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Contributors This Issue
Norma B. • Maurice B. • Linda Bailey • Peter Bigelow • Chuck C. • Mccollonough Ceili • Chris Scott F. • FreePressGma • Daniel H. • Amanda Haggard • Madi Koesler • Mr. Mysterio • Joe Nolan • Howard P. • Jim P. • Ashley R. • James “Shorty” R. • Judith Tackett • Lora V. • Jamie W. • Gabriel Zakaib
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Rev. Davie Tucker has served as the executive director of the Metro Human Relations Commission since 2022. But before he took up the fight for equality and justice, he went down a completely different career path.
Tucker grew up in Cheatham Place, a public housing project in North Nashville. His mother taught him that “you’re not grown until you can take care of yourself.” That led him to join the military early on.
When he left the Marines after nine years, the natural career path was “to either go to fire, police, or the post office.” Tucker said he ended up in the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office. While he did not consider it a career choice, he said he found his groove in learning about corrections.
“But in learning about the development of corrections in this country, I also came in contact with the dark side of that development of corrections,” Tucker said.
After leaving the Sheriff’s Office he became COO of TransCor America, Inc., which eventually was bought by CCA (Corrections Corporation of America), which is now CoreCivic. Tucker said he was pretty successful at that time, but he didn’t really feel a sense of self.
When he was about 40 years old, Tucker quit working and went to seminary at American Baptist College full time, and since 2007 he has served as the pastor of Beech Creek Missionary Baptist Church.
“I found my voice, my purpose and calling at 40.”
The Metro Human Relations Commission (MHRC) is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. What is the Human Relations Commission?
The Human Relations Commission was born out of the Civil Rights Act in 1965. A lot of [these groups] were set up to attest to the federal government that if they received [federal] funds they were not used discriminatorily. And so they sprung up all over the country.
But in places like Nashville, MHRC was actually written into the Metro Charter. Our goal is to protect and promote the general health, safety, security and welfare of all Nashvillians. That’s really broad. We do that through training, awareness and investigation of potential discrimination.
It’s a weird place to be a government agency challenged and charged with often bringing claims against Metro for acting inappropriately. That’s what we do.
We’re a 15 member commission with 10 commissioners appointed by the Mayor and five by the [Metro] Council. They’re our appointing and authorizing authority. So while I work for Metro, it is the commission that hired me, evaluates me and ultimately would be the one to decide whether or not to terminate me.
So it gives me a certain level of freedom as it relates to the political ideology of whatever mayoral administration may be in at the time. Some are more friendly to our mission, and others in the past have not been. In MHRC’s 60-year history here in Nashville, it has been defunded before.
Q&A with Davie Tucker
BY JUDITH TACKETT
I think it’s important work. I’m grateful that I get up every day and I get to work toward the common good.
You have said in a recent TV interview that the Human Relations Commission has more losses than wins. What did you mean?
Literally, we lose more than we win. Within bureaucracies, the rightness of a situation is not always the end goal. So showing up to advocate for groups that are marginalized and generationally appear to remain on the margins — and often strongly and courageously advocate for them, sometimes it feels like you don’t make any difference because you don’t win much.
I believe Nashville would not be the Nashville it is now if it had not been for this long history of MHCR. MHRC piloted and advocated for the first passage of an equal employment law regarding the hiring of Metro employees. So there is this history of wins.
But I have to say for the work we do, I am glad I don’t get evaluated on the number of wins that we have.
Whether it’s from the equitable distribution of public resources to mass incarceration to policing, those issues change slowly. Requests are made, demands are presented, and very little happens. And that’s what I mean with “we have more losses than we have wins.”
What are some of the specific wins you’d like to highlight?
There was a Title VI claim brought by some citizens of the inequitable distribution of public funds for the arts in Nashville. [Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin.] The press spent a lot of time on that. There have been a couple of executive directors that changed [within a year and we] found probable cause that inequitable distribution has probably happened.
What ended up happening was [that] the various parties — MHRC, Metro Arts, and Metro Legal — agreed to a conciliated agreement that in effect paid $2.3 million to that affected group and caused some other policy changes to be put in place that would hopefully keep that from happening again in the future.
We’re nearing a year inside of that agreement, and we count that as a win.
What is a top priority of yours right now?
Right now we’re beginning the process of assessing Metro’s language access system.
We’re grateful that the current mayor put this project in his budget. We’re really excited about that. It was just 15 years ago that the seated council at that time voted [whether] Nashville would be English only. That’s not that long ago, and so there are still pockets and places where language access is not readily available. But even as we begin our deep dive into it, Metro has spent some resources on being better than it was 15 years ago. And so MHRC has the ability through the Mayor’s Office to have access to learn what dollars are being spent towards language access, how they’re being utilized, and what would be a better way of doing it.
It’s those partnerships from the start that almost guarantee a win. So, we think at the end of this exercise and what comes out of it that language access services will be better for all Nashvillians.
There has been talk in the Metro Council about the need for a community safety plan and that the Metro Human Relations Commission would be the best entity to lead the development of such a plan. Define for us what a community safety plan is and how is it different from a public safety plan?
A public safety plan generally looks at
police, fire and emergency response. From a social science perspective, community safety is broader. It takes into account societal impacts and how people measure what it means to be safe.
The intersectionality of these disciplines has been able to show us that the more abject poverty becomes, the more prevalent violence is, the more likely someone is food threatened, the more likely that someone does not have adequate health care. All of these add to groups’ and individuals’ idea of what it means to be safe. The premise is if you address those things, you also reduce crime. You reduce these things that are squarely under public safety.
Public safety by design is a reactive model, whereas community safety is a proactive model. And by being proactive, ultimately, you reduce individuals coming into contact with the criminal justice system. We know how it impacts marginalized people.
To the other part of that question, Nashville within the past decade began talking about community safety because typically political attitude is toward public safety. All that [public safety] is is more police, more responses to the criminal justice-sided resolution of societal problems, many of which are systemic in nature.
The plan [to tackle community safety] was not presented by MHRC. But the presenter suggested MHRC as a place for that to be housed. We were not opposed to that. But we also agree and are working out ways in which we could possibly partner with the Health Department, which — when you look at the rising field of public health — may naturally be a better fit. So MHRC is ready to assist in that regard. We won’t be leading that effort, but we definitely will be part of it.
How does our local community fight for and preserve the freedoms of all people, and what can citizens do when they see local government leaders fall short of their ethical responsibilities?
They must say something.
Silence has been and will always be complicit in what’s not right in the world. And so citizens to me have a duty to let their feelings be heard.
When citizens show up, they’re often late to the game in the sense that business interests maintain relationships. You saw that with the debate over the East Bank. It was citizens who asked, “Is this the best way to spend public funds?”
Consequently on the other side, you had those business-related interests that tied to the Titans that ultimately won out. But there was a vigorous public debate that I was heartened by. People did show up. People who love football, who would say, I think we could do something better with these billions of dollars.
I can see that the people letting our elected officials know, “I’m watching this process, and I’m watching what you’re doing with our funds.” That has shaped it. The establishment of the Office of Youth Safety is a direct result of the public showing up, advocating for itself.
Nashville’s Transportation Growth
There are situations that will always need improvement and that’s a guaranteed fact. The growth in SmashVille, CashVille, Nashville U.S.A has brought forth positive plans to grow comfortable and safe transportation throughout Davidson County. What
was once known as the old MTA, is now WeGo and the improved Elisabeth Duff Transit Center. The famous WeGo team has also modified various stations (like the Hillsboro Transit Center) and routes as well as buses to adjust to the commuting of all Nash -
villans and the various tourists here now and to come.
It’s said that $Cash Is King, but as social acceptance of other various types of financial payments increases, WeGo has made tap-to-pay acceptable on all routes. If there is a want and
need to retrieve an all day, weekly or monthly tap-to-pay card that’s refillable in various areas across Davidson County, a individual can do so at the information office inside the transit centers. Respectfully, WeGo is the way to go throughout Davidson County.
Community Events
BY DANIEL H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
Voices Of Resilience, Nashville Homeless Choir was invited to attend Loving Grace Ministry where we were asked to sing Our Lives Are As An Unwritten Song. The singers at the event were Cheryl Harris, Amatullah Hassan, Kennetha Patterson and Daniel Holmes. A passionate and talented photographer, Mr. Peter Bigelow captured the event. (You can leave message with Zack at Trinity Community Commons if you wish to hire him.)
Another organization I’m part of, Morning Coffee Artists, has made arrangements with Fifty Forward, Donelson Station to host our artwork. We where impressed with all they have to offer at 108 Donelson Pike, Nashville TN 37214. Among these are a work out room and a variety of exercise classes, a pool room, a computer room, crafts and art classes, bingo, card games and organized team
pickle ball and corn hole, various day trips and other activities. The Larry Keeton Theatre is also located here, offering professional show productions several times a year with dinner provided by Donelson Cafe and Catering. DCC also provides a delicious breakfast and lunch weekdays for a very reasonable price. Middle TN Gem & Mineral Society also calls this location home, offering classes in silversmithing, lapidary, stained glass and much more. For those on Medicare, some advantage plans may cover the reasonable membership fee. While you’re there, check out the artwork in hallways. It’s for sale, and goes to a worthy cause. I will keep you informed of any future events. With our hearts and souls we thank you for reading this and supporting us. Your not alone in this world. You matter.
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MAURICE B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
Daniel H. PHOTO BY PETER BIGELOW
Learn more about Human Relations Commissions
The Metro Human Relations Commission (MHRC) is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Interestingly enough, 2025 is also the year that the state legislature dismantled the independent Tennessee Human Rights Commission and moved it under the Attorney General’s Office.
Human relations commissions were born out of the Civil Rights Movement and started popping up after the Civil Rights Act of 1964. But there were some created even earlier. Philadelphia claims to have established the first human relations commission in the United States in 1952. And LA County’s human relations commission touts on its website that its legacy dates back to 1944 with the creation of the Committee for Interracial Progress.
MHRC was founded in 1965, and its mission is “to protect and promote the personal dignity of all people by protecting and promoting their safety, health, security, peace, and general welfare.”
The tasks of a human relations commission can be at times controversial within a government, as they often function to point out weaknesses and protect individuals against discrimination from the very government that the commissions are part of.
Looking at the recent budget allocations, the current administration under Mayor Freddie O’Connell seems to support the work of MHRC, as evidenced by an 86-percent budget increase over the past two years (from $765,800 in FY23/24 to $1.4 million for FY25/26).
But seeing such support from a mayoral administration has not always been the case.
“In MHRC’s 60-year history here in Nashville, it has been defunded before,” said the Rev. Davie Tucker who heads the department. That defunding took place between the years of 1990 to 1995, until Mayor Phil Bredesen reinstated a budget and thus, revived the MHRC with Anthea Boarman as the executive director.
The work of MHRC can be varied with reports focused on equity; awareness campaigns; and investigations of crimes, hate group activity and other discriminatory practices in Nashville Davidson County – to name a few of their tasks.
In our Q&A with Rev. Tucker (on Page 3) you will see that he said there are more losses for his department than wins. One of the big wins was achieved last year when MHRC functioned as a mediary that led the effort to create a successful remediation plan for the Arts Commission after the latter
As a matter of fact, MHRC staff Ashley Bachelder did such a stellar job in analyzing a situation where a Metro department mishandled community grant funds intended for underserved artists,
BY JUDITH TACKETT
HOW TO FILE A DISCRIMINATION COMPLAINT
For Metro, fill out an online form at this QR code that allows staff to determine whether your complaint has validity or redirect you to the appropriate destination for your complaint. Or if you prefer not to complete the online inquiry, email mhrc@nashville.gov.
For the state, the quickest way to submit a complaint is through the Tennessee Attorney General’s Civil Rights Enforcement Division’s online complaint portal. If you require a paper form, you may request one at CRED@ ag.tn.gov or by calling (615) 741-5825.
that she was named the interim director of Metro Arts to help them untangle and clean up their administrative mess.
One of the outreach efforts MHRC is testing in 2025, on its 60th anniversary, is called No Hate On My Plate. The goal is to hold communal meals across the city on a monthly basis and create a safe space where Nashvillians are able, “to discuss experiences and observations regarding the environments and places where hateful and discriminatory behavior has occurred or is occurring.”
Designated moderators will report back to MHRC with the ultimate goal for the department to inform elected officials, community leaders, nonprofit organizations, and neighborhoods about experiences and perceptions discussed at the No Hate On My Plate meals.
In a nation where freedom of speech has been trumped by intimidation at the national, state, and local government levels, it is imperative that we create spaces like these where people still can feel safe to participate in community building.
No Hate On My Plate is part of MHRC’s Humans Over Hate initiative, which is based on four tenets (copied and pasted from the MHRC website):
Respect: Creating safe and respectful spaces – whether they be virtual, in-person, or hybrid – for interactions between diverse and/or disparate groups.
Connect: Hosting engagements designed to gauge the experiences and observations of our neighbors while fostering genuine dialogue leading to better understanding and relationships.
Detect: Developing new as well as leveraging existing infrastructure and tools to understand what the prevalence of hate in the community is as well as how and/ or where it’s manifesting.
Affect: Coalescing and providing infrastructure to partner organizations, neighborhoods, and community members to deploy thoughtful interventions to hateful environments when needed.
MHRC has posted several interesting reports on its website that warrant attention. One of them is the third version of its IncluCivics Report from 2023, which examines the diversity of Metro’s workforce, examining 51 departments and close to 10,000 employees. The report examined the changes in Metro employees over the prior eight years.
In the takeaway, MHRC found, “increases in the number of some gender and racial minorities over time and general increased salaries for all, [with] stark differences that show gender and racial pay inequities.”
The IncluCivics Report showed that while the Hispanic and Latinx population is the fastest growing demographic in the city, that population’s representation among Metro employees is not increasing at equal rates.
Furthermore, the report recommended that Metro examine what categories it offers when determining gender and also race in its collection of employee demographics. And finally — and may I add — unsurprisingly, a higher percentage of Metro employees is living out of county in 2023 than in 2015.
Maintaining the independence of a body like the MHRC is critical and having strong leaders in place who do not shy away from holding fellow government departments accountable when it comes to protecting and promoting the dignity of all people is even more crucial.
That’s why I am encouraged when I see more Metro funding allocated to MHRC that allows for more staffing and projects
to be tackled.
Tennessee, however, took another route. The state legislature dissolved the Tennessee Human Rights Commission, which had served as an independent body within government. The Tennessee Human Rights Commission was actually created in 1963, two years prior to the establishment of the MHRC. Its initial purpose was “to encourage, promote and advise the public of their human rights,” according to the now defunct webpage.
As of July 1, 2025, the responsibility to enforce the Tennessee Human Rights Act was shifted to the Office of Attorney General’s Civil Rights Enforcement Division. In other words, a commission that was set up similarly to the MHRC and investigated discrimination independently from other government departments, is now overseen by Tennessee’s chief law enforcement officer and lawyer for the state.
We all know that attorney general offices in any state are usually highly political. This is no different in Tennessee, even though the attorney general here is appointed by the Tennessee Supreme Court (not the governor). However, justices on the state supreme court are appointed by the governor with the help of a nominating committee.
The bottom line is that in a red state like Tennessee, which has been used for years as a testing ground for federal policies aimed to bombard people’s rights and dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion, it is a red flag to dismantle the Human Rights Commission.
Let me be clear: shutting down the independence of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission does not mean that you can’t file a complaint. The state still complies with federal and state laws, and in particular with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibits discrimination based on race, color and national origin by state agencies that receive federal funding.
The two state laws that are upheld are the Tennessee Human Rights Act and the Tennessee Disability Act, which prohibit discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodation on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, disability, familial status (which applied to housing only), and age (which refers to employment discrimination of people over 40).
Both the state and Metro make it fairly easy through their Website to file an online complaint and guide you through the process via a questionnaire.
I feel comforted in the fact that as of yet, we still have local human relations commissions like the MHRC which, while still woefully underfunded, may be one of the options to offer some safe space for you to voice your grievances. Let’s protect them.
Music’s Universe?
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
I’m part of Music’s Universe, Because I write the words.
What are the chances the words that I’ve penned? Will be presented to an audience, By a gifted, talented musician?
What matters now is to live in the present, Content with how each moments spent, Take on every challenge, And acknowledge your accomplishments. There’s a whole world out there, Who don’t know you care, And really could use a friend.
A Good Example, “Could & Would” make a whole lot of?
A whole lot of World of Difference. Lessons Learned turn into experience. The Compadre of Wisdom is Patience. And Courage comes from more than enough, Faith... Contentment... And Confidence... That can’t be measured in dollars and cents. When all you want to do is get through to them.
To some it might make perfect sense.
To others... Just your presence, inspires contempt. Resentment resides in every man, Some you can help. Some you can’t. And there are some things, no one man, Can hope to prevent.
But some songs go on... And on... And on... And there are some songs that never end...
I’m part of Music’s Universe, Because I write the words.
It seems to me that maybe, We’ve been down this road before. Not good enough to deserve your love, And then me coming up with two more. Someone had to say it, and look the part to play it. And leave them guessing? What’s coming next? Never knowing what’s in store. Is it Necessary...? Is it Truthful...? Is it Kind...? Will I regret the words that I said? Or the songs that I left behind?
Two weeks to speak, that’s a very short time... Am I Stupid? Foolish? Or just out of my mind? I made this commitment to never quit, Despite the ties that bind.
Hoping that one day, someday, someone, Somewhere out there will find...
If the Compadre of Wisdom is Patience, And you’re waiting for that Standing ovation, A wise man knows, what matters most? Is what one leave behind? And those people who read between the lines
I’m part of Music’s Universe, Because I write the words.
Make Some Waves!
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
I’m going to jump on into their pool, When they tell me that I’d better not! Be a whole lot more than cool.
Show them what it means to be hot. Whoa-oh, here comes security. I’ll bet they’re coming for me. Too bad, too sad, I’m here to stay, And I ain’t about to leave.
Let’s Make Some Waves... Let’s Make Some Waves...
Go and get up into their face, And damn sure rattle their cage.
Well, they think they’re going to put us, In our place.
Push us around and invade our space.
Well, just look them in the eye, With a smile on your face and say... Hey-hey-hey-hey. Let’s Make Some Waves...
Now, don’t upset the apple cart, And do not rock the boat.
Try to stop us when we start, We’re going to rock it till it doesn’t float.
All those old school boys, in their Bee-Mer-World. We’re going to play with their toys. We’re going to steal their girls. They’ll be thinking “Oh, here we go again,” But one day they’re going to say, “Welcome back my friend.”
Let’s Make Some Waves... Let’s Make Some Waves...
Go and get up into their face,
And damn sure rattle their cage. Well, they think they’re going to put us, In our place.
Push us around and invade our space.
Well, just look them in the eye, With a smile on your face and say...
Hey-hey-hey-hey. Let’s Make Some Waves...
Now, I don’t want to cause no trouble. Just want to have a little fun. So, why they want to burst our bubble?
When we ain’t hurting anyone.
Let’s rock the house. Let the party begin. If they throw us out, we’ll just come back again. If you’re ready to play, let me here you say, Hey-hey. “That’s not how we do it in Nashville!”
Let’s Make Some Waves - Let’s Make Some Waves... Go and get up into their face, And damn sure rattle their cage. Well, they think they’re going to put us, In our place.
Push us around and invade our space.
Well, just look them in the eye, With a smile on your face and say... Hey-hey-hey-hey. Let’s Make Some Waves...
THEME: FOOTBALL
ACROSS
1. *The Coaches ___ or The AP Top 25 ____
5. *Super Bowl halftime performer Kendrick Lamar’s genre
8. 1/168th of a week
12. Purse to match a gown
13. Karl of politics
14. Model builder’s wood choice
15. *YDS, TD or INT
16. Black like certain tree
17. *Last season’s NFL MVP
18. *Worth 6 points
20. Way, way off 21. Owl cries
22. Come and ____ it
23. Ape
26. Stucco or aluminum on a house wall, pl.
30. “Wheel of Fortune” request
31. Bette Green’s “Summer of my ____ Soldier”
34. Stag, not doe
35. Like an uncomfortable mattress
37. European Economic Community
38. *NFL Hall of Famer Greene or comedian Hart
39. Seed coat
40. Cylindrical flower cluster
42. Stir or fuss
43. City in Illinois
45. #10 Down’s counterpart
47. Small dog’s bark
48. Adams of “Summer Of ‘69” fame
50. *Point value of a safety in football, pl.
52. *Worth 3 points in football (2 words)
56. Behind a stern
57. Raise the roof
58. Classroom parasites
59. Blooper
60. Actor and singer Kristofferson
61. Some are slippery 62. Scraps
63. Ballpark fig. 64. Dark loaves
DOWN
1. Bothersome one
2. *Pro and College Football
Hall of Famer Graham
3. Molokai party
4. Leechee, alt. sp.
5. R2-D2, e.g.
6. Declares to be true
7. *College, home to football’s Nittany Lions
8. *Football intermission
9. Paella pot
10. Addict
11. *What the NFL’s Jim Brown famously did
13. Fixed up
14. Bleated
19. Hoagie, alt. sp.
22. Bathtub hooch
23. Green side
24. Accustom
25. Imitate
26. *Quarterback’s downfall
27. The N of U.S.N.A.
28. Move smoothly
29. Mister in Madrid
32. ____-view mirror
33. What Harry and Sally did
36. *Pre-championship games
38. Work the dough
40. High tea vessel
41. Bucolics
44. Gustatory sensation
46. Hook, line and sinker person
48. Coffin holders
49. Rekindled
50. Type of ski lift
51. Drift like aroma
52. Type of fish net
53. Like acne-prone skin
54. Climber’s destination
55. It’s more, to some
56. Don McLean: “A long, long time ____...”
Access to an Inpatient Rehab Center Remains Elusive to People with Disabilities
I was born with Arthrogryposis, a condition that is characterized by joint stiffness and muscle weakness. It is a rare disorder that occurs in about 1 in 3,000 live births. In real terms that means that since birth I have been unable to use my arms and have been dependent on a caretaker for daily activities.
Studies have shown that people with disabilities are more prone to addiction. I am one of them. I got addicted to drugs as a teenager.
When I was 33 years old, I was ready to go to an inpatient rehab center. The reason I wanted inpatient treatment was to get out of my usual environment and to be able to take a comprehensive approach. It was not just about getting sober for me but trying to gain life skills.
My family called in-patient drug rehab facilities across different states, and I was ready to travel to whatever location I had to
BY ASHLEY R.
from my hometown in East Tennessee. But the denials came in swiftly.
Rehab after rehab told us that I was a liability because I was unable to perform daily activities and needed 24/7 care. They denied my admission. Since the American With Disabilities Act (ADA) requires facilities to provide reasonable modifications of policies, practices and procedures and since I was able to physically enter and get around in those facilities — I guess accommodations for my specific disability were not considered reasonable enough.
Finally, my family found me a location here in Nashville. I travelled the three hours down I-40, just to be turned away when they saw me at their door because I was considered a liability. Being labelled a liability — that word does something to me.
After being turned away, I ended up on
the streets in Nashville, in different encampments, and still on drugs.
What saved me was the goodness of my partner who had seen my struggles from afar. Then we did not see each other for months, staying in different encampments. Finally, when we met again, he offered to help me and get me away from the crowds.
I got sober about a year ago. Without any assistance. It was hell. It is not what I wish on anyone to go through. I am lucky to have moved into housing a few months ago and have found a life partner. My family is still as supportive as they can be.
My experience taught me that it’s worth fighting for something. And what I want to do now is to create awareness. Just because I have a disability, I am not a liability. I am strong. I have a voice. And there is plenty I can do now that I am in housing.
What would have happened if the drug rehab centers that are built to help people when they are at their most vulnerable would have also seen me, the person, and not just the liability?
There are so many people with physical disabilities who cannot access services or even emergency shelter for the same reason. We already have to adjust to daily living situations that are not set up for us.
People with physical disabilities are at higher risk to end up with an addiction and substance use disorder. Why is it that our systems are not set up to help those who are more likely to have the very illness that they claim to help overcome?
All I want is to have choices and access to options that are open to other people without physical disabilities.
The Women’s Mission on Rosa Parks Avenue
My first visit to the Women’s Mission in 2022 was so humiliating that I decided not to return.
The shelter can be a bad thing or it can be a good thing. It is a place to go to get a person out of the cold weather or a place to get out of the heat. They offered food, showers and beds. Remember you need a break from that place when you can. Places like that can and will drive you crazy.
For example, when I stayed there in 2022, if you brought in your own Tylenol or other medications, they would break them down and give them to you in little cups throughout the day. When I asked for some of the Tylenol that I brought, they told me, “You don’t need that.”
Since I am the one with the bad ankle, I don’t believe they have the authority to tell me that.
Also, my things were not available to me until 6 a.m. This is a problem if you are trying
Well, what can I say? I’m in the rehabilitation center so I can start to walk better. I have been through the ringer. I don’t need any more bad luck! I have to go to my heart doctor soon about the hole in my heart. Vanderbilt found a hole in my heart but did not want to do anything about it at the time. Back in June, I had
BY LORA V., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR #0313 (EDITED BY FREEPRESSGMA)
to get to work. The thing to remember is, I am an adult.
And the staff should realize that also. They want you to get a job and get it together as soon as you can. However, they made it difficult to actually work.
When I returned home from working for the CMA festival, there was no beds left for workers. Only those who had turned in early got beds. During the summer, it was very cold in there because they had the air conditioner on high. The shelter offers mats on the floor if you can’t get up in a top bunk. At that time, a doctor’s note was required in order to get a bottom bunk.
One night, after returning from work, I did not even get a mat to lay on. I had to sit up in a chair. I had to return to work the next morning without having slept. In 2022, no accommodations were made for people who were actually working. That has changed.
The Women’s Shelter is privately owned
and operated. We were not told who owns it. I asked. This lack of information is frustrating. Again, I am an adult, not a prisoner, a patient or a child.
My fellow vendor, Lisa A., googled the Women’s Shelter and could not find the name of the owner either. However, it looks like there had been a change in leadership early this year. Since Lisa could not host me for longer than a couple of weeks without breaking her lease, she asked me to try the Women’s Shelter again.
I have to say that my experience has been much much better. They have a new building. It is only a year and a half old. They have a lot more restrooms to use. In the old building only had one public restroom. This time they have one in each dorm. The new building has three dorms. Two of them hold 75 to 100 people, and the third one is for people who have jobs. Because they are dorms, lights are out at 9 p.m. and everyone must get out of bed at 5
Wish I Could Ever Get Well
BY JAMIE W., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
a stroke and they said if I did not have a procedure done I would continue to have strokes and end up in a nursing home. I wish I could be like I was before my injury and all of this sickness.
I want people to know what I’m going through. This is no joke. If people knew what I’m going through I am so sad I’m
probably gonna have to have surgery done. When I had the stroke I just got off the bus to sell papers. I fell down and could not feel my left side. I struggled to get up off the ground. I don’t know how much more I can take! Sometimes I wish God would take me out of this world and take me home. It seems like I’m slowly falling
a.m. They feed breakfast, lunch and dinner. Church is at 6 p.m. The Women’s Shelter used to only let us shower at night. Now we can shower whenever we need to.
Every woman coming in is assigned a caseworker. She gives you a locker and a bed. They ask if you want to sign up for housing, food stamps and other services. They will help you get ID, Birth Certificates and whatever else you need.
During the day, if you don’t work, you can check in or out every two hours. The day lounge is very nice. Since I work most of the day outside, it is great to be able to come in when it is too hot.
If I want to visit family or explore a job opportunity outside of Nashville, my place will be held for seven days. I feel so much more secure and supported here now.
Overall, it is a much better experience with more control over my personal things. I definitely signed up for housing!
apart, and when you get older the more health problems you have. I wish I could snap my fingers and make myself better. I miss every one of my customers and I miss being out there, but everything is gonna be OK I hope. May God bless every one of my customers and everyone at The Contributor.
Encampment clearings begin after Trump orders federal takeover of MPD
In a rare move, President Donald Trump federalized D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and deployed the National Guard to D.C. on Aug. 11 in response to perceived high crime rates in Washington D.C. At the press conference announcing the action, he directed law enforcement to “remove” homeless encampments. The city began unscheduled encampment closures on the morning of Aug. 13 and continued through Aug. 16.
The following timeline shows events as put together by longtime Washington D.C. street newspaper staff at Street Sense Media. Follow them as they cover the events as they unfold on their website: streetsensemedia.org.
Aug. 18, 5:45 p.m.
Local Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers visited the area by the city’s Downtown Day Service Center this afternoon, where many people experiencing homelessness go to get meals, showers, IDs, and other assistance. Officers stood outside the center for about an hour as outreach workers and day center staff helped people both inside and outside the center to leave the area.
Despite fears that U.S. Marshals would be on the scene, the engagement was conducted by local police and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services.
At 4 p.m., about 15 people were outside the center, which is open until 5 p.m. One man, who gave his name as Willie Nelson, said that he was waiting outside the center in hopes of getting an ID; the center distributes IDs only on Thursdays, and has a limited number each week, so Nelson said that he was sleeping nearby until then, hoping to beat the rush. “I’ll be the first in line,” he said.
Police left the area shortly after 5 p.m., after the center closed, and most people left the area.
Aug. 15, 5:37 p.m.
Outside the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Court House, Mayor Muriel Bowser and D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb addressed the press just after 5 p.m. announcing that a judge ruled that Pamela Smith remains in control as the D.C. chief of police.
Schwalb said that the Home Rule Act is very clear when the president can request MPD services and that those requests must be made to the D.C. mayor. “Even the President of the United States, even the Attorney General of the United States needs to comply with the law,” Schwalb said.
When asked about homelessness encampments, Schwalb repeated that federal forces need to request MPD services from the mayor and comply with D.C. law. “We have made it very clear that we have laws in our city,” Schwalb said.
Aug. 15, 5 p.m.
The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services (DMHHS), which normally runs encampment closures and clearings
COURTESY OF STREET SENSE MEDIA / INSP.NGO
in the city, was not involved in today’s closures, according to a statement from the agency.
“The District had a scheduled engagement to close the site at Washington Circle on August 18,” a spokesperson wrote. “However, today, federal officials chose to execute the closure at the site and several others.”
MPD, which is currently under federal control, led most of the closures today.
Aug. 15, 1 p.m.
MPD officers visited the MLK Library downtown this morning, according to people outside. About 50 people usually sleep outside the library, though only about 15 people were there last night at midnight after outreach workers warned them about the efforts to remove encampments from the city.
Street Sense has been able to confirm teams visited at least five sites — MLK, Washington Circle, 26th and L, 1313 New York Avenue, and 15th and G Streets — this morning. Last night, outreach workers were at many of the same sites, as officials had confirmed federal clearings would begin at 6pm on Thursday. While federal officials did show up at Washington Circle last night, no tents were cleared.
The effort this morning was led and conducted by MPD, which is currently under federal control, rather than federal law enforcement.
Aug. 15, 12:32 p.m.
After noon, MPD officers headed further into downtown to a structure near 15th and G Streets and removed the structure. It did not appear that a resident was present, according to Street Sense reporters on the scene.
MPD Commander Jason Bagshaw said that the clearing effort was done for the day, having already hit spots near Washington Circle and the MLK Library, where people often sleep. When Street Sense asked a DHS spokesper-
son if the city was aware of the clearings this morning ahead of time, they said that they had no more information to share at this time.
Aug. 15, 11:32 a.m.
After clearing tents around Washington Circle, MPD headed down the street to 26th and L, where they removed three tents, displacing at least one resident. In total, at least 10 tents have been cleared thus far today.
Aug. 15, 11:30 a.m.
Law enforcement returned to encampments downtown this morning, hitting at least three sites, including some that they visited last night.
Officers were first spotted near the city’s Downtown Day Services Center, where residents and outreach workers say that they cleared some of the belongings of people in the area. MPD then went to the tents near Washington Circle, which they had attempted to clear last night, and spoke again to Meghann Abraham, whose tent was set to be cleared on Monday by the city.
Last night, agents left after Abraham showed them a sticker from the city saying that her encampment was supposed to be closed on Monday, but this time, they did not allow her to stay and told her that she had to move. Officials also threw away the tents of two other residents who were not present, clearing all tents from the circle and some from the surrounding two blocks.
Aug. 15, 1 a.m.
Tonight, federal agents were expected to visit five encampments downtown. Four of the five locations were around Washington Circle, and as of this update, no tents were cleared and no residents there were arrested. Some residents moved into shelter. It is not clear if
officials visited the final location, which was several blocks away.
While both D.C. government officials and federal agents were present, it appeared federal agents were leading the effort and outreach workers and officials did not know the locations until shortly before.
D.C. government officials, Secret Service, FBI, and MPD amassed near the tents around Washington Circle around 9 p.m. FBI and MPD officers spoke to one of the residents, Meghann Abraham, who showed them the closure notice she had been given by the city earlier today, for a closure scheduled on Aug. 18.
Federal law enforcement took a picture of the notice and stepped to the side for several minutes. Ten minutes later, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Wayne Turnage addressed the media present. He shared that the city is encouraging anyone outside to come into shelter, and that they are prepared to open more shelter beds if necessary.
At around 9:30 p.m., the federal law enforcement left the area after photographing the closure notice several times.
A few hours earlier, Abraham shared her thoughts on the closure with Street Sense reporters. She explained that she had been planning on moving anyway because of the DMHHS notice but didn’t want to move before Friday because her boyfriend had plans to go to work the next day. She said that when she had to move — either tonight or on Aug. 18 — she would probably go elsewhere in D.C. because shelter doesn’t work for her. In her experience, it felt either like “jail” or “an insane asylum.” She thinks that the federal government needs to provide people with better choices.
“They need to provide us another option, and they’re not doing that, they’re just saying, ‘Get out of here,’” she said. She also rejected what Trump has said about people experiencing homelessness.
“Being homeless is not a crime,” she said. “We’re not [all] drug addicts, we’re not criminals, like we don’t have guns or nothing. We’re just trying to live.”
Shortly after 10 p.m., FBI agents arrested a man outside the Downtown Day Services Center. Street Sense overheard the man, a social worker, and FBI agents speaking about how the man was arrested for having marijuana in his pocket, which the agents found after the man agreed to let the agents search him. Agents did not detain anyone else in the area or ask people sleeping nearby to move.
Later on, a second group of FBI and Secret Service agents as well as ICE returned to Abraham’s tent. She said that they asked for her ID and offered to help her get an ID if she needed one, which she declined. Agents then once again said that Abraham had to leave, she said, and she showed them the DMHHS notice, after which agents took photos of the sticker and left.
Government officials and outreach workers headed home by midnight.
Meghann Abraham with an outreach worker packing up her tent after being told by MPD that she had to move from Washington Circle Park. PHOTO BY MADI KOESLER
Aug .14, 9 p.m.
Five sites have been confirmed by government officials and outreach workers for closure tonight:
• 2300 Penn NW
• 24th and K St NW
• 2200 Block K St. NW
• 1000 Block of 24th St. NW
• 21 St. and E St. NW
Ward 3 Councilmember Matthew Frumin, Secret Service members, and DMHHS just arrived at the Washington Circle Park encampment.
Aug. 14, 8:50 p.m.
Government officials confirmed on site at Washington Circle Park that the encampment will be cleared tonight regardless of stickers from DMHHS, stating that an immediate disposition was scheduled for Aug. 18. Twelve FBI agents and MPD officers are currently present.
Aug. 14, 7 p.m.
The city placed stickers this afternoon on several tents near Washington Circle Park, warning residents that the encampment will be closed on Monday. Earlier today, Wayne Turnage, deputy mayor for health and human services, said that the park was one of the spots that the city is most focused on ahead of the anticipated federal crackdown.
Aug. 14, 3:15 p.m.
According to government officials, women seeking shelter should go to Patricia Handy Swing Shelter instead of Adam’s Place.
The city closed the encampment that President Donald Trump posted photos of over the weekend, displacing at least seven residents, as encampment closures across the city began. Even though the closure was the subject of media attention and protests, it went forward, largely following normal city protocol. All residents were open to moving into shelter to avoid further interactions with authorities.
David Beatty, who said that he had lived at the encampment for about six months, wasn’t sure where he was going to go as the closure began. He and another resident were considering moving to somewhere in Virginia, where he had lived before, but he was worried about the distance. “I don’t know how far a walk that is,” he said.
Another resident, Jesse Wall, said that he planned to accept the city’s offer to move into one of the city’s shelters, and put some of his belongings in storage. All city shelters will be open 24 hours today, according to city officials, who recommend that women looking for shelter contact Adam’s/Eve’s Place, and men walk up to any low-barrier shelter.
According to a spokesperson from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services (DMHHS), going forward, the city is allowing residents to store more than just the normal two bins worth of possessions to help to move people into shelter. The shelter hotline, (202) 399-7093, is the best place to ask any shelter-related questions.
Since Monday, outreach workers have been encouraging residents at all encampments to move inside, and the city has opened at least 70 additional shelter beds. Outreach groups are also offering transportation and hotel vouchers to encampment residents, as supplies last.
Protestors stood by as residents packed, and a city worker used the CAT 299D3 Compact Track Loader to dismantle tents set up across the street from the ones in Trump’s photographs,
as all the residents in the main green packed up and moved on. The usage of the CAT is common practice for DMHHS.
During the closure, only one Metropolitan Police Officer was on site for the majority of the engagement. This is also common practice for dispositions by DMHHS.
“They’re not very interested in whether whatever they’re throwing in the trash truck is of any value,” Beatty said.
The encampment was on local land, and the immediate disposition was conducted by DMHHS. Beatty said that he had previously been living on federal land but intentionally moved to local land to avoid arrest by Park Police. Federal officials are expected to begin closing more encampments tonight across the city.
Aug. 14, 10:55 a.m.
The federal government is expected to clear encampments across the city tonight, starting at 6 p.m., according to an email from the city’s Interagency Council on Homelessness. This could impact people living on both federal and local land, and people living outside but not in traditional tent encampments.
Aug. 14, 10:10 a.m.
As the city began the encampment closure, about 12 protestors arrived, standing in the center of the encampment. Protestors held signs reading “being poor is not a crime” and “being unhoused is not a crime.”
Aug. 14, 9:35 a.m.
This morning, people living in encampments between the Kennedy Center and the US Institute of Peace began packing up ahead of an encampment closure, at least the second scheduled in the area after President Donald Trump’s federal takeover of the D.C. police on Monday and his direction for law enforcement to “remove” homeless encampments.
City officials closed one encampment in the area yesterday and placed stickers on seven more tents, notifying residents that their encampment would be closed this morning and that they would have to pack up. Trump first drew attention to this encampment on Sunday, posting a photo of tents on Truth Social with a caption including “The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY.”
City outreach workers have been in the area since Monday morning, working with encampment residents. Several people whom Street Sense has previously spoken to seem to have already moved from the areas along Rock Creek Parkway.
Encampment residents began packing up and leaving several hours before the closure was scheduled to start at 10am. At least one resident accepted an offer to move into shelter, and outreach workers said that they were offering phones and storage to other residents. Seven residents were still at the encampment half an hour before the closure was scheduled to begin.
The city opened additional shelter beds in the last several days. According to Tuesday night’s shelter census, the most recent available, there were just 13 beds available for men and nine for women, though not all recently added beds are represented on the census. The city has said that it is prepared to open more beds as needed.
While only seven tents were identified for removal, residents and outreach workers fear more encampments could be removed today, outside of D.C.’s normal process of notifying residents ahead of time.
The city’s protocol is to give encampment residents one week’s notice before closing their encampments but drops that down to one day in emergency situations. In March, when D.C. closed an encampment at E Street Expressway after Trump posted about it, residents had fewer than 24 hours’ notice.
As of 9:30 a.m., city officials began preparing to close the encampment, blocking off roads and bringing in garbage trucks.
Aug. 13, 12:35 p.m.
Out of the nine clearly visible tents located at the encampment photographed by President Donald Trump on his way to golf last week, seven have been tagged for clearing by the city at 10am on Thursday morning. The stickers attached to the tents note that they have been marked for: Scheduled Full Cleanup, Immediate Disposition, and Encampment Site Closure.
For more information on what cleanups by DMHHS look like, see “Cigars, clean-ups, and closures: What do encampment “engagements” look like?”
Aug. 13, 11:30 a.m.
This morning, encampment clearings began. Two days after Trump’s initial press conference, the city’s scheduled encampment cleanup in Mt. Pleasant was rescheduled less than an hour before it was supposed to begin.
Instead, the city began clearing an area along the highway in Foggy Bottom. Officials from the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services (DMHHS) and the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) were seen at 20th Street NW and E Street NW near the entrance to the E Street Expressway, telling residents to move their tents. The encampment being cleared was along the route from the White House to the Kennedy Center, which Trump is visiting today.
Rachel Pierre, the interim head of D.C.’s Department of Human Services (DHS), said that the move was a response to the executive order and that other sites, including nearby ones that the city officials are currently at, could be closed as early as tomorrow morning.
Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a live community chat streamed on X the night before clearings began that visible tents are an issue for Trump. “This is his issue, seeing homeless encampments — it just triggers something in him,” she said.
Trump signed two executive orders as part of his move to take over the city. The first places MPD under federal control for 30 days, and the second will deploy 800 National Guard troops to the District. Trump claims that these actions will bring down crime in the city, but the violent crime rate has actually been decreasing over the last two years.
“We’ll deploy officers across the District with an overwhelming presence,” Trump said at the press conference.
Heather Bernard at her Mt. Pleasant encampment cleaning up in anticipation of the cleanup that was cancelled on 13 August by DMHHS. PHOTO BY MADI KOESLER
Jesse, who lives in the encampment targeted by the president, prepares to move. Photo by Madi Koesler PHOTO BY MADI KOESLER
Though homelessness is not mentioned in either executive order, Trump said that part of his goal was to respond to the “drugged-out maniacs and homeless people” whom he says have taken over the city.
The day before the announcement, Trump made a Truth Social Post with photos of tents along the interstate and of one person on the steps of the American Institute of Pharmacy on his way to golf. In the post, Trump called for the removal of people experiencing homelessness from the District, writing: “The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY.”
In a press conference on Aug. 12, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that MPD will begin reinforcing laws against camping and that people experiencing homelessness “will be given the option to leave their encampment, to be taken to a homeless shelter, to be offered addiction or mental health services,” and if they refuse, could be fined or arrested.
As of Aug. 7, the most recent day for which shelter occupancy data is available, there was only one vacant bed in the city’s low-barrier shelters. According to outreach workers, the city opened 70 additional shelter beds last week.
Trump also said during the press conference that law enforcement began removing encampments from the city’s parks and underpasses over the weekend, though Street Sense has not been able to confirm this.
Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum added that the Park Police have removed over 70 encampments since March, when Trump issued an executive order to “make the District of Columbia safe and beautiful”, and Leavitt said that there
are plans to remove two final encampments on federal land.
“We’re moving the encampments away, trying to take care of people,” Trump said, adding there are “places they can go.”
“We’re going to help them as much as you can help.”
Bowser addressed the press later on Monday, telling District residents that the MPD will comply with the law and confirmed that she contacted Bondi, who was tapped by Trump to “take command” of MPD.
On Monday morning, homelessness outreach providers and staff from the Department of Human Services (DHS) visited encampments along I-66 to offer shelter and resources. DHS officials on site told residents, “From our perspective, we just want to make sure people are staying safe.”
A D.C. official familiar with the issue said that as of Aug. 12, the city’s approach to encampments has not changed, and the government will keep supporting federal partners. Street Sense has reached out to the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services (DMHHS), the D.C. agency that normally handles encampment clearings and MPD, with specific questions about how the order will impact encampment closures in the coming days, and has not yet received a response.
When Street Sense asked specifically about encampment clearings at the mayor’s press conference, including whether MPD would comply if directed to move people experiencing homelessness out of the city, Bowser ducked answering the question outright, responding, “Well, let me just say what MPD needs to be focused on, and it’s violent crime. … Our force, when the chief
deploys, every day and every night, is focused on people who are committing crimes in the District.”
In an Aug. 7 email ahead of the federalization, the D.C. Attorney General’s office warned of a possible increase in involuntary commitments, or FD-12s, of people experiencing homelessness. As of Aug. 19, no spike in FD-12s has been reported, according to the D.C. Hospital Association, which tracks this data.
The White House has recently touted invol-
untary commitment as a solution to homelessness with an executive order that encouraged cities and states to use the practice more frequently. Street Sense reporters spoke to residents who live in the encampments along I-66 (which were pictured in Trump’s Truth Social Post) about their reactions to Trump’s announcement and threat to remove encampments. “He’s much more of a criminal than I am,” remarked G, one resident.
Courtesy of Street Sense Media / INSP.ngo
Homeless D.C. residents react to Trump clearing encampments
With D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department now under federal control and the National Guard coming to D.C., the fate of people living in encampments in the U.S. capital remains up in the air.
BY MADI KOESLER
As D.C.’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) was put under federal control and the National Guard coming to D.C., the fate of people living in encampments remained up in the air. Officials began clearing encampments the morning of Aug. 13 and continued through Aug. 18.
During a press conference on Aug. 11, President Donald Trump said that law enforcement had already begun to clear encampments, but Street Sense could not confirm any encampments removed as of that afternoon.
Homelessness outreach providers and the Department of Human Services (DHS) visited encampments along I-66 before the press conference to offer shelter and resources. DHS officials on site told residents, “from our perspective, we just want to make sure people are staying safe.”
This follows a Truth social post by Trump on Aug. 10 with photos of tents along the interstate and of one person on the steps of the American Institute of Pharmacy on his way to golf.
Street Sense reporters spoke to residents who live in the encampments along I-66 about their reactions to Trump’s announcement and threat to remove encampments.
“I ain’t ever bought no prostitutes. I
“He’s much more of a criminal than I am.”
ain’t never raped nobody. I ain’t never paid anybody off. None of that stuff,” said G, a resident from one of the photographed tents.
“He’s much more of a criminal than I am.”
G says that the worst thing he does is drugs, and that he would willingly go to jail if Trump went with him. He moved to the green along the interstate because it felt safer than his apartment building. He’s found a community in his encampment over the last two months, but plans to move because of the attention from Trump and media outlets.
“They’ve been doing this to Black men since the dawn,” fellow encampment resident Franklin Lee said. “He don’t give a damn.
He’s saying, ‘Fuck the Constitution.’”
Lee has lived outside for 10 years across D.C. He currently lives in a tent along I-66 outside the Kennedy Center. Over the decade, he has developed a distrust for law enforcement and Trump — feeling let down by how the government treats people who aren’t “billionaires and trillionaires”.
Lee doesn’t identify with either political party but says that Trump is the first president he has ever wanted to give the finger to before. If he is forced to move his tent, he says that he plans to give the government a piece of his mind.
“I pray for America and the presidency on a daily basis. I pray for peace,” resident George Morgan said. “I believe there’s a lot that could be done.”
Morgan also lives in one of the tents posted by Trump in the Truth social post along his commute to Trump’s National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. Morgan is from D.C. and lived along the interstate for about two months with his dog Blue.
He is interested in moving into shelter but doesn’t want to leave Blue behind. As he stays at his encampment, Morgan is optimistic that Mayor Muriel Bowser might be able to come to an agreement with Trump.
Bowser addressed the press just after 3 p.m. on Aug. 11, telling District residents that the MPD will comply with the law but noting that D.C. has not experienced a crime spike since 2023. She confirmed that she contacted Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was tapped by Trump to “take command” of MPD.
The mayor also noted that all law enforcement must be identifiable by a “uniform, a badge, a jacket, so that people know that they are law enforcement.” This comes after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been seen across the nation wearing masks and unidentifiable clothing.
When asked specifically about encampment clearings and if Chief Pamela Smith will comply if Bondi directs local law enforcement to arrest or move people experiencing homelessness out of D.C., Bowser replied, “Well, let me just say what MPD needs to be focused on, and it’s violent crime. … Our force, when the chief deploys, every day and every night, is focused on people who are committing crimes in the District.”
Franzi Wild contributed reporting. Courtesy of Street Sense Media / INSP.ngo
An outreach worker and resident at 26 and L move his bike and belongings when MPD suddenly showed up and told people that they needed to move. PHOTO BY MADI KOESLER
Wishing Well
BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
Water is necessary to sustain our lives
Yet due to circumstances beyond their control many people don’t have access to it for a variety of reasons: drought, pollution, greed to name a few.
Now take a moment and imagine: At or near each of these arid regions you receive a notice that reads:
Coming soon to a location near you a well that’s bubbling forth with clean, clear water that’s ever so sweet, it’s sources are inexhaustible, and best of all it’s free!
No need to worry about pollution it has its own ecosystem built in to filter out any impurities
Immediately you think this has got to be a scam! It’s just too good to be true! Still, you find yourself looking at the map, to find out exactly where it’s at Before long, you decide you’ve got to see it for yourself.
When you arrive, there is a well right where the ad said it would be
But it can’t be as good as it was described You approach to taste the water to see if it’s as good as advertised. You lower the bucket and bring it back up again.
Much to your surprise, it was VERY tasty, far better than you expected it to be.
You think to yourself: ‘Maybe there’s truth in advertising after all!’ You go to get the receptacles you brought to bring some home-just in case.
As you begin filling them up you notice a sign on the front that reads: Instructions For Use: Only then do you begin to examine EVERYTHING more closely.
It has a key of sorts that shows all types of precious gemstones:
Amethysts, Diamonds, Emeralds, Jade, Onyx, Pearls, Rubies, Sapphires, and Topaz as well as a description of the properties each of them possess, and what they can do for you.
That is followed by this stern warning: Take only what you need for you and your family, if you fail to follow these simple rules you will surely suffer the consequences.
The water that is so sweet will turn bitter like vinegar
Those precious jewels that are so valuable and able to cure or fix every sort of ailment or issue imaginable will become worthless.
You now examine your bucket more closely, along with the water it contains there are indeed multicolored gemstones of every shape and size that line the bottom of it.
You try your best to follow the instructions to the letter, and after you get what you need, you can’t wait to share what you’ve found with others. You hope that they will observe these specifications so that they too can have their needs met to the fullest extent
Remember the well is constantly filling with water and both it and the jewels are from an inexhaustible source
It is there to fill the people’s needs
There is no reward for greed
The Heart of Longing
BY FREEPRESSGMA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
A product of Joe Nolan’s poetry workshop
The heart of longing is for what once was; but I say claim it now. You gave your warmth, true joy at meeting me. Leaning across the counter with open arms and free swimming. I gave her still sun-warmed tomatoes. He waters my
garden unasked. She gave me a purple scarf. I gave you a bathing suit. They gave me a ride. He gave him a dollar. We gift each other all the time. Joy in our hearts and our security in the belly of our brothers.
If you are confused, unlearn. Start again.
Motorcycle
BY JAMES “SHORTY” R., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
It’s time to get into the garage, pull the tarp back off the cycle, and pray that it’s a Harley.
Let’s crank it up and let the fluids through. Let’s get on it for a short ride or a long ride, whichever you prefer!
Let’s don’t forget safety, put a helmet on before you leave. Be sure to check for cars. They don’t watch for you like they should. And you’re not protected as well as when you’re in a car.
The moral of the story is that you look better riding than stretched out on the highway.
“From Concrete Come Tomatoes” PHOTO BY CHUCK C., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
LA NOTICIA
“The Contributor” está trabajando con uno de los principales periódicos en español La Noticia para llevar contenido a más lectores en Middle Tennessee. Nuestros vendedores de periódicos han pedido durante mucho tiempo que nuestra publicación incluya contenido que apele al interés de residentes de habla hispana en nuestra comunidad.
“The Contributor” is working with one of the leading Spanish-language newspapers La Noticia to bring content to more readers in Middle Tennessee. Our newspaper vendors have long requested that our publication include content that appeals to the interest of Spanish-speaking residents in our community.
Las Palmas: 35 años de sabor, tradición y perseverancia
sirviendo a nuestra comunidad L o q
Aya
n a s $ 3 , 0 0 0 p r e s t a d o s y u n a v i s ió n d e p r o g r e s o , h o y e s u n a c a d e n a d e n u eve l o c a l e s q u e fo r m a p a r t e i n s ep a r a bl e d e l p a i s a j e g a s t r o n ó m i c o y c u l t u r a l d e l a c i u d a d
Un inicio humilde , una visión clara En 1989, antes de que Nashville se convir tiera en el destino culinario de moda que conocemos hoy, las familias Ayala y Oñate lle garon a la ciudad con la deter minación de abrir un restaurante mexicano auténtico Venían con la experiencia adquirida en Atlanta, trabajando como cocineros y administradores, y con la convicción de que Nashville tenía el potencial de crecer Con sus ahor ros compraron un viejo M a z d a c o n e l q u e r e c o r r i e r o n e l sureste buscando el lugar ideal Lo encontraron en un edificio de los años 60 en Charlotte Pike, que alguna ve z albergó al Silver Dollar Saloon El local estaba destinado a la demolición, pero g racias a los múltiples talentos de la familia, lo remodelaron por completo y el 20 de agosto de 1990 abrieron las puer tas de Las Palmas
Ese primer día repar tieron volantes, tacos g ratis y refrescos para atraer c lientes Tardaron ocho meses en ganarse la clientela fiel que hasta hoy sigue llegando a sus mesas
Historias que marcan generaciones
Con el tiempo, Las Palmas se convir tió en un espacio de encuentros y tradic i o n e s A h í l l e g a b a n e q u i p o s d e
pequeñas ligas después de los par tidos de béisbol, muchos de cuyos jugadores ahora llevan a sus propios hijos y nietos a celebrar las mismas victorias de por tivas
Varias parejas recuerdan sus primeras citas en Las Palmas, y un g r upo de amigos que se reunía todos los mar tes para comer y hacer tr ucos de malabares, hoy continúa esa tradición acompañado de sus nietos
Este tipo de memorias colectivas son las que hacen de Las Palmas más que un restaurante: es un punto de encuentro cultural y familiar
Crecimiento y reconocimiento
El sabor auténtico y el ambiente familiar impulsaron el crecimiento de Las
Conoce tus derechos: ¿Que hacer en caso de una redada? p
Mantenerse callado
Sólo dar nombre y apellido
No mentir
Nunca acepte/lleve documentos falsos
No revelar su situación migratoria
No llevar documentación de otro país
En caso de ser arrestado, mostrar la Tarjeta Miranda sados en la Quinta Enmienda de la Constitución, derechos de guardar silencio y contar con un ogado fueron denominados Derechos Miranda go de la decisión de la Suprema Corte de Justicia Estados Unidos en el caso Miranda vs Arizona, 4 U S 436, de 1966
Palmas Para 2006, la familia ya había abierto nueve sucursales en Nashville y sus alrededores, generando empleo para más de 200 personas, muchos de ellos con más de 15 años en la empresa
El restaurante también ha recibido a cele bridades como Dolly Par ton, Edward James Olmos y jugadores de los Tennessee Titans, consolidando su reputación como uno de los referentes de la gastronomía mexicana en Music City
Pero más allá de la fama, lo que más enorgullece a la familia es el apoyo de s u s c l i e n t e s “ N o e s t a m o s a q u í p o rq u e t u v i m o s s u e rt e ; e s t a m o s a q u í g ra c i a s a ellos”, comenta don José Luis Ayala, uno d e l o s f u n d a d o re s “Nuestros clientes
s i g n i f i c a n t o d o para nosotros”
Ese compromiso con la comunidad también se refleja en su par ticipación cívica
Don José Luis fue miembro de la junta
d i r e c t iva d e l a Cámara de Comercio
H i s p a n a d e
N a s h v i l l e c u a n d o esta se fundó en el año 2000, y desde
e n t o n c e s L a s
agosto de 2025 en todos sus locales, ofreciendo un 50% de descuento en toda la comida en el restaurante y rifas con premios especiales, incluyendo boletos para los Titans, Predators y Nashville SC Siempre es un gusto ver a nuestro amigo Moy Ayala, quien por muchos años se desempeñó como gerente de la locación de Nippers Corner y que ahora cumple un papel de aún mayor responsabilidad en la compañía y en varias otras sucursales, ocupado ase gurándose de que todos se sientan bienvenidos y atendidos Valoramos mucho su amistad, profesionalismo y hospitalidad
L a c e l e b r a c i ó n n o s o l o f u e u n a g r a d e c i m i e n t o a s u s c l i e n t e s , s i n o t a m b i é n u n r e c o r d at o r i o d e l l a r go c a m i n o r e c o r r i d o y d e l e s p í r i t u d e p e r s eve r a n c i a y s e r v i c i o q u e c a r a c t er i z a a l a f a m i l i a Aya l a y O ñ at e Un le gado de sabor y comunidad H oy, 3 5 a ñ o s d e s p u é s d e s u a p e r t u r a , L a s Pa l m a s n o e s s o l o u n r e s t a ur a n t e : e s u n s í m b o l o d e l t r a b a j o a r d u o d e l o s i n m i g r a n t e s , d e l va l o r d e l a f a m i l i a y d e l p o d e r d e l a c o m un i d a d E s t e s t i m o n i o d e c ó m o e l e s f u e r z o c o l e c t ivo p u e d e t r a n s fo r m a r u n s u e ñ o e n u n a i n s t i t u c i ó n l o c a l E n u n N a s h v i l l e c a d a ve z m á s d ive rs o y v i b r a n t e , L a s P a l m a s s i g u e r e c o r d á n d o n o s q u e l a bu e n a c o m i d a n o s o l o a l i m e n t a e l c u e r p o , s i n o q u e t a m b i é n f o r t a l e c e l a i d e n t i d a d , l a a m i s t a d y l a e s p er a n z a c o m p a r t i d a L a s Pa l m a s e s , s i n d u d a , u n a h i s t o r i a d e é x i t o e m p r e s ar i a l , p e
Pa l m a s h a m a ntenido un vínculo cercano con la comunidad El restaurante ha sido reconocido, entre muchos otros reconocimient o s i m p o r t a n t e s , d o s ve c e s e n l o s
Premios a la Excelencia Empresarial y Comunitaria que otorga la NAHCC Celebración de 35 años
Para conmemorar este aniversario, Las Palmas organizó una gran fiesta el 20 de
El pasado miércoles
2025, tuve
Noticia News para celebrar la historia de uno de los restaurantes más queridos
Por Yuri Cunza Editor in Chief @LaNoticiaNe ws
Foto: Las Palmas Restaurant website
Gov. Lee Ready to Send National Guard to D.C. for Police Takeover
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said in a press conference he is ready to deploy National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. as part of President Donald Trump’s federal takeover of the police force there. (Read more about Trump’s efforts to clear homeless encampments on Pg. 10.) Lee said he spoke with the U.S. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, who told him the military could be requesting states to send troops to the nation’s capital for law enforcement. “I told him we would be obviously willing to work with them on whatever they needed. The current status, I cannot speak to, but the request … of interest was made, and I expressed interest,” Lee said in a press conference following a groundbreaking for Australian-owned Barrett Firearms south of Murfreesboro. The governor’s
News Briefs
statement provides another example that he is prepared to use Tennessee National Guard personnel for nearly every request the president makes. Recently, Lee mobilized Guard members to provide backing for federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement as it continues efforts on mass deportation. Guard personnel are to help with paperwork and logistics to give ICE agents more time to concentrate on arresting immigrants who lack documentation for permanent citizenship. In addition to deportation efforts, Trump ordered the feds to wrest control of the Washington, D.C. police department using National Guard troops in a purported emergency move to cut crime in what he called a “lawless city.” Local officials criticized the move, saying the city has seen a major decrease in crime in the last year. Under federal law, the president could run the police
Joke of the Issue
SUBMITTED BY HOWARD P.,
CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
A guy goes into a bar with a giraffe. They proceed to get totally drunk. The guy matches the giraffe drink for drink, beer for beer. Eventually, the giraffe is so drunk that it splays out all over the bar. The drunk gets up heads for the door when the bartender yells, “Hey, you can’t leave that lying there.” The drunk almost at the door, turns around and responds:
“That’s not a lion, that’s a giraffe!”
Jim's Journal
SUBMITTED BY JIM P., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
Question: David would know that this beetle is the heaviest known insect.
Answer: Goliath beetle
department for 30 days, though the time frame could be stretched. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Terry Cole reportedly said federal troops would be “embedded” with the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. SAM STOCKARD | TN LOOKOUT
Contributor Vendors to Showcase Work at Wedgewood-Houston Art Crawl
The Wedgewood-Houston Art Crawl is hosting The Contributor on Sept. 6 among other local visual artists, writers and more. Vendors who create art, write poetry, make zines and sell the paper will be on site at the art crawl at a Contributor booth from 4-8 p.m. Maurice, Norma, Lisa, Wendell Daniel and others are slated to talk about and sell their work.
AMANDA HAGGARD
Nashville’s Only Citywide Visual Arts Festival slated for late September From Sept. 26-28 in Walk of Fame Park, visual arts festival Artville will bring “a vibrant mix of public art, music, and community programming” to both downtown and additional places across the city, according to a release. Artville is Nashville’s only public visual arts festival and will be in its third year this year. Walk of Fame Park will feature immersive, large-scale public art installations, alongside the American Artisan Festival featuring 65 contemporary handcraft and fine artisans, as well as food, live music, kids’ activities, and more. Artville 2025 will also feature several Artville After Dark events each evening with activations throughout the city including The Arcade 5th Ave of the Arts, The Neuhoff District in Germantown, and Wedgewood Houston. AMANDA HAGGARD
Kid’s Corner
Created by Mccollonough Ceili
HOBOSCOPES
VIRGO
Is that milk still good, Virgo? Hmmm … looks like the expiration date is … well, this milk actually expires on your birthday! Really makes you think about how fast time is moving, doesn’t it? That a random carton of milk from the not-too-distant past only has a few more days of freshness and then … well, I guess none of us stay in our prime forever. Oh, but that’s not what I came here to say, Virgo. You’re nowhere near going sour. I just wanted to remind you that even though the days are moving in one direction, your story gets to keep spreading out every-which way, like the fresh milk I just spilled on your kitchen floor. No tears! I’ve got paper towels.
LIBRA
While you were waiting-out the heat of summer, Libra, huddled alone in your dark, air-conditioned living room, I studied the blade. Day in and day out I learned the way of swordmaster-astrologers from ages passed. I trained my senses, tuned them to a sharpness I had thought impossible. You watched another episode of Love Island and microwaved a frozen burrito. And now we’re here at the edge of autumn. You’re well-rested and refreshed. Ready to take on the end of the year. While I’m generally freaked-out by my finely-tuned senses and constantly on edge about being attacked by a greater swordsman. However you spent your summer, Libra, now is the time to strike!
SCORPIO
I hope I never run into one of those aliens from that movie about aliens. You know the one. It’s all damp and dark and deadly. It’s always dripping goo from the metal teeth of its multiple mouths. But if I do run into one of those I know for certain that I’ll only escape if I get really lucky. I guess we’ve both been pretty lucky so far, Scorpio. And it’s good to remember that there are some forces none of us stand a chance against. And when I see somebody else who’s been less lucky, I bet it’s not their fault either. Not any more than it would be my fault if I got got by that alien. So maybe we lucky ones can try to help out when we get the chance. Or if nothing else, stop taking credit for our own miraculous survival.
SAGITTARIUS
Ah shoot, I’m no good with names. It’s Sagittarius, right? Ah, I knew it. I should’ve just gone with my gut. Anyway, thanks for coming out to this horoscope. We’re five minutes past start-time and I don’t think anybody else is gonna show up for this one, so I guess we’ll just get started. Sometimes, Sagittarius, you have to push through the awkwardness and let go of expectations. Dare I say that moving alongside reality is better than trying to force things into the shape you were hoping for. Sure, use the power you’ve got to make the change you can, but don’t be so intent on an outcome that you forget to participate in the room you’re actually in. Now, unless you’ve got anything to add, we’ve got coffee and cookies at the back table.
CAPRICORN
Sometimes when I check the mail I imagine that somebody will send me an unexpected check for an enormous amount of money. And that the first thing I’ll do with my enormous amount of money is build a house that you and I and everybody who wants to can live in. If we run out of rooms, we’ll just build another one next door. I assume it will make everything so much easier now that we’re not paying rent and we can all just split kitchen-time and cleaning duties. But when I think about all the people who end up with enormous amounts of money, they never seem to do that kind of thing. So I have to assume getting a big mysterious check isn’t the way out. But the answer might still be somewhere in the community of it. Getting closer. Splitting the work. Where could you give that a try this week, Capricorn?
AQUARIUS
Have you thought about updating your logo, Aquarius? I mean, I get it. It’s simple and direct. Two wavy lines like waves on the water, right? But what if it had a little more going on? Like maybe a boat on top and a shark underneath? Yeah, this is good. How about a lighthouse in the distance and a seagull carrying something meaningful like an olive branch … or maybe a corndog? Too specific? I just want your branding to be as dynamic as possible. But you’re right, you’re right. It’s been working fine for a long time. And nobody was really complaining. Maybe we don’t fix what isn’t broken. But, last idea, hear me out: We just add the corndog. Right?
PISCES
When I was a kid and I had to write a paper for school I would spend all night in “the computer room.” I’d use up hours tapping-out whatever I could remember about the book I’d almost read and then I’d spend another bunch of hours trying to get the printer to work. Little did I know that those hours would be a drop of water in the sea of time I’d someday spend staring at screens and tapping-out ideas and messages and lists and six-digit-codes. Maybe it’s a good time to go back to the “computer room” model, Pisces. Try keeping all this digital limitlessness in one physical space for a few days. Or just try being more aware of what room you’re already in.
ARIES
There’s a fly at the barbecue, Aries. There are jalapeño potato chips and two kinds of rootbeer and perfectly-grilled veggie dogs, but mostly there’s a fly at the barbecue. There are people you love and people you like and people you’d like to know better and there is at least one fly at the barbecue. There’s a pool and a badminton-net and a speaker playing your favorite song but it’s still hard to ignore the fly at the barbecue, Aries. So I’m trusting you to accept all the things in this yard. The laughter and the mustard and the stray garden hose and, yes, even the fly at this barbecue.
TAURUS
I stopped to get gas and saw the strangest thing. Somebody put a sticker on the pump. It was a picture of you with an arrow pointing to the price and it said “Guess who paid this much for gas!?” I thought it was pretty rude so I took it down. But then I went to the drugstore and I saw another one. A picture of you next to the lip balm and an arrow that said “Guess who’s got dry lips!?” Well, this was just too much Taurus. So I took that one down and went to the manager but he was wearing a shirt with your picture on it under the words “Guess who forgot to do laundry!?” Anyway, Taurus, if all this seems unlikely, it’s because it isn’t true. Nobody is as worried about what you’re doing as you are. Guess who’s free to be themself unfettered by the judgment or expectations of others!
GEMINI
Let me be clear, Gemini, that when I talk of Michalangelo I’m referring to a pizza-eating, nunchuck-wielding, adolescent turtle. Not some fancy Italian renaissance dweeb who couldn’t best Shredder in a sculpting match, much less Krang as a ceiling painter. And when I dare disturb the universe with my thoughts on Donatello, I’m much more concerned with proper bō staff technique than with innovations in the friezes of great cathedrals. And should you then presume, Gemini, that the secret-juice oozing from this final peach of summer will be somehow transformative for us? I do not think it will. But it will have been worth it after all. To tell a tale of Raphael and be for once understood. To weep with Leonardo at the shore. Say what you mean, Gemini. Say it till it means what you meant.
CANCER
Have you heard about that guy who’s making perpetual stew? Like, he’s got a crockpot that he never turns off and he’ll just throw in some beans and potatoes and a chunk of meat and more water and then he scoops out as much as he wants and lets the rest keep cooking till the next time he’s hungry. Maybe if it never stops cooking it never grows bacteria so he can just put more in and take more out and keep eating it forever? I can’t recommend this as a safe way to stay fed, Cancer, but I have noticed you doing something similar. You’re always adding in responsibilities and expectations and scooping out progress and guilt, but I never see you take a break. I know you’re worried the whole pot will go bad, but I think this could be a good time to empty it out and give the bowl a scrub before you decide what you’re cooking next.
LEO
I saw a butterfly today and thought of you, Leo. It was one of those big orange-and-black ones that they’re always putting behind inspirational quotes on calendars and keychains. I’m not sure why you came to mind. I mean, obviously, you’ve transformed an enormous amount since you started munching on leaves last spring. And I know you’re relieved to be out of that chrysalis where you disappeared for a while, but there’s something else, Leo. What was it? Ah, right. It’s the lightness. I don’t know if that butterfly has a destination in mind, but I feel like it’s having a great time getting there. Flower to flower. Breeze to breeze. You’ve got that too, Leo. Even if you can’t feel it much today.
Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a trained Lepidopterologist, or an authorized crock-pot technician. Listen to the Mr. Mysterio podcast at mrmysterio. com Or just give him a call at 707-VHS-TAN1.
Scary season creeps closer with ‘The Monkey’
It’s no coincidence that the Halloween decorations arrive at the big box stores at the exact same moment when Nashvillians want to sip a mocha in a cozy sweater by a fire instead of enduring the sweltering of another three-digit heat advisory. I’m determined to try to make the most of the deep end of summer, but I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you how anxious I am for football, fall fly fishing, long smokes on the grill and a deep cauldron of scary cinema boiling over on my TV screen.
I saw Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey on a plane trip in July. I wasn’t in the mood to write about horror movies in July, but as we break past the midpoint of August, I’m recommending the film as an amuse-bouche for the fearful feast to come.
Based on Stephen King’s 1980 short story, The Monkey centers on twin brothers whose childhood is shattered by a sinister wind-up toy. I’ve always found murderous toys to be particu -
BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC
larly terrifying and strangely appealing. In 1999, young Hal and Bill Shelburn (Christian Convery playing both roles) discover their father’s antique drum-playing monkey in the attic — as one does. The monkey appears to be an innocent plaything but soon reveals itself to be a monster of musical malevolence. Every time the monkey beats its tiny cymbals, someone nearby dies in a gruesome but accidental-seeming manner. The cursed toy traumatizes the Shelburn family, forcing the brothers down separate paths.
King is famous for his novels, but he does a special thing as a short story writer. He finds a twisted idea — a killer toy — and then wraps a world around it. King is a music freak, and his shorts almost feel like songs with characters and settings revolving around a repeating chorus. The plastic massacre musician at the center of The Monkey just makes King’s terribly tuneful structure more overt.
Twenty-five years later, the now-adult brothers have built completely different lives. Hal (Theo James) has become a responsible family man, married to Lois (Tatiana Maslany) and trying to shield his own children from the darkness of his past. Meanwhile, his twin Bill (also Theo James in a dual performance) has embraced a more reckless existence. When the accursed monkey resurfaces, triggering a new wave of elaborate and darkly comedic deaths, the estranged siblings are forced to reunite.
None of this would work if James wasn’t able to make both Hal and Bill believable as separate characters and in their interactions. He anchors the film in both roles, bringing distinct physicality and emotional register to each brother. James gets solid support from his ensemble cast: the movie features Elijah Wood as Ted, Adam Scott as Captain Petey Shelborn, and Perkins steps in front of the camera to play Uncle Chip. As the body count rises with increas -
ingly outrageous Final Destination-style fatalities, Hal and Bill must confront not only the supernatural threat of their childhood trauma but also the deep resentments and sibling rivalry that have festered between them for decades.
The Monkey is rated R, and it does revel in gruesome stunts and effects. That said, the thing that makes the film such a great appetizer for horror movie season is its irreverent, dark comedy tone. A straight telling of the film’s events would likely seem only absurd and unbelievable. But campy, excessively gory cinema that still manages a family trauma drama makes for a great night at the movies at home. We watch horror cinema because it’s fun to be scared, and all movies look better in the dark.
The Monkey is streaming on Hulu.
Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist and performing singer/ songwriter based in East Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.
