By Logan Langlois
NASHVILLE, TN — The Southern Movement Committee (SMC) celebrates encouraging news, as Metro Budget Chair Delishia Porterfield allocated $1 million to SMC’s proposed Varsity Spending Plan in her substitute budget that went into effect July 1. Arts and Culture Director Mike Floss said the Varsity Plan is designed to reinvest Nashville’s tax dollars into community centers and public schools along North and East Nashville. He said the plan also includes the establishment of an Office of Youth Safety to be staffed by Nashville city employees. This office would be focused on at-risk youth outreach that works toward gun violence reduction.
“We’re really grateful to see the work of our young people recognized,” Floss said, speaking about the students and SMC interns who have been volunteering to promote or deliver public testimonies advocating for the Varsity Plan. “Also, [to] see the changes that’s going to happen in Nashville due to this budget allocation, and we’re excited to get to work on making a really impactful contribution to youth safety here in the city.”
Southern Movement Committee organizer and Attorney Erica Perry said the SMC will be following up with Nashville council members regarding their promises for the Varsity Plan.
“The other piece is to continue to follow up with council members about the money and to continue to work alongside council members to build out the Office of Youth Safety,” Perry said.
Floss said SMC originally asked for a $10 million budget for the Varsity Plan. He said if the budget was fully realized, it would still account for less than 1% of Nashville’s total $3.2 billion budget the city currently has at its disposal. Perry said that $2 million of this proposed budget would be dedicated to establishing robust restorative justice programs in five public high schools along North and East Nashville, equipped with staff trained in teaching conflict resolution. She said an additional $4 million would be spent hiring restorative justice practitioners inside community centers operating within historically underinvested areas in north and east Nashville that have been impacted by gun violence.
Of the $10 million proposed budget, Porterfield has promised $1 million total. This budget includes $750,000 for the establishment of the Office of Youth and Safety and $250,000 to Parks for extra community center programming.
The SMC went on to thank the over 20 Metro city council members who included the Varsity Plan in their budget wish list and said they did so at varying amounts, anywhere from $65,000 to the full $10 million request, with many landing in the $500,000-$750,000 range.
SMC co-founder and organizer Jamel Campbell-Gooch said they are currently focused on preparing their next group of incoming interns to keep a vibrant youth assembly. Campbell-Gooch said student youth helped SMC decide on the details of the Varsity Plan by communicating their needs and have been many of the plan’s most passionate advocates. Campbell-Gooch said SMC is investing in the youth so they can work on campaigns like the Varsity Plan.
“Just like how this whole thing was created, while we’re continuously building the youth assembly, we’re going to continue to build up their ability to participate in the democratic process,” Campbell-Gooch said.
Floss said SMC has plans on how to work to receive a larger budget for the Varsity Plan’s various efforts in the next budget cycle. For updates regarding the Varsity Plan, or anything else regarding SMC, updates can be found at oursmc.org.
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