It's been a long time since Messick High's glory days, but Memphians still remember it fondly and its neighbors wonder if there might be a future for the 101-year-old landmark.  

The Autism, Behavior and Communication program housed at the Memphis Speech and Hearing Center of the University of Memphis meets the needs of children with developmental disabilities. Therapists work with children who have high-functioning autism and are between the ages of three and five. Launched in 2017, the clinic has helped many children learn the necessary communication and behavior skills to manage the demands of a mainstream preschool.  

In S1E5 of the On The Ground podcast, supporting artists of The CLTV Lawrence Matthews (AKA Don Lifted) and James Dukes (AKA IMAKEMADBEATS) talk with High Ground News executive editor Madeline Faber about how a Black-owned arts space nourishes the existing arts scene and complements the surrounding neighborhood of Orange Mound, the country's first subdivision where African-Americans purchased their own homes.

CommuniTech Research Park opens its doors as a new home for innovative technology companies like SweetBio, a medical device startup developing medical applications in wound care for honey.

“Integration was definitely about access — not just schools and communities, it was also access with our dollars,” said Pearl Walker of I Love Whitehaven on MLK’s legacy of economic justice. Whitehaven Black Restaurant Week runs January 19-26.

"Memphis Studios: A Visual Tour," a newly published book, details the diverse nooks and crannies that Memphis artists have claimed as home.

Jainaba Johnson started her first business in her native country of The Gambia at 16 years old. Now 53, she's recently opened her third Memphis-based, family-run shop for African goods and hair styling.