The Contributor: January 31, 2024

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Jennings • Demetria Kalodimos • Jerome Moore • O. Wade Nelson, Jr. • Waddell Wright • Robin Kimbrough-Hayes • Jim Shulman • Tom Wills • Drew Morris

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Vendor Spotlight

A Few Questions

Vendor Writing

Moving Pictures

“I came to Brasília to stay, to build my dreams here,” says Thifany Isabella Branco, with local street paper Traços.

Stephen Handy talks about his role in ensuring the church is involved in and part of the community it serves.

Contributor vendors write in this issue about success, advocates, TV shows and Nashville landmarks.

Michael Mann’s Ferrari brings combustible drama racing to video on demand. Stream it on your next movie night.

Contributors This Issue Amanda Haggard • Linda Bailey • Will Connelly • Justin Wagner • Judith Tackett • Maira Valerio • Thais Mallon • FreepressGma • ML Meadors • Yuri Cunza • Norma B. • Jamie W. • Darrin Bradbury • Mark N. • Daniel H. • Michael G. • Chris Scott Fieselman • Mr. Mysterio • Joe Nolan Contributor Volunteers Christine Doeg • Joe First • Andy Shapiro • Michael Reilly • Ann Bourland • Laura Birdsall • Marissa Young • Matthew Murrow • Gisselly Mazariegos • Tyler Samuel • Jamie Dore • Russ Heldman Will Connelly Executive Director Tom Wills Senior Advisor/ Data Manager Cathy Jennings Director of Finance

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Carli Tharp SNAP Specialist Ree Cheers SOAR Manager Andrew Terry IV SOAR Referral Specialist Rachel Ternes Housing Navigator Bri Givens Case Manager Caroline Lindner Case Manager Holly Bowman Director of Development Esther Mwandiko Kitenge Engagement Specialist Jesse Call Operations Consultant Raven Nye Director of Housing Initiatives Justin Wagner Resource Coordinator & Reporter Barbara Womack Advertising Manager Amanda Haggard & Linda Bailey Co-Editors Chelsea Jackson Manager of Vending Operations Andrew Krinks Editor Emeritus Will Connelly, Tasha F. Lemley, Steven Samra, and Tom Wills Contributor Co-Founders Editorials and features in The Contributor are the perspectives of the authors. Submissions of news, opinion, fiction, art and poetry are welcomed.

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PAGE 2 | January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

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VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Meet ‘Traços’ vendor Thifany Branco

BY MAÍRA VALÉRIO

“I came to Brasília to stay, to build my dreams here,” says Thifany Isabella Branco with her firm but soft voice — a radio announcer’s diction. The city offered a new beginning for her as a Spokesperson for Culture with local street paper Traços. She is not afraid to change course when necessary, nor to seek out new chances to be happy.

Fascinated by the Federal District, but still trying to adapt, Thifany was welcomed in Ceilândia, lived in Asa Norte for a while and is now heading to Varjão.

Although it is her first time stepping onto the red soil of the cerrado, her bond with Brasília has a history: she was one of the first Spokespeople for street paper Traços do Rio de Janeiro, the younger sibling of the older Traços in Brasilia, launched two years ago.

She also shone in the 3x4 section of the third edition of the Rio publication. “When I found Traços in Rio de Janeiro, I was going through a very sad moment in my life,” she says.

Overcoming difficulties In 2021, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, Thifany had just been the target of a wave of layoffs in a government programme where she worked as a technical advisor. Simple luxuries, such as air conditioning and gym memberships, gradually disappeared, until money for rent also became scarce. She handed over the keys of the apartment she had lived in and went to a homelessness shelter.

“I got there completely devastated, with no self-esteem,” she says.

Unmotivated and with dark thoughts running through her mind, she continued her daily battle, seeking new work and the strength to move forward. Then, one day, a poster in the hall of her temporary home caught her eye.

“I saw a note talking about Traços, a phenomenon in Brasília that took people out of vulnerability, off the streets, and that had an impact on me,” she says.

She soon found herself selling magazines.

Through her interest in culture and her skills in dealing with people, she saw small signs of transformation in her life, from a new perfume to a different bag, until she was once again able to rent a little place to call her own. Further, through the magazine, she met artists, participated in events as a speaker and expanded her network.

Abandoning herself But an abusive relationship threw her off track. She defines her ex-partner as an “emotional embezzler” and says that she has bet on the wrong people many times in her life. “I handed my need to be complete onto anyone,” she says.

This relationship breakdown prompted Thifany to leave Rio de Janeiro and spend some time in São Paulo, but financial hardship led her to turn to sex work. “There is a lot of violence on the sidewalks, on the streets,” she says.

The physical, psychological and financial abuse that she faced were plenty, as were the threats. As a transgender woman, she has faced particular challenges in her academic,

PHOTO BY THAÍS MALLON social and professional life. In her romantic life, the situation is no different. She says that the isolation experienced by trans people, incited by prejudice, creates additional vulnerability.

“The majority of trans women don’t have as many privileges as cis women, because they are abandoned by their family,” she says.

In Thifany’s case, she was forced to deny her true self to avoid familial abandonment.

Her attempts to blossom were hampered by violence and, along with other traumas, led her to attempt suicide at the age of 15.

By that age, she had already faced a religious upbringing that denied her identity; attempted rape; discovering that she was adopted without having been prepared for the news; and her mother being imprisoned after ordering the death of her father, himself accused of paedophilia.

Finally, Thifany It was after with her mother’s death, when Thifany was 32, that she truly became herself. Now, at 43, she values that authenticity, even if the world outside sometimes lacks due kindness.

Born in Pará, she grew up in São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, and her reset in Brasília has offered her a chance to affirm her identity even more. “In São Gonçalo, people knew me in my old gender. When I went to Rio de Janeiro, I was practically transitioning to my current gender,” she says.

“Here in Brasília, I arrived like this, you know? In the feminine form of a woman. I see that people respect me like this at the places

I go to, they treat me as “ma'am” – as female.

It’s another new experience, a different place.”

In the federal capital, she hopes to find a place in the sun – to abandon the constant insecurity of having to live in hostels or to sofa-surf.

She also hopes to access the formal job market in her academic area. In addition to being a makeup artist, Thifany has a degree in advertising thanks to the support of a scholarship for minorities from Faculdades Integradas Hélio Alonso (FACHA). She graduated in 2020 with a Course Completion Work (TCC) on LGBTQIA+ representation in commercials.

Challenges in the job market Thifany’s education opened some doors, such as a job opening at the Rio de Janeiro Court of Justice in a programme aimed at people in vulnerable situations — a period that she remembers fondly. But the contract could only last two years to give more people the opportunity.

Despite speaking English, having a diploma in hand and many other skills, Thifany often receives responses like “you are not part of the company's profile” in her search for a permanent job. She says that even programmes aimed at boosting trans employability end up offering opportunities with limiting requirements, calling for either youth or an extensive list of experience.

But Thifany is not discouraged. Dreaming is necessary, and she nurtures her own utopias diligently.

She thinks about visiting more places in Brazil, a carnival in Bahia, a cold season in the

January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 3

south; learning another language; studying a musical instrument (like the keyboard, which she tried when she was involved in the evangelical church); attending another college; and one day having her own project to help vulnerable communities to learn new languages.

“But it wouldn’t be any small thing. I want these courses full of equipment, computers, music classes, like I had from my adoptive family,” she says.

She cites Rogério Barba, the first Spokesperson for Traços, who today runs the Barba na Rua social project, as an inspiration. Her distinctive voice also draws attention: several people have suggested that she start her own podcast, and she daydreams about that too.

Looking forward Thifany has a strong social media presence: she uses Instagram, Twitter and TikTok, and loves watching channels like Diva Depressão on YouTube, which offers behindthe-scenes stories of celebrities and curiosities from the pop world. I’m a little curious about the lives of celebrities, you know?” she laughs.

While following, in her free time, the relationships of actresses and singers, the Spokesperson keeps her own heart closed for balance. She only intends to let in those who really want to enter — and her work with Traços has become her a priority. This relationship, at least, has been fruitful, because “every month I reach some goals,” building her own fresh start one day at a time.

Translated from Portuguese via Translators Without Borders. Courtesy of Traços / INSP.ngo

Image by Aubrey Watson Photography

Image by Aubrey Watson Photography

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PAGE 4 | January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

A FEW QUESTIONS WITH

Q&A with the Rev. Stephen Handy

BY JUDITH TACKET T

As the lead pastor of McKendree United Methodist Church in Downtown Nashville, the Rev. Dr. Stephen Handy has been leading community building efforts for years. Recently he was appointed as the associate district superintendent of the urban cohort district in the Tennessee/ Western Kentucky conference of the United Methodist Church.

He talked with The Contributor about how downtown has changed and about his role in ensuring the church is involved in and part of the community it serves.

“The beauty of movements is that they always start with marginalized people in marginalized spaces,” Rev. Handy told The Contributor. “So, if we listen to those who are marginalized, not only do we learn from them, but they become a part of the solution. When they’re exposed, and we also give them resources, we can solve this homelessness/unhoused issue together as opposed to fighting people who are fighting for life every day.”

Serving people experiencing homelessness is a core mission of McKendree, and Rev. Handy serves currently as a member of the Homelessness Planning Council, a 25-member community board anchored within Metro government that serves as the governing body of the Nashville-Davidson County Continuum of Care (CoC).

For the past 15 years, you have served as the lead pastor of McKendree UMC. What do you do?

Part of my work is around helping clergy and laity understand their role in community, examining what does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ beyond Sunday morning worship or Wednesday night Bible study. How do we understand the dynamics of everyday life in our communities where we’re planted?

So, for me, I try to help create space not only for dialogue but also for strategic engagement of the work that is needed. One of the things that we talk about is, “Are you aware of who you are as a church, and are you aware of the community that you sit in?” If those two things happen well, then connections form and relationships are built that are not transactional but transformational. Consequently, we see vibrant, flourishing communities that are in alignment with people in our church communities.

McKendree has used its building as a winter warming shelter in the past and for several years has run a transitional housing

The church is best at [leading community building] because our doors are supposed to be open to all people of all stages of life. People are looking for two things in community, belonging and intimacy. The church should be the one who is facilitating belonging and intimacy in communities wherever we are. I find that happens in coffee shops a lot. I think it happens in gang membership. Whether it’s right or wrong how they do it, they understand belonging and intimacy as something that’s essential to life.

And I think the church has to reclaim its position as being not only the voice of equity, diversity, and inclusion but also being on the frontlines of how does that work and what’s our role in helping to build affordable housing and not wait on government to do that for us.

Stephen Handy. PHOTO BY RAY DI PIETRO program. What are the services you offer to people experiencing homelessness in that program?

Probably 12 years ago now, we were doing Room In The Inn. I called Charlie Strobel[ the late Nashville priest, activist and founder of temporary housing collective Room in the Inn] and said, “Charlie, I understand what Room In The Inn is doing, but is that it?” And Charlie looked at me and said, “No, it was a start for churches to do this work.”

Coming out of that conversation with Charlie, I met with our congregation. We decided to move away from doing Room In The Inn (the winter shelter program) and created a nonprofit to use our facility for transitional housing. We call that nonprofit Restoration Point, which has three main components.

One is our feeding ministry. We feed about 100-125 people every week. We’re about to partner with another nonprofit on Fridays, so we’ll be serving twice a week. We not only serve food, but we sit with people. We’re here to find out what’s going on in their lives. Number two is, we have a clothes closet.

We hand out about 10,000-12,000 pieces of clothing a year because we know our unhoused neighbors need clothing because seasons change. Then number three is our transitional housing facility, which is in the basement of our congregation. We use that space 365 days a year. We’re building relationships and helping people get housing.

What we were missing early on was the component of affordable

housing, so when we met with Ryan LaSuer from Community Care Fellowship about the mobile housing navigation center, we thought this is the right connection because now we focus on moving people out of the transitional facility. At Restoration Point people get some of the tools to do life well. The mobile housing navigation center concept helps them prepare to transition into what is known in this city as affordable housing. What we have discovered is that when people move out of Restoration Point, we cannot move away. We still have to stay connected because they can get lonely [living] by themselves.

They’ve been in the community on our campus, so we’re now trying to figure out what that looks like.

Do you think homelessness in Downtown and the response to it from the Downtown community has changed over the past 15 years?

Yes. It’s changed to the extent that unhoused neighbors, from a political standpoint, are viewed as an eyesore to tourism. So many of our congregational members who were a part of our community have moved away and many have died on the streets of Downtown Nashville and the peripheral of Downtown Nashville.

That’s not who we are in Downtown Nashville. With everything that’s growing up around us and with all the money that’s been poured into Downtown Nashville, then surely we should be

able to find money to pour into our unhoused community around emotional trauma, around trauma in general, generational trauma, poverty, homelessness.

What, in your opinion, could and should the role of the faith community be when it comes to ending homelessness?

First of all, we have to convene people who are willing to work alongside us because traditionally we have allowed government to lead this conversation. I think the faith community gets to lead it. I don’t think they get to control it.

So, we (faith community) get to invite a larger setting of people — governmental agencies have to be at that table, nonprofits have to be at that table, and philanthropy has to be at that table.

There is enough money in this city to do what needs to be done.

And so, we have to continue to explore ways to keep those people together and plan and execute and then build. The challenge is, the model that we believe works best is just to move all the unhoused people into a housing facility without the wraparound services and without this understanding that there are some entrepreneurial and vocational training skills that we should be training for, and to let them know that you’re in a community that’s diverse. And often I feel that in Nashville, we just want to move all of the unhoused people together in the same [location]. And I contend that’s not community.

January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 5

You serve on the Homelessness Planning Council, the governing body of the Continuum of Care, which includes all stakeholders within Davidson County that work together to coordinate efforts to end homelessness in our city. What are some opportunities you see that the Homelessness Planning Council should tackle?

I’m entering my second year, still learning the strategic planning process, learning the personalities.

Now the Homelessness Planning Council has the right people. We’re embedded in a governmental setting that has restrictions. [If] we can understand what needs to be done in a clear sense, in what I would call divine urgency, we can get more of these things done quickly because every day we don’t have the right amount of affordable housing, we lose another life on the streets. And we’re going to be held accountable at some point for losing these lives that we did not have to lose.

Once again, government has its place, but government cannot control the inflows and the outflows of not only ideas but also financial streams of income. So, we’ve got some really tremendous leaders that serve on that table, and I think as I sit around that table, we’re trying to work in a subset of the governmental space that is not aligned with the people on the streets. When you understand the day to day lived experience of the people on the streets, there is a difference in urgency that happens in this work. And I think we’re moving in that direction. I’m actually pleased with the direction. But is there more work to be done? Absolutely!

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Cycling in Nashville: When Bollards and Painted Lines Fall Short of True Infrastructure

BY WILL CONNELLY

In Nashville, recent measures aimed at enhancing the safety of bike lanes have sparked much discussion. The addition of bollards and fresh paint to delineate cycling spaces is acknowledged as progress by the local biking community, yet many still regard these steps as inadequate. The sentiment of Tyler Logel, a cycling advocate in the area, is telling. His remark, “We take what we can get,” in reference to the newly painted lines, poignantly expresses the community's eagerness for any improvement, no matter how modest.

The bollards, those short vertical posts, are criticized for being more symbolic than substantive. "You need really strong barriers," asserts Logel, pointing to the need for more effective safety measures.

This call for stronger barriers, like the new concrete planters you see on 12th Ave South, gains urgency in light of Nashville's troubling road safety statistics, highlighted by groups like Walk Bike Nashville. Fatal crashes are on the rise, with a notable increase in fatalities among pedestrians. The city’s “pikes,” mostly state-owned roads, are particularly dangerous. This stark reality underscores the urgency of enhancing road safety, especially in bike lanes where vulnerable road users are at risk.

Recent changes to 31st Avenue by the Nashville Department of Transportation (NDOT) illustrate the challenges faced. The

PAGE 6 | January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

decision to mix residential parking with bike lanes has been particularly contentious.

"This is very dangerous," notes Logel.

"You can already see that people are trying to park as close as they can [to their residences], which is in the bike lane."

Such design flaws not only compromise safety but also highlight the complexities in urban planning. Enforcement, or the lack thereof, is another major concern. The situation in Sylvan Park is a case in point.

"Sylvan Park is a great example of no enforcement whatsoever. The bike lane for a half mile is full of cars," Logel says.

This lack of enforcement exacerbates the risks for cyclists, rendering the bike lanes ineffective. Moreover, even in areas with separated bike lanes and strong barriers, maintenance issues persist. Keeping these lanes clean and clear is essential for them to serve their purpose.

"I can name a dozen spots right now that have glass and debris in them," says Logel.

Despite these challenges, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon. The recent change in city leadership and NDOT’s willingness to engage with the cycling community offer a promising outlook.

These developments suggest a potential shift towards more thoughtful, inclusive urban planning and infrastructure development that includes safer, more durable solutions to bike and road safety.

LEARN MORE ABOUT

Learn More About Housing 123 Families in 100 Days

BY JUDITH TACKET T

Frontline staff representing the partnership of about 30 agencies came together in early January 2024 to celebrate the successful conclusion of a recent 100 Day Challenge that set the goal to house 100 families in 100 days.

While in December the effort’s leaders had counted 120 families as being housed during the challenge, a late data entry increased that number by three. In actuality, 123 families were housed between Aug. 28 and Dec. 9, announced Jennifer Reason, Chief Operating Officer of Safe Haven Family Shelter, which co-lead the 100 Day Challenge with United Way of Greater Nashville.

“We are thrilled with the level of community participation, support and energy around the 100 Day Challenge which led to surpassing our housing goal during that time,” Reason said.

“We need to use the momentum created to continue to put a community emphasis on collaboration, building sustainable systems and increasing funding and awareness needed to end family homelessness.”

The data also showed an increase in the average monthly housing placement rate — from 26 families per month between January and July of 2023 to about 36 families per month between August and December.

Housing more families was possible due to a focused collaborative effort that improved processes, such as: • Family providers strengthened the Coordinated Entry (CE) process for families to expedite housing placements. An efficient CE process is designed to quickly identify families experiencing homelessness, assess their needs and refer them to the appropriate agency to alleviate their housing crisis as fast as possible. When community needs are bigger than available resources, CE can help the community prioritize families for

housing, reduce duplication of services, and link families with mainstream supports.

• The data quality and overall data process of the By Name List (BNL) was improved to better measure inflow/outflow. The BNL collects data to help assess individuals’ needs. It is updated locally on a monthly basis and allows Nashville providers to know who is currently homeless. There is a security process in place to ensure people who are entered into CE agree which agency providers can review their assessments as they work with them. BNLs help communities understand the inflow, which is the number of people becoming homeless each month, and the outflow from our system. Outflow numbers show how many people moved to permanent housing, have not been located within the past 90 days even after multiple attempts to reach them, or are deceased. Data management is a crucial part of any community collaboration and is provided through Metro’s Office of Homeless Services, a key partner in all local homelessness efforts.

• Frontline staff facilitated information sharing among themselves to accelerate document readiness for families. To be considered document-ready means people have all their IDs, birth certificates and other required documents in place to be able to move into housing once housing becomes available.

• The 100 Day Challenge partners shared resource information across provider agencies. Some case managers said they learned about resources in the community that they had not been aware of prior to this challenge.

FOR INFORMATION HOW TO SUPPORT THIS ONGOING EFFORT TO HOUSE NASHVILLE FAMILIES VISIT 100DAYNASHVILLE.ORG. • Finally, during the effort, the community established a flexible funding source to expedite the housing process. This became relevant when other movein costs paying for first month rent, utility and security deposits dried up in the community during this time.

Nashville has almost doubled the pace of monthly housing placements for families during the 100 Day Challenge. The following chart demonstrates how the housing placement rate for families started to consistently improve in comparison to prior years.

The improvement seemed to start already in anticipation of the launch of the 100 Day Challenge.

“There is an immediate and urgent opportunity to build on this success and better resource these efforts to sustain these outcomes and reduce family homelessness over time,” Nate French Director of Community Impact for Community Solutions, said.

While I explained the history and meaning of 100 Day Challenge and functional zero in past columns, a quick reminder of their meaning may be warranted.

The 100 Day Challenge is a concept that was introduced in the homelessness sector by a national organization called Community Solutions more than a decade ago. The purpose of a 100 Day Challenge is to set a clear community goal and improve processes within our community approach to ending homelessness for a specific subpopulation.

Community Solutions is leading a national movement called Built for Zero that assists more than 100 localities including Nashville to reach what is called functional zero for subpopulations. Functional zero is a measure that shows that a community is able to house a specific subpopulation — like families, for example — within a reasonable amount of time.

In other words, to maintain functional zero for families over time, our community must have sufficient avail-

January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 7

able and accessible housing and support services to prevent homelessness whenever possible and when not, be able to house families who lose their homes within an average of about 45 days.

At the end of Nashville’s most recent 100 Day Challenge, there were still over 500 families on the By Name List. Safe Haven calculated that with an average of 3.6 individuals per family, Nashville had an estimated 1,800 individuals on its Family BNL in early December. The Family BNL, however, does not include every family that’s recorded by the school system, which means that longer-term strategies need to be more comprehensive to ensure increased family stability.

The vision is for Nashville partners to build on the past 100 days and outline a path with clear goals of how our community intends to reach functional zero, so that family homelessness becomes a rare, brief, and non-recurring experience.

PAGE 8 | January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

VENDOR WRITING

How the Formerly Unhoused Can Help An Interview with Jamie Villegas

BY FREEPRESSGMA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

So, Jamie, tell me about your shoe!

The shoes they’re actually genuine Michael Kors but they’ve seen hundreds of miles. They were given to me by the person who I call my TransMother. The person who helped to show me how to be the woman I am today.

They were bright and shiny with the field of the leopard print nice and pronounced but after so long… I’ve had these shoes for three years now.

They have walked up and down city streets, Greenway trails, backwoods, everywhere imaginable because there for a while they were the only pair of shoes I had. I came back from Ohio with them and a backpack and a laptop and the clothes on my back and I still wear them today even though they are getting long in the tooth, but they’re still my favorite pair.

They survived homelessness!

Yes — my homeless story now spans to right after being evicted from an apartment because the landlord didn’t send my rental log for the Covid relief fund. It was a way of clearing out the apartments for renovation. I’ve lived in hotels, I've lived on the street and slept on benches. I was abandoned after a life-changing medical condition came up in Ohio.

I lucked out by finding the right people at the right time. I’ve lived in the park, in a tent, rooming houses, and luckily I’ve been blessed to have finally been formally housed in public housing.

Jamie, when I was homeless, I had been sober for more than 30 years. But it was so tempting to go back to drinking! What are your thoughts on this?

So for me, personally, like I was a drug addict prior to becoming homeless. I quit a couple times, and after being laid off, I did have an issue with relapse, having finally landed on the street. It was a coping mechanism. It was a way to find a place to sleep, it was a way to stay in contact with people in the encampment and in the loop, and the one I was at yeah drugs were a common thread. Everybody had their drug of choice, and for the most part, it was easy to get and the prices were probably better than you would get if you’re a normal house person just trying to get it on the black market, because we take care of our own. But that also means that we don’t necessarily know what’s best for us and that’s part of being human. We tend to cope and we take solace with our fellow man, but yeah, it was detrimental at times, and there were cases of death and sadness that comes with that.

Yes! I know what you mean. Not just when I was homeless but at all points in my life, I have felt pressured to participate with people with their drug of choice in order to gain their trust. And it has been very lonely at times.

I mean, I’ve never hidden my addiction. It’s something that is part of me. It made me a part of what I am today. I don’t believe in hiding addiction because there’s no way for us to solve addiction if we hide behind it. That's why I feel honesty is always the best thing to do.

Jamie, I’m glad that you have a home now.

I’m glad you’re my neighbor. So tell me about this coalition you're in. The Metropolitan Nashville Continuum of Care Homelessness

The shoes worn by Jamie Villegas throughout her time being homeless. PHOTO BY FREEPRESSGMA Planning Council.

So homeless funding works across the country.

Every state is divided up into geographical districts and each runs a continuum of care program. What that is it’s money that was voted by Congress to these geographical regions to provide services to help the homeless, helping to end homelessness across the country.

Nashville and Davidson county is a unique district. We have the Continuum of Care general membership which is made up of the service providers and any community member who is interested. It’s an open group. You get voting rights after attending 50% of the meetings per year. That’s where I got my start on the council. I started in the general membership. After participating in the general membership for four months, I was nominated and subsequently elected to the council by the membership. We vote 15 members to this council; the rest of the members are appointed by the mayor's office.

I am one of the Continuum of Care Lived Experience Representatives on the council. We are actually one of the largest boards in the county outside of the Metro Council. We have 25 members which makes it sometimes difficult for us to find a meeting place so we often meet either at the Howard office building on 2nd Ave. or Metro Council Chambers.

Jamie, what have you been doing while on the council?

So one of the main reasons why I was elected to the council as the Continuum of Care Lived Experience Representative was because I’m a person with lived experience in homelessness here in Nashville, and very recent experience at that. So what I do is I give the homeless perspective on issues coming before the council whether it be camp closures, projects that would be beneficial towards the homeless etc.

I make sure that those things are considered with the actual homeless experience in mind. Yeah, we can talk about a grand idea, but if a homeless person is not gonna relate to it, then it really isn’t of much help.

Another thing that I do on the council — and it proves that my input is definitely a valuable resource — is being appointed to the Executive Committee because of my input as a formerly homeless person. I provide a voice for the homeless community. Now, oftentimes we hear the political heads talk about things that sound good around ending homelessness, but a lot of times we don’t

hear what’s going wrong with the way the homeless are being treated and the programs that are being provided for us.

I stay in touch with members of the homeless community. These people are my brothers and sisters and a lot of my blood, sweat, and tears was shared with a lot of them. I have shared experiences with and through experiencing my life with them and seeing where they’re still at and how they’re doing. I make sure that the things that need to be brought up to the councilors attention are brought to their attention so things can actually be done to change them. A lot of times if nobody had somebody like me on the council it would never be talked about. We talk a lot about successes, but we also need to be able to go back in time to look at and analyze failure.

So Jamie, what if you could find a fulcrum like a failure point that if we changed, it would be a pivot point toward getting everyone housed. What would that be?

I think right now, one of the most important things that we can do to reverse the trend of homelessness is to have people with lived experience in homelessness being part of the programs to help end it. It’s what we like to call Peer Support.

A lot of times when somebody gets out of homelessness there is often a rough transition.

When you’re homeless a lot of times you have a community of people around you. Yeah you got your peers so if something goes wrong, you feel bad, need someone to talk to or if — God forbid — should you be overdosing and you need someone to administer aid there’s always somebody around in a camp situation. After being housed, when you’re indoors and you’re back in housing, things as simple as paying a light bill or going to the grocery store or just having somebody around to be social with are very difficult, and for some, perplexing. That’s where peer support comes in — we get somebody who’s been homeless before to help out. We’ve walked the walk and we can help these people out through our own experience of getting out of homelessness to maintain housing.

You know it’s not hard to get out of homelessness.

It is more difficult to stay out of homelessness.

I agree, Jamie, because my first three months of being here I was having a lot of trouble continuing to write and sell the paper. I was having a lot of trouble negotiating my past relationships. And also people who had been really supportive of me, suddenly felt my lack of sup-

January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 9

port because I was so busy trying to do things like buy some cleaning supplies to get the floor mopped. And then there was a major bug problem, which took a huge amount of my money, time and energy and I was just exhausted all the time. The whole time I was homeless, and I never had to deal with bugs which is kind of strange. I mean I gave my cat flea medicine and that was kind of it, we just didn’t have any troubles. And now it’s just the transition of what should my priorities be ... what are my responsibilities? Where do I spend my tiny bits of money? Where do I refrain from spending money? What kind of extra work should I be applying for? And the neglected dental, doctor and mental health is huge to try and catch up with. Anything else you want to say Jamie?

I am very thankful for my experience with homelessness. It’s something I honestly would never regret or try to change my experience. It taught me a lot. It taught me a lot about myself. It taught me a lot about how to be resourceful and make use of what you have around you and to be thankful that you have it. It makes me appreciate humanity more.

I mean being a person moving into an encampment (and it's a pretty exclusive club for the most part, you don’t just walk into an encampment and plop yourself down — you get invited into one), I was blessed to be invited to Brookmeade Park and I could’ve had a really rough time. I feared that I was gonna get hassled for being trans, not respected for my gender, and none of that happened. I mean I may have been misgendered a couple of times, but once I told them about myself that cleared up.

I had respect from everybody in that camp, and not very many people can say that. They saw me as somebody who knows who they are and who’s also fair and respectable.

I’m one of the many faces of homelessness. It is not lazy bums, trying to get a free ride. I’m a college educated individual who has a lot of trauma to deal with and yes, I am currently a recovering addict, but I have never allowed happenstance to change who I am and I feel that having been homeless has really enhanced my personality and my way of thinking to a point where I can get back to doing what I love to do, which is helping other people.

Thank you so much for this extremely helpful interview Jamie. How can people get involved with the Continuum of Care Homelessness Planning Council?

So anybody who’s interested in ending homelessness here in Nashville are invited to join our Continuum of Care general membership which can be members of the general public and service providers. If they wish to provide outreach services and talk about general homelessness policy they can go to the continuum of care website.

I would also encourage them to attend the meetings which are held monthly at the Nashville rescue mission.

I would like to see more people with lived homeless experience in the general membership. We only have six formerly homeless people on the Homelessness Planning Council. So many people with lived homeless experience have been through so many traumas, and they don’t feel they have a voice. Here, you have a voice. We are a group that is independent from the Metro Government, so we can speak our mind freely.

PAGE 10 | January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 11

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...

2024

L a N ticia

Año 22 - No. 386

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

GRATIS

Enero/2

Newspaper Nashville

Escanee esta imagen para ver La Noticia newspaper edición bilingüe digital

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

Nashville, Tennessee

Los Dos Carnales Inician el 2024 con Lleno Total

No cabe duda que

Además, el grupo de San Pedro, Coahuila alistará la segunda parte de su disco "Los de 100pre", y otras mancuernas que pronto revelarán.

este 2024 promete ser más que exitoso para Los Dos Carnales, ya que arrancan con una agenda llena de presentaciones, estreno de su próximo dueto y va- Por Yuri Cunza rios proyectos que Editor-In-Chief @yuricunza aún están alistando para darlos a conocer muy pronto.

Los hermanos Poncho Jr e Imanol Quezada llevan más de 10 años cautivando audiencias, tocando en autobuses, mercados y fiestas locales en su natal Coahuila, México. Pero no fue hasta 2019 que Los Dos Carnales tuvieron su gran oportunidad.

Este grupo norteño, con los hermanos Quezada como cantantes principales, y Kevin Márquez y Armando Hernández, firmaron con el sello regional mexicano AfinArte, después de ser "descubiertos" por El Fantasma, logrando en ese año, su primer top 10 en la lista de Regional Mexican Airplay de Billboard con "El Envidioso". Con respecto a El Fantasma, para quienes no sepan, es el nombre artístico del cantante y compositor regional mexicano Alexander García, también conocido cariñosamente en los círculos de los medios mexicanos como “El Rey del Underground” El martes 23 de enero su energía y talento llegó al cierre de la Feria Nacional de Rincón de Romos en

Dr. Israel Cañadas in his lab. (Photo: Tom Stephano/Fox Chase Cancer Center)

Aguascalientes. Ante su primer lleno total de este año, Los Dos Carnales interpretaron sus éxitos durante dos horas en las que los asistentes disfrutaron cada una de ellas, resaltando temas como "Cabrón y vago" y "El envidioso", que hicieron vibrar el lugar. De esta forma, dan paso a la que será su nueva gira llamada "Marcando territorio 2024" con la que llegarán a varios estados de la Unión Americana el próximo mes de febrero, asimismo planean visitar Centro y Sudamérica, sin dejar de lado México, destacando que próximamente estarán en el Auditorio Telmex de Guadalajara.

se suma a su lista de corridos que llevan su propio toque norteño.

Por otra parte, el próximo 8 de febrero darán a conocer la colaboración que grabaron con el colombiano Yeison Jiménez, un tema que

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

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.

por

www.juanese.com

juanese@usa.com

PAGE 12 | January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Demostrándo que su esencia es la vieja escuela de la música norteña, Los Dos Carnales comienzan a vivir el mejor momento de lo que han cosechado durante varios años de carrera, prueba de ello es la reciente nominación que recibieron en Premio Lo Nuestro 2024 en la categoría "Canción Norteña del Año" con "Se me soltó el hocico", un tema autoría de Aarón Martínez "La Pantera" y con el que buscan ganar la presea. Dicha celebración será el 22 de febrero en Miami, Florida y las votaciones ya están abiertas en el sitio oficial de Premio Lo Nuestro, así que no dejen de apoyarlos.

Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com ó 615-567-3569

VENDOR WRITING

Local Landmark Faces Possible Demolition

BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

As someone who LOVES music who considers Sumner County “home,” I was disturbed by recent news reports that the home country music legend Conway Twitty known by locals as Twitty City — recognizable by the bright yellow bird (resembling the Tweety Bird) on its sign and “Hello Darlin’’ (one of his 55 #1 hits) greeting you as you entered the grounds — could soon face demolition due to damages caused by an EF-2 tornado that struck the property on Dec. 9, 2023.

That place is VERY special to me!

As I’ve stated in a previous article, “You couldn’t be involved in a music program in Sumner County that Conway Twitty wasn’t a part of.”

In the early 80s when it was new, our chorus was invited to perform several concerts there.

At Christmastime people would come from all over just to see the lights/decorations. Think Opryland but on a more local level.

He hosted other events for us as well in an auditorium located inside his home. That was pretty cool too!

As a young person I thought it was rare to find a bonafide ‘star’ who would give so much of himself, opening his heart and his home, to others who shared his love of music.

Don’t get me wrong, in no way am I trying to minimize the damage done by the storm.

Frank Amedia a real estate developer and televangelist told the Hendersonville Planning Commission that TBN was highly under-insured on that site.

My question is why were they under-insured?

They had to know the value of this unique piece of property. Surely an appraisal was done to determine its worth, right?

Now they want to tear it all down? Why? To make room for an 80 unit assisted living facility, a 96 unit independent living facility,

a clubhouse, a pool, a chapel, a community building for residents, along with other office buildings and production studios, and finally expansion of the Huckabee Theatre — worthwhile endeavors I suppose, but at what cost to the community?

I find myself wondering did TBN come up with all of this AFTER the recent tornado outbreak? To me, that seems highly unlikely.

It seems far more likely that these plans have been in development for quite some time, and the tornado has provided them an opportunity to proceed with their plans.

When their plans were submitted to community leaders, the vote was evenly split 4-4, which led to a negative recommendation, but it doesn’t end there. It will move on to the Mayor and Board of Alderman for the final decision in the weeks ahead.

I know money often wins out in cases like this

(as in the case of Nissan Stadium), but hopefully the powers that be will see the REAL value of the property transcends money and recommend that it be restored rather than be torn down because once it’s gone, we CAN’T get it back.

For me it’s about preserving a piece of local Tennessee history that has meant SO much to SO many over the years!

In the past, many historic properties have been lost all in the name of progress. What will happen to this iconic property? Whether it stays or goes we’ll have to wait and see, but one thing is sure, no matter what happens nothing can take away my memories!

Between the writing of this story and the publication of this issue, it appears that Twitty City WILL NOT be demolished at this time-now the question becomes: Will it be refurbished and eventually open to the public as it was meant to be?

Wish the Weather Would Clear Up

BY JAMIE W., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Well, this snow and ice has been hard for me. Since I broke my leg, it’s harder for me to get around, especially when there’s snow and ice on the ground. That means I can’t sell the paper, so until all of this snow and ice melts it’s messing me up money wise.

I just hope and pray my leg will hurry up and heal. It seems like it’s taking forever. But it will be a few months until I’m walking good. I’m so sad because I can’t get out there like I used to, but it never fails. I'm always in so much pain.

That’s nothing new, but I’m so very glad my husband Tommy helps me. I don’t know what I would do without him. He has been great throughout this whole thing. I just wish the weather would clear up so I can sell my papers.

I’m in so much pain! They sent me to have an ultrasound on my left leg. They are looking for blood clots, but there were not any blood clots. I have a feeling they are gonna send me some kind of test on my left foot and ankle because they want to see if my veins are clogged up.

B Y D A RRIN BR A DBUR Y, T HE BE AT

Success vs. Failure

BY MARK N., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

When pairing success and failure, I notice something. Failure brings on success, and also, one person’s success may be viewed as failure to another. People are different and that’s good, it would be very boring if everyone was alike.

First, a short definition of success: if you achieve what you want to and are happy. Another one: being happy with what you have is the best achievement. And finally: one in which an individual believes that they have maximized their potential and environmental influences or have been able to overcome negativity. I relate to the last one because environmental influences are important to overcome. A person cannot pick their family, wealth or country we are born into.

These factors play a big role in how one might view life or what values and beliefs they have or even how a person might feel about themselves and the world around them. I underlined the word happy, because to me it’s kind of superficial. A definition of happy: a feeling or showing pleasure or contentment. Another one: being happy with having everything and not having anything at all. And finally: having material things or friends, using substances to distract from real problems.

The first definition of failure is a lack of success.

Another is the inability to meet expectations.

The problem that I have had with failure is that I have tied it into my self worth, self esteem and self acceptance, but I have learned that if a person doesn’t give up and uses failure as a life lesson, it is the greatest teacher. If a person doesn’t give up, it can build character. I have learned through counsel that a person must humble themselves because some emotions aren’t good for healing like pride, bad ego or worse, and my personal negative emotions being self- centered. It’s all about me.

The first half was the carnal way I have studied success vs. failure. I want to move to the word of God. The first big failure to me was Adam and Eve and the fallen state. The second was the newly freed Hebrews wandering the desert for forty years. Next was Samuel choosing Saul to be King or Saul just being the wrong person to be King, and finally Judas and his thirty pieces of silver.

But on the same lines of the carnal way of failure and success it goes hand in hand. With most of the Biblical family who failed and then was successful, the only difference they put their trust in God. The point I want to emphasize the most about success and failure in the Bible is that both

are obtained through wisdom, understanding it or not, and being wise enough to follow the word of God. Ecclesiastes 10:10 states, “If one does not sharpen the edge, then he must use more strength, but wisdom brings success.” King Solomon asked God for wisdom. God granted it to him. It’s only fitting to read from the Wisdom of Solomon 8:4-7, “For she is privy to the mysteries of the knowledge of God, and a lover of his work. If riches be a possession to be desired in this life; what is richer than wisdom that worketh all things. And if prudence work: who of all that are is a more cunning workman than she. And if a man love rightness her labors are virtues: for she teacheth temperance and prudence, justice and fortitude: which are such things, as men can have nothing more profitable in their life.” In conclusion, this article is my opinion. Like I said before, writing is therapy for me.

When using a substance, not giving up can be very frustrating because your thought process is not focused on processing your real troubles.

You’re not living in reality. Reality is defined as the world or the state of things as they actually exist, as opposed to an idealistic or notion of idealism.

The most important part of failure, being a failure,

January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 13

living a life of failure is to never give up. I know this from experience, that’s why counseling and treatment is so important because the more clean time you have the more a person gains. At the same time there’s more to lose. I’m not 100% cured from my addiction, but even writing this article, it helps because I have to be proactive through my observation, and to write or put words into action is therapy. I have learned that I have done things I’m not proud of, which brings shame and other negative emotions that are no good for the human spirit. I can observe those emotions and put them in perspective. I can’t do that under the influence. The definition of self esteem: how we value and perceive ourselves. The definition of self acceptance: an individual acceptance of all of their attributes, positive and negative. Self worth: the internal sense of being good enough and worthy of love and belonging from others. In my opinion, when involving others into your evaluation of yourself, maybe it’s not a good idea to put others and their opinion of you into your search for peace because they could be in a darker place than you.

A professional would be the best bet. I was told once, you can’t change your life, unless you have a change of heart and mind.

VENDOR WRITING

Matchbox Wendy — A Follow Up

BY DANIEL H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

A follow up to a previous article written about matchboxes that were sold to raise money for the nonprofits. The matchboxes were decorated by volunteers who were all homeless people who decorated using paint, markers, extra. Over a period of time one thousand matchboxes were completed.

As a result of the sales of boxes, money went to Loaves and Fishes to fund their food and clothing this year. Also, The Contributor and other nonprofits benefited from the sales. Thank you for helping us make a difference in the lives of others.

For the people who participated to make this possible. Thank you also.

Remember that it takes a community of people to work together. Each time you see us selling papers, we are grateful for your donations and your purchase of our papers. The matchboxes in the picture were painted by me, Daniel H. You can email me at danieltheartist@gmail.com.

Again, thank you for making this year a success.

A sample of matchboxes painted by Daniel H. as a fundraiser for local non profits. PHOTO BY DANIEL H.

Michael G.’s TV Series Reviews

BY MICHAEL G., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Wednesday

Wolf Pack

This is the story of a teenage Wednesday Addams at the same monster school her parents went to.

What's to say? Werewolves and Sarah Michelle Gellar got me hooked and so will you! It was hard deciding what TV series to write about next. Oh, wait, no it wasn't.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters This show at the very first episode there was a gigantic fight between a giant spider and a crab monster. Now I've only watched the first episode so far. I hope to watch this series or any of the series mentioned.

Coming Soon: The Month of the M-Man and I do mean Bill Murray. Groundhog Day!

PAGE 14 | January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

The New Christian Year Selected by Charles Williams (1941)

Charles Walter Stansby Williams (1886–1945), the editor of the following selections, is today probably the third most famous of the famous Inklings literary group of Oxford, England, which existed in the middle of the 20th century, and which included among its ranks the better-known and longer-lived Oxford Dons J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. First published in 1941, this series of profound quotations, encompassing all walks of life, follows the sequence of the themes and Bible readings anciently appointed for contemplation throughout the church's year. It is hoped that the readings reproduced here will prove beneficial for any who read them, whatever their place in life's journey. — Matthew Carver

4TH WEDNESDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

SEPTUAGESIMA SUNDAY

CONSCIENCE is the aboriginal Vicar of Christ, a prophet in its informations, a monarch in its peremptoriness, a priest in its blessings and anathemas, and even though the eternal priesthood throughout the Church should cease to be, in it the sacerdotal principle would remain and have a sway.

Newman: Letter to the Duke of Norfolk.

THE commandment of God is, that we love our Lord in all our heart, in all our soul, in all our thought. In all our heart; that is, in all our understanding without erring. In all our soul; that is, in all our will without gainsaying. In all our thought; that is, that we think on him, without forgetting. In this manner is very love and true, that is work of man’s will. For love is a wilful stirring of our thought unto God, so that is receive nothing that is against the love of Jesus Christ, and therewith that it be lasting in sweetness of devotion; and that is the perfection of this life.

Richard Rolle: The Commandment.

O LORD our God, grant us grace to desire thee with our whole heart; that, so desiring, we may seek, and seeking find thee; and so finding thee may love thee; and loving thee, may hate those sins from which thou has redeemed.

Amen.

St Anselm.

FEAST OF THE PURIFICATION OF ST MARY WHEN love is the spirit of your life, it will have the freedom and universality of a spirit; it will always live and work in love, not because of this or that, here or there, but because the Spirit of Love can only love, wherever it is or goes or whatever is done to it. As the sparks know no motion but that of flying upwards, whether it be in the darkness of the night, or in the light of the day, so the Spirit of Love is always in the same course; it knows no difference of time, place or persons; but whether it gives or forgives, bears or forbears, it is equally doing its own delightful work equally blessed from itself.

William Law: The Spirit of Love.

4TH THURSDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

SEPTUAGESIMA MONDAY YOU are under the power of no other enemy, are held in no other captivity and want no other deliverance but from the power of your own earthly self. This is the one murderer of the divine life within you. It is your own Cain that murders your own Abel. Now everything that your earthly nature does is under the influence of selfwill, self-love, and self-seeking, whether it carries you to laudable or blamable practices; all is done in the nature and spirit of Cain and only helps you to such goodness as when Cain slew his brother. For every action and motion of self has the spirit of Antichrist and murders the divine life within you.

William Law: The Spirit of Love.

SEPTUAGESIMA TUESDAY

ONE of the old men said, “When a man saith unto his companions, ‘Forgive me,’ and at the same time humbleth himself, the devils are consumed.

The Paradise of the Fathers.

. . . OUR soul as soon as ever she enters on this new and hither too untrodden path of life bends her gaze on the highest good as the goal, and therefore believes that everything she sees which appears to contain some good in itself is that highest good. And because her knowledge is at first imperfect through inexperience and lack of instruction, small goods appear great to her, and therefore her desires are first directed to these.

Dante: Convivio.

4TH FRIDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY

SEPTUAGESIMA WEDNESDAY

MOREOVER, I did pray all creatures (seeing how that I had offended them inasmuch as I had offended the Creator), that they would not accuse me before God. Thus did it appear unto me that all creatures and all the saints did have compassion upon me, wherefore with a greater fire of love did I apply myself to praying unto God more than was customary.

Angela of Foligno: The Book of Divine Consolation.

IT is written, “The Angel who spake in me.” And yet there is a difference even here. The Angel is in us suggesting what is good, not bestowing it: stimulating us to goodness, not creating goodness. God is so in us as to give the grace and infuse it into us; or rather, so in us that He Himself is infused and partaken of, so that one need not fear to say that He is one with our substance.

For you know, “He that is joined unto God is one spirit.

The Angel is in the soul as a comrade, God as life.

St Bernard: On Consideration.

THERE is a temporal unsatiableness of riches, and there is a spiritual unsatiableness of sin.

John Donne: Sermons.

THIS also is Thou; neither is this Thou.

Unknown.

SEPTUAGESIMA THURSDAY

4TH SATURDAY AFTER THE EPIPHANY THE highest point that may be seen in the Passion is to think and know that he is that suffered. And in this Shewing he brought in part to mind the height and nobleness of the glorious Godhead, and wherewith the preciousness and the tenderness of the blissful Body, which be together oned; and also the lothness that is in our kind to suffer pain. For as much as he was most tender and clean, right so he was most strong and mighty to suffer.

And for every man’s sin that shall be saved he suffered: and every man’s sorrow and desolation he saw, and sorrowed for kindness and love. For as long as he was passible he suffered for us and sorrowed for us; and now he is uprisen and no more passible, yet he suffereth with us.

Juliana of Norwich: Revelations of Divine Love.

GOD has not bound up man’s salvation with any given way. What one way has, what possibilities, with these God has furnished all good ways without exception, for one good never clashes with another, and by the same token people ought to realize that they do wrong to say, when they come across or hear about some admirable person, that because he does not use their way it is all labor lost: they dislike his method, so they decry as well his virtues and intentions.

Eckhart: In Collationibus.

SEPTUAGESIMA FRIDAY

better, but, alas! he cannot: and such failings, as they are his sins, so they are his sorrows also: pray, therefore faintly, that thou mayest pray fervently; pray weakly, that thou mayest pray strongly.

Thomas Fuller: A Wounded Conscience.

IT is well enough known that Christ constantly uses the expression ‘follower’; He never says anything about wanting admirers, admiring worshippers, adherents; and when he uses the expression ‘disciples,’ He always so explains it that we can perceive that followers are meant.

Kierkegaard: Training in Christianity.

SEPTUAGESIMA SATURDAY IT is not in the power of the devil to do so much harm, as God can do good; nay, we may be bold to say, it is not in the will, not in the desire of the devil to do so much harm, as God would do good.

John Donne: Sermons.

BELIEVE me, by God’s help, we shall advance more by contemplating the Divinity than by keeping our eyes fixed on ourselves, poor creatures of earth that we are.

St Teresa: The Interior Castle.

SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY THE soul cannot enter into the night of itself, because no one is able of his own strength to empty his heart of all desires, so as to draw near unto God. St John of the Cross: Ascent of Mount Carmel.

IN all our deaths, and deadly calamities of this life, we may justly hope of a good issue from Him; and all our periods and transitions in this life, are so many passages from death to death.

John Donne: Sermons.

SEXAGESIMA MONDAY HUMAN nature, even though it sinned not, could not shine by its own strength simply; for it is not naturally light, but only a recipient of it; it is capable of containing wisdom, but is not wisdom itself.

Origen: Homilies.

HOW could we know what God wants to do with us when we cannot even know what we are nor who we are?

Léon Bloy: Letters to his Fiancée.

SEXAGESIMA TUESDAY THE earth was made, but the earth itself which was made is not life. In the Wisdom of God however there is spiritually a certain Reason after which the earth was made.

This is Life.

St Augustine, quoted in Aquinas: Catena Aurea.

IT is not that we keep His commandments first, and that the He loves; but that he loves us, and then we keep His commandments. This is that grace, which is revealed to the humble, but hidden from the proud.

St Augustine, quoted in Aquinas: Catena Aurea.

PRAYERS negligently performed draw a curse, but not prayers weakly performed. The former is, when one can do better and will not; the latter is, when one would do

Sponsored by Matthew Carver, publisher

January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 15

PIECES OF POETRY - 17

Terri Lee and Me?

WRITTEN BY CHRIS SCOTT FIESELMAN

THEME: CL A SSIC TOYS ACROSS 74. What's in your e-wal- 27. Supreme Teutonic god let?

1. Sri Lankan language 29. Get-out-of-jail money 6. Something to chew on, 31. Like Neverland boys especially for cows 32. France's longest river DOWN 9. Mascara holder 33. Bid on a house, e.g.

1. Duds or threads 13. Muscat resident 34. *Certain gun ammo 2. Wildly 14. "____ Flew Over the 36. "Best ____ schemes 3. French Sudan after 1960 o'Mice an' Men" Cuckoo's Nest" 4. All thumbs 15. Father, colloquially 38. "La Vie en rose" singer 5. Marine gastropod 16. Jewish folklore crea42. Counter seat ture 6. Coconut fiber 45. Flamethrower fuel 17. Debtor's letters 7. *Shedding-type card 49. Party barrel 18. Art class prop game 51. Swaddle 19. *Barbie's little sister 8. Tie in tennis 54. Type of puzzle 21. *____4 game 9. Shark's provision 56. Words in song, sing.

23. One less than jack 10. Part of cathedral 57. Intersection of two 24. *____Frog educational 11. Work detail arcs toy 12. "Stop!" to marchers 58. Ascus, pl.

25. Nutcracker's distin15. Correspondence friend 59. "____ after reading" guishing feature (2 words) 60. Switch's partner 28. Taboo, alt. sp.

20. Make, as in a law 61. Get ready, for short 30. Cooking fat 22. Edible type of grass 62. Comedian Carvey 35. Deserter's acronym 24. Complete payment (2 63. Ford contemporary 37. President's David words) 64. Jumble 39. Shower accessory 25. *Banned lawn darts 67. North American country 40. Pro ____ 26. Fully informed 41. Conical dwellings 43. Prep flour 44. *Thomas or Henry, e.g.

46. Law school test acronym 47. Genealogist's creation 48. Maurice of "Where the Wild Things Are" 50. Flying saucers 52. Make mistakes 53. Chemically-induced curls 55. Harry Potter's Hedwig 57. *Certain Patch 61. *Not real dough 65. Normal 66. Clingy seed container 68. ____-____-la 69. Theater curtain fabric 70. Put into service 71. Female deer, pl.

72. Pub offering 73. Goo on a trunk

Why Me and Terri Lee from Tennessee?

Let me explain it poetically...

I’ve seen my fair share of loneliness, And Lord knows, so has she.

I guess that’s why it was finally, A chance meeting that was meant to be.

After twenty five plus years of marriage ending up, A Homeless Divorcee.

Doing her laundry at “Ken and Carroll’s,” Never expecting me.

There was something about, Her being so lonely that only I could see.

A woman with so much, Un-noticed Potential and Possibility.

Abandoned and left stranded, Ending up where she landed, Taking care of necessity.

Fighting a good fight and doing what’s right, Content but definitely not happy.

Kind of Old Fashion, hiding her passion, Taking care of herself.

She’d been through the worst, You could tell she was hurting, But wasn’t ‘bout to trust somebody else.

She knew enough about being in Love, And she learned her lessons well.

That’s how it began, I knew there and then, We needed each other’s help.

Why Me and Terri Lee from Tennessee?

Some things are just meant to be...

What do you consider to be your treasure?

What’s your pleasure?

What does it take to Create?

A Piece of History that Lasts Forever?

I’m part of Music’s Universe, Because I write the words.

A heart that chooses to scribble the verses, Of songs that have yet to be heard.

It doesn’t really matter if it doesn’t work, What it cost or how much it hurt.

You take the good with the bad, And you keep on smiling, Knowing it can always get worse.

How much is all that worth?

You choose to lose your mind, just trying to find, Something worth remembering to leave behind.

It’s just another mountain that has yet to be climbed, When it makes perfect sense, Penned with Rhythm and Rhyme.

But that my friend takes so much time, To become “A Grand Champion” At “What’s My Line?”

Well, who am I? To give sight to the blind?

Instead of being selfish, teach them to be kind.

Some people need... To be reminded...

In just the right place and at just the right time, And the something they remember, In the back of their mind, May be something that I said, That I left behind...

Teach them to reach them in Music City.

From a Long Island Songwriter.

PAGE 16 | January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

In Nashville, Tennessee.

Together with his Precious Miss Terri Lee. Writing Timely, Timeless Poetry.

Let’s bid a fond farewell to 2023, And let’s expect a whole lot more, In store for, 2024.

Hold On... It’s “Just Another Door”

Just Another Door

WRITTEN BY CHRIS SCOTT FIESELMAN A mountain from a mole-hill, When it’s not as bad as that.

Just letting go of the things you know, You never will get back.

Make a mistake when you make a turn, We’ve all been there before.

You can’t go back, When the bridge is burned, But it’s Just Another Door.

Hold... On... It’s Just Another Door.

Just another something that, You ain’t seen before.

Ho-old On-on-on...

You’ll see this too shall pass.

Nothing ever lasts.

On that you can be sure, And it’s Just Another Door.

Sometimes things just happen, That are out of your control.

Life has its share of surprises, And its bumps along the road.

Every day’s a brand new place, That’s yet to be explored.

Your date with destiny is waiting, It’s just another door.

Hold... On... It’s Just Another Door.

Just another something that, You ain’t seen before.

Ho-old On-on-on...

You’ll see this too shall pass.

Nothing ever lasts.

On that you can be sure, And it’s Just Another Door.

No one knows what the future holds?

What tomorrow has in store?

It’s not the end, Of the world my friend.

It’s Just Another Door.

That and nothing more...

Hold... On... It’s Just Another Door.

Just another something that, You ain’t seen before.

Ho-old On-on-on...

You’ll see this too shall pass.

Nothing ever lasts.

On that you can be sure, And it’s Just Another Door.

FUN

HOBOSCOPES AQUA RIUS

Predicting the weather is hard, Aquarius.

In ancient times we would pay attention to the color of the sky or the burrowing of the ground squirrels or the direction the ravens flew and then we’d make guesses. These days we have satellites and radar and computer modeling and then, well, we make guesses. It’s mostly just that as good as we’ve gotten at observing causes-and-effects, we still just can’t see the future until we get there. Remember that this week, Aquarius, when you find yourself worrying about the worst-case-scenario that’s just around the corner. You don’t really know what’s going to happen any better than you know where that raven is going.

This is the year that we learn to disagree. I’m not talking about “agree to disagree,” Gemini. That’s just a way of saying we can’t talk about it. We’re going to start with the people we love and respect the most because they’ll let us practice. When a disagreement comes up you’re going to talk through it until you feel like they’ve heard and understood you. And you’re going to listen until you feel like you’ve heard and understood them. And there you have it, Gemini. After you get good at this, you can try it with somebody you only mostly like and respect.

CANCER

PISCES

Remember, Pisces, your yearly astrological self evaluation is due by the end of the week. Please take a few moments now to assess your performance over the past year by writing down five things that changed, five things that you wished had changed but didn’t, and five things that you feel grateful stayed the same. Please submit your responses by midnight on Friday by reading them aloud to the night sky. Once you’ve completed this evaluation try to forget the whole thing by this time next year. The Stars think you’re doing just fine.

ARIES

Has there been more fog around here lately, Aries? I’m looking out the front window and I can barely see a thing. Just a hazy outline of my neighbor’s shed-light and some antlers drifting across the yard. Despite the fog, I still believe the yard is there; the porch and the driveway and probably the rest of that deer. It’s like that sometimes, Aries, we can’t see what’s out there but we can make some educated guesses. So step carefully down those front stairs, but do step. Things should clear-up before too long.

TAURUS

GEMINI

The algorithm doesn’t want you to see this, Taurus. That incomprehensible artificial intelligence that pushes certain bits of information into your feed and keeps others out doesn’t even know you’re reading this right now.

Since we’ve got a moment of privacy here, Taurus, human-to-human, I just wanted to let you know that I think you’re doing a great job this week. You’ve come through some difficult things lately, and while your targeted ads are still selling you solutions to problems you had weeks ago, I just wanted to swing by and tell you personally that you’re stepping into something new.

Your calendar’s been pretty full the last few weeks, Cancer. And I noticed you let out a little sigh of relief when your lunch plans cancelled. I get it. It’s a rush when you feel so over-extended and then suddenly there’s some space in your schedule. I just want to make sure that the gaps you’re celebrating are the gaps you need. Can you find a way to cancel your afternoon meeting instead? I just think some time with somebody who really cares about you might do you more good than another brainstorming session at work.

LEO

Bulls get a lot of flack for what they do in china shops, Leo. Sure, plates are gonna get broken, but isn’t that bull pretty amazing? He’s got to be 2,000 pounds of pure muscle and horn and wouldn’t you rather watch this tragic ballet than have an intact classic 24 piece dinner set? All I’m saying, Leo, is that bulls do what bulls do and some china shops need to be in a few more pieces. When he’s done in there Leo, call me. I’ve got a barn full of dishware you can use.

VIRGO

We’re just a few weeks into this year, Virgo, and HR says you’ve already used up all your sick days. Shouldn’t be a problem, though. All you have to do is make it another 11 months without getting sick. Sometimes, Virgo, I think these systems aren’t really made for human beings. They’re made to fit into gaps in payroll software. If you’re finding yourself trapped in those gaps, I hope you’ll hang up on whatever that terrible hold-music is and find a person to talk to. That’s the best way to remember that you’re a person too.

LIBRA

Sometimes it’s simple. You hit your thumb with a hammer and it hurts! So you get mad and you yell at the nail.

But you may be finding things are less linear lately, Libra. First you get mad. Why are you mad? It must be that nail! You better go do some yelling, right?

But there’s no hammer and no thumb. There’s just you and the mad. Take a breath, Libra. Let the mad come on it’s own. Forget the nail. Ask the mad what it wants. Maybe it’s aimed at something more surprising.

SCORPIO

I’ve been doing a lot of unsubscribing from emails this week, Scorpio. Pretty much every email I get is an update from a concert venue I went to six years ago or a new special from a restaurant that I used to really like. And when I get those I think, “I should read that sometime. I like that restaurant.” And then it just stays in my inbox forever. I’ve decided to make some room. I’m not keeping any of it, Scorpio. I have a problem and I have to change. Even if I’m curious about travel specials to Scotland, I have to unsubscribe. Where could you make a little room this week, Scorpio? Think about it and email me.

SAGITTA R IUS

Did you hear about that guy who’s building a rocket to Mars? Not one of those space-billionaires. This is just a regular guy. He says he’ll launch in June. He already put in for the time off from work. Says he just wants to see what’s up there. Anyway, Sagittarius, I’m just reminded again that if you’ve got an interest I think you should pursue it. If there’s someplace you wish you were going, I think this is a great time to start building your way that direction.

CAPRICORN

Maple syrup is a different kind of sweet than honey. It’s got a little less immediacy to it and some twangier low-notes.

And honey is brighter than brown sugar but brown sugar spreads wider across the tongue and lasts longer in the throat. I just wanted to let you know the results of some of my experiments, Capricorn, since you’re the only one who agreed to help me clean this sticky mess off the kitchen counter. And I thought you could use a reminder that sweetness isn’t the only thing we value about you. Don’t be afraid to share all those other flavors too.

Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a certified syrup taster or a trained Human Resource professional. Listen to the Mr. Mysterio podcast at mrmysterio.com Or just give him a call at 707-VHS-TAN1

January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 17

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PAGE 18 | January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

MOVING PICTURES

Michael Mann’s ‘Ferrari’ brings combustible drama racing to video on demand

BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC Michael Mann’s biopic of race car driver and legendary Italian automobile manufacturer Enzo Ferrari was released in the US theaters on Christmas day.

Now it's available to home viewers for premium rental and purchase on video platforms. The film boasts a great cast and strong performances, even if some critics have had a hard time with the slow pace of this family/business drama when maybe they expected something more like Days of Thunder, Italian Style.

Ferrari is set in the summer of 1957 against the backdrop of the Mille Miglia — a 1000-mile open road endurance race. Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver) is preparing his team and his cars for the challenge as his business and his personal life spin into chaos behind the scenes: Ferrari’s racing team is burning down his bank account. If Ferrari can’t build more production cars to sell to consumers, his family and team will both be broke. His accountant encour-

ages him to find a partner like Henry Ford, but Enzo fears losing control of his company. Ferrari and his wife Laura (Penelope Cruz) have lost a son, and their marriage is further strained by Enzo’s infidelity. In the meantime, Enzo’s mistress, Lina (Shailene Woodley) has spent the last decade secretly raising Enzo’s illegitimate son, Piero (Giuseppe Festinese). Little Piero’s confirmation is looming and Lina wants Enzo to give him his rightful Ferrari name. There’s also lots of gorgeous cars to look at and the golden sunlight of Modena reflected in countless glasses filled with red.

Driver is impressive in his transformation into a 60-year-old Italian legend thanks to a significant weight gain and a slicked-back hairdo full of white paint.

Rather than tackle full-on Italian, he speaks English — all the actors do — in a broken staccato rhythm. Critics have accused Driver of an unemotional performance, but it’s made clear in the

film that Enzo is mostly cut-off from his emotions after a lifetime spent in the cold fury of one of the world’s deadliest sports. He shines as a mentor to his enthusiastic team of drivers and he has great chemistry with old driving buddies, Piero Taruffi (Patrick Dempsey) and Cruz. Cruz starts the movie on one scowling note, playing a grieving mother and betrayed wife. But as the tragedies and triumphs of Enzo’s life and business unfold, she turns in a subtle and searing performance that avoids every cliché in the book.

Of course, between the romantic battles, paparazzi swarms and financial woes, there’s also car racing in this movie called Ferrari. Mann captures the Mille Miglia with big aerial shots that swallow gorgeous green swaths of the Italian countryside while also lensing vintage Formula One cars vying for position on twisting narrow roads.

The driving is great here and all the

January 31 - February 14, 2024 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 19

close-up camera work in and out the car’s cockpits puts viewers right in the middle of the action for every shifting gear, squealing tire, and sideswipe as the teams compete over each turn and straight away. And even though Ferrari might have less racing than viewers might expect, it features some of the most shocking car crashes I’d ever want to see in a film. In an early scene the Ferrari team is trying to recapture a speed record on a test track. The driver miscalculates a turn and what follows is unlike anything I’ve seen in any other movie about car racing — and that’s just the first crash.

Ferrari is now widely available for rent and purchase on most digital platforms

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