The Contributor: July 16, 2025

IN THE ISSUE

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Tony Adams has been riding his bike along American roads for 25 years.

Quatrece McKinney talks about Monroe Harding’s work to serve families involved in foster care and those who

Searching for Tony Adams: the man who’s been biking America for 25 years

Now that summer is here, I’m on the lookout for Tony Adams. Adams has been riding his bike along American roads for 25 years. I last saw him pulling a 700-pound trailer up US Highway 18 north of Lusk, Wyoming, during Labor Day weekend in 2022.I’ve been a cyclist since college, but I had never seen anything quite like Adams. He said he hadn’t either, and that he was a true original.Adams began riding in 1995. “My dad was dying of a stroke,” Adams said. “He asked me to go find my brother and bring him home. My dad wanted to make amends.”He didn’t have a car, so he rode his bike from Oregon to Las Vegas. He wasn’t sure how he’d find his brother, who was living on the streets, but fate stepped in. “I tapped on a man’s shoulder to ask for directions,” he said, “and my brother turned around.”Adams is eager to share his story. He pulled from his trailer a stack of old newspapers from both large and small outlets that had written about his odyssey. He handled each delicate piece of newsprint and other treasured items with care as the Wyoming wind pounded us. He said he’s been featured in more than 50 publications. Numbers matter to Adams. He keeps track of

BY GILES CLASEN

nearly everything and rattled off these details when we spoke: He was 57 at the time we met. He’s crossed the Continental Divide 21 times. He’s been hit by four cars, two of them hit-andruns. He had eight flat tires during the summer of 2022. He covers 10 miles of highway in two and a half hours. And he drinks one cup of coffee before bed each night.He tracks everything and hopes that the documentation will get him immortalized in the Guinness Book of World Records. But when I asked why he’s been on the road for so long, Adams turned philosophical. “I’m searching for answers to questions you haven’t asked,” he said. “And what wisdom am I supposed to learn from people I haven’t yet met?”He takes pride in living outside a traditional life and insists that he is not homeless, just free. “I don’t know if I fit anywhere other than on the road. But I’m not homeless. I’m housed, because that’s my house,” he said, pointing to his trailer.Adams collects his mail at the Murphy Center for Hope in Fort Collins. It’s the closest thing he has to an address, and he stops in a few times per year.

“I try to ride all year, but I’ll find a shelter and hunker down in the winter if the weather

gets too bad,” he said. When he’s riding, people are eager to offer help. But in shelters, he feels judged. “When I’m at a shelter for a few days, I think people see me differently,” he said. “But I try not to be anywhere long enough to be a bother.” He accepts donations on the road but prefers to work when he needs money, describing himself as handy and adding that he used to do maintenance for a carnival before he began his bike tour. We spoke briefly on the shoulder as semis roared past inches away. I didn’t want to risk our safety, so I let him keep moving. I hoped that we’d reconnect in Fort Collins for a longer conversation. I wanted to write more about a man who finds purpose in a never-ending bike tour.

He doesn’t carry a phone, so I scribbled my contact information on a scrap of paper. We agreed that he’d call when he arrived in town.

Months later, my phone rang. He spoke quickly, and I didn’t record the conversation. I only remember him saying that he hadn’t stayed in Fort Collins long. The road is where he feels at home. I received a few more calls from Adams after that. Each time, he talked about his dad, his brother, and building his camper. But I ha-

ven’t heard from him in a long time. I search for him online now and then. I’ve seen news stories about him in Iowa, New York and Missouri. Adams is like many people I document on the street: I meet them, hear their stories, and care deeply about them.

Over the years, I’ve received emails and phone calls from people who have tracked down a loved one through one of my stories. Sometimes, it is the first time they have heard news of the person in years. A name, a photograph, or a short quote has helped to move forward the search for people who disappeared.

These moments are rare, but they reveal a deeper truth. Many people experiencing homelessness have not been forgotten. They are missed. They are loved. When someone loses housing, they often lose contact with everyone: family, friends, former coworkers. When we let people languish in homelessness, our communities lose not only an individual, but a network of relationships, histories, and potential.I hope that Adams and the others who I have lost track of are getting by – maybe even thriving.

Courtesy of Denver VOICE / INSP.ngo

Tony Adams has been riding his bike along American roads for 25 years. “I don’t know if I fit anywhere other than on the road. But I’m not homeless. I’m housed, because that’s my house,” Adams said, pointing to his trailer. PHOTOS BY GILES CLASEN

Learn More About Nashville’s Unified Housing Strategy

BY JUDITH TACKETT

Metro released a comprehensive Unified Housing Strategy (UHS) earlier this year, which outlines seven strategies, 43 action steps, and an accompanying implementation plan. The UHS aims to provide a comprehensive roadmap for addressing Nashville’s housing needs within the next 10 years. Nashville property is getting more expensive, as proven by the 45 percent median increase in property values over the last four years, according to Metro’s press release about the UHS.

“With the release of the Unified Housing Strategy, Nashville now has an implementation plan where our collective work can result in a future where all Nashvillians have access to a safe, stable and affordable place to call home,” Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell said at the time of the release in late April.

The UHS builds on a foundation of existing and ongoing efforts, including the 2021 Affordable Housing Task Force Report, by providing clear implementable steps to strengthen housing security in Nashville. Developed through extensive community engagement and rigorous analysis, the UHS reflects the lived experiences and priorities of residents. In the summer of 2024, community members shared their housing concerns, challenges, and hopes through surveys and listening sessions. Additional input came from key stakeholders — such as legal experts, developers, nonprofits, and financial institutions — through roundtables and interviews.

The UHS is bigger than just another housing strategy. It is a political commitment from O’Connell, who, during his first year in office, prioritized his transit plan called Choose How You Move and has now shifted his focus to the housing crisis.

One thing we know about O’Connell is that when he concentrates on something, he does his homework and demands results.

Angie Hubbard, Director of Metro’s Housing Division, which spearheaded the creation of the UHS, said that it was, “Metro’s first comprehensive housing strategy that looks at the city’s housing crisis from all angles — from how much housing needs to be created and preserved to particular challenges residents encounter in their housing journeys.

“Factors contributing to Nashville’s housing issues are complex and long-standing and cannot be solved by a single tool or policy change — or by Metro alone,” Hubbard said.

The UHS is a living document, a starting point, that outlines existing and ongoing efforts to address Nashville’s affordable housing crisis within

the given political parameters. The state legislature has preempted tools such as mandatory inclusionary zoning, impact fees, or rent control that would make it easier for local jurisdictions to build more affordable housing.

Now, months after its release, I have spoken to several community members in Nashville’s housing sector about the UHS. The feedback has been mixed. Overall, the general feeling is that people want to see action and are tired of yet another plan.

Generally, I see strategic plans as useful tools, and I love working with organizations on them because when they are done well, they do outline clear milestones and help create progress. On the flip side, some of them, when they are done in a comprehensive way — like the UHS — take time. Consequently, people are tired after a long planning process and all they have to show for is a written document. The UHS took about a year to write. In the end, we have high expectations and are disappointed when we do not find the quick fix we hoped for.

In the case of the UHS, which follows Nashville’s 2021 Affordable Housing Task Force Report, Nashville showed that the city has not made much progress since 2021 in terms of catching up on the housing front. The 2021 plan outlined the need for an average of 5,250 housing units per year to meet the housing demand — or a total of more than 52,000 new units by 2030.

Four years later, the UHS is calling for 90,000 units in the next 10 years. UHS states, “Using a jobs-based methodology, the UHS team anticipates Nashville needing an additional 90,000 new homes over the next ten years to accommodate for population growth which is expected to grow by over 175,000 people in this time frame.”

In other words, we now need about 9,000 new housing units per year to meet the demand.

But the UHS report is more detailed and clearly outlines that over half of the new units should be for sale. One reason is that homeownership production has lagged behind since the Great Recession, which lasted from December 2007 to about mid-2009. Secondly, a good portion of recent newcomers to Nashville prefer to own rather than rent.

The UHS lists seven specific strategies, which are expected to remain constant over the next decade (for a full summary of each strategy, visit the UHS document on nashville.gov):

Enhance and align Nashville’s housing ecosystem to comprehensively and collectively address Nashville’s

housing needs.

The goal is to improve coordination among key stakeholders and foster collaboration with private sector partners. One of the actions listed is to establish a staff position within the Mayor’s Office to help with coordination, alignment of budget requests, and increased accountability.

My fear is that having a term-limited position within the Mayor’s Office will limit sustainability. Furthermore, it emphasizes the top-down hierarchy that has strengthened over the past two administrations to the detriment of building a more collaborative spirit across Metro departments. Based on my experience and observations in the homelessness field, I don’t think one person can do this task within the current administration at the level that is needed. Politics and bureaucracy may get in the way.

Optimize and grow financial and resource support for affordable housing across public, private, and philanthropic sectors.

Calling for cross-sector financial strategies is nothing new. Nashville has been creative with the development of a Catalyst Fund, which is housed at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Nashville’s Payments-inlieu-of-taxes (PILOT) program managed by the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) created about 10,000 affordable apartments between 2016 and 2024. And, according to Metro, the Barnes Fund has invested over $108 million in affordable housing development and preservation since its inception in 2013. It leveraged more than $1 billion of federal and private investments to build over 4,700 housing units.

This second strategy supports the continuation of some of these tools and calls for the exploration of new funding sources for affordable housing and homelessness services. My biggest criticism is that after a year of study, I would have liked to see more concrete language in the UHS that point to specific actions and implementations, which I am sure are already underway. Especially in the homelessness sector, the opportunities provided by the millions of federal and Metro funding of the past couple of years should have resulted in a specific Metro plan to outline ongoing housing creation for people experiencing homelessness. But Metro only adopted and points to a community strategic plan that does not outline clear goals either.

Create a range of new and affordable housing choices for all Nashvillians as appropriate across the county.

This is the strategy that I believe Nashville’s low-income housing advocates have mostly focused on, namely, to preserve and build more rental options for low-income households.

The biggest discussions (and fights) that we read about frequently in the news are consistently around the efforts to adjust zoning and land-use policies, which are needed if we want to build a Nashville for all Nashvillians.

Keep homeowners in their homes and create more opportunities for sustainable homeownership and wealth creation.

The UHS report recognizes that home ownership in Nashville has increasingly become out of reach for households with an income below $100,000 and minority communities. I believe to create more homeownership opportunities, especially for vulnerable households, we need to learn to build sustainable neighborhoods that retain or regain mixed-income households. The key is to build quality assets such as great neighborhood schools, access to healthcare, jobs, and housing.

In previous trips to Charlotte, N.C., I learned that even intentional community building is followed by gentrification as neighborhoods become more desirable. Thus, this strategy to support first-generation homebuyers and assist more people to overcome barriers to access mortgages while also helping neighbors remain in their homes is crucial to building truly mixed-income households where everyone can thrive.

Create permanent housing options for persons experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.

Key actions in this strategy are the advancement of the Homelessness Planning Council’s (HPC) Strategic Plan, “increasing the availability of vouchers for individuals experiencing homelessness, and exploring funding sources for rental assistance and services.”

I believe Metro should start by outlining in a transparent manner how the city intends to invest its $11 million in annual Metro budget dedicated to the Office of Homelessness (OHS) and how to measure progress for those investments. Then OHS can show how it fits into the overall strategic community plan adopted by the HPC.

The past few years have shown that when we invest millions of dollars in federal and Metro funding without transparency and clearly outlined performance measures, we may not serve as many people as we could have. Specifically, OHS own data clearly show

“Four years later, the UHS is calling for 90,000 units in the next 10 years. In other words, we now need about 9,000 new housing units per year to meet the demand.”

that the housing placement rate has not significantly increased since 2021.

With the federal government likely to cut spending for permanent supportive housing and shifting to financing more temporary solutions, the city does have a chance right now to demonstrate how it steps into that gap. We also anticipate that federal rent subsidy programs could be significantly cut, which calls for the creation of a local rental subsidy program. These could have been clear action items included in the UHS.

Finally, the UHS calls for the development of yet another strategic plan for Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). Rather than wasting time for another study, OHS should show leadership and work closely with private developers. In reality, we could already have three “Strobel Houses” (instead of one), totaling about 340+ PSH units (instead of 90) if we had the vision and leadership at OHS and Metro to implement more homelessness solutions.

Preserve and protect long-term housing affordability and stability.

As with many of the other strategies, Nashville has been talking about the protection of affordable housing units for a long time. I recall discussions years ago about how we establish a database that allows Metro Council to monitor the net loss/gain of affordable housing units. Nothing has panned out so far. I have hope that including this and other strategies to preserve affordable, low-income housing will lead to a realistic and sustainable effort.

Strengthen housing security for renters and improve access to resources for all Nashvillians.

With the federal administration’s attack on low-income households, we may feel a little discour-

aged that the action items under this strategy will successfully be implemented.

However, that’s where the UHS report could shine. Namely, it is up to local governments to step in where the federal government and state step out. We can reach out proactively to Nashvillians and let them know what housing supports are still available, how to access them, and we certainly have the opportunity to dismantle some of the stringent bureaucratic measures that have over the years become barriers to accessing help. It is an opportunity to create efficiencies and leverage existing resources better.

Overall, the UHS is a readable, educational tool that is accessible and understandable for folks who are relatively new to the affordable housing discussion. What is crucial though is that we move from planning to implementation.

Recent efforts in Chattanooga, which resulted in the passage of Tennessee’s Attainable Housing Incentives Bill of 2024, allowed Chattanooga’s City Council to approve voluntary housing incentives to developers.

Now, Chattanooga offers developers that build housing units priced for households making 80 percent of AMI or below, a 30-percent density bonus within the same building, reduced parking minimums, and a 30-percent height bonus in designated areas. I recall that similar bonuses Nashville offered in the past did not seem to be viewed as attractive to many developers. But with the UHS to help outline how to leverage resources better and encourage more public-private partnerships, the tide may be turning.

To view the full document including a 10-year implementation plan, visit https://www.nashville.gov/departments/planning/housing-division/unified-housing-strategy.

Everything Happens for a Reason Olive Branch

Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015

Everything Happens for a Reason...

And all things have a time and a place and a season... Change for the better was once considered “Treason.”

We’re all here because of pioneers, Standing up for what they believe in... Making a living off of what others are giving? Instead of willing to do, whatever it takes, To put down stakes and make a commitment? I’m not in agreement... I can easily see so much better for them, I have a Vision... I’ve made my Decision... And I consider that to be my Mission - Because, Everything Happens for a Reason...

Puzzle Pieces... Puzzle Pieces...

It’s not yet time to see its completion. Take the good with the bad and keep on smiling. This too shall pass in a little while. Like Soldiers and Recruits, behold living proof... If given the truth, can it completely change their attitude? Only if it’s understood & I can honestly say: “I did the best that I could.” - Because, Everything Happens for a Reason...

Knowing I’m always disposable, But handy to have around. Uttering words worth being heard, Without ever making a sound. Every two weeks I get to speak, And through “Free Speech” Achieve “Common Ground” Nothing Ventured - Nothing Gained, Nothing Eventually Found... I expect them to spend - A little time with me, When - every two weeks - I do get to speak. Here today and gone tomorrow, One day, I may be considered - to be an Antique. Believing all things, eventually... Sooner or later have to be, And I’m playing “Hide & Go Seek”- Because, Everything Happens for a Reason...

Do I look like a beggar? I sell the paper, And I never asked anybody for anything... I like writing about doing what’s right, Fighting a good fight & look like I’m winning... Ready to take on any New Beginning. Never knowing who maybe - You may end up meeting? That my friend - May all depend, Upon your offering (and/or) your greeting. So often “It’s not what I had planned. I didn’t see that one coming” but?

I’ll always be grateful for “The Contributor” For allowing me “The Freedom” to say something. Something worth believing in - Because, Everything Happens for a Reason...

Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015

United We Stand. Divided We Fall.

It’s all for one and one for all. When actions demand retaliation. You can’t have revenge, And reconciliation.

Make your adversary your ally, And your enemy your friend. Find common ground, And compromise, And offer up an Olive Branch.

Do you want what’s best for you?

Do you want what’s best for them?

Do you want what’s best for all of us? Bring the conflict to an end, And offer up an Olive Branch...

It’s all about your point of view. Who’s at fault and who’s to blame?

But put yourself in their shoes, And you’d probably do the same. They’re different, And they’re dangerous, And they’re up to their old tricks. It’s self-defense. It’s them or us. An Olive Branch or a bigger stick?

Make your adversary your ally, And your enemy your friend. Find common ground, And compromise, And offer up an Olive Branch.

Do you want what’s best for you?

Do you want what’s best for them?

Do you want what’s best for all of us? Bring the conflict to an end, And offer up an Olive Branch...

It doesn’t matter how it began. What matters now is how it ends. No one wins, When you choose to fight. Someone has to choose, To do what’s right, And be - The “Big-ger Person...”

Make your adversary your ally, And your enemy your friend. Find common ground, And compromise, And offer up an Olive Branch.

Do you want what’s best for you?

Do you want what’s best for them?

Do you want what’s best for all of us? Bring the conflict to an end, And offer up an Olive Branch...

THEME: FICTIONAL FELINES

ACROSS

1. A long way off 5. Basketball org. 8. *Dr. Seuss’ cat headgear 11. Elbow-wrist connection

12. Showing signs of use

13. Legal excuse 15. “The ____ Show” (1976-1980) 16. Black and white cookie 17. Pall ____ and ____ of America

18. *Halle Berry’s 2004 role

20. Small island 21. In advance 22. Santa ____ winds 23. *Bouncy, trouncy, flouncy, pouncy one 26. Orbital extremes 30. Half and half 31. Casual top 34. Clerk’s call 35. Fortuneteller’s props

37. Pub offering 38. *Berlioz, Toulouse and ____ of “Aristocats”

39. ____perspirant

40. Silo contents

42. Philosophical system

43. More zestful

45. Army’s offensives

47. Blast maker, acr. 48. “__ Line Is It Anyway?”

50. Long, long time

52. *Lewis Carroll’s smiley ____ Cat

55. Star Wars attacker

56. First rate (2 words)

57. Foolish

59. Jaws of Life manufacturer

60. *Cereal-praising tiger

61. Lake north of Cleveland

62. Comedian Schumer

63. Health resort

64. Communists, slangily

DOWN

1. Summer mo.

2. Flocculant, for short

3. Actress Kendrick

4. Riffraff

5. ____ Jean Baker

6. Certain pudding ingredient

7. Happening soon, old fashioned

8. Ant construction

9. Competent

10. ____ the season!

12. Suitors

13. Type of acid

14. *Garfield’s favorite food

19. Sharpens 22. Bldg unit

23. November birthstone

24. Lacking sense

25. Hanukkah coins

26. Atlas stat

27. Chilling

28. Be

29. Champagne flute part, pl.

32. Whisker

33. Not well

36. *What three little kittens lost

38. Decent person, in Yiddish

40. Between game and match

41. “____ Goosey Gander”

44. Magazine’s special feature

46. Kidnapper

48. What pertussis patients do

49. Temporary tattoo ink

50. Class reunion attendee

51. With bloodshed

52. *A. L. Webber musical 53. One in a million

54. Children’s author Blyton

55. Repeated Cuban dance step

58. An affirmative

Quatrece McKinney is well known in the nonprofit sector for her engagement in the community. She is the vice president of programs for Monroe Harding, a local nonprofit serving families involved in foster care and young people aging out of the system.

But McKinney is also known through her active engagement in homelessness and affordable housing. Currently she serves on the boards of Community Care Fellowship, which serves people living outdoors with transitioning to permanent housing, and Woodbine Community Organization, a nonprofit that builds low-income housing.

“I’ve always been interested in the helping profession and doing things that support others,” McKinney said. “I started off working with people with disabilities. In time, I ended up working with young people who have been in foster care.”

When she and her husband moved to Nashville in the 1990s, McKinney got a job at Monroe Harding and has been there ever since. Monroe Harding provided her with the opportunity to be actively engaged in the community, which McKinney said allowed her to bring young people to the table and advocate for their interests herself as well.

What does Monroe Harding do?

Monroe Harding has been around for over 130 years. We started off as an orphanage and today we are providing homes, healing and opportunities for young people ages 0 to 26. The way we do it is to provide foster homes for individuals who are ages 0 to 18 who have been in custody and the care of the state. Our foster homes are located throughout Middle Tennessee, and we’re always open to talk to people who want to consider either supporting that work or being a foster parent.

And then we provide older youth services that consist of providing housing for young people who age out of foster care. We’re proud to say that we were able to expand some of these services to young people who may not have been in foster care. These are vulnerable young people, victims of crimes in most cases, who need some support.

We also have our Resource Center in Downtown Nashville. It provides an array of services including several education opportunities. We have a HiSET (High School Equivalency Test) program and some other educational supportive services, financial literacy and workforce development and internships. We provide therapy through all of our programs, life skills, and then some basic things that people just need sometimes, like food, clothing or connection to resources and supportive adults.

Q&A with Quatrece McKinney

BY JUDITH TACKETT

What we’re trying to do is work alongside our young people so that we can either provide or connect them to the resources they need to enhance their lives.

When you say you provide foster care, what does that mean, do you recruit foster parents?

We contract with the Department of Children Services in Tennessee, and we recruit foster parents. We are a part of the Every Child TN Initiative.* What happened is that in 2009, we merged with a foster care organization. That’s how we acquired foster homes, which we now oversee, and we also recruit foster parents.

When an individual or family wants to serve children who are in foster care, we will train them. We have question & answer sessions every month for people who are considering becoming foster parents. Foster homes are for newborns all the way up to young adults age 18. We try to honor those foster homes and work with potential foster parents to find out whom they may feel they’re best able to serve. Some people feel they’re best serving school-age children; others want babies. We just try to answer the call when DCS calls us and tells us they have a child in need; and if we have a match, we partner with DCS to serve the child and the family.

* Every Child TN is a statewide initiative to mobilize all Tennesseans to care for children, youth, and families before, during, and after foster care. (from tn.gov)

DCS has been embroiled in new lawsuits. What are some of the biggest challenges you have observed over

the years in the area of foster care?

In foster care, some families and children have been misrepresented. As a society we gravitate towards all of the negatives. We put Band-Aids on things and don’t figure out what the root cause of the situation is. We need to take time to understand how we got here.

There are some efforts being made to reunite children with their families and strengthen the families. Sometimes it works, and of course, sometimes it doesn’t. There are some challenges with the ability to align with multiple systems. So when you think about what happened before a young person gets into foster care. Well, there are some systematic issues. Did we really support the family or was our [offered] support right for them? For example, there are a lot of hoops to get childcare or to access treatment or medical care or even food — all the things families need to take care of a child, and when they’re not there that often leads to a child coming to the attention of the Department of Children Services (DCS). And then DCS is another system entirely.

Navigating through foster care can be very complicated for young people. And so, people in the helping profession are often child-centered, but the organizational alignment can be difficult to attain. When everyone has a different opinion about how the child should be taken care of, we battle philosophies, and we work with different regulatory agencies that we try to comply with. The faith community has had some struggles as well. We try to balance societal norms. It becomes complicated to me.

I think several efforts have been made to move toward alignment, but we soon find it difficult to find a really balanced community that surrounds

children and their families. Right now, there are some deep dives going on with affordable housing and transit, which help stabilize families. People are also working on support services to help families access food stamps, childcare, and other basic needs. These are areas that we can continue to focus on, and it all touches the foster care system because it all goes back to looking at what happened before children entered the foster care system.

And what are some opportunities you recommend our city and state take to improve the lives of youth aging out of foster care?

We need to focus on what’s good. People often do not recognize that many of the young people are very caring. They’re creative. They’re extremely smart, innovative, they are loyal, and they are driven. So, while we have to deal with the challenges, we should leverage the God-given talents and abilities that young people have. The question is, how do we move toward a strength-based system?

I think we need to go deeper. We need the community to understand their role in our children’s lives and not forget the family because I think it’s easy to love our kids, it’s difficult to really support families. We need to not give up on them. I know people are doing work on a systemic level. But in the community, we need to create and look for more opportunities that offer extracurricular activities that don’t cost families any money.

How do we pour more money into community centers or churches or small groups that help our children and some adults? Because healthy adults help children become healthy. There are things that we can do, and some efforts are already done in our community. We can showcase and support what’s good and not always only what’s bad.

I also see our state has provided more opportunities for young people who age out of foster care. I have seen more housing opportunities arise so that young people have some options. We just need to not give up. We need to continue to offer the resources and support the options that are out there, so people have choices.

Foster care and homelessness are very closely related. What are the consequences you see if our society does not take care of its young people?

Some of the consequences that we see are an increase in trauma experiences, an increase in unplanned pregnancies, you’re going to have a stifled workforce. Also, when young people try to survive, they sometimes get desperate, and their

struggle to survive becomes a crime. Desperation also leads to increase in mental health challenges.

If we do not take care of our young people who have aged out of our system, we will miss out on the opportunity to allow them to contribute to our community in ways that nobody else can. That’s the big consequence for me because these young people have a story to tell and they can enrich our community through their lives. But if they’re stifled and don’t know where to go, what to do, what to say, and how to contribute, they could become a voice without a sound. And it too often leads to housing instability and homelessness when people don’t see their own value and are not be seen. It’s difficult.

Over the years you’ve served on several nonprofit boards. What are some key things that board members can and should do to help their nonprofits survive in the current financial climate?

We not only need experts who know the work but also people who have a passion for the work and can think outside the box. I love bringing people from for-profit organizations into the nonprofit world because there is some thinking that happens that does not always happen in the nonprofit world. There are some connections that can be made.

When we talk about the financial cuts, we have to think about, “If we cannot be funded this way any longer, who else is out there who can help us out?” Networking is super important for board members, even on fiduciary boards. But don’t be afraid to serve on a board if you don’t have money. If I know 10 people who can contribute financially, we can expand our reach. So, we need to be really engaged, committed, and creative in how the work can be supported.

Anything else?

We need to be mindful about how we

invest in people and communities and who is left behind. I’m thinking about children, young people aging out of foster care, elderly people, people who cannot find jobs, those who suffer from mental illness.

Neighborhoods are changing and the people who don’t have much are getting pushed out or they’re being treated in a certain way. I think about the neighborhoods I drive through that do not have a grocery store. Then we wonder about families that have no healthy food in their house. Or elderly people who do not have their basic needs met.

The domino effect of us forgetting about these folks is significant. We don’t have healthy grandparents in some neighborhoods. People cannot take care of their own because they are not supported. Then we have housing that is limited. What I mean by that is that [we see situations where] we have a family member who is able-bodied who cannot support another

News Briefs

OHS: 35 Relocated from Encampment by Nissan Stadium

On July 2, Metro’s Office of Homeless Services announced that from June 28 through July 1, they relocated more than 35 people living in the encampment by the river near Nissan Stadium. People were moved and relocated to Interim Housing and Affordable Gap Loan units in “response to the elevated fire and safety risks posed by the city’s annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration,” according to an OHS release, who coordinated the effort with the Mayor’s Office, Office of Emergency Management (OEM), Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), and several community partners. “This effort was unique. It was an emergency, and we responded. Metro’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, dedicated to homelessness, allowed us to move quickly”, said April Calvin, Director of the Office of Homeless Services. “Everyone we engaged was ready to go. They want housing and we are committed to making that goal a reality.” The encampment in that space existed before June 28, and previous numbers have shown as many as 50 people making their home there. The release says that “individuals are now receiving ongoing care and resources from OHS and its network of providers, including case management, healthcare access, housing naviga -

tion, and transportation assistance.”

NPL’s Adult Literacy Program Receives Grant Boost Nashville Public Library’s Adult Literacy Program received a new grant to support adults in Tennessee pursuing their career goals. The $500,000 grant is from Carnegie Corporation of New York, and it will be used to enrich NPL’s Adult Literacy Program, which connects adult learners to resources and education programs for English language instruction, digital literacy, job skills training, preparation for the high school equivalency exam, and more. It also connects educators to professional development opportunities, and teens to college and career resources. “We are pleased that our innovative Adult Literacy Program has been recognized by Carnegie, and it is an honor to be included among such prestigious peers,” said Terri Luke, director of the Nashville Public Library. “As we empower adult learners and set them up for success, we are seeing positive exponential outcomes for generations to come.” NPL was one of 11 library systems across the country to receive the grant.

Report Details Positive Election Engagement Trends

A new report from the nonprofit think tank ThinkTennessee showed

that while voter percentages were slightly down in 2024 over 2020, they were still higher than in the 2012 and 2016 elections. The report looks at Tennessee’s 2024 election cycle through three lenses: voter turnout, voter choice, and voter experience, providing insights into the state’s historical election trends and highlighting some persistent challenges that continue to prevent some would-be voters from casting a ballot. “While participation rates are trending positively over time, Tennessee’s voter turnout rate continues to trail most other states,” said Erin Hafkenschiel, president of ThinkTennessee. “There is still work to be done to enhance voter education to prevent wouldbe voters from falling through the cracks, and the state could consider opportunities to expand voting policies that would help deepen voter engagement and align Tennessee with our peers without sacrificing the integrity of our election system.” In November, 64.0 percent of registered Tennessee voters — 3.09 million out of 4.83 million registered — cast ballots. This was five percentage points below the record turnout of 69.3% in 2020, but higher than turnout in the previous presidential elections of 2016 and 2012 (61.9% in both).

The report also finds that voters in Tennessee had more choices on their ballots than in past election cycles.

family member because of the regulations around how many people can live in their house. We don’t always think about the consequences of our regulations. Loving grandparents, for example, can’t live-in because a single parent is on Section 8 housing assistance. So then, what happens to that child? Or the grandmother lets their child and grandchild move in [against the rules], and now she is losing her housing, too. I understand that we have to have rules. But how do we figure out what makes sense so families can support each other?

Also, when we look at the helping professionals. We are competing with paying for a living wage. Why would you work at a nonprofit to help people when you can make more working at Whole Foods? How can we help our teachers and helping professionals so that they can work just one job and do that one well? We have to feed the people who are supporting the people.

With both parties fielding candidates in more August primary races, voters had a greater selection of candidates on their ballots in November compared to previous election cycles.

Metro Social Services Launches Workforce Readiness Program

Metro Social Services kicked off a new pilot program for workplace readiness. MSS Executive Director Renée Pratt said in a release that a new specialized team will help clients who come to MSS for work assistance. MSS case managers would previously direct clients to companies in the community that are hiring but this new effort will help clients create resumés, develop a work elevator pitch, practice for interviews, tips on how to dress for an interview, help with job placement and follow up for months following to ensure success. “We’re seeing an influx in clients and an increased need for help with rent and access to food, especially as we enter the summer,” Pratt said in the release.

“At the core of these acute needs is the lack or the absence of employment. If there is no money coming in, families aren’t eating nor can they secure a safe place to call home,” said Pratt. More than 200,000 workers in Davidson County earn less than a living wage, and 32 percent of MSS clients are unemployed, according to intake data.

Free Range Art

Daybreak Arts colors outside the clichés

BY JOE NOLAN

This summer, three remarkable artists are set to bring sometimes-overlooked creative visions to the gallery experience in Downtown Nashville. As part of the curated Art Between the Avenues series, nonprofit artist collaborative Daybreak Arts will activate Gallery 64 inside the historic Arcade Arts venue, re-imagining the space as three immersive mini-galleries that promise to entertain and engage gallery-goers. The displays amplify the creative voices of Sidney Sparkle, Blue and

Bandy — three artists whose personal journeys through homelessness inform their distinctive artistic styles and stories. Daybreak Arts curated this groundbreaking show to highlight how art can become a vehicle for survival, transformation and profound human connection. The organization is dedicated to utilizing the arts to create income and connection for those who’ve experienced homelessness.

This show is the latest display in a mini-trend of local exhibitions by artists who’ve lived on Nashville’s

streets, beginning with the excellent “Do You Know How Good You Are?” show by Room In The Inn artists at Julia Martin Gallery in June.

The artist Blue presents Lost in Transportation, a haunting visual diary born from her experiences with homelessness and her struggle for sobriety in Nashville. Armed only with a sketchbook, Blue documented the fleeting faces she encountered on city buses, at gas stations and during aimless walks through the city. Her portraits capture the raw humanity

of people surviving, hoping and wandering. The Arcade display transforms these intimate, private sketches into a gallery experience that invites viewers into a world populated by resilient people, littered with glimpses of unexpected beauty.

Bandy delivers sharp social commentary with The Liminoid AI (Anthropop Incantations), an experimental multimedia exhibition that takes aim at Silicon Valley’s techno-dystopia. Through techno-whimsy and pointed critique, cyber-satire and

‘Helen Ain’t Reddy’ BY SIDNEY SPARKLE

generative art jeremiads, Bandy explores how AI has appropriated the ideas of human artists, while presenting an alternative vision that reclaims creativity from commercial commodification. The artist’s “The Root of All Evil” recalls Jasper Johns with an American Flag design that’s perfectly timed for this July. Bandy’s Old Glory is decorated with cash money: Benjamins, Grants and Jeffersons; Washington quarters and Lincoln pennies. The stripes of the flag are defined by columns of red-and-blue plastic toy

soldiers along with their pint-sized tanks, helicopters and jeeps.

Sidney Sparkle’s Leave Me in the Glow of You is a vibrant and playful creative celebration inspired by Paul Reubens’ legacy. Sparkle weaves together performance art, digital art, and glow art to create the Sidney-aGlow-Go — an invitation to party and be grateful for the magic of spontaneous creativity. Sparkle’s work is fun and off-kilter, reveling in the thrill of mixing found, random objects and materials into surprising forms, crazy

characters and creative costumes.

What makes these three shows stand-out is that they’re not specifically about homelessness and poverty. Blue’s art is as fun as it is formalist, and Sparkle’s pop-art-inspired props and costumed selfies could fit on the walls of any contemporary venue. Bandy’s work has already appeared at top Nashville galleries like Zeitgeist, and this multimedia interrogation of AI art is more arch and conceptual — in the best way — than autobiographical. Work about homelessness made by

artists who’ve experienced it has a way of moving someone. Nashville’s visual art scene has become a place where those same artists feel free to make whatever they want, without stigma or the strictures of categorization, thanks in part to projects like Daybreak Arts, Room In The Inn, Julia Martin Gallery and Arcade Arts. We all benefit from the showing of this work.

These exhibitions opened during Nashville’s Second Saturday Art Crawl on July 12. They continue Fridays and Saturdays from 1–6 p.m. through July 26.

Sidney Sparkle

Bandy as Budd Ludd

Blue

“Corp Posters” by Bandy PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAYBREAK ARTS

“8-Bit Baby” by Sidney Sparkle.

I Am Next: An Organization That Helps Foster Children Aging Out of the Program

Each year, 800-1,000+ young adults aged 18 to 21 age out of the foster care system in Tennessee (depending on your source).

In 2024, the number was 854, according to a report from WBIR News in Knoxville, Tn.

This leaves many of these young adults with no safety net. Without a strong support system in place, many face overwhelming challenges including homelessness, substance abuse and incarceration.

A recent study conducted by Belmont University echoed these findings, stating that, “without proper support 70-80 percent of youth aging out of the system face homelessness, addiction, imprisonment or trafficking by age 21.”

Nathan Harmening realized this was an issue for one of the most vulnerable segments of our society while working as a social worker for Omni Vision assisting those aging out of the system to their next stop on their life’s journey.

Moved by what he saw, he wanted to do something about it.

The initial realization of Harmening’s dream came in 2018, when he broke off from

BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Omni Family of Services to help start the nonprofit organization Omni Family Foundation, which later became I Am Next in July 2024.

I Am Next strives to assist young people between 18-24 who have aged out of the foster care system. You can receive assistance even if you were only in the foster care program for a short time.

Even more endearing is the fact that they try to save space for youths who have made mistakes, rather than allowing such things to deny them entry into the program. Of course, this is determined on a case by case basis.

Harmening’s vision of acquiring safe housing for these individuals took a big step forward when in 2024 they received a grant from the Barnes Foundation in the amount of $7,551,529. This grant allowed them to purchase the Greenview Apartments, making the 400 sq. ft. studio apartments available for up to 60 individuals who qualified for the program. Approximately 20 of those units are occupied currently and they are waiting for MDHA to approve vouchers for the remaining units.

In addition to their housing initiatives they have other programs too. In an effort to ensure food security to their clients they’ve partnered with The Store, a non-profit founded by country superstar Brad Paisley and his wife Kimberly Williams-Paisley.

The I Am Next Driving School takes their students from obtaining a permit to receiving hands on driver training until they obtain a driver’s license, thereby expanding the realm of possibility of what these individuals can accomplish in their lives.

In an effort to build community connections among those they serve, they host monthly workshops with speakers from various businesses in the area. Tractor Supply and Chase Bank are just two recent examples.

It’s not all work though. To build on the “family fun” vibe, they also host events like girls nights where they go see a “chick flick.”

On another occasion, participants made their own ice cream and they got to eat what they made. In the upcoming hot summer months they hope to have a swimming event, possibly to local water park Wave Country.

What is a Community?

BY DANIEL H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

BY HOWARD P., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

A community is a group of people with a shared purpose. Today, with the government interfering with how we see and care for each other, it is easy to lose our purpose.

We sometimes forget that there are citizens who live amongst us, but who do not share the benefits that our Constitution used to give us, and still could. We are all equal in the sense that we are seeking love, and understanding of who WE are. But what if it’s not so difficult? What if it’s just asking a neighbor, “how are you?” and listening to what they say without interrupting? After all, the conversation is about them. Then we have given enough time to truly hear them. Ask yourself, “What can I do that could improve their lives, without hurting myself, or family? What can I spare?”

Maybe they don’t have all the advantages that WE have. Recently, I attended two events that reminded me how fortunate it is to have

So what are their goals for the future? They’d like to get something together with Workforce Development to to help young adults determine what they want to do with the rest of their lives, whether that involves vocational school or college courses. Additionally, they are currently working to establish a mentorship for those who are enrolled in the program.

With new executive director (as of a week ago) Eric Davis who came to them from Crossroads Campus, I’d say ANYTHING is possible. Especially considering that since 2023, they’ve helped 201 young ones. Now that’s impressive!

As for the guy who started it all he’s still very much involved in the process. He now woks with AGB real estate — the leasing agency for the Greenview community.

Are you interested in the program? Go Iamnext.org to learn more or to apply.

*Information for this article concerning I Am Next was obtained via phone interview from Lizzy Alignamath, Program Manager.

friends and family. Pastor Terry Wells hosted both events. At the first event, he spoke of how proud he was of the community of people attending. Magic Johnson’s brother Larry Johnson flew from California to speak. What a powerful message he left on our hearts.

The, second event was a tribute to Pastor Dr. Judy Johnson, who has served her community and church for 20 years. Congratulations! We applaud her loudly. With these examples we must follow their lead. Again, it doesn’t take just great leaders, but us the members to step up and help. After all isn’t that what you want to be remembered for? As a kind and loving person?

Kennetha Patterson, who received an award for innovation in the community, would say, “God sees you and loves you and hears you.” What better sentiment to end this with. These are phenomenal people and so are you.

“Between two evils, choose neither; between two goods, choose both.” – Tryon Edwards

Now that public programs are being gutted, it is time for Nashville’s churches to step up. Speaking from lived experience, I can tell you that having a place to sleep in the church for one night and to look for where the next church respite will be the next night is exhausting and not terribly helpful.

So. Here’s the plan: Green Street Church of Christ has a working model of 16 micro-homes and a couple of campsites that has been operating as a city-authorized sanctuary for the homeless.

The church has spent 15 years working

1.5 Per Church

BY FREEPRESSGMA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

with the homeless. Their micro homes are 6’ x 12’ with access to shared laundry and bathrooms, available on a schedule. In 2020, Lipscomb engineering students added solar panels to power fans, phones and a lamp in each micro house.

According to some sources, there are only about 3,500 homeless people in Nashville. (The actual number is higher, as it doesn’t count people who are doubling up, staying in a hotel, in an isolated spot or sleeping in their boss’s office, for instance.)

There are over 2,300 churches in the greater Nashville area. If each church took on one and a half homeless people for a year or two,

while helping them find permanent housing and hooking them up with case workers, no one would be sleeping on the street.

This was true 15 years ago when Green Street Church of Christ started their mission. It is still true today. Green Street even has a blueprint for how to do it.

There is also a church in Madison that made some of their offices into 2 year lease apartments, where qualified homeless people can stay for free while they get on their feet.

Churches that don’t have outside space for buildings or a large enough church to house people inside could sign on for food

Always A Struggle

BY MAURICE B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Living life is full of the elements of strife, whereas the unknown is the spark of war. It’s a harsh reality that many are “late bloomers.”

There are those that have patterned themselves and their lifestyles accordingly to many different aspects for a long time and then all of a sudden, after decades, decide to change. They have fought for the same amount of time to free themselves and even become equal in their lifestyles, which makes them late bloomers.

Just as textbooks and classrooms are honored for their educational value, so too should life experience and common sense be honored for what they can teach. Throughout history, we have sought to understand the proper place of sexual education. Is sex for the reproduction of the next generation or is it simply for the pleasures for both parties?

Speaking of parties, let’s not forget the party favorites like cannabis that have been around for about 12,000 years and surely let’s not

forget about the Erythroxylum coca that’s been around for 4,000 years. And we surely can’t forget heroin, which has been here since 1874, or methamphetamine, which has been around since 1893. Now the worst death trap of them all is fentanyl, which is only about 60 years old and is killing the show and its users. From the inside to the outside, there are countless confrontations. There are homes that force children to play grown up roles way beyond their years, allowing them to see and experience things that only the eyes of responsible adults should be seeing and experiencing. Because of this, they might feel as if they are prepared for the blighted curves along which their choices and decisions guide them. Some will be pushed in the back into the motions, some will jump off into the actual actions and those of deep curiosity will end up out in the fields. As for those who have been raised in the jungles of life, that’s all they

We Must Love

BY JOHN H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Many Americans have a serious problem when it comes to love. Many think they can love any way they like. They say they love but the love they have is never put into action. They don’t love the world around them. God loves us all and God wants us to love the same.

No one can separate us from the love of God. But on the other hand, God wants us to love one another. God wants us to love our neighbors as ourselves. Because if we don’t love our neighbor, we don’t love God.

Many say while I’m on my corner, “get a job.” I enjoy what I do. I’ll probably share God’s word on that corner and sell

The Contributor till I die, even though many days it’s depressing how many have a problem sowing love. I guess I was raised loving my neighbor and when I see people who don’t, I feel as though I’m on the other side of the fence (so to speak). Especially Christians. To be honest I don’t see a way you can spend eternity with God if you don’t. Those was God’s two main commandments, “To love God and love your neighbor.”

If I didn’t have God’s love I don’t know what I’d do. I mean he loves me so much. I have to say, that’s where I put all my trust. I depend on God and God always on time. Maybe y’all should try it.

know. For those who jump into the game and are curious about the plays and the players, they are usually the ones that get scuffed up the most because of their dire need and want to be accepted. In fact, they become crash dummies and throwaways sometimes before they become accepted. This is an universal but unique cycle in every community and every neighborhood across the globe. She’s definitely selling her body and he’s surely selling dope. That’s the mindset towards every female and every male when their neighbors wonder how they have obtained the things they have. The streets actually love no soul even though many turn to them seeking protection and comfort only because they’ve been scarred from the home fronts, from their families, from their friends. There’s nothing left exactly but the gutter, the bottoms, where, yeah, it’s lonely. Even though the saying is that it’s lonely at the top, individuals actually realize that it’s

drops, mobile laundry services, social service connections or helping people get their IDs and other paperwork.

Now that the Contributor and other orgs have created a unified resource base, this type of help also has a blueprint. The Downtown Presbyterian Church houses the full service Contributor offices, for instance. SNAP benefits and Medicaid will be cut soon, so your church might want to start looking at accommodation for more than one or two homeless people. As people get behind on their bills, the number of people needing help will skyrocket.

Thank you for your consideration.

lonely at the bottom. Even though everyone is predominantly doing the same, it’s still a stiff loneliness. There is always a black cloud that hovers over one’s head.

The dilemma of being a player/playa or playing the game versus living a simple but boring lifestyle is the choice that everyone will have to make. Each and everybody’s personal preferences will vary, due to their individual experiences. The Emag will continue forever but it’s all up on how one decides to participate. You have to either roll with the punches or hang it up. Understand that the game has political implications and that the laws can change. Times change and struggles change too. When you struggle, you’re confined mentally, physically, or both. Struggle is being confined mentally, physically or both.

Prayer for Health and Healing

Let’s begin by finding a quiet and comfortable place to pray. Take a deep breath to clear your mind. Focus your heart and mind on the theme of health and healing.

Let’s express gratitude for the gift of life and our body that sustains us. Thank the Lord for the precious gift of health that allows us to serve and glorify Him.

Psalm 107:20 says, “He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.”

Ask the Lord for strength, healing and protection against sickness. Seek his guidance in making choices that promote a healthy lifestyle. Isaiah 41:10 says,

BY MARK P., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

“Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Let’s ask for comfort, peace and the strength to overcome any emotional or mental challenges you may face. Trust in the Lord’s promise. James 5:14-15 says, “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call for the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint the with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.”

Intercede for those you know who are facing health challenges. Lift their names before the Lord

and ask for his healing touch to be upon them.

Let’s pray for the skill and wisdom of healthcare professionals. 3 John 1:2 tells us, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”

Ask for his guidance in your faith journey that you may grow spiritually and find peace in his presence.

Thank you Lord for hearing our prayers. Release your concerns and desires into His hands, trusting in His plans. Ask for His peace and assurance in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

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.

celebró el

C i t y Ju ly 4th, un evento que ya se considera uno de los más destacad o s d e l p a

i t a s , c o n c i e r t o s , fue gos ar tificiales y una asistencia masiva, la ciudad no solo festejó la liber tad, sino que también hizo historia

La Cor poración de Convenciones y Visitantes de Nashville (NCVC) lo confir mó con orgullo:

“ ¡ 3 6 5 , 0 0 0 p e rs o n a s s e re u n i e ro n p a ra c e l eb ra r # N a s h v i l l e Ju l y 4 y l o h i c i e r o n h a c i e n d o h i s t o r i a ! N a s h v i l l e , ¡ h a s e s t a b l e c i d o u n n u e vo r é c o rd d e a s i s t e n c i a p a ra e l

4 d e j u l i o ! ”

El evento, organizado por Music City Inc , la fundación de la NCVC , se ha conver tido en una tradición esperada por miles de personas que cada año eli-

ge n N a s h v i l l e p a r a c o n m e m o r a r e l aniversario de la inde pendencia de los Estados Unidos

Música, comunidad y fue gos ar tificiales

La celebración estuvo encabe zada por el reconocido ar tista countr y Dierks Bentley, quien ofreció un concier to l l e n o d e e n e r g í a y p at r i o t i s m o También par ticiparon ar tistas como Russell Dickerson, Niko Moon, Grace

B ow e r s y Ke e s h a Ra i n ey, q u i e n e s o f r e c i e r o n p r e s e n t a c i o n e s q u e me z claron géneros y conectaron con un público diverso

El espectáculo de fue gos ar tificiales, uno de los más g randes del país, con drones sincronizados, fue acompañado

por la Sinfónica de Nashville, ganado-

r a d e l G R A M M Y ® , a ñ a d i e n d o u n toque ele gante y emotivo a una noche ya mágica

Para las familias, el Amazon Family Fun Zone, ubicado en el Music City Walk of Fame Park, ofreció actividades para todas las edades, jue gos inflables, una car pa de manualidades patrocinada por Crav’n F lavor®, y música en vivo en un escenario alter no Par ticipación de la comunidad hispana

C o m o c a d a a ñ o, l a C á m a r a d e

C o m e r c i o H i s p a n a d e l Á r e a d e Nashville (NAHCC), y sus miembros, par ticiparón activamente en este evento que refleja el espíritu cívico y multicultural de la ciudad

“Nos llena de orgullo ver a nuestros miembros ser par te de un evento que une a toda la ciudad,” expresó a via un comunicado la NAHCC “La comunidad hispana no solo apor ta al desar r o l l o e c o n ó m i c o l o c a l , t a m b i é n e s par te fundamental del alma cívica y cultural de Nashville ”

Conoce tus derechos:

¿Que hacer en caso de una redada?

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

l e ve n t o c o n t ó t a m b i é n c o n e l

r e s p a l d o d e va r i o s m i e m b r o s c o r p o -

r a t ivo s d e l a NA H C C , e n t r e e l l o s

K r o g e r, e l A e r o p u e r t o I n t e r n a c i o n a l d e N a s h v i l l e ( B NA ) , A dva n c e

F i n a n c i a l , T h e Te n n e s s e a n y

A m a z o n , d e m o s t r a n d o e l c o m p r o -

m i s o d e l s e c t o r e m p r e s a r i a l c o n e l

d e s a r r o l l o c u l t u r a l y t u r í s t i c o d e l a c i u d a d

Una celebración con significado

M á s a l l á d e l o s c o n c i e r t o s y f u e g o s a r t i f i c i a l e s , L e t Fre e d o m S i n g ! f u e u n a o p o r t u n i d a d p a r a r e fl

o n a r s o b r e l o s va l o r e s q u e u n e n a l p a í s :

E l 4 d e j u l i o e s u n a f e c h a q u e n o s r e c u e r d a l

u n m o m e n t o p a r a r e c o n o c e r q u e t o d o s s i n i m p o r t a r n u e s t r o o ri g e n s o m o s p a r t e d e e s t a g r a n n a c i ó n

Ese espíritu de inclusión fue evidente en cada rincón del evento, donde personas de todas las edades, culturas y orígenes compar tieron un mismo espacio para celebrar juntos Nashville no solo brilló por su música, sino por la unidad y diversidad de su gente

L e t Fr e e d o m S i n g ! M u s i c C i t y Ju l y 4 t h f u e p r e s e n t a d o p o r D r Pe p p e r y c o n t ó c o n l a p r o d u c c i ó n d e M u s i c C i t y I n c Pa r a m á s d e t a l l e s s o b r e p r o g r a m a c i ó n , m a p a s , y f u t u r a s a c t u a l i z a c i o n e s , v i s i t e : ���� v i s i t m us i c c i t y. c o m / j u l y 4 t h L a N ot i c i a N e w s p a p e

Por Yuri Cunza Editor in Chief @LaNoticiaNe ws

Año 23 - No 417

Nashville, Tennessee

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

Nashville Cele bra tes Independence Da y with One of the Best Jul y 4th Events in the

HOBOSCOPES

CANCER

My cats know when it’s dinner time. They even know when it’s an hour till dinner time. That’s when they start working on me. Hollering in the kitchen and running up to my feet while I’m trying to walk across the living room. I know, I know, I get it. We’re almost there guys. And sure, I’m the one who knows how to read the clock on the stove and I’m the one who knows that Duhka needs his pill 15 minutes before he eats. But you know what, Cancer? Those cats get my attention when they ask for what they want. And they get more attention than they would otherwise. You can wait for what you’re pretty sure is coming, Cancer. Or you can ask for what you need now.

LEO

I thought all those branded envelopes I kept pulling out of my mailbox were just junkmail but it turns out there really is a manufacturer’s recall on my car. It says here that if I don’t get it taken care of, the battery could spontaneously combust while my car is parked and start a fire that might ignite the gas tank. I guess I shouldn’t park so close to my apartment building. Or my neighbors cars. Or anything flammable that I like, really. And I guess I should also make an appointment to get this fixed. Sometimes, Leo, the course is laid out in front of you and you know exactly what the next step is. And sometimes you still spend all afternoon moving your car instead of just calling the number to solve the problem. What’s your next step, Leo?

VIRGO

If I’d lived back in the caveman days, Virgo, I simply would have built a house. Well, first I would have invented a rudimentary chainsaw in order to cut down trees efficiently. Then I would have forged brass door hinges and refined some sand into polished glass for windows. I would have created some simple asphalt-coated roofing shingles and a very basic HVAC system. In short, I would have skipped the cave thing all together. I guess it’s easy to say, Virgo, what you would have done if you’d been around during another time. But it’s harder to get out and actually do the things that your current time requires. Look out your perfectly transparent window and see what the world out there needs today.

LIBRA

The dental hygienist says I need to floss. I really thought he wouldn’t notice. I thought I was really pulling this clean-teeth thing off. But then came the blood. So much blood. Too much to ignore. And he says if I floss regularly, that will get better. I’ve just never been convinced my own repeated actions will ever add up to as great a success. Despite the fact that my own repeated inactions continue to result in varying degrees of failure. Maybe we should give it a try, Libra? I’ll start flossing and you…well you just do whatever repeated helpful exercise you’ve been avoiding. We’ll meet back here in a couple months and see if there’s less blood.

SCORPIO

I had to make an appointment to get the manufacturer’s recall serviced on my car. It’s totally free! But the dealership is only open on weekdays during business hours so I had to drop my Thursday shift at the Wandering Hills Supervideo and Tan. I guess that cost me a day’s work. Maybe I can pick up a shift this weekend? But then I’ll miss my astrology book group and we’re almost done with “Stars–They’re Just Like Us!” Sometimes it feels like there aren’t enough hours to balance the things we have to do, the things we should do, and the things we want to do. You know how it is, Scorpio. But maybe we’ve got our categories wrong? Maybe the things we think we want to do really are the things we have to do. And maybe there are more things you can do than you knew?

SAGITTARIUS

It’s not so much the heat, Sagittarius, as it is the inhumanity. I just don’t want to go out there and face it. It’s nice in here in the dry air conditioning. If I go out there I’ll get all sweaty and tired. And what if I look stupid trying to stand up for the rights and dignity of my fellow human beings? What if it’s more than I can handle? Well, of course it is, Sagittarius. It’s more than anybody can handle. But if we’re together, we’ve got a better shot. I know it’s hot. And I know there’s an overwhelming amount of work to do. But you won’t be the only one facing it, Sagittarius. Take your water bottle.

CAPRICORN

I planted all those pumpkin seeds you gave me, Capricorn. Honestly, it’s all I planted this year. The vines have completely taken over the garden and there’s big yellow flowers that pop out in the mornings. And it’s a nice reminder, Capricorn, that right now it’s too hot and humid, but in a few months there are going to be pumpkins everywhere. I’m not saying that you should wait around for some autumnal future to arrive. Real life is happening right now and it’s hot and we need to feel that and act accordingly. I’m just saying that there’s a chance that this heat will pay off. And as hard as things are now, I hope that we’ll both be around to enjoy the pumpkining that is to come.

AQUARIUS

The guy at the dealership says there are actually 3 recalls on my car. It’s not just the one I already knew about that keeps the battery from exploding. There’s also one to keep the brakes from locking and another one to make it where it’s not so easy to steal. I told him the locked brakes and exploding battery sounded like a pretty good security system to me, but he didn’t think it was funny. Anyway, now I’m stuck in the dealership waiting-room for the rest of the day. Feeling trapped can be anxiety producing, Aquarius. It makes me want to stay distracted, but if you can steer your attention into the anxiety you might find out it’s got something to tell you. A bright, quiet lobby might be an opportunity to notice some things you’ve been avoiding. Also, free coffee and pretzels!

PISCES

“You can’t do that in here.” That’s what the guy behind the counter at the Tastee-Freez used to tell me just because of the way I ate my chilli dogs. I would just stare him straight in the eyes and keep going. Obviously, I can do that in here, buddy. It made me so mad being told what to do. But after weeks of anger and irritation and a couple of calls to Tastee-Freez corporate, we finally came to an agreement. I could order inside but I had to go outside before I got started working on the ‘dogs. Sometimes compromise is necessary, Pisces. It’s hard to move from the emotional to the practical, but it’s usually worth it. We’re all doing the best that we can.

ARIES

I’m going to read that article you sent me, Aries. It really does look interesting. But my phone is telling me that first I need to close some of the old tabs of articles I meant to read but never got around to. Let’s see, looks like I have…4,681 open tabs? Wow. That’s more than I expected. As soon as I look through those and get them closed I’ll read that article you sent me. But first I need to rearrange these icons on my home screen. There’s a couple of apps on there I don’t even know what they do. Oh, look at this! It’s a picture of you and me but this app made it where we’re in Flintstones clothes! Sorry, what were you asking me? No, I haven’t read it yet. Sometimes, Aries, there are things in the way of the things in the way of the things in the way of the next step. Skip them.

TAURUS

The dealership finished the free recall repairs on my car. They called my name in the lobby and took me into a little room where a technician said “I’ve got some good news and some bad news.” The good news, he informed me, is that I’ve survived this long in a car with some very serious safety issues. The bad news is that my wiper blades are coming apart and “poor windshield visibility can lead to catastrophic accidents.” He offered to replace the wipers for just $788. “A piece?” I asked. He laughed and said that would cover the pair. I had to sign a waiver refusing the service, but I still feel good about my decision. I can get wiper blades at Ophelia’s for $22. Sometimes, Taurus, you need to listen to the experts. Sometimes the experts need to chill.

GEMINI

Everywhere I look there are so many things in the world that need fixing. I finally decided to volunteer at a local charity, but they didn’t want my help. They said all the canned goods I brought them were expired and my wheelbarrow of wet cement wouldn’t do them any good because they’re a “legal aid” group. I’m not sure what that means, Gemini, but it did make me think–you’ve got a lot to offer but try to find a way to line up your special skills with the needs of others. And when you can’t do that, be willing to do the work that’s needed, not just the work you imagined doing.

Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a trained James Dean impersonator or a certified volunteer coordinator. Listen to the Mr. Mysterio podcast at mrmysterio. com Or just give him a call at 707-VHS-TAN1.

‘Sinners’ swoops into streaming on MAX

I’ve recently become aware of the Disney cartoon series Gravity Falls’ “Summerween” episode. The kids in the show are feeling bored one summer day before they’re inspired to create a spooky season celebration to combat the dank doldrums of the dog days. The holiday became a real-life cartoon-culture phenomenon during the 2020s, and Summerween season now sees social media influencers carving jack-o’-lanterns out of pineapples, donning goth-inspired swimwear, and lazing poolside, listening to John Carpenter soundtracks with a heat index of 103. I saw a werewolf drinking a piña colada on Tik-Tok. His hair was perfect.

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners debuted on MAX over 4th of July weekend, and it feels like Summerween has a real cinema hit to add to its warm-weather-wickedways in 2025: The movie is one of the top 10 films of the year at the box office, and audiences and critics both give Sinners a score of 97 on Rotten Tomatoes. Sinners is Rotten Tomatoes’ critics’ highest scoring vampire film ever, and it’s 2025’s biggest original horror success.

BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC

This is probably the only movie you need for your Summerween watch party, but Sinners is more than a horror flick: it’s a family drama, a historical snapshot and a crime movie; it almost wants to be a full-blown musical, but then a whole bunch of ravenous vampires show up. Sinners is set in the Mississippi Delta in 1932. The film follows identical twins Stack and Smoke (both played by Michael B. Jordan) who return to their hometown of Clarksdale after making a big score in the Chicago underworld. On the run from the big city and looking to go legit, they team up with their cousin Preacherboy Sammie (Miles Caton) to open a juke joint for the local Black community. But their opening night celebration quickly turns into something far more sinister when some spooky evils crash the party, transforming Coogler’s period drama into a full-throated vampire nightmare. Also, there’s banjos. Terrifying.

Sinners owes a lot to the Quentin Tarantino-penned/Robert Rodriguez-directed, schlocktastic, bloodsucker fest, From Dusk Till Dawn (1996). In

that movie, the Gecko brothers (George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino) are on the run after committing a violent bank robbery. The brothers kidnap a family on an RV vacation to help them slip across the Mexican border. The motley crew takes refuge at a strip club in the desert where the Geckos have arranged to meet their contact. Salma Hayek delivers one of the great cameos in the history of horror and then — VAMPIRES! But Sinners also recalls Ralph Machio’s supernatural blues fable, Crossroads. And Coogler and director of photography Autumn Durald Arkapaw crib shots from The Shining (1980). Coogler also employs wires for his brief but unsettling flying-vampire sequences — they look just like the action choreography from The Lost Boys (1987).

What makes Sinners more than just a metamodern collage of other directors’ films is how Coogler weaves a blues music movie, a revenge thriller, a Blaxploitation homage and gore-gushing horror into something that feels both historically grounded and completely unhinged. Tarantino’s film flips a crime

caper into a vampire orgy and the moment when the axis tips is unforgettable.

Sinners has lots of surprises, but instead of totally flipping the script, Coogler balances real historical horrors against supernatural threats resulting in a horror flick that appeals to thinking adults as well as genre fanatics of all ages.

Sinners is one of the year’s best films, even if some of the raving is overstated. For all of its borrowing, it feels refreshingly original in a field dominated by spent sequels retreading winded intellectual properties. It’s a big triumph for Coogler and Jordan, who are proving to be a next generation Spike and Denzel after the unlikely success of their Creed trilogy. And, you know what? It’s kind of fun to watch vampire movies in the summertime.

Happy Summerween to all who celebrate.

Sinners is streaming on MAX

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