By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — She’s THAT kind of leader. Brilliant, passionate about the livelihood of others, and willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Keira Wyatt, Executive Director of C.O.N.N.E.C T. Ministries, sits on numerous boards across Knoxville. Wyatt has been honored and awarded by state and government officials, sits shoulder to shoulder at the table with leaders from across the country, and yet, when needed, she will strap on an apron and feed the hungry masses, boldly lead a prayer procession across Knoxville, or wash the feet of the most vulnerable; all the while working…
Author: Vivian Underwood Shipe
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — Its an epidemic of mammoth portions that can no longer be ignored. Nationally, Illiteracy rates among black and brown children are sitting at 59 percent as these future leaders are not and have not for many years , been reading at grade level. In Knoxville, as schools in marginalized communities receive failing grades from the state of Tennessee, a war cry has risen across the land as these numbers are unacceptable and a movement has begun to correct the problem by teaching the children HOW to read as the current accepted ways are just…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — When the names are called in December at the winter solstice ceremony of those who died on the streets of Knoxville, the first name to be tearfully called will be Linda. Linda Shropshire. Homeless for years, known and loved by many of those who serve the unhoused. She didn’t make it to one of the three warming centers that served, bedded, and welcomed the vulnerable. She was found frozen to death. As the thawing continues and the rains come, it is feared more of the homeless living in the shadows of the city and county…
By Tribune Staff KNOXVILLE, TN — He uses the hand warmers and the mylar blankets to cover and warm the people he finds along the road. He can’t get them in the car and to the warming centers until he can get them warmed up enough to climb in his old blazer. If he doesn’t get them to the center…they will die. One man has already been found, frozen on the sidewalk, dead in his sleeping bag. Mike Wrinkle has been out for days, looking for the unhoused. He knows the time to get them into shelter is before the…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — The first half of January in Knoxville will be days of spiritual libation ceremonies honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lasting until the actual holiday which falls on the late civil rights leaders birthday this year. Where the traditional ceremony offers a pouring of grains or a liquid in memory of one who has passed, the 42nd annual celebration held by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission will be an outpouring of speeches, awards, music, dance, panels, and many other events to be held citywide as the people of Knoxville, choose to…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — We Serve. That’s the motto of any member of the International Lions organization. It is especially true of one of the largest Lions clubs in Tennessee. Chartered in 2017, the club has preserved through the COVID years to provide sight services. Especially in 2023 as the world begins to emerge from the pandemic years. After a year of pouring into the community, providing free eye exams and glasses, helping provide needed surgical procedures, doing community projects, and working with the youth of Knoxville, the members of the Knoxville East club took a few hours…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — The Women of Wisdom, (W.O.W.) an organization dedicated to helping African American breast cancer survivors held their annual Christmas dinner at the University of Tennessee Cancer Institute and learned first hand the extreme importance of physical activity not only for themselves as cancer survivors, but the importance to the African American community as a whole. Introduced by cancer survivor and retired educator, Dr. Donna Hardy, the presentor for the evening was Dr. Lyndsey Hornbuckle, Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee Knoxville’s Department of Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport Studies. Dr. Hornbuckle gave an overview…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN —The signs are everywhere: Help wanted: Nurses Needed. It’s a cry for help being heard across the nation. According to the National Council of the State Boards of Nursing, almost one million nurses are planning to exit the medical field by 2027. That’s only four years from now. The reasons vary, among them, bullying, lack of respect, understaffed, stressful work conditions and lack of leadership. The Upsilon Chi Chapter of Chi Eta Phi nursing sorority, has been working to recruit and provide scholarships for nurses for almost 4 decades. Their annual fundraiser, a Christmas luncheon, was…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — Tylan Baker, Sam Beaty, Shania Cherry, Saevyon Cozart, Noah Djenini, Jamia Hackler, Jamya Hackler, Jamya Hollis, Angelina IranKunda, Samya McGhee, Charleston Thomas, and Jaymee Walker. To paraphrase from the opening lines of Star Trek; these are the scholars of the U.T. Flagship program. Their four year mission: to enter and explore a strange new world, to seek out new experiences, to boldly go where they have never been before. According to the Oxford Dictionary, a flagship carries the commanding admirals: the finest and best the fleet has to offer. In early November, the University…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — It’s Saturday Donations Day. Saturday afternoon you can find Martha LaRue Baker picking up items, directing her army of volunteers, and doing short videos letting the public know what will be needed for Sunday service. After they set up, there is bible study in preparation for the Sunday service. Baker will tell you, this is not the Sunday service in the traditional sense. This is the service of being the hands and feet of God. Everything she gathers through the week and especially on Saturday, is used to serve over 300 homeless. This service…