IN THE ISSUE
Questions
For this issue, we interviewed Contributor Executive Director Will Connelly about the history and future of the paper.
Vendor Writing
Vendors write about times past, creative ways to use the paper in the classroom and creating a life selling the paper.
La Noticia + The Contributor
La Noticia, one of the leading Spanish-language newspapers in the nation, brings Spanish content to The Contributor
Moving Pictures
is a bloody twisted springtime streamer. Fellow Nicole Kidman fans can stream it on Amazon Prime now!
HOW TO PAY A VENDOR WITH VENMO
Any vendor of The Contributor can accept VENMO as payment.
Technology is a barrier to those experiencing homelessness. Many of our vendors don’t have phones or bank accounts, or use online commerce. We simplified the Venmo process by using one account for all vendors. You must identify your vendor when using Venmo.
You must have a Vemno account to send a Venmo payment.
SCAN THE SQUARE QR CODE above or in the top left corner of the cover of this paper using your phone or tablet camera.
Click the blue “Pay or Request” button on The Contributor's account.
Type in the amount you wish to pay The paper costs $2. Tips are welcomed. Vendors get all the money you send by the next business day.
Type your vendor's name and four digit badge number in the “What’s this for?” box. You must identify the vendor you are paying. Their name and 4 digit
badge number may be written on the front cover of the paper below the QR code.
The first time you pay The Contributor using Venmo you will probably be asked to enter the last 4 digits of their phone number to verify you know who you're sending to. Type 6829 in this field.
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. www.thecontributor.org
80-Year-Old Lynn McFarland on Why She Wouldn’t Leave Her Seat
Eighty-year-old Lynn McFarland was arrested and carried out of a Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee meeting at the Tennessee State Capitol on April 1 after the group passed a bill that would give power to local school boards to deny enrollment to undocumented students or charge them tuition to attend.
McFarland said when she showed up to protest that day, she didn’t plan on planting herself in a seat and getting physically removed by Tennessee State Troopers. But the thought of cooperating with punishing children was enough to make her stay in her seat when protestors were asked to leave the gallery. A small group stayed in their seats when asked to leave, but eventually also left their seats. McFarland stayed in her seat, telling officers she wouldn’t leave because she thought what the committee was doing was wrong.
McFarland was arrested and charged with resisting arrest and disrupting a meeting.
BY AMANDA HAGGARD
She is scheduled for a hearing at 8:30 a.m., May 2, in General Session Court with Judge Sam Coleman.
In a statement online, McFarland wrote the following about her choice to refuse to leave:
“I didn’t intend to get arrested when I left for Cordell Hull yesterday morning. If I had, I wouldn’t have worn my nice jewelry and Eileen Fisher slacks.
Another hearing. This time in the TN Senate Finance Ways and Means Committee, on the bill to make it harder for some immigrant children to receive their Constitutional right to a free public K-12 education. I’ve been to most of these hearings and heard the arguments from Sen. Bo Watson and Rep. William Lamberth. Before their respective bodies, Sen. Watson has pitched the case that it’s necessary for financial purposes; Rep. Lamberth seems to be a bit more focused on addressing the (il)legal status of the parents. But these the central points of both bills, of course.
Money. And A Punishment System.
The counter-argument is The Children, whether their own learning opportunities are impacted or they have to watch their friends and classmates be punished.
Maybe it was the repetition of the now-familiar points that struck me: Money and A Punishment System.
There are two Dems on this Committee, Sens. [Jeff] Yarbro and [London] Lamar. Sen. Yarbro (Nashville) happens to be my senator. And back in the day, a few months before I was born, my parents moved to East TN (Oak Ridge) from just outside Memphis, so I pay close attention to that end of my world, too.
Sen. Yarbro pointed out the long-term cost to the state of having a permanent underclass of “illiterate people at the State’s direction” and made the powerful statement that there is a “moral cost to this bill” that will “punish kids.”
Sen. Lamar pointed out the hardships
on lower income families to obtain missing birth certs and raised the question of whether an educator, faced with an undocumented child, could call ICE in. Sen. Watson replied to her question by saying something to the effect that the ICE issue would be “considered in Rules and Regulations.”
One of my girlfriends has a plate on the front of her car that says, “Quiet My Mind. Open My Heart.” On Sunday, another girlfriend added, “And Shut My Mouth.” We had a good laugh.
But, you know, that’s what happened. Sitting in the hearing, I felt at peace and I felt compassion for All of Us, and I just could not cooperate. My heart wouldn’t let me. The Troopers were kind. (If you know me, you will appreciate the fact that I felt I needed to tell them, “You know, I’m not doing this to be a smart-aleck”).
So, Eileen Fisher slacks or not, I could not cooperate with this process and I got arrested.”
Tennessee State Troopers carry Lynn McFarland, 80, out of a Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee on April 1. PHOTO BY ALVINE
Words and Thoughts The Power of God
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
May my Words speak Wisdom - May my Heart show Love?
May the Grace that you have given, always be enough. Keep me safe, keep me humble, in the palm of your hand. I may fall and I may stumble, but I’m just a man.
May the Words, of my Mouth, and the Thoughts, of my Heart, Be, pleasing in thy sight, Oh Lord, My God.
May the Words, of my Mouth, and the Thoughts, of my Heart, Be, pleasing in thy sight, Oh God.
I will fear no evil. I will trust in you. I will do what I believe it is, you’ve called me to.
Love The Lord, Thy God, and your neighbor as yourself. Give you all my heart, and look not for something else.
May the Words, of my Mouth, and the Thoughts, of my Heart, Be, pleasing in thy sight, Oh Lord, My God.
May the Words, of my Mouth, and the Thoughts, of my Heart, Be, pleasing in thy sight, Oh God.
Without you, life is empty. Without you, we are lost. So, you paid the penalty, for us all on the cross. When man could not reach God, That’s when God became a man, And he sent his only son, so the world would understand.
May the Words, of my Mouth, and the Thoughts, of my Heart, Be, pleasing in thy sight, Oh Lord, My God.
May the Words, of my Mouth, and the Thoughts, of my Heart, Be, pleasing in thy sight, Oh God.
Eternity in Your Heart
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
Do what you want, to this body of mine. One day I'm going to leave it, all behind. This temporary tent that we’re living in, Is just a means to an end, where forever begins?
Because... The Faith that won’t be shaken, Is your relationship with God? There’s nothing, in this world worth more, Than Eternity in Your Heart.
A man is not a fool to give up, what he knows, He can never keep. To gain what he can never lose, and find Eternity?
Because... The Faith that won’t be shaken, Is your relationship with God? There’s nothing, in this world worth more, Than Eternity in Your Heart.
I want to be there in that number, “When The Saints Come Marching In.” Who trusted God, with all their heart? And stayed, Faithful to the end. They paved the way. They paid the price. They kept the Faith, and gave up their lives.
Because... The Faith that won’t be shaken, Is your relationship with God? There’s nothing, in this world worth more, Than Eternity in Your Heart.
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
When you feel a burden on your heart, to get something done. Make something happen that you know will help someone. When the cards are stacked against you, you still can beat the odds. Remember what you’ve been through. Trust The Power of God.
And The Power of God, makes the blind man see. The lame to walk. The deaf to hear. Sets the captives free. When they say, that it can’t be done, it’s impossible, too hard. The battle’s already won, through The Power of God.
When the Doctors say, “They’ve done all they can possibly do.” And someone you Love or care about, Doesn’t look like they’ll pull through. God may have his reasons, but there’s mercy in his heart. And a miracle’s, not too difficult, for The Power of God.
And The Power of God, makes the blind man see. The lame to walk. The deaf to hear. Sets the captives free. When they say, that it can’t be done, it’s impossible, too hard. The battle’s already won, through The Power of God.
Now, Faith can move a mountain, cast it in to the sea. Take a tiny seed, and make a mighty tree. All it takes is the Faith to Believe... It will be...
And The Power of God, makes the blind man see. The lame to walk. The deaf to hear. Sets the captives free. When they say, that it can’t be done, it’s impossible, too hard. The battle’s already won, through The Power of God.
Instead of Worry
Written by Chris Scott Fieselman, Vendor #0015
I’ve walked the road alone so long, pretending I don’t see. Acting like I didn’t know, that you were always there with me. When I finally stopped my running. When I’d finally given up. I finally see the one thing that I needed was Your Love.
Instead of Worry, I’d rather Believe, that God will take care of me. I’ll have everything I need. Lord, help me see. Help me see. Instead of Worry, I’d rather Believe, that this is how its s’posed to be. I’ll follow you wherever you lead, to Destiny. Instead of Worry, I’d rather Believe...
Now, this is all just temporary. You’ve got your hand upon my life. I feel like I’m being carried, and I’m learning how to fly. And everything that’s happening, each new experience, Has already been written, and it’s all part of your plan.
Instead of Worry, I’d rather Believe, that God will take care of me. I’ll have everything I need. Lord, help me see. Help me see. Instead of Worry, I’d rather Believe, that this is how its s’posed to be. I’ll follow you wherever you lead, to Destiny. Instead of Worry, I’d rather Believe...
My Strength, my Fortress, my Rock and my Shield. There’s nothing more important, than knowing you’re real. I’m trusting you more, each and every day, And listening for everything, I hear you say.
Instead of Worry, I’d rather Believe, that God will take care of me. I’ll have everything I need. Lord, help me see. Help me see. Instead of Worry, I’d rather Believe, that this is how its s’posed to be. I’ll follow you wherever you lead, to Destiny. Instead of Worry, I’d rather Believe...
News Briefs
OHS Announces Old Tent City Slated for Encampment Closure
In a press release the first week of April, the Mayor’s Office and Office of Homeless Services announced that Metro had “designated Anthes Drive as the next site for a housing surge.” The site, often referred to as Old Tent City, “was chosen due to significant safety concerns for those living in the encampment, the surrounding community, and the commuter train passengers.” The people who live there were given a letter about the closure on March 31. The letters “outlined the upcoming transition process and available supportive services. Every resident will receive housing solutions and access to comprehensive wraparound services. This compassionate, trauma-informed approach follows national best practices for rehousing encampment residents,” it read. Mayor Freddie O’Connell said in the release that closing an encampment is not a quick process. “Our prioritization committee identifies areas that need attention, and then there is outreach to residents of the camp, and each one will receive temporary housing assistance and the social supports they need,” he said. “I appreciate the committee's and OHS's thoughtful approach to camp closures.” The release also said no other areas would be “named for intervention” until the finalization of the closure at Old Tent City.
Research: ‘Anti-Displacement’ Strategies Needed For Equitable Neighborhood Development
In March, ThinkTennessee released a report that said when anti-displacement strategies are utilized alongside public resources, transit-oriented development helps to create new housing along with preserving existing homes, small business and community culture. The policy brief “comes on the heels of several reports detailing Tennessee’s extreme affordable housing shortage and the need for zoning reform,” according to a release from the nonpartisan think tank. “Research shows that transit-oriented, walkable neighborhoods are one of the most impactful tools for improving economic mobility,” said Erin Hafkenschiel, president of ThinkTennessee. “However, as Tennessee cities and municipalities begin planning new transportation infrastructure or development options for neighborhoods, it’s critically important that they incorporate anti-displacement strategies to identify at-risk communities and work with them to ensure residents continue to have a choice in where they live and can access those increased economic mobility benefits.”
Free Tax Help Offered Through April 15 Through United Way of Greater Nashville, VITA offers free tax preparation to households that made less than $76,000 in 2024 at several locations. For a map of locations in Middle Tennessee, visit https://www.unitedwaygreaternashville.org/vita-tax-sites, where you can book an appointment online. People can also call the appointment line at (615) 206-7560. You can also file your own taxes at myfreetaxes.com, where there is no income limit to file.
THEME: TV SIBLINGS
74. Slow on the uptake
1. Any doctrine 2. "He ____, She Said" 3. Hokkaido language 4. Actor's representative
5. ____ tunnel
*Mitchell Pritchett's sister Claire 21. *Alex P. Keaton's sister
Lao-tzu follower 24. ____ it like it is
Banned insecticide
6. "____ the Lonely," song
7. *One "Sister, Sister"
8. Bouquet garni ingredient
9. Sushi choice
10. "The Simpsons" palindrome
11. Court petitioner 12. Light on one's feet
15. Rendered suet
20. Tumult and commotion
22. Any high mountain
24. Carryall (2 words)
25. *Vampire Stefan Salvatore's brother
26. Harry Potter's antagonist
27. 9 a.m. prayer
29. *Lisa and Maggie's naughty brother
31. *Phoebe and Piper Halliwell's sister
32. British elevators
33. Repent
34. Redo, to a carpenter
36. "Sad to say ..."
38. J.F.K. postings
42. Muse of love poetry
45. Lose
49. Famous frat house letters
51. Reached culmination
54. Naiad or maenad
56. Anoint
57. Make like a cat
58. Part of an eye
59. Mouthful, swallowed
60. Fence board
61. Apple co-founder
62. A Flock of Seagulls' 1982 hit
63. Newts in terrestrial stage
66. Belonging to us
68. Be a witness
Flocking
BY LINDSEY LONGORIA, CONTRIBUTOR STAFF
It’s called flocking.
Or at least that’s what the social media trendsetters tell me as they teach me how to apply velvet coating to everything from Christmas ornaments to thrifted vases.
To me, it will always be the feeling of tiny bunny ears and ballerina skirts adorning the tchotchkes my grandmother kept on a thimble shelf in her bathroom.
Bits of metal and plastic playing peek-a-boo where little hands fondled them repeatedly like public statues that shine where they are rubbed for good luck.
To me, flocking is what we did in the backyard around the satsuma tree when it became so laden with fruit year after year that my grandfather rolled wheelbarrows of it to the neighbors and carried grocery bags of it in his truck.
Our own golden goose eggs.
The feel of fine velvet is too rich for this crawdad blood. Here you’re more likely to find broken-in denim and retired veteran ball caps.
Here flocking is the role of a shepherd, and the only one my grandparents know communes with them at church and in the solitude of their mo(u)rning.
Where grief flies in with the grey doves on the porch and has the bite of the red chilies they grew out back.
Too bad we can’t drown it in a cold glass of milk like we do that spice. It’s not so forgiving.
We can tuck it away in boxes like so many items salvaged from the hurricane.
But it grows roots like the satsuma tree.
It will rub you raw like a well-loved figurine.
It flocks to you like a pair of mourning doves.
We can only wear it. We can only adorn ourselves in it.
Until we too, are so soft.
Q&A with Contributor Executive Director Will Connelly
BY JUDITH TACKETT
When Will Connelly helped found The Contributor in 2007, nobody was paid for their work except for the vendors who sold the paper to customers on the streets. Now as the executive director in 2025, the organization employs 16 full-time staff members who work on housing vendors who sell the paper and connect them to services, raise funds for the organization and run the newspaper. His return in 2023 brought Connelly full circle back into the organization, which he describes as one founded on the principle of believing in people.
“I think that kind of approach is what we need in all the different parts of our homelessness system and response,” Connelly says. “We need this belief in people’s agency and dignity. That is what I remembered the spirit of The Contributor being.”
Connelly started out as a street outreach worker for the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA) more than 20 years ago. He worked in street outreach roles for Park Center, then the Metropolitan Homelessness Commission, then moved on to become a national leader and SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) program specialist, before returning to Nashville to lead the Metropolitan Homelessness Commission as its director in 2013.
Connelly made a name for himself as an innovative, thoughtful leader and is highly regarded in Nashville’s community from the unhoused community to nonprofit providers to policy makers and housing developers.
After his four-year stint at Metro government, he left for Denver, Colo., in 2017 to lead the Metro Denver Homeless Initiative and returned to Nashville as the CEO of Park Center a few years later.
You’ve now ended up in an organization where you are in close contact with the people you and your team serve and work with. Why did you choose to apply as the executive director for The Contributor, and what does that job mean to you?
I've had a special place in my heart for The Contributor since it started, and I’ve been proud to have played a small part in helping it get going. To me, The Contributor always represented a low-barrier pathway to earn an income. If you want to work, we’re here for you to work. There are no hoops to jump through or tests to pass. The Contributor believes in you. We believe that you can do it.
Having an opportunity to become the executive director seemed like a dream because when I left it, there wasn’t even a paid position in the organization. So, I’m just grateful to be part of an organization with a mission like that.
What is The Contributor and how has it evolved since its inception in 2007?
The Contributor is a street newspaper that is for people who are unhoused or
have been unhoused. They can buy the newspaper from us for 50 cents and sell it for $2 plus tips to make an income. At its core, that’s what The Contributor is. It’s a street newspaper. A way to earn an income, a way to get acknowledged by what they write in the paper. So, people who sell the paper can also get articles published in the newspaper. It is a way not only to get some cash in their pockets by selling it but also to get their stories and their voice on paper and be heard through that. I think that’s really cool.
Since the pandemic, The Contributor has evolved from being only a newspaper. It started to add support services for vendors and other people who are unhoused in Nashville. That has brought depth to the organization and an ability to respond in a housing-focused way and other ways to help newspaper vendors and other folks to pursue the goals they have around housing, food security, getting health insurance and healthcare.
Another way we have evolved, especially lately, is to try to become an organization that finds ways for the vendor voice to show up not only in the newspaper but in other places as well. We want to be creative around including the voices of people who are unhoused in the work that we do. Lately that’s been in the Vendor Leadership Team that we have.
In addition, we now have people with lived experience train the new vendors that come in. We need some new swag, we need
new T-shirts, and we’re asking vendors to design those. We’re trying to come up with all these different ways to include vendors in a way that’s not performative, but that’s legit.
What are some other significant changes at The Contributor you would like to highlight?
I’m proud of the work we do about integrating vendors’ voices into our organization’s efforts.
I’ve been a fan of helping people get entitlements like disability benefits through SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery), which existed when I came here. But we are really starting to show the value of our services by creating new partnerships with the services that we offer. For example, we are in the middle of a couple of collaborations with hospitals to identify and support people who are unhoused and are coming through their emergency departments. This is something that you would not expect a street newspaper to do. But I’m proud of that pilot project and am interested in seeing what we learn through it.
Can you elaborate on that pilot program?
The nature of the pilot is that a local emergency department can waive their hand and ask us for help with a patient who is unhoused, uninsured and has a serious medical condition. The goal is for nurses
and social workers in hospitals to be able to reach out to community organizations like us to get support, so that those patients can get on health insurance, and they can also make connections to our housing systems and other supports that they may need — such as a low-barrier income through The Contributor’s street paper program. We work together with Park Center, a local nonprofit that specializes helping people with mental illness, to prioritize disability benefit applications and provide housing navigation.
One of the cooler parts of this pilot is that we’re also doing street medicine rounds with emergency room physicians, so that people who are seen in the emergency department can also be followed up on by the ED doctors in their locations outside, after they are discharged from the hospital.
We have been doing this for a year now and are in the process of expanding the effort [to enter into] a similar partnership with Metro General Hospital.
What are some of the challenges in this job that you did not anticipate?
We are a small organization; and so, we all just jump in and wear many different hats. I didn’t anticipate that I would be necessarily working directly with people to try to help them stabilize their housing. I not only try to manage our organization as the executive director but I also help deliver services as a housing stability guide as part of that team. I also manage our staff, make sure we keep our contractual obligations, raise funding — there are so many different ways that I get to respond in this role that has brought me joy, but it is also extremely complex.
It’s brought me back to my roots as a service provider and put me in contact with so many wonderful people, people we try to support every day. While that’s really hard, I didn’t anticipate finding so much joy in it. I found so much joy in this work, even when it’s been overwhelming and I think it’s because of the proximity of the vendors. I really am in awe of people who sell the newspaper because I know more about them and know what they’ve gone through to get to this point, and they’re still showing up, cracking jokes, being themselves, getting comfortable being around us because we are being trusted. And all of that makes me really grateful to be here.
How do you balance these two sides — running and managing staff of a nonprofit and providing direct services?
It’s really tough to balance things. I don’t think I’m there yet. It’s always a work in progress. One thing I have to do, which I feel a little guilty about, is to organize my day through my Outlook calendar. This leaves less room for spontaneity in my day-to-day. It feels like every part of my day is choreographed because otherwise
it’s hard to fit it all in.
Fortunately, we have a really cool team here. We have 16 people now working fulltime at The Contributor, and I get to delegate things to them. I get so much support. When we meet as a team, we talk about the work, and we also check in with each other emotionally and mentally. We have really open conversations about how tough the work can be, how difficult it is to balance things, and how we’re navigating through all this change together, and how we can support each other through this change. I give a lot of credit to the people I work with because I wouldn’t be able to come close to balance it without them.
Where do you see The Contributor in five years time?
Advocacy and housing are words that come to mind.
On the advocacy front, I think that The Contributor can continue to use the newspaper as a place where you can really hear the voice of people who are unhoused and also use that voice to try to advocate for change in policy at the local and state levels. If there are bills and actions that make it more difficult for people to find housing, I feel like The Contributor should be amplifying the voices of people who are unhoused and also educate folks and policy makers why the implications of certain laws are if they go into effect. I see us speak more boldly and bravely like we have done in the last few months, especially with the litigation we have joined around the issues of obtaining SNAP benefits in Tennessee.
We are providing more housing-focused services right now. I’ve seen how real estate can transform an organization, so I have a dream that The Contributor would own property [and units] that we could use to offer deeply affordable housing to folks that we work with.
On the newspaper side, we want more people to sell the newspaper and also offer different ways for them to express themselves creatively. So, another word that comes to mind is arts. I think there is a lot we can do to engage people who are unhoused in free form art and connect that art to the newspaper.
What is your financial outlook with nonprofits nationwide worrying about potential federal cuts?
We’re coming up with different financial scenarios to try to prepare for what is happening at the federal level. The worstcase scenario almost cuts our funding in half for this year. We hope we won’t get close to this worst-case scenario, but we talk about it with the board and staff.
I think every nonprofit benefits from having unrestricted revenue and individual donations are one of the ways to get unrestricted revenue where we have flexible funding. I am proud of the fundraising plan we put together where we focus on the individual and corporate donors that we have and try to build community with them, wrap love around them and try to engage them more. We know that our current donors already love us, so we’re trying to deepen those relationships to see if we can get more connections through them.
Contributor staff and vendors meet at Church Street Park. PHOTO BY LINDA BAILEY
Alex R.
Maurice B. Keith D.
Lisa A.
Daniel H.
Pedro L.
Gerald B.
Shawn L.
James "Shorty" R.
Norma B.
Current and past members of the Vendor Leadership Team:
(in alphabetical order)
Alex R. — the highest-selling vendor who is willing to give tips to anyone who wants to improve their sales.
Bradley S. — who has a very quiet personality, but when he speaks up, people listen to his thoughtful contributions.
Daniel H. — an artist whose creativity extends to finding ways to help others in the community.
Gerald B.— who has been opening up to the group in a way that knits the team closer together.
James “Shorty” R. — who is one of the most charming members of the team and uses his personal experiences as an education tool.
Keith D. — who has an analytical mind and lightens up the room with his subtle humor.
Lisa A. — a natural born leader, writer and artist who has the rare ability to communicate in a direct and honest and contagious way.
Maurice B. — whose outspoken, honest and passionate viewpoints enrich the conversation and get the team going.
Norma B. — a regular writer who does her research and has a knack for building strong relationships with anyone she meets inside and outside The Contributor.
Pedro L. — whose delightful personality wins most people over and who keeps us all grounded with practical and thoughtful input.
Shawn L. — who embraces the world by greeting everyone as Kings and Queens and has the ability to sum up deep thoughts in brief, clear statements.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11
Why did you join the Vendor Leadership Group?
• When opportunities like [this] came up, I have tried to take advantage of them, in hopes that others will realize what I know — there is more to me than being a vendor and writer for this paper. I want to see how far I can go, and what it might lead to next. — Norma B.
• I joined to be a part of The Contributor. I have had a hard time finding a job, even selling the paper. Being in this [wheel]chair is making it hard for me. I have been a target for young people. That is not meant as an excuse. Everybody has a different story. — Gerald B.
• I wanted to show how we could do more teamwork, like for instance, with Gerald’s situation, he would be better off in a team with other vendors across the corner/street because of the targeting. — Lisa A.
• Because I got tired of being broke every day. I got tired of being looked at like I was nobody. I got tired of getting jobs who then let me go because of my felony or my past. And I wanted to show people the real me instead of always being angry or sad. — Shawn L.
• Because I was asked and it was my responsibility as one of the top vendors that I should at least try it. — Keith D.
What still excites you the most about The Contributor?
• I’m being looked at as somebody instead of a nobody. I’m being seen. It makes me have faith in God that things can change and the main thing, I do have a family. I’m not alone. — Shawn L.
• Seeing new vendors come in recognizing there is hope, and a home for them as a part of The Contributor family, and if they stick with the program, in a literal sense, a real home with a set of keys. On a more personal level, seeing someone who would not normally take a paper do so because I have an article/poem in it. — Norma B.
• We have a very good leadership team. The paper is written very well. We have a very good editor and support staff. — Keith D.
• I get to meet more interesting people. — Shawn L.
• I look forward to every two weeks to new issues. — Pedro L.
• The fact that the news is not reactionary. It’s continuous and connected. Each story we tell over time with updates. The thing that I hate about regular news is that they throw this really traumatizing stuff at you like, “19,000 people died in an earthquake!” and then they move quickly on to something else. And you’re like, “Hello, we didn’t even get done with the earthquake and how it impacts us here directly.” The Contributor news is really about us, and how it affects all of us here in this community. My point is, it’s very brave news. It’s not random and sensationalized. — Lisa A.
• True. — Shawn L.
• I have a friend who has told me about his incarceration. No one has ever heard his story. We can tell the untold story. — Lisa A.
How did you get involved with The Contributor?
• I got involved through [another vendor.] When he said, “Paid every day, work when you want.” I didn’t believe him at first. But when I went to his corner, and saw how he made money, [I decided] it beats going to fast food restaurants and asking whether you could clean their lot.
Then they either say no or if they say yes, you clean their whole lot for a little bit of food. [Being a vendor] changed me a lot. I gives me a purpose. — Shawn L.
• I was walking by the church and saw a long line, so I jumped in line. They offered classes, so I said, “Yeah, I take your class.” I did not know what class. I don’t know what I was thinking. I just knew they were going to help me. — Pedro L.
• I’m one of the invisible homeless but also invisible disabled. I was really struggling with severe depression, anxiety and sleep apnea, as well as some kind of arthritis. I was doing some odd jobs during COVID and had a little bit of money left from babysitting. But it was getting down to nothing. I was at the Downtown bus stop and asked a man for a cigarette. He asked, “What seems to be the problem?” And I said, “Well, I’m trained as a writer, but I don’t know how to get a job. And I’m real sure I can’t hit deadlines that the news want me to hit because I can’t nearly hit the deadline of getting up, coping with the day, and going back to bed. So, I’m not sure how I can meet these other deadlines.” And he said, “Well, have you heard of The Contributor? You can sell The Contributor and write for them.” I said, “I can write for the paper?” He said, “Yeah!” So, I said I’m in. I came down the very next opportunity and took the training. They also helped me find an apartment and many other things as well, including disability [benefits], food stamps, renewing my driver’s license, all the things that I needed help with because I hardly knew what day it was, I was so stressed out. — Lisa A.
Why should people support The Contributor?
• Since The Contributor opened its doors in 2007, it has helped around 4,000 people in one way or another, and it continues to do so. With the expansion of the services they provide to their vendors, they have shown a willingness to help those in need, and the ability to do something about homelessness. — Norma B.
• Because it is people with their microbusinesses. It is an honest living, and the paper is interesting to read. When people buy one they’re supporting a micro business. — Keith D.
• The people have a purpose for selling the paper. — Pedro L.
• You need to invest in the paper by buying it and reading it. — Lisa A.
• I’m with everyone else. Take a paper, read the paper. — Keith D.
• They will see how homeless people live and what they go through. They will also understand that we are not invisible. — Shawn L.
• Support to me means something different than just buying from a vendor. Supporting the paper means financial investment. It means volunteering your time. It means spending time with the Mayor or whomever you can reach from your social status. And it means donating so that we can have 10 extra pages every month because there are a lot more stories than we can tell in our current paper. — Lisa A.
• [The staff and volunteers] talk the talk and walk the walk, assisting the vendors in any way they can! It is the only program I know of where the vendor can immediately benefit from their work, for example, get food, a hotel room, etc. Who wouldn’t want to be part of something like that? — Norma B.
How The Contributor Added Years to My Life and Life to my Years
The Contributor newspaper means more to me than just having my own business — that in and of itself is huge.
When I first arrived at The Contributor, it was because someone at the bus stop told me about it. They told me I could write for the paper. I had just finished a course with the American Writers and Artists Institute (AWAI) and had zero luck with LinkedIn. So, I was in a deep depression, sleep deprived without knowing it and out of money. I was living in my camper, which now had electricity but no running water. I was in a safe place in a friend's backyard, but everything was still very hard.
I had been through the fire of Gatlinburg in 2016, been gaslighted for defending a rape victim and kicked out of one of the only worker-affordable tin shacks available post fire.
Fortunately, I had a few long-term friends in Nashville who financed and donated sweat labor to get me into the city by mid-October 2018.
I slept for a month in my friends' spare bedroom, getting up only to do chores and cook. Unbeknownst to me, I had and have structural sleep apnea, so recovery at my age was proving impossible. I was 58 years old.
However, I took a job within walking distance, at Ollie’s Bargain Outlet. They only had cashier number one available as a position.
BY FREEPRESSGMA, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
Rough work, but I couldn’t be choosy.
Then we all know what happened: COVID-19.
I was so traumatized — not only from the loss of my Ollie’s job and other immediate job opportunities that I could do but also from tent living, then camper rehab and then camper life without running water or electricity — that I didn’t immediately absorb what The Contributor had to offer me.
Tom and Justin in the vendor office interviewed me. It was pretty traumatic recounting the story and trying to get down to the source of the homelessness, but I got through the training, a delicious free lunch and free papers, which I immediately went out and sold. I was back the next day with some cash, helping to pay for things at my new campground in my friend's backyard.
The Contributor found me food stamps, a driver’s license renewal and an apartment within nine months of my starting with them. I was able to start writing within the first month, and the editors kept paying me to publish my articles, poems and artwork.
The huge boost in self-esteem was immeasurable.
I wasn’t really willing to take an apartment because I felt I wasn’t in the worst position — I wasn’t sleeping on the curb. But Justin pointed out to me that older people are more
likely to die from homelessness at an early age. That got me moving! When he showed me where I might live, and I noticed there was free swimming right next door, I jumped at it. I knew that my terrible new aches and pains could be alleviated by floating and moving in the water.
I was instantly relieved by being able to float each day and make new friends immediately. Everyone was so friendly!
The Contributor people always treated me as a partner in my life goals and always admired and respected my efforts. In spite of being technically self-employed, I felt I had a huge team of people behind me. And I do!
Next, The Contributor found me medical care and psychological care. This is how I learned that I needed antidepressant meds, anti-anxiety meds and finally, a sleep machine. Structural sleep apnea is not curable. I will need this for the rest of my life.
You could read one of my articles titled "The Spooky Side of Sleep" (Volume 18, Issue 23) if you would like to know more about how crucial this is. It affected my entire life. It truncated my abilities and opportunities.
This is one of the reasons I appreciate modern medicine, even though I ascribe to healthy eating, herbs and wild foods.
Next, about two years into inhabiting my apartment and after attempting a part-time
job which I failed because of sleep apnea, my boss found me a different part-time job as an art teacher with far fewer hours but higher pay — after I got my sleep machine. I’m doing really well with it.
Next, The Contributor asked me to be on the leadership team. They asked us what we wanted to name it, and I think we finally decided on “focus group.” Then, I was invited by The Contributor staff to be on a local NPR show about homelessness. I am now training to lead the Unseen Nashville tours.
Finally, I joined the poetry group led by Joe Nolan. This is funded by an independent group that I really appreciate, because it has helped me to grow as a writer and to bond with other Contributor vendors. Then, we had a real delightful bombshell! Stagger Press came in and offered to help us make zines. Since then, I have met fellow artists from outside of The Contributor, as well as bonded more closely with artists within our group and people who want to tell their story.
I also have a backlog of people who would like to be interviewed that I’ve met either on the street or in activist groups that visit us here at The Contributor every other week. My life has truly grown into what I wanted to be. And rather than be grateful, I am exhilarated and appreciative of all of my colleagues at The Contributor.
HOBOSCOPES
TAURUS
I don’t mean to sound confrontational, but just who do you think you are, Taurus? Do you think you’re the things you’ve done and the things you plan to do? Do you think you’re the mind that decides your actions, plots your future, and processes your past? Are you the feelings that you have about the things that happen to you? Or could it be that you’re someone else entirely? Are you the quiet passenger in the backseat of your mind who observes your actions, watches your thoughts, and experiences your emotions? They say there is no “I” in “Taurus.” Maybe they just haven’t looked far enough behind the eyes.
GEMINI
I’m not sure if I’ve ever been this sore, Gemini. Four hours working in the garden — bending over to dig up the thick carpet of weeds that had taken over. Just a half-day’s work at a bad angle. Two days later and I can’t really sit down without taking it in three slow stages. Standing back up? Forget about it. You may find, Gemini, that some of your emotional muscles are a little out of practice lately. You may be sore from working things out at a new angle. Give yourself grace and a couple of days. Then get back out in the weeds. It’s the only way you’ll get to plant the future you’re looking for.
CANCER
There’s nothing like the thrill of waking up 30 minutes after your alarm didn’t go off, splashing some water on your face, and flying out the door to get to work before anybody notices you’re late. I know you live for the adrenaline, Cancer, but once you get in the car I want you to do me a favor. Take three deep breaths. Now realize that you can’t really get there any faster. Don’t speed. Don’t run stop signs. How much time could you possibly save? 30 seconds? As in all things, you’ll arrive when you arrive, Cancer. Everything in your life is happening exactly on time.
LEO
Worker bees are famous for working. It’s really all they do with their short sixweek life. But, at the end of their days, surrounded by their siblings, at least they get to look at that bustling hive and know that they produced 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey. Maybe you’re working too hard, Virgo. Sure, there’s a payoff. You’re making good stuff. But in the course of a life, there’s only so much you can create. Maybe take some time off from your 1/12 of a teaspoon and have some experiences that remind you that although you’re small the world is full of beautiful flowers.
VIRGO
I pulled all the weeds out of the garden. So now I’ve got this nice, clean garden bed that’s ready to receive plants. But I’ve also got this big pile of weeds that I’m not sure what to do with. I used to just throw them over the back fence, but somebody just built a new house back there and they probably wouldn’t want these in their driveway. I know you’ve been doing a lot of work to make changes lately, too, Virgo. And you’ve pulled out a lot of what’s been getting in your way. But before you plant your beautiful new life, you may need to get rid of the old stuff to keep it from coming back. That garden is your responsibility. So are the weeds.
LIBRA
I’ve heard that if the earth was the size of a basketball, the moon would be the size of a tennis ball. The sun, in this scenario, would be the size of a large ferris wheel. At this point, we’re putting together a pretty fun day out. Shoot some hoops. Toss a ball at the dog park. Go on all the rides at that little carnival by the car dealership. And think about how small we all are and how we’re just like a little ball floating in space, connected to nothing and infinitely indebted to gravity and the fusion of hydrogen and helium. Enjoy the afternoon, Libra. Maybe take another spin on the bumper cars. — each one is about the size of Neptune, if you’re keeping up.
SCORPIO
Are you a Scorpio? You look like a Scorpio. I can always tell, but I guess I’ve had a lot of training. One of the things I’ve learned in my study of the stars is that people love to read about themselves and what they’re supposed to be like and how they’re supposed to act. The problem is when people use that as an excuse to stop exploring themselves. Sure, Scorpio, you fit some patterns. We all do. But there’s more to you than that. We all see it. If you look a little further in, you will too.
SAGITTARIUS
I bought some little tomato plants, and some little peppers. I bought some zucchini plants and some eggplant plants (I even wore my eggplant pants to plant the eggplant plants.). But when I space these out in the garden, there just isn’t enough room. I tend to think I can squeeze in one more okra or fit another melon in the corner. But if I pack too many into this little space, nothing is gonna have the room to thrive. Are you packing-in too much, Sagittarius? If you want your zucchinis to get big and strong, you may need fewer peppers. Just give it all a little more space.
CAPRICORN
The envelope that came in the mail today says I can have up to six months with no interest. This is a relief, because I already have so little interest in whatever’s going on inside this envelope. Sometimes I worry that I’m not interested in much. But then I realize I’m just looking in the wrong mailboxes. If you’re feeling uninspired, Capricorn, you may just need to stand up and turn around. Look in a different direction. It may feel silly to pursue something that’s usually so outside your field of vision. But waiting around for the mail truck to show you something good hasn’t been yielding the best results.
AQUARIUS
I don’t know if I believe in reincarnation. I guess I like the idea that I’ll get another chance to do all this again. But I’m afraid it makes me too cynical about other people. “Haven’t you figured this out by now? The light is green!” For all intents and purposes, Aquarius, I think it’s best to treat others as though it’s their first time here. It sure feels like the first time for me. Sure, we all have to figure this stuff out, and we’re doing that just as fast as we are. Be kind. We all just got here.
PISCES
I’ve got so many vegetables planted in the garden! I’ll be able to make a good spicy salsa and a flavorful salad. I’ll have steamed broccoli and baked potatoes. I’ll have a cantaloupe for breakfast and watermelon for dessert. The only problem is, that’s gonna take a couple of months. But I’m hungry now. You’ve planted a lot of good things, too, Pisces. But good things take time. While you wait, don’t get discouraged. You’ll find plenty of things to nourish you until your hard work pays off.
ARIES
There’s a guy talking on the radio about how you can turn your life around. He says you should “turn your mess into your message.” I only half agree with him, Aries. It’s just that I’ve known too many people who go from chaos and confusion straight into offering their services as a life-coach without doing the work in between. You’ve got a lot to give, Aries, and you’ll get your chance. But before you start selling your advice, shine that flashlight into your own basement and make sure you really understand what’s down there and what you can do to clean it out. First, just turn your mess into a mess that you understand better.
Mr. Mysterio is not a licensed astrologer, a certified mail carrier, or a trained gardener. Listen to the Mr. Mysterio podcast at mrmysterio.com Or just give him a call at 707-VHS-TAN1
This set of Hoboscopes originally ran in the April 27, 2022 edition.
The Contributor More Than Just A Street Newspaper
The Contributor is an award winning street newspaper, but that’s only part of the story. As a vendor and writer for this publication, when I look through its pages every two weeks I see so much more.
There is a vast array of stories that can be used to teach people of ALL ages something new, much like the Weekly Reader did for me as a young child and as a teenager, really throughout my scholastic life.
Every Friday like clockwork our classroom would receive the latest edition. I would immediately open it up. I couldn’t wait to see what was inside. There was SO much information packed into just a few pages on SO many different subject. One highlight for me was the booklist! It was there that I learned to love reading.
It’s funny, no matter how strapped we were for money, my mom always made sure there was enough for a book or two each month! This was long before Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
(At this point in the article, I will concede that I was a book nerd, and if I had the time, I probably still would be.)
Teachers, listen up. Did you know that each year The Contributor publishes a Summer Reading List? I know many of you encourage your students to read over the summer months — some even assign their students books to read over the summer. Maybe you could find some inspiration here for your students or even yourself. There are other special issues too that
BY NORMA B., CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
lend themselves to learning.
Each new year we typically have an issue that shows various ways people of ALL ages can help others in their community. Children, especially young ones, LOVE to help out, and if they learn to do it when they’re young, it’s a pattern they will likely continue into adulthood.
In February, we publish issues that primarily highlight Black History, a segment of history that is often overlooked, misrepresented, or left out of other publications entirely.
English/Literature teachers listen up. We also have a special Poetry Edition that comes out every year! What? Once a year is not enough, you say? I agree wholeheartedly! Don’t worry, you won’t have to wait that long because we have poetry in EVERY issue! (The Contributor even holds classes after each paper release to help us hone our skills, and we are ALWAYS open to suggestions.)
Poetry is an art, and speaking of art, each issue contains phenomenal artwork! Could this be used in the classroom as a teaching tool?
With school budgets being slashed especially in what many number crunchers refer to as "non-essential programs" like art and music being eliminated all together, could this be an inexpensive way to bring it back into the classroom in a creative way?
Each year in August, we also have our
In the 50s and 60s, people came to Nashville to make it big in the music world. They either made it big or went back home. People lived in boarding rooms for about $10 a week. Eating was cheap: for about $12 or $13, you could eat a steak dinner. Everything was centrally located, so you could walk everywhere you needed to go.
Back-to-School issue that focuses on just that. Perhaps we could draw more attention to what we as a community need to do to help our children and their teachers to not only achieve but exceed the goals they set for themselves as well as those mandated by the state.
After Thanksgiving, we introduce our wrapping paper editions. Each print is as unique as the vendor who designed it. You might say it’s a bit like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.
The things mentioned thus far are just the "Special Issues" of the paper.
Every issue also features La Noticia en Español. Could this be used in a Spanish class in some way? Or perhaps it could bring comfort to or ease the transition for someone who has to learn English but wants to see something written in their native language?
In other words, each issue covers a wide range of topics from everything from kids corner activities, impactful personal stories, up to date news briefs on current events, etc.
As a member of The International Network of Street Papers we even offer stories with a more universal appeal.
There truly is something for EVERYONE!
If after all this you’re still thinking, I doubt there’s ANYTHING in there for me , I know I’ve personally written articles/ poems on such hot topic issues as gun vi -
Remember “When”
BY SHORTY R, CONTRIBUTOR VENDOR
Today, Nashville is still here — only bigger.
Nowadays, buildings and more buildings are coming up. These buildings are tall and glass. The buildings are called mixed-development, or a store on the ground level and apartments on the next. The next level is may-
be a parking lot, maybe a restaurant. By now, everybody knows that they are building a new football stadium by 2027. The new baseball stadium. The new Geodis stadium. Who would have thought that soccer would be a big thing? A bunch of new bars and restaurants.
olence versus victims rights, school shootings, and most recently school choice, and these things affect us ALL. Wouldn’t you agree?
Others of you are probably thinking, that may be true, but why buy a newspaper? That is SO old-fashioned and outdated.
I will admit that newspaper sales have been on the decline since the advent of the internet and with the ability to get information on any subject at any time with the touch of a button, but ask yourself: How credible is the information you receive? Who/What are the sources used for the stories you read? Have they been verified? If you want the most reliable, accurate, up-to-date information possible on any subject then you owe it to yourself to consult a variety of sources to get a complete picture not just bits and pieces. Believe it or not, there are far more reliable references out there than TikTok, Google, and Artificial Intelligence like Siri or Alexa.
For all of you who say, I’ve gone digital and I can’t or won’t go back , we’ve got you covered! A digital edition of The Contributor is available, but I must warn you in choosing that option you’re giving up something too.
Our crossword, some artwork and other content are not translated in that format.
So be a trendsetter give it a try! Who knows? You just might like it.
A few four or five new motels open up every year. As of now, they don’t know what to do with the East Bay. Whatever it is, it will be big and pretty.
Now, Nashville is so big and spread out. We have mass transit bus here. Ride anywhere and everywhere for $4 a day.
‘Holland’ is bloody twisted springtime streamer
Adopted Nashvillian Nicole Kidman’s movie is a psychological thriller that feels like a fun mix of Hitchcock, Lynch and even a saucy dash of Tim Burton. It’s a family film cum existential noir set in a quaint small town in the days before 9-11, at the hopeful beginnings of this new century. Holland turns Americana idealism on its head — sometimes the tug-of-war between perception and reality here threatens to reach Blue Velvet levels. It’s a compelling theme in a contemporary culture that can often feel wanting for the firm grounding of agreed-upon facts, and it’s a quirky mystery movie that mostly has a clue.
Nancy Vandergroot (Kidman), her husband Fred (Matthew Macfadyen), and son Harry (Jude Hill) live a quiet life in the town of Holland, Michigan. Holland is famous for its tulip festival, its historic downtown festooned with flourishes of Dutch culture and tulip-centric design, and the giant wooden windmill that overlooks the town.
BY JOE NOLAN, FILM CRITIC
Holland could be picture-perfect small town U.S.A., but in the hands of director Mimi Cave and cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski, Holland’s perfected pleasantness can be unsettling like a David Lynch film or even as uncanny as Tim Burton’s hyperreal visions of American suburbia. The town of Holland is literally the title character of this film, and the electric railroad model of the cozy burg that Fred and Harry are building in the garage recalls the model of the hedge maze in the lounge of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining. Nancy is a part-time home economics teacher, and she confides in her friend, Dave the shop teacher (Gael Garcia Bernal), that she suspects that her husband Fred is having an affair. Fred is an optometrist who rescued Nancy from a nowhere rural backwater to their comfortable life in the upper-middle class. But his frequent business trips and some suspicious items in the garage have Nancy wondering if she still knows the man she married.
An unlikely partnership forms between Nancy and Dave, and the pair begins to unravel a web of secrets that shifts the ground beneath Nancy’s feet.
Nancy Vandergroot goes full Nancy Drew: wearing a scarf and sunglasses to hide her identity; arranging secret sleuthing meet-ups with Dave, who’s terrified of the police; getting her kicks as a doit-yourself gumshoe who’s as anxious to discover the truth as she is to un-stick the stultifying sameness of her days. I’m not a mark for Kidman, but I really like her here. She brings a fizzy mix of weird and funny to her portrayal of this unreliable heroine, and her line reading of the phrase “ipso facto” is right up there with the Emmy-bound Parker Posey’s “You wanna live in Taiwan?” from this year’s new season of The White Lotus
All the acting is strong here, but the burgeoning romantic relationship between Nancy and Dave blossoms out of nowhere, adding a big blunder to an otherwise seamless film. It’s too
bad, because there’s no need for there to be anything romantic between the pair, and making them plainly platonic would’ve added more to the buddy detective vibes in the film’s sleuth sequences. Otherwise writer Andrew Sodorski and this talented troupe of performers team well to give viewers an unreal world we can believe in.
Equal parts domestic drama, amateur procedural, suspense picture and horror film, Holland toys with the moral ambiguities of love and betrayal. It’s a movie about perfect surfaces concealing rotten interiors. It’s about secrets and lies, the ones we keep from our loved ones and the ones we tell ourselves.
Holland is streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Joe Nolan is a critic, columnist and performing singer/songwriter based in East Nashville. Find out more about his projects at www.joenolan.com.