Thomas ‘Tank’ Strickland Jr. By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — Way maker, bridge builder, servant, mentor, advocate, the list of what Tank Strickland meant to others flows on and on. Strickland wore many hats during his many years of public service to the Knoxville Community. Known as a humble man of great integrity and character ,Thomas “Tank” Strickland Jr. tried to help anyone who came across his path. Strickland was the first African American to serve as Chair of the Knox County Commission and he served as a commissioner for almost twenty years. Serving under four mayor’s , in his…
Author: Vivian Underwood Shipe
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — Grooves in the Garden, the annual fundraiser for UUNIK Academy, was a huge success. The event drew over 300 attendees and featured The Sugar Shack band from Memphis, awesome female DJ., Lady Spin from Louisiana, delicious foods, a free shuttle service to the Botanical Gardens where the event was held, top security, dance areas, food vendors, information booths, nurses on site, a VIP pavilion, a cigar lounge, top shelf bar area, and Knoxville ‘s own Tearsa Smith, reporter for WATE TV 6 as Mistress of Ceremony. Despite a day of heavy rain, by the…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — It is making a difference in the lives of those on Medicare. Oak Street Health has been serving the communities across the nation for over a decade. Now the company that works exclusively with Medicare patients has set up to serve in the inner city of Knoxville. Its cutting-edge services are being well received by those who need it most. One of the unique services is the ability for those with no transportation to be treated at the center. Oak Street provides transportation within a fifteen-mile radius. To ensure the patient is picked up,…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — The first two statements of the opening day of the Elder Justice Conference got everyone’s attention. The first statement of the day was about the realization that for too long, we have paid more attention to the care of our pets and children than to our elders. The second was an eye opener. By 2034, the number of people over age 65 in the USA will far surpass the number of people under the age of 18. The country is aging and the repercussions of an aging society and the attacks and scams on…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — The celebration is now one year away. An all call is going out all over the United States calling the Panthers of Austin and the Roadrunners of Austin -East to come back home. The historic reunion happens every five years and is held over the Fourth of July holiday. The reunion brings together alumni of Austin High School and Austin-East Magnet High School. The attendance is usually around 1200 and is held in the ballroom of the Knoxville Convention Center, the only facility large enough to accommodate the large crowd. For 89 years, Austin…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — It was a listening tour that flowed both ways. The Tennessee Black Caucus arrived in Knoxville for the second stop on their annual state-wide town hall meetings held every year at the end of the legislative session. The evening began with the caucus members viewing a short documentary about the Black communities destroyed by urban removal in the early 60s after which they boarded one of the cities electric buses to tour the areas shown in the film. Longtime leaders and history makers rode the bus with them; Rev. Middlebrook who marched with Dr.…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — There are those like the firefighters and police officers who run into danger, then there are those who run into the danger and stay through the storm. Two groups, medical personnel and reporters have been running into the storm called COVID-19 for the last three years. As the pandemic ends, the work they did and continue to do was acknowledged and honored at a reception held at the Public Works Center. Media representatives from all local organizations were invited to come and leave their cameras in the car and relax and be recognized. During…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — Health and education fields in Knoxville are experiencing a shakeup as three of the leading change agents move to new positions. Martha Buchanan led Knox County through the pandemic years as the Director of the Knox County Health Department. During the pandemic in a strong showing of ethical and moral leadership, Dr. Buchanan held daily updates on the status of the county as the pandemic soared. In an effort to quell the rise of deaths and help stop the spread of covid in the height of the storm, she issued mask mandates and created…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — Last Saturday morning the Jacob’s Building in East Knoxville was filled with music, the sound of drums, dancing, and laughter at the Knoxville Urban Family Festval sponsored by Real Talk Mentoring. Real Talk Inc. was founded by Clarence Swearengen and seeks to enrich, encourage and empower youth through shared-life experiences. Founded in 2008 and starting with four students at Vine Middle School, the program now serves over 200 students in eleven Knox County schools For over 15 years, the program has provided a safe place for youth to share their stories and get the…
By Vivian Shipe KNOXVILLE, TN — Five hours. That’s how long it took to get a “yes” vote allowing the Freedom Schools program to get a “yes” vote by the Knox County Board of Education. The ask by the Freedom School Director Denise Dean was to data share the test scores from end of year testing so the school would know how to best help the children, and the children be allowed to ride the buses during the summer months to the three schools where the program was being held. The program, which began in 1995, is a part of…