A group of people that made their way on foot from the At-Promise Center on Cameron Madison Alexander Blvd. up Griffin Street had many things in common. They were from two major southern cities, some were business owners while others were involved in local government. They also were on the same page about making their homes, Atlanta and Memphis, two of the safest cities in America.

On Friday, Jan. 5, a contingent of Memphians, including members of the Greater Memphis Chamber and a representative of newly elected Memphis Mayor Paul Young’s office, traveled to Atlanta to better understand how the Atlanta Police Foundation has worked with community-focussed organizations and with local businesses to create a safer city. A day earlier Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Atlanta Police Department Chief Darin Schierbaum announced drops in major crimes throughout Atlanta on a year-to-year basis. Like many large cities during the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Memphis has gone through bouts of crime and population loss. Part of the group of people from Memphis were Black small business owners who have a direct stake in the city’s future. 

A better, safer Memphis would not only be good for them as citizens but also as business owners, said Michael Hicks, owner and operator of Allworld Project Management, a project and program management services firm in Memphis. 

“I think the state of crime in Memphis is starting to have a negative effect on our ability to recruit and retain talent,” said Hicks. “If we don’t come together and form a response we’re all going to see a decline in growth and responsibility.” 

The visit to…