Platform over Popularity

12/07/2025

GATEKEEPERS — THE MEMPHIS TRUTH
Memphis isn’t behind because we lack talent.
We’re behind because the people with the keys are too afraid to open the door. Our political gatekeepers control endorsements, information, and opportunity — not to uplift the city, but to protect their position.
Our business gatekeepers climbed out of poverty, but now sell every piece of knowledge because they fear competition more than they love community. Even street gatekeepers forget the lives and neighborhoods their hustle destroyed, while the rest of the community is still trying to survive trauma they didn’t choose.
At every level, the mindset is the same:
“If it didn’t come through me, it can’t happen.”

And that mentality has choked this city for decades.
Memphis doesn’t need more titles or more “leaders.”
It needs people who stop blocking and start building.

Because a gatekeeper is one of two things:
A blocker or a builder.
(Coin that phrase but know i said it first!)

You’re either holding the door closed…
or holding it open for the next person.
And this city has had enough closed doors.

10/30/2025

I’m done chasing what man can’t give me. If it’s from God, it won’t require me to beg, perform, or prove. 🙏🏽

10/30/2025

10/26/2025

This Isn’t Charity — This Is Covenant
Our government is cutting food stamps again — knowing exactly who this will hurt most.
Our elderly. Our veterans. Our children. The working poor who already stretch every dollar like it’s a lifeline.
I wasn’t hungry growing up, but I remember the struggle.

I watched my family work twice as hard to barely get by. I watched adults skip meals so the kids could eat.
And I learned early that survival in our communities isn’t about luck — it’s about love, creativity, and collective care. So I’ll say this clearly:

We can’t keep waiting on systems that were never designed to save us. It’s time to feed ourselves — body, soul, and community. I’m calling on farmers, gardeners, food producers, and every neighbor who still believes in people over profit: This is the moment to stand up and cover one another. Because while they’re cutting funding, we’re planting seeds.

Here’s how we can move right now:
Adopt-a-Family: Choose one family to bless weekly with groceries, produce, or eggs.

Community Harvest Days: Host free pickup days for seniors, single parents, and unhoused neighbors.
Pantry Partnerships: Connect local gardens, farms, and markets with food banks and churches.

Seed & Soil Drives: Help families start their own gardens by donating soil, seeds, and starter kits.

Pay-What-You-Can Boxes: Offer sliding-scale or “give one, gift one” produce subscriptions.

Community Fridges: Sponsor or stock a fridge in your area with fresh food.

Volunteer & Barter Days: Trade time, skills, and goods — no one left behind.

Grant Writers & Organizers: Start securing funds for community gardens, pantries, and food security programs now.

This isn’t about charity — it’s about justice and responsibility. It’s about covenant — the commitment that says I won’t let my neighbor starve while I have something to share. The government might be cutting aid, but we’re cutting excuses. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.

If you need help sourcing grants and your group or project is an eligible (501(c)(3), or partnered with one; community-based; addressing food security, gardens, etc)., comment here. I will send you a list of 10 specific grants with deadlines, amounts, eligibility that are currently open and relevant for Mississippi / Memphis / regional communities.

10/25/2025

Maybe it’s just me. Maybe it’s because my social feed has been intentionally curated — full of creators who are positive, spiritual, community-minded, and doing the work that matters. But I can’t help but wonder:
Where are the ones we’ve built our hope around?

We, Black and Brown people, pour millions of dollars into subscriptions, tickets, concerts, and platforms.
We support Tyler Perry films that remind us to persevere. We sing with Beyoncé about freedom and power. We look to Oprah as a voice of wisdom and Denzel as a model of integrity. We shout to gospel artists who lift our spirits when life tries to break us.

Yet when the communities that made them need them most — when food is scarce, when water is unsafe, when hope is low — where are they? Have they used their platforms to build community hubs, to fund gardens, to restore neighborhoods? Do they still see the faces that filled the theaters, downloaded the albums, and kept the lights on? This isn’t about counting pockets. It’s about counting accountability. Because one filmmaker, one athlete, one entertainer, one comedian — four people, with one million each — could feed cities, build centers, or fund freedom.
They wouldn’t even have to speak. Their giving would say enough.

“To whom much is given, much will be required.” — Luke 12:48

The world as we know it is changing fast.
And if we aren’t preparing — stockpiling, saving, planting, and building true community — we’re going to find out the hard way that not receiving benefits won’t be our biggest problem. So maybe this is the time to stop waiting on the already famous and start becoming the faithful. To use our small platforms, our few resources, our local reach to create what we once expected from them. Because the truth is — God is raising a new generation of builders.

Everyday people with eternal purpose.
People who don’t need applause to act,
or a million followers to feed a neighbor.
Maybe the question isn’t “Where are they?”
Maybe God is asking, “Where are you?”

09/23/2025

You don't need to do everything. You just need to do the one thing that moves the needle today.

You're either SOMEBODY who shows up for that one thing... or NOBODY who keeps saying “I'll start tomorrow!” Pick one task and Kill it because talk is cheap but money will buy you land.

09/16/2025

👟 One size don’t fit all.

What works in their hood don’t always work in ours.
That’s why Platform Over Popularity is built on listening first, then moving different.

Real voices. Real needs. Real solutions.
Not cookie-cutter. Not watered down. Not for clout.
For the people. By the people. Period. ✊🏾

09/15/2025

Now that I have your attention lil nasty’s… 😂😂😂

VOLUNTEERS are needed for the next event which will be happening on September 20, 2025 from 6pm to 10pm (or before). If you are interested please inbox Tori Grayer.

09/15/2025

Why Platform Over Popularity?

We chose the name Platform Over Popularity because popularity often decides which issues get the spotlight — and which ones are ignored. While the “popular” voice can shape our city both positively and negatively, it doesn’t always reflect the full truth of community needs.

Our mission is to build a platform where all voices matter — not just the loudest, the trendiest, or the most well-connected. By putting platform over popularity, we create space for the overlooked and underserved, connect people with real solutions, and ensure leaders remain accountable to every community member, not just the most visible ones.

09/14/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1CAcGUabqA/?mibextid=wwXIfr

09/14/2025

If you were scrolling and came across your child’s teacher’s page, and the way they carried themselves online gave you negative insight into how they live outside of school — how would you feel?

Do you believe it’s okay for educators (or professionals in general) to present themselves unprofessionally online?

In today’s world, social media is often the first impression — not just for brands and businesses, but for teachers, leaders, and anyone in a position of influence. Should personal freedom outweigh professional responsibility when what’s posted could shift how students, parents, and the community see you?

I’d love to hear your perspective 👇

09/09/2025

No strings, just free food + good vibes.📍 2453 Park Ave | 🗓 09.13.25 | ⏰ 4–7PM Bring your fam, bring a friend, or just bring yourself.Memphis, let’s break bread + show love together. 🫶🏽