Author: Logan Langlois

NASHVILLE, TN — On Tuesday, June 30th, working-class hero and president of the Central Labor Council (CLC) of Nashville and Middle Tennessee, Vonda McDaniel, passed away, leaving behind a legacy of over 30 years of service in the labor movement, according to the CLC. In a statement following McDaniel’s passing, representatives of the CLC described McDaniel as a visionary leader and a bridge builder who spent her life bringing together people from all areas of the community to build multi-racial, working-class power. The CLC said McDaniel empowered the people around her to learn to organize and take action, embodying the…

NASHVILLE, TN — Have you ever felt like a work in progress? So have most people, many of whom crave a place to hear everyday people unpack everyday struggles and offer tips on how they overcame personal hurdles. The Work In Progress podcast is one of those places. In the podcast, four Black men from Nashville build a space of camaraderie and accountability as they discuss the common goals they share and the individual dreams they pursue. “The name of the podcast speaks for itself, ‘Work In Progress,’” Carlos Partee said, co-host and co-founder of the Nashville Black Market. “We’re…

NASHVILLE, TN — The Nashville City Cemetery Association is honoring the lives of approximately 6,000 enslaved people, as a memorial bench honoring their lives has been fully funded and ordered as of March 20. The enslaved individuals are laid to rest in unmarked and unknown graves at Nashville City Cemetery. Representatives from the Nashville City Cemetery Association said the polished, inscribed granite bench will serve as a lasting anchor to a bigger memorial. Representatives said they are working to establish a permanent memorial named the Memorial to Enslaved Persons Project, which acknowledges the lives of the enslaved individuals laid to…

NASHVILLE, TN— Tennessee could see the creation of a new department, the Subterranean Transportation Infrastructure Coordination Authority, with the expressed purpose of overseeing and fast-tracking tunnel-based transit projects. The proposal comes after the highly controversial Music City Loop, or “Big Dumb Hole,” as some critics call it, continues to face passionate community push-back even after breaking ground, resulting in delays. If approved, the new department’s authority would take effect in July and immediately affect the speed and efficiency of projects like the Music City Loop, something some critics do not see as a victory for the average Tennessean. Concerns critics…

NASHVILLE, TN — As the world of fashion continues to change, Charika Milton White is making sure that as Founder and CEO of Hayami Agency, her company keeps up with the evolving landscape. One way White said her agency is staying in step with modern times is by recruiting older models, as more and more older models are being sought out for projects. She said this is largely because the general population has been increasingly wanting to see themselves represented in the media they consume, which has led to more inclusivity, including with age. “I aged out of modeling at…

NASHVILLE, TN — Legislation that poses a direct threat to LGBTQIA+ Tennesseans is receiving another push in the Tennessee State House of Representatives, including some that received a passing vote despite the disapproval of civil rights groups such as the Tennessee Equality Project. Among the passing legislation is HB1473, otherwise known as the anti-Obergefell bill, which moves to circumvent the landmark 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision by the United States Supreme Court that ruled the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples by the Due Process Clause and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the…

NASHVILLE, TN — The Music City Loop, known by critics as the Big Dumb Hole, continues to spark controversy amid continued public outcry against the secrecy around the project from its primary sponsors, Elon Musk and his Boring Company. The Loop, which detractors say could negatively impact Nashville’s environment, Nashville’s residents, working-class citizens, including Black and minority communities, and public transportation efforts that would likely be far more affordable to locals, recently received a council resolution from Council Member at Large Delisha Porterfield and nine other council members. The resolution was critical of the Loop and submits the ten council…

NASHVILLE, TN — A community of activist groups joined together with local community members at Centennial Park in protest of the recent abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, as well as the United States’ bombing of the capital of Venezuela, Caracas. The protest organizers included the Black Alliance for Peace (BAP), the Middle Tennessee branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL), Middle Tennessee Black Gun Club, Nashville People’s Budget Coalition, A Lute Sigue, the Middle Tennessee Democratic Socialists of America, and the Southern Youth Solidarity Network. Wolfgang G. Bronner, B.S., the current BAP…

PERRY, TN — A retired police officer who was detained for 37 days in Perry County, Tennessee, under a $2 million bond for posting a meme on Facebook critical of far-right nationalist, Charlie Kirk, as well as President Donald Trump, is suing the county, the county’s sheriff Nick Weems, and a county investigator Jason Morrow, claiming that they violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights. The lawsuit states that Weems allegedly directed local police to arrest retired officer Larry Bushart. However, Weems and Morrow “understood” the meme “as political commentary on the debate about guns in America, but orchestrated his…

NASHVILLE, TN — Under the command of Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill Lee, the National Guard is in Memphis, despite protests from local government officials, community leaders, and citizens. Gov. Lee readily gave his support regarding the use of federal troops to further a federal crackdown on crime; however, local representatives such as District 86 Tennessee House Representative Justin J. Pearson say Gov. Lee and President Trump are getting their facts wrong regarding crime in Memphis. Pearson said, though Memphis does have a level of crime that is of concern to citizens, it is not at the level, nor following the…