How Stars Like Billie Eilish Are Turning Tours Into Tools for Change
IN THE ISSUE
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Joe Nolan gathers his hottest takes and nichest opionions of 2024 movies and award season predictions.
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Erica Mitchell, the New CEO of the United Way of Greater Nashville, tells us her plans to build community,
A FEW QUESTIONS
Q&A with Erica Mitchell
How the New CEO of the United Way of Greater Nashville Plans To Build Community
In early 2024, the former CEO of United Way of Greater Nashville (UWGN), Brian Hassett, announced his retirement at the end of the calendar year. Under Hassett’s leadership, UWGN expanded its footprint to a nine-county area and merged with Hands on Nashville, a nonprofit volunteer coordination that connects volunteers with community organizations looking for help.
UWGN’s board formed an executive search team and announced in summer that Erica Mitchell, UWGN’s Executive Vice President and Chief Community Impact Officer, would become the new CEO starting Jan. 1, 2025.
“I came to United Way because I wanted to get closer to the community,” Mitchell said, adding that she previously had held policy positions and wanted to see the impact policy changes have on the ground with community and people.
She joined the education efforts of UWGN 14 years ago after working for Tennessee SCORE, the state collaborative on reforming education. Mitchell said she believes in the cross-sector partnerships that UWGN forges with nonprofits, businesses, and philanthropy when working on solutions to complex social needs.
What is the role of the Community Impact Officer?
I have really loved the community impact role. The role itself has evolved over the years that I have been here. I would say first and foremost, we have to be good listeners so that we can hear from the community what the greatest needs are. And from there, we are always looking for opportunities to connect resources to meet whatever the greatest needs are.
To sum it up, the community impact role is about listening to the community and working with the community to put resources in place to truly help people not just sustain but thrive.
What are your goals and plans for next year? How will you tackle your new role?
A lot of it will be listening I have told people, I want us to continue doing things that we do well. We work now across nine counties. We fund nonprofit organizations. We will continue doing that and identifying really strong nonprofit community partners to serve communities well.
The collaboration piece means so much to me. I want us not only to continue that but to expand on what collaboration looks like going into 2025. We will go through a strategic planning process, which is important to do because that allows us to listen to the community, hear directly from them where their pain points are, and then see what United Way’s role is, and [determine] how we are uniquely suited to meet some of those needs.
I am looking forward to going through that process and really being able to hear from the community and various stakeholders.
If you had to describe the United Way of Greater Nashville, what would you say?
I am going to start with the mission state-
BY JUDITH TACKETT
ment. Let me break that down. We unite the community and mobilize resources, so that every child, individual, and family thrives.
The first part of that, “we unite the community,” I think that is critically important. It is not only about bringing people together, but it is about who we are bringing together. What appeals to me so much about United Way is the cross-sector functionality of the organization. We are talking to community members, those who we want to see thriving and who have firsthand lived experience. We are also talking with nonprofit organizations that are on the frontline serving. We are talking with government and business that serve in a different capacity, and philanthropy that is providing a financial resource. So, “uniting the community” means that we are listening to, we are attentive to, and we are bringing all of those entities together at some point in time.
And then, the second part is, we “mobilize resources.” That is putting things into action so that they can work in the service of what we are trying to solve for. It could be a financial resource, it could be people resources, it could be tangible hard goods. I love the idea of being able to mobilize or put multiple things into play to solve community challenges.
And then, “everyone is thriving,” that is the ultimate goal. Again, I came here because I wanted to see [the direct impact on people]. When people would ask me what I wanted to do for work, what appealed to me is opening doors for people who have all sorts of odds stacked against them. The statistics say they should not make it. The question that always interested me is, “How do we open doors so that anyone, regardless of where they are growing up or the circumstances they are growing up in, has the opportunity to live out what they are capable of living out. How can they live into what thriving looks like for them?” I think that’s part of what we do at United Way.
I really want us to be an on-ramp for how business and individuals understand what is happening in the community as well as a solu-
tion for individuals, families, and businesses to give back and contribute to making the community a thriving place for everyone. I want the United Way to be viewed in that way. That is very much what we do. I just want more people to understand that.
United Way has expanded from Davidson County to merge with other United Ways. What are some of the opportunities/challenges to strengthen this regional approach?
Having a regional approach allows us to connect across county lines. It allows us to leverage resources and connect similar or related nonprofit services in one county to another county. There is just such an opportunity there for us to create more of a coordinated network. I am excited about that, and we are already seeing that in some of the counties that are more rural. They do not have as many nonprofit resources. They do not have as many services in their area, but the need is great. So, being able to take services like for example a VITA, a Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, or a Raise Your Hand tutoring program — things that we are already doing. We have an opportunity to do those in other spaces as well.
The challenges are relationship-building and trust-building. It is important for us to get to know a community well and for them to feel comfortable with who we are. It is not Nashville coming in to take over. We really want to be in a place where we can leverage what we have in terms of resources to make another community better and stronger, whether that is by leveraging resources we have here or whether it is finding resources within that community.
There is just a lot of opportunity, so I am looking forward to digging more deeply into that heading into 2025.
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has recently announced a new childcare initiative called the Nashville Early Education Coalition. United Way has been working with the Metro government to im-
prove childcare in our community. What is your role in this new coalition?
United Way has been deeply involved in early education for decades. It goes back to our relationship with community-based childcare centers, which continues to this day. [The focus] of that is around ensuring quality childcare and preparing kids for kindergarten. We continue to have a literacy focus and whole-child readiness for school emphasis at our community-based centers.
We have a systems initiative here called Raising Readers Nashville. Megan Godbey is the director of Raising Readers Nashville. She has done an exceptional job uniting the community through coalition-building [by] bringing multiple partners around the table to tackle a hard challenge. That hard challenge has been grade-level reading. Our approach has been to look at what is happening in the early years before children ever get into school, at school readiness, and how the community can serve and support children who are coming from more trying circumstances.
As a result of that cross-sector approach that brought multiple entities around the table, Raising Readers Nashville actually was the incubator behind the Nashville Early Education Coalition. We were convening people in organizations and trying to determine what the next step would be, and the thought was, we needed an individual to get up every single day thinking about how to improve quality early childhood education.
I am really proud that Raising Readers Nashville [served] as an incubator for the Nashville Early Education Coalition and that’s something that we have done in partnership with the Community Foundation [of Middle Tennessee] along with other philanthropic organizations that have invested in this new entity.
United Way has been a local leader in preventing and ending family homelessness and has created an initiative called The Family Collective. Our city has seen a 26-percent increase in student homelessness in the last school year. How do you see United Way’s role moving forward with The Family Collective?
We are so proud of The Family Collective. It embodies what I think are the strengths of United Way — the uniting of communities, the coalition-building, working across county lines, and truly having a regional approach. It coordinated a network to serve families. [With thousands] of families served by moving them out of and preventing homelessness, it has been an important body of work. And as you have mentioned, the 26-percent uptick [in student homelessness] underscores the significance and necessity of a coordinated effort like a family collective.
That work was previously funded by the state of Tennessee. We are looking for alternative resources to see how we can continue the work. We are extremely grateful for the years that the state funded this body of work. The success of the program and the growing need underscores that there is still work to be done, and that is why we will continue looking for resources to see how we can support families.
What to Wear
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman / Vendor #0015
When you get up in the morning, And you’re wondering, what to wear? Go to the closet, And see what you’ve got? And put on whatever’s there.
Patches and holes, And hand me down clothes, Won’t help you look the part. If you want to look good on the outside, Start by wearing what’s in your heart.
Gratitude and Contentment, Like the clothes that make the man. Like that coat of many colors, You got from your father’s hand. When you put them on in the morning, Let the world know where you stand. And that Gratitude and Contentment, Sure looks good on you, my friend.
Sometimes it’s hard to see behind, The costumes and the mask.
The camouflage, To disguise who we are, Or try to hide our past. That fashion statement, You’re trying to make, Says a lot about yourself.
But you can’t fool, The man in the mirror like, You can fool, Everybody else.
Gratitude and Contentment, Like the clothes that make the man. Like that coat of many colors, You got from your father’s hand. When you put them on in the morning, Let the world know where you stand. And that Gratitude and Contentment, Sure looks good on you, my friend.
What will they think?
When your whites are all pink, And something’s gone terribly wrong. What matters to God? Is what’s in your heart? And not what you’ve got on.
Gratitude and Contentment, Like the clothes that make the man. Like that coat of many colors, You got from your father’s hand. When you put them on in the morning, Let the world know where you stand. And that Gratitude and Contentment, Sure looks good on you, my friend.
It’ll Find You
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman / Vendor #0015
Call it Fate or Destiny. Coincidence, Just meant to be.
Should have seen it coming, But you never thought you would. When you least expect it to. Eventually, you’ll make it through. Just keep in mind this one thing, That it’s all for your own good.
It’ll Find You...
The thing you’re looking for. It’ll Find You...
It’ll come knocking at your door. It’ll Find You...
Don’t know what God’s got in store, But if you wait and keep the faith, It’ll Find You.
When you feel all hope is gone, Don’t give up, Keep hanging on. Sometimes, You can’t see the answer, Just around the bend.
If you seek then you will find. All good things will come in time. Lack of faith is like a cancer, It’s not how the story ends.
It’ll Find You...
The thing you’re looking for. It’ll Find You...
It’ll come knocking at your door.
It’ll Find You...
Don’t know what God’s got in store, But if you wait and keep the faith, It’ll Find You.
The darkest hours...
Just before the dawn. Then right out of the blue... It comes along.
When your eyes are finally open, You’ll see things a different way. The moment, You’ve been hoping for’s, “The Dawn of a Brand-New Day.”
It’ll Find You...
The thing you’re looking for.
It’ll Find You...
It’ll come knocking at your door.
It’ll Find You...
Don’t know what God’s got in store, But if you wait and keep the faith, It’ll Find You.
THEME: SNOW DAY
ACROSS
1. Larger-than-life
5. Capone's family
8. Wild swine
12. "You're not allowed," to a baby
13. Deal with it
14. Cunningly 15. Shower with affection 16. Allege
17. City in Belgium
18. *Snow Day exercise?
20. Poet Pound
21. Ovine sign of the zodiac
22. Tasseled hat 23. All together (2 words)
26. Military College of South Carolina, with The 30. For every 31. a.k.a. association football
34. *All-day Snow Day garb?
35. Delete
37. Crude fuel
38. Read-only disc
39. Good's counterpart
40. Popular flowering shrub
42. Female ancestor
43. Two heads are better than one, e.g.
45. Bering Strait state
47. Rudolph's Clarice, e.g.
48. Like thick smoke
50. Fountain option
52. *No two are alike, sing.
56. Surround (2 words)
57. Tangerine plus grapefruit
58. *Like a river, with over
59. #51 Down, pl.
60. Heidi's "Magic Wooden Shoe"
61. Olufsen's partner
62. Sound of a bell
63. Not him
64. Surfer's stop
DOWN
1. Odds' partners
2. Tubby little cubby
3. "He's Just Not That ____ You"
4. Of the same period
5. *Popular Snow Day pastime
6. Some tournaments
7. Zugspitze, e.g.
8. *Severe weather
9. Deed hearing
10. Algae, sing.
11. Marble bread
13. ____ Jack, English pirate
14. *As opposed to rain
19. Irregular
22. Type of conifer
23. Musketeers' swords
24. High-strung
25. Cerebellum location
26. Unit of life
27. Students' dwellings
28. *Snow Day reading choice
29. Helping theorem
32. *Like soft pj's
33. Intelligence org.
36. *Slope fun
38. Shorter than California
40. Number of years
41. No, it doesn't crawl in one's ear
44. Horse of certain color, pl.
46. Spontaneous additions
48. Obtuse one
49. Tom Cruise's "The ____ of Money"
50. Highway hauler
51. Bad sign
52. Of a particular kind
53. Smoothie berry
54. Superman's last name
55. Part of a seat
56. *Like chocolate on a Snow Day
Learn More About the National Increase in Homelessness
More than 770,000 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in January 2024. That is the highest estimated number of homelessness The United States has ever recorded.
Toward the end of every year, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) releases “an annual snapshot of individuals in shelters, temporary housing, and unsheltered settings.” The 771,480 individuals counted on one night in January of 2024 across the country marks an 18-percent increase from 2023.
Nashville fared better with a decrease of 1.6 percent in overall homelessness, with the unsheltered population count increasing by 135 people (a 23 percent increase) and the sheltered count decreasing by 170 people (an 11 percent decrease). We reported on the local breakdown of the data in our September-25, 2024-issue.
In practical terms, Nashville’s homeless population remained stagnant from 2023 to 2024, after seeing an 11-percent increase from 2022 to 2023. The national increase between 2022 and 2023 was 12 percent.
In its press release, HUD said that family homelessness increased by 39 percent from 2023 to 2024. “In the 13 communities that reported being affected by migration, family homelessness more than doubled,” the release reads. Looking at the remaining communities, the rise in family homelessness was less than 8 percent.
HUD cautioned that the data, which was released at the end of December, is one year old and meanwhile the situation of asylum seekers has changed with several cities, including Denver and Chicago, reporting that their migrant shelter census is down since migrant arrivals had dropped significantly by fall of 2024.
Nashville’s PIT count showed a lower increase in homelessness compared to the national average. The increase in family households experiencing homelessness was a little over 3 percent from 2023 to 2024 or 5 percent when looking at the number of individuals living in those households with at least one adult and a minor.
However, Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPD) saw a 26-percent increase in its annualized student homelessness census at the end of May 2024 over the previous school year. While this data is not directly comparable to PIT count numbers — because, for one, it is annualized (while the PIT count is a one-day snapshot) and secondly, it uses a broader definition of homelessness — both data sets indicate that Nashville is seeing an increase in families struggling with housing security.
The validity of the PIT count has been controversial for years. But for me,
BY JUDITH TACKETT
the PIT count still has relevance when taken together as a part of different data sets to offer a fuller picture of homelessness at the national and local levels. Rather than focusing on the actual number of people experiencing homelessness when examining the PIT count data, I pay attention to the percentage change over a lengthy period of time.
When we look at the national trend line, we see that after years of slight but steady declines, homelessness began to increase during the COVID pandemic. The charts below do not include the year 2021 because it did not provide a comparable picture as many cities, including Nashville, did not conduct an outdoor homelessness count that year. In Nashville, we saw a significant increase in homelessness starting in 2022, one year later compared to the national trend.
There is a lot of speculation about PIT count data results every year as to why homeless numbers are up or down, but no real analysis has been conducted locally. I explain this with the fact that it takes time to shift a community to a data-driven effort. Having said that, I believe we will see more discussion in the near future about homelessness data.
A data-driven approach allows us to better understand where our investments and efforts are bearing fruit and adjust according to trends we see. However, while I will always advocate for quality data, I am also warning that politicians tend to use data to push for and justify quick fixes — as we see in Tennessee’s approach to passing laws that increasingly criminalize home -
lessness.
With the incoming federal administration’s prior history and current rhetoric supporting the criminalization of homelessness to ensure people without housing become invisible, having strong local leadership in place is more important than ever. We need local leaders willing and capable to push back on political pressure (whether from local, state, or national sources) and ensure that we put people’s needs first. The goal should always be to invest in actual solutions that work for people we want to serve rather than for politicians and NIMBY ("Not in My Back Yard") folks.
The Importance of the PIT Count in Relation to Other Data Sources
Point-in-Time (PIT) counts happen annually during the past 10 days of January in about 385 Continuums of Care (CoCs) across the country. CoCs are geographically defined areas where cross-sector organizations work together to build a homeless crisis response system (in Nashville we referred to it as a Housing Crisis Response System). Each CoC is eligible to participate in a national funding competition to address homelessness in their area.
While PIT count numbers are largely an undercount and only focus on a narrowly defined homelessness definition, they provide national and local trends, as previously mentioned. Besides the annual PIT count, HUD requires each CoC to report data through its Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), which is more accurate and capable of producing annualized numbers and performance measures.
Trends provided through HMIS data alone can be volatile depending on funding requirements. If funding sources require that an organization enters data into HMIS, but then that funding source gets lost, an organization may consequently submit less data, less reliable data, or no data at all. Thus, we may seemingly note an increase or decrease in homelessness, but at closer look, fewer organizations and programs may have contributed data. HMIS heavily depends on the quality of data that is entered. Since 2019, Nashville has diligently improved HMIS data entry, but it takes time to build a comprehensive system. I believe we are at a point now where a baseline is reached and with expert analysis (ideally independent of Metro, which manages the HMIS database), HMIS can help us evaluate where to invest and how to approach homelessness more effectively.
Trends provided through the PIT count data set can help us evaluate and monitor HMIS data and allow us to raise valuable questions of what is really going on at the local level and whether our efforts and investments are sufficient. A third data set that should be consulted is the Local Education Agency (LEA) homelessness numbers. While the Department of Education uses a much broader definition of homelessness than HUD, it captures the housing instability of families with school children.
If we are serious about ending chronic homelessness, we must pay attention to preventing and ending child and youth homelessness. Chronic homelessness is roughly defined as people with a disabling condition who sleep COLUMN:
in shelters, outdoors and in places not meant for human habitation for more than a year (or who have experienced four episodes of homelessness within the past three years, adding up to a total of 365 days).
The PIT Count Data Shows What Solves Homelessness
Even though the nation has recorded its largest homelessness numbers ever, according to the recent PIT count results, homelessness among Veterans has reached a record low with a nearly eight percent decrease between 2023 to 2024. In Nashville, Veteran homelessness decreased by about 3 percent over that time span.
Since 2010, Veteran homelessness has been cut in half in the United States thanks to a collaborative approach between HUD and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Congress invested billions in funding in the HUD-VASH program, which provides rental subsidies coupled with support services to help Veterans access and maintain housing. National and international news reports over the past few weeks did not pay enough attention to that success and what it means for ending homelessness.
Veteran homelessness increased slightly between 2022 and 2023, which the federal government explained by unavailability of obtainable affordable housing. The HUD-VASH program functions similarly to the Section 8 rental assistance, but the subsidies are specifically targeted to assist Veterans. Having rent assistance does not mean people are able to find housing. Thus, the conversation of the lack of accessible housing for low-income people cannot be decoupled from homelessness anymore.
In August of 2020, the federal Government Accountability Office released a report that found that a $100 per month increase in rent is associated with a 9-percent increase in the rate of homelessness. Besides rent increases, job loss was another factor mentioned as significantly contributing to an increase
Nashville PIT Count Trend 2007-2024
in overall homelessness. The same report also strongly critiqued the limitations of the PIT count data to provide accurate numbers of homelessness.
However, when we look at trends (rather than actual numbers), we can still see that some cities have shown significant progress over the last few years even with the recent national PIT count increases. Those include, among others, Austin, and Dallas (both in Texas), Hennepin County (Minnesota), Chester County (Pennsylvania), and even Los Angeles County.
In Nashville, the trends showed a steady, but slow decline in homelessness prior to 2022, even though rents had increased by more than 40 percent over the previous decade and the city did not increase its resources. However, Nashville’s community shifted its focus during that same time to building a housing-focused,
person-centered, and data-driven approach during which we heavily invested in cross-sector relationship-building and coordination between government, nonprofit, and philanthropic organizations. That approach seems to have paid off to keep our numbers decreasing steadily between 2016 and 2022.
Then in 2022, the city significantly increased its investments with a $50-million, three-year infusion to address homelessness. In addition, Nashville increased its annual Metro budget for homelessness from less than $2 million prior to 2022 to about $6 million.
With private market housing developments and the opening of the Strobel House in 2024, we have added hundreds of permanent supportive housing units in Nashville. In addition, rent increases have slowed over the past couple of
years. All these influences hopefully will lead to a lower PIT count in 2025. But before we celebrate, we must invest in accurate, expert data analysis to truly evaluate what is happening and how effective our recent investments have been. In other words, anyone with a $50 million one-time check and a $6-million annual budget can house more people. The question is, did we invest with longterm solutions in mind, or did we focus on quick fixes to satisfy our politicians and move homelessness out of sight as a short-term measure?
An academic and politically independent partnership could evaluate different data sets and paint a fuller picture. And most importantly: we cannot forget that listening to the people being served is imperative if we want to truly analyze the effectiveness of our interventions.
The Contributor Joins Class Action Lawsuit Against Tennessee DHS for SNAP Failures
The Contributor, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty, is joining a class action lawsuit against the Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS) for systemic failures in administering Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
The lawsuit, filed by the Tennessee Justice Center, Hogan Lovells, MAZON, Inc., and others, accuses DHS of failing to process initial and recertification applications on time, issue accurate and timely notices, and provide prompt appeal decisions. These failures have caused hunger, malnutrition and financial hardship among applicants and participants. The complaint seeks declaratory, injunctive and other relief to ensure the timely and accurate processing of SNAP applications and appeals.
The lawsuit alleges and highlights widespread delays and errors in determining SNAP eligibility experienced by members of The Contributor staff while applying for benefits, which violate federal law and result in significant harm to vulnerable households.
“For our street newspaper vendors and the
people we serve, SNAP benefits are essential for addressing food insecurity and freeing up limited resources for other necessities, like rent and utilities,” said Will Connelly, executive director of The Contributor. “Delays or denials in SNAP benefits can jeopardize housing stability and overall well-being, pushing individuals closer to crisis. By participating in this lawsuit, The Contributor affirms its commitment to advocating for systemic change that directly impacts the people we support.”
The Contributor is a nonprofit street newspaper that empowers individuals experiencing homelessness or poverty to achieve stability. Through employment opportunities and advocacy, The Contributor works to address systemic barriers and promote social justice and access to community.
This lawsuit, which can be found in full on a link at thecontributor.org reflects The Contributor’s belief that timely and accurate SNAP benefits are essential for food security, housing access and financial stability. Addressing these systemic failures is a critical step toward breaking the cycles of poverty and housing instability.
News Briefs
Metro Cold Weather Shelter Opens 11 Days in First Month
From Nov. 1 through March, Metro operates overflow shelters to help support the city’s shelter needs during cold weather. The operation complements partnerships with the Nashville Rescue Mission, Room In The Inn, Launch Pad, and Oasis. Overflow shelters open when temperatures remain at or below 32°F for three consecutive hours, and their availability is based on capacity and funding. People are encouraged to use longterm shelters like the Mission before seeking the emergency overflow shelter, and decisions about opening are typically made by noon the day before the shelters open. “I am grateful to everyone in our Office of Homeless Services and across multiple Metro departments who step up to serve our most vulnerable neighbors during the coldest days and nights,” Mayor Freddie O’Connell said in a release from OHS. “They do so with kindness and compassion, and my hope is that more Nashvillians will text OHSALERT to 888-777 and help us spread awareness of shelters and other resources.”
The following shows how many people attended overflow shelters (the snow storm’s numbers not yet included) as they opened this season: Cold Weather Shelter Daily Report
November 29,2024: 87
November 30, 2024: 122
December 1, 2024: 163
December 2, 2024: 224
December 3, 2024: 225
December 5, 2024: 247
December 6, 2024: 240
December 11, 2024: 180
December 20, 2024: 161
December 21, 2024: 197
December 22, 2024: 201
January 1, 2025: 163
January 3, 2025: 172
January 6, 2025: 285
Total Days Open: 14 Days
Average Served Per Night: 183
Total Served: 2565
MNPD Investigating Death of Homeless Man
Metro Nashville Police Department announced in a release Jan. 9 that the first reported murder of the year was that of a man experiencing homelessness. The release says homicide detectives found a not yet identified white man near the bank of the Cumberland River near Gay Street and 1st Avenue. The man died after suffering blunt force trauma to his head, according to the release. Two other men living on the streets downtown reported the discovery of the victim to an ambassador who works with the Nashville Downtown Partnership.
Metro Action Announces Releases 2025 Nonprofit Grant Opportunities
The Metropolitan Action Commission announced new opportunities in 2025 to partner with the city on the MAC POWER Youth Program, which brings together 100 Metro Departments and city organizations to employ over 1,400 Davidson County youth ages 14-18 years old. MAC covered the $2.2 million cost to employ the youth, according to a Metro release. MAC POWER Youth Program was built to encourage youth development as students age into adults. Grants funds are awarded to cover the cost of materials for the work experience as well as work stipends of the youth for their participation in the program. The MAC POWER Youth Summer Employment program begins June 2 to July 18 offering project-based work experiences such as academics, arts, music and athletic interests. Organizations should apply before Jan. 21. Full grant lists are available at nashville.gov/mac.
Judi Alston, CEO, One to One Development Trust talks using creative approaches to change
One to One Development Trust is an arts organization and registered charity that uses film, virtual reality (VR), video game design and other creative approaches to work with marginalized communities, breaking down barriers and inspiring positive change.
What role do you think technology and media can have in creating change?
Judi Alston: I think what technology, media and creativity can do is speak to something that’s part of the human condition. To me, using something like VR as an immersive tool has a lot of potential to put the audience into a situation they would never normally be experiencing. From that, you can genuinely evoke empathy and emotions that are quite profound. Immersive media is an extraordinary medium for doing things like this about homelessness because it’s quite literally putting somebody in that position as a rough sleeper.
What inspired you to create a virtual reality experience on homelessness?
In the past, we’ve worked with people who are homeless and it’s hard raising awareness, so looking at using different ways of storytelling can add to the impact. We got asked by West Northamptonshire Council to make a documentary film with people that are homeless, those who were rough sleeping or have strug-
BY MEG SALT
gled and are in recovery from addiction. In addition to the documentary film, we were asked to create a single street scene for VR. As we started the process of exploring VR to raise awareness of homelessness, we realized that what we should do is push the boundaries and make a full narrative story. We sort of defied all logic in terms of time scale, budget, everything. We saw such good potential for harnessing VR to raise much-needed awareness. It became a real labor of love for all our team.
What has the reaction been from the homelessness sector and the public?
One of the first people who went on [the VR experience] was somebody who had been homeless before and asked, “Have you ever seen the film Trainspotting?” I said, “It’s one of my favorite films, I really love it.” He replied with, “this is more realistic than Trainspotting was.”
To me, that’s the best compliment, because that was from somebody who was a rough sleeper, an IV drug user, and is now working in this field. I thought that perception was insightful as it was because they were fully immersed in a 360 environment.
Some of the other responses were interesting as well. People have been giving their donations to charities, or said it shifted how they see people on the street and have become more aware. One of the things that I’m really
pleased about is one of the homeless charities in Northampton (The Hope Centre) has invested in buying five headsets to run Streets of Change to fundraise for their work and raise awareness. Another community group of volunteers who provide food for people experiencing homelessness every Tuesday night have also bought a VR headset to help them to get donations for food. I'm very interested in these practical responses that VR can evoke and what changes it can evoke in someone’s behavior. What we want to do is get it to people like strategists and politicians to look at Streets of Change as a provocation to help to increase understanding and bring more funding in to support [the fight against] homelessness.
What connections do you see between your work and the work of street papers?
I love street papers and regularly buy The Big Issue, so finding out more about the International Network of Street Papers has been interesting. It’s fascinating getting insight into street papers from other countries and how the INSP model works. I am very interested in different methods of storytelling. Technology is never going to totally wipe out print publication, but both have an awful lot that they can bring to the table. Working together, I feel like it’s a good synergy. Street papers have got a huge archive of work and there are all sorts
of potentials for digitization, to make digital stories from it and to target different audiences. I guess that we’re at the start of that conversation, and I don’t quite know where that’s going to go yet. I feel like we’ve got a good alignment and have shared values, and this event has brought us closer together.
What more do you think can be done to change the narrative on homelessness?
That’s a big question, isn’t it? I think that one of the key things is that the narrative has to keep being told. What I’m interested in is finding new ways of telling stories. You’ve got to keep challenging the system in different ways. Now, that might be VR. In another five years, that might be something else. It’s [about] embracing as many ways as you possibly can. I always see creative outputs like newspapers, books, music, film, games and VR/immersive experiences as different ways to inspire people and evoke empathy, compassion and understanding; each medium is like a different tool in a toolbox. What you’ve got is a whole load of tools for changing narratives and making social change, and you bring out what is needed at the right time.
To learn more, visit onetoonedevelopment.org
Courtesy of INSP.ngo
PHOTO BY JACK DONAGHY
Concerts with a Cause
How Stars Like Billie Eilish Are Turning Tours Into Tools for Change
BY HANNAH CRON
The music industry is an inextricable part of Nashville’s DNA. It’s estimated that the industry supports 56,000 local jobs and contributes over $5 billion annually to the city’s economy. But beyond the economic benefits and upholding the Music City reputation, there’s a growing trend that may make Nashville’s musical nucleus more impactful than ever.
Music has always been a platform for social activism, from protest songs to benefit shows. In the post-pandemic ecosystem, there’s been a steady rise in mainstream pop artists — your arena headliners and household names — buoying their concert tours with charitable efforts. From Taylor Swift donating to food banks at each stop on her Eras Tour to Olivia Rodrigo championing local reproductive rights organizations in every city, the societal impact of touring is taking a new shape.
Most recently, alt-pop sensation Billie Eilish announced a number of sustainability and charitable efforts to be incorporated into her Hit Me Hard And Soft Tour. Fans who attended each show were presented with multiple opportunities to engage with causes their favorite artist chose. From introducing plant-based concessions and sustainably made merchandise for reduced water usage and carbon emissions, to offering reusable water bottles and accepting food drive donations, nearly every part of the concert experience was affected. Fan Kelsey Christine was in the audience that night, and she says the socio-political engagement was a big part of the show.
“When you’re sitting in your seats waiting for the show, there’s a five-minute long video that played,” says Christine.
“I was there early enough before the opener that I saw this video run through two separate times. It talks all about her sustainability environmental initiatives that she’s done on this tour and so I got very familiar with what those are even though I didn’t interact with them directly out in the venue lobby.”
You might doubt that audiences would care to listen to a drone of information before a concert, but with each new generation, it seems that fans have an increasing desire to be involved in socio-political issues and see their favorite artists do the same.
“In fangirl culture, you really look up to these people and you do listen to what they say, and I totally think it’s impacted me. It made me reconsider eating more plant-based food and I’ve never really thought about (sustainability) when it comes to fashion — of course, I know there’s a lot of issues with fast fashion and all of that kind of stuff, but I didn’t even know about the water usage thing. That kind of makes me think twice and it raises a lot of awareness about stuff that’s important for our planet because I do care about and worry about our planet but I don’t think I’m as educated about what’s causing a lot of those problems that we do every day, so she’s helped open my eyes to that.”
Other charitable organizations present included Support + Feed, a plant-based food equity organization founded by Eilish’s mother Maggie Baird, and Reverb Gives, a subset of the music retailer dedicated to providing music education.
With all of the publicity around the tour and its purported sustainable and charitable goals, there’s room to wonder whether a difference is actually being made. This is a valid concern – it’s commonplace for artists of all popularity levels to include some kind of initiative on their tours, like voter registration through Headcount or donation of a portion of ticket sales to a non-profit organization.
In the case of Eilish’s tour, there’s no report available for this year yet, but the singer’s website includes an impact report from her 2022 world tour. According to the report, fans raised $117,000 for local charities and climate organizations. They also estimate that the use of over 88,000 single-use plastic bottles was eliminated through the offering of reusable water bottles and filling stations for fans.
The transparency surrounding the charitable efforts may not be overly specific — no word on which organizations local to each show benefitted from the food drives or other fundraising — but there’s much more available for curious fans than is the norm. When Olivia Rodrigo
swept through Nashville on her GUTS Tour in March, she announced that her Fund 4 Good would be donating to local reproductive justice organizations Abortion Care Tennessee and Mountain Access Brigade, but no information is available on how much was raised from the show.
One popular Nashville non-profit and donation recipient, Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennesee, said that they have benefited from concerts such as Jason Isbell’s annual Ryman residency and the Get Behind the Mule Tom Waits Tribute show but were unable to provide any additional details. They also confirmed receiving a donation from Taylor Swift but did not mention whether this was in connection with the Eras Tour campaign.
How much do fans need to know about where the donations they’ve contributed to are going? Some may not care, but others may be compelled to further engagement upon learning the good they can do by simply attending a show. There’s
“In fangirl culture, you really look up to these people and you do listen to what they say, and I totally think it’s impacted me."
also the issue of virtue signaling — are some artists performatively championing causes and encouraging fans to donate without a willingness to do the same? Despite the doubts that may arise, Kelsey Christine says that she’s focused on the outcome rather than the motive.
“At least with her, it doesn’t come across as performative to me because I really believe that she cares about this stuff. She’s been talking about it for years and years and it’s always been a priority for her. But even if I did think it was performative like from another artist or something, l’m almost like, ‘Who cares?’ As long as they’re advocating for something good and to protect our planet and encourage others to do the same, I kind of don’t give a shit about where it’s coming from. It’s almost like how I feel about the placebo effect — if it was the placebo effect, who cares, if it really worked.”
Study Looks at How Music Amplifies Environmental Advocacy
BY AMANDA HAGGARD
Music is a powerful tool for environmental education and advocacy, combining emotion and artistry to inspire action, according to a 2017 study led by Jennifer Publicover of the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts.
Musicians in the study shared insights on using their craft to promote environmental awareness, and the discussion and interviews for the study drew from interviews with artists featured on the David Suzuki Foundation Playlist for the Planet. The musicians — ranging from iconic singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn to environmental educator-performer Remy Rodden — use their songs to address scientific issues, social values and environmental concerns.
One key takeaway from the study was the importance of authenticity. For music to resonate as a call to action, audiences must perceive the message as genuine and aligned with the artist’s broader values. Fans are often turned off by messaging that feels contrived or overly didactic.
The leader of the study wrote in abstract: “While we should not be too hasty to draw conclusions about efficacy, environmental education can benefit from the dialogue that arises through music, an art form from which so many of us derive great pleasure.”
The session also explored the delicate balance between advocacy and entertainment: Musicians noted the challenge of integrating environmental themes into performances without overwhelming audiences. Thoughtfully crafted songs and storytelling can spark dialogue and encourage innovative thinking while maintaining the artistic quality that draws people in. Time, place, and audience played crucial roles in the effectiveness of pro-environmental music. Performances tailored to specific contexts — whether festivals, classrooms, or intimate venues — help amplify the message.
Ultimately, music’s strength lies in its ability to evoke emotion, present diverse perspectives, and create cultural shifts. As these artists demonstrate, the study found that when used thoughtfully, music can inspire listeners to engage with environmental issues in meaningful ways.
As we all chase down the logical thoughts of existence the graduating aspects are always to presume the actual facts of moving forward regardless of the harsh reality from any and all circumstances and or situations that we bare. Life itself has and presents various challenging issues that seem to be overbearing to the intellect of many by the usage of our single dialect. We are all prone from the stages of our adolescents to only actually acknowledge one type of language, but the benefits of self acquiring different and difficult languages bring about more active responsibilities like being accountable for other's actions in which isn't always an acquiring taste. What one wants
Prime Purpose
BY MAURICE B. , CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR #4657
due to outside of self means that there are those that expect more but refuse to accept a much more quality of understanding. By one having more, more is required as the saying goes. For instance, the aspect of one having or have found a gift of self peace. Then, there are various types of individuals that are interested from that same dialect as well as different dialects of life that is desiring that same comfort of peace, but due to the constellation of the the first law of nature "self-preservation" to each their own path, in which leaves an interesting scientific fact that all must find their own mental modem. Even though we thrive to find our own ways to formulate a pattern of finding
peace and sharing our insights sometimes it's hard or harsh not to hinder nor harm the personal growth of others because of the firmness created by our own core(s) and of beliefs that founds our principles and morals even through the different and difficult stages of our lives. Note: If you define religion as a way or a walk of life then the realization of the prime purpose is that all parts of a person's life comes from the historical facts and the foundation that we all have been created in our perfect forms. That's mentally, that's physically and that's spiritually as well. Being this seed of perfection that was planted inside the most loved and sacred area known to mankind as the (womb)+( la
matriz)+(R-H-M)+(WU:M) this area created to and for "the" WO-MAN in which is to be reverenced, whereas outside this safety area we deal with times of being locked-up and or locked down and that's mentally, physically and even spiritually in which is known as struggling from overcoming difficult types of problems and challenges in which is a part of life until we buckle down realizing the importance of our own personal fight. As we deal with breaking free from those circumstances and situations, as we become awakened to the prime purpose of self freedom with the token of controlling the momentum and the outcome of the fights that we were fighting.
Sherman
BY LASHIKA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
When Sherman was walking down Trinity Lane he asked people if he could have a ride in the wagon and they said yes you can ride in the wagon.
So they ask him where he was going and he said I'm going down the street.
So he ask those people for some food and they said yes you can have food.
So Sherman said thank you for giving him the food.
So he asked those people can he get back in the wagon and they said no. Sherman said why can't I get back in the wagon?
Those people said if you get back in the wagon we're going to drop you off at the dump.
So Sherman asked those people why they would drop him off at the dump. So Sherman said this is where I want to be. At the dump.
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.
Nashville, Tennessee
Política Migratoria en 2025: Un Imperativo Moral y Económico Que Nos Beneficia a Todos
La política migratoria no solo es un i m p e r a t i v o económico, sino también un tema central que ha vuelto a tomar relevancia en el escenario político de 2025 Ahora, con la administración del presidente Donald Trump retomando el poder y con promesas de deportaciones masivas, es más urgente que nunca que los líderes políticos de ambos partidos enfrenten esta problemática de manera decidida, especialmente dado el impacto directo en la comunidad hispana, que representa un bloque electoral clave
Nuestra comunidad, y el futuro que esta representa, necesita una acción política clara y valiente Como una de las minorías de mayor crecimiento en el país, pronto seremos la mayoría minoritaria, lo que subraya la importancia de adoptar soluciones que reflejen nuestra contribución y necesidades
Además, la presión sigue aumentando, ya que un gran número de empresas y ciudadanos continúan exigiendo a sus legisladores en la Cámara de Representantes y el Senado de EE UU que reparen de una vez por todas nuestro sistema de inmigración obsoleto La inacción ya no es una opción.
Siento un gran orgullo de ser uno de los muchos residentes en Tennessee que apoyan públicamente una reforma migratoria, y seguiré alzando mi voz para pedir a nuestro Congreso que actúe de manera inmediata y apruebe una reforma justa y necesaria
Afortunadamente, no estamos solos
Una gran coalición de amplia base, integrada por los principales grupos proempresariales, incluyendo la Cámara de Comercio de EE UU (USHCC), la Asociación para una Nueva Economía Americana, Business Roundtable, la Asociación Nacional de Fabricantes, entre muchos otros, siguen enfatizando la necesidad de una acción inmediata por parte del Congreso a través de conferencias de prensa y comunicados
To d o s e s t
n e l mensaje de innumerables voces estad o u n i d e n s e s : C E O
cantes, líderes religiosos y comunitar i o s , q u i e n e s r e c o n o c e n l a u rg e n t e necesidad económica de una reforma migratoria Los inmigrantes desempeñan un papel vital en cubrir puestos de trabajo, impulsar la creación de e m p l e o y f o m e n t a r e l c r e c i m i e n t o económico a largo plazo
Conoce tus derechos: ¿Que hacer en caso de una redada?
enerse callado dar nombre y apellido entir a acepte/lleve documentos falsos velar su situación migratoria var documentación de otro país so de ser arrestado, mostrarla Tarjeta da (llámenos si necesita una) e n l a Q u i n t a E n m i e n d a d e l a ción, los derechos de guardar silencio y on un abogado fueron denominados s Miranda luego de la decisión de la Corte de Justicia de Estados Unidos en Miranda vs Arizona, 384 U S 436, de 1966
Nuestros empresarios inmigrantes crean millones de empleos para estadounidenses nacidos aquí Además, los inmigrantes son esenciales para las empresas que no pueden llenar puestos disponibles Sin embargo, solo el 7% de todas las visas se asignan para ayudar a las empresas a cubrir estos puestos, comparado con hasta el 50% en otros países Estos límites arbitrarios dificul-
Si usted conoce a alguien que está detenido por inmig ración de Estados Unidos, conozca cómo ubicar el lugar donde se encuentra Encontrar un centro de detención: Para buscar a una persona detenida por el Servicio de Inmig ración y Control de Aduanas (ICE, s i gl a e n i n gl é s ) u s e e l l o c a l i z a d o r d e detenidos (seleccione Español en el menú que indica “Select a different language”)
tan que los empleadores puedan satisfacer sus necesidades de talento, incluso en sectores de alta calificación
También carecemos de visas que reconozcan y recompensen las destrezas empresariales de los inmigrantes Muchos de ellos están inventando productos que impulsarán la innovación estadounidense en las próximas décadas, pero nuestro sistema actual no puede retenerlos, obligándolos a regresar a sus países de origen para competir contra nosotros Esto no solo es ilógico, sino que también es una pérdida de potencial para nuestra economía
Nuestra voz hispana refleja la de millones de estadounidenses que entienden que una reforma migratoria justa es esencial para garantizar la prosperidad económica futura Esta es una oportunidad histórica para sacar de las sombras a millones de personas y fortalecer nuestra nación Pero no basta con exigir cambios; debemos asegurarnos de que nuestra voz se escuche a través de nuestro voto Unidos, podemos hacer la diferencia y asegurar un futuro más inclusivo y próspero para todos
Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper com ó 615-582-3757
Si no puede encontrar a la persona con el localizador de detenidos en línea, contacte a la Oficina de Detención y De por tación (en inglés) de su estado Si usted sabe dónde está detenida la persona, comuníquese directamente con el centro de detención cor respondiente (en inglés)
Estatus de un caso de inmigración: Para conocer el estatus de un caso de inmig ración en la cor te use el sistema automático de información de casos en línea (en inglés) o llame al 1-800-898-7180 (presione 2 para español)
Dibujo y concepto: John Yandall
Por Yuri Cunza Editor in Chief La Noticia Ne wspaper
Jaula Dorada: Del Otro Lado de La frontera / Golden Cage: The Mexico -U S Border
Año 23 - No 407
“DONDE OCURREN LOS HECHOS QUE IMPORTAN, SIEMPRE PRIMERO ANTES”
A List of Values
BY FREEPRESSGMA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
• Honesty is not a value to me, it is a character trait. Also, honesty is very subjective. The way something is expressed is even more important than what is being expressed. Being too tactful can be hurtful.
• Fearlessness is something I strive for. I find it is not enough to do things “in spite of my fears”. My fears have so often been accurate, and ignoring them has often created my circumstances.
• Bravery has often gotten me into trou-
ble. I think I would strive for clarity and right action over bravery, for its own sake.
• Harmony has become a much deeper concept for me recently. I used to think it just meant you had to get along with others. Now I realize that I have my own “fine-tunement” or “vibration“ that naturally harmonizes with certain others. And on the grand scale, with all others. So it’s really a matter of just listening, and Accepting the chords that are formed.
A New Year
BY JOHN H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
I’ve been unhappy lately. I let things get to me that I shouldn’t. God knows I love everybody, but I sometimes let things that shouldn’t bother me bother me. I know for a fact God loves me and God’s got my back in any and everything. My faith is strong, but I just don’t have people (Christians) that I’m very close to. That makes it hard. I wanna change that this year. Sometimes I fall weak.
To be honest, the only conversations I have everyday is with God. I need brothers and sisters in Christ to grow with. Sometimes I find myself loosing focus. Simply because I don’t have real friends. I have associates, but no one to talk to or be around. Like I say, I need change. Many times I get depressed because I see things that
shouldn’t be. Ya see, I was raised by parents who taught me to love everyone. Many times I let people who hate and look down on others. It does something to me. If it wasn’t for God who loves me very much, I don’t know what I’d do. The Apostle Paul said that “when I’m weak, I’m strong.” I don’t wanna be discouraged, but sometimes I fall weak. So I ask all Christian believers to say a special prayer for me.
I feel as though something’s wrong with the environment; that I wanna change. I confess y’all. I’m confessing in front of the church. Believe you me, I’m gonna with God’s help and my Christian brothers and sisters. I’m, as of this day, a new person. I love you and I pray that all of you have a blessed New Year.
Why are People Jealous of Me?
BY JULIE B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
I moved into a place that technically got me off the streets, but I was told there are some people in the building who are jealous of me because I have a service animal for my disability.
I’m hard of hearing and I take offense to people that are disabled just like I am but are jealous of my service animal. I want to know why somebody like me can be jealous of someone just like them. What makes somebody jealous? Are they not happy in their life? Don’t they like their life? Don’t they have anything better to do than to be mean, vindictive and cruel to somebody?
I’ve tried my damnedest to make friends with these people and they want nothing to do with me. They want to stay jealous of me, but that’s fine because I don’t care. I think it’s mean, vindictive and cruel to do what they’re doing to me and one of these days they’ll get what they deserve. Maybe they’ve already got what they deserved. I don’t know, but see there was a Christmas party in the building today and I wasn’t going to go because I don’t go where I’m not wanted. But my service dog had to go out to use the bathroom so I took her out. I was in my jammies and I took her
out to go to the bathroom and well they saw me when I came back in and invited me to the party.
They were having food and games and presents and stuff like that and my caseworker walks over to me and tells me, “Why don’t you come over and have some food?” Well, they expected me to get my food and come back to my apartment. Well, I thought okay I’m not going to let these mean, vindictive people get to me, so I literally sat down and started eating. I had the dog with me and I sat there and ate my food, got my gift, painted a little and came back to my apartment. All I could see in these people’s faces was jealousy and I’m sure they were talking about me when they went back to their apartments and all that and I’m like whatever. I had a nice conversation with the maintenance man. The maintenance man treats me more like a person than these people ever will. All the time I was sitting there eating my food I was thinking we will never be friends, we will never be friends. And not because I don’t want to be their friend. I do, but I ain’t going to put myself out there because somebody that is also disabled is jealous of me. Get over it.
The Inner Workings of the Mind of Joe Nolan
BY NORMA B.
On the outside he’s a bit like Clark Kent a mild-mannered guy with glasses
Who reports on and writes about all sorts of art, poetry, and movies and things like that In his spare time he teaches others like me a few tricks of the trade
In hopes that we too might write or draw something authentic and inspiring one day
He looks on and listens patiently often with glee
To see and hear what we his students have to say
He offers suggestions on how we can improve
Then it’s his turn to take command of the room
The stories and poems he reads start off SO normally
They REALLY pull you into the story he’s trying to tell
Then without warning there’s often a sudden unexpected shift showing a darker side
Emotions run high
One minute you’re excited the next you’re scared to death!
You find yourself thinking what the heck?
It’s as if you’re in a dream
Now you’re waking up
Everything is still a blur, a bit fuzzy, unclear, You find yourself wondering
What’s happening? What in the world is going on?
How did we go from there to here?
I am SO lost!
Just as you begin to think Am I going crazy?
Am I losing my mind?
But before you can ask
You realize
There’s no need to panic
It’s just another day in poetry class!
That’s just Joe’s way of reeling you in
Getting your attention
Taking you on a little adventure
Without actually going anywhere
Getting you to analyze each expression
What does it mean?
And the best part is
Although we all interpret things differently
There are no wrong answers where artistry is concerned
It’s subjective influenced by an individuals own taste, feelings and opinions!
So what have I learned about Joe during these rather brief but informative sessions?
He’s a unique individual to be sure,
A little strange, weird, or quirky, but it’s in a cool type of way,
His mind is NOT ordinary it’s DEFINITELY one of a kind
If you’re ever in the area and you want to stop by
We warmly welcome visitors
from ALL walks of life.
Why not give it a try?
There you can meet the man I’m talking about
And see if YOU can figure him out!
HOBOSCOPES
CAPRICORN
As a matter of fact, Capricorn, I was born yesterday! Actually, if you want to get into it, I feel that we are all reborn everyday. I was born yesterday and today and I may yet be born again tomorrow. Each sunrise is an invitation to live so deeply into the present moment that everything that came before is just a cave painting, a story that we can guess at but never fully understand. So not only is today my first day, Capricorn, it’s my only day because it’s the only one that I can truly experience and change. I invite you to be born here with me right now and to live free from history and expectation. And yes, I will be glad to move my car. I didn’t realize this was your yard.
AQUARIUS
If you’re cold, they’re cold, Aquarius. And by “you” I mean the construct of sense-perception and memory that you call a self. And by “they” I mean the atoms that make up the air surrounding your skin and flowing in and out of your lungs. Isn’t it amazing that a simple slowing down of the tiniest unseen particles that surround you can cause such a profound change in your bodily sensation? Those atoms react to atoms that surround them and that chain reaction causes what we think of as a temperature drop. Suddenly you feel the need to put on another pair of socks. Remember, Aquarius, you’re a part of everything around you. We need each other if we’re gonna stay warm.
PISCES
“Whoooah! We’re half way there! Whoooah” Do you know that one, Pisces? It’s from the paradoxes of Zeno of Elea, the pre-Socratic philosopher who believed all movement must be an illusion. Zeno saw that to move from one point to another, a traveler must first go half way there. And to continue the journey the traveler must once more go half way. And then half way again. And again. How could a traveler ever be said to arrive, having always half way to go? Anyway Pisces, I feel like you’re really on a journey right now but I’d like to remind you that you always will be and that’s OK. You can still celebrate those little half way marks, even if you don’t feel you’ve arrived. Give it a shot.
ARIES
The stacks of books I never read remind me of all the people I thought I might someday be. It’s a little melancholy to get rid of them, Aries. Novels, trendy self help books, advanced astrology (so much math!), memoirs, cookbooks. I bought them with the intention to let them change me — to make me somehow more fully real. But as the books stacked up they became a weight. They’re uncracked spines told me a story that I was falling behind. So I think, Aries, that this is a good week to get rid of those books. Maybe I can get enough credit at the used media store to buy a bass guitar. Tell myself a different story about who I ought to be for a while.
TAURUS
It’s too cold out there but it’s nice and warm in here. I like it when the windows fog up and we can draw pictures in the condensation with our fingers. I drew a snowman, and you drew a skull. And then I drew a flower and you drew a skull. And then I drew a hot air balloon and you…are you feeling alright, Taurus? That’s just a lot of skulls. I know it’s hard being cooped-up inside when it’s too cold out. Maybe instead of arts and crafts you’d feel better if you did some jumping jacks and then took a shower? Get the blood flowing, Taurus. I mean, your blood. I mean maybe just move around a little bit.
GEMINI
I know a guy who drives around town in a big dirty truck with a hose on the side going door to door cleaning out grief traps. If you’re feeling sad or angry or lonely and you’re not sure why, you might give him a call. Honestly, I didn’t realize how common it is to have an overfull grief trap. The unprocessed grief just gets stuck in there and it can really back-up. This guy uses his hose to schlorp out the clog and then your grief can flow normally again. I can’t find his number right now, Gemini, but I’ll get it to you as soon as I find it. Till then, you might want to just talk it out with a friend.
CANCER
True, a butterfly in the sky can get way up there. But do you know who can fly more than twice as high? That’s right, the Rüppell's Vulture is the highest flying bird in the world, with some spotted as high as 11,300 meters — that’s higher than most commercial aircraft! I’ve noticed you’re getting pretty far up there too, Cancer, you’re taking on a lot and pulling it off quite gracefully. But remember, Rüppell's Vultures have cardiovascular adaptations that allow them to survive such high altitudes. If you start feeling light-headed, don’t forget you can just come down here with the rest of us butterflies. Everyone’s already impressed. You don’t have to stay up there forever.
LEO
Remember when I had that roommate who was really into playing video games online. He’d just be in the living room all day wearing his headset and shouting at his teammates to “Heal me! Heal me! Heal me!” I never knew what that game was, but I know that lately you can relate to the sentiment. It would be nice if somebody could just click a few buttons on a controller and you’d regain your health, your energy, your stamina. If I could do it for you, I’d start by changing what you expect out of yourself. You don’t have to do everything for everybody and then also take care of yourself. You can just stay in your own hiding place. Grab a med-kit and a shield potion, and mend.
VIRGO
I love how it gets so quiet when there’s snow on the ground. I can hear the crunch under my feet. The sound of my breath is as present as the site of it in the cold air. My coat sleeves whiff-whiff-whiff as I walk. And nothing else makes a sound. Cutting out the noise helps me be present in the moment. I hardly want to take the phone out of my pocket at all. And I forget that this presence is available even on a snowless day. Stop where you’re at and identify three things you hear. Then do three things you see. Maybe three more that you feel. The snow day was inside you all along, Virgo.
LIBRA
I took my car in for an oil change and the dealership said there’s a recall on this particular model due to a national security risk or something. Anyway, they said they’re keeping it for a few weeks and they gave me this sweet rental. It’s way nicer than my car. It’s got one of those push-button starters, heated seats, and a coffee maker in the glovebox. I know I’ll have to take it back to the dealership eventually but it’s nice to have a little luxury in my life. Maybe you should give it a try, Libra. Just a temporary status upgrade. Maybe use real whipped cream on your oreos or get the shoes with the extra cushion. Maybe I’ll drive by and make you some coffee.
SCORPIO
I take a lot of flack in the amateur astrology community for being too easy on everybody. My colleagues think I need to be a little harder on certain signs “for their own good.” My philosophy is that you’re all going to learn the hard things you need to know whether I’m involved or not. What I can do is let you know you’ve got what it takes to get through this and that you are worth every bit of kindness you can find. And so, Scorpio, I’ll tell you that there may be some new bumps in your road, but they’re only that. And that whatever care you can take of yourself today is exactly the care you should have.
SAGITTARIUS
My dog used to be the fastest one at the dog park. She’d do laps around everybody else, her mouth wide-open and her ears flopping with every bound. Now she needs a little help getting down the stairs into the yard. It’s no problem, Sagittarius, I’m glad to help. And somewhere I’m grateful for the reminder that no moment can last. And I’m suspecting that’s because time is an illusion. Not one that can be overcome, but one that can be identified. And that we can know a dog running at full speed and a dog wobbling on the step are both a part of the same whole. And that every good you’ve ever had is with you still and will be with you forever because it’s all right now.
Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a registered ornithologist, or a certified banger. Listen to the Mr. Mysterio podcast at mrmysterio.com Or just give him a call at 707-VHS-TAN1
The Best of 2024 and Award Season Predictions
I’m writing my column on Monday morning following the Golden Globes. The award ceremony always feels like the real beginning of the awards season, following on the heels of the BAFTA awards and this year’s nominations from the Music City Film Critics Association which dropped in the first week of the new year. I’m a founding member of the association and my final picks for the year’s best will be due 24 hours after I finish this writing.
It might not come as a surprise, but my faves rarely dovetail with the group’s overall nominations or with the selections of the big awards shows. And for my first column of 2025 I want to talk about which films, casts and crews are trending this awards season, and which films I think you shouldn’t miss.
Barreling toward the Oscars you’re going to hear a lot more about The Brutalist . The picture won the Best Motion Picture — Drama and Best Director at the Golden Globes. And the victory will put even more awards season wind in the sails of this tale of an architect who flees Europe in the days after World War II with plans to build a career and family in America. Adrien Brody is predictably strong and the film’s ambition is undeniable. It’s likely that The Brutalist and Dune: Part 2 will get a lot of Oscar attention, along with a bunch of movies that would never be considered if not for the category’s bloated roster of ten nominations.
I’m pulling for Dune: Part 2 to win this year, but the best film of 2024 is A Different Man , directed by Aaron Schimberg. It stars Sebastian Stan as an actor suffering from a disfiguring disease. It’s a black comedy, a sci-fi thriller and one of the most unique movies I’ve ever seen. This picture deserves multiple acting, writing and directing awards. Stan won a globe for his performance, but, unfortunately, A Different Man is such a wild film it’s unlikely to get much traction with the normie award nominators. That’s why I’m writing to tell you not to miss this masterpiece.
Stan also stars in the second best film of 2024, Ali Abbasi’s The Apprentice . It’s rumored that film’s frigid reception is because of the picture’s humane handling of Donald Trump’s origin story as a real estate hustler, mentored by the ruthless prosecutor and anti-communist crusader, Roy Cohn (Jeremy Strong). The film and its marketing were all done on a shoestring, but I think that’s one reason why The Apprentice crackles with energy in its depiction of Manhattan in the go, go 1980s. The Apprentice is raw and stylish, and relentlessly cinematic. Stan and Strong deliver some of the best acting of the year, and the screenplay should be at the front of the awards discussion right next to the script of A Different Man
Dune: Part 2 was my favorite movie of the year before I saw Sebastian Stan’s films. I was impressed with where Timothee Chalomet was able to take his princely portrayal of a fabled messiah to. I also think Rebecca Ferguson is
BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC
being overlooked this year, and its a shame and you should know better than to wrong the Sisterhood. Seriously, Dune: Part 2 represents and advance in science fiction films like we haven’t seen since the original Star Wars movie. It’s titanic myth-making, and what else is cinema? Dune: Part 2 is a why of filmmaking: Why filmmaking? Because, Dune: Part 2
I’m hoping Strong and Stan can both get nominations from the academy. I’m not sure my faves will get more notice than that. I think Dune is
going to be very big in the nominations and then it will go on to big wins on the big night. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for. Enjoy awards season and read all about the year’s new movies in The Contributor in 2025.
Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist and performing singer/songwriter based in East Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.
