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FEATURE
Leading with Purpose: Andrew Terry IV Honored for Transforming Lives Through Compassion and Service BY REE CHEERS, DIRECTOR OF PROGRAM OPERATIONS FOR THE CONTRIBUTOR
Every organization has individuals who quietly make an extraordinary impact. At The Contributor, Andrew Terry IV is one of those leaders whose commitment to serving others extends far beyond his daily responsibilities. His work reflects the organization’s core mission: restoring dignity, creating opportunity and ensuring that every individual has someone walking beside them on their journey toward stability. When asked what motivates him, Terry’s answer is simple yet profound: being part of someone’s progress. For Terry, success is not measured by recognition or awards, but by the lives changed through consistent support, advocacy, and genuine human connection. One story, in particular, remains close to his heart. Terry recalls meeting a client in the hospital during a particularly difficult season of the individual’s life. Together, they discussed personal goals, identified key barriers, and developed a structured path toward long-term stability. Over time, Terry witnessed the individual secure disability benefits, regain independence, and
eventually move into an apartment of their own. Nearly three years later, seeing how far that client has come reaffirms for Terry why this work matters so deeply. “Being part of their journey and knowing I helped support their progress was an honor,” Terry said. “I hope to continue creating moments like that.” While receiving recognition for his dedication is meaningful, Terry emphasizes that the ultimate reward comes from witnessing real transformation in real time. “This recognition reassures me that the work I’m doing is meaningful and noticed,” he said. “But the real reward is seeing the outcome when a person’s effort and the support they receive come together and something changes for them.” Terry believes that community service requires more than simply handing out resources … it demands walking alongside individuals during some of the most challenging moments of their lives. “This work is about walking alongside people
who are navigating difficult systems and circumstances, doing everything possible to make sure they don’t have to face those challenges alone,” he said. His broader message to the community is rooted in hope, unity and shared responsibility. “We’re all in this together,” Terry said. “Our world has faced many challenges, from social injustice to civil rights struggles, and the only
way forward is by standing together and choosing to make things better.” He encourages community members to recognize the inherent humanity in every person, believing firmly that when communities invest in one another, everyone benefits in the end. “When we lift others up, we strengthen the entire community,” Terry added. “We all have a role in creating a world that is more just, more compassionate, and more connected.” Terry exemplifies what it means to lead with compassion, integrity, and purpose. His commitment to empowering others serves as an inspiration to colleagues, organizational partners, and community members alike, demonstrating that lasting change often begins with one person willing to listen, advocate, and believe in another’s potential. At The Contributor, Terry’s impact is measured not only in milestones achieved, but in lives restored, hope renewed, and futures made possible … a powerful reminder of how dedicated service can transform both individuals and entire communities.
Remembering the Legacy of Steve Lindstrom BY LINDSEY KRINKS
The first time I met Steve in 2013, he was giving out “Backpack Beds” — forest green weatherproof backpacks that turned into small tents for the night. I remember thinking: who is this middle-aged man who looks like he just came out of a business meeting but has endless energy for outreach? We decided to grab coffee and we hit it off, but I still wasn’t convinced he was committed. The next year (and every year after that), I would learn that he was. After our first meeting, we stayed in touch, and in the spring of 2014, we heard that Metro police officers were trying to close the campsite of one of our mutual friends, Papa Smurf. The residents of the camp had nowhere else to go, and even though we petitioned for more time, the city pushed ahead with the closure. Steve and our team stood in solidarity with the residents while we helped them with housing — willing to be arrested if needed. We held the camp open for nine months until all the residents had temporary or permanent housing except for Smurf, whose white fluffy hair was held back by a Willie-Nelson-style bandana. Smurf was a woodworker and free spirit who told us he would never “survive in a box.” He wanted to move to upstate New York to support his aging mother, but wouldn’t leave his woodworking tools and art behind. Steve knew what had to be done, so he rented a trailer, hitched it to his car and drove Smurf and his belongings to New York. That was Steve. Always willing to go the extra mile — or hundreds of miles — for others. After risking arrest with us, he joined our board and connected us to his community at GracePointe Church. I could tell you a hundred stories — both miracles and tragedies — that we experienced together over the years. But one of the things that stands out was Steve’s presence with us and our friends on the streets during the winter. Before there were city-led efforts during ex-
treme weather, outreach teams like ours held that responsibility (and still do to some degree). On the coldest nights, we send out canvassing teams who give out life-saving supplies and help people get indoors. Steve was a constant in this work. When the city shut down during snow and ice storms, Steve drove to my house and picked me up in his four-wheel-drive SUV. We packed his car with propane, emergency blankets, food, and sleeping bags and hit every camp and sleeping spot we could. There’s no telling how many miles we trekked on snow-covered railroad tracks and footpaths that threaded in and out of the underside of our city. When I had to step back from leading winter canvassing teams because of health issues, Steve stepped up. He led our downtown canvassing team for years — training countless volunteers and saving and touching countless lives. Every night he led a team, he stayed out well past midnight to check on everyone he could. Steve also knew how transformational relationships could be. He journeyed with some of our friends like Bobby, Ray and Smurf for over a decade. He took them to appointments, helped them with their housing, and stayed connected during the hardest times. He was a rock in the lives of so many. Solid, dependable, constant. A couple years ago, he and Georgette went to New York and visited Smurf, who is miraculously five years sober. They had a ball and Smurf introduced them to “Myrtle the Turtle”— his pet box turtle that his daughters gave to him for Father’s Day. Steve also supported members of our team through some of our most difficult times. When the 2020 tornado plowed through my home, he was one of the first people on the scene to help us salvage what we could and move things into storage. When we rebuilt, he helped us move everything back in and helped me plant our back garden beds. He came to my husband Andrew’s dissertation defense and was a source of constant encouragement through the highs and lows we
faced after having kids. He was the kind of friend you cherish and the kind of person you want in your corner. Steve’s motivation ran deep and was driven by a kind of contemplative spirituality that understood that his liberation was intertwined with the liberation of everyone who was struggling. Instead of numbing out, disconnecting, or becoming cynical or apathetic, he acted. Even though he had the privilege to sit back, he leaned in. He was always reading the news, listening to podcasts and trying to discern his role. In addition to being an advocate, activist, mentor and outreach worker, he was also a teacher, entrepreneur, writer and beloved father and grandfather. He was a two-time cancer survivor who travelled, loved and lived fully. Getting to know Steve’s beloved partner Georgette was also such a gift. She brightened any room she walked into and exuded a kind of compassionate care and warmth that made you feel welcomed and loved. She shared Steve’s heart for service and justice, attended protests by his side, and wrapped us in hugs during our annual fundraisers. One of Steve’s favorite prayers was “The Romero Prayer” (copied below in an adapted form). This prayer was written in honor of Archbishop Oscar Romero who was assassinated in 1980 for speaking truth to power and standing in solidarity with the oppressed people of El Salvador. “We cannot do everything,” reads the prayer, “and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well.” Steve and I talked about this prayer the last time we spoke earlier this year. “I keep coming back to it,” he said. It reminded him to do something, even if it was imperfect or incomplete, and he did. The (adapted) prayer concludes with: “We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We
August 12 - 26, 2026 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 3
are workers, not master builders; companions, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.” In some ways, Steve will never see the impact of his life’s work. Like his beloved grandchildren growing up, the housing milestones and sobriety anniversaries of his friends, his plays and stories published, a world where justice reigns. But as the prayer says, we trust that the seeds he planted will grow. And we trust the mysterious belief that those who pass on stay with us, guiding us, encouraging us and equipping us for what is ahead. We are all better people and this world is a better place because of the lives of Steve and Georgette. For that, we give thanks.
THE ROMERO PRAYER Adapted for outreach workers by OTN Staff
It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view. Collective Liberation is not only beyond our efforts, it is even beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of the overarching work of mercy, justice, and love. Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying that Collective Liberation always lies beyond us. No single outreach visit brings wholeness. No single policy changes the system. No single program accomplishes our mission. So this is what we are about: We plant the seeds that one day will grow. We water seeds already planted, knowing that they hold future promise. We lay foundations that will need further development. We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities. We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something, and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for grace to enter and do the rest. We may never see the end results, but that is the difference between the master builder and the worker. We are workers, not master builders; companions, not messiahs. We are prophets of a future not our own.
A FEW QUESTIONS
Q&A with Kaycee Ensign BY JUDITH TACKET T
From an early age, Kaycee Ensign was drawn to learning about inequalities, and in high school, she got involved with anti-poverty work connected to a local community kitchen. Now she has a role that takes her front and center in contributing to Nashville’s housing affordability solution. Ensign currently serves as the Housing Policy Manager working in Metro’s Housing Division, which is part of the Planning Department. She is among a group of local upcoming leaders with a passion for this work. “I think [the community kitchen] was my first introduction to housing and homelessness issues,” Ensign said, adding that in college she regularly volunteered with a homeless day shelter. Meeting with people experiencing homelessness “lit a fire in me of wanting to learn more about housing and homelessness issues and the societal reasons for why homelessness was so prominent.” Since its inception in January 2022, the Housing Division has grown from a three-member staff to 11, who provide planning and coordination assistance to move the city forward in building more housing units to help address the affordable housing issues in Nashville. The Housing Division is best known for creating and managing Nashville’s United Housing Strategy, managing the Barnes Housing Trust Fund, and staffing the Metro Housing Trust Fund, which oversees the Barnes Fund. Ensign spoke with The Contributor about her path to Nashville and how the city is grappling with growth. You have been with the Housing Division for four years and previously worked in the northeast region of the U.S, mostly around DC. What brought you to Nashville? I’m originally from Chattanooga, so not too far down the road. But my fiancé at the time, now my husband, we were living in Richmond, Va., and he matched at the Children’s Hospital [here in Nashville] for his pediatric residency, so that’s what ultimately brought us to Nashville. It was just really fortunate timing when we were looking to move … that there was [a job] opening for the Housing Division. This was over four years ago. I applied and was really fortunate to get the position and have been with the division ever since. From a housing perspective, what stands out to you in Nashville compared to other cities you’ve worked in or studied over the course of your career? Nashville is experiencing many of the same challenges that other cities across the country are facing. Many Nashvillians know this very well and experience this — the growth that Nashville experienced was in such a compressed time frame, [which] brought on our housing challenges at a rapid pace that, in many ways, the city was not quite prepared for. And so, that has been something that is unique to Nashville. On the flip side of that, and having worked in other cities across the country, I have always been impressed by how deeply invested Nashvillians are in making sure that Nashville continues to be a place that new residents and longstanding residents can continue to call home. We have such a rich community of dedicated advocates, affordable housing developers,
the PSH working group, but the contract with the consultant team is in the finalization stage right now and will be headed to [Metro] Council for their review and approval. We expect the legislation to be filed [soon] for that contract. So we’re hoping to get the [planning process] launched after it goes through Council, in late September/early October.
service providers, and faith-based institutions who are all constantly asking themselves, “What role can I play in making Nashville a more affordable place to be?” I think that is something really unique to Nashville. I think we have the people at our disposal to be able to meet the challenges that we’re facing as a community. There is also a lot of criticism from activists and advocates that Nashville is not doing enough or even the right things to keep people here. What is your take on that? The scale of our affordable housing challenges requires lots of different partners and folks. Everyone’s going to have different perspectives on what might be the best solution. And honestly, from my perspective, that’s what we need because it’s not a one-size-fits-all, and we need different solutions at our disposal. If I’ve learned anything from being in the housing policy space for many years is that it requires us to be innovative to really be able to make progress. While I can feel sometimes competing priorities and interests, it can be a benefit to Nashville to have those different perspectives and different solutions thrown out, so that we can attempt multiple things. Because again, just one idea is not going to be able to fix the challenges that we’re facing as a community. You are a young community leader here in Nashville. What are some of the recommendations you have for other young leaders who enter this field of housing policy during a time when the entire nation is experiencing an affordable housing crisis? Affordable housing needs can feel really overwhelming at times, and the progress can feel slow and incremental. For anyone who’s looking to get into this field, or really any policy field, it’s so important to have a real passion and understanding of the issue. I help mentor current UVA (University of Virginia) students from time to time, and my first recommendation to them is to start by volunteering or getting engaged within your
community in some way and get engaged in the community that you wish to serve. Because being able to get connected to that issue on a more intimate level will help you foster that passion that’s needed when sometimes the work can feel mundane or can feel slow, and that can be challenging to stay motivated. But if you have that underlying passion there and that understanding of the issue at a more intimate level, that can really help you in your career … and also help you understand the issue in a way that is grounded in the experience of the people that you’re wishing to serve. I think that’s so important for anyone who’s working on a policy level and [who is] maybe less connected to the grassroots individual service on a day-to-day level. But if you have that foundation, that can help you in your career in many, many ways. The Housing Division’s Unified Housing Strategy (UHS) includes a strategy to create more permanent supportive housing (PSH) units for people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. I understand you lead a committee that has been tasked to create a PSH plan for the city. Tell me about that and where it stands? The Unified Housing Strategy, which was published a little over a year ago, includes seven core strategies with one strategy focused on increasing permanent housing for our unhoused population. There is a specific action within that strategy, Action 29, that calls on Metro to develop a permanent supportive housing (PSH) strategic plan that would provide a clear roadmap on how we can advance PSH in Nashville. Over the last several months we have been completing a procurement process to identify a consultant team that will work in partnership with our team to develop the plan. We also have a PSH working group with representatives from a few Metro agencies and community organizations that will be serving as a guiding body for this consultant team. [Editor’s note: The Contributor is one of the organizations involved in this work.] We’ve done some initial work with
August 12 - 26, 2026 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 4
This plan will be specifically for permanent supportive housing or will it include other low-income housing options? It’s specific to permanent supportive housing. I was very involved in the development of the Unified Housing Strategy, and one of the reasons why we wanted to make sure there was an action included around permanent supportive housing is because we realized that this model warranted its own specific plan. There are multiple kinds of pieces at play to be able to make permanent supportive housing work. And so, we wanted to make sure that as a city, we did have a plan specific to permit supportive housing that details what resources we would need to be able to advance this model. [We wanted a plan] that would be able to do a review of our existing PSH portfolio and give us a better sense of what’s working and what lessons learned we have from those existing projects that we can then take and hopefully advance this model across Nashville. And [we want] updated estimates on what is the level of permanent supportive housing is that we need for our community. [It] has been really great to witness just how much our community has embraced the Unified Housing Strategy document and has been able to use it to mobilize resources for affordable housing initiatives. We saw historic investments in housing this current fiscal year from the Mayor’s Office and [Metro] Council. Similarly, I’m hopeful that having a permanent supportive housing strategic plan will be something that our community can also take to mobilize resources and elevate this issue. There can be a lot of cooks in the kitchen [with] competing interests and priorities. And so it can be really helpful to have a plan elevating a policy area or a housing model that can help mobilize resources and attention around it. We’ve been able to make some strides over the last few years, but we need a lot more permanent supportive housing to be able to meet the needs of our individuals experiencing homelessness here in Nashville. What excites you about this work? I take a lot of pride in being a public servant and giving back to my community. And again, housing has been an issue that I’ve always been personally drawn to. It excites me to be able to every day [get to] wake up and know that I’m spending my time on hopefully making Nashville a place that’s more affordable. It’s a blessing to be able to do something that you really love. It’s not something that I think is everyone’s experience, and so I’ve just been fortunate that I get to use my skills and my expertise on something that I care about within the community that I also have grown to love over the last several years. That’s what excites me about being with Metro and working on housing issues day after day.
FUN
THEME: BACK TO SCHOOL ACROSS 48. San Diego baseballer 23. Too many in the kitch- thology reading assignment en? 1. Eye affliction 50. Castle defense 41. Firstborn 24. Baby owl 5. Mowgli to Raksha in “The 52. *a.k.a. lunch room 44. Nymph chaser 25. Free-for-all Jungle Book” 46. Diminutive 56. “____ little cubby all 26. Tear 8. Cured pork product, pl. 48. Like nature worshipping, stuffed with fluff” 27. Lacking guile 12. *Every lap you run in e.g. 57. Knight’s breastplate 28. Baseball fielding mistake 49. Flamb gym class completes one 58. Bit of smoke 29. “She ____ sea shells...” 13. Ripped 59. Willow twig 50. Dante’s Beatrice, e.g. 32. *____ Academy, online 51. Passing mention 14. Throw up 60. Pub arrow study aid 15. Mythological ship 61. Popular street-lining 52. Relinquish 33. “____ the land of the 16. Agitate trees 53. Small brook 17. Like worthless promise 62. Post-deductions amount free...” 54. Doctrines 36. *Reading building blocks 55. Part of church 18. *”Go to the ____’s office” 63. Opposite of WSW 38. Stall call 20. Hatchling’s home 64. Somebody ____ 56. *Unit in measurement 40. *Character in Greek My- and weight math lessons 21. Wasted on the young? 22. “Amazing!” 23. *____ Core, academic DOWN standards 1. Dueler’s blow 26. *”Rock N’Roll High 2. Unit of pressure School” band 3. Jellystone Park denizen 30. Be obliged 4. Amerigo to America 31. Orange ____ tea, pl. 5. *Plagiarize, technically 34. Of low density speaking 35. Earthenware pots 6. Heep of “David Copper37. Farm layer field” 38. Bagpipes sound, in 7. *School signaling device 8. *Unwelcome load Scotland 39. Vessel’s “spine” 9. Current unit, pl. 40. “Mary, Mary quite con- 10. Catcher’s catcher 11. Chester White’s home trary” place 13. Three in one 42. Radio knob, abbr. 43. Blended family family 14. Animal toxin 19. Poultry houses member 22. “It ____ a dark and 45. Trotters stormy night...” 47. Owned
Kid’s Corner Created by Mccollonough Ceili
August 12 - 26, 2026 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 5
VENDOR WRITING
Obstacles To Learning In A Classroom As A New School Year Begins BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
It’s time to go back to school for students here in Tennessee. For many, it’s a time of excitement, shopping for clothes like the new shoes you’ve had your eye on. Or all the new school supplies like paper, pens, pencils and of course you have to have the perfect backpack to hold everything so you’re all set! But for others, this time of year brings anxiety. Why? Imagine you’re one of the many students that are homeless or otherwise economically disadvantaged and can’t afford these things. You are left scrambling and often have to settle for whatever you can get. As a result, such ones aren’t adequately prepared for the new school year. How prevalent is the problem in our area? In Volume 20, Issue 15 of this paper, we reported that the most recent data for the 20232024 school year approximately 4,500 students were identified as homeless. Statewide the number jumps to 25,711 students which translates to 2.2 percent of the student population. Thankfully, the McKinney-Vento Act ensures homeless students have equal access to public eduction and even provide a local liaison to help navigate the system. (There is one for EVERY county in Tennessee.) They provide assistance with things like: • Transportation • Free breakfast and lunch • Basic school supplies and fees • Tutoring and support Similarly, the HERO program offers much needed support to this vulnerable segment of the student population offering the following services to students in Davidson County: • Help with immediate school enrollment (ie help with paperwork, ie records, birth certificates, immunizations, and transportation) • Supplies: backpacks, required uniforms and shoes • Basic needs: food boxes and hygiene items
• Family fund: helps with things like application fees, utility assistance, and gas cards Obviously programs like this can add much needed stability to an ongoing tenuous and stressful situation not only for the child/children involved, but to everyone in the family — still, it’s only a beginning and more needs to be done. So when teachers hand out supply lists asking for things like extra Kleenex, hand sanitizer and markers please take a moment and think of these children and their teachers — who if they don’t receive these much needed items from the parents and grandparents, must often spend money out of their own pockets to ensure their students have what they need on hand. And in case you’re wondering, teachers DO NOT get paid what they’re worth in this writers opinion, especially since they often play such a vital role in our children’s lives. According to the National Education Association, the average starting teacher salary in Tennessee is $47,230, which ranks 26th in the nation. How sad. If you have the time and means to do so, why not go the extra mile and ask what more you can do to help out? Maybe volunteering your time or donating extra items from their wish lists. As difficult as the lack of supplies are to deal with, sadly today’s children face even more problems. Imagine going to school every day in fear being unsure who would be waiting for you when you returned. That is the reality for many of the immigrant children in our school system. What has changed? On July 1, 2026, a new law went into effect in Tennessee requiring institutions to collect data on a students’ immigration status, thereby revoking previous protections. They also removed restrictions on ICE agents, meaning they can now enter public spaces like hospitals, churches, and yes, even
schools without a warrant. This has led to increased absenteeism across the U.S., and any teacher will tell you directly affects a student’s school performance. That’s A LOT for anyone to deal with, especially a child who is simply wanting to go to school to learn. By now you may be thinking this information may be valid, but it only relates to certain segments of a school’s student population. These issues don’t have ANYTHING to do with me. That may be true, but chances are good that you know someone who is affected. Take a moment and put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if these things were happening to you, or to your child? Just in case you still can’t relate to the aforementioned challenges, I’ll move on to something that could easily affect ANYONE. It pays no attention to age, gender, race, color or creed. Many times it attacks its victims with relentless ferocity and for the injured parties, it doesn’t seem to have an end, and all too often, its impact is life-changing, in some cases even deadly. What am I referring to? Bullying. As a young girl with cerebral palsy who had braces on her legs until she was 8 or 9, who wore glasses and was a book nerd, I DEFINITELY experienced my share of bullying, but I must admit things are A LOT different than they were in my day. Back then, you could face your bullies and decide for yourself if you wanted to handle it, either by tackling it head on or just ignoring it in the hope that it would stop or at least go away. Today’s bullying is distinctively different with the advent of cyber-bullying. With this form of bullying, the bully uses digital devices like phones, tablets, and computers to harass, threaten or humiliate someone online. Other major differences include: • It occurs in text messages, social media, or other online formats, even video games
Back to School for Homeless Kids
New Things for School
BY FREEPRESSGMA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
Homeless kids are often sleeping on someone’s living room floor, in the car with their parents or in a shelter. Homeless kids are instructed to hide the fact that they are homeless from their teachers. The teachers can usually tell though. This year, you may want to approach your child’s teacher and offer fresh kids’ underwear and socks, perhaps a few hand me downs. Underwear and socks are the hardest things to keep clean. A
• It offers the culprit anonymity allowing them to hide their identity making it hard to trace them. • It is persistent and can reach the victim any time of the day or night. • It can attract a massive audience quickly, it can even go viral and once it’s posted, it can stay online permanently. Just how serious is the problem? In Tennessee, there were 12,124 cases of bullying reported during the 2023-2024 school year, of those 5,439 (45 percent) were confirmed 959 involved cyberbullying, and 75 were listed as pending, according the the Bullying and Harassment Compliance Report from 2024. Additionally, meaganmeyerfoundation.org (an excellent resource on this topic) noted that adolescents who are experiencing cyberbullying are 2.5 times more likely to report suicidal thoughts than their peers, and they’re twice as likely to attempt suicide. Please take it seriously, it poses a real threat to our young ones. If the facts and figures mentioned so far aren’t enough to inspire fear in you, perhaps the ever-increasing number of school shootings will. Since the mass shooting at Columbine High School in 1999, more than 390,000 students have experienced gun violence at school. Perhaps even more daunting is the fact that since the shooting that stunned our community at the Covenant School on March 27, 2023, there have been over 350 incidents reported according by the K-12 Shooting Database, as reported by WKRN News. (The fact that we need a database like this is appalling to me.) Yes, gone are the days when you went to school and all you had to worry about was reading, writing and arithmetic. These days there is so much more to be concerned about than simply getting an education. Best wishes to parents and children alike (including me) as we strive to navigate the new school year that lies ahead.
BY L. VICKERS, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
lot of times people end up throwing away dirty underwear rather than trying to figure out how to wash it all or keep enough clothing on hand to make it worthwhile to go to the laundromat. Extra snacks, bottled water, laundry detergent and fresh fruit are always appreciated as well. These are things that the teacher could quietly pass on to the students that she knows have struggling families. Be well, and may you and your children prosper!
Well, it’s the start of a new school year. There are some new things they’ve added this year. One thing they added that sounds like fun is allowing the kids that live close to school to ride their scooters to school. I think for now there are only one or two counties in Tennessee doing it. First, the kids have to take an
hour long safety course where they learn all the rules and regulations like staying out of the car traffic of parents dropping kids offend other common sense things like looking both ways before crossing a street. It all boils down to responsibility. Just ask yourself, is my kid responsible enough to do it the right way?
Hospital Stays: Vacation or Not? Not. BY FREEPRESSGMA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
Being in the hospital is no vacation. At first it is fun being waited on hand and foot, having the remote control to the TV in your hands, having the table close by so you can reach your drinks and snacks, and having the button at hand to beep the nurse if you are in pain or need something.
The first day they run tests on you. That gives the doctor some kind of picture of what’s wrong with you. You think it is fun getting waited on the first day. The next day they are constantly coming in to take blood pressure and give you meds and stuff like that.
By the third and fourth days it is starting to get boring. You are on the edge and want to get out of the bed and start doing things for yourself, but you can’t because the IV is still in your arm. You start asking the nurse and the doctor if you can go home. They have no straight answers for
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you. All they have to say is that you still need to be watched for another day or two. One day they come in and catch you off guard when they ask you if you are ready to go home. You have already been in there too long. You really don’t care if you’re going home or not!
EVENTS
CONTRIBUTOR COMMUNITY CALENDAR
As The Contributor works with partners across the city, the team often finds events and opportunities to build community among vendors, staff and friends of the organization. In each issue, we plan to publish a few events, internal celebrations and community information to help keep our readers connected. BY LINDSEY LONGORIA Join The Contributor for Rock Steady! Are you ready to rock?! The Contributor is thrilled to be a part of Rock Steady: A Celebration of the Enduring Nashville Rock Scene, at The Basement East at 7 p.m. on Aug. 23. You may be wondering how a street newspaper intersects with a rock show? Well, if there’s one thing we have in common, it’s a commitment to uplifting artists and celebrating the ever-evolving legacy of our city! When Dan Russell, drummer for the local rock band Echo Pilot, reached out to me about the idea, he showed up at Dead End Records, owned by a mutual friend, and handed me a beautiful linocut stamped, hand-stitched zine to spread the work about Rock Steady. I immediately told him about The Contributor’s zine program and the ways in which self-publishing allows our vendors and community members to flex their creative skills and access a wider audience. Russell had the same idea in mind when it came to Rock Steady. Rock music in Nashville, like in many other urban areas, evolved through experimentation, creative collaboration and grassroots event-planning — a legacy that endures to this day. Through house shows, dive bars, word of mouth and the innately human desire to connect with others through artistic expression, rock musicians have carved spaces for themselves and embedded their talents and passions into the very fibers which make up the tapestry of Music City. And we aim to do the same here at The Contributor. From the very beginning, The Contributor has been a space that welcomes those who are too often overlooked by society. Those who are considered outcasts, or not fit for the “mainstream.” Not only are they welcome here, they are centered. The voices of our unhoused and formerly unhoused neighbors make up the core of our paper. For many, this is the only place they may ever see their words published for others to read. They share their hopes, dreams, fears and fantasies in print for us all to read, which is a vulnerable and wildly brave move for them to make. We are so grateful for these brave, creative souls. And we see a natural
connection between them and our mission, and that of the Rock Steady Team. Rock Steady began partnering with local businesses and organizations, and The Contributor was game to be included. Other partners for this event include: Dream House Immersive Production Studio, Dead End Records, Fork’s Drum Closet, Nashville is the Reason, Nashville LAUNCH PAD and YEAH! Rocks. Each of these partners bring their own reasons for being involved in the event, but they all come back to the same core idea: the rock music community in Nashville is something to be celebrated and its legacy and impact deserve to be acknowledged. This event will be hosted at iconic local music venue The Basement East, and it will include a variety of creative ways to commemorate and celebrate the rock scene. Through art installations by local artists (including some from The Contributor), a videography archive wall showcasing changes in Nashville through the years, input from Nashville natives and those who have been involved in the rock scene for decades, a photo booth, and of course, live performances by local rock bands Echo Pilot, Fatal Affair, Year of October and Campanula, the Rock Steady show is more than a concert, it is an experience to be remembered. “Rock Steady Nashville is important to us for a few reasons,” Dan from Rock Steady shared. “First, Nashville’s rock scene deserves to be honored for its deep history, plethora of talented musicians, and unbelievably bright-looking future. Music City simply does not live up to its moniker without its rock scene. Second, we want to see a more connected arts community throughout Nashville. This city holds an embarrassment of riches when it comes to its artists and thus, having an event that can better connect everyone is crucial to continuing to cultivate citywide unity and support for each other. Third, highlighting community organizations like The Contributor, YEAH! Rocks, and Nashville LAUNCH PAD is central to shared success and support across the arts. All these organizations strive to make life better for Nashvillians and help
stimulate creativity with a variety of art programs they offer, and so their work should be recognized and appreciated on a large scale.” Russell said on a more personal note that “Rock Steady means the world to me because it draws individuals together from groups that I may have never been introduced to. Also, it will be the first time I’ve ever performed original music at The Beast. I’ve had the privilege to perform at The Basement East many times for tribute shows throughout the years, but to get to play your own music on that stage is a rite of passage for Nashville musicians and so I’m deeply humbled and grateful to get the opportunity to do that!” Tickets can be purchased using the QR code below or at https://www.thebasementnashville.com/basement-east-events/. The Contributor Housing Team Helps Keep People in Housing We would like to extend a special shout-out this week to our housing team! The housing team consists of our housing stability guides: Brandon Battle, Carli Tharp, Sarah Champion and Zero Mannino, along with our Program Operations Lead, Andrew Terry, and our Director of Program Operations, Ree Cheers. This team works tirelessly to serve our recently housed community members, and just recently, they fulfilled their contract to serve 75 referrals for CTI Services. What does that mean exactly? CTI stands for Critical Time Intervention, and according to The Center for the Advancement of Critical Time Intervention, it is “a time-limited evidence-based practice that mobilizes support for society’s most vulnerable individuals during periods of transition. It facilitates community integration and continuity of care by ensuring that a person has enduring ties to their community and support systems during these critical periods.” For our housing stability guides, this means they receive referrals from the Office of Homeless Services to provide case management for recently housed individuals over the course of nine months. With increasing focus on inde-
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pendence and access to community resources, our housing stability guides meet with each individual referred to their caseload and work together to accomplish a variety of personal and professional goals all aimed toward remaining stably housed. Because we know it is one thing to get housed, and it is entirely another to stay that way. And what does that mean for these people who need housing? There are 75 individuals (and often their family members and roommates) who are now connected to the resources they need to remain secure. That is 75 of our neighbors who have a personal connection to a housing stability guide at The Contributor who is able to answer their questions, assuage their fears, and point them toward their best next step. And best of all, it is 75 individuals who are no longer sleeping on the street, in their car, or in a shelter, but in a place where they can truly rest and call home. And despite knowing this work is hard and relentless, the housing team makes it look easy! They have not only met their referral quota for the year, they did it early and well before their December deadline, which means there is flexibility to serve beyond the measure given to them. Here’s to our housing team and the incredible work they have done and continue to do to meet the needs of our recently housed neighbors. Volunteer Opportunities at The Contributor Are you interested in serving our unhoused community? The Contributor is always looking for volunteers. Whether you have the capacity to serve in the vendor office overseeing newspaper sales, you are passionate about making breakfast for our community members every other Wednesday when we release a new issue, or you love driving and would enjoy helping move people into their new homes, there is a place for you here. If you want to discuss volunteering with us, please email our Director of Vending, Caroline Lindner, at caroline@ thecontributor.org. And if donating physical items is more your speed, you can check out our Amazon wishlist using the link on our social media pages or at https://a.co/08jwrhBd
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Learn More About the Tension between Metro and the Homelessness Planning Council BY JUDITH TACKET T
From what I’ve observed, the Homelessness Planning Council (HPC) is struggling to assert itself against Metro and the Office of Homeless Services (OHS). The distrust between the two entities has become palpable, and Metro seems to do all it can to shift the power in its favor. Ultimately, the ones who suffer and lose in the midst of these clashes over policy matters are the people who are trying to survive on the streets and in shelters. HPC members for years have felt they had no real say over any resources, which they concluded ultimately renders them powerless. I believe that the HPC has enough tools to hold its members, including — and especially — the Office of Homelessness and Metro accountable. Distrust on both sides OHS and the HPC are expected to work closely together to strengthen our local homelessness crisis response system. But let me back up. The HPC was created in 2018 to move from a bifurcated governance structure with two separate boards — one staffed and housed within Metro, the other at the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) — and both tasked to build a system capable of preventing and ending homelessness for residents in Nashville-Davidson County. The two boards, one called the Metropolitan Homelessness Commission, the other the Continuum of Care (CoC) Governance Board, formed a working group to marry the interests of Metro while integrating the federal requirements of the CoC and create a unified backbone agency to address homelessness in Nashville more efficiently. The conversation stretched over months to ensure that the governance structure maintains its integrity and continues to meet federal requirements. Recently, specifically since Metro’s investment of $50 million from the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP), the community observed a power shift away from a collaborative effort to an environment where Metro hired outside consultants and increasingly exercised power by intimidating nonprofit agencies it funded when their staff was voicing criticism of how Metro went about closing large encampments. During that time, the Metro Council formed a separate department called the Office of Homeless Services (OHS), which directly reports to the Mayor’s Office. Under current Metro leadership, transparency steadily evaporated, with nonprofit and other government agencies often being left out of the planning and coordination process that OHS is supposed to lead. Why the HPC does not function like a regular Metro Board When the HPC was formed, it was anchored within Metro. I like the term that
the CoC’s strategic plan uses to describe it as a quasi-Metro entity because ultimately, its duties are outlined by federal regulations. The Metro Charter calls it an independent board, stating that “The Nashville Davidson County Continuum of Care Homelessness Planning Council shall serve as an independent body and shall be empowered to make decisions and recommendations as the governance board for the Nashville-Davidson County Continuum of Care, as required by 24 C.F.R. Part 578.” That last part, namely “24 C.F.R. Part 578,” refers to the federal regulation that governs the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which among other things require the CoC to promote a communitywide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness, to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families while minimizing trauma, to promote access and effective utilization to mainstream programs, and to optimize self-sufficiency. Because the HPC is housed within Metro, government rules such as the state’s open meetings act or that Metro Council members appointed to the HPC serve in an ex-officio capacity apply. All this technical governing language boils down to two facts: 1. The HPC does not have hiring and firing power over the OHS director as other Metro boards and commissions do; and 2. The HPC has no oversight or input in OHS’ budget, which has grown to over $18 million in the current fiscal year, from roughly $2 million in 2021. I looked at other community boards that are tasked to hold Metro departments accountable, including the Metro Human Relations Commission (MHRC) and the Community Review Board (CRB), to compare them to the HPC. As a quick sidenote, the MHRC’s responsibilities include resolving complaints and offering educational programming related to discrimination in the areas of employment, housing, financial services and commercial transactions, the provision of public accommodations and the provision of city activities and services. They are currently investigating OHS. The CRB’s function is to “strengthen the relationship between citizens and the department of police; to ensure the timely, fair, and objective review of citizen complaints while protecting the individual rights of police officers; and to make recommendations concerning citizen complaints to the chief of police.” Both the MHRC and CRB often take critical stances against other Metro entities — and because of that can be viewed as activist boards by other Metro departments. Both of them have a Metro budget and Metro staff they oversee. The HPC, as we have already established, has neither.
TERMINOLOGY Homelessness Planning Council (HPC): The Nashville-Davidson County community board of 25 members that serves as the Continuum of Care Governance Board. The Homelessness Planning Council is a quasi-Metro body as described in BL2018-1199. It is empowered to act on behalf of the CoC as outlined in the CoC Governance Charter. Office of Homeless Services (OHS): Created in 2023 as its own department when Metro Council moved the entire Metro Homeless Impact division from Metro Social Services to form a separate department that reports directly to the Mayor’s Office. Continuum of Care (CoC): A regional or local planning body that coordinates housing and services funding for individuals, families and unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness. A CoC creates a collaborative community effort that provides a strategic systems approach that focuses on connecting people to housing and services to end their homelessness. Coordinated Entry (CE): A standardized access, assessment, and referral process for housing and other services across agencies in a community. Homeless Management Information System (HMIS): A local information technology system used to collect client-level data and data on the provision of housing and services to individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. It is used as a tool to evaluate people’s needs and assist them more effectively, avoiding duplication of services.
The Powers of Metro Calling the HPC a Metro board has blurred the boundaries between how much oversight Metro has in terms of how the HPC functions as opposed to this being an independent community board as required by federal regulations. I often wonder why this even matters. But when you look at homelessness funding available to nonprofits, Metro clearly controls the largest amount with its $18-million budget. . In comparison, the CoC as a whole currently receives just under $12 million in federal dollars, which are disbursed through direct contracts between HUD and each agency. The HPC has some oversight over only about $755,000 of CoC funds, which are allocated to the CoC Lead agency, which is [the Office of Homeless Services.] Those $755,000 are supposed to be used by OHS for planning purposes and to manage the HMIS database and Coordinated Entry (CE) process. However, earlier this month, OHS surprised the HPC by deciding not to apply to the HMIS or CE funds. This move, in itself, is not necessarily a bad
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thing, as OHS claims that they would make up for the loss of nearly $300,000 by paying for it out of their Metro budget. Sounds great, right? The problem that HPC members voiced in no uncertain terms is that OHS has made it abundantly clear in the past that they (the HPC) do not have any control over Metro money, and also that there was ample time to bring this change and proposal before the HPC to fully discuss it rather than spring it on them at the last minute. But that has been a pattern by OHS, which last year also sent an after-hours email to HPC members the evening before an early morning meeting where the HPC was prepared to vote on updated CE policies. In that email, OHS essentially wanted to make significant changes to the policy to benefit Metro. OHS requires nonprofits to participate in CE when they award a grant, but OHS takes itself out of the CE process whenever it suits their director to do so. That has caused a lot of tension in the community because systems do not work when the lead agency builds two sets of rules – one for
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agencies it funds, the other for itself. Besides controlling the largest pot of homelessness funding in our community, OHS also manages the homelessness data on behalf of the CoC. In that role, OHS has shown to hold on to the data and use data outputs in a way they believe makes them look good — or so they think. In reality, their data reports are riddled with mistakes to the point that they render the published data useless (see my column in the July-29 issue). The Powers of the HPC The HPC is not as powerless as it may seem. In the past, HPC members have complained that they don’t have oversight or influence over OHS staff or their budget and therefore cannot hold Metro accountable. A professor once told me that power stems from three main sources: 1. A position and title; 2. Control over money and resources; or 3. Knowledge and information. When we examine where the power lies in the Metro versus HPC imbalance, we already established that Metro holds position and resources. But the HPC members ultimately control their own knowledge. The problem is, the HPC is a volunteer board, and members have full-time jobs. Yet, if they are truly passionate about building a system to improve the lives of
Ultimately, the ones who suffer and lose in the midst of these clashes over policy matters are the people who are trying to survive on the streets and in shelters.
people experiencing homelessness, they do have an extremely strong and effective tool: they can call for transparency and do so in a public forum. For example, when OHS violates the CE policies it is supposed to implement, the HPC can question them publicly about it. The HPC completely missed this opportunity when OHS kept 80 beds in a transitional housing facility open for one year, even though they had the money and resources to fill them. The CE policies and procedures document states, “Participating agencies are
expected to contribute to the CE System by,” among other things, “… promptly report any current or expected vacancies to the CE lead so referrals can be made quickly and beds do not sit empty. This is based on program and care coordination expectations to facilitate prompt referrals and reduce vacancy rates.” In addition, according to its own policies, the CoC’s Coordinated Entry Oversight Committee is “responsible for creating and implementing an annual evaluation of the CE lead and reporting its findings to the CoC General Membership
and Homelessness Planning Council (HPC) for consideration.” This has not happened. HPC members would do well to demand that the oversight measures they have put in place are actually implemented. If all else fails, which often does when a Metro department is fully backed by an administration, the HPC has the right to directly approach the Metro Council, in particular the Metro Council’s Public Health and Safety Committee that has the authority to question OHS. And with several Councilmembers serving on the HPC, they could put forth their own questions and reports counteracting some of the flawed data reports produced by OHS. The HPC members, together or as individuals, can also make public information requests when OHS refuses to share information in a transparent and timely manner. Or the HPC could keep items on its agenda under Old Business until OHS has responded to them in a satisfactory manner. In the end, these are all options I hope the HPC can avoid by rebuilding the trust with their own CoC Lead agency. But if the HPC members continue to be too polite to stand up and recognize what they actually can and should do, people struggling to survive on Nashville’s streets will continue to suffer for longer and at higher levels than necessary.
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August 12 - 26, 2026 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 9
COVER STORY PHOTO FROM METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
l o o h c S o t k c Ba What Metro Nashville Public Schools Faces This School Year BY AMANDA HAGGARD As school heads back into session for the 2026-27 year, Metro Nashville Public Schools faces a number of new challenges, opportunities and mandates that affect students, teachers and families. From new laws from the state legislature to increased state spending on vouchers to new school start times and a giant budget, MNPS starts the year with a bevy of things on the slate. Here are a few of the larger items facing the district: MNPS Makes Adjustment to School Start and End Times After community input and surveys to families last year, Metro Nashville Public Schools will start this year with a new schedule. Start and end times for elementary, middle and high school will now be staggered, with later start times for high school and elementary and no change to the middle school schedule. The Metro Nashville Board of Education voted to approve the schedule ahead of the 2026-27 school year. Studies have shown later school start times for high schools can improve their ability to remain engaged, and this new schedule is meant to give high school students a bit more time to sleep in the morning. The new schedule was also implemented after looking at what
would keep disruptions for families and the schools to a minimum. This is the new school day schedule for each group: • Elementary schools: 8:10 a.m. – 3:10 p.m. • Early Learning Centers: 8:10 a.m. – 2:10 p.m. • Middle schools: 8:55 a.m. – 3:55 p.m. • High schools: 7:25 a.m. – 2:25 p.m. Optional magnet and charter schools are able to adhere to their preferred schedules as they have in the past. Drivers in school zones should also note the new schedules. AMANDA HAGGARD MNPS Starts Year with Largest Budget to Date The kids were already a month into summer when the Metro Nashville School Board voted to approve the next school year’s historic budget of $1.4 billion. “This allocation reflects an investment in the continued growth and operational stability of Nashville’s public schools, and it supports our work as a four-time Level 5 Advancing District delivering historically high academic outcomes for students,” the district wrote ahead of its initial proposal. The overall budget increased by around 4 percent, $55 million over last year’s budget. The MNPS budget
makes up more than 37 percent of the city’s overall budget. “As is true of any school district budget, the overwhelming majority of MNPS expenditures go toward the people who serve our students every day. Of the $55,870,900 increase in the FY27 budget, approximately $40 million — more than 70 percent — is dedicated directly to employee compensation, including salary steps, health and pension benefits, and the Metro-wide cost-of-living adjustment. This reflects a fundamental truth about public education: investing in schools means investing in people.” Just a week ahead of the budget vote, the Metro Council asked MNPS to undergo a $800,000 audit during the budget cycle and to pull $550,000 from the 2026-27 budget to fund it. The audit will look at MNPS operations, but the overall scope is unknown. The board voted to pull funds for the audit from a proposed pre-K $1.1 million expansion of the Hillwood Early Learning Center. They will utilize the overage for vacancy savings. AMANDA HAGGARD MNPS Cites Negative Fiscal Impact in Four Charter School Denials this Summer At the end of July, the Metro Nash-
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ville Board of Education voted to deny four charter school applications citing the budget implications and effect it would have on community schools. The schools — Music City Academy, the Gate School, Nashville School of Excellence and Empowerment Academy — submitted amended applications after the board denied them in April. The negative fiscal impact of bringing on the four charter schools would be $6,444,510 in their first year of operation and $21,999,919 at their full build-out capacity, according to the district’s estimates. “The community I represent is firmly on the side of more funding for the schools already in place in the community,” board member Erin O’Hara Block said at the July 28 meeting. Funding from the state is based on a per-pupil formula, which means as enrollment goes down in a community school, the school gets less financial support. Already struggling schools stand to lose the most in these scenarios. All four schools could appeal to the Tennessee Department of Education’s Tennessee Public Charter School Commission where they could overturn the local decision and approve the schools. AMANDA HAGGARD
COVER STORY
PHOTO FROM METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
PHOTO FROM METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
As school heads back into session for the 2026-27 year, Metro Nashville Public Schools faces a number of new challenges, opportunities and mandates that affect students, teachers and families. PHOTO BY JOHN PARTIPILO FOR TN LOOKOUT MNPS Says No Major Impact as State Restricts K-5 Classroom Tech A law passed by the 2026 Tennessee General Assembly now places limits on digital-device use in kindergarten through fifth-grade classrooms. Beginning this school year, districts with K-5 students are being asked to adopt policies that restrict digital devices at school and require teachers to stop using them to provide instruction and electronic testing for elementary-aged students. Metro Nashville Public Schools says that the new law already fits with its instructional approach and that it would not require significant changes to classroom practices to comply. “Over the past several years, with support from both Metro Government and previously through the federal ESSER program, MNPS has made substantial investments in full classroom sets of textbooks and other instructional materials,” the district says. “Students have access to physical books, workbooks and hands-on instructional resources that support high-quality teaching and learning.” MNPS says technology plays a role in classrooms as a tool to “enhance and supplement effective instruction, not replace the relationship between teachers and students. Our focus remains on using technology intentionally where
it adds value while keeping teachers at the center of the learning experience.” The law applies to local school districts and public charter schools serving those grades. AMANDA HAGGARD State Voucher Vendor Gets Boost Over Summer Tennessee lawmakers gave a $356 million raise to the company handling the state’s two private-school voucher programs, despite the vendor’s woes in two other states. The legislature’s Fiscal Review Committee approved the increase this summer, pushing the maximum contract amount for Student First Technologies, LLC to nearly $637 million over the life of its five-year contract to run an online portal where parents can apply for the funds and receive payments. The increase for the last two years of the contract comes after the legislature added 15,000 students to the Education Freedom Scholarship program this year, pushing it to a total of 35,000 for the 2026-27 school year. The Department of Education hired the Indiana-based company in May 2023 to administer the Education Savings Account program, ESA, for low-income students to attend private schools at a cost of around $40 million. Approved in 2019, the ESA was Gov.
Bill Lee’s first voucher program, and is available to students in Metro Nashville, Memphis and Chattanooga. Initially, it was administered by Florida-based ClassWallet in a no-bid contract. The department then widened the Student First Technologies contract to cover a separate private-school voucher program enacted in February 2025, which is projected to cost $270 million next school year after the expansion goes into effect. Democratic Sen. Heidi Campbell of Nashville raised questions about the vendor in June, saying Student First Technologies won Tennessee’s business even though the state of Arkansas terminated its contract with the vendor and obtained $300,000 in damages for failure to deliver online services. The vendor also struggled to run a similar program in West Virginia after receiving a $10 million contract, failing to process nearly 3,000 of 9,000 student applications. Campbell asked whether the department conducted an independent performance review of the vendor for “accountability.” States Newsroom and The 74 reported that the vendor wasn’t supposed to take on other contracts until it cleaned up problems in West Virginia. Department of Education officials
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responded by saying the vendor was selected in a competitive bid process and that the company has been a “good partner.” The Tennessee Comptroller hasn’t reported any problems with the performance of Student First Technologies. Keith Minor, an attorney for the department, said the Comptroller’s Office audits all contracts and that the department can seek liquidated damages in case of a breach of contract. Education officials referred reporters’ questions afterward to a department spokesperson. Rep. Dan Howell, a Cleveland Republican who chairs the Fiscal Review Committee, declined to comment on the amount paid to Student First Technologies, saying he voted against the private-school voucher program when it was adopted last year. But Sen. Todd Gardenhire, a Chattanooga Republican, said the committee should start looking at vendors’ backgrounds, including fines and penalties, when discussing contract increases. Gardenhire said that the state needs to monitor the rising costs and consider legislation in 2027 to deal with the expense. Gardenhire added that lawmakers also need to “see what the new governor, whoever that is, has an appetite to do.” SAM STOCKARD | TN LOOKOUT
FEATURE
BETH GUNN
TIM YANKE
PEGGY SNOW
Street Art
A slate of summer exhibitions highlight development and homelessness BY JOE NOLAN It’s the middle of summer and the low ebb of the gallery-going season, but a handful of exhibitions closing out the dog days are worth braving the humidity. From a unique local perspective on development and demolition to displays by veterans and artists who’ve experienced homelessness, these shows all avoid the floral clichés of warm-weather commercial curation to ask tough questions and offer unique perspectives on our neighborhoods and our neighbors. Peggy Snow Showcase Displayed at Gordon Jewish Community Center Peggy Snow’s been painting Nashville’s relentlessly changeable streetscape for more than three decades. Abandoned buildings, historic structures threatened with demolition, and beloved blocks buried in tall-and-skinny domestic silos and multilevel-mixed-use monstrosities wrought from metal and glass. Snow has captured an archive of lost structures in a city that’s changed faster than most residents have been able to absorb. Across a career of canvases dabbed and streaked in her signature painterly style, Snow works roadside and on location. She’s a contemporary plein air artist who eschews the rivers and fields for the neighborhood streets
and congested roadways that are the front lines of an ongoing battle to preserve our city’s architectural heritage. Snow painted the Rock Block before Gold Rush closed, Printer’s Alley before its boutique makeover, and firehouses and apartment buildings that are long gone, but not forgotten thanks to Snow. For Contributor readers who understand the cultural and human cost of the city’s relentless development, Snow’s practice looks increasingly prescient, even visionary. Snow’s work is on view at the Gordon Jewish Community Center through Sept. 21. Daybreak Arts Presents ‘Perspective: How We Experience Art’ Daybreak Arts presents Perspective: How We Experience Art, a group exhibition at Arcade Arts’ Gallery 59. The exhibition spotlights work by artists who have experienced homelessness and are rebuilding their lives through creativity. More than just a show of so-called outsider art, Perspective is organized around three styles of art representing different modes of perception: realism, impressionism, and abstraction. Moving through the three separate gallery environments, visitors are presented with different ways of seeing the world. Interactive elements, artist
demonstrations, and educational programming during the show’s run add to the conversation. “These artists demonstrate extraordinary talent and resilience,” said Daybreak Arts Executive Director Nicole Minyard, “inviting us to look beyond assumptions and recognize the creativity, humanity, and possibility within every individual.” Admission is free. Perspective opens Aug. 8 during the Second Saturday Art Crawl at Arcade Arts Gallery 59 and runs through Aug. 26, with open gallery hours Thursday through Sunday, 1–6 p.m. Go to daybreakarts.org for more information. Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center Hosts Eighth Annual Veterans Art Exhibition Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center’s eighth annual Veterans Art Exhibition is also a celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. The Contributor’s readers know the battles veterans can face from mental health challenges to addiction and homelessness. This year’s celebration reminds our neighbors of the sacrifices the few have made for the many, while also spotlighting the role that art can play when it comes to healing traumas both national and personal. For the Love of Liberty
August 12 - 26, 2026 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 12
is a star-spangled display centered on the work of Michigan-based abstract painter Tim Yanke. The artist’s “Yanke Doodles” series reimagines the American flag in non-traditional colors representing the diverse cultures and communities that have made their home in this country. Other flag paintings incorporate Vietnam service ribbons in tribute to the veterans who served in that conflict. Nashville’s own Manuel will also exhibit his elaborately decorated state jackets in an installation that honors the original 13 colonies. Gallatin-based artist Don Olea will also display some of his knockout watercolor paintings celebrating the founding. Military veterans enrolled in the MACC’s Between the Lines healing arts program will display their own work in a companion exhibition titled I Didn’t Know How to Tell You. The show reminds viewers that veterans are overrepresented among our unhoused neighbors. For the Love of Liberty is on view at Monthaven Arts and Cultural Center through Sept. 6.
Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist and performing singer/ songwriter based in East Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.
UPCOMING
EVENTS Saturday, August 8 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Timothy Johnson
Demetria Kaladimos
Robert Neyland The West Point Engineer Who Built Tennessee Football
Wednesday, August 12 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Music for Seniors
Free Daytime Concert with Wineland & Friends
Thursday, August 20 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. Jeff Sellers
Stories in Stone:
African American Contributions to the Construction of the Tennessee State Capitol
Saturday, September 12 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Joe Pagetta
Katie Peterson
The Apostle of Tennessee: The Indefatigable Life and Ministry of Father Aloysius Orengo
August 12 - 26, 2026 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 13
Over 75 Years of Combined Experience.
Where Trust Meets Results Our Team is Here for You 24/7.
406 11th Avenue North, Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37203 visit BartDurham.com • call 615.242.9000 August 12 - 26, 2026 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 14
FUN
HOBOSCOPES LEO
I was doing pretty good this morning until I got in the shower. I mean, it was fine. Pleasant, even, with the warm water and all. I think that’s what got me. I started thinking through my day. Started wondering if I was doing anything right. Zoned-out remembering the form I forgot to fill out that was due on Tuesday. Realized I never put in my time-off request for Astrology*Con next weekend. Wondered if anybody would notice if I just disappeared. And then the hot water started running out and I toweled off to start my day. It’s amazing how many thoughts and worries and little-despairs can materialize in the course of a shower, Leo. It might even be worth giving those some intentional space that isn’t constrained by a failing water-heater. Sit with those thoughts. Let them be present. See what they want even if it’s just to slow you down.
VIRGO
I told the guy at the shoe store that I stand up at work all day so I need comfortable and supportive shoes. He went into the back and brought out a box. He said they would be like walking on a hot buttered cloud. Then he went upstairs and came back down with some insoles. He said these would be like standing on the tongues of angels. (He had a real gift for simile.) It cost more than I wanted to spend, but the guy was right! I wore them to work and they’re as soft as melted-marshmallow pancakes. (I’m working on it.) Sometimes the advice and the investment are worth it, Virgo. Ask for the shoes you need.
This reminds me of the time the Klingons tried to invade the Cardassian homeworld but were narrowly thwarted by a small Federation-aligned crew acting without orders. What I mean is, Sagittarius, that when you see something happening that you know is wrong, you don’t have to wait for the people in charge to fix it. I’m not saying you should fly a cloaked vessel deep into Cardassian space and risk the lives of your crew by dropping your shields to transport wounded non-ally-combatants off a nearly-destroyed ship. I’m just saying I know some people who would do it for you.
ARIES
There’s an old Buddhist story about a young student who goes to his teacher and says “Master, what can one do to achieve enlightenment?” The teacher takes a deep breath and answers “Chop wood. Carry water.” The student, who is already well into the tasks of the day, is grateful and excited — realizing that he’s well on his way. But before he leaves he stops himself and turns back to his teacher, “Master, what does one do after enlightenment?” The teacher smiles and replies “Chop wood. Carry water.” It may not feel like you’re making progress, Aries, but I see that you’re doing the work in front of you. And your goal may not be a whole new way of living, it might just be a new way of being in your life.
CAPRICORN
This morning I was talking to my paleontologist about all the things I’ve intended to do but that I never get around to doing. “Yes, I still want to write that book, I just never have the time to get things going.” My paleontologist just squinted at me and crinkled up her forehead. (If you’ve got a good paleontologist, you know the look.) “All you have is time.” She told me. “Do you think the pre-pliosaurid ancestors of the attenborosaurus sat around wondering when they’d have the time to evolve smooth, scaleless skin to reduce water resistance?” She’s right, Capricorn. All we have is time. It extends, perhaps infinitely, in every direction. Time is everywhere you look. Get busy evolving.
TAURUS
They made a machine that eats for you, Taurus. Go ahead, try it! You just put whatever food you were going to eat right into the machine. Watch it chew with steel teeth far more powerful and precise than your own. The slurry disappears down a polypropylene throat and enters a sealed, acid-resistant stomach followed by nearly 100 yards of folded, synthetic-intestine. The digestion process is far more complete than anything a human could do. Each nutrient is extracted entirely. Of course, it does leave a small amount of waste, which I’m sure you won’t mind disposing of. You’ll never go back to your old routine of daily, monotonous eating! What do you mean you’re still hungry, Taurus? Honestly, I guess I am too. Maybe we need to keep doing some things for ourselves.
AQUA RIUS
LIBRA
Somebody told me that if I put a decal on my car that advertises my business, I can write-off all my gas as a business expense. So I ordered a giant magnet for my passenger door that says “Mysterio Amateur Astrology — Follow Me To The Stars.” But then somebody else told me that if I put a magnet on my car that says “Follow Me” and then somebody follows me, I can’t legally ask them to stop. I’m not sure if either of those things are true, Libra, but now I’ve got a huge personalized magnet on my fridge and I wonder if I can write-off these frozen taquitos. It’s great to get advice, Libra. It’s even better to verify it before you spend any money.
SCORPIO
SAGITTA R IUS
I grew up watching lots of TV sitcoms. Little square-shaped stories where the jokes were punctuated by a laughing crowd and everything generally worked-out in 23 minutes. But when I put those old shows on my new big-screen TV something’s wrong. The main cast floats in the center while the background-extras have compelling but silent conversations in the vibrant HD-letterbox wings. I can’t stop watching those storyless characters. Where do they go at the end of the scene? And then I tell a joke and nobody laughs and I have to wonder if maybe I’m not in the main cast. But nobody’s an extra in their own life, Scorpio. Step into the foreground. You’ve slipped back a little.
I was out for a walk today and a sweet little dog walked up to me. She was wagging her tail and following right behind me. She had a collar but no tags. I immediately knew I wanted no part of this whole situation. This is a problem I can’t solve! But then I remembered I’ve that guy I met in 2-C who loves dogs. My happy little friend followed me and I knocked on his door. He called his friend Pam who had room in her yard. She messaged her sister who put pictures on the community page. 5 hours later, the owner came to pick up the dog. Turns out I didn’t have to solve the whole problem, Aquarius, I just had to knock on one door.
PISCES
The wasps are at it again, Pisces! I’ve been watching them build that nest for months. First one little paper hexagon. Then two. I thought they were giving up somewhere around May, but they kept going a little bit at a time. Suddenly that nest is taking up the whole corner of the porch and every time I walk out the door one of those little guys is threatening me off to my car. Maybe we can be more like that, Pisces. Not the part where we chase people around with our stingers, but the part where we keep working on something a little bit every day until it gets done.
GEMINI
These new shoes I got are so comfortable! I’ve been standing up all day and my feet could do another 12 hours! There’s just one problem, Gemini. They squeak. I guess there’s just a little friction where the Comfort-Quest insoles rub against the top of the Shock-Stop3 Power-Zorb collar. It just makes a little squeak. With every step. Like a frog barking in some tropical tree. And I keep thinking everybody is looking at me. It’s too quiet in here, Gemini, and it makes me feel like a circus clown. But then I remember what my mom used to say “I bet nobody is there is thinking about you at all. They should be thinking about you more!” And maybe she’s right. Maybe we should be making more noise, Gemini.
CANCER
I have walked the rocky paths without a guide. I have climbed the hills of which I could not see the peak. I have stood on the cliff’s edge and stared into the abyss below. I have shouted my own name into the seemingly bottomless void. And you know what’s funny, Cancer? It didn’t really do much for me. Sure, a solo quest into the unknown is great. Do that if you feel like you should. But what I’d much rather do is walk some paved trails with friends. We can help each other up the hill. We’ll check out the view and shout each others names to hear them echo through the canyon. You can come too if you want. Bring a snack.
Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a trained trash can repairman, or a registered hot sauce brand. Want more? Visit mrmysterio.com Or just give him a call at 707-VHS-TAN1.
August 12 - 26, 2026 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 15
VENDOR WRITING
Chapter Five: A Helping Hand BY BRADLEY B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
After a few weeks at the shelter, Merik felt ready to try finding a job. On a slow afternoon, he found Luis clearing some overgrowth on the side of the building. He waved and approached. “Hey, um, I was wondering,” said Merik. “I think it’s time I start looking for work. Do you know anyone who might take me on?” Luis pulled off his work gloves “Well, if you’re serious, you’re going to need a State ID and a Social Security Card. You got either of those?” Merik looked down. “Sorry, I haven’t had those in so long, I don’t even remember when I lost them.” Luis was unfazed. “It happens more often than you would think. We can help you.” The next day, Luis took Merik to the Social
Security office, followed by the DMV. Merik was overwhelmed by the paperwork, but Luis stayed calm. As they walked back to the shelter van in the afternoon, Luis clapped Merik on the back. “Now we wait,” he said. “How long do you reckon?” asked Merik. Luis let out a long, slow whistle. “Hopefully in a few weeks. Takes a while, but all you can do is wait.” So wait he did. Four weeks later, Merik finally held both documents in his hands. After he opened the envelope holding his ID, he tossed it on his bed and pumped his fist in the air. “Woo!” he said. His mood was improving, and things were looking like they were going to be okay. Now that Merik had his ID and Social
Brad's Brain Busting Book Cipher
Security card, it was time to start looking for a job. He spent a week traversing the city on foot, stopping at every place he found with a NOW HIRING or HELP WANTED sign. He filled out dozens of applications. He remembered to shake hands with everyone he met and logged every application in a small notebook Luis had given him. After a long day of job searching, Merik sat on his bed at the shelter. Two months earlier, he never would have believed that he would be finally on the path to finding a job again. This was something he never dared to let himself believe he could do. It was definitely not something he could have managed on his own. So, with the help of just a few kind souls, he was on his way to what he hoped was a better future.
CREATED BY BRADLE Y B.
Solve the cypher by using the story above this puzzle. Solution will be in next week's issue! “9:9:5 12:1:4 16:15:2 16:9:2 4:8:1 6:8:4 / 13:4:1 9:18:1 14:8:3 / 1:6:2 13:6:4 3:6:2 16:4:3 / 17:6:2 14:20:6 9:20:3 9:10:1 / 16:6:4 14:18:1 1:1:3 / 14:8:1 16:11:2 2:6:2 13:12:3 / 14:9:7 16:15:1 17:9:4 / 15:3:2 16:11:3 5:1:2 / 17:54:1 17:65:4 14:30:1 18:8:5 . /16:1:2 17:15:2 / 9:25:4 2:11:4 2:4:2 5:3:4 14:22:3 / 16:15:4 15:1:3 14:12:4 / 4:9:1 11:5:1 12:2:2 / 8:7:1 12:7:3 16:3:3 16:10:3 / 14:24:2 4:12:2 16:8:2 14:5:3 6:8:4 14:10:1 / 6:3:6 5:3:2 / 11:7:5 9:2:1 16:13:2 5:3:3 / 16:10:4 14:12:2 7:1:2 / 17:48:6 16:5:1 17:34:4 14:13:2 14:18:1 14:25:1 / 11:3:1 11:3:2 / 12:7:7 16:4:6 10:2:2 4:19:6 8:6:1 13:6:1 16:6:2 12:7:3 6:3:5 17:38:6 / 17:48:1 12:5:1 4:3:2 13:2:2 3:2:5.” — / 13:1:3 9:7:2 16:4:3 17:45:2 13:10:2 14:36:1 9:16:3 / 5:1:1 12:3:1 9:15:1 16:7:2 14:16:5 4:8:1 / 14:31:1 16:4:4 8:3:2 16:4:6 17:24:5 17:10:3 16:14:1 Last Issue Solution: “Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.”— Paul Boese
COMIC BY DENNIS T., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
August 12 - 26, 2026 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 16
Montana Joe
BY ELEANOR S., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR In 2000 I had my youngest daughter, Montana Joe Stevens. When I was pregnant with her, I knew something was not right. I kept taking her to the doctors and they kept saying that she was healthy. On her first year checkup I was ready to take her home when she stopped breathing and stiffened up. The doctors finally saw what I was trying to tell them. So, they sent her home with a heart monitor for three days to keep track of her heart activity. I took it back and they checked her and said she was OK. Three days later they called me and set up a heart doctor for her. She had bradycardia. For people who don’t know what that is, it’s when the heart is not getting enough blood flow. At age three they decided to give her a pacemaker. Before they were able to, she died three times. Thank God my husband was a CNA. He is the one that saved her. They put her in the ICU. I couldn’t pick her up. She was hooked up with all kinds of tubes and wires. She wanted me to hold her so much I started to cry. Finally at age three she got her pacemaker. They kept giving her a new pacemaker every four to five years depending on how much life the battery had and the activity she’d done. It was not her heart condition that killed her. That is another story for another day. To be continued ….
VENDOR WRITING
PIECES OF POETRY 83
Street-Paper Asset?
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015 Hard times should never be, An excuse for flying a sign. But… When the Chances of Finding an Opportunity, Are becoming, Harder and Harder to Find? The Good… The Bad… and The Ugly… There’s always someone worse off than me, And who am I to think? My Simple, Rhyming Writings, Might possibly bring “Sight to The Blind” Day After Day, I’m trying to say something, And I feel like I’m just wasting my time. But… I do have something to get Loud About? And be Proud Of? … “Not every city has a Street-Paper, And no other Street-Paper has got Chris Scott.” And I do plan on leaving, Something I’ve written? Behind… You can listen to my words, being heard out loud, Or you can listen to me speak to you, privately… Without ever making a sound. Talk About a Message? Left in a Bottle? Just waiting for One Day? To be Found? There’s a reason? Why I’m still around? Defending the Common Man’s Right, To Common Ground. Like a Left-Over, not worth finding? Left behind in the Long Island Rail Road, Lost and Found. I remember when I came here to Music City, I came here to Amaze & Astound, Without ever making a sound. So? … A letter from a friend, every two weeks, Who just happens to be? A Gifted Long Island Song Writer… When, all you’ve got is “Billy Joel” & Me, And my sincere apologies, Music City, I’m sorry you’re stuck with Me. & There’s a reason? Why I’m still around?
Whatever Happened to The Eagle’s Nest?
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015 What Ever Happened to The Eagle’s Nest? R. U. taking care of somebody else? R. U. watching over? And protecting somebody else? Other than yourself? Where would they be without your help? Whatever? … The Choice is yours? … What are you selflessly doing this for? … You Never Can Tell? … You Never Can Tell? … What Ever Happened to The Eagle’s Nest? It’s a dirty job, but someone had to do it? I can honestly say, “Take my word, I’ve been through it” When those who have the right, To decide what is right? For those who have to, Fight to Survive, For the basic things one needs? Just to Stay Alive … What Ever Happened to The Eagle’s Nest? Offer up Free-Bees, And say “Look what we did? With a Good Part of All That Money?” & What did they learn from it? What did they earn from it? You gave it to them like a band-aid, And the price that was, Supposed to be paid? Becomes something The Government, Gets to say, “Some you can help, some you can’t, Move on to the next.” “It is what it is. It’s just that way.” What Ever Happened to The Eagle’s Nest?
Twice a Month Song Writer Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
Twice a Month Song Writer. That may become the Spark that starts a Raging Fire. Coming from the Heart of a Fighter. Twice a month Song Writer. Someone should be trying to describe their plight. If the whole world doe’s the wrong thing, And you do what’s right, That’s all that matters, right? Twice a Month Song Writer. It’s an honor to be called upon to be That Guy. I’m not a Liar and Profits are not my Main Desire. And I can honestly say, At least I was willing to try. Twice a Month Song Writer. Illustration by Harrison Smith
Rita
STORY AND PAINTING BY BILL B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR A couple of months after I became homeless, I befriended a guy who had just gotten out of jail. We were around the same age and had similar “complicated” backgrounds. We were both of the same mindset of wanting to change our current situations and spent a lot of time looking for work or any legal means of making some money. But with the “complicated” backgrounds we both shared, this proved to be very difficult. One day he came to me and said he was tired of this and wanted us to go “f ly a sign” (panhandle). I told him good luck, but it wasn’t for me. So, armed with a black sharpie and a piece of cardboard, he left. A few hours later, he returned. Beaming with joy, he told me he had made $23. He said, “It’s free money”. I replied, “There’s no such thing as free”. He told me I was crazy (the truth was my pride is what probably stopped me from joining him). But after that day he was hooked, every morning he would head out to an interstate exit ramp or city corner to wait for his money. After a while I noticed a change in him, his attitude was becoming increasingly irritable. He became short tempered and would constantly storm off. Finally, one day he broke down and told me, “I absolutely hate having to get up every day and beg for money”. I could see in his eyes that he had reached that point where he had traded all confidence and dignity
August 12 - 26, 2026 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 17
for stranger’s well-meaning dollars. And what was now left was pure shame. I told him, “You don’t have to do anything”. But that’s not the way he saw it. I wished at the time I had known about the Contributor; I would have suggested giving them a try. Maybe he could’ve sold papers instead of his pride. But he had gotten to that point where he felt he had no other alternatives. Eventually this eroded all self-worth, and he began to “self-medicate”. It got to a point where all the money he received was spent on this “medicine”. I remember thinking how ironic it was that the shame he felt panhandling was now causing him to go out and panhandle. Like a Dog chasing its tail, the cure was now causing the disease. Eventually all of this caught up with him, and he ended up back in jail. He’ll be there for another 2-3 years. I hope he can get the help he needs and won’t repeat the same process when he gets out. I pray anyway. Unfortunately, this is a scenario I see being played out on a daily basis. People standing on street corners with their brown cardboard signs and gray defeated faces. It’s like watching someone slowly drown in quicksand and refuse to take real help. Shortly after my friend went back to jail, I painted “Rita”, I tried to embody that same defeated look my friend had. Thank you for buying this paper and not part of my dignity.
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August 12 - 26, 2026 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 18
MOVING PICTURES
Spider-Man saves the Marvel Cinematic Universe BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC At the beginning of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the world has forgotten that Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Peter asked Doctor Strange for a favor that cost him everyone he loved. I’m addressing viewers who might be playing catch-up with the webslinger because of superhero fatigue and the general falling off of the Marvel Cinematic Universe since the golden age of Favreau and Downey Jr. gave way to the era of Mickey and Goofy. Just when you thought the superhero genre was a dead trend, here comes your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man to save the day with one of the best Marvel films ever made. Starting at the top of the credits, director Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) has made a nearly flawless movie. The action delivers bone-busting frames full of the brutal dynamism that characterizes the best MCU crime-fighting on screen. The screenplay by Spider-Man: No Way Home scribes Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers is practically perfect, populated by familiar characters energized by a new adventure in a story that captures the tortured, youthful ennui that always made Marvel comics more interesting than DC. Cinematographer Brett Pawlak shot an incredible film that has viewers spending half their time swinging or suspended above the streets of the Big Apple, buoyed on the strains of Michael Giacchino’s triumphalist synthesizer score. When the movie finds its footing on the concrete, it’s often every hero and heroine for themselves in this film about misfit loners that serves as a prelude to the introduction of the X-Men to the MCU proper. Spider-Man, Frank Castle/The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), and a mysterious villain who can jump psychically from person to person are all outcasts because of their powers, traumas, and in the case of Peter Parker, a heartbreak and loneliness so intense that his spider DNA is mutating. This film reminds me of my favorite Marvel movie, Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Winter Soldier played like a 1970s conspiracy thriller that just happened to be a superhero film. This new Spidey picture plays like a working-class family drama as much as a comic book flick. We usually think of coming-of-age films as movies about young adolescents, but Brand New Day recalls Reality Bites, Kicking and Screaming, and even The Graduate in its grounded depictions of the shock of the real that accompanies the onset of independent adulthood in America. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a movie with deep emotions and real characters with unique dimensions even when they have relatively limited screen time. MJ (Zendaya) and Peter’s best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) don’t remember anything about Parker or his connection to Spider-Man. Peter is learning about the sacrifices required of men when they outgrow childish things, but Holland and Cretton make it hurt. Bernthal and Sadie Sink never miss as The Punisher and the film’s mysterious villain. Bernthal’s troubled vet-cum-vigilante makes a great odd-couple pairing with Holland’s nice guy webslinger, and Sink shows she’s a natural movie star with a big role to play in one of the most sprawling film franchises ever. Mark Ruffalo has a primo turn as Bruce Banner/The
Hulk, and Liza Colón-Zayas brings just enough mom energy to her portrayal of the soft-boiled Detective Jean DeWolff. There’s also a theme here about the rejection of technology in favor of psycho-spiritual transformation. That might not sound like a superhero movie, but like Captain America: The Winter Soldier, this is bigger than just a superhero movie. It may also mark the beginning of
a renaissance for the MCU. Your spidey senses should be tingling. Spider-Man: Brand New Day opened in theaters July 31, 2026. Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist and performing singer/ songwriter based in East Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.
August 12 - 26, 2026 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 19
“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 - ACTUALIDAD - INMIGRACIÓN - TRABAJO - SALUD - CULTURA Y ENTRENIMIENTO
L a N t i cia 2026
GRATIS
Agosto
Newspaper Nashville
Año 24 - No. 440
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“DONDE OCURREN LOS HECHOS QUE IMPORTAN, SIEMPRE PRIMERO... ANTES”
Nashville, Tennessee
Cruz Roja: más de 160 años de humanidad sin fronteras
De Ginebra a Nashville y al mundo, la Cruz Roja continúa protegiendo vidas, aliviando el sufrimiento y sirviendo a las comunidades
Desde un campo de batalla en Europa hasta una familia afectada por un incendio en Nashville, el Movimiento Internacional de la Cruz Roja y de la Media Por Yuri Cunza Editor in Chief Luna Roja mantiene una @LaNoticiaNews misión que trasciende fronteras: prevenir y aliviar el sufrimiento humano. Por más de 160 años, el emblema de la Cruz Roja ha sido reconocido alrededor del mundo como símbolo de protección y ayuda humanitaria. Su historia comenzó en 1859, cuando el empresario suizo Henry Dunant presenció las consecuencias de la batalla de Solferino, en el norte de Italia, donde miles de soldados quedaron muertos o heridos, muchos sin atención adecuada. Impactado por lo que vio, Dunant publicó en 1862 Recuerdo de Solferino, donde propuso crear organizaciones voluntarias preparadas en tiempos de paz para atender a los heridos durante las guerras. Un año después, en 1863, nació en Ginebra el comité que se convertiría en el Comité Internacional de la Cruz Roja (CICR). Ese esfuerzo también contribuyó a un acontecimiento histórico: la adopción en 1864 del primer Convenio de Ginebra, que estableció protecciones para los soldados heridos y el personal que los atendía. Con el tiempo, esas normas evolucionaron hasta los cuatro Convenios de Ginebra de 1949 y sus Protocolos adicionales, pilares del Derecho Internacional Humanitario, conjun-
local hasta las grandes emergencias nacionales. La Región de Tennessee de la Cruz Roja Americana presta servicios en los 95 condados del estado, además de tres condados vecinos en Arkansas y Mississippi, y está organizada en ocho capítulos. Su sede regional se encuentra en Nashville.
to de reglas que busca limitar los efectos de los conflictos armados y proteger a civiles, heridos, enfermos, prisioneros de guerra, personal médico y otras personas que no participan o han dejado de participar en las hostilidades. Un movimiento verdaderamente mundial Lo que comúnmente llamamos “la Cruz Roja Internacional” es, en realidad, el Movimiento Internacional de la Cruz Roja y de la Media Luna Roja, considerado la mayor red humanitaria del mundo. Está integrado por el CICR, la Federación Internacional de Sociedades de la Cruz Roja y de la Media Luna Roja (IFRC) y 191 Sociedades Nacionales de la Cruz Roja y de la Media Luna Roja. Aunque trabajan bajo principios comunes, sus funciones son diferentes y complementarias. El CICR tiene un mandato particular en situaciones de conflicto armado: protege y asiste a las personas afectadas
por la guerra, visita a personas privadas de libertad cuando corresponde, ayuda a restablecer contactos entre familiares separados y promueve el respeto al Derecho Internacional Humanitario. Su labor se fundamenta en los principios de neutralidad, imparcialidad e independencia, precisamente para poder llegar a personas necesitadas sin tomar partido en los conflictos.
El capítulo del área de Nashville atiende a los condados de Cheatham, Davidson, Jackson, Macon, Robertson, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson y Wilson. Desde responder a incendios residenciales hasta apoyar a familias afectadas por desastres, organizar donaciones de sangre y capacitar voluntarios, su trabajo convierte los principios humanitarios internacionales en acciones concretas dentro de nuestras propias comunidades. Cuando ocurre un tornado en Tennessee, un huracán en otro estado o un conflicto armado al otro lado del mundo, las circunstancias pueden ser muy diferentes, pero el principio fundamental permanece: la dignidad humana no depende de nacionalidad, idioma, religión, condición económica o posición política.
Las Sociedades Nacionales, por su parte, llevan esa misión humanitaria directamente a las comunidades. Su trabajo puede incluir preparación y respuesta ante desastres, primeros auxilios, apoyo a personas desplazadas, servicios de sangre, educación, salud comunitaria y asistencia durante emergencias.
Esa idea explica por qué la Cruz Roja ha sobrevivido guerras mundiales, desastres naturales, epidemias y profundas transformaciones sociales. Más que un símbolo, representa una red de personas —profesionales y voluntarios— dispuestas a actuar cuando otros atraviesan algunos de los momentos más difíciles de sus vidas.
De Nashville al mundo En Estados Unidos, esa misión es representada por la Cruz Roja Americana. En Tennessee, su presencia demuestra cómo una organización de alcance internacional puede actuar desde lo estrictamente
Desde Ginebra hasta Nashville, su historia continúa recordándonos una idea sencilla pero universal: incluso en medio de una crisis, siempre existe espacio para la humanidad. Envíenos sus sugerencias por correo electrónico: news@hispanicpaper.com|615-582-3757