Why should we care?
SCS’s ability to provide a quality, equitable education is being undercut by high teacher turnover and year-long teaching vacancies, as well as significant maintenance deficiencies within the schools, all of which leads to higher financial, educational, and health costs. A lack of access to wraparound services provided by qualified social workers, psychologists, and nurses inhibits the successful treatment of trauma or Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). Abuse, neglect, and trauma significantly increase the likelihood of suspensions, juvenile criminal behavior, and incarceration. With a median age four years below the national average, Memphis’s population can support economic development, but only if we provide children in our community access to opportunities and support.
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Equipping people of faith and goodwill to organize communities for systemic change through collective action.
MICAH's 7th Annual Public Meeting
What is a Public Meeting?
The Memphis Interfaith Coalition of Action & Hope (MICAH) is a coalition of over 56 community and faith-based organizations joining together to give a more powerful voice to justice issues in our city. MICAH equips people of faith and goodwill to organize communities for systemic change through collective action. MICAH hosts a Public Meeting once a year that demonstrates the power of people by bringing demands on our pillar issues to decision makers in Memphis and Shelby County in the public arena. In this annual meeting, MICAH: Reports its accomplishments from the previous year Details its goals for the upcoming year Holds officials and candidates accountable by asking them to commit to supporting specific MICAH goals that pertain to the official or candidate’s office The last of these is the most important. The source of MICAH’s power to influence public policy for the good is rooted in MICAH’s ability to energize community members to support public demands aligned with MICAH’s pillars. One of the main ways that MICAH demonstrates its influence by attendance at the yearly Public Meeting. The decision makers can estimate the influence and energy that MICAH has by looking at the size of the crowd at the meeting. If only a few people attend, then either MICAH does not have much influence, or the issues are not very important to MICAH’s partner organizations. However, if there is large and enthusiastic attendance, this tells decision makers that the issues that MICAH raises are those of great concern to MICAH’s partners and the general public, so they had better pay attention if they want to keep the public happy. MICAH’s three pillars and issues for the 2025 Annual Public Meeting include Transit Equity, Housing & Neighborhood Livability, and Transformational Justice, and this year’s theme is Stand Up, Speak Out: Demanding a Better Memphis.
Our Issues, Demands, and Actions
Transit Equity
As a founding member of the Better Transit for a Better Memphis Coalition (BTBM), MICAH is striving for a fully funded, accessible, and equitable public transit. However, the current amount of funding is insufficient to properly run a sustainable public transit system, let alone an expanded system like we used to have.
In order to move forward, we must have a Memphis Mayor and City Council that a new CEO and MATA Board can trust to provide the resources and support needed to be successful.
BTBM will demand a commitment for our elected officials to fully fund and support our public transit system.
MICAH Youth Council
We as the MICAH Youth Council believe in equitable education for all students in Memphis. To achieve this, we must first understand what specific issues students face. We want to hear about what affects YOUR school experience the most. By filling out this form, you are contributing invaluably to our mission.
IF YOU NEED HELP FILLING THIS OUT, CALL 901-550-3126
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Housing and Neighborhood Livability
​In addition, The HEHF Board does not currently have a policy vehicle for addressing tenant concerns. Tenants may bring their issues to their management company, which may or may not communicate their concerns to the development corporation. Only when tenant groups have united to bring their issues directly to the HEHF Board have they had any demands met.
The HEHF oversees the financing of 20,000+ units of public housing through granting tax breaks to developers who contract to construct or rehabilitate public housing properties. These tax breaks represent, on the average, $400,000 in property taxes that the City of Memphis does not get.
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The Housing and Neighborhood Livability Task Force need your support to join with tenant leaders in engaging with the HEHF on getting just resolution for their concerns.
Immigration & Inclusivity
Your voice matters and together, we can make it heard! Evergreen will be hosting a community letter-writing campaign to advocate for positive change in our city. Whether you’re passionate about education, equity, or community wellbeing, this is a chance to share your perspective directly with decision-makers.
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Join us on September 28, 2025 from 12:30 - 3:30 PM. Materials provided. Just bring your passion and ideas!
Transformational Justice
The Transformational Justice Task Force is uplifting JustCity's demands with added demands to the current Sheriff and Mayor.
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"Will you, in your current capacity, commit to working with other responsible parties to work toward a solution regarding decreasing the time for intake and improving county jail conditions?"
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The Transformational Justice Task Force held a Town Hall in July where we highlighted JustCity’s demands: to reduce booking time by 50% to 36 hours by September 1, and by another 25% to 25 hours by the end of 2025; to ensure that 100% of people get to court within 72 hours of booking and are transported to court or appointed counsel within 48 hours of booking; and to identify and divert people with diagnosed mental health conditions to available community resources, such as Alliance Health Services, within 24 hours of arrival at the jail.