Storytellers share their memories of trying to fit in and finding their voices
Buenos días, familia:
A few months ago in this newsletter, I recommended a podcast called "¿Qué me cuentas?" — a show that explores stories from a Latino and Latina point of view.
The stories are sometimes funny and other times painful, but they allow the storyteller, or cuentista, to share from the heart and connect with the listener in a vulnerable way.
That is my vision for Latino Tennessee Voices Storytellers Live, which The Tennessean is organizing on Thursday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m., at Plaza Mariachi on Nolensville Pike. We are bringing this newsletter to life for one night to commemorate the final week of Hispanic Heritage Month.
We recently finalized the list of storytellers, which evolved because of some scheduling conflicts, but I am excited for them to share their narratives, which center around discovering the full potential of their identity.
At a recent coffee, a friend used the term "living in the hyphen" to describe his experience as an American Latino. That refers to feeling not fully American and not fully embracing your Latino heritage.
Several of our storytellers hit on this theme in different ways. Here is a reminder of who they are:
Fabián Bedne, originally from Argentina, was the first Latino immigrant member of the Metro Nashville Council.
Ana Escobar, a general sessions judge in Davidson County who was just elected to a full eight-year term, has lived in Tennessee since she was 3.
Yenín Miralda EcheverrÍa, originally of Honduras, is a graduate student, immigrant rights and DACA advocate, and Equal Chance for Education scholar.
Diana Pérez, originally from Colombia, is a nonprofit leader now at Conexión Américas and a Metro Arts commissioner.
Miguel Vega, who was born in Texas and raised in Mexico, serves as a regional corporate governor for National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals.
Click here to purchase tickets for $10 each. I hope to see you there. No se lo pierdas; don't miss out! Scroll to read more about the program.
Here's what else you will find in this week's newsletter:
The new Sonrisa Latino Resource Center in Dickson, Tennessee, held its first community fair along with guest speakers and exhibitors. According to the U.S. Census, the Latino population of Dickson County grew by 64% to 2,582 from 2010 to 2020. Check out some photos from the event.
Pulitzer Prize winning broadcaster and entrepreneur Maria Hinojosa came out with a version of her "Once I Was You" memoir for young readers.
Latinos are among the people disproportionately suffering from monkeypox, but fewer are getting the vaccine.
Professional truck driver Patricia Lopez from East Tennessee wrote a guest opinion column about why more women are becoming truckers.
Congrats, Hispanic Family Foundation
The Hispanic Family Foundation celebrated a Havana Nights Gala and White Party last Saturday with community and civic leaders to raise awareness and money for its work serving the community.
That work includes food and clothing drives, stuffing backpacks for students, providing COVID shots and offering family programming. The organization provided a crucial lifeline after the 2020 tornadoes and the emergence of COVID-19, which decimated the finances of many immigrant families.
Executive Director Diane Janbakhsh led the program in the Xenote event space at Plaza Mariachi, which included live music, dancing and flan. ¡Delicioso!
Upcoming events
Equal Chance for Education, Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Plaza Mariachi: Salsa for Scholarships event raises money for college aid for Dreamers in Tennessee. Get tickets at this link.
Nashville Electric Service and the Tennessee Valley Authority, Sept. 14 at 5:30-8:30 p.m.: Presenting a free energy savers workshop at Plaza Mariachi. Learn how to conserve electricity and save money on monthly power bills.
Conexión Américas, Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15): Multiple events include the unveiling of a mural (Sept. 15), student essay contest and the return of The Latin Party (Sept. 30). Click here for the full schedule.
Fiestas Patrias celebration, Sept. 18, 12-10 p.m. at Plaza Mariachi: Celebrate Mexican independence and the independence of other Latin American countries in this outdoor festival filled with music, children's activities and food. Learn more at this link.
Presenting at a conference
On Thursday, I am off to my birthplace Chicago to attend the NLGJA LGBTQ Journalists conference. Among the things I will be doing is moderating a panel called "What's in a Name? Are you Latinx, Latine, Latina, Latino? (And Why I Matters)." This topic tends to evoke strong emotions, and I look forward to an engaging conversation.
¡Muchas gracias a todos!
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: Storytellers share memories of trying to fit in, finding their voices
