Author: Kailynn Johnson

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Tennessee Leaders React to HIV Funding Being Cut

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Tennessee leaders are responding to the recent news regarding HIV funding being cut in the state of Tennessee.

On January 19th, The Commercial Appeal reported that the state of Tennessee “is cutting funding for HIV prevention, detection, and treatment programs that are not affiliated with metro health departments as of May 31st.”

According to The Commercial Appeal, an email was obtained from the United Way of Greater Nashville which “told partner organizations there would be a change in the state’s HIV prevention program.”

A January 17th letter from Pamela Talley, medical director of the HIV/STD/viral hepatitis section of the Tennessee Department Health, stated that Tennessee has “provided HIV surveillance, testing, and prevention services through a CDC pass-through grant from the federal government.”

The letter also said that the state of Tennessee has determined “it is in the best interest of Tennesseans for the state to assume direct financial and managerial responsibility for these services.”

In the past, the CDC had awarded $10.10 million to health departments and organizations in Tennessee for HIV prevention and “care activities.” The CDC also projected in 2020 that Tennesseans living with HIV would face an average lifetime cost of $510,000.

AIDSVu, an online mapping tool by Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, reported that as of 2020, there were 6,283 people living with HIV in Shelby County, and 235 people were newly diagnosed. In Memphis, there were 6,589 people living with HIV, with 233 people being newly diagnosed.

In a statement released by the Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. John Ray Clemmons of Nashville said, “The decision is the latest instance of the governor turning his back on vulnerable Tennesseans.

“The Lee administration’s unilateral decision to cut funding to HIV prevention, detection, and treatment programs is only the latest example of his alarming lack of concern for Tennesseans’ health and well-being,” Clemmons said. “It is difficult for those of us who have personally experienced a loved one suffering and ultimately dying from this horrible virus to view this decision as anything less than a heartless act and offensive — it’s beyond the pale.”

Clemmons also stated that “multiple programs that serve communities across this state will be directly impacted by this callous decision, leaving them scrambling for funding to provide much-needed healthcare services.”

In the same statement, state Senator London Lamar (D-Memphis) said, “The administration’s irresponsible decision to reject federal funding for community-based HIV/AIDS prevention endangers the lives of Tennesseans. Our state has made steady progress against this incurable disease thanks to these exact public health efforts.”

Lamar also tweeted, “There is NOTHING ‘pro-life’ that has come out of Tennessee lately. Complete abortion bans. Foster care system worst in country. DCS. Rape kits. Now HIV funding cut. When I think it can’t get worse, the state proves me otherwise. People are not safe here.”

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Seven-Day Homeless Journey Protests State’s ‘Anti-Camping’ Law

Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

Terence Lester, founder of the organization Love Beyond Walls, recently traveled to Memphis as a part of a seven-day journey to protest a Tennessee law that makes camping on public property a felony. This is a part of Lester’s documentary that will “give a voice to and highlight the lives of the people most impacted by Tennessee’s anti-camping bill.”

The law went into effect on July 1st, 2022.  According to the Tennessee General Assembly, this law “creates a Class C misdemeanor offense, punishable by a $50 fine and community service work, for camping along a controlled-access highway or entrance or exit ramp; expands Equal Access to Public Property Act of 2012, under which it is a Class E felony offense for a person to camp on property owned by the state knowing that the area on which the camping occurs is not specifically designated for use as a camping area, to apply the offense of unauthorized camping to all public property.”

“It’s an act of public sanitation,” said Lester. “It is the sanitizing of physical presence and existence of those who are unhoused. That can be connected to capital interest. It can be connected to wanting to beautify a city in ways where poverty is not an eyesore.”

Memphis was Lester’s first stop on his journey, and he will also travel to Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. Lester said that he has done a number of campaigns to bring attention to homelessness such as walking to Washington, D.C. from Atlanta. He also walked to the Lorraine Motel in Memphis in 2018 to bring attention to poverty, homelessness, and racism.

Lester said that one of his greatest passions for advocacy work around homelessness comes from his own personal experiences.

“When I was a teenager, I experienced a brief moment of homelessness while I was in high school,” Lester said. “You know, sleeping in parks, and trying to find different places to stay that were safe.”

Lester said that he developed a passion for people he could relate to. He explained that there was a disconnect of how people who were impoverished and experiencing homelessness are perceived.

“I wanted to leverage my voice, and my education to do something about it.”

Lester also said that he wanted to use this as a platform to develop empathy towards the homeless population.

“My experience has been that of heaviness, you know a combination of joy, because there are people in the toughest moments of their life of not having a physical location, somehow find a way to tell jokes, and to talk about the simple things.”

In having conversations with different people, Lester said he came across a woman who talked about her sense of fear and worry, and how it causes her to not rest.

“She fears being raped, or having something happen to her because there’s only a small amount of resources for women in this particular city [Memphis],” said Lester. “It made me think about the unrest that happens in the minds of individuals who are experiencing homelessness, just on a real personal level, because I know what that feels like.”

While Lester said that he resonates with this sentiment, he is also trying to communicate the message that there needs to be more safe spaces for the unhoused community so people can receive wellness.

“Wellness can be described as emotional wellness, spiritual wellness, physical wellness,” said Lester. “Just total wellness that we all are in pursuit of.”

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Community Organizer Says Cell 411 App Can Improve Safety

Photo by Rami Al-zayat on Unsplash

Memphis community organizer Keedran Franklin is urging people to use the app Cell 411 to improve safety efforts in the city.

According to Cell 411, the app can “alert your friends, neighbors, and even emergency service providers when you are in danger, experiencing medical distress, or just need assistance.” The app was created by activists, and users can report acts of police brutality, illegal searches, and more.

The user’s location and alerts can only be seen by people that they specifically allow.

Franklin is encouraging people to download the app and create their own “cells,” which are groups of friends, neighbors, and family that can be alerted at any time. He also encourages people to create their own safety modules.

As a “walking and professional organizer,” Franklin said that once he recognizes a problem, he sets out to make solutions. He said that it is his civic duty to do things for other people.

“There are only 1,900 police officers here in the city of Memphis,” said Franklin. “They can’t be everywhere and serve everyone in time. This app will allow Memphians to connect to one another instantaneously by the click of a panic button.”

The panic button is a feature on the app that will send notifications to people within a 10-mile radius of the location of the incident. It can also provide a live video feed.

Franklin said that with public safety being an issue in the city, he believed that there needed to be some formality for citizens to help protect themselves.

The app, according to Franklin, is a call-and-response app. Users do not have to worry about picking up the phone and dialing a number.

“I can just press a button, and I can have eyes on me at any time,” said Franklin.

According to Franklin, the app is similar to Facebook without statuses. He said that the app is strictly about communicating to people like family, friends and coworkers.

“It has my map on there. There’s a ring that has different options of conflict. Some may say a panic button, or ‘I am being harassed,’ or ‘I’m being pulled over by the police,’” said Franklin. 

The app offers different options for users, however Franklin said that having instant access for people to see exactly what’s going on in the present moment is important. He said that this app can be useful to people such as sex workers and women.

“There are a lot of women coming up missing, and some are being found dead and some are just still missing. At the point of something happening, you can hit a button, and people can have instant access to where they are, what’s going on, [and] video of what’s going on. It’s one of those free flowing apps that we can use however we want to.”

As a native Memphian, Franklin said that he has worked to find a solution to Memphis’ crime problem for years.

“I’m an organizer. I like socioeconomic issues. I’m in street orgs myself, so I’m tuned in to the streets just as much as I’m  tuned in to public safety and local politics and national politics. I also organize around the country for an organization called Black Men Build.”

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Memphis Thrifters Thrive on the Thrill of the Hunt

Photo by Robinson Greig on Unsplash

Jay Williams found a gem, or a grail, as those in the thrifting game may call it.

He recently unearthed a 1995 KISS World Tour shirt. There are a number of things that make this shirt an enviable cop: the crazy colors, double-sided design, allover print, and the fact that it features all of the band members.

However, for Williams, the value is in the stitching. The single stitch is a major thing in the thrift community, Williams said.

“It verifies that it’s from a certain era,” said Williams. “It’s stamped 1995, by KISS, it’s just a crazy piece. It goes for like $400-$450.”

Credit: Jay Williams

Williams got this shirt, and about 17 others for “80 cents a pop.”

One can easily find a shirt similar to this from retailers like Urban Outfitters, and it’ll still look cool, said Williams. But to him it loses value because it’s a reprint, not an original. With finds like the KISS shirt, he said the value is in the era.

“I think that brings more value, the fact that it’s from an actual era,” said Williams “A day and a time where that piece was relevant.”

Williams is a thrifter. They scour racks and bins to find treasures that are usually sold at a fraction of the original price. Many build their wardrobes with their latest finds, while others, like Williams, sell their pieces on platforms such as Instagram and Depop.

While perusing his Instagram account, @grindcityvintage, you’ll find rows of enviable, vintage finds such as a Dale Earnhardt Jr. hat, and an old-school University of Memphis Tiger football shirt. Williams even has a few sports jerseys left on display, which he says he’s been lucky to find on occasion.

He recalls digging through the bins at Goodwill on the day that Kobe Bryant died. Within an hour of making small talk with fellow thrifters, he came across a Champion jersey, with the number “8,” Bryant’s number before sporting the iconic #24.

Williams started the Instagram account in 2019, after attending a sneaker event in Memphis, and being captivated by the array of vintage and retro clothing on display.

When you hear the word thrifting, your mind may be drawn to the Salvation Army or Goodwill. These places have become staples in the thrift community, and in fact it’s where thrifters like Bryant Smith fell in love with the hobby.

“I’m big on vintage,” Smith said.

Smith, a Memphis native, has been thrifting for 11 years, he said. He remembers stopping at a Goodwill hours before a wedding and finding an outfit for under $11.

“All of it was name brand,” Smith said. “I think the blazer was Brooks Brothers, khakis from Ralph Lauren, and the loafers were Gucci.”

While Smith has fondly recalled times where he would scour the racks at Goodwill, he and Williams agree that expanding their search to other parts of the city has helped them to find a number of good finds. Smith said that for him, the hot spots are places like Collierville, Cordova, and Bartlett.

Williams has found some of his favorite pieces at garage and estate sales, which is where he not only fell in love with thrifting, but got the idea to open his Instagram shop.

“I just fell in love with the hunt of it,” Williams said. “I started posting stuff on my personal page, my Instagram page. I was getting some bites and people were actually buying stuff. I did that for about six months, and then I was like ‘man I might as well start my own page.”

Interested customers can visit Wiliams’ Instagram page, where he’ll post his latest finds to his feed.

“If you see something you like, just DM,” said Williams. “I try to list the price of what it is. We take Cash App, Venmo, you know stuff like that. If they’re local we can meet up with them and give them the piece they purchased. Or, we can ship it out.”

Williams also sells items on Depop, another online platform where customers can find vintage finds.

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Abortion Still Illegal As Tennessee Abortion Drug Law Takes Effect

Photo by Christine Sandu on Unsplash

The “Tennessee Abortion-Inducing Drug Risk Protocol Act” was passed on May 9, 2022, and took effect on January 1, 2023.

According to the state of Tennessee, this act states that abortion-inducing drugs must be provided only by a qualified physician in a medical facility. This prohibits the distribution of the drug, even by pharmacies, physicians, and qualified physicians, through delivery and mail services.

This does not ban Plan B or other emergency contraceptives.

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration announced that they would be expanding access to abortion-inducing drugs. This means that pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens will be able to provide pills such as Mifepristone.

As of December 1, 2022, the Guttmacher Institute says that medical abortions account for 54 percent of all abortions. While this law took effect this year, abortion is still illegal in the state of Tennessee. Governor Bill Lee signed the Tennessee Abortion-Inducing Drug Risk Protocol Act into law in May of 2022, prior to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Many were thrilled regarding the FDA’s announcement, as it marks a monumental step in abortion access. In a statement, the American Civil Liberties Union said, “The FDA’s decision comes at a crisis moment for reproductive freedom, as access to abortion has plummeted nationwide in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision overruling Roe v. Wade.”

However, Tennesseans, such as state House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland), did not share this excitement. In regards to abortion-inducing pills, Lamberth recently tweeted, “In Tennessee we value the lives of mothers AND their children. It isn’t just a pill, this pill kills a child.”  

On August 25, 2022, a Tennessee law went into effect that made providing abortions a felony. 

As we reported in August, the Human Life Protection Act “was passed in 2019 just in case the U.S. Supreme Court ever overturned the landmark Roe. v. Wade.”

The current law does not allow abortions in cases of rape, incest, or any fetal abnormality that could prove fatal to the baby. The law only allows an abortion in Tennessee if giving birth would kill the pregnant woman or would prevent “serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of major bodily function.”

The text of the bill defines abortion as “the elective use or prescription of an instrument, medicine, drug, or other substance, or device, with the intent to terminate the clinically diagnosable pregnancy of a patient, with knowledge that the termination by those means will, with reasonable likelihood, cause the death of the unborn child.”

According to the text of the bill, a qualified physician has the “ability to identify and document a viable intrauterine pregnancy,” and “assess the gestational age of pregnancy and inform the patient of gestational age-specific risks.”

Among other duties, a qualified physician must also “supervise and bear legal responsibility for an agent, employee, or contractor who is participating in any part of a procedure, including, but not limited to, pre-procedure evaluation and care.”

The bill also defines an “abortion-inducing drug” as a “medicine, drug, or other substance provided with the intent of terminating the clinically diagnosable pregnancy of a patient, with knowledge that the termination will, with reasonable likelihood, cause the death of the unborn child.”

This also includes drugs “known to have abortion-inducing properties that are prescribed specifically with the intent of causing an abortion.” Some of these drugs are Mifepristone, Misoprostol, and Methotrexate.

Violation in this act results in a Class E felony, and the individual can be fined no more than $50,000. The patient, however, will not receive any criminal penalties.

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Memphis at Your Fingertips

Photo by Prateek Katyal on Unsplash

Thanks to apps such as TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, the city of Memphis is at our fingertips.

While travel guides have existed prior to the phenomena of social media, things such as reels, carousel posts, and three-minute videos have changed the way that we experience Bluff City. 

Long gone are the days where tourists, and even Memphis natives, would rely on Google searches and Yelp! reviews in hopes of receiving recommendations and honest thoughts on the places that they hoped to try. Instead, a nightly scroll on your “For You Page” can lead you to a brutally honest review of the restaurant behind an aesthetically pleasing (and usually strategically placed) influencer post. Or it can lead you to the perfect hidden gem, making your feed the envy of all your closest friends and followers.

Jazmine Thomas (@keepingupwithjazzz) is a food and review influencer on TikTok. Thomas’ profile is composed of Memphis hidden gems and restaurant reviews. While content like this isn’t anything new on the platform, it can be argued that Thomas’ locally curated content – mixed with a charisma only found in Memphis creators – keeps Memphians and her 20,000 followers coming back for more.

One of Thomas’ viral videos is a review of The Liquor Store, (which Thomas distinguishes as “not your hood liquor store”), located on 2655 Broad Ave. The video has over 292,000 likes, and in 10 seconds, Thomas shares her and her friend Rachel’s experience at the local diner.

“We eating, we getting drunk, getting drunk, getting drunk, getting drunker,” said Thomas. “So I was like, ‘I’m finna do this voiceover and I’m finna just scream throughout this whole thing.’ So we are in the car driving, and I’m just screaming. I didn’t think that post was going to just go crazy, but that’s what happened.”

The comments section of Thomas’ videos are filled with users saying that her fun and authentic reviews have prompted them to try restaurants such as Moondance Grill and Gracie’s Kitchen, and products such as Chef Flavas’ “stuffed shrimp egg rolls.”

While Thomas said that her mini vlogs and reviews fit her personality the best, this content gave her the opportunity to not only earn income, but to shed some positive light on the city.

“Most people think that Memphis is all about crime and there’s nothing to do. It’s always something to do in Memphis, you just have to find and look out,” said Thomas. “It’s certain people you can follow on Instagram or TikTok to find something to do. Memphis is not always negative. Memphis has good-ass food.”

Thomas’ page is not the only social media account that mixes the rawness and authenticity of a Memphis creator, with the intention of exposing people to the many things that Memphis has to offer.

Unapologetically Memphis’ (@unapologeticallymemphis) social media handle speaks for itself. With content ranging from local news, restaurant reviews, events, and viral videos, it seems inevitable that 81.4K followers use this as the premier source for all things Memphis.

Marques Cook initially started the page in 2019 in hopes of shedding a more positive light on the city. He also sought to educate users on Memphis history and things that they may not know about different neighborhoods.

“That’s when it really took off, it kind of went crazy,” Cook said. “I did a couple of news posts, and people would comment on it. Like if you look in the comment section it’s kind of like people get a chance to voice their opinion on what’s going on in the city. Everybody looks for the comment section now.”

With such a large following though, it can be a lot to carry on a content creator’s shoulder to stay true to the brand, even when headlines give reasons not to love Memphis. 

In the aftermath of the Ezekiel Kelly shooting spree, Cook said that he received a message from a user asking if he was still “unapologetically Memphis.”

“It doesn’t make a difference what happens, I’m still going to love Memphis the same,” replied Cook.

Cook is quick to explain that the goal of his page isn’t to show an idealistic view of Memphis, as he shows both good and bad news on his page. However he hopes that Memphians will be prompted to showcase their pride for their city and the neighborhoods that they’re from.

“It ain’t all sweet,” Cook said. “But imma show you it’s a lot of positive things going on as well, to kind of balance the positive and negative.”

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Memphis Zoo Panda Loan Agreement To End After Two Decades

Memphis Zoo via Facebook

The Memphis Zoo recently announced that the pandas Ya Ya and Le Le will make their journey back to China within the next few months.

According to the zoo, their loan agreement with the Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens will end after two decades.

In a Facebook post, the Memphis Zoo said, “Ya Ya and Le Le have been integral parts of the Memphis community for the past 20 years and we are grateful for the time we were able to spend with them.”

The Memphis Zoo also said that  “Ya Ya and Le Le helped pioneer research and conservation projects to teach others about the importance of their species.”

Ya Ya and Le Le arrived at the Memphis Zoo in April of 2003. In a video exploring the China Gardens at the Memphis Zoo, CEO Matt Thompson, said that this was the first time that people in the city were able to see giant pandas, and “experience the culture of China.”

Thompson said that many zoos around the world would like to have giant pandas but have been unsuccessful.

In 1987, a panda named “Shuwa” stayed at the Memphis Zoo, but this was only for 31 days. A large number of guests had come to see her, and wondered why there were no pandas at the zoo.

“At the time, pandas were very rare animals and an endangered species with only about 1,000 remaining in the wild,” said the Memphis Zoo. 

In 1996, the Memphis Zoo began having conversations about hosting giant pandas. In this same year, Jim Sasser of Tennessee became the United States ambassador to China. 

According to the Memphis Zoo, Sasser began to have conversations with Chinese government officials in March of 1999 about panda research being conducted at the zoo.

The zoo also said that in these conversations, then-president Jiang Zameen said that while Chinese people knew a lot about American culture, it seemed as if Americans knew “very little” about Chinese culture. This is how the idea sparked of having pandas at the Memphis Zoo would serve as an educational experience.

The Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens signed a letter of intent in April of 1999,and in the summer of 2001, crews began working on the 16-million dollar exhibit.

While many have enjoyed seeing the pandas for years, many have also voiced their concerns for the well-being of the pandas as well.

In April of 2021, Memphis Flyer reporter Toby Sells said that “A change.org petition and a letter-writing campaign by Panda Voices, a group “brought together by the ongoing mistreatment of pandas Lele (sic) and Yaya (sic) at Memphis Zoo,” has mobilized thousands across the globe.”

According to Sells, mistreatment concerns ranged from Ya Ya’s “four abortions” that cause “irreversible damage to her body,” and claims that Le Le had “dental problems over the years.”   

”I assure you that both pandas are monitored by keeper and veterinary staff daily,” said Jessica Faulk, a zoo spokeswoman said in a statement. “We are also in constant communication with our colleagues in China, as well as [the Association of Zoos and Aquariums], and send them monthly updates.”  

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Black Women Lead Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus in Historic Election

(Credit: Obi - @pixel6propix on Unsplash)

Three Black women will lead the Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus for the 113th General Assembly.

According to the Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus, “this election marks the first time in history any legislative caucus in Tennessee has been led by two Black women — let alone three.”

Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) will serve as Senate Democratic leader, Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) will serve as the Senate Democratic Caucus chairwoman, and Sen. Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville) will serve as the Caucus vice-chairwoman.

Outgoing-leader Sen. Jeff Yarbro nominated Akbari for the position. 

“It was my pleasure today to nominate and support my friend Raumesh to serve as Senate Minority Leader for the 113th General Assembly,” Yarbro said. “She will be the first African American woman to serve in this role and will do an absolutely amazing job.”

Akbari has served since 2013, and said “it has been an absolute honor to serve the people of Shelby County in the Tennessee General Assembly.”

“Today and every day, I stand on the shoulders of legislative trailblazers like Lois DeBerry, Barbara Cooper, and personal heroes like my mom, Lisa Akbari, and sister Raumina Akbari.”

Lamar said that there are “serious challenges facing the people of Tennessee, and it is an awesome responsibility to defend our values at the state legislature.”

“The Senate Democratic Caucus remains committed to fighting for working families, the middle class, young people and seniors, or those who feel left behind or targeted by politics as usual. We will not waver in our fight for the people. I look forward to serving my senate colleagues and the citizens of Tennessee.”

Oliver said that she is honored that her colleagues have trusted her to lead, and her top priorities are “to do what’s in the best interest of my district and do the people’s business in the Tennessee General Assembly. I am ready to work.”

The 113th Tennessee General Assembly will begin Tuesday, January 10th, 2023.

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Tennessee Sees Decrease In Teen Speed-Related Crashes, Increase in Seatbelt Usage

Photo by Samuele Errico Piccarini on Unsplash

The Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) said that teen speed-related crashes are down nine percent for federal fiscal year 2021 to 2022. This reduction includes teen-involved crashes and fatalities.  There was a larger reduction in speed-related crashes involving teenagers compared to other drivers. 

According to THSO, this information was collected through an annual roadside observational survey conducted by the University of Tennessee’s Center for Transformation Research.

THSO director Buddy Lewis said this is a result of campaigns such as Rule the Road, Slow Down Tennessee, Operation Southern Slow Down, and more. THSO also received a $20,500 grant from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association and Ford Driving Skills For Life.

This information was collected at 190 pre-identified roadway locations throughout Tennessee, and researchers observed almost 26,000 “vehicle occupants.”

The survey also provided information on seat belt usage for the state of Tennessee.

Shelby County’s seat belt usage rate increased by 10.7 percent (88.8 percent). The state of Tennessee’s usage rate was 90.49 percent, which is approximately a 0.4 percent increase compared to 2021 (90.12). Occupants in vans had the highest usage rate in Shelby County (93.48 percent), while those in pickup trucks had the lowest (75.36 percent).

In terms of the state of Tennessee, THSO said that 96 percent of occupants used seat belts in sport utility vehicles. These occupants had the highest belt usage rate, with pickup trucks having the lowest (80.6 percent.)

THSO also said that female occupants have a higher usage rate than males, and that front-seat passengers had a higher rate than drivers.

While teen speed-related crashes are down, and seat belt usage is up, information from The Auto Club Group (AAA) said that there has been a national increase in unsafe driving behaviors, from 2020 to 2021. In the past three years, these numbers were steadily declining.

AAA said that a study from its Foundation for Traffic Safety found that this rise in behavior was a result of speeding, red-light running, drowsy driving, and driving impaired due to cannabis.

The largest increase was in drivers who said that they operated their vehicle after drinking over the legal limit.

There has also been a 10.5 percent increase in traffic deaths from 2020 (38,824) to 2021 (42,915). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that actions such as speeding, alcohol, impairment, and failure to use seatbelts “account for a considerable proportion of the increased fatalities.”

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Harlem’s Fashion Row Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Memphis Fashion Show

Memphis designer Prep Curry via Instagram

When Brandice Daniel moved to New York from Memphis, she made a vow: Whatever work she did in New York, she would bring it back to Memphis every five years.

The product that manifested from Daniel’s Memphis-made, grit and grind was Harlem’s Fashion Row (HFR), which was launched in 2007. Ever since then, Daniel has kept her commitment. For HFR’s 5th year in 2012, they held a fashion show on Main Street, and in 2017 their runway was housed in Clayborn Temple.

On December 10th the Nike Distribution Center on Lamar Avenue was transformed to celebrate HFR’s 15th anniversary, designers of color, and  Daniel’s commitment to diversity in the fashion industry.

In September of 2022, Daniel told the Flyer that HFR acts as a bridge between designers of colors and fashion brands. This mission was exemplified in 2018 when HFR first partnered with Nike through the “HFR X Lebron” collaboration, which was “for women by women.”

Brandice Daniel (Credit: Lebo Lukewarm)

Nike and HFR have since worked together for designer retreats, where they bring 75 to 100 designers of color to Nike headquarters to receive mentorship, partnership, sponsorship, and the opportunity to build community with each other, said Daniel.

“When we started this partnership in 2018, we could not not be a part of this,” said Robert Shorty, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion supporting Nike’s global supply chain and sustainability. “ Our vision for diversity, equity, and inclusion is to create the equitable playing field of the future, and there’s no way to have an equitable playing field without having it in fashion and design as well.”

According to Daniel, Saturday’s show was the culmination of four years of “incredible partnership.”

The show featured collections from Kimberly Goldson, Nichole Lynel, Cotte D’Armes by Clarence Ruth, and Memphis-designer Prep Curry. All four are designers of color.

While the show featured collections from designers based in New York and Los Angeles, Memphis culture seemed to prevail in a number of ways. The runway featured an opening performance of Memphis Jookin to Duke Deuce’s “Buck The System,” and models strutted to GloRilla’s latest hits. Curry’s collection served as the ultimate finale, with Curry himself coming out of “jookin retirement.”

Memphis’ talent was also showcased backstage with stylists being hand-picked to be a part of Takeisha Berry Brooks’, owner of A Natural Affair Beauty Lounge, beauty team. Brooks picked students from schools all around the city.

Pink Noire, a Black-owned beauty supply store in Memphis, also sponsored the products used by the beauty team.

At the closing of the show, Daniel was honored with a resolution from Shelby County Commissioner Mickell Lowery.

“She embodies the sentiment of lifting as you climb,” said Lowery. “That’s just pure Memphis at heart.”

Lowery also commended Daniel for HFR’s work with HBCU fashion departments through their annual HBCU fashion summit.

As Daniel gave her closing remarks, she heavily emphasized how special Memphis is.

“Sometimes when you’re here, and you’re living here, you don’t realize how special you are,” said Daniel. “It would be like a fish in water saying to another fish that water is special. They don’t know it. So when you take someone out of Memphis and put them in another environment, they always thrive because of what this city puts in them.”