"Nashville is at a crucial juncture in its history. We are not yet a truly diverse city,
but we are about to become one, and the real question is, Can we do it right?"
Half a century ago, my mother operated a successful taco stand located in East Los Angeles. Eventually, she sold it to her sister, who parlayed that small business into a high volume Mexican food restaurant on the edge of the San Gabriel Valley. It wasn’t really a “sit-down” kind of joint, as patrons were required to order at one window, and pick up their food at another. In fact, for most of my life, the place didn’t have tables. My Aunt built her business on three items; taquitos, (seasoned beef or chicken tightly rolled into corn tortillas and fried to order) and red or green burritos. I remember countless hours sitting at my aunt’s feet as she rolled taquito after taquito. In front of her was a stack of warm tortillas, and a stainless steel pan with chicken or beef. She would roll 20 or 30 of them, then reach down and hand me one, un-fried, of course, and I would quickly gobble it down. They were soft and flavorful and I ate thousands of them growing up. Lately, I have been making them for my family, and the kids love them.
My mother arrived in this country in a shoe box, crossing over from Mexicali with her parents and older siblings. She grew up poor, worked as a migrant fruit picker, until she met and married my father, and started a small taco stand in East Los Angeles, after working in the factories during WW2. She had an 8th grade education, yet read voraciously. Eventually, she returned to school and became a vocational counselor to our growing Vietnamese community. She raised four children, lost one as a newborn. ... [She] was the type of woman that, if you showed up at her door at 3:00 a.m., she would make you feel that your visit was the highlight of her day, because it was. My mother loved unconditionally, I think this fact alone made her the most Christian person I ever knew, yet I can’t recall her ever setting foot in a church. She loved everyone like family. I mean everyone. Our house was always full of people, friends, family, and strangers, even, though I believe no one ever felt like a stranger for long in my mother’s home. She would happily cook for 1 or 100, it really didn’t matter to her. When I came home from school, or later, when I would just drop by to visit, she would head to the stove, and warm tortillas with butter magically appeared on a plate.
My father was not a happy person. Sure, he had his moments, and the rest of the family never really knew how to deal with him when he was uncharacteristically joyful. He was explosive, violent, moody and reclusive. Until he returned from WWII, he had little education. His father died when he was young, probably from a combination of hard work and alcohol consumption. Not much is known about my father’s youth, the few stories passed down (almost always from his brother) portrayed him as a serious young man, prone to brooding and violence. I’m pretty sure that he never knew how to show his love except by providing, which he did well. He was detached, yet controlling.
Almost all of my memories of my dad at home are of him sitting in his chair, reading. He read everything. He spent so much time in the local library that, when he passed, the library dedicated an entire bookcase to my father’s memory.
I have spent much of my adult life wondering what it is that drove him. It was, I’m sure, a source of great pride that he went to college after the war (The G.I. Bill was and is a beautiful thing) and earned a degree in accounting.
Conexion Americas announces "Orgullo Hispano" and young writer award winners
Photo by Camilo Garcia
Last Friday, Conexión Américas announced the winners of its two sets of awards given in conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month: the Orgullo Hispano awards, for "three Latino adults or young people who have been persistently but quietly working to better their immediate community --neighborhood, school, workplace, nonprofit or civic organization," and the "My Latino Roots, My American Dream" essay contest for young writers.
Mayor Karl Dean, U.S. Congressman Jim Cooper and others attended the reception which immediately preceded the organization's annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration.
Descriptions of the winners are below.
ORGULLO HISPANO Award Winners
When Ivan Cerda enrolled in a leadership program at the Oasis Center three years ago he had been involved in a local gang, had been kicked out of several schools and was, by his own admission, hanging with the wrong crowd. Trouble found him easily.
Initially, he rarely said anything during Oasis Center meetings, but eventually he spoke up and shared his experiences, he gained the admiration of his peers, he got involved in various community service projects such as research, fundraising and panel discussions, giving fresh feedback and insight to community leaders.
Today, Ivan is a student at Nashville State Tech, where he is the class president. He also is an intern on the Youth Engagement & Action team at the Oasis Center.
Brandon Hill, who nominated Ivan, said this: “Ivan’s story is a success that must be heard. Despite his past troubles he had a sincere desire to make a positive impact on the people around him, and he did just that, despite the odds against him. He has made one the greatest transformations I have witnessed in my 8 years of youth work.”
Edubina Arce was an attorney and judge in her native Colombia and while she does not work in the legal field in Nashville, she works tirelessly to help those who need it. She acts as translator for those who can’t afford one, and she prepares meals for those in need. She works hard help those who have been defrauded and shammed, and she does much of it on her personal time and from an altruistic heart. Edubina, a realtor by profession, has personally helped many families achieve their American Dream of homeownership with guidance and support beyond the regular duties of a realtor.
Miguel Gonzalez relocated from California to Shelbyville to work at the General Motors plant in Spring Hill, and has become a community leader through his volunteerism at the Centro Latino, of which he is the director.
Originally from Mexico, he is a tireless advocate and has worked closely with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, organizing youth and being a champion for the Dream Act, a piece of legislation that would open the doors of higher education to immigrant students in Tennessee. His work and his passion have made a real difference in the Shelbyville community, his nominator said. German Franco
In Memoriam:
German Franco was killed Sept. 2 by an unknown assailant. His nomination for Orgullo Hispano came from friends who are mourning the 58-year-old husband, father, businessman and volunteer.
German, originally from Colombia, came to Nashville and built a successful ice cream business, but he also gave his time to organizations such as the Hispanic Achievers of the YMCA of Middle Tennessee and Catholic Charities, mentoring young people and helping low-income families prepare their tax returns.
“Perhaps the largest lesson German left us was his modesty -- in capital letters -- because his generosity and humility was very large…’’ his nomination read.
“My Latino Roots, My American Dream” Essay Contest for Young Writers
FIRST PLACE WINNER Oscar Rayo
Oscar grabbed the judges from the beginning with one simple paragraph.
"Cuándo vine a lo Estados Unidos traje conmigo un bolso lleno de recuerdos, sueños e ilusiones. La idea de tener una mejor vida y una mejor educación me llenaba de alegría y de ilusión. Ahora que estoy en la tierra de oportunidades, esos sueños e ilusiones han dejado de ser eso y se han convertido en algo diferente, metas."
For those who do not understand, he arrived with a bag full of memories, dreams and illusions. But now that he is in the land of opportunity, those illusions have converted themselves into goals.
Oscar, who believes he wants to be an accountant, wrote in his honest and heart-felt essay that hopes the voices of immigrants will be heard so that so many no longer have to live in the shadows.
SECOND PLACE WINNER Lindsey Victoria Thompson
Lindsey Victoria Thompson’s essay, Mango Season, celebrates her Latina Mexican DNA and was a wonderful example to the judges of just how comfortable our bicultural children can be in their own skin, and of how they celebrate the idiosyncrasies of their cultures.
Her essay described the difference between how she and her Mexican mother eat a mango, versus how her father, an Anglo, eats it.
First, the Mexican style:
"We sink our incisors straight into its flesh and peel away the skin with our teeth. This sends juices running down our chins, and we reposition ourselves over the sink to prevent further messes. We have taken to eating our fruit in a tribal and savage manner. I don’t know if it is because we adore the ambrosia of tropical fruit or because it awakens some sort of savage inner self that lies dormant during the mango off-season, but the tradition of tearing apart fruit in this way can be dated back centuries in my mom’s Mexican heritage."
And a bit further down on the American father...
"We go on eating like this, my mom and I like untamed animals and my father like a daintily brought up debutante, when he says what I consider to be the most Anglo thing a person could say: 'How do I know if I’m eating the pit?'”
THIRD PLACE WINNER Gabriela RodrÍguez
Gabriela RodrÍguez started her essay, Volver a Empezar, with "No puedo, no puedo.'' In the essay she was referring to the words she cried out on the first day of school in the United States: I can't. I can't.
But, she clearly could.
Gabriela told us about coming to the United States from Ecuador, a country she vividly and poetically described. She told us of suffering through grades that were less-than-acceptable to her, and of the climb toward English proficiency and much higher grades. She is in AP Spanish, by the way. Gabriela's "no puedo" turned into "si, pude'' and "si, podre.'' I did and I can.
She wrote:
"Ahora se que nada es facil en la vida, per tampoco imposible de conseguirlo, solo hace falta dedicacion, determinacion y confianza en ti misma.''
Nothing is easy in life, but nothing is impossible either. You only need dedication, determination and confidence in yourself.
Mil felicidades Ivan,aunque a veces las cosas parescan un poco dificil,la vida esta llena de cosas maravllosas.Te quiero mucho y te deseo de todo corazon que logres tus suenos. con amor, de tu tia Anna
Manuel celebrates birthday, reflects on a changing Nashville
Daughter Morelia launches Rhinestone Cure diabetes foundation
Manuel, Nashville's tailor to the stars, was recently featured in two separate online multimedia pieces by Tennessean reporters.
The first is a Metromix slideshow of his recent birthday party, described by Heather Byrd like this:
The king of country couture, Manuel, celebrated his 70-somethingth birthday at his mountain cabin over the weekend, and hundreds of friends and loved ones came out to join the party.
And what better way to celebrate than with a day full of fabulous food and music? The impressive roster of musicians included Danny Salazar, Suzette Renee from Neon Angels, the Flick Peterson Trio, Brooks Brothers, Ben Cyluss, Love Life, Rosie Flores, Rockin’ Bones, Tullie Brae and The Medicine Man Revenue, Max Onion, R.B. Stone, Jimmy Charles, Corazon Musica, Miss Melba Toast, Music City Burlesque, The Naughty School Girls and many more.
Partiers came from as far away as London and Mexico to attend this party. After all, no one knows quite how to throw a fiesta better than Manuel!
The other feature is the video series "First Impressions" by Jessica Bliss and Jennifer Justus - about what makes Nashville Nashville. An excerpt from Manuel's video:
When I came here in 1988, I found Nashville kind of a rural city. Second Avenue, down Broadway, was kind of down a little bit. But then it started to pick up. ... And we have a lot of culture. Since I arrived here [from California], many, many people from Santa Fe, Los Angles, Arizona are moving to Nashville. ... Old Nashville or Tennessee is no longer a bunch of Americans, a bunch of hillbillies with one thinking in mind. And that black and white stuff is gone forever. I am so happy to see that.
The First Impressions video also features Manuel's daughter Morelia Cuevas, who has just launched Rhinestone Cure, a non-profit diabetes foundation.
Model airplanes, peak oil, and business diversity development: interview with Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority President & CEO Raul Regalado
"We will be flying on commercial airlines in 100 years, but they will be much different"
"Nearly 27 percent of supervisors at the Authority are female, and more than 20 percent are non-Caucasian"Raul Regalado is President & CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority. The Hispanic Nashville Notebook interviewed Regalado about a variety of topics including his background, challenges facing the aviation industry, and the diversity of the Authority's workforce:
Q: Before you moved to Nashville, you had studied in Florida and worked in California, Texas, and Oregon. Was your family from one of those coastal states? Where else have you spent significant time?
What convinced you that Nashville was the right move for you?
A: I’m originally from California. I have also lived in Florida, Alabama, Washington, and Germany. Middle Tennessee offers a good quality of life and a reasonable cost of living. It’s a great place to live.
I have also consulted on airports in Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica.
The Airport Authority structure was attractive to me. I found the objectives outlined by the Board of Commissioners to be challenging, yet reasonable and attainable.
Q: In your more than 40 years in aviation, you have amassed quite a record in both flight experience and in airport management. To what do you attribute your passion for aviation?
A: I started flying and building powered model airplanes as a young boy. I also started reading about flying and about some of the early aviation pioneers. Tony LaVier, a test pilot for Lockheed, was my idol. I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet him later in my career.
Q: Tell us about the new tax-exempt bond offering made possible by the Obama stimulus package, by which Nashville became the first airport authority in the country to take advantage of the new rules exempting your investors from the federal AMT. Was that driven by your office, and would you have been unable to do certain work at the airport without it?
A: To clarify, the bond offering was “enhanced” by the stimulus bill. These bonds will help reduce the cost of the next phase of our ongoing terminal renovation project, which is part of our board-approved capital plan. We could have proceeded anyway, but it would have been at a higher cost.
Q: The Nashville International Airport just won honors from Airport Revenue News including Best Concessions Management, Airport with the Best Customer Service, and Airport with the Most Unique Services. Was it all due to the recently added local and national-brand eateries, like Tootsie’s and La Hacienda? If there was more to it than that, what else earned you those honors, and what was the genesis of those efforts?
A: Yes our concessions program can be used as a model for a local concessions program. The selection of highly regarded and experienced concessionaires and the placement of top-notch management staff at the airport also contributed to earning these honors.
Q: In 2007, a CMT column suggested renaming the airport the Johnny Cash Nashville International Airport. Did that suggestion ever reach you? What do you think about the general idea of naming the airport after a famous local icon, and in what circumstance would that be appropriate? If it was your pick, whose name would it be?
A: No, the Johnny Cash renaming suggestion never reached me. A number of years ago, a proposal to consider renaming the airport to Music City Airport was submitted to the Board of Commissioners. The board considered it, but felt that it was important to keep the city name in the title. This is Nashville’s airport.
Q: How international is Nashville International Airport? If I recall correctly, the renaming came in 1988 when one flight to Europe was added, and that flight was eventually dropped. How much more “international” is our airport today than in 1988?
A: BNA offers flights to Canada and Mexico. The term “international” really means we have full federal inspection services (FIS) available at the airport for both commercial airline and general aviation passengers. The Airport is a designated port of entry.
Q: Changing gears for a second, do you mind telling us where you were on September 11, 2001 and describing some of the challenges you faced - both on that same day and in the immediate aftermath?
A: I was in Montreal attending the Airports Council International Conference with my counterparts from around the world. The challenges that day included attempting to get back to Nashville and trying to monitor the situation at BNA and communicate with staff until I was able to return. BNA was one of the very first airports to re-open after September 11. I did manage to return within 2 days after 9/11.
After that, the challenge was to recover from the economic effects facing the air transportation industry, which we did.
Aviation continues to be an economically challenged industry and environment because of the continuing security concerns, and other factors, including high fuel costs, which have contributed to this situation. We’ve had to adjust accordingly to remain financially solvent and to maintain a high level of customer service.
Q: Aside from security issues, how different is your job now than the same job before 9/11?
A: The down cycles between business recovery and growth periods are much more compressed. Therefore, there is much more focus on the bottom line every day. Our planning horizon has been and continues to be 20 years. Our major strategic partners, the airlines, are focused on a much shorter timeframe.
Q: The airlines have had struggles in spurts for a long time, most recently with the 2008 spike in oil prices and the sharp downturn in the economy in 2009. Are the airlines on the ropes again? When headlines report that only one or two airlines are making money on a regular basis over the course of several years, is there a sustainability problem in the industry?
A: Airlines are still facing a challenging environment, some more so than others. The airline and airport industries have changed in response to those challenges and will continue to do so until we have a stronger and more stable airline industry to face the continuing challenges that will certainly occur in the future. Q: Speaking of oil prices, what does the theory of "peak oil" mean to you and to others in your industry? Will we be flying on commercial airliners in 100 years, when the oil supply won't last that long by some estimates?
A: I think we’ll have to see changes in technology like we are starting to see in the automotive industry. We will see more fuel-efficient engines,” hybrid aircraft” for taxing efficiencies, more efficient routing of aircraft and approaches, as well and the development of alternative fuels.
Yes, we will be flying on commercial airlines in 100 years, but they will be much different than they are today.
Q: You were recently elected to the Board of Directors of Airports Council International - North America. What interests you the most in the context of that group's mission "to advocate policies and provide services that strengthen the ability of airports to serve their passengers, customers and communities."? Can you tell us about any of your committee assignments and personal goals for your involvement in that group?
A: The ongoing effort to influence the legislative process for the benefit of airports and our passengers and communities is what interests me most. I currently serve on the government affairs committee and as the Board’s liaison to the Legal Committee. This is my third time to serve on the board of directors; previous roles included serving as the Board’s liaison to the Economic Committee and as a member of the Government Affairs committee. I like to serve where I can be most effective.
Q: You serve on the Technical Coordinating Committee of the Nashville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. Does your role on that committee contemplate long-term travel patters by and through Nashville? What do you see as the future of transportation traffic for our city, and how does your aviation experience influence your opinion?
A: Yes. That planning agency should always have a long-term perspective of the transportation needs for this region.
I see future growth in the counties surrounding Nashville within our air service market area. We have commuters from as far away as Knoxville, Chattanooga and Jackson. A future challenge is to ensure that our customers from surrounding counties have an expectation of a reasonable commute time to and from the airport.
In addition, many are looking at other modes of transportation. We need to continue to encourage the use of other forms of transportation, such as high-speed rail and multi-occupant vehicles, as alternatives to single-passenger automobiles.
Q: You celebrated your 60th birthday in 2005; what are your hopes in the run-up to the next birthday milestone in 2010?
A: I hope the world and national economies will be settled down and headed in the right direction; and that the airport will have completed the identified additional improvements for the safety and convenience of our customers.
Q: Are you thinking you will eventually retire here, or are there more aviation career moves in your future?
A: Yes. Although I may continue to be involved in aviation, it will be from Middle Tennessee. I also plan to become more involved in the community.
Q: What else can you tell us about yourself or about the airport that would be of interest to or relate to the Hispanic members of the Nashville community?
A: The Airport Authority works very hard to ensure it maintains a diverse workforce - that the staff is representative of the composition of the community it serves. Today nearly 25 percent of the Airport Authority team is female, and nearly 22 percent are non-Caucasian. Nearly 27 percent of supervisors at the Authority are female, and more than 20 percent are non-Caucasian.
The Airport Authority is also committed to providing the maximum opportunities for large and small companies to participate in contracting with the Authority’s two airports. Implementation of Small, Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (SMWBE) participation levels for procurement projects have been implemented, and have garnered more than $6.5 million in contracted services in fiscal year 2008, nearly double the amount of money the MNAA spent with SMWBEs in 2007. More than 90 SMWBE firms were added to the MNAA register in 2008.
The Office of Business Diversity Development administers the organization’s federally mandated disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) program and its voluntary local SMWBE program. To learn more about certifying small businesses and contracting opportunities with our airports, please visit us online at http://flynashville.com/business/minority.aspx.
Two new professionals in town: Lymari Martinez joins Bass, Eric Alvarez runs Telefutura
There are two new names among the ranks of Nashville's Hispanic professionals: Lymari Martinez and Eric Alvarez. Nashville law firm Bass, Berry & Sims announced that it has hired attorney Lymari Martinez, who is fluent in Spanish, to join its labor and employment practice. Telefutura Channel 42 announced that it has hired Eric Alvarez as General Manager.
Lymari Martinez joined Bass, Berry & Sims in September 2008 in the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice.
Lymari received her J.D. with honors in May 2008 from Emory University School of Law where she served as an articles editor on the Emory Law Journal and was a member of the Hispanic Law Society. She was a recipient of the Atlanta Law Scholarship and the AmeriCorps Equal Justice Works Grant. Lymari was also named a 2006-2007 Womble Carlyle Minority Scholar and was a recipient of the 2008 ABA-BNA Award for Excellence in the study of Labor and Employment Law.
In 2005, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of Georgia with a B.A. in political science/legal theory. Lymari is fluent in Spanish and enjoys various forms of community service.
WLLC-Telefutura, Channel 42, Nashville's premier Spanish language TV station has announced Eric Alvarez as General Manager. Alvarez, a Vanderbilt graduate, has relocated from Los Angeles where he earned his Master's degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Southern California. He most recently worked as a producer at L.A.'s flagship station, KNBC-TV.
Jim Baumann, President of WLLC-Telefutura 42 is excited at this appointment. "This is a great opportunity for Telefutura 42. Eric Alvarez not only has the skills to manage the day to day operations of the station but he has the vision to take us to the next level as a community driven local television station."
Eric Alvarez is delighted to be back in Nashville. "As the new general manager of Telefutura, I am in a truly exciting place where I can contribute to Nashville's vibrant and growing Hispanic community. The best thing about operating a Spanish-language station in Nashville is that we give a voice to the Hispanic community. News outlets have a responsibility, protected by the First Amendment, to inform the public of the issues that affect their daily lives. This is what we intend to accomplish through our growing news presence. All of us at Telefutura are striving to put into practice Edward R. Murrow's message of teaching, illuminating and inspiring."
WLLC first began broadcasting as a Telefutura Network affiliate in February 2004 and is the only Spanish language TV station in Nashville with local news. Telefutura 42 features first-class family entertainment programming that includes original Latin American talk shows, news briefs, variety shows, soap operas, movies, sports, and local programming. For more information about programming visit www.solonashville.com.
Nissan Americas opened its new headquarters south of Nashville yesterday, cementing the company's already significant role in the Hispanic identity of Music City.
Hispanic employees in the news
The Tennessean's photo gallery of the new building included this picture of Jaime Ortiz working on the fourth floor, just a small reminder to Nashville that our newest corporate neighbor employs a number of new Hispanic Nashvillians. Other Nissan employees in the news recently are Pedro Quiterio, engineer, who attended the Committee of Latino Parents' sendoff of former Metro schools director Pedro Garcia (story here), and Stephanie Valdez Streaty, originally from Colorado, who was recognized in the "Corporate Executive" category of the Nashville Business Journal's 2008 Women of Influence Awards (story here)
Other examples of Nissan's Hispanic identity in Nashville:
Importance of diversity
When the Japanese automaker announced its relocation to Middle Tennessee from California in 2005, Nashville city promoters found out that diversity in Tennessee was a top concern among employees considering whether to relocate (story here). In June 2006, Nissan announced that it was "committed to pursuing and encouraging minority, women-owned, and local businesses to participate in the project" and invited a local Hispanic chamber of commerce to attend a Diversity Subcontractor and Vendor Project Informational Meeting (story here).
History of Hispanic marketing
In November 2006, Nissan launched a marketing campaign called Shift_musica, which was designed to attract Hispanic customers through music (story here). In March 2007, Nissan announced its newest Hispanic PR partner (story here), and in May 2006, Nissan launched a pan-regional Latin America media campaign with Fox Sports (story here).
Cross-cultural business
In December 2006, Dominique Thormann, Nissan senior vice president, discussed "Working Across Cultures in a Global Company" at Vanderbilt (story here).
Philanthropic support of Hispanic non-profits
In July 2007, Nissan made a $35,000 contribution to the civil rights efforts of the National Council of La Raza (story here), and in September 2007 Stephanie Valdez Streaty, Sr. Manager of Philanthropy and Diversity Communications, announced a $50,000 donation to the Harding Place YMCA's Hispanic Achievers program (story here). In May 2008, it was reported that Nissan joined the League of Latin American Citizens with a $25,000 donation and would also be supporting a scholarship program with Nashville-based Conexion Americas. (story here).
Welcome
To Nashville's newest "Hispanic neighbor" (even though you've been in your temporary HQ in downtown Nashville for a while now, so you're not so "new" anymore), we say welcome!
William Walker, the Nashville invader who claimed presidencies in Mexico and Nicaragua
"As widely known as that of any other living man in the Old World or in the New"
"He ought to be hanged for making so many attempts, causing so much bloodshed and never succeeding"
April 19 auction includes Walker portrait and related books, lettersThe Saturday, April 19, auction of items from the estate of Margaret Lindsley Warden features a portrait of once-famous Nashvillian William Walker.
In the years leading up to the U.S. Civil War, Walker went from being a Nashville schoolboy to claiming the office of President in both Mexico and Nicaragua and making enemies of entire nations and even Cornelius Vanderbilt (see this article in the Vanderbilt Register).
Walker was the subject of this sentence written by the New York Times in 1857:
The name of William Walker is, by this time, as widely known as that of any other living man in the Old World or in the New.
and this sentence, also by the New York Times, in 1860:
If he be a brigand, and an enemy of the human race, as most civilized people now consider him, he has merited the gallows a dozen times over for divers[e] robberies, murders and piracies; and if he be a hero and philanthropist, he ought to be hanged for making so many attempts, causing so much bloodshed and never succeeding.
as well as this sentence by Nicaraguan poet Ruben Dario in 1912:
The defense against the famous Yankee has remained as one of the most brilliant pages of the history of the five Central American republics.
Walker's history is commemorated by this Nashville historical marker, a picture under this Wikipedia article for the original meaning of the word "filibuster," and a 1987 Ed Harris movie called "Walker," which featured the tag line, "Before Rambo... Before Oliver North..."
The upcoming auction is scheduled in Knoxville in conjunction with three other estate auctions, Eberling said. Among Warden's family treasures to be sold are also a 1505 book from the Lindsleys' family book collection, a portrait of William Walker — one of Nashville's most colorful residents and president of the Republic of Nicaragua in the mid-1850s — family jewelry and silver.
Jim Hoobler, senior curator of art and architecture at the Tennessee State Museum, said he hopes some of the items find a home in the downtown museum.
"She's probably the last in a line of great families," said Hoobler, who knew Warden since the 1970s.
"This is history of Nashville. Our hope here is that we can acquire some of the important items of this collection like the William Walker portrait. These sort of things need to be in public collections where everybody can look at them, not in someone's living room with only one person looking at it."
Important portrait of William Walker, "The Grey Eyed Man of Destiny", by Nashville artist, George Dury (1817-1894). The painting is signed on the back, "Dury 1858". Oil/gouache on paper. This painting had previously been attributed to artist Washington Cooper in John Edwin Woodrow's book, "John Berrien Lindsley" (illustrated on page 85).
William Walker was a physician, lawyer, and journalist. A Nashvillian, Walker was the only Tennessee born president of another country, the Republic of Nicaragua.
At age 14, Walker graduated from the University of Nashville. He was then awarded a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania at age 19. He became qualified to practice law in New Orleans in 1847 and later became editor of the New Orleans Crescent. In 1848, he became the editor of the San Francisco Herald.
The "manifest destiny" vision of the time reflected Walker ambitions. In California, He began the efforts of organizing a filibustering expedition to conquer Lower California and the State of Sonora. He invaded Mexico in 1853 and proclaimed himself President of Lower California, violating U.S. neutrality laws. Later in 1853, Walker organized a small expedition of men to conquer Nicaragua. Within five months, he was made commander in chief of the new coalition provisional government of Nicaragua. In 1856, William Walker was elected as the President of Nicaragua. In the summer of 1856, Guatemala, Honduras, Costa Rica, and San Salvador declared war on Nicaragua.
Cornelius Vanderbilt viewed Walker as a threat to his American Transit Company in Nicaragua and aligned Costa Ricans against him, forcing him to surrender to U.S. Naval Authorities. In 1857, Walker planned his return to Nicaragua with a force of 240 volunteers. Elements of the U.S. Navy demanded his surrender for violating U.S. neutrality acts. Walker was brought back to the U.S. where President James Buchanan and several Senators castigated him for his filibustering activities. Walker became bolstered by a wave of Southern support and unsuccessfully attempted subsequent expeditions to Nicaragua.
In 1860, The blockade maintained by British and American cruisers in the Caribbean forced Walker to take another route to Nicaragua through the east coast of Honduras. He was pursued by a large force of Hondurans and a British war ship. After surrendering to a British captain, Walker and his men were turned over to the Honduran authorities. Walker was given a trial and executed by firing squad on September 12th, 1860.
Note - William Walker was a close friend of Dr. John Berrien Lindsley, and this is the only portrait known painted from life of him. Original frame. Condition - very good condition for age, small tear to upper margin. Dimensions sight 7 1/2" x 9 1/2", frame 13 1/4" x 16 1/4". Circa 1858. Lindsley Warden estate.
Note - Nashville artist, Friedrich Julius George Dury was born in Wurzburg, Bavaria and exhibited at the Munich art Association. He arrived in Nashville in 1850 and painted several prominent Tennesseans including Felix Grundy and Civil War officers including General P.G.T. Beauregard, General William Rosecrans, General George Thomas, Governor Brownlow. He also did bust portraits of Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson.
Additional items with this lot - Four books related to William Walker: "The Southern Dream of a Caribbean Empire, 1854-1861" by Robert E. May, 1973 (signed and inscribed to Margaret Lindsley Warden), "Destiny and Glory" by Edward S. Wallace, 1957 (ex-library copy), and "El Filibustero" by Clinton Rollins (paperback, 1976), with author's signature and inscription to Margaret Lindsley Warden, which reads "The first volume of a set to be enriched by her generous contribution of Walker's letters to Dr. Lindsley (which will be reproduced in a succeeding volume) -- with cordial greetings from the author.", and "Freebooters must die: The Life and Death of William Walker.." by Frederick Rosengarten.
Additional items - a period photo showing two soldiers in a Central American setting standing in front of a fortified building with sandbags surrounding it. Stamped on the back, "MI BOHIO CIENFUEGOS".
Additional item - an eight page letter dated March 1872 Nashville written by J.C. Thompson in which Thompson gives a biographical summary of Walker's life to Scribner's Monthly, New York.
Last item - a letter from Nicaragua by Dr. Alejandro Bolanos Geyer in 1974 transcribing and translating to Spanish articles written by William Walker.
Grew up hearing Spanish and answering in EnglishEric Volz, the immigrant from Nashville to Nicaragua who was cleared of a murder conviction in that Central American country in a case that is still not over, told a group of Belmont University students about the Hispanic portions of his autobiography in the context of a media ethics lecture.
Volz was born and raised in Sacramento and considers himself a Californian. He was 13 when his father, a musician, decided to move to Nashville to pursue a musical career.
Growing up, family members spoke to Volz in Spanish and he would answer in English.
His Mexican grandfather was the catalyst for his immersion.
"It was because of him that I really learned the language," Volz said in Spanish. "I learned about the culture, how to read it, write it and talk with the accent."
Volz's Mexican-American family lived in border towns. His mother, Maggie Anthony, was raised in Nogales, Ariz.
He went to several high schools and remained interested in Latin America and added another hobby — photography. He went to school at the University of California, San Diego, and majored in Latin American cultural studies.
Wildfire deception blames devastation on Latino group, appears to have started in Nashville
There is a Nashville connection to a lie/hoax/prank circulated on the Internet, namely that a Latino organization claimed responsibility for this year's California wildfires. Various commenters fear the damage that started on the fake web site cnnheadlienews.com, which was registered with an address off Briley Parkway.
The hoax spread quickly — a little like a wildfire, you might say. Somebody forwarded me an e-mail with an imbedded link to the fake news story. Blaring at the top of the e-mail was this message:
RACE WAR! HISPANICS CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR STARTING CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES TO BURN WHITE PEOPLE OUT!
It didn’t take much effort to figure out that the Web page was phony. The misspelled words were the first clue. CNN was alerted. The network traced the page to Nashville, Tenn., and forced the hosting Internet service provider to yank the page.
A domain name search for "cnnheadlienews" shows the site is registered to a company with a Nashville, Tennessee address called Bleachboy Heavy Manufacturing Concern. The website associated with Bleachboy, BBoy.net, is a bare homepage that cycles through four different logos. There's no other information on the site except for a warning about sweatshop products, a note that says "thank you for the traffic," and the ever-banal phrase, "Spring is in the air."
These kinds of sites are even more disturbing when you look at them in light of some of the cognitive research on how people remember (or misremember) facts. Researchers found that false claims, if repeated, are remembered as true.
the unfounded stories making their way across the media illustrate how the argument has shifted from undocumented Latino immigrants to the general population of Latinos.
Award-winning authors Lorraine Lopez and Judith Ortiz Cofer to speak at Southern Festival of Books
Lopez is assistant professor at Vanderbilt, author of Soy la Avon Lady and Other Stories
Ortiz Cofer teaches at Georgia, most recently authored A Love Story Beginning in Spanish: Poems
This weekend's Southern Festival of Books will feature Vanderbilt assistant professor Lorraine Lopez on Sunday from noon to 1 p.m. in the Senate Chambers of the Tennessee State Capitol; and also Judith Ortiz Cofer, professor at the University of Georgia, from 4:30-5:30pm on Saturday in the Old Supreme Court Room.
According to her bio, "Latina poet and fiction writer Lorraine López is the winner of the first Miguel Mármol Prize (2002). Her stories have appeared in numerous publications, including New Letters, The Crab Orchard Review, The U.S. Latino Review, and The Watershed Anthology. She is Co-Founder and Education Programs Director for the Institute for Violence Prevention in Athens, Georgia, and she is Professor of English at Vanderbilt University. She is author of the critically received Soy la Avon Lady And Other Stories, a stunning debut collection of 11 short stories that articulates the spectrum of the Latino community. She completed her undergraduate degree at California State University, Northridge, and earned her M.A. and PhD at the University of Georgia."
As for Ortiz Cofer, the Scene has an extensive interview with her in this week's cover story (here).
Judith Ortiz Cofer is the author of A Love Story Beginning in Spanish: Poems; Call Me Maria, a young adult novel; The Meaning of Consuelo, a novel; Woman in Front of the Sun: On Becoming a Writer, a collection of essays; The Line of the Sun, a novel; Silent Dancing, a collection of essays and poetry; two books of poetry, Terms of Survival and Reaching for the Mainland; and The Latin Deli: Prose and Poetry. Her work has appeared in The Georgia Review, Kenyon Review, Southern Review, Glamour and other journals. Her work has been included in numerous textbooks and anthologies including: Best American Essays 1991, The Norton Book of Women's Lives, The Norton Introduction to Literature, The Norton Introduction to Poetry, The Heath Anthology of American Literature, The Pushcart Prize, and the O. Henry Prize Stories.
Professor Cofer has received numerous awards and honors for her writing. Most recently, The Latin Deli was selected for the 2005 Georgia Top 25 Reading List, a project of the Georgia Center for the Book made up of books set in Georgia or written by a resident or former resident of the state. Also in 2005, Call Me Maria was selected as one of two texts to receive Honorable Mention for the Americas Award, sponsored by the National Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs, for U.S. published titles that authentically and engagingly portray Latin America, the Caribbean, or Latinos in the United States. The Meaning of Consuelo was selected as one of two winners of the 2003 Americas Award. The novel was also included on the New York Public Library's "Books for the Teen Age 2004 List." In addition, Professor Cofer has received over 30 fellowships and grants, including awards from the University of Georgia Research Foundation, the University of Georgia Center for the Humanities and Arts, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.
[Jerry Yang,] [t]he ethnic Hmong immigrant from Laos, a relative rookie, is getting used to being the world's poker king. He's already bought his wife a new Cadillac Escalade, set aside college funds for their six children and pledged 10% of his windfall to children's charities.
...
Nicknamed "The Shadow" for his tendency to surge from the back of the pack to win, Yang was eighth out of nine players when the final round began at noon July 17.
After 14 hours, Yang beat Tuan Lam of Ontario, Canada, to win it all — besting 6,358 players in the tournament.
...
Raised poor in the Laos countryside, Yang and his family fled the Communist takeover in the mid-1970s and spent five years in a Thai refugee camp, where Yang suffered malnutrition. At age 13, Yang went to Nashville, Tenn., then moved to California in 1982.
"I grew up with nothing. I understand what poor kids are going through," Yang said. "I wanted to be a doctor because of all the suffering I've been through."
Yuri Cunza, Jose Gonzalez, and Priscilla Partridge de Garcia among guest curators for Cheekwood's Music City Picks
Exhibitions runs July 7 - September 16
The Tennessean reported here about Music City Picks, an art exhibition at Cheekwood revolving around prominent Nashville personalities and their favorite pieces from Cheekwood's collection.
Yuri Cunza, Jose Gonzalez, and Priscilla Partridge de Garcia were named among the curators. Cunza is President of the Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Gonzalez is a former Executive Director and co-founder of Conexión Américas and recently joined the faculty of Belmont University's College of Business Administration. Dr. Partridge de Garcia is a clinical psychologist with a degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles in counseling psychology, with expertise in posttraumatic stress disorder with children and adults.
From Cheekwood's announcement:
In a unique exhibition, Cheekwood invites fifty Nashville residents known in the world of sports, politics, music, and more to browse through the collection and choose their favorite work of art. Music City Picks: Choices from Cheekwood’s Collection will provide visitors with a fresh perspective of Cheekwood. Guest curators can choose from familiar images such as works by Andy Warhol or Red Grooms, or they can bring a lesser known work back to light, such as an early American portrait or modern photograph. Some of the guest curators that have already committed include Andrea Conte, Red Grooms, Gordon Gee, Marty Stuart, John Hiatt, Butch Spyridon, Demetria Kalodimos, Daron Hall, and Nancy Peterson.
The Nashville/Davidson County Sheriff is preparing for a program called 287(g), which will provide greater integration with federal immigration resources (see yesterday's story here). The Sheriff has convened an advisory council with members of the community who have provided comment and concerns about the implementation of such a program.
Rick Caceres is one of the council members, and the Hispanic Nashville Notebook (HNN) interviewed Mr. Caceres about his background, his concerns about the 287(g) program, and how he believes those concerns might be addressed. This is a two-part interview, with the first part appearing below. The second part will be published tomorrow.
HNN: Could you tell us about your background?
50-year-old retired entrepreneur, originally from California. My parents were migrant farm workers until World War II, when my father enlisted and after fighting the Japanese, returned home and used the G.I. Bill to get a college degree. My father was an activist and politician, being the first Hispanic to be elected to city government. So, early on I was exposed to "on the ground" tactics, canvassing, voter registration, etc. He was a prolific fundraiser, and I remember working all through my childhood on his various campaigns. He worked with, and raised money for, Caesar Chavez; and we made frequent trips to Mexico to tour "Our Little Brothers and Sisters", which were church-run orphanages that my father contributed to. Anyway, there isn't much remarkable about me, I served in the Army and received Vietnam Veteran Status, even though I traveled no further than Fort Ord, Calif. I owned an insurance brokerage, went broke, until I eventually saved enough money to open a 5000-square-foot restaurant/sports bar. I sold it in 1999 and bought a small horsefarm and am about to open a Bed & Breakfast there. I breed quarterhorses and stay active in Democratic politics and latino causes, as well as GLBT causes. I worked a little with MoveOn, and for Wesley Clark, and then John Kerry. I have a brother and two sisters, and two kids, age 10 and 9.
HNN: Metro Nashville government is contemplating a program by which local law enforcement officers will have the power to review detainees' immigration records and deport them if necessary. Is that a fair characterization of 287(g)? What else would it do?
No. In fact, it is a common misconception that there is some sort of accurate real time Federal database that Davidson County and other cities that adopt this program will have access to, and that is simply not the case. The database may very well tell local law enforcement if someone has overstayed a visa or if someone has prior criminal conduct on their record. If that were the sole purpose of the 287(g) program, and if the database accurately depicted a person’s change of status, I might not have a problem with it. However, there are dozens if not hundreds of visas available and it has been my experience that even seasoned immigration attorneys are not familiar with all of them.
You asked what else it would do. If a person without proper documentation has lived and worked and contributed to our community for 10 years, and has had no interaction with the police, and happens to be a passenger in a vehicle stopped by local police, he could possibly be subject to arrest, detainment, and put through the interview process, and ultimately issued an NTA (Notice to Appear), which many immigration attorneys will tell you amounts to a de facto deportation.
HNN: What involvement do you have in the effort to implement a 287(g) program in Nashville?
I have no interest in implementing the 287(g) program in Nashville. The potential for misuse is enormous, and while I believe that Sheriff Hall and Chief Serpas have the highest ethical standards, this program will outlive them. In a political climate wherein we see a strong anti-immigrant sentiment, this program becomes nothing more than a weapon in a war of attrition.
HNN: How did you get involved?
I received a letter from Sheriff Hall’s office asking if I would be interested in serving on an advisory council for the program. My decision to participate was based on the belief that the program’s arrival in Nashville was inevitable, but perhaps as a council member I could at least ensure that information about the program was available to the immigrant community unfiltered.
HNN: What kind of skills and/or experience do you have that adds value to the process?
It’s not that I possess skills that are necessarily unique, or that my education and/or training make me more qualified than anyone else, rather I feel I bring many years of personal experience, particularly with respect issues affecting the Hispanic community, and I have been told that I have a gift for communicating, even with those that have an opposing viewpoint. Of course, that may change when this is all said and done!
HNN: What other people are being consulted? Is there anyone or any voice missing that should have been consulted, in your opinion?
There are a number of well-qualified, dedicated people serving on this council. Elliot Ozment, Sean Lewis, Yvette Sebelist, and Maria Clara Mejia come to mind. I believe that the absence of some prominent voices within the advocate community is a result of the belief that participation in this effort amounts to tacit approval. That said, besides the obvious human rights issues at stake, there is the potential for debilitating economic consequences to many area businesses, so I am somewhat surprised that there is no representative from the Chamber of Commerce participating. In addition, I feel we may have missed an opportunity to involve the African-American community.
HNN: What is your impression of the way the 287(g) effort is being handled here in Nashville, including the process that brought you to the table?
It’s a mixed bag. I am pleased that Sheriff Hall has attempted to make the process transparent; after all, he is not required to involve leaders in the immigrant community. However, part of me is uncomfortable with what appears to be a political tactic of calling attention to this proposed program without more consultation with those same leaders. Good public policy is a result of candid dialogue between those who may ultimately be affected by it. I would hate to think that this program merely provides an opportunity for those seeking office to point to as evidence of their commitment to the greater good.
HNN: You visited North Carolina to see how 287(g) is being implemented there. Have things changed over there, and for the better?
I suppose that depends upon who you ask. The advocacy groups I interviewed while there were not at all happy with the abuses of power that came along with this program. This is where it gets a little sticky: Sheriff Hall likes to say that he has no control over who winds up in his jail, and he is correct in saying so. Much like Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, the sheriff’s department has no arrest authority. The program, as implemented in Mecklenburg County, leaves little room for discretion; that is to say that the protocols or processes simply kick in once a person is deemed to be foreign born. So, I asked the training sergeant the obvious question, which was, “If a person indicates that they were born in El Paso, Texas, for instance, would this preclude them from being put through the interview process?” His reply was, “Yes, provided the intake officer had no reason to suspect otherwise.” Naturally, I asked what might draw suspicion. “Not speaking English would be a good indicator.” he replied. I found that alarming. That means that any meaningful discretion will be exercised by the police at the street level. In North Carolina, there have been reports of people subjected to arrest and ultimately put through the process for REPORTING crimes to the police. I can’t say what affect the program has had on the lives of average Mecklenburg County residents.
HNN: Most immigrants, plus their families, their friends, and their advocates disagree with the U.S. immigration laws that treat ordinary people like dangerous criminals. Is it possible to view programs like 287(g) as a blessing in disguise, in that it is a model for a nationwide immigration policy, one that focuses on the dangerous criminals instead of ordinary people? Do you disagree that violent immigrants should be detained and, if necessary, deported? Why wouldn't 287(g) be useful in this context?
Let’s answer that last question first. I believe you would be hard pressed to find a single immigrant or immigrant advocate that doesn’t believe in incarcerating or deporting criminals. The people living along Nolensville Road want the same things for their community that those living along West End Avenue want. In fact, in the entire debate about immigration and immigration reform, this fact often goes unmentioned. Long before we elected to divide our neighbors and co-workers based on their residency status, they were people, with families, with dreams, aspirations, and yes, flaws.
The problem with programs like the 287(g), is that yet again, it is plainly punitive in its scope. Instead of engaging the immigrant community, and establishing an environment of trust, coupled with a frank discussion of the issues at stake, we seem to focus on knee-jerk proposals that have the effect of driving these people further into the shadows. Any real comprehensive and viable immigration reform will require the cooperation of the immigrant community. I wonder how we will achieve this, when we imply that they are first and foremost perceived as criminals.
HNN: If you were given carte blanche to implement a program like 287(g), with whatever modifications you felt were appropriate, what would it look like?
That’s a good question. In fact, while certainly not being carte blanche, the members of the council will submit their recommendations and ideas to Sheriff Hall and his staff on January 10th. A partial list of recommendations I have include a minimum amount of bilingual deputies on duty each shift, and at the very least, cultural diversity training for those officers who are not bilingual. In addition, and perhaps most important, are clear-cut provisions that determine who is detained and who is issued an NTA. I believe that the program should be monitored by civilian oversight.
I have found Chief Serpas to be incredibly accessible and his office seems to make good use of statistical data. He seems willing to provide those statistics that might point to rogue street-level police so that they may be disciplined and/or terminated. If he continues that trend, it should go a long way toward re-establishing trust and two-way communication between the community and the Police Department. Unfortunately, that is the only possibly upside I see today.
HNN: Are you being heard? Are there others who share your concerns? Are you participating on behalf of any organization, or on your own?
Much to my chagrin, I have a reputation for being the proverbial squeaky wheel, and I have done some interviews like this one in the press, so I suppose I am being “heard”. But that isn’t really the point. The people I most want to hear OUR concerns are Sheriff Hall, Chief Serpas, and the Metro Council, and it’s too early to know.
As for others who might share these concerns, I’ll probably tweak some people when I say this, but yes, of course there are, and I wonder why they see fit to remain silent, because silence, to me, is tacit approval. If you think about it, this program, improperly implemented, and without real oversight, and coupled with the suspension of the Driving Certificate program, could have a devastating effect on area businesses whether or not they employ an immigrant workforce.
HNN: You have said that 287(g) is much more dangerous to the Hispanic community than the language ban currently being considered by the Metro Council. Why is that?
No question. The bill proposed by Councilman Crafton was an obvious political ploy, more symbolic than anything. I was thrilled to see how many council members took the time to educate themselves on the long-term effects of that bill. Even if the bill had passed without changes, perhaps the worst thing that could happen is that some non-English speaking person would be turned away when seeking to interact with local government. Bad enough, but hardly the nightmare of indefinite detainment and separation from loved ones that this program will surely produce.
You say that you think 287(g) is a weapon in a war of attrition. What do you mean, and why is that a problem?
You mentioned "obvious human rights issues" and "indefinite detainment and separation from loved ones" - is that the problem, or is there more to it? If that's it, what exactly are the human rights issues?
You said that perhaps as a council member you could at least ensure that information about the program was available to the immigrant community unfiltered. What kind of unfiltered information are you talking about?
You mentioned the need for policies - requiring a minimum amount of bilingual deputies on duty each shift, and at the very least, cultural diversity training for those officers who are not bilingual, and in addition, clear-cut provisions that determine who is detained and who is issued an NTA, and civilian oversight - who can implement those policies?
Hispanic country music fans cause head-scratching on Music Row
Country Music Association takes a closer look; west coast creates U.S. Hispanic Country Music Association
The AP reported in this story that Hispanic fans are showing up at country music concerts but remain an unknown quantity in the industry, so Music Row is asking for formal studies.
"Country-western music acts are reporting noticing more Latino fans at their concerts. As a result, Nashville's Music Row is now starting to dream of its Next Big Audience."
"[N]o one really knows if the nation's largest minority group is ready for fiddles and steel guitars. The phrase 'country music' doesn't even have a translation in Spanish."
"The Country Music Association says there are no good studies to show how many Latinos listen to country already, so the CMA formed its own task force to investigate."
"Eva Melo, of Tennessee-based Latin Market Communications, said the CMA has requested a proposal for a Latino market study, but she is skeptical her fellow Latinos will take to the genre."
"Rick Rodriguez, who manages the Latin division of Nashville-based Songs for the Planet and works as a song plugger for the same, has been trying to encourage Music Row to mix with Latino artists and music."
"'I'm a Mexican from South Texas,' he said. 'I grew up listening to people like Freddy Fender and Johnny Rodriguez. If we can get old-school country music, like back in the day what was coming from Hispanic cats, I think it would be big.'"
"Texas-based singer-songwriter John Arthur Martinez, who was the runner-up on the inaugural season of "Nashville Star" (USA Network's country music talent competition like 'American Idol'), said Latino listeners are already there."
"'Nashville has not made a conscious effort to court the Hispanic audience on a major scale, but without realizing it they've already attracted people like my sister,' he said. 'Her CD collection is 90 percent country and 10 percent tejano.'"
"Maritza Baca, a marketer who recently formed the U.S. Hispanic Country Music Association in California, is convinced Latinos are already gravitating toward country-western. She's met with the CMA twice about it."
"[Eddie Wright-Rios, a Vanderbilt University professor who specializes in the cultural history of modern Mexico,] said he can understand why Latinos are an attractive audience to the music industry."
"'I know a lot of people who don't have a lot of money, but if a good Mexican band comes along, they'll drop $150 on a pair of tickets,' he said."
"Rick Murray, the Nashville CMA's vice president of strategic marketing, says he wants to see more research before he is convinced. That research should answer questions like whether Spanish-language singers are necessary to lure listeners."
"'Is it a Hispanic artist, or is it bringing existing music into the Hispanic market?' he asked. 'Those are two very different things that might complement each other."
The Tennessean, the Nashville Scene music blog Nashville Cream, and newspapers worldwide have picked up this story.
The Hispanic Nashville Notebook reported on the lack of Hispanic country music superstars in this October story published after the death of Freddy Fender.
"Celia Martinez and her husband have been married nine years and have three children. The youngest one is only 2. Both parents would like their children to go to college someday."
"Jose Ramirez worked in California, hanging Sheetrock, while his family remained in Mexico. He returned to a town outside of Guadalajara for a year and worked on a cattle farm before he brought his family to Tennessee 10 years ago."
Tennessee Attorney General sues legal forms company
"Tennessee Attorney General Paul Summers has filed suit against a California-based company that promises do-it-yourself legal work and its Nashville franchise, accusing the businesses of engaging in the unauthorized practice of law."
"The complaint accuses We the People Forms and Service Centers USA and the operators of its Nashville office of advertising to provide legal services, giving legal advice and preparing legal documents."
"A spokesman for the company emphatically denied the attorney general's allegations."
"State officials do not know how many people have used the local We the People office. They are urging anyone with complaints to contact the attorney general's office at 615-741-1671."
: 6:44 PM
From Ms. Martinez's profile page:
From Eric Alvarez's press release:
There is a Nashville connection to a lie/hoax/prank circulated on the Internet, namely that a Latino organization claimed responsibility for this year's California wildfires. Various commenters fear the damage that started on the fake web site cnnheadlienews.com, which was registered with an address off Briley Parkway.
Photo by Andreas Levers. Licensed under Creative Commons.
From the Los Angeles Times:
The Saturday, April 19, auction of items from the estate of Margaret Lindsley Warden features a portrait of once-famous Nashvillian William Walker.
