The Contributor: March 15, 2023

L L a a N N ticia

Cancillería inaugura Consulado General de El Salvador en Nashville

Autoridades reconocen a Cámara de Comercio Hispana por apoyo brindado a la diáspora salvadoreña

acto de inauguración, la viceministra de Diáspora y Movilidad Humana, Cindy Mariella Portal, destacó que esta apertura muestra el compromiso del Gobierno por atender y dar más cobertura a la población salvadoreña radicada en Tennessee, quienes antes tenían que viajar hasta nuestra representación consular en Charlotte, Carolina del Norte, oficina que tenía jurisdicción para este estado. “Este es un nuevo esfuerzo del Gobierno del Presidente Nayib Bukele, quien considera que la diáspora es una socia estratégica para el desarrollo del país, y reconoce la necesidad de vincularles con su lugar de origen, todo para el bienestar de todos”, añadió la viceministra Cindy Portal. Por ello, aseguró que, a partir de este momento, los salvadoreños en Nashville ya no tendrán la necesidad recorrer largas distancias para obtener sus servicios, sino que contarán con un consulado más cercano a sus hogares o centros de trabajo. “No podíamos decir no al llamado de

18,000 salvadoreños que se encuentran acá en Nashville. Estamos haciendo historia, es el primer consulado latinoamericano en esta región”, dijo Portal. Además, explicó que esta oficina ofrecerá servicios tales como de emisión de pasaporte, registro del estado familiar, documentos notariales, gestión de visas, devolución de saldo de AFP, entre otros. Pero más allá de los trámites consulares, la viceministra Portal también indicó que la sede de este consulado será clave para la identidad y la convivencia entre los salvadoreños que residen en Nashville. “Con el Consulado de Nashville nos aseguramos de acercar a nuestra población temas como promoción cultural, solici-

tud de inversiones, actividades deportivas, acercamiento a la diáspora, alianzas con entidades, acuerdos de visas de trabajo y misiones de monitoreo a trabajadores laborales”, señaló. En su intervención, indicó que, en esta oficina consular contará con el Sistema de Pasaporte Inmediato, lo cual será de mucho beneficio a los connacionales ya que podrán obtener el pasaporte en pocos minutos, sin necesidad de esperar días o semanas para obtener su documento. La diplomática presentó a la nueva Cónsul General de El Salvador en Nashville, Marta María Orantes Rodríguez, así como al equipo consular que estará destacado en este lugar. Además el Viceministro Portal, reconoció

la labor de la Cámara de Comercio Hispana del Área de Nashville (NAHCC) “Por su decidida dedicación y por el apoyo brindado a la diáspora salvadoreña, acompañándolos en los trámites de los consulados móviles y las gestiones realizadas ante la autoridades correspondientes para la apertura del Consulado General de El Salvador en Nashville, Tennessee". Miembros del liderazgo de la NAHCC, estuvieron presentes durante la presentación del Certificado de Reconocimiento del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, a través del Consulado General de El Salvador en Nashville. Mario Ramos, miembro de la NAHCC desde hace mucho tiempo, abogado de inmigración y defensor de los derechos de nuestra comunidad Hispana, reaccionó con entusiasmo al anuncio: “Es genial estar en la inauguración del consulado de El Salvador con mi esposa Iris y su hermana Alma. Esta es una adición necesaria a nuestra comunidad”. “El Salvador nos deja un ejemplo a seguir para el resto de los países latinoamericanos que tienen la presencia de sus ciudadanos en Nashville y en el estado de Tennessee”, dijo Loraine Segovia Paz, Directora Ejecutiva de la Fundación NAHCC, también presente. En el acto también participaron los funcionarios de la Cancillería, miembros de la comunidad salvadoreña en Nashville invitados especiales. Las autoridades también indicaron que, para la atención de compatriotas, se creó el Consulado Virtual, que más que ser un centro de llamadas es un espacio para orientar a nuestra población sobre trámites e incluso brindarles asesorías legales, mediante WhatsApp: + 503-7070-1071 o con la llamada al 1-888-301-1130. Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com ó 615-567-3569

Vendor Writing

WHO WE ARE

The Contributor is a nonprofit social enterprise that creates economic opportunity with dignity by investing in the lives of people experiencing homelessness and poverty.

Starting in 2019, our C.O.V.E.R. Program (Creating Opportunity for Vendor Employment, Engagement, and Resources) was the natural expansion of our mission of removing obstacles to housing. We now offer full case management, assistance with housing and rental expenses, addiction recovery, health insurance, food benefits, and SSI/SSDI assistance. We see the onestop-shop team approach radically transforming a vendor's image of self and their place in community.

Since we started in 2007, more than 3,200 different vendors have purchased $2.3 million worth of The Contributor and sold over six million copies, generating over $15 million in income for themselves.

Take the paper, change a life. Read the paper, change yours.

Contributor Board

Tom Wills, Chair Cathy Jennings, Christine Doeg, Demetria Kalodimos, Kerry Graham, Amber DuVentre, Jerome Moore, Drew Morris, Andy Shapiro

Contributor Volunteers

Christine

Cathy Jennings Executive Director

Tom Wills Director of Vendor Operations

Carli Tharp SNAP Specialist

Ree Cheers SOAR Manager

Andrew Terry IV SOAR Referral Specialist

Rachel Ternes

Housing Navigator

Amy Holt Housing Navigator

Mary Margaret Weatherford

Housing Navigator

Jesse Call Operations Consultant

Raven Nye Director of Housing Initiatives

Justin Wagner Resource Coordinator & Reporter

Barbara Womack

Advertising Manager

Amanda Haggard & Linda Bailey Co-Editors

Chelsea Jackson Editorial Intern

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

The Contributor P.O. Box 332023, Nashville, TN 37203

Vendor Office: 615.829.6829

Please email advertising requests to: advertising@thecontributor.org Printed

In late 2020, longtime Contributor vendor Bronson Hunter was feeling frustrated by the prospect of politics. In a Vendor Spotlight for the paper, he kept a positive attitude, but lamented the lack of resources for people experiencing homelessness.

“It’s kind of hard to get out and vote when you don't have a place to live and you don’t have nowhere to go,” he told the paper. “It’s so hard. When I was homeless, the last thing I cared about was voting. I hate to see people out there on the streets because I’ve been there and it’s awful.”

Hunter, who died in February, was a painter, an avid reader of John Grisham and James Patterson novels, a sensitive and thoughtful person. He moved to Nashville from Ashland City, Tenn., in 2014 and sold the paper since 2010 primarily from Mallory Lane and South Spring Street. For a period of time, he sold the paper five days a week and worked every single other day of the week painting houses. He was 49.

“If you met Bronson on the street, or at a restaurant, you would assume he was just your average Nashvillian,” said Cathy Jennings, executive director for The Contributor “He was well spoken, very polite, clean, handsome. He was a hard worker, both

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

painting housing and selling the paper. I remember wondering why he was homeless when I first met him several years ago. That was a lesson to me that often the face that presents itself to us masks a lot of pain.”

Jennings described Hunter as extremely sensitive to the feelings of those around him and also to the events of his life. The Contributor worked with him to move into transitional housing and then to find a permanent home.

“He gave me a metronome that a customer had given him to say thank you,” Jennings said. “He remembered that my husband was a musician. That’s the kind of man he was. Godspeed Bronson. I will always remember your kindness and I am sorry the world was not a gentler place.”

Hunter was quick to point out the blessings others had given him and often passed things he had worked for to others.

Bronson was always sharing his blessings with those close to him, never leaving a man down,” said Stephanie McElvy, Hunter's landlord and friend. “In every conversation, he was somehow managing to remind me to be grateful for the small things! I’m so happy our paths crossed and I got to experience the richness of who Bronson was.”

Contributor vendor Tony Blake passed away in February. He was 62 years old.

“I knew Tony for a little over a year, during which we worked together on his disability application and his health,” said Rachel Ternes, who works in The Contributor ’s housing department. “He had a wry sense of humor and a great sarcastic laugh.”

Ternes said he cared a lot about his friends and was deeply affected by some losses and by concerns for his friends’ wellbeing and that his connection to the paper was very important to him.

“He was proud to have been a vendor since the early days of the paper, and comforted to know that The Contributor community was by his side through anything,” Ternes said. “I and many others will miss Tony and remember him fondly.”

Ree Cheers, who runs the paper’s SOAR program, said Blake was a “kind and compassionate individual” who was a joy to work with while Cheers helped him through the SOAR program.

“He had a sharp mind and great ideas when it came to problem-solving, and he was always willing to put in the effort to find a solution that worked,” Cheers said. “One of the things I will always remember about Mr. Blake was the conversation we had about diversity and building bridges to become whole in the United States. He had a warm and welcoming personality that made him easy to talk to and be around.”

She said Blake was a friendly face and a listening ear for those who needed it most. He wasn’t afraid to reach out with concerns or to ask questions.

“The sense of belonging and companionship that he

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

found through The Contributor was a source of comfort and strength for him, and he cherished it deeply. Mr. Blake was a true friend to all who knew him. He had a heart of gold and a spirit that could not be broken. Remembering Mr. Blake will always bring back memories of his infectious way of thinking, his kind heart, and his unwavering commitment to his friends and community. He was a shining example of what it means to be a compassionate and caring person, and his legacy will continue to inspire us for years to come. Although we may no longer be able to see him in person, his memory will live on in our hearts, and we can honor him by continuing to live our lives with the same kindness and compassion that he embodied. Rest in peace, Mr. Blake, and thank you for all the love and light that you brought into the world.”

SUSAN ADCOCK

PHOTO BY

‘Contributor’ vendor Bronson Hunter was a reader and a person who remembered others

Longtime ‘Contributor’ vendor Tony Blake had a sharp mind and a caring nature

Nashville Public Library’s new Library of Things offers a new set of tools for the community

A new addition to the downtown Nashville Public Library gives the community the opportunity to check out more than books.

The Nashville Public Library, location on Church Street, introduced The Library of Things in early February — it’s a new program that allows anyone with a valid library card to check out items ranging from ukuleles to screw driver sets.

The demand is “exceptionally big,” said Ed Brown, public information officer for the library system.

In the collection, there are things such as a radon detector and an air quality monitor. These items were immediately checked out and had more than 100 holds placed on them, Brown said.

But the idea of The Library of Things wasn’t an original creation.

When NPL started looking at programs like this one, they started looking into libraries around the world. The one that they examined the closest was in Sacramento, Calif.

As a result, NPL did a trial run and asked a bunch of questions to other libraries.

The library asked questions about what challenges that they had to overcome to implement the program as well as technical questions like how did they determine what to buy with the budget they had and at what scale.

The feedback they received from the libraries and the internal workshops deemed to be very helpful feedback such as what they should provide explains Brown.

When deciding this, NPL wanted to make sure that the things chosen were practical things that people need because they are common items, says Brown.

The library wanted to put items in the collection that would “engage people's curiosity,” Brown says.

The items range from pickleball sets to an ice cream maker.

Another goal of the library is to give people the opportunity to try

BY CHELSEA JACKSON

things out before they buy them, such as kettlebells, which most of the time in order to use you need a gym membership or have to purchase on your own.

The checkout process for the collection is only slightly different from checking out a book.

When someone wants to check out an item from the collection, they can simply come to the library, call the library or simply log on to the website catalog and put a hold on the item then select where they want to pick up the item, says Brown.

The items that are available are all brand new, explains Brown.

The funding for these items come from The Nashville Public Library Foundation. This foundation's sole purpose is to advocate and fundraise for the library. In addition the library, being a part of the Metro Nashville government receives funds from them as well.

When it comes to the future of The Library of Things, “We want

Nashville to tell us,” Brown said.

The library’s future is “bright but we’re not sure what it looks like yet,” Brown said.

The library needs Nashville to tell them where the program is heading. The community can send emails through the library’s general submission or connect with the library through their social media pages.

“Even if you're not a reader, book

lover, there's a place for you at NPL,” Brown said.

The library also offers programs including adult literacy programs that connect people with resources to teach them how to read as well as ESL programs for people learning English as a second language. The Library of Things is just “a continuation of that mission to educate,” Brown said.

Learn More About Targeted Universalism

BY JUDITH TACKETT

When the most recent federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness was released late last year (view it at https://www.usich. gov/fsp), it announced that the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) “will work with a broad range of stakeholders to adopt a ‘targeted universalism’ framework that promotes a universal reduction goal with targeted and tailored solutions based on the structures, cultures, and geographies of certain groups to help them overcome unique barriers.”

The plan went on to say that “USICH recognizes that tailored solutions are needed for specific populations and geographic areas and that individuals and families experiencing multiple barriers often require special consideration and resources.”

So what does targeted universalism mean and why does it matter for us here in Nashville?

Berkeley University identified targeted universalism as, “the pursuit of universal goals with targeted or tailored measures, programs, or interventions.” In layman’s terms and applied to homelessness, I understand it as creating overall (universal) goals to prevent and end homelessness, but provide services that work for people based on their actual needs depending on how old they are, what race they are, whether they have any conditions and where they currently sleep.

Let’s take a look at Nashville’s homelessness By Name Lists (BNLs) for 2022. To create a BNL, nonprofit agencies serving people experiencing homelessness enter a person’s data into a database. In Nashville, the community uses the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to collect that information.

The Metro Homeless Impact Division has staff that manage the BNLs for the community. The BNL is focused on subpopulations, which include Individuals, Youth and Young Adults (18-24 years of age), Families with children, Veterans, and people fleeing Domestic Violence. These are the subpopulations we currently look at when it comes to homelessness in Nashville.

Before you study the data on this page, please be advised of the following. The quality of the data depends largely on the nonprofit providers who enter the data in a complete and timely manner. With that, we know that the Families, Veterans and Domestic Violence BNLs likely have the highest quality as of now. The individual BNL is constantly added to as more providers identify more people who have been experiencing homelessness but were not previously entered into the database. All people must have provided consent to be entered onto the BNLs.

Currently, the BNLs mainly focus on people who meet the literal home-

By Name Lists reflect the number of people that are considered active in the community’s Coordinated Entry database at the end of each month. Active means that they are working with a service provider and have not been housed yet. If people become inactive, it is generally after they have not been engaging with a provider within the prior 90 days and may have moved into housing without notifying anyone or moved out of the area, or died.

The By Name Lists (BNL) are pulled from the coordinated entry process, which is using the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) database, which is an exception for the Domestic Violence (DV) BNL, which is in a separate completely anonymous database. About 55 percent of the DV BNL includes families and 45 percent individuals. The DV families are also included in the Family BNL numbers.

lessness definition, which is the narrowest definition of homelessness and includes people sleeping in shelters, on the streets or in encampments, in cars, and in other places not meant for human habitation. Should the community decide to expand that definition, BNLs may increase again.

Under a targeted universalism framework, our community would adopt strategies that focus on all subpopulations. Frankly, we likely would follow the national strategic plan and expand our subpopulations. In addition, we would look at the different geographic areas in Nashville and target our interventions according to the specific needs of each subpopulation and where people are.

Under such an approach, we potentially could look at people’s age groups: Pre-schoolers; school-aged kids; young adults (18-24); middle aged families with young kids; older adults.

We also could identify the following subgroups: Veterans; people fleeing from Domestic Violence; people identifying as LGBTQI+; people with a substance use disorder; people with mental health conditions; people with disabilities; with HIV, and so on.

Furthermore, we could include a racial equity approach to ensure that our policies and interventions

reach all people regardless of their race and ethnicity.

And finally, we could look where people live in Davidson County and divide our interventions based on urban, suburban settings, and even identify specific remote areas.

The universal goals would be the same and focus on preventing and ending homelessness for everyone. The targeted approaches would align interventions based on the needs of each subpopulation.

Let’s go back to the question about why this actually matters for us here in Nashville.

Targeted universalism does not prioritize one subpopulation or one geographic location over another. Yet, that’s exactly what the local government currently is doing. Metro has actually changed our coordinated entry policy to meet political goals that moved us further away from an equity approach. In other words, if you are living in the right encampment at the right time, you will be moved into transitional living spaces following a certain schedule.

What this will do is that once word gets out, politicians (including the state) will create so-called partnerships with Metro to ensure that they have a say in which encamp-

ments are prioritized. Furthermore, property owners, including the state, will threaten to close encampments at certain times demanding that Metro provide resources to house the people in those encampments. We already see this happening.

Metro has scheduled the next encampment enclosure for March. I will not be talking about the location because we don’t need to add to the increase in people moving there prior to the closing of the encampment. (Yes, that’s already happening because people want to receive services and access housing and will move to the locations that are prioritized. Metro is setting timelines and assessing people by a certain date. The people who were assessed by that timeline will then be prioritized over the new arrivals.) One other thing that will happen, and has already started, is that neighborhoods will complain because the encampments in their areas are not slated for closure.

And all of this is happening while Metro’s promised $9-million contracts for support services are still not in place, even though the Mayor’s Office and the Metro Homeless Impact Division/Metro Social Services submitted in writing a timeline to the Metro Council in October. Based on that timeline those

support services should have been already in place prior to any encampment closures. As a consequence, Metro solesourced an additional $237,000 in funding for the out-of-state consultant that is master-minding this entire approach based on the Mayor’s Office directives. That consulting contract has ballooned to a total of $737,000 for a two-year period, but we really have nothing new to show for except for $50 million investment of federal one-time funds based on implementing local programs we already had in place. This is Nashville’s one shot to demonstrate what needs to be done to reduce homelessness steadily for all subpopulations. Focusing on only one particular group over others will seed hostility and resentment across providers, government agencies, businesses and neighborhoods.

That’s why a targeted universalism framework is worth looking into, and I recommend the next mayor do just that and move toward the implementation of a Housing First approach, which is actually still not happening now even after Mayor John Cooper’s endorsement of Housing First last year.

Unless we take a more holistic approach and stop trying to implement quick fixes that are short-sighted and won’t last, our BNLs will continue to rise.

Litkenhous Football Guide and Sports Writer Edgar Allen

When I was in Parmer Grammar School and high school at MBA (1948-1952), I played football and basketball and followed Nashville high school and SEC football religiously.

In those years, Dr. Eddie Litkenhous, a Nashville mathematician, published each summer his Litkenhous Football Guide that had a big following in Middle Tennessee.

Annually, the guide provided the final national standings of college football teams for the previous fall, SEC football results for the previous fall, football rule changes, SEC schedules for the next fall, profiles

BY RIDLEY WILLS II

of SEC and Nashville Interscholastic League (NIL) coaches, prep football guidelines for the following fall, as well as predicted NIL winners, the All-Nashville football team for the previous fall and ratings for all the national conferences. Sportswriter Edgar Allen usually wrote SEC and NIL predictions for each year. In the 1946 edition, the national champion for 1945 was Army, with Navy second, and Alabama third. The 1945 SEC coach of the year was Frank Thomas, of Alabama. His 1945 team, led by Harry Gilmer won the Rose Bowl over Southern California 24-14 was favored, in 1946, along with Tennessee and Georgia,

Ridley wrote a book!

to win the SEC championship that fall.

In 1946, Red Sanders was Vanderbilt’s coach, and Georgia Tech and Tulane were still in the SEC. The NIL had 21 teams in 1946 with the addition of Duncan and Hume-Fogg. Edgar Allen predicted that the probable NIL winner in 1946 would either be Cohn, MBA, TIS (Tennessee Industrial School) or Father Ryan.

Predicted stars for those teams were James and Arlie Hill of TIS, Billy Joe Earhart of MBA, Maxie Runion of Cohn and Jim Hagey of Father Ryan. The respective coaches for these schools were Joe Sills, Howard Allen, Elbert Anderson and Leo Long.

Longtime writer for The Contributor Ridley Wills II has published a book cataloging all of his work writing History Corner articles for the paper from over the past decade. All proceeds from the book will be donated to The Contributor to continue its mission of providing low-barrier income opportunities for people experiencing homelessness so that they can find sustainable housing.

FIND THE BOOK AT THESE LOCAL STORES:

Belle Meade Mansion Gift Shop: 5025 Harding Pike

Elder's Bookstore: 101 White Bridge Road

Fort Negley Visitors Center: 1100 Fort Negley Boulevard

• Historic Belmont: 1800 Belmont Blvd.

• Logos Book Store: 2136 Bandywood Drive

• Parnassus Books: 3900 Hillsboro Pike, Suite 14

Landmark Booksellers: 114 East Main Street, Franklin TN

Hot Pink: 831 Franklin Pike, Brentwood TN

Duck River Books: 124 Public Square, Columbia TN

Photo Credit - Andrew Feiler

A Few Questions with Councilmember Dave Rosenberg

Dave Rosenberg is known as a Metro councilmember who will speak his mind passionately for what he believes in. He is concerned about homelessness and views everyone, regardless of housing status, who lives in District 35 as his constituents.

The Contributor talked with Rosenberg as part of a series called A Few Questions With where we interview councilmembers about their district’s most pressing issues.

How would you describe District 35 and your constituents?

District 35 is a sprawling district. It’s the second largest district geographically in Davidson County. It stretches from Ashland City to Fairview to Franklin. It is split in two ways; one is suburban neighborhoods with a couple of small commercial centers and then large rural areas. People in the district are overall fairly well off and very well educated. The district is split between Nashville natives, especially in the rural areas, and a lot of families from other areas, especially the mid-West.

What are the main issues you hear about from your constituents?

A lot of what I hear is about growing homelessness, of course. I also hear about citywide traffic issues and concerns about trying to preserve the character of various parts of the community, especially in the rural areas. Other than that, it’s not a very high-maintenance district.

You’re on the Rules, Confirmation, and Public Elections Committee. Metro has been focused on improving diversity and timeliness of appointments to Metro boards. What’s been done on that front, and how do you think boards can improve oversight of departments?

Councilmember [Sandra] Sepulveda introduced and we just passed legislation that gives the council more input on board appointments. Currently, the vast majority of board members are nominated by the mayor and then approved by the council, which gives the mayor an inordinate amount of control over agencies on the boards. When all the board appointments come from mayoral appointments, there is an inclination that a lot of board members have good relationships with the Mayor’s Office and are inclined to follow what they [the administration] want and also what the departments want. I think the council having a little more say over these appointments is going to help increase oversight.

I think a lot of the time, departments don’t know whether their communication is getting to residents and there are some issues [in the community] they may not be aware of that need to be handled. On the whole they are doing a good job, and all the

BY JUDITH TACKETT

METRO COUNCIL COMMITTEES:

• Rules, Confirmation, and Public Elections – vice chair

• Charter Revision

• Public Health and Safety

directors are dealing with the problems in front of them as they come up. But anything that can enhance the services they offer can be a good thing and that includes [appointing] board members that understand the issues at play in the community.

Do you think this will also help improve the diversity on the boards?

Yes, absolutely. To the mayor’s credit, they’ve made a lot of headway on [more diversity on boards] over the last four years. The council with its appointments has been intentional about increasing diversity, and I think that’s going to continue. At some point, we will see the boards and commissions reflect the makeup of Nashville. We’re definitely heading in that direction.

You also serve on the Council’s Public Health and Safety Committee. With so many national headlines about mass shootings and police abuses, how can Metro continue to improve public safety in Nashville — both from the perspective of police brutality and in

the face of all of the mass shootings happening?

We’re very limited when it comes to mass shootings. The state has basically eliminated all of our gun safety regulations in Tennessee and taken away the ability of local governments as to any regulations of their own. With that kind of extremism, we really have nothing we can do outside of ensuring adequate security in schools, which Metro Schools has been on top of, and looking out for each other as a community.

When it comes to policing, the next mayor is going to need to ensure that the police department is serving everybody and that the folks who have made the decision to go into policing have the opportunity to provide a service that is welcomed by all of the communities in Nashville.

There is so much talk about good apples and bad apples in police departments. I don’t really think that’s the case, I believe, MNPD is a good-apple-filled institution. The problem is with the way the institution is built to begin with. There are ways to ensure police have the opportunity to provide great public

safety and at the same time to do it in a way that doesn’t put communities of color in danger and improves the relationship between MNPD and the communities.

The now infamous Brookmeade encampment was in your district. From your perspective, what went well and where are opportunities for Metro to improve as it schedules its next encampment closure in March?

Things went well with the private nonprofit providers that were providing services at Brookmeade and taking care of people and trying to ensure that they had what they needed as long as they needed to live in the encampment. And everything that Metro did went wrong. They prioritized the wrong things, and they went about it the wrong way. As a result they really didn’t accomplish anything except for a headline that they closed an encampment. In fact, that we handed over control of our homeless services to an out-of-state, well-paid consultant who just doesn’t have the relationships or history with the city is really unfortunate.

Celebrating Our Vendors

The Contributor’s annual breakfast and award ceremony to honor vendors

STAFF REPORTS

On March 21 at 7 a.m., The Contributor is slated to present our annual Breakfast & Vendor Awards ceremony at Belmont University.

At the breakfast, which is open to the public, vendors in the Top 15 spots for paper sales will be recognized and honors will be given for vendor editorial contributions as well. (Register or donate by clicking the QR code on this page.)

“We always like to say that this is the most uplifting breakfast you’ll go to all year,” said Cathy Jennings, executive director for The Contributor. “The purpose of this morning gathering is to

show the hard work and perseverance of our community members and to share their unique stories with you. Vendors for The Contributor live and work and have families in this community.”

In 2022, vendors for the paper sold more 196,000 newspapers and contributed more than $800,000 to the Nashville economy in the process. More than 380 people have been trained to sell the paper or served through the organization in the same time period and an average of 146 vendors purchase issues of the paper to sell every month.

“The vendors in the Top 15 are typically the most consistent in selling the

paper and they’ve all invested into their own microbusinesses in the last year to earn this honor,” said Tom Willis, director of vendor for The Contributor. “When you buy a paper from them and take the paper with you, you are investing in them the same way you would any other business. You come back because you want to buy something from them.”

Vendors who sell enough papers and meet goals earn MAP territory badges, which gives them a designated spot on the map — 31 vendors earned and main- tained MAP badges in the past year. Vendors have earned 745

branded T-shirts, fleece coats and hats in that process.

Vendor Demetrius, who will be featured in a video at the breakfast, came to Nashville to try to find work on Music City Center as it was being built and did not find a job at first. After several different jobs didn’t pan out and life threw him some tough turns, he ended up living in his car. He’s been working toward getting a CDL and becoming a truck driver and came to The Contributor by word of mouth. He’s now in housing.

“I thank God every day and I thank the people,” Demetrius said. “I thank

ARTWORK BY CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR WENDELL J. #5314

the people that buy The Contributor. I thank them, you know, because if it wasn't for them, I don't know where I would be. You know, I work every day. I get it from my grandfather. I work every day. I'm a hard worker.”

More than 4,216 people experiencing homelessness have become part of the paper’s community from 2007 until now. Vendors have sold more than 7,185,000 newspapers across the Middle Tennessee area. Almost every paper has included writing or art from vendors, whose contributions vary from poetry to reporting to portraiture to satire.

“The creativity, artistry and thought-provoking writing we see from vendors is unlike anything else you’ll find in the city,” said Amanda Haggard, co-editor for The Contributor. “From the art on cover this week, which was created by a vendor and captures the spirit of the paper so well, to stories about how vendors have made connections with customers to poetry about racism and housing injustice, there is always something to learn from the pages of the paper.”

Members of the housing team work with vendors toward housing and stability as vendors sell the paper for in -

Missed

come. Since the beginning of 2021, Contributor has worked with people on the following items to help them achieve and maintain stability:

• 10,500 single-day use bus passes

• 209 cell phones

• 29 dental insurance policies

• 80 health insurance policies

• 75 people housed with furniture provided

• More than 10,000 meals delivered

• 478 SNAP benefits applied and recertified

• 56 State IDs acquired

• 43 Social Security Cards acquired

• 59 birth certificates acquired

8 substance use disorder treatments arranged

• 112 medical appointments facilitated

• 14 expungement clinics

• 17 higher education/employment referrals

“ We start with the income piece because it is such an integral part of the puzzle,” Jennings said. “In this list you’ll notice that there are so many things that people need when they come through the door to sell papers, but housing is always the goal and it’s the most important thing someone can have to give them stability.”

“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.

Cancillería inaugura Consulado General de El Salvador en Nashville Autoridades

por apoyo brindado a la diáspora salvadoreña

Ampliar y brindar servicios de calidad para la diáspora son tareas encomendadas por el Presidente de El Salvador, Nayib Bukele.

Bajo esa premisa, el Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores inauguró su consulado número 26 en Estados Unidos, en Nashville, Tennessee.

Con esta nueva representación, se beneficiarán a más de 18 mil salvadoreños que viven en esta ciudad y en zonas cercanas al consulado.

Durante el acto de inauguración, la viceministra de Diáspora y Movilidad Humana, Cindy Mariella Portal, destacó que esta apertura muestra el compromiso del Gobierno por atender y dar más cobertura a la población salvadoreña radicada en Tennessee, quienes antes tenían que viajar hasta nuestra representación consular en Charlotte, Carolina del Norte, oficina que tenía jurisdicción para este estado.

“Este es un nuevo esfuerzo del Gobierno del Presidente Nayib Bukele, quien considera que la diáspora es una socia estratégica para el desarrollo del país, y reconoce la necesidad de vincularles con su lugar de origen, todo para el bienestar de todos”, añadió la viceministra Cindy Portal. Por ello, aseguró que, a partir de este momento, los salvadoreños en Nashville ya no tendrán la necesidad recorrer largas distancias para obtener sus servicios, sino que contarán con un consulado más cercano a sus hogares o centros de trabajo.

“No podíamos decir no al llamado de

18,000 salvadoreños que se encuentran acá en Nashville. Estamos haciendo historia, es el primer consulado latinoamericano en esta región”, dijo Portal.

Además, explicó que esta oficina ofrecerá servicios tales como de emisión de pasaporte, registro del estado familiar, documentos notariales, gestión de visas, devolución de saldo de AFP, entre otros.

Pero más allá de los trámites consulares, la viceministra Portal también indicó que la sede de este consulado será clave para la identidad y la convivencia entre los salvadoreños que residen en Nashville.

“Con el Consulado de Nashville nos aseguramos de acercar a nuestra población temas como promoción cultural, solici-

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

tud de inversiones, actividades deportivas, acercamiento a la diáspora, alianzas con entidades, acuerdos de visas de trabajo y misiones de monitoreo a trabajadores laborales”, señaló. En su intervención, indicó que, en esta oficina consular contará con el Sistema de Pasaporte Inmediato, lo cual será de mucho beneficio a los connacionales ya que podrán obtener el pasaporte en pocos minutos, sin necesidad de esperar días o semanas para obtener su documento.

La diplomática presentó a la nueva Cónsul General de El Salvador en Nashville, Marta María Orantes Rodríguez, así como al equipo consular que estará destacado en este lugar. Además el Viceministro Portal, reconoció

la labor de la Cámara de Comercio Hispana del Área de Nashville (NAHCC) “Por su decidida dedicación y por el apoyo brindado a la diáspora salvadoreña, acompañándolos en los trámites de los consulados móviles y las gestiones realizadas ante la autoridades correspondientes para la apertura del Consulado General de El Salvador en Nashville, Tennessee". Miembros del liderazgo de la NAHCC, estuvieron presentes durante la presentación del Certificado de Reconocimiento del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, a través del Consulado General de El Salvador en Nashville.

Mario Ramos, miembro de la NAHCC desde hace mucho tiempo, abogado de inmigración y defensor de los derechos de nuestra comunidad Hispana, reaccionó con entusiasmo al anuncio: “Es genial estar en la inauguración del consulado de El Salvador con mi esposa Iris y su hermana Alma. Esta es una adición necesaria a nuestra comunidad”.

“El Salvador nos deja un ejemplo a seguir para el resto de los países latinoamericanos que tienen la presencia de sus ciudadanos en Nashville y en el estado de Tennessee”, dijo Loraine Segovia Paz, Directora Ejecutiva de la Fundación NAHCC, también presente.

En el acto también participaron los funcionarios de la Cancillería, miembros de la comunidad salvadoreña en Nashville e invitados especiales.

Las autoridades también indicaron que, para la atención de compatriotas, se creó el Consulado Virtual, que más que ser un centro de llamadas es un espacio para orientar a nuestra población sobre trámites e incluso brindarles asesorías legales, mediante WhatsApp: + 503-7070-1071 o con la llamada al 1-888-301-1130.

Envíenos sus sugerencias por e-mail: news@hispanicpaper.com ó 615-567-3569

de otro país

7. En caso de ser arrestado, mostrarla Tarjeta Miranda (llámenos si necesita una) 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.

3/6/2023: Vice Minister of Diaspora and Human Mobility, Cindy Mariella Portal and the new Consul General of El Salvador in Nashville, Marta María Orantes (center) pose with members of the Nashville Hispanic Chamber of Commerce during their General Consulate inauguration.

Por Yuri Cunza Editor in Chief @LaNoticiaNews

Children Say and Do the Darnedest Things

BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

I’m flattered when children excitedly wave at me as they pass by! The only thing even better than that is when their parents allow them to actually roll down their window and talk to me.

Recently on two separate occasions occurring on the same day, both Ava and Audrey stopped to tell me they were going to or had just come from a party with friends from school.

One was at Altitude, the other was at a friends house, so what made it so special, apart from spending time with friends?

They were going to have bouncy houses!

Another impressive pair are TJ and his dad. When they stop by, TJ’s ALWAYS eager to show me the latest, greatest video game he’s playing.

On their most recent visit, they brought someone new along for the ride. I asked his name, but I didn’t understand what he said. TJ’s dad spoke up and said “Mr. Fat Cat.” I repeated it just to be sure I’d heard him correctly. He smiled and nodded yes.

Sadly, the light changed before I could find out just how he got such a unique nickname. I suppose that’s a story that’ll have to wait for another day.

On a particularly cold day, a young girl with the most beautiful blue eyes stopped and told me “ you should get in a car so you could stay warm.” I thanked her but said I wouldn’t be able to sell very many papers if I was sitting in a car.

Then she had another suggestion. Since I was outside walking on the side of the road, maybe I could look for her lost hair ribbon she’d thrown out the window.

I asked if it was nearby, and her mom quickly interrupted and said “oh no, she did that a while back on Elm Hill Pike.” I apologized and told the girl, “sorry, I only walk from the light to the hotel, it’s a short trip.”

After they left, I had an idea. In the strip mall where I sell the paper, there is a hair store, so I got her a package of hair ribbons in all different colors. The next time she came through, I gave them to her, and those pretty blue eyes lit up! Her reaction was priceless! So what did I get out of it? Though there was NO money, I think I’ve made a friend for life!

I’ll end this story with one of my favorites involving a child in my entire time of selling the paper.

I met Daniel when he was around 7 or 8 years old as he was walking with his dad to his martial arts class. He was SO cute in his crisp white GI! He stopped in front of my chair and asked, “ How old are you? ” His dad scolded him, saying, “ It’s inappropriate to ask a lady about her age.” I assured him it was ok, then proceeded to ask Daniel, “ How old do you think I am? ” His answer? 30!

At that point, I told his dad “this kid can come and see me ANYTIME! ” I then told Daniel I actually have a daughter who’s 30! His reaction? He just fell back into my chair!

He was even more shocked when I asked him about his best takedown move, saying if he were to show me to do it with dad because I’m old!

Now a pre-teen/teenager no longer walking to classes with his dad, but with a friend instead — who in fairness to him didn’t know me or understand what I was doing selling the paper — who

evidently said something unflattering about me. Daniel was quick to come to my defense and set him straight saying, “ Hey, don’t talk about Miss Norma like that. She’s cool! ”

Unfortunately, his friend didn’t listen and soon found himself on the ground in the grass in submission forced to tap out.

Daniel let him up only AFTER he apologized to me for what he said.

Afterward I told Daniel, an apology doesn’t mean as much when it doesn’t come willingly from the heart. He understood.

Though Daniel NEVER bought a paper, he respected me as a person, and showed it by his actions, which means far more than money!

Needless to say, I was sad when Phoenix MMA and Fitness (where he took classes) moved to Mt. Juliet.

A lot of those young men were nice to me, giving me protein bars and water, “to keep me healthy,” and I felt A LOT safer when they were around!

A couple of them even moved a giant boulder that had gotten knocked out of place and into the road.

I want to say a special thank you to ALL the parents, aunts, uncles, and others who allow your young ones to have these meaningful interactions with me. They mean SO much, and more important than that, you set a GREAT example of how you should treat others no matter what their station in life!

As for those who have the opposite reaction when their kids reach out to me, rolling the windows up, locking their doors, please stop and ask yourself: Is that how you’d want to be treated if you were in my place? Then act accordingly.

HILTON NASHVILLE DOWNTOWN

121 4TH AVENUE SOUTH E-MAIL INQUIRIES: EDRURY@NASHVILLEHILTON.COM

***WALK-IN INTERVIEWS*** EVERY WEDNESDAY 10A-12P AND 2P-4P

Benefits: Health

Insurance after 60 days of employment. Discounted Downtown Parking. Hotel travel discounts. 401(k) company match. Free meal daily. Discounted Bus Pass.

LINE COOK

Relevant Work Experience: 2+ Years

Relevant Industry: Fine Dining Restaurants

Hire Range: $18-$24/hr

STEWARD/PREP COOK

Sitting on the side of the bed feeling and seeing the sun come in.

Praying that he’s made a beautiful day and be grateful that we can enjoy it together.

February 24, 2023. It's a rainy day. God says we need the rain. Guess we do. Make stuff grow and shine. But buddies Cheddar and Cheese don’t like it.He plays in it. She makes a noise and gets all wet and looks bad

Let’s pray that we make ends meet daily and be grateful we have made it to see one again today.

When your feet quit dangling off the bed it's over.

The Last Ride II Raining Day

Relevant Work Experience: 1+ years

BY SHORTY R., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Let's don’t forget where we come from or where we're going.

He has paved for us, not saying its over yet.

Been on this road for a

while, Blessed and grateful the people I’ve met on my journey this far.

God bless you all for letting me be a part of this.

BY JUNE P., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

time. He does too.

But he love it I believe.

For me I don’t like it cold and wet. But I walking the rain when its warm always have. Guess he gets it from me.

Well I hope you all have a

bless day. Stay dry if you can. Update for me. My CT scan come back last week, still cancer free.

So come see me at Osborne Bi-Rites Grocery on Belmont and see me and get your new Contributor paper.

Have a bless day everyone.For me I was bless when God woke me up this morning. We have an awesome God.

Relevant Industry: Machine operation, Restaurant Kitchen Hire Range: $15-18/hr

HOUSEKEEPING

Relevant Work Experience: 1+ years

Relevant Industry: Cleaning Hire Rate: $15/hr

COFFEE SHOP - BARISTA

Relevant Work Experience: 1+ years

Relevant Industry: Coffee Shops, Starbucks Hire Rate: $15/hr + tips

My Canoe

BY LISA A., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

During the Covid shut down, I was crying and told a friend that I felt I had missed the boat that I hadn’t bought a house or saved up any money, that I have just been running around doing for others without really thinking about my time. And she said well you may have missed the boat, but you found a canoe!

She was referring to the little camper that my friend had purchased for a song that we re-painted and that I was living in at the time. Actually I still live in it. It is quite wonderful.

BY LESLIE S., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

In the mid '70s in Waterloo, Iowa, I built a 5x16 inch to scale train set, It cost almost $900 to build in two to three months. I had to paint interiors black to scale building kits, I purchased and built. Then I drilled a hole in the table to mount wire electric light so all building would

Daydreaming about my 5x16 foot to scale train set in Waterloo, Iowa Artist of High Quality work

An event on March 4 at the Downtown Presbyterian Church hosted artisans who have spent years honing their craft. Daybreak Arts was invited to showcase several artists who were excited to show their finest pieces as an investment for collectors of novice to the elite investor.

Paul Collins and A.M. Hassan are two people involved in overseeing and answering questions connected to this one in three years historical event. Collectors of all styles of art saw works of Edwin Lockridge, who uses a unique style of art that utilizes things

light up. I even had for roads a miniature 2x3 foot mountain, plaster of Paris. For kids it was best entertainment year around people love toy trains model railroader magazine. Build your own to scale train sets. Best fun money could buy always.

BY DAVID H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

found to his personal view of the world around him. A.M. Hassan brough her travel on world to her faith that takes the brush to create never seen art. Kateri's works in wood and Sidney Sparkle photography were also both exhibited, to name a few.

The event will run from March 4-22 at the Browsing Room of the Downtown Presbyterian Church. In case you have to work or are unable to make this show. Daybreak Arts will be hosting a yearly event which will not only showcase the above artists but others who are members of a collective.

On March 25 from 6-9 p.m., Daybreak Arts will host a show at the Riverside Revival. The 2023 Illuminate Art Gala will have an auction of gifts to raise money that goes towards helping further provide for artist individual needs. The organization prides itself on the contributions it offers the existing and new artist who proudly showcase their individual artistry such as photography, creative woodworking, painting, jewelry and even markers or pen and ink.

My name is Daniel Holmes and I will

be one of the artists at the Illuminate Art Gala. So please come by and enjoy a night out and purchase a memory in art you will wish to share with your family and community.

I will have paintings along with jewelry that is handcrafted to the individual. Tickets can be purchased through Daybreak Arts.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and remember you are an important member of our community, please share this article.

HOBOSCOPES

PISCES

What do you throw away in a week, Pisces? Like if you saved every empty can and each used to-go box and if you held on to all the wadded-up paper towels and all the crumpled plastic bottles, and if you spread that flood of trash out in the driveway what patterns would you notice? Could you use less? Could you reuse more? What about on the inside, Pisces? What thoughts are you discarding that you could keep? What feelings do you let pile up that you could just let go of? Spread it all out in the driveway and see.

ARIES

Make a little time today to be still, Aries. Maybe just close your eyes and breathe for three minutes before you get out of your car to start your shift. Or on your lunch break you can sit out on the porch and watch the birdhouse in the yard next door. What if you turned off your camera during the Zoom meeting, relaxed your face and your eyes and took a few deep breaths? Maybe you had to sell your time today, but you never have to sell your soul.

TAURUS

Lucky Mike, Timmy Two-Sips, Alice the Skunk, Ball-and-Chain Bill, Tall Deb. These are just a few of the people I met while walking through the mall this morning. They call me Messy Mysterio there, either because of the salsa stains on my shirt or the cat hair stuck to my hoodies. In any case, it makes me feel like I’m part of the crew. What do people remember about you, Taurus? What would they call you if you could choose? You can head down to the old mall and let Nick the Namer pick one out for you. Or you can start putting the best of you out there and see what comes back.

GEMINI

If you really want to hear about it, Gemini, then we should go all the way back to the beginning. Byzantium was an ancient Greek city founded about 2,700 years ago. Byzantium is long gone, but you can still buy a ticket to Istanbul and when you arrive you’ll be standing right on top of it. So if it never went away, at what moment was it not Byzantium anymore? Was it when Rome took over and changed the sign to “Constantinople”? Or was it when taxi drivers in Izmit added “Istanbul” to the rate sheet? It reminds me, Gemini, that you’re still who you were before all the changes. And it reminds me that you’re completely not who you were before either. Keep changing into whatever you need to be, Gemini. We’ll still come visit.

CANCER

Giraffes don’t get much sleep. Just about four hours everyday. And they mostly don’t lay down. They take standing five-minute power-naps between bites of leaves. It’s because giraffes are sort of the Cheez-Its of the Serengeti. All the predators love them. And, I guess, evolutionarily they’d rather be sleepy than dead. So they stay awake. Just in case. You are not a giraffe, Cancer. Your brain may be tricking you into thinking that the first-quarter labor-report due at the end of the week is a cheetah, but it’s not. Get some sleep, Cancer. Lie down, even. Your problems may have fewer teeth in the morning.

LEO

Your experience may be that everybody’s trying their best. You see racist, sexist, homophobic, practices and policies come and go, but people are mostly kind, right? Unfortunately, Leo, your experience is not always your friend. Sometimes you have to look at and listen to the experiences of others to get a full view of the situation. All these people with their best intentions may not be hurting you, but keep an eye out for who they are hurting. You might start to notice that the “best intentions” of some people stomp on the basic needs of others. If your basic needs are met, you might be able to stand in the way.

VIRGO

Imagine that you’re one of those water bugs that glides across the surface of the pond. You skitter along allowing the tiny hydrophobic hairs on the ends of your long, thread-thin legs suspend you in the surface tension of the water. You feel a pull on your knee from a stray water particle. Mandibles flex as you realize there’s a tiny spider that is struggling in the water and you stride over for the meal. You do float above the rest of us sometimes, Virgo. You need so little and you’re so light. But maybe this time you could help somebody out who’s not as buoyant.

LIBRA

They say three is a magic number, Libra. They say that, and then they do a bunch of math that I don’t understand and they show pictures of triangles twisting and tables tipping and tricycles tricycling and I don’t know what it all means so I have to assume they’re right. But there is something about things that come in threes. The first time, it’s just an event. The second, it becomes a possibility. But the third time makes a pattern. What positive magic could you make into a pattern today? Do it three times and see if the spell is cast.

SCORPIO

If you’re happy and you know it, slow your roll, Scorpio. To put it another way, we built this city, and we should be able to paint it whatever color we want. A rock in the road is an obstacle to go around but a stone in the pocket can be useful in a pinch. Are you picking up what I’m laying down here? Because I’m a little lost. What I can tell you, Scorpio, is that when it comes to advice, take what’s helpful and be willing to leave the rest on the page.

SAGITTARIUS

There’s a lock of your hair that someone keeps in an old film canister in their middle desk drawer. And now they’re stitching together a tiny cloth doll that looks suspiciously like you. And as they add the finishing touches and weave your hair onto its tiny head, I can’t be sure whether or not it started moving. My chair is shaking slightly as I write this, even though I know it isn’t true. You’re in control of your life, Sagittarius, even if it feels like somebody else is pulling the strings. Be your own voodoo doll for once.

CAPRICORN

My grandmother used to tell me that things wouldn’t always be this hard. She’d smile and say that all things must pass and that this would too. Then the feedback in her poorly-fitted hearing aid would begin to squeal and she’d sigh and pull herself up on her walker to find a more comfortable position for her hip. And she’s right, Capricorn, things won’t stay this way. Sometimes they’ll even be better. And it’s true, too, that in all the best case scenarios we get old and eventually grow feeble and finally die. I think she’d remind us not to get too caught up in any one moment, but to lean forward and enjoy the movement through.

AQUARIUS

My first job was scooping ice cream for minimum wage at a place between a jeweler and a fried chicken joint. Everything since has been a bit of a letdown. Maybe we all just want to get back to simpler times. When we knew what the job was and when to stop. Maybe today you can set your open-ended work aside and scoop yourself some ice cream. You’ll know when you’re finished.

Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a trained letterbox filler, or a registered whistler. 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

The New Christian Year

Selected by Charles Williams

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

4TH WEDNESDAY IN LENT

. . . IT is needful to us for to show it to our power and get and keep the virtue of discreet abstinence as our Lord Jesus and His Apostles and other saints have both taught us and given us example; keeping the body and feeding as it is needful thereto after the kind thereof and the travail that longeth thereto. In manner as a horse oweth to be kept for to do his journey, so that he fail not by default into much abstinence on the one side and that he be not rebel to the spirit and too proud by pampering on the other side, but in a good face of abstinence that teacheth the virtue of discretion.

The which discretion, as Saint Bernard said, is not only a virtue but also a keeper and leader of all other virtues: for if that lack, that same virtue is vice.

The Mirror of the Blessed Life of Jesus Christ, tr. by Nicholas Love.

4TH THURSDAY IN LENT

A CERTAIN monk was sitting by the monastery, and whilst he was occupied in great labours, it happened that strangers came to the monastery, and they forced him to eat with them contrary to his usual custom, and afterwards the brethren said unto him, "Father, wast thou not just now afflicted?" and he said unto them, "My affliction is to break my will."

The Paradise of the Fathers

GREAT is the difference betwixt a man's being frightened at, and humbled for his sins. One may passively be cast down by God's terrors, and yet not willingly throw himself down as he ought at God's footstool.

Thomas Fuller: A Wounded Conscience

4TH FRIDAY IN LENT

ENGLAND! awake! awake! awake!

Jerusalem thy sister calls!

Why wilt thou sleep the sleep of death, And close her from thy ancient walls?

Thy hills and valleys felt her feet, Gently upon their bosoms move: Thy gates beheld sweet Zion's ways; Then was a time of joy and love.

And now the time returns again: Our souls exult, and London's towers

Receive the Lamb of God to dwell

In England's green and pleasant bowers.

Blake: Jerusalem

HE who would do good to another must do it in minute particulars.

Blake: Jerusalem

4TH SATURDAY IN LENT

IF thou hast prayed for thy companion thou hast also prayed for thyself, but if thou hast prayed for thyself only thou hast impoverished thy petition; and if thou hast shown that thy brother hath offended thee, thou hast also shown that thou hast offended thyself.

The Paradise of the Fathers

ALMIGHTY God, have mercy on N and N and on all that bear me evil will, and would me harm, and their faults and mine together, by such easy, tender, merciful means as Thine infinite wisdom best can divine, vouchsafe to amend and redress, and make us saved souls in heaven together where we may ever live and love together with thee and they blessed saints, O glorious Trinity, for the bitter passion of our sweet saviour Christ, amen.

Ascribed to Sir Thomas More.

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT

'THIS mind was in Christ Jesus'—[St. Paul] means as man: being in the form of God—that is, finding, as in the first instant of his incarnation he did, his human nature informed by the Godhead— he thought it no matching-matter for him to be equal with God, but annihilated himself, taking the form of servant: that is, he could not but see what he was, God, but he would see it as if he did not see it, and be it as if he was not, and instead of snatching at once at what all the time was his, or was himself, he emptied himself so far as that was possible of Godhead and behaved only as God's slave,

as his creature, as man, which also he was, and then being in the guise of man humbled himself to death.

Gerard Hopkins: Letters

4TH MONDAY IN LENT

WHAT Adam and Eve went trembling behind the trees through fear and dread of God, it was only this wrath of God awakened in them; it was a terror, and horror, and shivering of nature, that arose up in themselves, because the divine life, the birth of the Son of God, which is the brightness and joy of the soul, was departed from it and had left it to feel its own poor miserable state without it. And this may well enough be called the wrath and justice of God upon them, because it was punishment or painful state of the soul that necessarily followed their revolting from God. But still there was no wrath or painful sensation that wanted to be appeased or satisfied, but in nature and creature; it was only the wrath of fallen nature that wanted to be changed into its first state of peace and love.

William Law: Christian Regeneration

4TH TUESDAY IN LENT

INTO myself I went, and with the eyes of my soul (such as it was) I discovered over the same eye of my soul, over my mind, the unchangeable light of the Lord . . . He that knows what truth is, knows what that light is; and he that knows it, knows eternity. Charity knows it. O eternal Truth! and true Charity! and dear Eternity! Thou art my God, to thee do I sigh day and night. Thee when first I saw, thou liftedst me up, that I might see there was something which I might see; and that as yet I was not the man to see it. And thou didst beat back the infirmity of my own sight, darting thy beams of light upon me most strongly, and I trembled both with love and horror: and I perceived myself to be far off from thee in the region of utter unlikeness, as if I heard this voice of thine from on high: I am the food of strong men, grow apace, and thou shalt feed on me; nor shalt thou convert me like common food into thy substance, but thou shalt be changed into me.

St Augustine: Confessions

5TH WEDNESDAY IN LENT

THAT God the Lord, the Lord of life could die, is a strange contemplation; . . . but that God would die, is an exaltation of that; but, even of that also, it is a super-exaltation, that God should die, must die; . . . God is the God of revenges; he would not pass over the sin of man unrevenged, unpunished; But then the God of revenges works freely; he punished, he spares whom he will; and would he not spare himself; He would not. . . Love is as strong as death; stronger; it drew in death, that naturally was not welcome.

Donne: Sermons

HE alone . . . for us to thee both Victor and Victim and therefore Victor because of Victim; for us the thee Priest and Sacrifice; making us to thee of servants sons, by being born of thee, and serving us.

St Augustine: Confessions

5TH THURSDAY IN LENT

WHEN all is done, with this cross thus laid out for me, and taken up by me, I must follow Christ; Christ to his end; his end is his cross; that is, I must bring my cross to his; lay down my cross at the foot of his; confess that there is no dignity, no merit in mine, but as it receives an impression, a sanctification from his. If I could die a thousand times for Christ, this were nothing, if Christ had not died for me before.

Donne: Sermons

THOU dost nowhere depart from us, and we hardly return unto thee.

St Augustine: Confessions

GOD always goes before our contemplation; we can never here overtake him who is our highest beatitude.

Dante: Convivio

5TH FRIDAY IN LENT

GOD is the essence as well as the object of religion.

Coleridge: Anima Poetae

Sponsored by Matthew Carver, publisher

THE same act, for good or evil, is judged differently, accordingly as it proceeds from a different source. The Father delivered up Christ, and Christ surrendered Himself, from charity, and consequently we give praise to both: but Judas betrayed Christ from greed, the Jews from envy and Pilate from worldly fear, for he stood in fear of Caesar; and these accordingly are held guilty.

Aquinas:

Summa Theologica THE FEAST OF THE ANNUNCIATION

IF a poet or an artist puts himself into his productions he is criticized. But that is exactly what God does, he does so in Christ. And precisely that is Christianity. The creation was really only completed when God included himself in it. Before the coming of Christ God was certainly in the creation but as an invisible sign, like the watermark in paper. But the creation was completed by the incarnation because God thereby included himself in it.

Søren Kierkegaard: Journals. [LOVE said] What! Most of all, did I not make a loveday between God and mankind, and chose a maid to be compere [companion], to put the quarrel at end?

Thomas Usk: Testament of Love.

5TH SATURDAY IN LENT

HE gave power unto the sharp thorns to enter and most cruelly wound His divine and trembling head; He empowered the bonds and bitter cords to bind Him fast unto the pillar and ties His hands together; . . . He gave unto the hard nails power to pierce and enter His tender feet and the hands wherewith He had given light unto the blind and hearing unto the deaf; . . . He empowered the lofty cross that it should bear Him on high, . . . He caused the vinegar and hyssop to make bitter his mouth; He caused (oh, marvellous to hear!) the lance to enter and pierce through His divine side and heart.

Angela of Foligno:

The Book of Divine Consolation

AS of His own will His bodily nature kept its vigour to the end, so likewise, when He willed, he suddenly succumbed to the injury inflicted.

Aquinas: Summa Theologica

FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT

IN Christ ye are under grace. Comprehending Him, ye are comprehended in His death; with His human body ye are made dead. All human possibilities, including the possibility of religion, have been offered and surrendered to God on Golgotha . . . Golgotha is the end of law and the frontier of religion . . . through the slain body of Christ, we are what we are not.

Barth: Epistle to the Romans

5TH MONDAY IN LENT

THE beginning of our Lord's entrance into the terrible jaws of this second death may be justly dated from those affecting words, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death; tarry ye here with me and watch." See here the Lord of life reduced to such distress as to beg the prayers, watching and assistance of His poor disciples! A plain proof that it was not the sufferings of this world, but a state of dreadful dereliction that was coming upon Him. O holy Redeemer, that I knew how to describe the anguishing terrors of thy soul, when thou wast entering into eternal death, that no other son of man might fall into it!

William Law: An Appeal

5TH TUESDAY IN LENT

AS He was uplifted above others in gifts of graces, so was He lowered beneath others by the ignominy of His sufferings.

Aquinas: Summa Theologica

THE will maketh the beginning, the middle, and the end of everything; it is the only workman in nature, and everything is its work. It has all power, its works cannot be hindered, it carries all before it, it creates as it goes and all things are possible to it. It enters whenever it wills and finds everything that it seeks, for its seeking is its finding. The will overrules all nature, because nature is its offspring and born of it; for all the properties of nature, whether the be good or evil, in darkness or in light, in love or in hatred, in wrath or in meekness, in pride or humility, in trouble or birth of the will; as that liveth so, they live, and as that changeth, so they change.

William Law: Divine Knowledge

It’s time to take note of another Contributor volunteer! So without missing a beat, please allow me take a moment to sing the praises of Joe First, a retired music teacher who taught elementary age children from K-5 for 30 years!

(In case you’re wondering, that translates to over 700 kids a week, each year!) All I can say about that is WOW! (Readers feel free to applaud, or better yet, can I get a standing ovation for Joe?)

In addition, he taught band for five years, that is until the county defunded the program. Sadly, he lamented,“it was only for the kids whose parents could afford the instruments,” which was a source of irritation for Joe.

He’s also conducted a number of choruses throughout his teaching career.

He pointed out that this type of music certification is the ONLY one that requires you to be qualified to teach ALL grade levels K-12, something I didn’t know. (Most education degrees focus on either the elementary education level, or the middle/high school education level, not both.)

BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

In harmony with ALL that musicality, he’s played the piano from age eight. He added another instrument years later at age 40, when he took up the accordion — an instrument he admits he’s STILL trying to master. He’s also been in a number of bands throughout his life, in fact, he still playing gigs every chance he gets!

So how did someone with that background come to volunteer at The Contributor ?

In 2009, he spotted vendor Chris R. at a McDonald’s as he was walking down 12th and Broadway, where he bought his first copy of The Contributor. Joe read it and thought it was a wonderful paper. He loved EVERYTHING about it, and wanted to be a part of it from that moment on!

He says he enjoys helping organizations that help people!

With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that in 2011, he filled out an online reader survey from a Contributor issue and clicked in a box asking if there was an interest in being a volunteer.

Remembering back in grade school my worst subject was reading. Teacher hand me a book and the first thing I asked is, “what do you want me to do with that?" She said to read the first three chapters out loud. Seems it was a beginning of a nightmare. Today I think about it and I give God all the praise. God turned a nightmare into something I love. Almost as if God turned a blessing into a gift.

I have a friend name Joann, one of my customers. She works in an elderly

Six weeks later, he got a call back asking

if he could come in to volunteer THAT DAY!

No big deal, right? Did I mention he lives in rural Cheatham County between Ashland City and Pleasant View? (Not exactly right around the corner from The Contributor office in downtown Nashville.)

Since that time, he’d come in on paper

A Gift

BY JOHN H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

home. She usually drop by and pick up 10 papers every time she buys and I asked who are she getting these papers for. She told me her story about work and all til one day she dropped by and said, “John I need you to come with me for a while.” I got in the car. She took me to the place she worked. We walked in and amazing things happened. A man who hadn’t gotten out of his chair for a week other than the restroom got up and walked to me and shook my hand. A lady who hadn’t uttered a word said,

"John I have been waiting to meet you." Then I looked around and saw Joann in tears and immediately I went to her and asked her, whats wrong? "John, you gotta know what I mean. Just when I thought all them where giving up, you brought light into this room. They all were smiling, laughter, you name it it was going on. A total turn around from the last two previous weeks." The CEO even walked in and was amazed. He even walked up and wanted to greet me with a hug and handshake. He asked

Volunteer Spotlight on Joe First Stop Harassing Us

Why is the city threatened by homeless people? Is it that they think that homeless people are going to take over the city? Is it because they know they can't control the homeless population so they have to threaten and harass and stalk homeless people? Don’t they have better things to do?

Why don’t they make a solution for

BY JULIE B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

us like taking these abandoned buildings and making them so homeless people can live in them instead of harassing and threatening homeless people.

Maybe if there was more housing for homeless people we wouldn’t be homeless? Do you know there were 174 homeless people who died last year and the city did nothing about it? I think

the city wants homeless people to die. Well, that’s not going to happen because if you get rid of us then more and more and more are going to show up. You will always have homeless people in Nashville.

If we had housing we wouldn’t be homeless now would we? Wouldn't have to live in tents and live all over the city

release day to help out, and he ALWAYS fills in when someone can’t make it for their shift.

In 2012, he took a regular shift as a volunteer, which recently changed to Mondays and Thursdays, but I can assure you he’s there every chance he gets!

This is nothing new for Joe, you see, he’s volunteered in his community at a number of locations since he was 20, including a number of places in Nashville, before he found The Contributor

He is driven by a desire to help people, and he feels he accomplishes that EVERY TIME he comes in.

To quote him concerning the paper, he says, “ We help people help themselves! ”

He admits a lot has changed since he first came onboard. In particular, he noted the addition of the housing unit and other wrap around services in particular that help people experiencing homelessness.

Just as The Contributor continues to help those in need, Joe too plays an instrumental part in helping the vendors he comes in contact with on a regular basis. We are blessed to have him as a loyal volunteer!

me was if any way I could come here once a month, maybe. These people had been reading my articles for about eight or nine years. They all told me reading my articles was like a gift. I responded, “well this gift will be coming to see you live in living color from now on.” It was amazing. Something I’ve never experienced. I said to myself, when I share God’s word there is no way I can go wrong. For a man who hated reading, what a gift to write.

now would we? If the city would actually do their job and put more places for us we wouldn’t be homeless now would we? Are there buildings out there that you can renovate and use for housing? Why don’t you use the money that you get to renovate these buildings and make more housing for homeless people instead of harassing us.

VENDOR

IT'S A PRIVILEGE

By Jen A., Contributor Vendor

See that woman out in the kitchen

She cooks our food for us

We don't know what we'd do without her

Comes here every morning on the bus

Looks after our kids before and after school

And cleans up the little messes we make around the house

She's a Christian woman, don't expect more than a pittance

Doesn't loaf, or steal, or cuss

But she's getting a little long in the tooth

In her line of work that's not a plus

So we're looking around for another one

A quiet one that won't make a fuss

This one's been with us nigh on 16 years

She doesn't have kin anymore

Her boy died down on lower Broadway

It's a tragedy to be sure, but not our fault

We sent a small bouquet

The wife and I have booked a trip to Paris

A little anniversary getaway

We'd like to get the new one in here

Before we send the old one away

We don't want one with a sad sob story

ACROSS

1. Necktie alternative

6. Finish line

9. Show of appreciation

13. Biotic community

14. Hula dancer's necklace

15. House duty

16. Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone's stage last name

17. International distress signal

18. Hogwarts professor, part werewolf

19. *"Avengers: ____," second-highest grossing movie of all time

21. *Annexed Black Sea peninsula

23. Santa ____, Orange County

24. Multicolored horse

25. *Rand Paul's title, abbr.

28. Youngster

30. *Type of spinner popular in the late 2010s

35. Between duet and quartet

37. Newspaper piece

39. Pope's court

40. Bohemian

41. *Tonya and Harley Quinn to Margot Robbie, e.g.

43. *Like Millie Bobby Brown and friends in "Stranger Things"

44. Prows

Vaulting prop 47. Fencer's blade 48. *Animated story of Elsa and Anna 50. Greek salad ingredient 52. Make #26 Down 53. Look through a book

THEME: THE 2010S

55. Good times

57. *Global surveillance whistle-blower

61. *Swedish audio streamer

65. BBQ spot

66. Words at the altar (2 words)

68. Beneficiary 69. Anti-seniors sentiment 70. Ides mo.

7. Opposite of paleo

8. "Saturday Night Fever" music

9. Pal 10. Between trot and gallop 11. Operatic solo 12. Actor Sean 15. Healthcare facility 20. *Bill de Blasio, e.g.

England's airforce

Recite rapidly (2 words) 25. Walking stick

Fielding mistake 27. Part of TNT 29. *BTS' genre 31. *Home to Blue Devils, 2015 NCAA winners

sion

42. Frame job 45. Not often

49. *Amal Clooney ____ Alamuddin

51. Naturally footless 54. Japanese cartoon art

56. Expressionless

57. Junk e-mail

58. Hindu serpent deity

59. Singer-songwriter Redding

60. Item on Santa's list

61. Acidic kind of apple

62. A fan of 63. *Plant in Zach Galifianakis' 2019 movie

64. Those not opposed 67. *Popular meme move

Our kids deserve cruel life be kept at bay

So if you hear of someone let us know

A naive one who'll take cash and has some backdoor sway

MORAL BEAUTY

By Jen A., Contributor Vendor

We are inspired by goodness

To walk a path beyond loneliness

To a calm, clear forest pond

Where frogs ribbit

And the scent of the good earth

Floats on every gentle breeze

for omis-

We're inspired by the goodness

Of our family

We're inspired by the goodness

Of our neighbors

We unite with the goodness

Of our community

To accomplish great acts

Of humanness

Of charity

Of compassion for one another Compassion

Is the natural state

Of the human mind