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION. With live entertainment and fireworks. Powell Park (info, 853-7433). Thurs., July 4.

BIG SCOOP ICE CREAM FESTIVAL. The festival will include a variety of ice cream to sample, a children’s activity land, and an entertainment stage. Agricenter International (info, 529-4055). $8. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., July 27.

SPORTS BALL 2002. Black tie/tennis shoe fund-raiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Hosted by Cedric Henderson, with a silent auction, dinner, dancing, and interactive games. The Racquet Club of Memphis, 5111 Sanderlin Ave. (info, 323-5440). $100. 6 p.m. Sat., July 27.

26TH ANNUAL CHOCTAW HERITAGE FESTIVAL. With traditional dances, crafts, and food. Chucalissa Museum, T.O. Fuller State Park (785-3160). Sat., Aug. 3, and Sun., Aug. 4.

Kids

ARTS-AFIRE SUMMER WORKSHOPS. FireHouse Community Arts Center, Memphis Black Arts Alliance, 985 S. Bellevue (info, 948-9522). A Cultural Discovery in the Soul of Memphis: Youth ages 7-18 will develop their artistic talents, learn about the artistic and cultural contributions of African Americans, and participate in “Rites of Passage.” $325. 7:45 a.m.-5:15 p.m. Through July 5 and July 8-Aug. 2. Dance Workshops: Participants will learn tap, African, ballet, jazz, hip-hop, and Capoeira dance styles. Saturdays, July 8-Sept. 22. Jazz Institute: Jazz musicians and vocalists Lannie McMillan, Nokie Taylor, and Naomi Williams-Moody will lead an intensive 4-day workshop: adults $200, children $150. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Thurs., Aug. 5-8; performance: 6:30 p.m. Mon., July 29.

THE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM. 2525 Central Ave. (458-2678). Kidventures Summer Camp: The camp will include four sessions for children 6-10 years old. Members $80/week. nonmembers $90/week. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Fri., through July 19.

MEMPHIS BROOKS MUSEUM OF ART. Overton Park (544-6200). Bon Voyage!: Children ages 10-15 can join cartoonist James Caldwell in creating stories, worlds, and characters of their own. Members $10, nonmembers $15. 1-3 p.m. Sat., June 29.

MEMPHIS SHELBY COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES. Most branch libraries offer a schedule of regular activities for children. Stop by the branch nearest you for a brochure (info, 725-8895). Grizzlies Summer Reading Club, through Aug. 3.

Casino Events

GOLD STRIKE CASINO. Casino Center Drive in Tunica, MS (1-888-24K-PLAY). Magic Showcase, Sat., June 29. Clarence Clemons, Fri., July 12.

GRAND CASINO. 13615 Old Highway 61 North in Tunica, MS (1-800-39-GRAND, tickets 1-800-WIN-4-WIN). In the Grand Event Center: Little Richard, $19.95, 8 p.m. Sat., July 13. Alabama, $27.50-$32.50, 8 p.m. Sat., July 27. Wynonna, $19.95-$29.95, 8 p.m. Fri., Aug. 2.

HOLLYWOOD CASINO. In Tunica, MS (1-800-871-0711). In the Safari Bar: Carrie Folks, 8:45 and 10:45 p.m. Fri.-Sat., June 28-29.

HORSESHOE CASINO & HOTEL. At Casino Center, south of Memphis, near Tunica, MS (1-800-303-SHOE). In Bluesville: Heart, $35, 8 p.m. Thurs., July 18. Peter Frampton, $35, 9 p.m. Fri., July 19. Ted Nugent, $35, 9 p.m. Fri., July 26. Blondie, $35, 9 p.m. Sat., Aug. 3. Chicago, $37.50, 8 p.m. Thurs., Aug. 8. Lynyrd Skynyrd, $35-$37.50, 8 p.m. Wed., Aug. 14.

SAM’S TOWN. At Casino Strip, just south of Memphis, north of Tunica, MS (1-800-456-0711, special event tickets 525-1515). George Jones, $34-$44, 8 p.m., Fri.-Sat., June 28-29.

SILVERSTAR CASINO. South of Memphis in Choctaw, MS (1-800-557-0711). Mississippi Boys and Girls Club Classic Golf Tournament: a gathering of NFL players and celebrity athletes will be in attendance throughout the weekend’s festivities. Fri.-Sat., June 28-29. In the Starlight Lounge: Noah’s Rain, through June 30. Ronnie Wolf, through June 29. In the Blue Note Lounge: Glenn Parker, through June 30.

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News The Fly-By

Beating the Odds

Every situation is what you make of it,” says John Bannister. After losing all of his immediate family members in less than eight months, the 18-year-old speaks from experience.

John’s family lived in Tucumcari, New Mexico, where his father was the district attorney. Five years ago, the stress of work became too much, and John’s father took his own life, leaving John, his mother, and two older siblings. Eight months later, John’s remaining family members were killed in a car accident, leaving him an orphan.

In addition to losing loved ones, John has had to adjust to moving from his New Mexico home to Collierville, where he lives with an aunt and uncle. The Collierville High School senior has maintained a 3.1 GPA and was junior class president and a four-year member of the football team.

After graduation, John will attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on a Marine ROTC scholarship. He plans on becoming an attorney. “I’m a regular guy,” he says. “I’m not a big fan of pity. I’m looking forward to college, where not everybody knows who you are or what your story is.”

John is just one of six area youngsters chosen as the Children Defense Fund’s ninth annual Beat the Odds Memphis (BTOM) winners. Chosen by BTOM and a community selection committee, the winners are picked for their success in the face of adversity. They will be honored with a banquet and an awards ceremony at Lindenwood Christian Church on May 9th.

“These kids have faced obstacles that in a normal situation might be overwhelming, but for some reason these kids have a resolve that hasn’t taken them to the bottom,” says BTOM board chair Theresa Okwumabua. “They have overcome great odds.”

Toshika House also knows how to make the most of a bad situation. Seven years ago, at age 10, Toshika’s mother died of cancer, leaving her the oldest of five brothers and sisters. After first moving from Chicago to Milwaukee, the children landed in Memphis, living with one of Toshika’s great aunts.

The various transitions were too much for Toshika, who became withdrawn. “I was angry about my mom’s death,” she says. “The moves and everything were hard because I didn’t understand.”

Through the love and support of her great aunts and teachers, Toshika has blossomed into a well-adjusted, 17-year-old Carver High School junior. After being teased for being a slow learner, Toshika has advice for other youth: “Never give up. Always believe in yourself and do your best.”

Not only has Josh Lee had to overcome the death of his mother a year and a half ago, he has also had the responsibility of being mother and father to his seven younger siblings and two nephews.

At 20, Josh has given up his classes at Christian Brothers University. He has no time for a girlfriend and considers raising his siblings “a privilege.” “The option [to become their guardian] was always mine,” he says. “I never feel cheated out of my own life. They are my whole world; whatever I need, they are there.”

As a sophomore at Christian Brothers High School, Wilson Phillips has been on the honor roll every six-week period and has a 3.62 GPA. He has not missed a day of school since first grade. While these are achievements in themselves, Wilson has accomplished all of this while battling cerebral palsy.

Wilson has been through walkers, crutches, and casts battling his illness, but now his determination has enabled him to walk independently. “I’m very pleased with where I’m at right now,” he says. “My parents, grandparents, and extended family have always encouraged me and have been brutally honest with me as well.” Wilson hopes to one day become a journalist. “It is my firm belief that God has allowed me to live this life to influence others but also to allow me to experience the opportunities that a normal child could receive.”

Torsia Arnold’s childhood scars run deep. She and her three sisters were born to a drug-abusing mother. When she was 7, her mother was incarcerated, and the girls were sent to live with their grandmother.

Torsia has gone on to excel at Melrose High School with a 4.0 GPA. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Future Homemakers of America, and Bridge Builders. She plans to attend Tennessee State University and major in speech communications. As tears roll down her face, Torsia says her future includes marriage and a career helping students but no children of her own. Her past has closed her heart to this.

Tiffany Sumlin, 12, is the youngest of the BTOM honorees, but with her bright smile and optimism, she seems to have wisdom beyond her years. Sumlin and her mother left Louisiana last year for a new life in Memphis. Though they initially lived in a shelter, Tiffany was undaunted. She was selected to the cheerleading squad at Airways Middle School, participates in the drama club, and is trying to improve her grades, which suffered during the search for permanent housing.

“I like the way I am. I wouldn’t change anything,” says Tiffany. “God put me into this situation for a reason. Some way, somehow, I know that I will make it.”

In addition to the six youths, Dr. Rene Friemoth Lee, director of the Bodine School, will also be honored for her work with youngsters. Lee says her greatest accomplishment has been to make the Bodine School a “nurturing environment for kids who have been beaten down, called names, and suffered all types of humiliation.”

Tickets to the BTOM awards program are $25. Call 272-2469 for more information.

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Fulfilling the Prophesy

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is in its 43rd year of carrying out its founder’s dream of a company “dedicated to enriching the American modern dance heritage and preserving the uniqueness of black cultural expression.”

This year also marks veteran dancer Renee Robinson’s 20th year with the company. Robinson has become known for her role in the “Wade in the Water” section of Ailey’s most famous piece, Revelations. “When I first joined the company, I didn’t have any real goal,” says Robinson. “I was so happy to be accepted. For the first five years, my only goal was to do well, accomplish my duties in the company, and enjoy myself.”

This weekend, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater makes its fourth appearance at the Germantown Performing Arts Centre (GPAC) for four performances.

The GPAC performances will include six ballets, ending with Revelations. Although he created 79 ballets during his lifetime, Ailey, who died in 1989, maintained that his company was not exclusively a repository for his own work. In all, more than 170 works by more than 65 choreographers have been performed by the company.

In the true spirit of repertory, the GPAC performances will include ballets by various guest choreographers, such as Carmen de Lavallade’s Sweet Bitter Love, inspired by Roberta Flack’s song of the same name. “Dance, for me, would have been impossible without Carmen de Lavallade,” wrote Ailey in the late 1980s. Ironically, it was a solo recital given by de Lavallade in his high school cafeteria that inspired Ailey to begin dancing. Now Robinson portrays a woman who has found love too late in life to pursue a relationship.

“There are certain things that I will never forget that [Ailey] would say to the dancers: He demanded dancers to be ready on all levels, not just modern-dance techniques, because you have to be a tool for other ballets that are brought in,” says Robinson. “And he would always say that steps don’t mean anything unless you bring your person to those steps. You must do the steps correctly, but we must see who you are as an individual. In order to do that, you have to continue to learn about life and about who you are as an individual by reading about other things and other people.”

Donald Byrd’s Dance at the Gym is another ballet included in the GPAC program. The piece is based on West Side Story and explores how young people in a charged environment look at each other. “Ailey was never limited on the type of ballet he wanted: classical, modern, athletic, hip-hop, or African dance,” says Robinson. She specifically notes that Dance at the Gym has required her to maintain a strict exercise, conditioning, and diet regimen to meet its high-energy demands.

“Ailey dancers are known for great bodies, so each generation has had its unique physical presence. But as dance has grown, choreographers have started to use each other’s vocabulary. Dancers have had to step up with their lessons and practice and make their bodies able to handle the demands that choreographers are making in their ballets,” says Robinson. “So they dance really fast, legs go really high. The body had to change. Dancers work on their bodies in certain ways now because choreographers want to see certain aesthetics, and designers build costumes around that. [This generation of dancers] picks up very quickly. They can do everything.”

Rounding the guest-choreographer repertoire will be Jawole Willa Jo Zollar’s Shelter. Zollar choreographed Shelter in 1988 to confront the issue of homelessness and open audiences’ eyes. “Part of the reason I did this piece is because I realized one day that I had stepped over a homeless person and I had just not seen him,” writes Zollar.

Three of Ailey’s own ballets, The River, Night Creature, and Revelations, round out the three-day schedule. The River (1970), set to Duke Ellington’s first symphonic score written specifically for dance, combines classical ballet, modern and jazz dance, solos, duets, quartets, and ensemble dances to carry audiences along the river of life until it culminates in a grand finale of rebirth. In Night Creature, Ailey again uses Duke Ellington to juxtapose classical ballet and swing-time jazz.

“I don’t have a favorite [ballet] because each one has taught me something different,” says Robinson. “But Revelations belongs in a separate category because I continue to learn things about the ballet and Ailey and what he was trying to say. I continue to learn through the audience and through the younger generation who are performing it now and the lessons and experiences that they are having. It’s so rich. It’s just special.”

Created in 1960 and set to traditional spirituals, Revelations is Ailey’s story of childhood memories, Oriental theater, and his acquaintance with African-American writers James Baldwin and Langston Hughes. The piece gained the company worldwide fame and has made them goodwill ambassadors in part because of the universal popularity of the music.

“One of the promises of my company is that its repertoire would include pieces that ordinary people could understand. … That’s my perception of what dance should be — a popular form wrenched from the elite,” said Ailey about his work.

The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs at GPAC Friday-Sunday, April 12-14, in four performances. For tickets, call 757-7256.

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The Daycare Dilemma

She wakes up at 5:30 a.m. and is dressed by 6 a.m. so that she won’t miss her bus. She arrives at her destination at 7 a.m. She will remain there all day. Finally, at 6 p.m. she returns home, another long day over. Soon it will be time to prepare for tomorrow.

This routine may sound familiar to many Memphians with full-time jobs and busy schedules. Only this schedule isn’t just for adults. It’s the average day for many toddlers at one of Memphis/Shelby County’s child-care centers.

For many parents, outside child care is the only choice, as financial restraints make keeping a child at home impossible. In Shelby County, daycare providers handle 56,455 kids each day.

The Department of Human Services (DHS), which licenses child-care centers and homes, requires daycare providers to meet strict guidelines. A code of ethical conduct, issued by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, even includes a Statement of Commitment to be made by child-care workers: “Our paramount responsibility is to provide safe, healthy, nurturing, and responsive settings for children,” reads the statement.

But those regulations were loosely enforced and were ignored by many operators. In 1999, toddlers Brandon Mann and Darnecia Slater became casualties of the system when they died after being left in stifling daycare center vans in the Memphis heat. Revelations soon followed about financial misdoings by various daycare providers, and faith in the child-care industry was shaken. Lawmakers scrambled to rectify the problem with new legislation regulating child-care providers.

In July 2000, the state legislature passed new standards for child-care agencies and granted DHS numerous tools to enforce those laws. The guidelines were comprehensive, ranging from higher standards for child-care employees to stricter transportation guidelines. DHS could now restrict an agency’s license in certain areas of operation. For example, if a program committed a serious violation relating to transportation, DHS could restrict its ability to transport children. Child-care agencies could be placed on probation, fined for minor infractions, or, in extreme cases, be shut down.

Despite the new guidelines, however, problems remain. The most recent incident occured only three weeks ago when another child was left in a daycare bus. This time the child was found before any serious harm was done, but the impression remains that many daycare centers are poorly managed.

Effective or not, the new guidelines mean that many providers must spend more money to comply. “We want the new standards, but we can’t afford them, and that’s making it look like providers don’t want quality care and don’t want to adhere to the standards,” says Christian Chapel Learning Center director Melvin Wade. “We think funding should be there for us from the state for things like increased [adult/child] ratios.”

Setting Standards

“We’ve got to start earlier to begin developing children. We’re not just baby-sitting anymore,” says Linda Roach, West Tennessee Program supervisor for DHS.

Tennessee law defines “child care” as providing supervision and protection for a minimum of five children, who are not related to the primary care-givers, for three or more hours a day but less than 24 hours a day. Some types of child care must be regulated, such as child-care centers, group homes, and family homes. Other kinds of child care, such as summer day-camps and Boys and Girls Clubs, may operate without a child-care license.

Teacher Doris Harrison at Riverview-Kansas Daycare.

Tennessee’s child-care providers are supposed to be inspected at least six times a year to ensure that they are meeting licensing requirements. Visits are unannounced. Minimum requirements must be met in the areas of director qualification, professional development, compliance history, parent/family involvement, worker/child ratio, staff compensation, and program assessment.

In October 2001, DHS established a licensing system with an annual “report card” for all child-care agencies based on three levels of quality ratings. By October of this year, all providers will have received an evaluation and will be required to post their report card with their renewal license. If a provider meets state requirements, it has the option to participate in the Star Quality Program. This rating system is linked to a tiered reimbursement program, with higher payments for higher quality levels for agencies receiving state subsidies. The reimbursement rate is currently 70 percent of the fair market value, which is $105 per week for infants to 2-year-olds and $90 per week for children ages 2-5. One-star, two-star, and three-star providers can receive additional reimbursement of five, 15, and 20 percent, respectively.

Alice Hill, DHS daycare licensing supervisor for the Memphis/Shelby County area, says the main objective of these guidelines is to ensure children’s safety. Her department consists of three supervisors and 29 counselors with a caseload of about 30 daycare providers each. They provide assistance to Shelby County’s 509 daycare centers, 188 family homes, and 12 group homes.

Their jobs now include enforcing higher adult/child ratios. February 1st, new ratios for infants, toddlers, and 2-year-olds were implemented. For example, the adult/child ratio for infants was changed from one adult for every five children to one adult for every four children. The change means either more workers must be hired or fewer children can be admitted to a facility. Similar changes in adult/child ratios for 3-year-olds are set to follow in July 2002 and in July 2003 for 4- and 5-year-olds.

The Balancing Act

U.S. census data lists child-care services as the second-largest expenditure of family income behind rent or mortgage payments. With the poverty-level yearly income for a family of two at $11,610, the average weekly $125 fee for infant care constitutes 52 percent of such a family’s income. Average weekly fees for toddlers are around $90; $75 for full-time school-age child care and $50 for part-time school-age care. But those fees may not be enough to cover provider costs.

Carol Hoxie has been director of Memphis Jewish Home’s Children’s Corner daycare center for 10 years. During her tenure the center has become one of the most popular and respected providers in Shelby County. A program of age-appropriate activities, involved parents, and reasonable tuition rates has kept the center’s waiting list full. “No center is perfect, but we are good,” says Hoxie. But the 50-child center will shut its doors at the end of February, leaving the children to seek care elsewhere and Hoxie and her 15-person staff without jobs.

“The [Memphis Jewish Home] board of directors decided to follow their mission to serve the elderly. I would assume that the price to adhere to [DHS] regulations was factored in,” says Hoxie. Hoxie favors the new guidelines. In fact, the Children’s Corner received a three-star rating during its last evaluation but could not afford to enact the additional state requirements.

Even with the free staff-development programs, counselor assistance, and funding grants provided by DHS, many agencies may be left with little choice but to discontinue services or make financial adjustments.

Diane Manning, director of Riverview-Kansas Daycare Center and president of the Tennessee Quality Child-Care Association, has no problem adhering to the three-star guidelines. “My staff is paid above-average wages, with the highest-paid teacher earning about $41,000 and [lower salaries] ranging to $21,000. We also offer benefits like life insurance, retirement, long- and short-term disability,” says Manning. “But [Riverview-Kansas] is a special case. It will take minds at the state to see what the different needs are for the different daycare centers.”

But even with her center’s good record, Manning is having to cut additional activities which were once a hallmark of Riverview-Kansas. Extra field trips for older students are being reduced or omitted. “We are no longer able to [subsidize] activities for children whose parents cannot afford it,” she says. “The children are suffering.”

The centers get little sympathy from DHS. “It is the personal responsibility of the center to seek the necessary resources, because there is no reason for any provider to not have information on providing quality care,” says Hill. “Providers should weigh costs to offer services. You have to account for expenses. If [providers] thought they were going to get into this business to make a bunch of money, that is not the case. They’ve gotten into the wrong business.” Hill says the bottom line is that the goals are attainable without requiring extra money.

Looking To the Future

Hill is optimistic about the future of the child-care industry. “Centers now being licensed are coming aboard with a better understanding of what licensing is about. I see improvement in quality,” says Hill. As of mid-January, 230 agencies were participating in the Star Quality Program.

Hoxie, not surprisingly, doesn’t see the future in quite the same way. “Things in the child-care industry needed to change, but it’s a vicious circle,” she says. “The regulations are good, but centers cannot afford to adhere to them, so the price of child care is raised. Parents then cannot afford to pay the rates and the centers go out of business.”

In her fourth year as chair of the Children and Family Affairs committee, state Rep. Carol Chumney has proposed or been involved with the current legislation to raise the reimbursement rate for state-subsidized agencies, increase child-care worker salaries, and change adult/child ratios. With the Childcare and Licensing Division of DHS estimating only a $5-$6-per-week rate increase to implement all of the new regulations, Chumney gives little credence to centers whose operators are complaining about increased expenditures.

“Maybe one of the reasons why children are still being left on buses could be because the workers responsible for that job aren’t qualified to do it. If I was a parent, I sure wouldn’t mind paying the little extra to ensure that my child was receiving quality care,” says Chumney.

“There are centers that believe the reforms are about education and brain development for children and not about costs,” Chumney adds. “What Tennessee has done, and is doing, is something we should have done sooner. Why should our kids be stuck in a center trying to fight for attention? Basically, the real question is: ‘Why should poor children be given poor care?'”

Legislative Timeline For Child-care Reform

1999 — Toddlers Brandon Mann and Darnecia Slater die after being left alone in daycare vans in the Memphis heat.

July 2000 — New state guidelines for child-care centers are instituted and DHS is granted new enforcement tools, including:

Restricted Licenses — The department may issue a restricted license, which limits the agency’s authority in one or more areas of operation.

Probation — The department is able to place a child-care agency on probation for not less than 30 days but not more than 60 days for violating licensing laws and regulations.

Civil Penalties — Penalties range from $50 per day per violation for minor infractions to $1,000 per day per violation for major infractions.

Injunction — DHS can seek an injunction against child-care agencies operating illegally. The injunction would prevent them from continuing to operate. Injunctions can be part of or separate from other enforcement actions, such as summary suspension.

November 2000 — Daycare providers are required to have minimum amounts of liability and accident insurance for facilities as well as for vehicles owned, leased, or contracted.

January 2001 — Criminal background checks are required for all new employees, substitutes, and vehicle operators.

October 2001 — Graduated Licensing Systems/Annual Report Cards are put into place.

February 2002 — Lower adult/child ratios for infants through 2-year-olds. New ratios for 3-year-olds will go into effect in July 2002; July 2003 for 4- and 5-year-olds.

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News The Fly-By

Club Kids

With bad grades and an even worse attitude, Marcus Haley was headed for trouble. “I took school as a joke,” says Haley. “I almost flunked out of ninth grade. If it hadn’t been for Griff, I’d probably be in jail right now.”

Charles Griffin, 28, smiles as he remembers his first encounter with Haley, now 18, and others whose lives he has reversed. Griff, as he is affectionately known, is the director of the new Downtown Porter Boys and Girls Club, 620 Lauderdale Street.

Situated between Booker T. Washington High School and the William A. Foote and Edward O. Cleaborn public housing projects, the club is in a prime location to reach potentially troubled kids. The club opened in February in the renovated Porter gymnasium. In its brief existence, it has already become the most utilized Boys and Girls Club in the city.

Marcus Ward, 17, has been involved with the organization since he was 5. His main reason for coming to the Downtown Porter club is the staff. “Since I’ve been coming here my whole personality has changed. The [staff] here has been a big influence in my life. They will help you in any situation,” says Ward.

“We’re just dangling carrots for them to come. Once relationships are established with the staff, the kids will come back no matter what the activity,” says Griffin.

Bernal Smith, vice president and chief operating officer of the Memphis Boys and Girls Clubs, says the Porter location started as a “survival of the fittest” club. “Other agencies had started and stopped services and youth programs in the location, but none ever stayed,” says Smith. “The Memphis Housing Authority [MHA] asked us to put a club here.” With help from grants from the state of Tennessee and operating funds from MHA, the club already appears to be a success.

Each of the six Memphis-area clubs has its own board of directors. The Downtown Porter board, chaired by businessman Robert Williams, has big plans for the club and its members. Through collaboration with the Work Place, the club will offer training in computer proficiency, office skills, and job placement. The club’s 20-station computer lab clearly demonstrates the community’s support. Hardware and connectors were donated by Sysco; computers were donated by several individual firms; and Lan One Inc. provided and set up the software.

Early next year, Downtown Porter will kick off a national Boys and Girls Clubs computer pilot program. Members will be given personal computers for home use. Again, the computers will be donated and come complete with Internet service, also donated, for the 20 to 40 participants.

Several other programs are offered to members in an effort to fulfill the the club’s mission to inspire and enable young people to reach their full potential. A Power Hour of homework help is set aside for younger members after school. The Job Ready program, for ages 15 and older, teaches job skills, resume preparation, and interview skills. After completing the program, club members are placed with partnering companies for on-the-job vocational training and employment. The Chef Club teaches etiquette and meal preparation; older club members who become part of the Keystone Club are taught the meaning of community by helping younger kids. And, of course, athletic facilities and activities are also provided.

Staff members don’t take their responsibilities lightly. “Our job is not like other jobs,” says Griffin. “If we mislead a child, terrible things could happen. They depend on us and sometimes we are all they’ve got.” Almost 85 percent of the kids served come from single-parent homes, usually with no male in the household.

Downtown Porter staff member and former “club kid” Marcus Taylor believes in his job. “What these kids need is to see young African-American men making a positive move in this area. These kids are the future and if they don’t see positive male role models now, by the time they grow up, it’s too late. We try to instill in them that all black men are not bad.”

And what about the girls? They have role models. “We make sure to provide workshops and programs just for the girls,” says staffer Charlie Braswell. “We have individual sporting events for them. We want to make sure the girls don’t get lost.”

The Memphis Boys Club was started in 1962. The name was later changed to the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Memphis and now girls make up 40 percent of the members. The organization serves more than 6,000 kids. Individual club operating costs each year total more than $330,000, with a majority of the money coming from fund-raisers and individual donations. During the school year, Memphis-area clubs are open Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 9 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Membership is open to kids ages 7 to 17, who must be registered by a parent.

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In Step

”

.

There’s always a war between your passion and what you think you have to do. Your passion will always win.”

Darius Wallace is reciting a bit of wisdom he heard a few years ago. Wallace, a local actor, knows it’s true and knows it’s tough.

“It’s harder [in Memphis] to make a living as an actor. For me to do it, I have to do multiple things at one time,” says Wallace. “I think every actor in the city would have more to offer if they could just focus on their craft. The amount we receive should be based on what we put into the work.”

If this were true, Wallace’s paycheck for Starry Road to Freedom would be sky-high. The one-man show, which Wallace wrote and stars in, is based on the life and writings of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and depicts Douglass in his later years as he returns to his childhood slave quarters and reminisces about his youth.

In a recent preview of the show, Wallace took a middle-school audience on Douglass’ journey from his carefree frolicking as a slave child to the coming-of-age experiences of a field slave and the brutality that accompanied it, the extreme hunger for literacy, and finally the escape from slavery to freedom. The audience sat riveted as Wallace, through Douglass, explained that one of the keys to freedom is literacy.

“When I started reading about [Douglass], I felt a pull from his writings that people — children and adults — need to see,” says Wallace. “One thing I’ve learned in this show and all my shows and in my life is the power of the written and spoken word.”

Wallace didn’t realize this power until age 19 when a cold reading in acting class revealed his inability to read at an appropriate level. He began to read literature of all types, including poetry. “Poetry was one of the things that got me back into performing. It fits my delivery as an actor because I use a lot of words and images and I don’t separate poetry from too much of anything, especially theater.”

Wallace started acting in middle school at age 13 in his hometown of Flint, Michigan. His first performance was in the musical Oliver. “I knew I wanted to act in my freshman year in high school. My drama teacher asked me to try out for a lead role and I was shocked because in middle school I had gotten on stage and forgotten all my lines,” says Wallace. He studied acting at the Flint Youth Theatre of Arts and the Interlochen Arts Academy in upper Michigan. After several roles in state productions, Wallace decided to take his show on the road.

He wrote and toured with his first one-man show, The Life of Malcolm X, in 42 states. Then his mother, a Memphis native, passed away. Wallace returned here to “get a break from the scene” and for a while his passion took a backseat to everyday life. He began the only other “career” he’s known: sales.

After a year his passion returned. “I found myself not knocking on doors but [going] to a bookstore to write and get ideas. That’s when I knew I’d be more successful if I just focused on acting.”

Starry Road to Freedom has been performed at the National Civil Rights Museum and Airways Middle School. Plans are being made for performances throughout the area in Memphis public schools.

Although Wallace’s one-man shows allow him to personally connect with his audiences and demonstrate his acting strengths, they are not the extent of his repertoire. His recent credits include Dreamgirls, As You Like It, and Wit at Playhouse on the Square and Soul of a People and the upcoming Black Nativity with the Memphis Black Repertory Theatre. He is a two-year company member of both groups and also conducts acting workshops throughout the city.

Next stop: Los Angeles, where Wallace plans to pursue roles in television and film, following the lead of those actors he admires, such as Denzel Washington and Samuel Jackson.

“It’s dangerous for emotions and ideas to sit on your passion, sit on your dreams,” says Wallace. “It would be better to let go of the thing you think you have to do and pursue the thing you really want to do because it is that thing that will liberate you financially, emotionally, and spiritually.”

Starry Road to Freedom will be performed November 17th-18th at the National Civil Rights Museum and during Dr. Martin Luther King weekend in January. The play is also available for additional bookings.