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Where to Turn in Nashville: More Than Decade of Empowering Access to Resources
For more than a decade, Where to Turn in Nashville (WTTIN) has served as a lifeline for individuals facing homelessness, poverty or housing instability across Middle Tennessee. First launched in 2013 through a collaboration between Open Table Nashville, The Contributor, and other community organizations, the guide was created to make it easier for people in crisis to find essential resources. Since its inception, more than 100,000 printed copies have been distributed across the city.
This pocket-sized phone book of resources for those in need offers information on everything from shelter and meals to mental health care and legal services. It’s a starting point for anyone navigating instability, and it can be used alone or with the help of outreach workers, case managers, or friends. The printed guide has since been expanded to include a robust online version, allowing for more comprehensive and up-to-date listings. This year marks a shift in how the
guide was produced: individuals with lived experience of homelessness were paid to help verify the information inside. Their insight ensured the accuracy and accessibility of the listings while also affirming the importance of including voices from the community the guide serves. This work was made possible by community sponsors and through a grant from the Metro Public Health Department, which is part of broader
commitment to health equity and community-informed solutions.
In 2024, guides were distributed to several organizations, churches, hospitals, clinics, libraries, local businesses, social workers and individuals concerned for their neighbors in need.
The mission of WTTIN is to act as a trusted navigator for those in crisis, connecting them with support that can lead to more stable and empowered lives. By
putting practical, lifesaving information in the hands of those who need it most, the guide helps bridge the gap between available services and the people they are meant to support.
“We have seen first hand how WTTIN connects people in need with services, informs service providers on resourcing options outside of their scope, and empowers community members to find help for themselves or others,” said Linda Bailey, co-editor of The Contributor. “We hope to get these guides in as many hands as possible across Middle Tennessee.”
As WTTIN looks ahead, its vision is to become the go-to resource hub in the region — a place where dignity, purpose and community are restored through connection to the right folks. The ongoing support of partner organizations, donors, and people across Nashville helps WTTIN continues to serve as a vital tool in the city’s efforts to address homelessness and poverty with compassion and clarity.
This interview was conducted by Contributor Vendor Shawn L. with assistance from Judith Tackett. It was produced with the help of The Contributor’s Vendor Leadership Team members: Lisa A., Keith D., Shawn L., and Pedro L.
Rosanne Haggerty is the President and CEO of Community Solutions, a national organization that assists communities like Nashville in their efforts to build systems that end homelessness and offer housing solutions for their most vulnerable residents.
Community Solutions is known for leading large-scale initiatives starting with the successful 100,000 Homes Campaign, which ended in 2014. Their current campaign is called Built for Zero. Haggerty sat down with The Contributor ahead of her visit to town to attend the 2025 State of Homelessness Symposium on June 4.
How did you get involved in homelessness?
I first got involved in homelessness when I volunteered full time for the year after I graduated from college at a shelter for runaway and homeless young people in New York City. I had imagined it would be a one-year experience. But I was just so distressed by the fact that there could be homelessness, and that it was increasing in our country that I kept with it.
What is Built for Zero?
Built for Zero is an operating system. It’s a way of communities actually pulling together all of the different activities and resources and information they have to get to the single goal of reducing homelessness month over month. And it’s a way we help communities coordinate everything that needs to come together to get that outcome.
When we look at overall homelessness numbers over the past few years, Chattanooga, Knoxville and Memphis seem to have reduced homelessness. Nashville numbers have increased. What are cities that have seen reductions done differently?
The cities that see reductions are the ones that are coordinating in the tightest, most aligned way around a shared goal.
They’re all rolling in the same direction. They know people experiencing homelessness by name in real time, so they know what’s working and they can adjust more quickly. It’s that discipline of the team that translates into reductions. Even when they don’t have all the housing they need, they still make progress.
When you talk about the team. Who are you talking about?
Q&A with Rosanne Haggerty
BY SHAWN L. AND JUDITH TACKETT
The essential members are always the CoC*, the major providers, even if they’re not receiving federal funding, the VA for veteran homelessness, the Public Housing Authority, and usually the Mayor’s Office or [the county] if it’s more of a county system. So you’ve got government, the large not-for-profits, the CoC, and then the very critical agencies that manage housing and other support resources.
*CoC stands for Continuum of Care and encompasses community members who work together in a specific geographic area to implement a system to prevent and end homelessness.
We don’t have an overall shared goal in our community about how we end chronic, Veteran or other homelessness. Our system seems like it’s rudderless. Where is a good starting point when you come into a city like Nashville to help right the ship?
We’ve had a long relationship with Nashville, and there have been some governance changes here along the way.
But whether Nashville or any community, a good starting place is who are the key leaders I mentioned and getting them in the same room around, “Let’s do this!” And everyone has to sign on to the goal, and how it’s going to be measured, so there is that shared accountability for how to move forward.
When we only help the most vulnerable people, how do we interrupt the
cycle of homelessness for everybody else?
This is the key question. I mean the end game really is how does a community have a housing system that works for everyone, that has effective prevention, [where] it’s really clear and easy to find help when there’s a crisis, and that the crisis gets resolved, not kicked down the road.
What Built for Zero has really focused on is how do you build systems that work at the population level, not just the lucky folks who get help from a good program. The idea is, how do you create a system that works for everyone?
We see an increase in criminalization of homelessness nationwide at all levels of government. What programs have you seen that provide a successful alternative to locking people up?
Actually, communities that work in this aligned way, they have their police also supporting [this work]. Police officers are [often] the most unhappy people about the criminalization of homelessness. This is not what they signed up for.
And so if you have a community saying, “Here’s our plan. Here’s our intention,” you do have to build in all the alternatives. Say folks have taken over a public park. That’s not appropriate. But you have to actually be in problem-solving mode here. What is the alternative that has to be provided? It’s not necessarily the police department’s job to provide it. But they should be part of understanding and advancing the shared strategy.
Tennessee has been the first state to make it a felony to camp on public property. We see this approach across the nation. What can we, who have lived experience, do to counteract these policies?
Plainly advocacy. And there is also a job that has not been done well anywhere — maybe with the exception of Houston — of really educating the public about the fact that there are solutions, and we have choices here.
These types of bills criminalize everything and they succeed in a vacuum of information. If you’ve got your representative saying, “There is nothing else to be done but arrest people.” Then people who don’t spend their time thinking about what the alternatives could be are like, “Well, [if] that’s what my representative says.”
We have to get a lot savvier and more deliberate around communicating what the alternative looks like and not speaking to the choir, to all of us who are already involved with this issue, but who are the other folks whose voices get heard in communities? People who go to the city council meetings. People who are very active in civic matters.
Some of the next steps we collectively need to take is to build these new coalitions of allies, of folks who care about their communities, who don’t know what to think, and who have been told that this is a public safety issue, not an issue of people needing housing.
Rosanne Haggerty speaks at the 2025 State of Homelessness Symposium in Nashville.
“We have to get a lot savvier and more deliberate around communicating what the alternative looks like and not speaking to the choir, to all of us who are already involved with this issue, but who are the other folks whose voices get heard in communities?”
High staff turnover and funding barriers link us constantly with new people whom we do not trust. Are there other cities that you feel have created a solution for that?
Such a good question, and this is a problem everywhere because wages are low, turnover is high. Some of what this question raises is what people, who are the public, are also frequently asking, [which is], “What should I do when I see [homeless people]?”
You’d think by now we would have figured out what is a reliable, single [point of contact] — if not a person, then an institution – that will be able to be responsive to people who need help and to people who are calling on behalf of people who they see needing help. Companies have figured this out in terms of good customer service. Maybe you’re pointing to something that is more solvable immediately than insisting that people who work in homelessness services be properly paid. You know … what institution in a community could be accountable for like, “We’ll have the answer for you.”
You think we would have figured that out. But it’s a huge gap, both for people trying to get an answer to a question like, “How do I re-up my voucher?” to people saying, “I just saw someone in distress. How do I make sure that he or she is connected with help?”
How can people with experience of homelessness be heard and truly integrated into the decision-making process?
Many communities — in fact, we have funded some of these positions across our Built for Zero network — they have either a panel or a design process where people who are experiencing homelessness are part of the strategy setting or part of the improvement team, and part of the Built for Zero coaching as well.
It might not be the heads of the agency [who have lived experience], but if those heads of the agency say, “We’re going to do this. We’re going to share the goal. We’re going to be accountable.”
Then the folks on their team [who] do the work, in that group, it’s important to have people with lived experience of homelessness who can say, “No, no, this is how it actually works. This is how it would work in a much smarter, more respectful and equitable way.”
So it’s that implementation circle. That’s the place where you really want to have folks with lived experience being able to actually reveal the truth of how things work and make sure that there are changes that represent improvements.
We often see Consumer Advisory Boards or similar groups be formed and feel they are used as meeting a check mark for some funders. What do we need to think about if we’d like to make changes to truly integrate voices like you described?
I think that’s always the risk that they’re tokenized. But I tell you, most smart service providers or any type of product developers, they know that the most valuable thing they have is if they go do customer research.
If they say, “Alright, I’m designing a wheelchair.” Do you want to have someone who uses a wheelchair to test it and say, “Oh, this is uncomfortable.” Or “The hand break would be better if …” You’re going to be able to develop better services and products if you take seriously the experience in the design of services or interventions.
Leaning into the process of surfacing that kind of input and doing human-centered design looks a lot different than the meetings we’ve all been to where you’re checking the box to show somebody who lived on the street was at the meeting, so it’s all good.
Cowboy Beans & Ham Hock In No-Where Land
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
“Any Cowboy Would be Proud of...” A heaping, helping of this stuff... “A Recipe Remembered” so often depends, Upon all - Of the added - Ingredients. You start with a bag of Magic Beans, We commonly call “Past Experience” And a pot of Hot water for what’s in store? To explore once Your Journey’s Began. We all know how the story goes, A pot of hot water and beans on the stove. But now what you need, is the key to the lock, That seems to be? What happens when? You add to the pot... A Ham Hock... And your Cowboy Proud Beans, Become more than a dream, They begin to boil, bubble and rock. Don’t be afraid of Onion... And Garlic Powder... Keep the Faith... (It’s o.k...) It all will work out... “Pepper’s an Expression” You’ve been warned... You’ve been told... Remember those lessons, when you get old. Let’s talk about salt and let’s talk about sugar. The two of them counteract each other. Two teaspoons of sweet and one of salt, Like two sisters and a brother. If I had some Bar-B-Que sauce? I’d toss “some” in. It may or may not make that much of a difference. A splash of Balsamic Vinnegar and a touch of Olive oil, And then bring it all to a long, hard boil. This is where - It’s going to take, The passing of the time on the clock, Constantly stirring, your bubbling and boiling, Cowboy Proud Beans and Ham Hock. Slowly but surely you’ll see things progress, But what happens next is anyone’s guess.
It’s
On My List of Things to Do
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
I play each day as each day comes. Ready, Willing and Able, To take it on, get things done and have fun. And every minute of every day, the fun has just begun. Despite the things that I’ve got to get done. I’ve never been one to turn and run away from an Obligation.
It’s On My List of Things to Do.
Tear it up - Add it in & Simmer down
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
Shredding apart a Ham-Hock’s an art, You’ll make a mistake or two. It sure will be tough if it’s not cooked enough. It will be, that much harder to do. You won’t regret what you end up getting, Despite all the effort it takes. Just collet up the best and trash can the rest, And you’ll taste the difference it makes. Trial and error, live and learn, Let it simmer but don’t let it burn. A splash of milk and a slice of cheese, And that’s pretty much all, That your Pot of Beans needs, To be tasty enough for a Cowboy to eat.
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
In No-Where Land... Where no-one knows... Where no-one cares what happens there, Like lost seeds waiting to be sown. Like songs waiting to be sung. When I consider all that I own, And the things that I have done.
In No-Where Land... It ain’t about the money. It’s about Post-Mortem Fame, And getting people to remember your name, And how good you can actually get at the Game?
When it’s not about the money? It’s about so much more?
And the two are not the same. One is for your fellow man, And the other for Fortune and Fame. After all there’s always so much more out there?
Just waiting to be gained... In No-Where Land... Where so many don’t even know how to change, And a Successful Solutions considered strange, With its pre-conclusion - pre-arranged? And those who stand against their plans? Pretend like they’re your closest friends. Then behind their back, implement their attack, And claim that they might be quite likely... Insane... & Dangerous... & Deranged... And nothing changes... In No-Where Land... But a sense of a “Comrade - Community” Can become a created reality, When you’re living among friends like family, Who are fighting the same fight to survive? And you feel like you’ve finally, really arrived, Right where you’re supposed to be?
Making a stand... In No-where Land... Where Courage doesn’t come - Easy or Cheap, But it’s the only thing - Any man or woman, Can claim that they can keep, even In No-Where Land... Where the first Parks Dept. Homeless Camp, Was initially established there? In No-Where Land... Just waiting for that day to arrive when they finally decide? To see it become a reality, take on the challenge, And make a difference in people’s lives. With an immediate need tonight... “Hello!” They’re looking for a place to hide... I’m willing to help them if they’re willing to?
“Fight for Their Freedom” despite their present plight. If they’re willing to do what’s right?
I’m willing to say that I’ve tried... Fight the Good Fight... And Hang On for The Ride... It might not make any difference?
But there’s a chance that maybe it might?
An option’s far better than being... Left behind and Rejected, And Unprepared for the Unexpected?
Living in darkness and looking for the light? I just think it seems to be awfully strange, To have a Mayor who claims to be so open to change? But can’t see how this - Can ever possibly be, Logistically and/or Legally obtained. How much will it cost? And how much will be gained? Who are the people who approve of this? And who are those folk who complain?
About a Self-Contained place to begin again. Somewhere out there In No-Where Land...
ACROSS
THEME: FOURTH OF JULY
1. Croat, e.g.
5. Reverential respect mixed with wonder 8. Island near Java
12. From where to eternity?
13. *”Land of the ____” 14. Rowed 15. Diabolical 16. Mideast bigwig 17. Unleashes
18. *Star-spangled banner (2 words)
20. Type of ski lift 21. *Day before Independence Day 22. Quilting party
23. Sherlock Holmes’ confidant
26. Formal dinner
30. U.N. working-conditions agency
31. Sextet plus one 34. Cancel
35. Holey confection
37. Electric swimmer
38. Frame job
39. Comparison word 40. Type of deodorant
42. Skater’s field
43. *Like “America the Beautiful” skies
45. Covered with a ceiling
47. Tennis do-over
48. Surfer’s stops
50. Not guilty, e.g.
52. *Yankee Doodle’s feather
55. *”To Freedom!”, e.g.
56. Tel ____, Israel
57. BÈbÈ’s mother
59. Pseudonym
60. *Cup at a picnic
61. Do like exhaust pipe
62. Late George Wendt on
“Cheers”
63. Give it a go
64. *Betsy of #18
Across-related fame
DOWN
1. “He said, ____ said”
2. Russian left
3. Pomegranate seed
4. South African grasslands
5. Knight’s protection
6. Odd and unusual
7. Like ghostly howls
8. *July 4th culinary tradition
9. ____ 51 in Nevada
10. Lecherous look
11. Dog tags
13. Felidae family member
14. As a rule
19. Casper, e.g.
22. Cricket club
23. Measurement
24. Hello, to Mr. Hand
25. Opposite of atonal
26. *Philadelphia’s Liberty
27. “____ death do us part”
28. Draw out a conclusion
29. Drank too much
32. Lowly laborer
33. What lintel and mantel have in common
36. *Personification of the U.S. (2 words)
38. Show contempt
40. Decompose
41. In eighth, book format
44. “The Second Coming” poet
46. Chemical cousin
48. Relish
49. In an unfriendly manner
50. Horseback sport
51. Bear’s hang-out
52. Sail holder
53. “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” captain
54. Part of an eye
55. Sun kiss
58. “The Extra-Terrestrial”-inspired toys
Wake Up Everybody
BY JOHN H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
One thing that’s hard for me to understand is how people walk around and look down on their neighbor or show hate. If you hate your neighbor then God says in his word that you don’t love God either. On the other hand, you say you believe. If you believe you obey. Even though you confessed and said you believed, I don’t understand. You didn’t tell the truth.
Now, many think they are saved, but if you don’t love God, why should you spend eternity in heaven? If that’s the case, God may as well bring Satan back to heaven. I pray everyday that these preachers preach this love that we should have for one another. There’s a lot of people that sit in church every Sunday that are just lost supposedly Christians. I pray
without ceasing many nights. I’ve had a pretty good life, but I know deep down in my heart I needed to change. I asked God to change me. It don’t happen over night. One thing I can say though, I’ve never had a problem loving my neighbor or God. Don’t get me wrong, I, John H. have never been perfect, but I’ve learned to depend on and trust God.
Many days I ask myself why God brought me to that corner of all corners to serve. So I figured God wanted me to share his word because I’m gonna say it like it is. People, before you can serve you must love God and your neighbor. That’s where it all begins. We can’t be like Donald Trump or the pilgrims when America was discovered, yet God blessed it. Wake up everybody.
Gap Toothed Sun
BY FREEPRESSGMA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
A clear forested river gleaming green in its depths, deep cinnabar under the overspill
A cave under the rapids Eels swim in I do not.
Tumbled by the plunging water, I swim with joy at meeting my world traveler friends. Their undulating bodies tell tales of far oceans in this landlocked world
The trees, knit bone holding the muddy banks like a lover The water as plastic as a silk scarf
COMIC BY DENNIS T., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
ACLU sues Tennessee over law criminalizing elected officials’ votes for ‘sanctuary policies’
The American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee is suing the state over a new law that created a felony charge for elected officials who vote in support of sanctuary policies for immigrants.
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Davidson County Chancery Court on behalf of seven members of the Metro Nashville Council, argues that the law violates local elected officials’ First Amendment right to free speech.
The statute creates a Class E felony for local public officials who vote to adopt a “sanctuary policy” and requires any official who violates the law to be removed from office “as soon as practicable.” The charge is punishable by up to six years in prison and a $3,000 fine.
“This law infringes on the constitutional protections I have as a legislator: to do what is best for my constituents without fear of interference,” Metro Councilmember at large Zulfat Suara, one of the plaintiffs, stated. “We must not allow the state to usurp these pro -
BY CASSANDRA STEPHENSON | TENNESSEE LOOKOUT
tections. As a public official and an immigrant, I cannot accept a law that makes compassion a crime. Many immigrant families already live in fear — if they come after immigrants, who will they come for next?”
Suara is joined in the suit by Council members Clay Capp (District 6), Brenda Gadd (District 24), Sandra Sepulveda (District 30), Terry Vo (District 17), Ginny Welsch (District 16), and Delishia Porterfield (Council member at large).
Representatives for Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Davidson County District Attorney Glenn Funk, who are named as defendants in the suit, were not immediately available for comment.
District 25 Metro Council member and attorney Jeff Preptit is representing his fellow council members as co-counsel on the suit alongside ACLU-TN Legal Director Stella Yarbrough and Ben Gastel, Preptit’s colleague at Herzfeld, Suetholz, Gastel, Leniski and Wall PLLC.
“This legislation makes it a felony for local leaders to do the job our communities elected them to do,” Preptit said in a news release. “Local leaders shouldn’t face criminal charges for passing policies that reflect the values and safety concerns of our neighbors — especially when those policies ensure trust between residents and local government.”
The provision is part of a broad-ranging immigration enforcement plan spearheaded by Gov. Bill Lee’s administration to align with the Trump administration’s immigration policy. Lee signed the bill into law in February after it passed in a special legislative session with strong support from the Tennessee General Assembly’s Republican supermajority.
Sen. Todd Gardenhire, the Republican chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, joined Democratic senators in voting against the measure after calling it a “dangerous precedent.”
Prior to the law’s passage, First Amendment, government accountabil -
ity and legal experts said the law was “constitutionally suspect.”
Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson said in an emailed statement in January that “requiring localities and public officials to comply with federal law is not a matter of public opinion” and that the criminal penalties “reflect the overwhelming belief of our constituents” regarding support for the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement.
A 2019 Tennessee law already prohibits the adoption of “sanctuary policies,” broadly defined as any formal or informal policy that in any way limits state or local government cooperation with federal immigration agencies. That law allows the state to withhold grant funding from jurisdictions that adopt such policies, and gives citizens the right to file a civil suit challenging policies they suspect of violating the law.
This story was first published on https:// tennesseelookout.com.
Rev. Rick Roberts, pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Donelson and Rev. Matt Steinhauer, interim pastor of St. Andrews Lutheran Church in Franklin, knelt in front of lawmakers debating a bill to deny an education to some immigrant children during the spring session of the Tennessee Legislature. The bill ultimately failed to pass. PHOTO BY JOHN PARTIPILO/TENNESSEE LOOKOUT
Suit seeks to block Tennessee law that makes it a crime to “harbor” certain immigrants
A federal suit seeks to invalidate a new Tennessee law that would make it a felony to “harbor” immigrants without legal status.
The legislation set to take effect July 1, the suit argues, is unconstitutional, infringes on religious freedom and is written vaguely enough to ensnare churches that act as “safe zones” for school children during weather emergencies, landlords whose tenants take in roommates living illegally in the United States and family members living in mixed immigration status homes.
Filed Friday in the Middle District of Tennessee, the lawsuit seeks an immediate injunction to prevent the law from taking effect while litigation plays out in court. It also seeks class action status going forward.
The suit was brought on behalf of the Southeastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, whose Tennessee-based churches provide shelter, sanctuary, English instruction and other services to immigrants regardless of status.
Other plaintiffs include a landlord whose tenant took in roommates without legal status and a father who has legal immigration status but family members in his home who do not.
“This law forces religious organizations to choose between following their values or falling in line. It forces family members — spouses, siblings, even parents — to fear that simply living under the same roof as a loved one without legal status could land them behind bars,” read a statement by Spring Miller of the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition, which is among a group of organizations providing legal representation.
BY ANITA WADHWANI | TENNESSEE LOOKOUT
“This isn’t just unintended consequences of a bad policy. This is using the law to inflict cruelty and control,” Miller’s statement said.
The law, introduced by Sen. Brent Taylor of Memphis and Rep. Chris Todd of Madison County, both Republicans, creates a new felony offense for any individual who “intentionally conceals, harbors, or shields from detection” a person known to be residing illegally in the United States for “commercial advantage or private financial gain.” It defines the offense as “human smuggling.”
The felony carries a punishment of one to six years in prison and a fine of up to $3,000.
At the time the bill was introduced, Taylor said it was designed, in part, to hold non-governmental agencies, or NGOs, accountable for their roles in providing services that keep immigrants without legal status in Tennessee communities.
Taylor included churches, noting that “even Heaven has an immigration policy.”
“There’s a very specific way you come into heaven to become a resident of heaven,” Taylor said in a February interview with the Lookout once the bill was introduced. “They’ve got a very strict immigration policy, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable for Americans to have an immigration policy that people follow.”
The legislation drew pushback from clergy and immigrant advocates as it wound through the legislative process.
As written, the legislation defines the term “harbor” as to “provide shelter” but does not define shelter, which “thus purports to criminalize a broad range of innocuous everyday activities providing shelter to immigrants,” the
lawsuit alleges.
Those activities include parents providing housing to an undocumented child who helps pay the bills, a charity that accepts contributions to provide shelter to immigrants without legal status, or churches that rely on donations to give English-as-a-second-language instruction.
Todd, the measure’s cosponsor, said Monday he would be surprised if the legislation would ultimately be found unconstitutional.
“I don’t know how punishing a crime could be unconstitutional,” Todd said. “I mean literally smuggling people, many of [whom] are being smuggled into human trafficking and this just gives law enforcement and our DAs another tool to try to prevent innocent folks from being put into trafficking situations more than anything else.”
Todd also disputed the law could be applied to churches or clergy providing shelter, or individuals housing family members without legal status.
“I don’t know many charities that make money off of hiding people and harboring people,” he said. “So I just don’t think that’s a thing.”
The lawsuit alleges Tennessee’s law is also a violation of the First Amendment rights of Lutheran Synod churches, pastors, staff and congregations, who provide shelter and other services to immigrants regardless of immigration status as an “expression of their faith.”
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) in 2015 adopted a commitment to “accompany migrant families today and in the future,” the lawsuit said. The ELCA has “declared that walking alongside immigrants
and refugees is a matter of faith” and “a crucial expression of baptismal identity.”
The suit takes issue with the law’s definition of an unlawful immigrant as based on a determination by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a law enforcement agency that does not, on its own, make determinations of an individual’s immigration status. And it alleges that the state is illegally usurping the authority of the federal government, which alone is charged with immigration enforcement.
Attorneys filing the suit are with the American Immigration Council, Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition and the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University Law Center
The legislation was among a slate introduced by Tennessee Republican leaders in support of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration during the Tennessee General Assembly’s most recent legislative session.
Republican lawmakers also approved a proposal by Gov. Bill Lee to create a Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division to coordinate with the Trump Administration on immigration enforcement and encourage local authorities to partner with the federal government in enforcing immigration law. A bill that would have allowed public school districts to deny admission to children who could not show proof of lawful immigration status failed to pass after widespread and vocal protests at the State Capitol.
Sam Stockard contributed to this report. This story was first published on https://tennesseelookout.com.
House Speaker demands Nashville mayor ax order to report federal immigration interactions
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton has publicly called on Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell to rescind an executive order that requires city emergency personnel to report any interaction they have had with immigration officials within 24 hours.
“While Metro has refused to assist federal agents with ICE; they decided to escalate it by forcing all employees to act as big brother,” Sexton posted Thursday to the social media platform X.
“The time is now to rescind the big brother executive order and return to normal communications with state and federal authorities,” Sexton’s post read. Sexton tagged Tennessee Congressman Mark Green, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathon Skrmetti and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in his post.
Sexton’s post is the latest in a series of public criticisms since last week targeting O’Connell, a Democrat who leads Tennessee’s most populous city, which also serves as the seat of the GOP-controlled General Assembly.
Tennessee Republican Congressman Andy
BY ANITA WADHWANI | TENNESSEE LOOKOUT
Ogles accused the mayor of obstructing the work of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, citing O’Connell’s public statements criticizing mass enforcement activities that swept up nearly 200 people in the heart of the city’s immigrant neighborhoods in early May.
Ogles’ Memorial Day press conference excoriating O’Connell was followed in short order by Trump Administration officials’ appearances on conservative television programs to denounce the mayor.
White House “border czar” Tom Homan appeared on Fox News and threatened to “flood the zone” with immigration enforcement efforts in retaliation for O’Connell’s comments about the joint enforcement action between the Tennessee Highway Patrol and agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Then, Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, accused O’Connell of “harboring” immigrants without legal status and “doxxing” immigration enforcement agents in video of her appearance on Newsmax, posted
on the agency’s official X account.
Two Republican-led U.S. House committees launched an inquiry into the response by Nashville’s mayor to federal immigration enforcement activities.
A letter sent by the House Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees demanded a series of documents from O’Connell by June 12. The letter accused the mayor of actions that “threaten to chill immigration enforcement in the City of Nashville and Davidson County.”
The accusations against O’Connell center on the mayor’s public statements condemning the Nashville immigration sweeps – and a longstanding executive order requiring city departments to report interactions with immigration officials to the mayor’s office.
“What’s clear today is that people who do not share our values of safety and community have the authority to cause deep community harm,” O’Connell said at the time.
“Their approach is not our understanding of what a Nashville for all of us looks like, and we’re grateful to our community partners who make all of our residents feel welcome,” he said.
O’Connell also issued a revision to the existing executive order in early May, amid mass immigrant detainments, to require reports of all interactions between city personnel and federal immigration officials to be made within 24 hours.
The order requires all emergency and some non-emergency city agencies and officials to report these interactions to the Mayor’s Office of New and Indigenous Americans, a department created to foster civic participation.
That department posted a spreadsheet with summaries of the interactions on its website.
The initial public posts identified three federal immigration officials by their full names, and one by her first name, posts that were inadvertent, the mayor’s office later said.
“It is not the normal practice to include the names of individuals in EO30 (the executive order) reporting. Any names mistakenly included have been removed,” a statement from the mayor’s office last week said.
This story was first published on https://tennesseelookout.com.
Learn More About our Recent Interviews with National Experts
In early June, we conducted conversations with Rosanne Haggerty, the CEO of Community Solutions, and Dr. Sam Tsemberis, the founder of the Housing First approach. You can read the interview with Haggerty on page 4 and the one with Tsemberis was printed in our last issue.
The questions we asked were developed by several members of the Vendor Leadership Team. Shawn Lesley served as their representative and conducted the in-person interviews with assistance from Judy.
After talking to both experts, we felt extremely energized. Since then several members of the Vendor Leadership Team asked us about our impressions, and we decided to share those with all our readers.
Shawn: By talking to both of these national leaders, I learned that there are people out there trying to actually help homelessness, people who care enough to help, people who see that we can be helped. These two interviews made a difference in my life. Because going into it, I did not see any of that. But hearing from Dr. Tsemberis and how he went out on the streets to listen to people and then help them by actually housing them — and then Rosanne Haggerty, and how her organization helps push communities to do more. That was really inspiring.
Judy: Both of them have been heroes of mine for years. I’ve heard them speak before and had lunch with Rosanne a few years ago. I was clearly awestruck and cannot express how much I appreciate them taking the time to sit down with us, and also for the Vendor Leadership Team to put these questions together, and for you, Shawn, to conduct the interviews.
Shawn: I’ve never thought that people who have not been homeless themselves would have that much good to share about how to help the homeless. But both of them said they wouldn’t have been in their position if they never listened to homeless people about what’s going on, what they need, and what the problem was.
If you think about it, many people think, let’s give them medication to help them. Then give them housing. But after they listened to people, they found that housing needs to come first and then all the other situations can be handled.
They truly listen and hear what homeless people say because without us being heard, we can never make a change. A homeless person can tell you
BY SHAWN L. AND JUDITH TACKETT
DR. SAM TSEMBERIS is the founder of Pathways to Housing, Inc. He has researched homelessness for decades and developed an evidence-based concept called Housing First, which has proven successful for people with severe mental illness and co-occurring issues who have been considered chronically homeless. In 2015, he founded the Pathways Housing First Institute. He is a tireless advocate on homelessness, mental Illness, addiction and the Housing First model, which is based on the belief that housing is a human right. Tsemberis has advised numerous states, cities, and countries worldwide on how to address homelessness.
ROSANNE HAGGERTY is the CEO and President of Community Solutions, a consulting organization that assists communities across the globe with practical solutions to building systems that end homelessness. Under Haggerty’s leadership, Community Solutions developed national movements including the 100,000 Homes Campaign and more recently, Built for Zero. Both efforts focus on building systems that prioritize and serve populations based on their needs and achieve outcomes through a person-centered, data-driven approach. Haggerty has received multiple awards including the prestigious MacArthur Genius Award.
more about what’s going on, how they feel, and not all of what you hear is going to be good.
What homeless people really want besides money is a roof over their head — to feel at home, to feel love, to feel that they don’t have to be outside. They want to just get out of that crisis mode. And when they get into the place, then you work with them on everything else that’s wrong with them. So, focusing on Housing First makes sense.
Judy: On that note, one thing that Dr. Tsemberis said that stood out to me is that Housing First is really about relationship building with people. We sometimes forget about the importance of that part of the work. Putting relationships at the center of the work keeps the focus on people. Community cannot be created without building strong relationships first. And Rosanne spoke about how we can move away from tokenism where we use people with lived experience to pretend we listen to their ideas. She spoke about the importance of truly integrating people into our workforce and organizational structures.
Shawn: I really wanted to know whether there are cities that do not have a homelessness problem. Dr. Tsemberis said that in smaller European cities where the income gap between the rich and the poor is less than here in the United States, they do not see the same numbers we see here. They also have healthcare in those countries.
In Nashville, we don’t have enough housing for the poor. But we are seeing all these buildings, all these homes and apartments going up. You mean to tell me that there is no place you can put people who are homeless? What about
all these abandoned buildings? What about these office buildings that could be renovated?
Judy: Yes! The fact that Dr. Tsemberis pointed to the income disparity in America stood out to me, too. And he also spoke about homelessness being at the extreme end of poverty. I liked that because for the past 25 years in this city, we have tried to separate the issues of homelessness from poverty and from housing. Our community has tried to lead separate conversations and come up with separate solutions. It’s just relatively recently, maybe in the past five years or so, that we have started talking about homelessness and housing as a spectrum here in Nashville. But we seem to still struggle to see homelessness as a poverty issue. We keep focusing on mental health, substance use, and individual failures as reasons for homelessness, rather than the structural issues that cause homelessness in the United States. That Dr. Tsemberis talked to us about that meant a lot to me personally, confirming some of my thinking.
Shawn: Each one of them came up with their own different way of handling and dealing with homelessness. That’s what inspired me even more. For them to come up with and work on solutions, then that means to me, as someone who has experienced homelessness and went through homelessness, that it can be done. I mean, I’ve got my own ideas of how we can help, but some of their ideas let me know that the path that I’m on to try to help with homelessness is right.
Judy: Both interviews served as a needed reminder that it is important that
we continue to advocate. It is OK to be critical. It is OK to speak up, even if it is sometimes uncomfortable. What we need to understand and learn, especially in our community right now, is that disagreement does not need to end in an “us against them” battle. Rather, it can open the door to new conversations and lead to improvements for better solutions. Accountability is important, and it doesn’t happen when we are silenced or intimidated.
Shawn: The state and cities get all this money to help people get off the street, so there will be no homelessness in each and every city. But what are they doing with it? That’s the first thing we need to ask. I know, it’s not going to be an overnight thing. But after talking to these two experts, I also know it can be done.
Judy: What these two individuals, Dr. Sam Tsemberis and Rosanne Haggerty, have achieved in creating two movements that go hand in hand is incredible. They have done this by going against the traditional approaches. They listened to the people on the streets. By doing that, they have improved systems. They have saved countless lives. They have and continue to give me hope that our community can do better and will do better.
Shawn: Walking away, I felt that it can work. We can help everybody get off the streets if more and more people want it. When I say “more and more people” I mean the heads of corporations, the mayor, the governor, commissioners — all these people on top. If they listen, then there will be no homelessness here in the United States of America.
Zine Rave
BY FREEPRESSGMA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
I started creating zines by invitation of Stagger Press and The Contributor. They supplied some of the tools we needed and Melissa Willis and I did the rest.
For most of March, I could not seem to sell a paper because I was so busy creating stories and helping create images to go with the story. The first design I got out and showed to people left my hands immediately. I’ve actually sold as many zines as papers and sometimes more.
I went to the dump Trump protest at Centennial Park where there were about 10,000 people lining the streets. I only got a couple blocks down the street before I was out of both papers and zines. I got so many rave comments from the people who bought the zines. It’s really fun to just tell a whole story
with images and just a few words.
The Paper Doll Rebellion series is my favorite so far. It looks like we will have four issues. The paper doll rebellion — a hidden history — has people intrigued, laughing and nodding their heads. I won’t tell you more than that because I’d love for you to come and seek out an issue from your vendor.
Some of you may have read my story about Thor. This will become a zine soon. The thing about zines: we can tell our stories in the way that we want to tell them. The paper will allow this also, but there’s some thing about being able to include images from a fellow artist and say whatever comes to our mind unedited which is very liberating. Also It is something I produced on my own.
Democracy Is The Strength And Courage To Stand And Be Heard
BY DANIEL H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
In the heart of the people, a fire ignites, A whisper of freedom, a chorus of rights. Not a gift from the heavens, nor a crown from the throne, But a struggle, a journey, a seed we have sown.
With each voice that rises, with each hand that’s raised, We carve out our future, through trials we’ve faced. Democracy’s not given, it’s earned through our fight, In the shadows of silence, we summon the light.
Every day is a canvas, where choices are made, In the fabric of justice, our hopes are displayed. With conviction we stand, in the face of despair, For the power of many is a force we can share.
Hope is not lost, though the road may be long, In the depths of our struggle, we find where we belong. For God is our witness, in the battles we wage, In the story of freedom, we write every page.
So let courage be our anthem, let strength be our guide, In the name of democracy, we stand side by side. With hearts full of purpose, and voices that soar, We’ll shape our tomorrow, forever and more.
In the echoes of history, let our truth be unfurled, For democracy’s strength is the courage to stand, To be heard in the silence, to make a demand, Together we rise, as we claim what is ours, In the light of our unity, we’ll reach for the stars.
Here is an image from the Paper Doll Rebellion Series. BY FREEPRESSGMA
I took this photo near the South Gulch. I call it “Yesterday’s Gateway to Progress.” 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.
Marco Rubio Anuncia Restricciones de Visas en EE. UU. como Parte de la Lucha Contra el Narcotráfico
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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
Por Yuri Cunza Editor in Chief @LaNoticiaNe ws
Año 23 - No 416
Nashville, Tennessee
“DONDE OCURREN LOS HECHOS QUE IMPORTAN, SIEMPRE PRIMERO... ANTES”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio Announces US Visa Restrictions as Part of the Fight Against Drug Trafficking
A Memoriam To Musicians We Recently Lost
In recent weeks we’ve lost some talented musicians, and as a lover of ALL types of music I’d like to pay tribute to them here.
First up is Sly Stone of Sly and the Family Stone. “Are You Ready?”
Stone was a musician, songwriter and record producer who truly made music a “Family Affair.”
Together the group gave us a beat that allowed us to “Dance to the Music,” and that added to our “Hot Fun in the Summertime.” It took us “Higher” than we thought we could go, where “Everyday People,” even an “Underdog” like me — yes, “Everybody Is A Star” of their own show, all in the name of “Fun!” Stone’s musical talent was explosive like “Dynamite!” To him I say, “Thank You” for lettin’ me be myself!
Another music legend we lost recently is Brian Wilson, who was a singer, songwriter and record producer for The Beach Boys.
The carefree style of this music sends out nothing but, “Good Vibrations” and is instantly recognizable in a way that can only be described as “Fun, Fun, Fun!”
When I was younger I’d often sit “In My Room” and listen to these songs over and over again. To me, they spoke of simple things like “The Warmth of the Sun” and “Girls on the Beach.” “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” if we could go back to a time when things were SO much simpler than they are today?
Maybe one of their songs reminds you of a special friend. “Barbara Ann,” for example, reminds me of a very special lady who volunteers at The Contributor.
BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
I also personally know three sisters named Sandi, Robbie (short for Roberta) and Sheryl who are good friends of mine and are indeed “California Girls,” though Sandi now lives in Tennessee and has for several years.
Maybe at some point in your life, you cried out in a time of need, “Help Me Rhonda” to a friend of yours who bears that name. The song reminds me of my former brother-inlaw’s girlfriend Rhonda, who he dated for 10 years! I’d say he needed help with making a commitment, but the truth is his mother DID NOT approve of the relationship.
Could it be that Wilson’s music prompted you to learn a new skill like “Surfin?” This could be done locally like “Surfin’ U.S.A.” or maybe if you’d prefer something a little more exotic you could go on a “Surfin’ Safari.” I must say I truly admire those folks in particular because even when they “Wipeout,” they get right back on the board and “Do It Again!” Or maybe you’d rather be a “Surfer Girl” like Sandra Dee in the Gidget movies, but I suppose you have to be of a certain age to remember that.
Perhaps sailing is your thing. Well, all I can say is, “Sail On, Sailor!”
Wilson’s music can inspire you to take a trip even if only in your mind, and although I don’t drive, ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you “I Get Around” all the time, although it’s DEFINITELY not in a “Little Deuce Coupe.” It’s usually by way of Access on Demand (a service provided by MTA). Though that is a local service limited to Davidson County, make no mistake, I’ve done my share of “California Dreamin’!”
Joke of the Issue
BY HOWARD P., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
There’s church service in a little country church. As the pastor of the church gets into the pulpit a huge black cloud appears in front of the pulpit between the pastor and the parishioners, and out of the cloud steps the devil!
The entire congregation screams and heads for any way out of the church: through windows, doors and even the walls.
After a few minutes there’s only two people left in the church: The preacher, and an old farmer sitting in the third row. The devil says to the preacher, “Preacher I know why you stayed here.” He turns to the farmer and says, “But I don’t know why you stayed here.Do you know who I am?”
“Yep,” says the old farmer.
“Aren’t you scared of me?”
“Nope.”
“And why are you not scared of me?” the Devil asks.
The old farmer says “Well 40 years ago I done married your sister!”
After hearing the song “Kokomo,” who doesn’t immediately want to go on a vacation to one of the exotic locations mentioned in the song?
“God Only Knows” why Brian Wilson left us when he did, but I’m sure if we were to ask him he’d say, “Don’t Worry Baby,” everything will turn out alright, and he’d be right because as long as “I Can Hear Music,” his legacy will live on.
Sadly, we also lost Wayne Lewis, one of the founding members of Atlantic Starr. Although he may not be as well known or as popular as the singers mentioned earlier in this article, Atlantic Starr had a “Masterpiece” or two of its own, and for that reason, “You Deserve The Best!” While their music IS NOT what I would call “Rock & Roll”, their smooth R&B sound could transport you to a different place and time and make you wonder, “Am I Dreaming?”
Similarly if you’ve somehow lost your way, this music can “Bring It Home Again.”
Atlantic Starr knew all along what it takes many of us a lifetime to learn, and honestly, some of us NEVER do — “If Your Heart Isn’t In It” life isn’t worth living!
You can rest in peace knowing that “I’ll Remember You” and I’m sure other music lovers will too, “Always!”
As you read this piece, hopefully it will bring ALL those memories to mind, and who knows, maybe you can make a few new ones along the way!
Even as I was writing this piece, I learned about the death of yet another influential musician: Mick Ralphs. You may not know him by name — I know I didn’t — but I DO know
the group he was associated with. He was a vocalist and guitarist for Bad Company.
The hard core songs lyrics of Bad Company no doubt spawned many of their fans to indulge in their “Rock & Roll Fantasies.” By the way they went about their lives, they showed countless others how to “Live For The Music” while at the same time warning the consequences of leading such a lifestyle acknowledging they were “Bad Company” and would be “until the day they die.” Whether this was meant to be literal or figurative is left for the listener to decide.
The lyrics they chose were designed to vividly describe EVERY aspect of a relationship. “Love Me Somebody” is a simple ballad that describes the desire to have someone love you just as you are, but even when you feel you are “Ready For Love,” and you find someone who you think “This Could Be The One,” the lyrics remind us how difficult it can be to open our heart to someone new after we’ve been hurt. You may find yourself thinking, “Don’t Let Me Down.” Then when you’re sure you’ve discovered that “someone special,” you just “Can’t Get Enough,” and that stirs even stronger emotions and you “Feel Like Makin’ Love.”
At this point in the relationship, you’re feeling “Rock Steady” until you discover all that “Good Lovin’ Gone Bad,” which serves as a reminder to us all about what happens when love doesn’t go according to plan, and once again, you find yourself “Movin’ On”. Like the artists mentioned earlier in the article, Ralphs gave us music that helped shape our lives. Though he may be “Gone, Gone, Gone,” his music will continue to live on!
Jim's Journal
“Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible. I think it’s in my basement, let me go upstairs and check.” - M.C. Escher
Answer: Spam
HOBOSCOPES
CANCER
I know it’s not a popular opinion these days, Cancer. I realize that the story’s been told and that the heroes won — if you consider those guys heroes. I get that it’s not hip to be on the side of “the aggressor,” or whatever. Still, I like to think Jaws is still out there somewhere. An unstoppable force of nature swimming up and down the Atlantic coast, leaving an anonymous trail of fear and destruction. Because Jaws is a reminder, Cancer, that there are things in the world we’re not prepared for. There are times to dive in but there are times we should just stay out of the water and let nature run its terrible course. So keep your eyes on the shore, Cancer. And keep your ears open for a slow bass note followed by another just a half-step up.
LEO
My dearest Leo, I write to you from a field of battle, weary and unresting, but I feel I must write. The fireworks began Wednesday-last and they still have not stopped. When do they reset their mortars? I cannot say. We thought the finale was upon us when the orchestra played Sweet Caroline and the aerial plumes of red and blue came as fast and thick as the swarming locust in Pa’s August cornfield. But our hopes came to naught as the barrage of sparkles and bangs continued to fill the sky. I know not now if it is night or day. I see the twinkling fountains even when I shut my eyes. Tell Ma I wore the kerchief she sent and it kept the smoke of roman candles from choking me complete. Remember, Leo, everything that begins has an end. Even if it seems now eternal. Sincerely, — MM
VIRGO
Remember last summer, Virgo? Oh, come on! Don’t act like I don’t still know what you did last summer. It was great! I know it’s all kind of a blur, but you accomplished so many of the things you set out to do. And you learned so much about yourself and what you’re good at and who you can count on. I hope you know how much you did last summer and that this summer you can do that much and more! And if they ever make a movie about what you did last summer I bet it still won’t be as good as the one they make about what you do this summer. And I hope they’ll use at least one of the sentences from this horoscope as the title to that movie. Anyway, Virgo, have a neat summer!
LIBRA
I heard zombies are back! I guess it makes sense, Libra. That’s kind of their thing. Being back. I’m not sure why we ever thought they were gone. And I know there are some things that you hoped were gone that seem to keep coming back too, Libra. And I know it’s discouraging to see those things you thought were past shambling up next to you for another round. The past comes with us, Libra. We just learn different ways to make it a part of our story. So you’ll leave it behind again. And when it comes back, you’ll see what else it has to teach you before you move past it again.
SCORPIO
I got a new sound system for my living room so I can watch TV in Epic Surround 9.2! It’s… fine. I guess when the plane flies across the screen it really sounds like it’s going from left to right. And I guess when the villain sneaks up on the hero I can hear the door latch click over my right shoulder. And the music sure fills up the room. But I find I’m thinking about the speakers more than the story. And I wonder, Scorpio, if sometimes the tools get in the way of the message we want to convey. Even when they make things cleaner and more precise, do they distract from the person in the left channel who’s trying to connect with the person in the right? Is your technology bringing you closer to others or keeping a layer between you? Maybe hit mute and think for a beat.
SAGITTARIUS
Sometimes people ask me why I keep writing these ingots of astrological insight when there are computers that can do all that now. I tell them that–like Artificial Intelligence–I too was trained on stolen art. Stories that I absorbed from library books, jingles from afternoon TV commercials, and turns-of-phrase overheard in the mall food court. And like a large language model, I also have no idea what I’m going to say next. I just put one word after the other until it creates something like meaning. The weight of the monologue is in the ear of the hearer. But if I let a computer write this for me, then I’d be left with nothing to do but scroll my feed looking for something to believe. Instead I find it in what I create. Create something today, Sagittarius. I hope it’s hard to do. That’s what it’s for.
CAPRICORN
It’s hot, Capricorn, and you need a pool! And what’s a pool without a huge inflatable recliner with 3 cup-holders, a built-in bluetooth speaker, and a sunglass-cozy. You could recline out there all day, just floating in your crystal-clear chlorinated paradise. Yet still, it’s hot! And every time you slide into the water to cool off, you get tired out and crawl back into your floating throne only to bake in the sun again. There’s a cycle of relief and dissatisfaction that even a pool can’t free you from. What if instead you learned to live with discomfort. Try it for five minutes Capricorn, just feeling how you feel. When you’re done you can go back to resisting. Tomorrow, try it for 10.
AQUARIUS
If it was all coming to an end today, Aquarius, I’d pack you up into a little rocket and shoot you off into space. I’d know that your tiny craft would wander through the galaxy until it found a world where you could thrive. A place where you would be stronger and faster than any one you met. Somewhere you could be a hero. But, seeing as how we’ve got [checks watch] a little more time, I think maybe there’s still some good for you to do around here. Maybe see if your neighbor still needs help with his yard or if your sister could use a ride to work again tomorrow. There’s a lot of ways to be a hero, Aquarius, and I don’t think most of them require a cataclysm.
PISCES
When asked about his seemingly miraculous artistic process, Michaelangelo is said to have replied “I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.” Honestly, Pisces, it’s not too different from the way I feel about this block of colby-jack. Of course, by the time I’ve cut the last slice of cheese and distractedly lain it longways across another pepper-garlic Triscuit, I know my work here won’t be remembered across centuries. But each of us has a gift, Pisces. I’ve found mine and I think it’s time you let the twin-chisels of practice and love uncover yours.
ARIES
You probably can’t tell, Aries, but I used to be interesting. I liked books you never heard of and movies you’d never seen. I listened to music that wasn’t available on streaming and only watched TV shows from before you were born. But I gave all that up, Aries. It was too much work and the pay was terrible. Now I like whatever you’re into. And I don’t even know that much about it, just the regular amount. What good was it being interesting if nobody was around to be interested? I’d rather hang out with good friends and watch…whatever this is, than sit alone having thoughts I never shared. Maybe you can do both, Aries, but if you have to pick, pick the people.
TAURUS
I’m having a hard time coming up with an image for where you’re at, Taurus. Maybe it’s like watching golf on TV. Quiet and slow. Bright and precise. And you’re on the couch completely enthralled with every detail. Each backswing brings your heart into your throat. You can see so much excitement in this steady and balanced drama. But when you go to applaud, all you’ve got is a civilized golf-clap. Even alone in your living room. But I want to hear you shout, Taurus. I want you to make a sound outside like the one boiling in your heart. And then I want you to share that with everybody else, too.
GEMINI
Does anybody in this Hardee’s have a power cord for a 1991 PowerBook? I’m almost done writing Gemini’s horoscope but I’m at 5% battery and the last 5% always drops faster than you expect. You’d definitely know if you had one. It’s a 3 foot cord with a 16 pound plastic brick in the middle that turns the A/C into D/C — or the other way around — I can never remember. I guess I can keep this brief before the battery goes dead. You’re good at being prepared for the unexpected, Gemini. Just remember to stay prepared for the obvious stuff too. Like if you’re trying to get some work done outside of your home you might need to take a power cord.
Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a trained sculptor or a certified shark apologist. Listen to the Mr. Mysterio podcast at mrmysterio.com Or just give him a call at 707-VHS-TAN1.
The Damned’s frozen fishermen catch hell on Hulu
Thordur Palsson’s The Damned premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2024 before the movie was released to American theaters back in January. That’s when a strange thing happened: critics loved the film, but audiences kind of hated it. The movie comes to streaming with a wildly disparate Rotten Tomatoes score of 90% positive reviews from critics, but only 47% approval from audiences. Is The Damned a dark, period horror film that brings the atmospherics of a thriller to a dramatic natural setting, spotlighting a stand-out performance by a young actress in a story of storms and superstition? Or is it one big meh?
The Damned is set in 19th-century Iceland. It follows Eva (Odessa Young), a widow who inherited her late husband’s fishing operation, during a brutal winter. When a ship sinks off their frozen coast, Eva and the fishermen have to make a life-or-death decision: rescue the survivors and deplete their already meager supplies, or let the shipwrecked perish to ensure their own survival.
BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC
Director Thordur Palsson crafts his feature debut around this conscience-challenging choice and its psychological aftermath. The fishermen become convinced they’re being pursued by supernatural forces — specifically the Draugur, vengeful undead from Icelandic folklore. But what makes The Damned more than just another standard addition to the now long-lived folk horror film revival, is its ambiguity about whether the terror actually is supernatural or merely psychological. Are the events on screen actually occurring in the world of the film or is everybody just freaking out in the darkness, cold and guilt? Like Robert Eggers’ period movies or even John Carpenter’s frozen frightener, The Thing , Palsson understands that the most effective horror comes from exactly this uncertainty. The film relies on practical scares — moody lighting effects, claustrophobic sets — rather than computer generated spectacle. It uses the familiar trappings of historic horror to deliver a meditation on how we create narratives to cope with per-
sonal trauma and even collective moral failure. The Icelandic setting provides enough frosty cinematography to make the cold feel bone-deep, and the cabins that make-up the hand-hewn fishing outpost come to feel like a haunted house, shaken and stirred more by the spirits of the living than the dead.
Odessa Young delivers a tough portrait of Eva as a woman grappling with impossible leadership decisions in an unforgiving world. Young and Palsson sidestep every Netflix girlboss cliché to bring audiences a feminine character who naturally feels like she belongs — for better and worse — in a harsh world of ice and commerce, salty sailors and slimy fishing boats. Young’s Eva is young and pretty, but mournful for her dead husband and hardened by their lives of snow and darkness and danger. Just like most of the fishermen, I didn’t question a single decision she makes, and her relationship with the crew never feels forced or unnatural.
The salt and the spray — and even the almost black-and-white setting, given all the snow and night photog-
raphy — might put The Damned ’s viewers in mind of Robert Egger’s nautical freakout, The Lighthouse But The Damned is really more like Egger’s debut, The Witch . This is a movie about supernatural horrors, but its grounded in the permafrost of all-too-human flaws, foibles and fears. The Damned is a film about an isolated community with meager resources, facing tough decisions and living with their consequences. In that respect it resembles a lot of the stories readers find here in The Contributor. And perhaps The Damned will find its most lasting appeal as an analogy for the hard choices that affect the lives of the poor and isolated among us today.
The Damned 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.
