The Heart of the District: Why I Am Running to Finish the Work

By Commissioner Henri E. Brooks

When people ask me about the heart of District 7, I don’t talk about boundaries on a map. I talk about culture. I talk about the legacy of neighborhoods like Springdale and Hollywood—communities that, before integration, were the bedrock of the Black middle class. These were streets raised by doctors, teachers, and lawyers; neighborhoods that produced the professionals, athletes, and principals who shaped Memphis.

Even when buildings deteriorate or investment wanes, that culture remains. It is the soul of our district, and it is exactly what needs to be revitalized.

Hope is a Strategy

What makes me most proud today isn’t just our history, but our present resilience. District 7 is currently the second poorest district in the County Commission, but you wouldn’t know it by the spirit of our people. When I attend community meetings, I see senior citizens sitting alongside our youth, refusing to be “beaten down” by disinvestment. They aren’t just complaining; they are planning. They are working on strategies to make it better.

I see hope in my community, and that hope is what drives my work on the County Commission. But as I always say: Belief without work is dead. We must continue to work, and that work includes ensuring you have leadership that knows how to get the job done.

The Receipts: A Legacy of Fighting Alone

I am running for re-election because there is work I started that I must finish. I am not a “newbie” who needs to learn the rules; I am a leader who knows how to use them to protect you.

Look at the record. When I documented the constitutional violations at Juvenile Court, the political establishment didn’t want to hear it. They refused to support me. I had to turn to our Black churches, who stood by me as I took seven business binders of evidence to the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.

Because I refused to back down, the DOJ found those complaints valid in 2012. We forced a memorandum of understanding that changed the policies, practices, and procedures of a system that was depriving our children of due process based solely on the color of their skin. That is the power of experienced advocacy.

The Vision: Accountability and Reinvestment

In my next term, my priorities are clear:

• PILOT Reform: We must stop developers from taking an unfair amount of tax dollars without providing real community benefits. If the “wrap-up” isn’t done before the election, it will be my first order of business.
• Taxing Authority for Neighborhoods: I want to bring a serious conversation to our community about taxing districts. We see money flowing out of our inner city while being told we can’t recruit investment because of “infrastructure.” Using the Inner-City Revitalization Act I passed in the state legislature, I want to give our neighborhoods the authority to control their own destiny.
• Protecting “Our Babies”: Our work continues this summer with 20 free summer camps starting in June. Investing in our children is the only way to secure our future.

A Request for Your Trust

For over 30 years, you have trusted me—14 years in the State Legislature and your time on the County Commission. I am asking for that trust once more. Shelby County is facing challenges that require someone who knows the rules, knows the process, and has the relationships to start working on Day One.

Early voting is happening right now, from April 15th through April 30th. Don’t wait until May 5th. Take your family, your friends, and your neighbors to the polls. Let’s finish the work we started.

Stay in Touch:
My door is always open. You can find my contact information and the “Red Book” (listing all county officials and responsibilities) on my digital guide. If you need the facts, contact me directly at 901.857.6443.

Paid for by the Committee to Elect Henri E. Brooks.