KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A task force that was created in Dec. 2020 to find ways for Knoxville City Council members to help the city's Black community met for the first time on Wednesday.
The African American Equity Restoration Task Force was tasked with studying, reviewing and identifying plans to improve areas of disparity and disenfranchisement in the Black community. They were also tasked with working alongside existing agencies to improve the community, as well as developing policy proposals, programs and recommendations.
Their efforts should create opportunities for the Black community to create generational wealth building. Knoxville City Council passed a resolution that charges the task force to secure a total of $100 million over a period of 10 years, which the task force will oversee as it is invested into communities.
The group is partly meant to help the Black community heal after urban renewal projects in the 1950s and 1960s demolished opportunities for generational wealth-building. Due to the policies, families lost homes and businesses and were moved to public housing.
There are 12 members on the task force, and they are listed below:
- Matthew Best: A former UT track and field athlete who began his ministry career with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at the University of Tennessee after graduating with a degree in journalism. He later joined the Emerald Youth Foundation.
- Anderson Olds: A University of Tennessee graduate who currently serves as Executive Director of the Haslam Family Campus with the Boys and Girls Club.
- Tanisha Fitzgerald-Baker: A community leader who spent much of her professional career focused on equity and access for people from underserved communities.
- Regina Olum: An Austin-East High School alumna who helped co-found Tea and Tiara, helping mentor young girls.
- Brandon Hardin: An graduate of Austin-East High School who later became a commercial airline pilot with Republic Airways who also flew missions in support of the Air Guard and the United States Air Force. He is also the founder and president of Joyce Development Inc.
- Deborah Porter: After retiring from Knox County Government and the Tennessee Valley Authority, she started working for the Tennessee Small Business Center. She serves on several community boards and projects.
- William Lyons: Before serving as Chief Policy Officer and Deputy to the Mayor, he had a long career at the University of Tennessee as a professor of Political Science.
- Stanley Taylor: After growing up mostly in KCDC housing and graduating with a Master of Science in Social Work, he was a commissioned officer of the Army Reserves for 6 years.
- Vice Mayor Gwen McKenzie: She is the executive director of Legacy Housing Foundation and serves on the Knoxville Area Urban League Board.
- Enkeshi Thom El-Amin: A co-host and producer for the Black in Appalachia podcast, she is also a lecturer at the University of Tennessee. Her research explores links between race, place and Black practices to define places. She also founded The Bottom in East Knoxville as a hub to build communities.
- Dave Miller: After a 27-year career with First Horizon, he has unique skills in corporate strategy and investor relations.
- George Underwood: A graduate from Austin-East Magnet High School, he started his career as an educator before pivoting and opening up his own law practice. He is currently the Title IX coordinator and investigator for Pellissippi State Community College.
Members serve a three-year term, limited to two consecutive terms.