The Contributor: January 15, 2025

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Vo l u m e 1 9 | N u m b e r 2 | Ja n u a r y 1 5 - 2 9, 2 0 2 5

Concerts with a Cause H o w S t a rs Li k e B i l l i e Ei l i s h A re Tu rn i n g To u rs I n t o To o l s f o r C h a n g e

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LOCALES - POLÍTICA - INMIGRACIÓN - TRABAJOS - SALUD - ESPECTÁCULOS - DEPORTES Y MÁS...

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Nashville, Tennessee

Política Migratoria en 2025: Un Imperativo Moral y Económico Que Nos Beneficia a Todos

La política migratoria no solo es un i m p e r a t i v o económico, sino también un tema central que ha vuelto a tomar relevancia en el escenario político de 2025.

Ahora, con la Por Yuri Cunza administración del Editor in Chief presidente Donald La Noticia Newspaper Trump retomando el poder y con promesas de deportaciones masivas, es más urgente que nunca que los líderes políticos de ambos partidos enfrenten esta problemática de manera decidida, especialmente dado el impacto directo en la comunidad hispana, que representa un bloque electoral clave.

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Nuestra comunidad, y el futuro que esta representa, necesita una acción política clara y valiente. Como una de las minorías de mayor crecimiento en el país, pronto seremos la mayoría minoritaria, lo que subraya la importancia de adoptar soluciones que reflejen nuestra contribución y necesidades.

Además, la presión sigue aumentando, ya que un gran número de empresas y ciudadanos continúan exigiendo a sus legisladores en la Cámara de Representantes y el Senado de EE.UU. que reparen de una vez por todas nuestro sistema de inmigración obsoleto. La inacción ya no es una opción.

tan que los empleadores puedan satisfacer sus necesidades de talento, incluso en sectores de alta calificación.

Foto: John Partipilo / La Noticia Newspaper Nashville

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Newspaper Nashville

Año 23 - No. 407

La Noticia + The Contributor

Jaula Dorada: Del Otro Lado de La frontera / Golden Cage: The Mexico -U.S. Border

Una gran coalición de amplia base, integrada por los principales grupos proempresariales, incluyendo la Cámara de Comercio de EE.UU. (USHCC), la Asociación para una Nueva Economía Americana, Business Roundtable, la Asociación Nacional de Fabricantes, entre muchos otros, siguen enfatizando la necesidad de una acción inmediata por parte del Congreso a través de conferencias de prensa y comunicados.

Nuestros empresarios inmigrantes crean millones de empleos para estadounidenses nacidos aquí. Además, los inmigrantes son esenciales para las empresas que no pueden llenar puestos disponibles. Sin embargo, solo el 7% de todas las visas se asignan para ayudar a las empresas a cubrir estos puestos, comparado con hasta el 50% en otros países. Estos límites arbitrarios dificul-

También carecemos de visas que reconozcan y recompensen las destrezas empresariales de los inmigrantes.

Muchos de ellos están inventando productos que impulsarán la innovación estadounidense en las próximas décadas, pero nuestro sistema actual no puede retenerlos, obligándolos a regresar a sus países de origen para competir contra nosotros. Esto no solo es ilógico, sino que también es una pérdida de potencial para nuestra economía.

Nuestra voz hispana refleja la de millones de estadounidenses que entienden que una reforma migratoria justa es esencial para garantizar la prosperidad económica futura. Esta es una oportunidad histórica para sacar de las sombras a millones de personas y fortalecer nuestra nación. Pero no basta con exigir cambios; debemos asegurarnos de que nuestra voz se escuche a través de nuestro voto. Unidos, podemos hacer la diferencia y asegurar un futuro más inclusivo y próspero para todos.

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Todos estos La esfuerzos destacan el one Joe Nolan Cómo por ICE gathers his Vendors write about Noticia, oflocalizar the a una persona detenida mensaje de innumerables voces estadounidenses: CEOs, asociaciones agricultores, fabrihottest takes and nichest SientoWhat un gran orgullo Joe Nolan, tode ser uno de empresariales, leading Spanish-language los muchos residentes en Tennessee cantes, líderes religiosos y comunitaque apoyan públicamente una reforma rios, quienes reconocen la urgente económica de una reforma opionions of 2024 movies migratoria, alzando mi voz necesidad Wear, jealousy iny seguiré a new newspapers in the nation, para pedir a nuestro Congreso que migratoria. Los inmigrantes desemactúe de manera inmediata y apruebe peñan un papel vital en cubrir puestos de trabajo, impulsar la creación de una reforma y necesaria. and award season apartment andjustaone content to empleo brings y fomentar el Spanish crecimiento Afortunadamente, no estamos solos. económico a largo plazo. predictions. vendors Prime Purpose.

The Contributor.

Erica Mitchell, the New CEO of the United Way of Greater Nashville, tells us her plans to build community,

Si usted conoce a alguien que está detenido por inmigración de Estados Unidos, conozca cómo ubicar el lugar donde se encuentra.

Encontrar un centro de detención: Para buscar a una persona detenida por el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, sigla en inglés) use el localizador de detenidos (seleccione Español en el menú que indica “Select a different language”).

Si no puede encontrar a la persona con el localizador de detenidos en línea, contacte a

la Oficina de Detención y Deportación (en inglés) de su estado.

Si usted sabe dónde está detenida la persona, comuníquese directamente con el centro de detención correspondiente (en inglés).

Holly Bowman Director of Development

Basados en la Quinta Enmienda de la Constitución, los derechos de guardar silencio y contar con un abogado fueron denominados Derechos Miranda luego de la decisión de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de Estados Unidos en el caso Miranda vs. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, de 1966.

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1. Mantenerse callado 2. Sólo dar nombre y apellido 3. No mentir 4. Nunca acepte/lleve documentos falsos 5. No revelar su situación migratoria 6. No llevar documentación de otro país 7. En caso de ser arrestado, mostrarla Tarjeta Miranda (llámenos si necesita una)

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Contributors This Issue Julie B. • Maurice B. • Norma B. • Linda Bailey • Yuri Cunza • Hannah Cron • FreepressGma • Chris Scott Fieselman • John H. • Amanda Haggard • Lashika • Mr. Mysterio • Joe Nolan • Meg Salt • Judith Tackett

Estatus de un caso de inmigración: Para conocer el estatus de un caso de inmigración en la corte use el sistema automático de información de casos en línea (en inglés) o llame al 1-800-898-7180 (presione 2 para español).

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A FEW QUESTIONS

Q&A with Erica Mitchell

How the New CEO of the United Way of Greater Nashville Plans To Build Community

BY JUDITH TACKET T In early 2024, the former CEO of United Way of Greater Nashville (UWGN), Brian Hassett, announced his retirement at the end of the calendar year. Under Hassett’s leadership, UWGN expanded its footprint to a nine-county area and merged with Hands on Nashville, a nonprofit volunteer coordination that connects volunteers with community organizations looking for help.

UWGN’s board formed an executive search team and announced in summer that Erica Mitchell, UWGN’s Executive Vice President and Chief Community Impact Officer, would become the new CEO starting Jan. 1, 2025.

“I came to United Way because I wanted to get closer to the community,” Mitchell said, adding that she previously had held policy positions and wanted to see the impact policy changes have on the ground with community and people.

She joined the education efforts of UWGN 14 years ago after working for Tennessee SCORE, the state collaborative on reforming education. Mitchell said she believes in the cross-sector partnerships that UWGN forges with nonprofits, businesses, and philanthropy when working on solutions to complex social needs.

What is the role of the Community Impact Officer?

I have really loved the community impact role. The role itself has evolved over the years that I have been here. I would say first and foremost, we have to be good listeners so that we can hear from the community what the greatest needs are. And from there, we are always looking for opportunities to connect resources to meet whatever the greatest needs are.

To sum it up, the community impact role is about listening to the community and working with the community to put resources in place to truly help people not just sustain but thrive.

What are your goals and plans for next year?

How will you tackle your new role?

A lot of it will be listening I have told people, I want us to continue doing things that we do well. We work now across nine counties. We fund nonprofit organizations.

We will continue doing that and identifying really strong nonprofit community partners to serve communities well.

The collaboration piece means so much to me. I want us not only to continue that but to expand on what collaboration looks like going into 2025. We will go through a strategic planning process, which is important to do because that allows us to listen to the community, hear directly from them where their pain points are, and then see what United Way’s role is, and [determine] how we are uniquely suited to meet some of those needs.

I am looking forward to going through that process and really being able to hear from the community and various stakeholders.

If you had to describe the United Way of Greater Nashville, what would you say?

I am going to start with the mission state-

ment. Let me break that down. We unite the community and mobilize resources, so that every child, individual, and family thrives.

The first part of that, “we unite the community,” I think that is critically important. It is not only about bringing people together, but it is about who we are bringing together. What appeals to me so much about United Way is the cross-sector functionality of the organization.

We are talking to community members, those who we want to see thriving and who have firsthand lived experience. We are also talking with nonprofit organizations that are on the frontline serving. We are talking with government and business that serve in a different capacity, and philanthropy that is providing a financial resource. So, “uniting the community” means that we are listening to, we are attentive to, and we are bringing all of those entities together at some point in time.

And then, the second part is, we “mobilize resources.” That is putting things into action so that they can work in the service of what we are trying to solve for. It could be a financial resource, it could be people resources, it could be tangible hard goods. I love the idea of being able to mobilize or put multiple things into play to solve community challenges.

And then, “everyone is thriving,” that is the ultimate goal. Again, I came here because I wanted to see [the direct impact on people].

When people would ask me what I wanted to do for work, what appealed to me is opening doors for people who have all sorts of odds stacked against them. The statistics say they should not make it. The question that always interested me is, “How do we open doors so that anyone, regardless of where they are growing up or the circumstances they are growing up in, has the opportunity to live out what they are capable of living out. How can they live into what thriving looks like for them?” I think that’s part of what we do at United Way. I really want us to be an on-ramp for how business and individuals understand what is happening in the community as well as a solu-

tion for individuals, families, and businesses to give back and contribute to making the community a thriving place for everyone. I want the United Way to be viewed in that way. That is very much what we do. I just want more people to understand that.

United Way has expanded from Davidson County to merge with other United Ways.

What are some of the opportunities/challenges to strengthen this regional approach?

Having a regional approach allows us to connect across county lines. It allows us to leverage resources and connect similar or related nonprofit services in one county to another county. There is just such an opportunity there for us to create more of a coordinated network. I am excited about that, and we are already seeing that in some of the counties that are more rural.

They do not have as many nonprofit resources.

They do not have as many services in their area, but the need is great. So, being able to take services like for example a VITA, a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, or a Raise Your Hand tutoring program — things that we are already doing. We have an opportunity to do those in other spaces as well.

The challenges are relationship-building and trust-building. It is important for us to get to know a community well and for them to feel comfortable with who we are. It is not Nashville coming in to take over. We really want to be in a place where we can leverage what we have in terms of resources to make another community better and stronger, whether that is by leveraging resources we have here or whether it is finding resources within that community.

There is just a lot of opportunity, so I am looking forward to digging more deeply into that heading into 2025.

The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has recently announced a new childcare initiative called the Nashville Early Education Coalition. United Way has been working with the Metro government to im-

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 3

prove childcare in our community. What is your role in this new coalition?

United Way has been deeply involved in early education for decades. It goes back to our relationship with community-based childcare centers, which continues to this day. [The focus] of that is around ensuring quality childcare and preparing kids for kindergarten. We continue to have a literacy focus and whole-child readiness for school emphasis at our community-based centers.

We have a systems initiative here called Raising Readers Nashville. Megan Godbey is the director of Raising Readers Nashville. She has done an exceptional job uniting the community through coalition-building [by] bringing multiple partners around the table to tackle a hard challenge. That hard challenge has been grade-level reading. Our approach has been to look at what is happening in the early years before children ever get into school, at school readiness, and how the community can serve and support children who are coming from more trying circumstances.

As a result of that cross-sector approach that brought multiple entities around the table, Raising Readers Nashville actually was the incubator behind the Nashville Early Education Coalition.

We were convening people in organizations and trying to determine what the next step would be, and the thought was, we needed an individual to get up every single day thinking about how to improve quality early childhood education.

I am really proud that Raising Readers Nashville [served] as an incubator for the Nashville Early Education Coalition and that’s something that we have done in partnership with the Community Foundation [of Middle Tennessee] along with other philanthropic organizations that have invested in this new entity.

United Way has been a local leader in preventing and ending family homelessness and has created an initiative called The Family Collective. Our city has seen a 26-percent increase in student homelessness in the last school year. How do you see United Way’s role moving forward with The Family Collective?

We are so proud of The Family Collective.

It embodies what I think are the strengths of United Way — the uniting of communities, the coalition-building, working across county lines, and truly having a regional approach. It coordinated a network to serve families. [With thousands] of families served by moving them out of and preventing homelessness, it has been an important body of work. And as you have mentioned, the 26-percent uptick [in student homelessness] underscores the significance and necessity of a coordinated effort like a family collective.

That work was previously funded by the state of Tennessee. We are looking for alternative resources to see how we can continue the work.

We are extremely grateful for the years that the state funded this body of work. The success of the program and the growing need underscores that there is still work to be done, and that is why we will continue looking for resources to see how we can support families.

TENNESSEE

FURNITURE

Selections from the State Museum Collection CLOSING MARCH 17, 2025

FREE Admission 1000 Rosa L. Parks Blvd.

Nashville, Tennessee

615.741.2692 • TNMuseum.org

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 4

PIECES OF POETRY - 41

What to Wear

It’ll Find You

Written by Chris Scott Fieselman / Vendor #0015

Written by Chris Scott Fieselman / Vendor #0015

When you get up in the morning,

Call it Fate or Destiny.

And you’re wondering, what to wear?

Coincidence,

Go to the closet,

Just meant to be.

And see what you’ve got?

Should have seen it coming,

And put on whatever’s there.

But you never thought you would.

Patches and holes,

When you least expect it to.

And hand me down clothes,

Eventually, you’ll make it through.

Won’t help you look the part.

Just keep in mind this one thing,

If you want to look good on the outside,

That it’s all for your own good.

Start by wearing what’s in your heart.

It’ll Find You...

Gratitude and Contentment,

The thing you’re looking for.

Like the clothes that make the man.

It’ll Find You...

Like that coat of many colors,

It’ll come knocking at your door.

You got from your father’s hand.

It’ll Find You...

When you put them on in the morning,

Don’t know what God’s got in store,

Let the world know where you stand.

But if you wait and keep the faith,

And that Gratitude and Contentment,

It’ll Find You.

Sure looks good on you, my friend.

When you feel all hope is gone, Sometimes it’s hard to see behind,

Don’t give up,

The costumes and the mask.

Keep hanging on.

The camouflage,

Sometimes,

To disguise who we are,

You can’t see the answer,

Or try to hide our past.

Just around the bend.

That fashion statement,

If you seek then you will find.

You’re trying to make,

All good things will come in time.

Says a lot about yourself.

Lack of faith is like a cancer,

But you can’t fool,

It’s not how the story ends.

The man in the mirror like, You can fool,

It’ll Find You...

Everybody else.

The thing you’re looking for.

It’ll Find You...

Gratitude and Contentment,

It’ll come knocking at your door.

Like the clothes that make the man.

It’ll Find You...

Like that coat of many colors,

Don’t know what God’s got in store,

You got from your father’s hand.

But if you wait and keep the faith,

When you put them on in the morning,

It’ll Find You.

Let the world know where you stand.

And that Gratitude and Contentment,

The darkest hours...

Sure looks good on you, my friend.

Just before the dawn.

Then right out of the blue...

What will they think?

It comes along.

When your whites are all pink,

When your eyes are finally open,

And something’s gone terribly wrong.

You’ll see things a different way.

What matters to God?

The moment,

Is what’s in your heart?

You’ve been hoping for’s,

And not what you’ve got on.

“The Dawn of a Brand-New Day.”

Gratitude and Contentment,

It’ll Find You...

Like the clothes that make the man.

The thing you’re looking for.

Like that coat of many colors,

It’ll Find You...

You got from your father’s hand.

It’ll come knocking at your door.

When you put them on in the morning,

It’ll Find You...

Let the world know where you stand.

Don’t know what God’s got in store,

And that Gratitude and Contentment,

But if you wait and keep the faith,

Sure looks good on you, my friend.

It’ll Find You.

THEME: SNOW DAY ACROSS 62. Sound of a bell 1. Larger-than-life 63. Not him 5. Capone's family 64. Surfer's stop 8. Wild swine 12. "You're not allowed," to a baby DOWN 13. Deal with it 1. Odds' partners 14. Cunningly 2. Tubby little cubby 15. Shower with affection 3. "He's Just Not That 16. Allege ____ You" 17. City in Belgium 4. Of the same period 18. *Snow Day exercise?

5. *Popular Snow Day 20. Poet Pound pastime 21. Ovine sign of the 6. Some tournaments zodiac 7. Zugspitze, e.g.

22. Tasseled hat 8. *Severe weather 23. All together (2 words) 9. Deed hearing 26. Military College of 10. Algae, sing.

South Carolina, with The 11. Marble bread 30. For every 13. ____ Jack, English 31. a.k.a. association pirate football 14. *As opposed to rain 34. *All-day Snow Day 19. Irregular garb?

22. Type of conifer 35. Delete 23. Musketeers' swords 37. Crude fuel 24. High-strung 38. Read-only disc 25. Cerebellum location 39. Good's counterpart 40. Popular flowering shrub 42. Female ancestor 43. Two heads are better than one, e.g.

45. Bering Strait state 47. Rudolph's Clarice, e.g.

48. Like thick smoke 50. Fountain option 52. *No two are alike, sing.

56. Surround (2 words) 57. Tangerine plus grapefruit 58. *Like a river, with over 59. #51 Down, pl.

60. Heidi's "Magic Wooden Shoe" 61. Olufsen's partner

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 5

26. Unit of life 27. Students' dwellings 28. *Snow Day reading choice 29. Helping theorem 32. *Like soft pj's 33. Intelligence org.

36. *Slope fun 38. Shorter than California 40. Number of years 41. No, it doesn't crawl in one's ear 44. Horse of certain color, pl.

46. Spontaneous additions 48. Obtuse one 49. Tom Cruise's "The ____ of Money" 50. Highway hauler 51. Bad sign 52. Of a particular kind 53. Smoothie berry 54. Superman's last name 55. Part of a seat 56. *Like chocolate on a Snow Day

COLUMN: LEARN MORE ABOUT

Learn More About the National Increase in Homelessness

BY JUDITH TACKET T

More than 770,000 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2024. That is the highest estimated number of homelessness The United States has ever recorded.

Toward the end of every year, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) releases “an annual snapshot of individuals in shelters, temporary housing, and unsheltered settings.” The 771,480 individuals counted on one night in January of 2024 across the country marks an 18-percent increase from 2023.

Nashville fared better with a decrease of 1.6 percent in overall homelessness, with the unsheltered population count increasing by 135 people (a 23 percent increase) and the sheltered count decreasing by 170 people (an 11 percent decrease). We reported on the local breakdown of the data in our September-25, 2024-issue.

In practical terms, Nashville’s homeless population remained stagnant from 2023 to 2024, after seeing an 11-percent increase from 2022 to 2023. The national increase between 2022 and 2023 was 12 percent.

In its press release, HUD said that family homelessness increased by 39 percent from 2023 to 2024. “In the 13 communities that reported being affected by migration, family homelessness more than doubled,” the release reads.

Looking at the remaining communities, the rise in family homelessness was less than 8 percent.

HUD cautioned that the data, which was released at the end of December, is one year old and meanwhile the situation of asylum seekers has changed with several cities, including Denver and Chicago, reporting that their migrant shelter census is down since migrant arrivals had dropped significantly by fall of 2024.

Nashville’s PIT count showed a lower increase in homelessness compared to the national average. The increase in family households experiencing homelessness was a little over 3 percent from 2023 to 2024 or 5 percent when looking at the number of individuals living in those households with at least one adult and a minor.

However, Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPD) saw a 26-percent increase in its annualized student homelessness census at the end of May 2024 over the previous school year. While this data is not directly comparable to PIT count numbers — because, for one, it is annualized (while the PIT count is a one-day snapshot) and secondly, it uses a broader definition of homelessness — both data sets indicate that Nashville is seeing an increase in families struggling with housing security.

The validity of the PIT count has been controversial for years. But for me,

the PIT count still has relevance when taken together as a part of different data sets to offer a fuller picture of homelessness at the national and local levels.

Rather than focusing on the actual number of people experiencing homelessness when examining the PIT count data, I pay attention to the percentage change over a lengthy period of time.

When we look at the national trend line, we see that after years of slight but steady declines, homelessness began to increase during the COVID pandemic.

The charts below do not include the year 2021 because it did not provide a comparable picture as many cities, including Nashville, did not conduct an outdoor homelessness count that year. In Nashville, we saw a significant increase in homelessness starting in 2022, one year later compared to the national trend.

There is a lot of speculation about PIT count data results every year as to why homeless numbers are up or down, but no real analysis has been conducted locally. I explain this with the fact that it takes time to shift a community to a data-driven effort. Having said that, I believe we will see more discussion in the near future about homelessness data.

A data-driven approach allows us to better understand where our investments and efforts are bearing fruit and adjust according to trends we see.

However, while I will always advocate for quality data, I am also warning that politicians tend to use data to push for and justify quick fixes — as we see in Tennessee’s approach to passing laws that increasingly criminalize home-

lessness.

With the incoming federal administration’s prior history and current rhetoric supporting the criminalization of homelessness to ensure people without housing become invisible, having strong local leadership in place is more important than ever. We need local leaders willing and capable to push back on political pressure (whether from local, state, or national sources) and ensure that we put people’s needs first. The goal should always be to invest in actual solutions that work for people we want to serve rather than for politicians and NIMBY ("Not in My Back Yard") folks.

The Importance of the PIT Count in Relation to Other Data Sources Point-in-Time (PIT) counts happen annually during the past 10 days of January in about 385 Continuums of Care (CoCs) across the country. CoCs are geographically defined areas where cross-sector organizations work together to build a homeless crisis response system (in Nashville we referred to it as a Housing Crisis Response System).

Each CoC is eligible to participate in a national funding competition to address homelessness in their area.

While PIT count numbers are largely an undercount and only focus on a narrowly defined homelessness definition, they provide national and local trends, as previously mentioned. Besides the annual PIT count, HUD requires each CoC to report data through its Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), which is more accurate and capable of producing annualized numbers and performance measures.

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 6

Trends provided through HMIS data alone can be volatile depending on funding requirements. If funding sources require that an organization enters data into HMIS, but then that funding source gets lost, an organization may consequently submit less data, less reliable data, or no data at all. Thus, we may seemingly note an increase or decrease in homelessness, but at closer look, fewer organizations and programs may have contributed data. HMIS heavily depends on the quality of data that is entered. Since 2019, Nashville has diligently improved HMIS data entry, but it takes time to build a comprehensive system. I believe we are at a point now where a baseline is reached and with expert analysis (ideally independent of Metro, which manages the HMIS database), HMIS can help us evaluate where to invest and how to approach homelessness more effectively.

Trends provided through the PIT count data set can help us evaluate and monitor HMIS data and allow us to raise valuable questions of what is really going on at the local level and whether our efforts and investments are sufficient. A third data set that should be consulted is the Local Education Agency (LEA) homelessness numbers. While the Department of Education uses a much broader definition of homelessness than HUD, it captures the housing instability of families with school children.

If we are serious about ending chronic homelessness, we must pay attention to preventing and ending child and youth homelessness. Chronic homelessness is roughly defined as people with a disabling condition who sleep

COLUMN: LEARN MORE ABOUT

in shelters, outdoors and in places not meant for human habitation for more than a year (or who have experienced four episodes of homelessness within the past three years, adding up to a total of 365 days).

The PIT Count Data Shows What Solves Homelessness Even though the nation has recorded its largest homelessness numbers ever, according to the recent PIT count results, homelessness among Veterans has reached a record low with a nearly eight percent decrease between 2023 to 2024. In Nashville, Veteran homelessness decreased by about 3 percent over that time span.

Since 2010, Veteran homelessness has been cut in half in the United States thanks to a collaborative approach between HUD and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Congress invested billions in funding in the HUD-VASH program, which provides rental subsidies coupled with support services to help Veterans access and maintain housing. National and international news reports over the past few weeks did not pay enough attention to that success and what it means for ending homelessness.

Veteran homelessness increased slightly between 2022 and 2023, which the federal government explained by unavailability of obtainable affordable housing. The HUD-VASH program functions similarly to the Section 8 rental assistance, but the subsidies are specifically targeted to assist Veterans. Having rent assistance does not mean people are able to find housing. Thus, the conversation of the lack of accessible housing for low-income people cannot be decoupled from homelessness anymore.

In August of 2020, the federal Government Accountability Office released a report that found that a $100 per month increase in rent is associated with a 9-percent increase in the rate of homelessness. Besides rent increases, job loss was another factor mentioned as significantly contributing to an increase

Nashville PIT Count Trend 2007-2024

in overall homelessness. The same report also strongly critiqued the limitations of the PIT count data to provide accurate numbers of homelessness.

However, when we look at trends (rather than actual numbers), we can still see that some cities have shown significant progress over the last few years even with the recent national PIT count increases.

Those include, among others, Austin, and Dallas (both in Texas), Hennepin County (Minnesota), Chester County (Pennsylvania), and even Los Angeles County.

In Nashville, the trends showed a steady, but slow decline in homelessness prior to 2022, even though rents had increased by more than 40 percent over the previous decade and the city did not increase its resources. However, Nashville’s community shifted its focus during that same time to building a housing-focused,

person-centered, and data-driven approach during which we heavily invested in cross-sector relationship-building and coordination between government, nonprofit, and philanthropic organizations.

That approach seems to have paid off to keep our numbers decreasing steadily between 2016 and 2022.

Then in 2022, the city significantly increased its investments with a $50-million, three-year infusion to address homelessness. In addition, Nashville increased its annual Metro budget for homelessness from less than $2 million prior to 2022 to about $6 million.

With private market housing developments and the opening of the Strobel House in 2024, we have added hundreds of permanent supportive housing units in Nashville. In addition, rent increases have slowed over the past couple of

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 7

years. All these influences hopefully will lead to a lower PIT count in 2025. But before we celebrate, we must invest in accurate, expert data analysis to truly evaluate what is happening and how effective our recent investments have been. In other words, anyone with a $50 million one-time check and a $6-million annual budget can house more people.

The question is, did we invest with longterm solutions in mind, or did we focus on quick fixes to satisfy our politicians and move homelessness out of sight as a short-term measure?

An academic and politically independent partnership could evaluate different data sets and paint a fuller picture.

And most importantly: we cannot forget that listening to the people being served is imperative if we want to truly analyze the effectiveness of our interventions.

NEWS

The Contributor Joins Class Action Lawsuit Against Tennessee DHS for SNAP Failures The Contributor, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty, is joining a class action lawsuit against the Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) for systemic failures in administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

The lawsuit, filed by the Tennessee Justice Center, Hogan Lovells, MAZON, Inc., and others, accuses DHS of failing to process initial and recertification applications on time, issue accurate and timely notices, and provide prompt appeal decisions. These failures have caused hunger, malnutrition and financial hardship among applicants and participants. The complaint seeks declaratory, injunctive and other relief to ensure the timely and accurate processing of SNAP applications and appeals.

The lawsuit alleges and highlights widespread delays and errors in determining SNAP eligibility experienced by members of The Contributor staff while applying for benefits, which violate federal law and result in significant harm to vulnerable households.

“For our street newspaper vendors and the

people we serve, SNAP benefits are essential for addressing food insecurity and freeing up limited resources for other necessities, like rent and utilities,” said Will Connelly, executive director of The Contributor. “Delays or denials in SNAP benefits can jeopardize housing stability and overall well-being, pushing individuals closer to crisis. By participating in this lawsuit, The Contributor affirms its commitment to advocating for systemic change that directly impacts the people we support.”

The Contributor is a nonprofit street newspaper that empowers individuals experiencing homelessness or poverty to achieve stability. Through employment opportunities and advocacy, The Contributor works to address systemic barriers and promote social justice and access to community.

This lawsuit, which can be found in full on a link at thecontributor.org reflects The Contributor’s belief that timely and accurate SNAP benefits are essential for food security, housing access and financial stability. Addressing these systemic failures is a critical step toward breaking the cycles of poverty and housing instability.

News Briefs Metro Cold Weather Shelter Opens 11 Days in First Month From Nov. 1 through March, Metro operates overflow shelters to help support the city’s shelter needs during cold weather. The operation complements partnerships with the Nashville Rescue Mission, Room In The Inn, Launch Pad, and Oasis. Overflow shelters open when temperatures remain at or below 32°F for three consecutive hours, and their availability is based on capacity and funding. People are encouraged to use longterm shelters like the Mission before seeking the emergency overflow shelter, and decisions about opening are typically made by noon the day before the shelters open. “I am grateful to everyone in our Office of Homeless Services and across multiple Metro departments who step up to serve our most vulnerable neighbors during the coldest days and nights,” Mayor Freddie O’Connell said in a release from OHS. “They do so with kindness and compassion, and my hope is that more Nashvillians will text OHSALERT to 888-777 and help us spread awareness of shelters and other resources.”

The following shows how many people attended overflow shelters (the snow storm’s numbers not yet included) as they opened this season: Cold Weather Shelter Daily Report November 29,2024: 87 November 30, 2024: 122 December 1, 2024: 163 December 2, 2024: 224 December 3, 2024: 225 December 5, 2024: 247 December 6, 2024: 240 December 11, 2024: 180 December 20, 2024: 161 December 21, 2024: 197 December 22, 2024: 201 January 1, 2025: 163 January 3, 2025: 172 January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 8

January 6, 2025: 285 Total Days Open: 14 Days Average Served Per Night: 183 Total Served: 2565 MNPD Investigating Death of Homeless Man Metro Nashville Police Department announced in a release Jan. 9 that the first reported murder of the year was that of a man experiencing homelessness. The release says homicide detectives found a not yet identified white man near the bank of the Cumberland River near Gay Street and 1st Avenue. The man died after suffering blunt force trauma to his head, according to the release. Two other men living on the streets downtown reported the discovery of the victim to an ambassador who works with the Nashville Downtown Partnership.

Metro Action Announces Releases 2025 Nonprofit Grant Opportunities The Metropolitan Action Commission announced new opportunities in 2025 to partner with the city on the MAC POWER Youth Program, which brings together 100 Metro Departments and city organizations to employ over 1,400 Davidson County youth ages 14-18 years old.

MAC covered the $2.2 million cost to employ the youth, according to a Metro release. MAC POWER Youth Program was built to encourage youth development as students age into adults.

Grants funds are awarded to cover the cost of materials for the work experience as well as work stipends of the youth for their participation in the program. The MAC POWER Youth Summer Employment program begins June 2 to July 18 offering project-based work experiences such as academics, arts, music and athletic interests.

Organizations should apply before Jan. 21. Full grant lists are available at nashville.gov/mac.

INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF STREET PAPERS

PHOTO BY JACK DONAGHY

Judi Alston, CEO, One to One Development Trust talks using creative approaches to change

BY MEG SALT

One to One Development Trust is an arts organization and registered charity that uses film, virtual reality (VR), video game design and other creative approaches to work with marginalized communities, breaking down barriers and inspiring positive change.

What role do you think technology and media can have in creating change?

Judi Alston: I think what technology, media and creativity can do is speak to something that’s part of the human condition. To me, using something like VR as an immersive tool has a lot of potential to put the audience into a situation they would never normally be experiencing. From that, you can genuinely evoke empathy and emotions that are quite profound.

Immersive media is an extraordinary medium for doing things like this about homelessness because it’s quite literally putting somebody in that position as a rough sleeper.

What inspired you to create a virtual reality experience on homelessness?

In the past, we’ve worked with people who are homeless and it’s hard raising awareness, so looking at using different ways of storytelling can add to the impact. We got asked by West Northamptonshire Council to make a documentary film with people that are homeless, those who were rough sleeping or have strug-

gled and are in recovery from addiction. In addition to the documentary film, we were asked to create a single street scene for VR. As we started the process of exploring VR to raise awareness of homelessness, we realized that what we should do is push the boundaries and make a full narrative story. We sort of defied all logic in terms of time scale, budget, everything.

We saw such good potential for harnessing VR to raise much-needed awareness. It became a real labor of love for all our team.

What has the reaction been from the homelessness sector and the public?

One of the first people who went on [the VR experience] was somebody who had been homeless before and asked, “Have you ever seen the film Trainspotting?” I said, “It’s one of my favorite films, I really love it.” He replied with, “this is more realistic than Trainspotting was.”

To me, that’s the best compliment, because that was from somebody who was a rough sleeper, an IV drug user, and is now working in this field. I thought that perception was insightful as it was because they were fully immersed in a 360 environment.

Some of the other responses were interesting as well. People have been giving their donations to charities, or said it shifted how they see people on the street and have become more aware. One of the things that I’m really

pleased about is one of the homeless charities in Northampton (The Hope Centre) has invested in buying five headsets to run Streets of Change to fundraise for their work and raise awareness. Another community group of volunteers who provide food for people experiencing homelessness every Tuesday night have also bought a VR headset to help them to get donations for food. I'm very interested in these practical responses that VR can evoke and what changes it can evoke in someone’s behavior. What we want to do is get it to people like strategists and politicians to look at Streets of Change as a provocation to help to increase understanding and bring more funding in to support [the fight against] homelessness.

What connections do you see between your work and the work of street papers?

I love street papers and regularly buy The Big Issue, so finding out more about the International Network of Street Papers has been interesting. It’s fascinating getting insight into street papers from other countries and how the INSP model works. I am very interested in different methods of storytelling. Technology is never going to totally wipe out print publication, but both have an awful lot that they can bring to the table. Working together, I feel like it’s a good synergy. Street papers have got a huge archive of work and there are all sorts

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 9

of potentials for digitization, to make digital stories from it and to target different audiences.

I guess that we’re at the start of that conversation, and I don’t quite know where that’s going to go yet. I feel like we’ve got a good alignment and have shared values, and this event has brought us closer together.

What more do you think can be done to change the narrative on homelessness?

That’s a big question, isn’t it? I think that one of the key things is that the narrative has to keep being told. What I’m interested in is finding new ways of telling stories. You’ve got to keep challenging the system in different ways. Now, that might be VR. In another five years, that might be something else. It’s [about] embracing as many ways as you possibly can.

I always see creative outputs like newspapers, books, music, film, games and VR/immersive experiences as different ways to inspire people and evoke empathy, compassion and understanding; each medium is like a different tool in a toolbox. What you’ve got is a whole load of tools for changing narratives and making social change, and you bring out what is needed at the right time.

To learn more, visit onetoonedevelopment.org Courtesy of INSP.ngo

COVER STORY

Concerts with a Cause H o w S t a rs Li k e B i l l i e Ei l i s h A re Tu rn i n g To u rs I n t o To o l s f o r C h a n g e

BY HANNAH CRON

T

he music industry is an inextricable part of Nashville’s DNA. It’s estimated that the industry supports 56,000 local jobs and contributes over $5 billion annually to the city’s economy. But beyond the economic benefits and upholding the Music City reputation, there’s a growing

trend that may make Nashville’s musical nucleus more impactful than ever.

Music has always been a platform for social activism, from protest songs to benefit shows. In the post-pandemic ecosystem, there’s been a steady rise in mainstream pop artists — your arena headliners and house-

hold names — buoying their concert tours with charitable efforts. From Taylor Swift donating to food banks at each stop on her Eras Tour to Olivia Rodrigo championing local reproductive rights organizations in every city, the societal impact of touring is taking a new shape.

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 10

COVER STORY

Most recently, alt-pop sensation Billie Eilish announced a number of sustainability and charitable efforts to be incorporated into her Hit Me Hard And Soft Tour. Fans who attended each show were presented with multiple opportunities to engage with causes their favorite artist chose. From introducing plant-based concessions and sustainably made merchandise for reduced water usage and carbon emissions, to offering reusable water bottles and accepting food drive donations, nearly every part of the concert experience was affected. Fan Kelsey Christine was in the audience that night, and she says the socio-political engagement was a big part of the show.

“When you’re sitting in your seats waiting for the show, there’s a five-minute long video that played,” says Christine.

“I was there early enough before the opener that I saw this video run through two separate times. It talks all about her sustainability environmental initiatives that she’s done on this tour and so I got very familiar with what those are even though I didn’t interact with them directly out in the venue lobby.”

You might doubt that audiences would care to listen to a drone of information before a concert, but with each new generation, it seems that fans have an increasing desire to be involved in socio-political issues and see their favorite artists do the same.

“In fangirl culture, you really look up to these people and you do listen to what they say, and I totally think it’s impacted me. It made me reconsider eating more plant-based food and I’ve never really thought about (sustainability) when it comes to fashion — of course, I know there’s a lot of issues with fast fashion and all of that kind of stuff, but I didn’t even know about the water usage thing. That kind of makes me think twice and it raises a lot of awareness about stuff that’s important for our planet because I do care about and worry about our planet but I don’t think I’m as educated about what’s causing a lot of those problems that we do every day, so she’s helped open my eyes to that.”

Other charitable organizations present included Support + Feed, a plant-based food equity organization founded by Eilish’s mother Maggie Baird, and Reverb Gives, a subset of the music retailer dedicated to providing music education.

With all of the publicity around the tour and its purported sustainable and charitable goals, there’s room to wonder whether a difference is actually being made. This is a valid concern – it’s commonplace for artists of all popularity levels to include some kind of initiative on their tours, like voter registration through Headcount or donation of a portion of ticket sales to a non-profit organization.

In the case of Eilish’s tour, there’s no report available for this year yet, but the singer’s website includes an impact report from her 2022 world tour. According to the report, fans raised $117,000 for local charities and climate organizations. They also estimate that the use of over 88,000 single-use plastic bottles was eliminated through the offering of reusable water bottles and filling stations for fans.

The transparency surrounding the charitable efforts may not be overly specific — no word on which organizations local to each show benefitted from the food drives or other fundraising — but there’s much more available for curious fans than is the norm. When Olivia Rodrigo

swept through Nashville on her GUTS Tour in March, she announced that her Fund 4 Good would be donating to local reproductive justice organizations Abortion Care Tennessee and Mountain Access Brigade, but no information is available on how much was raised from the show.

One popular Nashville non-profit and donation recipient, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennesee, said that they have benefited from concerts such as Jason Isbell’s annual Ryman residency and the Get Behind the Mule Tom Waits Tribute show but were unable to provide any additional details. They also confirmed receiving a donation from Taylor Swift but did not mention whether this was in connection with the Eras Tour campaign.

How much do fans need to know about where the donations they’ve contributed to are going?

Some may not care, but others may be compelled to further engagement upon learning the good they can do by simply attending a show. There’s

“In fangirl culture, you really look up to these people and you do listen to what they say, and I totally think it’s impacted me." also the issue of virtue signaling — are some artists performatively championing causes and encouraging fans to donate without a willingness to do the same? Despite the doubts that may arise, Kelsey Christine says that she’s focused on the outcome rather than the motive.

“At least with her, it doesn’t come across as performative to me because I really believe that she cares about this stuff. She’s been talking about it for years and years and it’s always been a priority for her. But even if I did think it was performative like from another artist or something, l’m almost like, ‘Who cares?’ As long as they’re advocating for something good and to protect our planet and encourage others to do the same, I kind of don’t give a shit about where it’s coming from. It’s almost like how I feel about the placebo effect — if it was the placebo effect, who cares, if it really worked.”

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 11

S t u d y Lo o k s a t H o w Music Amplifies E n v i ro n m e n t a l A d vo c a c y

BY AMANDA HAGGARD Music is a powerful tool for environmental education and advocacy, combining emotion and artistry to inspire action, according to a 2017 study led by Jennifer Publicover of the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts.

Musicians in the study shared insights on using their craft to promote environmental awareness, and the discussion and interviews for the study drew from interviews with artists featured on the David Suzuki Foundation Playlist for the Planet. The musicians — ranging from iconic singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn to environmental educator-performer Remy Rodden — use their songs to address scientific issues, social values and environmental concerns.

One key takeaway from the study was the importance of authenticity. For music to resonate as a call to action, audiences must perceive the message as genuine and aligned with the artist’s broader values.

Fans are often turned off by messaging that feels contrived or overly didactic.

The leader of the study wrote in abstract: “While we should not be too hasty to draw conclusions about efficacy, environmental education can benefit from the dialogue that arises through music, an art form from which so many of us derive great pleasure.”

The session also explored the delicate balance between advocacy and entertainment: Musicians noted the challenge of integrating environmental themes into performances without overwhelming audiences. Thoughtfully crafted songs and storytelling can spark dialogue and encourage innovative thinking while maintaining the artistic quality that draws people in. Time, place, and audience played crucial roles in the effectiveness of pro-environmental music. Performances tailored to specific contexts — whether festivals, classrooms, or intimate venues — help amplify the message.

Ultimately, music’s strength lies in its ability to evoke emotion, present diverse perspectives, and create cultural shifts.

As these artists demonstrate, the study found that when used thoughtfully, music can inspire listeners to engage with environmental issues in meaningful ways.

406 11th Avenue North, Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37203 visit BartDurham.com • call 615.242.9000

Let Our Family Fight For Yours.

Over 75 Years of Combined Experience.

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 12

VENDOR WRITING

Prime Purpose

BY MAURICE B. , CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR #4657 As we all chase down the logical thoughts of existence the graduating aspects are always to presume the actual facts of moving forward regardless of the harsh reality from any and all circumstances and or situations that we bare.

Life itself has and presents various challenging issues that seem to be overbearing to the intellect of many by the usage of our single dialect. We are all prone from the stages of our adolescents to only actually acknowledge one type of language, but the benefits of self acquiring different and difficult languages bring about more active responsibilities like being accountable for other's actions in which isn't always an acquiring taste. What one wants

due to outside of self means that there are those that expect more but refuse to accept a much more quality of understanding. By one having more, more is required as the saying goes. For instance, the aspect of one having or have found a gift of self peace. Then, there are various types of individuals that are interested from that same dialect as well as different dialects of life that is desiring that same comfort of peace, but due to the constellation of the the first law of nature "self-preservation" to each their own path, in which leaves an interesting scientific fact that all must find their own mental modem. Even though we thrive to find our own ways to formulate a pattern of finding

peace and sharing our insights sometimes it's hard or harsh not to hinder nor harm the personal growth of others because of the firmness created by our own core(s) and of beliefs that founds our principles and morals even through the different and difficult stages of our lives.

Note: If you define religion as a way or a walk of life then the realization of the prime purpose is that all parts of a person's life comes from the historical facts and the foundation that we all have been created in our perfect forms. That's mentally, that's physically and that's spiritually as well. Being this seed of perfection that was planted inside the most loved and sacred area known to mankind as the (womb)+( la

matriz)+(R-H-M)+(WU:M) this area created to and for "the" WO-MAN in which is to be reverenced, whereas outside this safety area we deal with times of being locked-up and or locked down and that's mentally, physically and even spiritually in which is known as struggling from overcoming difficult types of problems and challenges in which is a part of life until we buckle down realizing the importance of our own personal fight. As we deal with breaking free from those circumstances and situations, as we become awakened to the prime purpose of self freedom with the token of controlling the momentum and the outcome of the fights that we were fighting.

Sherman

BY LASHIKA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR When Sherman was walking down Trinity Lane he asked people if he could have a ride in the wagon and they said yes you can ride in the wagon.

So they ask him where he was going and he said I'm going down the street.

So he ask those people for some food and they said yes you can have food.

So Sherman said thank you for giving him the food.

So he asked those people can he get back in the wagon and they said no.

Sherman said why can't I get back in the wagon?

Those people said if you get back in the wagon we're going to drop you off at the dump.

So Sherman asked those people why they would drop him off at the dump.

So Sherman said this is where I want to be. At the dump.

A customer shares their Contributor wrapping paper.

PHOTO SUBMIT TED BY FREEPRESSGMA

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 13

LA NOTICIA “The Contributor” está trabajando con uno de los principales periódicos en español La Noticia para llevar contenido a más lectores en Middle Tennessee. Nuestros vendedores de periódicos han pedido durante mucho tiempo que nuestra publicación incluya contenido que apele al interés de residentes de habla hispana en nuestra comunidad.

“The Contributor” is working with one of the leading Spanish-language newspapers La Noticia to bring content to more readers in Middle Tennessee. Our newspaper vendors have long requested that our publication include content that appeals to the interest of Spanish-speaking residents in our community.

LOCALES - POLÍTICA - INMIGRACIÓN - TRABAJOS - SALUD - ESPECTÁCULOS - DEPORTES Y MÁS...

L a N t icia 2025

G RATIS

Enero/2

Newspaper Nashville

w w w. h i s p a n i c p a p e r. c o m

“DONDE OCURREN LOS HECHOS QUE IMPORTAN, SIEMPRE PRIMERO... ANTES”

Año 23 - No. 407

Nashville, Tennessee

Política Migratoria en 2025: Un Imperativo Moral y Económico Que Nos Beneficia a Todos

La política migratoria no solo es un i m p e r a t i v o económico, sino también un tema central que ha vuelto a tomar relevancia en el escenario político de 2025.

Ahora, con la Por Yuri Cunza administración del Editor in Chief presidente Donald La Noticia Newspaper Trump retomando el poder y con promesas de deportaciones masivas, es más urgente que nunca que los líderes políticos de ambos partidos enfrenten esta problemática de manera decidida, especialmente dado el impacto directo en la comunidad hispana, que representa un bloque electoral clave.

Además, la presión sigue aumentando, ya que un gran número de empresas y ciudadanos continúan exigiendo a sus legisladores en la Cámara de Representantes y el Senado de EE.UU. que reparen de una vez por todas nuestro sistema de inmigración obsoleto. La inacción ya no es una opción.

Siento un gran orgullo de ser uno de los muchos residentes en Tennessee que apoyan públicamente una reforma migratoria, y seguiré alzando mi voz para pedir a nuestro Congreso que actúe de manera inmediata y apruebe una reforma justa y necesaria.

Afortunadamente, no estamos solos.

Foto: John Partipilo / La Noticia Newspaper Nashville

Nuestra comunidad, y el futuro que esta representa, necesita una acción política clara y valiente. Como una de las minorías de mayor crecimiento en el país, pronto seremos la mayoría minoritaria, lo que subraya la importancia de adoptar soluciones que reflejen nuestra contribución y necesidades.

tan que los empleadores puedan satisfacer sus necesidades de talento, incluso en sectores de alta calificación.

Jaula Dorada: Del Otro Lado de La frontera / Golden Cage: The Mexico -U.S. Border

Una gran coalición de amplia base, integrada por los principales grupos proempresariales, incluyendo la Cámara de Comercio de EE.UU. (USHCC), la Asociación para una Nueva Economía Americana, Business Roundtable, la Asociación Nacional de Fabricantes, entre muchos otros, siguen enfatizando la necesidad de una acción inmediata por parte del Congreso a través de conferencias de prensa y comunicados.

Todos estos esfuerzos destacan el mensaje de innumerables voces estadounidenses: CEOs, asociaciones empresariales, agricultores, fabricantes, líderes religiosos y comunitarios, quienes reconocen la urgente necesidad económica de una reforma migratoria. Los inmigrantes desempeñan un papel vital en cubrir puestos de trabajo, impulsar la creación de empleo y fomentar el crecimiento económico a largo plazo.

Nuestros empresarios inmigrantes crean millones de empleos para estadounidenses nacidos aquí. Además, los inmigrantes son esenciales para las empresas que no pueden llenar puestos disponibles. Sin embargo, solo el 7% de todas las visas se asignan para ayudar a las empresas a cubrir estos puestos, comparado con hasta el 50% en otros países. Estos límites arbitrarios dificul-

1. Mantenerse callado 2. Sólo dar nombre y apellido 3. No mentir 4. Nunca acepte/lleve documentos falsos 5. No revelar su situación migratoria 6. No llevar documentación de otro país 7. En caso de ser arrestado, mostrarla Tarjeta Miranda (llámenos si necesita una)

Basados en la Quinta Enmienda de la Constitución, los derechos de guardar silencio y contar con un abogado fueron denominados Derechos Miranda luego de la decisión de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de Estados Unidos en el caso Miranda vs. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, de 1966.

w w w . j u a n e s e . c o m

Nuestra voz hispana refleja la de millones de estadounidenses que entienden que una reforma migratoria justa es esencial para garantizar la prosperidad económica futura. Esta es una oportunidad histórica para sacar de las sombras a millones de personas y fortalecer nuestra nación. Pero no basta con exigir cambios; debemos asegurarnos de que nuestra voz se escuche a través de nuestro voto. Unidos, podemos hacer la diferencia y asegurar un futuro más inclusivo y próspero para todos.

Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com ó 615-582-3757

Cómo localizar a una persona detenida por ICE

Si usted conoce a alguien que está detenido por inmigración de Estados Unidos, conozca cómo ubicar el lugar donde se encuentra.

Encontrar un centro de detención: Para buscar a una persona detenida por el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, sigla en inglés) use el localizador de detenidos (seleccione Español en el menú que indica “Select a different language”).

Si no puede encontrar a la persona con el localizador de detenidos en línea, contacte a

Conoce tus derechos: ¿Que hacer en caso de una redada?

por

También carecemos de visas que reconozcan y recompensen las destrezas empresariales de los inmigrantes.

Muchos de ellos están inventando productos que impulsarán la innovación estadounidense en las próximas décadas, pero nuestro sistema actual no puede retenerlos, obligándolos a regresar a sus países de origen para competir contra nosotros. Esto no solo es ilógico, sino que también es una pérdida de potencial para nuestra economía.

Dibujo y concepto: John Yandall

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 14

la Oficina de Detención y Deportación (en inglés) de su estado.

Si usted sabe dónde está detenida la persona, comuníquese directamente con el centro de detención correspondiente (en inglés).

Estatus de un caso de inmigración: Para conocer el estatus de un caso de inmigración en la corte use el sistema automático de información de casos en línea (en inglés) o llame al 1-800-898-7180 (presione 2 para español).

VENDOR WRITING

A List of Values

BY FREEPRESSGMA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR • Honesty is not a value to me, it is a character trait. Also, honesty is very subjective.

The way something is expressed is even more important than what is being expressed. Being too tactful can be hurtful.

• Fearlessness is something I strive for.

I find it is not enough to do things “in spite of my fears”. My fears have so often been accurate, and ignoring them has often created my circumstances.

• Bravery has often gotten me into trou-

ble. I think I would strive for clarity and right action over bravery, for its own sake.

• Harmony has become a much deeper concept for me recently. I used to think it just meant you had to get along with others. Now I realize that I have my own “fine-tunement” or “vibration“ that naturally harmonizes with certain others.

And on the grand scale, with all others.

So it’s really a matter of just listening, and Accepting the chords that are formed.

The Inner Workings of the Mind of Joe Nolan

BY NORMA B.

On the outside he’s a bit like Clark Kent a mild-mannered guy with glasses Who reports on and writes about all sorts of art, poetry, and movies and things like that In his spare time he teaches others like me a few tricks of the trade In hopes that we too might write or draw something authentic and inspiring one day He looks on and listens patiently often with glee To see and hear what we his students have to say He offers suggestions on how we can improve Then it’s his turn to take command of the room The stories and poems he reads start off SO normally

A New Year

They REALLY pull you into the story he’s trying to tell Then without warning there’s often a sudden unexpected shift showing a darker side Emotions run high

BY JOHN H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR I’ve been unhappy lately. I let things get to me that I shouldn’t. God knows I love everybody, but I sometimes let things that shouldn’t bother me bother me. I know for a fact God loves me and God’s got my back in any and everything.

My faith is strong, but I just don’t have people (Christians) that I’m very close to. That makes it hard. I wanna change that this year. Sometimes I fall weak.

To be honest, the only conversations I have everyday is with God. I need brothers and sisters in Christ to grow with. Sometimes I find myself loosing focus. Simply because I don’t have real friends. I have associates, but no one to talk to or be around. Like I say, I need change. Many times I get depressed because I see things that

shouldn’t be. Ya see, I was raised by parents who taught me to love everyone. Many times I let people who hate and look down on others.

It does something to me. If it wasn’t for God who loves me very much, I don’t know what I’d do. The Apostle Paul said that “when I’m weak, I’m strong.” I don’t wanna be discouraged, but sometimes I fall weak. So I ask all Christian believers to say a special prayer for me.

I feel as though something’s wrong with the environment; that I wanna change. I confess y’all. I’m confessing in front of the church.

Believe you me, I’m gonna with God’s help and my Christian brothers and sisters. I’m, as of this day, a new person. I love you and I pray that all of you have a blessed New Year.

One minute you’re excited the next you’re scared to death!

You find yourself thinking what the heck?

It’s as if you’re in a dream Now you’re waking up Everything is still a blur, a bit fuzzy, unclear, You find yourself wondering What’s happening? What in the world is going on?

How did we go from there to here?

I am SO lost!

Just as you begin to think Am I going crazy?

Am I losing my mind?

But before you can ask You realize There’s no need to panic It’s just another day in poetry class!

Why are People Jealous of Me?

That’s just Joe’s way of reeling you in Getting your attention

BY JULIE B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

I moved into a place that technically got me off the streets, but I was told there are some people in the building who are jealous of me because I have a service animal for my disability.

I’m hard of hearing and I take offense to people that are disabled just like I am but are jealous of my service animal. I want to know why somebody like me can be jealous of someone just like them. What makes somebody jealous? Are they not happy in their life? Don’t they like their life? Don’t they have anything better to do than to be mean, vindictive and cruel to somebody?

I’ve tried my damnedest to make friends with these people and they want nothing to do with me. They want to stay jealous of me, but that’s fine because I don’t care. I think it’s mean, vindictive and cruel to do what they’re doing to me and one of these days they’ll get what they deserve. Maybe they’ve already got what they deserved. I don’t know, but see there was a Christmas party in the building today and I wasn’t going to go because I don’t go where I’m not wanted. But my service dog had to go out to use the bathroom so I took her out. I was in my jammies and I took her

out to go to the bathroom and well they saw me when I came back in and invited me to the party.

They were having food and games and presents and stuff like that and my caseworker walks over to me and tells me, “Why don’t you come over and have some food?” Well, they expected me to get my food and come back to my apartment. Well, I thought okay I’m not going to let these mean, vindictive people get to me, so I literally sat down and started eating. I had the dog with me and I sat there and ate my food, got my gift, painted a little and came back to my apartment. All I could see in these people’s faces was jealousy and I’m sure they were talking about me when they went back to their apartments and all that and I’m like whatever. I had a nice conversation with the maintenance man. The maintenance man treats me more like a person than these people ever will. All the time I was sitting there eating my food I was thinking we will never be friends, we will never be friends. And not because I don’t want to be their friend. I do, but I ain’t going to put myself out there because somebody that is also disabled is jealous of me. Get over it.

Taking you on a little adventure Without actually going anywhere Getting you to analyze each expression What does it mean?

And the best part is Although we all interpret things differently There are no wrong answers where artistry is concerned It’s subjective influenced by an individuals own taste, feelings and opinions!

So what have I learned about Joe during these rather brief but informative sessions?

He’s a unique individual to be sure, A little strange, weird, or quirky, but it’s in a cool type of way, His mind is NOT ordinary it’s DEFINITELY one of a kind If you’re ever in the area and you want to stop by We warmly welcome visitors from ALL walks of life.

Why not give it a try?

There you can meet the man I’m talking about

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 15

And see if YOU can figure him out!

FUN

HOBOSCOPES CAPRICORN

As a matter of fact, Capricorn, I was born yesterday! Actually, if you want to get into it, I feel that we are all reborn everyday. I was born yesterday and today and I may yet be born again tomorrow. Each sunrise is an invitation to live so deeply into the present moment that everything that came before is just a cave painting, a story that we can guess at but never fully understand. So not only is today my first day, Capricorn, it’s my only day because it’s the only one that I can truly experience and change. I invite you to be born here with me right now and to live free from history and expectation. And yes, I will be glad to move my car. I didn’t realize this was your yard.

It’s too cold out there but it’s nice and warm in here. I like it when the windows fog up and we can draw pictures in the condensation with our fingers. I drew a snowman, and you drew a skull. And then I drew a flower and you drew a skull. And then I drew a hot air balloon and you…are you feeling alright, Taurus? That’s just a lot of skulls. I know it’s hard being cooped-up inside when it’s too cold out. Maybe instead of arts and crafts you’d feel better if you did some jumping jacks and then took a shower? Get the blood flowing, Taurus. I mean, your blood. I mean maybe just move around a little bit.

GEMINI

AQUA RIUS

If you’re cold, they’re cold, Aquarius. And by “you” I mean the construct of sense-perception and memory that you call a self. And by “they” I mean the atoms that make up the air surrounding your skin and flowing in and out of your lungs. Isn’t it amazing that a simple slowing down of the tiniest unseen particles that surround you can cause such a profound change in your bodily sensation? Those atoms react to atoms that surround them and that chain reaction causes what we think of as a temperature drop. Suddenly you feel the need to put on another pair of socks. Remember, Aquarius, you’re a part of everything around you. We need each other if we’re gonna stay warm.

PISCES

“Whoooah! We’re half way there! Whoooah” Do you know that one, Pisces? It’s from the paradoxes of Zeno of Elea, the pre-Socratic philosopher who believed all movement must be an illusion. Zeno saw that to move from one point to another, a traveler must first go half way there. And to continue the journey the traveler must once more go half way. And then half way again. And again. How could a traveler ever be said to arrive, having always half way to go? Anyway Pisces, I feel like you’re really on a journey right now but I’d like to remind you that you always will be and that’s OK. You can still celebrate those little half way marks, even if you don’t feel you’ve arrived. Give it a shot.

ARIES

TAURUS

The stacks of books I never read remind me of all the people I thought I might someday be. It’s a little melancholy to get rid of them, Aries. Novels, trendy self help books, advanced astrology (so much math!), memoirs, cookbooks. I bought them with the intention to let them change me — to make me somehow more fully real. But as the books stacked up they became a weight. They’re uncracked spines told me a story that I was falling behind. So I think, Aries, that this is a good week to get rid of those books. Maybe I can get enough credit at the used media store to buy a bass guitar. Tell myself a different story about who I ought to be for a while.

I know a guy who drives around town in a big dirty truck with a hose on the side going door to door cleaning out grief traps.

If you’re feeling sad or angry or lonely and you’re not sure why, you might give him a call. Honestly, I didn’t realize how common it is to have an overfull grief trap.

The unprocessed grief just gets stuck in there and it can really back-up. This guy uses his hose to schlorp out the clog and then your grief can flow normally again. I can’t find his number right now, Gemini, but I’ll get it to you as soon as I find it. Till then, you might want to just talk it out with a friend.

VIRGO

I love how it gets so quiet when there’s snow on the ground. I can hear the crunch under my feet. The sound of my breath is as present as the site of it in the cold air. My coat sleeves whiff-whiff-whiff as I walk. And nothing else makes a sound. Cutting out the noise helps me be present in the moment. I hardly want to take the phone out of my pocket at all. And I forget that this presence is available even on a snowless day. Stop where you’re at and identify three things you hear. Then do three things you see. Maybe three more that you feel. The snow day was inside you all along, Virgo.

LIBRA

I took my car in for an oil change and the dealership said there’s a recall on this particular model due to a national security risk or something. Anyway, they said they’re keeping it for a few weeks and they gave me this sweet rental. It’s way nicer than my car. It’s got one of those push-button starters, heated seats, and a coffee maker in the glovebox. I know I’ll have to take it back to the dealership eventually but it’s nice to have a little luxury in my life.

Maybe you should give it a try, Libra. Just a temporary status upgrade. Maybe use real whipped cream on your oreos or get the shoes with the extra cushion. Maybe I’ll drive by and make you some coffee.

CANCER

True, a butterfly in the sky can get way up there. But do you know who can fly more than twice as high? That’s right, the Rüppell's Vulture is the highest flying bird in the world, with some spotted as high as 11,300 meters — that’s higher than most commercial aircraft! I’ve noticed you’re getting pretty far up there too, Cancer, you’re taking on a lot and pulling it off quite gracefully. But remember, Rüppell's Vultures have cardiovascular adaptations that allow them to survive such high altitudes. If you start feeling light-headed, don’t forget you can just come down here with the rest of us butterflies. Everyone’s already impressed. You don’t have to stay up there forever.

SCORPIO

I take a lot of flack in the amateur astrology community for being too easy on everybody. My colleagues think I need to be a little harder on certain signs “for their own good.” My philosophy is that you’re all going to learn the hard things you need to know whether I’m involved or not.

What I can do is let you know you’ve got what it takes to get through this and that you are worth every bit of kindness you can find. And so, Scorpio, I’ll tell you that there may be some new bumps in your road, but they’re only that. And that whatever care you can take of yourself today is exactly the care you should have.

LEO

Remember when I had that roommate who was really into playing video games online.

He’d just be in the living room all day wearing his headset and shouting at his teammates to “Heal me! Heal me! Heal me!” I never knew what that game was, but I know that lately you can relate to the sentiment. It would be nice if somebody could just click a few buttons on a controller and you’d regain your health, your energy, your stamina. If I could do it for you, I’d start by changing what you expect out of yourself. You don’t have to do everything for everybody and then also take care of yourself. You can just stay in your own hiding place. Grab a med-kit and a shield potion, and mend.

SAGITTA R IUS

My dog used to be the fastest one at the dog park. She’d do laps around everybody else, her mouth wide-open and her ears flopping with every bound. Now she needs a little help getting down the stairs into the yard. It’s no problem, Sagittarius, I’m glad to help. And somewhere I’m grateful for the reminder that no moment can last. And I’m suspecting that’s because time is an illusion. Not one that can be overcome, but one that can be identified. And that we can know a dog running at full speed and a dog wobbling on the step are both a part of the same whole. And that every good you’ve ever had is with you still and will be with you forever because it’s all right now.

Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a registered ornithologist, or a certified banger. Listen to the Mr. Mysterio podcast at mrmysterio.com Or just give him a call at 707-VHS-TAN1

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 16

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 17

ABBY R. RUBENFELD Attorney at Law

arubenfeldlaw.com

202 South Eleventh Street Nashville, Tennessee 37206 Telephone: (615) 386-9077 Facsimile: (615) 386-3897

SUBSCRIBE ONLINE FOR $10 A MONTH AND GET YOUR VENDOR PAID AND THE PAPER DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOU. SIGN UP AT: WWW.THECONTRIBUTOR.ORG January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 18

MOVING PICTURES

The Best of 2024 and Award Season Predictions

BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC

I’m writing my column on Monday morning following the Golden Globes. The award ceremony always feels like the real beginning of the awards season, following on the heels of the BAFTA awards and this year’s nominations from the Music City Film Critics Association which dropped in the first week of the new year. I’m a founding member of the association and my final picks for the year’s best will be due 24 hours after I finish this writing.

It might not come as a surprise, but my faves rarely dovetail with the group’s overall nominations or with the selections of the big awards shows. And for my first column of 2025 I want to talk about which films, casts and crews are trending this awards season, and which films I think you shouldn’t miss.

Barreling toward the Oscars you’re going to hear a lot more about The Brutalist. The picture won the Best Motion Picture — Drama and Best Director at the Golden Globes. And the victory will put even more awards season wind in the sails of this tale of an architect who flees Europe in the days after World War II with plans to build a career and family in America. Adrien Brody is predictably strong and the film’s ambition is undeniable. It’s likely that The Brutalist and Dune: Part 2 will get a lot of Oscar attention, along with a bunch of movies that would never be considered if not for the category’s bloated roster of ten nominations.

I’m pulling for Dune: Part 2 to win this year, but the best film of 2024 is A Different Man, directed by Aaron Schimberg. It stars Sebastian Stan as an actor suffering from a disfiguring disease. It’s a black comedy, a sci-fi thriller and one of the most unique movies I’ve ever seen.

This picture deserves multiple acting, writing and directing awards. Stan won a globe for his performance, but, unfortunately, A Different Man is such a wild film it’s unlikely to get much traction with the normie award nominators.

That’s why I’m writing to tell you not to miss this masterpiece.

Stan also stars in the second best film of 2024, Ali Abbasi’s The Apprentice. It’s rumored that film’s frigid reception is because of the picture’s humane handling of Donald Trump’s origin story as a real estate hustler, mentored by the ruthless prosecutor and anti-communist crusader, Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). The film and its marketing were all done on a shoestring, but I think that’s one reason why The Apprentice crackles with energy in its depiction of Manhattan in the go, go 1980s. The Apprentice is raw and stylish, and relentlessly cinematic. Stan and Strong deliver some of the best acting of the year, and the screenplay should be at the front of the awards discussion right next to the script of A Different Man. Dune: Part 2 was my favorite movie of the year before I saw Sebastian Stan’s films. I was impressed with where Timothee Chalomet was able to take his princely portrayal of a fabled messiah to. I also think Rebecca Ferguson is

being overlooked this year, and its a shame and you should know better than to wrong the Sisterhood. Seriously, Dune: Part 2 represents and advance in science fiction films like we haven’t seen since the original Star Wars movie. It’s titanic myth-making, and what else is cinema?

Dune: Part 2 is a why of filmmaking: Why filmmaking? Because, Dune: Part 2.

I’m hoping Strong and Stan can both get nominations from the academy. I’m not sure my faves will get more notice than that. I think Dune is

going to be very big in the nominations and then it will go on to big wins on the big night. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for. Enjoy awards season and read all about the year’s new movies in The Contributor in 2025.

--Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist and performing singer/songwriter based in East Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.

January 15 - 29, 2025 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 19