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.