$2
Buy this paper with Venmo! Include your Vendor’s Name & Badge #:
w w w . t h e c o n t r i b u t o r. o r g
Volu m e 16
| N u m b e r 8 | A p r i l 1 3 - 2 7, 2 0 2 2
IN THE ISSUE Please Vote Nashville
Contributor Board
Tom Wills, Chair Cathy Jennings, Bruce Doeg, Demetria Kalodimos, Ann Bourland, Kerry Graham, Peter Macdonald, Amber DuVentre, Jerome Moore, Annette McDermott, Drew Morris, Andy Shapiro
Contributors This Issue
Linda Bailey • Amanda Haggard • Vicky B. • Daniel H.
BALLOT BREAKDOWN For the May 3 election, The Contributor teamed up with Please Vote Nashville to create a guide of all the offices and candidates. Since its inception, Please Vote Nashville’s goal has been to provide information on every can-
didate on the ballot. The ballot breakdown also gives a description of the office to give voters a sense of what exactly the candidate should do in the job. The ballot breakdown for the May 3 election (See Pg. 6) is the
third Please Vote Nashville has put together and its second as a collaboration with The Contributor. Early voting begins April 13 and runs through April 28. Visit nashville.gov for more information on where to vote.
Contributor Volunteers Christine Doeg , Volunteer Coordinator Joe First • Andy Shapiro • Michael Reilly • Logan Ebel • Ann Bourland • Laura Birdsall • Richard Aberdeen • Marissa Young • Ezra LaFleur • Rachel Stanley • Linda Eisele • Matthew Murrow • Wendy Curland • Gisselly Mazariegos
Cathy Jennings Executive Director Tom Wills Director of Vendor Operations Carli Tharp Social Services Intake Specialist
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!
Ree Cheers SOAR Manager Rachel Ternes Housing Navigator Catherine Hardy Housing Navigator Jesse Call Operations Consultant Raven Nye Director of Housing Initiatives Barbara Womack Advertising Manager Amanda Haggard & Linda Bailey Co-Editors Gisselly Mazariegos & Isabella Romero Interns Andrew Krinks Editor Emeritus Will Connelly, Tasha F. Lemley, Steven Samra, and Tom Wills Contributor Co-Founders
The Contributor now accepts Venmo! Scan the QR Code above, 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!
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
The Contributor P.O. Box 332023, Nashville, TN 37203 Vendor Office: 615.829.6829
Proud Member of: Printed at:
Follow The Contributor:
PAGE 2 | April 13 - 27, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Copyright © 2018 The Contributor, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Contributor's Annual Spring Breakfast With Keynote Speaker
MEGAN BARRY Between Shame and Hope: One Family's Story of Substance Use Disorder
& 2021 VENDOR AWARD PRESENTATION WEDNESDAY, MAY 11 • 7- 8:30 A.M. BELMONT UNIVERSITY JANE AYERS ACADEMIC CENTER RSVP at www.thecontributor.org
YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE ONLINE TO THE CONTRIBUTOR FOR JUST $99 A YEAR OR $30 FOR 3 MONTHS. DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION AVAILABLE OR YOUR ISSUES WILL BE MAILED MONTHLY AND YOU CAN DESIGNATE A VENDOR TO RECEIVE THE PROFITS — AND EVEN LEAVE A TIP FOR YOUR VENDOR! SIGN UP AT: WWW.THECONTRIBUTOR.ORG
populist.com
April 13 - 27, 2022
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 3
Kenneth Redditt is pleased to announce his candidacy for General Sessions Judge in Division II. Redditt has practiced law in Nashville for almost 14 years. His primary practice areas are Criminal Defense, Family, Personal Injury and Landlord Tenant Detainer Actions. He has gone into the tough counties that many stay away from because he does not believe that justice should be limited by zip code. Kenneth has been extremely active in his community. He has held countless expungement clinics throughout the city at no cost to try and assist those who want to clean up their record and find gainful and meaningful employment that would allow them to provide for their families. During some of these clinics, he would incorporate a know your rights component. He would speak about the rights of detainees and some of the limitations on law enforcement in police encounters and the need to remain silent. His breadth and depth of both real world and legal experience coupled with his understanding of the needs of Davidson County citizens (fairness) makes him uniquely qualified to serve as the next General Sessions Judge in Division II.
PAGE 4 | April 13 - 27, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
April 13 - 27, 2022
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 5
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Tristen Gaspadarek ILLUSTRATOR Kami Baergen
EDITORS Aarron Schurevich Anna Dufur Chloe Cooper Cybelle Elena
Erin McNally Hayes Peebles Marcus Lewis
WRITERS Becky Warren Chloe Stillwell Connor McGinnis Cybelle Elena Ellen Angelico
Eliot McKinley Erin Rae McKaskle Erin McNally Hayes Peebles Ingrid Miller
PAGE 6 | April 13 - 27, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Jess Nolan Kai Welch Katie Johns Lydia Luce Marcus Lewis Max Putnam
Megan Collier Melena Gaspadarek Skyler Levine Sylvia Tennant
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
Chancellor, Chancery Court The 95 counties in Tennessee are divided into 31 judicial districts; Davidson County Chancery Court is District 20. Chancellors, or judges, who preside over the chancery court hear constitutional issues, contract disputes, employment lawsuits, construction, real property and commer-
cial litigation, applications for receivership and liquidation of insurance companies, state tax disputes, workers compensation, local governmental actions, including appeals from a variety of local boards and commissions, applications for injunctions, writs of certiorari, emancipation of minors,
and name changes. The Davidson County Chancery Court is also the court of appeals for a number of administrative agencies, such as the Tennessee Department of TennCare, Tennessee Department of Labor, and the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, among
many others. Chancellors are elected for eightyear terms and must be authorized to practice law in the courts of Tennessee. She or he must be at least 30 years of age and a resident of the state for five years and of the district for one year.
PATRICIA HEAD MOSKAL
ANNE C. MARTIN
L’ASHEA L. MYLES
RUSSELL PERKINS
Chancellor, Chancery Court Part I
Chancellor, Chancery Court Part II
Chancellor, Chancery Court Part III
Chancellor, Chancery Court Part IV
Patricia Head Moskal is running unopposed for re-election as Chancellor of Chancery Court, Part 1, a position she has held since 2019. Moskal attended undergraduate school at Indiana University, Bloomington and then graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Moskal was a psychiatry teacher and counselor in Chattanooga before she became an attorney and partner at Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP for 30 years. Among many other honors, she was awarded the Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey Award by The Lawyers’ Association for Women in 2018. Moskal is currently a member of the Board of Trustees for the Nashville Bar Foundation and serves as a Character and Fitness Interviewer for the Board of Law Examiners. Other titles she has held include President of the Mario Griffith Chapter of the Lawyers’ Association for Women, first Vice President and Board Member of the Nashville Bar Association, and Chair of the Business Court Advisory Commission to the Tennessee Supreme Court. Moskal believes in applying the law fairly and impartially to all litigants who come before the Chancery Court, as well as treating everyone with dignity, fairness, and respect.
Anne C. Martin is seeking re-election, unopposed, to the judgeship of Davidson County’s Chancery Court, Part II. The incumbent first took office in 2018. In 2019, the Tennessee Supreme Court appointed her judge of Nashville’s Business Court Docket. Chancellor Martin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College and a Juris Doctor degree from Vanderbilt University. Before becoming a judge, she worked for Nashville law firms Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella and Bone McAllester Norton PLLC, where she specialized in commercial litigation and employment law. She describes herself as a “natural networker” who is passionate about “using the special gifts she has developed as a lawyer to help others who cannot help themselves.” Outside of court, the Chancellor sits on the board of special needs education and childcare center First Steps, Inc. and is also involved with the Interfaith Dental Clinic, which provides dental services for low-income and uninsured individuals. She was an Adjunct Professor at the Belmont University College of Law and now teaches at the Nashville School of Law.
April 13 - 27, 2022
L’Ashea L. Myles is running for Chancellor of Chancery Court, Part III. Myles received both her bachelor’s and law degrees from Belmont University and is now an attorney at Bone McAllester Norton PLLC, a law firm focusing on construction, real estate, employment, and commercial business law. The Nashville Business Journal recently named Myles one of 2021’s Women of Influence and honored her with the Trailblazer Award. She led the first-ever expungement clinic for Rutherford County. Myles was named an Attorney for Justice by the Tennessee Supreme Court for her pro bono service and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Lawyers’ Association for Women. A strong believer in the importance of representation, Myles hopes to restore faith in the law by showing that the legal process is for everyone. She believes that by promoting diversity on the bench, the community can ensure that every person is treated fairly.
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 7
Nashville native Russell T. Perkins is running unopposed for Chancellor in the Chancery Court, Part IV. Perkins graduated from Tennessee State University in 1978 and the Ohio State University’s College of Law in 1981. Perkins served as an assistant attorney general in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office before joining the Nashville law firm of Williams and Dinkins in Nashville in 1982, where he practiced law for 12 years. From 1994 to 2008, he served in the Tennessee Attorney’s General Office, notably as lead counsel for Tennessee’s historic tobacco settlement. He was appointed to his current position in 2008 and won reelection in 2014. Russell T. Perkins is the founding pastor of Bread of Heaven Church. In 2000, Mr. Perkins received the William M. Leech, Jr. Award. Perkins is a member of the Nashville Bar Association and Harry Phillips Inns of Court.
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
Circuit Court Clerk Davidson County Circuit Court Clerks are elected to four-year terms. They serve the needs of the courts, legal community, and the citizens of Davidson County. They ensure the efficient operation of courts. The responsibilities of Circuit Court clerks include maintaining not only the records of the eight Circuit Courts but also the civil records of the eleven General Sessions Courts. The Circuit Court Clerk also maintains dockets and records, handling administrative matters, and serving as good will ambassadors to the public.
JOSEPH P. DAY
HOWARD JONES
PAM MURRAY
Joseph P. Day is a Democrat running for Davidson County Circuit Court Clerk. He was born and raised in Nashville and went on to receive his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Tennessee State University and a master’s degree in Public Service Management from Cumberland University. He continued his education by obtaining a Certified Public Administrator certification from the University of Tennessee Institute of Public Service. Day started working in the Circuit Court Clerk’s office as an intern in 1997 and rose through the ranks to his current position as Chief Deputy of Public Relations and Employee Development. He’s credited with implementing an electronic filing system and has received the endorsement of current Circuit Court Clerk Richard Rooker. Rooker writes that, “many of the great things that have transpired in the clerk’s office over the last few years can be traced back to [Day’s] ideas and vision.” If elected, Day aims to employ a diverse workforce, utilize technology, and make the office more transparent to the public.
Howard Jones is a local pastor running for the office of Davidson County’s Circuit Court Clerk. He was born in Nashville and attended Tennessee State University, where he earned his B.S. in Sociology and M.S. in Education. Jones has been serving as a Senior Pastor at Fairfield Missionary Baptist Church since 1990. Pastor Howard Jones has held positions throughout his career in the Juvenile Court system and the Metropolitan Nashville Public School system, including the role of assistant principal. He is the proud father of two children who graduated from Nashville’s public school system. Additionally, Jones owns Kingdom Cafe & Grill, which aims to uplift the community around Jefferson Street. By creating an office environment that is focused on fairness, accessibility, integrity, and responsiveness, Jones hopes to save taxpayers time and money and help Nashvillians navigate legal issues with more ease. As a leader who seeks to serve his community, he aims to use his skills to hear the needs of the people and care for them.
Nashville native Pam Murray is running for Circuit Court Clerk. A licensed clinical social worker, Murray earned her bachelor’s degree from Tennessee State University and a master’s degree in science and social work from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. In 2003, Murray was elected to Nashville’s Metro Council as the representative for District 5, becoming the first woman elected for the District. She voted for historic zoning status for Sylvan Park and passed legislation to stabilize zoning in her district. She was recalled in 2009 after residents filed a petition alleging Murray was not responsive to her constituents — a NewsChannel 5 report revealed she worked full time for a methadone clinic in Detroit, implying she did not live in her district. In 2010, she filed a libel suit in Circuit Court against the council member who won the recall election and others involved in the recall, stating they made false statements that opened Murray to public ridicule. She lost the suit on appeal in 2012. As an experienced public servant and organizer, Murray’s key values are education and helping others.
PAGE 8 | April 13 - 27, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
Circuit Court Judge Davidson County Circuit Court Judges preside over eight divisions of the 20th Judicial District of Tennessee. Circuit Courts are of general jurisdiction in Tennessee and judges hear civil and criminal cases and appeals of decisions from Juvenile, Municipal, and General Sessions Courts.
Among the types of cases heard by the Circuit Courts are contract disputes, civil torts, worker’s compensation claims, domestic matters and the administration of estates. Judges should maintain the dignity of judicial office. They should aspire at all times to ensure public confidence in their impartiality, integrity
and competence. Circuit Court judges are elected for eight-year terms and must be authorized to practice law in the courts of Tennessee. To serve as a criminal court judge, one must be at least 30 years of age and a resident of the state for five years and of the district for one.
DIVISION I
DAVID BRILEY Former Nashville Mayor David Briley is running for Circuit Court Judge in Division I. Previously serving as
Councilman at Large from 1999 to 2007, he is the grandson of Beverly Briley, the first mayor of Metro Nashville. He was elected vice-mayor in 2015 and sworn in as mayor after Megan Barry’s resignation. Briley was raised in Nashville and received his undergraduate degree from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and his law degree from Golden Gate University in San Francisco. Before and after his term as mayor, Briley worked as an attorney at Bone McAllester Norton PLLC, where he specialized in plaintiff’s personal
injury and products liability litigation, commercial litigation, and class action litigation. Over the past two decades, he has served as a board member for The Housing Fund, Nashville CARES, Boy Scouts of America, Faith Family Medical Clinic, Hands on Nashville, Sister Cities of Nashville, Habitat for Humanity, and Beaman Park to Bells Bend Corridor, amongst others. Briley is known for his progressive politics. He is committed to equity and fairness from the bench and believes the law should be “enforced fairly and compassionately.”
WENDY LONGMIRE Wendy Longmire is running for Circuit Court judge in Division I. She
holds a B.A. in Journalism from the University of Mississippi and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Kentucky College of Law. If elected, Wendy Longmire would become the first woman to preside over the First Circuit Court. Longmire began her career in the Fifth Circuit Court as a clerk for Judge Walter C. Kurtz. In 1987, she began practicing privately at the Nashville law firm Ortale Kelly, where she became a partner in 1993. During her 35 years of private practice, Longmire
litigated in circuit courts, primarily representing defendants in cases of alleged negligence and liability. Outside of her career in law, she serves as Vice-Chancellor of the Episcopal Diocese of Tennessee and volunteers with the Nashville Pro Bono Program, the Nashville Conf lict Resolution Center, and other non-profits. On her campaign website Longmire writes that she “is not a politician” and is ready to use her qualifications to “give back to the community.”
DIVISION II
AMANDA MCCLENDON
Amanda McClendon is running for re-election as Division II Circuit Court Judge. She was originally elected to the bench in 2006. A native Nashvillian, McClendon graduated from McGavock High School in 1975. She attended MTSU before transferring to Vanderbilt University, where she graduated with a B.S. in Economics and History. McClendon later obtained her Juris Doctor degree from University of Tennessee College of Law.
McClendon was an attorney in private practice from 1984-2006. She went on to become the second female attorney elected to Metro Council, serving the 16th district from 1999-2006. During her time as a councilmember, Judge McClendon served as the Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee, Vice-Chair of the Codes Fair and Farmer’s Market Committee, Vice-Chair of Parks, Library, Recreation and Auditorium,
DIVISION III
PHILLIP ROBINSON Phillip Robinson is a native Nashvillian running for re-election Circuit Court Judge in Division III,
a position to which he was appointed by Governor Bill Haslam in 2012. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee and then received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1975. Shortly after graduating, Robinson became an associate at Norman Law Office, where his practice included personal injury, criminal, and domestic relations matters. Since 1997, he has exclusively focused on domestic relations matters including divorce and custody actions. He is a
Chair of Public Works, and Chair of the Federal Grants Committee. Additionally, Judge McClendon is an adjunct professor at the Nashville School of Law. She is a member of the National Association of Women Judges, the Tennessee Bar Association, the Nashville Bar Association, the Harry Phillips Inns of Court, the Nashville Bar Foundation, and the Tennessee Judicial Foundation.
DIVISION IV frequent speaker at seminars on divorce and family law. Robinson is board certified as a family law trial advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, as well as a hearing panel member of the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the Nashville Bar Foundation. He has the highest rating from Martindale-Hubbel, a company that publishes peer ratings to estimate the legal and ethical standards of an attorney. April 13 - 27, 2022
PHILLIP E. SMITH Philip E. Smith has served as a Circuit Court Judge since 2009 when he
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 9
was appointed by Gov. Phi l Bredesen. Smith ran unopposed in 2010 and 2014 and is up for re-election unopposed this year. Born and raised in Donelson, he graduated from Tennessee State University and earned his law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Out of college, he worked for the Child Support Enforcement Division of the Office of the District Attorney General in the 29th district. He went on to practice law
at Norman Law Offices and Robinson, Smith and Oglesby. Smith’s prior judicial experience includes from 1990 -1994 ser v ing as Special Judge in multiple Circuit Courts, Probate Court, and a Special Referee for the Juvenile Court of Davidson County. Judge Smith has received several honors surrounding his work with family law, and was certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Family Law Trial Advocate.
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
DIVISION V
JOE BINKLEY JR. Native Nashvillian Judge Joe P. Binkley, Jr. is running unopposed for re-election as
Davidson County’s Fifth Circuit Court Judge; he was first appointed by Governor Bredesen in 2008. Judge Binkley received his B.A. from Vanderbilt University in 1966. He went on to attend Vanderbilt University School of Law, where he received his Juris Doctor degree. Binkley worked for nearly 40 years as a sole practitioner trial lawyer representing workers’ compensation, personal injury, domestic relations, and criminal cases. He was the recipient of the 2019 Law Day USA Liberty Bell Award from
DIVISION VI the Nashville Bar Association. He is both a member and a Fellow of the Tennessee and Nashville Bar Associations, as well as a Trustee of the Nashville Bar Foundation, and has served as a Board Member of the Nashville Bar Association for two terms. Judge Binkley has been a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates since 2014. He is also an Emeritus member of the Harry Phillips American Inn of Courts, as well as a member of the Tennessee Trial Lawyers’ Association.
TOM BROTHERS Thomas W. Brothers is a Democrat running for reelection as Judge of the Division
VI Circuit Court of Davidson County. He received a B.A. with honors from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1973. He went on to receive his Juris Doctor degree from Vanderbilt University School of Law and was admitted to the Tennessee Bar Association in 1977. After graduating from law school, he served as Chief Warrant Officer for the Davidson County Sheriff’s Department. Judge Brothers practiced law in Nashville as a solo practitioner from 1978-1989 in the law offices
of Jack Norman. In 1989, he was appointed to the Sixth Circuit Court. Judge Brothers has twice served as Presiding Judge for the 20th Judicial District and has been assignment judge for the Circuit Courts from 1990 to present. He has served as Chairman of the Minorities Opportunities Committee and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Nashville Bar Association. He also currently serves as Vice Chair of the Justice Information System of the Nashville metropolitan government.
versity in 1995. In 1998, she received her J.D. from the University of Memphis School of Law, where she worked as a research assistant and law clerk. Hedrick later moved to Nashville and joined Gullett Sanford Robinson & Martin PLLC. She has over 23 years of experience in probate law, including estate planning, administration, and litigation. She is an adjunct professor at the Nashville School of Law and has co-authored reference books on Tennessee probate law. She provides
pro bono services through the Legal Aid Society and Tennessee Innocence Project and is also a member of several law committees and associations, including the Tennessee Bar Association’s Probate Study Group. Hedrick believes in an accessible, efficient, and easy-to-understand judicial process. She also plans to implement new processes to support these goals. She hopes to bring an attitude of inclusiveness and equality to all who come to probate court.
DIVISION VII
LARRY HAGAR Larry Hagar is running for Circuit Court Judge in Division VII. Hagar graduated with bachelor’s degrees in business and political science from Belmont
University. In 1984, Hagar earned a law degree from the Nashville School of Law. Practicing law for thirty years, he currently works at Underhill, Niewold, Hagar, and Evans, which handles personal injury suits, criminal defense, workers compensation, and family law. A Metro Councilmember for District 11 since 2015, he has served on the Planning and Zoning Committee; Public Facilities, Arts, and Culture Committee; and Charter Revision Committee. In addition to formerly acting as a Rule 31 mediator, Hagar
JOHN MANSON John Manson is a Nashville native who has served as a judicial officer in a range of Nashville-Davidson County Courts over the last 12 years, most recently as
is also a member of both the Nashville and Tennessee Bar Associations and Vice President of the Brandywine Farms Homeowners Association. Some notable votes include against the June 2020 budget that increased property taxes and added $2.6 million to the police budget, against the 2018 transit referendum, and in 2018 Mr. Hagar was one of only seven council members to vote against formation of the special committee to investigate former Mayor Megan Barry’s inappropriate use of tax funds.
Presiding Night Court Magistrate. His father is Richard Manson, who co-founded the oldest Black law firm in Nashville. John Manson graduated from Morehouse College in 2000 and received his law degree from Howard University in 2005. Manson’s experience
ANDRA HEDRICK Andra Hedrick is running for election as Circuit Court Judge in Division VII. Hedrick earned her B.A. from Indiana Uni-
with probate work includes three years as Specia l Probate Master and eight years as Special Master for the Eighth Circuit Court, where he also heard divorce and domestic violence cases. Before becoming Night Court Magistrate, he spent three years in private prac-
tice, where probate work comprised half of his caseload. While campaigning, Manson has emphasized his ability to treat people who find themselves in probate court with dignity and compassion. Manson is also a musician and sings with the re-
nowned Cathedral Choir at Christ Church in downtown Nashville. He also serves on the boards of the Nashville Repertory Theater and Epic Girl, an organization that empowers girls from at-risk communities to reach their full potential.
DIVISION VIII
LYNNE T. INGRAM Lynne Ingram is running for Circuit Court Judge in Division VIII. Ingram received a
Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of South Carolina in 2000 and a Juris Doctor degree from Western Michigan Cooley Law School in 2003. Ingram went on to serve for more than 11 years as an assistant U.S. Attorney. She also worked as a family law attorney at Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands and currently practices law at Robinson Reagan & Young. Ingram teaches as an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt Law School. Ingram serves as vice-president of the Nashville Bar Association, as co-chair of the Special
Committee on Race and Equity. She serves on Legal Aid Society’s Racial Justice and Equity Committee and chairs the End Slavery Tennessee board of directors. She serves on the Women’s Fund through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. She founded the Child Care Alliance of Middle Tennessee through the Community Foundation. Ingram was recognized by the Nashville Business Journal in 2021 as one of its Women of Influence, and she received the Tennessee Bar Association’s Larry Dean Wilks Leadership Award.
KELVIN JONES Kelvin Jones is running for re-election as Circuit Court Judge in Division VIII.
PAGE 10 | April 13 - 27, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Jones earned a bachelor’s degree from Howard University in 1989, a law degree from the University of Alabama in 1993, and Master of Laws degree from Duke University in 2020. Jones began as a corporate/securities litigation attorney and an adjunct professor at the Metropolitan State College of Denver where he taught courses in Ethics and Pre-Law. In 1997, he moved to Nashville where he practiced law with Bass, Berry and Sims until 1999 when he joined then Mayor Bill Purcell as his in-
house legal advisor. He served as the Executive Director of the Metro Human Relations Commission until starting his own practice, The Kelvin Jones Law Group in 2010. He has served on the board of directors for several local not-for-profits including Alive Hospice, The Nashville Area Red Cross, Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence, United Way of Middle Tennessee, Lawyers Association for Women, the Tennessee Alcohol and Drug Council and many more.
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
County Clerk The county clerk is a constitutional officer established by the Tennessee State Constitution. In Davidson County, the county clerk is responsible for keeping the official record of county commission meetings. It is an elected position serving a four year term and the county clerk must reside in their serving district. The county clerk ’s office is responsible for handling vehicle registrations, marriage licenses, business licenses, driver license renewal, and fish and game permits. Notary public applications and pawnbrokers are also processed by the county clerk’s office.
BRENDA WYNN
County Trustee The Office of the Trustee is a constitutional office created to lead a tax collection agency for each county. The trustee acts as a treasurer or banker, collecting property, personal, and public utility taxes. A Trustee’s duties are to pay the county’s bills, settle claims, and keep a fair and regular account of all transactions. The office also administers tax relief, tax deferral, and tax freeze programs and collects and processes delinquent taxes, central business improvement district taxes, gulch central business improvement district taxes, and vegetation liens.
ERICA S. GILMORE
Brenda Wynn is running unopposed for re-election as Davidson County Clerk. A Nashville local and graduate of Pearl High School, she received her bachelor of science and master’s degree in business from Tennessee State University. Wynn worked for nine years at Meharry Medical College and also as an adjunct professor in the Health Care Administration and Planning Department at Tennessee State University. Wynn has served as President of the League of Women Voters, the YWCA, and Women in Numbers, as well as on
Erica Gilmore is a long-time public official running for re-election to the office of Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County Trustee. She has served in the position since August of 2020. Gilmore received her bachelor’s degree in English at Howard University, her master’s degree in English at Tennessee State University, and has taught at Fisk University and Nashville State Community College. She also has a Master of Arts and Executive Degree in government. She formerly served as an at-large council member where she spent 12
boards for organizations such as You Have the Power, Nashville Women’s Political Collaborative, Nashville’s Agenda Steering Committee, and WPLN, among others. Wynn was elected as Davidson County Clerk in 2012, becoming the first African American woman to win election to a constitutional office in Davidson County. She served as the first Director of the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhoods under former Mayor Bill Purcell before joining Jim Cooper’s congressional team as Director of Community Outreach.
years on the Budget and Finance Committee. Gilmore was also a public school teacher. With family ties to public service, Gilmore’s mother is State Senator Brenda Gilmore, and her father is retired Juvenile Court Officer Harry Gilmore. She makes frequent appearances at many public forums and community meetings to talk directly with the citizens of Nashville about the change they want to see in their communities. Gilmore advocates for government transparency, racial justice, affordable housing, the importance of education, an increase in the minimum wage and community safety.
Criminal Court Clerk Criminal court clerks perform administrative duties for the operation of the General Sessions and State Trial Criminal Courts, assisting other officers of the court as well as judges and lawyers. The largest part of a court clerk’s job is handling court records. They process legal documents, schedule cases and hearings, audit files for accuracy, and ensure consistent records are kept at all times. Clerks handle payments for fees, fines, and court costs and should perform a level of customer service when dealing with the
Sevent y-year-old incumbent Howard Gentry is a veteran of Nashville political and professional circles. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Tennessee State University, where he served in various positions over 15 years, including Director of Athletics and Executive Director of the TSU Foundation. He was appointed to his current position of Criminal Court Clerk in 2011, where he has
implemented systematic changes to streamline efficiency of the court and facilitate access to public records. Gentry captained the court’s efforts in policy change. A 2020 article from Tennessee Lookout highlighted his office’s work restoring the voting rights of felons, citing a statistic from the Sentencing Project that places Tennessee #2 in the nation for the number of voting age residents unable to vote because of a felony
HOWARD GENTRY April 13 - 27, 2022
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 11
public. They maintain court records, administer oaths to witnesses and jurors, and authenticate copies of the court’s orders and judgments with the court’s seal. During trials, a court clerk will take on a secondary set of duties. Clerks maintain court calendars and handle and assemble documents such as subpoenas, judicial orders, writs, injunctions, and judgments. Clerks review briefs, motions, and lawsuits submitted to the court to ensure they are accurate.
conviction. Gentry served as a Metro Council member-at-large and was elected Vice Mayor in 1999 and 2003; he is Nashville’s first African-American Vice Mayor. Other civic engagements include former board positions on the Metro Homelessness Commission, 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee, Alliance for Public Education, Nashville Poverty Reduction Council, NAACP and more.
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
Criminal Court Judge Criminal courts exist in 13 of Tennessee’s 31 judicial districts, including Davidson County. Criminal courts were established by the state legislature to relieve circuit courts in areas with heavy caseloads. In districts without criminal courts,
criminal cases are handled at the trial level by circuit court judges. A criminal court judge presides over criminal cases and misdemeanor appeals from lower courts. Criminal court judges are elected for eight-year terms and
DIVISION I
STEVE R. DOZIER Steven Dozier is seeking reelection as a Criminal Court Judge in Division I. Dozier is a lifelong Nashvil-
lian and the son of a Metropolitan Police Officer who served the city of Nashville more than 40 years. He received his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in 1979 and his J.D. degree from Nashville School of Law in 1984. He began his career as a law clerk and then moved to assistant district attorney general. He then practiced law at his law firm Williams, Smith and Dozier. After five years, he returned to the district attorney’s office until he replaced Judge Thomas
must be authorized to practice law in the courts of Tennessee. To serve as a criminal court judge, one must be at least 30 years of age and a resident of the state for five years and of the district for one year.
DIVISION II Shriver. He was re-elected to his seat in 2006 and 2014. Throughout his tenure, Dozier has served on the Tennessee Supreme Court District 5 Investigating Committee, the Governors Alliance of Drug Free Tennessee, the Davidson County Child Sex Abuse Council and the Governor’s DUI Task Force. He has experience from the perspective of prosecutor, defense attorney and judge. He pledges a continuity of his unwavering commitment to justice, fairness, and safety of Nashville as he seeks re-election.
ANGIE BLACKSHEAR DALTON Angie Blackshear Dalton is running for re-election as
Criminal Court Judge in Division II, a position she has held since 2017. Dalton was the first African-American woman to be elected to a judgeship for General Sessions in Davidson County in 2006 and was re-elected in 2014. A native Nashvillian, she earned a B.S. from Lane College, and her law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law. Judge Dalton started her career working for the Tennessee Supreme Court. She then went on to hold several positions at the Davidson County District Attorney
General’s Office from 19972005. She has twice been voted as Presiding Judge among her peers and has worked on an array of committees during her time with the General Sessions Court. Dalton is a member of the Napier-Looby, Nashville and Tennessee Bar Associations, and the Lawyers’ Association for Women. She is also an adjunct professor at the Nashville School of Law. In her work, she aims to ensure that efficiency of the court and fairness for all parties are top priorities.
Division III. Parks received his undergraduate degree from Fisk University and an MBA and Juris Doctor degree from Drake University. Parks practiced Consumer Protection Law before becoming a state and federal criminal defense attorney. His law f irm, Law Office of Kyle D. Parks, specializes in DUIs, drug crimes, domestic violence, probation violations, parole violations, and mental health law. He is a court
appointed judicial magistrate for the Night Court, an extension of the General Sessions Court. His campaign promises to use alternative sentencing with a focus on rehabilitation as a means to lower the rate of recidivism and overall crime in Nashville. These strategies include substance abuse treatment, educational services, and employment service recommendations.
DIVISION III
CHERYL BLACKBURN Judge Cheryl Blackburn was born in Oak Ridge, Ten-
nessee. She received both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in 1969 in Clinical Psychology from Vanderbilt University. She began work as a psychological examiner and periodically appeared in court to testify about forensic evaluations, which increased her interest in the law and led her to enroll in the night program at the Nashville School of Law. After being awarded her Juris Doctorate in 1979, she practiced law for 17 years as an Assistant District Attorney. She was certified as a Criminal Trial Specialist in 1994 by the
National Board of Trial Advocacy, the first woman and assistant district attorney to achieve this certification in Tennessee. In 1996, Blackburn was appointed as Division III Judge of the Criminal Court. She was elected in 1998 and re-elected in 2006 and 2014. She is dedicated to the responsibilities of being a judge and ensuring everyone’s constitutional rights. She believes she deserves your vote because of her deep understanding of criminal law, her specialized mental health training and her advocacy for the law.
KYLE PARKS Kyle Parks is running for Criminal Court Judge
DIVISION IV
JENNIFER SMITH
Jennifer Smith was appointed as the Division IV Criminal Court Judge by Gov. Haslam in 2018. Smith received both undergraduate and J.D. degrees from the University of Mississippi in 1988 and 1991 respectively, as well as an M.S. from the National Intelligence University in 2008. Smith is an Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve and has been deployed to conflict zones on
two occasions. Smith’s community involvement includes mentorship for Belmont University Law, and membership of the Lawyers’ Association for Women. Smith was the Associate Solicitor General in the Tennessee Attorney General’s Offices, the Deputy Attorney General of the Law Enforcement and Special Prosecutions Division, and the Associate Deputy of the Criminal
PAGE 12 | April 13 - 27, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Justice Division. She was involved with criminal law prosecution and defense in state and federal appellate courts, and has substantial federal habeas corpus experience. She has even argued three cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Recently, Smith made an argument that the state’s controversial lethal injection protocol was constitutional; the Tennessee Supreme Court ruled in her favor.
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
DIVISION V
KHADIJA L. BABB Khadija Babb is an East Nashville native running for Criminal Court Judge in Division V. She received
her Bachelor of Arts in legal studies from University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and her law degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. After graduating, she established the Law Office of Khadija L. Babb, serving the Nashville area as a criminal defense attorney. Babb has supported the Nashville community by providing both quality and affordable legal services and facilitating discussions around constitutional rights. During this time, she also coached the Stratford High School Mock Trial team and was the Assistant District Attorney
of Davidson County Juvenile Court. During her time as Assistant D.A., she handled juvenile detention cases. She has mentored middle and high school students, taught seminars about voting rights restoration, and participated in various criminal justice reform efforts. If elected to Criminal Court Judge Division V, she will respect victim’s rights, reduce disparities in the criminal justice system, and serve the community. She wants to transform the way criminal justice looks and create a healthy, stable, restorative justice program.
MONTE D. WATKINS Monte D. Watkins is a Memphis native who received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from
Tennessee State University and his Juris Doctorate from North Carolina Central University in 1984. Watkins practiced law for 19 years, focusing on criminal defense, real estate, and probate law before he was appointed judge by Phil Bredesen in 2003. He was re-elected unopposed in both 2006 and 2014. In 2012, Watkins won the Z. Alexander Looby Lifetime Achievement Award. Watkins currently serves as Chairman of the Character and Fitness Committee of the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners and as a Member of the Nashville Bar Associa-
tion Pro Bono Program, and Village Arts Center. In 2019, the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct disciplined Watkins following an investigation stemming from complaints of “cronyism” levied by former Judge Casey Moreland, who pleaded guilty to corruption charges the previous year. As judge, Watkins oversaw the case of Andrew Delke, a former Metro officer charged with voluntary manslaughter for the killing of Daniel Hambrick. Watkins allowed Delke’s plea to formally continue and sentenced him to three years in prison.
ern Kentucky University before obtaining a Juris Doctor degree from Nashville School of Law, while working full time for the Criminal Court Clerk ’s office. His family has a nearly 100-year history of practicing law in the city; Norman is a fourth generation attorney. His grandfather, retired Hon. Seth W. Norman, founded the pioneering Davidson County Drug Court in 1996. Norman has clerked for Criminal Court Judge Angelita Blackshear Dalton and Circuit Court Judge
Thomas Brothers. Since 2013, he has practiced at his law firm in downtown Nashville, where he handles mostly criminal defense. In March 2022, Norman spoke to the National Panhellenic Council of Nashville, stating: “I promise to be fair to all parties, no matter their race, gender, their affiliations or their age. I’ll treat everyone with respect and dignity… and I promise that I will do everything I can to seek justice and more importantly to avoid injustice.”
Tennessee State University on a Presidential Scholarship and partial athletic scholarship, earning a B.A. in Political Science. He went on to earn his J.D. from the Nashville School of Law. Shute worked as a Government and Spanish teacher and a Boys Track Coach at East Nashville Magnet High School before founding Shute Law, a general practice law firm in Nashville. Shute Law primarily focuses on sport and entertainment law, but also handles a wider range of cases such as criminal defense, estate
planning, probate matters, and more. Shute is currently a member of the American, Tennessee, Nashville, and Napier-Looby Bar Associations, the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Sport Lawyers Association. Shute believes that integrity should be at the center of our justice system and that everyone is entitled to respect and dignity. He has experienced firsthand the racial disparities in the justice system and believes that the law industry “needs acceptance, inclusion, and diversity.”
DIVISION VI
CYNTHIA CHAPPELL Cynthia Chappell is running for Criminal Court Judge in Division VI. She is originally from McKenzie, Tennessee and has lived in
TILLMAN PAYNE Native Tennessean and Air Force veteran Tillman Payne is running for Criminal Court Judge in Division
Nashville since 1995. She attended Rhodes College on a Presidential Scholarship and later earned her J.D. from the University of Memphis School of Law. Chappell worked as a solo practitioner after leaving Dodson, Parker, and Behm in 2007 and has 20 years of experience in criminal defense, family law, and civil litigation. She has held multiple leadership positions, including Chair of the Continuing Legal Education Committee within the Nashville Bar Association, where she also regularly handles pro bono cases. Chappell
VI. After Payne attended the University of Tennessee for his B.S. in Agriculture, he entered the US Air Force as a commissioned officer, eventually rising to Lieutenant Colonel. While serving, he received his Master’s Degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma and then his Juris Doctorate from the Antonin Scalia School of Law at George Mason University. Upon his retirement from the Air Force, he returned to Tennessee to serve as Assistant Public Defender in Wilson County before opening a private practice he still
has been appointed to the Board of Zoning Appeals by two different mayors, which handles appeals regarding the use of private property. Chappell believes in reaching efficient and meaningful results in the manner that is least intrusive to those involved. She values family, education, hard work, fairness, and compassion for all people. She believes that we should strive to keep our communities safe while recognizing the limitations of individuals, working to promote rehabilitation and education where appropriate.
maintains in Nashville and Carthage, Tennessee. Payne also served on the Board of Directors of the West Nashville Sports League for the past five years. Tillman prioritizes reducing the stigma surrounding addiction and mental health issues and saving space in the state and local prisons for dangerous offenders by employing treatment courts. He also plans on serving veterans; improving education and access to employment and housing; and reducing foster care placements while promoting family reunification.
April 13 - 27, 2022
SETH NORMAN Seth Norman, a native Nashvillian, is running for Criminal Court Judge in Division VI. Norman received a B.S. from West-
MARCUS SHUTE, JR. Nashville native Marcus Shute Jr. is running for Criminal Court Judge in Division VI. He attended
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 13
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
State Executive CommitteeMan & CommitteeWoman Office The object of the Democratic State Executive Committeeman and Committeewoman is to promote the ideals and principles of the Democratic Party and identify party supporters within their district that will help elect Democratic nominees. One man and one woman from
each State Senate District are elected every four years to serve on the State Party’s Executive Committee. The committee oversees all functions of the party, budgets, and committee work. It plans the party’s conventions, and establishes the procedures for selecting
nominees and delegates. It operates party headquarters, and provides records keeping, including, but not limited to, a current list of all county parties and committees, minutes of meetings of this committee, and complete financial reports from the Treasurer, among other duties.
DAVID K. HARRIS Committeeman D3
Patrick Chinnery is a trial lawyer from Tennessee running for Democratic Executive Committeeman in District 20. He obtained a B.S. in
Political Science from Middle Tennessee State University, a M.A. in Political Science from Syracuse University, and graduated from Loyola Chicago University School of Law in 2011. After graduating, he worked for the storied civil litigation firm, Rock Fusco & Connelly, LLC. After seven plus years trying cases in Chicago, he moved back to Tennessee, continuing his law practice at Pepper Law. Chinnery is the in-house counsel for TransCore, LP, assisting in managing the company’s on-going claims
and managing or investigating employer-employee disputes. In 2017, 2018, and 2019, he was recognized in the fields of commercial litigation and creditor’s rights law by the Law Bulletin Publishing Company in Illinois as an “Emerging Lawyer.” Chinnery has served as adjunct professor at Loyola University of Chicago and as a full-time instructor for MTSU’s Political Science department. While at Loyola, he was the head coach to students in Loyola’s “Top 10 in the Nation” Trial Advocacy program.
MARSHALL SANDERS
Marshall Sanders is running for re-election as Democratic Executive Committeeman in District 23. Sanders is a 2003 graduate of Clemson University where he majored in Economics and Spanish. Since 2017, Sanders has worked at Jacobs Engineering group as a CCPRS train-
ing manager. Before that, Sanders served as a senior associate at PWC from 2007 to 2016. From 2003 to 2005, he was assistant to the director of FEMA where he assisted with logistics related to the recovery efforts from Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina.
from Detroit and was raised in Livonia, Mich. He graduated from Michigan State University in 1971. Mooradian is a retired journalist and has worked at newspapers in Michigan, Ohio, upstate New York, and Tennessee. He also has experience in sales, public relations, and marketing. In 1991, he earned a first place award from the National Newspaper Association. Mooradian also served as a Volunteer in Service to America during the early
1970s. He describes himself as a “retired, award-winning journalist speaking out for democracy at home and abroad.” In a Letter to the Editor posted in The Tennessee Tribune in October 2021, Mooradian expressed support for Mayor John Cooper’s participation in Mayors Against Illegal Guns, stating, “I support this and any effort that reduces the number of stolen and illegally obtained guns used in crimes.”
David K. Harris is running unopposed to continue serving as Democratic Executive Committeeman for District 3. Despite best efforts, our writers were unable to locate further information on this candidate.
IAN PRUNTY
Committeeman D6 Ian Prunty is running for re-election as the Democratic Executive Committeeman in District 6. Prunty has a B.A.
DAN FITZPATRICK IV Committeeman D13
R J MAMULA
Committeeman D14 Rudolph “RJ” Mamula is running for Democratic Executive Committeeman in District 14. Mamula moved into Nashville in 2015. He
in Political Science and Asian Studies from DePauw University and went on to obtain an M.B.A. in Marketing from Vanderbilt University’s Owen School of Business in 2011. In 2005-2006, Prunty was a staffer overseeing a youth camp and college organizing for Harold Ford Jr., who was running for the U.S. Senate. Under Governor Phil Bredesen, he provided logistical support for an inaugural China-Tennessee Rural Health Exchange Program. He was named to Nashville’s
Sustainability Advisory Committee by Mayor John Cooper in February of 2020. Prunty works as a Business Development Manager for Myst AI, a company that uses artificial intelligence to help energy companies with forecasting supply and demand. Before that, he worked as a Sales Director for Comfy, a workplace consulting and technology company, and as an Intern and Internal Consultant on Strategy and External Affairs for the Tennessee Valley Authority.
Dan Fitzpatrick IV currently serves on the Executive Committee for the Davidson County Democratic Party representing District 7, but he is running for District 13. He graduated from the University of Maryland. As of 2019, Fitzpatrick worked for Market Enginuity selling sponsorships for public media and podcasts. Fitzpatrick has a background in journalism and formerly worked at Nash-
ville Public Radio on the business side of operations. In prior campaign efforts, Fitzpatrick has established that he wishes to be a forward thinking elected official that focuses on the present and the future instead of the past when it comes to carving paths forward in terms of policy. He has taken a firm stance in favor of schools remaining open for in-person education.
attended Purdue University earning both a Bachelor’s degree in Social Studies Education and a Master’s degree in History in 2002 and 2004, respectively. He has also completed all the necessary coursework to become a CPA through Purdue and Tennessee State University. Mamula worked as a tutor and a substitute teacher for years prior to his current career as a Warehouse Auditor for Under Armor and a Senior Tax Analyst at H&R Block. He is a member of the Donelson
Lions Club and serves as an atlarge member of the Davidson County Democratic Party Executive Committee. Mamula is a board member and officer of a Christian outreach organization, and volunteers with Room In The Inn through his church. As a member of the DCDP Executive Committee, he introduced a resolution to allow disenfranchised felons to vote in Democratic primaries. He supports Medicare for all, alternative energy, cannabis legalization and many other progressive policies.
PATRICK CHINNERY
Committeeman D20
Committeeman D23
DON MOORADIAN
Committeeman D25 Don Mooradian, who is running for Democratic Executive Committeeman in District 25, is originally
PAGE 14 | April 13 - 27, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
BALLOT BREAKDOWN Executive Committeeman in District 35. Lineweaver moved to Nashville as a child and graduated from Bellevue High School. Lineweaver owns a security company in Bellevue and is a member of Bellevue Church of Christ. Linweaver has held a number of elected positions in Nashville and Davidson County including the District 35 representative on Metro Council from 19831989 and again from 1995-
2002, for a total of thirteen years. After serving on the council, Lineweaver was elected Juvenile Court Clerk, where he served from 2002-2008. In 2007, while Lineweaver was Juvenile Court Clerk, he was arrested for civil contempt after failing to provide required documents to the court. In 2015, he was arrested for driving under the inf luence. He apologized and said he had made a mistake.
Venita Lewis is running for Democratic Executive Committeewoman in District 1. Lewis is a community strategist and longtime civil rights activist. She was
born in Texas, but moved to Nashville 40 years ago to pursue a career in country music. In 1983, Lewis joined the NAACP and began organizing. She has helped plan and lead countless marches and rallies, and has worked alongside civil rights leaders like Jesse Jackson and Corretta Scott King. In 1996, Rev. Lewis founded the Minority Country Music Association, an organization that improved opportunities for African Americans in country music. She organized the
first Juneteenth celebration in Nashville, fed TSU students protesting poor housing conditions, and participated in sit-ins calling for the removal of the Nathan Bedford Forrest bust from the Tennessee State Capitol. Lewis is currently the executive director of the non-profit Keeping Every Vision Alive, where she focuses on eradicating violence in Nashville. According to a profile by Pride Publishing Group, Rev. Lewis is “the most active female civil rights activist in the city.”
HELEN HUGHES
Helen Hughes is running for reelection as Executive Committeewoman in District 3 of the Davidson County Democratic Party. Hughes is the Deputy of Administration in the Register of Deeds office. Hughes completed the Certified County Finance
Officer program in 2021 through the University of Tennessee’s County Technical Assistance Service. The program is meant to bolster the skill set of county finance personnel. There was little other information available about Hughes.
VIC LINEWEAVER
Committeeman D35 Incumbent Vic Lineweaver is running for re-election as Democratic
VENITA D LEWIS Committeewoman D1
Committeewoman D3
INGRID A CAMPBELL
Committeewoman D5 Ingrid Campbell is running for Democratic Executive Committeewoman in District 5. She grew up in Peekskill,
SARIKA KASARANENI
Committeewoman D19 Sarika Kasaraneni is running for Democratic Executive Committeewoman in District 19. Kasaraneni hails from Connecticut, but worked
SUSAN WORLEY MEADOR Committeewoman D23
JENNIFER TELWAR-DANIEL Committeewoman D4
Jennifer Telwar-Daniel is running for Democratic Executive Committeewoman in District 4. A Virginia native, Telwar-Daniel has
lived in Middle Tennessee since 1994. She holds a B.A. in English from Virginia Tech and a Master’s in Mass Communications and Media Studies from Middle Tennessee State University. Telwar-Daniel began working as a realtor in the greater Nashville area in 2013 and is currently a managing broker at Sotheby’s International Realty. According to her LinkedIn profile, she has “strong experience in real estate, new construction, public relations, sales, marketing, and
advertising.” In 2010, she was named one of the “Top 40 Under 40” by Nashville Business Journal. The aspiring committeewoman is also the CEO of America’s National Teenager Scholarship Organization (ANTSO), a female teen pageant competition that has awarded over $102 million in scholarship money since its creation. She sits on the board of Luila Village Ministries, a Christian missionary charity that helps women and children in Congo. April 13 - 27, 2022
DONI L PORTEOUS
Committeewoman D34 Doni Leamon Porteous is a Nashville-based lawyer running for Democratic Executive
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 15
New York, but she has been a Nashville resident since 2014. She was nominated for East Nashvillian of the Year in 2020 by the Historic East Nashville Merchants Association. She now serves as president of the McFerrin Park Neighborhood Association. In addition to her role as president, Campbell is active in many community service efforts in the neighborhood. She encourages the planting of trees through Root Nashville, works to connect the neighborhood with city services through Neighbor 2 Neighbor, and has
delivered free meals to neighbors through the non-profit Rethink. Campbell formerly worked in the automotive sector and is a co-founder of Leave The Light On Foundation, an organization that provides support to caregivers of sick or disabled loved ones. Of her passion for community service, she says “I don’t believe in living somewhere and taking, taking, taking and going about my business….If I get something, I try to give something. It’s just what I always try to do. I try to give more than I get.”
and studied in Atlanta, New York, Washington, D.C., and Illinois before moving to Nashville in 2020. She holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Emory University, a Master’s in Public Health from Columbia University, and a joint Juris Doctorate-MBA from Northwestern University. Kasaraneni began her political career as a congressional intern for then Congressman Chris Murphy (D-CT). She worked as a senior associate for two D.C.-based consultancy firms, and went on to become a policy advisor to the Secre-
tary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She left the HHS to work as a public policy fellow at Novo Nordisk and continue her education, then moved to Nashville to work for Cigna, where she manages strategy and operations for the Southeast. In an interview with the Northwestern Alumni Association, Kasaraneni stated that she aspires to “leadership in healthcare and public health.” She feels her unique education gives her the tools required to lead “effectively and impactfully.”
Susan Worley Meador is running for Democratic Executive Committeewoman in District 23. She’s a Nashville native and small business owner who graduated from Hillwood High School in 1974. She owns and operates Susan’s Catering, a catering company that has served the Nashville area for over 30 years. Meador promotes healthy
eating, shopping local, and farm sustainability. According to reviews of Meador’s catering company, the aspiring committeewoman is organized, detail-oriented and skilled with logistics. Some of Meador’s catering clients include companies and organizations like BMI, Mission Discovery, and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Committeewoman in District 34. She holds a Juris Doctorate from the Nashville School of Law, and received her license to practice in 2021. According to the Tennessee Bar Association, Porteus specializes in public and private criminal defense, as well as trust and estate planning. In 2019, her paper on prosecutorial problems with Tennessee’s “revenge porn” laws was recognized for writing excellence by the Nashville School of Law. She has worked for the Nashville District Attorney’s
office, overseeing D.A. Glenn Funk’s ‘Steering Clear’ program: an initiative geared towards “ending the criminal prosecution of poverty due to non-payment of fines” and “interrupting cycles of debt and incarceration created by driver’s license violations.” Not long after the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Porteus posted a tribute to the former justice, writing that Ginsburg’s memory is a “torch of righteousness” that will “remain a beacon against discrimination.”
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
District Attorney General The 20th Judicial District elects the District Attorney General every eight years. To qualify for the office one must be a duly licensed attorney admitted to practice of law in Tennessee and a resident for five years and living in their judicial district for one year. This office is responsible for the prosecution of all alleged violations of state criminal laws that occur within
Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County. Both felony and misdemeanor crimes are prosecuted by the District Attorney’s Office along with the criminal acts of juveniles. The District Attorney’s Office is committed to public service, fairness and justice for all. District Attorneys are responsible for ensuring victims constitutional
rights are protected. They work in their community with treatment centers and support services to prevent crimes and increase safety. They are expected to advocate for vulnerable populations and oversee the administrative needs of their offices to make sure their teams are equipped with the training, resources, and support they need to perform their duties.
GLENN FUNK
SARA BETH MYERS
P. DANIELLE NELLIS
Glenn Funk has served as Davidson County District Attorney since 2014. He holds an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi. According to Funk, his goal is to prosecute violent crimes but prioritize treatment and rehabilitation for non-violent offenders. During his tenure, minority representation among assistant district attorneys has grown from 3 percent to 28 percent. He stopped prosecuting for possession of small amounts of marijuana, and announced that he would not enforce recently enacted state laws that limit access to abortions and impact the rights of transgender Tennesseans. Funk also declined to prosecute teachers who require masks in their classrooms, in spite of Gov. Bill Lee’s executive order. In 2019, Funk publicly apologized for a photo of him and his fraternity brothers posing with a Confederate flag, calling his behavior “hurtful and divisive.” In 2021, Funk’s decision to agree to a plea deal with former Metro Nashville Police Officer Andrew Delke led to protests in Nashville. The incumbent faces two challengers in this year’s primary.
Sara Beth Myers is running for District Attorney. Myers has been a Nashville resident since 2006 and received her Juris Doctor degree from Vanderbilt University. Myers was an assistant district attorney in Nashville under then DA Torry Johnson, and went on to serve as assistant prosecutor in the state attorney general’s office before becoming an Assistant US Attorney where she was both the Civil Rights Coordinator and Human Trafficking Coordinator for the Middle District of Tennessee. Myers founded the Women’s Street Law partnership with Thistle Farms and founded Advocates for Women’s And Kids’ Equality (AWAKE), a non-profit organization which seeks to help vulnerable kids and human trafficking survivors. Among many other awards, in 2016, Myers received the Jane Eskind Pioneer Award from the Davidson County Democratic Party in recognition of her non-profit work. Myers emphasizes her experience in defending victims of racial and domestic violence, in prosecuting public officials and law enforcement officers that are accused of violating the duties of their offices and the law, and protecting civil rights through the power of prosecution.
P. Danielle Nellis is running for district attorney. Nellis was born and raised in Nashville. She graduated magna cum laude from Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga., and holds a Juris Doctorate from Boston University. Nellis ran her own practice before becoming an assistant district attorney in Davidson County. As a private practitioner, she focused on criminal defense and child custody cases. As an assistant D.A., Nellis prosecuted crimes ranging from shoplifting to murder. She subsequently spent two years as a judicial clerk in Davidson County’s Criminal Court. Nellis currently works at the Nashville firm Klein, Solomon, and Mills, and teaches law at Vanderbilt University. Nellis says she’s running for D.A. because “crime is on the rise in Nashville, and what we’re doing simply isn’t working.” She believes that currently, “the only options we have for accountability are jail, probation or nothing.” According to her philosophy of “people first prosecution,” community engagement is key to breaking the cycle of violence. Nellis is confident that her legal experience, community ties, and extensive knowledge of her hometown make her “uniquely positioned” to be district attorney.
PAGE 16 | April 13 - 27, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
General Sessions Judge General sessions judges are elected to eight-year terms. They must be at least 30 years of age and a resident of the state for five years and of the district for one year. The Davidson County General Sessions Court is one of 95 General Session Courts in Tennessee.
The Metropolitan General Sessions Court of Nashville-Davidson County is a high volume limited jurisdiction Court that hears civil, misdemeanor, felony, traffic, environmental, and metropolitan ordinance violations. Civil jurisdiction is restricted to specific monetary
limits and types of actions. Criminal jurisdiction is limited to preliminary hearings in felony cases and misdemeanor trials in which a defendant waives the right to a grand jury investigation and trial by jury in Circuit or Criminal Court.
GENERAL SESSION JUDGE DIVISION I
GALE ROBINSON Gale B. Robinson is a Nashville native who has presided over Division I of
Davidson County’s General Sessions Court since 1990. The incumbent judge is running unopposed for his fifth consecutive term. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and a Juris Doctorate from the Nashville School of Law. Prior to his election, Robinson worked for the Davidson County Sheriff’s Department and clerked for Judge A.A. Birch, who went on to become the first black Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court. In 1996, Robinson was given the Jane
Wheatcraft award from the Tennessee Task Force Against Domestic Violence. In 2000, he received the “Good Guys Award” from the Nashville Women’s Political Caucus. In addition to being a General Sessions Court judge, Robinson is president and owner of Phillips-Robinson funeral home. He lives in Goodlettsville and is a member of the Jackson Park Church of Christ, the Madison-Rivergate Chamber of Commerce, the Historic Nashville Business Association, the Scottish & York Rite Masons, and the Al Menah Shrine.
GENERAL SESSION JUDGE DIVISION II
KENNETH REDDIT Kenneth Reddit t is running for General Sessions Judge in Division II. Originally from Arkan-
sas, Redditt received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Later, Redditt attended Tennessee State University and graduated with a Master’s in Public Administration degree. He earned his law degree from Nashville School of Law in 2006. Redditt has been practicing law for 14 year and currently practices at his own firm, The Redditt Law Firm specializing in criminal defense, family, personal injury and landlord tenant detainer ac-
tions. Before practicing law, Redditt worked with Coldwell Banker as a real estate broker, and he was also a juvenile counselor for eight years. He has held countless pro bono expungement clinics throughout the city to assist those who want to clean up their record and find employment that would allow them to provide for their families. According to his Facebook page, he wants to further his “commitment to the true administration of justice…, fairly apply the law and… apply the law with balance.”
MELISSA BLACKBURN Judge Melissa Blackburn is running for reelection as judge for Division II General
Sessions Court, where she was first elected in 2014. A Nashville native and mother of four, she attended Lipscomb High School and College before studying at Nashville School of Law, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree in 1993. Before becoming a judge, Blackburn ran her own practice. She specialized in employment law, representing clients who faced discrimination and unfair wage practices. She went on to become the Director of Capital Campaign for the Nashville Habitat for Humanity, where she raised over $8 million to create new
homes for nearly 400 Nashville families. Judge Blackburn is passionate about serving those with mental health needs as well as veterans recovering from trauma. She worked with the mayor’s office to help approve the Police Department of Nashville’s first mental health crisis intervention team, and currently serves as presiding judge of the Mental Health and Veterans Courts. Blackburn’s civic leadership positions include Board Chair of the Nashville YMCA and the Lawyers Association for Women.
GENERAL SESSION JUDGE DIVISION III
ANA L. ESCOBAR Ana L. Escobar is running for re-election for General Sessions Court Judge in Division
III. She is a first-generation immigrant from Bogota, Colombia, who moved to Nashville with her family when she was three years old. She went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Vanderbilt University and a Juris Doctorate from George Washington University. The incumbent started her career as an assistant public defender, practiced privately with the Nashville firm Funk and Kay, then moved on to become Deputy Director of the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts. In 2015, Escobar
became an assistant district attorney, where she led the D.A.’s Domestic Violence Unit and prosecuted over 500 domestic violence cases. In 2018, she became Tennessee’s first Latinx judge. Escobar believes in treating victims and defendants with dignity. She is passionate about creating pathways for safe and productive lives, rather than delivering punishment. In her own words, Escobar feels that the courts “should provide equal justice, create safer communities, and strive for constant improvement.”
GENERAL SESSION JUDGE DIVISION IV
ALLEGRA WALKER
Allegra Walker has served as the General Sessions Court Judge for District IV since 2014. Walker holds a B.S. in Economics from Fisk University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Toledo. She runs unopposed for reelection. Prior to becoming a judge, Walker worked as an assistant public defender and an assistant April 13 - 27, 2022
district attorney in Davidson County. At the district attorney’s office, she primarily prosecuted domestic and family violence cases. Walker is now one of three judges that preside over the General Sessions Court’s domestic violence cases. In 2020, she received the ‘Women of Legend and Merit Award’ from Tennessee State University.
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 17
Last year, Walker held the first General Sessions job fair for people on probation seeking work. She also runs an annual oratorical contest for local high school students. Of her sentencing philosophy Walker says, “Jail is not my automatic go to. When I have to do tough sentencing, I’m really at the end of my rope — like I’ve already tried some alternative things.”
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
GENERAL SESSION JUDGE DIVISION V
ROBIN KIMBROUGH HAYES Robin Kimbrough Hayes is running for General Ses-
sions Judge in Division V. The Kentucky native earned her bachelor’s degree from Fisk University, a Juris Doctorate from Emory University, and a master’s degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School in 2000. After earning her law degree, she returned to Nashville to serve as an assistant attorney general for the state. She worked as general counsel for the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, as well as legal counsel for the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. She currently works as Special Advisor and Director of Ombuds Office at
Meharry Medical College. Kimbrough Hayes says she is committed to using her legal skills “to advance social justice for the least in our communities.” If elected, she would host court after hours, conduct community meetings, support bond reform, and “utilize restorative justice in criminal and civil matters.” Kimbrough Hayes is an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church, a member of the NAACP, NOAH, the Nashville Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and sits on the Democratic Party Advisory Board.
Division V after first being elected to the position in 2006 and re-elected in 2014. Turner earned her bachelor’s degree from Lipscomb University and her Law Degree from Nashville School of Law and was an employee of General Sessions Court in Division VIII for the Honorable Leon Ruben while attending law school. Turner was in private practice law for 18 years prior to her initial election as a General Sessions Judge. Prior to that, Turner also worked as a school teacher
DIANNE TURNER Dianne Turner is running for re-election as General Sessions Judge in
and basketball coach. She is a member of the Nashville Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, Tennessee Lawyers Association for Women and Tennessee Association for Criminal Defense Lawyers. Beyond her legal work and associations, Turner is also a board member of the Donelson Hermitage Chamber of Commerce, a member of the 2005 class of the Leadership Donelson Hermitage, and founding member of the Donelson Hermitage Evening Exchange Club.
GENERAL SESSION JUDGE DIVISION VI
FRANK E. MONDELLI, JR. Frank E. Mondelli Jr. is running for General Sessions Court Judge in Divi-
sion VI. He is a Nashville native, a graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and holds a Juris Doctorate from the Nashville School of Law. If elected, he would become the third member of the Mondelli family to preside over Division VI of the General Sessions Court. Mondelli Jr. has practiced privately for nine years alongside his father at Mondelli Law. The firm specializes in probate, family, civil and criminal litigation, and business
JIM TODD Jim Todd is running for General Sessions Judge in Division VI. A Nashville native, Todd graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1984 with his Bachelor’s degree in
law. Mondelli Jr. says he would address the inequities he has witnessed while working as an attorney. He is an advocate of a bail system that “doesn’t punish working families,” and wants to ensure that “non-English speakers are not re-victimized due to a lack of resources at the courthouse.” Mondelli Jr. says he would preside over a courtroom that is fair to all participants in the justice system.
Political Science and Communication, then University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law for his J.D. in 1993. He has practiced law for over 25 years and was appointed lead prosecutor for Criminal Court Division VI,
PAUL WALWYN Paul Walwyn is running for Division VI General Sessions Court Judge. A Tennessee native and child of two first-generation immigrants, Walwyn studied
as well as special prosecutor for violent and gang related juvenile offenders. Todd was also a special assistant for Senator Al Gore in D.C. and Tennessee Governor McWherter. Todd has been a gesture lecturer at various District Attorney conferences,
Political Science and English at East Tennessee State University, then went on to earn a Juris Doctorate from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has called Davidson County home for 47 years. Walwyn has run his own private practice, Walwyn and Walwyn, for 25 years. His firm specializes in criminal defense, personal injury, auto and truck accidents, work injuries, and nursing home negligence. As an attorney, he has practiced in thirteen different counties in Middle Tennessee. He
Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts, and State Bar Associations where he also serves as a member. His extensive community leadership positions include Juvenile Justice Reform Commission, NAARAL, Chair of Nashville’s Sexually-Orient-
has participated in general sessions, criminal and federal cases, preliminary hearings, and jury trials in Davidson County courts. He has also served as a Judicial Commissioner and a Special Judge in all eleven divisions of Davidson County’s General Sessions Court. Walwyn speaks Spanish and believes that Nashville’s “rich ethnic diversity” is “one of its many strengths.” He is a member of a number of community organizations, including Hands on Nashville, Gilda’s Club, and House of Mercy.
ed Business Licensing Board, Board of Nashville Ballet and Nashville Urban League. According to Todd, “To make the justice system more just, we need judges who treat everyone in the courtroom with respect and further, listen to all sides in every case.”
GENERAL SESSION JUDGE DIVISION VII
MARCUS FLOYD
Marcus Floyd is running for General Sessions Division VII Judge. Floyd graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration from MTSU and a law degree from Belmont University. Floyd has worked as probation officer and a judicial law clerk, in addition to his work as both a prosecutor and defense attorney. He acted as an assistant district attorney general under District Attorney Glenn Funk.
Floyd led a study into the city’s reliance on fines in relation to criminal charges. He had a hand in pushing through the MNPD Body Camera program which has now been extended for use by every Metro officer. He served on the Community Oversight Board as a Public Safety & Justice Policy Advisor. He is also a founding member of Nashville’s Conviction Review Unit which was established
PAGE 18 | April 13 - 27, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
to investigate wrongful convictions. He presently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Hands on Nashville. Marcus has said, “As judge, I will be committed to using transparency and accountability to strengthen public trust and public safety and ensuring equity through concrete solutions like ensuring alternative pretrial services based on ability to pay...”
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
GENERAL SESSION JUDGE DIVISION VIII
RACHEL L. BELL Rachel L. Bell is running for re-election as General Session Judge in Division VIII.
Bell is a third generation Nashvillian. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Memphis, and her Juris Doctorate Degree from Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. Bell was the Managing Partner of Bell & Kinslow law firm prior to being elected to General Sessions Court Judge in Division VIII in 2012. She was re-elected in 2014. Bell has a record of being involved in community initiatives, such as launching a literacy program, called R.E.A.C.H., and the FUTURE internship program. One of her missions is to pre-
vent repeat offenders in Nashville’s youth. She launched the Music City Community Court with the mission to focus on preventive, diversionary and restorative justice initiatives to help marginalized people. Bell is the first LGBTQ judge in Davidson County. In 2021, Judge Bell was presented with the Tennessee Human Rights Award for Outstanding Service and was the recipient of the 2021 Janice M. Holder Award. Bell cares deeply about equal justice, and her mantra is, “Justice does NOT stop at the courthouse steps!”
ERIN COLEMAN Erin Coleman is running for General Sessions Judge in Division VIII. Originally from Maryland, Coleman obtained an engineering degree
at Johns Hopkins University, earned her master’s degree at Boston University while serving as a commissioned officer in the US Army, before receiving her law degree from the University of Baltimore. She served as a geospatial officer in Iraq and an attorney for the Army Corps of Engineers before founding her construction project management consulting firm, Yad Consulting. She went on to start her own criminal defense firm in January 2017. Coleman serves on the board of many organizations including the Renewal
House, Mary Parrish Center, AWAKE, and the National Association of Women Judges. She also volunteers for Operation Stand Down, Tennessee Justice Center, Justice for Our Neighbors, Renewal House, Gordon JCC, Moms Demand Action, TN Achieves, and Planned Parenthood. On her website she says that, “the path to true criminal justice reform and restorative justice is to fund treatment for drug addiction and mental health treatment and to provide people with genuine respect from the bench.”
GENERAL SESSION JUDGE DIVISION IX
BRIAN A. HOROWITZ Brian A. Horowitz grew up in Nashville and grad-
uated from Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee. He attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he earned a degree in finance. A f ter g raduat ion, Horow it z joi ned Tennessee’s largest bariatric clinic as its Director of Operations. It was that experience which led him to the Massey School of Business at Belmont University, where he received his MBA. He then attended Nashville School of Law ranking 8th in his class.
He opened his own f i rm i n 2 019, Wa hoo Verde, wh ich foc u ses on criminal defense and boasts humorous slogans such as, “When you got the legal shitz... Call Brian Alexander Horowitz!”. The opportunity to have dinner & drinks with Brian are available for purchase on his website, as a method for consultation. Mr. Horowitz currently sits on the Board of Directors for Benton Hall Academy, a private school for children who learn differently.
GENERAL SESSION JUDGE DIVISION X
SAMUEL COLEMAN Sam Coleman is running for re-election as General Sessions Judge in Division X. Coleman graduated from Tennessee State University with a bachelor’s
degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration. He earned his law degree from the Nashville School of Law in 1989. Coleman began his career in 1978 working in the Corrections Department, went on to work in the Department of Youth Development, and since 1995, as an administrator for the Department of Children Services. As an attorney, Coleman specialized in criminal, civil, probate, landlord & tenant law. He served as Metro Council Member for District 32 from 2003 to 2011 and District 33 from 2015 un-
til being appointed a judge in 2017. He serves as a pro bono attorney with Legal Aid of Nashville. Coleman is also adjunct instructor at Nashville Paralegal Career School and the Tennessee Correction Academy. He is the former President of Community Access Corporation, interim chairman of Public, Education and Government Oversight Committee for Access Television Stations, former President of the Honor Council at the Nashville School of Law, committee member of Teen Pregnancy Prevention, and an active member of the NAACP.
April 13 - 27, 2022
LYNDA F. JONES Lynda Jones is running for re-election as General Sessions Judge in Division IX. A Nashvillian for 30 years, Jones graduated University of Tennessee Knoxville cum laude 1986
and three years later, received her law degree from the University of Memphis. For 22 years, she was the managing partner of Jones Law Group. Jones was first elected to office in 2014 and by 2019, she became the presiding judge, recommending the court’s direction, policy and procedure. In 2011, she was named Advocate of the Year by the Nashv ille A lliance for the Mentally Ill, and during her first term on t he Gener a l S e s sion s Court, she oversaw the creation of Nashville’s first Homelessness Court — a program connecting peo-
ple experiencing homelessness to resources and information to help them avoid accruing a criminal record of non-violent charges directly related to their homelessness. She currently ser ves on the board of Dismas House, an organization which helps formerly incarcerated people overcome barriers to reentry, and as a law yer she has worked with Nashville’s middle and low-income communities, advocating for those experiencing job loss, severe medical illnesses, and threats of foreclosure.
GENERAL SESSION JUDGE DIVISION XI
JOHN AARON HOLT
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 19
John Aaron Holt is running for re-election for General Session Judge Division XI. Judge Holt is a native Nashvillian who received his undergraduate degree from David Lipscomb University and then his law degree from the Nashville School of Law in 1982. Holt was originally elected to the position in 1998 and went on to hold the position of Presiding
Judge for General Sessions Court from 2001 to 2003. Before becoming Judge, he served two terms as the 22nd district’s Metro Councilman and worked for 13 years in private law practice prior to that. He is a member of the Nashville Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, Tennessee General Sessions Judges Conference, and the American Judges Association.
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
Juvenile Court Clerk
The Davidson County Juvenile Court Clerk is the court’s record keeper and is a constitutional officer elected by the people for a term of four years. The duties and responsibilities include processing all legal documents filed in Juvenile Court, maintaining docket and minute books, acting as the keeper of the court records, preparing hearing dockets, providing deputy clerks for all court hearings, maintaining financial records, and collecting court costs, fines, child support, bonds, and restitution.The clerk also prepares orders for the Juvenile Court, administers trust funds for minors and any other trust accounts ordered by the court.
LONNELL MATTHEWS
Juvenile Court Judge Juvenile Courts in Davidson County have exclusive jurisdiction over cases involving minors. These courts also have concurrent jurisdiction with Circuit, Chancery, and Probate Courts in certain areas. These judges serve eight-year terms. To hold the position of juvenile court judge, one has to be at least 30 years of age and a resident of the state for five years and of the circuit or district one year. Additionally, a judge has to be licensed to practice law in Tennessee. Juvenile court judges are responsible for making sure that every child and parent who passes through court is met with justice, fairness, and hope. As described by Tennessee Code Annotated Section 37-1-101, the purpose of the juvenile court is: “To provide for the care, protection, and wholesome moral, mental and physical development of the children coming within its provisions.”
SHEILA D.J. CALLOWAY
Lonnell Matthews is running for re-election to the position of Davidson County Juvenile Court Clerk in Tennessee, an office he assumed in 2018. Matthews is a Nashville native, raised in Bordeaux, who earned his B.S. in accounting and business law from Tennessee State University. Matthews was named “40 Under 40” by Nashville Business Journal and has a long record of volunteer work with the YMCA, serving as the District Executive Director of Youth Outreach for the organization. At age 27, he was elected to the Nashville Metropolitan Council,
Sheila Calloway is a Juvenile Court Judge running for re-election. A Kentucky-native, Calloway moved to Nashville in 1987 to pursue a degree in Communications and later attended law school at Vanderbilt University. Prior to becoming a judge, Calloway worked at the Metropolitan Public Defender’s Office and was later appointed as a Juvenile Court Magistrate. Since her election in 2014, Judge Calloway has been recognized for her implementation of a youth justice delivery model that focuses on trauma-informed care. She has spoken publicly on the importance of di-
becoming the youngest African-American ever elected to the council. His campaign focuses on restorative justice, with a promise to ensure that the entire clerk’s staff is trained in trauma-informed care. Matthews advocates for community partnerships with non-profit youth service providers. Matthews says, “The biggest threat to Nashville is “destructive segregation” because “it creates pockets of concentrated poverty, low-quality public schools and destroys economic mobility, thus making the American dream much more difficult to obtain.”
verting youth from detention, and her team has created programs to support parents in the juvenile justice system. Judge Calloway has received a number of awards including the ICCA Doing What Works Judicial Award from the International Community Corrections Association and the Centennial Legacy Award from the NAACP. She is actively involved in the community as a member of a number of organizations including the Advisory Council for Tennessee Voices for Victims. In 2018, Judge Calloway was honored by the Tennessee Justice Center Hall of Fame.
Public Defender The head of the Davidson County Public Defender’s office is an elected position every four years. Candidates must be a licensed attorney, resident in Tennessee for five years, and reside in the judicial district for one year. Residents are eligible for legal representation from a public defender in General Sessions Court if their annual income is 125 percent below federal poverty guidelines. In Criminal Court, the judge determines eligibility based on income. Typical responsibilities include representing clients in General Sessions Court, Criminal Court, and
MARTESHA L. JOHNSON Nashville native Martesha L. Johnson is running for re-election as the Nashville Metropolitan Public Defender; she is the first African American to be elected to this position. Johnson earned her undergraduate degree at Tennessee State University and her J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law.
Juvenile Court, and working collaboratively with other defense team members, including investigators, social workers, and legal assistants. The Mission of the Metropolitan Public Defender’s Office is to defend the liberty, honor, and constitutional rights of the individuals, of all ages, whose cases have been entrusted to them. Through zealous advocacy, they strive to deliver excellence in their representation of each and every client but also to stand with their clients and the community to create a more just, fair, and compassionate legal system.
Johnson has represented clients from diverse social and economic backgrounds in general sessions and state criminal court, conducting hearings, trials, factual investigations, legal research and negotiations. She has also led two criminal court teams and been a part of leadership and policy-making groups, including the Community Corrections Advisory Board. Johnson is also an active participant in DEFEND Nashville, and an adjunct professor at
PAGE 20 | April 13 - 27, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Vanderbilt University of Law. She focuses on her client’s education surrounding constitutional rights and the criminal justice process. Johnson believes that people should be treated with dignity regardless of race, socio-economic status, gender, sexual orientation or the nature of the charges against them. She has been a staunch advocate for the decriminalization of poverty and the elimination of wealthbased disparities.
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
Register of Deeds The Register of Deeds provides accurate recording of public records for all who use the Register’s office and is responsible for providing excellent customer service and convenient access to these records by utilizing the latest technology in an
KAREN JOHNSON Karen Johnson is running for re-election as Davidson County Register of Deeds, a position she has held since 2018; she was the first African American and the first woman to be elected to this position. Johnson came up through the Nashville Public schools and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Busi-
effective, cost efficient way. The Register of Deeds is a constitutional office established by the Tennessee state legislature as the custodian of legal documents pertaining to real property. These documents include Warranty Deeds, Deeds
ness Administration from Tennessee State University (TSU) and an MBA in Management from Trevecca Nazarene University. She has worked as a CPA with a focus on human resources and records keeping for the State of Tennessee, HCA, Shoney’s Inc., and Mercy Health Services. Previously, Johnson has also served as a city councilwoman. Johnson is the recipient of many honors and accolades, including the 2019 “Women
of Trust, Releases, Powers of Attorney, Liens, Plats, Amendments and other miscellaneous documents designated by state law to be recorded by the Register of Deeds. The office is elected every four years and the candidate must reside in Davidson County.
of Legend and Merit” from her alma mater, TSU. She was named one of the Nashville Business Journal’s Women of Influence, The Tennessean’s 40 Under 40, and the Nashville Chamber’s Emerging Leaders. Her stated goals as register of deeds include making the services offered by her office more visible and accessible, specifically through modernizing the web-based services and making them as user-friendly as possible.
School Board Metropolitan Nashville School Board members represent the public’s voice in public education, providing oversight for what the public schools need and what the community wants. An effective school board member has an important role in keeping your local school on track and setting policies that affect the children of their represented district.. The Metropolitan Board of Public Education consists of nine elected members, one member being elected from each of the nine school districts. The term of office is four years. The terms are staggered
so that no fewer than four members are elected every two years. School board members must be at least 25 years old by the beginning of the elected term. The member must be a resident of Davidson County for at least five years and a resident of the school district that the member seeks to represent for at least one year and continue to reside there during their elected term. The member can hold no other elected or appointed public office and must be a qualified, registered voter.
SCHOOL BOARD D2
EDWARD ARNOLD Edward Arnold is an independent candidate running for School Board
in District 2. A graduate of East Nashville Senior High School, Arnold earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1978 and his master’s degree in Sociology from Middle Tennessee State University in 1982. Until he retired, he worked for the State of Tennessee as an information resource specialist. Arnold is currently a doctoral student at Tennessee State University. Arnold is a native Nashvilliean who ran for Davidson County School Board in 2014 and 2018 but
did not win. He is also the father of three children who have attended public schools in Nashville. Arnold advocates for removing capital expenditures from the Metro Nashville Public Schools Budget. He also proposed a method of funding public schools that he titled Teacher Incentive for Public Schools (TIPS), where solutions to research identified obstructions to academic achievement are addressed and funded before the budgeting of operational and capital expenditures.
RACHAEL ANNE ELROD Rachael Anne Elrod is the incumbent school board member in District 2. Elrod
was originally elected to the School Board in 2018, and she presently serves as the Board’s Vice-Chair. She studied Education at Austin Peay State University and has worked both as a teacher and a consultant. Speaking on her accomplishments during her time on the School Board, Elrod has highlighted efforts to both increase pay for teachers and to integrate social-emotional learning (SEL) into schools. Additionally, there has been a push to add additional psy-
SCHOOL BOARD D2 C ANDIDATES CONTINUED ON NEX T PAGE
April 13 - 27, 2022
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 21
chologists to meet national recommendations and to expand advocacy centers that provide students with spaces to work out emotional issues outside of the classroom. Elrod has outlined a number of priorities for improving schools in her current campaign, including expanded access to high quality Pre-K, increasing classroom resources, and supporting a student-focused curriculum that takes into account the needs of the whole child.
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
SCHOOL BOARD D2 C ANDIDATES CONTINUED FROM PRE VIOUS PAGE
SCHOOL BOARD D2
JANEEN KINGMA
Janeen Kingma is running as a Republican for the District 2 School Board seat. She graduated from Houghton College in 1983. There she served as President of Foreign Missions Fellowship. She went on to obtain a master’s degree in education from University of Pennsylvania in 1987. She grew up as a self-professed “missionary kid.” Kingma is a member of Intercessors for America.
TODD PEMBROKE
Todd Pembroke is running for school board in District 2. He attended University of Florida and studied finance as a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He is running as a Republican and is an insurance agent who lives in the Davidson County portion of Brentwood. He is also an active member of
ville to attend Belmont University, where he studied music and graduated with honors in 2005. Woodward is a father of six, music composer, and a music and drama teacher with 11 years as a teacher and practitioner of the Montessori method. He has also served as
MARK WOODWARD Mark Woodward is seeking election to the District 2 seat on the school board. Woodward grew up in North Georgia and moved to Nash-
the U.S. Army National Guard. According to the Nashville Scene, “Though he doesn’t have any kids in school, one of his three young daughters will start kindergarten in the fall. Pembroke wants to go back to ‘the traditional forms of curriculum and [leave] anything divisive
the Recording Secretary for the Davidson County Republican Party since 2019. Woodward ’s self-stated goals include a desire to bring a conservative perspective to the school board’s current all-Democrat composition. His stated focuses include careful financial stewardship
and confrontational or controversial out of the equation.’ This, he says, includes teaching about race and gender — matters often misidentified as critical race theory. He also says he’d like to see more discipline and accountability in schools.”
of the funding already available for education, rethinking pre-K and early-education to allow for more structured play and less rigorous testing, avoiding political dogma in the classroom, and an interest in introducing Montessori methods into the public school system.
SCHOOL BOARD D4
JOHN LITTLE John Little, a community organizer and parent, has worked as a political consultant for several years. An advocate of charter schools, he is an organizer and outreach director for Nashville P.R.O.P.E.L., Parents
Requiring Our Public Education System to Lead. He is a native Nashville and a product of Metro schools. Little was elected to his current seat in 2020, following the death of incumbent Anna Shepherd. When interviewed on Fox 17 News he said, “We have to evaluate our superintendent to pass a budget and increase academic achievement…none (of those) are connected to politics. It’s really connected to understanding who a student is, what do they want to do, and how do we get them there.” Little is passionate about improving the reading ability of local children and making sure every child is prepared to graduate. He also is an advocate for vocational programs and increasing the pay of teachers and support staff at schools throughout MNPS.
KELLI PHILLIPS Kelli Phillips is a Republican candidate for school board in District 4. This is her first campaign for public office, she has not been elected previously. Phillips,
BERTHENA NABAAMCKINNEY Dr. Berthena Nabaa-McKinney is running for school board in District 4, a position she held
a Nashville native and mother of three, began speaking at school board meetings in August of 2021. She was inspired to do so after seeing her high-school-aged daughter and her toddler’s struggles with COVID-19-related
for four months in 2020. She was appointed following the passing of school board member Anna Shephard. Dr. Nabaa-Mckinney’s focus is “ensuring that all schools in District 4, and across MNPS will have the equitable funding they need to provide a high-quality education for ALL students.” After growing up in South Bend, Indiana, Nabaa-McKinney moved to Nashville in 1997 and obtained her Doctorate in Educational Leadership & Professional Practice from Trevecca Nazarene University. Her experience in education ranges from a former MNPS chemistry teacher to a private school principal.
changes to schooling and socializing respectively. On social media and in radio interviews, she has called for an end to masking policies in schools. Additionally, she has criticized critical race theory and ap-
PAGE 22 | April 13 - 27, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Additionally, she is a parent of five MNPS graduates and a 3rd-grade student in a District 4 school. She is the founder of Nabaa Consulting, LLC, which focuses on school improvement for Early Childhood and K-12 schools. She previously served as a Commissioner for the Metro-Nashville Action Commission, as the Chair of the Director of Schools Evaluation Committee, as Co-Chair for the Teaching and Learning Committee for the Board of Education, as Board Chair with the Muslim American Cultural Center, and as Co-Chair of Women of Color for Educational Equity.
peared at events hosted by Tennessee Stands, a conservative advocacy group. Phillips says she wants to ensure that parents and students have a voice in education.
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
SCHOOL BOARD D6
FRAN BUSH Fran Bush is an independent seeking re-election for the school board in District 6. She has been
on the school board since 2018. Bush is a native Nashvillian who has resided in the Antioch community since 2001. She has 5 boys who have all attended the MNPS schools. Bush graduated from Tennessee State University with a degree in Healthcare Administration. She began her own childcare center, The Model Kids Learning Academy, which has been running for the past 15 years. Over the years, Bush has volunteered for sever-
al education nonprofit organizations. For the past eight years, she has been volunteering at ACT Prep, which lines up with her stated desire to make sure that all students learn and have an opportunity to be college and career ready. Bush’s self-stated advocacy is to ensure that schools provide social emotional learning, in-person learning where masks are optional, and that families have school choice.
CHERYL D. MAYES Cheryl D. Mayes is running for school board in District 6. Mayes has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from TSU. She is the founder of My
Toolbox Consulting, a leadership development and training consulting firm. Mayes works as the Director of Community Relations with the Multicultural Business Synergy Team at Nissan North America and also in the office of Congressman Jim Cooper as District
earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Lane College. She earned her master’s degree in Administration/Supervision from Trevecca Nazarene University. Martin is a longtime educator with a diverse instructional career having taught Social Studies, English, and STEM courses. In 1994, she was elected Teacher of the Year by her colleagues. She was an assistant principal at Haywood Elementary School for fifteen years and is currently an 8th grade teacher at MNPS.
NATALIE L. MARTIN Natalie L. Martin is running for school board in District 6. Martin has lived in Nashville for 30 years and
Director. Mayes was previously elected to the Board of Education for MNPS and served as the Chairperson for her final two years on the board. She volunteers with the American Cancer Society, the YWCA of Middle Tennessee, Boy Scouts of America in Mid-
dle Tennessee, and Hands on Nashville. Mayes is endorsed by the Metropolitan Nashville Education Association. In 2016, she received the Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Aw a rd i n Educ at ion from the Council of Urban Boards of Education
Martin is running because she states that she believes all children deserve to receive a quality education, and she wants to ensure positive academic growth continues for MNPS post-pandemic. Coming from a family of educators, she believes she will bring to the position a deep understanding of education, as well as an awareness of the “real time” concerns facing MNPS. She believes District 6 deserves to know they have a voice and a right to be informed about things impacting their community.
(CUBE) a division of the National School Boards A s s o c i at ion (NSBA). Mayes states that her goals include listening to the community and ensuring the schools receive “the resources and funding that provides equitable and equal opportunities for all students.”
SCHOOL BOARD D8
ERIN O’HARA BLOCK Erin O’Hara Block is a Democrat running for school board in District 8. She has a master’s degree in Public Pol-
icy from Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of Education and a bachelor’s degree in American government and African/African American studies from the University of Virginia. O’Hara Block has spent more than two decades working in education policy and research on issues including early learning, afterschool programs, college access, educator preparation, and school leadership. She currently is the Executive Director of the Tennessee Education Research Alliance, a partnership between Vanderbilt University and the Tennessee
Department of Education. She’s also served as an adjunct faculty member at Peabody College at Vanderbilt University teaching grants and administration. If elected to the school board, O’Hara Block wants to ensure the district provides the resources and structures to recruit and retain high quality staff and help create integrated systems to support mental health of students and educators both inside and outside of school. She wants to use her expertise to shape education policy and research in Nashville and across the state.
AMY PATE Amy Pate is running as an Independent for school board in District 8. Pate is a Nashville native and graduated from John Overton High School. Pate currently
April 13 - 27, 2022
CHRIS MOTH Chris Moth is running for school board in District 8. Moth has lived in Nashville, specifically District 8, for 33 years. He graduated from the University
works in sales for a construction company. She serves on the JT Moore PTO and is part of the group “Let Nashville Parents Choose” that formed to support schools reopening in 2020-21. She is a mother of three children in the
of Rochester in 1985 and went on to earn a master’s degree in computer science and mathematics, as well as a Ph.D. in chemistry, from Vanderbilt University. He and his wife, Valerie, have three children, all of whom have attended Metro Nashville Public Schools. Moth co-founded Daisy Systems in 1982 and authored software that has since been sold to thousands of floral shops helping them sell online. He conducts research in computational chemistry. He has been a consistent
MNPS school system and was outspoken about her disappointment about the lack of structure that metro schools had while reopening. Pate believes in always putting the needs of kids before politics, listening to parents about what
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 23
supporter of MNPS, acting as co-chair of the Hillsboro Cluster Parent Advisory Committee, a school PTO board member, and a substitute teacher among other positions. His notable positions for this election are his opposition to censorship, book banning, standardized testing and the privatization of schools. A main aspect of his platform includes more social and emotional learning support and additional support for teachers, financially and with policy changes.
they want and need for their children, and holding the district and board of education accountable. She emphasizes that her status as an Independent means her loyalties lie not with a party but with the students and families of MNPS.
BALLOT BREAKDOWN
Sheriff The office of sheriff is established by the Tennessee Constitution. The sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer for the county and is elected every four years. This office oversees the county’s law enforcement department, including all staff. County sheriffs enforce the law in unincorporated areas within a county and also sometimes provide law enforcement services to municipalities lacking their own police departments. Additionally, county sheriffs are in charge of county jails and are sometimes asked to serve subpoenas, protection orders and eviction notices.
A sheriff candidate must be an American citizen who is at least 25 years old and lived in the county for at least one year. They must have a high school diploma and not have been convicted of any felonies, nor been discharged from the military due to dishonor or court martial. A candidate for sheriff must have at least three years experience as a peace or law enforcement officer in the previous ten years. Candidates must also confirm they have had a psychological evaluation from a certified psychologist or psychiatrist.
DARON HALL Native Nashvillian Daron Hall is running unopposed for Sheriff in Davidson County. Hall is a graduate of Western Kentucky University. He serves as president of the National
Sheriffs’ Association and also serves on its Executive Board and Board of Directors. Additionally, he served as the 101st president of the American Correctional Association (ACA). Hall has held this office since 2002 and was elected to his fifth term in 2018. As sheriff, Hall has made it a priority to focus on programming, treatment, and community involvement to ensure inmates become productive citizens. Hall received criticism in 2009 for his office’s enforcement strategies involving immigration and for
speaking at a dinner meeting for a group the Southern Poverty Law Center identifies as a hate group. In 2019, Hall announced his office would stop contracting to house immigrants detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE). Hall is also passionate about making criminal justice improvements that help those suffering from mental health disorders. In 2017, he was awarded the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Sam Cochran Award for his efforts.
Your Pendulum - Make Your Moments Matter I carry with me a pendulum from 1890.
policies are most effective then market solutions rise up to meet the demands. Affordable housing is most affordable when protected, market-driven, and policy encouraged.
Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium was built in 1892 to bring forth the Gospel message of new life in Christ. The Salvation Army had come to Nashville just two years earlier in 1890. The year after the Ryman was built the American Economic Association awarded and published a paper, “How to House the Poor.” It is one of my favorite documents because the plan includes designs of micro-living units and recognized the need for housing to reduce other social ills.
So I carry a pendulum. It reminds me that for some cities it takes decades to act on what they know. But I am responsible for my moments. During this post-pandemic season of 2022, I want my pendulum to swing in reflection of the 1890s for shows at the Ryman, the Gospel of Christ, and the effort of “How to House the Poor.”
I carry the pendulum as a reminder that while we are all here for a moment of time, we are not alone in time. From the housing policies that rose up out of the tenement housing and slums of NYC in the late 1800s, we have the knowledge of individual budgeting based on income, square footage allotments per family size, and the benefits of affordable housing to community quality of life. However, while we have the knowledge we still have the problem. The problem remains the same. Affordable housing is primarily a policy issue. When policies have not been effective then a significant amount of public funds may be necessary to spark affordable housing. When
solutions. Market-based, policy-encouraged solutions bring forth the greatest housing return on investments. However, urgency also prompts affordable housing for our most vulnerable neighbors. What is the right mix? There is a science for that.
The Salvation Army is committed to attainable and equitable housing. We are hosting two Spring Dialogues with national policy experts to advance our shared understanding. Seats are limited and you are welcome…..
Communities around the country do figure out how to maximize market solutions through shallow rent subsidies, zoning variances, and public land transfers to non-profit housing agencies sparking affordable housing
Major Ethan Frizzell, Area Commander The Salvation Army 615-933-9305
SalvationArmyNashville.org PAGE 24 | April 13 - 27, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
www.JudgeJones.com www.JudgeJones.com
@TheJudgeJones
www.JudgeJones.com
www.JudgeJones.com
.JudgeJones.com
April 13 - 27, 2022
@TheJudgeJones
@TheJudgeJones
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 25
VENDOR WRITING
Housing First? BY VICK Y B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR I was never sure just what Housing First was but I’d hear that it’s just “free housing” and “No one will build free housing.” It’s really not. It’s really not even about housing, but recovery. You may be thinking it’s about the addicts and alcoholics and it can be, but it’s much more than that. It’s recovery for you as well as me. It’s recovery from abuse, sexual abuse and yes even homelessness. It’s a more client choice program that puts the client’s needs first instead of trying to fit the client into a mold. It also makes for a more successful housing, instead of what I did and just went for the first thing that came up and figured I could work with it. I was so tired and done with being homeless that anything would be a welcome change. Housing First would have allowed me to have a choice of what neighborhoods I’d like to live in along with activities I’d like to be near and transportation options I was looking for.
It would have allowed me to get into recovery from the trauma of being homeless. In 1980 President Ronald Reagan stopped investing in housing and put money into corporations with the promise of new jobs and better pay. Of course this didn’t happen. It simply made the rich richer and the poor deeper in poverty. President Reagan had said that the “homeless problem” is because people are lazy. The stigmas that surrounded homeless people then and still do today. “Homelessness is just the absence of a job.” “They’re just lazy and don’t want to work.”. “They’re all addicts and alcoholics.” These are the stigmas homeless people have lived with for years and years and there’s no public relations campaign to change anyone’s mind. So it’s up to nonprofits and homeless people themselves to
change the stigmas. I love the concept of Housing First, but more so I like the team effort of the social workers. The concept is to develop a relationship with the client via weekly visits, telephone calls, etc. This is real caring on the part of the social worker. Homeless people are tired of feeling like just another person. Providing this relationship will help build trust, respect and start the clearing of the cobwebs. The cobwebs occur when you get into housing and can easily feel overwhelmed with everything to do. Having someone who you know and they know you, can help with the clearing of those cobwebs. I’m not sure if Housing First is the answer but, I’m in love with the wrap around services that social workers would give. Maybe taking a part of the Housing First approach along with affordable housing and the wrap around services would be worth looking into.
Ukraine, Your Problem is Our Challenge BY DANIEL H., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR Have you ever woken up in the morning wondering what your day will be like? Or gone to bed asking how blessed you are because something good happened? Unfortunately, our neighbors in Ukraine are not as blessed. As a homeless person, in the past I would ask myself where I could find food, how I would get from one place to another, or even where I would sleep without being run off. You may say “what does this have to do with Ukraine?” Maybe even turn off the TV so your children aren’t traumatized by what they see. When you have money things look different. You may hear yourself say I would never want to be them. Sometimes you are not given a choice over a day’s event. I can remember telling the people of Nashville at a homeless memorial that any one of us could be homeless. It was right after the tornado struck Nashville and East Nashville, leaving people without homes or work to support their families.
PAGE 26 | April 13 - 27, 2022 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
Now close your eyes for a second and instead of a tornado it was a bomb. All you want to do is survive. You look around to see everything you consider important is gone. Next, you check on your family to see if they survived. All you can hear are people screaming as they try to make it to safety. This is the real life and world of Ukraine. We take for granted what is given to us freely. The smiles that come as we watch our children grow. The neighbor’s invitation to dinner to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. Please remember when driving or walking down the road and you pass a homeless person, treat them with kindness. You may not always have a choice what your day will be. Being kind should not be a choice, but a humane thing to do. After all, if not for Poland and other countries reaching to help the people of Ukraine it would be unthinkable. Be kind to a stranger. You may be blessed in so many ways.
April 13 - 27, 2022
| The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 27
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
HOLY WEEK WEDNESDAY HIS own single voice prostrated that great crowd . . . For God lay hid in that human flesh; and eternal day was so obscured in those human limbs, that with lanterns and torches he was sought for to be slain by the darkness . . . And now everywhere through the Gospel Christ is still saying: "I am He." St Augustine: Lectures on St. John. GOD withdrew his protection, but did not break the union. Anonymous, quoted by St Thomas Aquinas: Catena Aurea.
HOLY WEEK THURSDAY JESUS suffers in His passions the torments which men inflict upon Him, but in His agony He suffers the torments which He inflicts on Himself; This is a suffering from no human, but an almighty hand, for He must be almighty to bear it. Pascal: Pensées. HE was pieced with love no less than with grief, and it was that wound of Love which made him so constantly to endure all the other. . . Christ pierced on the cross is liber charitatis, "the very book of love" laid open before us. Lancelot Andrewes: Sermon on Good Friday, 1597.
GOOD FRIDAY JESUS is alone on the earth, without any one not only to feel and share His suffering, but even to know of it; He and Heaven were alone in that knowledge. Pascal: Pensées. THE perfection of our knowledge is Christ; the perfection of our knowledge in, or touching Christ, is the knowledge of Christ's piercing. This is the chief sight; nay, in this sight are all sights; so that know this, and know all. Lancelot Andrewes: Sermon on Good Friday, 1597. THE tree upon which were fixed the members of Him dying was even the chair of the Master teaching. St Augustine: Lectures on St. John. EVERY mystery of Christ's assumed mortality was fulfilled and his immortality alone remained. St Ambrose, quoted by St. Thomas Aquinas: Catena Aurea. THOU, the Life, wert laid in the grave, O Christ; and the hosts of the angels shuddered, praising thy humility. Ritual of the Orthodox Church.
HOLY WEEK SATURDAY THEY (Joseph and Nicodemus) answered (the Blessed Virgin) and said: "We sorrow and mourn with all our hearts for all that is done to him, and fain would we have helped him, but we could not overcome wickedness with right, nevertheless this little service shall we do to our Lord." Then rose they up and made them ready to take him down. St Bonaventura: The Privity of the Passion. IT was not written by hazard: "Joseph wrapped Christ's body in a clean winding-sheet, and placed it in a new monument," and that "he rolled a great stone," because all things around the body of Jesus are clean, and new, and exceeding great. Origen: St Matthew. EASTER SUNDAY GOD comes to us without any purpose of departing from us again; for the spirit of life that God breathed into man, that departs from man in death; but when God had assumed the nature of man, the Godhead never parted from that nature; no, not in death; when Christ lay dead in the grave, the Godhead remained united to that body and that soul, which were
disunited in themselves; God was so united to man, as that he was with man, when man was not man, in the state of death. John Donne: Sermons. BY His Passion Christ achieved glory, not only of His soul, which He had from the first moment of His conception, but also of His body; . . . to which glory He brings those who follow the footsteps of His Passion. Aquinas: Summa Theologica. ALL things have become light, never again to set, and the setting has believed in the rising. This is the new creation. St Clement: Address to the Greeks.
EASTER WEEK MONDAY IN the kingdom of the Son the Father also reigns; and in the kingdom of the Father the Son also reigns: for the Father is in the Son, and the Son is in the Father; and in whomsoever the Son dwells, in him also the Father; and in whomsoever the Father dwells, in him also the Son dwells, as it is written: "Both I am My Father will come to Him, and make Our abode with Him." Thus as there is one dwelling, so also there is one kingdom. Yea, and so far is the kingdom of the Father and of the Son but one, that the Father receives what the Son delivers, and the Son does not lose what the Father receives. St Ambrose: On the Faith.
EASTER WEEK TUESDAY . . . WHEREAS now their souls (of just men) be only in heaven, at the day of judgement this further increase of joy shall they have, that their bodies also shall be partakers of eternal bliss, and they shall in their flesh receive joy. St Gregory the Great: Dialogues. WHEN the glorious and holy flesh shall clothe us again, our whole persons shall be more admirable by being more complete. Dante: Paradise. NOW was I come up in spirit through the flaming sword into the Paradise of God. All things were new: and all the creation gave another smell unto me than before, beyond what words can utter. George Fox: Journal. TO it (the pure soul) all creatures are pure to enjoy; for it enjoyeth all creatures in God and God in all creatures. Eckhart: Sermons.
EASTER WEEK WEDNESDAY THE will of the Creator shall gather together man's dust, shall renew it, and make of it the temple of glory; the body shall lead his companion, the soul, into the bridal chamber and there comfort her; and the body filled with sorrow in Hades shall rejoice, and the body that hath despaired shall give praise for his redemption, and that over which the foolish despaired shall receive great mercy. St Ephraem Syrus: Hymns.
EASTER WEEK THURSDAY THE Word, leaving his Father in heaven, came down to be joined to his Wife, and slept in the trace of his Passion, and willingly suffered death for her, that he might present the Church to himself, glorious and blameless, having cleansed her by the laver, for the receiving of the spiritual and blessed seed which is sown by him who, with whispers, implants it in the depths of the mind, and is conceived and formed by the Church, as by a woman, so as to give birth and nourishment to virtue. For in this way, too, the command "Increase and multiply" is duly fulfilled, the Church increasing daily in greatness and beauty and multitude by the union and communion of the Word who now still comes down to us and falls into a trance by the Memorial of his Passion. Methodius: Banquet of the Ten Virgins.
Sponsored by Matthew Carver, publisher
EASTER WEEK FRIDAY IT belongs to God alone to bestow beatitude upon souls by a participation with Himself; but it is Christ's prerogative to bring them to such beatitude, inasmuch as He is their Head and the author of their salvation. Thomas Aquinas: Summa Theologica. NONE can be eternally united who have not died for each other. Patmore: The Rod, the Root, and the Flower.
EASTER WEEK SATURDAY AFTER the meeting was over I went to John Audland's, and there came John Story to me and lighted his pipe of tobacco. And said he, "Will you take a pipe of tobacco?" saying, "Come; all is ours." And I looked upon him to be a forward bold lad; and tobacco I did not take, but it came to my mind that the lad might think I had not unity with the creation. For I saw he had a flashy, empty notion of religion. So I took his pipe and put it to my mouth, and gave it to him again to stop him lest his rude tongue should say I had not unity with the creation. George Fox: Journal.
FIRST SUNDAY AFTER EASTER NOT for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up in life. These are words by which the slanderers of the nature of the body, the impeachers of our flesh, are completely overthrown . . . We do not with to cast aside the body, but corruption; not the flesh, but death. The body is one thing, death another . . . What is foreign to us is not the body but corruptibility. St John Chrysostom: On the Resurrection of the Dead.
FEAST OF ST MARK THE EVANGELIST WHO has taught the evangelists the qualities of a perfectly heroic soul, that they paint it so perfectly in Jesus Christ? Why do they make Him weak in His agony? Do they know how to paint a resolute death? Yes, for the same Saint Luke paints the death of Saint Stephen as braver than that of Jesus Christ. They make him therefore capable of fear, before the necessity of dying has come, and then altogether brave. But when they make Him so troubled, it is when He afflicts Himself; and when men afflict Him, he is altogether strong. Pascal: Pensées.
2ND MONDAY AFTER EASTER GIVE yourself up to ever so many good works, read, preach, pray, visit the sick, build hospitals, clothe the naked, etc., yet if anything goes along with these or in the doing of them you have anything else that you will and hunger after, but that God's Kingdom may come and His will done, they are not the works of the new-born from above and so cannot be his lifegiving food. For the new creature in Christ is that one will and one hunger that was in Christ; and therefore, where that is wanting, there is wanting that new creature which alone can have His conversation. William Law: Letters.
2ND TUESDAY AFTER EASTER ACCORDING to the Scriptures we have been taught that death is threefold. One death is when we die to sin, but live to God. Blessed, then, is that death which, escaping from sin, and devoted to God, separates us from what is mortal and consecrates us to Him Who is immortal. Another death is the departure from this life, as the patriarch Abraham died, and David, and were buried with their fathers; when the soul is set free from the bonds of the body. The third death is that of which it is said: "Leave the dead to bury their own dead." In that death not only the flesh but also the soul dies, for "the soul that sinneth, it shall die." For it dies to the Lord, through the weakness not of nature but of guilt. But this death is not the discharge from this life, but a fall through error. St Ambrose: On the Death of Satyrus.
