More than thirty years after its inception, the Leadership Academy at 22 N. Front Street strives to be as much a part of building a better Memphis as cultivating its leaders.

To read more about the Leadership Academy and its role in Memphis, pickup the latest issue of Memphis Crossroads Magazine.

The People make Memphis

From an office overlooking Jefferson Davis Park, three of the leaders behind Memphis’ Leadership Academy struggled to pinpoint the particular pieces of their city that first made the sprawling metropolis feel like home: Elizabeth Lemmonds, director of communications and marketing; Academy president and CEO Nancy Coffee; and Rashana Lincoln, director of community engagement.

They debated: Shelby Farms, funky ethnic food, Overton Park, neighborhood culture or the Mississippi River?

“No,” says Rashana Lincoln. She smiles and shakes her head. “The people make Memphis Memphis.”

MemphisConnect.com

Launched in March of 2009, the website was created to give community members an opportunity to respond to misconceptions about the city at large.

“There are as many versions of Memphis as there are Memphians,” says Lemmonds. “We wanted to expose the hidden treasures – parks, hairstylists, local shops, schools and food – and give local experts an opportunity to recommend them to others interested in not just a great night out on Beale Street but what it’s like living day-to-day in the city.”

Thus far, the site has tallied more than 1,000 posts by 110 one-time and returning authors. Companies like Methodist, Servicemaster, Le Bonheur and Fedex also picked up on the enthusiasm, recently pegging the site as a recruiting tool and linking it to their own career websites.

Soon to undergo a full redesign, Lemmonds adds that MemphisConnect.com will incorporate a “more user friendly opportunity to dialogue,” including a new interface, engagement opportunities, message boards and events calendars on top of its traditional Monday publication schedule.

Speak Out Initiative

“Part of leadership is taking the microphone you have and using it the right ways,” Lemmonds says.

With Speak Out, an alumnus member felt passionately that the voices projecting the city’s image weren’t painting as complete a picture as possible, so he stepped up.

“He told us, ‘You know, we’re not dangerous. We have excellent education opportunities. We have a lot to offer,’ she says. “So we began the process of gathering more positive data and information to spread to our alumni, who can in turn project these positive, informed messages into the community.”
 
To visit the Leadership Academy website, visit:www.leadershipacademy.org
To visit their Memphis Connect website, visit: www.memphisconnect.com

Memphis Crossroads, the Chamber's quarterly economic development magazine, is available free at select locations throughout Memphis (including Schnuck's markets), via mail for Chamber members and at the Chamber's offices on the 2nd floor of the Falls Building, 22 N. Front Street.