This Is Nashville: Recent Episodes

WPLN News - Nashville Public Radio

This Is Nashville is a live one-hour daily show driven by community, for community. This flagship program of WPLN News will become your one-stop-shop for news in Nashville and Middle Tennessee, as we continue to show up each day.

Our city is about to choose a new mayor, and election day is less than two weeks away — Thursday, September 14th.

Freddie O’Connell and Alice Rolli are the finalists in a race that many consider one of the most pivotal in Nashville’s history. On Aug. 23, Meharry Medical College and the Urban League of Middle Tennessee hosted a virtual mayoral forum in partnership with WPLN and the Tennessee Lookout.

Today we’ll bring you a special broadcast of the forum, which focused on historically underserved communities.

Guests:

Freddie O'Connell, candidate for mayor
Alice Rolli, candidate for mayor
Ronald Roberts, moderator
Dr. James Hildreth, president and CEO of Meharry Medical College

This episode was produced by Steve Haruch. Special thanks to Michelle Steele, Kenneth Morris, Holly McCall, Casey Newcomer and Marjorie Pomeroy-Wallace.

Finding or providing care for an older adult will almost certainly touch many of us at some point, especially as people live longer.

Estimates are that by 2034, there will be more adults 65 and older than children under 18, for the first time in U.S. history. As aging adults are living longer, those who require care will need it for longer. Yet, fewer than 10 percent of Americans are saving and planning specifically for long-term care and many family caregivers are doing so without adequate and affordable services and supports in place to manage the financial, legal, and health impact on their lives. Most caregivers are women in the prime of their lives with spouses, children and careers — who are also putting in 20-plus hours a week taking care of an older relative, unpaid.

In this episode, we talk to family caregivers and their older relatives about the challenges and joys of being care partners in the aging process. We’ll also hear from advocates and geriatric professionals who provide support and resources to help improve the culture of care in Middle Tennessee.

But first, we talk with WPLN health care reporter Catherine Sweeney about a new CDC report that ranks Tennessee among the worst states in the nation for maternal mortality.

Guests:

Heather Bogdal, relative caregiver of mother, Janet Olsen
Janet Olsen, care recipient, mother of Heather Bogdal
Grace Sutherland Smith, executive director of AgeWell Middle Tennessee
Rebecca Redd, geriatrics professional/eldercare coach for AgeWell Middle Tennessee
Deanna Walker, relative caregiver of both parents

Additional Resources:

Fifty Forward, a local nonprofit providing care for aging adults and respite for their caregivers
Tennessee Respite Coalition

This episode was produced by LaTonya Turner and Elizabeth Burton.

Thousands of Egyptian families have arrived in Nashville since the 1990s, and many of the new arrivals have kept the local service industry afloat, staffing the Gaylord Opryland hotel and other tourist destinations.

As the community continues to plant roots in Nashville, it faces several challenges. There are those many communities face, like displacement due to gentrification, but also unique issues, like the need for an Arabic language option on driving tests, and more communication between a Coptic Christian majority and a Muslim minority. The community is also supporting a new wave of Egyptian asylum seekers that are entering the U.S. through Mexico. We sit down with three Egyptian Americans from three different generations.

But first, we hear an update on the legislative special session from WPLN’s reporting team at the statehouse.

Guests:

Ashraf Azer, Operations Manager, Gaylord Opryland Hotel, board member, ElMahaba Center
Ragab Rashwan, owner, King Tut’s food truck
Mirette Henin, journalist, mapmaker for A Map of Coptic Nashville project from the ElMahaba Center

This episode was produced by Char Daston.

The past few years have not been easy for Nashville’s WeGo bus network. But behind the scenes, the agency has been trying to make progress on improvements that riders have been requesting for many years.

On today’s show, we start by looking back over the bus system’s recent history. In 2018, voters rejected a sprawling mass transit proposal. In 2019, budget cuts led WeGo to eliminate some routes. And then the coronavirus pandemic slashed ridership.

We’ll also talk with WeGo leaders and frequent bus riders about what’s been going on since then. The agency has been using data and analysis to tweak its routes and schedules, and has had some success in running buses more frequently, as well as later into the night, and more often on weekends.

Guests:

Tony Gonzalez, WPLN Special Projects Editor
Trey Walker, WeGo chief development officer
John Bull, bus rider and advocate for the unhoused
Lisa Kim, student bus rider and WeGo Public Transit Youth Action Team member
Beth Sims, regional bus rider and administrative coordinator at Vanderbilt School of Nursing
Stacey Irvin, bus rider and photographer

Related:

This Is Nashville: Hoofing It: Getting around Nashville without a car
WPLN: Nashville’s Bus Service Wants To Run Longer Hours, But Needs Funds To Pay For It
WPLN: Nashville Bus Ridership Has Seen Ups And Downs After Route Cuts

This episode was produced by Tony Gonzalez. Original air date: Oct. 5, 2022.

But what barriers exist for people to get into running — beyond finding a good pair of shoes? How do running groups make it more welcoming and accessible? And what does safety mean for a runner? Especially for runners of color, woman-identified runners, queer-identified or runners with disabilities.

Today we hear from runners about what motivates them, how they got into the world of running, and how running has changed their lives.

But first, we sit down with our founding technical director Mikayla Elias on their last day to wish them a fond farewell!

Guests

Guy Ursery, co-leader, Frontrunners Nashville
Lindsay Moorman, co-leader, Trail Sisters Nashville
Coree Woltering, North Face sponsored ultrarunner
Amy Harris, executive director, Achilles Nashville
Julian Curry, co-leader of 6Run5
Monica Moore, owner of Mad Cow Running company

This episode was produced by Jewly Hight and Magnolia McKay.

The special session is … not … over. WPLN state politics reporter Blaise Gainey discusses the surprise turn of events that will extend the session and provides the latest updates from the state capitol.

Hawaiians have faced uncertainty as authorities rushed to save lives, distribute aid and contain the fires. As of Tuesday, Aug. 22, 115 people were confirmed dead, and at least 850 people were still missing. The Hawaiian community in Middle Tennessee is doing what they can to support their family and friends. From benefit concerts to mailing supplies and aid, they are intent on spreading the word and ensuring their loved ones are able to rebuild.

To open today’s show, senior producer Steve Haruch will join us for our weekly segment @us.

Today’s episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton and Steve Haruch.

Guests:

Melanie Ching, artist originally from Hawai’i
Melissa Dissler, Nashville resident from Maui
Thunderstorm Artis, singer songwriter from Hawai’i
Waylon Nihipali, country singer from Hawai’i

As lawmakers race through special session, WPLN journalists Rose Gilbert, Char Datson, and Tony Gonzalez bring us the latest from the state capitol.

Pop culture and widely accepted ideas about body size and shape have long been dominated by standards set by supermodels and pro athletes. But there’s a growing movement based on dispelling the myth that one has to be thin to be healthy. Folks in the movement are working to break down the years of prejudice and anti-fat bias that has permeated our healthcare system and pop culture. Today we talk to medical professionals and folks in the fat positive community to debunk the myths of diet culture and learn about embracing your body at every size.

But first, we check in with WPLN reporters on the ground at the state house to get the latest on Tennessee’s special legislative session.

Guests:

Jess Thompson, owner of getFIT615 gym
Chelsey L. Medley, family nurse practitioner, specializing in the medical management of eating disorders
Kathryn McWaters, dietitian and nutritionist, director of marketing and partnerships at Nashville Nutrition Partners
Kimmy Garris, founder, Fat Positive Nashville
Calvin Mitchell, CEO and founder, Fat Boy Basketball League
Saaneah Jamison, founder, Curvy Confidence Dance

Further reading:

Aubrey Gordon’s Fat Reading List

This episode was produced by Magnolia McKay. Special thanks to Kim Baldwin.

As lawmakers enter special session, WPLN political reporter Blaise Gainey and host Marianna Bacallao brings us the latest from an exceptionally long day at the state capitol. From a morning prayer gathering to lawmakers’ contentious evening debate over the rules of the session, tune in for a special evening update from WPLN News and This Is Nashville.

With no writers and no actors, scripted television and most of the film industry has come to a complete halt. With growing concerns about AI, and lack of fair compensation for actors and writers, it’s unclear whether a deal will be reached with AMPTP studio executives any time soon.

When we think about TV and film, we often direct our attention to LA, NYC, and maybe Atlanta, Georgia. But what about Nashville? Music videos, corporate shoots, and even narrative work happens all over our city, and the strikes are happening in our own backyard. What do Nashville creatives want to see? Today, on the National WGA and SAG-AFTRA Day of Solidarity, we’ll dive into Nashvillians’ perspectives on the ongoing strike.

First, we’ll hear from WPLN reporters Blaise Gainey and Rose Gilbert on the latest on the state’s special session.

Guests

Rod Blackhurst, local WGA member
Darryl Wilson, president of IATSE Local 492
Mike Montgomery, outgoing president of Nashville SAG-AFTRA local
Bob Raines, executive director of the Tennessee Entertainment Commission
Julie Lighty, production coordinator and supervisor

This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton. Special thanks to Peter Kurland and Richard Van Syckle.

As lawmakers enter special session, WPLN political reporter Blaise Gainey brings us the latest from an exceptionally long day at the state capitol. From a morning prayer gathering to lawmakers’ contentious evening debate over the rules of the session, tune in for a special evening update from WPLN News and This Is Nashville.

As the state legislature enters its special session, reporters and watchdogs are circling to make sure everyone plays by the rules. In their new book, Welcome to Capitol Hill, authors Joel Ebert and Erik Schelzig reveal that Tennessee has had more than its fair share of political scandals over the last 50 years.

From bribery to sexual harassment to selling pardons for cash, these scandals, and their aftermath, have helped shape today’s political landscape and the rules politicians and lobbyists have to follow.

This is Nashville sits down with the authors and with Keel Hunt, whose book Coup investigates why a Democrat-controlled Tennessee legislature changed history by installing a Republican governor three days early.

First, we’ll talk with WPLN news producer Cindy Abrams about a visit to Nashville from one of soccer’s biggest stars.

Guests:

Joel Ebert, assistant director of the speaker series at the University of Chicago Institute of Politics, co-author of Welcome to Capitol Hill
Erik Schelzig, editor of Tennessee Journal, co-author of Welcome to Capitol Hill
Keel Hunt, columnist for The Tennessean, author of Coup

This episode was produced by Char Daston.

Starting the afternoon of Aug. 21, lawmakers will get to work.

This “extraordinary session” is limited to bills regarding things like mental health, school safety and arrest records.

So what can we expect to come from this special session? What bills are being introduced? Do they address the concerns that Tennessee residents expressed in the wake of Covenant? Today we get a preview from our reporters and two members of the Tennessee General Assembly of what to expect from this special session.

We start the hour with Paige Pfleger’s investigation with Pro Publica, which finds that Tennessee has repeatedly failed to keep guns out of dangerous hands.

Guests:

Paige Pfleger, WPLN criminal justice reporter
Blaise Gainey, WPLN political reporter
Rep. Bob Freeman, Democrat, TN House District 56
Rep. Mark Cochran, Republican, TN House District 23

This episode was produced by Magnolia McKay.

Further reading:

How Tennessee’s justice system allows dangerous people to keep guns — with deadly outcomes
Republican Gov. Bill Lee calls for special session on ‘public safety.’ Democrats say it will do more harm than good.
Live Blog: the Tennessee legislature’s special session on public safety

Since 2006, hundreds of writers of mystery, crime, suspense and other genres have gathered here in Nashville. The Killer Nashville International Writers’ Conference helps writers compare notes about their craft, connect with agents and build a community of writer friends.

Killer Nashville 2023 begins today, Aug. 17, and continues through Sunday. In this episode, we sit down with the founder and organizer of the conference, an honored guest, and a group of writers who’ve used Killer Nashville as a stepping stone in their crime writing careers.

First, we hear your comments on this week’s @Us segment.

Guests:

Clay Stafford, founder and organizer, Killer Nashville, author and filmmaker
Kathryn Lasky, author of young adult books, mysteries and more, guest of honor, Killer Nashville 2023
Jane B. Lee, author of Angel the Assassin and other novels, keynote speaker, Killer Nashville 2023
Les Edgerton, author of Francois Roberge – the Fixer and other novels, award finalist, Killer Nashville 2023
Angela Crook, author of Hurt Mountain and other novels, attendee of previous Killer Nashvilles

This episode was produced by Char Daston.

Artists have flocked to the city’s community-centered scene and passionate fans. As the emo revival continues to thrive today, Nashville has claimed its rightful spot as a hub for the genre.

Today, we’ll talk with musicians and the people supporting them behind the curtain.

Guests:

Ryan Burleson, music journalist and musician
Piper Payne, mastering engineer and owner of Physical Music Products
Aaron Hartley, founder of Theory 8 Records and Indienet
Aaron Gillespie, musician and producer
Jack Ohmes, musician
Julia Bullock, musician

This episode was produced by Mikayla Elias.

When you think of side hustles and Nashville, you probably imagine an aspiring country singer bartending on Broadway while he hopes one of the country legends will come in and give him his big break. That is definitely a huge part of Nashville's culture — we are Music City, after all.

But as gas prices continue to rise, student loan repayments resume, and groceries seemingly have quadrupled in price overnight, the side hustle is no longer just for the young and hungry. Who else has side hustles? And why?

In this episode, we’ll dive into what the culture of side hustles is in Nashville for people across generations and professional fields.

But first, WPLN general assignment reporter Rose Gilbert joins us to talk about her latest reporting on Fulbright scholars in Afghanistan.

Guests:

Jack Settle, country musician and pressure washer
Jakob Wilkomm, bass player, German translator, and dog-sitter
Jeff Bornstein, acclaimed magician, stuntman, and special effects artist
Micah Puncochar, co-owner of Compost Nashville and builder of raised flower beds
Kimberly Bornstein, acclaimed magician and mentalist
Lara Parker, restaurant manager, tarot card reader, and aspiring birth doula

What is new music you should know about? Who is coming to town to perform? The cast at WNXP will join us to give you everything you need to know about the cool and hip new music in town.

Guests:

Jason Moon Wilkins, program director
Celia Gregory, morning host and special programs manager
Justin Barney, assistant program director
Jude Mason, host

This episode was produced by Khalil Ekulona.

On Aug. 11, 1973, a party in the Bronx changed the direction of music history.

That night, DJ Kool Herc showed off a new way to play records on two turntables — alternating between them to maintain a breakbeat. Add an emcee to rap over the beat, and you've got the foundations of hip-hop. Bring in dancers and artists, and you've got a cultural movement.

In this episode, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and explore how Nashville is marking the occasion.

Guests:

Dan Charnas, writer and journalist, author of Dilla Time
Angela Nissel, writer and co-founder of OKplayer
Daru Jones, musician
DJ C-Wiz, hip-hop DJ

This episode was produced by Khalil Ekulona and Marquis Munson.

As discussed previously on this show, license plate readers have been a controversial technology for law enforcement.

Some see them as a crucial tool for tracking crime. Others see them as another facet of over-policing that is ripe for abuse. A six-month pilot program ended last month, and Metro Council recently voted to put off voting on further use of LPRs, in order to give themselves more time to review data compiled by the Community Oversight Board.

What's in the COB’s report? What are the community’s concerns about LPRs? And why do other community members and law enforcement want them?

Guests:

Dylan Depriest, data analyst for the Metro Nashville Community Oversight Board
Mark Wynn, former police officer and Metro Nashville Community Oversight Board member
Reverend Davie Tucker, Jr., pastor of Beech Creek Missionary Baptist Church
Luis Mata, policy coordinator for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition

This episode was produced by Rose Gilbert.

Few people make the kind of impact on a city that Charlie Strobel did.

On a winter night in 1985, Father Strobel, then pastor at Holy Name Catholic Church in East Nashville, saw people gathered in the parking lot trying to endure the cold. He invited them inside, and gave them food and shelter for the night. From this, the program he called Room In the Inn began. And so did his dedication to serving people who are experiencing homelessness, which would never waver — even as Room In the Inn grew from an informal arrangement between churches into the multi-story Campus for Human Development that it is today.

Charlie Strobel died over the weekend at the age of 80. Today, we remember his life and his legacy.

Guests:

Beth Courtney, niece
Rachel Hester, executive director of Room In the Inn
Howard Allen, co-founder of Nashville Homeless Underground
Stacy Rector, director of Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
Lindsey Krinks, co-founder and director of advocacy for Open Table Nashville

This episode was produced by Steve Haruch.

One safety measure used by Metro Nashville Public Schools is school resource officers — SROs — which are staffed by the city’s police department.

But having police officers in schools isn’t a panacea. It’s unclear if having SROs can prevent major tragedies like school shootings. And critics say that having officers in schools exacerbates the school-to-prison pipeline by criminalizing behavior that could be resolved in other ways, like counseling, conflict resolution or other restorative practices.

But if not SROs, how else can we protect our schools from threats? What can school staffers tell us about where threats are coming from? And how do you young people feel about their safety, and walking the halls with SROs?

On on this first day of school for Nashville, we’ll start today’s show with WPLN education reporter Alexis Marshall.

Guests:

Israel Perez, high school senior
Mac Hardy, director of operations, National Association of School Resource Officers
Jonathan Brocco, educator and school administrator in Nashville
Nancy Duchesneau, senior P-12 researcher with Education Trust
Judge Sheila Jones Calloway, Davidson County Juvenile Court

This episode was produced by Alexis Marshall and Magnolia McKay.

The MNPD has faced lawsuits both internally and externally regarding sexual assault and harassment, police brutality and more. The city caps any settlements at $300,000, and recently more folks have been awarded that amount or close to it. Why? And why does that cap exist in the first place? What makes someone more likely to receive the full amount? We’ll dive into this with local lawyers and individuals who have brought claims against MNPD.

First, Paige Pfleger joins us to discuss her coverage of Citlaly Gomez’s lawsuit against MNPD.

Guests:

Naya Abbey, claimant in a MNPD false arrest suit
Greta McClain, former MNPD officer and founder of Silent No Longer
Kyle Mothershead, civil rights attorney
Jill Fitcheard, executive director of the Community Oversight Board

This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton.

Karaoke is where amateur singers go to shine! Or, in Nashville, where aspiring professionals sometimes go to try and drum up a following. It’s a low-stakes fame game where you can be an American Idol for a night. Music City is lucky to have a plethora of options for singing karaoke, and whether you’re a fan or not, there’s no denying it’s a staple of Nashville nightlife.

But first, we check in with interim news director Tony Gonzalez and midday news producer Cynthia Abrams for analysis of August 3rd’s election results.

Guests:

Jason Adkins, KJ at Lipstick Lounge
Jacob Corenflos, karaoke lover and former karaoke host at Santa’s Pub
Brynn Plummer, co-founder of Hip-Hop Karaoke
Kira Small, co-owner of Sid Gold’s Request Room

This episode was produced by Magnolia McKay.

How do communities change? Who can make change in their communities? North Nashville native Jerome Moore takes a broad approach to exploring both those questions. In his podcast Deep Dish Conversations, he talks to everyone, from elected officials of all political viewpoints to activists and artists, about what a better, fairer Nashville might look like.

We talk with the North Nashville native about the goals of his show and how it came to be. We’ll also hear about his time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Paraguay, his experience running NGOs in Costa Rica and China, and why he wants Nashvillians to “think globally, act locally.” He recently collected some of his Deep Dish Conversations in a book from Vanderbilt University Press.

We kick off the show by checking in with WPLN’s Nina Cardona and Rose Gilbert, who fill us in on what’s happening at the polls this election day. Follow WPLN’s coverage election coverage here.

Guest:

Jerome Moore, host of Deep Dish Conversations

This episode was produced by Char Daston.

Public access television is arguably the most intimate and personal form of programming offered in our country. Legendary for its low budget production quality, public access TV shows regular people who have an interest in creating a television show.

Want a show about popular and off the wall sports? Check. How about a show about religion and spirituality? Check. Maybe you want to do a show about odd-ball and rarely seen movies? Check. Public access possesses all manner of television. It’s television that reflects a city or community.

NECAT is Nashville’s public access network. Recently it was added under the umbrella of the Public Library and will be looking for a new home in 2025. What is it like to create a show on NECAT? How does one get started? Who are the people whom NECAT helped to share their voice with anyone who will watch? Even at 3:38 am? We’ll talk with a representative from NECAT and several producers and learn about their vision for television and the stories they tell.

First, we'll hear from WPLN afternoon host, Marianna Bacallao about the latest on Yellow Freight.

Guests:

Cameron McCasland, Studio Director at NECAT
Kyna "Bam" Ealey, host of Cultureville and writer and editor of The City Mixtape
Dan Meredith, host of Heartland Liberty
Taffiney Williams, host of Would You Marry You?
Larry Underwood, host of Dr. Gangrene

This episode was produced by Khalil Ekulona and Elizabeth Burton.

During the Civil War, the city was under Union control and full of soldiers, which created a demand for sex workers. After attempts to remove the women failed, the Union Army legalized prostitution in Nashville. If they paid the registration fee, and kept up with weekly medical checks, these women were free legally to provide services. After the war, sex work was made illegal once again, but, of course, that doesn't mean it went away. Today we learn about our city's early and more recent history with brothels and sex work.

But first, WPLN's general assignment reporter Rose Gilbert drops by to discuss her reporting on the controversy surrounding Franklin's Ethics Commission and Alderman Gabrielle Hanson.

Guests:

Dr. Carole Bucy, official historian for Davidson County
Kay West, freelance journalist who reported on The Crackdown
Chris Ferrell, former council member
Ira Zezir, founder at Intimacy Architect

This episode was produced by Magnolia McKay.

With Election Day just three days away, we're talking about voting!

Today, we'll bring you an update on early voting turnout and walk through some basics about how to vote, why to do it, and where to find the information you need. We'll also hear from folks who are out talking with voters and potential voters about why they cast their ballot — and why some choose not to.

But first, it's time to respond to your feedback with a special Monday edition of our @ us! segment.

Guests:

Jeff Roberts, administrator of elections for Davidson County
Jessica Williams, communications director for The Equity Alliance
Yusuf Dogan, first-time voter
Erica Perry, executive director of Black Nashville Votes
Garrett Floyd, chair of the Nashville Young Republicans

This episode was produced by Steve Haruch.

Related reading:

Register to vote
Check your registration
Find your polling location
Find your Metro Council district
Voter drive information

Why do so many people ignore or avoid the Cumberland River? And how have perceptions — and access to our winding river — changed?

In this episode, we dive into how feelings about our river are rapidly changing, thanks in part to a rise in paddling and boating outfitters, as well as the fresh eyes of newly arriving transplants (and developers). We'll hear from avid paddlers about their experiences. We'll also unpack some misconceptions and talk about the surge in new ideas for our riverfront.

WPLN's interim news director, Tony Gonzalez, starts the show by sharing the latest on the revitalization plan for the Rock Harbor Marina in West Nashville. And stick around for an adventure story, paddling the river from Shelby Bottoms to downtown Nashville with Cumberland Kayak.

Guests:

Mekayle Houghton, Cumberland River Compact executive director
John Michael Cassidy, Shelby Bottoms Nature Center director
Margaret Littman, Nashville Paddle Company co-owner and journalist
Stephanie Sullivan, Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association operations director

Related Reading:

Revisit Nashville's 2007 riverfront concept plan — especially the roadmap starting on page 74.
2022's Imagine East Bank plan, and related WPLN coverage.
Metro Parks Department "Plan To Play" master plan.
See all WPLN coverage of the Cumberland River.
Review the Cumberland River Compact's responsible river recreation blog post.
See river cleanup volunteer opportunities.

This episode was produced by Tony Gonzalez.

Giving birth costs an average of $18,885 nationwide before insurance. If you have a medical emergency, you can expect to spend hundreds on your ambulance ride — and that doesn’t even include the cost of the medical care itself. In fact, medical debt is the leading type of debt on credit cards in the U.S.

But… if you live with disabilities or chronic illnesses, those medical costs are significantly higher. On top of that, the sacrifices you might make in order to afford the medical care can come at the cost of one’s social life, or even basic needs.

Today, we’ll hear from disabled Nashvillians and their caregivers about the cost of care, financial and beyond.

But first, WPLN’s education reporter Alexis Marshall joins us to talk about her in-depth reporting on Tennessee’s 3rd grade retention law.

Guests:

Ashton McGrady, social media content creator
McKenzie Tuckson, student and advocate for disabilities
Tamara Tuckson, caregiver, special education advocate, and IEP consultant
Jackie Kancir, caregiver and disability policy advocate
Lauren Pearcy, Executive Director for Tennessee Council for Developmental Disabilities

This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton.

Special thanks to Tom Jedlowski, Leisa Hammett, Tyler Samuel and Cathlyn Smith.

On August 3rd, voters will decide who they want their next mayor and council members to be. But they’ll also cast their vote for vice mayor. It’s a job that flies under the radar for many Nashvillians. So what, exactly, does the vice mayor do, and how would the candidates for vice mayor approach the job?

We’ll answer those questions in this Citizen Nashville episode all about Nashville’s vice mayor. We’ll get insights about the role from a former vice mayor, and hear from both candidates seeking the office, incumbent vice mayor Jim Shulman and district 34 council member Angie Henderson, who have vastly different ideas of how they’d approach the role.

Guests:

Howard Gentry, Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk, former vice mayor (2000-2007)
Tony Gonzalez, WPLN interim news director
Jim Shulman, vice mayor of Nashville, seeking re-election
Angie Henderson, council member, district 34, running for vice mayor

This episode was produced by Char Daston.

Read candidate Q & As:

From the Tennesseean
From the Nashville Banner (Shulman, Henderson)

And it’s projected that in 20 years, urban growth might extend a trip to Chattanooga or Memphis by an hour. One potential solution to stem this congestion is creating more Amtrak passenger lines between Tennessee cities, as well as major regional hubs like Atlanta, Chicago and Louisville.

For now, commuter rail is more of an idea than a reality in Nashville, with one exception: the WeGo Star, which shuttles passengers between downtown Nashville and Lebanon during peak hours. WeGo is currently soliciting public comment on the Star, which could lead to changes in service.

Transportation is a frequent complaint from Nashville citizens, and several mayoral candidates are proposing rail as a solution to alleviate traffic. In this episode we’ll learn more about these proposals and hear from citizens and experts alike on what they want for the future of rail in Tennessee.

And we kick off the show with an update from WPLN political reporter Blaise Gainey, who has covered the latest Amtrak study.

Guests:

Eric Melcher, public information officer for WeGo Transit
Sarazen Kokodynsky, commuter who takes the Star a few times a week
Ralcon Wagner, local historian and public transit advocate
Jessica Dauphin, President & CEO of The Transit Alliance

This episode was produced by Magnolia McKay.

A new music video from country singer Jason Aldean has created quite the buzz. It places his song, “Try That In A Small Town,” amid scenes of riots and police encounters, and critics are flagging its racist tropes. Nashville Public Radio's senior music writer Jewly Hight joins us to unpack the video.

Then, we're bringing back a timeless episode from April 2022 that answers the questions: who is country music for? And who decides?

Guests:

Holly G, founder of the Black Opry
Frankie Staton, singer, songwriter and former director of the Black Country Music Association
Amanda Marie Martinez, country music historian
Benn Park, founder of Shoes Off Booking Agency

This episode was produced by Steve Haruch.

Some of the most exciting research in astronomy is happening right here in Nashville.

A little more than a year ago, NASA released the first images from the James Webb Space Telescope. One of the first approved studies using this imagery was led by Vanderbilt professor Keivan Stassun, who is searching for Earth-like planets with NASA's TESS Exoplanet Mission. And just weeks ago, a groundbreaking study demonstrating how gravitational waves permeate the universe was published by a team led by another Vanderbilt astrophysicist, Stephen Taylor.

In this episode, we'll talk with these two scientists and meet some of the new generation of astronomers coming up the ranks. Plus, host Khalil Ekulona asks a few locals what they think of extraterrestrial life.

But first, we talk with WPLN environmental reporter Caroline Eggers about light pollution in Nashville and how new streetlights could help make the night sky darker — and better for stargazing.

Guests:

Keivan Stassun, professor of physics and astronomy at Vanderbilt University
Stephen Taylor, assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Vanderbilt University and chair of NANOgrav group
Polina Petrov, astrophysics graduate student at Vanderbilt University
KeShawn Ivory, astrophysics graduate student at Vanderbilt University, co-director of events for Black in Astro

This episode was produced by Steve Haruch.

Further reading:

Nashville streetlights are getting a makeover, and that’s (possibly) good news for stargazers (WPLN News)
Is Earth unique? A Vanderbilt astronomer may soon find out. (WPLN News)
International collaboration including Vanderbilt astrophysicists discover ‘forbidden planet’ (Vanderbilt University)
Scientists Found Ripples in Space and Time. And You Have to Buy Groceries.(The Atlantic)
Research Snapshot: Astrophysicists prepare for age of multimessenger astronomy; build galaxy catalog to study black holes (Vanderbilt University)

Some are turning to men’s groups as a resource. In these groups, they find brotherhood, support and judgment-free spaces to talk about things that come up in life. From relationships to fatherhood, career stress to spirituality — opening up and talking to other men can be transformative. Today, we invite leaders of local men’s groups on to talk about masculinity and what it means for them to get together in this way.

But first, we address listener feedback in our @ Us! segment with senior producer, Steve Haruch.

Guests:

Joseph Bazelais, founder and creator of Men I.Q. Network
James Addison, men’s coach and organizer of Conscious Men’s Circle Nashville
Emmanuel LeGrair, founder of The Commonwealth
Stacy Brown, co-pastor at Greater Nashville Church

This episode was produced by Magnolia McKay.

What’s allowed to be built in my neighborhood? Can I build a second unit on my property? How can I make sure new construction will benefit my community and not harm it? The answers to these questions all come back to the city’s zoning code — more than 200 pages describing what kinds of buildings can be built where, what they can look like, and how to get special permission to build something different.

In this episode, we sit down with a city official to answer your questions about zoning in Nashville. We also hear about a class from Neighbor 2 Neighbor that teaches the basics of zoning and land use policy to anyone who wants to know more.

But first, WPLN midday news producer Cynthia Abrams fills us in on the latest updates in the Nashville mayoral race.

This episode was produced by Char Daston and Elizabeth Burton.

Guests:

Stacy Gordon Harmon, lead teacher for The Planning School at Neighbor 2 Neighbor
Ingrid Campbell, former student and co-teacher at The Planning School at Neighbor 2 Neighbor
Malina Springer, East End resident and consultant with Pillars Development
Lisa Milligan, Assistant Director of Land Development at the Metro Nashville Planning Department

Learn more:

Understanding the Zoning Code from Metro Nashville (Metro Nashville)
NashvilleNext – Metro Nashville’s plan for the next 20 years (Metro Nashville)
Nashville Zoning Atlas (Beacon Institute)

His legacy includes pastoring The Church at Mt. Carmel, ministering to his neighborhood through events and summer camps, and starting the Gentlemen And Not Gangsters (GANG) program that works with the juvenile court system to help at-risk youth.

His impact in the community was great. Today we speak with his loved ones and those who worked alongside him to celebrate the man, and talk about his legacy.

But first, WPLN healthcare reporter Catherine J. Sweeney joins us to talk about her reporting on breaches in healthcare data in Nashville.

Guests:

Derrick Strode, executive pastor of The Church at Mt. Carmel, friend of Bishop Campbell
Shaunese Gleaves, director of Evolving Excellence, friend of Bishop Campbell
Kenny Clack, journeyman to the Bishop in G.A.N.G.
Elder Michael Breedlove, Bishop’s son in the ministry, assistant pastor at Divine Faith Praise and Worship Center

This episode was produced by Magnolia McKay.

Click here to donate to the Marcus Campbell Family.

Major Jackson has published five books of poetry, and is also the host of the Slowdown podcast from American Public Media and the Poetry Foundation.

On top of that, the Vanderbilt University professor was recently named a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In this episode, Major Jackson talks about his work, his forthcoming book Razzle Dazzle: New & Selected Poems, and his Nashville roots.

But first, several new laws aimed at LGBTQ rights took effect in Tennessee this month. WPLN's Marianna Bacallao talks about their effects.

Guest:

Major Jackson, poet and Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in the Humanities

Poems:

How to Listen
Let Me Begin Again
Now That You Are Here, I Can Think

But just a decade ago, these options didn’t exist. Taxis were the best option back then, and are still around. But one of these systems is regulated by the city, and one is not.

Today, we explore how citizens, both riders and drivers, are navigating a ride ecosystem that has two simultaneous systems, each with their own regulations.

But first, we talk with WPLN healthcare reporter Catherine J. Sweeney about the risks of mosquito borne-illness in Tennessee.

Guests:

Rondriquez White, frequent rideshare passenger
Semina Globe, Uber and Lyft driver
Jim Burrow, retired taxi driver and company owner
Candace Brakewood, PhD, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the UT Knoxville

This episode was produced by Magnolia McKay.

On May 5, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the global Public Health Emergency for the pandemic. That was a cause for celebration for most, but many Covid long-haulers felt even more marginalized and forgotten than before. It’s currently estimated that 1 in 5 American adults who had an initial infection end up experiencing long COVID. The initial diagnosis requires symptoms to last three months or longer, but some long-haulers are experiencing symptoms a full 3 years later.

Researchers and physicians rush to understand the illness so that patients can receive the help they need. Six months after our first episode on long COVID, we revisit the topic to see what advancements have been made and what patients are now experiencing.

But first, we respond to your feedback in our weekly @ Us segment!

This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton

Guests:

Andrea Roberts, Senior Research Scientist at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health

Frank Ziegler, COVID long-hauler

Dr. Jim Jackson, Director of Behavioral Health at the ICU Recovery Center at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Kathy Kelley, COVID long-hauler

Leisa Hammett, COVID long-hauler

Roller skating videos went viral on social media during the lockdown days of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a lot of people took up the sport during that time. But the scene here in Nashville has been going strong for decades.

So don’t call it a comeback! We talk with local skaters about their favorite moves, favorite spots, and the reasons they keep on rolling. And we visit the Rivergate Skate Center in Madison for a Pin Drop feature highlighting the history of this beloved neighborhood institution.

This episode was produced by Steve Haruch and Elizabeth Burton.

Guests:

Charles “Mont” Sneed, skater and Rivergate regular
Theo Evans, skater and Rivergate regular
Heather Frazor, co-admin of Skate Nashville
Loren Fernandez Valentin, skater
Kara Robin, skater

Hot chicken is Nashville’s most famous dish. It has a cult following, a mythological backstory and humble beginnings. But it is much more than just a meal — it tells a story about gentrification and race in Nashville.

In honor of the annual Music City Hot Chicken festival on this holiday, we're rebroadcasting our deep dive into what hot chicken says about the city’s culture. We’re joined by the matriarch’s of hot chicken – Ms. André Prince of Prince’s, and Ms. Dollye Matthews of Bolton’s – to explore the legacy of hot chicken, and what it was like to watch it spread like wildfire.

But first, we’re joined by two people pushing for changes at the Natchez Trace Bridge – a mother who lost her son by suicide there and a woman who survived a suicide attempt.

Guests:

Trish Merelo, co-founder of the Natchez Trace Bridge Barrier Coalition

Briana Brown, mental health speaker and advocate

Caroline Randall Williams, host of Hungry For Answers

Rachel Louise Martin, author of Hot, Hot Chicken: A Nashville Story

Dollye Matthews, general manager of Bolton’s Spicy Chicken & Fish

André Prince, owner of Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack

This episode was produced by Paige Pfleger.

Additional reading:

Bitter Southerner: How Hot Chicken Really Happened

Tennessean: Schmitt: What’s happening to all of our authentic Nashville hot chicken shacks?

Eater: Where to Eat Nashville Hot Chicken in its Hometown

WPLN: Nashville’s 100+ Black-Owned Food Establishments

If you know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or text Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741).

Zoos are a staple of American culture. They’re an enjoyable outing for families, couples and friends and a rare opportunity to see animals that a lot of us wouldn't otherwise get to see. In recent years, many zoos have pivoted to focusing on conservation and animal welfare rather than entertainment. Here in Nashville, the Zoo says that conservation is their mission. But, what does this really mean?

Today, we'll learn how the Zoo is working to bolster the hellbender salamander population in Nashville. We'll also learn how the Zoo's work relates to other conservation efforts in the city, and what we can all do to support wildlife and natural habitats in the city.

But first, WPLN environmental reporter Caroline Eggers joins us to talk about the recent heat wave.

Guests:

Jim Bartoo, Marketing and Public Relations Director at Nashville Zoo

Sherri Reinsch, Lead Herpetologist at the Nashville Zoo

Monika Pretz, Staff Biologist & Pollinator Program Leader at Tennessee Environmental Council

Abbey Duncan, Board Member at Native American Indian Association of TN

Eleanor Lopez, Board Member at Native American Indian Association of TN

This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton.

Related Reading:

The buzz about pollinators

Releasing hellbender salamanders back into the wild, Nashville Zoo

Meet Penelope and Otis, the newest babies at the Nashville Zoo, Tennesseean

Since 2015, Nashville has gone from a couple thousand short-term rentals to nearly 7,000 with official permits. And in the past five years, the city has fielded more than 8,000 complaints.

So how exactly did we get here? And where do we stand on these rentals? You can also click through to our web post for related reading.

To start today’s show, WPLN news editor LaTonya Turner will break down what two Supreme Court decisions will mean for this university town: the overturning of affirmative action, and denial of Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan.

Guests:

Beth Cummings, Airbnb operator in the Hillsboro West End neighborhood
Council Member Burkley Allen, sponsor of Metro’s initial short-term rental rules
Bonell McBroom, Metro Codes STRP enforcement chief
Brenda Morrow, Edgehill neighborhood leader
Barb Culligan, Airbnb operator and ambassador and president of the Nashville Area Short Term Rental Association
Logan Key, neighborhood preservation advocate in Lockeland Springs

This episode was produced by Tony Gonzalez.

In Part 2, candidates answer questions on economic development, mental health and guns, and This Is Nashville senior producer Steve Haruch, multimedia producer Elizabeth Burton and WPLN education reporter Alexis Marshall provide analysis. Plus, we've got bonus behind the scenes content from Monday's event. Listen to Part 1.**

On Monday, June 26, This Is Nashville and WPLN News collaborated with the Nashville Child and Youth Collaborative to put on a mayoral forum, which we called “For Nashville’s Future.” The goal was to center the needs and interests of Nashville’s youth, and we gave four local teens from the Mayor’s Youth Council a chance to ask questions directly to the candidates:

Madison Moore, Nashville School of the Arts
Hudson Honeybone, Ensworth High School
Suzanna Wilkinson, Hillsboro High School
Yusuf Dogan, Middle Tennessee State University

Seven candidates took part in the forum, which was held at the Honey Alexander Center in front of a live audience. They are:

Jeff Yarbro
Matt Wiltshire
Alice Rolli
Freddie O’Connell
Sharon Hurt
Jim Gingrich
Heidi Campbell

This episode was produced by executive producer Andrea Tudhope.

Special thanks to Cameron Adkins, Chas Sisk, Nate Smith, Carl Pedersen, LaTonya Turner, Pamela Sheffer and the entire Nashville Child & Youth Collaborative.

On Monday, June 26, This Is Nashville and WPLN News collaborated with the Nashville Child and Youth Collaborative to put on a mayoral forum, which we called “For Nashville’s Future.”

This is Part 1 — candidates answer questions about climate change and substance abuse, and This Is Nashville senior producer Steve Haruch and WPLN education reporter Alexis Marshall provide analysis.

The goal was to center the needs and interests of Nashville’s youth, and we gave four local teens from the Mayor’s Youth Council a chance to ask questions directly to the candidates:

Madison Moore, Nashville School of the Arts
Hudson Honeybone, Ensworth High School
Suzanna Wilkinson, Hillsboro High School
Yusuf Dogan, Middle Tennessee State University

Seven candidates took part in the forum, which was held at the Honey Alexander Center in front of a live audience. They are:

Jeff Yarbro
Matt Wiltshire
Alice Rolli
Freddie O’Connell
Sharon Hurt
Jim Gingrich
Heidi Campbell

This episode was produced by executive producer Andrea Tudhope.

Special thanks to Cameron Adkins, Chas Sisk, Nate Smith, Carl Pedersen, LaTonya Turner, Pamela Sheffer and the entire Nashville Child & Youth Collaborative.

Climate change is already affecting our city, and the time to do something about it is running out. How is Nashville preparing to become more resilient and more sustainable?

We talk with experts and advocates about adjusting to life on a warming planet — and city — and discuss what individual Nashvillians can do.

But first, WPLN's Marianna Bacallao gives an update on how transgender patients of Vanderbilt University Medical Center are responding to the release of health care records to Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti.

This episode was produced by Steve Haruch.

Guests:

Millie Peterson, student participant in the Nashville Youth Climate Summit
Dodd Galbreath, director of the Institute of Sustainable Practice at Lipscomb University
Vasu Primlani, sustainability project manager for Metro Nashville Department of General Service
Jaclyn Mothupi, director of social innovation, The Wond’ry at Vanderbilt University

Related:

What climate change means for Nashville, Tennessee, and how you can help (Cumberland River Compact)
Nashville rainstorms are getting wetter. How much? 12% wetter in the past five decades. (WPLN News)
Climate change is shifting what plants — and pests — can thrive in Nashville (WPLN News)
The Tennessee legislature blocked climate action this year — again. And other environmental bills you may have missed. (WPLN News)
Tennessee can build a new landfill or expand Middle Point. A better option is to repurpose trash. (WPLN News)
What to plant in Nashville this spring — other than grass (WPLN News)
Last year was Nashville’s 11th warmest (WPLN News)

Nashville is changing rapidly, and local youth have something to say about it.

Since the previous mayoral race in Nashville, the city has been through a lot. We have seen a pandemic, protests in response to the murder of George Floyd, a near-total ban on abortion, a school shooting and much more. Meanwhile, the city’s population has grown exponentially and professional sports continue to expand, while long-time Nashvillians harbor concerns about issues such as transportation, school safety and affordable housing.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the city’s next mayor holds the future of Nashville in their hands. Who better to discuss Nashville’s next chapter than youth? Tonight, the Nashville Child and Youth Collaborative will present a mayoral candidate forum and field questions from youth across the city — hosted by our own Khalil Ekulona. On today's show, we'll be diving deeper with local youth on what it's like to be a teen in Nashville and what they see as Nashville's most pressing issues.

But first, we'll hear from WPLN reporter Rose Gilbert on the Lewis Country Store being named in a report for connections to neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups.

Guests:

Suzanna Wilkinson, member of the Mayor's Youth Council, rising senior at Hillsboro High School
Oluwaseun ‘Victoria’ Fabiyi, member of the Mayor's Youth Council, rising senior at Hume-Fogg Academic High School
Joey Mendez, recent graduate of Hillsboro High School
Ephe Solomon, member of the Mayor's Youth Council, rising senior at Cane Ridge High School
Sarah Wang, rising sophomore at Hume-Fogg Academic High School
Christina Amaya Sandoval, recent graduate of Hume-Fogg Academic High School

This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton and Steve Haruch.

The bass is bumping and the banjo is twangin’ as folks across the LGBTQIA+ community gather together to celebrate. What are some of the untold stories in roots music, and who is carrying that torch today? And what is it about electronic dance music that continues to bring the queer community together?

Today we hear how LGBTQIA+ musicians are creating and holding space in their respective scenes and bringing their traditions and expression to Pride.

Guests:

Jacob Campos, director of Nashville In Harmony PRIDE BAND marching band
Justin Hiltner, bluegrass singer, songwriter and banjo player; activist, advocate, and board member of Bluegrass Pride
DJ Jane Dupree, DJ, musician and producer
Slim Moon, musician and founder, Kill Rock Stars Nashville
Cidny Bullens, singer-songwriter and guitarist on KRS Nashville
Mya Byrne, singer-songwriter and guitarist on KRS Nashville
Alex Barnes, singer-songwriter in Nashville

This episode was produced by Jewly Hight and Magnolia McKay.

It's been nearly a year since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe V. Wade, which triggered Tennessee's abortion ban.

Now, Tennessee residents have to travel out of state for abortion care. This makes it financially and physically challenging for many to receive the healthcare they need. Since then, physicians, activists, and every day people have rallied to put pressure on officials, raise funds for those seeking abortions in other states, and even left the state so that they can continue to perform abortions.

In this hour, we unpack what the last year has been like in a post-Roe Tennessee.

Guests:

Catherine Sweeney, WPLN health reporter
Dr. Ivana Thompson, OB/GYN
Rebecah Boynton, writer, local food advocate and women's rights activist
Elle Robinson, director of Abortion Access Cookeville
Briana Perry, co-executive director of Healthy and Free Tennessee
Robyn Baldridge, president of Abortion Care for Tennessee

This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton

Now, the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on the future of affirmative action in the coming days.

Today, we’ll talk to experts on law and affirmative action to unpack what a possible ruling from the Supreme Court might mean for college admissions, and the future of diversity on college campuses in Tennessee.

But first, we’re joined by WPLN’s education reporter Alexis Marshall for the latest on Nashville’s ongoing school safety conversation.

Guests:

Dr. Kelly E. Slay, assistant professor of higher education and public policy at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College
Matthew Shaw, assistant professor of law, and assistant professor of public policy and education at Vanderbilt University
Dr. Eric Stokes, assistant vice provost of strategic enrollment services at the University of Memphis
Nichole Davari, director of community engagement & DEI for Persist Nashville
Katherin Gomez, incoming freshman student at Fisk University

From free libraries to community fridges to online groups, some of the best things in Nashville are free.

We talk with organizers and users of local free resources about the stuff they give away and the ways that building community costs nothing. And yes, this show is free to listen to as well.

But first, WPLN political reporter Blaise Gainey talks about two new state laws that provide increased benefits to some workers.

This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton and Steve Haruch.

Guests:

Esmeralda, member of Buy Nothing Nashville
Lisa Tullis Williams, founder of Buy Nothing Nashville
Michele Somers, organizer, Little Free Library
Allison Young, East Nashville Wind Telephone founder
Elizabeth Burton, co-founder and organizer of Skate Library
McCall, founder of Maypop Farmstead

On June 19, the nation celebrates Juneteenth to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved African Americans after the Civil War. While Juneteenth was only recently made into a federal holiday, there was a resurgence in Juneteenth celebrations during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 60s.

This special extended episode of This Is Nashville focuses on local civil rights efforts, namely the downtown sit-ins.

At 12:40 p.m. on February 13, 1960, Black college students sat down at lunch counters in downtown Nashville and asked to be served. They sat in silent protest against the segregation at the city’s lunch counters, but were met with with racial slurs and abuse.

John Lewis, who would go on to become an icon of the civil rights movement and later a U.S. representative, was arrested for the first time at Woolworth and would spend weeks in jail along with dozens of fellow activists. By May, six of the downtown lunch counters began serving Black customers.

These sit-ins marked a turning point in the struggle for racial equality in Nashville, the South and the country at large. In this episode, we hear from three Nashvillians participated in the sit-ins.

Guests:

King Hollands, civil rights activist
Frankie Henry, civil rights activist
Professor Gloria McKissack, activist and educator at Tennessee State University

Related reading:

This Is Nashville: The Woolworth building is a key civil rights site. Preserving that history has been fraught with uncertainty.
WPLN: Diane Nash says she shares her Presidential Medal of Freedom with everyone who ‘sacrificed so much for the cause’
This Is Nashville: Exploring the legacy of Nashville’s Freedom Riders

No need to bring a partner, either. Nashville’s dance communities are welcoming and many even include dance lessons. Needless to say, partner dancing is alive and well in our city. Today, local dance enthusiasts and instructors join us to talk about their favorite styles and what gets them out on the dance floor.

But first, WPLN digital editor Rachel Iacovone stops by to highlight this weekend’s Juneteenth events around town.

Guests:

Liza “Lavolta” Bennich, swing dancer
“Ron D” Jones, breakdancer, performer, partner dance enthusiast
Nicole Ahima, Salsa dance instructor
Laura Mae Socks, two-step dance instructor
León Berrios, musician and dancer, attorney, mediator and certified court interpreter

This episode was produced by Magnolia McKay.

It is hard to imagine the Nashville Predators without general manager David Poile.

That is because there hasn’t been a Predators without Poile in franchise history. 25 years ago, Poile helped launch the team and has been at the helm ever since. He is the winningest general manager in NHL, and he has been instrumental and transforming Nashville into “Smashville.”

In February, he announced his retirement. He joins us to talk about his rich NHL legacy and his hopes for the Predators going forward.

Guest:

David Poile, outgoing general manager of the Nashville Predators

This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton.

Have you met Nashville’s sisters? Sister cities, that is. If you didn’t know, the long-running Sister Cities Nashville program has formal partnerships with nine — and soon to be 10 — international cities.

These partnerships strive to connect the people of Nashville to the people of the world. And they follow a nationwide mission established in the 1950s to carry out what’s known as “citizen diplomacy,” under the belief that exchanging cultural ideas builds understanding and fosters international peace.

Now, after many years of effort, the newest sister city relationship could soon be formalized. Nashville will partner with Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.

First up today, we hear the latest from the Southern Baptist Convention with Tennessean religion reporter Liam Adams.

This episode was produced by Tony Gonzalez.

Guests:

Sarah Lingo, executive director of Sister Cities Nashville
Nawzad Hawrami, co-founder of Salahadeen Center
Bill Purcell, former mayor of Nashville and board member with Sister Cities Nashville
William Watson, student participant with Sister Cities Nashville
Valentina Boulin, educator at Colegio ICEI in Mendoza, Argentina

Collectively and individually, the group has met with many barriers to getting somewhere with their music or making music at all, and joining Six One Tribe has both brought the all-important empowerment they needed and provided resources. We discuss their origins, plans and hopes for Nashville's larger hip-hop scene.

But first, WPLN general assignment reporter Rose Gilbert discusses what's next for Nashville's Community Oversight Board as a new state law abolishes these bodies as we've known them.

Guests:

Gee Slab, founder
Aaron Dethrage, founder
Cashmere Crool, artist and member
Riø Tokyo, artist and member
Corduroy Clemens, artist and member

On June 12, 2020, a group of protesters began occupying Legislative Plaza. Among them was now state-representative Justin Jones. For over two months, they called on Governor Bill Lee to meet with them to discuss racial justice and policing in Tennessee. The occupation lasted for 62 days until the state passed a law that escalated camping on public property from a misdemeanor to a felony.

In this episode, guest host Steve Haruch speaks with people who participated in the People's Plaza protest and what has changed since then.

But first, WPLN education reporter Alexis Marshall joins us to discuss a recent report that puts child abuse into economic terms.

Guests:

Rev. Venita Lewis, organizer and president of NAACP Nashville
Angel Stansberry, organizer and criminal justice chair of NAACP Nashville
Dieama McDougal, protestor
Mike Stewart, attorney and former state representative

From WPLN's archives:

Nashville Activists Center Black Joy At Block Party, Wrapping Third Weekend Of Protests (published June 2020)
From Civil Rights Story Time To Marches Through Downtown, Nashvillians Of All Ages Rally For Racial Justice (published June 2020)
Police Brutality Protesters Rally Against Misconduct Within The Department (published Aug. 2020)
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee Signs Law That Will Increase Punishments For Protesters (published Aug. 2020)
We Checked In On A Dozen Demands Made By Black Lives Matter Protesters In Nashville. Here’s Where They Stand. (published May 2021)

Today's episode was produced by Steve Haruch.

This episode first aired on July 22.

Ice cream is the perfect summer treat. This hour is all about ice cream in Nashville. What are some current trends? What is the scene like? We learn a little about the “queen of ice cream” back in 1840s Nashville, meet some of the people churning away today and finally ride shotgun on an ice cream truck.

But first, we’re joined by Nashville Banner Editor Steve Cavendish, who has an update on the future of Alive Hospice.

Guests:

Megan Seling, former Sugar Shock columnist for the Nashville Scene
Lokelani Alabanza, founder and owner of Saturated Ice Cream
Sam Brooker, founder and owner of KOKOS Ice Cream
Guru Singh, founder of Sarabhas Creamery

Small business is a big deal in Nashville. Today we talk to Nashvillians who are making their living by starting their own businesses, and the folks who help nurture this thriving community of entrepreneurs.

Does it take a certain type of person to build a business from the ground up? What does it take to start a small business here? Which industries are being served by Nashville’s small businesses? And what resources are available to those who are trying to start their own business?

But first, host Khalil Ekulona and senior digital producer Anna Gallegos-Cannon respond to listener feedback in this week’s @ Us

Guests:

Shana Berkeley, executive director Corner 2 Corner
Jane Allen, CEO of Nashville Entrepreneur Center
Yuri Cunza, president and CEO of Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Lamar Allen, owner of LaMarvelous Balloons, graduate of Corner 2 Corner
Jeremy Lekich, worker-owner and co-founder of Nashville Foodscapes

Today’s episode was produced by Khalil Ekulona and Magnolia McKay.

“Jazz is here, whether you know it or not!”

That’s how one local jazz musician describes the scene in Middle Tennessee. It’s thriving, if less visible, with deep roots going way back to the 1930s, especially in the historically Black Jefferson Street community.

That’s also the location of the first jazz radio station in Nashville and the first Black-owned FM station — on the campus of Fisk University. Jazzy 88 WFSK is celebrating 50 years on air and getting ready for the return of its Fisk Food & Jazz Festival after a three-year absence.

WFSK is an anchor for the local jazz community, but it now has a lot of company from the Nashville Jazz Workshop, Rudy’s Jazz Room and a burgeoning youth attraction to jazz music performance and appreciation. In this episode, we’ll learn about the visionary launch of WFSK and how it is a beacon for smooth, contemporary jazz musicians and listeners. We’ll also hear about other efforts to spread jazz education and awareness to music listeners of all ages.

But first, Nashville Scene contributor Matt Masters join us to talk about his recent reporting on far-right extremism in Williamson County.

On August 3, Nashville will elect its next mayor from 12 candidates. Rather than interviewing the candidates, for now we're making space for members of the community.

In today's episode, we ask: what do you want in our next mayor? What are your community’s most urgent needs this election season? Listeners who weighed in candidates to have concrete solutions for affordable housing, transportation, sustainability, reducing gun violence, standing up to the state, and making sure Nashville is still livable for Nashvillians.

But first, we talk to Stephen Elliott, interim editor of the Nashville Post, about lawsuits from Metro and council members against changes the state made concerning the Fairgrounds Speedway.

Guests:

Rondriquez White, Nashville native and community organizer
Landy Spratt, works closely with Nashville's Latino community
Denise Bahil, climate activist, mom and food systems professional
Maxine Spencer, community organizer, advocate

Related reading:

Nashville’s mayoral race: Who’s in? Who’s out?
Local housing nonprofits join forces to set policy priorities ahead of Nashville’s mayoral election
A coalition of nonprofits wants Nashville’s next mayor to focus on the city’s future: its children
The first mayoral debate kicks off the race for Nashville’s next mayor. So far, the expansive field is playing nice.

This episode was produced by Magnolia McKay.

Vanderbilt University’s Divinity School is the only one of its kind in the South. It’s liberal and interdenominational, and, under the leadership of Dean Emilie Townes, has only grown its reputation as a theological institution leading in the areas of diversity and social justice.

Later this month, Townes will step down as dean. She joins us to reflect on her legacy, and how the Divinity School has changed with Nashville over the past decade.

But first, we’ll respond to listener feedback in our weekly segment @ us!

Guest:

Emilie M. Townes, theologian, womanist ethicist, author, ordained Baptist clergywoman

This episode was produced by Andrea Tudhope.

It's the holiday season, the busiest time of year for Nashville's performing arts scene. In this episode, we're joined by musicians, vocalists and a representative from the Tennessee Performing Arts Center to talk about some of our city's beloved traditions — from Christmas carols to the ballet. We're talking about what it takes to put these shows on, and how things have changed over the past couple of years.

But first, WPLN criminal justice reporter Paige Pfleger will give us some insight into the Tennessee’s Supreme Court recent ruling that the state’s mandatory 51 year life sentence for juveniles convicted of homicide is cruel and unusual punishment.

Guests:

Paige Pfleger, WPLN criminal justice reporter
Tony Marks, vice president of marketing and communications for the Tennessee Performing Arts Center
Colleen Phelps, host and producer of the Nashville Public Radio podcast Classically Speaking, WUOL music director, and percussionist
Dashon Burton, bass baritone, assistant professor of voice at the Vanderbilt Blair School of music and member of Roomfull of Teeth
Tucker Biddlecombe, Nashville Symphony chorus director

So who is hunting these days? How do folks get started? What are the best tips for hunting ethically? We’ll talk to local wildlife officials and hunters about the sport.

But first, host Khalil Ekulona and digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon respond to listener feedback and talk about what didn't make earlier episodes.

Guests:

George Mattena, long time hunter
Ashley Chance, southeast program coordinator for Artemis sportswomen's organization
Barry Cross, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Region 2 outreach & communications coordinator
Taylor Martin, associate director of programs for Tennessee Wildlife Federation

When the AIDS epidemic began in the 1980s, it was a time of fear, panic, misinformation and deaths. Thought to be a “gay men’s disease” in those days, AIDS became stigmatized with lifestyle and sexuality rather than scientific understanding about its transmission.

It’s been 41 years since the U.S. saw its first reported cases of HIV. We now know more about how HIV/AIDS is transmitted and how to treat it so AIDS it is no longer the death sentence it was once considered to be. Now, around 20,000 Tennesseans are living with HIV, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

December 1 is Worlds AIDS Day. In this episode, we’ll talk with people living with HIV and those who have been on the frontlines providing services and education to battle AIDS in Middle Tennessee since the early days of the virus. We’ll also look at how our understanding of the AIDS epidemic provided a bedrock of understanding when COVID-19 took off.

But first, we’ll be joined by Tennessee Lookout Senior Reporter Anita Wadhwani, who reported on how the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services has been housing children in hospitals.

Guests:

Anita Wadhwani, Tennessee Lookout senior reporter
Joseph Interrante, PhD, former CEO of Nashville CARES
Dwayne Jenkins, GLBT prevention and education services director at Nashville CARES
Regina Beck, Davidson County resident living with HIV
Brandon Jones, public relations and social media manager at Nashville CARES
Dr. Aimalohi Ahonkhai, infectious diseases physician and co-director of the Center for AIDS Research Scientific Working Group on Social Determinants of Health

As we head into the holiday season, many of us are looking forward to some delicious traditional dishes. But inflation means that preparing those meals could be significantly more expensive.

To learn more about how this issue is impacting our communities, we are joined by local resident, farmer and restaurant owner. Then, we'll hear from the leaders of local nonprofits and a pediatrician about what resources are out there and what groups are especially vulnerable to food insecurity.

But first, WPLN senior music reporter Jewly Hight tells us all about WNXP's Artist of the Month for November — Jessy Wilson.

Guests:

Jewly Hight, WPLN senior music reporter
Angel Holt, North Nashville resident who has lived with food insecurity since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic
Reggie Marshall, farmer and owner of Reggie’s Veggies
Seema Prasad, owner of Miel
C.J. Sentell, CEO of the Nashville Food Project
Eden Murrie, CEO of Operation Stand Down Tennessee and a retired Air Force brigadier general
Dr. Cristin Fritz, assistant professor of pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Related reading:

The Nashville hot chicken supply chain has been hit by a ‘perfect storm’
In its final days, The Little Pantry That Could continued to offer more than just groceries
Without Enough Volunteers, Nashville Food Pantries Struggle To Meet Increased Demand
Why Middle Tennessee Hospitals And Clinics Are Doubling As Food Pantries

In 1860, more than 30% of Davidson County’s roughly 47,000 residents were enslaved. That’s nearly 15,000 people. As significant as those numbers are, they underlie another, equally unsettling truth: Nashville was a key location in the sale of enslaved people.

Slavery was a booming business in our city, and helped enrich families whose names are among the most recognizable in Nashville. In this episode we explore this history, how its legacy still echoes in our city, and what we still don’t know — including a trip to uncharted Hill's Island on the Cumberland River.

But first, the nonprofit Historic Nashville, Inc. released its Nashville Nine. At the top of the show, we'll rundown the endangered properties on this year's list.

Guests:

Tony Gonzalez, WPLN special projects editor
Brian Mansfield, Historic Nashville, Inc. president
Dr. Learotha Williams, professor of African American and public history, Tennessee State University
Dr. Carole Bucy, Davidson County historian

Related reading:

TSU Professor Battles ‘Concerted Effort To Erase Black People’ From Nashville History
Juneteenth: A Nashville Historian Sees Slavery As Only ‘Two Grandmas Away’
Belle Meade Plantation Hires A Black Historian, Giving Voice To Long-Silenced Slaves
On A Downtown Corner, A New Marker Acknowledges Nashville’s Slave-Trading Past

The This Is Nashville team is out for the Thanksgiving holiday. We are rebroadcasting an episode about Nashville's indie venues, which first aired in June.

Nashville’s independent music venues have long been a proving ground for up-and-coming artists. They’re also increasingly under threat as development and gentrification continue to put pressure on property values. Mercy Lounge, Cannery Ballroom and the High Watt have closed, and Exit/In recently announced that it will close and reopen under new management after Thanksgiving.

The city is waking up to the problem. Mayor John Cooper declared the week before Memorial Day weekend to be “Music Venue Independence Week.”

What makes these spaces so vital to the life and culture of Music City, and what do we risk losing if they continue to shut down — or are replaced by corporate venues? We’ll look at some of the history, the daunting circumstances of the present and what, if anything, can be done in the future to preserve this slice of Nashville’s cultural landscape.

But first, WPLN health care reporter Blake Farmer has an update about the flu season.

Guests:

Chris Cobb, owner of Exit/In and president of Music Venue Alliance Nashville
Jeff Syracuse, Metro Council member, District 15
Kathryn Edwards, co-owner of DRKMTTR and musician
Mel Bryant, musician
Ariel Bui, musician

Previous WPLN coverage:

Exit/In, Midtown music venue beloved by locals, will close Nov. 24
‘Growth is not always progress’: What Mercy Lounge’s closure says about the health of Nashville’s independent music venues
WNXP: In the Scene: On the complexities of emo nostalgia & creating a sustainable and equitable music ecosystem

In many Native American communities, the fourth Thursday in November is known as the National Day of Mourning instead of Thanksgiving. Instead of feasting with friends and family, the National Day of Mourning is a time for Native Americans to honor their heritage while dispelling myths about the origin of Thanksgiving.

So, what is the history of the National Day of Mourning? We’ll talk with activists to learn more about this day of remembrance.

But first, a look at how Nashvillians are responding to the mass shooting in Colorado Springs.

Guests:

Julia Ritchey, WPLN afternoon news editor
Albert Bender, Cherokee activist and journalist
Jody Gzhadawsot Mattena, board member for the American Indian Movement of Tennessee and food sovereignty activist
Eleanor Lopez, Native American Indian Association of Tennessee board member
Ray Emanuel, executive director of the Native American Indian Association of Tennessee

Election season always get people talking about voter turnout, which tends to be pretty low in Tennessee. The state has consistently ranked in the bottom ten for turnout over the past two decades, but why?

We’ve talked to people about what has driven them to vote. Today, we’re talking to people who do not vote regularly about what’s keeping them home, as well as a couple of experts from local civic engagement organizations.

But first, we have an update on plans to develop the East Bank from WPLN metro reporter Ambriehl Crutchfield.

Guests:

Ambriehl Crutchfield, WPLN metro reporter
Barbi Brown, director of policy and practice for Tennessee Higher Education in Prison Initiative who is unable to vote due to felony disenfranchisement
Shalah Dare, does not vote regularly
Tequila Johnson, co-founder and co-executive director of the Equity Alliance
Debby Gould, president of the League of Women Voters of Tennessee

As the busiest travel season of the year approaches, we check in on Nashville International Airport.

From its origins as Berry Field to its current status as a busy hub for one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country, BNA holds an important place in our city — and its growth. The airport is in the middle of a significant expansion. How big will it get, and what will it mean for the future of Nashville?

But first, the police shooting of a man known as Chief has renewed tensions between authorities and unhoused people in Nashville.

Guests:

Paige Pfleger, WPLN criminal justice reporter
Steven Hale, writer
Alexandria Lundberg, assistant professor, Department of Aerospace, Middle Tennessee State University
Bob Minter, founder and chairman emeritus, Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame
Larry Williams, pilot and retired FAA inspector

Historically Black colleges and universities have recently garnered national attention with legendary professional athletes becoming coaches, financial backers of programs, and expressing their fandom.

In this episode, we'll hear from students and coaches from HBCU athletic programs in Nashville about the growing interest in HBCU sports and what it means for Black athletes.

But first, we'll be joined by WPLN metro reporter Ambriehl Crutchfield about her coverage of Fisk University's gymnastics team.

Guests:

Ambriehl Crutchfield, WPLN metro reporter
Corrinne Tarver, Fisk University gymnastics head coach
Morgan Price, freshman gymnast at Fisk University
Ty Evans, head coach of the women's basketball at Tennessee State University
Dr. Billy Hawkins, professor of health and human performance at University of Houston and author of "The New Plantation: Black Athletes, College Sports, and Predominantly White NCAA Institutions"

Nashville’s drag scene is thriving and as active as it’s ever been, from club shows, to brunches, to transportainment.

It's also a scene with a history that stretches back decades, with origins in Printer's Alley and some of the city's earliest LGBTQ clubs. A proposed state law would criminalize engaging in “an adult cabaret performance on public property or in a location where the adult cabaret performance could be viewed by a person who is not an adult.”

We check in on Nashville’s drag culture and explore its deep history in the city.

But first, we respond to your feedback in this week's @Us.

Guests:

Veronika Electronika, drag performer
Mac Huffington, president of Nashville Pride
Philip Staffelli-Suel, adjunct professor in history and Ph.D student in public history at Middle Tennessee State University
Vanessa Lee, drag performer

Cowboy boots are a classic part of Western wear, but they have become an iconic part of Nashville fashion. How did they come to be so popular here, and how have they changed over time? To learn more, we’re talking with star stylists, writers and local store owners.

But first, we're joined by WPLN senior music writer Jewly Hight to discuss this year's Grammy nominations.

Guests:

Jewly Hight, WPLN senior music writer
Manuel Cuevas, iconic Nashville designer who has outfitted stars including Elvis, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, and Lady Gaga
Karen Corday, author of a series on Western fashion for Wide Wide Country
Tiffany Gifford, celebrity stylist for country music stars like Miranda Lambert and Sheryl Crow
Jaylin Ramer, owner and designer of Planet Cowboy

As the conversation about climate change continues, interest in sustainable energy is also expanding.

In this episode, we’re focusing on solar energy and its potential in Nashville. We explore the options available to homeowners interested in reducing their carbon footprints and take a look at at some of the large-scale solar projects either under way or on the horizon in Middle Tennessee.

But first, Middle Tennessee is home to one of the nation’s top climate polluters. WPLN environmental reporter Caroline Eggers explains who it is and why it matters at the top of the show.

Guests:

Caroline Eggers, WPLN environmental reporter
Carol Ziegler, homeowner who has solar panels, family practitioner and cofounder of the Climate, Health, and Energy Equity Lab at Vanderbilt
Jason Carney, founder and CEO of Energy Electives
Kendra Abkowitz, chief sustainability and resilience officer at Metro Nashville
Matt Beasley, chief commercial officer for Silicon Ranch

Previous WPLN coverage:

Want solar panels? In Tennessee, only corporations and the wealthy can really afford them.
Nashville mayor calls on TVA to convert coal plant to solar energy — not gas
Nashville and Memphis rank near the bottom for solar capacity. Here’s why.

Margo Price is a Grammy nominated artist who has studio three albums and an appearance on Saturday Night Live. However, the journey to country success in Nashville wasn't easy, which she chronicles in her new memoir "Maybe We'll Make It."

On this episode, we're talking to Margo about her path from small town Illinois to the center of country music, her music and more.

But first, WPLN criminal justice reporter Paige Pfleger explains why Tennessee has one of the highest rates of voter disenfranchisement in the country.

Guests:

Paige Pfleger, WPLN criminal justice reporter
Margo Price, country singer-songwriter

Nashville has been drawing in musicians of all stripes for the better part of a century. Today, we’re talking about a growing part of the Nashville music family: classical composers.

The city offers many outlets for these composers to apply their talents — from scoring the ballet, to writing arrangements on a hit record or even making music for video game soundtracks.

But first we check in with WPLN contributor Laura Dean about her recent story on county jail visitations.

Guests:

Laura Dean, freelance journalist and WPLN contributor
Wu Fei, composer, guzheng virtuoso and vocalist
Larissa Maestro, recording musician, arranger, producer and composer
Dave Ragland, composer, conductor, and vocalist
Cristina Spinei, composer and performer
Kelly Corcoran, conductor and artistic director for Intersection

This January, Representative Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, announced that he would be retiring from Congress after 32 years in office. Redistricting, which has diluted the representation of Democratic voters in Nashville, played a key part in his decision.

In this episode, we’re joined by Congressman Cooper to discuss his career, answer your questions and get his thoughts on the future of the Democratic party and electoral politics in Tennessee.

But first, it’s time for @ Us!, where guest host Nina Cardona and digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon respond to listener feedback and questions.

Jewish communities have thrived in Nashville for more than a hundred years. While they may still be small in number compared to their Christian counterparts, Nashville’s Jews continue to enrich local the culture in a variety of ways – not all of them religious.

Today, we examine the state of Judaism in Nashville. What options are available for faith-based community and worship? How do Jewish families connect in an overwhelmingly Christian city?

But first, we’re speaking with WPLN’s own Blaise Gainey and Julia Ritchey to review the results of Tuesday’s elections.

Guests:

Blaise Gainey, WPLN politics reporter
Julia Ritchey, WPLN afternoon editor
Saul Strosberg, Rabbi at Congregation Sherith Israel
Eric Mirowitz, member of East Side Tribe
Jackie Karr, co-director of Nashville’s Jewish Film Festival
Matt Leff, organizer of the Jewish Arts & Music Festival
Leslie Sax, Executive Director of the Gordon JCC

Last month, the Biden administration released a new report announcing that they will use federal courts and health programs to expand the use of medication to treat substance use disorders in pregnant women — and one of those health programs, Firefly, is in Nashville.

Today, we’re joined by a mother and a current recovery coach to learn more about the unique challenges pregnant people face when seeking treatment for substance use disorders. Then, we’ll hear from the medical and executive directors of Firefly to discuss how the program got started, how it works, and how it might be impacted by the Biden Administration’s recent announcement.

Since it’s Election Day, we’ll start today’s episode by checking in with WPLN editor LaTonya Turner and metro reporter Ambriehl Crutchfield about what Middle Tennesseans should know before casting their vote.

Guest:

LaTonya Turner,WPLN morning editor
Ambriehl Crutchfield, WPLN metro reporter
Sarah, a recent patient and mother of two
Reagan Burgenheim, Firefly recovery coach
Dr. Jessica L. Young, medical director of Firefly and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Dr. Stephen Patrick, executive director of Firefly, neonatologist at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center and policy advisor to the White House

A 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health found that 28% of LGBTQ youth experienced homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lives — even though they represent less than 10% of the population. The impact of homelessness is far reaching. LGBTQ youth who experienced housing instability are more two-to-four times more likely to experience depression, anxiety and other mental health issues.

So what is being done to help LGBTQ youth find a safe place to sleep for the night in Nashville?

The nonprofit Nashville Launch Pad has been working since 2014 to address this issue. Last week, the group restarted its cold weather shelter for LGBTQ youth for the first time since the pandemic began.

In this episode, we'll hear from the executives from Nashville Launch Pad and from two community members about their experiences with homelessness.

First, we talk with the Nashville Scene's Kelsey Beyeler about her cover story on the school-to-prison pipeline.

Guests:

Kelsey Beyeler, education reporter, Nashville Scene
Imani Miles
Andrea Mobley
Amiee Sadler, vice president, Nashville Launch Pad
H.G. Stovall, executive director, Nashville Launch Pad

Related episodes:

The growth of LGBT-affirming churches
What housing is ‘affordable’ for you?
Bisexuality in Nashville
Nashville’s growing need for affordable housing
Celebrating Nashville’s LGBTQ+ community, past and present

Out front, a neon sign flickers. Inside, the lights are dim. Folks are playing pool or swapping stories. And the drinks are cold and cheap. Yes, we’re talking about dive bars! Nashville has some great watering holes, and we’ll learn what makes these “low places” so special.

But first, it’s a special Friday edition of @Us, where we respond to listener feedback and preview future episodes.

Guests:

Kevin Menck, regular at Mickey’s Tavern
DeMarko Smith, bartender at Trax
Tara Orr, bartender at Dee’s Lounge, Lucky’s 3-star bar, Arnold’s Country Kitchen and The 5 Spot
Britt Ronstadt, bartender at Mickey’s Tavern
Eric Patton, barback and bartender at Dee’s Lounge

Last month, This Is Nashville asked listeners to submit their questions for incumbent Gov. Bill Lee and Democratic candidate Dr. Jason Martin ahead of the Tennessee gubernatorial election on November 8.

We invited both candidates from the two major parties to the studio to answer listener questions, but Gov. Lee declined. In this special election episode of Citizen Nashville, Martin answers your questions and gives his thoughts on other pressing issues facing Tennesseans.

But first, four state constitution amendments are on the ballot. WPLN reporters Alexis Marshall, Blake Farmer and Paige Pfleger explain what a yes or no vote means for each amendment.

What is does it mean to be white? How has whiteness developed in our region differently than in other parts of the United States? In this episode, we're talking with educators, authors, and community members about who has historically been considered white in Middle Tennessee, what being white has meant, and how that’s changed over time.

But first, we're discussing the rise of Christian nationalism in Tennessee politics with the Tennessean religion reporter Liam Adams.

Guests:

Liam Adams, religion reporter for the Tennessean
Tim Wise, anti-racist writer and educator
Molly Secours, filmmaker, speaker, and author of White Privilege Pop Quiz
Danielle Simpler, community member and parent
David Dark, professor of religion and the arts at Belmont University

Additional reading:

Tennessean: Tennessee Politics Illustrates the Rise of Christian Nationalism

Día de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, is an important holiday honoring those who have come before us. While its origins are Aztec and Mesoamerican, it is primarily observed in Mexico and other Latin American countries, but there are celebrations held around the globe.

In this episode, we explore the traditions of Día de los Muertos and how it’s celebrated here in Nashville.

But first, a look at some key legislative races in the upcoming midterm elections.

Guests:

Chas Sisk, WPLN senior editor
Julia Ritchey, WPLN afternoon editor
Mayra Yu, executive director, Casa de la Cultura Latino Americana
Jessica Márquez Muñoz, manager of advocacy & communications, Conexión Américas
Jose Vera Gonzalez, artist
Suzy Vera, Jose’s wife
Yuri Cunza, president and CEO, Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Happy Halloween! This spookiest of holidays has changed a lot over the years, transforming from an ancient Celtic festival to a parade of adorable trick-or-treaters. But through it all, tales of ghosts and ghouls and things that go bump in the night have remained a central part of the tradition.

So today, we’re bringing you a special episode featuring some of Nashville’s legendary ghost stories.

Our storytellers:

Pat Fitzhugh, author of The Bell Witch: The Full Account and “The Bell Witch Site”
Jeff Sellers, director of public programs at the Tennessee State Museum
Judy “Butterfly” Farlow, storyteller
John Pyka, Nightly Spirits ghost tour guide and co-host of the podcast “Back of the Cereal Box”
Becca Raleigh, actor and comedian

World-renowned artist William Edmondson was self-taught. The son of formerly enslaved people, Edmondson was born and raised in Nashville, and after what he described as divine inspiration, he began sculpting. Much of his work was practical, like tombstones, made from cast-off pieces of stone.

He went on to become the first African American artist to have a solo show at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. We explore the legacy of William Edmonson and the importance of the site where his workshop once stood in the Edgehill neighborhood since this weekend is the first annual William Edmondson Arts + Culture Festival.

But first, we get up to speed on the Nashville Artist of the Month and Record of the Week over at our sister station WNXP.

Guests:

Jewly Hight, senior music writer, Nashville Public Radio.
Dr. Learotha Williams, professor of African American and public history, Tennessee State University
Michael McBride, artist and professor, Tennessee State University
Mark Schlicher, filmmaker, vice president, Friends of the William Edmondson Homesite, Park & Gardens
Brenda Morrow, president, Friends of the William Edmondson Homesite, Park & Gardens
Georgeanne Matthews, assistant professor, University of Maryland School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation

Disability benefits can be absolutely vital for those who are eligible for them. These come in the form of Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance, federal programs overseen by the Social Security Administration.

But, applying and re-certifying for these benefits an be complicated, and the benefits themselves are often not enough to live on. To learn more about what it’s like to navigate the disability benefits system in Tennessee, we’re joined by community members with firsthand experience. Then, we’re taking a look at how the system works with an independent living specialist and a state official.

But first, it’s @Us. Host Khalil Ekulona and senior producer Steve Haruch respond to listener feedback and preview future episodes.

Guests:

Rachel Kestner, who lives with cerebral palsy
Haizey Peden, who lives with seizures
Marissa Smith-Fletcher, independent living specialist at Empower Tennessee
Kevin Wright, assistant commissioner of Rehabilitation Services at the Department of Human Services

Expanding access to alternative forms of schooling is central to Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s education plans.

The Educational Savings Account Program gives families access to vouchers that allow students in Davidson and Shelby counties to use money designated for public schooling and apply it to tuition at alternative institutions like private schools, in addition to other approved expenses.

The act that created the program was passed in 2019, but it has been challenged in court. In today’s episode, we discuss the status of the program and talk to parents about why they might, or might not, opt to use the voucher program.

But first, we check hear the latest on Metro Nashville’s community-based efforts around violence reduction.

Guests:

Paige Pfleger, WPLN criminal justice reporter
Mariah Timms, justice reporter, The Tennessean
Tanya Coats, president, Tennessee Education Association
Shaka Mitchell, director of state strategy and advocacy, Tennessee Federation for Children
Emily Masters, MNPS District 3 representative
Trisha Lucente, Parents’ Choice Tennessee
Jason Sparks, MNPS parent

One of the largest Laotian communities in the United States is in Middle Tennessee. In this episode, we leave Nashville to meet the people of Laos who call Murfreesboro home. We'll talk about how this community came to be and how immigrants from Laos are passing on their culture and heritage to the next generation.

But first, early voting is underway and one of the races we're closely watching is for Tennessee's 7th Congressional District. We'll talk to Tennessee Lookout reporter Sam Stockard about the candidates Republican Congressman Mark Green and Democrat Odessa Kelly, and why Green is calling the Congressional district map unfair.

Guests:

Sam Stockard, Tennessee Lookout reporter
Tommy Mekaloun, vice president of Wat Lao Buddhist Temple
Phaivanh Mekaloun, singer and Tommy's wife
Sophia Luangrath, API of Middle Tennessee board member
Chay Sengkhounmany, lead immigration attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee

Many of Tennessee’s traditional and folk art forms are carried on by small numbers of artisans. But since 2017, the Tennessee Arts Commission has been pairing up knowledgeable “masters” with “apprentices” to work to preserve traditions.

Broom makers, shoe cobblers, luthiers and milliners, along with gospel singers, buck dancers, Kurdish musicians and square dance callers have taken part in the Tennessee Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program.

On today’s episode, we hear from both masters and apprentices about preserving their crafts for the next generation, along with Director of Folklife Bradley Hanson, who launched and oversees the apprenticeship program for the arts commission.

“The world is not telling kids to go become old-time fiddlers. It just isn’t. But we are,” says Hanson. “We’re a kind of cheerleader, booster, funder and advocate. … It’s the state of Tennessee saying, ‘We value this.’ ”

But first, we’re hearing the latest about the rising opposition to gender affirming surgeries from Tennessee Republicans, who are vowing to file new legislation. WPLN state politics reporter Blaise Gainey and senior healthcare reporter Blake Farmer will share what they learned while covering a heated rally on Friday in downtown Nashville.

Guests:

Jimmy Bilbrey, bluegrass musician and apprentice fiddle maker
Jack Martin, broom maker and owner of Hockaday Handmade Brooms
Arkan Doski, traditional Kurdish musician
Manuel Delgado, luthier and owner of Delgado Guitars
Bradley Hanson, director of folklife at the Tennessee Arts Commission
Maxine White, milliner and owner of Maxie’s Hats

Nashville is infamous for being a bachelorette paradise, but what about the "I dos"?

In this episode, we talk to newlyweds about their experiences planning and having the biggest day of their lives in Middle Tennessee. We also hear from a wedding planner about recent trends and the state of the wedding industry in Nashville.

But first, hundreds of Tennessee children have spent the night in offices belonging to the Department of Children's Services or transitional housing. Tennessean reporter Josh Keefe joins us at the top of the show to talk about his investigation into the struggling state agency.

Guests:

Josh Keefe, investigative reporter for the Tennessean
Meaghan and Tanner Zerick, newlyweds
Kaliyah Halsey, newlywed
Raina van Setter, wedding planner and owner of Weddings & Events by Raina

It’s fall, and that means it’s a great time to forage and preserve foods.

As trees and plants prepare for winter themselves, there are nuts, berries and roots abound for foraging as long as you do it responsibly. Because it’s harvest time, it’s also the perfect time to preserve foods to help get through the winter as long as you do it safely.

So what’s out there to forage? How can we keep our harvest usable for the coming months? We talk with local foragers about what you can find to eat out in the wild, and with some avid canners about how to make your autumn bounty last beyond the season.

But first, it’s @Us. Host Khalil Ekulona and digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon respond to listener feedback and preview future episodes about disability benefits and the governor’s race.

Guests:

Alan Powell, operations director of Nashville Grown
Leah Larabell, co-owner of High Garden Tea
Katie Coss, former executive chef at Husk Nashville who recently appeared on Chefs vs Wild
Elizabeth Sanders, county director of UT-TSU Extension, Davidson County

Since 1996, a small corner of Centennial Park has memorialized children who died from violence. Last year, the Children’s Memorial Garden was redesigned and expanded. The garden reopened on Tuesday with the engraved names of more than 200 children.

In this episode, we explore garden’s history, talk to those who have been maintaining it all these years, and the families of the children who are remembered there.

But first, early voting begins Wednesday at election offices across the state. One of the most competitive races is for Tennessee’s redrawn 5th Congressional District. WPLN political reporter Blaise Gainey joins us at the top of the episode with more on this race.

Guests:

Blaise Gainey, WPLN political reporter
Andrea Conte, founder of You Have The Power
Kelby Smith, came up with the idea for the garden
Regina Hockett, mother of 12-year-old Adriane Dickerson
Debbie Gray, aunt of 9-year-old Crystal Faith
Enid Price, grandmother of 3-year-old Paris Clark-Wilcox

Iran is experiencing massive protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, after she was taken into custody by the nation’s morality police for allegedly wearing her headscarf improperly. Thousands of people, from schoolgirls to oil and gas workers, have taken to the streets to protest police brutality, Iran’s strict morality laws, and, increasingly, the regime. Popular slogans among protestors include “Woman, Life, Freedom” and “death to the dictator.”

In Nashville, the Iranian and Kurdish communities have held several demonstrations in solidarity with the protests in Iran in an effort to raise awareness of what’s going on. Many still have family in Iran and worry for their safety. In this episode, we’re joined by members of the local Iranian and Kurdish communities to hear about their concerns.

But first, Mayor John Cooper and the Tennessee Titans recently announced a deal to build a new $2.18 billion domed stadium. At the top of the show, WPLN metro reporter Ambriehl Crutchfield explains how this will impact Nashville tax payers.

Guests:

Ambriehl Crutchfield, WPLN metro reporter
Maryam Abolfazli, Iranian-American who has attended protests in Nashville
Ramona Heidari, Iranian-American who helped organize Nashville protests
Reza Sharif, Iranian-American
Ariana Blourchian, Brentwood High School student who attended protests in Nashville

Starting in October 1838, more than 16,000 Cherokee people who had been forced from their homes in Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee began their journey to Indian Territory, in what is now known as Oklahoma.

Undertaken through the fall and winter, the journey was fatal for a fourth of the population. The various routes became known collectively as the Trail of Tears, which passes right through present-day Nashville. The Cherokee were not the only people swept up in the ethnic cleansing of the Southeast. Members of the Muscogee, Choctaw, Chickasaw and Seminole nations were also forced to walk the trail.

Today, some portions of the trail are clearly marked, with interpretive panels and information for visitors. Other segments are less clearly marked, if they’re marked at all. We talk with some of the people working to keep this history alive.

But first, health care reporter Blake Farmer has an update on the Vanderbilt pediatric transgender clinic and the political campaign against it.

Guests:

Blake Farmer, WPLN senior health care reporter
Toye Heape, vice president of the Native History Association
Melba Checote-Eads, member of the Muscogee Creek nation
Helen Tarleton, Whites Creek resident

Nashville has a higher concentration of music industry jobs than any other city in the country. So what are our public schools doing to train up the next generation of behind-the-scenes talent — sound engineers, composers, producers or managers? We talk to kids about what opportunities they’ve had in Nashville’s public schools, and why it’s important to invest in these programs.

But first, Nashville Scene’s Editor in Chief D. Patrick Rodgers gives us a peek behind the scenes of the Best of Nashville awards.

Guests:

D. Patrick Rodgers, Nashville Scene
Israel Perez, senior at Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School
Ian Concepcion, senior at John Overton High School
Avalon Simpson, senior at Nashville School of the Arts
Brittany Edmondson, academy coach at Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School
Nathan Barna, music teacher at John Overton High School
Brian Sexton, chair of Music Makes Us

This weekend, the Southern Festival of Books returns for its 34th year. It’s also the first time back in person since 2019. This beloved institution has gone through some challenging times to get back to this point. What can attendees expect this year? And what does this literary festival mean to the cultural life of our city?

We’ll talk with organizers and longtime attendees about literary Nashville’s biggest event, and we’ll meet four authors who will be appearing. Interested in checking it out? The full list of authors is here, and the full daily schedule is here.

But first, we respond to listener feedback in our weekly @ Us! segment, one day earlier than usual.

Guests:

Serenity Gerbman, director of Southern Festival of Books
Gloria Ballard, festival host
Alana White, author of The Hearts of All on Fire
Major Jackson, author of A Beat Beyond and Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Chair in the Humanities at Vanderbilt University
Francesca Royer, author of Black Country Music and professor of English at DePaul University
Zaid Brifkani, author of The Mountains We Carry

County icon Loretta Lynn died October 4 at the age of 90. Born a coal miner's daughter in Butcher's Hollow, Kentucky, she was a fixture of Nashville's music scene since the 1960s. She performed several times at the Grand Ole Opry and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983. It was in Nashville that her autobiographical, Oscar-winning film Coal Miner’s Daughter first debuted in 1980.

Today, we're diving into the legacy Loretta Lynn has left behind, in Nashville and beyond. We're discussing how she created her own image in the music industry, and the tension between how she addressed gender and class in her songs and her explicit rejection of the label "feminist." Then, we're joined by country artists from Kentucky to talk about how Loretta Lynn influenced their careers.

But first, we're checking in on the mayoral elections in Mason, Tennessee.

Guests:

Anita Wadhwani, senior reporter at the Tennessee Lookout
Jewly Hight, WNXP editorial director
Amanda Marie Martinez, historian of the country music industry from the 1970s to the 1990s
Angaleena Presley, country artist from rural Kentucky and a member of the Pistol Annies
Kelsey Waldon, country singer songwriter from rural Kentucky

Additional reading:

WNPX: Loretta Lynn, country music icon, has died at 90
NPR: Personifying a country ideal, Loretta Lynn tackled sexism through a complicated lens

In honor of Indigenous Peoples Day, This Is Nashville is rebroadcasting an episode about local indigenous communities.

Nashville has a rich indigenous history that dates back to the last ice age, as well as a small but vibrant Native American community that is working to gain recognition and resources in Middle Tennessee.

The first people to inhabit the area that is now modern Nashville were Native Americans who arrived here about 14,000 years ago. During the Mississippian period they built farms, villages and even cities – all decades before contact with European settlers.

In this episode, we address a listener email This Is Nashville received after the first episode about the number of folks who lived in prehistoric Nashville. We speak to a historian and an archeological advisor to learn more about the original inhabitants of Nashville, and what they left behind. Then we’re joined by two more members of Nashville’s indigenous community to discuss their experiences and efforts to preserve and raise awareness of their history and culture, from beadwork to land acknowledgments.

Guests:

Albert Bender, Cherokee activist with the American Indian Coalition
Charles Robinson, member of TN Archeological Advisory Council and enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation
Sally Wells, president of the Native American Indian Association of Tennessee and enrolled member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw
Dante Reyna, Ph.D. student and member of the Vanderbilt Indigenous Scholars Organization

Resources and additional reading:

WPLN: The dream to build Tennessee’s first Native American cultural center keeps getting further away

Fall is here and the weather is perfect for getting outside and exploring the parks, trails and greenways of Middle Tennessee. In today's episode, we're joined by outdoors educators to learn more about just what kinds of hiking experiences and resources the Nashville area has to offer. Then, a pair of experienced hikers will talk about equipment, safety, community and the Appalachian trail.

But first, WPLN metro reporter Ambriehl Crutchfield will dive into the discussions over the rezoning of the Riverchase apartments.

Guests:

John Michael Cassidy, Shelby Bottoms director
Sophia Wang, outdoors educator
Jess Mae Lancaster, avid hiker and author of She Hikes Tennessee
Melanie Harsha, avid hiker who has completed the Appalachian Trail

Around Nashville, more and more churches are becoming LGBTQ-affirming. According to the website Gay Church, affirming congregations — also known as reconciling or welcoming — have increased by more than 50 percent in Nashville over the past decade. That reflects a national trend.

For some Nashville churches, the mission goes well beyond welcoming, centering LGBTQ people in worship and leadership. What does LGBTQ-affirming church look like in Nashville? We explore what it means for the religious culture of our city.

But first, we respond to listener feedback in our weekly @Us segment.

Guests:

Rev. Dawn Bennett, pastor at Table Nashville
Steven Adair, worship and communications at Glendale United Methodist Church
Eric Patton, minister specializing in LGBTQ weddings
Kashif Andrew Graham, outreach librarian for religion and theology for Vanderbilt Divinity Library
Lóre Stevens, MDiv, intern pastor at First Universalist Church of Minneapolis

The past few years have not been easy for Nashville’s WeGo bus network. But behind the scenes, the agency has been trying to make progress on improvements that riders have been requesting for many years.

On today’s show, we start by looking back over the bus system’s recent history. In 2018, voters rejected a sprawling mass transit proposal. In 2019, budget cuts led WeGo to eliminate some routes. And then the coronavirus pandemic slashed ridership.

We’ll also talk with WeGo leaders and frequent bus riders about what’s been going on since then. The agency has been using data and analysis to tweak its routes and schedules, and has had some success in running buses more frequently, as well as later into the night, and more often on weekends.

You can also learn more about WeGo’s latest adjustments — which took effect Oct. 2 — online here.

Guests:

Tony Gonzalez, WPLN Special Projects Editor
Trey Walker, WeGo chief development officer
John Bull, bus rider and advocate for the unhoused
Lisa Kim, student bus rider and WeGo Public Transit Youth Action Team member
Beth Sims, regional bus rider and administrative coordinator at Vanderbilt School of Nursing
Stacey Irvin, bus rider and photographer

Nashville is known as the Buckle on the Bible Belt. However, the city is home to a diversity of religions and traditions, including paganism.

In today’s episode, we’re joined by a pair of community leaders to learn more about Pagan Pride Day and what it means to be pagan in a traditionally Christian area. Then, we’ll hear from solo practitioners about how they found paganism, and how they discuss their spirituality with their family and friends.

But first, WPLN’s political and criminal justice reporters fill us in on their interview with Tennessee’s new Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti.

Guests:

Blaise Gainey, WPLN political reporter
Paige Pfleger, WPLN criminal justice reporter
Lucy Jameson, Wiccan and coordinator of Nashville Pagan Pride Day
Deb Moore, Interfaith Minister of Unity of Music City
Harmonie Dingui, solitary witch and former evangelical Christian
Addie Lopshire-Bratt, raised and practicing Wiccan

Film festival season is underway in Nashville. The International Black Film Festival wrapped up on Sunday while the Nashville Film Festival is slated to run until Wednesday.

In this episode, we look at the history and significance of these two festivals in Music City. We'll also be joined by local filmmakers, who will talk about their craft and decision to work in Nashville.

But first, Hillsdale College-affiliated charter schools withdrew its request to start schools in Tennessee on Friday after complaints from parents. NewsChannel 5 investigative reporter Phil Williams will explain the controversy behind these schools and what it says about the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission.

Guests:

Phil Williams, NewsChannel 5 investigative reporter
Hazel Joyner-Smith, founder and CEO of the International Black Film Festival
Lauren Ponto, programming director for the Nashville Film Festival
Amy Bertram, professor of film history at Belmont University and judge at the Nashville Film Festival
Phynley Joel, filmmaker and recent Lipscomb University graduate
Seck, filmmaker who had directed music videos for Nashville artists
Max Butler, filmmaker and producer

Related coverage:

‘Jacir’ is a film about a Syrian refugee who navigates poverty and racism in Memphis. The film’s director can relate.
Directors Joshua Britt and Neilson Hubbard Talk Big Old Goofy World: The Story of Oh Boy Records

Anyone who lives in Nashville can tell you how hard it is to get around town without a car. But, trying to bike to work or school can be dangerous or downright impossible in the city.

Today, we’re joined by transportation planners and a cyclist to learn more about the current state of our city’s cycling infrastructure and what plans are in the works. Then, we’ll hear from a couple of educators who work with kids and adults about what it means to own a bicycle and the best ways to stay safe on the road.

But first, WPLN metro reporter Ambriehl Crutchfield discusses her profile of Nashville’s Vice Mayor Jim Shulman and the politics of politeness.

Guests:

Ambriehl Crutchfield, WPLN metro reporter
Daniel Capparella, associate transportation planner for the Greater Nashville Regional Council
Cedric Duncan, director of Bike for Equality
Dan Furbish, founder of the Oasis Bike Workshop
Cathy Carrillo, education and engagement manager for Walk Bike Nashville

When it comes to manners and etiquette, every city has its local quirks. So we explore the question: What is “Nashville Nice”?

This is the South, so you’re likely to hear a good old fashioned “bless your heart” on a regularly basis. But there’s more to unpack. So we explore some of the origins and nuances of Music City’s social graces with our panel — as well the potential downsides of keeping up an appearance of niceness.

But first, it’s our weekly @Us segment.

Guests:

Freda Player, Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools Board of Education, District 7
Dr. Carole Bucy, Davidson County historian
Tracey Hughes Royal, principal of Tracey Royal Communications and CEO business mentor for Pinnacle Global Network
Vali Forrister, co-founder and producing artistic director, Actors Bridge Ensemble
Benjamin Houston, senior lecturer at Newcastle University; author of The Nashville Way: Racial Etiquette and the Struggle for Social Justice in a Southern City

Nashville is home to one of the nation’s most prominent HBCU marching bands: The Aristocrat of Bands (AOB) at Tennessee State University.

The band is revered for its live performances, including at presidential inaugurations, NFL halftime shows and parades. Now they’re blazing a new path with a studio-recorded gospel album, “The Urban Hymnal,” that unites many musical genres. On today’s show we’ll hear the behind-the-scenes story of how that album came to be, learn more about the legacy of the AOB, and talk with current and former members of the band.

Then we’ll look to the next generation of marching bands by hearing from high school band directors and a student musician. With that next generation in mind, Metro Schools is hosting its first “Metro Marching Classic” on Saturday. The free event begins at 5:30 p.m. at John Overton High School and will feature performances by a dozen of the city’s marching bands.

Guests:

Jewly Hight, WNXP editorial director
Larry Jenkins, assistant director of bands at Tennessee State University
AyyWillé, artist, educator, and saxophonist
Eleni Miller, band director at John Overton High School
Jamen Jackson, student musician at John Overton High School
Johnny Croft, band director at Cane Ridge High School

Housing is affordable — meaning you are not cost burdened — if it takes up 30% or less of your gross income, according to national housing guidelines. But we want to know what YOU would consider affordable in Nashville.

In this episode, we’re speaking with local residents to about their particular concerns about finding and paying for housing in Nashville. Then, we’re joined by a local expert and an official to answer listener questions.

But first, WPLN contributor Laura Dean will dive into her reporting on proposed transit plans for the East Bank.

Guests:

Samantha Tidwell, an Old Hickory homeowner and speech pathologist at West Nashville St. Thomas
Carolyn Naifeh, co-founder of Our Place Nashville and West Nashville homeowner
Kierre Ogbonna, a West Nashville renter and health care recruiter at Health Trust
Burkley Allen, Metro Council member at large
Dr. Paulette Coleman, Metro Development and Housing Agency board member and housing justice advocate

With a mix of homegrown startups and big players moving in, Nashville’s tech scene is booming, and it shows no signs of slowing down.

It’s good news for the city’s boosters who see the economic benefits of a strong tech sector, which is expected to bring thousands of high-paying jobs. However, there’s a lingering question about who will fill those jobs, especially since the tech field is predominately white and male%2C%20and).

But, in Nashville, there are those who are working to make the field more inclusive. Today, we’ll talk to them about their initiatives to diversify tech and the challenges they’ve faced in the field.

We’ll be starting the show with an update from senior health reporter Blake Farmer about the controversy surrounding Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Transgender Health Clinic.

Guests:

Blake Farmer, WPLN senior health reporter
Dr. Teresa Vasquez, lead instructor of the part-time web development program at the Nashville Software School
Nissa McKinney, recent graduate of the Nashville Software School
Lena Winfree, co-president of the Blacks In Technology – Nashville chapter and co-founder of Rachel + Winfree Data Consulting
Elise Cambournac, CEO and president of the Greater Nashville Technology Council
Traci Snowden, founder of Apto Global

When you think of Music City, you probably think of the big-name musicians who got their start here. But session musicians, studio musicians, and backing musicians are a huge part of what keeps the live music scene alive and thriving.

These are the go-to musicians hired to perform in recording sessions or live performances. In this episode, we’ll meet session musicians and a recording engineer to get an inside look at how the craft works.

But first, we’re talking about the vulnerabilities of our electricity grid with WPLN environmental reporter Caroline Eggers.

Guests:

Chuck Ainlay, music producer and recording engineer
Derrek Phillips, Grammy Award-winning drummer
Kristin Weber, fiddler and singer
Amber Woodhouse, vocalist and saxophonist, one of the lead singers for Trigger Hippy

Bisexual people make up the largest proportion of the LGBTQ community but are also sometimes the least visible. So, we take a look at the lives and journeys of bisexual people in this city, and how they find community on social media, and in person.

But first, we start the hour with our weekly @ Us segment, responding to your feedback.

Guests:

Emily April Allen, photographer, founder of the Nashville Bi Diaries project
Kristin Jones, speech pathologist, founder of Voce Speech Therapy
Phil Cobucci, founder of Inclusion Tennessee
Adrian White, graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School
Paul Brisco, corporate trainer and DEI advocate
Aaliyah Dailey, chef and doula working with queer, trans and BIPOC families

Their work can be subtle and unseen, but neighborhood associations often play a key role in building connections among neighbors and setting the vision for a community. But running an association is no small job.

Their myriad tasks can include staying on top of changes within the city, advocating for Metro services, organizing local events, and also recruiting participants to serve on the association itself. What does it take for a neighborhood association to remain relevant to the average (extremely busy) resident? On top of all that, the pandemic has tested the bonds of communities, and the city continues to change quickly, with newcomers arriving in droves.

That’s been challenging for neighborhood groups, so on today’s episode we’ll explore how they’re adapting and hearing from the leader of Neighbor 2 Neighbor, which offers training to neighborhood association leaders. In fact, there’s one day left to enroll in the nonprofit’s Emerging Neighborhood Leaders Academy, and their annual Good Neighbor Day Festival is happening Saturday in Madison.

We’ll also drop in on a community project in Cane Ridge, where the founder of the Tennessee Nature Academy has been working with teenagers to grow a massive pumpkin patch that will be the centerpiece of a new fall festival on Oct. 1. The effort has soaring ambitions of creating a bridge between the area’s agricultural heritage and the wave of new residents.

But first, we’ll dig into the controversy over the attorney that the Biden administration has nominated for the top prosecutor job in the Eastern District of Tennessee. Host Khalil Ekulona and WPLN All Things Considered host Marianna Bacallao will unpack why advocates for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are calling for the nomination to be withdrawn, and hear from the University of Tennessee professor who was prosecuted — but acquitted — after he says he was ensnared by the so-called “China Initiative.”

Guests:

Twana Chick, president of Cane Ridge Community Club
Jim Hawk, president of Neighbor 2 Neighbor
Tiffany Archer, leader with North Nashville Organization for Community Improvement
Carson Cooper, resident of District 30

Dr. Alex Jahangir served as head of Metro Nashville’s COVID-19 Task Force for the two years it was in existence. It was a role he never expected to fill, but with the city between Public Health Department directors, he stepped up when asked by Mayor John Cooper.

The long hours, on top of his already demanding workload as a trauma surgeon and coupled with intense public scrutiny, took a toll on his personal life. Through it all, Dr. Jahangir kept a pandemic version of “op notes” — the entries he writes after each operation. He later expanded these into a book, Hot Spot: A Doctor’s Diary From the Pandemic, published this month. He talks about what he learned leading Nashville's COVID response.

But first, a new episode of Reveal looks into the history of convict leasing, a practice that enriched companies across the South and in Tennessee.

Guests:

Margie Mason, reporter, Associated Press
Dr. Alex Jahangir, professor of orthopaedic surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Earlier this month, Mesa Komal Cafe opened at Belmont University. The cafe is a unique partnership between Belmont, the hospitality company Sodexo and Conexión Américas that will feature chefs from the Mesa Komal culinary incubator program at Casa Azafrán on a rotating roster. First up: longtime chef and caterer Karla Ruiz.

For nearly a decade, the Mesa Komal program at Conexión Américas has provided work space in their commercial kitchen for food entrepreneurs, often connecting immigrant and first-generation small businesses with their first access to the kind of facility that enables them to make the jump, in some cases, from informal homespun venture to full-fledged business.

We hear from current and former chefs about this new partnership and the ongoing commissary, as well as from one of its creators.

But first, an update on how harm reduction efforts are advancing even as some drug use remains criminalized in Tennessee.

Guests:

Blake Farmer, WPLN senior health care reporter
Karla Ruiz, chef, Viva La Vida
José González, assistant professor of management and entrepreneurship, Belmont University
Nadine Moore, chef, Birria Babe
Ragab Rashwan, chef, King Tut’s

Americana is a unique genre of music. Straight away, its name lets you know that it is a self-aware exploration of national identity and culture, something that our country has been fiercely debating for the past several years.

Today marks the fourth day of the annual Americana Fest. In this episode, we're sitting down with artists from Nashville and beyond to talk about the future of this genre and its relationship to Music City.

But first, we're speaking with Nashville Scene reporter Kelsey Beyeler about Hillsdale College-affiliated charter schools' contentious journey to gain approval in Tennessee.

Guests:

Kelsey Beyeler, Nashville Scene reporter
Samuel Herb, Americana and funk soul singer songwriter
Kyle Daniel, Americana singer, guitarist and songwriter
Rissi Palmer, country, pop, soul, R&B and Americana singer songwriter
Lilli Lewis, Americana singer and composer

Dr. Paul Kwami, longtime music director of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, passed away this weekend. He was 70. Under his direction, the group garnered a Grammy, a Dove Award and the National Medal of Arts. The group was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and performed at The Apollo, Carnegie Hall and the White House among other venues.

Kwami also took the ensemble to Ghana, where he grew up. While there, the singers recorded at Elmina Castle, once a key location in the transatlantic slave trade.

On today's episode, we talk with current and former singers to reflect on his life and legacy, and listen back to some of the music performed under his tutelage.

We start the hour with our weekly @ Us segment, responding to your feedback.

Guests:

Jada Spight, Fisk Jubilee Singer
Kendall Speaks, Fisk Jubilee Singer
Dr. G. Preston Wilson, assistant professor of music education at Rider University and former Fisk Jubilee Singer
Dr. MarQo Patton, assistant professor of music business at Belmont University and former Fisk Jubilee Singer

More:

150 Years of the Fisk Jubilee Singers

How are Nashville’s small businesses rebounding from the pandemic? The report card is mixed.

Metro recently handed out $9 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan, and more than 450 local businesses benefited. Yet, nearly twice that number applied and were unable to tap into the money before it ran out. That sent a clear message that the city’s small businesses still need support.

In this episode, we’ll hear from Pathway Lending, which works to get capital to underserved small businesses. Pathway also oversees the federal grants that make up the Nashville Small Business Recovery Fund — and while the grant money is finished, another pool of $9 million is still available in the form of low-interest loans.

We’ll also hear firsthand from three business owners — about their work, the difficulties they’ve faced, and the support programs they have (and haven’t) been able to access. Three of our guests are Latina business owners who have tapped into programs like Negocio Próspero at Conexión Américas and Avanzando through the Tennessee Latin American Chamber of Commerce.

But first, we’ll learn the latest about a police body camera footage dispute. Host Khalil Ekulona and WPLN criminal justice reporter Paige Pfleger will delve into the tension between the Metro Nashville Police Department and the Community Oversight Board, which investigates allegations of misconduct.

Guests:

Thomas Sheffield, director of the Nashville Opportunity Fund through Pathway Lending
Altagracia Buendia, owner of We Clean residential cleaning service
Noelia Chinchilla Oliva, owner of Olive Plates Rental & Catering
Becca Blank, business development chair with Voces De Nashville, a cooperatively owned company that teaches Spanish

It feels like just as we’ve started to get a grip on COVID-19, a new highly-contagious disease has emerged: monkeypox.

We’re sitting down with people in the community to learn more about what their concerns are and what they’re doing to keep themselves safe. There’s a lot of misinformation and stigma around this virus, so to get answers to your questions, we’re joined by experts in LGBTQ+ health and infectious disease.

But first, we’re talking all things Titans with the editor of the All Titans Fan Network page.

Guests:

David Boclair, editor of the All Titans Fan Network page
Brenda Waybrant, co-founder ROC Music City
Desirèe Arista, VP of Health Equity and Inclusion for Revive
Tonita Rincones, Belmont student and publicist for the Belmont Bridge Builders
Del Ray Zimmerman, director of the Office for Diversity Affairs and LGBTQ Health at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Dr. Sean Kelly, expert on infectious disease and doctor at the Vanderbilt Comprehensive Care Clinic

Previous coverage:

How Middle Tennessee colleges should be preparing for potential monkeypox outbreaks
Tennessee is switching to ‘intradermal’ dosing to stretch monkeypox vaccine

On Monday, Warner Elementary Arts Magnet School in East Nashville was named a reward school. This makes it one of the top-performing schools in all of Metro Nashville.

While that is plenty to celebrate on its own, consider this: Just two years ago, Warner was a so-called “priority school,” meaning it was among the lowest-performing schools. In that two-year span, enrollment has more than doubled.

Warner was the subject of Season 2 of WPLN’s podcast The Promise, which explores not only the plan to improve the school, but also the stark difference between Warner and another school just about a mile away. While Warner’s student population was majority Black, Lockeland Elementary School was almost entirely white.

Host of The Promise Meribah Knight joins us to talk about this dramatic turnaround. We’re also joined by the school’s principal and parents of both new and longtime students.

Guests:

Meribah Knight, WPLN senior reporter
Erin Mock, Warner parent
Willie Sims, Lockeland parent
Ricki Gibbs, Warner principal
Heather Wood, Lockeland and Warner parent

Songwriters are at the heart of Music City’s namesake industry, from big-name performers to veteran hitmakers to those just starting out. In this episode, we’re sitting down with songwriters, musicians and a local union president to learn about what it takes to write songs and make a living in Music City.

But first, we’re saying goodbye to WPLN enterprise reporter Damon Mitchell and talking about some of his proudest work from his time at WPLN.

Guests:

Damon Mitchell, WPLN enterprise reporter
Henry Brill, songwriter and producer
Ellisa Sun,songwriter artist
Dave Pomeroy, President of the Nashville Musicians Association

Songs played during the show:

“Lights Down Low” by The Thing With Feathers
“Past Noon” by Ellisa Sun
“The Day the Fingerpickers Took Over the World” by Chet Atkins and Tommy Emmanuel

Many Nashvillians are vaguely aware that the city is home to “Little Kurdistan,” which is the largest Kurdish community in America. However, it’s easy to know that fact without really understanding these neighbors.

In this episode, we’ll unpack how Nashville became a destination for Kurdish refugees starting in the late 1970s and then hear from local Kurds about their future hopes and ambitions for their community.

But first, it’s time for @ us! Host Khalil Ekulona and digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon respond to listener questions and feedback about birth control, the missing purple martins and more.

Guests:

Dara Aziz, software engineer born in Kurdistan
Dilman Yasin, community outreach coordinator with Kurdish Professionals
Media Elmas, data analyst with Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nawzad Hawrami, founding member board of the Salahadeen Center

Related episode:

What it means to celebrate Newroz in Middle Tennessee

Thousands of Tennesseans could have their student loans reduced or wiped clean under a new program by the Biden administration.

Student loan forgiveness is on a lot of people’s minds since one in eight Tennesseans has student loan debt. It’s a topic folks have strong opinions about – and with about 20 colleges and universities in the Middle Tennessee area, Nashville is especially impacted.

In this episode, we’re joined by former and future college students to talk about how student loans have shaped their education decisions. Then, we hear from a lawyer and an economist to learn more about how student loans work and what the Biden administration’s new plan could mean for the future of education in Tennessee and the country.

But first, WPLN’s environmental reporter shares her latest reporting on the Tennessee Valley Authority and the future of energy.

Guests

Caroline Eggers, WPLN environmental reporter
Anne Vydra, voice talent
Quentin Ding, senior at Cookeville High School
Elsie Kindall, graduate student at Vanderbilt University
DJ Rausa, attorney specializing in student loans
Celeste Carruthers, University of Tennessee Knoxville labor economics professor

Rosetta Miller-Perry is at the helm of the longest running African-American newspaper in Nashville, the Tennessee Tribune, which she started in 1991. Otherwise known as the “Queen Mother” of the Black Press, she joins us to reflect on her life and legacy, and what she sees as she looks around at a Nashville undergoing rapid change on many fronts — and slower change on others.

But first, WPLN’s Blaise Gainey discusses the recent controversy over the seating of a Republican to the Sumner County Commission after the election resulted in a tie.

Guests:

Blaise Gainey, WPLN political reporter
Rosetta Miller-Perry, editor and publisher, The Tennessee Tribune

Additional reading:

AFRO: Rosetta Perry, ‘Queen Mother’ of the Black Press
WPLN: Sumner County Democrats feel ‘powerless’ after the commission chose to seat the Republican candidate in a tied race

This episode originally aired on July 7, 2022.

Unions have historically been associated with factory workers and those in the automotive industry. In Tennessee, food service employees – particularly baristas – are leading the labor organization push.

In Knoxville, Memphis and Murfreesboro, there’s been various efforts to unionize local Starbucks locations. While in Nashville, much of the labor organizing is taking place at smaller, independent shops – like Three Brothers Coffee and Barista Parlor.

In this episode, we talk to community members who are leading the unionization efforts about why they want a union and some of the pushback they’ve received from their employers. We’ll also hear from labor groups about the history of unions in Tennessee.

But first, WPLN’s Blake Farmer joins us to talk about one rural hospital in our region that has beaten the odds and reopened.

Guests:

Blake Farmer, WPLN senior healthcare reporter
Xóchitl Cruz-López, former Barista Parlor employee
Fern Welch, former Three Brothers Coffee employee
Paige McCay, organizer with ROC Music City
A.J. Starling, Tennessee AFL CIO‘s secretary-treasurer

Previous coverage:

WPLN: Workers at Three Brothers Coffee in Nashville vote to unionize, making them among the first in the state
WPLN: As more Tennessee coffee workers seek better wages and working conditions, one Barista Parlor employee says she was fired for trying

This Friday, we're talking chicken wings! What's the restaurant scene like here in Music City? What makes a good wing? And is there a quintessential Nashville-style wing?

To get some answers to these questions and more, we're joined by restaurant owners and an expert chicken wing reviewer. Then, we'll talk about how our local wing joints have been impacted by inflation, supply chain issues and the pandemic over the past few years.

But first, we're talking about the origins of "Cashville" with WPLN enterprise reporter Damon Mitchell.

Damon Mitchell, WPLN enterprise reporter
Carlos Partee, creator of Cashville Etc. and co-founder of the Nashville Black Market
Adam Kurtz, chicken wing reviewer at @thewingdomreview
James Stone, owner of Ghot Wingz
Faraji Tucker, co-owner of StrikeOutWingz

According to a 2018 report, only 13% of teachers in the state are people of color, even though 37% of students are. Last month, the Tennessee Education Research Alliance received a four-year, $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences to address the lack of teacher diversity in Tennessee schools.

What will researchers be looking for? What can be done to increase diversity? And what does it look like on the ground, right now, for teachers of color? We explore these questions and more with the lead researcher on the grant and with past, present and future teachers.

But first, we start with our weekly @ Us! segment, where we respond to your feedback.

Guests:

Andrea Tudhope, This Is Nashville executive producer
Dr. Jason Grissom, faculty director, Tennessee Education Research Alliance
Dr. Diarese George, executive director, Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance
Sheila Hubbard, teacher
Cicela Hernandez, teacher in training

In the wake of the Roe v. Wade decision, a lot of people were left wondering: What does this mean for access to birth control and emergency contraception?

While birth control remains fully available in Tennessee, the process of selecting and obtaining contraception can be difficult to navigate. From the pill, to intrauterine devices, to vasectomies or condoms, understanding and obtaining birth control options can be overwhelming — and not to mention, at times, expensive to access.

To better understand the process of learning about and obtaining birth control, we are talking to three Nashvillians who have personal experience with birth control. Then, we’re joined by a panel of medical and legal experts to hear about what resources are available in Tennessee — and find out if these options are here to stay.

But first, WPLN metro reporter Ambriehl Crutchfield joins us to discuss Nashville’s vision for the East Bank development.

Guests:

Ambriehl Crutchfield, WPLN metro reporter
Mollie Fox, student at Belmont University
Bernisha McFerrin, esthetician and mother of three
Alyson Nordstrom, co-founder of Teens for Reproductive Rights and high school student
Ashley Coffield, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi
Dr. Kimberly Looney, OBGYN and former chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi
Ellen Clayton, professor of law at Vanderbilt University

Angela Tucker wants to change the conversation about adoption.

She is an adoptee advocate and mentor, host of the podcast The Adoptee Next Door and author of the forthcoming book You Should Be Grateful: Stories or Race, Identity and Transracial Adoption. Born in Chattanooga, Angela grew up in Bellingham, Wash., with white adoptive parents — an experience that was challenging and sometimes isolating. She didn’t have a person of color as a teacher until she was in college. After turning 21, she was able to find and eventually meet her birth parents, but that was in spite of Tennessee law, not because of it. Her work centers adoptee voices and perspectives.

But first, we talk with WPLN's Blaise Gainey about the recent arrest of former Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada and his former aide Cade Cothren.

Guests:

Blaise Gainey, WPLN political reporter
Angela Tucker, author and adoptee advocate

The Tennessee State Fair has taken place for over a century, with only a couple of interruptions: WWII and the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been lots of changes over the years, from a huge fire in the 1960s, to the addition of car shows, to the recent move from the Nashville fairgrounds out to Lebanon.

In this show, we’ll dive into the past and present of the fair with a historian and the fair’s current executive director. Then, we’ll hear from a couple farmers about what the fair means to them, and how it contributes to agricultural education in our communities.

But first, we’re joined by WPLN’s senior healthcare reporter for an update on Tennessee’s trigger ban on abortion.

Guests:

Blake Farmer, WPLN senior healthcare reporter
Paige Pfleger, WPLN criminal justice reporter
Kelley Sirko, Metro Archives librarian
Helen Mcpeak, Executive Director of the Tennessee State Fair
Cynthia Capers, owner of Heniscity Farm
John C. Ricketts, farmer and Professor of Agricultural & Extension Education at Tennessee State University

This episode originally aired on April 25, 2022.

Nashville is known as Music City, but as the cost of living continues to rise in Nashville, it’s putting pressure on those trying to get by.

What is it like to make music in Nashville if you aren’t headlining arenas? How are musicians piecing together a life for themselves?

We start by talking with WNXP about former artist of the month $avvy, who is joined by rapper and producer Mike Floss. We also talk with more musicians about doing the work, and what kinds of support they’ve found — or found lacking.

Guests:

Jewly Hight, editorial director, WNXP
$avvy, musician
Mike Floss, musician
Larissa Maestro, musician
Andrea Guess, musician
Jamaine Pitts, musician

This year marks the 34th anniversary of the Nashville Summer Shakespeare Festival, which puts on free, outdoor performances of The Bard and other playwrights’ work. This year, the festival includes Cymbeline and, starting on the 25th, August Wilson’s Gem of the Ocean.

To learn more about how the festival got its start and how it relates to Nashville’s broader theater community, we’re joined by the executive artistic director and managing director. Then, we’ll hear from the directors of both plays about their productions and what meaning we can take from them today.

But first, WPLN enterprise reporter Damon Mitchell shares his reporting on rebuilding efforts in Waverly as we approach the one year anniversary of last year’s devastating flood.

Guests:

Damon Mitchell, WPLN enterprise reporter
Denice Hicks, Nashville Shakespeare Festival executive artistic director
Robert Marigza-Yeo, Nashville Shakespeare Festival managing director
Leah Lowe, director of Cymbeline and associate professor of theater at Vanderbilt University
Chuck Smith, director of Gem of the Ocean and resident director of the Goodman Theater in Chicago

Additional reading:

WPLN: Waverly’s flood recovery has a long way to go, and the deaths and departures make for an uncertain future

Having a meal with family and friends can be an experience of deep connectedness — or a table full of landmines. We’re jugging not only sensitive topics, but sensitive stomachs, palates and dietary choices. Your best friend is gluten-free, your brother’s boyfriend is lactose-intolerant, and your uncle only eats meat. It can make for a tricky menu!

Most of us are only one degree of separation from someone who identifies as some kind of vegetarian.

In this episode, we bring to the table Nashvillians who practice vegetarianism for religious and health benefits — as well as an expression of the world as we wish it could be.

But first, @ us!

Guests:

Hemanth Rangarajan, IT professional, Hindu vegetarian
Tewodros "Teddy" Manaye, software professional, vice president of Ethiopian Community Association in Nashville, Ethiopian Orthodox
Cara Suvall, Assistant Clinical Professor of Law, Jewish vegetarian
Mariah Ragland, owner, Radical Rabbit
Rev. Mikey Noechel, MS, Buddhist teacher and pastoral counselor

Note: This episode originally aired on March 14.

Scouring the racks at a secondhand store is a time-honored way to score stylish clothes on the cheap in Middle Tennessee. But the best bargains are getting more difficult to come by as goods are snatched up and sold under a different category: vintage. Sometimes, the markup can be eye-popping, so high-quality clothes or last season’s designer duds are out of reach for thrifters.

The guests discuss the differences between vintage and thrift stores, and who benefits from this popular type of shopping in Nashville.

Also in this episode, WPLN Morning Editor LaTonya Turner talks about resources available to homeowners who might be struggling to hold onto their house.

Guests:

LaTonya Turner, WPLN morning editor
Erin Gabriel, social and digital media manager at Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee
Anita Smith, thrift shopper
Tammy Pope, owner of Live True Vintage
Justin Allman, co-owner of Music City Vintage

Peer support is a term you might hear in mental health, disease, and addiction recovery work. The idea is really what it sounds like: support provided by people who have “been there, done that” and are still walking the walk. So how does it work exactly? What is the process like to become a peer? And what does that support feel like for people in active recovery? Today, we hear from folks who have been on both sides of the table.

But first, we catch up with Tennessee Lookout reporter Jamie Satterfield about the ICE raids in eastern Tennessee and see where litigation stands.

Guests:

Jamie Satterfield, Tennessee Lookout reporter
Jordan Young, certified peer recovery specialist with Tennessee Mental Health Consumers Association
Ashley Shockley, certified peer recovery specialist with Park Center
Martha Dotson, Park Center member
Steve Wright, cancer survivor and member of Gilda's Club
Shawn Mark, Nashville Cares peer associate

Resources:

TN Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Program

Thousands of revelers crowded East Nashville’s Five Points area over the weekend for the annual Tomato Art Fest.

It’s also peak tomato season in Tennessee. Restaurants are dreaming up new treatments, home cooks are concocting everything from simple sandwiches to cabinets full of canned tomatoes to keep the flavor going through the winter.

From farms to backyard gardens, everyone’s favorite fruit that’s really a vegetable (or is it the other way around?) is popping up everywhere. So let’s talk about it! We’ll meet a chef who just finished “tomato week” at his restaurant, an avid cook who enters the tomato recipe contest every year and takes it very seriously, and a master gardener who knows how to get your backyard crop just right.

But first, WPLN News Director Emily Siner talks about her upcoming Fulbright research on media coverage of abortion rights in Ireland.

Guests:

Emily Siner, WPLN News Director
Meg MacFadyen, Tomato Art Fest co-founder
Christopher De Jesus, chef at Butcher and Bee
Lance Dupre, tomato recipe contest participant
Joan Clayton-Davis, master gardener
Dr. Kaushalya G. Amarasekare, associate professor at Tennessee State University

Baseball is traditionally a male-dominated sport. However, throughout the history of the game there have been women players, coaches, managers and journalists fighting to make space for themselves and others – including here in Tennessee.

Friday marks the debut of Amazon’s new series, A League of Their Own, which follows the journey of the All-American Professional Girls Baseball League during World War II. We’re starting off by talking about the series with cast member Saidah Arrika Ekulona. Then author and artist Anika Orrock tells us more about the real-life history of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, and shares some of the highlights of women’s baseball history that took place in Tennessee, from Jackie Mitchell to Mo’one Davis.

We’re also joined by Andrea Williams to discuss women in baseball who aren’t players, as well as the future of women in baseball.

But first, Nashville Scene reporter Eli Motycka and Harpeth Hall student Hallie Graham discuss gender diversity at the historically all-girls school.

Guests:

Eli Motycka, Nashville Scene reporter
Hallie Graham, student at Harpeth Hall
Saidah Arrika Ekulona, actress who plays Toni Chapman in the new Amazon series, A League of Their Own
Anika Orrock, artist and author of The Incredible Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Andrea Williams, freelance journalist and author of Baseball’s Leading Lady: Effa Manley and the Rise and Fall of the Negro Leagues

Additional Reading:

Nashville Scene: Harpeth Hall Confronts Gender Diversity

In every part of the world, across cultures and throughout history, textiles have been used to make and share art. It’s flexible and able to take the form of quilting, weaving, printmaking or sewing. The art form has been passed down through generations, and its purpose ranges from decorative to utilitarian to revolutionary.

In this episode, we’ll hear from local artists and researchers to learn about the strong presence of textile arts in Tennessee. What’s it like being a textile artist right now? What materials are artists using? Why have they chosen this art form?

Our guests will also discuss the greater impact that textile art has on our communities. How has it brought us together in the past, and how does it continue to do so? Stay tuned until the end for a look into oriental rug weaving, cleaning and selling with a profile of Abbas Taherian, the owner of Abbas Rugs.

Guests:

Nuveen Barwari, art educator
Yanira Vissepo, artist
Rima Day, artist
Kosher Briley, secretary of the Zuri Quilting Guild
Vladimir Betancur, ESL and public speech coordinator for Heart Unifying Communities

Since the reversal of Roe v. Wade, there’s been a major uptick in public discussion about sexual assault and how the Supreme Court decision will impact survivors.

In this episode, we’re talking about what sexual assault prevention looks like in Nashville and what resources are available to survivors. We’ll start by speaking with two survivors about their experiences, including how they processed their trauma and what they want people to know about survivors of sexual assault.

We’ll also talk about prevention efforts, including education and bystander intervention training, and why those things are important in a city with a thriving nightlife scene.

But first, we're joined by Kaiser Health News reporter Brett Kelman to learn about TennCare disenrollment, which is set to resume after a two-year pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and what it could mean for the families that rely on the program for healthcare.

Guests:

Brett Kelman, Kaiser Health News reporter
Ashley, survivor
Kendall Parker, survivor, artist and advocate
Loren Fernandez Valentin, client navigator at the Sexual Assault Center
Lorraine McGuire, vice president of development and marketing at Sexual Assault Center

Additional resources:

National sexual assault 24 hour hotline: 800.656.HOPE (4673)
Tennessee’s statewide 24 hour hotline: 866.811.RISE (7473)
Our Kids, a clinic that provides medical evaluations and crisis counseling for child sexual abuse, as well as resources for survivors, family, and professionals.

A “second sanctuary” — that’s how one of our guests describes her barbershop because these places are about much more than cutting hair. They’re about community. Barbers can take the role of a counselor, even a parent, to their customers. The shop is a place were conversations flow and don’t shy away from religion and politics.

At the same time, another guest says barbershops are “the segregated picture of America.” In this episode, we talk straight as a razor about the role of barbershops in our region. Plus, we’ll cut into the art of a fade, learn the secrets shared from the chair, and explore the vulnerability of our local barbershops.

But first, we talk about a push to change Tennessee’s “HIV criminalization” laws.

Guests:

Katie Riordan, WKNO Memphis reporter
Robin Lennon-Dearing, associate professor at the University of Memphis School of Social Work
Jarod Parrish, pharmacist
Stephen Mason, Handsomizer owner
Dejaun Conley, Anointed Handz owner
Celina Vito, shop manager at Sage & Brush
Hader Feron, Golden Star owner

Director Robert Altman’s Nashville premiered in Nashville on August 8, 1975. The film was already doing well in New York and elsewhere, but even before then, before it even hit theaters, legendary New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael dubbed it “the funniest epic vision of America ever to reach the screen.”

Nashville would go on to gross about $10 million in the U.S. and was nominated for five Academy Awards, including best picture and best director. Keith Carradine’s ballad “I’m Easy” took home the Oscar for best original song.

Even so, many in Nashville at the time felt like Altman was poking fun at Music City, and though the music was inauthentic and, worse, not even produced with real Nashville musicians. The film is considered one of the greatest ever made.

On this episode, we’re talking about how the movie portrayed 1970s Nashville and its legacy with some of the people who worked on the set.

To start of off the show, we’re joined by WPLN host Mariana Bacallao to discuss resources available to Nashville renters.

Guests:

Mariana Bacallao, WPLN’s All Things Considered host
Noel Murray, film critic and freelance journalist
Bill Myers, artist who painted the Nashville cast
Joan Tewkesbury, Nashville screenwriter

It’s back-to-school season! Big box stores have put out special school supplies displays, and the airwaves are full of commercials for backpacks, clothes and markers.

It’s a pretty familiar phenomenon, but it’s also impossible to deny that a lot has changed about education over the past few years, from the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic to new laws that impact what can be taught in the classroom. What is this time of year — this year — like for Middle Tennessee’s teachers? To learn more, we're joined by educators and MNPS officials.

But first, we'll hear from our newsroom about the results of yesterday's election.

Guests:

Blaise Gainey, WPLN News political reporter
Julia Ritchey, WPLN News afternoon news editor
Laura Delgado, Program Director of the Pionero Scholars Program at the Lipscomb College of Education
Daven Oglesby, exceptional education teacher at Lakeview Elementary Design Center
Susan Strasinger, teacher at Hillsboro High School
Michele Sheriff, President of the Metropolitan Nashville Education Association
Dr. Mason Bellamy, Chief of Academics and Schools for Metro Nashville Public Schools

From getting lucky at first bid to being priced out over and over again … well, first-time homebuyers are in for an adventure in Middle Tennessee.

In this episode, we meet Nashville residents who’ve had vastly different experiences buying homes over the last year. We’ll talk house-flipping, gentrification and interest rates. We’ll also hear from a real estate agent who can tell us what we’ve seen the last few years, debunk some rumors and tell us where the housing market might be heading in the next six months.

Guests:

Ravi Balakrishna, first-time homeowner
Anita Smith, community advocate, prospective homebuyer currently in a rent-to-own
Jake Burton, house-flipper and first-time homeowner
Alisha Haddock, vice president, director of community impact at The Housing Fund
Mark Nash, real estate agent with PARKS

Related episodes:

Nashville’s growing need for affordable housing
How mediation solves disputes, including between landlords and renters
How rising housing costs are pushing Nashville’s immigrant communities further away
Check out all our coverage of the rising cost of housing at wpln.org/housing.

Nashville is a party city, full of honky-tonks, cherished bars and good old Tennessee whiskey. Pedal taverns and party buses fill the streets, while music venues are stocked with drinks. It’s hard to imagine what it’s like to go out in this city when you can’t, or choose not to, drink. But that’s the reality for many Nashville residents.

In this episode, we’ll be joined by people who have made the decision to not drink. What did their decisions mean for their social lives and their careers? Then, we’ll hear from a current college student and a recent graduate. They’ll share how it felt to not be able to freely navigate Nashville’s nightlife scene due to being under 21 and what they did instead. How have these people found alternative ways to enjoy themselves in Nashville?

First, Tennessean reporter Adam Friedman will be on the show to discuss his recent article about local payday lenders and the millions of dollars they have spent lobbying for predatory lending practices to remain legal in Tennessee.

Guests:

Adam Friedman, Tennessean reporter
Samantha Cutler, artist and life coach
Jason Goforth, musician
Marcus Whitney, entrepreneur and author
Nikki Wildy, second-year student at Belmont University
Varsha Nair, recent Vanderbilt University alum

Related episode:

Who is Nashville’s nightlife really for?

Huntington’s disease is a rare genetic neurological disorder that can impact everything from a person’s ability to move to their memory and can cause psychiatric disorders, like depression.

For many, it’s fatal, and there’s a 50% chance that the biological child of a parent with Huntington’s will inherit the disease. Yet, there is still hope. Vanderbilt University Medical Center is home to one of the nation’s leading clinics for Huntington’s disease.

It this hour, we’ll hear from Tennesseans with Huntington’s, their families and doctors to understand what it means to live with the disease and how they made tough decisions when it comes to getting tested and having children.

But up first, WNXP Editorial Director Jewly Hight talks artist of the month — and Julia Gomez’s record of the week.

Guests

Jewly Hight, WNXP editorial director
Eva Angelina Romero, Huntington’s Disease Society of America – Tennessee chapter president
Chris Brown, lives with Huntington’s and is an advocate for peer support and research
Amy Abbott, wife of musician Jody Abbott
Dr. Daniel Claassen, neurologist and director of Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s interdisciplinary Huntington’s Disease and Chorea Clinic

Bookstores are exactly what their name implies, but they’re so much more than that. They are vital spaces where people go not only to find and buy books, but to encounter new ideas, meet fellow readers and build community. Even so, a decade ago, with the rise of online retail and e-books, the local independent bookstore was widely considered a dying breed. And many of them did die off, including the beloved Davis-Kidd in Green Hills.

Whether or not you call it a comeback, the bookstore scene in Nashville is healthy and growing. In part, that’s because the personality and curation of a small bookstore is something you just can’t get from a website.

This hour, we explore Nashville’s bookselling scene, past, present and future. We talk with newcomers Novelette, longtime staples Alkebu-Lan Images, and also browse the city’s diminishing used bookstore scene.

But first, we talk with WPLN morning producer Alexis Marshall about how Nashville employers are planning to help employees access reproductive care after the reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Guests:

Jordan Harris, owner, Alkebu-Lan Images
Deezy Violet, co-owner, Novelette Booksellers
Cat Bock, store manager, Parnassus Books
Larry Woods, bookseller, Book Man Book Woman
Carl Smith, book reseller

What makes Nashville laugh? Where are the best places in town to catch a comedy show? What is it like to be a comedian in Music City?

To answer these questions and more, we’re joined by a panel of local comedians, producers, and booking managers. They’ll share their experiences on stage, and give us some insight into what it takes to put together a show.

The start the show, we’ll be joined by journalist Radley Balko to discuss his Nashville Scene report on Nashville Code enforcement and how its being abused.

Guests:

Radley Balko, opinion journalist for Washington Post
Amber Autry, comedian and producer for Don’t Tell Comedy
Brad Sativa, comedian and Tennessee native
Lydia Popovitch, comedian who moved to Nashville from California in 2021
Donnie Sengstack, comedian and application developer with Vanderbilt Medical

Additional Reading:

Nashville Scene: Code Snitching – Nashvillians Are Weaponizing Metro Codes Against ‘Undesirable’ Neighbors

We’ve all been hearing significant chatter about the landmark restaurants we’ve lost in the last few years. What exactly makes a “landmark” restaurant, and are we experiencing more loss than normal? Or, are we just cycling through some nostalgic sensitivity as storefronts reach their inevitable finish line?

To chew on some of these questions, we’re bringing long-time restaurateurs to the table. We’ll hear about how they started and, for some of them, how it ended. We’ll also talk with some folks about Nashville’s changing restaurant scene and how they’re pivoting to make it work – 100 hours a week.

But up first — it’s Thursday! That means @ us!

Guests:

Dandgure “Mr. Dan” Robinson, owner of Dandgure’s
Jeff Jones, owner of Dairy King
George Ramzy Sawers, owner of Ramzy’s Meat and 3
Anna Myint, owner of International Market
Kahlil Arnold, owner of Arnold’s Country Kitchen

Additional reading:

WPLN: Taking On Water: The Story Of Dairy King And The 2010 Nashville Flood
This Is Nashville: ‘I’m going to eat myself into a coma today’: Longtime Hermitage Cafe patrons enjoy last plates at the closing diner

A healthy ecosystem is a diverse one, and plants are critical to maintaining that diversity.

For rare and endangered plants in Middle Tennessee, conservation can be challenging to manage. Native species often struggle to keep pace with invasive plants, and continuing development threatens to reduce green space.

This hour we go on a hike in search of wild ginseng, meet some of the people working to preserve the plants that make our region unique, and learn what each of us can do to keep our local flora thriving.

But first, WPLN health care reporter Blake Farmer has the latest on monkeypox in Middle Tennessee

Guests:

Blake Farmer, WPLN senior health care reporter
Kim Bailey, former staff naturalist at Warner Parks
Isaac Santos, AmeriCorps member working with Friends of Shelby Park
Roger McCoy, director of conservation at Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation
Cooper Breeden, conservation coordinator at Tennessee Plant Conservation Alliance

Related episodes:

Emerald ash borers, privet and stink bugs… oh my!
Exploring the future of green space in Nashville on Earth Day

It is just a reality of living in this country, that not a day goes by without a shooting. Recently mass shootings have dominated the news: a grocery store in Buffalo, New York, then an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, and a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois.

However, what’s more common, and receives less media coverage, is the daily incidents of gun violence in our communities.

In this episode, we’ll explain the Tennessee gun laws and its recent changes. We’ll hear from experts about how many gun owners and guns there are in Tennessee, and what kind of gun violence is most common. Also joining us is a Davidson County juvenile court judge and a community activist who’ll have insight on the impacts of gun violence.

Guests:

Damon Mitchell, WPLN enterprise reporter
John Harris, executive director of the Tennessee Firearms Association
Becky Bullard, senior director of programs at the Metro Office of Family Safety
Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway
Clemmie Greenlee, founder and CEO of Nashville PeaceMakers and Mothers Over Murder

National Ice Cream Day was this past Sunday, and if this unrelenting heat is good for one thing, it’s creating the perfect backdrop for a cold treat. This hour is all about ice cream in Nashville. What are some current trends? What is the scene like? We learn a little about the “queen of ice cream” back in 1840s Nashville, meet some of the people churning away today and finally ride shotgun on an ice cream truck.

But first, there are four charter amendments on the Aug. 4 ballot. We’ll break down what they are, and what people are saying about the pros and cons. Registered to vote? Not sure where or how? Check out our Citizen Nashville voting basics.

Guests:

Steve Cavendish, editor, Nashville Banner
Megan Seling, Sugar Shock columnist, Nashville Scene
Lokelani Alabanza, Saturated Ice Cream
Sam Brooker, KOKOS Ice Cream
Guru Singh, Sarabhas Creamery

Early voting is currently underway in Davidson County for the Aug. 4 state and federal primary election, and the county general election. Local officials are encouraging voters to prepare before heading to the polls because this election features the longest ballot in Metro history.

It's also the first federal election to take place after the Republican-controlled Tennessee legislature split Nashville into three new Congressional districts.

For this Citizen Nashville, we'll be joined by Davidson County Election Commissioner Jeff Roberts to answer questions about voter registration, absentee voting and the voting process.

Later this hour, we'll hear from liberal and conservative voters — and a first-time voter — about the issues that are most important to them in this election.

But first is @ us!, the weekly segment where host Khalil Ekulona and digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon respond to listeners' concerns and comments.

Guests:

Jeff Roberts, Davidson County Election commissioner
Tequila Johnson, co-founder and vice president of The Equity Alliance
Sally Carlson-Bancroft, liberal voter
Chris Chumley, conservative voter
Joe Kwan, first-time voter

Additional reading and resources:

Davidson County Polling Place Finder
Davidson County absentee ballot request form
Sample ballot for August 4 election
WPLN News: Here are the 4 Nashville charter changes on the ballot for the Aug. 4 election
This Is Nashville: 4 races to watch in next month’s primaries for the Tennessee legislature

With the drama and attention around the gigantic purple martin roost at the symphony over the last two years, more of our eyes are on the sky and on our migrating feathered friends.

What is migration? Why is Nashville not only a stopping point for bachelor parties – but hundreds of thousands of feathered birds each year? And how can we be better hosts?

In this episode, we hear from three guests who have their own experiences with migrating species. Then, we pivot to talk a bit about resident game birds and raptors — birds we live with year-round.

Guests:

Damon Mitchell, WPLN Enterprise Reporter
Liz Cannon, RN and North Nashville resident with a curious tree
Laura Cook, Bird Research Coordinator at Friends of Warner Parks
Azia Tanks, Warner Parks intern
Keith Paluso III, Former Park Ranger, tiktok streamer
Roger Shields, Wildlife Biologist, Tennessee Wildlife Turkey Program Coordinator
Carolyn Pendarvis, Operations Manager at Walden’s Puddle

More:

Merlin App — Learn to identify birds you see or hear!
TWRA Wild Turkey Observation Survey — Pitch in and report the wild turkeys you see

Among cultures around the world, it’s traditional to grow your own food. But with the rise of supermarkets and grocery stores, gardening in the United States has become more and more uncommon.

But, what do you do when the food you like to eat isn’t sold in grocery stores? Or when there are no supermarkets near you, and you can’t afford to buy fresh produce? This isn’t uncommon in Nashville. North Nashville, East Nashville, South Nashville and Edgehill all have neighborhoods with food deserts.

Community members are taking matters into their own hands. If you look around, you’ll find local farms, community gardens and organizations working to make gardening (and good food) more accessible to Nashville residents.

Growing your own food isn’t easy, and in this episode, we’ll hear about why support is so important for local farmers and gardeners. We’ll also hear about how gardening can be fulfilling in ways that extend beyond just feeding us. We’re joined by a local poultry farmer, members of groups attempting to eradicate food deserts and promote gardening and the professor who founded Vanderbilt University’s Latin American Ethnobotanical Garden.

But first, we’ll hear from WPLN reporter Marianna Bacallao, who will be giving us the rundown on the new grant that will help fund the Legal Aid Society. The money will allow their number of housing attorneys on staff to triple, which will be useful for Nashville’s renters.

Guests:

Marianna Bacallao, WPLN reporter
Cynthia Capers, poultry farmer and owner of the Heniscity Farm in Pegram, TN
Lauren Bailey, co-founder of Growing Together and Director of Garden Outreach and Engagement for the Nashville Food Project
Donald Frost, site manager for Trap Garden
Professor Avery Dickins de Girón, anthropologist and founder of Vanderbilt University’s Latin American Ethnobotanical Garden

Even on our best days, for most of us, police interactions carry at least a small element of strain.

We want to get it right and are aware of the power differential. Emergencies, trauma, and potential fines or jail time all bring an additional sense of gravity to the moment.

When facing a mental health crisis, are police officers the best resource to call on?

In this episode, we hear a feature about one woman’s attempt to get help for her husband experiencing a mental health emergency. Then, we talk to one mother who called the police for help with her schizophrenic son, and that ended up being his last day. Finally, three experts join us to talk over non-police options for intervention in these moments and why peer support may just be the way of the future.

But first, NewsChannel 5 Investigative Reporter Levi Ismail joins the show to talk about why the station is piloting a new program where people who have been the subject of news stories in the past can apply to have the story taken down, or have their name removed from a story.

Guests:

Levi Ismail, NewsChannel 5 Investigative Reporter
Chas Sisk, WPLN Senior Editor
Karen Griffin, son died during police interaction
Steve Samra, Senior Associate, C4 Innovations
Theeda Murphy, Nashville Community Crisis Response
Jane Boram, NOAH and HEALS

Special thanks to Anthony Fox, Michael Randolph, Amanda Clelland, Amanda Bracht, and Lindsey Krinks for their help with this episode!

On June 29, a pipeline ruptured in West Tennessee, spilling approximately 200,000 gallons of crude oil. It was the second-largest spill in state history. But at the time, there was no public announcement of the spill, which came very close to contaminating Tennessee's largest aquifer.

Environmental activists say this incident goes to show that the state needs to do a better job of maintaining its existing oil and gas pipelines, rather than building new ones. But a new state law just made it easier to build this kind of infrastructure. What do we know about the state of pipelines in Tennessee? And how are efforts to block new pipelines going to work in the future?

But first, we look at the race to replace controversial Rutherford County juvenile court judge Donna Scott Davenport, who was the subject of a WPLN-Pro Publica report that revealed decades of illegal jailing of children.

Guests:

Paige Pfleger, WPLN criminal justice reporter
Sarah Houston, Executive Director, Protect Our Aquifer
Scott Banbury, Conservation Program Coordinator and Lobbyist, Tennessee Chapter of the Sierra Club
Justin Pearson, Memphis Community Against Pollution

Nashville has an ongoing lack of affordable housing. What exactly is "affordable housing"? Who defines it? And what does it mean to get subsidized housing?

In this episode we talk with some experts who can knock out some of those questions for us. We'll also hear from a former landlord who's navigated making a profit while renting to college students and Section 8 voucher holders. Then we bring in a couple renters who are imminently experiencing the anxiety that comes with being priced out of their neighborhoods.

But first up @ Us!: Host Khalil Ekulona and digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon respond to listener comments on recent episodes about adoption and sidewalks.

Guests:

Burkley Allen, council member at-large
James Fraser, director of researcher for Preservation of Affordable Housing
Lisa Smith, former landlord
Donna Clay, East Nashville/Inglewood resident
Efrat Dim, Vanderbilt PhD student and renter

Additional reading:

WPLN's Displaced reporting series

Special thanks to: Jamie Berry, Paulette Coleman, Kay Bowers, Benjamin Wachter, Mina Shedd, Richard Shaffer, Avi Poster and Carolyn Naifeh for their help with this episode.

After the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, some supporters of the ruling presented adoption as an alternative solution to unwanted pregnancies. A photo of a couple holding a sign that read, “We will adopt your baby” went viral.

While adoption may be an option, it’s not necessarily so straightforward, and the process can also be tricky to navigate, both for birth parents and hopeful adoptive parents. What is the state of adoption in Tennessee right now, and what does it look like for those wanting to adopt children? Could lack of abortion access lead more children to be put up for adoption? Is Tennessee’s system ready to handle an increase in foster care and adoption requests? And what’s it like to be adopted, anyway?

In this episode, we’re joined by adult adoptees, someone looking to adopt and adoption advocates.

But first, WPLN editors Julia Ritchey and Chas Sisk break down the most noteworthy state and federal races in the upcoming election.

Guests:

Julia Ritchey, WPLN editor
Chas Sisk, WPLN senior editor
Jennifer Harbin, adoptee
Janelle Kreykes, adoptee
Jacob Grambell, prospective parent looking to adopt
Jeremy Harrell, president and CEO of The Adoption Project
Laura Troup, donor relations and annual fund director of AGAPE

Nashville is growing fast, but as a city largely designed around cars, its pedestrian infrastructure is seriously lagging. Only about 19 percent of Nashville streets have sidewalks. A callout to WPLN listeners yielded some common themes: too many streets and neighborhoods with no sidewalks, making for dangerous walking conditions; and too many gaps between existing sidewalks.

In 2020, a Metro report identified 71 so-called “priority miles,” where sidewalks were needed most urgently, but the timeline to get those sidewalks built is 20 years long. Metro also identified another 1,900 miles of “greatest need” sidewalks — and a total of 4,700 miles of missing sidewalk segments across Davidson County. How do we fill these needs as the city continues to grow?

But first, WPLN political reporter Blaise Gainey has the latest on redistricting and what it means for the upcoming elections.

Guests:

Blaise Gainey, WPLN political reporter
Quinn Howard, Murfreesboro resident
Matt Hertz, Nashville resident
Cathy Carrillo, Education and Engagement Manager at Walk Bike Nashville
Emily Benedict, Metro Council member, District 7
Diana Alarcon, Director, Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure

White lightning. Firewater. Mountain dew. There are a lot of names for moonshine, but what is it? Strictly speaking, it’s any illegal homemade spirit, and can be made from pretty much anything including fruits, grain and vegetables.

People all over the world have been making their own alcohol for millennia, but moonshine as we know it today came to be after Prohibition laws made getting legally-produced liquor impossible. Tennessee was both the first state to adopt Prohibition laws and one of the earliest birthplaces of moonshine.

To learn more, we’re joined by a local historian, a distiller and a fourth-generation moonshiner from Cannon County.

Guests:

Sarah Arntz, program coordinator at the Nashville Public Library Metro Archives
Billy Kaufman, owner of Short Mountain Distillery
Ricky Estes, fourth-generation Cannon County moonshiner

Unions have historically been associated with factory workers and those in the automotive industry. In Tennessee, food service employees – particularly baristas – are leading the labor organization push.

In Knoxville, Memphis and Murfreesboro, there’s been various efforts to unionize local Starbucks locations. While in Nashville, much of the labor organizing is taking place at smaller, independent shops – like Three Brothers Coffee and Barista Parlor.

In this episode, we talk to community members who are leading the unionization efforts about why they want a union and some of the pushback they’ve received from their employers. We’ll also hear from labor groups about the history of unions in Tennessee.

We reached out to Three Brothers and Barista Parlor for comment. We did not hear back from Three Brothers before the beginning of the show, but Andy Mumma of Barista Parlor sent a statement:

Unionization is an employee right, and Barista Parlor respects that right. We have not and would not attempt to curtail that right.

We fully reject the claims that have been made. We will not comment further as there is a pending charge with the NLRB. That is the appropriate forum to address these false allegations, which is what we will do.

But first, host Khalil Ekulona and digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon respond to listener feedback in the weekly segment At Us.

Guests:

Xóchitl Cruz-López, former Barista Parlor employee
Fern Welch, former Three Brothers Coffee employee
Paige McCay, organizer with ROC Music City
A.J. Starling, Tennessee AFL CIO‘s secretary-treasurer

Nashville is not a city known for robust public transportation — and it seems that nearly everyone has an opinion on what needs to improve. There’s an impressive lack of sidewalks, bus routes and protected bike lanes, among other challenges.

The options may be improving but are still limited. For many residents, the public transit options we do have are essential. For others, riding the bus is a lifestyle choice. In this episode, we hear from people without vehicles on how they navigate Nashville and why they take WeGo. Then we talk with transportation experts who are working to make our community more safe and accessible for everyone.

First up, though, we talk with Marianna Bacallao, WPLN's All Things Considered Host, about anti-trans bathroom bill lawsuits — where they stand and what to watch moving forward.

Guests:

Marianna Bacallao, WPLN's All Things Considered host
Ron Wynn, freelance writer
Christopher Flor, Exceptional Education coach with Metro Nashville Public Schools
Cathy Carrillo, education and engagement manager at Walk Bike Nashville
Jessica Dauphin, director of Transit Alliance of Middle Tennessee

Tennessee has a long history with hate groups and white nationalism. The state is the birthplace of the Ku Klux Klan, but more recently, a "White Lives Matter" protest at a Juneteenth celebration on June 18 in Franklin, Tennessee, provided a visible local example of anxieties around white identity. Another white supremacist group, American Renaissance, routinely hosts its annual conference at Montgomery Bell State Park.

In this episode, we're talking with local historians about how white supremacy has transformed over the years, how it has influenced Tennessee, and how these ideologies remain even as the state grows and diversifies.

But first, WPLN reporter Cindy Abrams talks about the latest Curious Nashville investigation into the frustration caused by freight trains in some Nashville neighborhoods.

Guests:

Cindy Abrams, WPLN reporter
Betsy Phillips, historian, author and columnist for the Nashville Scene
Daniel Sharfstein, professor of legal history at Vanderbilt University and author

The This Is Nashville team is off for July 4. We’re rebroadcasting an episode about women and country music, which originally aired on May 16.

As the 1990s came to a close, country music’s biggest stars were women — Shania Twain, Faith Hill and the Chicks ruled the charts.

Fast forward to 2021, and it’s “bro country” as far as the eye can see. Women are often the subjects of songs — wearing short shorts as they climb into pickup trucks. Women appear in as few as 10 percent of the songs on country radio. How did we get here? And how have women found ways to fight back and find paths for themselves? Writer and journalist Marissa R. Moss unpacks these questions and more.

At the top of the show, reporter Paige Pfleger talks about her recent story about women’s negative experiences with men in songwriting sessions.

Guests:

Paige Pfleger, WPLN reporter
Crys Matthews, singer/songwriter
Marissa R. Moss, author of Her Country: How the Women of Country Music Became the Success They Were Never Supposed to Be
Leah Turner, musician

For decades, vinyl was the primary medium for recording and listening to music. As technology advanced, CDs and digital downloads became the norm, and records fell by the wayside.

However, for the past decade or so, vinyl has enjoyed an incredible renaissance. Some people say they prefer the sound of vinyl. Others say they enjoy the ritual of selecting and playing a record. Still others say it just looks cool.

In this episode, we talk to record store owners, musicians and collectors about the business of pressing records and vinyl's lasting appeal.

But first, WPLN Senior Editor Chas Sisk breaks down the new Tennessee laws that go into effect on July 1.

Guests:

Chas Sisk, WPLN senior editor
Jason Herndon, founder of Kiss My Wax Records
Doyle Davis, co-owner of Grimey's
Pat Lucero, record enthusiast
M Slago, hip hop artist and music producer
Erica Schultz, DJ and host of WXNA's Soul of the City

On June 21, the Nashville Metro Council passed its $2.9 billion budget for the 2023 fiscal year.

Metro’s budget approval process can be difficult to navigate, and the citizen’s guide to the budget published by the city includes documents with more than 700 pages. For this episode of Citizen Nashville, we asked local experts listener-submitted questions about the budget.

Later in the show, we’re joined by community members who work in public schools, emergency services, and affordable housing to learn how the new budget will impact their lives, and the work they do for the city.

But first, host Khalil Ekulona and digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon respond to listener feedback as part of At Us.

Guests:

Nicole Williams, columnist at the Nashville Scene and self-described local government obsessive
Council Member Burkley Allen, chair of the Budget and Finance Committee
Nina Stroud, paraprofessional with Metro Nashville Public Schools
Cyrenthia Arthur, 911 dispatcher and Metro Nashville Emergency Communications chief union steward
Shirley Marks, co-chair of NOAH affordable housing taskforce

Disputes between landlords and renters typically end up in front of judge and can result in an eviction. Instead of going to court, some landlords and renters are turning towards mediation to find a solution that will keep tenants in their homes while making sure property owners get paid.

By design, mediation is a neutral experience that's not about one party or the other. Both sides are able to get it all out there, say how they feel and what they need. Clients often experience feeling heard and understood and, when successful, it helps everyone.

Today we hear stories about successful mediations between landlords and renters. We also zoom back a bit to learn about how mediations citywide are making an impact – and why Nashville is more open to them than you might expect.

But first, we talk with WNXP Editorial Director Jewly Height about the artist of the month, which comes with a bit of a twist. (Plus we learn about one of host Khalil Ekulona's secret talents.)

Guests:

Jewly Hight, WNXP editorial director
Ms. Lolita Esaw, renter
Mark Burgdorf, landlord with Hale Properties
Sara Figal, director of Nashville Conflict Resolution Center
Danita Marsh, former Metro Nashville Police officer, mediator
Dr. Steve Joiner, managing director of the Institute for Conflict Management at Lipscomb University

Resources and additional reading:

WNXP: Originators of the month
WPLN: More Money And A New Courtroom Rule Aim To Avoid Nashville Evictions
Tennessee State Courts: Mediation resources for the public

Dr. Robyn Henderson-Espinoza has been on a mission to truly understand their body.

The transqueer theologian, activist and Nashville resident recently published a new book, Body Becoming: A Path to Our Liberation. It charts their journey to understanding our bodies as profoundly meaningful connection points to the world and to each other. They join us to talk about their book, their activism and how this idea of embodiment might help build a better world.

But first, WPLN political reporter Blaise Gainey has an update about how the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade is impacting Tennesseans.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health this morning, overturning Roe v. Wade and ending the constitutional right to abortion.

In Tennessee, this means a nearly total ban on abortion will likely go into effect in 30 days as a result of a so-called “trigger law,” designed to ban abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned. More than two dozen other states have similar laws in place.

To help us understand what this news means for our communities here in Tennessee, we’re joined by a panel of legal experts, abortion rights activists, and reproductive health experts. But first, we’ll hear from senior health care reporter Blake Farmer on exactly how Tennessee’s laws on abortion will change, and how it will impact people in our state.

Guests:

Blake Farmer, WPLN senior health care reporter
Briana Perry, co-executive director of Healthy and Free Tennessee
Carole Caprio, who worked for Planned Parenthood before Roe v. Wade
Robyn Baldridge, president of Abortion Care for Tennessee
Ellen Clayton, professor of law at Vanderbilt University

Promise Land was established and settled by formerly enslaved people near Charlotte, Tenn., during Reconstruction.

The original settlers included at least five former members of the United States Colored Troops: Clark Garrett, Landin Williams, Ed Vanleer and the brothers John and Arch Nesbitt.

The community grew at one point to about 1,000 acres, home to about 50 families. It remained independent and flourished in spite of Jim Crow. But during the Great Migration, families began moving away, many to Ohio and other locations in the Midwest. By the 1950s, the town dwindled and only a few families remained. At one point, just about two descendants of the original settlers remained.

Today, the St. John Promise Land Church and the old Promise Land School Building are all that remain of the original town. The school closed in 1957 and, thanks to the efforts of the Promise Land Heritage Association, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. Each June, descendants and others gather to celebrate this place and to keep its stories alive.

But first, at the top of the show, we respond to your comments with our weekly @ us! segment.

Guests:

Serina Kay Gilbert, descendant of three founding families; executive director of Promise Land Heritage Association
Sokoto Fulani, descendant of John Nesbitt
Learotha Williams, professor of African American and public history, Tennessee State University

Gaming = community.

That’s what this is about. It’s about connecting with people, learning new skills and breaking out of your comfort zone. Throughout the pandemic, gaming brought a lot of folks together online — in an otherwise isolating time.

Whether role-playing, board games, e-sports or virtual gaming, the gaming subculture is alive and thriving here in Nashville. We invited players who are passionate about their gaming communities to hear what this outlet means to them, and what it means to Nashville.

But first, we check in on how evictions could impact voter turnout.

Guests:

Dulce Torres Guzman, Tennessee Lookout reporter
Naz, Twitch streamer and new D&D gamer
Ronnie Foster, Late Night Game Night organizer for The Next Level Games
Jessica Manrow, Twitch Streamer
Larry Neal, Board gamer, Designer, Podcaster
Andy Matthews, Meeple Mountain

Special thanks to: Bob Bernstein and Rick Keuler of Game Point Cafe for their help with this episode. Check out their schedule of events or stop by any time to get some gaming on.

The This Is Nashville team is off for Juneteenth. We are rebroadcasting our episode about Fort Negley, which originally aired on April 4.

Nashville is developing a new master plan for Fort Negley, one of the city’s most significant and unique historical landmarks.

The fort was built during the Civil War by conscripted free Black men and women for the Union Army. The U.S. Colored Troops who defended Fort Negley during the war remained and settled Nashville’s first post-Emancipation Black neighborhood at the base of the hill. The Bass Street neighborhood was a thriving area until it was destroyed in the 1950s and ’60s to make way for Interstate 65.

Now, former Bass Street residents and their descendants are fighting to reclaim the narrative of the neighborhood as the city decides what to do with the space.

But first, WPLN’s environmental reporter Caroline Eggers tells us about how a project at MTSU will track temperatures around Nashville.

Guests:

Caroline Eggers, WPLN environmental reporter
Angela Sutton, director of the Fort Negley Descendants Project and historian at Vanderbilt University
Jeneene Blackman, CEO of the African American Cultural Alliance
Gary Burke, Civil War reenactor whose great-great grandfather served at Fort Negley with the U.S. Colored Troops

If you’ve stepped outside in Nashville this week, you know the heat right now is no joke. The fire department has responded to dozens of heat sickness-related calls just this week. Residents are being asked to conserve energy to reduce strain on the grid.

Forecasters expect things to cool down just a bit over the Juneteenth weekend, but then we could hit 100 degrees next week. How long has it been since that happened? We pose that and more burning questions to a meteorologist. We also talk with Nashvillians who spend most or all of their time outdoors about how they’re coping, and with service providers who are working to provide relief to those who are most vulnerable.

At the top of the hour, we talk with WPLN senior health care reporter Blake Farmer about harm reduction efforts at music festivals, including Bonnaroo, which gets under way this weekend.

Guests:

Sam Shamburger, lead forecaster at National Weather Service Nashville
Maurice Ballard, vendor for TheContributor
Phoenix, unhoused Nashville resident
Alex Smith, outreach worker
Carrie Gatlin, vice president of ministries at Nashville Rescue Mission

Hot weather resources:

The Metro Action Commission Fan and Air Conditioner program provides fans and air conditioner window units to those in need at no cost. To apply or to make a contribution, call 615-862-8860, ext. 70120, or go to the agency’s website.
The Metro Office of Emergency Management has published a list of heat precautions on their website
Heat safety tips from The National Weather Service

In Tennessee, anyone found guilty of first-degree murder is sentenced to a minimum 51-years in prison – even if they were under 18 at the time of the crime.

Al Jazeera’s “Fault Lines” series recently released a documentary about Almeer Nance — a Knoxville man who received what is essentially a life sentence for felony murder in 1997. He was 16 when the crime happened and didn’t pull the trigger.

Documentarian Jeremy Young joins us to talk about his work and Nance’s case. Then we hear from Nance’s family, a man who was incarcerated in Tennessee and sentencing reform advocates to learn where this sentence came from and how it disproportionately affects Black prisoners.

Guests:

Jeremy Young, documentarian
Jameerial Johnson, daughter of Almeer Nance
Rahim Buford, former insider and sentencing reform advocate
Rev. Jeannie Alexander, co-founder and co-director of No Exceptions Prison Collective
Dawn Deaner, director of Choosing Justice Initiative, former public defender for Davidson County

From political turmoil and police brutality to inflation and an ongoing pandemic, the past few years have been incredibly stressful for many people. But for those looking for help, mental health care can be confusing to navigate and expensive to access. The stigma that surrounds discussing care and mental health challenges openly makes things more complicated.

To learn more about the importance of accessing care and the difference it can make, as well how the mental health landscape has shifted over the past few years, we’re joined by a panel of guests with lived experience. To discuss solutions and resources, we’re joined by leaders from local community organization and city government.

Guests:

Dr. Amy Mariaskin, founding director of Nashville OCD & Anxiety Treatment Center
Woodrow Lucas, CEO of Empowered Recovery Consulting
Wade Anderton, art dealer, recovering alcoholic, and double familial suicide survivor
Robin Nobling, executive director NAMI Davidson County
Sheldon Walker, Metro Health suicide prevention coordinator and co-chair of the Suicide Prevention in the African American Faith Community Coalition

Resources:

24 hour TN Mental Health Crisis Line: 855-274-7471
NAMI Davidson Co. Weekday Info and Referral Helpline: 615-891-4724
Psychology Today Therapist Finder
NAMI Family and Friends Primer

If you were to buy a ticket to the symphony right now — here in Nashville, or in another city — you likely wouldn’t see many Black performers. That won’t be the case at this weekend’s inaugural performance of the Nashville African American Wind Symphony. The group aims to challenge what has become the norm in classical spaces. We talk to members of the group about why they felt a Black symphony was needed. Then, educators and students talk about ways to bridge the gap.

But first — the way we pronounce the names of some places in Tennessee can raise eyebrows for newcomers. But, even long-time residents can’t always explain why those names are the way they are. This prompted a question to our Curious Nashville project and sent WPLN’s Marianna Bacallao in search of the stories behind a few prominent place names.

Guests:

Marianna Bacallao, WPLN’s afternoon host
Bruce Ayers, founder of the Nashville African American Wind Symphony
Ashley Crawford, president of the board of the Nashville African American Wind Symphony
Lee Pringle, founder and artistic director of the Colour of Music Festival
Xayvion Davidson, bassoonist and recent high school graduate
Jabril Muhammad, trumpet player and recent TSU graduate
Margaret Campbelle-Holman, executive director and founder of Choral Arts Link

Note: This episode originally aired on March 4.

The honky-tonks on Lower Broadway contribute to Nashville’s economy and its reputation as a destination party city. While “NashVegas” has become a playground for bachelorette parties, locals have pushed back — complaining about unruly tourists and under-regulated party vehicles. Things got so out of hand that the word “transportainment” made its first appearance in The New York Times last year.

In this episode, host Khalil Ekulona talks to some of the people who make Nashville’s nightlife tick, and also asks the question: Who is Nashville’s nightlife really for?

But first, Congressional hearings about the January 6 insurrection are underway. WPLN political reporter Blaise Gainey joins us with an update about the Tennesseans accused of taking part in the riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Guests:

Blaise Gainey, WPLN political reporter
GabeLee, Americana singer-songwriter
The Nashville Cowboy Colby Barrett
Katie Saddiq, manager and bartender at Rosemary & Beauty Queen
Tiffany Taylor, doula and culture writer at 2L’s on a Cloud
Reginald Pierre, YouTube vlogger

Nolensville Pike is famous in Nashville as a bustling corridor of culture and cuisine from all over the world. As Nashville grows — and becomes more expensive — some are embracing new interest and investment in the area, while others worry that development with displace existing immigrant communities.

To learn more about how Nolensville Pike became the multicultural hub we know it as today, and discuss its future, we're joined by a panel of business owners, restaurant managers, community organizers and longtime residents.

But first, digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon is responding to your feedback in our weekly segment @Us!.

Guests:

Lilian Yepez, co-owner of La Hacienda
Hamid Hasan, owner House of Kabob
Dr. José González, professor at Belmont, co-founder Conexión Américas
Diane Janbakhsh, owner of Plaza Mariachi and executive director of the Hispanic Family Foundation
Riyaz Sheikh, manager of Surati Indian Street Food

Hot chicken is Nashville’s most famous dish. It has a cult following, a mythological backstory and humble beginnings. But it is much more than just a meal — it tells a story about gentrification and race in Nashville.

We take a deep dive into what hot chicken says about the city’s culture. We’re joined by the matriarch’s of hot chicken – Ms. André Prince of Prince’s, and Ms. Dollye Matthews of Bolton’s – to explore the legacy of hot chicken, and what it was like to watch it spread like wildfire.

But first, we’re joined by two people pushing for changes at the Natchez Trace Bridge – a mother who lost her son by suicide there and a woman who survived a suicide attempt. They update us on recent temporary safety measures put in place at the bridge.

Guests:

Trish Merelo, co-founder of the Natchez Trace Bridge Barrier Coalition
Briana Brown, mental health speaker and advocate
Caroline Randall Williams, host of Hungry For Answers
Rachel Louise Martin, author of Hot, Hot Chicken: A Nashville Story
Dollye Matthews, general manager of Bolton’s Spicy Chicken & Fish
André Prince, owner of Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack

If you know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741).

It’s national Pet Appreciation Week! Our pets are like family — maybe even more so after these last two years — and many of us have recently seen an addition (or two!) to our households. In this show, we hear from cat people and dog people about the work they do taking care of the furries and finding the right forever homes.

But first, we talk supercomputers! Tennessee is home to the fastest computer in the world. We learn what that means and how long it might take until we have that kind of power in our pockets.

Guests:

Emily Siner, WPLN’s news director
Justin Whitt, program director for the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility
Brandy Yates, owner of The Catio and foster parent with Nashville Cat Rescue
Laurie Green, founding director of SAFPAW
Dr. Ranetta Perkins, owner of Little Urban Vet Clinic
Ian McClellan, owner of Set Free Dog Training
Noël Kiswiney, assistant director of marketing at Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary

When Nissan Stadium, then called the Adelphia Coliseum, opened in 1999 to house the newly-arrived Tennessee Titans, the lease agreement stipulated that Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County was responsible for 80% of maintenance costs. At the time, Nashville was not a major pro sports destination, and the favorable lease agreement was an important incentive to attract the Titans to Music City.

More than 20 years later, a combination of wear and tear and rising standards for football stadiums means that the city may have to shell out billions of dollars for the stadium. The question is, will they renovate the old Nissan Stadium site, or build a new one right next door? And who will pay for it?

In this episode, we’ll break down the numbers, talk about the city’s obligations and hear from Titans fans about their thoughts about the stadium.

Guests:

Adam Sichko, Nashville Business Journal senior reporter
Stephani Perkins, founder of Ladies of Titans Twitter, last season’s Fan of the Year
Alex “Mr. Titan” Fernandez, YouTuber
Eric Insignares
Brett Withers, District 6 Council Member
Freddie O’Connell, District 19 Council Member

Nashville’s independent music venues have long been a proving ground for up-and-coming artists. They’re also increasingly under threat as development and gentrification continue to put pressure on property values. Mercy Lounge, Cannery Ballroom and the High Watt recently closed, and it’s an uncertain future ahead for revered venues like Exit/In.

The city is waking up to the problem. Mayor John Cooper recently declared the week before Memorial Day weekend to be “Music Venue Independence Week.”

What makes these spaces so vital to the life and culture of Music City, and what do we risk losing if they continue to shut down — or are replaced by corporate venues? We’ll look at some of the history, the daunting circumstances of the present and what, if anything, can be done in the future to preserve this slice of Nashville’s cultural landscape.

Also this hour, we talk with WPLN producer Marianna Bacallao about her reporting on anti-trans laws in Tennessee.

Guests:

Chris Cobb, owner of Exit/In and president of Music Venue Alliance Nashville
Jeff Syracuse, Metro Council member, District 15
Kathryn Edwards, co-owner of DRKMTTR and musician
Mel Bryant, musician
Ariel Bui, musician

Southern Baptists belong to a denomination that believes in the inerrancy of Biblical scripture, the autonomy of their congregations and complementarity of men and women.

In light of the recent Guidepost Report, in this episode we talk about the what the Southern Baptist Convention believes in, its structure and how the absence of female presence in its leadership has contributed to the silencing and abuse of women.

First, @ US!: We respond to comments we received about gun violence, news fatigue and ugly buildings.

Guests:

Liam Adams, religion reporter for The Tennessean
Tiffany Thigpen, abuse survivor and former Southern Baptist
Dr. Ashley Gavilá, former member Southern Baptist and current trauma recovery coach and spiritual care professional
Rev. Dr. Eileen Campbell-Reed, pastor, author and professor

Child care is often expensive, hard-to-find and deeply necessary for working parents and guardians. With schools being out for the summer, many families in Middle Tennessee are in need for child care.

To help address these access issues, Metro Council approved a measure that provides $7.5 million to support child care and early childhood education in Nashville this April. Today, we’re sitting down with community stakeholders to learn what this infusion of funding means for the future of child care in Nashville.

We’re also joined by a panel of parents sharing their experiences of trying to find child care and how it has impacted their personal and professional lives.

But first, WPLN morning producer Alexis Marshall joins us to discuss how she found the answer to the latest Curious Nashville question about why the state’s driver exam isn’t offered in Arabic, Tennessee’s third most spoken language.

Guests:

Alexis Marshall, WPLN morning producer
Erika Hernandez Harrison, mother of a 9-month-old girl
Megan Charalambakis, mother of a 7-month-old son
Lindsay McClain Opiyo, mother of a 5-year-old son
Travis Claybrooks, CEO of the Raphah Institute
Annie Paraison, interim director of the 18th Avenue Family Enrichment Center

As the school year draws to a close in Middle Tennessee, we check in with students to see how they’re feeling.

The Uvalde, Texas, school shooting is still in the headlines and it comes so soon after another mass shooting in Buffalo. Both were perpetrated by teenagers. And an even more recent shooting in Chattanooga saw six people injured, all of them younger than 15.

How are students processing these multiple tragedies? How did they make it through this challenging year? And what are their hopes for the future?

But first, we'll be speaking with reporter Juliana Kim about her favorite stories as she leaves WPLN.

Guests:

Juliana Kim, WPLN education reporter
Alexandra Jobe, MTSU student
Christina Amaya Sandoval, rising senior at Hume-Fogg High School
Quentin Ding, rising senior at Cookeville High School
Sidd Siddiqui, recent graduate from Merrol Hyde High School in Hendersonville

This Is Nashville is off for Memorial Day. We are rebroadcasting our episode about Larkspur, which originally aired April 14.

Death is something that’s sure. It’s also something many of us avoid. Certain people, though, have made facing death part of their everyday life.

In an opening feature, we visit Larkspur Conservation – one of the only conservation burial grounds in the country as we say goodbye to one man’s son. Then we speak with a woman who recently buried her dad at Larkspur as well as ordained ministers from different traditions about how they are plugging into, and guiding us through, the dying time.

But first, WPLN environmental reporter Caroline Eggers tells us how heavy rainfall and frequent flooding have made landslides a new threat to our region.

Guests:

Caroline Eggers, WPLN environmental reporter
Lindsey Baydoun, photographer who recently lost her father, Cory Fite
Becca Stevens, speaker, social entrepreneur, author, priest, founder of 10 nonprofit justice initiatives including Larkspur Conservation, and president of Thistle Farms
Chaplain Omarán Lee, pastoral counselor, chaplain at Nashville General Hospital at Meharry
Rev. Jeannie Alexander, co-founder and co-director of No Exceptions Prison Collective, death doula in training

Resources:

PBS/Reel South: Bury Me at Taylor Hollow

The WNXP Artist of the Month for May is The New Respects. The Nashville band released its new single "Don't Worry" on Friday, which marks a new chapter for The New Respects since it's the band's first major independent project.

In this episode, we're joined by two of the band's members to talk about their music and how their upbringing shaped The New Respects' sound. But first, we'll hear from WNXP Editorial Director Jewly Hight, who has been following the band for more than five years.

Guests:

Jewly Hight, WNXP Editorial Director
Jasmine Mullen, The New Respects singer and guitarist
Zandy Mowry, The New Respects guitarist

Further reading:

WNXP: The New Respects listened to their musical parents, then set out to be their own band

Tokens: Why The New Respects Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere

Goals, vision board, 5-year plan, bucket list, whatever you call it — we have many ways of trying to realize and track our passions and accomplishments. When we think of bucket lists, well, we have to admit that at some point we all kick that bucket. That’s where the urgency comes in.

On this show, we talk to people with different backgrounds about the goals they’ve set and the meaningful things they have achieved so far.

But first, @ US!: We had a vegan listener react to our meat episode — so we called him up! We’re also asking for listeners stories for a future episode on child care.

Guests:

Gwen Moore, artist, writer
Joe Murray, retired military, hobbyist, adventurer
Nicholas Calvin, founder of The Mahogany Honors
Jeremy Lister, musician, athlete, addiction survivor

Losing a family member suddenly and unexpectedly is difficult. But that experience can feel magnified if that loved one is killed by the people tasked to protect us – law enforcement.

On this episode, we speak with Sheila Clemmons Lee, whose son Jocques Clemmons was killed by a Metro Nashville Police Department officer in 2017; Vickie Hambrick, whose son Daniel Hambrick was killed by an MNPD officer in 2018; Brandi Johnson Neuble, whose brother William Johnson Jr. was killed in a shootout with MNPD in 2020; and Tangie Curtis, whose daughter Nicole Holbert was killed by an MNPD officer in 2021.

What resources are currently available to these families? What would they like to see offered to families after future incidents?

We’ll also hear from a Community Oversight Board member who’s pushing to better meet these families’ needs.

Guests:

Jill Fitcheard, executive director of the Metro Nashville Community Oversight Board
Sheila Clemmons Lee, mother of Jocques Clemmons and assistant program director of Mothers Over Murder
Brandi Johnson Neuble, sister of William Johnson Jr.
Vickie Hambrick, mother of Daniel Hambrick

A deadly mass shooting at a Buffalo, New York, supermarket on May 14 sent shockwaves throughout the country, including in Middle Tennessee. In a document written before the attack, the gunman used rhetoric that echoed racist conspiracy theories and, in some places, the recently leaked Supreme Court draft decision overturning Roe. v. Wade.

On this episode, we explore the connections between hateful rhetoric and harmful actions with someone whose community was targeted for harassment and with experts in critical race theory and hate speech.

But first, WPLN metro reporter Ambriehl Crutchfield stops by the studio with the latest about the Riverchase Apartments.

Guests:

Ambriehl Crutchfield, WPLN metro reporter
Dr. Saleh Sbenaty, Islamic Center of Murfreesboro board member and professor at MTSU
Sophie Bjork-James, assistant professor of anthropology at Vanderbilt University
Dr. Chezare A. Warren, associate professor of equity and inclusion in education policy at Vanderbilt University

Additional reading:

WPLN: Hate groups in Tennessee are on the decline, but the Southern Poverty Law Center says that’s only because extremism is becoming more mainstream

Note: This episode originally appeared on March 18.

Nashville has changed a lot over the past handful of decades — and our city’s LGBTQ+ scene is no exception. The first gay bars popped up after World War II, and the number of LGBTQ+ establishments grew from there, peaking in the 1980s and 1990s with more than 20. None of them are still around today.

In recent years, increasing social acceptance has led to the creation of new queer spaces in Nashville, like kickball leagues and roving dance parties, and has sparked conversations about the purpose of traditional spaces. There has also been a conservative backlash in the state legislature that poses new challenges. In this episode, we will hear from community members across multiple generations about their experiences and how the city’s LGBTQ+ scene has changed in their lifetimes.

At the top of episode, guest host Nina Cardona is joined by Tennessee Lookout reporter Jamie Satterfield to explain the latest federal court ruling regarding the 2008 Kingston coal ash spill.

Guests:

Jamie Satterfield, investigative journalist with theTennessee Lookout
Jeff Ellis, founder of Dare (later renamed Query), Tennessee’s first gay and lesbian newspaper
Phil Michal Thomas, human rights activist and author
MTSU historian Dr. Marisa Richmond
Binh Ngo, CPA and API Middle Tennessee board member
Desirée Duncan, vice president of Health Equity and Inclusion for Revive

Resources and additional reading:

Tennessee Lookout: 6th Circuit shoots down immunity for TVA coal ash spill contractor Jacobs Engineering

Nashville Queer History: Explore archival material that preserves the places, people, and organizations who defined why “Y’all Means All!” throughout Middle Tennessee

What does it take to get the best cut of local meat? Turns out it’s a lot. From land, to feed, to slaughter, processing, aging and cooking. We talk to farmers, producers and entrepreneurs about how and why they go the extra mile for local meat — keeping the whole animal in mind, from birth to plate.

First up, we take a look into a new Vanderbilt University initiative to establish an Asian American Studies major — and one student’s role in driving the change.

Guests:

Juliana Kim, WPLN’s education reporter
Rohit Kataria, founder and co-director of Vanderbilt’s Asian American Advocacy Project
Elizabeth Stuart, founder of Crossing Creeks Farm
Dylan Fishbein, communications manager at Caney Fork Farms
Steve Anderson, owner of Anderson Meats & Processing
Hrant Arakelian, chef and owner of Lyra

After tragedy struck her neighborhood in 2018, artist M. Simone Boyd wanted to do something. Boyd enlisted neighborhood youth to create a mosaic depicting civil rights leader Curlie E. McGruder. The mosaic, created in partnership with a neighborhood woodworking shop, was mounted on the side of the Elizabeth Park senior center, over a window that had been cemented over.

Now the Art Against Violence project has culminated in a total of five mosaics, depicting Black women who were pillars of the community — Curlie E. McGruder, Willie Mae “Momma” Boddie, Nora Evelyn Ransom, Mary Louise Watson and Juno Frankie Pierce. Simone joins descendants of these women to talk about their stories, as well as the legacy and future of North Nashville.

At the top of the show is @ Us, where we respond to listener questions and feedback. This week we got a call from host Khalil Ekulona's mom and we're asking listeners to share what's on your bucket list for a future show.

Guests:

M. Simone Boyd, artist and community activist
Rev. Margreat Smithson, daughter of Momma Boddie
Barbara Watson, daughter of Mary Louise Watson
Leitha Carter, daughter of Mary Louise Watson
Alisha Haddock, granddaughter of Nora Ransom

Additional reading:

Nashville Scene: An Art Installation in Elizabeth Park Honors Black Women of North Nashville
M. Simone Boyd's Twitter thread about the mosaics

This Is Nashville listeners have reached out with questions about changes they've seen at Centennial Park - particularly with the park's pavillion.

In this episode, we address listeners' concerns and take a look at the park's work be more accessible and represent Nashville's diverse communities.

We also look at how the Centennial Arts Center is learning from its own history ahead of its 50th anniversary, and an ongoing showcase for musicians from all genres.

But first, Liam Adams has an update on the ongoing schism in the United Methodist Church.

Guests:

Liam Adams, religion reporter for The Tennessean
Susan Adcock, homeless outreach worker and former Nashville Scene photographer
Nadine Shillingford, artist and cyber security professional
Josh Wagner, director of Centennial Arts Center and supervisor of Metro Parks Visual Arts
Gustavo Moradel, Latin alternative musician
Justin Branam, executive producer of Musicians Corner and vice president of programming at Centennial Park Conservancy

On May 17, 1961,10 members of the Nashville Student Movement boarded a bus from Nashville to Birmingham, Alabama, as part of the Freedom Rides. The riders were arrested in Alabama and then sent back to the Tennessee border in the middle of the night. However, they helped bolster the civil rights movement as it continued to roll across the South.

In today’s episode, we explore the legacy of Nashville’s Freedom Riders with poets and a journalist. Then we’re joined by a local civil rights activist to learn more about her participation in the sit-ins and the role that education plays in preserving the legacy of the civil rights movement.

But first, WPLN enterprise reporter Damon Mitchell provides an update on rebuilding efforts and preparation for the first post-flood high school graduation in Waverly.

Guests:

Damon Mitchell, WPLN enterprise reporter
Joshua Moore, host of Versify
Destiny Birdsong, writer
Saran “S-Wrap” Thompson, hip-hop and spoken word artist
Professor Gloria McKissack, civil rights activist and educator

As the 1990s came to a close, country music’s biggest stars were women — Shania Twain, Faith Hill and the Chicks ruled the charts.

Fast forward to 2021, and it’s “bro country” as far as the eye can see. Women are often the subjects of songs — wearing short shorts as they climb into pickup trucks. Women appear in as few as 10 percent of the songs on country radio. How did we get here? And how have women found ways to fight back and find paths for themselves? Writer and journalist Marissa R. Moss unpacks these questions and more.

At the top of the show, reporter Paige Pfleger talks about her recent story about women’s negative experiences with men in songwriting sessions.

Guests:

Paige Pfleger, WPLN arts reporter
Crys Matthews, singer/songwriter
Marissa R. Moss, author of Her Country: How the Women of Country Music Became the Success They Were Never Supposed to Be
Leah Turner, musician

This Saturday, Percy Warner Park will host the 81st Iroquois Steeplechase. The race, nicknamed Nashville’s “rite of spring,” has taken place every year since 1941 with only two exceptions: 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and 1945, due to World War II.

In today’s episode, we’re joined by two trustees of the Iroquois Steeplechase to learn about the race’s history and its origins in the sport of fox hunting. To find out more about the Iroquois Steeplechase today, we’ll hear from an organizer of last year’s Black at Steeplechase event and a journalist who has covered the race for the past decade.

But first, WPLN’s environmental reporter Caroline Eggers will discuss a recent bill that makes it difficult for banks to do business with the state of Tennessee if they divest from fossil fuels.

Guests:

Caroline Eggers, WPLN environmental reporter
Bill Haggard, a master of the Mells Foxhounds and a trustee of the Iroquois Steeplechase
Stephen Heard, a master of the Mells Foxhounds and a trustee of the Iroquois Steeplechase
Tereva Parham, communications manager with the Equity Alliance
Nancy Floyd, former editor of NFocus Magazine

East Tennessee native Dr. Stephen Loyd once had a 100-pill-a-day addiction and even stole pain pills from his own patients. Years after he first sought help for his substance abuse disorder, Loyd in now the vice president of the state board medical examiners as well as the medical director of multiple service organizations.

Loyd's says he has yet to find a way to treat dead people. His past has shaped his approach to addiction treatment, and he's now one of the most stringent harm-reductionists in Tennessee.

But what exactly is "harm reduction" - and what is and isn't allowed in Tennessee? In this episode, Loyd offers his insight into harm reduction strategies and recent state legislation that aims to increase access to naloxone and fentanyl test strips?

But first, @ Us! Host Khalil Ekulona and digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon respond to listeners questions and comments following Wednesday's episode about abortion access.

Related:

WPLN: Tennessee joins growing list of states legalizing at-home tests to detect fentanyl in drugs
WPLN: In Tennessee, your opioid prescription will soon come with an offer for overdose reversal meds

The future of abortion access in the United States is in question after POLITICO published on May 2 a draft opinion revealing that the Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Tennessee has a trigger law in place that will ban almost all abortions if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

In this episode, we examine how we got to this pivotal moment in the future of abortion access. We also talk about what it’s like to get an abortion in Tennessee, and a board certified OB-GYN and reproductive health advocate answers community questions about abortion and pregnancy.

Guests:

Becca Andrews, reproductive care reporter for Mother Jones
Tia Freeman, abortion rights activist with Beyond Roe Collective
Sarah, a woman who has had an abortion and is using a pseudonym to protect her privacy
Carole Caprio, who previously worked for Planned Parenthood
Dr. Ivana Thompson, board certified OB-GYN practicing at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Robyn Baldridge, president of Abortion Care Tennessee

Additional reading and resources:

Healthy & Free Tennessee: information about clinics and financial support in your community
WPLN: Nashville women share their abortion stories at a rally against impending Tennessee ban
WPLN: Myth-busting: Plan B is still legal in Tennessee, despite a viral tweet that says otherwise

It’s been 10 weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine. More than 5 million people have fled, millions more have been displaced inside the European country and thousands of civilians have died due to the ongoing conflict. The war is also threatening the global food supply.

On this episode, we hear from Nashville residents with ties to Ukraine, a filmmaker documenting the conflict, and others who are leading aid efforts.

To start the show, WPLN Senior Reporter and Producer of Special Projects Meribah Knight. On Monday, she was named as a finalist the Pulitzer Prize’s feature writing category for her joint investigation with ProPublica into the juvenile justice system in Rutherford County.

Guests:

Diana Nalyvaiko, Vanderbilt University student and Ukrainian citizen
David Van Hooser, documentary filmmaker
Scott Owings, assistant chaplain at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Chapel
Zoya Mylovanova, Ukrainian lawyer living in Budapest, Hungary
Natalya Drozhzhin, chef and creator of Momsdish

Resources and links:

Drozhzhin’s fundraiser for Ukrainian refugees
How to make vareniki (perogies)
Breadbasket for Ukraine
Various fundraisers and resources about the invasion

Special thanks to Masha Marchukova, Taylor Maurits and Christina Katrakis.

Whether it’s superheroes like The Avengers or slice-of-life cartoons in the New Yorker, comics capture our imaginations like no other art form. A few small panels can take us to another galaxy or show us life from someone else’s point of view. Comics are not just for kids and are the perfect vehicle for anyone who wants to explore a new world.

Saturday was Free Comic Book Day so we're talking to NPR editor and Nashville-based artist Malaka Gharib, whose work was included in the national promotion.

We'll also be joined by other local illustrators about how they got into comics and how they tell stories through their unique art styles.

Guests:

Malaka Gharib, author and illustrator of I Was Their American Dream and the forthcoming It Won't Always Be Like This
Anika Orrock, author and illustrator of The Incredible Women of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
Janet K. Lee, co-creator of Return of the Dapper Men, illustrator of Marvel Comics adaptations of Jane Austen’s Emma and Northanger Abbey
Scout Underhill, creator of DnDoggos web comic
Daniel Pujol, co-creator of Salt Weekly zine and Thaw postcard comic

It’s strawberry season in Tennessee!

In this episode, we’ll learn more about what this time of year means to local farmers, what eating seasonally looks like in Middle Tennessee and all the best ways to eat strawberries. We’re joined by a panel of farmers, urban agriculturists and community supported agriculture experts.

But first, we’ll hear from WPLN enterprise reporter Damon Mitchell on why Black men are less likely to graduate from a Tennessee college than their peers.

Guests:

Damon Mitchell, WPLN enterprise reporter
Al Slate, third-generation farmer and owner of Slate Farms
Jenn Kelley Moreland, Kelley’s Berry Farm
Nella “Ms. Pearl” Frierson, founder of the Brooklyn Heights Community Garden
Natalie Ashker Seevers, director of the Tennessee Local Food Summit

Hemp and CBD are legal in Tennessee but marijuana (medical and recreationional) is not. So where does this leave Delta-8?

A Tennessee lawmaker proposed a bill this legislatative session that would have regulated and taxed Delta-8 products, but the bill didn't make it out of committee. Meanwhile, stores selling Delta-8, CBD and hemp products are cropping up across the state, and there's even a CBD restaurant and bar that's coming to Nashville.

Today we talk to people who make their living in the hemp and CBD industries about the plant, cannabis stigma and proposed regulations.

First up, @ Us! Host Khalil Ekulona and digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon respond to listeners’ tweets on Nashville SC, WPLN's reporting series on rising housing prices and a future episode about abortion.

Guests:

Cecliy Friday, lobbyist, executive director of the Tennessee Cannabis Coalition and founder of the Southern Hemp Expo
Frederick Cawthon, president of Hemp Alliance Of Tennessee
Derek Besenius, owner of LabCanna
Drea Groeschel-Guinness, president of NuSachi Hemp
J. Mitchell, expert in hemp cultivation and manufacturing

Special thanks to: Mark Montgomery, Blaise Gainey, and Tonya Lewis for their help with this show.

Parents and juvenile justice advocates want Tennessee to improve the conditions in youth detention facilities after a report claims that teens held at the Wilder Youth Development Center were physically and sexually abused.

Disability Rights Tennessee and the Youth Law Center released the report on April 27. It details how the teens held at the state-run facility in Fayette County in West Tennessee were denied medical care and therapy services, and how parents were retaliated against when they tried to raise the alarm, among other allegations.

The report focuses on Wilder, but the authors believe conditions there point to larger systemic problems.

In today's show, we talk to people who worked on the report, as well as a parent and juvenile justice advocate about what can be done to improve conditions for youth in detention. We invited representatives from the Tennessee Department of Children's Services, but they were unavailable.

To start the show, WPLN political reporter Blaise Gainey breaks down everything you need to know from the Tennessee General Assembly this session.

Guests:

Blaise Gainey, WPLN political reporter
Sherry, a mother whose teenage son was held at Wilder
Brian Blalock, attorney at Youth Law Center
Javais Hammonds, a formerly incarcerated teen who now works with the Youth Justice Action Council
Marcel Hernandez, program director at Youth Advocate Programs, Inc.

Housing is on a lot of people’s minds in Nashville: how expensive it is, how hard to find it is, how many tall-and-skinnies are popping up across town, etc.

In this episode, we examine how the red-hot Nashville market specifically impacts working class and recently arrived immigrants and their families. We're joined by community members, outreach worker, and educators to learn about how development and rising rents are making cultural communities and vital services harder to access for many immigrants and recently-arrived refugees.

But first, we will hear from WPLN's Blake Farmer about what the leaked Supreme Court opinion could mean for the future of reproductive health care in Tennessee. What questions do you have about the future of abortion access in the state? You can let us know by leaving a voice message here.

Guests:

Blake Farmer, WPLN senior health care reporter
Saleem Tahiri, co-founder of Tennessee Resettlement Aid
Esmatullah Hananzai, came to Middle Tennessee with his family as refugees from Afghanistan last fall
Alexis Marshall, WPLN morning producer
Clint Wilson, principal of Glencliff High School
Cecilia Prado, co-director of Worker’s Dignity

Then a few ultimate fans join us fresh from the stands. Chants and drumming are a big part of the stadium energy as is Soccer Moses, the Nashville SC's unofficial mascot and the "best religious leader in Nashville," according to the Nashville Scene.

We'll ask our guests about what is soccer culture like in Nashville, how has the community grown, and what are the city's chances of hosting a 2026 World Cup match.

Guests:

Rachel Iacovone, WPLN digital news editor
Abel Acosta, head of La Brigada De Oro — Nashville SC's first officially recognized Latin American “Barra” supporter group
Kate Guidry, Backline drummer
Stephen Mason, Soccer Moses
Stephen Robinson, Pharmaceutical Soccer podcast host
Desmond Armstrong, soccer coach at Fisk University and former member of the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (1987-1994)

Ramadan Mubarak!

Sunday marks the beginning of Eid al-Fitr, the holiday the celebrates the end of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar Muslims observe through fasting and spiritual reflection. On today's show, members of Nashville's diverse Muslim community to learn more about how they observe the holy month and what it means to them.

But first, WPLN criminal justice reporter Samantha Max makes her final appearance on the show before she leaves the station for a new position at WNYC.

Guests:

Samantha Max, WPLN criminal justice reporter
Rashed Fakhruddin, director of community partnerships at the Islamic Center of Nashville
Samira Kamal
Tahseen Fatima
Eva Abdulla

Conexión Américas is 20 years old!

In this show we talk with founder Renata Soto about what Nashville's Latino community looked like two decades ago and how she planted the seeds that grew this long-standing organization. Also joining the conversation is current co-executive director Martha Silva on where Conexión is today and its hopes for the future.

You'll also hear from Jaime Perara, a small business owner who benefited from business development through Conexión and is now a volunteer, and Brian Haile, who partners with the nonprofit.

First up, @ Us! Host Khalil Ekulona and digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon respond to listeners' tweets about Wednesday's COVID check-in, Mayor Cooper's State of Metro and concerns about Metro Animal Care and Control.

Guests:

Renata Soto, founder of Conexión Américas and Mosaic Changemakers
Martha Silva, current co-executive director of Conexión Américas
Brian Halie, Neighborhood Health director
Jaime Perera, owns A1 Trust Cleaning Service with his wife Nadya

More: Learn about Cafecito 2022, here!

The pandemic has been going on for more than two years so how are Middle Tennesseans now approaching pandemic safety?

Last week, a judge in Florida struck down the federal mask mandate. Travelers are now no longer required to wear a masks on planes, trains or buses, but the CDC is still recommending that people continue to wear masks on public transit while the ruling is challenged.

In Middle Tennessee, COVID-19 cases are starting to slowly creep up again just as Nashville plans to close a key testing and vaccination site. Some in Nashville are now wondering where to turn.

Today, we'll hear from a panel of community members on how their lives have changed during the pandemic and how normal now looks like for them. Then, Dr. James E.K. Hildreth answers listener questions about masking, vaccines, protecting the most vulnerable and more.

Guests:

Blake Farmer, WPLN senior healthcare reporter
Stacey Irvin, photographer living with multiple sclerosis
Megan Staggs, vice president, head of customer experience at AIG and mother of twin baby girls
Grace Tseng, owner of Mama Yang and Daughter
Dr. James Hildreth, president and CEO of Meharry Medical College, as well as a member of President Joe Biden's COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force and the FDA’s vaccine advisory committee

Let’s talk invasive species! Whether lazy or tender-hearted, if you’re someone who won’t kill a beetle in your house or pull a vine in your yard, it might be hard to wrap your head around the importance of mitigation and eradication.

In this show, we hear from two experts on bugs. And good news: one of them is particularly passionate about natural remedies.

Then, we move to two experts to talk about invasive plants.

This is more than concern for the beauty of our landscape; these issues have implications for our ongoing health, safety and food supply.

First up though, WPLN Education Reporter Juliana Kim talks with host Khalil Ekulona about Tennessee's more-partisan-than-ever school board races.

Today's Guests:

Dr. Kaushalya G. Amarasekare, Assistant Professor for the Tennessee State University College of Agriculture
Jennifer Smith, Horticulturist for Metro Nashville
Andrew Bell, executive director at the Nashville Tree Foundation
Dr. Matthew Blair, plant scientist, TSU Professor for the College of Agriculture

Special thanks to these folks for their help building this show: Ryan Jenkins, Dr. Jason Oliver, Vera Roberts, Hannah Hollowell, Rebecca Ratz, Dwight Beard and Neil Anderson.

Nashville is known as Music City, but as the cost of living continues to rise in Nashville, it's putting pressure on those trying to get by.

What is it like to make music in Nashville if you aren't headlining arenas? How are musicians piecing together a life for themselves?

We start by talking with WNXP artist of the month $avvy, who is joined by rapper and producer Mike Floss. We also talk with more musicians about doing the work, and what kinds of support they've found — or found lacking.

Guests:

Jewly Hight, editorial director, WNXP
$avvy, musician
Mike Floss, musician
Larissa Maestro, musician
Andrea Guess, musician
Jamaine Pitts, musician

Happy Earth Day! Today, we’re talking about green space. First, why is it important? Second, who has access to it? And finally, how can we make green space in our city more equitable?

To answer those questions, we’re joined by a city official, a professor, a tree activist and an affordable housing expert. But first, we’ll hear from WPLN Criminal Justice Reporter Samantha Max about the last minute decision to delay Oscar Smith’s execution on Thursday night.

Guests:

Samantha Max, WPLN criminal justice reporter
Kendra Abkowitz, Nashville’s chief sustainability and resilience officer
David Padgett, associate professor of geography at TSU and environmental justice expert
Ingrid Campbell, community trees advocate and Root Nashville neighborhood plant captain
Brent Elrod, managing director of Urban Housing Solutions

Executions in the state of Tennessee ground to a halt as the pandemic set in back in March 2020. But, the state plans to resume today by executing Oscar Smith, using lethal injection. His execution was first scheduled for June 2020, and rescheduled twice since the start of the pandemic.

Since 1916, 139 people have been killed by execution in the state of Tennessee. There was a nine-year break before the state resumed capital punishment in 2018.

We’ll learn about our state’s history of executions, what this week looked like leading up to one and where Tennessee stacks up on a national level.

But first, @ Us: We talked with a rabbi who wrote in to share about the Jewish tradition of natural burial in response to last week’s episode that talked about Larkspur Conversation.

Guests:

Steven Hale, author, criminal defense investigator with AK Investigations in Nashville, former journalist for the Nashville Scene
Brad MacLean, attorney, board president for Tennessee Innocence Project
Liliana Segura, journalist for The Intercept
Stacy Rector, director of Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty

In August, U.S. forces withdrew from Afghanistan as the Taliban took over the country. Millions of Afghans were forcibly displaced, and hundreds of thousands fled as refugees. Over 500 Afghans resettled in Nashville.

At first, resettlement agencies were overwhelmed. The local community – mosques, teachers, electrical engineers, activists, grocers and more – stepped up to make sure the new arrivals got the help they needed, and more people are still coming.

In this episode, we hear the stories of the people who have been resettled here. Then, we learn about how Tennessee’s refugee resettlement infrastructure works. Finally, we hear how the community came together to fill in the gaps in the system and how listeners can help.

But first, WPLN Enterprise Reporter Damon Mitchell joins in studio with an update on Mason, Tennessee’s fight to stop the state comptroller from taking over the town’s finances.

Guests:

Damn Mitchell, WPLN enterprise reporter
Louisa Saratora, state refugee coordinator with Catholic Charities’s Tennessee Office for Refugees
Sabina Mohyuddin, executive Director of the American Muslim Advisory Council
Masood Sidiqyar, senior director of information security for Vanderbilt IT and an Afghan refugee
Saleem Tahiri, technical operations manager for Computer & Communications Innovations and cofounder of Tennessee Resettlement Aid

Tallu Schuyler Quinn was an icon in Nashville. She’s the founder and director of The Nashville Food Project. She died of brain cancer in February 17 at the age of 42 — leaving behind a husband, Robbie, two children, Thomas and Lulah, and a grieving, yet hopeful, community.

This episode is centered around the release of her book "What We Wish Were True". The book came, in part, from the CaringBridge posts she wrote after she was diagnosed with cancer. We're talking to two of Tallu's employees from The Nashville Food Project then we have an intimate conversation with her husband and chaplin.

First up, we hear from WPLN News Director Emily Siner about the station's commitment to housing coverage.

Guests:

Emily Siner, WPLN News director
Teri Sloan, COO of the Nashville Food Project
Bianca Morton, chef director of the Nashville Food Project
Scott Owings, associate chaplain and pastoral Leadership at St. Augustine's Episcopal Chapel
Robbie Quinn, Tallu Schuyler Quinn's husband and father to Lulah and Thomas

In a time of racial reckoning, the Black Opry has resurfaced and re-centered a longstanding conversation about diversity — or lack thereof — in country music. It has also grown to include The Black Opry Revue, a touring musical showcase.

Black Opry founder Holly G. joins the show to discuss the organization as it celebrates its first anniversary. Also in conversation with Holly G. is singer-songwriter Frankie Staton, who led one of the Black Opry's forebears - the Black Country Music Association - in the 1990s.

Also in this episode, you'll hear from artists of color about how they navigate the changes within in the country music industry.

Guests:

Holly G, founder of the Black Opry
Derek Campbell, The Kentucky Gentlemen
Frankie Staton, singer, songwriter and former director of the Black Country Music Association
Amanda Marie Martinez, country music historian
Benn Park, founder of Shoes Off Booking Agency

Murals have become an iconic part of Nashville’s visual identity, especially on social media (Taylor Swift’s famous wings photo, anyone?).

Muralists have been working in Nashville for decades, including Aaron Douglas’ work at the Fisk Galleries and several longtime muralists, graffiti artists and commercial painters. However, murals and street art have exploded in recent years due to major beautification efforts like the Nashville Walls Project, as well as the increasing popularity of Instagram-friendly photo ops.

In this episode we’re joined by a panel of artists to learn more about the history of murals in Nashville, how things have changed in recent years, and what that means for the future of street art in Nashville. But first, WPLN Morning Producer Alexis Marshall tells us all about her story on a new shared restaurant space in East Nashville.

Guests:

Alexis Marshall, WPLN morning producer
Lakesha Moore, Fisk Galleries coordinator and artist
Brian Greif, artist and co-founder of the Nashville Walls Project
Michael Cooper, owner of Murals and More
Ghosty Lowks, graffiti and airbrush artist

Death is something that’s sure. It’s also something many of us avoid. Certain people, though, have made facing death part of their everyday life.

In an opening feature, we visit Larkspur Conservation – one of the only conservation burial grounds in the country as we say goodbye to one man’s son. Then we speak with a woman who recently buried her dad at Larkspur as well as ordained ministers from different traditions about how they are plugging into, and guiding us through, the dying time.

First up: @ Us! We answer a couple of questions about our Native Roots episode and talk about a poem our guest Anita Smith shared with us after our recent episode on domestic violence, "He Gave Me Flowers Today."

Guests:

Lindsey Baydoun, photographer who recently lost her father, Cory Fite
Becca Stevens, speaker, social entrepreneur, author, priest, founder of 10 nonprofit justice initiatives including Larkspur Conservation, and president of Thistle Farms
Chaplain Omarán Lee, pastoral counselor, chaplain at Nashville General Hospital at Meharry
Rev. Jeannie Alexander, co-founder and co-director of No Exceptions Prison Collective, death doula in training

More:

A documentary on Larkspur will be available on PBS beginning April 18. Learn more here.
See more photos of Cory Fite's burial ceremony that is featured in the documentary here. Photos by John Brown and courtesy Lindsey Baydoun.

Wednesday is the first day of early voting for the Davidson County primary elections.

To help listeners prepare to cast their ballot, This Is Nashville hosted a roundtable with the three Democratic candidates for Davidson County district attorney: incumbent Glenn Funk, Sara Beth Myers and P. Danielle Nellis. All of the questions posed to the candidates came from the community.

To begin the episode, WPLN News political reporter Blaise Gainey had an update on the Tennessee legislative session.

Guests:

Blaise Gainey, WPLN political reporter
Glenn Funk, current Davidson County DA
Sara Beth Myers, Democratic candidate for Davidson County district attorney
P. Danielle Nellis, Democratic candidate for Davidson County district attorney

Grab a blanket and snuggle up with a cuppa on this rainy spring day. We've got some poetry for you.

We bring you words from poets of Nashville's past, highlighting The Fugitive Poets of the early 20th century. Then we invite a few of poets of today to share some of their work and inspirations.

But up first, WPLN environmental reporter Caroline Eggers will join at the top of the show to talk about her recent coverage of the United Nations climate report and the Tennessee Valley Authority's response to the call for clean energy.

Guests:

Caroline Eggers, WPLN Environmental Reporter
Ridley Wills II, author and historian
Mark Jarman, poet and critic
Destiny O. Birdsong, multi-genre writer
Joshua Moore, poet and Versify host

In April 2021, Nashville resident Marie Varsos tried to get protection from her husband after he strangled and threatened to kill her. She did everything she was supposed to do. She had resources and support. But Sean Varsos murdered her and her mother.

In recent years, the city of Nashville has made strides in improving the systems to address domestic violence, but the Varsos case demonstrates that those systems are not infallible.

We talk with a domestic violence survivor, and with people currently working to connect survivors to critical resources.

At the top of the episode, Paige Pfleger reports on Marie Varsos' brother, Alex Youn, who has been on a mission to fix what he sees as several “critical failures” by law enforcement in the deaths of his sister and mother. Youn's efforts prompted four bills this legislative session.

So far, only one of those has reached Gov. Bill Lee's desk for approval. The proposed law would require the sheriff's office "to make reasonable efforts" to determine whether someone being served an order of protection or other civil process has an outstanding criminal warrant.

Guests:

Christina Johnson, assistant district attorney and co-team leader of the domestic violence unit
Sharon Roberson, president and CEO, YWCA of Nashville and Middle Tennessee
Anita Smith, domestic violence survivor
Mary Katherine Rand, executive director, The Mary Parrish Center

Resources:

From the Metro Office of Family Safety: If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or you’re unsure about whether or not your situation is domestic violence, please speak to an advocate at the Family Safety Center today at 615-880-1100.

To speak with someone on a 24-hour hotline, contact the YWCA Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-334-4628.

If you’re a baseball fan, it’s an exciting time because the MLB season started Thursday and the Nashville Sounds' season is already underway.

This a packed and heartwarming episode starting with a 1-on-1 with ESPN analyst Buster Olney. Then we spend some time with Dr. Harriet Kimbro-Hamilton and learn about how the Negro Leagues changed her father's life — as well as her own. Finally, we call two Little League coaches up to bat: Ronald "Gooch" Gooch and Joey Hale. They share why Little League Baseball is so much more than physical activity — it builds skills that last a lifetime and sets young players up for success.

We also take you out to a tailgating party at Music City Baseball and then to Springfield for their Little League opening ceremonies, which includes its brand new adaptive league — Springfield Buddies. Later, Khalil plays catch in a Cracker Barrel parking lot with Mark Jent of Simply a Fan.

Guests:

Buster Olney, baseball analyst for ESPN’s Baseball Tonight
Dr. Harriet Kimbro-Hamilton, TSU professor, author and daughter of Negro League player Henry Kimbro
Ronald “Gooch” Gooch, East Nashville Little League Coach
Joey Hale, Goodlettsville Little League Coach and two-time World Series participant

Special thanks to Skip Nipper for his help crafting this show!

Nashville has a rich indigenous history that dates back to the last ice age, as well as a small but vibrant Native American community that is working to gain recognition and resources in Middle Tennessee.

The first people to inhabit the area that is now modern Nashville were Native Americans who arrived here about 14,000 years ago. During the Mississippian period they built farms, villages and even cities – all decades before contact with European settlers.

In this episode, we address a listener email This Is Nashville received after the first episode about the number of folks who lived in prehistoric Nashville. We speak to a historian and an archeological advisor to learn more about the original inhabitants of Nashville, and what they left behind. Then we’re joined by two more members of Nashville’s indigenous community to discuss their experiences and efforts to preserve and raise awareness of their history and culture, from beadwork to land acknowledgments.

Guests:

Albert Bender, Cherokee activist with the American Indian Coalition
Charles Robinson, member of TN Archeological Advisory Council and enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation
Sally Wells, president of the Native American Indian Association of Tennessee and enrolled member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw
Dante Reyna, Ph.D. student and member of the Vanderbilt Indigenous Scholars Organization

It’s tax time — one of our only sure things in life. It’s amazing we all make it through each year since the process often seems needlessly complicated.

On this first round of a new segment we're calling Budget Crunch, we’ll invite a few panelists to answer some of your questions this filing season.

Then, we'll focus on a Curious Nashville question about why Bell Road is so difficult to navigate around Interstate 24's Exit 59. There's a hopeful solution at a nearby exit that may make you dizzy.

But first, WPLN News reporter Blake Farmer joins us to talk over the recent Texas-styled abortion bill that was pulled from consideration and the new bill that's making progress.

Guests:

WPLN Senior Health Care reporter Blake Farmer
Lucia White, former bank teller, unofficial personal finance expert
Chanon MacDonald, Associate Planner for TrustCore
Rusti Keene, Curious Nashville question asker
Hallie Graham, former WPLN News intern

Note: This episode originally aired on March 24, but the show was unexpectedly interrupted by a press conference with President Joe Biden about the war in Ukraine. We are re-airing this so listeners can hear the full episode.

Everyone wants to live in a safe community. The big question is, what is the best way to prevent violence?

The 2020 murder of George Floyd created new urgency across the country to find alternatives to policing. Nashville was no exception. Over the past few years, one local anti-violence group, Gideon’s Army, has been trying out one approach called violence interruption. The approach treats violence like an infectious disease and takes a community-based approach to public safety. On today’s episode, we’ll hear how this approach has been going.

We’re joined by a panel of community members who have been personally affected by violence, to hear what they would like to see the city and local advocacy groups do to keep our communities safe, beyond policing. We will also hear from some of the people doing the work, including a boxing coach and an emergency physician.

Guests:

Nashville Peacemakers and Mothers over Murder founder Clemmie Greenly
Susie McClendon, member of Mothers over Murder
Randall Venson, founder and CEO of the International Boxing Academy of Nashville
Dr. Katrina Green, emergency physician and board member of Gideon’s Army

Nashville is developing a new master plan for Fort Negley, one of the city’s most significant and unique historical landmarks.

The fort was built during the Civil War by conscripted free Black men and women for the Union Army. The U.S. Colored Troops who defended Fort Negley during the war remained and settled Nashville’s first post-Emancipation Black neighborhood at the base of the hill. The Bass Street neighborhood was a thriving area until it was destroyed in the 1950s and ’60s to make way for Interstate 65.

Now, former Bass Street residents and their descendants are fighting to reclaim the narrative of the neighborhood as the city decides what to do with the space.

Before that conversation begins, WPLN News reporter Paige Pfleger explains an unintended consequence Russian sanctions are having on musicians.

Guests:

WPLN News reporter Paige Pfleger
Angela Sutton, director of the Fort Negley Descendants Project and historian at Vanderbilt University
Jeneene Blackman, CEO of the African American Cultural Alliance
Gary Burke, Civil War reenactor whose great-great grandfather served at Fort Negley with the U.S. Colored Troops

Thursday marked the anniversary of the day the Nashville Predators sold enough season tickets to qualify for a National Hockey League franchise in 1998. It was a pretty formative moment for our city. Fast forward to today, and the Preds are in the hunt for a playoff spot.

We’ll kick off today’s show with a local hockey reporter who's going to fill us in on how this season has gone, and what we have to look forward to in the next couple weeks. Then, we’ll go back in time. We're joined by a panel of authors, fans and journalists to help us understand how the Preds first came to be and how they've changed the city. And, of course, we'll discuss Smashville's unique fan culture.

Finally, we're going to head out of the studio and into the rink with our host, Khalil Ekulona, as he learns about the ice scientists who keep everything running smoothly at Bridgestone Arena.

Guests:

Bryan Bastin, editor and analytics writer for On The Forecheck
Justin Bradford, author of "The Making of Smashville" and host of Penalty Box Radio
Mathew Carfi, Day 1 Preds fan and employee at Bridgestone Arena
Megan Seling, co-host of the podcast It's All Your Fault
Balin Ali, vice president of Kurdish Professionals

Author and New York Times columnist Margaret Renkl joins the show to share her joy of spring and talk over the polarization that she sees hindering our progress.

She tells host Khalil Ekulona "when the macrocosm is hard to bear, focusing in on the microcosm usually helps."

"I do still take an immense amount of pleasure and hope in the bluebirds building a nest in the nest box in my yard, or for the spring beauties poking up through the leaves left over from last fall," she says. "It's hard not to feel your heart lifting in the presence of new life."

First up: @ Us! We respond to some comments we've received this week — about Nashville's queer scene, Newroz (the Persian New Year), the RaDonda Vaught verdict and food pantries.

After more than a decade in operation, The Little Pantry That Could had its last shopping day on Saturday – leaving a hole in the city. It was more than a free grocery store.

Founder/Director Stacy Downey built a family and provided outreach for housing, identification and medical care, in addition to groceries. Where will that leave folks in North Nashville who depended on the community?

We talk to a representative and a beneficiary of The Little Pantry That Could as well as people who manage other food pantries to learn why these resources are crucial in Middle Tennessee.

To start the show, we talk to WPLN News criminal justice reporter Samantha Max about her interview with former TDOC Commissioner Tony Parker.

Guests:

Ursula Heitz, board member of The Little Pantry That Could
Doug Seegers, musician, beneficiary and supporter of The Little Pantry That Could
Jasmine Ledsinger, director of programming at The Store
Lydia Yousief, executive director of ElMahaba Center
Ashley Anderson, executive director of Portland Pay It Forward

The deadline to register for upcoming local elections is fast approaching — Monday, April 4 to be exact. Today’s episode is all about exercising the franchise, which a large number of Nashvillians choose not to do.

Two years ago, 90,342 ballots were cast in the general election for mayor. That’s only about 21 percent of registered voters. Put another way, Mayor John Cooper was elected in 2019 with 62,440 votes — meaning that less than 10 percent of residents voted for their city’s leader.

We’re joined by a panel of people working to get people registered to vote and engaging in the political process.

Guests:

Tristen Gaspadarek, founder of Please Vote Nashville
Jimmie Garland, vice president for Middle Tennessee, Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP
Pratik Dash, political director of TIRRC Votes
Jeremy White, with Free Hearts

Nashville is best known for music, and rightly so, but below the surface there is a rich visual arts scene. Wedgwood-Houston and Buchanan have emerged as arts districts unto themselves, while exhibits also continue in storied spaces like the Van Vechten Gallery at Fisk University.

Nashville's rapid growth over the past few years has attracted a wave of new homebuyers from cities with established art markets like Los Angeles and New York City. However, the increasingly competitive housing market means that many artists are struggling to find and afford apartments, much less studios. It's not a new problem, but it has gotten more intense.

To learn more, we are joined by a panel of artists, gallery directors and curators. At the top of the episode, we'll hear from Kaiser Health News reporter Brett Kelman about the RaDonda Vaught trial.

Guests:

Kaiser Health News reporter Brett Kelman
Marlos E'van, artist and co-founder of the McGruder Social Practice Artist Residency
Greg Pond, professor of art at the University of the South and co-founder of the Fugitive Art Center
Ashley Layendecker, director at Red Arrow Gallery
Jamaal Sheats, professor of art and director and curator of the Fisk University Galleries

It's been a crazy two years. We all know that. But, think about this: high schoolers who are about to graduate have been in the pandemic since their sophomore year. As students head back to school after spring break, we check in on how they’re holding up this far into the pandemic.

First, WPLN's Damon Mitchell talks new tech jobs, and how to get ready for them.

Guests:

Damon Mitchell, WPLN Enterprise Reporter
Jama Mohamed, Technical Resident at HCA
Sandra Williams, Mother
Anna Bernstein, LMSW, English ELA educator at J.T. Moore Middle School
Adrianna Carter, Program Coordinator of Mayor’s Youth Council and WeGo Public Transit Youth Action Team
Angelie Quimbo, Senior Student Representative on the Metro Nashville Public School Board of Education
Chris Steadman, Time To Scrap author, LaVergne High School senior

Special thanks to: Sarah Dark, LaDarious Barlow, Melisa Maurer, Ms. Jewell, Jehlin Hayes, Chris Flor, Kyla Kringle, Kaylee Savage Kutcher, and WPLN reporters Tony Gonzalez, Damon Mitchell and Juliana Kim for their help with this episode.

Everyone wants to live in a safe community. The big question is, what is the best way to prevent violence?

The 2020 murder of George Floyd created new urgency across the country to find alternatives to policing. Nashville was no exception. Over the past few years, one local anti-violence group, Gideon’s Army, has been trying out one approach called violence interruption. The approach treats violence like an infectious disease and takes a community-based approach to public safety. On today’s episode, we’ll hear how this approach has been going.

More: Nashville is about to invest about $2M in a community-based public safety program. But some anti-violence groups say that’s not enough.

We’re joined by a panel of community members who have been personally affected by violence, to hear what they would like to see the city and local advocacy groups do to keep our communities safe, beyond policing. We will also hear from some of the people doing the work, including a boxing coach and an emergency physician.

Guests:

Nashville Peacemakers and Mothers over Murder founder Clemmie Greenly
Susie McClendon, member of Mothers over Murder
Randall Venson, founder and CEO of the International Boxing Academy of Nashville
Dr. Katrina Green, emergency physician and board member of Gideon's Army

Newroz (also spelled Nowruz) is the start of the Persian New Year and a celebration of spring that is held throughout the Middle East. It's also celebrated in Middle Tennessee because Nashville is home to the largest Kurdish population in the United States.

Today's guests share what Newroz means to them and their cultural identity as either Kurds or Afghans living in the U.S.

Also in this episode, WPLN healthcare reporter Blake Farmer talks about why hospitals are closing in Middle Tennessee.

Guests:

Blake Farmer, WPLN healthcare reporter
Kasar Abdulla, Kurdish immigrant and community organizer
Hangama Wahidi, president of the Nashville Afghan Association
Tabeer Sindi, president of the Tennessee Kurdish Community Council and organizer of its annual Newroz celebration

Nashville has changed a lot over the past handful of decades – and our city’s LGBTQ+ scene is no exception. The first gay bars popped up after World War II, and the number of LGBTQ+ establishments grew from there, peaking in the 1980s and 1990s with more than 20. None of them are still around today.

In recent years, increasing social acceptance has lead to the creation of new queer spaces in Nashville, like kickball leagues and roving dance parties, and has sparked conversations about the purpose of traditional spaces. There has also been a conservative backlash in the state legislature that poses new challenges. In this episode, we will hear from community members across multiple generations about their experiences and how the city’s LGBTQ+ scene has changed in their lifetimes.

At the top of the episode, we’re joined by Tennessee Lookout senior reporter Anita Wadhwani and Vice Mayor of Mason Virginia Rivers to learn more about the state comptroller’s financial takeover of the town of Mason.

Guests:

Tennessee Lookout senior reporter Anita Wadhwani
Virginia Rivers, vice mayor of Mason
Jeff Ellis, founder of Dare (later renamed Query), Tennessee’s first gay newspaper
Phil Michal Thomas, human rights activist and author
MTSU historian Dr. Marisa Richmond
Binh Ngo, CPA and API Middle Tennessee board member
Desirée Arista, VP of Health Equity and Inclusion for Revive

After a brief intermission, Curious Nashville returns to the airwaves to answer listener questions about Middle Tennessee. The show reexamines history, explains what is — and isn’t — working in local government, and finds the story behind the oddball landmarks on the side of the road.

WPLN Special Projects Editor Tony Gonzalez joins This Is Nashville host Khalil Ekulona to share some of his favorite stories from past Curious Nashville episodes and gives a glimpse into what's being investigated next.

Also in this episode, WPLN Criminal Justice Reporter Samantha Max joins in studio to talk about how she reported on a spike in drug overdoses in Tennessee prisons.

Guests:

WPLN Criminal Justice Reporter Samantha Max
WPLN Special Projects Editor Tony Gonzalez
Vicki Todd-Stubbs, daughter of legendary surgeon Dr. David B. Todd, Jr.

Nashville is locked in a contract dispute with Red River Waste Solutions, the private company the city hired for trash and recycling pickup. Things got so bad that the city stopped picking up recyclables altogether late last year.

Recycling collection has started up again, but Red River is still in bankruptcy and the city’s garbage is piling up. All this refuse raises questions. Where does our junk go? Are we running out of space to dump it?

Garbage collection on the one hand, and landfill space on the other, are just two elements of a larger issue: environmental justice. State senator Brenda Gillmore has said, “There’s a clear pattern of racial and socioeconomic disparities in the distribution of landfills. Minorities and low income communities are seen as the path of least resistance.”

Also in this episode, WPLN reporter Juliana Kim reflects on the one-year anniversary of the Atlanta spa shootings, and the ripple effect on Nashville’s Asian American community.

Guests:

Juliana Kim, WPLN reporter
Rainey Heflin, Glenview resident
Mac Nolen, director of Williamson County’s Solid Waste Management
Jaffee Judah, president of Recycle Reinvest
Melvin Black, former Metro council member from Bordeaux

In February, the Metro Nashville Council passed a controversial piece of legislation that would allow law enforcement to use license plate readers as part of a six month pilot program. Some believe that this new technology will help address crime in our city. But others have serious concerns that it poses a threat to privacy and could disproportionately target people of color.

To learn more about about this debate, we hear from community members, a research scientist, a co-sponsor of the legislation and WPLN metro reporter, Ambriehl Crutchfield.

Also in this episode, we're joined by WPLN senior healthcare reporter Blake Farmer to discuss new state legislation that would further limit abortion access and what that could mean if Roe v. Wade is overturned.

Guests:

WPLN senior healthcare reporter Blake Farmer
WPLN Metro reporter Ambriehl Crutchfield
Jennifer Gamble, District 3 council member
Gina Coleman, founding member of the Haynes Park Neighborhood Association
Reverend Davie Tucker, Jr., pastor of the Beech Creek Missionary Baptist Church

Scouring the racks at a secondhand store is a time-honored way to score stylish clothes on the cheap in Middle Tennessee. But if you’re searching for these kinds of bargains, at a thrift store, good luck — pretty much anything that’s worth anything is getting snapped up and sold under a different category: vintage. Sometimes the markup can be eye-popping so high-quality clothes or last season's designer duds are out of reach for thrifters.

The guests discuss the differences between vintage and thrift stores, and who benefits from this popular type of shopping in Nashville.

Also in this episode, WPLN reporter Damon Mitchell is in studio to talk about his ongoing coverage of Waverly, the Middle Tennessee town that was devastated by floods in August 2021.

Guests:

WPLN enterprise reporter Damon Mitchell
Ted Rice, president of the Humphreys County Museum
Erin Gabriel, social and digital media manager at Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee
Anita Smith, thrift shopper
Tammy Pope, owner of Live True Vintage
Justin Allman, co-owner of Music City Vintage

Middle Tennessee experienced a handful of sunny days this week, but this weekend, there's the possibility of snow. The temperature drop is a mild inconvenience for most residents, but it can be deadly for those who are unhoused.

In this episode, you'll hear from people who have experienced harsh weather when they didn't have stable housing and take a trip to one of Nashville's cold weather shelter.

Also in the show, WPLN News reporter Paige Pfleger discusses her recent coverage of the Southern Poverty Law Center's "Year in Hate" report.

It's Friday, which means host Khalil Ekulona is riding shotgun! He's in the passenger seat of Bekah Raye Cope's car as they chat about vintage shopping.

Guests:

WPLN News reporter Paige Pfleger
Terry Warren, previously unhoused
VickyBatcher, previously unhoused writer
Alex Smith, outreach worker who was previously unhoused
Brian Haile, CEO of Neighborhood Health
Cathy Jennings, director of The Contributor

In January Tennessee made national news when the Pulitzer Prize winning Holocaust memoir Maus was banned by the McMinn County school board. This was just the beginning of a much larger debate about books, obscenity and "age-appropriateness" that has been raging across the state.

In this episode, host Khalil Ekulona sits down with WPLN News political reporter Blaise Gainey to learn more about three recent bills that would ban or limit books in schools.Then we hear from librarians, authors, parents and students on how these bills could impact education in Middle Tennessee.

Today's episode is also the debut of our new segment @ us, where our digital lead Anna Gallegos-Cannon responds to the comments, questions and feedback from listeners.

Guests:

Blaise Gainey, WPLN political reporter
Lisa Bubert, children’s librarian at the Nashville Public Library - Madison branch
Terry Vo, vice president of API Middle Tennessee
Christina Amaya Sandoval, junior and library aide at Hume-Fogg High School
Kiese Laymon, author of the award-winning memoir Heavy
Greg Howard, Nashville-based young adult and middle-grade fiction author

Sixty years ago, North Nashville was a thriving cultural oasis. There were taverns and gambling joints, restaurants and ice cream parlors, boarding houses and nightclubs that drew the likes of Etta James and Jimi Hendrix. Construction of Interstate 40 through North Nashville in the 1970s split the historically Black neighborhood in two, severed community ties and brought noise and pollution.

Much of the Black middle class that had sustained North Nashville moved away, leading to years of neglect and disrepair. Today, a new generation is working to honor the artistic heritage of the area while also bringing it into the future.

Before host Khalil Ekulona dives into the history of North Nashville, he talks to two guests - Kathryn Rickmeye and Diana Nalyvaiko - about how the Russian invasion of Ukraine is impacting Middle Tennesseans.

Guests:

Kathryn Rickmeyer, Nashville Scene reporter
Diana Nalyvaiko, Vanderbilt University student and Ukrainian citizen
Elisheba Israel Mrozik, owner of One Drop Ink Tattoo Parlour and Gallery
Jordan Harris, owner of Alkebu-Lan Images
Lucius "Spoonman" Talley, musician

Resources and additional reading:

WPLN: Metro hits pause on Jefferson Street cap project after community pushback

As Nashville continues its rapid growth, residents with disabilities say they're being left behind. While new buildings are popping up all around Middle Tennessee, residents who rely on wheelchairs, canes, guide dogs and other mobility aids are still fighting for reliable public transportation and safe sidewalks in their neighborhoods.

In this episode, we hear what it's like to navigate Nashville when you have a disability, and get some perspective from people who are advocating for improved services and infrastructure.

At the top of the show, WPLN News Senior Editor Chas Sisk joins us in studio with an update about State Sen. Robin Smith's resignation and the wire fraud charges the East Tennessee Republican is facing.

Guests:

Chas Sisk, WPLN News senior editor
Metro ADA Coordinator Jerry Hall
James Brown, board member of the National Federation for the Blind, Tennessee - Nashville chapter and member of the Mayor's Advisory Committee for People with Disabilities
Dr. Tonika East, associate director of career services at Kentucky State University
Alexandra Jobe, freshman at Middle Tennessee State University
Steve Norman, instructor at Tennessee Rehabilitation Center in Smyrna
Rhonda Clark, president and CEO of Able & Ready Transportation

After the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in Tennessee in March 2020, nurses were often lauded as healthcare heroes. Two years later, nurses are not only feeling the weight of the pandemic, they are also dealing with staffing shortages, patients who refuse to get vaccinated, and the ongoing loss of human life. An increasing number of nurses are considering becoming travel nurses to make more money or leave the healthcare industry altogether for less stressful jobs.

Host Khalil Ekulona talks with three Middle Tennessee nurses about their experiences.

Guests:

Dr. Alex Jahangir, chair of the Nashville COVID-19 task force
Blake Farmer, WPLN News healthcare reporter
Charlotte Garwood, ICU nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Chris Gray, certified emergency nurse and student at Lincoln Memorial University - Debusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
Grace Vincente, registered nurse at Nashville General Hospital

Additional reading:

WPLN: Two years in, 25,000 Tennesseans have died of COVID and hospitals are reporting widespread burnout
WPLN: Mt. Juliet nurse shares difficult homecoming after COVID travel nursing

The honky-tonks on Lower Broadway contribute to Nashville's economy and its reputation as a destination party city. While "NashVegas" has become a playground for bachelorette parties, locals have pushed back — complaining about unruly tourists and under-regulated party vehicles. Things got so out of hand that the word "transportainment" made its first appearance in The New York Times last year.

In this episode, host Khalil Ekulona talks to some of the people who make Nashville's nightlife tick, and also asks the question: Who is Nashville's nightlife really for?

Guests:

Marquis Munson, production coordinator at WNXP
GabeLee, Americana singer-songwriter
The Nashville Cowboy Colby Barrett
Katie Saddiq, manager and bartender at Rosemary & Beauty Queen
Tiffany Taylor, culture writer at 2L's on a Cloud
Reginald Pierre, YouTube vlogger

It has been two years since tornadoes touched down in Middle Tennessee on March 3, 2020. The tornadoes killed 25 people, destroyed more than 1,600 buildings — including more than 400 homes — and damaged some 2,700 others stretching from Benton County, through downtown and East Nashville, and into Cookeville.

This episode examines what has changed since the deadly storms. Host Khalil Ekulona speaks to residents who were displaced by the storms about how their lives were changed that night.

Later in the show, the conversation shifts to the steps you can take to stay safe during Nashville's next major weather event.

Guests:

WPLN Special Projects Editor Tony Gonzalez
Tamara Williams, a Cookville resident who is rebuilding her family's home after the storm
Terry Warren, a Nashville resident who was displaced by the storm
Krissy Hurley, warning coordination meteorologist with National Weather Service in Nashville
Andrew Leeper of Nashville Severe Weather
Lelan Statom, NewsChannel 5's senior meteorologist

Tennessee’s school funding formula hasn’t been meaningfully changed in the last 30 years, but in late February Governor Bill Lee and Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn released a proposal that will focus funding on students. The new Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement promises more dollars to every district.

In the first part of the show, WPLN education reporter Juliana Kim explains the differences between the current and proposed funding formulas, and what it will mean for local schools and teachers.

Later, the conversation shifts to the hurdles unhoused individuals deal with as they try to find an affordable and safe place to live in Middle Tennessee. These complications can include mental health and addiction struggles, and something housing advocates call the "time tax on the poor" — a reference to how long it can take to navigate services.

The guests speak about their own experiences living outdoors and the "housing first" approach to ending homelessness.

Guests:

Juliana Kim, WPLN News education reporter
Gini Pupo-Walker, state director for Tennessee with The Education Trust
Kim Perkins, currently unhoused
Allen Searson, previously unhoused
Laurie Green, director of the Southern Alliance for People and Animal Welfare
David Langgle-Martin, director of permanent supportive housing and property development services at Park Center

Welcome to the first episode of This Is Nashville. Today the show explores how the region's explosive growth has led to a sense of disconnect, between the old Nashville and the new. Host Khalil Ekulona talks with guests who are shaping the new Nashville and asks them what Music City is gaining and losing with all of these rapid changes.

Before we dive into the conversation, Executive Producer Andrea Tudhope joins Khalil in the studio to talk about what listeners can expect every day from This Is Nashville and how the Middle Tennessee community can contribute.

Guests:

David Steele Ewing, Nashville historian and CEO of Nashville History on Tour
Albert Bender, Cherokee activist with the American Indian Coalition
Dilman Yasin, community outreach coordinator with Kurdish Professionals
Rosa Castano, mindfulness coach and former sales director for Bach Weekend
Jehlin Hayes, senior at Big Picture High School and aspiring musician

Resources and additional reading:

Nashville’s Latest Big Hit Could Be the City Itself, The 2013 New York Times article that’s frequently credited with launching Nashville’s “it city” status
Movers & Thinkers: The Fine Art And Vague Science Of Keeping History Alive
Greetings from New Nashville: How a Sleepy Southern Town Became It City, edited by This Is Nashville senior producer Steve Haruch