NASHVILLE, TN (Tribune) – The Summer Summit of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials will be held in Nashville on July 21-25, hosting hundreds of local elected officials from around the country.
Metro Nashville Council Member Sharon Hurt is serving as the 2021-2022 President of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials.
“Nashville is honored to host local elected officials from around the country, and we look forward to sharing our diverse offerings and rich history,” Mayor John Cooper said. “We are proud of our four Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Nashville’s role as a hub for Black business and healthcare, and Music City’s roots in Black music and culture.”
This year is the first time that Nashville has played host to the group, which falls under the umbrella of the National League of Cities.
The National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials represents the interests of African American municipal officials and provides a forum to share ideas, best practices and develop leadership experiences.
The group will meet at the Grand Hyatt in Nashville Yards.
“As the newly elected president of the National League of Cities National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials, it is my honor to bring national leaders from across the country to experience the soul of the south, with our rich heritage of music, entertainment, the fight for civil rights and equality,” Hurt said. “We as local elected officials, are strongly positioned to solve critical issues facing our communities such as equity, economic development, inclusion, access to healthcare and education as we build on the legacy of our predecessors.”
“The Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp looks forward to the arrival of the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials to Music City in July,” said Marie Sueing, NCVC Chief Diversity Officer. “It is our desire and goal as a destination to be welcoming to all who visit our city. We are intentional about attracting multicultural meetings, conventions and leisure travelers to learn about and enjoy the rich cultural history, music and amazing institutions that call Nashville home. We believe Music City provides the perfect stage for these leaders to conduct the business of addressing issues relevant to Black and African American communities. We are proud to support the conference to ensure a successful and memorable experience in Nashville.”
Sharon W. Hurt has practiced the servant-leadership model for over 30 years by serving others, building communities and bringing people together. As Council Member At-Large for Metropolitan Nashville Davidson County, Hurt represents all of Music City through public service.
For the past 18 years, Hurt’s professional experience includes upholding the mission of Jefferson Street United Merchants Partnership (J.U.M.P.), which is to serve the North Nashville, Jefferson Street and surrounding community through, advocacy, community, economic, and workforce development that respects its culture and heritage while growing and improving its imprint on the community.
Created with the goal of revitalizing existing Jefferson Street businesses and encouraging new business development, J.U.M.P. grew during her tenure from a grassroots organization with 11 active members and a $50,000 budget in 1999 to over 200 members and an $800,000 budget.
As president and CEO, Hurt developed the Jefferson Street Jazz & Blues Festival; the Gateway to Heritage project; J.U.M.P. Shuttle to address transportation needs of the senior and disabled community; affordable housing; workforce development and training program for the Music City Center construction site; successful driver license restoral, expungement, voter registration and voter rights restoration program; community clean-ups and health fairs; and established a food pantry. She has an undergraduate and two graduate degrees from Tennessee State University, along with a graduate degree from Belmont University.