Ann Marie Wallace

It's Women's History Month and the Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis is gearing up for their biggest fundraisers says Co Board Chairman Ann Marie Wallace on The Bev Johnson Show on WDIA Radio.

Episode Transcript

(00:05):
Bell doesn't show, bellchops time withthis talking and all away, help you
go, you go, so getready in time show Bell Show, let's
go Bell, justn we make yourday right here, Rod, listen to

(00:35):
what to fay. You know,it's tap of the belt of fish,
the belt of show. Let's go. We are rocking and rolling on this
Wednesday hot day. I like tosay it's March twenty seventh, twenty twenty
four. Enjoy this fabulous day today. Want to share the good news,

(00:58):
more good news with you this afternoon. And I'm so happy to see
this sister in here. She justalways just lightens up the studio. She
is here today, miss and MarieWallace, she's on the coach here the
Greater Memphis Board, the Women's Foundationfor a Greater Memphis, gonna talk about

(01:19):
what they are doing and what's comingup. Good afternoon, sister, How
are you good afternoon? I amdoing wonderful and I am so glad to
be here, especially this month ofMarch Women's History Month. Yeah, for
the Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis. We just carry you know, women
empowerment into April because that is ourbig month for the Women's Foundation and you

(01:44):
know, I love that because Ilove and Marie what the Women's Foundation does
for Memphis. But for people andwho are listening this afternoon who may say
I don't know about them, haven'theard about them where you've been, y'all.
But anyway, tell our listeners alittle bit about the Women's Foundation for

(02:07):
Greater Memphis. Well, I'll letyou know that we will distribute this year
one point six million through our grantmaking funds to thirty eight organizations wow.
And so these are organizations that arehelping women and family to help them to
empower to get financially stable. Andthis primary zip code we started was three

(02:34):
eight one two six, but ofcourse we have branched out to three eight,
one oh six, O seven,eight and nine as well. Wow
wow. Yes. And it's aboutmaking family strong, okay, helping them
to be mobile. And so wework with these organizations to help families to

(02:57):
get on their feed. You knowmany families or led by women, Yes,
And so how do we strengthen thefamily. And that is what the
Women's Foundation is all about. Sowe're connecting the dots in the community,
We're investing in the community, andwe're empowering our women in families in our

(03:19):
community to have a better life.So basically the Foundation puts their emphasis on
women. Yes, it's the Women'sFoundation, So we are women led,
we empower women, but we dotake care of the whole family. But
as you know, statistically many ofthese families are run by women. Yeah.

(03:40):
Yeah, And so with the moneythat you all have, and that
is going to help these women andtheir families. Oh yes, do all
kinds of things, what kinds ofthings, all kinds of things from children
in school programs, case management,We have youth development and employment programs,

(04:03):
we have adult education and training,entrepreneurship, early childhood development, and then
I think the key thing is thecase management piece really working with those families
and all aspects of their life andso that we can follow them. We

(04:23):
have a wonderful program director, PatriaJohnson, and she works with all these
organizations and when we have events inthe community, I love to see how
you know, she knows each andevery one of them. Wow. Wow.
And one of the things that withyou not only on the board,
you are the senior coordinator for BaptistMemorial Health Care. Yes, and Baptist

(04:46):
also works with the Foundation. Yes, Baptist works with the Foundation, and
so we have been a sponsor ofthe Leadership Symposium for four years, but
then prior to that, for eightyears we sponsored the Legend's Reception, and
so it also falls within our missionto help and connect with the community,

(05:12):
and so it has been a greatpartnership for us. And I love what
I do and work, and Ilove what I do in the community,
and just connecting those dots with theWomen Foundation. You know, I too,
being a young widow, had afamily and am a single woman,
and so I think about other singlewomen and all the things that they have

(05:35):
to do relative to their families andthe needs that are out there. And
so this has just resonated with myheart, the outreach that we do and
the money that we're able to putback in the community, as well as
to be a conduit for many organizationsthat trust us because we are in the

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community. I think about Kroger andtheir five million dollar grant to help for
students through Lemoino and College, youknow, and they will get a degree
at the end of four years oreven if it takes five years, but
that money is committed for their educationright and wrap around services because you know,
when you're in college, you needa little extra, you need a

(06:18):
whole extra there. So we're therefor them to make sure that they don't
fall through the corracts that they aresuccessful. Oh good, And I know
the Women's Foundation has been working hardto let the entire community and we know
about what you are doing, becausesome women may be listening today and say,

(06:43):
I didn't know about that. Ididn't know about them. How can
they help me? Right? Sowhat needs to happen if someone's listening and
ask that question? Right, So, I would definitely go to the website.
Everybody's kind of digital and has aphone. Yeah, And our webs
site is w f g M dotorg and that's the Women's Foundation Greater memphisod

(07:10):
w f g M dot org.And they will see all the programs that
we do, the services that weoffer, and then they're just women of
all walks of life. How canthey help we? Our biggest fundraiser is
in April, and that's the TributeLuncheon. Okay, and so that's probably
our greatest fundraiser where we uh raiseall this money to fund programming. We

(07:38):
will also be doing a leadership symposiumthat will also help women with key things
that they need to know about wellness, about owning your own brand, and
empowerment through action and how you know, many of our young leaders they want
to be active in the community,they want to demonstrate and so we will

(08:00):
have some wonderful women on these panels. They're all Memphians and so they will
be sharing their stories and how weas individuals can be better. Sounds good,
yes, if you've just tuned inthis afternoon, we are talking with
miss Anne Marie Wallace, who isthe co chair of the Greater Memphis Board

(08:24):
of the Women's Foundation of Greater Memphis. We're going to be talking about they
have something very good special coming upand I want to learn more about that
and how you can get involved.If you do have a question for Anne
Marie Wallace, we invite you tocall eight three three five three five nine
three four to two eight three threefive three five nine three four to two

(08:50):
will get you in to us.You're listening to double dam Nobody, and

(09:11):
I mean nobody does it like theQueen of talk, BEB Johnson on the
BEB Johnson Show on w d iA. Here's the you're listening to the

(10:07):
BEV Johnson Show. Here's Bev Johnsonand we're talking this afternoon with Anne Marie
Wallace from the Greater Memphis Foundation.We're gonna continue our conversation with her.
But y'all know, y'all know whattime it is. It's lunchtime. It's
lunchtime. So what better to telly'all about my favorite place? Y'all know

(10:33):
it. I heard you say it. I heard you say it. I
heard you say it, George,we're talking about the Rocking Chair. Yeah,
we are the Rocking Chair. Werock with entertainment, but we rock
with the best Southern soul food around. Located at fifteen forty two Elvis Presley.
It's Wednesday, and they began servinglunch eleven o'clock this morning until five

(10:56):
o'clock this evening. Now you candine in, yeah you can, or
you can take out as well.And it's Wednesday. And on the amenu
catfish baked or fried, chicken,fried or smothered pork chops, turkey necks,
buffalo fish, yams, greens,macaroni and cheese, cabbage, green

(11:20):
beans, northern beans, spaghetti,corn bread. Yeah you can get that
at the Rocking Cheer. Oh yeah, I forgot chitlins? What guy?
Yeah, them folks are y'all y'allcoming in there for them for miss Anne's
chiplins. Miss ann is working hardfor you all at the Rocking Cheer fifteen

(11:41):
forty two, Elvis Presley. Nowcall them. You can order your dinner
to get it to go or youknow nine zero one four two five five
two six four nine zero one fourtwo five five two six four, And
let me tell y'all a treat ify'all go over there today one o'clock.
Coach Verdi Sales. Y'all remember coachVerdie Sales who coached at Shelby Stated was

(12:07):
Shelby State there in Southwest and atmail Rose High School. He's gonna be
there. Some of his former playersare gonna be there. They're having lunch
today at the Rocking Chair with coachVerdie Sales. Now, if you played
for coach Verdi Sales, or youremember coach from Mailrose or Shelby State,

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Southwest Tennessee Community College, govid havelunch with coach Verdi Sales over there at
the Rocking Chair. Fifteen forty two, Elvis Presley. Coach Verdi Sales.
Nice guy, love coach Verdi Sales. He'll be there and he's eating lunch
at the Rocking Chairs. So goto the Rocking Chair again. You can

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dine in or you can take out. Call them nine zero one four two
five five two six four. They'reopen until five o'clock this evening today through
Sunday. But let me tell y'all, remember Sunday is Easter. They're gonna
be closed. They're gonna give theirfolks for time to be with their families

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as well, So they will beclosed this Sunday on Easter. But get
over there today through Saturday, theRocking Chair where we rock with entertainment,
and we rock with the best Southernsoul food around the Rocking Chair in South
Memphis, fifteen forty two. ElvisPresley and tell them Bev Johnson sent you.

(13:45):
Yeah, I hear you. Anita. We are talking with my sister
friend and Marie Wallace. Yeah,with the Women's Foundation for Greater Memphis.
They are coming up with something veryspecial for April and Anne. Marie,
you say it's your biggest fundraiser,tell our listeners about it. It is.

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It's our biggest fundraiser this year.Our theme is Connect invest In power
creating change through community. And soin April, we will have our Leadership
Symposium that will be virtual. It'llbe Friday, April twelfth, from ten

(14:28):
to one. Those tickets are fiftydollars and then it'll culminates with the Tribute
Luncheon. And this year, Isay this year is the Year of the
Crown because we will be hosting aprincess in Memphis. What and so on
Thursday, April twenty fifth, ateleven thirty, our luncheon will kick off

(14:52):
at the Renaissance Convention Center and wewill host Princess Sarah Coulberson. She is
from Sarah Leon. She will beour keynote speaker, and she has an
amazing journey of adoption by a whiteAmerican family and later discovered her roots as

(15:13):
as Sarah Leon Princess Wow. Andthe wonderful thing is that her story is
being brought to light in a liveaction movie by Disney. Wow. Yes,
And she focuses her efforts on education, technology, public health, empowerment

(15:33):
for women and children. And sothat so resonates with the Women's Foundation for
a Greater Memphis or Yes, andI think about Chante and the wonderful work
that she has done as our newCEO, Chante A. Van And I'm

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just glad to be a board memberand to be a part of this era
as we are helping families with economicmobility, which means how are we helping
families with better jobs, feeding theirfamilies, educating their families, and even
home ownership. So that is ourprogram in April, and we are so

(16:18):
excited now with the symposium. Isthat going to be live? You're going
to be in a special place,so it's virtual, it's virtual. It
will be live, virtually live,Okay, okay, yeah, April twelfth,
on that Friday from ten to one. And those tickets are just fifty

(16:42):
dollars unless they've bought a lunch andtribute ticket then that is also included with
it. And those luncheon tickets arestill available at one hundred and fifty where
the Virtual Summit is fifty dollars.And just to give you a little bit,
because I want to ask you whaton the symposium, Ane Marie,

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what things will people be talking about? Yes, so they've been broken down
into three sections, and so firstthey'll talk about Wellness Unlocked, nurturing your
well being through community support, sothat will be about the mind, body,
and spirit and how you can fosterwellness within your community and how all

(17:26):
of that connects. And then thesecond part will be discover your brand,
personal representation and community engagement, andso we know that you know what is
your brand as a young woman,and how do you connect it with the
community for greater output and for doinggreater work in the community. And then

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the last part of the symposium willbe Empowerment through Action, so to be
leadership, giving back and community impactand having those conversations with leaders relative to
giving back in the community, whetherit's your time, your finances, but

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how you do that. Okay,And the symposium again will happen on what
date. It will happen on Friday, April twelfth, from ten am to
one pm. Okay, So youdo have to I want to be clear
about this, and you have toregister for this. You do have to

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register, and you can go onthe Women's Foundation website, which is that
WFGM dot org and then all theinformation will be on the website for the
symposium. And so we know aswomen, you know, we always need

(18:53):
those encouraging words from others to makesure that we're on track that we're being
the best person that we can befor our families and in our community.
Right and with the symposium go online. Also with now the leadership. The
luncheon will be Downtown Tribute lunch.Tribute lunch. And do they have to

(19:15):
register for that or can you payat the door? You can't pay it
at the door? No, okay, there, it's ahead of time.
Okay, we do need them.Don't just show up and say I'm here
for the yeah, because I wantto be clear about that, because because
some people a Marie, they don'tand they'll just show up and say,

(19:36):
well, I want to pay mymoney right here, right now. Well
you can't do that. Tell themwhat they need to do, and Marie,
so we plan ahead for meals,whether you're a vissarian plate or a
regular plate, all those things aredone up front. But still you go
to the website w f g Mdot org and then you can register and

(20:00):
purchase a ticket. That way.We even have these beautiful scarves that you
can also get and wear, whichI always I didn't wear one today,
but at the Foundation luncheon I willhave the new scarf on that has beautiful
shades of green and blue and thosescarves are sixty five dollars. So that's

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on the website as well. Butpeople need to know this is a fundraiser
that is helping us to fund programmingin the community. And the funds help
again, ladies and gentlemen women inthis community. Correct. And I know
one of the things that you alldo, and Marie, is that when

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we talk about women in the community, you do highlight a specific zip code.
Yes, yes, So our programswe started in the three eight one,
two six area, Okay, butwe have branched out and so we
have learned from that neighborhood and thatconnecting all the dots there, how we

(21:03):
can do better there and then goout to others. So that includes the
three at one, two, six, seven, eight nine zip codes.
So there are five zip codes thatwe're currently working in. Oh good,
good good. And I would liketo also just say, you know,

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the Women's Foundation is very much intoleadership, philanthropy and collaboration, investing in
women and women led organizations to growleadership within low income communities. And so
we are working in some of thepoorest neighborhoods to build leadership that grassroots kind

(21:49):
of engagement, allowing our partners andorganizations to work together with the residents so
that we can collaborate, learn,share, and collectively share those concerns to
identify solutions together. Good. Good. So you all are working hard to

(22:11):
have What I like is to helpmake this community better and help women in
this community. And when you saidyou all connect invest in power, right,
And you know what I love themost is the women that are a
part of the Women's Foundation. There'ssome amazing women over the years. I

(22:32):
think about my aunt Francis Hooks partof the organization, but Marty Buckman and
all of these women came together arounda table to really share and say,
how can we make our community better? How can we strengthen our families?
And so as young women are workingand networking, we have just really tried

(22:59):
to branch out to women to say, let us come together and let's make
our community better. I love that. And I was thinking a Marie with
the Leadership Virtual Leadership Symposium on Apriltwelfth. Again, it starts at ten
am, so I'm thinking, likeI would like to be on see it,

(23:22):
but I'm working, and so somepeople may be working and maybe can
they come in the middle of it, or they work, they can come
in the middle of it. Theycan come in when it works for them,
okay, And chances are we willhave it taped so once that they
have that access to it, thenthey will have access to it afterwards as

(23:47):
well. The one thing that Ilove is that many companies and corporations are
using it as development, as enrichmentgood their organizations as well. So we've
reached out to different corporations to say, hey, you know, use this
piece for employees, female employees andhelp them to gain better knowledge and connectivity

(24:15):
within the community to be you know, the best that they can be.
Right, Because I was thinking whenyou were talking about some of the workshops,
and I love the willderness and discoveringyour brand always, right, And
so because some people may be workingand then I know a lot of people

(24:36):
work from home now, right,And don't want y'all to miss of your
job, right, But as AnneMarie say, you can come in register
for it anyway and come in whenyou can get a chance to hear the
panelists, right. And the panelistsare so diverse. They are young,
they are middle aged, they areall walks of life, and so I

(24:59):
think that people will just really bepleased. And so I just encourage people
to go to the website sokay,that they can see the names and the
people that'll be participating. And againthat website is w FGM dot org and
they will see the list of speakers. So go to the website to register

(25:25):
for the symposium. Also go tothe website to register for the luncheon.
Correct, have to do that.Have to do that, yes, and
be a part of it and don'tmiss it because these are exciting times.
And I was thinking, Amara,since you're all going to have a princess.
We're going to have a princess.Wow. Yes, I'm sure she

(25:48):
has a story to tell. Shedoes. She does. But you know,
I think about the little girls inthe community, how they're all princesses.
Yes they are. So you know, to glean from another princess who
was adopted, you know, anddidn't know her birth parents and then went
back and met her family and SarahLeon, how she has branched out and

(26:11):
so you know, I just thinkwith growth, everybody can find that princess
kind of peace within them. Youknow, we all wear our crown,
we do, yes, we do. Sister you are so such a delight.
I love having you here. Andbefore you get out, everything going
good at Baptists. Everything's going goodat Baptists. But this is about the

(26:32):
Women's Founders, about Baptists. Iknow I'm gonna tell because you all doing
some good work and working with uswith Sister Strett. Thank you, thank
you. Yes again, Anne Marie. Tell our listeners that website where they
can go to register for the VirtualLeaderships Emposium and that wonderful Leadership Luncheon.

(26:55):
Yes, please go visit w fg M dot or to purchase your tickets
to the Leadership Symposium and the annualTribute Luncheon. Thank you, Thank you,
Anne Marie Wallace. Good seeing youagain here. And you have a
good day. And be safe outthere, sister Yes, thank you everyone.
Be safe. That's right. Thankyou callers, Thank you listeners for

(27:19):
joining us this day on the BEVJohnson Show. We do, we really
do appreciate you. So until tomorrow, please be safe, keep a cool
head, y'all, and don't letanyone steal your joy. Until tomorrow.
I'm Bev Johnson, and y'all keepthe faith. The views and opinions discussed

(27:49):
on the Bev Johnson Show are thatof the hosts and callers and not those
of the staff and sponsors of WDA. The