Wendi C. Thomas Profile picture
Apr 4, 2018 12 tweets 5 min read Twitter logo Read on Twitter
Hi, visiting journalists! Welcome to Memphis. A few things. 1. Don’t eat tourist barbecue.

2. You may encounter folks who will insist this city has come so far since ‘68.

Ask them for proof. Like data, not their feels. Anecdotes aren’t evidence. #MLK50 @MLK50Memphis
Some data: 88 percent of senior executives in the Memphis area are white. The metro area’s workforce is 51 percent black. mlk50.com/50-years-after…
Many large employers are glad to put their name on an event and toss a nonprofit some coins, but ask them if they pay workers enough to live on. #MLK50 mlk50.com/do-memphis-25-…
Also, we’re having lots of discussions about poverty - but not with people experiencing poverty. mlk50.com/grad-students-…
“City leaders’ desire to present a polished image to the world sometimes veers into desperation. It is as if we’re fluffing the couch cushions and hoping our guests don’t notice the holes in the roof.” google.com/amp/s/www.city…
Memphis’ mayor ran on a law-and-order campaign. Sound familiar? mlk50.com/can-memphis-ma…
Looking for a MLK quote to use? Skip the dreamy black and white kids holding hands. Start here: mlk50.com/10-mlk-quotes-…
If you haven’t read @ElenaDelavega7 poverty research, do. scribd.com/document/37259…
Key findings... especially #6.
Talk to local activists. Maybe the ones arrested Tuesday will be out. Talk to the family of #StephonClark. Or see if you can find Larry Payne’s sister. He was the 1st person killed in connection with the strike. MLK was the 2nd. mlk50.com/on-losing-larr…
Basically, just read MLK50.com.
And we appreciate all donations, which are tax-deductible. #MLK50 @MLK50Memphis donatenow.networkforgood.org/mlk50/mdonate

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More from @wendi_c_thomas

Aug 22, 2018
Day 3 of the Memphis police surveillance trial set to begin in federal court soon. @mem_police Director Mike Rallings will testify first. Follow me on Twitter at @wendi_c_thomas for updates throughout the day. #MLK50
That’s not a cause for concern at all. The top of @DanielConnolly story from Day 2.
Read 132 tweets
Aug 20, 2018
Court is back in session: ACLU wants longtime ACLU attorney and local member Bruce Kramer to testify to clear up some of the discrepancy about the history of the West TN chapter. Problem is...
Kramer has been sitting in court all morning and he’s the attorney for the four plaintiffs who were dismissed because the judge decided they didn’t have standing.
Looks like Kramer is going to leave now and get deposed later tonight. Defense isn’t liking this at all, but they’re not protesting too much. Judge is directing Kramer to produce any relevant documents.
Read 39 tweets
Aug 13, 2018
I'll be live tweeting from the Shelby County Commission at @wendi_c_thomas. This is our local government at work. Y'all follow along. #ElectionsMatter
Here's the agenda for this afternoon's meeting. documentcloud.org/documents/4755… I'm interested in a few items, including this one re county contracts with minority and women-owned businesses, otherwise known as MWBEs.
Local nonprofit leader Bennie Nelson West speaking against an ordinance that would further regulate short-term rentals, i.e. AirBnBs. You can find all the docs associated with this meeting here: agenda.shelbycountytn.gov//sirepub/meeti…
Read 55 tweets
Aug 3, 2018
And the @IBWellsSociety investigative reporting workshop is off! Ron Nixon dropping knowledge on how to do investigations while also covering your beat. #NABJ2018 @NABJ
@nixonron: Use social media not just to promote your brand but also as a reporting tool.
@nixonron: Nurture your sources. Don’t just call when you’re on deadline. Call regularly. If a source’s mother dies, it’s OK to send a sympathy card. Be human.
Read 75 tweets
Aug 3, 2018
This staff is about 80% white in a city that’s 63% black.

It’s bucking the national nonprofit news trend with a hard paywall.

It’s defying industry best practices by refusing to be transparent about their funders.

None of that is in this @Poynter story. @RickEdmonds
The writer for @Poynter does note that the city is majority black, but then it’s as if the diversity of the staff is unknowable. Or that the race of Eric Barnes and Andy Cates is unknowable.

But the race of the editor of the CA? Knowable. 🤦🏽‍♀️
Eric Barnes is white. Andy Cates is white.

When the Daily News wrote about the @dailymemphian, they listed 27 staffers.

You’ll have to get to the 10th name here before you find someone of color: Otis Sanford, former @memphisnews ME.
Read 5 tweets
Aug 2, 2018
Looking forward to talking about @MLK50Memphis and how to build an amazing team like my crew: @andreamorales @megawatts2000 @jdylan901 @lkleinmann @kirstinlcheers @deadlinedd and many more! @LIONPubs @NABJ #NABJ18
Gonna share some of our good work. We focused on economic justice in the city where MLK was killed. What has Memphis done with King’s sacrifice?

Not enough. mlk50.com/50-years-after…
We surveyed the area’s largest employers and learned that nearly half of them won’t even say if they pay a living wage.

Which, researchers say, says they aren’t. mlk50.com/do-memphis-25-…
Read 9 tweets

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