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Volu m e 14

| Number 12 | May 27 - June 10, 2020

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

Año 18 - No. 306

Nashville, Tennessee

Pequeños Empresarios Hispanos Piden Cuota Reservada en Tercera Ronda del PPP

employed persons” podían aplicar a estos prestamos. A diferencia de las empresas grandes, un problema de liquidez en una empresa pequeña puede significar perder la competitividad y salir del mercado. Es temible que esta falta de acceso exacerbe las desigualdades existentes en ingreso y salud por raza, etnicidad y género , como el Centro de Washington para un Crecimiento Equitativo lo indica.

IN THE ISSUE 6

El SBA sacó un paquete de 4 opciones para aliviar los problemas financieros durante la crisis del coronavirus. Entre ellos el “Programa de Protección de Pago” (al empleado), fundamental para que las empresas pequeñas sobrevivan a los problemas de liquidez durante este tiempo y puedan pagar sus rentas y a sus trabajadores. Hasta el 16 de mayo el SBA aprobó por medio de entidades financieras un total de 4,341,145 prestamos, de los cuales 43% han sido dados a través de entidades financieras pequeñas (Reporte del Programa de Protección de pago); sin embargo hubo muchas críticas sobre la primera ronda ya que esta llegó a cadenas nacionales de restaurantes y hoteles que no dependían necesariamente de este prestamo y que por el contrario agotaron los fondos y eliminaron la posibilidad de acceso a pequeñas empresas (Washington Post). El problema con esta distribución es que son las CDI (Instituciones Financieras de Desarrollo Comunitario) y los pequeños prestamistas quienes facilitan estos recursos a las empresas minoritarias y al no contar con recur-

Hispanic, small and minority owned businesses struggle to keep their “essential” businesses running during coronavirus

sos proporcionales a su demanda no han podido llegar a quienes más lo necesitan, como son las empresas minoritarias y de mujeres. Es claro que en general la oferta ha sido insuficiente: la primera y segunda ronda agotaron sus fondos a unos días de haber salido. Las aplicaciones en cola sugieren que posiblemente habrá una tercera ronda como lo dijo Larry Kudlow, Director Nacional de Consejo Económico, de acuerdo a CNCB News. Un negocio pequeño latino es normalmente un sole proprietor (dueño individual) o LLC (compañía de responsabilidad limitada) con un máximo de 9 empleados pero en promedio de 1 a 3 empleados. Muchos de ellos recién se han constituido como empresas y al igual que muchos en la comunidad han afrontado largos procesos para obtener la legalidad, incluso aún sirven de soporte para miembros de la comunidad con estado migratorio pendiente. Estas circunstancias ponen en especial vulnerabilidad a las empresas

minoritarias hispanas quienes en primer lugar, prefieren no ponerse en riesgo. Luego de que el estímulo económico de alivio personal (economic stimulus) no fue otorgado a personas casadas con otras de estatus pendiente (número ITIN), esto también contribuyó a que muchas empresas pequeñas no busquen ese tipo de recursos. Por otro lado está la dificultad del idioma y del proceso de aplicación para estos recursos, ya que al ser cliente de un bancos grande uno no fué necesariamente su prioridad. Es recién ahora que los empresarios pequeños están acudiendo a los bancos comunitarios para acceder a estos tipos de préstamos. El proceso de hacer una aplicación asistida y otra automática pone en mucha desventaja a las empresas pequeñas minoritarias de modo que es de imaginarse que están en las últimos espacios de espera. Muchos tampoco sabían que como “Sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-

La Cámara de Comercio Hispana de Nashville está facilitando espacios de intercambios de experiencias entre los mismos empresarios y en conexión con aliados de emprendimiento social para juntos superar estas barreras y seguir creciendo en el ambiente comunitario que siempre hemos promovido. Únete a nuestras reuniones semanales todos los sábado a las 9 am si estas interesado en participar. Sabemos que la ayuda no viene a buscarnos, sin embargo hacemos un llamado a los representantes de entidades financieras encargados de procesar los prestamos PPP y a los agentes clave dentro del gobierno para considerar estas dificultades en la elaboración de políticas públicas incluyendo la posibilidad de una cuota para las empresas minoritarias en la tercera ronda del “PPP loan”. Los y las empresari@s hispan@s están trabajando arduamente para crear alianzas y lograr políticas como El Programa de Igualdad de Oportunidades Para los Negocios que toma en cuenta las desigualdades históricas de raza, etnicidad y género. Karina García es graduada de Sciences Po Paris en estudios de Gobierno y Politica con especialidad en Relaciones Internacionales. Karina cursó su ultimo año en Vanderbilt University llevando cursos de Politicas Públicas y se prepara para una Maestría en Gestión Pública Internacional en la Escuela de Estudios Internacionales de Paris-Sciences Po PSIA.

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

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

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.

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Contributor Board Cathy Jennings, Chair Tom Wills, Bruce Doeg, Demetria Kalodimos, Ann Bourland, Kerry Graham, Peter Macdonald, Amber DuVentre

Contributors This Issue Amanda Haggard • Linda Bailey • Hannah Herner • Joe Nolan • Mr. Mysterio • Karina Garcia • Sarah Shearman • Jen A. • June P. • Norma B. • Vicky B. • Mary B. • Jaime W.

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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—but he was arguably the most precocious and well-read of this eminent and intellectually fertile group. He was also known to have influenced Dorothy Sayers, T. S. Eliot and W. H. Auden. Lacking a proper degree unlike his fellow Inklings, this genius Cockney-speaking author, editor, critic, and playwright was eminently well-versed in both philosophical and theological writings of the remote past as of the present day (the mid-20th century) and used this familiarity to good effect in his poetry, supernatural fiction and his lesser-known devotional selections designed for the spiritual benefit of the faithful in the Church of England. 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, beginning with Advent (i.e., December) and ending in November, and reaches far beyond the pale of the philosophical and theological discussions of his day. It was under his hand, for instance, that some of the first translations of Kierkegaard were made available to the wider public. 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

Wednesday after Ascension Day THE work is not of persuasive eloquence, but Christianity is a thing of might whenever it is hated by the world. St Ignatius: Epistle to the Romans. NOT only do we know God by Jesus Christ alone, but we know ourselves only by Jesus Christ. We know life and death only through Jesus Christ. Apart from Jesus Christ, we do no know what is our life, nor our death, nor God, nor ourselves. Pascal: Pensées. I THOUGHT I should have thee, O God, as a help in loving men. Thou didst understand it differently, Thou didst use men against me to help me to love Thee. Kierkegaard.

Thursday after Ascension Day TWO things make our delight pure. One is turning of sensuality to the skill [intelligence]; for when any is turning to delight of his five wits [senses], all soon uncleanness enters into his soul. Another is, that the skill meekly be used in ghostly things, as in meditations and orisons, and looking in holy books. Therefore the delight that was naught of unordained stirring, and meekly has stirring in Christ, and in which sensuality is turned to skill, all set and used to God, makes a man's soul in rest and secureness and aye to dwell in good hope, and to be paid with all God's gifts, without grumbling or heaviness of thought. Richard Rolle: Desire and Delight.

2nd Friday after Ascension Day LET me love Thee so that the honour, riches and pleasures of the world may seem unworthy even of hatred,—may be not even encumbrances. Coventry Patmore: Life. THE righteous man has already done in heaven and in earth all that he has willed to do and therein he is like God. Eckhart: The Book of Benedictus.

2nd Saturday after Ascension Day IF we are to have the nature of Christ regenerated in us, as the life of Adam is born in us; if we are to be like Him in nature as we are like Adam in nature; if we are to be the heavenly sons of the one as we are the earthly sons of the other, then there is an absolute necessity that that which was done and born in the Virgin Mary be also by the same power of the Holy Ghost done and born in us, by a seed of life derived into us from Christ our regenerator. William Law: Answer to Dr. Trapp.

Whit-Sunday; Day of Pentecost

A GIFT is properly an unreturnable giving . . . hence it is manifest that love has the nature of a first gift, through which all free gifts are given. So since the Holy Ghost proceeds as Love, He proceeds as the first gift. Gift . . . is the proper name of the Holy Ghost. Aquinas: Summa Theologica.

Whitsun-Week Monday NEITHER is that city, the heavenly Jerusalem, watered by the channel of any earthly river, but that Holy Spirit, proceeding from the Fount of Life, with but a short drought of Whom we are satiated, seems to flow more abundantly among those celestial Thrones, Dominions, and Powers, Angels and Archangels, rushing in the full course of the seven virtues of the Spirit. For if a river rising above its banks overflows, how much more does the Spirit, rising above every creature, when He touches the as it were lowlying fields of our minds, makes glad that heavenly nature of the creatures with the larger fertility of His sanctification. St Ambrose: On the Holy Spirit. THE Father was pleased to breathe into his body [of man] in the creation; the Son was pleased to assume this body in the redemption; the Holy Ghost is pleased to consecrate this body by his sanctification. The consultation of the whole Trinity is exercised upon the dignifying of man's body. Donne: Sermons.

Whitsun-Week Tuesday GOD begins in the soul, his Word, and the soul conceiving it passes it on to her powers in varied guise, now as desire, now as good intent, now as charity, now as gratitude, or as it may take thee: It is his, not thine at all. What is thus wrought by God take thou as his and not thine own, as it is written, "The Holy Ghost asketh in us with unutterable yearnings." He prays in us, not we ourselves. St. Paul says, "No one is able to say, Lord Jesus Christ, except in the Holy Ghost." Eckhart: Sermons and Collations.

Whitsun-Week Wednesday THE grace of the Holy Ghost is not bound to any law. St Gregory the Great: Dialogues. NATURE makes man from the child and the hen from the egg, but God makes the man before the child and the hen before the egg. God gives the Holy Ghost before he gives the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Eckhart: The Book of Benedictus.

LET us love each other in the way that God wishes and let us not be frightened of the Love which is the very name of the Holy Ghost, and let us thus courageously await the will of Him Who made us for His glory. Léon Bloy: Letters to his Fiancée.

Whitsun-Week Saturday IT is the knowledge of the All of God that makes cherubim and seraphim to be flames of divine love. For where this All of God is truly known and felt in any creature, there its whole breath and spirit is a fire of love, nothing but a pure disinterested love can arise up in it or come from it, a love that begins and ends in God. And where this love is born in any creature, there a seraphic life is born along with it. For this pure love introduces the creature into the All of God; all that is in God is opened in the creature, it is united with God and has the life of God manifested in it. William Law: The Spirit of Prayer. LOVE knoweth not how to keep a storehouse full of possessions. The Paradise of the Fathers.

Trinity Sunday WE confess neither a solitary nor a diverse God. St Hillary of Poitiers: Of the Trinity. IT is this eternal, unbeginning Trinity in unity of fire, light, and spirit, that constitutes eternal nature, the Kingdom of Heaven, the heavenly Jerusalem, the divine life, beatific visibility, the majestic glory and presence of God. Through this Kingdom of Heaven, or eternal nature, is the invisible God, the incomprehensible Trinity eternally breaking forth, and manifesting itself in a boundless height and depth of blissful wonders, opening and displaying itself to all its creatures as in an infinite variation and endless multiplicity of its powers, beauties, joys and glories. William Law: An Appeal.

1st Monday after Trinity THE doctrine of the Holy Trinity is wholly practical; it is revealed to us, to discover our high original and the greatness of our fall, to show us the deep and profound operation of the triune God in the recovery of the divine life in our souls; that by the means of this mystery thus discovered, our piety may be rightly directed, our faith and prayer have their proper objects, that the workings and aspiring of our own hearts may cooperate and correspond with that triune life in the Deity, which is always desiring to manifest itself in us. William Law: An Appeal.

1st Tuesday after Trinity

Whitsun-Week Thursday

UNITY is in the Father, equality in the Son, and in the Holy Ghost is the concord of equality and unity. St Augustine: On Christian Doctrine. THE Holy Ghost is He whereby the Begotten is loved by the One begetting and love His Begetter. St Augustine: On the Trinity. HE loves Himself and every creature by the Holy Ghost, inasmuch as the Holy Ghost proceeds as the love of the primal goodness whereby the Father loves Himself and every creature. Aquinas: Summa Theologica.

WHEN a man here on earth is illuminated by the Holy Spirit from the spring of Jesus Christ . . . there comes into his heart and his veins such joy that the whole body triumphs, as though it were in the Holy Trinity, which they alone understand who have been its guests. Boehme: Aurora.

Whitsun-Week Friday [Of the Cross] This Sign of sorrow and ignominy is the most expressive image of the Holy Ghost. Léon Bloy: Letters to his Fiancée.

THERE appeared to me, in the profound and clear substance of that great light three Circles, of three colours and of one magnitude; and One seemed reflected from the Other as rainbow from rainbow, and the Third as it were a fire equally breathed from Either . . . and that Circling which seemed to reflected light, after my eyes had gazed some time, appeared in its own colour to be painted with our (human) likeness . . . Power failed from the high vision; but already my desire and my will revolved—like a wheel moving equally—in the Love that moves the sun and the other stars. Dante: Paradise.

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ABOUT US

Letter from ‘The Contributor’ B Y A M A ND A H A GG A RD & L IND A B A IL E Y, C ON T RIBU T OR C O -E DI T OR S Housing saves lives. There’s absolutely no denying it. Advocates and service providers around the city have been pushing for years to help people on the streets find housing, to otherwise find spaces for them to exist during the day, to work with them to find healthcare and food and more. The coronavirus pandemic has turned working with people experiencing homelessness and the outreach involved in meeting people where they are completely on its head. What happens if you have the virus, meet with someone to fill out some paperwork, meet with another person to help them sign up for food stamps, pick someone up to give them a ride to their campsite? Not doing any of those things feels wrong, but the chance of spreading the virus to someone already vulnerable feels worse. Much of it feels like an impossible choice. Many, if not most, nonprofits were spread thin before the pandemic —

and many are operating on skeleton crews now. The city has made strides in working with service providers to set up temporary shelters in places that will allow for more distance between people, though some people on the streets may not be able to get to a new temporary shelter. Group housing like the Nashville Rescue Mission or Room In The Inn doesn’t exactly work if people aren’t supposed to be in groups. A playbook for how to handle this situation, with an already broken system that was not working for the poor and most vulnerable, is being written on the f ly. After seeing the recent outbreak at the temporary shelter at the fairgrounds, we know that this system is not working. We know that giving people options that aren’t really options is causing suffering for people. Metro has added 14 sanitation stations with portable restrooms around the city to encourage people to stay in their camps. They’re organizing food

box drop offs to camps as many of the large weekly meals have been forced to close. Outreach workers are educating people on how to practice social distancing and what to do if they think they are sick, and helping people find ways to charge their phones. But there is still so much that needs to happen in Nashville to make sure people experiencing homenessles — who already have an average lifespan 20 years lower than someone with housing — can stay safe through this pandemic, which of course allows everyone to stay safe during this pandemic. We must find a solution in Nashville that puts people into individual spaces. Many other cities are putting people experiencing homelessness into hotels, closed down nursing home facilities, and other spaces that can act as temporary housing. Advocates have been saying for years that housing is healthcare, and this situation only emphasizes this point.

May 27 - June 10, 2020 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 5

Plenty of people say that f lattening the curve and helping to stop the spread of the virus is as easy as staying home. That’s true, but there’s fear in the invisible threat for many people when they do have to go out. In Nashville, as things begin to reopen, we must not forget that people on the streets still aren’t able to keep themselves safe. We must remember we’ve not done enough for them. As those of us who are housed stay home to keep ourselves and others safe, we must remember to advocate for others to have access to stable housing. It’s something that’s true whether a pandemic is happening or not, but the need is now more acute than ever. Removing barriers of any kind to keep people safe and healthy should be our priority. Shelter in place because you should, but use your voice however you can to advocate for those who don’t have a place to.

NEWS

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VULNERABILITY SCORES BUMPED UP BECAUSE OF COVID-19, ORGANIZATIONS PIVOT BY HANNAH HERNER Homeless ser v ice prov iders contribute to a shared database of people experiencing homelessness, each person with a number of points that ranks their level of vulnerability determines their place on a list for housing. On May 13, t h ree more points were added in response to COVID-19. Now, a point will be added to the score for people who are 55 and older, people who are literally homeless (meaning they live somewhere not meant for inhabitation), and people with a pre-existing health condition that would make catching the virus especially detrimental. This is added on to the typical Vulnerability Index - Serv ice Priorit i zat ion Decision Assistance Tool, also known as VI-SPDAT. It gives points based on questions including a history of homelessness, risk of harm, and physical and mental health. The maximum is 17 points, and the higher the score, the more vulnerable the person is considered to be. This information all goes into the Homeless Management Information System. HMIS is the database that Nashville uses for Coordinated Entr y. Communities have to have a coordinated entry process in order to get federal dollars from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. One big caveat for all of this is that places that don’t get federal funds — such

as Nashville Rescue Mission and most of the Room In The Inn programs — don’t have to use HMIS. Their intake processes are separate. In some communities, scores are bracketed, and correspond directly to what assistance a person is eligible to receive. But in Nashville, it’s more of a dynamic prioritization model that considers any score for a given program, says Sally Lott, coordinated entry manager for the Metro Homeless Impact Division. The goal of a process like this is to move away from a firstcome-first-served model for distributing resources, and toward taking care of the most vulnerable first. Through the use of VI-SPDAT and HMIS, service providers can share information and resources with one another and prevent a person from having to do intake at multiple sites. “Ever y com mu n it y needs more resources. There isn’t one communit y that’s like, ‘we’re good on resources!’ So it’s how are we prioritizing people for the resources that we have?” Lott says. Due to COVID-19, homeless service providers can get verbal consent to put a client’s information into HMIS, and take care of singing forms at a later date. Without the requirement to meet in person and get papers signed, Jayson Karst, outreach specialist for Operation Stand Down, says the organization is actually able to move faster

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than usual. It’s a priority for the organization to get veterans in safe housing, even if it’s temporary at first, during the time of COVID-19, he says. Operation Stand Down uses HMIS and the VI-SPDAT to receive federal money under the Tra nsitiona l Housing Gra nt and the Supportive Services for Veteran Families. Normally, a veteran can only get the SSVF f unds for 90 days, but that’s been extended under COVID-19, too. Karst says having the extra time to secure documents like driver’s licenses and birth certificates to apply for jobs and housing has been helpful. “Even an extra 30 days really opens the door for a lot of things for Operation Stand Down to assist them going forward, he says. “We don’t want to take them off the streets and within 90 days throw them in permanent housing that they can’t afford because they don’t have a job. That just wasn’t conducive to anybody’s living.” Karst says Operation Stand Down is helping more veterans than t y pical for them. Many of these veterans are in limbo, unable to work and waiting for delayed disability or social security checks. T he se adde d poi nt s for COVID-19 vulnerabilities haven’t been in effect long, but Lott says they’ll continue to evaluate to ensure that Nashville’s most vulnerable are being served — in that order.

NEWS

NEWS BRIEFS Two-Generation Approach to lifting families out of poverty. The department has awarded Two-Gen grants to 34 organizations and educational entities across the state that address the needs of parents and children at the same time. These grants are a key part of the department’s plan to invest surplus funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program. “The Cycles of Success program has demonstrable proof of success and is a reason the Department continues to invest in the Two-Generation Approach,” said TDHS Commissioner Danielle W. Barnes. “We can build a thriving Tennessee when we ensure certain legal issues don’t create an unnecessary burden for families.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOODWILL Goodwill gives a free car to an employee As Goodwill donations attendant Shelley Pope started the engine, honked the horn and tested the radio of her “new” car, her daughter looked on, teary-eyed. “It’s bittersweet,” Stephanie Ramsey said in a release. “I mean — it’s only bitter because Bobby can’t be here to see it. But I can’t think of anybody who deserves this car more than her.” Bobby Jenkins was Pope’s boyfriend of the past two years. She had cared for him through many months of chronic illness, but his death on May 8 was unexpected. Stephanie said her mother had not had many reasons to smile in recent weeks, so the gift of a car came at a particularly good time. Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee presented Pope with a used 1999 Lexus ES300 sedan through the nonprofit’s Wheels-to-Work program. Goodwill established the program in 2013 to provide vehicles given by Goodwill donors to Goodwill employees who need reliable transportation to get to work. Goodwill’s Director of Donations Danny Rhodes brought the car to Pope while she was on the job at Goodwill’s Donation Express Center at 1414 W. Main St. in Lebanon. Pope called her daughter to come and see the car, which looks new, thanks

to body work and a fresh coat of gray paint partially donated by Maaco in Nashville. “It’s absolutely gorgeous,” Pope said. Pope has worked for Goodwill for six years, first as a lead retail associate and now as an attendant at the donation site in Lebanon. Prior to joining Goodwill in 2014, Pope was unemployed after working in a fast food position and other temporary jobs that came to an end. In 2015, unfortunate circumstances led to Pope losing her home and most of her belongings. Since that time, Pope, who is now 48, has slowly rebuilt her life. She has an apartment but has been without transportation for three years. Five days a week, Pope has walked about two miles — a 35-minute trip — from her apartment to her job. She also walked on all her personal errands, saving any extra money she might have had for Uber rides to take her boyfriend to the doctor. Legal Aid Society Awarded $570,000 Grant Through Statewide Cycles of Success Program Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, Tennessee’s largest nonprofit law firm, has been awarded a $570,000 grant to help with multigenerational poverty. The Two-Gen grant through the Cy-

cles of Success program is a partnership between the Tennessee Department of Human Services and the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services. It will allow Legal Aid Society attorneys to provide legal assistance and family advocacy for up to 75-100 families in Davidson, Scott and Morgan Counties. It can be used for cases related to divorce, orders of protection, landlord-tenant disputes, affordable housing, transportation, consumer debt issues, tax disputes, public benefit issues and other services. “We’re so grateful to the State of Tennessee and TALS for involving us in this innovative program, which will enable Legal Aid Society to do a lot of important work we haven’t previously had the funding to do,” said DarKenya W. Waller, executive director of Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands. “We intend to do our part to help these families put their legal issues behind them and open the door to a brighter future.” TDHS initially piloted the Cycles of Success in 2016 in coordination with TALS and Memphis Area Legal Services to help low-income families in Shelby County with legal problems that were preventing them from becoming more self-sufficient. The program was one of the earliest partnerships created through the TDHS

May 27 - June 10, 2020 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 7

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints gives more than 120,000 pounds of food to Middle Tennessee food banks The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints delivered over 120,000 pounds of food to Middle Tennessee food banks, including One Generation, Graceworks, Nourish Food Bank and Manna Cafe Ministries. One Generation Away received their donation of 27 pallets on May 13, just in time for mobile pantry operations. The 53-foot semi truck included much needed items such as flour, Canola oil, canned proteins and macaroni and cheese. “We went from delivering 40 family meals a week for Williamson County schools, to packaging 450 a week. We have provided over 1 million pounds of food since the COVID-19 pandemic started,” said OGA Co-Founder Chris Whitney in a release. The sem i-tr uck hau l ing over $45,000 in shelf-stable foods arrived from Salt Lake City’s Welfare Square, an international humanitarian relief effort by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Food is produced by various Church-owned processing plants or sourced from farms, ensuring high-quality and nutritious foods for humanitarian relief organizations such as One Generation Away. “We recognized the need to address hunger in our community during the COVID-19 crisis. Now more than ever, churches and organizations need to work together to provide stability and life-saving resources to our community,” says Nashville Stake President David Watson of The Church of Jesus Christ. “We will continue to seek out opportunities to serve and strengthen those around us.”

COVER STORY

Ida B. Wells (1862-1931) began her lifelong crusade against discrimination and racially-motivated lynchings in Memphis during the 1880’s. She was instrumental in founding the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); was a close associate of women’s suffrage leader Susan B. Anthony; founded the first suffrage organization among African-American women; was a leader in the National Association for Colored Women; and took part in the 1913 Chicago and Washington, D.C., suffragette marches. ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF THE TENNESSEE STATE MUSEUM.

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COVER STORY

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VOTES FOR WOMEN Q&A with Miranda Fraley, who curated ‘Ratified! Tennessee Women and the Right to Vote’ B y

By 1920, Franklin, Tenn.-born Maggie Sinclair Craig had served as a Red Cross nurse in WWI. She had also earned a special Red Cross certificate “in grateful recognition of the faithful and self-sacrificing service rendered during the Influenza Epidemic of 1918.” In 1920 she would see her work in the women’s suffrage movement end in the ratification of the 19th Amendment. The federal government had passed the 19th Amendment the year before, but state legislatures were still embroiled in the attempt to ratify it — 35 states had approved the amendment and needed

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a 36th for it to pass. In mid-August of 1920, after much struggle, the final vote in favor of women’s suffrage came from Tennessee. Women like Craig may not be the first names people remember when they think of the ratification, but people like her all over the state fought for women to have power at the polls 100 years later, in Ratified! Tennessee Women and the Right to Vote, the Tennessee State museum will shine a spotlight on Tennessee’s role in the ratification of the 19th Amendment as well as showing how women all over the state fought for suffrage in the decades before. The 8,000-square-

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foot exhibit includes artifacts, documents, large-scale graphics, videos and interactive elements — it includes items like Craig’s Red Cross uniform and her certificate for giving aid during the flu epidemic. The exhibit was slated to open this spring, but it’s opening was stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic and will not open to the public until it is safe for people to gather in the museum. While the museum isn’t sure when they’ll be able to open, on May 31, the museum will give a glimpse into the world of people fighting for suffrage with a special online offering called Ratified! Statewide!

May 27 - June 10, 2020 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 9

“We’re still very much focused on our mission,” says Miranda Fraley, who curated Ratified! Tennessee Women and the Right to Vote. “We have been so grateful to be able to still do interesting work and provide services to the public even in this unusual time. … We’ve had some extra time to do extra research.” Fraley, who has worked for the museum since 2004, talked to The Contributor about the history and context around the exhibit and what she learned in putting it together. c o n t i n u e d

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co nti n u ed fro m pag e 9 What do you think will surprise people about the exhibition? Are there people or stand out moments from places in Tennessee that we might not expect to see? So the story of ratification in Tennessee has a certain level of being famous. But I took the work really as looking at women through this state who got to that point. And one thing that we’ve really tried to do and this exhibit and this big, our mission, I think this statement is we really tried to book for this story from all the different parts of the state, right? What was going on? What debates are people having? Because of the ratification battle, there were over 70 [suffrage groups] separately all throughout the state. So it’s, it’s like a lot of times the really well known leaders people have heard of like Anne Dallas Dudley —and their stories are certainly addressed as well — but we’re also looking at, you know, what were women in Pulaski doing? And what were women in Union City doing. And we really hope that visitors are going to enjoy that.

So in Tennessee, it gets a little complicated and we address this in the exhibit — that women in Tennessee gain presidential and municipal suffrage in 1919, but they don’t get the full voting rights until the 19th Amendment is ratified. And some scholars have done really great research on women’s voting patterns: Some of the newer scholarship especially has looked at women in Southern states because what happens is in 1919 and 1920 in Tennessee women can vote without paying the poll tax. But in 1922, the poll tax was imposed on women and that had a big impact. And you start seeing things like Sue Shelton White who was

Did women in Tennessee take advantage of the opportunity to vote right away in Tennessee?

During the fight for women’s suffrage, white women weren’t exactly helpful to a lot of black women. Do you have anything in the exhibition that speaks to that part of the history? That’s a very important part of its story, the suffrage movement. And this does examine that scene. We look at relationships between white suffragists and African American women — many African American women were involved in organizational work during this time period. Even when they were excluded from Stouffer’s organization, many African American women chose to work for suffrage, both for themselves and in the fight against the disenfranchisement and the issues that had been put in place to keep African American men from voting. Tell me more about Ratified! Statewide! Was this a pivot because of the pandemic, or was this component always going to be part of it? Joe Pagetta, Director of Communications at the Tennessee State Museum: Miranda had done this extraordinary research scholarship on the surface. She went throughout the state to find narratives from every county in the state and initially it was going to be like a newspaper take away in the gallery. It’s still going to be when we’re able to open, but the idea was to tell the story of the whole state as it relates to suffrage. We had planned this online the whole time, but this sort of moved the online part to a priority and a way to tell the story.

This seems like such a huge undertaking. Yes. One of the things we’re really trying to do is put these things in historical context to what came before and what came after. Even really early in Tennessee history, we see how women were acting politically long before they had the vote long before the suffrage movement really started. It’s a trend in political history to define political history both sort of broadly and to book at the more traditional things like voting too. So we’ve really tried to provide a fuller context. These exhibits are always very much team projects, right? They involve pretty much everyone in the museum, which is a great thing. I’m curious about how you depict the opposition to suffrage in the exhibition. Sure. Yeah. It’s a really critical part of this story … there was deeply entrenched opposition and it didn’t go away. Even after ratification, there were indignation meetings throughout the state. People were angry that that amendment had been ratified and that suffragists continued on in politics. They encountered a lot of backlash from people who still really didn’t accept women voting. In my research I found an editorial in a paper with a woman writing after receiving the right to vote, asking why women are being told that basically they’re doing something wrong if they go and vote. We had this right now, but it was still very much contested.

down to that level of research where you learn things about the actual individual and the story.

a leader form Hendersonville, basically saying that if women have to pay a poll tax that in most times the husband still had control of the purse and therefore control over her vote. Of course, there were a lot of barriers experienced by African American women, both within the suffrage movement and in other attempts to disenfranchise African Americans. But some [of the tax records] show women paying their own and it was really exciting to see, especially those records documenting African American women paying those poll taxes that were designed to exclude them. It’s really exciting to get

Do you have a favorite piece in the exhibition? It would probably be the banners that were used by Tennessee suffragists — two of them are going to be an exhibit. One of them is on display in our long term exhibit and the banners are great. The one I’m thinking of particularly, there was for a statewide separate organization and it features an evergreen tree. It’s yellow and it has a big tree on it — these great images we found from rallies and it looks like these are the same ones or the same style. We were really excited about that, to kind of hopefully see it or a similar one in action. But the thing is, I think they’re so great because they were actually used by this effort and they were really important to them. When I was researching stories of suffragists throughout the state, there was a group that entered a decorated car and basically a local town parade and they won first prize and then used the prize money to pay their dues to the state to be able to vote. So they were really important to this effort and a symbol of the movement and they’re beautiful objects.

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COVER STORY

Fear of COVID not accepted as reason for mail votes Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett says eligible Tennesseans can request a mailin ballot for the Aug. 6 elections. But officials have also said that fear of getting the coronavirus won’t be accepted as a reason to mail in a ballot. “In consultation with the Attorney General’s office the fear of getting ill does not fall under the definition of ill,” Coordinator of Elections Mark Goins said in a statement to the Associated Press. Eligible voters must meet certain criteria such as being 60-years-old or older. A list of reasons from the Secretary of State: • The voter will be outside the county where they vote during the early voting period and all day on Election Day. • The voter or the voter’s spouse is enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited college or university outside the county of registration • The voter will be unable to vote in person due to service as a juror. • The voter is hospitalized, ill or physically disabled and because of such condition, cannot vote in person. • The voter is a caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill or disabled • The voter will be working as a poll official. • The voter is a member of the military and out of the county where they vote.

2020 VOTING CALENDAR Register to vote online at: govote.tn.gov

AUG. 6, 2020 • State and Federal Primary TN House of Representatives (Districts 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 58, 59, 60) • TN Senate (Districts 18 & 20) • TN Republican Executive Committeeman (Unexpired Term in Senate District 19) • TN Democratic Executive Committeeman (Unexpired Term in Senate District 19) • TN Democratic Executive Committeewoman (Unexpired Terms in Senate Districts 18, 19) • U.S. House of Representatives (District 5) • U.S. Senate County General Election Nominees for Assessor of Property Nominees for Chancery Court, Part I Nominees for Criminal Court, Division IV Nominees for Trustee • Metro Nashville School Board (Districts 1, 3, 5, 7, 9) • Oak Hill Municipal Election • City Commissioner

NOV. 3, 2020 • State and Federal General Election • President • Nominees from August Primary Independent Candidates • Belle Meade, Forest Hills, City Commissioner • Goodlettsville Municipal Elections

May 27 - June 10, 2020 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 11

MOVING PICTURES

A Film About Film A MOVIE NO ONE SAW STILL HAUNTS THE DIRECTOR OF ‘THE GHOST OF PETER SELLERS’ BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC We all have our favorite films lists, and among those pictures are movies we’ve memorized dialog from, scenes we can describe frame-by-frame, and images and performances that have remained vivid and illuminated in our imaginations for years or even decades. But what if the film you couldn’t forget was one that no one had a chance to see? That’s the paradox at the center of director Peter Medak’s new documentary, The Ghost of Peter Sellers. It’s a film-about-film that will engage Nashville cinephiles, and it’s also a loving look back at the late great comic genius Peter Sellers: his maniacal magnetism and his haunted dark side. On a Saturday afternoon in May of 1972, Medak ran into Sellers at a trendy restaurant on fashionable King’s Road in west London. Sellers buttonholed Medak and immediately started selling him on directing a new film: a 17th century pirate comedy set on the Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus. Sellers was the biggest comedy star in the world in the early 1970s, and Medak, of course, immediately agreed

HAVE YOU DONE ANY GOOD IN THE WORLD TODAY?

to direct Sellers in the new project called Ghost in the Noonday Sun. In fact, all the principle players joining forces to make the film were on a roll: Sellers had already appeared in masterpieces like Lolita (1962), The Pink Panther (1963), and Doctor Strangelove (1964). Screenwriter, Spike Milligan was the main creator of The Goons — a BBC radio sketch comedy troupe Milligan formed with Sellers and Harry Secombe in the 1950s. The Beatles and Monty Python both name-checked The Goons as a major influence. Peter Medak had made a name for himself as an edgy young filmmaker helming controversial erotic thrillers (Negatives, 1968) as well as satires and black comedies (A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, 1972 and The Ruling Class, 1972). Peter O’Toole’s unhinged performance as a paranoid schizophrenic British nobleman in The Ruling Class garnered a gush of critical and popular praise for the actor as well as for Medak, and this new

documentary suggests it’s one of the reasons Sellers was keen to work with the director. This aligning of star talent quickly garnered plenty of funding despite the fact that the movie was barely more than a concept: Milligan’s script was still languishing in the incomprehensible stage, Sellers was distracted by a drama-packed extramarital affair with Liza Minnelli, and Medak saw red flags, but pushed ahead anyway with a need to provide for his growing family and fueled by the kind of foolish confidence found in a heady combination of money, fame, talent and youth. Ghost in the Noonday Sun was a disaster beset by wind, waves, shipwrecks, striking extras, and especially Peter Sellers who faked a heart attack in order to escape the set before nearly leading the crew in a mutiny against Medak. The movie was never theatrically released (it hit home video stores in the 1980s) and it nearly destroyed the director’s career. That said, it’s Medak’s meticulous doc-

umenting of his experience that makes this new movie possible, and all of this film’s footage, production notes, calendars, script edits and literal receipts demonstrate the director to be a consummate pro who ultimately played the scapegoat for a movie that should’ve never been made. At its best The Ghost of Peter Sellers recalls documentaries like Werner Herzog’s My Best Fiend (1999) and Terry Gilliam’s Lost in La Mancha (2002), which remind us that it takes truly great filmmakers to organize truly disastrous movie productions. Buy your ticket to stream The Ghost of Peter Sellers at www.belcourt.org beginning on Friday, May 29

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

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

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

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

L a N ticia 2020

GRATIS

Junio

Escanee esta imagen para ver La Noticia newspaper edición bilingüe digital

www.hispanicpaper.com

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

Año 18 - No. 306

Nashville, Tennessee

Pequeños Empresarios Hispanos Piden Cuota Reservada en Tercera Ronda del PPP

La Fase 2 de la reapertura, este 25 de mayo, de acuerdo al anuncio de las autoridades de la ciudad de Nashville y el Condado de Davidson, ya es una realidad, y a pesar del tiempo transcurido, muchas Por Karina García Latinas4EBO pequeñas empresas Contribuidora minoritarias aún no han logrado acceder a los fondos de alivio por el Covid-19. ¿A qué se debe esta desigualdad?, ¿Cuáles son las barreras que un negocio hispano afronta al aplicar a estos recursos crediticios? , ¿Cómo podemos mejorar? ; Y por último, ¿Que debe cambiar? El SBA sacó un paquete de 4 opciones para aliviar los problemas financieros durante la crisis del coronavirus. Entre ellos el “Programa de Protección de Pago” (al empleado), fundamental para que las empresas pequeñas sobrevivan a los problemas de liquidez durante este tiempo y puedan pagar sus rentas y a sus trabajadores. Hasta el 16 de mayo el SBA aprobó por medio de entidades financieras un total de 4,341,145 prestamos, de los cuales 43% han sido dados a través de entidades financieras pequeñas (Reporte del Programa de Protección de pago); sin embargo hubo muchas críticas sobre la primera ronda ya que esta llegó a cadenas nacionales de restaurantes y hoteles que no dependían necesariamente de este prestamo y que por el contrario agotaron los fondos y eliminaron la posibilidad de acceso a pequeñas empresas (Washington Post). El problema con esta distribución es que son las CDI (Instituciones Financieras de Desarrollo Comunitario) y los pequeños prestamistas quienes facilitan estos recursos a las empresas minoritarias y al no contar con recur-

Hispanic, small and minority owned businesses struggle to keep their “essential” businesses running during coronavirus

por

w w w . j u a n e s e . c o m

May 27 - June 10, 2020 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 13

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

INSP

Image by keesluising from Pixabay

ETHICAL FUNERAL PROVIDERS SEEK NEW WAYS TO SAY GOODBYE UNDER LOCKDOWN From digital funerals to lighting candles, social enterprises are looking for different ways to grieve loved ones during lockdown. SARAH SHEARMAN As those bereaved by the coronavirus seek to say goodbye to loved ones in lockdown, ethical funeral providers are finding new ways to help them to grieve and connect from a distance. Many countries have severely restricted the number of people attending funerals or stopped ceremonies altogether, leaving families to watch live streams or plan memorials for later. Distancing measures have “utterly deprived” people of human contact when they need it most, said social entrepreneur Liz Rothschild, a funeral celebrant and co-founder of Westmill Woodland Burial Ground in the south of England. “The separation, isolation, no opportunity to say goodbye in person is the absolute opposite of the more modern approach to funerals and bereavement grieving,” she said. “As individuals, we don’t want to feel alone in our grief.” The natural burial ground Rothschild founded in 2010 as a social enterprise — a business with a mission to do good — is at its finest at this time of year, covered in white cowslip flowers. It had to close to visitors for a period, and now operates under restrictions.

Since March, it has hosted funerals with just a handful of people, who are forced to stand apart. For those who cannot be there in person, Rothschild has suggested ways to mark the occasion, such as lighting a candle and sitting quietly with a picture of the person, planting a tree or laying down flowers. “They can still find ways to (say goodbye) creatively and imaginatively - I do believe that ritual can help us,” she said. Social enterprises have emerged around the world in recent years as a flexible alternative to expensive funeral providers that upsell extras such as flowers and cars, pushing some grieving families into debt. Ethical providers offering cheaper options report seeing higher interest during the coronavirus pandemic, while traditional businesses are struggling. Britain’s largest funeral provider, Dignity, said its profit fell 11% in the first quarter as customers looked to spend less. Australian funeral organiser and social entrepreneur Marc Allison helped establish Salvo Funerals in 2017 to offer compassionate services at a lower

cost, with profits going to the Salvation Army charity. Although Australia has had far fewer COVID-19-related deaths than Britain, Allison said social distancing requirements have created demand for simpler services. To adapt, he suggests mourners read tributes from people who cannot be there and attendees - both in person and online - wear a colour or item that reminds them of that person. “The crisis is forcing us to rethink the deep needs of grieving families,” he said. “Families need to make culturally unusual decisions. If there’s to be a funeral, who should they invite? How do they interact with people on the day of the service if restrictions prevent them from hugging?” Human touch All over the world, there has been a rise in streaming funerals and in online memorial sites to compensate for not be able to gather together. In China and Taiwan, websites have been set up to enable virtual tomb-sweeping, an annual tradition of tending to ancestral graves.

But virtual grieving has its downsides, from having to grapple with new technology to the absence of human touch. “Personally the only thing I want when I’m sad is to hug someone or hold hands,” said Nora Menkin, executive director of the Co-op Funeral Home of People’s Memorial in Seattle. “It will be really interesting to see what the long-term effects of this isolation are on someone who is grieving.” The funeral home, which is run as a not-for-profit co-operative and offers simple, lower-cost services, usually sees business slow in spring following the winter peak, but this year has been busy. The United States has the highest reported death rate from COVID-19, at more than 80,000 and some of the country’s earliest confirmed cases occurred in Seattle. More people are choosing lower-cost options such as direct cremation, without a service or people in attendance, which starts at about $800, said Menkin. The median cost of a funeral and cremation in the United States is about $5,000, according to the National Funeral Directors Association.

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As countries start to relax lockdown restrictions, ethical funeral providers are eager to see which of these changes endure. In Britain, where COVID-19 has claimed more than 32,000 lives, churches closed in March and funerals are only permitted at the graveside or crematorium, with immediate family only. But an easing on restrictions to allow small-scale funerals in churches was discussed by the House of Bishops part of the Church of England’s ruling body - at a virtual meeting this month. For now, Australia’s Allison has suggested people opt for a simple funeral, with a memorial service at a later stage. But he believes the rise in basic funerals is temporary and they will be “richer and longer” after the crisis as people appreciate spending more time together after a period of social distancing. “Funerals and memorial services have brought us together in the past,” he said. “I think they will be opportunities to bring us closer together in the future.” Courtesy of Reuters / INSP.ngo

May 27 - June 10, 2020 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 15

VENDOR WRITING

Missing My People WATER JEN A.

Stories flow from my mind Like the swift, rich waters Of the Mississippi After a steady spring downpour. The waters flow; Some days calm and placid Like a lazy day on the Cumberland Butt dangling through The center of an inner tube. Some days hair-raising and Turbulent Like a homemade raft Crushed and splintered Against the rocks by Colorado rapids. Gasping for air One short breath At a time. Now my stories have sailed Into the doldrums Of a Covid sea.

BY NORMA B. , CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR Since life has slowed down thanks to the coronavirus or COVID-19 or whatever you choose to call it, I’ve had plenty of time to reflect on all “my people” — the customers that I’m not getting to see. There have been many memorable ones over the years. Each one unique in their own way. From the beginning there was Michael, my very first customer, who I met at 31st and West End and somehow he always managed to find me no matter where I went — even all the way out in Hermitage! Recently I thought of Zach, who once told me he didn’t have to come that way to work — he did it just to see me, and was disappointed when he didn’t. How cool is that? His wife Stacey and Stacey’s mom are equally amazing. There’s Claudia who stopped and asked, and asked, and asked me to pray for her granddaughter, Blake Allyssa, who had a congenital heart defect. The last time she visited she said the doctor had given her a clean bill of health! She was going to bring her by for me to see for myself but that hasn’t happened yet. During that brief visit by Claudia, a young man came up and patiently waited to talk to me. When I asked his name he quickly responded, “Rich — but that’s just my name not my monetary status!” Cute! Right? Ms. Libby has given me boots, socks, coats, gloves, hats, scarves, and of course, money — even though I got her name wrong for the longest time. She still stops and she encourages many of her friends to do the same (my only complaint is that she rarely takes

the paper!) There’s Sally and Dave who’ve had issues of their own to deal with as most people do, yet they always stop by to say hi, ask about my grand babies and get a paper. There’s Vanessa who has a thick Spanish accent, and I can’t always understand everything she says, but one day not long ago I was stranded at Kroger and she brought me home so my groceries didn’t spoil. I laughed all the way home because I didn’t understand her GPS in Spanish but I made it home eventually! JJ is one of my newest customers, but I haven’t seen him since the tornado. I sure hope he’s OK. He’d just bought a house out here when I met him and he stopped to see what the paper was all about. We’ve been friends ever since! Larry and his wife Dee have always been supportive, giving money, gift cards, and he even got my phone fixed once! But the thing I value most is their friendship. Richard has consistently given me money for utilities, groceries, or whatever is needed. They’ve ALL given me SO much — and these are just a few examples of the generosity I experience on a regular basis, but it’s acts of kindness like these that consistently restore my faith in humanity in spite of all the badness we see in the world around us! Thank you SO much for ALL you’ve done for me! This has brought me comfort in spite of the isolation brought on by the pandemic.

There is no wind To lift their sails. They languish Lost and alone. S. O. S My pencil is a nub And I’m out of paper.

TO MY MOMMA JUNE P.

Miss you bad, Since you went to Heaven Love you a lot Know you are with God Above. with little brother and daddy I know ya watch over me But please watch over the world it’s in Bad times So glad you are there above And not down here in the Hurt.

May 25, 1986 BY VICK Y B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR I was in my early twenties on May 25, 1986, waiting for what was advertised as a return of the human spirit. For months I watched the commercials, listened to the radio spots and watched the goose bumps grow until it was finally here. On that day seven million Americans held hands across America to form a bi-coastal human chain from New York to LA in the fight against hunger & homelessness. They called it Hands Across America, and radio stations across the country simultaneously played the song “Hands Across America” while people joined hands. The video released just days later was even more powerful. The images of sweet young faces saying, “I wish I had a home,” and, “I’d like more to eat,” and even, “I wish I had a chance.” Words and images that bring a tear to my eye. The organizer of Hands Across America, Ken Kragen, was also the creator of “USA for Africa” and organized the fundraising song, “We are the World.” After coming back from a trip to Africa, he says a lady approached him and said, “When are we going to do something for America?” In an interview on the 30th anniversary of Hands Across America Kragen said, “We did this without the internet or cell phones, no social media.” “The heart of a stranger beats the same as a friend” is one of the lines in this song reminding us

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all that we are the same, we need to all work together. Celebrities, politicians, and people from all walks of life came together to show the spirit of America and donate to this very worthy cause. Lily Tomlin, Jeff Bridges, Barbra Streisand, Jane Fonda, Robin Williams, C3PO, Kevin Bacon, Whoopi Goldberg, Mickey Mouse, and President Reagan and Nancy. As I’m writing this, the song is playing in the background. When I hear, “Divided we fall. (Stand up.) United we stand,” it brings me a sense of pride in America as I hope it does in you as well. The song also says, “There’s a lady who smiles who shines upon us saying All Are Welcome Here.” These words are some of the most powerful words that have been forgotten over the years. Now that we’re living in a world of social distancing, face masks and staying six feet apart from people, it’s become a much different world than the one I grew up in. Will we ever be able to physically hold hands across America again? The Hands Across America movement raised 20 million dollars that went into more food banks and building more shelters for the hungry and homeless. That was a lot of money back then. Today it might build one new shelter, but do we really need more shelters or do we need more affordable housing?

FUN

HOBOSCOPES GEMINI

It’s beach weather, Gemini! Grab your sunglasses and your towel, hit up the sunscreen bottle and...well, honestly, I think you should still probably stay home. It’s not so bad, Gemini. Personally, I’ve spent years not going to the beach when I want to go to the beach (mostly because I don’t live within 500 miles of one). There are still ways to get out there in the sun and listen to the sounds of the birds and the water. You just have to get creative. A yard with a sprinkler can help.

CANCER

John Steinbeck once said that “a problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.” Tonight I’m inclined in his direction. You can keep fighting and insist on arriving at an absolute, but it looks to me like you could use some time and some space and some rest before coming up with an answer on this one, Cancer. Give it the night and see what things look like in the morning.

LEO

Then there’s the story of the fox and the grapes. The fox sees the grapes hanging high. The fox leaps and bites and scratches and stretches and never can reach them. Defeated, the fox decides the grapes are sour. They never were worth his time. The part of the story that gets left out is that grapes are toxic to foxes (And dogs! Don’t forget!). They can cause rapid kidney failure and death. So even if the grapes were sweet, Leo, the fox was after something that no fox needs. What are you striving for this week?

VIRGO

Today I looked at my phone to check the news, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. 15 minutes later I find myself 46 comments down in a thread debating whether the Mexican McAloo Tiki is better than the Lebanese McAloo Tiki. What are we doing, Virgo? If you need a break from the news, go ahead and take a break from the screen, too. Read a book in the sun. Take a walk in the rain. Garden at night. Do anything that keeps your eyes off the glow of the phone.

LIBRA

So there’s 13 turkey vultures sitting on the roof of the old empty gas station across the street. Some people might think that’s a bad sign, Libra, but you and I know better. We know that vultures belong to the genus cathartes, a word which comes from the greek for “purifier.” When things get messy, nature always has a way of tidying up. Vultures can make short work of messes I wouldn’t want to go near. This week, Libra, don’t be afraid to make a mess, but keep a clean-up strategy in mind. If you don’t do it, somebody else will.

AQUA RIUS

Mousetraps and fishhooks both seem like pretty dirty tricks to me. I mean, you get somebody acting on pure impulse, excited about some great find and then you turn the situation around on them. Not what they were expecting at all. The old switcheroo. You may feel like you got a little bit of a bad trade yourself, Aquarius. Like maybe you thought it wouldn’t go this way. All I can tell you is, you aren’t as trapped as you are afraid. You aren’t as stuck as you feel. A new switcheroo might be available to you. One where you do the switching yourself.

SCORPIO

I wonder if Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother was mad. I mean, after the wolf ate her and then the woodsman cut her out she must have heard the whole story. To think, your granddaughter thought a wolf wearing your clothes looked pretty much just like you. How embarrassing. It’s challenging when the people closest to us seem not to know us at all, Scorpio. But in this case, I think you should give us all another shot. We were fooled by what we wanted to believe. It’s no reason you should stop telling us who you are.

PISCES

When tomatoes were introduced to Europe, they were thought to be poisonous. They were known to be eaten in the New World, but for some reason, Europeans who ate them often got sick and sometimes died. Turns out, the pewter plates that were popular at the time were also very high in lead content. Tomatoes high acidity would leech the lead out of the plates, leaving diners with lead poisoning. Sometimes you can see what’s happening, Pisces, but you’re wrong about why.

SAGITTA R IUS

In some parts of the world, it used to be common to harvest and save ice during the winter. Blocks would be cut from the frozen lake and be saved in ice houses until things warmed up. Ice blocks could be pulled out and used for cooling on hot days. When things get hot, Sagitarius, and you turn on your air conditioner, think about what you could be saving now to make your life easier later.

CAPRICORN

Tell me the story of your life, Capricorn. What do you think are the most crucial parts? What are the things that make you the unique person that you are? You know more than anybody else about you, but when it comes down to it, you’re doing a little bit of guesswork. Even a good autobiography is essentially a work of fan-fiction. We know some of what happened. We know some of when. We can make good guesses at why. Next time you tell the story, try to be a little more flexible in your ideas of what it means. See what you might learn about yourself than you didn’t already know.

ARIES

Who are your enemies, Aries? Can you list them? Have they wronged you? Do they believe you have wronged them? What do you want for them, Aries? It’s a tough thing to think through. Some people think they have no enemies. Some people think they want their enemies to suffer. If those are your answers, read through the questions again, more slowly.

TAURUS

Tomorrow is my day off, Taurus. Of course, an amateur astrologer’s work is never really done. Still, I think I’ll try to relax a little bit. Maybe I’ll read a book. Maybe I’ll take the dog for a walk. It used to seem more important, which days are work days and which days are off. But it’s still important to give yourself time, Taurus. Turn off the work-brain and leave the life-brain on. Working or not, you’ve got to give yourself some space. Let me know what you come up with.

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

May 27 - June 10, 2020 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 17

VENDOR WRITING

My Home

IN MEMORIAM: CHARLIE AVINGER SEPTEMBER 14, 1966 - APRIL 27, 2020

BY MARY B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR For two years I bounced from place to place, just to maintain a safe and warm place to sleep. In March of 2019 Ms. Linda Bailey hooked me up with Open Table Nashville. Open Table is a nonprofit org that helps the homeless. In the winter months, they go to tent cities to check in on homeless people and to make sure they have blankets, food, etc. And in the summer months they check on them as well. Open Table pushes to get the homeless off the streets and into housing. At Open Table they have outreach workers, I guess you would call them, and they are assigned to so many homeless people. My outreach worker was Ms. Susan and she was awesome. She would pick me up and take me to fill out applications for apartments and Open Table would pay for all the application fees. Well, time after time I was turned down because I didn’t make three times the rent. But that didn’t stop us from looking for me a place to live. Ms. Susan even told me she

had never seen someone like myself that would get out there and look for housing. Ms. Susan is so used to doing it on her own. It was sometime in Oct.2019 when I got a text from Ms. Susan saying any day I would be filling out my paperwork at Madison Towers for my apartment. I can’t even begin to explain how they made me feel. My emotions were going crazy. The day had come for me to do my paperwork for my apartment. Here I was sitting in the office at Madison Towers going over my paperwork with Ms. Brianna, when she told me she was going to try and have me in my apartment by my birthday on Nov. 11. I was excited. In less than a month I would be in my very own apartment. As the days were passing, getting closer to my birthday, I couldn’t sleep. I guess it was the thought of me having a place to call my own. The day had come, November 11, and no phone call. I kept replaying in my head, she said I would be in my apartment by Nov. 11.

When I didn’t hear from Ms. Brianna at Madison Towers, I called Ms. Susan. She assured me that I have an apartment. I have just got to wait for them to get one ready. On Dec. 11, 2019 I got the call I had been waiting for. I signed my lease on Dec. 18, 2019. The time had come. I finally get my own place to live — a home. So on the 18th I took what few things I gathered up and my little friend Jake from Bellevue loaded my stuff in his truck and off to my apartment we went. I met Ms. Susan there. Ms. Susan asked Ms. Brianna if I could go ahead and take my things up to my apartment because Jake had to go to work. At first, she hesitated. Then she said, “I’ve never had nobody take their stuff up before signing their lease.” I’ve been in my apartment for going on four months. It feels so good to have a home to call my own. Thanks to Open Table for paying my deposit.

T H E M E : ACROSS 1. “A Visit from St. Nicholas” beginning 5. Clock std. 8. U-____ 12. *Webber’s “Evita” collaborator 13. Away from wind 14. Boy Scout rank 15. Picnic invaders 16. Digestive aid 17. Change, as in the Constitution 18. *Like Tony Awards 2020 20. Entry document 21. Fill with spirits 22. 10 decibels 23. *”Kiss Me, Kate” composer/lyricist 26. Sound of leaves in wind 29. Before, archaic 30. Admirer 33. “My bad” 35. Garments 37. Barbie’s beau 38. Annoy a bedfellow 39. Result of too many drinks 40. Type of tunic 42. F in FWIW 43. Brown’s beagle 45. *M in “M. Butterfly” 47. Bar association 48. “Mack the ____” 50. *Tony winner David

Contributor vendor, Charlie Avinger, Jr. passed away on April 27. Charlie began selling The Contributor in 2017 and sold newspapers at 14th and Charlotte Pk. and at 14th and Church St. Charlie was a respectful vendor and will be missed by Contributor staff and volunteers. According to his friends and family, Charlie loved cooking, rapping, dancing, playing cards, playing bingo, fishing and making people laugh.

FUN TIME WITH THE CATS BY JAMIE W., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR These cats are like my babies. When they run up and down the hallway they sound like they are running for the national roller derby. Lucy likes that song “Love Hurts.” Pressley loves anything dangly. Lucy and Lilly love chasing the laser lights. Sometimes Lucy will just sit and stare at the wall. She’s waiting on the laser show to start. Lucy is now around here. I got her for a Christmas gift. She loves treats and to be brushed and loves everything and everyone. She gets along great with Lilly and Pressley and Lilly will lay on her back for hours. These cats are my babies and I love every one of them. Lucy loves those toy mice and she loves catnip. They are fascinated by anything and they love my husband Tommy. I know that they are grateful for me and my husband Tommy. They love bags and boxes. Pressley is the oldest. Pressley turned six on April 6, Lilly turned five on February 9 and Lucy will be two on Dec. 16. They are good girls.

T O N Y

____ Pierce 52. *Musical with the most wins, with The 56. *Jellicles’ cries 57. Vietnam’s neighbor 58. Flu symptom 59. Pond buildup 60. Sunrise point 61. “Just ____ ____” 62. *4-time winner Tom Stoppard’s output 63. Tap choice 64. Tallest volcano in Europe DOWN 1. Catch-22, e.g. 2. Brown bagger 3. *Before and after intermission 4. Final six lines of a sonnet 5. Sparkle 6. More than a scuffle 7. Like a ball ready for a drive 8. *Musical with most nominations 9. *Tony nominee, “Rock of ____” 10. Longer forearm bone 11. Bulb type 13. “All ____!” 14. Roof overhang 19. Humble requests 22. Pesky, clingy plant

PAGE 18 | May 27 - June 10, 2020 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

W I N N E R S

23. Cribbage pieces 24. Un-written exams 25. Old episode 26. *”La BohËme,” reimagined 27. Shower accessory 28. Erasable programmable read only memory 31. Thumbs-up 32. Gridiron official, for short 34. Blood fluids 36. *Coveted destination 38. Mix-up 40. Typically has April 15th as deadline

41. In the thick of 44. Falstaffian in body 46. Base of the decimal system 48. Cattle enclosure in African village 49. Pirate’s “necklace” 50. *Setting of Tony winner ‘Hadestown’ 51. Vinyasa workout 52. #19 Down, sing. 53. *The Grand Slam of showbusiness, acr. 54. The Colosseum, today 55. Pura ____, or pure silk 56. Atlas page

SalvationArmyNashville.org

T HE SA LVAT ION A RM Y

FAITH. Pandemic. Uncertainty. Fear. HOPE. During times of uncertainty, we often long for the romantic memory of what was. Memorial Day gatherings, graduations, life without masks…neighbors without homes…families living with food fears. While we rush back to find our romantic memories, we must also strategically look at the next normal. Throughout the country, cities and states have received money to take care of the most vulnerable in our communities. This is causing quite a challenge as we usually give the greatest support to extend our communities strengths not its vulnerabilities. But what happens when we help the most vulnerable? Will it help our economic recovery? Let’s flesh it out some. I was giving council to a rural community recently; I honestly cannot remember which one. My encouragement was to move funds designated to provide housing security directly to providing housing security. This is actually much harder in the process than it is by the policy. The reasoning is, if you assist a family that has been “Safer at Home” in a shelter with money to move into housing then you can be sure that all the money given enters the economy. The mother of three doesn’t save half of the money for retirement or vacation. The mother pays the rent, buys some furniture, and goes to Kroger to get some groceries. The money quickly benefits the local community and protects two generations of Tennesseans. It is the same as making sure small businesses use low-interest loans, that may be forgiven, to pay their staff so they

can pay their rent and buy groceries at Kroger. What if we prioritize those funds for seniors over 50? Now I know that most people don’t think of themselves as seniors at 50, but for those experiencing homelessness, due to accelerated aging, we need to add 15 years to their current age. This is partly why people experiencing homelessness perish, on average, before 55. Now if we were to prioritize funding for their housing in the market for 18 months, the average waiting period for senior housing, then we support the neighborhood they live in, strengthen the economy, and increase the likelihood that they live. Are we comfortable that by helping our most vulnerable neighbors stabilize their current housing, reduce days of homelessness experienced, or find support in precarious hous-

ing, we are actually benefitting the whole economic system? If we are, why do we create so many processes to make sure that they “deserve” it? We don’t make sure a waitress is good before we assist them financially. We don’t make sure movie ushers, valets, cooks, or hairdressers meet some measure of “deserving”. We simply know as humans, as Tennesseans, that we live in one community and our lives are connected. By strengthening each other, we strengthen each other. Maybe for this crisis response, we might follow how the policy is written. Support the most vulnerable. Trust they will not save much from you, from us. Recognize that by strengthening them, you strengthen our economy, our community, our state. Let there be life, quality of life, for all of Tennessee.

Major Ethan Frizzell serves as the Area Commander of The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army has been serving in Middle TN since 1890. A graduate of Harvard Kennedy School, his focus is the syzygy of the community culture, the systems of service, and the lived experience of our neighbors. He uses creative abrasion to rub people just the wrong way so that an offense may cause interaction and then together we can create behaviorally designed solutions to nudge progress. Simply, negotiating the future for progress that he defines as Quality of Life in Jesus!

SP ONSORE D BY NE IG HBOR S IN T HE FIG H T FOR GOOD

May 27 - June 10, 2020 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 19

The Contributor: May 27, 2020

Articles inside

In Memoriam

Vendor Writing

Vendor Writing

HOBOSCOPES

Poetry

ETHICAL FUNERAL PROVIDERS SEEK NEW WAYS TO SAY GOODBYE UNDER LOCKDOWN

Moving Pictures

NEWS BRIEFS

NEWS

Letter from ‘The Contributor’

100 Years of Votes for Women