Tennessee Voices, Episode 336: Randy Kinnard, attorney and founder of RESPECT Contest

David Plazas, Nashville Tennessean
·1 min read

Randy Kinnard served in the U.S. Army and recalls how after combat, he suffered from anger issues.

He had survivor's guilt from losing his best friend. Then, he sought counseling.

He made it his personal goal to learn how to engage with others with respect and integrity and work productively through disagreements. He wanted to spread that approach too.

Randy Kinnard
Randy Kinnard

Today, Kinnard is the founder and lead of Kinnard Law and relaunched the firm's R-E-S-P-E-C-T contest, asking fifth graders in Davidson County to define respect.

The winners were announced at a Jan. 17 ceremony at the Davidson County Courthouse:

  • First Place: Lily Davidson, Meigs Magnet Middle School

  • Second Place: De’Shari Hayes, Head Magnet Middle School

  • Third Place: Kingston Santoyo, Rose Park Middle School

"Respect happens like ripples in a pond," Lily wrote. "When one person gives respect to another, that person gives respect to another, and it just goes on and on."

Kinnard has spoken nationwide about basic respect and alluded to the famed late Sen. Howard Baker from East Tennessee, who insisted that other people than oneself may have the right answer.

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About Tennessee Voices

The Tennessee Voices videocast is a 20-minute program, which started in March 2020 and invites leaders, thinkers and innovators who have written guest columns for a USA TODAY Network Tennessee publication to share their insights and wisdom with me and our viewers.

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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: Video podcast: Randy Kinnard, attorney, founder of RESPECT Contest