By Logan Langlois NASHVILLE, TN — The Jefferson Street Sound Museum hosted In Celebration of Men last weekend with two days of presentations centered around self-care and encouragement, all of which were hosted by other celebrated community members who have positively impacted Jefferson Street. The Museum’s founder and curator Lorenzo Washington said the goal of the weekend was to “support, encourage, and reflect” as men within the Black community, and to celebrate the great achievements that the young men being featured throughout the weekend have earned through passionate hard work. “It’s a time to have positive reinforcement as far as…
Author: Logan Langlois
By Logan Langlois NASHVILLE, TN — When most people hear about when slavery was practiced in Tennessee, they think of the tobacco field plantations that populated much of middle Tennessee, or maybe even the cotton plantations that ran as “king” in west Tennessee. However, in middle Tennessee, another king ran – one whose production brought about conditions even more brutal than those experienced by the enslaved peoples of neighboring plantations. “King Iron: The Untold Story of Enslaved Furnace Workers in Tennessee,” is a traveling expedition that digs deep to tell the forgotten story of those forced to work the hellish…
By Logan Langlois NASHVILLE, TN — After a year and eight months of preparations and waving through red tape, the owners of Lipstick Lounge have finally been able to announce their upcoming addition to their locally celebrated bar, Chapstick. Lipstick Lounge’s co-owner and co-founder Christa Suppan said Chapstick has been nearly 20 years in the making, with her and her business partner Jonda Valentine first kicking around the idea for opening an all-inclusive sports bar during the early days of Lipstick’s opening. Suppan said construction will include 1,500 square feet and a patio being added to the property. She said…
By Logan Langlois NASHVILLE, TN — All hands are on deck for Franklin Pride’s fourth annual event to be hosted June 1, the organizers of which are preparing for upwards of 10,000 visitors, according to Board Member Robert McNamara. He said the festival is hosting 120 vendors with musical performances, some of which are newcomers and others being staples of the young festival’s now-established tradition. McNamara said the goal of Franklin Pride is to promote awareness of the LGBTQIA+ community proud to be living in Franklin. “It gets a little emotional because people, families, they just love it,” McNamara said…
By Logan Langlois NASHVILLE, TN – OZ Arts Nashville is closing out their Spring season with an international hit brought together by an internationally award-winning artist later this month, according to Artistic Director Mark Murphy. The performance Navy Blue will be hosted at OZ Arts from May 30 to June 1. Following this, the celebrated dancer, artist, and director from Northern Ireland, Oona Doherty, will be taking her group to their New York premiere at the renowned Joyce Theater. Murphy noted that the Spring season has been gratifying for himself and many Nashvillians who experienced the young, fresh international talent…
By Logan Langlois NASHVILLE, TN — The Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently heard the arguments for the case of four transgender Tennesseans who are challenging a state statute preventing transgender people from changing the gender listed on their birth certificates. The plaintiffs argue the Tennessee policy places transgender residents in situations that could cause physical and emotional hardship when they are required to produce identification that clashes with their current gender identity. The case was filed by lead plaintiff and co-founder of Memphis trans-outreach program My Sistah’s House, Kayla Rena Gore, and Jason Scott, a transgender man who…
By Logan Langlois NASHVILLE, TN — Tomorrow marks the 70th anniversary of a United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) milestone, still celebrated as one of the most important rulings for racial equality made in American history. On May 17, 1954, Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren delivered SCOTUS’ unanimous ruling for the landmark civil rights case Brown v. Board of Education, that separating children in public schools based on race was in violation of the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution. The decision marked the end of the “separate but equal” principle that had been set forth by the Supreme Court…
By Logan Langlois NASHVILLE, TN — Sidewalks, signals, service, and safety are the four facets of Nashville’s transportation infrastructure Mayor Freddie O’Connell has announced his office will improve under the Choose How You Move initiative. Conceptual maps related to the project show improvements will include the construction of up to 86 miles of sidewalk around Nashville, improving up to approximately 600 traffic signals, and the construction of 68 miles of bus rapid transit (BRT) lanes shaped by public input and technical feedback that would allow citizens to traverse busy corridors safely and reliably. Mayor O’Connell said construction would take place…
By Logan Langlois NASHVILLE, TN — Hundreds of Pro-Palestine Protesters gathered in Nashville for the May Day Rally and March to call for a ceasefire on what they mark as an ethnic genocide against the Palestinian people by the Israeli government. Groups hosting the march included Palestine Hurra Collective Nashville (PHCN), Sunrise Movement Nashville (SMN), Tennesseans for Palestine, Middle Tennessee Christians for Justice in Palestine, Nashville Educators Unite, and Vanderbilt Diversity Collective. Sudeep, an organizer and member of SMN and PHCN, said the event was intended to act as a space of community grief for the many Nashvillians who are…
By Logan Langlois NASHVILLE, TN — Tenants around Nashville rejoice the passage of bill HB1814 sponsored by Senator Jeff Yarbro (D-Nashville) in the Senate and Representative Dwayne Thompson (D-Cordova) which will require landlords to provide all tenants or the management companies acting on their behalf with the contact information to report questions, concerns, or statements. TN4SafeHomes organizer Jack Willey said before this bill’s passing, it was only Nashville/Davidson County that required landlords to provide a rental registry which includes information such as their name, phone number, and physical address. Willey said he was frustrated that legislators amended much of the…