Community town hall tackles impacts of poverty in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A discussion of poverty and affordability took place at a community town hall and candidate Q & A in Memphis on Saturday.

The event, hosted by State Representative Justin J. Pearson, focused on issues impacting families across Tennessee’s Ninth Congressional District.

“We know we have so much need. We know poverty is increasing, but we have not been getting the necessary investment from the federal government, in particular, to be able and help meet that. And so, while things have been going ok, we know we need a lot more than ok for our future,” said  Pearson.

Pearson hosted a community town hall and candidate question and answer session on Saturday at New Sardis Baptist Church. This marks the third town hall since Pearson launched his campaign for U.S. Congress.

The event focused on poverty, affordability, and what organizers called a growing gap between community needs and federal investment.

Residents asked questions about housing, healthcare, and public safety. More than a third of children in District 9 live below the poverty line, according to Pearson.

“A lot of people here had worries about the task force, and Trump and authoritarianism that’s going on. In our community, what we’ve been offered is a military occupation. We’ve not been offered hundreds of millions of dollars of investment. We haven’t been offered housing, healthcare, education,” he said.

Pearson said preventing crime starts with addressing root causes, including poverty and access to resources.

He also said the need for investments in veterans, education, and economic opportunity is crucial.

“I don’t want there to be crime. I want for there to be investments that prevent crime from ever happening in the first place. That’s where we need money. That’s where we need resources. For decades, we’ve been deprived of hundreds of millions of dollars that we are due, and that we need to address those concerns. It’s going to be my job to go and get that,” said Pearson.

Pearson plans to continue hosting town halls across the district, including a virtual campaign event later this month.

He is one of two democrats running for U.S. Congress in Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District, facing off against sitting Congressman Steve Cohen in the August 6, 2026, primary election.