“There is no shelter system, rescue network or group of volunteers large enough to absorb endless human irresponsibility. Memphis cannot rescue its way out of this.”

“The same people who can summon a special session to redraw congressional maps in service of a national political project have had remarkably little to say about how that same national political project cost thousands of jobs and four years of economic momentum in Tipton, Fayette, Haywood and Shelby counties.”

“The person that invites me to a posture of praise is likely not the same person that brings other people to that place, which is why writers and musicians and artists and creators need to keep doing their thing.”

“Ireland being honored in Memphis as part of Memphis in May looks like the usual cultural exchange on the surface. But beneath that is something more interesting: two vastly different places that recognize structure in each other.”

“To hear many Tennessee Democrats tell it, partisan redistricting is some unprecedented assault on democracy itself — a historic political crisis unlike anything the state has ever experienced.”

“The speed and confidence with which the legislature acted on redistricting does not guarantee the map’s durability. This time, state courts – not federal courts – may have the final word.”

“If Memphis cuts ties with the state, where does anyone think we’re going? I can assure you Mississippi doesn’t want a Democratic stronghold on its northern border.”

“Studying history yields a dividend: It brings us to a clearer understanding of who we are, what we believe, and what we do when the promise of our national creed does not measure up to the reality of our lives.”

“I don’t need to sing. I don’t need to dance. I don’t need to be the best writer. In short, I don’t need to chase who and what I’m not; it’s enough to be thankful for what I am and work to be the best I’m capable of being.”

A 2025 study by the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank found that BNPL borrowers are typically female, younger, renters, and less educated; but, surprisingly, have higher household incomes.

“What we gain instead is something far more valuable: purpose, friendships and the knowledge that we are making a difference.”

“I do not feel my tax dollars should be spent on a legal fight that seems to be something that everyone has allowed to go too far. We have too many other needs in the town — things that my tax dollars in the General Fund should be going to.”

“One need not support any particular politician to recognize that intentionally fragmenting the voting strength of a historic Black community carries moral consequences. We should at least have enough honesty to admit what is happening.”

“Diversity in all its forms isn’t a problem to solve; rather, it’s a strength to embrace.”

“Survivors should not have to navigate a legal maze alone to secure their safety. I urge my fellow Memphians to tell the court to expand opportunities to provide legal help.”

A society that neglects its elders and its youngest children, a community that abandons the elderly or allows children to go hungry and unprotected, lessens the sacred potential of every community.

“We need to change our form of government. We need to ensure our city has the full-time leadership needed to meet the demands of today and the expectations of the future.”

“We need to build a cultural plan — a long-term strategy that guides how Memphis and Shelby County builds infrastructure for investment to integrate arts, culture and entertainment into its economic development, urban planning and community life.”

“The youngest members of this community did not ask to be born into a budget dispute. They arrived, as all children do, with the expectation that the adults around them would provide what they need to thrive.”

“Delays in handling cases, jail-intake processing delays, the “solve rate” for crimes, the repeat-offender rate — these are all worthy objects of emphasis ... . But they may not fit the right (so to speak) political agenda.”

This Sunday as churches fill with songs of resurrection and families gather around tables remembering freedom, may we also remember our unfinished work.

“If a company’s business model depends on the exploitation of a Black city and the enrichment of a few power brokers at the top, we don’t want them here.”

The performance of the criminal justice system can’t be assessed without knowing the full picture. We have regular and reliable reporting from law enforcement agencies, but why don’t we have the same expectation for the district attorney and court clerks?

“Amid the frustrating recruitment challenges facing the Memphis Police Department, I would like to turn our attention to a different critical element of our public safety architecture: the frontline civic organizations engaged in violence-reduction efforts.”

Before FESJC’s outgoing Executive Director Joe Tomek leaves for Australia, he has some advice for Memphians.