Opinion: The Inaugural "Peace for the Holidays: Feed The Needy" and 41st Annual "Forgotten Souls Festival" Community Events
Local & National News | December 17, 2025 | 7:40 p.m. CST

Edited: December 18, 2025 | 1:45 a.m. CST

Written by: Gilbert Barnes Carter III

Camaraderie, empathy, and hospitality were on full display during the inaugural "Peace for the Holidays: Feed The Needy" and 41st Annual "Forgotten Souls Festival" community events. The purposeful gatherings are markers of the beginning of another holiday season. The activity that I observed during both prompts me to give consideration to the formation of new possibilities.

I have two reminders and two takeaways.

Reminder One: The greatest leaders in Memphis today are natural servants.

"Servant-leadership" is not just charitable terminology in Memphis.

I simply smile when I watch Ms. Tina Byrd provide volunteers with assistance from a distance during various community events. Her stride across a space or into a room at 5'10" is certainly distinctive, but attention to details, loyalty, and respectful delegation are just three of the far more valuable hallmarks of her direction. Her direction prompts colleagues and strangers alike to work within, not under, her secure authority.

An enduring scene during the Forgotten Souls Festival was her taking a moment to embrace and carry her beautiful one-year old grandson while joining impromptu photo ops and redirecting personnel. A very acute challenge that all natural servants have is for them to provide stabilization for people in their circles of concern without incurring their own financial, mental, physical, and/or spiritual deficits. She not only maintains a delicate balance, but her service work is cathartic. That is evident based on the content of her following quote from the interview that I wrote and published to feature her on October 16.

"I am compelled to serve because I see it as an opportunity to uplift others and contribute to a greater purpose. In serving, we not only support those in need, but also discover our own inner passions and strengths. For me, it is a journey that fosters connections, ignites hope, and inspires growth. I believe that the essence of service lies in our shared humanity and the profound impact that we can have on the lives of one another." - Ms. Tina Byrd

Reminder Two: Alignment with exceptional individuals occurs at the most auspicious times.

The great Mr. Joe Calhoun...

I can state with the utmost sincerity that I have met more exceptional individuals here in Memphis than anywhere else on Earth. I cherish the personal experiences that I have curated with giants such as, but not limited to, Dr. Clarence Christian, the late Mr. Bernal E. Smith II, Mr. Lakethen Mason, Mr. Samuel Ballard, Mr. Zachary Waters, Ms. Dorian Spears, the late Ms. Georgia "Mother" King, the late Ms. Mia Madison, Ms. Monique Williams, Ms. Tamara Hendrix, Ms. Tameka Greer, and Ms. Wendi Thomas. I wrote and published an article entitled, "The 30th Annual Prestigious Stone Awards: An Interview with Ms. Tina Byrd" on October 16. I was more than delighted to interview the impressive Ms. Byrd ahead of the 30th Annual Stone Awards ceremony that was held on October 18. Mr. Cam Mtenzi, the members and supporters of the House of Mtenzi, the Ma' and 9 Mustard Seeds Charitable Foundation selection committee, and the Stone Awards production team have honored majestic civil rights and social justice "foot soldiers" in eight states from Memphis since 1989. As I reviewed the names of the legendary foot soldiers that are listed on the press kit sheets that Mr. Mtenzi forwarded to me, I noticed one that I had not seen before.

■LEGENDARY JOE CALHOUN - MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
(Ma' & 9 "Selma-In-Shelby" Honoree - Celebrating the Original Invaders - Sanitation Strike Foot Soldier)

I became curious to say the least.

I wrote and published an article entitled, “Food Not Bombs - Memphis: FOOD, not troops! (Part 2 of 3)” on November 5. It is one of my personal projections of opposition to the federal deployment of Tennessee Army National Guard troops to Memphis on October 10 through the so-called “Memphis Safe Task Force."

I attempted to conduct a small amount of research at the final hour to list supplemental information in the body of the article. An ABC24 Memphis interview that was initially aired on September 25 was one of several that populated over an online search results list.

A familiar individual was featured: Mr. Joe Calhoun.

I recall how poised he was as he framed the conversation with local historical facts with regard to the federal deployments of troops to Memphis in 1968, 1978, and 2020.

As I listened to and watched him, I said to myself, "How do I not know THIS man?"

I remember taking in the first sights and sounds on the back parking lot behind the House of Mtenzi Museum at the beginning of the Forgotten Souls Festival. Ms. Byrd, being a friend and natural hostess, made introductions between myself and other attendees. She barely made one particular introduction before I immediately recognized the profile of the man before me.

"Mr. Joe Calhoun!"

Our introduction was more like a delayed reunion. He is incredibly disarming, distinguished, and gracious. He is certain that we shared attendance in some of the same social justice spaces previously. He also realized that we have many of the same circles of concern. I spoke with him for most of the second half of the festival.

Then, on the very next day, the day before my birthday, he provided me with one of my greatest opportunities.

He invited me to come to Withers Collection Gallery and Museum. I made a personal commitmet to enjoy personal travel outside of Memphis on my birthday, interestingly enough, in 2019. I was not in a position to travel to Houston this year. That is a personal reason why I made the concerted effort to maintain a positive mental attitude and service activity during the Peace for the Holidays and Forgotten Souls Festival events to completely deflect my disappointment. I was delighted to return to the museum to have a third sequence of fellowship and meaningful engagement during that week.

Mr. Calhoun was in the midst of providing a museum tour for a small group of very pleasant Mitchell High School students. During a brief intermission, he joined me where I was on the gallery floor to start a conversation that I will never forget.

"I want you to know that I read your bio last night, and I became excited and frustrated at the same time", he said, grinning.

I was completely disarmed, but somewhat confused. So, I asked, also grinning, "What do you mean exactly?"

"Well, yesterday during the festival, you shared with me that you currently have plans to leave home to relocate to Houston. And after I read your bio, I realized that you could write my memoir for me."

I am still stunned.

The great Mr. Joe Calhoun, a prominent leader during the "March Against Fear" in 1969...

The great Mr. Joe Calhoun, the recognized historian...

The great Mr. Joe Calhoun, the INVADER...

And so much more...

He asked me to write and publish his personal memoir.

I instantly accepted. And, in that moment, the emotional, mental, and spiritual favor that I felt was so overwhelming and warm.

Remember, alignment with exceptional individuals occurs at the most auspicious times.

Takeaway One: House of Mtenzi + Youth Minds United annual team ups are the ones we all need in Memphis right now.

We must stop the duplication of services in Memphis.

I recall having a great conversation with the co-founder of Youth Minds United, Mr. Johnathan Isom, days ahead of their Peace for the Holidays event. He asked for input regarding boycott contingencies and fostering fruitful corporate partnerships. I could not help but to also implore him to create a brand new partnership with the House of Mtenzi to provide food and other essential items for our unhoused families and individuals.

An initial concern that I held was the possibility of the YMU members not having enough capacity to generate enough success during the event. I knew that if they could acquiesce with the House of Mtenzi in enough time then that concern would be more than alleviated. As fortune would have it, Peace for the Holidays was reviewed with acclaim by attendees. I did have a small amount of disappointment from knowing that the two groups did not have enough time to work together this year after all.

Two of the more intriguing aspects of HOM and YMU team ups are the coaching and imparting of knowledge that YMU members could receive. I would absolutely love to see Mr. Mtenzi have in-depth conversations with young Mr. Isom as they work together during one event. I can imagine Ms. Byrd, Ms. Betina Hunt, and Ms. Sonya Murphy, Esq. synching their schedules to meet with Ms. Jasmine Bernard during another. And the YMU members are supremely talented. The HOM members would certainly not have to take additional time to model how to front face properly with the general public during their co-hosted community events.

We need to always have intersections of mutual benefit, specific collective work, and youth-driven leadership in our city. HOM and YMU team ups would definitely be the preferred models.

Takeaway Two: The House of Mtenzi team should host events with a scale similar to the Forgotten Souls Festival on a quarterly basis at a minimum.

How can we assist the House of Mtenzi team in scaling to build more capacity for maximum social impact?

My second takeaway may be a form of wishful thinking to some, but to others, it is the next phase of their programming.

I currently have an idea. I would absolutely love to see the formation of charitable team ups between HOM and an organization such as Manna House on a quarterly basis.

May we all extend copious amounts of care, concern, empathy, and positivity to one another at all times.

Photo Credits:
 

Header Photo by: Mr. Gary Whitlow

Body Photo (1) by: Mr. Gary Whitlow

Body Photo (2) by: Mr. Johnathan Isom

Body Photo (3) by: Mr. Johnathan Isom

Body Photo (4) by: Mr. Johnathan Isom

Body Photo (5) by: Mr. Johnathan Isom

Body Photo (6) by: Ms. Tina Byrd

Body Photo (7) by: Ms. Tina Byrd

Body Photo (8) by: Ms. Tina Byrd

Body Photo (9) by: Ms. Tina Byrd

Body Photo (10) by: Ms. Tina Byrd

Body Photo (11) by: Ms. Tina Byrd

Body Photo (12) by: Ms. Tina Byrd

Body Photo (13) by: Ms. Tina Byrd

Body Photo (14) by: Mr. Gary Whitlow

Body Photo (15) by: Mr. Tony Franklin

Gilbert Barnes Carter III is a Memphis-based author, child welfare advocate, community organizer, emerging farmer, gardener, journalist, and social justice advocate. He began his social justice advocacy and work by serving as a Shelby County Fetal and Infant Mortality Review (FIMR) Board volunteer in 2005. He has worked since then to effectuate change for low-wage, immigrant, and migrant workers as a Temporary Workers Campaign Manager with Workers Interfaith Network; an advocate for Teamsters Local 667 sanitation workers; and a community / field organizer to uphold blight reduction, efficient public mass transit, environmental justice, food access, food justice, food security, narrative change, and public safety.