Author: Justin Howerton

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MICAH Pushes for Conviction Review in Shelby County

Sunny Eaton, the director of Nashville’s CRU (Courtesy: MICAH)

On March 10th, the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope (MICAH) hosted a virtual town hall meeting to discuss the need for a conviction review unit (CRU) in Shelby County. A CRU “is charged with identifying and investigating past convictions for credible claims of actual innocence” according to the Nashville District Attorney’s Office, which currently houses the only CRU in Tennessee. 

The event featured keynote speakers Sunny Eaton, the director of Nashville’s CRU, and William Arnold Jr., a Black man wrongfully convicted in 2013 who now uses his platform to advocate for criminal justice reform. Arnold spent nearly seven years incarcerated before the Court of Criminal Appeals overturned his conviction in 2020. The Nashville District Attorney’s office subsequently informed the judge presiding over Arnold’s case that it would be dismissed.

Janiece Lee, Vice President at MICAH, discussed how the implementation of a CRU in Shelby County would assist in holding the justice system accountable in terms of both previous rulings and future cases. 

“In almost every field, there’s some kind of checks and balances,” Lee said. “Not only does [a CRU] help to ensure justice by looking backwards, but, by determining the things that happened to result in a wrongful conviction, [a CRU] can help prosecutors correct themselves in the future.”

William Arnold Jr. was a keynote speaker at the event. (Courtesy: MICAH)

Lee spoke on the role of the prosecutor as a professional who advocates for truth. 

“I think we often forget that the prosecutor’s job is to seek justice and to seek truth,” Lee said. “A guilty verdict or a guilty plea does not mean we are done. If justice and truth means overturning a wrongful conviction or dismissing charges, then that is the responsibility of the prosecutor’s office.” 

Lee mentioned that Shelby County incarcerates at a higher rate than any other county in Tennessee; she argues that this fact renders a Shelby County CRU a necessary resource. 

“We incarcerate at a higher rate than any other county,” Lee said. “We should be a county that believes this is necessary. When your [District Attorney’s] office touches so many cases, mistakes are going to happen.”

MICAH has additional committees devoted to social justice. Ernie Hillard, Chair of the Race & Class Equity in the Justice System Task Force at MICAH, works, in part, to improve the lives of recently incarcerated citizens and was involved with the organization of the event. 

“With the help of our legislators we have been able to put forward some legislation to pursue expungement of felony records,” Hillard said. “The current system often keeps them from getting employment; we would like to make [expungement] automatic when they complete their sentencing.” 

During the town hall, Eaton emphasized that conviction review units are not important but critical to the ethical functioning of the judicial system, as they serve as essential mechanisms for self-accountability. Furthermore, Eaton noted that CRUs should be stationed with a District Attorney’s office for the facilitation of internal review.  

Arnold, who was wrongfully incarcerated for nearly seven years of his life, described the CRU as a way to balance out the judicial system and to prevent the unlawful incarceration of both people of color and people of lower economic status. 

After both keynote speakers presented, a Q&A followed in which Eaton and Arnold fielded questions posed by attendees. The event concluded with a call to action, which outlined how citizens can work toward making the vision of a Shelby County CRU a reality. 

Among the avenues suggested was raising awareness by discussing the need for a CRU within their respective circles and communities. More importantly, citizens are encouraged to vote and support local politicians who are in favor of establishing a Shelby County CRU. Current Shelby County District Attorney Amy Weirich has expressed opposition to the creation of a CRU within her office. 

Lee described the ultimate goal of any CRU as one aimed to restore the dignity of wrongfully convicted persons. 

“We cannot make it right in a wrongful conviction,” Lee said. “But we can do everything we can to give [a wrongfully incarcerated person] their name back, their dignity back, their reputation back. And we cannot delay it.”

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Art Art Feature

ArtsMemphis Awards 2022 Enhancement Grants

Tennessee Shakespeare Company (Courtesy ArtsMemphis)

ArtsMemphis has released the names of the seven recipients of their 2022 Enhancement Grants. According to ArtsMemphis, the Plough Foundation established the grants in 2005 “to strengthen organizational infrastructure and position [selected organizations] for sustained growth and community impact.”

The grants were awarded to Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group, the Metal Museum, Soulsville Foundation, Memphis Youth Symphony Program, the Young Actors Guild, Arrow Creative, and the Tennessee Shakespeare Company.

“This program encourages our operating support grantees to pursue significant projects that propel their missions forward and enable them to, in essence, ‘enhance’ their presence and impact both locally and globally,” said ArtsMemphis President & CEO Elizabeth Rouse in a statement.

All of the recipients have received Operational Support Grants in the past from ArtsMemphis to assist with their general functioning and programming costs. The Enhancement Grants have arrived at a critical juncture when many local arts organizations are continuing to recover from the pandemic and its myriad effects. 

Some of these organizations, like the Soulsville Foundation, have existed for decades, while others, such as the Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group, have been formed relatively recently. 

Soulsville School (Credit: Jesse Davis)

The Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group aspires to transcend cultural divides in the Mid-South through arts programming, language workshops, and festivals that celebrate and promote Latin American and other underrepresented cultures. Dorimar Ferrer, the executive director of the Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group, elaborated on the organization’s origins, which began with a small group of dedicated Latina women, as well as their community-oriented mission. 

“We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was approved in 2014,” Ferrer said. “We wanted to educate. We wanted to share our Latin American culture, to be proud of our own culture. We wanted to build a cultural bridge between cultures.”

While Ferrer acknowledged the ongoing effects of the pandemic, she emphasized that the company adapted quickly and continued providing programming, albeit digitally. 

“We never stopped for the pandemic,” Ferrer said. “We said, ‘Okay, it is time to be creative.’ We made all of our programs virtual. During the pandemic, we did 150 programs.”

Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group (Courtesy ArtsMemphis)

Ferrer spoke on how the pandemic empowered the company’s leadership to learn new technologies and discover nontraditional ways to connect with others. 

“We created programs called ‘Storytimes’ on Facebook Live,” Ferrer said. “We did a ‘reverse’ parade for the Day of the Dead celebration. We had the parade stationed at Overton Park, and people drove by to see the parade. It has been a great opportunity for us to learn new skills.”

The company intends to use the Enhancement Grant funds to support and expand their local bilingual theater workshop program, which meets regularly at the Dixon Gallery and Gardens. Ferrer looks forward to seeing more workshops proliferate throughout the city and compensating their theater teachers for their time. 

“We do [workshops] the third Saturday of every month,” Ferrer said. “They’re free for the community. We hope to grow the program by expanding locations. We want to pay our teachers too because it is important for us to pay our artists.”  

Cazateatro celebrates Black History month annually with an Afro-Latino week that features speakers, workshops, and programming. In addition to expanding the theater workshops, the company plans on using the Enhancement Grant to convert this event into a month-long affair that will feature more performers and artists than was previously possible. 

“We hope to grow the [Black History Month] program,” Ferrer said. “Three or four days is not enough. We hope to do other events during the year as well to celebrate Afro-Latino culture.”

Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group (Courtesy ArtsMemphis)

Ferrer has created a welcoming space open to people of all identities and backgrounds. Her and the company strive to make the arts more inclusive for everyone, regardless of their nationality. 

“With this accent, it was impossible for me to do theater [in Memphis],” Ferrer said. “And I don’t want that to happen for my community. Our door is always open no matter what.” 

Ferrer encourages interested parties to reach out to her or visit the company’s website for more information on upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. 

“We are always looking for people to help us at the theater,” Ferrer said. “You do not need to have theater experience to be part of Cazateatro. Everyone is welcome.”

Other organizations, such as the Soulsville Foundation and Arrow Creative, will use the grant money in a different way to promote organizational growth and community outreach. Both plan to use the money to renovate their respective spaces. 

“​​The challenges and opportunities over this past year have forced our organization to fight harder and to become more innovative in ways that we provide service and fundraise. We have been more intentional in assuring we meet the needs of Memphis children within the communities we serve,” said Sabrina Norwood, Executive Director of Young Actors Guild. “Our programs constantly evolve and shift to continuously meet the needs of those we serve.  Every challenge has been met with a creative eye and innovative planning to make the necessary adjustments.”

ArtsMemphis has announced that they are now accepting applications from organizations for their next round of Operating Grants. Those interested can find more information about Operating Grants and the full list of Enhancement Grants recipients at artsmemphis.org. 

“Despite the pandemic pause on our industry in 2020, we as an organization have never pressed pause,” said Rouse. “Continuity in our support of local artists and arts organizations has been critical, and we all must contribute to keep these organizations not only afloat but thriving in our city.”

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News News Blog News Feature

Introducing the Black Men Crowned Awards

Black Men Crowned Awards executive producers Steven Sanders, Deondra Guy, and Justin Hart (Credit: Black Men Crowned Awards / Crystal Clear Productions)

Memphis’ newest awards ceremony seeks to honor hard-working men of color who have demonstrated excellence in the professional, collegiate, or humanitarian fields. The awards show, the inaugural Black Men Crowned Awards, will take place on December 9th at the National Civil Rights Museum. 

The event intends to reframe the representation of Black men in both a local and national sense, highlighting their accomplishments through an evening of celebration and festivity. Justin Hart, a supervising producer at the television network Fox Soul, spearheaded the project as its creator. The executive producers of this event include Steven Sanders, Deondra Guy, and Lauren Keys.

Black men from a wide range of industries and backgrounds have been selected for their distinguished accomplishments in their respective pursuits. 

“This award ceremony is devoted to honoring and celebrating Black men in various professions such as entrepreneurship, business, athletics, and entertainment,” Hart says. 

An anonymous panel selected this year’s 10 distinguished honorees, which include Dr. Joris M. Ray, the superintendent of Shelby County Schools; Calvin Austin III, a University of Memphis football player with potential NFL prospects; and Princeton Echols, a rising entertainer and performer. A Shelby County High School student will be honored during the event with a college scholarship.

Hart hopes to see this year’s ceremony evolve into something even larger in the future as a possible Memphis-based attraction. “I want to make this big,” Hart says. “I want this to be a staple in the city of Memphis. It’s time to really put the city on the map in a positive way. This is my way of giving back by starting this idea that is going to grow into something even bigger than what I can imagine.”

The awards show is a counter to the historically negative representation of Black men in the media, Hart says. He aims for this event to help reverse that trend for the better. “Every time I turn on the news, there’s something negative about a Black man,” he says, “and I just felt like this was the perfect time to change the narrative of how the media portrays Black men.” 

Hart says guests can expect a night of opulence, commensurate with the achievements attained by the honorees. “We want these honorees to feel like they are royalty, because they are, and rightfully so,” Hart says. Stan Bell, a local radio personality, will host the event alongside Tony Smith, a party promoter. Memphis-themed dishes and drinks will be served.

Hart says he wants to inspire a future generation of young Black men to flourish in their professional and personal lives. “My goal was to highlight those Black men that are doing extremely well and to give young men the opportunity to see a reflection of themselves in their success.”

The inaugural Black Men Crowned Awards honorees (Courtesy Black Men Crowned Awards)

The Black Men Crowned Awards at the National Civil Rights Museum, Thursday, December 9th, 7 p.m. Tickets for the event are sold out, but those interested can find a full list of this year’s honorees and more information on the event’s Facebook page.

Categories
Opinion The Last Word

No Hate for My Hometown: Challenging Misconceptions About Memphis

“The diversity in this city promotes tolerance, for the most part, instead of stifling it.” (Photo: Jesse Kunerth | Dreamstime.com)

At some point, everyone has felt like an outsider. For most, this sense of otherness begins in high school but evaporates after you leave its exclusive cliques and pressures to conform. Alternatively, as was my case, it can follow you into early adulthood. I was born and raised in Memphis, but I chose to relocate to Oregon to attend college. Never had I felt so displaced, and the slew of comments regarding my hometown did not assist in making me feel welcome. I laugh at them now, but, in retrospect, I see how they contribute to an unfair and untrue perception of the South that perpetuates harmful, and largely false, stereotypes.

Upon introducing myself and my hometown in my first days as a wide-eyed freshman, I quickly learned how non-Southerners perceived Memphis and the South generally. You see Southerners portrayed in the media as backwards, conservative bigots who will go to extraordinary lengths to preserve their depraved traditions. With this in mind, I had expected a couple of gasps when it came time for me to introduce myself. But this was Portland: a city I had hitherto regarded as teeming with a certain open-mindedness that accepted nearly everyone who meant well. Turns out even liberals can be guilty of harboring unfounded prejudices.

I received a lot of questions and remarks that day and for the rest of the time I lived there. “But you don’t have an accent?” Yes, I grew up in a city. Not everyone speaks like the antagonists from Deliverance. Get a few drinks in me, and you may begin to detect a slight drawl. “Why did you move here?” To this inquiry, I responded, “Well, why did you?” That normally shut them up. The majority of my undergraduate class hailed from California and could simply not fathom why I would move out west, even after I explained I had secured a scholarship, financial aid, and other resources that made such a drastic move monetarily beneficial. They didn’t know how to talk to me; they couldn’t reconcile their preconceived notions of a Southerner, which they had learned primarily from media and hearsay, with the reality that stood before them.

“It must have been hard to have grown up in such an intolerant place.” This seemingly sympathetic quip aggravated me the most. Yes, work still needs to be done in the South to ensure that everyone has rights regardless of class, race, or sex, but that same work must be done on a national level, even in progressive havens whose citizens think they have accomplished unconditional equality. And, to be fair, Memphis itself is a relatively welcoming city with a thriving community of diverse residents. Can Portland, where 77.4 percent of the population is white according to the U.S. Census Bureau, say the same?

While all of these comments bugged me and continually reminded me of my status as an “outsider,” the pleasure of dispelling these misconceptions using my own personal experiences could not have felt any better. When someone offered pity as a response to learning my geographical origin, I volleyed back pride. I often said, and still proclaim, that I am proud to be from Memphis, warts and all, and that I am forever grateful for how this place has shaped my worldview for the better.

Growing up in Memphis has taught me that you cannot simply turn a blind eye to injustices, such as systemic racism or social inequities; you see them every day. You interact with people who hold different political beliefs than your own, which, in turn, makes you critically examine why you harbor your own beliefs. You encounter people who challenge the ideas you hold true, and it makes you stronger for it. And you see people with wildly different backgrounds from yourself on a daily basis. Contrary to what many people would say elsewhere, the diversity present in this city promotes tolerance, for the most part, instead of stifling it.

My main point is this: Progress needs to happen everywhere. The fabricated stereotype of the South as culturally inept reveals more about the believer of the stereotype than it does about the South. We collectively need to stop worrying about how the rest of the country is fairing with regards to social progress in order to accomplish the work that must be done in our own states, cities, and neighborhoods. And the rest of the country needs to seriously alter how it conceives of the South (Memphis included) so this derogatory perception can finally be put to rest.

Justin Howerton is a Memphian since birth, an avid reader, and a lover of swimming and house plants. He likes cats but hates cat hair.