Latino Tennessee Voices Storytellers Live takes place Oct. 12. Here's how to get tickets.
The Latino population has grown by nearly 25% in the United States since 2010. Tennessee's Hispanic community grew even faster at 65% between 2010 and 2020.
In 2021, The Tennessean launched Latino Tennessee Voices, an English-language newsletter that focused on telling stories for, with and by Latinos and Latinas in Middle Tennessee and beyond.
It grew from the Black Tennessee Voices initiative and both efforts have won national and state recognition for their topics and most recently their live events, from the Online News Association, Tennessee Press Association and Society of Professional Journalists' Green Eyeshade Awards.
The second annual Latino Tennessee Voices Storytellers Live takes place on Thursday, Oct. 12, at Casa Azafran on Nolensville Pike.
The inaugural show in 2022 featured five storytellers including prominent citizens such as former Metro Council Member Fabian Bedne and General Sessions Judge Ana Escobar, who gave the oath of office to new Vice Mayor Angie Henderson on Sept. 30.
On Oct. 12, five new storytellers will share tales of struggle, inspiration and resilience before a live audience. We invite you to purchase a ticket and support these efforts to tell more diverse and inclusive stories.
Details and how to purchase tickets
What: Latino Tennessee Voices Storytellers Live
When: Thursday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m.; doors open at 6 p.m.
Where: Casa Azafrán, 2195 Nolensville Pike, Nashville, TN 37211
Tickets: $10 each. Visit this site to purchase them: https://storytellersproject.enmotive.com/events/latino-tennessee-voices-storytellers-live
Our sponsors: The Housing Fund, Vanderbilt University's Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latinx Studies (CLACX), BlueCross Blue Shield of Tennessee, and Nuestro Fintech
Sign up: Latino Tennessee Voices newsletter
About the Latino Tennessee Voices Storytellers
Jessie Garcia Knowles, executive director, Tennessee Latin American Chamber of Commerce
Since 2007, Jessie Garcia Knowles has been working in the Latine community, building collaborative work around access to education and career opportunities.
Many of those years have been tied to the Tennessee Latin American Chamber of Commerce - first, when her program with the YMCA Latino Achievers was sponsored by TLACC, then as a board member while Assistant Dean at Lipscomb University, and presently serving as the first Executive Director of the organization.
In her personal time, Jessie also serves as the pro bono director of the ELLA program, working alongside Latina Entrepreneurs, and serves as the board chair of Aventura Community School, and on the boards of Salama Ministries and the Pencil Foundation.
Home life includes her husband, Mike, their sons and mother in law. When she has downtime, Jessie enjoys remodeling furniture and reading.
Jonathan Low, entrepreneur and medical student at Meharry Medical College
Jonathan Low is an award-winning scientist, a former cancer research scholar and current medical student and health policy scholar at Meharry Medical College.
Jonathan hopes to bridge the health disparity gap for minorities in the United States, relating most to African Americans and Latinos due to his heritage.
He is hopeful to make this potential impact one day back in his mother’s home country of Panama as well.
Ultimately, Jonathan plans to pursue a career in medicine while taking advantage of his multidisciplinary academic background to push the envelope on health policy in America.
Jessica Marquez, manager of advocacy and communication, Conexión Américas
Jessica Márquez Muñoz is an advocate and community leader dedicated to advancing the rights and representation of the Latinx community.
As a proud first-generation Latina and a Chicana, she has harnessed her background and experiences to champion social change and create opportunities for marginalized voices. Some of Jessica's proudest achievements include co-creating a Mexican American Studies curriculum at her undergraduate university, advancing language justice through both professional interpretation and document translation, as well as consistently advocating for immigration reform, pay equity and education at the local, state and federal levels.
Jessica’s story tells the journey of how she has, despite the setbacks, embraced her Latinidad throughout her journey in México, Chicago, San Antonio, and Nashville. She continuously leans on her resilience, determination, and profound commitment to uplifting others to rewrite the narrative of who Latinos are. Jessica’s goal is to shatter barriers and open doors for a more inclusive and empowered society
Luis Mata, policy coordinator for Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition and TIRRC Votes
Originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, Luis and his mother immigrated to Tennessee 23 years ago.
As a formerly undocumented immigrant, he has centered his work on building collective power towards a future that works for all of us.
In his role as Policy Coordinator with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, he helps build people and political power with directly-impacted immigrants and refugees across the state to defend and advance our rights.
Before joining the TIRRC team, he worked as the Victims of Crime legal assistant at the Office of Immigrant Services in Knoxville, TN assisting survivors of criminal activity navigate the complex immigration system.
Eva Angelina Romero, entrepreneur/broker, National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) NASHVILLE founding president 2016-2018
Entrepreneur Eva Angelina Romero was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She received her real estate brokers license and moved to Nashville in 2012.
She is current broker/owner of Century 21 Capital Properties and owner of Solace Oral Surgery. She previously owned EvaCo Properties.
Eva is past president of the NAHREP Nashville chapter (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals). She launched the Nashville chapter in 2016, and it is now one of over 50 chapters throughout the US. NAHREP’s goal is to advance Hispanic homeownership. She and her husband are involved in many charities close to their heart. Eva enjoys spending time with family, travel, yoga, and competing in fitness competitions.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Hispanic Heritage: Go to Latino Tennessee Voices Storytellers Live
