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.
CO-CHAIRS
Transit Equity Task Force
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Sweetrica Baker
(Memphis and West TN AFL-CIO Labor Council)
Ericka Douglas
(New Direction Christian Church)
Our Work
Better Transit for a Better Memphis (BTBM) was organized by MICAH and the Sierra Club Chickasaw Group in 2024, and holds Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) accountable and further fights for adequate funding. It builds on prior victories to bring about greater mobility and economic equity for the working class. This will also substantially reduce Memphis’ tragically high poverty rate. Our mission is to champion the transformation of a fully funded public transit in Memphis that serves both dependent and choice riders. MATA operates with insufficient funding, requiring robust public support to ensure sustainable investment and essential upgrades.
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WITH BTBM, MICAH & SIERRA CLUB’S MOST RECENT VICTORY - STOPPING SERVICE CUTS.
NOW, MORE THAN EVER, MICAH’S FULL SUPPORT IS NEEDED! This past fall we had a major victory persuading Mayor Paul Young to stop drastic service cuts and, in February, the City Council supported the Mayor’s and BTBM’s request for an added $5mm to further postpone these cuts! We continue to urge elected officials to commit to fully funding Transit Vision over the next three years and permanent elevation of funding to commence in the new fiscal year starting in July.
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How We Can Take Action!
The root cause of our transit system is the chronic defunding of MATA over the last decade. BTBM warns that without significant funding, MATA’s current system cannot sustain its services or implement. Learn more about our work to secure increased, sustainable funding for public transit