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This year and years prior In Your Community, Tennessee has spoken to many wonderful non-profits and organizations that are striving to help Tennesseans. To end 2023, wow that's weird to say, I have compiled a list of 6 recent interviews if you need assistance, looking to join or volunteer to make a difference in your community. Operation Stand Down Tennessee focuses on engaging, equipping, and empowering military veterans and their families through their crisis, career, and connection services. Federal funding allows this organization to help Veterans with temporary financial assistance if they struggle with rent, utilities, and security deposits. Operation Stand Down also offers some services to surviving spouses, however, federal money cannot be used for that. CEO Eden Murrie says their biggest goal is to connect veterans with other veterans. Murrie says they hold events just for that, such as going to a brewery, a picnic, or gun range. She knows some vets want that connection, and some don't, but even if you do not want to meet up every day or at every event, occasionally talking about the past and going to events can be nice. Mundito Spanish is a language and culture learning organization for children. Founder and Lead Teacher Casey Cabbage says the program targets kids in grades K through five. The program consists of 90-minute sessions, in the first 35 to 40 minutes the kids will learn vocabulary, and numbers, and just work towards objectives, next during a break the children will have traditional Spanish food as a snack so that they can learn more about the culture. The Urban League of Greater Chattanooga helps people of color, women, and other disadvantaged persons achieve economic self-reliance, parody, power, and civil rights. According to Candy Johnson, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga, the organization has three empowerment centers they offer to residents. This includes the Center for Education, Workforce, and Family Empowerment; the Center for Economic and Black Business Success; and the Center for Equity and Inclusive Leadership. The Urban League of Greater Chattanooga also cares about the health of those in the community, they have created a pre-diabetes prevention program that uses the curriculum of the CDC. East Nashtivists began with the craving for community, togetherness, and advocacy. The group has since expanded, making its name known across Middle Tennessee. The group attends legislative sessions at the Capitol but has partnered with other organizations like Inclusion Tennessee and the Tennessee Equality Project to fight for LGBTQ+ rights. East Nashtivists meets the second Wednesday of every month at East Nashville Beer Works from 5 PM until 8 PM. Even if you are not in the East Nash area, you are encouraged to come and join and help make a difference in the community. ArtsBuild's mission is to build and encourage a stronger community through creativity and learning through the arts. Art conveys with children beginning at a young age, and the non-profit encourages their creativity through their "Imagine" program. Through this they provide a field trip in the arts for every child in Hamilton County Schools. According to ArtsBuild President James McKissic, they conducted 14 thousand field trips for 14 thousand students in 2022. Another way this organization supports dreams is through the Racial Equity Grants for Individual Artists (REGIA) program. This program renews grant-funded support for artists of color, building on ArtsBuild’s Equity in the Arts grant program. Emerge Tennessee is a premier training program for Democratic women in the state and part of a national organization called Emerge America. According to Executive Director Freda Player, they have trained around 5,000 women nationwide, and more than 1,000 were elected to office. In Tennessee, Emerge has trained nearly 150 women, and 40 have been elected or appointed to office. Through Emerge Tennessee's signature candidate training program, women will go through a six-month, 70-hour program that will teach them how to fundraise, spread their story, find their win number, use digital media, and more. Women will speak to a variety of campaign and election experts, along with other women who have been elected or appointed to office. All previous articles are linked, along with their websites if you would like more information. Happy Holidays! 
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Emerge Tennessee is a premier training program for Democratic women in the state and part of a national organization called Emerge America. According to Executive Director Freda Player, they have trained around 5,000 women nationwide, and more than 1,000 were elected to office. In Tennessee, Emerge has trained nearly 150 women, and 40 have been elected or appointed to office. How does Emerge Tennessee recruit women who want to run, but may not know how? According to Freda, when the program began, they sought out those who had run before but did not have all the tools in their toolbelt. As the program progressed, and after the 2016 election, they say more women came forward wanting to become more involved and do something to help their communities, to help other women who are struggling. Now as women go to them, they continue to reach out to those who are advocating within the city council or their local school board and just have a conversation with those women about government, if they are ready to run, and if they are considering running, what they will need help with. As women decide to run for government, or if their decision is still under consideration, they can go through one of Emerge Tennessee's three Candidate Training programs. Through Emerge Tennessee's signature program, women will go through a six-month, 70-hour program that will teach them how to fundraise, spread their story, find their win number, use digital media, and more. Women will speak to a variety of campaign and election experts, along with other women who have been elected or appointed to office. Some people have a very specific image of a candidate and even us as women.  For those with a partner and children, running to become an elected official can be difficult. Emerge will bring in spouses of candidates and elected officials and speak on what it was like to go through the process, being on that side of the campaign, how they supported their partner, and how they made the decision as a family to go through this. Some women may not want to commit to the Signature Training program but still want to learn, this is where the Step Forward program comes in. This program helps women figure out their path to political leadership and how to get started. Studies show that women in office are more involved with their community and gender-salient issues such as healthcare, the economy, education, and the environment. Women are natural leaders, they're leaders in their community, whether it's in their neighborhood association, HOA, PTO booster, church group, you know, their local advocacy group, they've already doing it, and that's where their network in their base comes from. And so they've already had that experience before they run. And that's usually the foundation where a lot of it starts Freda says women tend to be overqualified compared to men. She says it takes seven times to talk a woman into running for office, but if you speak to a man once, he is more likely to say yes. Freda says as women are already taking on roles in different groups they already have the experience to run because leading and networking is usually the foundation of where campaigns begin. If you don't think you're like this polish lawyer, businesswoman come from this pedigree of family or this political legacy, people are tired of that they don't want that they want to know that you have struggled and overcome. I also spoke to Freda on seeing names like Tennessee Senator London Lamar, Senator Heidi Campbell, and council women who have gone through the program, ran for office, and were elected. She says it's like a sense of accomplishment that these women are speaking truth to power and real authentic stories. This reaffirms our belief in democracy. You become like a proud sister and saying, like, that's my family, that's my person. That's my girls doing out there, and doing great and wonderful things. And yeah, it's the best feeling in the world. That the reason I still do this job is for that very reasons that we you see those light bulbs go on. You see people go through the trials and tribulations of running for office and they succeed. According to researchers from LinkedIn, globally less than a third of leadership positions are held by women. They say in the United States only 37% of leadership positions are held by women, even though women make up 47% of the workforce.
If you would like to would like to learn more about Emerge Tennessee you can visit their website by clicking here. ArtsBuild's mission is to build and encourage a stronger community through creativity and learning through the arts. Art conveys with children beginning at a young age, and ArtsBuild encourages their creativity through their "Imagine" program. Through this they provide a field trip in the arts for every child in Hamilton County Schools. According to ArtsBuild President James McKissic, they conducted 14 thousand field trips for 14 thousand students in 2022. He says children visited local museums, the ballet, plays, and the symphony, all at no cost to the children; he says the organization will also cover the costs for a substitute teacher to stay with children who do not go on the trip. ArtsBuild also advocates for the arts during election season. McKissic says the organization holds forums related to the arts for the candidates, where artists will ask those seeking office how they will support the community in their administration. One of their biggest advocacy efforts is related to the Tennessee Specialty License Plate Program. When someone purchases a specialty plate, some of the funds from that purchase will go programs that support the arts, including ArtsBuild.  Photo: ArtsBuild I asked McKissic how someone can get assistance through the non-profit, and he told me they have different grants throughout the year for individual artists and organizations, and you can view those here. Another way ArtsBuild supports dreams is through the Racial Equity Grants for Individual Artists (REGIA) program. This program renews grant-funded support for artists of color, building on ArtsBuild’s Equity in the Arts grant program. McKissic says a couple of years ago, they looked into how their funding is being equitably distributed. He says the realized funds for artists of color were going to organizations led by BIPOC individuals. They then instituted this grant to change that, and now nearly 40% of the grant is going towards artists of color, syncing with the city's population.  Photo: ArtsBuild According to ArtsBuild President James McKissic ArtsBuild also has support through the City of Chattanooga, specifically with the Office of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy, as well as the Hamilton County government. One way the community can support this non-profit is by donating and volunteering to be one of their grant reviewers. ArtsBuild will also host their first large gala, called 'The Intermission' on September 14th. McKissic tells me this will be a celebration of the arts in Chattanooga, and honor this year's recipients of the Ruth Holmberg Arts Leadership Awards. Tickets are limited and are on sale now, and the celebration does feature a very special guest.  Urban League of Greater Chattanooga: Empowering People of Color and Striving for Social Equality5/3/2023 The Urban League of Greater Chattanooga became a part of the community 40 years ago as an economic development-focused organization that helps people of color, women, and other disadvantaged persons achieve economic self-reliance, parody, power, and civil rights. According to Candy Johnson, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga, the organization has three empowerment centers they offer to residents. The first is the Center for Education, Workforce, and Family Empowerment. In this program, the Urban League has after-school and youth development programs and the family prosperity imitative that will help 100 families out of poverty. Next, is the Center for Economic and Black Business Success. This program is designed to not only support African American business owners, but all minorities, and all of those who are facing challenges and barriers to owning and accelerating growth within their business. Johnson says the Urban League has two signature programs, one for businesses just starting out and the other with a little more experience. The final empowerment center is the Center for Equity and Inclusive Leadership. This center engages and empowers diverse community members to promote a shared understanding of racial, social, and economic equity. Under this center they have two more programs, the first being the Inclusion by Design Executive Leadership Development Program. Through this program, the non-profit works to help women of all races gain the knowledge, skills, and networks to thrive in an executive role. To date, there are 58 alumni from the program, as well as a 58% success rate of those who have been promoted into senior-level leadership roles within their companies and also executive roles. The program lasts around nine months, and several local corporations participate. The young professionals are also part of this empowerment center. The goal here is for those 21 to 40 to gain leadership experience, no matter their nationality. At the end of the day, Johnson says they hope Young Professional members grow as leaders in the community, but also understand what it means to be civically involved give back, and the importance of voting and exercising your right to vote. As the midterms approach, the Urban League will play a role in getting the community out to vote through the Young Professionals program. Individuals will phone bank, door knock, and campaign. However, the Urban League does not promote or endorse a specific candidate or party as they remain nonpartisan. Their goal is to make sure community members know who is on the ballot and to actually get out and vote. Johnson says through the years they have held candidate forums and will continue to do so to gain new voters. In 2022 the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga released a detailed report on the State of Black Chattanooga to inform the community where there are gaps, and allow employers to use data gathered to help those who are being impacted. Local leaders, including Mayor Tim Kelly, have also used the report to help guide his initiatives for the communities of color, this comes as the report states Black Chattanoogans only receive 60% equality compared to white people in the community. Johnson says at the end of the day they ultimately want to promote and achieve racial, social, and economic equity. The Urban League of Greater Chattanooga also cares about the health of those in the community, they have created a pre-diabetes prevention program that uses the curriculum of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The goal of the program is to help provide a healthy lifestyle for people of color and women. If you'd like to volunteer with the Urban League, Johnson says they are always looking for professional guest speakers, those who would like to serve in their quality youth mentorship program for elementary and high schoolers, as well as volunteers for their Income Tax Program. In this program, volunteers will help those in the Chattanooga-Hamilton County area. Volunteers will complete 9,000 to 10,000 tax returns, so the Urban League says they are always searching for retired CPAs, those in the finance industry, or people who just like to do taxes. There are also opportunities to volunteer with big companies such as EPB, TVA, BlueCross, and Unum. You can check out the Urban League of Greater Chattanooga on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, all linked below, or check out their website linked here. East Nashtivists: A Community Fighting For Reproductive Rights & A More Inclusive Tennessee3/7/2023
When it comes to bodily autonomy, it's not just for reproductive rights, we've seen that it affects all of us. And so they start taking our rights away to decide, you know, whether we're going to get pregnant. And then they're taking away the right to decide what kind of medications or treatments you're going to give to your children. - Katrina Green, Emergency Physician/East Nashivists leadership team East Nashtivists attends legislative sessions at the Capitol but has partnered with other organizations like Inclusion Tennessee and the Tennessee Equality Project to fight for LGBTQ+ rights. The Equality Project has held phone banks, organized protests, and press conferences, and encouraged advocates to show up when anti-LGBTQ+ are voted on. However, these organizations are also encouraging those in the community to take care of themselves, and know they have a shoulder to lean on when things are tough. It's also been a tough fight for reproductive rights, in 2022 the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which enacted Tennessee's trigger law banning abortion, with no exceptions, it only includes an affirmative defense for doctors. This means the medical professional must prove the abortion was medically necessary. Since the ban, advocates for reproductive rights have taken to the streets in protest and made their concerns heard at the Capitol, and now the legislation is stalling to modify the ban. Folks are hurting right now, there are pregnant people that are suffering, because there are delays in care, there are doctors who are leaving the state, because they're afraid to practice in this kind of environment. And that's gonna affect all of us, right, like fewer doctors means worse health care for everybody. And so even people who are pro life are really anti choice, is what we like to call them, they should be concerned about this situation, too, because fewer doctors means worse health care means higher maternal mortality. - Katrina Green, Emergency Physician/East Nashivists leadership team Right now, Tennessee is ranked 44th in the country for overall health, we were in the same position in 2019, so not much has changed, but it needs to. One way East Nashtivists is trying to make change is by encouraging Nashvillians to get out and vote, the organization will be at several events this year for voter registration, as they partner with local groups as well as going door to door around the community. If you'd like to get more involved, East Nashtivists meets the second Wednesday of every month at East Nashville Beer Works from 5 PM until 8 PM. For the first hour, they host a happy hour, giving people a chance to show up, mingle, and socialize. Then, from six to eight is when they have their speakers. The week of March 13th, (On Sunday) they are holding a community engagement event at a vegan bipoc lesbian-owned, bakery called Yellow and Lavender. Even if you are not in the East Nashville area, you are encouraged to come and join and help make a difference in the community. According to CEO Eden Murrie, Operation Stand Down first started in 1993. She says they have three focus areas: engaging, equipping, and empowering military veterans and their families through their crisis, career, and connection services. Federal funding allows this organization to help Veterans with temporary financial assistance if they struggle with rent, utilities, and security deposits. Operation Stand Down also offers some services to surviving spouses, however, federal money cannot be used for that. Through their connection services, OSD reaches out to those who served and connects them with other vets, the VA, or other organizations. They look at how they can help veterans with their careers, help them find more affordable housing, and with food assistance. Through their Operation Commissary, the program sets up veterans with one food bag per family member, per month. It also sets them up with case management to check and see if they enrolled in their Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits, or other programs to help with finances, employment, and housing. For those transitioning out of the military, or moving to Tennessee, Operation Stand Down helps you through their career services. They assist veterans in finding a job, help build their resume, help with the equipment they may need, or help you with any certifications or licenses a vet may need. Operation Stand Down's biggest goal is to connect veterans with other veterans. Murrie says they hold events just for that, such as going to a brewery, a picnic, or gun range. Murrie knows some vets want that connection, and some don't, but even if you do not want to meet up every day or at every event, occasionally talking about the past and going to events can be nice. One reason Operation Stand Down focuses on connection so much is because of the suicide rate among veterans. Statistics show 17 to 22 veterans take their own life every day, and according to Murrie, 50% of those vets are not connected to a veterans organization or the VA. While this organization isn't a mental health provider, it can connect a veteran with one. To make that connection, they must get veterans needing help to reach out to Operation Stand Down through their outreach program, where they meet and just chat with veterans. This organization welcomes vets to their offices to chat if they need help, they are located in Nashville, Clarksville, and Colombia, each office has a coffee bar, so vets can grab a cup of coffee while they chat. Along with connecting with other veterans, Operation Stand Down encourages those transitioning out of the military to enroll in their VA entitlements, which can help with burial costs and survivor compensation. OSD's health care navigators help veterans enroll in the program, and let them know of any changes the VA has made with their care. Newly introduced, veterans at imminent risk of self-harm can go to any VA or non-VA health care facility for emergency health care at no cost. It includes inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and outpatient care for up to 90 days. Veterans aren’t required to be enrolled in the VA to use this benefit. According to Murrie, post-911 veterans could be entitled to GI Bill benefits, Yellow Ribbon benefits, and veterans could go back to school almost for free. If you'd like to honor a veteran or veteran supporter, you can do so with the Portraits of Patriots. After your purchase, a plaque will be hung at the entrance of the Nashville Veteran Service Center. Another way you can recognize a veteran is through the Dog Tag Flag. For $100 you can memorialize a Veteran, family member, or friend with a pair of personalized dog tags. One dog tag will be displayed on a custom American flag made by those dog tags at the service center, and the other dog tag will be yours to keep.  Image: @OSDTN via Twitter The Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga unites efforts for social change that improve life for women and girls across the region. Through advocacy and philanthropy, they catalyze movement toward a just society that is safe, nurturing, and full of opportunity for women. The Women’s Fund of Greater Chattanooga is made up of advocates, volunteers, and philanthropists. Executive Director Erika Burnette says the work of the Women's Fund can be summarized into three key areas: Addressing the root causes of issues with no champions. They focus on issues that have the most significant impact on women and girls in Tennessee, as revealed by research conducted by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. The second key area, those in the organization are advocates, not politicians. They take collective action, encouraging individuals to advocate for themselves and each other. The fund also changes laws. They write and support legislation that directly impacts women and girls in our region. According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, Tennessee ranks 49 out of 50, as one of the worst states for women. One specific area Tennessee is worst in is reproductive rights for women. Burnette says in the years since, the fund has worked to take Tennessee to number one by organizing its work around the seven factors impacting the quality of life for women in our region: Employment and Opportunity, Poverty and Opportunity, Health and Well-being, Violence and Safety, Political Participation, Reproductive Rights, along with Work and Family. She says the organization continues to work to change "this deplorable reality by identifying the root causes of pertinent issues and championing for change through policy change, philanthropy, advocacy and education, and collaboration." As mentioned, Tennessee is ranked low for reproductive rights for women, and amid the overturning of Roe V. Wade, the state has only gotten worse for women’s freedom. I asked the Women's Fund of Greater Chattanooga how this has impacted their mission. Executive Director Burnette says the overturning has “facilitated a sense of urgency for us as an organization to educate the community as a whole on the power and impact of legislative decisions and ultimately the power of their voice and advocacy." She says, "the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade will place an additional burden on the need for women and children’s health resources across our communities. In a state already ranked low for women’s health and advancement, the Court’s decision creates additional urgency to increase access to services that will be needed by more women and children." Burnette says their advocacy efforts focus on the growing need for maternal and prenatal care, early childhood education, childcare, nutrition and food insecurity, contraception, sex education, and more. Along with its advocacy work, the Fund does philanthropy work through their Nightingale Network. Burnette says the group works together to create a positive social impact on the community. She says one hundred percent of membership fees and matching gifts are used to fund their annual grant for a community organization chosen by the Nightingale Network. Since 2011 the Nightingale Network grants have awarded more than $98,000 to area nonprofits. The Fund does not have service volunteer opportunities, but they look to expand representation on their Advocacy Committee and the Nightingale Network. To take action alongside the Women's Fund of Greater Chatt, their primary mission is to get you and others out to vote. Burnette says Tennesseans can sign up for their Advocacy emails to learn more and act to support women and girls in the community and the whole state. Once the Legislative session begins in the new year, the Fund is hosting a "Day on the Hill" in Nashville this Spring. Burnette says they would love the community's support and attendance alongside them.  image: https://twitter.com/CHA_WomensFund Mundito Spanish is a language and culture learning organization for children. Founder and Lead Teacher Casey Cabbage says she had the idea to create the program after she spent some time overseas teaching English as a second language. She wanted to come back to the U.S. to create something for children using her experience abroad. Mundito Spanish targets kids in grades K through five. Casey says she specifically targets that age range, because there are more options for learning a different language after elementary school. Casey says her program consists of 90-minute sessions, in the first 35 to 40 minutes the kids will learn vocabulary, and numbers, and just work towards objectives, next during a break the children will have traditional Spanish food as a snack so that they can learn more about the culture. The food either comes from local restaurants or staff, and their groceries come from a local Latino market, so it is all authentic. The class will then have independent learning time, where the kids will play with puzzles, books, and interactive activities, where they are encouraged to speak in the Spanish language. This program also offers private lessons, and if a school is interested in adding a Spanish curriculum or enhancing their Spanish already in place, the program partners with Nashville home schools, Metro Nashville Public Schools, and other organizations. Class times for Mundito Spanish vary throughout the week: Mondays - Franklin - 4:30 pm Wednesdays - Berry Hill - 4:30 pm Thursdays - East Nashville - 3:30 pm Saturdays - Berry Hill - 10:00 am The program has a non-refundable $75 registration fee that will be charged upon acceptance of class registration. It's due once a semester. For tuition, they have two payment options, monthly and semester. If you chose monthly, $99 will be due at the beginning of each month. The semester installment will cost $425 due at the beginning of each semester. During the Fall students will attend class from August through December, and during the Spring, class is in session from January through May. Mundito Spanish is a year-long program, according to Casey, she says it's not so much a month-by-month program. She says this option is more for those unsure if taking Spanish is right for their child. The program usually consists of six team members, but right now they are a team of four. Casey tells me she is looking to hire a teacher's assistant, lead teacher, and life teacher. To be hired, a background check is required, teachers must be vaccinated, and be able to speak the Spanish language. There is also travel involved since the program meets at different churches at different times throughout the week. Teachers will also be required to volunteer with local non-profits each semester. If you are interested you can read more and apply here. For those interested in volunteering you can also find that information on the same page. Mundito Spanish partners with non-profits each semester, right now it's the Nashville Adult Literacy Council, and next semester it will be TIRRC. Casey says the partnership includes different donation cased activities and market events, where the funds will go back to the non-profit. Casey tells me another great thing about this learning organization is that they value the work of other non-profits in the community and want to be a part of the change they are creating with the minority communities. Casey tells me they are also looking for sponsorships so they can have their own place, this way their teachers can have their own set-up and a designated area to work on their lesson plans after class. If you are interested, their website is linked below. If you would like to learn more about Mundito Spanish, head to their website here. Their social media is linked below. National Hispanic Heritage Month takes place September 15th to October 15th every year as a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the Latino community. So, in honor of this month, I've made a list some great organizations, groups, and non-profits you can donate to, volunteer with, and are here to help if you or someone you know needs it.
Linked below is my YouTube channel where you can watch the interviews with the listed organizations! My web articles on each organization are also linked with each bullet, there you can also find the organizations personal website and social media.  La Paz Chattanooga is seeking help as they aid migrants passing through the city of Chattanooga seeking asylum. Reports say the bus of migrants were sent from Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s administration. There are also headlines of the republican governor sending those seeking asylum to D.C. and New York as well. Right now, our assistance is needed here in Tennessee. As these individuals are legally seeking asylum, La Paz Chattanooga is performing case management and supplying them with essential items they will need as they continue their journey. As La Paz helps these individuals with their journey, the non-profit is also in need of donations for the asylum seekers. They are accepting the following:
I reached out to La Paz Chattanooga this week, and if you live out of town and would like to send a package, they are accepting those too. However, if you would like to make a monetary donation to help with transportation and lodging, you can click on this link. Before you submit your donation, include "funds for transient migrant travels and lodging" in the comments space.  via @lapazchatt In response to the migrants passing though Chattanooga, the city issued the following statement to a local news provider, saying in part "This administration will respond with compassion to vulnerable people fleeing extremely difficult circumstances." For more on La Paz, links to their social media pages are below. For their address check out their website here. |
AuthorMy name is Jess and I love telling other peoples stories and bringing awareness to the community. Archives
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