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Black History Month

February 1, 2013
Enewsletters

Dear Friend,

Today marks the beginning of Black History Month, where we celebrate the many contributions made by African-Americans throughout our country’s history. I also recently participated in a Season for Nonviolence at the National Civil Rights Museum and met with Bill Maher.

Black History Month
Season for Nonviolence
Bill Maher

Soulsville Business Community
A Community Called Orange Mound
Literacy is Key
Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Anniversary
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood
Help Filing Taxes
EnergySmart Memphis
Congressional Calendars
Grant Announcements


Black History Month
Every February, Americans of all races come together to celebrate Black History Month. African-American history is filled with extraordinary people who have left an indelible mark on our nation and the world. This month we pay special attention to the cultural, political, social and scientific contributions made by African-Americans that have enriched our nation. In Memphis, we celebrate heroines like Ida B. Wells, Maxine Smith and Minerva Johnican, and heroes like Russell Sugarmon and Rev. Benjamin Hooks. We also have honored other influential African-Americans with local ties by naming our federal building after Judge Odell Horton and the main post office after Kenneth Whalum.

All Americans have special cause this February to be proud of our diversity and the progress that we’ve made as a country. Though the fight for equality is not over, America put a down payment on Dr. Martin Luther King’s dream that one day people will be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. This month, let us recommit ourselves to the proposition that all are created equal, all deserve respect, and all have a fair chance to achieve their full measure of economic opportunity and prosperity. Click here to read President Obama's Presidential Proclamation on National African-American History Month.

Season for Nonviolence
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“No More Violence! Nobody fights with their thumbs out, take it to the top!” is the meaning of a new hand sign Chattanooga and Memphis students embraced following “Season for Nonviolence” talks with Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson, Dr. Arun Gandhi, at the National Civil Rights Museum last Friday. I was proud to welcome the students and present a proclamation at the event.

Mahatma Gandhi led India to independence through nonviolence, and his philosophy inspired Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his leadership of the American Civil Rights Movement. The program included East Meets West video conversations between students from Chattanooga’s Talented Tenth Leadership Program at The Howard School and Memphis students from the Building Bridges justice leadership program discussing “A Season for Nonviolence.”

Bill Maher
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Last weekend I saw Bill Maher perform at The Orpheum Theatre in Memphis. It was great to meet Bill after the show and discuss President Obama, Congress, and other important issues currently facing our country.

Soulsville Business Community
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Last week I participated in a news conference announcing that a new wireless, broadband network is coming to help Soulsville small business owners and residents create jobs and boost the local economy. I was joined by Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell and Delta Regional Authority Federal Co-Chairman Chris Masingill to announce that the DRA is proceeding with a new $250,000 investment, coordinated through the Community LIFT Corp., to establish a Wi-Fi network that will allow residents to work, learn, and fully utilize information technology in their daily lives.

This innovative project will have significant business development implications in the Soulsville community by giving area businesses a larger capacity for innovation, efficiency and communication. The investment will also bring Memphis its first high speed wireless, broadband neighborhood network; leverage an additional $157,000 in private investment for the Community Digital Advantage Program; and align Soulsville with the State of Tennessee reshoring telecommunication strategy. Click here to learn more.

A Community Called Orange Mound
“A Community Called Orange Mound,” the story of a southeast Memphis neighborhood with a surprising legacy, will premiere February 4 at 9 p.m. on WKNO/Channel 10. While the name may be familiar, few outside its boundaries know anything about Orange Mound. I encourage you to watch the 60-minute documentary. The film will air again at midnight on WKNO, on February 5 at 9 p.m. on WKNO2, and is available over the air on Channel 10.2 and on Comcast Cable Channel 910.

Literacy is Key
Yesterday I spoke at the Third Annual “Literacy is Key: Book Author Affair” hosted by the Memphis Area Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Association. The event was held to raise awareness of and solicit funds for the critically important cause of literacy. I discussed literacy awareness and the new Library of Congress Literacy Awards program. All proceeds from this event benefitted Literacy Mid-South in Memphis. Literacy Mid-South serves more than 300 students a week as they pursue their individual goals for greater mastery of reading, English as a second language, fundamental computation and other critical, functional literacy skills. Click here to learn more.

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Anniversary
This week four years ago President Obama made the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act the first bill he signed into law – and our country took a key step forward on the path to equality in the workplace and in our society. With the action of Congress and the stroke of the President’s pen, we restored the rights of women and other workers to challenge unfair pay in court. We reversed a misguided Supreme Court decision that slammed shut the courthouse door on women seeking to fight discrimination.

As we mark this achievement and celebrate our progress, we know there is far more to do. Women still earn less than men in the workplace. We cannot be satisfied until equal pay for equal work is not simply a political mantra, but a promise made and a promise kept. We cannot rest until the Paycheck Fairness Act is the law of the land, giving new teeth to the Equal Pay Act and providing women extra tools to fight pay discrimination. We cannot stop working until women and men are paid the same wages to do the same jobs.

As the President declared in his inaugural address, ‘our journey is not complete until our wives, our mothers and daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts.’ He is right. It’s time for us to work together to better secure opportunity for women, fairness for families, and equality for all Americans.

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood
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This week U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood announced that he will be leaving his post upon the confirmation of a successor. Secretary LaHood has been a great friend to Memphis over the past four years and has always been open to working with me to secure funding for the 9th Congressional District. He was instrumental in securing the TIGER grant for the Main Street project, finalizing the American Queen deal, strengthening Memphis International Airport, and advancing many other transportation projects throughout our community. I served with Secretary LaHood when he was a member of the House. He is a friend, a visionary and a leader. I will miss his energy and passion for transportation issues but wish him the best. I look forward to working with his successor to keep Memphis and America moving forward.

Help Filing Taxes
Tax filing season began on January 30. Here is a link that you can use to find the nearest IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site. Constituents earning less than $57,000 per year can file for free. There are a lot of tax scams out there, even in Memphis. I encourage you to use this website to find an IRS-approved tax consultant who can help you for free. You can also file online directly through the IRS here: https://www.irs.gov/Filing.

EnergySmart Memphis
EnergySmart Memphis is a year-long energy education and home improvement initiative designed to help Memphians save money on their energy costs. EnergySmart Memphis is a partnership between MLGW, City and County government agencies, Community Development Corporations and non-profit organizations, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Through EnergySmart Memphis, an estimated 3,000 MLGW customers will receive in-depth energy conservation training; eligible customers will have weatherization improvements made to their home through this initiative; a series of Energy Education Workshops will be conducted city and county-wide at area libraries; and the initiative includes weatherization kits for qualified homeowners to receive minor and major home repairs. Click here to learn more.

Congressional Calendars
There are a limited number of 2013 Congressional Calendars available through my office. If you’d like to receive one of these free calendars, please click here to fill out a short form. I have already received a number of requests from some who are not residents of District 9. Due to the rules of the House, I am only able to mail calendars to residents of Tennessee’s 9th District. Please feel free to share this email with other constituents who may be interested in receiving a calendar.

Grant Announcements
I regularly release a list of grant announcements from federal agencies like the Department of Health and Human Services, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation, and others. These federal funding opportunities are available to faith-based and neighborhood associations, nonprofits and other community organizations in the 9th district. The announcements are updated regularly on my website.

Wishing you a happy and safe weekend,

As always, I remain,

Most sincerely,
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Steve Cohen
Member of Congress

Issues:9th DistrictMemphisShelby CountyTennessee