MICHALYN FOR MEMPHIS

Jan 27 2019
ioby
Alternatives to 311: a citizen-led movement for change
https://blog.ioby.org/alternatives-to-311-a-citizen-led-movement-for-change/
Michalyn Easter raised almost $2,000 for her project Friends of Chelsea Greenline Advocacy Group, which gave North Memphians an official voice in the development of their neighborhood’s new greenway. Following that win, Michalyn began leading a different kind of project to improve health, safety, and quality of life where she lives: a 311 phone bank group. The group meets monthly—over donuts—to make service requests to the city, and submits them all under the same account so they can easily track their success rate. (Last time we checked, they were sitting at an impressive 98 percent.)

​

Mar 29 2019
Action News 5
Memphis neighborhood holds town hall, looking for ways to fight crime
https://www.actionnews5.com/2019/03/30/memphis-neighborhood-holds-town-hall-looking-ways-fight-crime/
Michalyn Easter-Thomas, founder of nonprofit Our Grass, Our Roots, organized this town hall. “Well, this is my history,” Easter-Thomas said. “This is where I come from. And even when I was away at grad school, I came back and bought a house in North Memphis, specifically, so I'm invested. I want to see it grow, not only for me. But my neighbors around me.”

​

May 23 2019
Action News 5
Memphis City Council allows construction of new Ed Rice Community Center
https://www.actionnews5.com/2019/05/23/memphis-city-council-allows-construction-new-ed-rice-community-center/
Michalyn Easter-Thomas lives in Frayser and started a non-profit to help the community spread local resources. She was overjoyed to see Mayor Jim Strickland announce on Twitter that the Memphis City Council has adopted a resolution allowing construction to begin on a new Ed Rice Community Center, as soon as the design is approved later this year.

​

June 8 2019
Memphis Commercial Appeal
Memphis People's Convention endorses slate of mostly African American women, including Sawyer for mayor
https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2019/06/08/memphis-people-convention-2019-launch-up-the-vote-mayor-race-tami-sawyer-jim-strickland/1209171001/
Four candidates spoke as they vied for the convention's endorsement to take on incumbent Berlin Boyd, one of the most powerful members of the current City Council. Boyd did not attend the convention. The winner of the convention's vote was Michalyn C.S Easter-Thomas, a teacher and founder of the organization Our Grass Our Roots.

​

Sept 12 2019
ACLU Tennessee
Memphis Municipal Candidate Criminal Justice Questionnaire: Michalyn Easter-Thomas
https://www.aclu-tn.org/memphis-council-candidate-questionnaire-michalyn-c-s-easter-thomas-answers/
Criminal Justice Reform means to change the way we see community, government, and crime. CRJ includes supporting re-entry programs and expungement, but it also includes providing proactive services so that we can avoid creating a growing population of “felons and criminals.” CRJ means holding law enforcement, government, and the community accountable for promoting ethical approaches to safety and transparent disclosures of investigations that can guide us towards the workings of a better city.

​

Nov 14 2019
Action News 5
Incumbents ousted in Memphis City Council runoff election
https://www.actionnews5.com/2019/11/15/incumbents-ousted-memphis-city-council-runoff-election/
Easter-Thomas told WMC Action News 5 she’s “humbled and thankful for the opportunity to serve all the people of the district. This win represents a move toward communities in District 7 getting what they need and deserve. The people have spoken.”

​

Nov 15 2019
WREG Memphis
Easter-Thomas wins District 7 City Council runoff; Logan takes District 1
https://wreg.com/news/easter-thomas-wins-district-7-city-council-runoff-logan-takes-district-1/
Michalyn Easter-Thomas is expected to win the runoff race for the District 7 seat against incumbent City Councilman Berlin Boyd. Easter-Thomas, a teacher, had 75% of the vote in unofficial final returns Thursday night.