Food judgment: The problematic culture the diet industry built

Jessica Williams
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Food judgment: The problematic culture the diet industry built

By JESSICA WILLIAMS | Nashville Voice

The year was 2014 and I was at my heaviest (at the time.) I was looking for answers to the equation so I began to search for resources. There was all this craze at the time about macro counting and how it would help to make a big difference in my physique.

So, I hired a trainer and began my journey on a dieting dream. Turns out, it was a nightmare.

I became so obsessed with counting every calorie. Measuring every piece of meat and carb I ate. Supplementing with shakes where there were holes in my diet. I was everyone’s nightmare, including my own.

This led me to a place where I judged others based on how they ate as well. The proof, to me, was in the pudding. I was shedding weight like no other and I was officially in the “in” crowd. “Fit” was my lifestyle.

It got so bad at one point, I was giving unsolicited advice to others about how they should eat. How much protein, how to measure, how to live their unique lives. I was officially a food judge.

Keto. Vegan. Paleo. Macros. Alkaline. These are all diet terms for those who have fallen into the culture. It is baffling, yet not surprising, that many are judgmental. Judging not only the way we eat ourselves but others’ dietary choices as well.

The Problem

Many diets are based in scientific research. They evaluate a population of people who adopt the habits and monitor the results. Oftentimes, these populations are taken from a small range of study subjects.

Let’s be clear…any significant lifestyle change will yield some sort of result. Take away a group of empty caloric triggers and you will make a difference in your body composition. That’s science.

However, what research doesn’t take into account is our unique DNA. What works for one person may not necessarily work for the next person. That’s why when you ask someone who was successful on their diet what they did and then go home and try to do the same exact thing, you yield different results. It can be frustrating and even discouraging, but not the effect of anything done wrong, it’s just wrong for your body.

There are many independent factors that determine the food style that will work for your body long term: current weight, activity level, food allergies and sensitivities, lifestyle, hormones and stress are all included in that. When trying to change the way you eat, taking account all these things is key because that will inform you on how to go about it.

For example, if you’re someone who doesn’t love to cook and has a demanding job that takes you away often, you may have to plan for a lifestyle revolving around eating out often.

Or you may have to find ways to get creative when you travel and/or work late so that you’re properly nourished.

Or if you don’t lead a very active lifestyle, you may want to evaluate where you can crowd out foods that are not being used for fuel and make more room for foods that are.

Or maybe you have a gluten or dairy or nut allergy/sensitivity, that requires a deeper look at the choices made as well.

All that being said, taking a food educated approach to your wellness is the best way to find what works for you. The classroom? Your own body.

So when trying to understand what your needs are as it relates to food, it is a multi-layered, time-consuming process. There are some streamlined methods of getting there such as Whole30 or other elimination diets that take away potentially triggering foods and slowly reintroduce them to make the process quicker.

However, it’s a slippery slope when doing any of these plans due to the “diet” nature of the programs.

If you already have an unhealthy relationship with your body and food, these are not good to take on as they can reinforce that negative relationship.

The Solution

So what IS the solution? Intuitive eating. And, not in the sense that social media has made it out to be, but REAL intuitive eating where you are completely aware of your own body and its unique needs and honor it. It is the acknowledgment that all choices aren’t going to be perfect but ensuring that eating is done in a maintainable, nourishing manner.

According to intuitiveeating.org, Intuitive eating has 10 principles. The common thread amongst all the principles is that you are in charge of your personal relationship with food and in that, you make the choices appropriate for your dietary needs and goals. There is little room for judgment by eating this way.

Mindful eating is another method to get there. When adopting mindful eating, it is less about what you’re eating, but how you’re going about it. It is about making choices that are well thought out and also in the time of having a meal, being present with the meal and honoring it in the same way you would honor your choices.

There are several layers to finding a mindful practice that works for you but you can read more about it here.

The two ideas separately are potent respectively. However, it can be argued that when put together, they make a huge difference in not only overall wellness but relationship with food.

By applying intuitive eating, the acknowledgment is placed on the foods that work for you and others that don’t, but also not beating oneself up when “subpar” choices are made. It’s all about understanding the body and unlearning diet narratives that involve negative connotations with foods and choices.

When paired with mindful eating, it makes one more conscious about the choices made AND how those choices are consumed. Instead of eating in the car on the run or by the computer sending emails, it encourages spending time with your food.

Hence, creating time in your day for meals and nothing else creates more intention. And in that intention, there is no room for judgment of self or others.

We all have things we want as it relates to our health and wellness. There are areas we all feel need improving. It’s important to remember that no two journeys look the same. What works for this person doesn’t have to work for the next.

By taking a little time to become more aware of our own paths, we make space to show more grace for the paths of others. In that, we become a bit healthier and happier.

The next president: the polar opposite of Trump?

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The next president: the polar opposite of Trump?

By Mark McKinnon

Editor’s note: Mark McKinnon is a former adviser to George W. Bush and John McCain, and creator and host of the documentary TV series “The Circus” on Showtime. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. View more opinion articles on CNN.

(CNN) — The assertion I find most laughable and annoying about presidential campaigns is when people say, “X won’t happen because X has never happened before.”

Like, America will never elect a black president. Or a Hollywood actor. Or a peanut farmer from the South. Or someone with no political experience.

We have no idea what will happen in the 2020 race for president, but it’s a pretty good bet — given the volatile nature of our politics, and the size, diversity and breadth of the Democratic field of candidates — we could end up with something that has never happened before.

But there is one feature of presidential elections that holds up pretty well historically. Whenever we turn out a president after one term, which is rare, or turn to a new party after eight years, the candidate we select is usually the exact opposite of the person we reject. Which makes sense. We are tired of X so we choose Y.

The examples in recent history are Democrat Jimmy Carter replacing Republican Richard Nixon/Gerald Ford; Republican Ronald Reagan replacing Carter; Democrat Bill Clinton replacing Republican George H. W. Bush, Republican George W. Bush replacing Clinton; Democrat Barack Obama replacing Bush; and, of course, Donald Trump replacing Obama.

In the one instance in recent history when a party extended its eight-year tenure to 12, American voters picked someone of the same party of the prior White House occupant (Bush 41 to Reagan).

George W. Bush’s campaign in 2000 illustrates the point of opposites. I worked as a media adviser on that campaign, and we didn’t run so much against the Democratic candidate, Al Gore, as we ran against Bill Clinton, who was leaving office. Bush’s message, which we repeated thousands of times, was “I promise to restore dignity and honor to the White House.” This had nothing to do with Gore and everything to do with Clinton, because the country was worn out by Clinton’s shenanigans.

But eight years later, voters were done with Bush and turned to someone who offered a stark political contrast: Democrat Barack Obama. I told John McCain that he could have run the perfect campaign and it wouldn’t have mattered. He would’ve lost by five points instead of seven. Voters wanted a fresh start and someone as different as possible from George W. Bush.

Therefore, perhaps the most relevant and telling question we can ask to shed light on 2020 is not “Who can take the fight to Trump?” or “Who is the most electable?” or “Who can raise the most money?” The question may be: “Is the person most likely to replace Trump the candidate who is least like him?” In other words, the polar opposite.

Who might that be?

So, I posed that question this week to a group of college students when I went to lecture at the Yale Politics Initiative, a program started by a couple of enterprising students, Michael Michaelson and Paul Gross.

First we talked about and identified the defining characteristics of Donald Trump. The list would not surprise anyone.

Then we went through the same exercise with the top tier potential candidates in the Democratic primary. And in this incredibly diverse field, many stood out in contrast to President Trump, including and especially: Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, Beto O’Rourke, Stacey Abrams, Amy Klobuchar, and Andrew Yang.

But the candidate who offered by far the clearest contrast to Trump is a religious veteran from the Midwest. He is also a Rhodes scholar, a millennial, speaks eight languages, is thoughtful, substantive, and married — just once — to a man.

Yup. Mayor Pete, aka Pete Buttigieg. He is the candidate most of these students — 11 out of 16 in the group — said they intended to vote for. The next closest vote-getter was O’Rourke with five, though Harris and Klobuchar were close behind. (Because some students had a couple of strong favorites, I allowed the option of casting two votes.)

Maybe this explains how and why a guy no one had ever heard of, from a place few people have been, with a name no once can pronounce, is suddenly running third in the polls in Iowa.

It is refreshing, in an era when politics have been largely dominated by celebrity and big money, that someone can emerge from the pack based entirely on the power of personality, ideas and character.

Of course, with all the variables in front of us, it’s absurd to predict today how this election will turn out.

On the other hand, to those who say “America is never going to elect a 37-year-old gay mayor of a small town in the Midwest as President of the United States,” I say, “You mean, like we would never elect a billionaire real estate developer from New York with no political experience?”

When it comes to American presidential politics, never say never.

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Smart Money Tips if You Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck

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Smart Money Tips if You Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck

(StatePoint) Nearly four in five American workers are now living paycheck to paycheck, according to Career Builder. If that describes you, experts say there are steps you can take to live more comfortably and securely.

Build a Nest Egg

Having the capacity to absorb a financial shock is one of the major tenets of financial wellness, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Unfortunately, nearly 60 percent of Americans don’t have enough savings to cover a $500 unplanned expense, according to a report from Bankrate.

Does your budget include a line item for a rainy-day fund? If not, it’s time to make room in your budget for one. Most budgets, when closely examined, have some give, so look for where you can cut back in order to divert more funds toward growing your nest egg. Once you’ve determined how much you can afford, automate payments to this account.

Seek Out Buying Alternatives

Meeting short-term purchasing needs without compromising your long-term finances can be tricky when you’re cash-strapped. Though high-interest credit cards, payday loans or rent-to-own contracts might look like lifelines when faced with a necessary expense you can’t immediately afford, these options can quickly devolve into compounding interest rates, hidden fees or even loss of merchandise.

Look into new financing options, such as employee purchase programs, which can offer a better way to buy when cash or prime credit are not options.

“In a high employment market, many employers offer purchase programs as a voluntary benefit to retain loyal, satisfied workers,” says HR industry expert, Racquel Roberts. “It provides easier access to products and services paid over time, but without the usual pitfalls.”

Programs like Purchasing Power, for example, allow employees to pay for items through payroll deduction over the course of 12 months. There’s no interest on the purchase, no fees and no credit check, making this an ultimately more affordable and accessible way to acquire that appliance, computer or other needed item. For more information, visit purchasingpower.com.

Leverage Other Benefits

As more employers learn that a financially secure workforce makes for a more productive workforce, you may find a growing menu of voluntary benefits in your workplace designed to help you gain control of your financial life. From financial counseling services to student loan repayment to employee purchase programs, leveraging such tools can help you gain financial footing in a paycheck to paycheck reality.

Give Your Credit a Boost

The importance of good credit can’t be overstated. However, 20 percent of U.S. consumers have FICO scores of less than 600. For those who pay their cable, phone, utility and other recurring bills on time and in-full, a new program called Experian Boost may be able to help you boost your credit instantly. The program works by factoring in a consumer’s payment history on such bills, to give those with a limited credit history a boost.

It can be tough, if not impossible to feel secure when you are living paycheck to paycheck, but some smart strategies and helpful resources can help you gain financial footing.

‘Shazam!’ brings ‘Big’ comedic touch to DC superhero

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‘Shazam!’ brings ‘Big’ comedic touch to DC superhero

By Brian Lowry, CNN

(CNN) — What kid wouldn’t want to be a superhero? That’s the basic hook to “Shazam!,” certainly the most broadly comic entry to hit the DC Universe — essentially rebooting “Big,” just with tights, a cape and that oft-repeated title.

In a way, its closest cousin tonally in the superhero space would be “Deadpool,” with a dollop of “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” While “Shazam!” doesn’t indulge in sex or R-rated violence, it does mix exaggerated sight gags in with harder-edged action, making this a border-line entry for younger kids (parents, be forewarned), despite its colorful trappings and adorable kids.

As for “Big,” the movie actually overtly leans into the comparison, at one point having the hero encounter over-sized piano keys in a toy store — seemingly director David F. Sandberg and writer Henry Gayden’s way of anticipating those observations.

For anyone unfamiliar with this other Captain Marvel — the one introduced in 1939, which was later acquired by DC and gave birth to a highly forgettable live-action 1970s Saturday-morning TV show — don’t expect to hear that name. In fact, one of the better recurring gag involves trying to decide what to call the nameless hero unleashed when 14-year-old Billy Batson (Asher Angel) says you know what.

The dense origin story involves Billy acquiring his powers from the Wizard (Djimon Hounsou), who must find a champion to fight off an intricately introduced bad guy, Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (well-traveled villain Mark Strong). After years of searching, Sivana has located the same magical realm and absconded with the Seven Deadly Sins, a pretty gruesome assortment of creatures.

A foster kid obsessed with finding his long-lost mom, Billy revels in discovering and testing his powers, with considerable help from new foster brother Freddy (“It’s” Jack Dylan Grazer, very nearly stealing the show), who is conveniently well-versed in everything there is to know about superheroes in this DC-adjacent neighborhood.

Zachary Levi, meanwhile, plays the heavily muscled hero, mimicking Tom Hanks’ man-child shtick, only with a lot more special effects and a bulked-up physique. The boys’ relationship and the comedic aspects of, say, mastering flight, or just being old enough to buy beer, provide the movie’s backbone.

The filmmakers unearth some crowd-pleasing twists — especially during the climactic act — before it’s over. Even the setting, Philadelphia, becomes a basis for why humor and an excuse to dredge up “Rocky” references in keeping with Billy’s underdog story, although filming actually took place in Toronto.

It’s not unusual for superhero movies to feel like they’re serving multiple masters, but “Shazam!” juggles more than most — offering knowing winks at an audience well-versed in comic-book lore (Fawcett, the original publisher of Captain Marvel, even receives a sly acknowledgement), delivering action and still having young Billy learn Disney Channel-style lessons about family through his confusing adventure.

To be fair, the original Captain Marvel was always a pallid Superman clone — the basis for a lawsuit by Superman’s parent company — other than deriving his powers from the gods, with the wisdom of Solomon, strength of Hercules, etc., adding up to his summoning call. He’s thus a ripe conduit for stretching the DC template.

Truth be told, though, one wishes the movie had a little more heft to it. It’s fine, even welcome, to see a superhero exult in his abilities, and on that level, “Shazam!” is generally fun. Even so, that lightning symbol notwithstanding, the film only occasionally conjures the spark of magic that gives the title its meaning.

“Shazam!” opens April 5 in the U.S. It’s rated PG-13. Like CNN, New Line Cinema and DC Entertainment are units of WarnerMedia.

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Self-driving cars are now on the streets of Hamburg

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Self-driving cars are now on the streets of Hamburg

By Charles Riley, CNN Business

(CNN) — Five electric Volkswagen cars fitted with the latest in autonomous technology are now driving a section of Hamburg’s streets.

The carmaker announced Wednesday that its first tests of vehicles with Level 4 automation in a major German city are underway.

The e-Golf cars Volkswagen is testing are designed to handle complex urban traffic patterns without help from drivers, although they must be ready to intervene. Level 5 automation, the only higher category, requires the vehicle to perform all tasks, turning every rider into a passenger.

The cars are driving three kilometers (1.9 miles) of urban Hamburg roads where new signals and other traffic management systems have been installed to facilitate autonomous driving.

The goal is to upgrade another six kilometers (3.7 miles) of the city’s streets by 2020 with the new infrastructure that allows vehicles and traffic management systems to communicate with one another.

Volkswagen says that computers stashed in each test car contain the processing power of 15 laptops, allowing up to 5 gigabytes of data to be communicated every minute.

The cars are also equipped with 11 laser scanners, seven radars and 14 cameras.

Axel Heinrich, head of Volkswagen Group research, said the tests “center on technical possibilities as well as urban infrastructure requirements.”

“In order to make driving even safer and more comfortable in future, vehicles not only have to become autonomous and more intelligent — cities must also provide a digital ecosystem,” he said in a statement.

The German government is funding similar sites, or “test beds,” in Berlin, Braunschweig, Dresden, Düsseldorf, Ingolstadt and Munich to encourage autonomous vehicle testing in those cities.

Autonomous driving can be tested anywhere in Germany, under certain conditions, but the “test beds” function as real-world laboratories that can be observed by policymakers. Responsibility for the tests rests with users.

Volkswagen and many of its global rivals are now investing heavily in autonomous driving. Waymo, a subsidiary of Google owner Alphabet, is widely recognized as the industry leader.

Other tech companies including Uber are testing similar technology, as are traditional carmakers such as Ford, General Motors and Nissan.

German automakers Daimler and BMW, which compete against each other in the luxury car market, have formed a strategic partnership focused on autonomous driving. They are testing Level 4 cars in China.

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Being first black lesbian is great, but real prize is taking down ‘old, entrenched Chicago machine,’ Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot says

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Being first black lesbian is great, but real prize is taking down ‘old, entrenched Chicago machine,’ Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot says


By Eliott C. McLaughlin, CNN

(CNN) — Chicago Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot realizes being the first black woman and first lesbian to lead the city is monumental, but the real feat, she says, is taking down the city’s historically well-fortified establishment.

Lightfoot not only beat the political insider — Toni Preckwinkle, 72, head of the Cook County Board and Cook County Democratic Party chairwoman — she decimated her opponent by a 3-to-1 margin, according to unofficial results.

“This is something obviously that we’ve been talking about, the historic nature of the election, for some time,” Lightfoot told CNN on Wednesday, the morning after her runoff win, “but I think the most historic thing was beating the old, entrenched Chicago machine and getting such a resounding mandate for change.”

Though it’s the first time she’s been elected to office, Lightfoot is plenty familiar with politics, especially Chicago’s. The 56-year-old attorney and former federal prosecutor has been interim first deputy of the city’s procurement department, chief of staff and general counsel for the emergency management office and chief administrator of the office of professional standards.

Fate of Chicago’s top cop

Reforming the police department was a pillar of her campaign, and she has the experience the task requires. After Laquan McDonald’s death, which ended in a murder conviction for the officer who killed the 17-year-old, Mayor Rahm Emanuel tapped Lightfoot to head a police accountability task force. She later led a nine-member civilian board charged with overseeing the Chicago Police Department.

Yet while many candidates vying to take the city’s helm called for Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson’s badge, Lightfoot promised a more patient approach, something she reiterated in her Wednesday interview.

“We have a lot of challenges to face, and he’s very well aware of it,” she said. “We’re going to be heading soon into the summer violence season. After that’s over, we’ll evaluate at that point, but I’m going to be working closely with the superintendent and with his executive team to make sure that we keep our neighborhoods safe.”

Though she provided no guarantees that Johnson would still be the city’s top cop come autumn, she said she had a long-term goal of restoring Chicago communities’ trust in their police force. While part of that burden falls on the department, which she will push to “extend itself to the residents of the city,” the onus also falls on the administration, she said.

“We’ve got to support and give better training to our police officers to help them understand how to bridge that divide better,” she said. “We’ll certainly be borrowing from other cities like New York, but I feel confident that we’re going to be able to continue to make progress. Really, our children’s lives depend upon it.”

Asked about the outgoing mayor’s 2017 remarks that Chicago would be a “Trump-free zone” — a reference to President Donald Trump’s immigration policies — Lightfoot warned against shunning the federal government.

“We’ve got to do everything we can to speak to and protect our immigrant communities,” she said. “I also want to make sure that the city of Chicago gets its fair share of federal tax dollars, so we’re going to stand strong and speak our values, and we’re going to keep pushing back against hate, but I’m also going to make sure that we are treated fairly by the federal government.”

‘Each of us who is elected opens the door’

While upending the establishment was the real prize in Tuesday’s runoff vote, she said, she doesn’t downplay the importance of her race and sexuality. As she said in her victory speech, “A lot of little boys and girls are watching. They’re watching us, and they’re seeing the beginning of something, well, a little bit different.”

Of the 307 American cities with 100,000 or more people, only 13 of them have black women as mayors, counting Lightfoot. In Chicago, Lightfoot is the second woman and the second African-American elected to lead the city.

It would’ve been a “remarkable thing” to see a black lesbian leading her city when she was a child, said Lightfoot, who grew up in Ohio and attended universities in Michigan and Chicago.

“It would’ve been something that I talked about with my parents and my classmates, and I hope our children are watching,” she said. “I want to make sure that I am the leader that respects the fact that kids all over the city and hopefully all over the country really understand that they can do anything that they want to do, that they set their minds to do, as long as they’ve got good, strong support from adults and love to support them.”

Lightfoot isn’t the only one hoping her election inspires the younger generation. Following news of Lightfoot’s victory, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, the first black woman to hold her position, said she’s excited to see what Lightfoot’s election means for Chicago.

“Both the black community and LGBT community can be proud of her history-making victory tonight. All across our country, more and more black women are showing what they can do in positions of leadership,” she said. “Each of us who is elected opens the door for even more young girls and boys to follow in our paths.”

Lightfoot, who has a 10-year-old daughter with her spouse, Amy Eshleman, will be sworn in as the Windy City’s 56th mayor May 20.

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Savage: ‘Mary Pierce’s claim that Will Pinkston a ‘schoolyard bully’ feels highly convenient’

Niara Savage
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Savage: ‘Mary Pierce’s claim that Will Pinkston a ‘schoolyard bully’ feels highly convenient’

By NIARA SAVAGE | Nashville Voice

Former Metro Nashville school board member Mary Pierce spoke out about the board’s conflict and division amid the ousting of director Shawn Joseph, in an op-ed published in The Tennessean on Monday.

Pierce responded to school board member Will Pinkston’s sudden letter of resignation, in which he criticized the racially-motivated behavior of certain members of the board, and defended Joseph.

Last week, it was announced that a motion had been filed to terminate Joseph’s contract over a year before it was set to expire, effectively forcing Nashville’s first ever Black Director of Schools out of office.

Pinkston promptly rushed to Joseph’s defense, asserting that the school board exemplifies “the worst of human nature,” and that “at least one-third of the board,” has acted to take down the MNPS director.

However, Pierce attacked Pinkston, claiming that he is essentially an adversary of the board–a “schoolyard bully,” whose “inconsistent behavior” has manifested in the form of offensive social media posts, and “blocking” anyone who dared to challenge him.

Pierce claims that Pinkston’s behavior is not new, citing events dating back to 2015. However, if Pinkston’s so-called “tirades” have plagued the Nashville school board community for so many years, then why has Pierce waited until after Pinkston issued a bold defense of embattled Joseph, to express her concerns?

Ironically, Pierce expressed her concerns about the example Pinkston is “modeling” for our children. She even calls on city officials to “publicly denounce” his behavior, yet remains eerily silent on the behavior other members of the school board have modeled for the children watching this center-stage debacle.

Pierce seemingly has nothing to say about one White school board member’s decision to encourage masked protests as a form of disapproval of the director. She also seems unconcerned about the precedent such a racially entangled threat may establish within the Nashville community.

In addition, Pierce remains tight-lipped on issues regarding the coordinated take-down of Joseph. In her discussions of inconsistent behavior and use of name-calling, Pierce fails to mention the school board’s decision to bar Joseph from entering the room as his colleagues conspired against him.

Pierce also omits school board members’ decision to pen an op-ed last fall publically calling for Dr. Joseph’s resignation, brings no attention to the fact that the director has been the target of numerous accusations, faced a state proposal for a one-year suspension of his license, been criticized for his taste and use of music, and ultimately faced the circumvention of his own legitimate contract.

Although these events are classic examples of the actions of a typical “schoolyard bully,” Pierce remains intent upon casting only Will Pinkston with such an offensive characterization.

The attacks on Joseph are defined not only by a level of disrespect for the director but are also marked by a degree of resentment.

While Pierce’s op-ed parades itself as an attempt to call out bullying behaviors, in reality, the curious timing and off-beat focus of Pierce’s commentary demonstrates an attempt to villainize one of the most prominent voices in defense of Joseph.

Tennessee State University alums, undergrad make their marks in the world of children’s literature

Lee Johnson
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Tennessee State University alums, undergrad make their marks in the world of children’s literature

By LEE JOHNSON | Nashville Voice

 

Two Tennessee State University alums and an undergraduate student are making a name for themselves in the world of children’s publishing.

The book by alum Deontae Henderson is called Young William, and graduating senior Kayla McCrary’s book is Dream Girl, Dream! Both books were illustrated by TSU alum Brandon Van Leer, who has his own graphic design company.

Young William actually honors another alum, Buffalo soldier and Medal of Honor recipient Lt. William McBryar, who served with the 25th Infantry in the Spanish-American War and fought at El Caney, Cuba, and in the Philippine Insurrection before demobilizing in San Francisco.

For his service, McBryar was awarded America’s highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor — on March 7, 1890, during the Cherry Creek Campaign in the Arizona Territory.

According to his citation, McBryar was distinguished for “coolness, bravery, and marksmanship” while his 10th Cavalry troop was in pursuit of hostile Apache warriors.

In 1934, at the age of 73, McBryar graduated from TSU, then known as Tennessee Agriculture and Industrial State College, with an agriculture degree. He died seven years later and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Last spring, a special ceremony was held at TSU to unveil a special marker honoring McBryar.

Henderson’s book provides a poetic depiction of McBryar’s journey from childhood to becoming a military hero.

“William McBryar is one of those guys you don’t believe existed,” said Henderson, who graduated last year and became an international bestselling author with the success of his second book, The Hungriest Pirate. “He (McBryar) was a real superhero. He got in the war at a young age. He fought in three wars. He survived them. He saved his regiment. We have Iron Man, the Hulk and Batman, but if you want a realistic superhero, he is the perfect example of that.”

In Dream Girl, DreamI, McCrary uses her personal experiences to encourage others, particularly young people, to persevere in tough times. McCrary lost her mother in the first semester of her freshman year at TSU.

Her mother’s death also meant becoming the main support for her then 5-year-old sister, Regan Christian. McCrary said she was torn between dropping out and trying to help her sister cope with the aftermath of their mother’s death.

“It was hard,” McCrary recalled. “Losing our mother at such an early age for my little sister, and me just starting in college, was very difficult for me. She was our biggest support and friend. I thought, how is my sister going to make it, and how can I concentrate on school when she needs me?”

McCrary said she found out her sister was stronger than she thought, and actually became an inspiration for her.

Together, they persevered, and are enjoying life. Regan is doing well in school, and McCrary currently serves as president of the student government association at TSU. She plans to attend graduate school or law school after college.

“Dream Girl, Dream! is mainly a story of inspiration,” McCrary said. “Sometimes in life you go through things that are just not expected, and a lot of things are out of your control. So, I want them (young people) to know, no matter what your current circumstances are, dream as big as you want to. If your dreams don’t scare you, then they are not big enough.”

Both Young William and Dream Girl, Dream! are available on Amazon.

House Bill 1079: What it means for Nashville and the state of Tennessee

Mike Patton
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House Bill 1079: What it means for Nashville and the state of Tennessee

By MIKE PATTON | Nashville Voice

In government, there is always something going on. Some things you see and some things you don’t. The latest in things that you won’t see involves Tennessee’s Secretary of State Tre Hargett.

While those in the city are focusing on issues like who’s leading our schools and TennCare, Hargett has been hatching a plan of his own. The plan is House Bill 1079, which would allow civil and criminal punishment for those having voter registration drives.

In the March 22 issue of the Tennessean, Hargett wrote a guest column in which he lamented last-minute voter registration drives and how much money it cost taxpayers when it came to processing or reviewing incomplete or falsely-filed forms; this was Hargett’s explanation for his desire to get this bill passed, which, in his words, would make sure the “integrity of our election process is not compromised.”

He also said that the following would be included in the law per the Tennessean article:

  • Requiring supplemental voter registration drives of 100 people or more to be conducted only by a person trained on how to properly complete applications and protect confidential information;
  • Prohibiting organizations from paying individuals based on the number of voter registration forms submitted to the organization;
  • Requiring applications collected by designated people or organizations to be filed in a timely manner, within 10 days of receiving the voter registration;
  • Permitting the State Election Commission to assess a civil penalty to people or organizations that submit large numbers of deficient forms.

The penalties could reach up to $10,000 if a person or organization falls out of compliance with the proposed voter registration requirements and also would mean a deadline for applications to be submitted and the required training of the coordinator of elections.

Hargett also said in the article, “(w)e have worked hard to increase the number of registered voters in this state.”

While Hargett said he is doing this with good intentions, U.S. Congressman Jim Cooper could not disagree more about this potential bill.

“As a state with one of the lowest voter turnouts in the country, we shouldn’t make voter registration more complicated,” Cooper said. “If paper forms are too difficult, we should offer more digital options such as same-day registration. Or we should fix our confusing forms.”

And as far as the training, Cooper said this: “ More training is good, but what if the training is only offered in certain areas of the state and only on a limited basis? “

Cooper further said, “(w)e have seen this movie before. This is a blatant attempt to suppress the vote further in Tennessee.”

The vote will happen soon and if it happens, could mean more trouble and less participation in voting across not only Nashville but the state of Tennessee.

Contact your local representatives to voice your opinions and let your voice be heard.

Isis is Coming: From Long Beach to Music City, Isis Christopher steps out as outlier onto Nashville music scene

Mike Patton
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Isis is Coming: From Long Beach to Music City, Isis Christopher steps out as outlier onto Nashville music scene

By MIKE PATTON | Nashville Voice

Nashville is more than just country music. Artists around here sing all kinds of music and are very talented. One artist that sticks out with her talent is Isis Christopher.

The music industry, however, isn’t exactly the easiest to maneuver here in Music City, especially when the city is known as a country music town, but Christopher said she takes it all in stride.

She said, “Nashville can be a little cliquish. I’ve never really been the one to stick to one group. I’ve always been the divergent person, so that’s never really applied to me, but I just overcome most of those potential pitfalls by creating my own lane on things.”

At the end of 2018, the R&B artist recently dropped a visual for her single, “Colors.” She has also been making her rounds on the Nashville music scene with performances here and there in local venues.

“I started out doing open mics and have had a good number of opportunities that have really just been guiding my path in a sense because every opportunity has been challenging me and I keep building on my skills and my everything as a musician,” Christopher said. “Longer sets, numbers of songs, things like that. It’s been fun.”

Christopher may be pretty new to the music scene, but she is an immensely-talented artist that can arrange and write her own music as well as play instruments.

On her latest effort — a mixtape titled, “14:14” — she wrote, arranged, performed background vocals and produced the entire seven-song effort, which can be streamed online via SoundCloud https://m.soundcloud.com/isischristopher/sets/14-14.

For those not familiar with Christopher’s sound, she described her music as “like a fountain in Nashville’s Bicentennial Mall: it’s ever-evolving, refreshing, honest, bare, sweet and attractive.”

But what really makes her tick and how did she become who she is now?

“I’ve always been around music growing up,” she explained. “My dad played the piano at church and me and my sisters sang in the choir, so naturally, the house would be blasting gospel music like Kirk Franklin. I’ve always been around music and instruments.”

Born in Long Beach, California and raised in Cerritos, California, Christopher made her way Nashville from the West Coast as a student at historically Black college, Fisk University.

“I found myself in Nashville because Fisk University recruited me and I received a tuition scholarship and I also have family out here in Tennessee,” she said. “My mom is from here.”

While coming to school was the plan when she came to Nashville, Christopher admitted that she never really thought music was in the cards.

After all, she was a biochemistry major from California just enjoying life as a college student.

But, then, one event changed the trajectory of it all.

“What really sparked (my decision to practice music) was a breakup,” she said. “It was pretty vicious. I just naturally turned to music as that therapy and that’s just kind of when I really started opening more into music and understanding its elements.”

As college was ending, this new journey was opening up for Christopher, as she began to really consider a career in music.

“I grew up a lot on Aaliyah. I had her albums and the DVD that had all the videos on it. I wanted to be her. I feel like she’s a big influence on my overall package as an artist,” Christopher said about who inspired her sound. “And Torrey Kelly is a pretty big influence also, especially when crafting my live shows and actually playing instruments and singing.”

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