Mid-South Peace and Justice Center
...committed to developing communities of peace, social justice
and human rights through education and nonviolence.

Current Programs and Campaigns

1. Peace Committee.  Demanding an immediate end to the occupation of Iraq. Working to promote nonviolence through education and action. Organizes youth dialogue groups, educational forums, weekly outdoor movie screening, and direct action marches and vigils to end this war and prevent another. The Center serves as the coordinating agency of the annual Gandhian Conference on Nonviolence.
2. Gandhi-King Conference on Peacemaking: An annual conference attracting activists, academics and community members from all over the world to Memphis. In 2007 the conference hosted almost 700 people, including over 350 youth from mid-south high schools for an innovative Youth Conference. More info including video footage is available at www.GandhiKingConference.org
3. Alternatives to the Military Project. Providing the information necessary for students and parents to make informed decisions regarding military serving. This is done through reform in the administration of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test, smarter decision regarding military recruiters on high school campuses, improved opt-out procedures, and equal access for persons providing information on alternatives to joining the military for our youth.
4. GrowMemphis Urban Gardens . Cooperative organic Community Gardens that empower youth and the development of low-income communities by turning vacant lots into thriving centers of education, community, action and change.
5. Coalition Against Private Prisons (CAPP). Preventing efforts to privatize our prison system and creating the largest private prison in the country. This year we are preparing for a continued campaign to oppose the privatization of our prisons, and proposing positive alternatives to keep more of our young people out of the revolving door that is our criminal justice system.
6. Food Not Bombs. This youth-led program provides free hot meals to the city’s poor, and is seeking ways to expand its services to address the increasing criminalization of our homeless population.
7. Democracy Project. Seeking the national and local election reforms the community needs to participate in truly fair elections. The Project continues the development of the Youth Poll Worker Project, and lobbies for the certification of the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail by the State Election Commission.
8. Community Voices Media Project. Providing an alternative and progressive source of news and events for the Mid-South. Content from this project, including a weekly podcast and upcoming on air appearances, can be found at www.midsouthpeacemedia.org

Notable Sucesses

• 1982-2000. The Center carried out direct action to stop the passage of the “white train” through Memphis, effectively derailing all nuclear shipments by rail throughout the U.S. Transported dozens of political refugees from the Central American Crisis to safety as part of the Sanctuary Movement. Moved to stop the production of nuclear weapons as part of the Nuclear Freeze Movement. Challenged local banks to stop their use of racial bias in their lending practices This resulted in changed policies to stop “redlining” locally and national effects were seen in our input to the Community Reinvestment Act. Demanded that Velsicol stop producing illegal chemicals into some of the poorest communities in Memphis. Operated a nonviolence education program in two elementary schools to foster a future generation of peacemakers.
• 2001-2005. Food Not Bombs. Served over 15,000 free vegetarian meals to those in need using food normally wasted.
• 2004. Memphis Votes.  Registered over 1700 voters--7% of the total registered voters in disenfranchised communities, educated countless more on election law and got many of them to the polls for Early Voting and on Election Day.
• 2004-2005. Democracy Project. Coordinated the “Forum on Election Reform” Successfully lobbied for the inclusion of a Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail in the purchase of new electronic voting machines countywide. In collaboration with the April 4th Foundation and the Bridgebuilders youth program, we held a “Youth Voting Rights Forum” attended by over 200 local high school students. This forum also launched our Youth Poll Workers Project, a collaborative effort with the Shelby County Election Commission to get our young people involved in the democratic process from an early age.
• 2004-2005. Memphis Counter-Recruitment Coalition. Successfully lobbied the school district to provide district parents notice of their privacy rights, as required under the federal “No Child Left Behind Act.”  Last year, only a “handful” of parents had responded to what little notice had been given. In 2005, with the Center’s encouragement, the district circulated a new flyer that resulted in approximately 1,700 privacy requests. Over the course of the school year, the Center leafleted over 15,000 high school students and their parents. We visited with principals and staff at 27 of the district’s 28 schools, gave presentations to six classes in various schools, and provided counseling to over a dozen parents and students.
• 2004-2006. Memphis Living Wage Campaign. Supported an effort of faith groups, community organizations, and labor unions calling on the city of Memphis to provide a Living Wage for its workers. Achieved City Council approval for a living wage for the City’s full time workers. A comprehensive Living Wage Ordinance was passed by the Memphis City Council in November 2006.
• 2004-2006. Coalition Against Private Prisons (CAPP). Prevented the privatization of our local jails and prisons, this would have created the largest private prison in the country. In collaboration with Grassroots Leadership, we released “Progress or Profit: Positive Alternatives to Privatization and Incarceration,” a report detailing progressive ways to reform or criminal justice system that save money and keep more of our young people out of jail.
• 2005. Progressive Media Project. Produced a one-hour weekly radio talk show airing a progressive vision for Memphis and the Mid-South. Our efforts also injected a progressive voice into local media outlets through education and advocacy on progressive issues.

Staff

Jacob Flowers, Director • jacob@midsouthpeace.org
Allison Glass, Education Coordinator • allison@midsouthpeace.org
Lovell Pratcher, GrowMemphis Coordinator • lpratcher@midsouthpeace.org

Board

Community Advisory Council