The Contributor: October 23, 2024 by the-contributor-live

IN THE ISSUE

A Few Questions

Vendor Spotlight

“Even if you can’t give, give time. I love it when somebody stops to talk. It’s definitely the best part of a day out there.”

Vendor Writing

Contributor vendors write in this issue about bracelets, homelessness and Father Charles Strobel's memoir.

Moving Pictures

Halloween movie nights are made for living rooms and small screens. Joe Nolan rounds up his favorites for the season.

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WHO WE ARE

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

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

Jennifer Carlat is the executive director of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Nashville, an organization with roots in Nashville.

Jennifer Carlat is the executive director of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Nashville with deep roots in Nashville and Middle Tennessee.

Carlat served for 11 years at Metro Nashville’s Planning Department, where she rose to the role of assistant director. Prior to joining ULI, she worked at the Nashville Chamber of Commerce as their chief policy officer. In that role, she led advocacy efforts on issues involving workforce development, transit, housing affordability, and fiscal policy.

“When I look back on my work, I have always been really intrigued with the built environment — buildings, streets, parks and where amenities are located — and how that built environment impacts our lives and the lives of our loved ones and our neighbors,” Carlat said.

How has your journey led you to your current position at the Urban Land Institute Nashville?

Not long after college, I moved to Nashville and worked in enrolling children and families into TennCare, which is Tennessee’s Medicaid program. At the time, we were really encouraging these families to make changes for the health of their children, [specifically] to eat healthier and to exercise more. But as I was in their neighborhoods, I could see that these neighbors lived in neighborhoods that did not have healthy food, did not have groceries, did not have sidewalks or safe park places. It felt really disingenuous to me that we were saying to parents and caregivers you should offer these things to your children but the neighborhoods that we had built did not allow that.

Ever since then, I just thought a lot about the built environment and its impact on our and our children’s future. Every job I've had since then, whether it was at the [Metro] Planning Department and then later at the Chamber of Commerce, they each have given me a platform and an opportunity to try to positively impact the build environment.

I guess the other thing is, I just love Nashville. I love this city. It's offered so much to me, and so I want to be part of trying to make it better for all of our neighbors as well. So that's how I think I came to be at the Urban Land Institute. It's a new platform and new vehicle for me to get to work on the issues that matter most to me, which is changing the built environment for the benefit of Nashvillians.

You have been heading up ULI Nashville for nearly three years. What does ULI do?

ULI is a nonprofit, and we are a member-based group. We have about 1,000 members and all of our members are in roles related to commercial real estate. They are developers, brokers, architects, engineers, city planners, academics.

Our members want to build their skillset and their connections and want to grow their business, and they want to have a positive impact on Nashville and Middle Tennessee through their commercial real estate work.

Q&A with Jennifer Carlat

BY JUDITH TACKETT

At ULI Nashville, we do not lobby or endorse legislation. We do a lot of programming for our members that is exploring best practices, and how we can all learn together and elevate our work. We also create a lot of networking and connections around ideas along the way. We specifically work in affordability, mobility, and sustainable and resilient development.

What are some of the impacts ULI Nashville has on our local community?

Because ULI doesn't lobby, we can play a unique role in being a sounding board and a thought partner for the departments in Metro Nashville government and for the Metro Council. We have experience with a councilmember or a department. [When they have] an idea on a new tool and a piece of legislation, a new program, a new policy, and they want to see how this would play out in commercial real estate, we can workshop that with them. Whether that's a new tool around affordable housing or a new tool around how to incentivize sustainable development, our members can get together and say, “OK, on the ground, this is how that tool will play out and this is the effect it will have.”

We also hosted technical assistance panels — about three in the last five years. One on creating sustainable, resilient affordable housing; one on building for heat resilience, which is the biggest climate related challenge that Middle Tennessee faces; and then one on how to rebuild Third Avenue after the 2020 bombing.

Finally, we also celebrate models of good development and developments that bring the public and private sector together to benefit the community. One recent example,

we did a tour of the redesigned and expanded Donelson Plaza development. We have a gorgeous new Donelson Branch Library that was created through a public-private partnership. Touring that, hearing about that, and sharing that model with our members, that's the kind of impacts that we have.

Affordability is on top of every conversation whether it’s related to housing, transportation, health care, homelessness, etc. What are some of the projects you are currently involved in that focus on addressing the affordability crisis in Nashville?

There are three that come to mind.

ULI Nashville hosts an affordable working group that can be used by private sector members of ULI who develop affordable housing. It brings them together with leaders and the departments in Metro government that approve permits. We've been meeting for a year to discuss barriers to efficient, effective permitting and creation of affordable housing. And we've made some progress on streamlining permitting [reviews] to get these affordable housing developments through faster.

Earlier this year, we launched a Mobility Action Council. This is a group of ULI Nashville members that want to raise awareness and education about the transportation referendum that is on the ballot on Nov. 5. And while ULI does not endorse legislation or a referendum, we can provide education to our members on the Choose How You Move proposal. We’ve held three events thus far and have another one coming up in late October that are all discussing elements of the Choose How You Move ballot proposal.

And then finally, we've been in partnership with Think Tennessee, a statewide think tank, on work where they've done research on faith-based organizations that have land and potentially interest in using their land for affordable housing. So, we've been working in partnership with them to make our members available to faith-based leaders who are interested in exploring the use of their land for affordable housing. We've been part of a series of three meetings that occurred over the summer and continue that conversation as well.

What, in your opinion, can Nashville as a community do to ensure the working-class people can live in Davidson County rather than having to move out of the county because they cannot afford housing here?

I think through the work that I've been part of with ULI Nashville, I've really expanded my understanding of affordable housing to think of it more in terms of affordable living. For me, the affordable housing work that ULI is part of is critical. It's something that will continue and our members and our strategic plan want to continue working on that. But the shift into also working in mobility and making our members aware of what their developments can do to support mobility, to support greater use of transit, to support walkability and bikeability, giving people more options for how they access jobs and education and amenities, that is also big. I think the next frontier for our city is really to think about how affordability is impacted by the climate. So, thinking about how it's our neighbors who have the least resources who are going to be most impacted by climate-related weather events. We're seeing this play out in East Tennessee. And so, starting more of a conversation about how we are making housing both more affordable but also sustainable and resilient so that in the face of weather events, neighbors can bounce back and even bounce forward because they've got secure housing, and they continue to have access to jobs and education even when there are tragic weather events. I think that's going to be kind of the next space that our community needs to work on in terms of affordability.

Especially with increasing extreme weather events that make people homeless, is homelessness coming up as an issue among your membership?

I’d say among our members, there is interest in how commercial real estate can be a partner in addressing homelessness. [One way] our members generally think about it is in terms of their individual support or their firm’s support for the providers addressing homelessness today. The other way they think about it is how to be part of the solution in offering more affordable housing and keeping affordable housing stable, so that people don't lose their housing either because of something that happens to them as an individual or as part of a weather event.

Learn More About Domestic Violence and Homelessness

BY JUDITH TACKETT

“Kate faced a gut-wrenching choice between staying in a violent home or facing homelessness.”

“I'm 72 and escaped domestic violence. Now I'm homeless.”

“Some might say that I don’t fit the mold of a victim of domestic violence, since I am a trained Professional Fighter. But I am here to tell you that Domestic Abuse does not discriminate. It CAN and DOES affect all walks of life.”

These sentences are randomly taken from some of the survivor stories I found online. Story after story sounded similar because each one was about complete control of one person over another, and yet the trauma is personal for each survivor.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness month. The Nashville Banner recently dedicated a series of articles about this issue, and Nashville’s Vice Mayor Angie Henderson together with Erin Evans, the chair of the Metro Council’s Public Health and Safety Committee, are holding three special called meetings this month about domestic violence in Davidson County.

While I usually do not focus on covering topics based on awareness months, I believe it is crucial for us to talk about the interconnectedness of Domestic Violence (DV), Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and homelessness. (I will be using the term DV in this column.)

Currently, 239 individuals are listed on our local By Name List of DV survivors. This is a 25 percent decrease from a year ago.

I received that information from The Mary Parrish Center, a local DV provider that offers, “safe, accessible and compassionate housing with individual care that promotes healing, autonomy and hope.” The Mary Parrish Center manages the coordinated entry process for DV survivors in Nashville, which in turns creates a By Name List.

By Name Lists are a way of helping communities measure what happens among a certain population in real time (how many people are new to the homelessness system, how many exit a system). By Name Lists also help us to measure community-level outcomes and ensure that individuals and families are linked with services without duplication of efforts. It increases the coordination power among participating provider agencies, which — if implemented well — leads to quicker and more efficient service provision to individuals and families.

Locally, the Office of Homeless Services (OHS) manages the coordinated entry process for people who are literally homeless, meaning they sleep in shelters, on the streets, in encampments, in cars, and in other places not meant for human habitation. OHS uses the local Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) database to collect client information including demographics and service needs. HMIS is mandated in order for communities to receive some federal grants designated to addressing homelessness.

However, the federal government does not allow DV providers to use HMIS in order to protect the identities of DV survivors in accordance with the law. Thus, the Mary Parrish Center has established an HMIS equivalent,

From The Mary Parrish Center Website:

SAFETY ALERT: If you are in danger, please use a safer computer, call 911, our local hotline at 1-800-334-4628, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 and TTY 1-800-787-3224. To begin the housing process, please call 615-955-0620 to speak with our Coordinated Entry Specialist.

The United Nations Definition of Domestic Violence:

“Domestic abuse, also called "domestic violence" or "intimate partner violence", can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure, or wound someone. Domestic abuse can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender. It can occur within a range of relationships including couples who are married, living together or dating. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels.”

The American Bar Association, which lists five facts about DV and homelessness on their website, shares the following information (copied and pasted):

38 percent of all domestic violence victims become homeless at some point in their lifetime. In addition, more than 90 percent of homeless women have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse at some point in their lives. Survivors can experience obstacles both in looking for housing and maintaining safe housing. These obstacles are often amplified depending on a survivor’s race, immigration status, or English language proficiency.

Domestic violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness for children in the United States, with one quarter of homeless children having witnessed violence.

• Abusers may affect survivors’ economic stability by making them economically dependent. Survivors may also be unemployed, have poor credit, or poor rental history due to domestic violence.

• There are federal programs that provide affordable housing for low-income individuals that prohibit discrimination on the basis of being a victim of domestic violence through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). These programs include Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, Project-based Section 8, and Low-Income Housing Tax Credit programs, and other public housing.

separate database and process they manage for the DV provider community to collect information about clients, including characteristics and service needs.

The Mary Parrish Center told me that from March 2022 to February 2024, they observed a significant increase in the proportion of inflow of families versus individuals. Since then, that increase in families fleeing DV seems to have leveled off, according to their data.

As mentioned earlier, Nashville DV providers have seen a 25-percent decrease on their By Name List over the past year, which is credited to a combination of fewer calls for help and higher exits.

“Last year, an average of 29.25 survivors were exited from the BNL each month as permanently housed,” Mary Katherine Rand, the executive director of The Mary Parrish Center, explained. “This is a 19 percent [housing placement] increase from the previous year.”

When we talk about “exits,” we refer not only to people being exited from a homeless status to permanent housing. Exits from the By Name List can also mean that providers are unable to reach individuals or families after several attempts over a period of time. They basically have disappeared. Maybe they found housing on their own. Maybe they returned to their abuser. Maybe they live in a motel they don’t want to

disclose. Or they doubled up with friends or family. Usually, there are strict protocols in place about how and when individuals and families can be exited from the By Name List. Those who “re-appear” are moved from an inactive list back to the active By Name List.

Rand confirmed that the DV providers are in the process of further analyzing the data.

“We are five years into DV-Coordinated Entry,” Rand said. “So I think we will be getting a better idea moving forward what our baseline will look like. Up to this point, data has been so new.”

Rand added that there has always been solid coordination between DV providers, “because we have been able to work on that from the beginning.” But she clearly believes continuing improvements are needed in any system.

The creation of Metro’s Office of Family Safety was a huge step in the right direction. It enhanced coordination efforts and built a person-centered approach to serve DV survivors.

The first of the three special called meetings on DV called for by the Metro Council that I mentioned earlier was held on Oct. 16 and focused on the Office of Family Safety.

Becky Bullard, deputy director of programs of the Office of Family Safety, reported that Tennessee has been in the top 10 states for the most femicides that are committed around

the country. Femicide is defined as the killing of a woman or girl on account of her gender.

“That really means that violence against women in the state of Tennessee is not only a problem, it’s an epidemic,” Bullard said.

In Nashville, 15 percent of homicides between 2011 and 2021 were related to DV.

The Metro Police Department collects data on DV victims and their demographics. So far this year:

• 7,791 DV victims reported DV incidences.

• 2,231 children were present during the incidents.

• 789 victims were taken to a safe place.

• 501 children were taken to a safe place.

Let’s turn our focus back to DV and its connection to homelessness.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness reported that in 2023, about 10.4 percent of all temporary beds on homeless service systems nationwide were set aside for survivors of domestic violence and their families. In their annual funding competition, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development continues to offer bonus dollars to solve housing for DV survivors.

Why? Because everyone agrees DV is a main cause of homelessness. For some, fleeing their abusers leads instantly to homelessness. Others are reaching out to a homelessness program because they intend to flee but do not have the financial means to live independently from their abuser. Economic dependency is a main tool to assert control over a victim of DV. Sadly, DV is also a main contributor to child homelessness.

Research shows that eight percent of people experiencing homelessness had experienced DV in the six months prior to becoming homeless, according to a comprehensive study conducted by the Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative in California. DV survivors are overrepresented in the homelessness population due to the immediate and long-term effects of DV. While not all DV leads to homelessness, survivors with low incomes are mostly affected, “many of whom would not have become homeless in the absence of [DV],” according to the study.

So, what can you do to help?

Learn about the issue. Watch the recording of the Oct.16 presentation and discussion of the Special Called Public Health & Safety Committee Meeting on Domestic Violence in Davidson County, which is available on Metro’s YouTube channel. Erin Evins, the committee’s chair, announced two additional meetings on DV. On Oct. 23, council members will go over to the Jean Crowe Advocacy Center for an immersion tour, and on Oct. 30, they will convene back in the Council Chambers to hear from MNPD, DA, and Sheriff’s Office. Both those meetings are open to the public. Get involved with a DV provider and help by volunteering and/or you can donate to a DV provider. I recommend focusing on comprehensive programs that participate in community collaboration. The Office of Family Services is a great starting point to ensure you support solutions-oriented, person-centered best practice organizations.

News Briefs

Metro Removes Structures at Old Tent City Site

In a press release, Metro Nashville’s Office of Homeless Services announced the city moved forward with its plan to remove several structures at the homelessness encampment many call Old Tent City. The city extended an early September deadline to Oct. 15 for people living in the encampment to vacate the structures before demolition. The release from OHS outlines efforts to connect those who were living there with resources and housing opportunities, saying that they would offer monthly resource fairs in the area to address ongoing needs and provide essential services. “Additionally, the health department conducted a comprehensive assessment of both the individuals residing there and the surrounding area to prioritize health and safety, the release reads. “Official notices were distributed to the residents of these structures in early September and continued through Oct. 15, 2024. We also want to acknowledge the importance of using trauma informed practices as we address the needs of the people.”

OHS to Run Winter Metro Emergency Overflow Shelter

As temperatures begin to drop, the Metro Nashville Office of Homeless Services announced in an email newsletter its preparation to run the Cold Weather Emergency Overflow Shelter this season. According to OHS, an average of 213 people were served for more than 40 nights in 2023 — the shelter opens when temperatures dip below 32 degrees for more than three consecutive hours. The newsletter also notes that on evenings when they open the Overflow Shelter, and that WeGo will provide rides to passengers without fare from WeGo Central on Route 23B Dickerson Pike to 3230 Brick Church Pike — rides will begin at 7 p.m. and run until 10:30 p.m. and folks will receive assistance with passes to get to a safe location in the morning.

Daybreak Arts Partners with Lane Motor Museum

Daybreak Arts, a nonprofit social enterprise dedicated to empowering artists impacted by homelessness, is hosting an exhibition and gala in partnership with Nashville’s Lane Motor Museum on Nov. 14. The nonprofit fundraiser will feature original artwork by Daybreak Artist Edwin Lockridge, “known for his creative incorporation of found car parts into his pieces.” Attendees will have the opportunity to view and purchase Edwin Lockridge’s art as well as contribute to Daybreak Arts mission of working with artists facing homelessness.

“Edwin’s art exemplifies the resourcefulness and creativity we see in so many of our artists, who often use unconventional materials to express themselves,” said Nicole Minyard, Executive Director of Daybreak Arts. In addition to the art exhibition, Lane Motor Museum will offer free refreshments. Funds raised from the event will directly support Daybreak Arts’ programs, which

provide supplies, studio space, education and exhibition and income opportunities for unhoused and housing insecure artists in Nashville.

Imagine Nashville Releases Final Report & Dozens Of “Ideas For Action” To Guide City Forward Over Next Decade

Imagine Nashville, a cohort that underwent a 14-month community-led process to find a set of common priorities throughout the city, unveiled its list of recommendations based on their gatherings. The recommendations are encompassed in the following four overarching priorities:

• Nashvillians need stronger pathways to earn a higher standard of living and in turn, the ability to live a good life.

• Nashvillians must have the ability to safely and efficiently move around the city.

• Every Nashvillian should have a place to call home — meaning we have ample attainable and affordable housing options that match demand across the city.

• All neighborhoods should have a distinct character and the elements needed for a high quality of life for its residents.

The report outlines more than 30 ideas for action, where Imagine Nashville will then form teams to implement the ideas into action. “Nashville has long been known for its uncanny collaborative spirit. Together we have achieved so many things over the years, but sometimes in the warp speed of change, it’s easy to lose sight of how we got to be the envy of every other city in America,” said Imagine Nashville Co-Chair Dr. Alex Jahangir. “This yearlong effort was designed to get us back to our roots — to bring the community together around a set of driving priorities that enable Nashville to continue to prosper but with an eye to making sure all Nashvillians feel they belong and can thrive here.”

TEMA, TDHS Announce Emergency GoKit Distribution for Tennesseans with Disabilities

The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) has 300 Emergency Go-Kits for Tennesseans who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, and have low vision at various locations around the state, according to a release from TEMA. “For hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans, preparing for, responding to, or recovering from a disaster or emergency situation can present a real challenge,” said TEMA Director Patrick C. Sheehan. “TEMA is committed to ensuring that Tennesseans have the tools and resources necessary to stay safe and informed.” The go-kits are available on a first come, first served basis at 10 TDHS Vocational Rehabilitation locations. Each kit will include a Midland Weather Radio, Midland SBNDL Bundle Kit (strobe light, pillow shaker, batteries, etc.), and family First Aid Kit.

LA NOTICIA

“The Contributor” está trabajando con uno de los principales periódicos en español La Noticia para llevar contenido a más lectores en Middle Tennessee. Nuestros vendedores de periódicos han pedido durante mucho tiempo que nuestra publicación incluya contenido que apele al interés de residentes de habla hispana en nuestra comunidad.

“The Contributor” is working with one of the leading Spanish-language newspapers La Noticia to bring content to more readers in Middle Tennessee. Our newspaper vendors have long requested that our publication include content that appeals to the interest of Spanish-speaking residents in our community.

¡Printing the Revolution! The Rise and Impact of Chicano Graphics, 1965 to Now,” una exposición que muestra las artes gráficas de la historia de los mexicoamericanos y otras luchas relacionadas, estuvo abierta hasta el 29 de septiembre en el Frist Art Museum de Nashville. Las presentaciones son hermosas, provocadoras e inspiradoras. El uso del término “Chicano” para aquellos de ascendencia mexicana es un reflejo en sí mismo, que indica un cambio dinámico en la etimología mexicoamericana La exposición proviene de la colección del Smithsonian American Art Museum y presenta la magnificencia, riqueza, fortaleza, complejidad y desarrollo de la vida chicana en los Estados Unidos a lo largo de varias décadas. "¡Printing the Revolution!" encarna los llamados artísticos por la justicia social y el despertar político y progresista, ejemplificados en las presentaciones.

La exposición evoca el hecho de que durante la década de 1960, los artistas chicanos desarrollaron una historia destacada y excepcional de la impresión gráfica, que sigue siendo poderosa hasta el día de hoy. Muchos de estos artistas fueron fuertemente influenciados por los movimientos de justicia social de la época, incluidos los derechos civiles, las luchas laborales y contra la guerra, y otros en sus formas incipientes. Esto coincidió con un cambio de conciencia que llevó a abrazar el término “Chicano” como una designación nacional/étnica que antes se consideraba poco favorecedora.

La exposición se relaciona en parte con las raíces indígenas del pueblo chicano, lo que se puede ver claramente en gráficos como los pósters “Who’s The Illegal Alien, Pilgrim”, de Yolanda López;

“Indian Land”, de Jesús Barraza; “Dignidad Rebelde”, de Nancypili Hernández; “Cruising Turtle Island”, de Gilbert “Magu” Luján; y “El Coyote”, de Michael Menchaca.

Los artistas no solo provocan reflexión sobre la evolución del término “Chicano”, sino también sobre el desarrollo de materiales creativos e innovadores utilizados para recorrer el complejo paisaje de la justicia social y su interrelación con los levantamientos políticos más allá de los confines sesgados de la llamada América.

La historia de la impresión gráfica en los EE. UU. se regocija en el brillo y la magnificencia de una combinación de depósitos culturales que emergen del arte chicano y su influencia, y la perspectiva expansiva sobre la sociedad dominante.

Esta exposición es la primera de su tipo en reunir obras de la era del activismo de derechos civiles y producciones contemporáneas de impresores actuales que utilizan gráficos expandidos que van más allá del papel. Aunque el método preferido de la impresión chicana sigue siendo la serigrafía, esta muestra incluye obras que abarcan una amplia gama de técnicas.

1. Mantenerse callado

2. Sólo dar nombre y apellido

3. No mentir

4. Nunca acepte/lleve documentos falsos

5. No revelar su situación migratoria

6. No llevar documentación de otro país

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

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

Además, "¡Printing the Revolution!" analiza cómo las artes gráficas se han utilizado para mejorar una comunidad y elevar su conciencia, involucrar al público general y considerar el desarrollo del término “Chicano” en las décadas de 1960 y 1970 como un barómetro de desafío, progreso cultural y compromiso político.

Durante este tiempo, los artistas activistas fusionaron ideológicamente sus propias luchas con otras, para convocar una estrategia que abordara el racismo, la justicia social y la desigualdad económica, problemas que siguen vigentes hoy en día. Esta exposición expresa esos pensamientos y experiencias a lo largo de las décadas y se presenta en obras que van desde serigrafías tradicionales hasta gráficos digitales y otros medios.

Las presentaciones incluyen 119 obras de más de 74 artistas de ascendencia mexicana, que a lo largo del tiempo produjeron muchos carteles económicos y de fácil distribución, a menudo distinguidos por colores resplandecientes, letras llamativas e imágenes impactantes diseñadas para comunicar conciencia y apoyo a problemas históricos de justicia social, incluidos los derechos de los inmigrantes, las causas indígenas, las preocupaciones anti-guerra y las luchas comunitarias. La exposición llama la atención sobre un amplio espectro de la opresión que permea no solo los EE. UU., sino el mundo entero.

La exposición se divide en cinco secciones: "El Nuevo Chicano", "Imágenes Urgentes", "Agentes de Cambio", "Innovaciones Digitales e Intervenciones Públicas" y "Reimaginando Historias Nacionales y Globales". Todas son expresiones vibrantes de la historia y los sentimientos del desarrollo chicano desde la década de 1960 en adelante.

La primera sección, "El Nuevo Chicano", es indicativa de los mexicanos americanos adoptando una expansión de sus raíces nativas ya presentes. Esto tiene que ver con los comienzos indígenas y una expresión renovada de orgullo por ellas.

La siguiente parte de la exposición, titulada "Imágenes Urgentes", trata sobre temas de lucha y resistencia, como los trabajadores luchando por la igualdad, la búsqueda de una vida mejor a través de la migración y la injusticia de la deportación y la brutalidad policial racista.

Esta sección también contiene carteles evocativos de la lucha del sindicato de Trabajadores Agrícolas Unidos (UFW), fundado en la década de 1960 para resistir las horribles condiciones laborales impuestas a los recolectores de uva por la agricultura corporativa. A menudo, los artistas gráficos respondieron al llamado para apoyar el movimiento de los trabajadores oprimidos, como lo ejemplifica el cartel "Boycott Grapes" de Xavier Viramontes. Con su rostro marrón oscuro, rasgos indígenas, expresión feroz, manos fuertes aplastando uvas y tocado azteca, era una llamada guerrera para resistir la explotación de los cultivadores de uva anglosajones. El siguiente segmento, "Agentes de Cambio", se enfoca en líderes en las luchas por la justicia social, los derechos civiles, la dignidad humana, la inclusión cultural y el avance político. Luminarias como el revolucionario Emiliano Zapata y la artista Frida Kahlo se presentan en retratos que destacan con colores resplandecientes y las letras llamativas del arte pop. "Innovaciones Digitales e Intervenciones Públicas" es la siguiente división, que muestra cómo los artistas gráficos emplean medios electrónicos para atraer a más y más amplias audiencias. Particularmente llamativo es el trabajo de Favianna Rodríguez, una imagen en línea titulada "Mi Cuerpo, Yo Decido", políticamente muy provocadora después de Roe v. Wade. También es políticamente cargado su trabajo "Migration is Beautiful", con una mariposa monarca simbolizando su odisea migratoria anual de mil millas hacia México, como una forma de oponerse a los sentimientos antiinmigrantes en los Estados Unidos y en cualquier otro lugar.

La última sección, "Reimaginando la Historia Nacional y Global", expresa cómo los impresores chicanos se conectan y muestran solidaridad con personas de todo el mundo que también están oprimidas y luchando por la igualdad y la justicia social. Mucha atención se le da al genocidio de los pueblos indígenas, al mismo tiempo que se enfocan en la Revolución Cubana, la Guerra de Vietnam, el Movimiento de Derechos Civiles de los años 60 y el Apartheid en Sudáfrica. En general, la exposición sigue el camino de vincular las luchas de los pueblos oprimidos en todo el mundo. Publicado primero en inglés en People’s World.

Albert Bender es un activista cherokee, historiador, columnista político y reportero independiente. Actualmente está escribiendo un tratado legal sobre la soberanía de los nativos americanos y trabajando en un libro sobre los crímenes de guerra cometidos por los EE. UU. contra el pueblo maya durante la guerra civil de Guatemala. Mr. Bender es abogado consultor en temas de soberanía indígena, restauración de tierras y cuestiones relacionadas con la Ley de Bienestar Infantil Indígena (ICWA).

Escanee esta imagen para ver La Noticia newspaper edición bilingüe digital

Por Albert Bender Chairperson Indigenous Peoples Coalition

¡Printing the Revolution! Nashville’s Frist Museum documents rise and impact of Chicano graphics

Imagen: Frist Museum

Bradley B. reflects on survival, hardship, and the value of a good conversation

For Contributor vendor Bradley B., selling the paper is about more than making a dollar. Sometimes the most valuable thing you can give someone is meaningful acknowledgement—a rare currency when you’re living on the streets.

“Even if you can’t give, give time,” he said. “Time is just … a couple minutes. ‘Hi, how are you doing?’ Talk about the weather. I love it when somebody stops to talk. It’s definitely the best part of a day out there.”

That’s not to say Bradley doesn’t appreciate everything his customers give. From a woman who’d visit weekly with new clothes to donate to a complete stranger who dropped off well over a hundred dollars without a word, the Nashville community has offered a hand to Bradley through rough times while he was living outside.

During the worst of it—2022’s sudden, deadly winter storm—he didn’t know if he’d make it out alive.

“During the big old blizzard right around Christmas, I was out there in it. It was the first time I’d ever been homeless and thought I was going to die,” he said.

BY JUSTIN WAGNER

“I had a tent, but it wasn’t big enough for me to sleep in with all my stuff in it. I had it down by [the Cumberland River] and I was using it as storage. That night, it hadn’t started snowing yet or anything and I didn’t know it was gonna snow, I failed to check the weather … it just hit up out of nowhere. In a matter of minutes, my beard and mustache and snot and everything was icicles.”

“I put down four or five blankets on top of this metal grate, I’ve got other blankets on top of me, and the blankets I had tied to the top of this railing, I pulled around me like a canopy. Even with all that, I ended up falling asleep off and on, but I couldn’t stay asleep for more than 15 minutes. Mentally, I was terrified that I would not wake up.”

“I’m just glad I’m not out there to endure it again.”

He stressed the responsibility of a community to work to address all those survival needs, from connection with others to shelter in the harshest weather. This year, though, Bradley not only has an apartment of his own, but was finally approved for disability income

after months of doctor’s appointments and waiting.

Working with The Contributor’s SOAR team, his long wait finally came to an end when he got some good news from SOAR specialists Andrew Terry IV and Ree Cheers.

“Andrew texted me and told me to call Ree. Ree said, ‘I’ve got this number for this lady at [Social Security] you need to call so you can set up your disability. I’m like, wait a minute, does this mean what I think it means?”

It did.

“It was a lot of waiting. There were a couple bumps in that road … I literally screamed in bliss and joy, I’m like ‘Yeah! Woohoo!’”

Now that he’s got a roof overhead and enough income to survive, he’s spent a lot of his time enjoying his new home and doing things he rarely got to do on the street. Having the means to sleep in a bed behind closed doors is one thing, but Bradley has gone the extra mile with a gaming setup he’s held onto since his previous time in housing. Not that that stopped him from enjoying it even when

on the streets, of course.

“We had a bunch of valuable stuff from before we were homeless this time around, like I had my older Xbox and one of my TVs we kept in a van,” he said. “We used to park over [in East Nashville] and plug up to a light pole and play games in the van.”

Moving forward, Bradley’s ambitions revolve around keeping his housing, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t dreams to chase on the horizon.

“Maintain a budget, don’t end up homeless again,” he said. “[My plan for the future is] short and sweet.”

He said he’d like to travel if he had the means, but disability income isn’t quite enough to facilitate a cross-country road trip. While he and his cousin Russell have a fixer-upper RV Russell got on Facebook Marketplace, it’s in pretty rough shape— made worse by the weather it’s had to endure outside.

Still, Bradley hopes to one day take steps to see as much of the world as he can and cross off all the items on his bucket list. When asked where he’d most like to go, he had a one-word answer.

“Everywhere.”

The Southern Festival of Books Returns

BY DAVID WESLEY WILLIAMS | CHAPTER16.ORG

A cemetery caretaker, at home among the dead, drawn into the fraught world of the living.

A husband and father who knows well the tragic allure of guns, putting his down.

Ghosts in the kitchen, reminding us that food doesn’t just bring us together for meals but connects us across generations.

These stories and more will be part of Tennessee’s most “storied” weekend of the year: the 2024 Southern Festival

of Books, which will be held October 26-27 in downtown Nashville at Bicentennial Mall, the Tennessee State Museum, and the Tennessee State Library & Archives, with some 150 authors and 25,000 readers.

The 36th annual edition of the festival — free, as always — runs from 9 a.m.6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday. It features author readings, panel sessions, and discussions of works ranging from literary and historical fiction to mystery and fantasy, memoirs,

biographies and other nonfiction, poetry, children’s stories, and young adult literature. Featured books will be available for purchase and can be signed by authors.

If you’ve never been, think book club as block party, complete with food trucks and performance stages featuring music, spoken word and theater.

Along with the weekend festival, there are two events on Thursday, October 24: a ticketed fundraiser for Humanities Tennessee with Erik Larson, author of Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak,

and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War ; and Student Day, with writing exercises and author meet-and-greets, attended by 500 high school students from Metro Nashville Public Schools.

On Friday, October 25, the festival will partner with The Porch to offer writing workshops at the Tennessee State Museum. (These workshops require pre-registration and a fee. See the festival schedule for details.)

Here’s a book lover’s leap into just a few of the festival highlights:

Fiction that transports Step into an Appalachian cemetery in the company of one of the South’s beloved storytellers: Ron Rash’s novel The Caretaker is a tale of family, love, war and grief. The caretaker of the title is the scarred but stalwart Blackburn Gant, “an indelible protagonist,” our reviewer wrote, “guiding us through this melancholy fable of haunted loves and losses.”

Jayne Anne Phillips’ Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Night Watch transports us to the wake of the Civil War, with a setting as chilling as any battlefield — the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia. The Pulitzer judges called it a “beautifully rendered novel” about a mother and daughter trying to heal.

Fans of Ace Atkins’ thrillers, buckle up. You’re Memphis-bound in Don’t Let the Devil Ride, featuring private eye Porter Hayes, whose very name is a nod to Tennessee’s first city of soul. “I love the city for all the good, the bad, and the ugly,” Atkins told Chapter 16. “Its grit and rich history make this place unique.”

Renée Watson, a celebrated author of young adult books, has branched into adult fiction with skin & bones, a novel she’s said gave her the chance to explore the “messiness of love and the complications of relationships.”

Ruben Reyes Jr.’s There Is a Rio Grande in Heaven is a short story collection that captures the immigrant experience with “stunning aesthetic variety,” our reviewer said, including metafiction and science fiction. One story imagines an altogether new destination for immigrants fleeing climate change. Its title? “The Salvadoran Slice of Mars.”

Meanwhile, back in Tennessee, one of the state’s literary classics — the late Cormac McCarthy’s 1979 novel Suttree — will be celebrated in the multimedia presentation Suttree’s Knoxville: A Hymn to the Past in Film and Music, developed by archivist Eric Dawson. The special presentation will include documentary footage from Suttree-era Knoxville, music, and short readings from the novel, which was among the 50 notable Tennessee books honored as part of Humanities Tennessee’s 50th birthday this year.

Revelatory poetry

Folk music icon Joan Baez has been writing poems privately for decades. Now she’s sharing them in the collection When You See My Mother, Ask Her to Dance. She writes about her childhood, her family, her musical friends and more in deeply personal poems that are as intimate as diary entries.

Of note also are two poets from closer to home. East Tennessee’s Jane Hicks, in her collection The Safety of Small Things, demonstrates what our reviewer called “revelatory vision,” while writing about nature, shadows, a solar eclipse, and a woman in a coma. Nashville-based Ben Groner III’s debut collection, Dust Storms May Exist, is concerned with travel and captures “both the revelatory” — there’s that word again — “thrill and the surreal isolation of the roadtripping observer,” our reviewer said.

Nonfiction that startles and sings Andre Dubus III’s Ghost Dogs is an essay collection covering some 25 years and subjects ranging from bounty hunting to learning to knit a scarf. But it all adheres because these are stories of the author’s life and oft-contradictory nature, honestly and artfully told. In the centerpiece essay “If I Owned a Gun,” Dubus writes about the powerful pull of guns, the damage he’s seen them do, and how he was able to walk away from them.

Memoir meets cookbook at the kitchen table. And don’t mind the ghosts — they’re here to guide us. That’s the recipe for Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts by Crystal Wilkinson, a former Kentucky poet laureate who, in an interview with Chapter 16 , said the book has been “a healing exercise in moving through grief and history and family through food.”

Grief is in the title of Sloane Crosley’s memoir about the suicide of a dear friend. A tough subject for a reader, perhaps, but Grief Is for People has been widely praised for the quality of the author’s writing, her honesty and humanity, and even, despite the subject matter, her wit.

On a musical note, there’s My Black Country, in which novelist and songwriter Alice Randall celebrates the Black voices in a genre that hasn’t always welcomed them. Subtitled A Journey Through Country Music’s Black Past, Present, and Future, the book has scope and power. “Her words,” our reviewer said of Randall, “remind the country music listener to pay attention.”

And, there’s Ann Powers’ Traveling , a book on legendary singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell that’s not a conventional biography but rather an unconventional take on a singular artist. Our reviewer called it a “hybrid work that … reads like a long conversation with a friend who is telling you what she thinks.”

Young readers, gather around Young readers — the bright future of the book world — will be well served at the festival. Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko’s Mouse and His Dog is the latest from their middle grade Dogtown series, in which a self-described “ordinary field mouse, the size and weight of an average tomato,” tries to find canine friend Buster a forever home.

Doan Phuong Nguyen’s A Two-Placed Heart is a middle grade tale about sisterhood and identity in which 12-yearold Bom finds a novel way to ensure the family history is not forgotten — writing her own memoir in poems.

Andrew Maraniss’ Beyond the Game is a nonfiction chapter book series about athletes who excel beyond their sporting arenas. The latest tells the story of WNBA star Maya Moore, who became a champion not just at basketball but also at social justice.

True tales. Fantastical journeys. Stories of grief, of love. Tears, laughter, and song.

The Southern Festival of Books, one of the country’s largest and oldest literary events, is back.

Wish I Could Be Better

BY JAMIE W., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

What can I say? This injury has been so hard on me. I’m worried about everything. I just wish I could sell the paper again. On Sept. 3 I had surgery on my leg because the hospital messed up my leg during the first surgery. I’m worried about everything. I don’t even know how I’m gonna pay my bills. I’m just worried because I can’t walk yet. Hopefully things will be getting better for me. I hope I can have good luck cause here lately it’s been bad luck. I don’t know. I just hope and pray for better days. I don’t know when I will be back, but I’m grateful for my husband Tommy. He has been here for me. I don’t know what I would do without him. While I’m recovering from surgery, he’ll be selling the paper at my spot on Harding Road and Kenner Ave. Buy a paper from him if you see him!

COMIC BY DENNIS T., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Thank you God

BY LASHIKA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

Thank you God. I don't have a luxurious house yet I can still find shelter from the storm. There are nights when I struggle to sleep but I can still wake up to face a new day. My wallet may not be filled, but I am still provided for with food and clothing. I may not have everything I need. God I am grateful to you for this.

Have an Oxheart!

BY KEITH D., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

The last week of June, Jane and Phil the groundhog co-conspired and completely ate my one oxheart plant, tomatoes and all except for one nugget of almost ripe tomato. I angrily plucked six seeds out of the nugget and immediately sprouted them. When they popped out of the ground July 1st, they were transplanted to the trellis, fenced in completely with a chicken wire roof! The four plants that survived to maturity currently have 21 green tomatoes this size or slightly larger. Plus, some smaller ones that may not ripen by the first freeze.

A clump of 4-5 of these this size is quite impressive to behold! I hope you enjoy one of the fruits of my red faced range and anger.

Meet Board Member Jim Shulman

Some people are born and it’s as if every aspect of life is planned out for them.

Others live their lives more independently, following an uncharted path going wherever the road may take them.

Such is the case with Jim Shulman. So just where has his journey taken him?

While some aspects have taken a traditional route — marriage to his wife Lori for more than 40 years, and two daughters Audrey, 37 and Madeline, 34.

More recently he has a new role in the family as a grandfather to three grandchildren ages four years, two years, and 19 months.

In addition to his family, he has accomplished many things in the course of his life.

Here are just a few examples:

He graduated from Vanderbilt School of Law in 1985.

He was also a small business owner of a Maggie Moo’s Ice Cream franchise for seven years.

His desire to help the elderly and disadvantaged in the community led him to become the Executive Director of The Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability for 10 years.

He also served as the Board Chair for four years and the Executive Director of Safe Haven for two years (an organization

Workers recently protested in front of the AT&T building downtown. I saw them out there at least three times and they even stayed out there all night one night. They said, “Until the contracts are officially adopted, we will put on red outfits for another 30 days. Our needs should be met.”

When one really wants to learn, then and only then will the teaching and teacher appear. The fullness of life is a very occupied event to be explained. The universe is full of expiring people and marvelous events that are good and bad according to the expectations of the various minds eye within this whole universe. Taking something so detrimental as getting a school education and using that education in society to survive and live when social media has a major grasp or deadly grip on the attention of the majorities minds eye. The true beginnings of teaching are those that came along with the fight of our exis -

BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

like The Contributor created to help those experiencing homeless).

Wanting to expand his service to the community he also served as a District Councilman in Nashville (the 25th District)as well as a Councilman-at-Large a position that represents all of Davidson County.

He continued to show care and concern for the residents of Nashville when he ran for and was elected to the office of Vice Mayor of Nashville and Davidson County, serving under the administrations of both David Briley and John Cooper.

His love of government, which can be traced all the way back to his high school

days, continues to shine as it is reflected in his latest job.

He is now serving as an instructor of Political Science four days a week at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tenn.

He said his goal is to, “educate students about the political process, and encourage them to participate in it, while trying not to influence them, so that they can make their own informed choice about the candidates in any election.”

Though he admitted it’s difficult to do when, “so many young people get their information from TikTok.”

Still, his story doesn’t end there. As of May 2024 he has added the title Dean of the School of Science, Technology, and Business to an already impressive resume.

In harmony with his values, Jim has also served on the board of organizations like The Adventure Science Center and now The Contributor, which makes sense.

Throughout his life he’s sought to create positive change, to make things better, to give people opportunities to speak freely, and to try to come up with innovative ways to solve complicated problems.

He sees the paper as a part of the solution, a real product, giving people a creative

AT&T Leads the Trend

BY DANIEL K., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

They were full of energy and seemed to have a lot of support out there.

AT&T commenced a negotiation and contract of dedication to their union. They wanted more money and healthcare. Members previously rejected an agreement. It was to cover four years of 8,500 workers in

California and Nevada.

Members returned to work after accepting a contract that covers 17,000 workers in Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

The new five years agreement wage in-

When Is Class In Session?

BY MAURICE B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR

tence whereas we began to become aware of the newness outside of the most comfortable area known to mankind. Inside there was never a need for self care in the world because inside the womb regardless of how long an individual spent there it was the safest place to be. Then they enter this unknown area called "the World" that's filled with collages of ideas on the perfect way to perform. Once one has been birthed into this new system or type of living the factor of their existence begins, even though there was a period inside the human womb that they were a live being, but within this monstrosity of a type

of symptomatic global womb called world is where the tracking system begins.

It's the newness of a human's life (a fresh start), even though one has to start off fighting and actually fighting for themselves. It's truly the aspect of daily learning. Infants communicate with cries from the cradle to be fed, to be changed, and to be comforted by being held. When growing from an infant to an adolescent, the learning technology differs in steps, but the cries are the same. "To be fed, to be changed, and to be comforted by being held." As the stages of life carry on by getting deeper and an individual touches the peak of

way to market themselves, while assisting individuals to obtain housing.

So what does he hope to accomplish in this role here?

He wants to use his experience to help the organization function better with more efficiency.

He says ultimately, “the Board’s responsibility is to listen to the customers and vendors.”

Speaking from experience, I can honestly say he has a real knack for listening and making a nobody feel like somebody special.

When asked if his current position at Cumberland University is how he plans to end his illustrious career (at 64 he’s at an age when most “normal people” are contemplating retirement), he paused and said, “I don’t know, I’m not sure, I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life.”

I am certain that no matter what he chooses to do with his vast array of knowledge, know how, experience, and determination whatever he decides to do next is sure to be a success!

While his plans for the future may be undetermined, The Contributor’s board can definitely use someone with his diverse background in such a pivotal role.

crease is 19.33 percent with an additional 3 percent increase for tech department and healthcare is included. Others companies want their needs met as well and should follow AT&T’s lead. We are all workers and deserve better. Everybody deserves better.

what is considered a pre-teen and or teenager the circumstances and situations that they've encountered secretly has left scars or marks. They still cry out to be fed, to be changed, and to comforted by being held. Then the degree of young adult and adulthood appears whereas the cries of being fed, of being changed and being comforted by being held is tested. To be fed is the actual factor of being physically, mentally and spiritually nurtured. To be changed is the nature of awareness. To be comforted with being held is to know that one's accountability is of appreciation from others. Therefore class is in session 24/7.

THEME: HALLOWEEN

74. River clay deposits

1. Hightailed it

2. *Adjective for Merlin, hairwise

3. Aquarium scum

4. *"Unattractive" Munster relative

5. Sl vakian monetary unit

6. Project Apollo org.

7. Exclamation of surprise

8. Pico de gallo, e.g.

9. Painter Chagall

10. Pinnacle

11. Chris Hemsworth's Marvel role

12. *Like decorated house on Halloween

15. El Chapo's organization, e.g.

20. MC Hammer's "Too ____ to Quit" album

22. Black gold

24. Puppy purveyor, often

25. *Teeth of #19 Across

26. Love intensely

27. a.k.a. honey badger

29. 0.405 hectare

31. *Blood and ____

32. Partner of pains

33. *Spooky house sound

34. "Fiddler on the Roof" gossipy character

36. Coral barrier

38. Gads, anagrammed

42. Mold a mind

45. Expel a lawyer

49. Ever, to a poet

51. Bluish planet

54. *#12 Down, alt. sp.

56. Sushi option

57. Stubborn beast

58. Swear, not curse

59. Type of hexahedron

60. Having wings

61. Black-eyed legumes

62. Sound of a bell

63. Fail to mention

64. Magnolia State, abbr.

67. *R.I.P. container

“A Place to Go or Call Home” “Wants and Needs”

Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015

With the coming of autumn, I remember back when. I think I can say that I’ve come a long ways, When I look back and see where I am today, From where I was back then.