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Tom Wills, Chair Cathy Jennings, Bruce Doeg, Demetria Kalodimos, Ann Bourland, Kerry Graham, Peter Macdonald, Amber DuVentre, Jerome Moore, Erik Flynn

LOCALES - POLÍTICA - INMIGRACIÓN - TRABAJOS - SALUD - ESPECTÁCULOS - DEPORTES Y MÁS...

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Febrero

2021

Año 19 - No. 323

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

no pueden causar infección o la enfermedad de COVID-19. Algunas personas que reciben la vacuna desarrollarán dolor o enrojecimiento del brazo, fiebre, dolor de cabeza, escalofríos y fatiga. Típicamente, estos síntomas desaparecen después de uno o dos días.

Alzheimer Q&A

Springboard Landings

A teen from Girls Write Nashville explores why young people should care about Alzheimer’s disease.

A new nonprift offers independence, and longterm housing for those with developmental disabilities.

Nashville, Tennessee

COVID-19: Información Sobre Vacunas en Nasville

¿Qué puedo hacer para evitar contraer el COVID-19 hasta poder recibir la vacuna? Practique el distanciamiento social, use una mascarilla cuando esté cerca de otras personas, lávese las manos, evite estar cerca de personas enfermas, evite las reuniones grandes. Para obtener más información sobre cómo protegerse, visite el sitio web de los CDC.

Fases de disponibilidad de la vacuna al público. Fuente: @TNDeptofHealth

La Noticia + The Contributor Si anteriormente tuve un resultado positivo de COVID-19, ¿necesito ponerme la vacuna contra el COVID-19? Según los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC, por sus siglas en inglés), las personas que ya han sido diagnosticadas con el COVID19 en los últimos 90 días pueden optar por retrasar la vacunación porque es poco probable que se enfermen de nuevo con el COVID-19 durante ese tiempo. Sin embargo, no hay ningún daño en recibir la vacuna si ya le ha dado el COVID-19. También puede optar por esperar a recibir la vacuna para permitir que las personas con mayor riesgo se vacunen primero.

¿Son seguras las vacunas contra el COVID-19? ¡Sí! Estas vacunas ya se han administrado a decenas de miles de voluntarios y se ha demostrado que son seguras y muy buenas para evitar que ellos se enfermen con el COVID-19. La seguridad de las vacunas contra el COVID-19 es una prioridad absoluta. Los ensayos clínicos de fase 3 involucran a decenas de miles de voluntarios que se dividieron en dos grupos para recibir la vacuna o una inyección de placebo. Luego fueron vigilados muy de cerca para detectar efectos secundarios y enfermedad del COVID-19. Tanto las vacunas de ARNm de Pfizer como Moderna demostraron ser seguras en sus ensayos clínicos de fase 3, sin que se informaran

¿Me infectará la vacuna contra el COVID-19 con el virus? No. Ninguna de las vacunas que están en desarrollo actualmente en los Estados Unidos contiene el virus, pues no hay posibilidad de que la vacuna infecte a alguien con el virus de COVID-19.

La Noticia, one of the leading Spanish-language Conoce tusthe derechos: newspapers nation, ¿Que hacerin en caso de una redada? brings Spanish content to The Contributor.

Si recibo la vacuna contra el COVID19 pero mi familia no, ¿debo aún usar una mascarilla y practicar el distanciamiento social para evitar traer el virus a mi familia? Sí. Dentro del hogar, use las mismas precauciones que siempre ha practicado

1. Mantenerse callado 2. Sólo dar nombre y apellido 3. No mentir 4. Nunca acepte/lleve documentos falsos 5. No revelar su situación migratoria 6. No llevar documentación de otro país 7. En caso de ser arrestado, mostrarla Tarjeta Miranda (llámenos si necesita una)

por

Basados en la Quinta Enmienda de la Constitución, los derechos de guardar silencio y contar con un abogado fueron denominados Derechos Miranda luego de la decisión de la Suprema Corte de Justicia de Estados Unidos en el caso Miranda vs. Arizona, 384 U.S. 436, de 1966.

¿Cómo obtengo la vacuna si soy parte de la Fase 1a1 o 1A2? En estos momentos la vacuna es limitada y se ofrecerá en fases. Actualmente estamos en la segunda fase (fase 1a2). En la fase inicial, se priorizaron las vacunas para los trabajadores de la salud que tienen exposición directa al paciente o exposición a materiales infecciosos, personal y residentes de instalaciones de atención a largo plazo y socorristas. Los trabajadores de la salud con exposición directa a pacientes ambulatorios y los trabajadores del servicio mortuorio ahora califican para recibir la vacuna. El Departamento Metropolitano de Salud Pública se está comunicando con los empleadores en los campos que califican para organizar citas de vacunación. Aquellos empleadores que se encuentran en la fase 1A2 que no han sido contactados pueden enviar un correo electrónico a: covid-19vaccinelogistics@nashville.gov y proporcionar el nombre de la organización, el tipo de negocio u organización, el número total de miembros del personal y el número total de miembros del personal que desea vacunarse. Luego, MPHD se comunicará con el empleador para programar las vacunas de los empleados indicados en el correo electrónico. Aquellos que reciban vacunas a través del empleador deberán mostrar un comprobante de empleo, como una credencial del trabajo o talón de cheque.

Vendor Writing

In this issue, vendors write about comic books and action figures, suicide, God, and loving thy neighbor (parts 1 and 2).

¿La vacuna me enfermará? No. Las vacunas Pfizer y Moderna contra el COVID-19 no contienen el virus y

Fuente: www.asafenashville.org

Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com

Contributors This Issue

Linda Bailey • Amanda Haggard • Hannah Herner • Jim Patterson Shannon Kelly • Yuri Cunza • Ridley Wills II • Mary Watson • Joe Nolan • Mr. Mysterio • Lin Taylor • Kim Hong-Ji • Cynthia P. • John H. • Deana H. • Jamie W.

Contributor Volunteers Joe First • Andy Shapiro • Michael Reilly • Ann Bourland • Patti George • John Jennings • Janet Kerwood • Logan Ebel • Christine Doeg • Laura Birdsall • Nancy Kirkland • Mary Smith • Andrew Smith • Ellen Fletcher • Richard Aberdeen • Shayna Harder Wiggins • Pete MacDonald • Robert Thompson

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Cathy Jennings Executive Director Tom Wills Director of Vendor Operations

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

Hannah Herner Staff Writer Jesse Call Housing Navigator Raven Lintu Housing Navigator Barbara Womack Advertising Manager

The Contributor now accepts Venmo! Scan the QR Code to the left , or find us: @The-Contributor! Make sure to include your vendor’s badge name and number in the description. If you bought this version digitally, you can still leave your regular vendor a tip. Email Cathy@thecontributor.org for more information or with questions!

Amanda Haggard & Linda Bailey Co-Editors Andrew Krinks Editor Emeritus Will Connelly, Tasha F. Lemley, Steven Samra, and Tom WIlls Contributor Co-Founders

Editorials and features in The Contributor are the perspectives of the authors. Submissions of news, opinion, fiction, art and poetry are welcomed. The Contributor reserves the right to edit any submissions. The Contributor cannot and will not endorse any political candidate. Submissions may be emailed to: editorial@thecontributor.org Requests to volunteer, donate, or purchase subscriptions can be emailed to: info@thecontributor.org Please email advertising requests to: advertising@thecontributor.org

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VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

Waddell Wright and Shabana Ali.

Welcoming landlords open doors for ‘Contributor’ vendors BY HANNAH HERNER For each of the 22 people The Contributor housed this winter, getting these folks into permanent homes required a willing landlord. Two of those landlords were Shabana Ali and Waddell Wright. The Contributor was one of 13 area nonprofits that received a piece of the $7.8 million federal Emergency Solutions grant dollars (part of the CARES Act) in December. The goal of these 13 nonprofits was to house 400 total individuals experiencing homelessness in Nashville. Rapid Rehousing can be used to provide rental assistance and other supportive services for three to 24 months. In The Contributor’s case, those dollars will be paying rent on a sliding scale for up to a year as well as providing case management support. The aim of this initiative is to provide holistic support such that Contributor vendors experiencing homelessness or housing precarity can sustain housing on their own by the end of the year. “When they first reached out to me to talk about this project, I was a little skeptical,” says Ali. “You know, I wanted to help, but I also wanted to make sure it was the right decision.” Ali is the owner of Rodeway Inn in South Nashville, where she hosts some Contributor vendors. It was her first time participating in any kind of homeless service, but it had been on her mind for years,

when she regularly passed people who were panhandling blocks away from her office. She was surprised to learn that the number of homeless people is in the thousands in Nashville, so the 400 housed by this city-wide program is just a portion of those in need of shelter. “It was really heartbreaking for me then to hear there are so many homeless people out there that need at least a roof on their head with the weather,” she says. “You know, I never was so much into thinking about this. Honestly, I never, ever even had the plans to do it like this. But this came in my hand and I felt like God put this in my hand. I feel lucky that I got this opportunity.” Ali has owned the Rodeway for 12 years now, though it’s operated under a couple of names, and she used to manage it remotely from Alabama. In 2016 she made Nashville her home. She learned to run a business from her father and she hopes to leave a legacy for her own children. She hopes not only that they learn how to run a successful business, but to help others when they get the chance. “I feel like, when you leave this earth, it’s not just about how much money you made,” she says. “It’s also about the impact you can make in somebody’s life.” Wright, on the other hand, is no stranger to working on affordable hous-

ing. He founded Stone Street Housing Foundation in 2017, a nonprofit that buys, renovates and provides affordable housing units. Wright lives by the motto “to whom much is given, much is required.” He’s had a successful career in real estate, working on huge projects with companies like Walgreens and Dollar General, and $30 million apartment complexes. He’s currently housing one of The Contributor’s families. “I’ve always been an advocate for low to moderate income housing. With 25 years as a developer, I’ve kind of stayed on that end of the spectrum,” Wright says. “I like helping people transition and I don’t want to be the next San Francisco either. So instead of stepping over people, if I can open up doors for them, that feels a lot better.” For the people Wright is housing, this may be the first time they’ve had a lease. He says it’s part of his job to make sure they understand their rights, as well as the landlord’s rights. “A lot of it is educating them,” he says. “One of the reasons I like this program is that it takes people who are vulnerable, and gives them an opportunity to find their place. They get help from the landlord, because my role with this is kind of like a mentorship as well.” Wright knows that welcoming people transitioning out of homelessness to their properties is a hard sell for many land-

PAGE 4 | February 3-17, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

lords, and the pushback from those touting “not in my backyard” is real. “There’s all these myths that affordable housing, low income people, the value is going to go down, my neighborhood is going to become unsafe. You know, I don’t buy that stuff. I just work with people as individuals, I’m very straightforward and simple,” Wright says. “The perception is all wrong. And what people have to realize is they don’t own their neighborhood, they own their property.” Ali says she hasn’t thought past the year of Rapid Rehousing dollars, but is open to hosting more people transitioning out of homelessness. Wright told The Contributor that he’d start with one tenant, and do 100 more if it went well enough. The reality is, this program and the money that goes with it isn’t meant to be permanent. It’ll take landlords willing to work with people with poor credit, or poor rental history, or who may have a criminal record — some willing to give someone a fighting chance to get back on their feet. “As a developer out there who’s clearly made enough money to take care of their families and get back to the community — This is a huge way to help somebody, you know, and I would say, absolutely, they should do it,” Wright says. Interested landlords should contact cathy@thecontributor.org.

NEWS

Nashville’s unsheltered population will not be counted this year BY HANNAH HERNER Nashville will not have a count of people sleeping outside in 2021. The city’s Continuum of Care Homeless Planning Council was granted an exception for this count, which is typically required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The unsheltered count normally takes place during one night in January, where more than 100 volunteers canvas the city to count those sleeping outside. If these folks are awake, volunteers administer a survey; if they’re asleep, volunteers merely count them. In a typical year, the city is required to submit this unsheltered count, along with the Housing Inventory Count of how many shelter beds are empty on a given night and a count of those staying in shelters. The latter two will still be submitted this year. Nashville joins cities including Austin, Denver, and Los Angeles, in canceling the unsheltered count for 2021.

Up through December 2020, the PIT count committee of the Nashville Continuum of Care Homeless Planning Council had planned to conduct the unsheltered count with new protocols in place, including a shorter survey and skipping the in-person volunteer training. The exception request written by Suzie Tolmie, homeless coordinator for Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency, cited the following as the reasons for canceling the count: “Tennessee faces highest positive rates in US; the increase in illnesses already observed locally — and anticipated — after the holiday; the reported ICU bed availability in Middle Tennessee as of Jan. 6 was only 4 percent; and the spectre of a (second) variant of COVID that is more contagious.” Tolmie says she doesn’t yet know the effect this could have on the amount of funding that Nashville receives from HUD.

She added that HUD also looks for shrinking numbers of people who are homeless for the first time and shortening the time spent homeless when deciding funding awards. “Just because you have more homeless folks, it doesn’t always mean that you’re going to get more funding,” she says. “What HUD is looking for more and more is to see those numbers sort of begin to dwindle, and effective addressing of the homeless problem out there.” The exception request also promised to bolster outreach to encampments, especially to get more people entered into the Homeless Management Information System, a database that tracks homeless services and who they’re going to in Nashville. “Those of us who are for the data collection being centralized in the homeless management information system kind of dream for the day that we really will

not have to do an outdoor unsheltered count or sheltered count, for that matter,” Tolmie says. “We will all be in one place. Technically, we’ve got some work before that something like that happens” The unsheltered PIT count has historically been considered undercounted, but without it, 2021 will be an anomaly amongst other years. A Facebook post on the matter by Open Table Nashville, a homeless outreach organization reads: “While we absolutely support the decision to cancel the outdoor portion of the year’s PointIn-Time count as a COVID-19 precaution, we know it means so many people will be left uncounted. We worry about what that will mean in regards to funding based on the PIT count data — especially during a year when more people are choosing not to stay in congregant shelter settings.”

NASHVILLE HISTORY CORNER

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON AND GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER BY RIDLEY WILLS II Two of the greatest Alabamians of the years between the Civil War and World War II are buried side by side, not in Birmingham, Mobile, Montgomery or Huntsville, but in the country town of Tuskegee at the Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute. They were Booker T. Washington, founder at age 25 of Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, and its leading developer, and his compatriot at the school, George Washington Carver. Both lived their adult lives in a segregated society in one of the poorest states in the Union where, between 1890 and 1915, Jim Crow laws discriminated violently against former slaves and their descendants. Booker T. Washington, a brilliant rhetorician, was the leading voice of his race. He advocated getting along with white people and not confronting them, a controversial position. In the fall of 1896, Washington hired a brilliant graduate of Simpson College in Missouri, to come to Tuskegee to take over a newly organized Agricultural Department. This man was George Washinton Carver, whose profound knowledge of botany, ag-

Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver riculture and soil economy enabled him to devise ways of helping the economically submerged South to better ways of living. Not content with mere scientific discovery for its own sake, he was passionately

convinced that the results of research must be brought directly into the lives of the people. To this end, he travelled through the South in a wagon filled with scientific exhibits of all kinds and with examples

February 3-17, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 5

of aids to further better the lives of poor Americans, particularly Black people. On those weekend trips, he customarily met with Black farmers living way in the sticks. He urged them to quit relying on cotton as their cash crop and instead grow peanuts and sweet potatoes. He showed their wives how to pickle, can and preserve vegetables and fruits. More than one Black Alabama farmer said Professor Carver, “knows more than God does.” President Theodore Roosevelt knew and enormously respected both Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver. Both men visited Roosevelt at the White House and Roosevelt visited Tuskegee Institute. Secretary of Agriculture Henry C. Wallace was also an enormous supporter of both Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver. At age 86, I probably will never see Tuskegee. I wish I had when I was younger and I urge you to do so. Should you go, you will also learn about the Tuskegee airmen, who proved in Italy in World War II that some Black men were expert flyers.

The New Christian Year Selected by Charles Williams (1941)

Charles Walter Stansby Williams (1886–1945), the editor of the following selections, is today probably the third most famous of the famous Inklings literary group of Oxford, England, which existed in the middle of the 20th century, and which included among its ranks the better-known and longer-lived Oxford Dons J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. First published in 1941, this series of profound quotations, encompassing all walks of life, follows the sequence of the themes and Bible readings anciently appointed for contemplation throughout the church's year. It is hoped that the readings reproduced here will prove beneficial for any who read them, whatever their place in life's journey. — Matthew Carver

SEPTUGAESIMA WEDNESDAY

SEXAGESIMA MONDAY

IT is written, "The Angel who spake in me." And yet there is a difference even here. The Angel is in us suggesting what is good, not bestowing it: stimulating us to goodness, not creating goodness. God is so in us as to give the grace and infuse it into us; or rather, so in us that He Himself is infused and partaken of, so that one need not fear to say that He is one with our substance. For you know, "He that is joined unto God is one spirit." The Angle is in the soul as a comrade, God as life. St Bernard: On Consideration.

HUMAN nature, even though it sinned not, could not shine by its own strength simply; for it is not naturally light, but only a recipient of it; it is capable of containing wisdom, but is not wisdom itself. Origen: Homilies.

SEPTUAGESIMA THURSDAY

SEXAGESIMA TUESDAY

GOD has not bound up man's salvation with any given way. What one way has, what possibilities, with these God has furnished all good ways without exception, for one good never clashes with another, and by the same token people ought to realize that they do wrong to say, when they come across or hear about some admirable person, that because he does not use their way it is all labor lost: they dislike his method, so they decry as well his virtues and intentions. Eckhart: In Collationibus.

THE earth was made, but the earth itself which was made is not life. In the Wisdom of God however there is spiritually a certain Reason after which the earth was made. This is Life. St Augustine, quoted in Aquinas: Catena Aurea.

SEPTUAGESIMA FRIDAY PRAYERS negligently performed draw a curse, but not prayers weakly performed. The former is, when one can do better and will not; the latter is, when one would do better, but, alas! he cannot: and such failings, as they are his sins, so they are his sorrows also: pray, therefore faintly, that thou mayest pray fervently; pray weakly, that thou mayest pray strongly. Thomas Fuller: A Wounded Conscience. IT is well enough known that Christ constantly uses the expression 'follower'; He never says anything about wanting admirers, admiring worshippers, adherents; and when he uses the expression 'disciples,' He always so explains it that we can perceive that followers are meant. Kierkegaard: Training in Christianity.

SEPTUAGESIMA SATURDAY IT is not in the power of the devil to do so much harm, as God can do good; nay, we may be bold to say, it is not in the will, not in the desire of the devil to do so much harm, as God would do good. Donne: Sermons. BELIVE me, by God's help, we shall advance more by contemplating the Divinity than by keeping our eyes fixed on ourselves, poor creatures of earth that we are. Saint Teresa: The Interior Castle.

SEXAGESIMA SUNDAY THE soul cannot enter into the night of itself, because no one is able of his own strength to empty his heart of all desires, so as to draw near unto God. St John of the Cross: Ascent of Mount Carmel. IN all our deaths, and deadly calamities of this life, we may justly hope of a good issue from Him; and all our periods and transitions in this life, are so many passages from death to death. Donne: Sermons.

HOW could we know what God wants to do with us when we cannot even know what we are nor who we are? Léon Bloy: Letters to his Fiancée.

IT is not that we keep His commandments first, and that the He loves; but that he loves us, and then we keep His commandments. This is that grace, which is revealed to the humble, but hidden from the proud. St Augustine, quoted in Aquinas: Catena Aurea.

SEXAGESIMA WEDNESDAY HEREIN lies the true ground and depth of the uncontrollable freedom of our will and thoughts: they must have a self-motion and self-direction, because they came out of the self-existant God. They are eternal, divine powers that never began to be, and therefore cannot begin to be in subjection to anything. That which thinks and wills in the soul is that very same unbeginning breath which thought and willed in God, before it was breathed into the form of the human soul; and therefore it is, that will and thought cannot be bounded or constrained. Herein also appears the high dignity and never ceasing perpetuity of our nature. William Law: An Appeal.

SEXAGESIMA THURSDAY IF we were a little severe with ourselves at the beginning, we should afterwards be able to do all things with ease and delight. Thomas à Kempis: Imitation. WE implore the mercy of God, not that He may leave us at peace in our vices, but that He may deliver us from them. Pascal: Pensées.

SEXAGESIMA FRIDAY OUR heart must we give wholly unto him; that hath opened his heart so wide. His heart is ours must be all one. Nothing requireth he of us but the heart. "Son," saith he, "give me thy heart." Coverdale: Fruitful Lessons on the Passion. ANTICHRIST alone is enemy enough, but never carry this consideration beyond thyself. Donne: Sermons.

SEXAGESIMA SATURDAY IF this is a world in which I, and the majority of my fellow-beings, live in that perpetual distraction from God which exposes us to the one great peril, that of final and

complete alienation from God after death, there is some wrong that I must try to help to put right. T. S. Eliot: The Idea of a Christian Society. THE seven works of bodily mercy be these: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked and needy, harbour the houseless, comfort the sick, visit prisoners, bury the dead. The seven works of spiritual mercy be these: teach men the truth, counsel men to hold with Christ's law, chastise sinners by moderate reproving in charity, comfort sorrowful men by Christ's passion, forgive wrongs, suffer meekly reproofs for the right of God's law, pray heartily for friend and for foe. Middle English Sermons (abridged).

QUINQUAGESIMA SUNDAY THE life of Jesus is perfected obedience to the will of the faithful God. Jesus stands among sinners as a sinner; He sets Himself wholly under the judgment under which the world is set; He takes His place where God can be present only in questioning about Him; He takes the form of a slave; He moves to the cross and to death; His greatest achievement is a negative achievement. He is not a genius endowed with manifest or even occult powers; He is not a hero or leader of men; He is neither poet nor thinker:—My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Nevertheless, precisely in this negation, He is the fulfillment of every possibility of human progress, as the Prophets and the Law conceive of progress and evolution, because he sacrifices to the incomparably Greater cause there is no conceivable human possibility of which he did not rid Himself. Herein he is recognized as the Christ; for this reason God hath exalted Him; and consequently He is the light of the Last Things by which all men and things are illuminated. Barth: The Epistle to the Romans.

QUINQUAGESIMA MONDAY DO not lie about the past. Leonardo da Vinci: Notebooks. AND as I walked towards the jail, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, "My love was always to thee, and thou art in my love." George Fox: Journal. JESUS said: "Would thou love one who never died For thee, or ever die for one who had not died for thee? And if God dieth not for man, and giveth not himself Eternally for man, man could not exist; for man is love, As God is love: every kindness to another is a little death In the divine image; nor can man exist but by brotherhood." Blake: Jerusalem.

QUINQUAGESIMA TUESDAY NO creature can be a child of God but because the goodness of God is in it; nor can it have any union or communion with the goodness of the Diety till its life is a Spirit of Love. This is the one only band of union betwixt God and the creature . . . Here the necessity id absolute: nothing will do instead of this will; all contrivances of holiness, all forms of religious piety signify nothing without this will to all goodness. For as the will to all goodness is the whole nature of God, so it must be the whole nature of every service or religion that can be acceptable to Him. William Law: The Spirit of Love.

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FEATURE

WHY YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD CARE ABOUT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE BY MARY WATSON I am a high school student, a member of Girls Write Nashville, Loudmouth Community Music and a writer for the Youth Voice Column for The Contributor. You might wonder why a teen like me is writing an article about Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s is a degenerative brain disease that affects the memory, thinking and behavior of older people. I am writing for two reasons. First, I would like to find out, and let other young people know if there are things we can do while we are young to keep from getting the disease. Second, and more importantly, I am writing because Alzheimer’s is a disease that at some level affects almost every family. It has affected people in my own family. When I was 5 years old my great-grandmother took me to visit her favorite aunt in a nursing home. Her aunt had Alzheimer’s and what I remember the most about that visit is that no one

really knew what to say to her or how to act around her. To learn more about Alzheimer’s, I talked to a volunteer from the Alzheimer’s Association. (Read my Q&A with her below.) Her name is Amy LaGrant. She recently lost her father to the disease. I asked her if there is anything we can do in our young years to keep from getting the disease. I also asked her how a person should act when one of their loved ones is diagnosed with it. I asked LaGrant about early prevention. She said, “The likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s is influenced by many risk factors that we cannot change, such as age and family history.” However, she also said that there are some precautions that we can take while we are young — things like preventing head injuries and leading a healthy lifestyle can lower the risk of getting the disease later in life.

LaGrant offered this advice to young people who might have a grandparent suffering from the disease. She said, “Continue to just be their grandchild, love them, engage with them, share your life with them. While they may not be able to mentally or physically keep up, they still love you and want to be there, even if it is just sitting quiet holding your hand. Don’t be afraid to continue to love them as the people they are.” She also shared the best ways to treat and speak to people with the disease. Speak directly to them, don’t exclude them from conversations, give them time to express their thoughts, give them time to respond, don’t interrupt, laugh with them, and lastly don’t pull away. There are many ways people can join the fight against Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s Association has several volunteer opportunities here in Nashville. They need educators and volunteer speakers to help educate communities. They also need

people to help enact legislation that serves those impacted by the disease. People can help by telling their stories to lawmakers. This is an exciting time in Alzheimer’s research. The Federal Drug Administration is expected to consider a new drug called Aducanumab. Hopefully, it will be approved soon. That being said, with the drug and with the help of organizations like the Alzheimer’s Association and the support of communities perhaps we can eventually eliminate Alzheimer’s. It is my hope that researchers discover a way to make the disease disappear. It is also my hope that the world becomes a healthy and happy place for people to grow old in. On Jan. 27, 2021 Mary Watson’s two times great aunt, Shirley Ann Couturier Wallace lost her battle with Alzheimer’s. She died in the home of her granddaughter in Springfield Oregon after suffering from the disease for many years.

The Youth Voice Column is a partnership between The Contributor and Girls Write Nashville. In Girls Write Nashville, as well as their gender neutral wing Loudmouth Community Music, students are guided through the process of writing and recording original songs. In this project, youth writers will offer essays, poems and insight to The Contributor’s regular roster of stories.

PAGE 8 | February 3-17, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

FEATURE

Q&A: AMY LAGRANT WITH THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION BY MARY WATSON What exactly is Alzheimer’s? Are there ways to prevent it? Alzheimer’s disease is a degenerative brain disease and the most common form of dementia. It affects memory, thinking and behavior. Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily tasks. An individual’s likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s is influenced by many risk factors that we cannot change, such as age, family history and genetics. However, there are some risk factors that we can influence, including preventing head injuries, working to maintain a healthy heart, and pursuing overall healthy aging through a healthy diet, staying socially active, avoiding tobacco and excess alcohol and exercising the body and mind. As a person who lost a parent to Alzheimer’s what do you think is the most important thing for people to know if someone in their family is diagnosed with this disease? In my early twenties, I began my journey with the disease upon the diagnosis of my grandfather. He did not have lots of money nor did we have an understanding of the disease at that time. Our family was so reactive to everything that was happening. He spent the last years of his life frightened, misunderstood, and alone. When my dad was diagnosed with the disease over ten years ago, he expressed that his biggest fear was to end up like his dad. He spent many years in denial of his condition, trying to maintain some level of normalcy. Pushing himself, not accepting what was happening, and fought hard against what he thought his destiny would be life with no purpose, alone and helpless. About three years ago, my parents both moved to live closer to me here in Middle Tennessee. Some days he didn’t know where he was, still thinking he was back in California. The hardest part of the transition was watching him become disconnected from his hunting and golfing buddies. Those friends who loved the man that my dad was, their friend, and even though he was declining, knew that he was still with us. My dad was the proper patriarch in our family, the dedicated provider in all sense of the word. As he declined, he struggled to manage the finances, upkeep of the house, and all the “Dad” things he loved to do. He felt that he wasn’t “pulling his weight” and had no use to us all. Then slowly, my relationship began to change with my dad. Rather than him being the person who solved all the family problems, we became a team. We authentically came to the disease with all of our imperfections. We yelled, hugged, cried, and shared all of our humanness in these years. The disease slowly took more and more of my “old” dad away, but a new man emerged. A loving, talkative, expressive

man that I did not recognize. One that said he loved me and was proud of me, maybe not in those specific words, but with his glances and touch. Learning how to navigate and respond to this new version required reprogramming of my story. This man, my dad, is giving me the emotional support that I ached for as a child. Was this the gift of this disease? To allow my dad to unconsciously soften to be all the things I had wished for in a parent. Why now? Why not earlier? Hoping not to squander away this time, we talked, not always in a linear way, and not productively. But since it was difficult to communicate for both of us, we listened harder. Now that he is gone, I playback

to respond to a grandparent or other relative who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s? Continue to just be their grandchild, love them, engage with them, share your life with them. While they may not be able to mentally or physically keep up, they still love you and want to be there, even if it is just sitting quiet holding your hand. Don’t be afraid to continue to love them as the people they are. What is the best thing they can do for them in the early days? Later on, when they start to forget people and things what is the best way for their grandchildren or great grandchildren to talk

Rather than him being the person who solved all the family problems, we became a team. We authentically came to the disease with all of our imperfections.

those conversations in my head. Some make me smile, while others cause a tear to stream down my cheek. The other day while going through all of his stuff, I found a letter he had written to my sister. Telling her that he loved her and always had her best interest in mind, it was pages of incoherent sentences and half thoughts. My first inclination was “where is my letter?” and then slowly realized that he didn’t need to write me a letter. I got the live in-person letter every day for the last three years. My letter to my dad is that I honored him, his wishes and gave him the dignity and love that made his life full of purpose. I appreciate everything my dad gave me through my life, shelter, food, never to live without, and a strong work ethic. But Alzheimer’s gave me a man who I may have never gotten to meet. My love story with the disease continues, and I hope that families get to meet another part of their loved ones that they may not have known even existed. Speaking to young people, what advice can you give them about how

to them? • Don’t make assumptions about a person’s ability to communicate because of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. The disease affects each person differently. • Don’t exclude the person with the disease from conversations. • Speak directly to the person rather than to his or her caregiver or companion. • Take time to listen to the person express his or her thoughts, feelings and needs. • Give the person time to respond. Don’t interrupt unless help is requested. • Ask what the person is still comfortable doing and what he or she may need help with. • Discuss which method of commu-

February 3-17, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 9

nication is most comfortable. This could include face-to-face conversation, email or phone calls. • It’s OK to laugh. Sometimes humor lightens the mood and makes communication easier. • Don’t pull away; your honesty, friendship and support are important to the person. What would you like people to know about Alzheimer’s? It surprises you, every minute of every day. Please tell me about the Nashville Walk to End Alzheimer’s. When is it? Where is it? How does a person sign up for it? What are the funds raised used for? Beside the walk what else can we do to help? Please tell me something positive about the fight against Alzheimer’s. Is there hope that the disease will one day disappear? • Date/location -TBD • Sign up - alz.org/walk • The Alzheimer’s Association has several volunteer opportunities outside of participating in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s! We always need community educators who are trained, volunteer speakers who help us educate communities across the state about Alzheimer’s disease and all other dementia. We also have volunteer opportunities within our advocacy work, including volunteer spokespeople who share their stories with lawmakers in an effort to help us enact legislation that serves those impacted by Alzheimer’s disease. You can see a full list of our volunteer opportunities at alz.org/volunteer • We are in the middle of a very exciting time in Alzheimer’s research! The FDA is expected to consider a new drug called aducanamab, which is a treatment for Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s Association is advocating for this drug to be approved for use and we are working to ensure the FDA hears all relevant information — including stories and insight from families who have been impacted by this disease. We know that together, with the help and support of our communities, we will eventually eliminate Alzheimer’s disease!

The Alzheimer’s Association helps family members with their concerns issues by offering a 24/7 toll free line with a trained clinician at the following number: 800272-3900.

COVER STORY

A DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE BY JIM PATTERSON Norma Morris is not herself these days, and barring medical miracles she will never will be that person again. “‘Elegant’ is the thing that comes to mind,” her husband Ed Morris reflected about Norma before she was struck with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. His new book, Stardust: An Alzheimer’s Love Story, is a compilation of his lyrical and poignant Facebook recollections about taking care of Norma. It is available for purchase on Amazon. *

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COVER STORY

Ed and Norma are both longtime Music Row mainstays. Ed was the country music editor for Billboard and until recently a writer at CMT. com, the website of Country Music Television. Norma worked for her daughter Erin Morris Huttlinger’s public relations firms with clients including Ralph Stanley and Steve Wariner. “She literally seemed like she glided into the room in high heels,” Ed remembers of his first sight of Norma in 1959 at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. He was a graduate student and she was the assistant to the director of the journalism school. “(Norma had) the perfect gait. She has a soft voice. She is not at all combative, which makes what I’m dealing with now seem like a stranger. She was just an elegant, well-spoken woman.” Steve Goetzman, drummer for the band Exile, worked with Norma when she was the publicist for the band and also when he managed Wariner. “When I think of Norma, the first word that comes to mind is demure,” Goetzman said. “As a small, soft-spoken, demure woman, her sharp dry wit always comes as a surprise. Her outward peace belies the furnace of quips cooking below.” As a mother, Norma was the parent “who made sure that we always had everything we needed,” said Morris Huttlinger. “I have two younger siblings, and … I think we all learned to run our households like she ran hers. She was full of family traditions to which we all still cling.” Many in Nashville did not know of Norma’s accomplishments before her career as a publicist. She co-authored a college textbook on computer literacy, was a stage performer in musicals and published photographs in People, TV Guide and other magazines. “She was quietly competent at everything she set her hand to,” Ed said. “I never saw her fail at anything.” After living apart for 35 years, but maintaining their marriage, Ed moved into Norma’s home outside Nashville to become her full-time caretaker. In an article published two years before that in Salon and reproduced in the book, he explained their unconventional marriage, which included other romances as well as separate homes. “I am hugely grateful for my father’s dedication to mom,” Morris Huttinger said. “His hands are so full, regardless of the help we give him. He has to live 24 hours a day trying to care for someone who becomes more helpless and less communicative — less like herself. It is an exhausting undertaking that would be really difficult if he didn’t love her so very much.”

Norma began exhibiting signs of forgetfulness around 2015. The diagnoses were both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. According to the Mayo Clinic, Alzheimer’s Disease causes brain cells to degenerate resulting in continuous decline in thinking, behavioral and social skills and severe memory impairment. Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive nervous system disorder that causes shaking, stiffness and slowing of movement, expressionless facial features and soft and slurred speech. Neither disease is curable, although medications can slow their progress. Stardust: An Alzheimer’s Love Story portrays today’s Norma, who is forgetful, fearful and frequently unable to find the words she wants to say. She can be stubborn as well, and getting her to take her daily regimen of pills is often an epic battle. She takes comfort in a ritualistic daily routine of listening to Willie Nelson’s Stardust album, which led to the title of the book.

Here’s a typical entry in the book: “She so wants something that she begins to tremble, something she can’t bring into focus through the kaleidoscopic shards of her broken memory, something she can’t find a name for even as her lips struggle to cast it into words. She leans forward like a tree breaking its roots, her thin arm extended toward the television screen, a sycamore limb in the winter reaching for the sun.” Elaine Schock, owner of public relations firm Shock Inc., read Ed’s posts on Facebook. “Ed’s writing is beautiful but even more than that, it is courageous,” she said. “I read every post about his love for Norma and their struggles. It takes my breath away and breaks my heart.” The book is surprisingly funny at times. Ed, a dedicated left winger and atheist, diverts to musings about his dedicated avoidance of sports (even when his own children were playing), his dislike of all physical labor and home improvement projects (which partially led to maintaining a separate residence from Norma) and his antip-

ILLUSTRATIONS BY SHANNON KELLY

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athy for the song “Amazing Grace.” “It’s not so much the melody or the servile, self-abasing lyrics that bother me — although they do,” he wrote. “It’s more the fact that it tends to be sung when there’s no grace, amazing or otherwise, in sight. The irony of praising a God who’s just screwed you over with death, dismemberment and bad weather is too much for me to contemplate without the companionship of strong drink.” Norma liked her privacy before her illnesses, but Ed believes she wouldn’t object to the book, since she previously gave her blessing for the Salon article about their marriage. “I have a reporter’s outlook,” he said. “The more truth I can yield to the community, the better off it is.” Perhaps his book can serve as comfort and good information for others in similar circumstances, Ed hopes. “It shows … that it’s not all grief and it’s not all downhill,” he said. “I think if you come to life with a certain joie de vivre then it makes it a lot easier. So much of it depends on the emotional makeup of the caregiver.”

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SPRINGBOARD LANDINGS TO OFFER INDEPENDENCE, LONG-TERM HOUSING FOR THOSE WITH MILD DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES BY HANNAH HERNER Like many nonprofits before it, Springboard Landings came out of a need. Charlie and Pat Cooper wondered, “what happens when we’re no longer here?” and unable to ensure their daughter Susan is safe and cared for. Springboard Landings, which received its 501c3 status in 2010, is getting closer to creating a home for Susan Cooper, and people like her, who have mild developmental disabilities. This includes, but isn’t limited to, people with learning disorders, vision impairment, limited social skills and autism spectrum disorders. “The best way to describe this population is that they are a little slower than average to learn new information or skills. But with the right support, most will be able to live independently as adults,” says John Cooper, Susan’s brother and the president of

the board of directors for the organization. The Cooper family has struggled to find programs for Susan over the years. Many of them focus on those with intellectual or disabilities that require more focused care. They look to build on programs like The Employment and Community First (ECF) CHOICES program, that helps people with disabilities get employment in Tennessee — many such programs have waitlists, they said. To help fill in the gaps that family members typically fill, there will be a manager onsite at Springboard Landings. In the yet to be

built complex, roughly 12 individual apartments will open up into a shared space for meals, education and entertainment. “I can pretty much take care of myself but I still need to learn a little more about cooking and I’d like to learn how to use my laptop,” Susan Cooper says. The organization was given some land from an anonymous donor in Murfreesboro, but opted to sell it and use the money to build the community in Nashville or Bellevue. They want residents to have access to shopping, jobs and transportation. “It’s not going to be isolat-

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ed. We want them integrated, we want them to be seen, and we want them to be part of society,” says John Cooper. Susan is excited to live in her own apartment someday, and looks forward to playing favorite games like UNO and Yahtzee with her neighbors. Springboard Landings will undoubtedly host some friends from the Springboard Network, a group of people with developmental disabilities who would meet weekly in Nashville before the pandemic. “There might be some challenges at times to get along with others but I’m learning how to get along with others who are different than me,” Susan says. “I’m excited about living with people that are similar to me, that also have disabilities, and that have things in common.” Visit SpringboardLandings.org to learn more, donate or sign up to volunteer.

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.

LOCALES - POLÍTICA - INMIGRACIÓN - TRABAJOS - SALUD - ESPECTÁCULOS - DEPORTES Y MÁS...

2021

L a N ticia

Año 19 - No. 323

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

GRATIS

Febrero

Escanee esta imagen para ver La Noticia newspaper edición bilingüe digital

www.hispanicpaper.com

Nashville, Tennessee

COVID-19: Información Sobre Vacunas en Nasville

El tema de interés actual ya no es el de que cuando se se haga disponible la vacuna contra el COVID-19 sino ahora que ya existe como hacer para poder recibirla. A continuación compartimos respuestas a preguntas frecuentes Por Yuri Cunza La Noticia que lo ayudaran a Editor inChief entender mejor el @LaNoticiaNews proceso. Mientras tanto no deje de seguir cuidandose. ¿Qué puedo hacer para evitar contraer el COVID-19 hasta poder recibir la vacuna? Practique el distanciamiento social, use una mascarilla cuando esté cerca de otras personas, lávese las manos, evite estar cerca de personas enfermas, evite las reuniones grandes. Para obtener más información sobre cómo protegerse, visite el sitio web de los CDC. Si anteriormente tuve un resultado positivo de COVID-19, ¿necesito ponerme la vacuna contra el COVID-19? Según los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC, por sus siglas en inglés), las personas que ya han sido diagnosticadas con el COVID19 en los últimos 90 días pueden optar por retrasar la vacunación porque es poco probable que se enfermen de nuevo con el COVID-19 durante ese tiempo. Sin embargo, no hay ningún daño en recibir la vacuna si ya le ha dado el COVID-19. También puede optar por esperar a recibir la vacuna para permitir que las personas con mayor riesgo se vacunen primero. Si recibo la vacuna contra el COVID19 pero mi familia no, ¿debo aún usar una mascarilla y practicar el distanciamiento social para evitar traer el virus a mi familia? Sí. Dentro del hogar, use las mismas precauciones que siempre ha practicado

Fases de disponibilidad de la vacuna al público. Fuente: @TNDeptofHealth

para prevenir el COVID-19: lávese las manos, aíslese y hágase la prueba si está enfermo, limite sus interacciones con las personas fuera de su hogar y use una mascarilla cuando esté con los que están afuera de su hogar si no se puede mantener el distanciamiento social. Cuando esté en público, asegúrese de continuar protegiéndose, usando una cubierta facial, manteniendo su distancia y evitando las multitudes. ¿Son seguras las vacunas contra el COVID-19? ¡Sí! Estas vacunas ya se han administrado a decenas de miles de voluntarios y se ha demostrado que son seguras y muy buenas para evitar que ellos se enfermen con el COVID-19. La seguridad de las vacunas contra el COVID-19 es una prioridad absoluta. Los ensayos clínicos de fase 3 involucran a decenas de miles de voluntarios que se dividieron en dos grupos para recibir la vacuna o una inyección de placebo. Luego fueron vigilados muy de cerca para detectar efectos secundarios y enfermedad del COVID-19. Tanto las vacunas de ARNm de Pfizer como Moderna demostraron ser seguras en sus ensayos clínicos de fase 3, sin que se informaran

eventos adversos graves entre las decenas de miles que recibieron las vacunas. La vacuna también continuará siendo monitoreada para asegurarse de que se detecte cualquier problema raro lo antes posible y se evalúen para ver si fueron causados por la vacuna. Han habido dos personas vacunadas con la vacuna Pfizer contra el COVID-19 en el Reino Unido que tenían antecedentes de reacciones alérgicas graves a una vacuna en el pasado y tuvieron reacciones alérgicas graves después de recibir la vacuna Pfizer. Se recomienda que las personas con reacciones alérgicas graves a medicamentos o vacunas inyectadas o infundidas sean observadas durante un mínimo de 30 minutos después de recibir la vacuna Pfizer. ¿Me infectará la vacuna contra el COVID-19 con el virus? No. Ninguna de las vacunas que están en desarrollo actualmente en los Estados Unidos contiene el virus, pues no hay posibilidad de que la vacuna infecte a alguien con el virus de COVID-19. ¿La vacuna me enfermará? No. Las vacunas Pfizer y Moderna contra el COVID-19 no contienen el virus y

Conoce tus derechos: ¿Que hacer en caso de una redada? 1. Mantenerse callado 2. Sólo dar nombre y apellido 3. No mentir 4. Nunca acepte/lleve documentos falsos 5. No revelar su situación migratoria 6. No llevar documentación de otro país 7. En caso de ser arrestado, mostrarla Tarjeta Miranda (llámenos si necesita una)

por

ww w.ju ane se.c om jua ne seUSA@gmail.com

February 3-17, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 13

MOVING PICTURES

Social Isolation FILMMAKERS ON A MISSION TO INFORM UN-HOUSED PEOPLE ABOUT COVID-19 BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC

Filmmaker Eric Moseley raised his daughter on the streets — the pair lived together without a regular home in cities across the country. Moseley and his now adult daughter were both housed on the West Coast — Eric lives in Los Angeles, and Erica lives in San Francisco — when the COVID-19 pandemic broke last March. As news about the frightening new disease broke, and Europe shutdown, and reports started to warn that the illness and quarantines were coming to America, Eric’s first thoughts

were with the massive homeless population in California. Eric and Erica’s experiences surviving on the streets informed their understanding that Californians without homes are also out of the loop for crucial information regarding the deadly disease that has engulfed their state. Those experiences also inform this film with a unique perspective that yields revelations about what the California housing crisis looks like from inside a raging pandemic. “The Homeless Coronavirus

Outreach” is the utilitarian title of a new short documentary the Moseleys created to make a record of their efforts to warn and educate their homeless neighbors about the threat of COVID-19. The movie is available on Eric Moseley’s YouTube channel and it’s played in various settings around the country including NECAT cable access television right here in Nashville where Eric and Erica used to live on the streets. The documentary offers lots of raw video footage shot from one point of view with what is likely a phone camera. The titles at the beginning are the kind you’d find in any basic video editing software or platform. This would be only ambitious amateur filmmaking if not for the Moseley’s mission to distribute supplies and information to Californians without housing. The Moseley’s understanding of their subjects, and their pure recording of these people’s vulnerable lives illuminates the mental illness, drug dependency, illiteracy and social isolation that conspire to keep people without houses from understanding the invisible siege the pandemic has brought to our entire society. Documentary films are often about discovering a place or a person alongside a cu-

rious filmmaker who is searching for answers. Eric Moseley inverts that formula: in “The Homeless Coronavirus Outreach” he and his daughter are providing the answers. In this film the amateur camerawork, lighting and sound become mostly immaterial as the Moseley’s capture the antitheses of the stay-at-home experience many of us associate with these plagued days. Moseley’s movie also comes with an inspired hiphop soundtrack featuring songs from Eastside Tiggy, and the music montage sequences inspire some truly creative editing featuring frames in slow motion and speeded-up alongside repeating jump cuts that help to blend sequences together. The Moseley’s and their movie take viewers on a trip from the streets of San Francisco to Los Angeles’ Skid Row – the Central City East neighborhood that’s been known around the world for its large concentrations of unhoused people since the Great Depression. Los Angeles is home to a Hooverville in the 21st century and Skid Row has become a synonym for living on the streets anywhere in the world. Skid Row was a hobo haunt in the 1930s and a haven for hippie dropouts

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and Vietnam vets in the 1960s and 1970s. Nearly 5000 people still call the neighborhood home, and part of the Moseley’s mission is to get their neighbors without homes to register for the census in order to fund the kinds of programs that can serve them and their Skid Row neighbors. The homeless populations in both San Francisco and Los Angeles are emblematic of California’s corrupt politics, cruel policing, titanic wealth disparities and lack of affordable housing. But the fact that the Moseleys have found a national audience for their homemade film tells you that this story is a familiar one in cities across the country, including right here in Nashville.

Follow Eric Moseley’s YouTube Channel and watch The Homeless Coronavirus Outreach today \ https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCihvYr_x4VJP_U5YR2_QSfA

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

INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF STREET PAPERS

LOVE, TECH AND ONLINE ABUSE OF WOMEN IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS BY LIN TAYLOR When Priya’s boyfriend posted a nude photo of her online, he told her it would give her a confidence boost by making her an object of desire for other men. Instead, she felt powerless knowing that someone she loved had shared an intimate photo without her consent. “He said all these people dream of having you but only I get to have you,” she said from Mumbai, not wanting to reveal her real name. Priya’s story is all too common. There has been a global rise in online harassment of women and girls in the past year, usually by abusive partners or ex-partners who are stuck at home in front of a screen due to coronavirus lockdowns, according to UN Women. For Priya, it was the start of a series of privacy breaches as her boyfriend began to control her online presence. “I was constantly walking on eggshells. It may not be physical violence but it would mean either I’m slut-shamed (for talking to people online) or I worried how my behaviour would trigger him which always meant trouble for me,” she said. “Hostile space” As worldwide restrictions push more people online, digital gender abuse is likely to worsen now that the Internet is an absolute necessity and there is no escape from it, said Azmina Dhrodia, a senior researcher at the World Wide Web Foundation. “The entire way you use the web has changed. It’s no longer seen as a luxury, it really is a lifeline for many of us. But with that comes certain risks, especially if you’re a woman,” said Dhrodia, who researches digital rights for women and girls. Even before COVID-19, more than half of girls and young women had experienced online abuse, according to a global poll last year by the Web Foundation, an organization co-founded by the inventor of the web, Tim Berners-Lee. Sharing images, videos or private information without consent — known as doxxing — was the most concerning issue, according to the February survey of more than 8,000 respondents. Dhrodia said online violence was a manifestation of existing discrimination that women face offline so it was not surprising that it has proliferated under COVID-19. “It’s a hostile space and it’s become more hostile because we’re all online a little bit more,” she said. Girls as young as eight have also been subject to abuse, with one in five young women quitting or reducing their use of social media, according to a survey in October by girls’ rights group Plan International. Nearly half of girls targeted had been threatened with physical or sexual violence, according to the poll. Many said the abuse took a mental toll, and a quarter felt physically unsafe. “It’s a sobering fact because if you think about how much work is being done in terms of digital inclusion and getting people online,” said Neema Iyer, head of Uganda-based digital rights group Pollicy. Although more women are online than ever before, there were 17 percent fewer women than men with access to the internet worldwide, ac-

A woman wearing a mask looks at her mobile phone amid social distancing measures to avoid the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Myeongdong shopping district in Seoul, South Korea, May 28, 2020. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji cording to U.N. agency International Telecommunication Union. “To think that after all this effort, women come online, experience violence and are pushed back offline. And that’s really the purpose - to silence women and to keep women in their place,” she said. Digital control Since the outbreak of COVID-19, all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic abuse, had intensified, with shelters at capacity and helplines in some places seeing a five-fold rise in calls, UN Women says. While many victims are targeted by vengeful former partners, others are singled out by strangers who hack their social media accounts to steal photos and information. There has also been a surge in spyware, stalkerware and other online monitoring software, said New York-based lawyer Akhila Kolisetty, co-founder of End Cyber Abuse, which mostly works to tackle digital abuse in South Asia. “As people are working at home, abusers are coercing people to share passwords, coercing people to share intimate images as part of an abusive relationship, or tracking someone’s activity online,” Kolisetty said. It is an issue that led Indian artist Indu Harikumar to document online domestic violence last autumn, featuring Priya’s story as part of her art project. “Someone actually told me that if people don’t share passwords in relationships then there’s something shady happening,” said Harikumar, who illustrated stories of digital abuse submitted anonymously by her Instagram followers. Legal lag Campaigners say online sexual harassment is difficult to regulate is often only partially covered by legislation, which varies in each country, with researchers, lawyers and advocates worldwide working to plug legal gaps. Human rights lawyer Kolisetty said India,

Canada, England, Pakistan and Germany were among a small number of countries that have outlawed image-based sexual abuse, where private pictures are shared without consent. But with technology advancing so rapidly, the laws are lagging, according to legal experts and advocates. For example, many countries do not have laws for emerging forms of digital abuse like “deepfakes”, where a woman’s face can be superimposed onto a porn video and shared on messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram to shame them, Kolisetty said. “In countries that don’t have a specific law, it can be very difficult for survivors to seek justice because police may not take their complaints seriously,” Kolisetty said. Pollicy’s Iyer said she had spoken to women who were laughed at for reporting online abuse to the police. Even when there are laws, conservative attitudes could stop women speaking up. “Maybe in the UK, if there’s a leak, someone might be embarrassed or upset but you might not take your life over it,” Iyer said. “But in a conservative society, it could ruin your whole life - your job prospects, your ability to find a partner, to get married. People have taken their lives, they have left social spaces. It affects people in a very real way.” In November, Bangladesh launched an all-woman police unit in a bid to get more women to come forward to report digital abuse including so-called revenge porn, the hacking of their social media accounts and online threats from blackmailers. Tech tools Social media platforms Facebook, which owns WhatsApp and Instagram, Twitter and Tik Tok, as well as video-conferencing app Zoom, said they were committed to stamping out web harassment. Zoom, which soared to 200 million daily users from 10 million in less than three months

February 3-17, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 15

in the pandemic, had multiple reports of “zoombombing”, where strangers barge into private calls having gained access to a meeting invite. When Zoombombers started infiltrating lectures and meetings to harass attendees with sexual content, sexist or racial slurs, Zoom said they tightened their security tools and worked closely with law enforcement. “Zoom condemns behaviour of this nature in the strongest possible terms,” said a company spokesman. Twitter said they too tweaked their safety features by allowing people to control who can reply to their conversations, and are proactively identifying abusive tweets and accounts instead of relying on reporting mechanisms. Nearly two-thirds, or 64 percent, of women said they were harassed, mostly by strangers, on Twitter, while a quarter said they were abused on Facebook, said a September study by End Violence Against Women (EVAW) and anti-online abuse charity Glitch. Facebook said it automatically hides offensive or bullying content, can prevent “revenge porn” from being circulated, and users can easily block or ignore unsolicited messages. Yet nearly all respondents in the EVAW and Glitch report said their experiences of online abuse during COVID-19 were not properly addressed by the tech giants. Sense of urgency But that is because the health crisis itself has overshadowed all aspects of life, leaving gaps in the fight against digital abuse, said Caroline Sinders, a fellow at German internet institute, the Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society in Berlin. “There’s actually not going to be a lot of online harassment discourse and that’s not good. It’s just that we’re in the middle of a massive crisis and that crisis obviously needs a lot of focus and attention,” said the user experience researcher. Sinders, who has researched digital harassment for nearly a decade, said design systems and tools do not make it easy for victims to protect themselves. She said users should be able to easily dig up abusive messages if they need to report it to the police or want to bring the case to court. “Letting people build out a nuanced and robust report is key, so making it easier to surface submitted reports (to content moderators) in case a victim has to build a court case.” As the COVID-19 crisis rolls into another year, and with it, the world’s deep-seated reliance on the web, women’s rights advocates are hopeful that tech companies, governments and authorities will prioritize tackling digital abuse. “The pandemic has made people aware of the extent of online abuse and I think that awareness at least will enable a shift in laws and culture over the long term,” said Dhrodia. “I don’t see this reliance on the web decreasing anytime soon. There really needs to be a sense of urgency around it.” Courtesy of Reuters / Thomson Reuters Foundation / INSP.ngo

FUN

HOBOSCOPES AQUA RIUS

In the Nimba Mountains of west Africa, a new species of bat has been discovered. Myotis nimbaensis has bright orange fur and black wings and is fairly adorable. They stand out, so researchers knew pretty quickly they’d found something new. I know you’re tired of waiting, Aquarius. I know it seems like all the good things have already passed. But there’s something new coming for you, too. Just keep your eyes open and look up every once in a while.

PISCES

When most people think about Saint Valentine, they think of hearts. Other people think of skulls with f lowers on them. What I mean is that if you’re ever in Rome and find yourself at the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin you may encounter a display featuring the alleged skull of St. Valentine wreathed in f lowers. It reminds me, Pisces, that not everybody sees today the same way you do. Sometimes it can help to come at it from a different point of view. Ask around.

ARIES

These are Velveeta times, Aries. I guess what I mean is that It’s a process. Learning to deal with the grief, fear, and loneliness that accompany the passage of time is a lifelong process. And Velveeta cheesefood-product also undergoes a specific and arduous process in order to become exactly what it’s meant to be. Think about that on these cold days when all you want to do is eat warm cheese dip and watch TV. It’s all part of the process.

TAURUS

You are, of course, familiar with the heart symbol, Taurus. The heart was an emoji before there were emojis. It’s been used as a signifier for love since the 12th Century, possibly earlier. First they became common in medieval religious art and then you drew them all over your science notebook when you were in 3rd grade. You’ll probably see some today. Maybe in an ad or on a bumper sticker or under a tweet. If you’d like to see more of them, Taurus, you may need to start sending more out. But be careful, they tend to multiply.

GEMINI

How many people do you see in a day, Gemini? It’s probably not as many as it used to be. I know it’s not for me. Sure, I can find ways to keep up with my family and friends. There’s phone calls and texts and all that. But it’s the loose connections that I’m missing lately. All the people that you’d see for just a moment. Long enough to say “hi” or “how’s it going?” or just “excuse me.” Remember how you feel today and that we’re all a little lonely. Remember that everybody you miss is missing somebody too. And when you do see them again, maybe pause and talk a little longer.

CANCER

The weather guy said it was gonna snow but it didn’t. I wish I’d looked out the window before I ran out here in my big puffy coat with my snow shovel and sled. I also wish I’d grabbed my keys off the table before I locked the front door behind me, but I was fumbling with my mittens and I forgot it. Sometimes you don’t get what you expected. Sometimes you have to face your day anyway. If you want to come by, I’ll be out in the front yard making mud angels.

LEO

Hey, Leo, do you wanna make pancakes? I found a great recipe. You just need f lour and milk and oil and...well, wait, there’s one commenter on here who says these are too dry unless you add a half cup of Sprite. And another guy who says they’re only good if you swap out the salt with onion powder. I’m not sure who to trust anymore, Leo. But what if we just ignore the comments? What if we just follow the recipe and then decide for ourselves what changes to make? Sounds like a plan! Did you bring any eggs?

VIRGO

In Finland February 14th is called ystävänpäivä. My Finnish pronunciation is terrible, but I’ve been told it translates to “Friends Day.” Starting in the 1980s a few people in Finland decided that making Valentines all about romantic love was a little too limiting. They decided it should be about celebrating all forms of friendship. The great thing is, Virgo, you don’t have to be in Finland for it to work. In fact, you don’t even have to wait for February 14th.

LIBRA

As you may imagine, there are a lot of disadvantages to having hookworms, Libra. You may have fatigue, anemia, or abdominal pain, just to name a few. But hookworms also release a chemical that can reduce a person’s allergic response. People with hookworms often report no longer suffering from seasonal allergies at all. Sometimes we stay in relationships with parasites longer than we should because they convince us it’s paying off. When you’re ready, Libra, there is a cure.

SCORPIO

How many hearts do you have left, Virgo? I mean, I know you only have your one heart, but I’m asking in the video game sense. Like, when your character keeps getting hit with fireballs or hammers and each one takes away a half a heart. The last thing you want is to get down to zero. If you don’t feel like you have a lot of hearts left, don’t worry. You might just need to save your game and log out for a while. You can come back whenever you’re fully charged.

SAGITTA R IUS

Why didn’t you tell me, Sagittarius? I had always assumed that baby-corn was its own vegetable. Like, yeah, it looks like corn, but surely it’s just some related plant that produces a smaller, sweeter, more chewable cobb. But it turns out, baby corn is just corn. It’s just corn that isn’t grown up yet. And you knew it the whole time. Maybe you were right. I wasn’t ready. It’s probably good you didn’t tell me. Just because you know the truth doesn’t mean you have to say it. But at least think about why you aren’t.

CAPRICORN

Sometimes I drop stuff, Capricorn. I don’t think of myself as particularly clumsy, but sometimes I just get distracted and I’m moving too fast and going too many directions at once and SMASH! my glass of grape juice hits the f loor. It happens. And it’s messy. But it’s nothing to make too much of a fuss over. If you’re spending more time this week mopping up messes than drinking delicious grape juice, Capricorn, think of me and take a deep breath and slow down.

Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a certified salad-bar technician, or a trained reliquarist. Mr. Mysterio is, however, a budding intermediate podcaster! Check out The Mr. Mysterio Podcast. Season 2 is now playing at mrmysterio.com. Got a question, just give Mr. M a call at 707-VHS-TAN1

PAGE 16 | February 3-17, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

VENDOR WRITING

BY CYNTHIA P., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR JOHN H.

God says if you don’t love your neighbor you’re far away from him It’s just a reminder to see if you’re one of them Many hate their neighbor so much, they can’t look their way If you haven’t changed when Jesus returns, for eternity you’ll burn day after day Don’t get upset with me, ain’t trying to do no harm They preachers won’t do it, somebody gotta sound the alarm I’ll tell it like it is, I’m always gonna Love Thy Neighbor, Even if you don’t wanna

MY LIFE IS ON A SHELF DEANA H.

I feel my life is on a shelf just waiting like a book to be checked out,

THEME: VA LENTIN E’S DAY ACROSS 1. “You’re the ____!” 5. Horse color 8. Interesting person, acr. 11. *Feeling of the heart 12. Nevada city 13. City in Belgium 15. Use a whisk 16. Greek H’s 17. *Popular Valentine’s Day delivery, pl. 18. *”Love means never having to say you’re sorry” movie 20. Ballpark calls 21. Strong adhesive 22. Greek letter N, pl. 23. Lord’s subordinate 26. Given to drinking 30. Ovine mom 31. Old storage medium 34. Fairy-tale beginning 35. Politician Pelosi

I have stories from failure and lifting up from sickness from Healthy from Tragedy to Bravery, to victim to convict, from Married to widowed from loss of a love one to new born is a new life, from Hard Work to laid off, from having a home and to the streets, I feel like my life is on a shelf, as many stories I have for you check them out

February 3-17, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 17

37. Tokyo, once 38. Bone hollows 39. Sky bear 40. Fitted with a name tag, e.g. 42. “Ever” to a poet 43. With more seeds 45. Attic 47. Summer sandwich? 48. Fraternity letter 50. Medieval headdress 52. *Only day more popular than Valentine’s for card giving 56. Like blue sky 57. Walk the Pacific Crest Trail, e.g. 58. Samoan money 59. *Dionysus’ pipe-playing companion 60. Affirm 61. Give off 62. Plays for pay 63. *Color of Valentine’s Day 64. *Lovers’ reunion

DOWN 1. Cry like a baby 2. Canyon sound 3. Convict’s weapon 4. Conical dwellings 5. Get on juice diet, e.g. 6. Opposite of binary 7. Like a gossipmonger 8. Exterminator’s target 9. Change for a five 10. Part of T.G.I.F. 12. Like an abridged classic 13. Tiler’s paste 14. *”I Will Always Love You” singer 19. Stupefied 22. Us, in Mexico 23. *Cupid’s mother 24. In the know 25. Common thing? 26. Smoke plus fog 27. Lay to rest 28. Rocks at mountain base 29. *Symbol of Valentine’s Day 32. Infantry’s last row 33. Roulette bet 36. *Chocolatier, pioneer of the heart-shaped box 38. ____ apple 40. Risk something 41. Between eggy and eggiest 44. Feeling worse than before 46. Gave away 48. Thin piece 49. Annoyed 50. Russia’s alternative to caesar 51. Aries or Taurus, e.g. 52. Burn to a crisp 53. MADD member, colloquially 54. Climbed down, as from a carriage 55. Fill beyond full 56. Pharaoh’s cobra

VENDOR WRITING

Was there anything I could have said or done? BY ANONYMOUS CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR If there’s something positive to come out of this global pandemic it is the importance of caring for our mental health. It has affected people of all ages. I became even more acutely aware this just recently as I was reminded of some dark days from my past. A young man recently asked me to listen/ sing along to the song, “Why” by Rascal Flatts. (If you’re not familiar with the song it’s about someone who takes their own life and those left behind wonder why.) As I sang the first verse, my eyes filled with tears. I thought of former classmate of mine — well, he was in Mrs. Claybrooks’ class and I was in Mr. Hill’s 6th grade right next door — A.D. seemed to be a typical 12-year-old boy who was kind of quiet and shy but he could always make you smile — that is until he was found hanging in the barn around Christmastime. The hollidays took on a more somber tone at school that year. I told my mom I just couldn’t believe it! I told her how he had been looking forward to seeing his mom over the holidays. It was all he had been talking about lately at school. I watched as the color drained from my her face, and then she told me, “His mom’s been dead for seven years.” Suddenly, I found myself wondering, how did I not know this? I mean, I knew he lived with his dad, and I’m pretty sure he had other brothers and sisters, but he never really talked about his mom. At that stage in

my life I was very much an introvert, so I guess I just didn’t ask, or when I asked he changed the subject. He was really good at that if he didn’t want to talk. I honestly don’t remember. Now, when I think of him, I often wonder if I had known would it have made a difference? I guess I’ll never know for sure. By the second verse, the tears were now streaming down my face as I began to think about my cousin Ronnie. He was definitely the class clown, but always so much fun! He was a welder by trade, but his passion was music. I remember when he was in the 4th grade he auditioned for the talent show. It was no surprise to me when he got a spot. His performance was quickly brought to a halt though when he began to sing, “Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound” by Hank Williams Jr. It was good while it lasted though. (He must’ve used a different song for the audition.) When he got older he and his band could do a rendition of “Born to be Wild” that was awesome! In spite of his many talents, when his marriage fell apart and there seemed to be no chance for reuniting the family, he took his own life — choosing a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Perhaps the saddest part of all was his 6-year-old daughter was the one who found him with a gun shot wound to the head. (She used to describe it in graphic detail.) I know he never meant for that to happen, and yet, it did. How do you get over something

Love Thy Neighbor (part 2) BY JOHN H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR Many here is Nashville seem to have a problem when it comes to loving thy neighbor. God says in his word that loving thy neighbor and loving God was the greatest of his commandments. I pray every day for Americans that can’t seem to love because truly; out country wasn’t built on love.

When Columbus first sailed to America it was actually by mistake. So they say Columbus discovered it, (well, that’s what they led people to believe) but the real truth was also there too. You know it’s easy to lead people to believe something. For instance, President Trump, how he lead people into believing

My Husband Who Loves Comic Books and Action Figures BY JAMIE W., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR My husband Tommy collects all kinds of comic books. He loves the Fantastic Four, Spider-Man,

Superman — he loves all kinds. When he was a baby his mom would read comic books. There’s

like that? Do you ever? Was there anything that could’ve prevented this tragedy? I wonder. I guess I always will. By the third verse, my voice that can usually be heard even over the loudest traffic was reduced to a whisper, barely any sound coming out. My mind was now firmly focused on my Mom who died at 54 of a Fentanyl and cocaine overdose, ruled a suicide. It was 21 years to the day of my dad’s death, and she had tried three or four times before on that date but I managed to “save her.” (Though, she may have viewed it as prolonging her suffering.) She definitely had a rough life and that’s putting it mildly. I wish she could’ve seen life as I do — it may not be ideal, but it’s life, it’s a gift, and everybody’s is a work in progress. Even those born to wealth and privilege struggle with something. No one gets an easy pass, even though it may look that way, we just have to make the best of what we have and realize that regardless of what our situation is, IT CAN ALWAYS BE WORSE! Even though I try to maintain a positive viewpoint, it’s a constant battle. Each day I wake up I try to find purpose and meaning in my life. And if for some reason I don’t wake up, I know I will finally have true comfort, peace and rest. My mother would’ve been 70 on Jan. 31. Though she’s been gone for nearly 16 years, and we had a tumultuous love/hate relationship

at best I still miss her very much! It doesn’t matter how old you are, you always need your Mom, right? By the time I finished the song, if you can call it that, the guy said, “I guess you’ve had some experience with stuff like this, huh?” I nodded yes, and he apologized for requesting the song in the first place. I shook my head and tried to pull myself together and finally said, “It’s OK sometimes you just need to have a good cry.” I explained in cases where it doesn’t go according to plan I usually offer a do over, but I told him I couldn’t guarantee a different outcome. He seemed to understand and we parted ways. I’m not sure he’ll come back. Some do, some don’t. I’ll just have to wait and see. If there is a lesson to be learned here it’s that if you see someone in trouble or even think they might be, take time — make time — to talk to them. If the feeling persists, keep on asking even if they are resistant. Who knows, you just might save a life. If you fail to act, you may find yourself asking, why? Was there anything I could’ve said or done? And by then it may be too late and you may never find the answers you seek. If you need help don’t be afraid to ask. Help is available and as dark as things may seem there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 800-273-8255.

the election was stolen from him. Amazing how people follow the things of the world. God says in 1 John, “They are of the world; therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.” That’s why racism is so popular. We must be like our neighbor. Did you know these people won’t inherit God’s kingdom when they die. God goes on to say that, “If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar, he that loveth not his brother whom he

hath seen, how come he love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have seen from him, that he who loveth God love his brother too. 1 John 4: 20-21. I wonder what part of this many bright, intelligent American’s don’t understand. One thing that’s so important I’ve always believed, “I don’t have to have what my neighbor has and I definitely don’t have to be like him. I have to obey and follow God’s command. I have to love my brother and God.”

Ya see! It’s very important that we parents teach our children to love. Both parents should commit to this teaching. My mom and dad taught me. I have yet cling to such a teaching in all my life. It’s all a greater good coming from a parent. Most obeyed. Fare to teach. One thing I’ve learned, you can’t pretend to love in heaven, you’ll get kicked out. And you can’t pretend around God’s children, they can see through you. I’d look the other way too, ‘cause my head will be filled with shame.

no telling how many comic books and action figures he’s had. His action figures combined with all the Barbie Dolls and porcelain dolls I have means when you walk into my living room it’s like walking into a tiny toy store. For as long as I can remember Tommy has always loved his comic book and action figures and no matter what people say,

he will always love comic books and action figures for many years from now till whenever. No one can take his love for comic books and action figures away from him and no matter how old he gets he will always love his comic books and action figures and he has been collecting comic books and action figures for such a long long time.

I hope that all of my customers love this article. I just wanted to write this article because I love him so I thought I would do this one about him and no matter how old he gets he will continue to love his comic books and action figures and I hope all of my customers like this article about my husband who I love and will always love.

PAGE 18 | February 3-17, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

VENDOR WRITING

Advertisers of The Contributor put their marketing dollars to work in lives of Nashville’s most vulnerable community. If your business is exploring cause marketing opportunties, consider partnering with The Contributor. CONTACT: 615-499-6829 OR

BARBARA@THECONTRIBUTOR.ORG

“Please Be Patient As We Learn” Out of the darkness shines a great Light. The amazing thing is that even the smallest light cannot be held by darkness. As persons of faith, the light we seek to share is Jesus, “the Light of the world.” The Salvation Army has a romantic image of the desperate soul hungry, hurting, and on the edge of hopelessness reaching out of the darkness to find the light in the shield of The Salvation Army so that hope, food, and shelter may be secured. That image has been the reality of thousands of our neighbors recently. People who have reached out to The Salvation Army for their mortgage, rent, food, shelter and a place of community. The Salvation Army has rushed our development of enormous technology advancements in response to this pandemic. LIFNAV, the app, allows people instant access to coaches and resources to increase quality of life. Tele-Help.org leads people to our website where online appointments may connect you to a coach in Florida who will walk you though the financial aid process. Our Learning Pods and Resource Hubs provide internet, Chromebooks, friendly staff and access to tutors for families. All of this technology is amazing! As of this writing, 129 persons and 7 dogs have been moved into housing. Many of them

had been living outside for more than 2 years. Alll of them need housing support and a safe experience of community. All are offered coaching. They are re-learning the housing life in a COVID world. We are re-learning how to create restorative community with technology, Uber, small group journaling, and CARES Act funding. For transparency, while I have led The Salvation Army response to Hurricane Katrina in the midst of a financial crisis, I have never led an effort to keep so many fed, housed, re-housed, learning in safety, safe at home while learning, and connected to our Corps Worship Centers during a health, economic and social pandemic. The resilience frameworks allow a disciplined response but be sure this is a novel (rare and inexperienced) event where we are living, leading, and learning. Without excuse and with sincere apology, I ask for your patience and prayers for our team. A truth is that we too are experiencing a pandemic. We too are experiencing staff and family members quarantined, hospitalized, uncertain and hurting.

resources with limited funding available to create a system the size necessary to meet the greatest needs. A learning lesson from New Orleans was to get the money in the homes of our neighbors before someone determines it is no longer available. So we balance quality of service with the number of persons served. In all of this be assured, there is a light shining through the shield of The Salvation Army. That light is our greatest effort to reflect the Eternal Light of Love and Life. Thousands of people slept securely in their homes last night with full stomachs and peace. Thousands more will be served this spring. As we too are learning to lead and love in this pandemic environment, we commit to you, I commit to you, that we will continue to learn so that the Light might shine bright into the lives of our suffering neighbors. Thank you for the privilege of sharing your compassion.

I ask for your patience and apologize for any technology glitches, email delays, or communication errors. We are balancing very short windows to expense large amounts of

William Booth once said “The Salvation Army is a place of hope. When every other light is extinguished, and every other star has gone down, this one gleam shines steadily and clearly out in the darkened sky: ‘If I could only get to The Salvation Army, they will do something for me. ‘ “

February 3-17, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 19

The Contributor: Feb. 3, 2021

Articles inside

Vendor Submissions

Vendor Poetry

HOBOSCOPES

LOVE, TECH AND ONLINE ABUSE OF WOMEN IN THE TIME OF CORONAVIRUS

Social Isolation

Nonprofit Spotlight

WHY YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD CARE ABOUT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

Nashville History Corner

Nashville’s unsheltered population will not be counted this year

Welcoming landlords open doors for ‘Contributor’ vendors

A DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE