House of Representatives impeaches President Donald Trump

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House of Representatives impeaches President Donald Trump

By Jeremy Herb and Manu Raju, CNN

(CNN) — The deeply divided House of Representatives took the historic step to impeach President Donald Trump on Wednesday, charging a president with high crimes and misdemeanors for just the third time in American history.

The House voted almost entirely along party lines for two articles of impeachment to remove the President from office — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress — sending the case to the Senate for a trial expected to start next month.

President Donald Trump
President Donald Trump

The impeachment votes marked the culmination of a sprawling and rapidly moving three-month Democratic investigation into allegations that the President pressured Ukraine to investigate his political rivals while withholding US security assistance and a White House meeting.

The House voted 230-197 to charge Trump with abuse of power and 229-198 to charge him with obstruction of Congress. The votes were largely split along party lines: just two Democrats voted against both articles, Reps. Collin Peterson of Minnesota and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, who is expected to soon switch parties. A third, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, voted for one impeachment article. Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who is running for the Democratic presidential nomination, voted present for both articles.

Republican-turned independent Rep. Justin Amash of Michigan voted to impeach Trump on both counts.

Trump’s impeachment, which occurred 85 days after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced the opening of the impeachment inquiry, will have long-lasting ramifications across Washington and beyond. It will undoubtedly shape the legacies of the key players in the midst of it, from Pelosi and her committee chairs who led the impeachment proceedings to Trump and his staunchest defenders in Congress.

It’s a scenario that appeared unlikely just months ago for Pelosi, who had resisted the push for Trump’s impeachment from liberal advocates both inside her caucus and outside Capitol Hill. But then an anonymous whistleblower complaint changed the course of history for both Trump and his chief antagonist at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue.

“We gather today under the dome of this temple of democracy to exercise one of the most solemn powers that this body can take: The impeachment of the President of the United States,” Pelosi said Wednesday to kick off the impeachment debate on the House floor. “If we do not act now we would be derelict in our duty. It is tragic that the President’s reckless actions make impeachment necessary. He gave us no choice.”

Trump now joins a small club of Presidents who have been impeached by the House for “high crimes and misdemeanors” cited in the Constitution: President Andrew Johnson in 1868 and President Bill Clinton in 1998. President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 before impeachment proceedings against him could reach the House floor.

Both Johnson and Clinton were acquitted by the Senate, and there’s effectively zero chance the Republican-controlled Senate will remove Trump from office. But unlike Johnson and Clinton, who were impeached during their second terms, Trump will face reelection less than a year after his impeachment, giving voters the opportunity to have the final word in November 2020.

Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong in his “perfect” July call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which formed the basis of the whistleblower complaint. Trump tweeted repeatedly about the impeachment proceedings against him on Wednesday as the House debate unfolded.

“The House Democrats are surrendering the majority, their dignity,” Trump said at a rally in Michigan after learning he’d officially been impeached. “They look like a bunch of fools.”

Pelosi won’t commit to sending articles

Wednesday’s vote shifts the impeachment proceedings to the Senate, where a trial is expected in January. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told Republican senators at a policy lunch Tuesday that he will announce by the end of the week the date for the start of the Senate trial, according to sources.

But Pelosi, at a news conference after the vote, would not commit to sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate, saying “that would have been our intention, but we’ll see what happens over there.”

Democrats say that Trump was impeached because he abused his office by directing a pressure campaign for Ukraine to announce an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden, conditioning $400 million in US security aid and a one-on-one White House meeting on the investigation. Then Trump covered up his misconduct, Democrats say, obstructing Congress by stonewalling all the subpoenas from Congress trying to investigate his conduct.

“His conduct continues to undermine our Constitution and threaten our next election,” said House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler, a New York Democrat. “His actions warrant his impeachment and demand his removal from office.”

House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff, a California Democrat who led the impeachment investigation, said that the President “was willing to sacrifice our national security by withholding support for a critical strategic partner at war in order to improve his reelection prospects.”

“But for the courage of someone willing to blow the whistle, he would have gotten away with it,” Schiff said. “Instead, he got caught. He tried to cheat, and he got caught.”

But congressional Republicans condemned Democrats for rushing to impeach the President, charging that Democrats pushed forward with a partisan impeachment intended to beat Trump at the ballot box in 2020.

“What we’ve seen is a process that’s led to the most partisan and least credible impeachment in the history of America,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

“What we’ve found here today is a president who did not do as being charged,” said Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee. “The call itself, the two parties say no pressure. Nothing was ever done to get the money. In fact, they didn’t even know the money was held.”

“The people of America see through this. The people of America understand due process, and they understand when it is being trampled in the people’s House,” said Rep. Doug Collins of Georgia, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee.

Day of intense partisan debate

The intense partisan debate over impeachment played out for hours on the House floor Wednesday on rapid-fire fashion ahead of the impeachment votes. In one-to-two minute speeches, Democrats and Republicans traded passionate arguments for why they were voting for or against impeachment. Back and forth they went: Democrats explaining the duty to impeach, followed by Republicans declaring that impeachment was a massive mistake.

Lawmakers on both sides referenced back to the Founding Fathers, to the history being made with Wednesday’s votes and to the ramifications they were leaving for their children and grandchildren.

The floor fight is the same war that the two parties have waged for the past three months in the closed-door depositions and committee hearings after Pelosi opened an impeachment inquiry on September 24.

The investigation included testimony from 17 officials, 12 of whom appeared in public hearings. They described a months-long campaign led by the President’s personal attorney Rudy Giuliani to oust former US Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch, followed by a push for Ukraine to announce the investigations that would benefit the President politically.

Several key officials, including acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton, refused to testify. Democrats, however, chalked up the defiance of subpoenas to evidence of congressional obstruction rather than fighting in court to force witnesses to appear — a move that could have prolonged the impeachment inquiry for weeks if not months.

Leading up to Wednesday’s vote, no Republicans signaled they were considering voting to impeach the President. The looming question was whether moderate Democrats — the 31 who represented congressional districts Trump won in 2016 — would support impeachment.

One by one, almost every one of the 31 Democrats said they were compelled to vote for impeachment. Only Peterson, a veteran lawmaker from a deeply red rural Minnesota district, and Van Drew, who signaled he would soon switch parties, said they were opposed to impeachment altogether. Golden split the difference, voting for abuse of power and against obstruction of Congress.

Wednesday’s vote shifts the impeachment proceedings to the Senate, where a trial is expected in January. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told Republican senators at a policy lunch Tuesday that he will announce by the end of the week the date for the start of the Senate trial, according to sources.

For House Democrats, the next step to prepare for the trial is to name impeachment managers who will prosecute the case in the Senate. Wednesday’s vote also paved the way for the House to approve a resolution announcing the managers — though they aren’t likely to be named until the House sends the articles to the Senate.

This story has been updated with additional developments Wednesday.

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‘Watchmen’ connects its threads in a strange but satisfying finale

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‘Watchmen’ connects its threads in a strange but satisfying finale

Review by Brian Lowry, CNN

(CNN) — The following contains spoilers about the “Watchmen” season finale, “See How They Fly.”

The “Watchmen” finale ended on an inconclusive note, and yet felt like the perfect place to close this extension for good. That’s a tribute, actually, to what producer Damon Lindelof and his team accomplished, brilliantly layering a dense new mythology on top of the existing foundation, and pulling its assorted threads together over the last three episodes.

Of course, getting to that payoff required enduring a fair amount of confusion through the first half-dozen installments — certainly for those marginally familiar with the source material — with Lindelof having mastered the art of the slow build on “Lost” and “The Leftovers,” series where the end of the road fell short of the journey.

By contrast, “Watchmen” delivered a mostly satisfying finish, weaving strands together and sawing off most (not all) of the loose ends, while leaving a few tantalizing possibilities to ponder once the credits rolled.

Foremost, the last three episodes witnessed the return, backstory and finally death of Dr. Manhattan (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), the naked blue superhero with virtually unlimited power in manipulating time and space. Although the series operated in a world of costumed vigilantes, Dr. Manhattan offered the primary link to a true alternate superhero reality that provided the spine of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ landmark graphic novel.

The episode also revealed the lineage of Lady Trieu (Hong Chau), the biological daughter, it turned out, of Adrian Veidt (Jeremy Irons), who finally escaped his purgatory on a Jupiter moon where Dr. Manhattan had exiled him, using his status as the Smartest Man in the World to save the day. In essence, Veidt, a.k.a. Ozymandias, did penance for his original sin, saving the world by killing millions. This time, the solution included a frozen hail of inter-dimensional squids.

Just writing that previous paragraph underscores what a huge task bringing “Watchmen” to the screen entailed, as Zack Snyder discovered directing the 2009 movie. Lindelof’s challenge was arguably even more formidable — advancing the story into the present day, maintaining ties to its core characters and establishing a set of new ones.

As a bonus, the series offered a provocative exploration of America’s racist past and present, with the white-supremacist group that sought to harness Dr. Manhattan’s power receiving its bloody comeuppance. It also brought full circle the odyssey of Angela Abar (Regina King), whose final legacy — as the potential heir to Dr. Manhattan’s extraordinary abilities — was left literally dangling.

As noted, Lindelof (who co-wrote the finale with Nick Cuse) didn’t tie everything up with a bright yellow bow, but the show did eradicate the main threats, using a particularly appropriate song from “Oklahoma!” to wrap up the series, whose intergalactic locales included Tulsa.

The sense of closure was sufficient to make it feel like “Watchmen” could happily end right there — a true limited series — with Lindelof having said at the outset that he wanted to tell a self-contained story, without committing to going beyond that.

Of course, given that the cultish devotion the project has generated among fans willing to ante up for subscriptions represents the holy grail of the streaming-TV age, an encore is likely in order. Setting those considerations aside, all concerned should take a bow for delivering one of the most impressive recent series based on such an established property — not a remake, reboot or re-imagining, but a genuine extension that overcame an inordinately high degree of difficulty.

“Watchmen” can be described a lot of ways, but seen through that lens strictly from a creative perspective, it’s a reminder that heroes don’t always wear capes.

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2019 Nashville Most Powerful African Americans: Honorable Mentions

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2019 Nashville Most Powerful African Americans: Honorable Mentions

The following five individuals represent people who possess major power in Metro Nashville and beyond, but we had to make tough decisions for only 10 spots.

Of course, each of these individuals met our criteria and/or exceeded them in one or another category. As we did in 2018 we’ve decided to highlight the top honorable mention.

Kevin Lavender

Kevin Lavender currently Executive Vice President, Head of Corporate Banking, Fifth Third Bank. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from the University of Georgia.

Michael Carter

Michael Carter is the Co-founder and is currently serving as Managing Partner of Pinnacle Construction Partners, LLC. Michael earned his BA and MBA from the University of Detroit, Michigan. Pinnacle is a Tennessee and multi-state construction firm. Carter also serves on the board of the Nashville Public Education Foundation and for United Way of Middle Tennessee.

Lee Molette II

Lee Molette is a Detroit native and earned his BA in Business Administration with a Marketing concentration from North Carolina Central University. Molette is the founder and CEO of Molette Investment Services which he launched in 2002. The company provides services in business consulting, real estate investing, and educational investing. Lee also co-owns the Franklin Tennessee Edible Arrangements franchise store. Lee serves on many community chairs in Nashville. He is also a member of Omega Psi Phi. Fraternity, Inc., and has received the Omega Psi Phi citizen of the Year award, among many others.

Brenda Gilmore

Senator Gilmore serves on the Tennessee State Senate for District 19. She has formerly served Director of Vanderbilt University, as a Member of Nashville Metro Council, and as a Representative for Tennessee State House of Representatives. She received her BS in Business from Tennessee State University and earned her MA in Human Resource Development from Vanderbilt University.

Vonda McDaniel

Canon 7D MkII

Vonda serves as President of the Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle Tennessee since 2013. She graduated from Tennessee State University and is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. She serves as the Vice-Chair of Board for the Music City Center, she is Co-Chair of the State Fed/CLC Advisory Committee. Vonda believes it is imperative to emphasize how labor, civil rights, faith, and student activism all intertwine in building power and providing change for all.

McConnell rejects Schumer’s call for witnesses at impeachment trial

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McConnell rejects Schumer’s call for witnesses at impeachment trial

By Ted Barrett, CNN

(CNN) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday rejected calls from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to allow witnesses at an expected Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump.

“We don’t create impeachments,” he said in remarks prepared for delivery on the Senate floor. “We judge them.”

“The House chose this road. It is their duty to investigate. It is their duty to meet the very high bar for undoing a national election,” McConnell said. “If they fail, they fail. It is not the Senate’s job to leap into the breach and search desperately for ways to “get to ‘guilty.’ That would hardly be impartial justice.”

In a letter to McConnell on Sunday, Schumer said he wanted to have former national security advisor John Bolton and acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney testify, two people close to the Trump’s actions on Ukraine who refused to testify in the House.

McConnell also said the fact that Senate Democrats want fact witnesses is a sign House Democrats did “sloppy work” in their impeachment inquiry.

“If House Democrats’ case is this deficient, this thin, the answer is not for the judge and jury to cure it here in the Senate. The answer is that the House should not impeach on this basis in the first place,” McConnell said.

McConnell said he hoped to discuss a path forward with Schumer soon.

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This is how much money Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is raking in

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This is how much money Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is raking in

By Alexis Benveniste, CNN Business

(CNN) — This time of year, it’s hard to go a day without hearing Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” whether it’s playing in a store, in an Uber or on your holiday playlist.

Since it debuted in 1994, Carey’s song has become a go-to Christmas pop song during the holidays, along with mainstays “Jingle Bell Rock” and “Holly Jolly Christmas.” The pop singer is raking in big bucks from its success.

The holiday hit is Spotify’s most-streamed Christmas song of all time, with more than 602 million plays on the streaming service alone. “All I Want For Christmas Is You” also has more than 605 million views on YouTube since it was uploaded to the platform in 2009.

Even though the song has been around for 25 years, it hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 list for the first time this year. Carey’s song has already earned more than $2 million in royalties since the song was first added to Spotify, according to a study by Broadband Deals, and that number is expected to continue to grow quickly: If this holiday season is anything like the last, Carey’s song is estimated to bring in about $600,000 between November 2019 and this Christmas, according to Broadband Deals. When asked about the song’s royalties, Spotify did not return a request for comment.

The singer has earned more than $60 million in royalties from the song, according to a 2016 estimate by The Economist.

Following Carey’s hit, Spotify’s most-streamed Christmas songs include “Last Christmas” by Wham!, “Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande, “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” by Michael Buble and “Mistletoe” by Justin Bieber.

When it comes to Spotify, “Last Christmas” has raked in about $1.5 million in streaming royalties, Grande’s song brought in about $1.1 million, Buble’s song raked in about $1 million and Bieber’s song brought in about $950,000. These numbers account for the total money earned since the songs were uploaded to the streaming service.

Carey’s song has taken on a life of its own throughout the years. Amazon is making a mini-documentary on the tune, which will be called “Mariah Carey is Christmas!” The documentary will dig into how Carey’s Christmas song became a huge hit, and it’s expected to premiere on Amazon later this month.

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‘Surviving R. Kelly Part II’ — what we know

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‘Surviving R. Kelly Part II’ — what we know

By Lisa Respers France, CNN

(CNN) — “Surviving R. Kelly” had a such an impact that Lifetime is airing a sequel.

The original six-hour docuseries scored more than 26 million viewers and renewed interest in allegations of sexual misconduct by the singer.

In it several of Kelly’s alleged victims and their families shared their stories.

The Grammy-winning artist has vehemently denied multiple allegations of abuse, manipulation and inappropriate encounters with girls and young women.

Kelly faces a range of criminal charges in Illinois and New York. He pleaded not guilty in August in a federal courtroom in New York to charges including kidnapping, forced labor and sexual exploitation of a child.

Kelly also pleaded not guilty in February to Illinois state charges of 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving four alleged victims, including three who prosecutors say were underage girls.

Who is involved

The new series will include new alleged survivors according to Lifetime.

“‘Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning’ will feature interviews from a variety of perspectives including with new survivors, supporters, psychologists and cultural and legal experts, and more insights into the ever-growing saga of the R&B singer, who is currently facing federal and state charges,” the press release states.

“The three-night event uncovers new stories with revealing details and explores why the voices of the girls that spoke up decades ago are only now being heard.”

Dream Hampton returns as one of the executive producers as well as Joel Karsberg and Jesse Daniels of Kreativ Inc.; Tamra Simmons; Maria Pepin; and Brie Miranda Bryant who executive produces for Lifetime.

The trailer is out

And it looks as emotional as the original series.

Women are shown crying and R. Kelly’s now famous interview with Gayle King is included.

Partnerships

According to Lifetime, calls to RAINN, one of the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organizations and leading authority on sexual violence, increased after “Surviving R. Kelly” ran.

The network has launched a campaign to stop violence against women and will run a new PSA during the airing of “Surviving R. Kelly: Part II: The Reckoning.”

“Furthermore, several survivors will join RAINN’s Speaker Bureau, made up of more than 3,500 survivors of sexual abuse who volunteer to share their stories to provide an invaluable resources of knowledge and strength,” the network said.

Lifetime has also partnered with Girls for Gender Equity, the Me Too movement, Color of Change, Black Women’s Blueprint, A Long Walk Home, It’s On Us, National Domestic Violence Hotline, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Rise, Biden Foundation Crime Victims Treatment Center, No More, NJ Safe & Sound and The Joyful Heart Foundation.

When

“Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning” will air on Lifetime across three nights, beginning January 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

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Lyft is rolling out a car rental service

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Lyft is rolling out a car rental service

By Rishi Iyengar, CNN Business

(CNN) — Lyft has spent years battling Uber in the ride-hailing market. Now, it’s taking on Hertz and Avis, too.

The company announced a new service called Lyft Rentals on Thursday, which allows users to rent cars for up to two weeks. A sedan in San Francisco was available for $35 per day on Thursday, but prices vary significantly depending on the day and time of booking and could go up to $149 per day on the weekend.

Lyft Rentals will initially be available only in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area, where the company has been testing them for a few months. It says it won’t hit customers with mileage-based charges and extra refueling costs that other car rental companies add on, boasting of “no lines, hidden fees or last-minute vehicle model changes” in a blog post published Thursday.

Lyft will also give riders credits of up to $20 each way for rides to and from its rental lots — two in Los Angeles and one each in San Francisco and Oakland. Users can rent a Mazda 3 sedan or a Mazda CX-5 SUV in Los Angeles, and can choose between a Volkswagen Passat or a Volkswagen Atlas SUV in the Bay Area.

In its release, Lyft marketed the service as useful for things like moving and errands. However, it is currently offering only daily rates, so someone using the car for only a few hours will still have to pay for a full day.

Lyft declined to comment on how many cars it currently has available. The company is also offering various insurance plans that cover the car, the driver and third parties, respectively.

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CMA Foundation Continues Investment in Equity and Access in Music Programs in Nashville

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CMA Foundation Continues Investment in Equity and Access in Music Programs in Nashville

NASHVILLE, TENN – For 13 years, the CMA Foundation has invested in Metro Nashville Public Schools’ music education, serving as a partner committed to delivering high-quality music education for the students of Music City. In a continuation of its strategic partnership with MNPS, the CMA Foundation is investing another $300,000 for the 2019-20 school year, bringing the total to $12.5 million since 2006.

“The CMA Foundation’s commitment to our district enriches the lives of our students through the gift of a robust music education program and we are so grateful for their support to our students and our dedicated music educators,” said Dr. Adrienne Battle, interim director of Metro Nashville Public Schools. “When we work together, as a community, we can make great things happen for all students in all schools and our long-term partnership with the CMA Foundation proves that.”

After more than a decade of collaboration, this year’s investment will support an enhanced vision for music education in Metro Schools. Together, the foundation and the district will strengthen their focus on keeping excellent music educators in our classrooms, supporting music educators in reaching diverse student learners and tailoring instruction to them, while continuing to make sure all students have access to the educational tools and resources necessary to be successful.

“The CMA Foundation understands that every child needs access to high-quality music education and that our teachers need the proper tools to deliver this demand,” states Tiffany Kerns, Executive Director, CMA Foundation. “We make investments towards music education all over the country, but working here in our own backyard has been very important because we are able to witness first-hand how CMA Foundation’s investment towards music education has impacted the lives of Nashville students and educators.”

Music education has been a proven component to a well-rounded educational experience and drives student achievement. With that in mind, the district and the foundation will join forces to provide extra layers of support to MNPS’ priority schools, TSI (targeted support and improvements) and ATSI (additional targeted support and improvement) schools. Reimagining what music education looks like in these schools will give students more opportunities for personalized learning and growth. 

This strategy was driven by feedback from those closest to the work: Metro Schools’ music educators. The MNPS Music Education Needs Assessment, which was funded by the CMA Foundation and produced by Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation and Metis Associates, shed light on areas of need for teacher support and development, as well as new opportunities for students.

In addition to these investments, the CMA Foundation continues to be a champion of music education in Metro Schools through educator recognition programs like the Music Teachers of Excellence Awards, opportunities for students such as performing at CMA Fest, classroom visits by professional artists and investments in schools’ unique music programs. 

“We are proud to work side by side with the CMA Foundation to ensure that more MNPS students have equitable access to music programs of excellence and our teachers have the support they need to be most effective,” said Jeff Smith, Director of Visual and Performing Arts for MNPS. “The CMA Foundation’s commitment to supporting our strategic work will ensure the success and sustainability of music programs throughout our district.  We deeply appreciate the investment and continued partnership.”

Mayor Cooper to Issue Challenge to Restaurant Industry on Reducing Food Waste This Holiday Season

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Mayor Cooper to Issue Challenge to Restaurant Industry on Reducing Food Waste This Holiday Season

Nashville, TENN – This Friday, Mayor John Cooper will challenge area restauranteurs to reduce their food waste while helping to feed hungry Nashvillians throughout the holiday season and beyond.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper
Nashville Mayor John Cooper

He will also recognize standout, current participants in the Mayor’s Food-Saver Challenge. The event will be held at a Las Palmas, which is committing their entire franchise to the Challenge this week.

The Mayor’s Food-Saver Challenge aims to inspire our local businesses to donate wholesome food to people who need it most this holiday season. Up to 40 percent of the food in the United States goes uneaten, with 95 percent of that wasted food ending up in landfills or incinerators

To join the Challenge, restaurants, hotels and event venues are asked to select and implement at least five options from a menu of strategies proven to reduce food waste, and then report out on their progress.

WHO: Mayor John Cooper and local restaurant chefs, managers, and owners including: Mauricio Sanchez of Las Palmas, Maneet Chauhan of Chaatable and a regular judge on Chopped, Deb Paquette of etch, Vanessa Paz of Las Paletas, Matt Farley of TomKats, and more.

WHAT: Mayor’s Food-Saver Challenge. The Challenge prioritizes the prevention of wasted food, donation of surplus food, and recycling of food scraps—in that order.

WHEN: Friday, Dec. 13, 2019, 12:30PM – 1:30PM

WHERE: Las Palmas Restaurant, 5821 Charlotte Pike, Nashville TN 37209

WHO: Mayor John Cooper, Metro Public Works, Nashville Originals, the Greater Nashville Hospitality Association, and the Nashville Food Waste Initiative are challenging local restaurants to reduce the amount of food they waste.

Nashville’s 10 Most Powerful African Americans 2019

The Nashville Voice
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Nashville’s 10 Most Powerful African Americans 2019

One year ago the Nashville Voice shared with its readers Nashville’s 10 most powerful African Americans. It was our belief then and still is today that leadership in our community is of the highest importance.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word power as possession of control, authority, or influence over others.

Leaders rise to power in many different ways. Regardless if it is through election or appointment, for a leader to have power they must be able to accomplish the goals they set forward. When a person is powerful their ideas do not just remain figments of their imagination but become tangible. Power means making one’s vision a reality.

We believe it is time to reexamine who in our community holds the most power. Who can actually get things accomplished throughout Metro Nashville and Davidson County. Some names are the same and there are some new faces. What is of interest is this year our list is split down the middle five men and five women.

We hope this list begins a discussion of who holds power and what does that mean for the rest of the community.  Just as last year the Nashville Voice used the following criteria when considering the selection of our top 10:

CAPACITY: They have the capacity to move the needle or make a change.
RESPONSIBILITY: They use their power to or are responsible for making big decisions to make lasting changes that impact the lives of Nashville residents.
SINGULARITY: If you needed something done, you would call this person. They don’t have to call anyone else to get things done.
RESPECTABILITY: They possess superior character and are deeply respected by their peers in the community.
CONSISTENCY: They have made a career out of using their power and influence for the greater good of the urban community in Nashville.

Decosta Jenkins

Decosta Jenkins was appointed the president and CEO of Nashville Electric Services—one of the 12 largest public electric utilities in the nation, distributing energy to more than 385,000 customers in Middle Tennessee—in September 2004, after 13 years with the company. Prior to that, Jenkins spent 11 years with Deloitte and Touche. Jenkins is a member and past treasurer of the Nashville Downtown Exchange Club and is board chairman of Samaritan Ministries/Project S.E.E. Jenkins serves on the boards of TN Rehabilitative Initiative in Correction, Goodwill Industries, Tennessee Valley Public Power Association, Nashville Bank & Trust, YMCA of Middle Tennessee, Salvation Army, American Public Power Association and The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

We selected Jenkins at the top of our list not only because of his professional power helming the largest utility company in middle Tennessee, but also his expansive commitment to using his personal influence, energy, resources, and compassion to serve the least of these in our community.

Adrienne Battle

Dr. Adrienne Battle is the first-ever woman to be appointed to superintendent of the Metro Nashville Public School system. Dr. Battle brings more than 20 years of academic leadership to the district.

Most recently, she served the southeast quadrant as one of the district’s four community superintendents. Previously, she served as an executive lead principal for priority and elementary schools, the executive principal at Antioch High School and the academic principal and assistant principal at Glencliff High School.

She held other leadership and teaching positions within Metro Schools for the past 14 years and also served as an adjunct faculty member for the University of Phoenix and Tennessee State University.  She holds master’s, educational specialist, and doctorate degrees from Tennessee State University and a bachelor’s from Missouri State University.

Dr. Glenda Glover, Ph.D., JD, CPA

Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover began serving as President of Tennessee State University on January 2, 2013, one of the largest HBCU’s in the nation. Dr. Glover’s educational development began as a student at Tennessee State University, where she majored in mathematics. After graduating with honors with a Bachelor of Science degree, she pursued a Master of Business Administration at Clark Atlanta University. She then completed her doctorate in business from George Washington University, and later completed her law degree from Georgetown University.

Dr. Glover was formerly the Dean of the College of Business at Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss., where she led the College of Business throughout the accreditation process and spearheaded the implementation of the nation’s first Ph.D. in Business at an HBCU. She is a certified public accountant, an attorney, and is one of two African American women to hold the Ph.D.-CPA-JD combination in the nation.

Dr. Glover has been a corporate board member of three publicly traded corporations. These include Citigroup-Student Loan Corporation, Pinnacle Financial Partners and First Guaranty Bancshares. She served as a member or chair of the Audit Committee on each board, or as the board’s financial expert. Dr. Glover is the author of more than one hundred articles and papers and is regarded as one of the nation’s experts on corporate governance. She is a member of several professional, civic, and non-profit organizations, and is the recipient of numerous awards and honors.

Darrell Freeman

Darrell S. Freeman is the founder of Zycron Inc., a company he founded more than 25 years ago and sold last spring to Texas-based IT Staffing for $20 Million. It is also one of the largest information technology companies in Nashville, Tennessee.

Beyond Zycron, Freeman’s other business ventures include being co-owner of Pinnacle Construction Partners and a co-founder of Franklin-based Reliant Bank. Freeman is also the chairman of S3 Asset Management, a technology and medical equipment recycling company in which he owns a 30 percent stake.

He sits on the board of Cross Country Healthcare, an Eight Hundred Million Dollar Healthcare Solutions Company based in Boca Raton, Florida. He is also the Vice Chairman of Middle Tennessee State University and was recently inducted in the Nashville Junior Achievement Hall of Fame.

While chairman of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, Freeman changed the culture and the face of the Nashville-Area Chamber of Commerce by bringing people of color to its table of power and championing minority-owned businesses.

Councilmember At-Large Sharon Hurt

Sharon Hurt is currently in her second term as Davidson County Councilmember At-Large. This past election Councilmember Hurt won the second highest vote count for Council At-Large with more than 41,000 votes. She is chair of the Metro Council Minority Caucus as well as the chair of the Health Hospitals and Social Services Committee. She serves as Vice President for the National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials.

Hurt is a graduate of Tennessee State University with a master’s degree in Non-profit leadership from Belmont University. Hurt currently serves as President/CEO of JUMP-Jefferson Street United Merchants Partnership, an organization dedicated to revitalizing the businesses on Jefferson Street and bringing commerce to the North Nashville Community. She is also the CEO of Street Works one of Tennessee’s leading HIV service organizations.

Ronald Roberts

Ronald Roberts joined DVL Seigenthaler as an assistant account executive after working at The Nashville Network and Middle Tennessee State University. Ronald oversees the day-to-day management of the agency and directs the firm’s short-and-long-range plans. He is certified by the Institute for Crisis Management and has participated in extensive crisis management for clients throughout the country. Ronald has managed corporate and crisis communications, media relations, message strategy and development, event management and executive image management for many of DVL Seigenthaler’s clients. He also leads their media and message training practice group.

Ronald is a member of the Board of Directors for the 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee, the Nashville Downtown Rotary Club, the Nashville Sports Council, the United Way of Metropolitan Nashville and Citizens Bank & Trust. In addition, he is co-chair of the Mayor’s Council on Gender Equity.

He was honored with inclusion on the Middle Tennessee State University, College of Mass Communication’s Wall of Fame and recognition as a 100 Black Men of Middle Tennessee Distinguished Member.

Judge Sheila Calloway

Sheila Calloway serves as Juvenile Judge of Metro Nashville and Davidson County. Judge Calloway, a native of Louisville, KY, came to Nashville, Tennessee in 1987. This year she received the Woman of Distinction Award. In 2018 she was inducted into the Tennessee Justice Center Hall of Fame. In 2017 she received the YMCA Women of Achievement Award.

She received her B.A. degree in Communications in 1991 and her J.D. in 1994 both from Vanderbilt University. After graduating, she worked at the Metro Public  Defender’s Office in both the adult system as well as the juvenile system. In January 2004, she was appointed by Judge Betty Adams Green to the position of Juvenile Court Magistrate. She was elected Juvenile Court Judge in August 2014. She serves as an Adjunct Professor at Vanderbilt University Law School, Belmont Law School, and American Baptist College.

Judge Calloway is currently a member of the Napier-Looby Bar Association, the Nashville Bar Association, and the Disproportionate Minority Local Task Force. She also serves on The Pencil Foundation Board and the Homework Hotline Board. She has previously served on the Board of the Nashville Prevention Partnership, the MNPS Academies Partnership Council, where she is a past chair of the Health and Public Services Partnership Council. She is a past chair of the Advisory Board of the Cane Ridge High School Academy of Law, a 2013 member of Leadership Donelson/Hermitage, a member of the 2016 Class of Leadership Nashville and served on the state-wide Advisory Board of Tennessee Voices for Victims. She is the former co-founder and co-director of The Voices of Justice – a choir comprised of Juvenile Court employees and others that work with juveniles. She has also worked with Project Prison Connect – a program designed to educate high school students across Davidson County about the criminal justice system.

Calloway is a member of the Temple Church. At Temple, she is an active member of the Music Ministry, the Women’s Ministry, and a regular volunteer at the Second Harvest Food Bank. She is happily married to Paul Butler Calloway, Jr. and the proud mother of one son, Paul Calloway, III.

Bishop Joseph Walker

Bishop Joseph Warren Walker, III, is the Senior Pastor of the historic Mt. Zion Baptist Church of Nashville, Tennessee. He was born in Shreveport, Louisiana to Deacon Joseph and Mrs. Rosa Walker.

Bishop Walker received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; a Master of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt University and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. He holds two honorary Doctorates from Meharry Medical College and Southern University, respectively. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Meharry Medical College and Citizens Savings Bank; in October 2016, he was appointed by TN Governor Bill Haslam to serve as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Tennessee State University. He is also a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the Kappa Kappa Psi Band Fraternity.

Bishop Walker currently serves as the International Presiding Bishop in the Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship, International. In July 2013, he was chosen to succeed the founding International Presiding Bishop Paul S. Morton, Sr.

In 1992, at the age of 24, Bishop Walker began his pastorate at Mt. Zion with 175 members. Presently, the ministry has grown to over 30,000 and continues to grow at a phenomenal rate of over 2,000 souls per year. Under his leadership, Mt. Zion has expanded beyond its original location on historic Jefferson Street to eight weekly services in three physical locations and also includes a worldwide virtual church location www.mtzionanywhere.tv which ministers to millions around the world, as well as a weekly broadcast on BET that reaches over 25 million viewers worldwide.

Dr. Joseph Webb, D.Sc., MSHA, FACHE

Joseph Webb, D.Sc., MSHA, FACHE is Chief Executive Officer of Nashville General Hospital (NGH) at Meharry, a publicly supported, community-based hospital which serves as the primary teaching hospital of Meharry Medical College. Branded as a Visionary and Transformational leader, Dr. Webb has demonstrated success as both a fiscal and operational change agent.

Dr. Webb obtained his Doctorate of Science in Health Services Administration and his Master of Science in Hospital and Health Services Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama. He also holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degrees in Health and Physical Education from Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Webb joined NGH in January 2015, bringing 30 years of proven expertise in for-profit and not-for-profit healthcare organizations. He most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer for Common Table Health Alliance in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. Webb is Board Certified in Healthcare Management and a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). He continues his professional development through the national ACHE chapter, active membership in the ACHE of Middle TN Chapter, and the National Association of Health Services Executives.

Brenda Haywood

Former Councilwoman Brenda Haywood served as the chair of the John Cooper for Mayor Campaign. She currently serves as the first female Deputy Mayor of Metro Nashville and Davidson County.

Haywood is a Nashville Native. She is an Associate Minister at St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Clarksville, Tennessee and formerly served as the Councilwoman of District 3 in Nashville, Tennessee. She has led an esteemed life as a Career Educator and Community Servant. Haywood earned her B.A. degree from Tennessee State University, M.A. from Vanderbilt University and a +45 in Administration and Supervision from Trevecca Nazarene College.

She is a retired teacher and is a Wellness Nutritional Consultant and host of the Treasure chest of wellness with a focus on Mind, Body, Spirit, and Finance, she seeks to help others achieve Spiritual Peace and Prosperity. She is the founder and CEO of the Royal Heirs Youth Academy, which is a nonprofit organization that seeks to empower youth and their families through awareness, education, information, mentorship, and community resources.

She is a member of several organizations including Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Nashville Chapter of the NAACP, Top Ladies of Distinction, Interdenominational Minister’s Fellowship and Metro School’s Passage Sub Committee. She also serves on the board of Nashville Prevention Partnership and the Homeless Veterans Foundation and graduated from The John Maxwell’s Leadership Institute and the Nashville Institute for Faith and Work Gotham.

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