Mary Griffin defended Spanish-speaking clients. Now, she's championing public transit.

David Plazas, Nashville Tennessean
·4 min read

Buenos días, mi gente:

Happy Wednesday! I hope you are having a good morning so far.

Have you met Mary Griffin?

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Griffin served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras to help families with their health care needs.

She learned Spanish fluently and, in Central America, she decided she wanted to go to law school to help Latino clients in Nashville.

Mary Griffin, a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras, is featured in The Tennessean's Living section on March 27, 1991.
Mary Griffin, a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras, is featured in The Tennessean's Living section on March 27, 1991.

"Just seeing how poor the people were in Honduras and that nobody stood up for them, I think that was the main thing that made me want to come back here and represent Hispanic people," she told reporter Kirk Loggins of The Tennessean in a Dec. 26, 1998, article. (A story about her time in the Peace Corps previously appeared in The Tennessean in 1991).

In the late 90s, she was an assistant public defender for Davidson County working under future Nashville Mayor Karl Dean who was then the elected public defender.

Mary continues to serve her community, today as a board member for WeGo, the city agency that manages public transit. On Tuesday, we talked about her past, but also about how she continues wanting to serve the Latino community.

On Sept. 13, WeGo is partnering with Plaza Mariachi, the community and event center on Nolensville Pike, during the Sept. 13 Lotería Night to talk about QuickTicket, a digital way to pay for bus service and get around town.

"It's important for board members to be seen in the community," added Griffin who has worked with organizations for years to welcome immigrants, or "New Americans," to the Nashville area.

"New Americans are our future ridership," she said.

They are also potentially WeGo's future bus drivers and mechanics, Griffin added. As the city's Latino population has grown, so have new job opportunities.

Lotería Night, a Mexican style bingo event, happens Tuesdays from 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. at Plaza Mariachi, 3955 Nolensville Pike, in South Nashville.

More on transit:

  • Some of you may remember that I rode the bus once a week in Nashville for a year in 2015. I was new to town and wanted to learn about the city and its residents. I persuaded some of my colleagues to meet with WeGo leaders on a moving bus for an editorial board meeting.

  • Speaking of public transit, USA TODAY reporter Chris Quintana writes about how limited public transit is keeping some college students from graduating.

Te extrañaremos, Arcelia

In past editions, I have shared stories by my colleague, reporter Arcelia Martin, who covers affordable housing in Nashville. She's a passionate journalist and a proud Latina who is leaving The Tennessean on Friday for an opportunity in Dallas, Texas. Wish her well, but please read her recent powerful retrospective on the recovery in Waverly, Tennessee, one year after a devastating flood hit the town.

This is his first rodeo

Learn about Dustin Ortiz, a mixed-martial arts fighter from Williamson County, who is on tour with the Nashville Stampede of the Professional Bull Riders Team. Reporter Cole Villena tells his story.

Events

  • Casa de la Cultura, Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Nashville Symphony: The free concert "México en el Corazón" is back. Learn more at https://casadelaculturanashville.org/

  • Sonrisa Latino Resource Center, Saturday at 10 a.m. at TCAT, 740 Highway 46 South, Dickson: Attend a community fair and learn more about immigration resources and participate in a Q&A with Police Officer Valentín Durán

  • Equal Chance for Education, Sept. 8 at 5:30 p.m. at Plaza Mariachi: Salsa for Scholarships event raises money for college aid for Dreamers in Tennessee. Get tickets: https://www.equalchanceforeducation.org/salsa-for-scholarships/

  • Conexión Américas, Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15): Multiple events include an awards ceremony, student essay contest and the return of The Latin Party on Sept. 30. Learn more: https://www.conexionamericas.org/hhm-award-ceremony/

  • Latino Tennessee Voices Storytellers, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. at Plaza Mariachi: The Tennessean hosts this event where people from the community share a story from their lives, be it about fitting in, accepting their identity or finding their voice. Tickets for are on sale now at this link.

¡Muchas gracias!

David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network - Tennessee. He is of Colombian and Cuban descent, has studied or worked in several Spanish-speaking countries, and was the founding editor of Gaceta Tropical in Southwest Florida. He has lived in Tennessee since 2014. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Mary Griffin, defending Latino clients to championing public transit.