NASHVILLE, TN – The infamous ‘Drag Ban Bill’ HB0884, proposed by Representative Chris Todd (R-Madison County) who has gone on record to say he has never seen a drag performance, passed the House Judiciary Committee last week, and is headed for a vote in the House today despite public outcry from civil right advocacy groups such as the Tennessee Equality Project. Jay Kill, founder and owner of Frankie J’s bar located in north Nashville, said as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and a friend of the drag community for the entirety of his adult life, the news of the…
Author: Logan Langlois
SEATTLE, WA – Mainstream Rock n’ Roll has a long history of excluding Black artists, despite the genre’s spawning from Black-culture and often the most pivotal voices in rock being Black themselves. Tina Bell is one such figure. Posthumously credited as “the Godmother of Grunge” and “The Queen of Grunge,” Bell’s rock band Bam Bam is often cited as one of the first ‘grunge’ pioneers. Despite being amongst many great musicians of their time, Bam Bam never enjoyed the recognition their contemporaries did. Bam Bam founding bassist Scott Ledgerwood said this was not because of the bands’ musical ability but…
NASHVILLE, TN – A historic announcement in the history of women’s sports in Nashville was made last week when Athletes Unlimited Sports, who host a network of professional women’s leagues in sports such as basketball, volleyball, and softball, announced they will be coming back to Music City next year to play in the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. Chief Growth Officer of Athletes Unlimited Allie Kleva said that AU has received an overwhelming warm welcome from both the city of Nashville and Nashville sports fans alike, something that greatly influenced AU’s decision to come back another year. “It’s men, women, and children,…
NASHVILLE, TN – Civil rights advocacy groups have responded quickly to proposed bill HB0327, introduced by conservative District 61 House Representative Gino Bulso, which calls for the month of June, recognized nationally as “Gay Pride Month,” to be designated as “Celebration of Life” month in Tennessee. The legislation also proposes renaming July as “Celebration of Liberty” month and August as “Celebration of the Pursuit of Happiness” month, drawing from Thomas Jefferson’s quote in the Declaration of Independence. Nashville Pride President Tina Tousignant said she found the legislation absurd upon first hearing about it. She also reached out to the Tennessee…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Equality Project, TEP, announced that their ‘Freedom Together’ statement which is self-described as taking a stand “for Dignity and Freedom and Against Discrimination,” has gained over 100 signatures. These signatures include that of organizations, small businesses, and congregations, with the list of signees still growing. The TEP statement continued, “dignity of every person is the cornerstone of good public policy,” and “words and laws that divide us have no place as Tennessee looks to the future.” The statement concluded that “Bills that limit life-saving healthcare for transgender and nonbinary people, create obstacles for LGBTQ students…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Kwanzaa Nashville is hosting a large Umoja Night event at the Plaza Mariachi to kick off the holiday, beginning at 6 p.m. Kwanzaa Nashville Founder and Chair, Maria “Djemebe Queen” Hall, said she feels energized by the holiday. She said it is a time where the cultural community in Nashville, particularly the African-American community, comes together to celebrate their heritage, culture, and the good in the world. “It’s definitely an experience for the community, not just for African Americans,” Hall said. “This holiday is a celebration of African culture, but it’s also a very inclusive holiday because…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Merriment and cheer came in full force at Historic Jefferson Street last week in Kossie Gardner, Sr. Park with a Holiday Village featuring food trucks and shopping, Black Santa, caroling, a hot cocoa station, the North Nashville Arts Table, Hip-Hop DJ’s, children’s reading, and a festive tree surrounded by decorations. Market Coordinator at the Nashville Farmers Market Yolanda Manning said goods available at local business stations included arts and crafts, jewelry, candles, self-care products, and gift-giving items. Co-founder of the Nashville Black Market Carlos Partee said that he was extremely excited to see people driving up and…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville Black Pride enters its 22nd annual celebration which continues through Oct. 27. According to Founder and President Dwyane Jenkins, the theme for this year’s festival is “runaway to freedom,” which symbolizes journey. The celebration will include entertainment, public health education and the awarding of student scholarships. “I am excited along with our small and mighty board and planning team,” Jenkins said. “We are happy to embark on a wonderful celebration.” Jenkins said many of the celebration’s past attendees have described the event as an opportunity to connect with others within their community. He said community connection…
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Lorenzo Washington, Jefferson Street Sound Museum’s founder and curator, was the guest of honor recently for an event held by the Belmont University Global Honors Program, in which he was recognized for his work in preserving Nashville’s musical legacy. Jefferson Street Sound Museum Vice President Karen Coffee said several guests spoke of Washington’s character during the celebration, including Belmont and Fisk University students who worked with him on the soon-to-be-released documentary “Exit 207,” set to air on Nashville’s PBS station, Oct. 17. During the celebration, Washington received the Global Honors Program Honorable Life Award for his commitment…
By Logan Langlois NASHVILLE, TN — Self-built, from the truck to the business, Chicken Shack Express continues to serve Nashville their “famous Smack Ya Mama Chicken” through another Music City summer. With founder, owner, and operator Kenyatta Pumphery and his wife Debbie heading the Chicken Shack food trucks course, the two plan on continuing to serve signature ‘Smack Ya Mama Chicken’ that, according to Kenyatta, Debbie jokes would have been what “made Colonel Sanders a general.” The secret recipe is one that had been used in his family for “probably 30 years”, before being passed down to Kenyatta himself. The…