2018 Issue 2 Mar/Apr - Focus Mid-Tenn Magazine

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Serving the Middle Tennessee LGBT+ Community+its Allies | MAR+APR 2018
GOOD DEEDS

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EDITOR’S NOTE
Every day, you
can read headlines
that illustrate the
unthinkable truth: Our
rights are at stake.
Legislation, no matter
how many times we
stamp it out, returns
to haunt and harm our
LGBT+ community.
Our right to
happiness and liberty are fragile, especially
in this political climate. It’s hard not to feel
powerless when these proposals move
toward becoming law.
But, many of our fellow community are
proving little by little that together, we can
make a difference. It only takes one small
good deed to make a huge difference in
the long run.
For some, like Jennifer Vannoy, those
small deeds grow. Vannoy, a longtime
resident of Middle Tennessee, is running
for State Representative of District 34.
But we don’t have to hold office to
affect change in our community.
Oasis Center’s Pam Sheffer left a
corporate job in order to create Just Us, a
program that gives teenagers a chance to
experience an affirming, safe atmosphere.
One simple act here and there can add
up to a huge difference that catalyzes
change for the better. We all have the
power to make a difference.
Hearing these stories from my fellow
Middle Tennesseans has been an incredibly
inspiring experience. I hope their stories
inspire you, too.
Cheers … and stay focused,
MANAGING
EDITOR
Brian Goins
ADVERTISING
Selena Haynes
Sarah Rutledge Fischer
Brian Goins
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Page 4 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds

CONTENTS
7 THEME:
GOOD DEEDS
MAR+APR 2018
8 ASK ALLIE
Woman seeks forgiveness for
comment on social media
10 ON THE COVER: JUST US
Pam Sheffer and team at Oasis Center
are making a difference in the lives of
LGBT+ teens in Middle Tennessee
10
14 LGBT ADVOCATE
Jennifer Vannoy is running for
State Representative for Rutherford
County district 34
16 ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
Nashville Fashion Week is runway
ready for 2018
18 COMMUNITY
MTSU conference gives opportunity
for LGBT+ students to discuss issues
directly with colleges, employers
8
19 SPECIAL REPORT
Part 2 in our Hate Crimes series:
More than half of hate crimes
go unreported. Find out what
resources are available.
23 HEALTH+WELLNESS
Goat yoga is all about the snuggles
25 MUSIC
3 LGBT+ musicians you should be
listening to now
16
26 FOOD+DRINK
Restaurant review: Wild Cow
doesn’t moo
28 TRANSFOCUS
Shaun Arroyo talks about being
Latino, queer and transgender
30 EVENTS
LGBT+ things to do
14 28
OUR NEXT ISSUE
JUBILATE
MAY+JUNE 2018
Submit story ideas: editor@focusmidtenn.com
Editorial submission deadline: March 30, 2018
Advertising inquiries: sales@focusmidtenn.com
Ad space reservation due: March 26, 2018
Page 5 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds
Good Deeds / MAR+APR 2018 / focusmidtenn.com / Page 5

theme
a
GOOD DEED
brightens a dark world.
®
Good Deeds / MAR+APR 2018 / focusmidtenn.com / Page 7

life
DEAR
SLAG
FAUX PAS:
BEWARE OF YOUR OWN BIASED BEHAVIOR
by Sarah Rutledge Fischer
Dear Allie,
I grew up in a very conservative family
where any deviance from traditional gender
roles was considered unnatural and evil. I’ve
spent years educating myself and peeling
away layers of bigotry. Every time I think
I’m good, I discover more layers that I didn’t
even know were there.
Last month, an acquaintance posted
something online about non-binary gender
identity, and I made some unintentionally
offensive comments. Her friends quickly
piled on and let me know how wrongheaded
I was. I was so embarrassed. It was
awful. Since then I’ve learned more about
gender identity and can see how hurtful my
comments were.
I sent a message to this woman
apologizing, explaining the context of my
ignorance, and expressing a hope that we
can continue as friends. But she hasn’t
responded at all. I feel like such a jerk. What
can I do?
Thanks,
Still Learning About Gender
Dear SLAG,
Ooof! How embarrassing. Social media can
make the blunders of our growth so much
more painful and public. A poorly thought
out comment may have once been a fairly
private shame, but online it feels like every
statement has an audience of thousands.
Let’s see what we can do.
First, take heart that you are on the right track. The very best
function of embarrassment and shame is to be the impetus
to correct bad behavior. Here, when the ignorance of your
comment was brought to your attention, I’m guessing you
felt defensive and angry, but your better self won out. You
did some soul searching and research and came out on the
other side a more educated, socially conscious ally. That’s
fantastic!
It is normal to want your acquaintance’s understanding
and forgiveness, but make sure that you are not seeking her
forgiveness in place of your own. Think about why you need
her to affirm your path and accept that she may never do
so. Your current stage of growth, no matter how sincere,
may be the trigger for her own issues and struggles.
So, let go of your wounded pride. Forgive yourself. When
we hold on to shame beyond its usefulness, it can make us
risk averse and actually impede our openness to growth
and new ideas. Remember—your mistake was the catalyst
for new growth and find a way to be grateful for it.
Still got some energy left over? Dive deeper into
understanding your revelation. What were your beliefs
before this happened? What pieces of information
helped you cross the bridge of understanding? Can you
communicate that information to people who still lack
that understanding in a way that they can receive it?
Start conversations. Take risks. When others blunder, be
patient. When you make another mistake—because you
will—listen, engage, be grateful for the opportunity to
grow. Keep going.
That should get you started.
Your friend,
Allie
To submit your own question, email Allie at Allie@
focusmidsouth.com. Focus Mid-South reserves the
right to edit letters for length and clarity.
Page 8 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds

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cover story
TURNING LIVES
by Brian Goins x photos by H.N. James
AROUND
Page 10 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds

Pam Sheffer
spent 23 years
in corporate
health
insurance sales
before she took
a leap into the
unfamiliar non-profit
arena.
“It was a really lucrative
career,” she said. “But as I
got to that 40-something
(age) window of time, I
started to realize, ‘You
know I’m going to be
working for at least another
25 years. Is this really what
I want to be doing with
the rest of my professional
life?’”
She started to examine
her life and her passions,
and realized she wanted
to work to make a positive
impact on people’s lives.
“I knew that what I
was doing was not what
I wanted to be. It was
something that I was doing,
but it was not who I wanted
to be.”
After some soul
searching, she sat down
with family and friends, and
asked them to tell her when
the last time they saw joy in
her life. Her mom gave her
a simple answer: She really
liked to color — anything
artistic.
She talked with old coworkers
and asked the
same question, and got a
unanimous answer.
“It was training, and
educating, and leading,”
she said. “Those were
things where they saw me
shine in those respects. So
that was helpful.”
She identified three
points of passion:
Addressing suicide in
LGBT+ youth, addressing
the plight of homelessness
ABOUT JUST US
Just Us is a group of programs at Oasis Center dedicated to helping lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, and questioning youth to achieve their full potential. Specifically, Just Us provides
LGBT high school students a liberating space where they can be authentic and celebrate the
fluidity of identity. For more information, visit justusoasis.org.
BECOME A SUSTAINING DONOR
The best way to help Just Us and other programs at Oasis Center is to become a sustaining
donor. Visit oasiscenter.org/donate.
for youth and addressing
the access of healthcare for
everybody, regardless of
ability to pay.
Those three primary
focuses were what drove
her to start interviewing
non-profit organizations
that did that kind of work.
She knew Hal Cato, who
was the president and
CEO of Oasis Center at the
time, through her work on
the board of advisors at
Community Foundation.
She approached him and
expressed an interest in
what Oasis Center had to
offer.
“I tell people I basically
stalked him,” she laughed,
“which I think is pretty
accurate. He was gracious
enough to give me an
opportunity to come in and
talk with him.”
“I told him that I
wanted to start an LGBT+
program at Oasis Center
to specifically focus on
the needs of these young
people.”
But in order for anything
to happen, she’d need
funding — and she would
need to include youth as a
part of the process. Then,
she said, Cato negotiated
the “best deal ever” for her.
“I could work for free, and
figure it out,” she said. “So
that’s what I did.”
Through her prior
preparations, she had
arranged it so that her bills
were paid and she could
take the time she needed
to come up with a plan to
meet her vision.
“I worked 40 hours a
week for a year for free
to figure out what (the
program) was going to look
like,” she said.
“I did a lot of focus
groups with LGBT+ young
people, with LGBT+ young
adults; I did one-on-one
interviews with them. I
held summits — anything
to bring their voices to the
table.”
She began her work in
June of 2010, and they
launched Just Us at Oasis
Center in July 2011. It
took a lot of hard work,
determination and a sharp
learning curve. Oasis Center
staff were supportive of the
work she was doing and
kept encouraging her.
“They knew I had the
passion, the brain power,
and the will power … it was
Good Deeds / MAR+APR 2018 / focusmidtenn.com / Page 11

just a matter of moving
forward one step at a time,”
she said.
Just Us is completely
driven by the youth. The
Tuesday drop-in session
averages about 32 students
per session and they have
five adult volunteers, along
with Page Regan, the
program coordinator. The
staff and volunteers are
well-trained to address any
needs the youth may have.
“I think some people
think that this LGBT+ group
is sort of like the cast for
‘Glee,’” she said. “It’s the
farthest from the truth. We
have young people coming
from 15 different counties
and 30 different high
schools. Most of our young
people are coming from
outside Davidson County.”
She said the kids are
diverse in background
and need a space to
be themselves and find
support.
“When they’re coming
to us, they’re coming
because they have no other
connections where they
are,” she said. “These are
kids who are not connected
really to a significant social
circle.”
It’s taken a few years for
the program to grow, but
she said that they reach
the youth that they need to
through the internet, social
media and referrals. They
average two to three new
young people every week,
so there are always new
kids coming in who may be
terrified.
“They want to be there,”
she said, “but they may not
know what to expect.”
She said about 85
percent of the young
people they serve identify
as gender nonconforming,
gender fluid or non-binary.
It’s important, she said, to
“I knew that what I was doing was not what I wanted to
be ... It was something that I was doing, but it was not
who I wanted to be.”
have staff who emulate who
they serve, so that there’s a
cultural connection.
“We have a lot of gender
diversity within our ranks,” she
said. “About 50 percent of
the staff are trans-identified
individuals, which I love.”
Parents, she said, also
have been supportive of the
program and of the youth
who attend, and about 50
percent of them have done
family counseling.
“We try to always
incorporate the families,
because we know that the
young people need to leave
here and go to a safe and
supporting space,” she said.
“We do have some
parents who are resistant,
but they know their child
is very fragile and is
struggling, and they’re
socially isolated. So they’re
willing to let them come.”
It’s a safe and affirming
space for the youth to
have real, face-to-face
connections with others
who they identify with
beyond social media.
“(Social media) is why
they struggle so much with
making social connections,”
she said. “They have been
making friends virtually, and
that’s so different. We push
them on group sharing and
one-on-one conversations.”
Just Us has been a labor of
love for Sheffer and her staff,
but now she is doing work
behind the scenes to ensure
that programs like this just
simply don’t need to exist.
She’s working with
various organizations, such
as Tennessee Department
of Education, the Juvenile
Justice System and the
child welfare system to
try and create open and
affirming levels of care
within those systems.
She’s working for a micro
statewide accreditation for
school counselors to be
open and affirming.
“I’m hoping that if we
can get at least one open
and affirming counselor in
every single school in the
state of Tennessee — just
one — then the climate in
the schools will change
for every young person
exponentially,” she said.
And, she hopes for a
future where youth don’t
have to seek safe spaces
like Just Us.
“I tell my staff all the
time that we are working
so hard,” she said, “so that
we can basically close this
shop down.”
Page 12 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds

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lgbt advocate
JENNIFER VANNOY:
TAKING
ACTION
by Brian Goins x photo by Maggie Mahaffey
Jennifer Vannoy has
learned along the way that
being complacent about the
state of the world doesn’t
bring about change.
It takes action, and she’s
doing that by running for
office.
Vannoy, who is a
realtor for EXIT Realty,
began her passion for
volunteerism years ago.
Born in Milwaukee, she has
lived in Middle Tennessee
most of her life. She began
volunteering with Tennessee
Equality Project in 2006,
and became a volunteer
training coordinator for the
organization.
In late January, she
announced her bid for State
Representative for District
34. She’s running against
Republican incumbent Tim
Rudd.
“It’s been a yearlong
process,” she said, adding
that it started with the 2016
election.
She stayed up all night
on election night, with tears
streaming down her face.
“Like so many of us did,
I fell into that state of fear
and ‘What’s next?’” she said.
She took action. She
searched for ways to
get involved and found
the Women’s March on
Washington.
When she realized that
she wouldn’t be able
to attend the event in
Washington, D.C., she
helped organize the
Women’s March in Nashville.
“I showed up to that first
meeting and I said — excuse
my language — ‘I’m really
pissed off,’” she said. “Not
just at where we are, but
my lack of involvement in
our community and in our
political power structure.”
She volunteered to be
the media coordinator
for the Women’s March
in Nashville and within a
week was one of the lead
coordinators. The event
was a success.
“It was wonderful,” she
said. “That day was probably
one of the best days of my
life. Then, it was over.”
She took a day to rest
and began thinking about
what was next, which was
“pretty much moving into
Legislative Plaza.”
She attended meetings
and started watching the
bills go through.
“I realized how many of
the bills that were being
introduced were at their
core, quite hateful,” she
said. “I was just appalled
at the time, the resources,
the money that was being
spent on discriminatory or
hateful policy.”
As each of these bills
were introduced and began
moving through, she started
reading, analyzing and
asking questions.
“What I really found,”
she said, “was that without
equal representation in the
legislature, pretty nasty
things happen to a lot of
really good people.”
There are a lot of people
in our government fighting
for us, too, she said.
“Those of us with more
progressive views — I think
we are the ones who really
have family values at our
core,” she said. But we
can’t be drowned out by
the fearful legislation, or
let ourselves be lulled into
thinking we shouldn’t stand
up and be heard.
“We had reason to believe
we were on a state of
progression, because we
were in a lot of ways (during
the Obama years),” she said,
but added that for every
step forward, we also have
people who get fearful.
“They truly believe
something will be taken
away from them,” she said,
“and that’s what we have
to work really hard to turn
around. We don’t want to
take anything away from
you.”
FIND OUT MORE
To find out more
about Jennifer
Vannoy, visit
facebook.com/
Vannoy4TNHouse
She credits her
experience volunteering
with TEP with opening her
eyes quite a bit.
“The more I got involved
with TEP, it was like
these little pieces that
open your eyes and your
mind,” she said. “You start
seeing the difficulties and
the problems, and once
you’re coming from that
perspective, you have a
choice to make. You’re at a
fork in the road.”
She admits that she
stayed at that fork in the
road for quite a long time,
but ultimately chose action.
“You can either go back into
your little world, and you
can ignore and live in your
happy little bubble — or you
can get out there and do
something about it.”
Page 14 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds

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NASHVILLE FASHION WEEK IS RUNWAY READY
ABOUT
NASHVILLE
FASHION WEEK
Nashville Fashion
Week is a celebration of
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and retail community and
its vast array of creative
talent. Featuring local,
regional and national
designers and industry
professionals encourages
both Nashvillians and
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city’s diverse fashion and
retail spaces throughout
the week. NFW is
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fashion, retail and media
professionals who
have combined their
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Tennessee.
THE NASHVILLE FASHION FORWARD FUND
The Nashville Fashion Forward Fund of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee is an endowed fund that
receives proceeds from Nashville Fashion Week each year. The establishment of the Nashville Fashion Forward Fund was
inspired by the professional development provided by the Council of Fashion Designers (CFDA) through programs such
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The Community Foundation exists to promote and facilitate giving in the 40 counties of Middle Tennessee. For more
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Page 16 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds
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community
LGBT+ CONFERENCE PROVIDES STUDENTS,
EMPLOYERS CHANCE TO BE HEARD
by Brian Goins
photo courtesy of MTSU
On April 5 through 7,
Middle Tennessee State
University will provide an
opportunity for all to have
their voice heard during
their annual LGBT+ College
Conference.
The conference, said
Dr. William Langston, a
psychology professor at
MTSU, was created by MT
Lambda Association to
examine issues surrounding
retention and graduation
rates for LGBT+ youth. The
legislature’s
funding formula
for higher
education in the
state is to reward
retention and
graduation rates,
Langston he said.
MT Lambda Association,
the oldest LGBT+ higher
education student
organization in the state of
Tennessee, has a mission to
provide a safe and secure
environment for everyone
in the LGBT+ community at
MTSU. Langston, who has
been advisor of MT Lambda
off and on since 2002,
said they had already been
noticing that LGBT+ students
faced stressors that many
other students don’t face.
“As you pile up a little bit
here and a little bit there, it
impacts the retention and
graduation rates,” he said.
Early on, he said,
someone made the point to
him that ‘What’s the point
in making (a student’s)
university or college
experience better if they go
into the real world and the
experience is not so good?’
The conference addresses
how to better students’
campus experience as well
as how to improve contact
and issues between students
and real-world employers —
the latter of which they’ve
expanded upon this year.
“Recruiters — when they
come to campus and want
to hire students — report all
kinds of difficulties in working
with us to getting the
students that they want and
for the campus to make them
welcome in various ways,” he
said. “Students report that
nobody ever wants them.”
The goal, he said, is to have
the different groups talk
directly to each other about
what the challenges are
and to try to develop some
strategies to remove some of
those obstacles.
“If universities are saying
‘We think we’re doing
as much as we can,’ and
employers are saying ‘We
don’t think you’re doing
anything,’ and students
are saying ‘Neither one of
you are getting it right’ …
everybody get together
so we can talk about it and
realign,” he said.
Speaker
Georiann
Davis
Dollar General will lead
the corporate side of the
discussion, but there will be
several other employers in
the room. The corporate
outreach person from MTSU
will lead the academic side,
and Langston said he hoped
to get leaders from other
campus staffs to participate
as well.
“Student leaders will
talk from the students’
perspectives about why
outreach isn’t reaching them.
And what they see as the
problem,” he said.
There’s plenty more up for
conversation at the three-day
conference.
This year’s program
speakers will explore how key
facets of identity – gender,
race, culture, ethnicity, age,
social class, religious beliefs,
sexual orientation, gender
identity or expression – play
a significant role in how we
experience the world.
Saturday’s keynote speaker
is Georgiann Davis, assistant
professor of Sociology at
University of Nevada — Las
Vegas. She will speak on the
impact of being intersex on a
variety of factors.
GO TO IT
What: MTSU and MT Lambda
present LGBT+ Conference
When: April 5 through 7
Where: in James Union building,
MTSU campus
For ticket information, visit
www.mtsu.edu/mtlambda.
“We’ve asked for an
academic perspective on
what intersex is and what
ways it may affect people,”
Langston said, adding
that there will be personal
perspectives as to what
campuses can do to make
improvements for students.
“The goal is to talk about all
the identities under LGBT+,”
he said.
Other opportunities will be
a tour of Nissan facilities for
students, including a pitch to
their internship program at
their national headquarters.
Entertainment will be a
part of the conference, too,
including an open mic night
for students to perform
whatever they want —
from stand-up comedy
to slam poetry to musical
performances.
“We’re trying to give them
the full experience in the time
that they’re here,” he said.
The most important thing,
though, is to bring your
voice and experience to help
influence the conversation.
“If you have something
to contribute to these
conversations, we’d love
for you to participate,” he
said, adding that it is free
for students to attend and
only costs other participants
for admission to the awards
dinner.
“If we don’t have your
voice, we can’t have the input
that you could provide.”
Page 18 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds

VICTIM
special report
BIAS
TARGETED
RACE
PREJUDICE
This is the second installment of a three-part series by Focus® Middle Tennessee magazine. We have developed this
series in the hope that law enforcement and citizens will have a better understanding of the intricacies of our nation’s
hate crime law, a law that was written after the horrific deaths of a black man, James Byrd, and a young gay man,
Matthew Shepard. These two men were lost to the bias and lack of understanding of a few disturbed people. Because
of the Federal hate crimes law, James and Matthew have received some measure of justice.
HALF OF HATE CRIMES
GO UNREPORTED
by Sarah Rutledge Fischer
It is conventional wisdom that
what doesn’t get measured doesn’t
get managed. In the world of law
enforcement, it would be more
accurate to say that what doesn’t
get reported cannot be measured or
managed, and in the realm of hate
crime enforcement, lack of reporting is
a real problem.
According to the U.S.
Department of Justice’s
2017 Special Report on
Hate Crime Victimization,
approximately 54% of all hate
crime victimizations were not
reported to the police from
2011-15. Of the hate crimes
that were not reported, 41%
had been handled privately
or through a non-law
enforcement official, such
as an apartment manager or
school official. Another 23%
were not reported because
the victims believed that
the police would not want
to be bothered, would be
ineffective, or would cause
trouble for the victim.
Another 19% failed to report
because they did not believe
that the crime was important
enough to report to police.
The Matthew Shepard
Foundation has been so
concerned about the issue
that last summer it launched
a survey asking residents
of Denver, Colorado about
their experiences as victims
of hate crimes and why they
did or did not report the
incident to the police. Early results
lined up with the data found by the
Department of Justice. Many people
expressed confusion about whether or
not an incident was a hate crime. Many
were skeptical that law enforcement
would aggressively investigate. Many
were afraid of retaliation. Even among
those who did report, results were
mixed. One disabled gay man who
had been attacked found the officers
compassionate and effective. But
others found the responding officers
unsympathetic or unresponsive.
There is no consensus on the
solution to the problem. Law
enforcement agencies around the
country are making strides to educate
offices and establish trust
with vulnerable communities.
The Matthew Shepard
Foundation continues
to work alongside law
enforcement to improve
officer education and
increase the support of
vulnerable communities.
“In our work we try to
include everyone who feels
marginalized,” Judy and
Dennis Shepard have said.
“We want them to know they
are not alone and not without
help. They need to know that
they have a voice. We need
to connect the dots. We need
to provide victims with more
support. We need to provide
law enforcement with the
tools to properly investigate,
prosecute, and report these
crimes.”
The Matthew Shepard
Foundation is still gathering
data on Denver hate crimes
that happened in 2017. If you
or someone you know has
something to contribute,
you can find the survey at
DenverHateCrimeSurvey.com
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Good Deeds / MAR+APR 2018 / focusmidtenn.com / Page 19

VIOLENCE
ETHNICITY
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
HARASSMENT
TENNESSE BUREAU
OF INVESTIGATIONS
by Sarah Rutledge Fischer
SAVE + SHARE SAVE + SHARE SAVE + SHARE
Behind all of the work local law
enforcement does to address and prevent
hate crimes is the support, training, and data
gathering work of the Tennessee Bureau of
Investigations (TBI).
The TBI was established in the early 1950s
after the botched investigation of a horrific
Greene County murder. The crime, in
which a man was shot through his bedroom
window while in the company of his wife
and children, shocked the region, but due to
incompetent police work the murderer was
never found. At the urging of community
leaders, the governor established an unbiased
state agency to assist local law enforcement
in the investigation of serious crimes. That
agency became what we now know as the
TBI.
These days, the TBI continues their
original mission by assisting local Tennessee
law enforcement agencies with training,
investigation, forensic science, and general
support. In addition, as required under Tenn.
Code 38-10-101 to 105, the TBI manages
the collection of data relating to crime,
criminals, and criminal activity across the
state. The program used by the TBI for this
purpose is called the Tennessee Incident
Based Reporting System (TIBRS). Each local
law enforcement agency in Tennessee has
a Reporting Agency Coordinator, trained
by the TBI on using TIBRS to record all
manner of crime data. Since 2014, the TBI
has also offered a TIBRS training class for
law enforcement officers, deputies, and
supervisors.
One of the categories of data gathered
by the TBI through TIBRS is data on the
incidence of hate or bias motivated crimes.
Each year the collected data is compiled into
a Hate Crime Annual Report that provides
agencies across the state with a big picture
look at bias motivated crimes that occurred
and were reported in Tennessee.
“We are committed to using our data in
as many ways as possible,” says Niland. “Our
goal is to be the most transparent state in the
nation.”
The data gathered through TIBRS is
currently available to the public through the
bureau’s Tennessee Crime Online Statistics
Website (crimeinsight.tbi.tn.gov), but without
extensive training in statistical analysis and
TIBRS, it is a little difficult for a layperson
to navigate. To bridge that divide, the TBI
is releasing a Theme Oriented Public Site
(TOPS) specifically designed for public and
media use. Initially, TOPS will cover only the
categories of Crimes Against Persons, DUI/
Drugs, and Property Crimes, but in 2019
it will add Hate Crimes, Law Enforcement
Officers Killed or Assaulted, and Use of
Force.
When it comes to combatting hate crime,
the TBI knows that access to current data is
important.
“Without the data, we cannot measure
the scope of the problem,” says TBI
Communications Officer Susan Niland. “In
ANTI-SEXUAL BIAS HATE CRIMES
AS REPORTED TO TBI IN 2016
Middle
Tennessee
East
Tennessee
West
Tennessee
order to prevent crimes and criminal behavior,
you must first understand it. Hate crime is
prevalent in all of the United States. We know
that because of the data we are obtaining and
analyzing.”
Crimes against person
Crimes against property
Source: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Page 20 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds

FEDERAL LAW
CRIME SCENE GRAFFITI
JUSTICE
PERCEPTION
QUICK FACTS:
HATE CRIME IN TENNESSEE
by Sarah Rutledge Fischer
31 18
27.3%
16.7%
Overall, the number
of bias motivated
victims decreased
from 2015-2016
Religious Bias
victim offenses
decreased from 31
victims in 2015 to
18 victims in 2016
Simple Assault was
the most frequently
reported bias motivated
offense in 2016 with
63 victims or 33.5% of
hate crime victims
In 2016, the number of
Damage/Destruction/
Vandalism hate crime
offenses decreased
27.3% from the
previous year
Anti-Black or
African American
Bias accounted
for 16.7% of all
racial Biases in
2016
Source: TBI’s 2016 TN Hate Crime Report
53.7%
46.3%
JUVENILES
36 victims
52 offenders
28.9%
Males (53.7%)
were victimized at
a higher rate than
females (46.3%)
36 victims and 52
offenders in 2016
were juveniles
(under age 18)
28.9% of hate
crime offenses
were committed
by individuals
from the Under
18 age group
75.4% of hate
crime offenders
were male, 21.7%
were female, with
the remaining
offenders
reported with an
unknown gender
Noon through
2:59 p.m.
was the most
commonly
reported time
period for bias-motivated
crimes with 43 incidents
bias motivated
33 incidents were
Cleared by Arrest
in 2016
40.7%
The majority
of hate crimes
occurred at
a location of
Residence/Home
The most often
documented
bias was Racial
reported 40.7%
in 2016
ABOUT THE JOURNALIST:
SARAH RUTLEDGE FISCHER
Sarah Rutledge Fischer is licensed as an attorney in both
California and Alabama but is not currently engaged in
the practice of law. If you are in need of legal advice,
please seek individual counsel with an attorney licensed
in your state.
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Good Deeds / MAR+APR 2018 / focusmidtenn.com / Page 21

OUTNUMBERED
ETHNICITY
ENHANCED SENTENCING
PERCEPTION
CREATING SAFE PLACES
by Sarah Rutledge Fischer
SAVE + SHARE SAVE + SHARE SAVE + SHARE
Around the county, law
enforcement officers have a challenge
when it comes to addressing hate
crime. Over half of LGBT hate crime
victims do not come forward to
report the crimes to the police.
You can’t prevent or address what
you don’t know is happening, so
encouraging people to report has
been one of the biggest challenges in
this arena.
In Seattle, Washington in 2015,
Officer Jim Ritter was grappling with
this very problem. As a member of
Seattle’s gay community, he heard
talk of hate crime incidents against
the LGBT community, but few of these
crimes were actually being reported.
Most of the crimes he heard of were
being committed in commercial areas,
so he had an idea . . . an idea that
turned into a program that has been
implemented across the country.
Ritter’s program is called Safe
Place, and it is fairly simple.
Participating businesses commit to
provide a safe place where victims of
hate crimes can shelter while waiting
RESOURCES
Coming MAY 1:
for police. Each location displays
a bright window sticker that reads
“SAFE PLACE” in large block letters
atop a rainbow striped police shield.
The businesses train their employees
to call the police immediately if they
witness a hate crime or if a hate crime
victim comes inside and to provide
that person with a safe place to
shelter until police arrive.
The program has been successful
in encouraging the report of hate
crimes to area police. It has also set
the table for open discussion about
hate crime in the LGBT community
and throughout the city. Even more
importantly, it has begun to build
trust between the police and the
communities most vulnerable to hate
crimes.
What Ritter was dealing with in
Seattle is a national struggle, and
the Safe Place program’s success
has caught the eye of other police
departments around the country.
Safe Place programs have been
established in Denver, Tuscon, Los
Angeles, Miami, and St. Louis among
For more information on the Hate Crimes Prevention Act,
check out the resources available from the Human Rights
Campaign at hrc.org/resources/topic/hate-crimes
For information on what the state of Tennessee is doing
under its current hate crime laws, check out the Tennessee
Bureau of Investigation’s 2016 Tennessee Hate Crime annual
report at tn.gov/tbi/article/recent-publications
others. The most notable adoption
of the program was in the city of
Orlando. The City of Orlando and
the Orlando Police Department
launched a Safe Place initiative a little
over a year ago, on the six-month
anniversary of the Pulse Night Club
massacre.
What do you say, Nashville? Should
we be next?
For more information on current
nationwide efforts to strengthen hate
crime legislation and reporting at all
levels, check out the Matthew Shepard
Foundation at matthewshepard.org/
Part 3 of 3: In Our City
Nashville already has an LGBT support network. We’ll help
readers understand how to connect. In our next (and final)
installment of Hate Crimes Special Pages, we’ll talk to
schools, city police and community organizations to meet
the boots on the ground in the fight against hate crimes.
Page 22 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds

health+wellness
A LITTLE BIT OF
GOAT
YOGA
WILL GET YOU THROUGH
Program allows you to cuddle,
snuggle and pet the animals
by Selena J. Haynes | photo by H. N. James
What does Minnie
Pearl, Dolly
Parton, Johnny
Cash, June Carter Cash,
Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker,
and Harvey Milk have in
common? They’re all goats!
No kidding here!
They’re all part of
Shenanigoats where they
rent out their older babies
for landscaping while
the younger ones are
busy making people less
stressed through laughter
and play at goat yoga.
Since June 2017,
Shenanigoats, LGBT+owned
and operated by
partners Jamie Codispoti
and Max Knudsen, has been
growing quickly. While this
Good Deeds / MAR+APR 2018 / focusmidtenn.com / Page 23

fitness trend isn’t new across
the nation, it is fairly new
to Middle Tennessee. Yoga
offers many health and
wellness benefits on its own,
but put goats in the mix, and
you’re on a whole new level.
“The laughter we hear in
each class is what drives us,”
Jamie said. “The Nashville
community has been so
welcoming and supportive.
We love hearing ‘this is the
best day ever’ and seeing
the goats bring so much joy
to so many people.”
quickly that they needed to
supplement their income.
Max was a firm believer in
‘goatscaping’ as a business.
While Jamie was skeptical,
she soon discovered there
was definitely a demand not
only for goat-landscaping,
but goat yoga too.
Jamie and Max started
out with just two goats,
Nettie and Amos, for
the purpose of keeping
brush clear on their farm.
They continued adding
to their family eventually
acquiring goats that had
been socialized alongside
pre-schoolers. These goats
were more than just help on
the farm. They wanted love
and affection.
When a friend sent them a
link to a goat yoga business
in Oregon and asked if
they could do this, they
laughingly agreed. Jamie
and Max were able to put
together their first class last
June. Almost a year later,
Shenanigoats has become
a popular attraction around
for locals and visitors.
Who knew goats were so
full of shenanigans?!?
A few of us from Focus
recently had the pleasure
of meeting a few of
these sweet babies and
participating in the yoga
class. Sure, there were
warrior, triangle, and tree
poses — but have you tried
the goat-on-the-back pose?
There is an abundance
of cuteness walking into
the yoga studio as you
see a few of the Pygmy
or Nigerian Dwarf goats
running around in their
winter sweaters. It
immediately puts a smile on
your face and you begin to
feel relaxed right then and
there.
If you’re looking for
tranquility, goat yoga may
not be for you because
the goats are busy with
their shenanigans, living
up to the business name.
They are gentle and loving
animals, though, and
throughout the session you
are encouraged to pet the
goats as well as doing the
yoga. It’s a good time to be
had all the way around from
beginner to experienced
yogi.
Initially, goat yoga wasn’t
what Jamie and Max had
in mind. As owners of a
small farm, they realized
GOAT YOGA
Classes are held weekly.
They even have classes
for your kids with
their kids! Visit their
website: shenanigoats.
com or facebook @
shenanigoatsyoga for up to
date information.
Page 24 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds

music
MUSIC TO TO OUR OUR EARS:
3 LGBT MUSICIANS TO HEAR NOW
by Brian Goins
Here’s our rundown of three of our favorite
local LGBT musicians on the musical
landscape and what to expect:
breakout:
“Not
Leavin’”
breaks with the
folk sound a bit with a more
rock-inspired rhythm.
FOLLOW KRISTEN FORD
kristenfordmusic.com
DAPHNE WILLIS,
“FREAKS LIKE ME”
In a nine-track set that
is one part pop and three
parts unapologetic rock,
Daphne Willis delivers a
show-stopping work that
goes above and beyond
anything on radio today.
WHAT TO KNOW
Current single:
“Somebody’s Someone,”
a ballad anthem about
belonging.
Our pick: “Out of the
Black,” a funky pop
groove reminiscent of Amy
Winehouse.
Destined to be the
breakout: “Unafraid” is a
great community anthem
about pulling together to
fight for our rights.
FOLLOW DAPHNE WILLIS
daphnewillis.com
PERFORMANCES
For upcoming
performances: facebook.
com/daphnewillismusic
KRISTEN FORD,
“TRAVEL SONGS”
Acoustic and folk
music has never sounded
better. The easy, smooth
vocals and instrumental
plays softly against a
quiet, distant angst.
Appropriately, the music
is the perfect soundtrack
for a road trip, juxtaposed
against picturesque
landscapes and new
adventures. It’s an ethereal
experience, not unlike
taking a vacation without
leaving your sofa.
WHAT TO KNOW
Current single: “Berlin,”
featuring guest vocalist
Jenna McClelland, is
an ethereal acoustic
masterpiece that pairs
best with lazy summer
afternoons.
Our pick:
“Extraordinary,” an
acoustic gem laced with
strings and guitar and a
vocal that is dreamlike.
Destined to be the
PERFORMANCES
7 p.m. March 24 at The
Bowery Vault, 2905
Gallatin Pike, Nashville.
8 p.m. April 9 at The East
Room, 2412 Gallatin Ave.,
Nashville.
CHELEY
TACKETT,
“BUCKEYE”
Tackett’s driving, country
and Americana infused
album stands out in the
crowd with its earnest, lifeinfused
songwriting.
WHAT TO KNOW
Current single: “Bitter
Girl” opens the album with
a traditional country sound.
Our pick: “$2 Bill,” an
emotional track based on a
family story.
Destined to be
the breakout:
“The Healer,”
an emotional
song about the
role you can
choose to play
in relationships.
The song, cowritten
by Tackett
and Randall Clay,
was a semi-finalist in the
Americana category of
International Songwriting
Competition.
FOLLOW CHELEY TACKETT
cheleytackett.com
PERFORMANCES
6 p.m. March 17 at Douglas
Corner Cafe, 2106 Eighth
Ave. S., Nashville.
6 p.m. April 20 at Douglas
Corner Cafe, 2106 Eighth
Ave. S., Nashville.
Good Deeds / MAR+APR 2018 / focusmidtenn.com / Page 25

food+drink
THE WILD
COW
DOESN’T
MOO
by Leah Wright | photos courtesy of Wild Cow
Turn down Eastland
Avenue from Gallatin Road
and about three-quarters of
a mile down the street, you’ll
see it — the snarky sign that
makes Rosepepper Cantina
a social media sensation.
This weekend, the quip is
“Eat tacos, not Tide Pods”.
Now that you’ve enjoyed a
chuckle, turn around and
you’ll see the sign for one of
Nashville’s most welcoming
vegan/vegetarian hot
spots, The Wild Cow ([f]
TheWildCow, thewildcow.
com).
In a time when more
people are turning away
from meats and toward a
plant-based diet, The Wild
Cow is a welcome sight for
those of us who sometimes
find it difficult to determine
if the food on the menu is
actually vegan or can be
made vegan. We put in
requests for no butter, no
cheese, no milk, no meat,
and have to trust that our
request is carried out.
At The Wild Cow, those
TRY IT
What: The Wild Cow
Restaurant
Where: 1896 Eastland
Ave., Nashville
Online:
thewildcow.com
Social: TheWildCow
concerns are put aside,
because everything on their
menu is vegan unless you
request dairy cheese, which
simply makes it vegetarian.
You will not find any
meat inside The Wild
Cow, but you will find a
welcoming atmosphere and
great food in a restaurant
that donates a portion of
their monthly profits to
one of several charities.
Page 26 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds

A mecca for hipsters,
crunchies, soccer moms,
and business people
alike, The Wild Cow is a
small venue, with about
a dozen tables and they
welcome everyone with
open arms. I suggest
getting there early
or calling ahead for
carryout.
They feature a
different special
each day and have
a permanent menu
featuring items such
as sandwiches, salads,
tacos, entrée bowls,
and smoothies. You
will not find mass
marketed sodas in their
cooler, but you will find
vegan artisan sodas,
kombucha, wines, and
other vegan-friendly
drinks. You’ll also find
vegan desserts made
in-house by Vegan Vee
Bakery. Order a starter
such as the Nachos,
which feature non-
GMO blue corn tortilla
chips that are loaded
high with black & pinto
beans, vegan queso,
salsa verde, tomatoes,
red onions, rice, and
vegan sour cream. The
generous portion can
easily become a meal
for two people.
I opted for the
daily special, the
Curry Chickpea Salad
Sandwich with pickles
and red leaf lettuce
on a toasted whole
wheat bread, paired
with Lemon-Pepper
Roasted Fingerling
potatoes. The Chickpea
Salad was reminiscent
of a hummus, but with
chunks of chickpeas.
The snap of the curry
was perfectly paired
with the sourness of the
pickle and the whole
wheat bread pulled
the flavors together
perfectly. The fingerling
potatoes were tender,
with a wonderfully salty
and tart seasoning on
the outside. Others in
our party had the Sweet
Potato and Black Bean
Tacos with Garlicky Kale
and the Portabella Tacos
with Pineapple Cole
Slaw, all of which were
wonderfully prepared
and quickly devoured.
The Wild Cow strives to
be inventive with their
food and flavor pairings,
and they excel at the
task.
It’s refreshing to
see more restaurants
take an interest in
vegan diets. The Wild
Cow has created a
welcoming restaurant
with a fabulous menu
that will delight vegans/
vegetarians, as well as
omnivores with an open
mind.
For us vegans, it is a
great day when we can
sit down to eat and find
something other than a
salad on the menu that
is safe for us to eat.
Keep up the great
work, The Wild Cow
and feel free to open
a second location
closer to me, maybe
in Clarksville. HAIL
SEITAN!
the new face of HIV awareness
Mr. Friendly reminds us
to fight stigma. How?
Discuss HIV without judgement
Encourage friends to test for HIV
Let people know positive or
negative, you are there for them
Find me on Facebook
or Mrfriendly.info
/Team Friendly Tennessee
teamfriendlytennessee.org
Susan Gardner - CPO-CD ®
Professional Organizer
Intuitive Organizing for Home & Life
Clearing
the Way
Home
When organizing
is a challenge,
you need a new
perspective, not
a new system.
615.477.9795
Greater Nashville Area
clearingthewayhome.com

transfocus
‘KNOW THAT THERE IS SOMEONE OUT
THERE WHO WILL HELP YOU THROUGH IT’
by Brian Goins x photo by H.N. James
When Shaun Arroyo thinks
about his favorite Pride
celebrations, two come to
mind: His first, which he
celebrated in New York City;
and in 2015 in Nashville,
when the Supreme Court
declared marriage equality
the law of the land.
“I went to New York
City Pride at 15 years
old,” Arroyo said. “It was
incredible. I met people
who were at Stonewall. I
learned a lot.”
Up until 2015, his NYC
Pride experiences were
his favorite. But now, June
2015’s Nashville Pride ranks
higher. “Marriage equality …
I never thought I’d see that,”
he said. “To see that, I was
in my glory.”
Arroyo, who is Puerto
Rican and originally from
New York, moved around a
lot for his job until he finally
settled in the Nashville
area in the 1990s. His sister
moved to Tennessee first,
and he soon followed.
It was a bit of a culture
shock at first. The accent
was the first hurdle, but
soon there was a larger
hurdle to navigate: His
transition.
“I have a very specific
moment, that I decided to
physically transition,” he
said. Socially, he had lived
a masculine lifestyle for his
entire adult life. But when
his sister was diagnosed
with breast cancer, he knew
he could no longer deny
the physical transition.
“When she had to have
a mastectomy, I saw how
difficult it was for her,” he
said. “She didn’t want to do
it. It meant so much to her
as a woman, as a part of
her identity.”
For Arroyo, that physical
part of him was the worst
part of not being physically
male.
“I said, right then and
there, that I have to
physically transition,” he said.
Most of his close friends
already knew and were
supportive. His family was
supportive, too, but it took
some time. He had to work
through some issues with
his mother, who lives in
Florida, and his sister.
“I said, ‘Mom, I’m going to
transition,’ and she said, ‘I
don’t know what you mean.’”
He showed her a couple
of examples from the
internet and they talked
some more.
“She knew I had many
trans friends,” he said, and
she was worried about him
being influenced by others
in his decisions. That, of
course, was a non-issue and
Arroyo assured his mother
of that.
After her visit, she went
home and — although
they usually had regular
phone calls — he didn’t
hear anything from her for
a while.
“She didn’t answer my
calls for a couple of weeks
and I began to get very
worried,” he said. Then, she
finally answered his call.
From there, they had a
frank discussion, and they
found common ground.
“Diversity is inviting everybody to the party.
Inclusion is inviting everybody to dance. So,
ask everybody to dance.”
“She struggles a little bit
with the pronouns, but not
with the name,” he said. The
rest of his family was very
accepting, but his sister had
a little more to work through.
“Through therapy, she
was able to realize that she
was making it about her,
and not about me or my
transition.”
Outside his family,
however, Arroyo
experienced some
resistance and a lack of
acceptance at first.
“I lost two jobs, a full-time
job and a part-time job,” he
said. “That was really tough.”
The part-time job was in a
“little meat-and-three café,”
that was privately owned.
“They just stopped
giving me hours. They just
stopped,” he said.
They wouldn’t let him
use the bathroom, and
they refused to let him use
his name. “As a privately
owned business, (they)
could get away with that.”
His full-time job was with
a subcontractor.
“They were very difficult.
I went to HR and discussed
the issue.” He said they
reassured him and referred
to policies that were in
Page 28 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds

place, but in the end there
was no follow through.
He said Nashville,
however, has come a long
way in recent years.
“You see a lot more
tolerance,” he said, but
made a clarification.
“There’s a lot more
tolerance for the LGBT+
community, but less
tolerance for the Latino
community. As a Latino
queer, I’m having to
navigate both of those
communities.”
Currently, he works at
night for Vanderbilt, which
he describes as “a very
open place.” During the
day, he attends Tennessee
State University, where
he’s earning a bachelor’s
degree in human resources.
Coming out as
transgender in Nashville
was made easier with
the support from The
Tennessee Vals, a Middle
Tennessee Transgender
Support Group.
“The therapist I was
going to recommended
me to this support
group,” he said. “I had
never met another trans
person that was physically
transitioning.”
Now, Arroyo is current
chair of the organization.
“It really helped me
transition because it allowed
me a sounding board to
go and talk through some
of these things with other
people who had faced
the same issues,” he said.
“I was able to meet other
trans men, and I was
able to meet others who
were transitioning or had
transitioned in the past
or who were considering
transitioning.”
Next, Arroyo hopes to
complete his bachelor’s
degree and attain a job that
consults with companies
using his expertise with the
transgender, LGBT+ and
Latino communities.
“I’d like to see a lot more
understanding for the
trans community,” he said.
“We’re not trying to do
something to you. We’re
making ourselves better
for you. Allowing people
to transition, gives them a
better version of themselves
for everybody else’s benefit.
Not just our own.”
One of his sayings when
people talk about diversity
and inclusion is this:
“Diversity is inviting
everybody to the party.
Inclusion is inviting
everybody to dance,” he
said. “So, ask everybody to
dance.”
And, he has some advice
to anyone who is coming
out or sorting through the
first steps of transition.
“Know that there’s
someone out there
who will help you
through it,” he said.
“We are a community.
Know that there’s a
community out here,
for everybody.”
ABOUT THE
TENNESSEE
VALS
The Tennessee Vals is a nonpolitical,
educational, social
and support organization
founded and designed to
educate and support persons
regarding transgender issues,
without prejudice, regarding
sexual orientation, sexual
identity, or gender identity.
The Tennessee Vals helps
educate and support those
dealing with personal issues
and concerns related to
sexual identity and/or gender
identity, both by those
defined as transgender and
those in relationships with
transgender persons.
The Tennessee Vals also
serves the interests of the
transgender community in the
Nashville area in educating
the public and promoting a
positive public image about
transgender persons.
Visit tvals.org.
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calendar
UPCOMING EVENTS
HAVE AN EVENT TO LIST? DO IT
ONLINE AT FOCUSMIDTENN.COM
MARCH 11
BLAME IT ON BIANCA TOUR
8 p.m. March 11 in James K. Polk Theater at TPAC, 505
Deaderick St., Nashville. Tickets: $39.50-$60. tpac.org
MARCH 17
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN
NASHVILLE GALA
Reception and silent auction begins at 5:30 p.m.; dinner and
awards begin at 6:45 p.m. March 17 at Gaylord Opryland
Resort and Convention Center, 2800 Opryland Drive, Nashville.
Tickets range in price up to $175. To purchase, visit hrc.org/
events/nashville-gala.
APRIL 3-7
NASHVILLE DESIGNER SHOWCASE
Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; Runway show begins at 8 p.m.
April 3 at OZ Arts, 6172 Cockrill Bend Cir., Nashville. Tickets:
$50 standing; $75 seated; $350 elevated access pass. For a
complete schedule, visit nashvillefashionweek.com.
APRIL 5-7
LGBT+ COLLEGE CONFERENCE
Theme: All Identities- Bridging the Divide. This year’s
conference will explore how key facets of identity — gender,
race, culture, ethnicity, age, social class, religious beliefs,
sexual orientation, gender identity or expression — play a
significant role in how we experience the world. Students,
professionals, practitioners and leaders will confer. Admission
is free. Visit mtsu.edu/mtlambda
APRIL 15
FAMILY DAY AT THE BALLET
Created with families in mind, including a children’s ballet
performance of Aesop’s Fables, movement activities, arts and
crafts and more. Noon to 4 p.m. April 15 at Nashville Ballet
Studio A, 3630 Redmon St., Nashville. Tickets: $12-18.
www.nashvilleballet.com/family-day
APRIL 28
BRAVE NEW HOPE: SPRING CONCERT
Nashville in Harmony’s spring concert. 7:30 p.m. April 28 in
Langford Auditorium at Vanderbilt University, 2209 Garland
Ave., Nashville. Tickets: $30. nashvilleinharmony.org
MINGLE WITH CANDIDATES AT DIVERSITY DAY
CELEBRATION IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY
By Brian Goins
On April 15, the Williamson
County Democratic Party’s
Diversity Committee is
sponsoring a Diversity Day
Celebration at Pinkerton
Park in Franklin, offering an
opportunity for citizens to
gather and celebrate their
diversity.
Robert McNamara,
chairperson for the diversity
committee for Williamson
County Democratic Party,
said they felt like it was
important to provide an open
atmosphere for candidates
and citizens to gather.
There will be more
than just food and
fellowship, however. The
Major Minors youth choir
will perform; there will
be a Native American
dance performance;
and a mingling activity
to encourage people to
get to know each other.
Candidates are welcome
to attend, and although
they won’t be giving
speeches, citizens will have
the opportunity to make
conversation with them.
Williamson County
Democratic Party’s
Diversity Committee has a
mission statement to spread
the message that all people
are created equal and that
the Democratic Party will
fight to end discrimination
based on race, ethnicity,
national origin, language,
religion, gender, age, sexual
orientation, gender identity
or disability.
In its first year, McNamara
said he hoped Diversity Day
Celebration would become
an annual event.
“It’s our inaugural event,
so we want to keep it simple
this year, but let it grow
from there,” he said.
GO TO IT
What: Diversity Day
Celebration sponsored
by Williamson County
Democratic Party
When: 1 to 4 p.m. April 15
Where: Pinkerton Park,
Franklin
Admission is free.
Space is available for
organizations to put up
information tents to greet
attendees.
Page 30 / focusmidtenn.com / MAR+APR 2018 / Good Deeds

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FOR PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS VISIT
DININGOUTFORLIFE.COM/NASHVILLE

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