Mark White calls out an epidemic of “undisciplined youth” in his latest opinion in the Daily Memphian Mark White accidentally swallowed his dog whistle with his latest piece in the Daily Memphian. Claiming there is a “disease of undisciplined youth” in Memphis highlights a fundamental issue within our legislature. Tennessee Republicans have overlooked the core responsibility of their positions. Instead of capitalizing on the upcoming special legislative session and addressing the pervasive gun problem in our state, they have intentions to introduce more of their ineffective “tough-on-crim ..read more

Written by Robert Donati, Future901 Treasurer Before an earthquake, massive amounts of pressure build up over the span of years.  When the pressure becomes too great it overcomes the natural friction of the tectonic plates holding things in place.  What happens next varies - sometimes it just jostles the furniture; other times, it will make the Mississippi run backwards and permanently alter the landscape. Tennessee has been under one party rule for over 12 years now.  During that time, those of us that have sought to address our state’s problems have felt the effect.  GOP ..read more

Last year, Memphis voters correctly chose not to extend term limits for mayor and city council. Like council super-districts, there is no runoff for mayor. On the one hand, this is good because runoffs typically have extremely low turnouts and are a waste of taxpayer dollars. On the other hand, no runoff is bad because a candidate can win an election by a plurality with a very small percentage of the vote. D.A. Steve Mulroy and I, along with many others, attempted to change this through instant runoff voting, which Memphis voters approved twice. Unfortunately, our deeply red state legislature ..read more

Written by Caroline Mitchell Carrico. This article originally appeared in Volume I, Issue II of StoryBoard Memphis Quarterly in March 2022. Memphis’s newest monument is a testament to the years suffragists fought to win the right to vote, as well as their ongoing impact. The story of uncovering Tennessee’s suffragists’ history, documenting their struggles, and educating people about their legacies has also taken decades to accomplish. StoryBoard’s Caroline Carrico interviewed Paula Casey, chair of the Memphis Suffrage Monument committee, about Tennessee’s role in the fight for the Nineteenth ..read more

Deborah Reed with Chair Jamie Harrison at DNC quarterly meeting in Philadelphia. After running a thorough and transparent process, the DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee (RBC) approved a primary calendar that “strengthens our party and reflects our values,” according to DNC Chair Jamie Harrison. During the RBC meeting in December, members considered and approved a proposed early window package providing for the first 2024 Primary to be in South Carolina on February 3; Nevada and New Hampshire on February 6; Georgia on February 13;and Michigan on February 27. The five states approved for early w ..read more

Early voting is currently underway, from July 15 – 30, with Election Day falling on August 4. If you’re still unsure who to vote for, we have several candidates we are proud to endorse! We hope you will join us in supporting these candidates with your vote. Visit the Shelby County Election Commission to learn more about the election, including a full list of candidates and early voting locations. Lee Harris For Shelby County Mayor Website: https://www.leeharrisformayor.com/ Steve Mulroy For Shelby County District Attorney Website: https://www.stevemulroyforda.com/ Heidi Kuhn For Shelby Coun ..read more

MICAH (Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope) is “a coalition of community and faith-based organizations joining together to give a more powerful voice for issues of justice in our city.” Future901 is excited to share this update and victory regarding Memphis Transit, which MICAH has been heavily involved in helping make happen. WE WIN! The lack of funding for Memphis Transit has been an issue in our city for more than 30 years. In similar cities, like New Orleans or Milwaukee, the annual budget is $100 million. However, Memphis’ transit budget is $30 million lower than that. An in ..read more

Written by Robert Donati Most victims of gun violence survive their assaults.  Unfortunately, many of these individuals are left with life-altering injuries and grossly inadequate support to help them move forward. First, according to the Memphis Crime Commission, there is a disturbing increase in the rate of violent crime in Shelby County/Memphis.  The murder rate has rightfully gotten a lot of attention.  In 2011, Memphis had 18 murders/100,000 people and Shelby Co had 13 murders/ 100,000.  By 2021 those numbers were shockingly higher, up to 47 murders/100,000 in Memphis ..read more

Four years ago, we visited the subject of gerrymandering, or the manipulation of a legislative constituency to favor one party, namely the GOP, which has been successful in gerrymandering legislative districts for at least three decades. Here we revisit the subject after the 2020 Census and subsequent redistricting, which the Constitution dictates. And it is not good news. How redistricting works A refresher: The US Constitution requires the government conduct a census of the population every 10 years. From that information, the Constitution also states, government must also produce a new map ..read more

Written by Kiana Edwards, Future901 Intern  Energy preservation is necessary in today’s global climate where we face challenges from global warming and reliance on hostile foreign powers for energy needs. As a result, many states have pushed legislation offering green-based initiatives. These programs help insure the overall wellbeing of the planet by monitoring carbon emissions, setting regulations for large companies and pushing for recycling. Currently, the most energy efficient states are Oregon, ranked as first in the nation for energy, followed by Washington and South Dakota. Tenne ..read more