NOAH Nashville

She cries every night figuring out what she's going to do now after 20 years of doing what she loves to do. "I'm not begging. I'm telling you, this is what they deserve."

"I cannot financially afford to stay an employee of Metro Nashville Public Schools." She is here tonight to resign from her position in front of Metro Council and the city, she says.

W/ almost 20yrs of service, bachelor's degree, & real estate license, makes $19.64 per hour with MNPS. "I want each and every one of you to look me in my face and in my child's eyes and tell me how is that fair."

Kelly Lawrence, a cafeteria manager for MNPS, has been in Metro for 30+ years, seeing raises, affordable housing going up, not getting paid, etc. She has 3 boys, put herself through school & got a degree, still isn't making what she needs to live.

"The mayor is not taking the advice of the affordable housing task force," deciding $15M will go toward Barnes Fund, Carol says. NOAH supports $30M on a recurring basis for the Barnes Fund, and a separate dept. for affordable housing, with 4 staff and a senior housing staffer.

Martha Carol speaks about RiverChase negotiations with developer CREA -- negotiations recently fell apart when CREA said they could not go below 80% AMI. No one who lives at RiverChase now would be able to afford that, she says.

Lindsey Krinks, one of @OpenTableNash's cofounders, says Nashville needs at least $30M for the Barnes Fund. She calls for funding for things that make people more safe: affordable housing, education, mental health care -- not more police.

He supports the mayor's $15M funding proposal, but says more is needed.

The next speaker asks for "as much funding as possible" for the Barnes Housing Trust Fund to address Nashville's dearth of affordable housing.

Joe Ingle is talking about tension and mental health crisis response and two different approaches: Partners in Care and non-law enforcement CAHOOTS (Nashville's version is HEALS). He references the death of Landon Eastep. He's asking Council to adopt the $1.1M HEALS proposal.

Next is a man speaking on the recent presentation on Nashville's response to homelessness. It wasn't something people wanted to hear, because it showed needs still not being met. "We have got to figure out how we as a city include homeless services in our budget," he says.

Rev. Jane Boram speaks about her daughter Diane, who has mental challenges. Her worst fear, she says, is that her daughter will be hurt or killed by police in an emergency situation. She speaks in support of HEALS.

They have choices to make as parents: put gas in the car, buy groceries, or pay the electric bill, she says. "We should not have to be here demanding this again, but we are here" demanding a living wage, she says. "We need help. I don't want to leave my job"

Victoria has been working with MNPS for 8 years in the nutrition dept. Metro Schools support staff have been the lowest paid workers in Metro gov. "for way too long." "Based on the mayor's budget it's clear: we're not the priority." It's becoming "impossible" to live in the city.

"The moment is now, continues to be now, that we need to expand funding" for Advocacy Centers and similar programs, Tom says, also asking for a living wage for people who staff them.

Tom of NOAH's Education Task Force speaks in support of Advocacy Centers. In 21/22 school year, out of school suspensions were down -- serious progress, but not victory, because suspensions continue and are disproportionately applied to Black students.