'There Is So Much That Needs To Be Done': Meet The People Of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee, was stop four on our Listen to America road trip. While walking the streets that Martin Luther King Jr. and Elvis Presley once walked, we spoke to many of the locals to find out what brought them to Memphis. Here’s what they had to say:
“I wanted to be that voice here in Memphis that is helping others to heal.”
― Joyce Kyles, 46, executive director of Walking Into a New Life Inc.
“There is so much that needs to be done, and I have ideas.”
― Kalimah Azeez Rashada, 28, American Muslim Advisory Council program manager
“My parents actually migrated to Memphis from Mexico.... Right now, I’m currently not working due to my visa being expired through DACA. It’s just a time of waiting.”
― Josue Vazquez, 23, medical assistant
“I’ve been here for four years.”
― Jared Brunson, 24, Ballet Memphis dancer
“I grew up here.... I could be anywhere I want to be in the world, but I want to be here because I want to uplift my city.”
― Lashonté Anderson, 28, artist
“I transferred last year from the University of Mississippi.”
― Julia Lester Taylor, 23, University of Memphis student
“It is a place that I have fallen in love with.”
― Reggie Davis, 42, executive director of STREETS Ministries
“We live in a big, grand ’ole house that was built in 1912. It’s really fun living there, lots of great hiding places.”
― Alyssa Bengtson, 10, student
“I can make a difference here.”
― Andy Nix, 48, president of My City Rides
“I’ve been here all my life.”
― Sheila White, 60, retired
“It’s just an amazing, diverse, interesting, crazy place.”
― Jamie Harmon, 47, photographer
“You always come back where family is.”
― Nancy Bengtson, 50, teacher
“Out of all the cities that I’ve lived in, actually, I consider Memphis my favorite place.”
― Ronald Marcus Peck, 62, educator (math tutor)
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
