BLDG Memphis

BLDG Memphis this thrilled to announce a partnership with Truist Bank and Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED) in Washington D.C. to build a Memphis Small Business Ecosystem. BLDG Memphis will serve as the community quarterback that collaborates across small business support organizations and entities to enhance funding, support services, resources and information for small businesses in Memphis.

May is Affordable Housing Month! BLDG Memphis Members... Grab your lunch and join us virtually for the first Lunch & Learn of the year! Charia Jackson, Program Officer of Housing with LISC Memphis, will inform us of the latest trends in the industry, funding on the horizon, and what affordable housing means in Memphis! To register, sign in to the Member portal on UpSquad! #AffordableHousing #AffordableHousingMonth #BLDGMemphis #BLDGbetterneighborhoods #Memphis #CommunityDevelopment

Meet Christina Crutchfield, BLDG Memphis' Director of Neighborhood Planning. Christina was born in Atlanta but has deep roots in Memphis. She has called Memphis her home for the past seven years. She believes that neighborhoods are the heart of the city and has dedicated her work to supporting access to resources in neighborhoods. At BLDG Memphis, she has engaged neighborhood and community leaders in various aspects of the planning process, hoping they can best activate on-the-ground change in their communities. In her free time, Christina enjoys singing in a community choir, attending shows at local theaters, and listening to live music throughout the city. Inspirational Quote: "There is no logic that can be superimposed on the city; people make it, and it is to them, not buildings, that we must fit our plans." - Jane Jacobs #memphis #BLDGbetterneighborhoods #BLDGMemphis #WomensHistoryMonth

Meet Markuitta Washington, BLDG Memphis' Communications & Development Specialist. While born and raised in Rockford, Illinois, Markuitta has been a transplant Memphian for a little over 10 years. Though a newcomer to the community development sector, she has quickly become immersed in the work, utilizing her strengths of creativity, resourcefulness, and being a connector. She previously served as one of our Small Business Outreach Navigators, supporting the work of the Community Navigator Pilot Program (CNPP), where she assisted Community Development Corporations (CDCs) in connecting small businesses in Memphis' underserved communities to technical assistance that provided direct guidance and skills to scale and sustain their businesses. In her new role, she supports the organization with communications/marketing and development. In her free time, you can find Markuitta cooking, eating good food, and watching a good sci-fi or mystery TV series. Inspirational Quote: “Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson #Memphis #BLDGMemphis #WomensHistoryMonth

Meet Bailey Myers, BLDG Memphis' Advocacy Specialist. A lifelong Memphian, Bailey is a passionate advocate for the equitable development of Memphis neighborhoods. Through her work in Advocacy at BLDG Memphis, Bailey uses principles of participatory action research and community psychology to develop resident-informed and Member-led policy recommendations. She is led by the belief that those most affected by an issue should be centered in the creation of solutions. In her free time, Bailey enjoys roller skating and spending time outdoors. A quote that inspires Bailey: “Years ago, I recognized my kinship with all living things, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on the earth. I said then and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it…while there is a soul in [oppression], I am not free.” ~Eugene V. Debs #BLDGbetterneighborhoods #BLDGMemphis #memphis