NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Nashville Justice League, a local progressive political action committee, today announced their plans to reassemble for the upcoming Metro Nashville elections and endorse a slate of justice-aligned candidates at their kickoff party Monday, July 10, 6 p.m. at Roasted Salemtown, 614 Garfield St. Founded in 2019 by three of the city’s biggest grassroots powerhouse organizations–the Central Labor Council of Nashville & Middle Tennessee, TIRRC Votes, and The Equity Alliance Fund–the group represents the intersectional needs of Nashville’s diverse, underserved, working-class communities.
“This election comes at a pivotal time in our city for working families,” said Vonda McDaniel, president of the Central Labor Council. “If we don’t elect the right mix of champions, we risk losing our city to developers, greedy corporations, and a rogue state legislature.”
In the group’s first municipal election cycle in 2019, the Nashville Justice League played a huge role in electing the most progressive and diverse Metro Council in Nashville’s history by mobilizing volunteers county-wide and knocking on more than 12,000 doors. Coming together to champion an agenda of workers’ rights, immigrant rights and civil rights, the coalition elected to office 13 of their 15 endorsed candidates, leading to improvements for Nashville families such as paying Metro workers a living wage, fully funding Metro Nashville Public Schools, eliminating the rent-a-bed contract between ICE and the Davidson County Sheriff, kicking for-profit prisons out of Davidson County, fighting for abortion rights, protecting trans residents, and appointing House District 52 Representative Justin Jones back to his rightful seat at the state legislature following expulsion.
“For years extremists in the state legislature have tried to tell us how to live, love, and lead while local officials sold our neighborhoods to the highest bidder,” said Lisa Sherman Luna, executive director of TIRRC Votes, the affiliate social welfare arm of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC). “New Americans and longtime Nashvillians alike make this city great. By coming together to vote for progressive champions, we can make sure our leaders fight for our values, defend our democracy, and build a welcoming city that works for all of us.”
“No matter our zip code or skin color, working families agree on what our city needs—inclusive economic development, equitable access to quality healthcare and education, affordable housing, and the dismantling of structural barriers that have blocked our civil rights for far too long,” said Tequila Johnson, executive director of The Equity Alliance Fund. “When our leaders prioritize stadiums over homes, it’s time for Black voters to assert their voice, wield their collective power, and elect the champions that will make these visions for our city a reality.”
Monday’s kickoff party at Roasted (formerly The Local Distro) in historic Salemtown will bring together voters, volunteers, supporters, and representatives from all three organizations, who will announce their slate of endorsed candidates for mayor, vice mayor, and council seats. Ahead of the Aug. 3 general and Sept. 14 runoff elections, the group will deploy a robust grassroots campaign to mobilize voters through mail, digital, phone banking, and door-knocking.
A website has been launched – www.nashvillejusticeleague.org – where residents can take a voter pledge and sign up to volunteer.
