BREAKING NEWS!
THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE LIST OF THOSE WHO HAVE DIED HOMELESS *Denotes Veterans of US Military December 2008- December 2009
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Homeless Memorial Honors Fallen on Streets Saturday, December 13th 2008 This year marked 18th annual Homeless memorial honoring the lives of those who died on the streets of Nashville, as well as the 6th year NHPP organized the event. We take time every year to honor the lives of those who died mostly preventable deaths on the streets of Nashville, and to renew our commitment to brining the change that will ensure everyone in Nashville has their basic rights to Housing, Healthcare, and Living Wage Jobs realized. This year was especially personal for NHPP as one of our leadership team members, Cyndi Demuth died homeless in February of 2008. Cyndi and the others who died will not be forgotten. To read more about Cyndi Click Here. The memorial ended with Amazing Grace, as many carried flowers which were dropped into Cumberland river where Tara Cole, a homeless woman was murdered more than 2 years ago.
Special Thanks to Erica Gilmore and Metro Council for proclaiming December 13, 2008 Homeless Memorial Day and Food Not Bombs Nashville for supplying and serving breakfast Thanks For Collecting Names of Homeless: Thanks also to:
See Tennessean Article HERE |
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James Russell, explaining what it is like to work under conditions at Shur Brite
NHPP leaderhship team member William Miles, hanging up signs |
Interfaith Committee Demands Meeting Thursday June 26th 2008 This morning, more than 25 interfaith leaders and present and former workers of Shur Brite Hi Speed Car Wash prayed together for change near the west end business. After hearing workers concenrs for a more just worksite, the group then proceeded to deliver a letter to owners Glenn and William Smith, which sought to engage the owners, in dialog to reconcile worker’s concerns by next Wednesday. More than 60 car wash workers have now joined the federal civil suit, as posters and information are spreading through the city by NHPP leaders. Workers hope to see changes greater than the most minimum wages. Workers have expressed many other concerns, including unlabeled and unsafe chemicals, unsanitary and break room, lack of benefits, management training or personnel policies. Stay tuned for more updates.
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Photo Joon Powell
Working Photo Joon Powell Working Photo Joon Powell
Waiting off the clock Photo Joon Powell IF YOU HAVE EVER WORKED AT SHUR BRITE OR ANOTHER AREA CAR WASH CONTACT GARRETT STARK 615-332-1167 Click here to see COMPLAINT | CAMPAIGN ONE PAGER |
HOMELESS SUE CAR WASH FOR MINIMUM WAGES Friday May 30th Today, The Nashville Homeless Power Project (NHPP) assisted three workers file a collective action law suit against their employer, Shur Brite Hi Speed Car Wash on 1713 West End Avenue. The suit names William and Glenn Smith owners of the car wash. Minimum wage workers named in the suit claim the are forced to work unpaid hours while waiting for customers, and often do not know if they are being paid for their time working. If true, this would put their wages far below the federal minimum wage in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. If the workers win the suit, Shur Brite could be forced to pay double the minimum wage for every hour they have kept workers off the clock several years back, as well as attorney’s fees. The Homeless Power Project estimates that Shur Brite’s revenues average between $150,000-200,000 per month but still routinely exploit their workers by denying their lawful wages. Charles Yezbak attorney representing the workers explains the law, “The Fair Labor Standards says, if a break time is to the benefit of the employer, the worker must be paid for that time. Unfortunately, some employers seek to illegally shift their business risks to low wage workers. Shur Brite wanted to have plenty of workers available for its peak hours but did not want to pay the workers for slow periods throughout the day. Repeatedly clocking workers out during slow period is illegal.” Simon Campbell and Joy Jordon are two of the first workers named in the suit. “I work two jobs to support my daughter. I’ve accumulated a $900 light bill and no ability to pay it, I’ve been homeless, and now I’m at risk again of loosing my housing. I’m not in trouble because I don’t work, I’m in trouble because my work doesn’t pay. ” Says Jordon. Simon continues "It’s horrible waiting there. You’re kind of boxed in. I can’t leave and do what you want because you never know if a customer will come. You just want to work and get time on the clock. There are banks all around the car wash. I hate watching other people go into banks and put money in. I want to be able to save money, but I can’t get a head at Shur Brite.” Garrett Stark Organizer with NHPP himself worked at Shur Brite one day to investigate the situation. He is not named in the case, but points to his pay stubs and clock in/out records to show how he received only around $2.80 cents per hour for his more than 7 hours working. “We’re hoping to not only file a law suit, but organize and build a movement so that no American who is working will be homeless. We hope to add many more workers to this suit as it progresses, and educate car wash customers about the root causes of homelessness. Shur Brite is one of the few places in town that a worker with a conviction on their record can get work, and many are homeless or one paycheck away as a result of its wages. But the real criminals here are the employers who are violating federal law. Workers have paid their dept to society; it’s time Shur Brite pay its debt to the workers.”
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March begins with prayer for the priorities of Nashville,to include poor and homeless families. Photo Joon Powell
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Homeless, Tired of foreclosures, Reclaim Vacant Government Homes Wednesday May 7th NHPP led a march of poor and homeless families for housing, Wednesday which culminated with the takeover of vacant HUD homes. The march began at 1:00 p.m. in front of the Metro Court House then proceeded to Dickerson Road, an area that has been recently rezoned for luxury development. The homeless group is concerned that redevelopment will again prioritize luxury over necessity and may push poor families out of the area. “In this time of foreclosures, many of us are facing homelessness. We need our city to prioritize poor and working families above luxury development. Despite repeated promises from local government the homeless are left the die in the streets while their demand for housing is ignored” said Clemmie Greenlee, formerly homeless grandmother and organizer with the Power Project. The march then became a caravan and participants were driven to Tom Joy Elementary School where the group held a brief prayer vigil for the estimated 1,800 homeless school children in the Nashville area. The march ended where one of the vacant HUD homes has been reclaimed. Homeless people vow not to leave the homes voluntarily. UPDATES: 3:30PM HOME LOCATED AT: 2522 Flamingo Drive, Nashville 37207 |
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5:15pm 8 squad cars, about a dozen police officers came to remove the homeless individuals inhabiting the home. There were over a dozen visitors at the time sharing food with each other and a few individuals in the neighborhood supportive of housing fellow Nashvillians. All the news stations arrived as the officers arrested the three individuals, who were arrested and released with a citation: Police responded to 2522 Flamingo Drive in regards to a Nashville Homelss Power Project March. Multiple subjects entered the residence which belongs to HUD. The prosecutor who works with HUD asked us to remove all subjects who were on the property. Once on the scene, we asked everyone to leave or they would be prosecuted. The defendant informed me that she will not leave the property until he was arrested. HOMELESS POWER PROJECT PUTS HOMELESSNESS ON TRIAL – MAY 28th, 2008 Nashville Homeless Power Project members will go to court on May 28th (more details coming soon) and at that point the NHPP plans to put HOMELESSNESS ON TRIAL. NHPP will continue helps it’s member to find home in abandoned HUD homes and will continue to do so, we do not want to loose others as we did Cyndi Demuth (lost to diabetic coma in early 2008). Special thanks to Nashville Cares, Charles Stroebel, Rev. Don Beisswenger, Urban Epicenter, TN Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, Jobs with Justice, Food not Bombs, and our many other friends who joined us today.
UPDATE! HOUSING TAKEOVER CASE RETIRED: Wednesday May 28th. Wednesday, NHPP leaders were booked and went to court for charges relating to the recent take over of vacant government owned housing, to be used for homeless housing. Both NHPP leaders were exonerated, and the case was retired. The court refused to try the case, which would further shed light on the housing crisis in Nashville. In addition, local police did not have jurisdiction for the arrests at the federally owned property in East Nashville. Stay tuned for more developments. |
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"We built gigantic buildings to kiss the sky. We build gargantuan bridges to span the seas. Through our spaceships we were able to carve highways through the stratosphere. Through our airplanes we were able to dwarf distance and place time in chains. Through our submarines we were able to penetrate oceanic depths. But it seems that I can hear the God of the universe saying, ‘Even though you've done all of that, I was hungry and you fed me not. I was naked and ye clothed me not. The children of my sons and daughters were in need of economic security, and you didn't provide for them. So you cannot enter the kingdom of greatness.’" – Dr. King, 1968 |
NHPP Announces March For Housing, Reclaim Vacant Government Owned Property. March 5th, 2008 Read Tennessean Article Announcing the March
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Kay Rowe, NHPP Leadership Teamaddresses academics and students
William Miles, NHPP Leadership Team on tour of taxi conditions
Taxi workers look forward to intefaith service for Living Wages. Photos by Joon Powell |
NHPP & Urban Epicenter Host Poverty Reality Tour The Nashville Homeless Power Project, and Urban Epicenter provide a tour organized by Vanderbilt for Vanderbilt and TSU Professors, Students and other academics examining the crossroads between academics and activism. Tony Mazzoli, Kay Rowe and Patricia Bryant of the Nashville Homeless Power Project and Keith Caldwell of the Urban Epicenter are demonstrated the lay of the land of injustice in Nashville - day labor agencies, shelters, public housing and more. Thanks to Professor Padgett for the photos.
Homeless Power Visits Taxi Worker Conditions Friday March 7th, 2008 Millions of Americans are only one paycheck away from homelessness. NHPP has recently helped form The Nashville Movement, a new coalition of workers, students, congregations, and community organizations committed to winning living wages, with and for the poorest workers in Nashville. As a first step towards solidarity with Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, and the Metro Nashville Taxi Driver’s Alliance; NHPP sent a delegation of five to explore the work conditions faced by taxi cab workers. Taxi workers are kept poor by a system of local government and exploitative Taxi Companies. These companies can charge more than $9,000 a year “Lick” to each taxi driver in exchange for a needed permit, which costs the company only $245 a year to local government. The company provides minimal dispatch services, while workers pay for their own vehicle, maintenance, and gas. Often workers must work inhumane hours to just break even. It is NHPP’s hope that taxi cab workers and homeless temp workers can build enough collective power together to win wages that will lift both groups up and out of poverty! Stay tuned for updates. |
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Photo by Chris Wage |
Homeless Speak out at Quality of Life Forum Monday February 25th 2008 More than 50 homeless people participated in a forum Monday which asked "What are QUALITY OF LIFE concerns downtown?”. The commission was formed after an ordinance was passed which criminalizes pan handling downtown. Many homeless and non homeless community members pointed to the need for real affordable housing to be built downtown. The new qualify of life commission represents many of the downtown interests, NHPP's Clemmie Greenlee serves alongside council members, and business, police, labor, and community leaders. For more info see: http://chris.quietlife.net/ or photos |
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NHPP Voices heard nationwide on Homelessness Radio Marathon. February 20, 2008 Patricia Bryant, Kay Rowe, Clemmie Greenlee, William Miles, Bryan White, Anna Miller, Mag, and much of the NHPP Leadership Team, braved the cold and exhaustion to be active hosts of the Homelessness radio Marathon Last night. The broadcast went out over 120 radio stations across the country from 6pm to 8am and was simulcast on Free Speech TV, and heard locally on Radio Free Nashville. NHPP leaders spoke directly from their experiences working low wage jobs and struggling to find affordable housing to the National Audience. For more info: |
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Mayor meets with homeless February 12, 2008 Currently homeless woman and NHPP Leader and Housing Committee Chair, Patricia Bryant, along with Clemmie Greenlee, Anthony Mazolli and Matt Leber met with Mayor Dean Friday, February 8th, 2008. The meeting listened to the issues and learned about the plan to create 200 units for this next budget cycle. He made NO commitments but did agree to consider it and let us know in the next two weeks.
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State of TN supports homeless February 12, 2008 State House of Representatives Brenda Gilmore, contributed $5,000 to the Nashville Homeless Power Project from state funds. Don’t worry, there are no strings attached but we do appreciate Legislator Gilmore recognizing our critical work in the community. |
1-16-08 NHPP HOSTS POVERTY INIATIVE
Students read Downtown Business Partnership poster which encouraged criminalization of poverty. |
More than 50 Union Theological Seminary students and professors kicked off a southern tour of poverty, visiting many groups working to end poverty, by picking up where Dr. King's poor people's campaign left off. The group began in the Civil Rights Room of the Downtown Library, where it learned of the history of struggle Nashville. Union students then split into two groups and touring both poverty housing conditions and work conditions here in Nashville. For more information about The Poverty Initative click here. or here for their blog. |
| 12-29-07 CLEMMIE GREENLEENASHVILLIAN OF THE YEAR! | |
12-4-07 NHPP BOOK RELEASE  |
NHPP in a special collaboration with Vanderbilt Human Rights and the Arts released a new book of homeless stories and history today where decisions are made that effect all Nashvillians. In the Court House, homeless and formerly homeless people, Vanderbilt students, council members, musicians and other allies mingled at the book release. Council Members received the 100 page book as a way to educate them on the plight of homeless in Nashville. Books are available for sale at $20 and make a great holiday gift. |
12-1-07 HOMELESS SUPPORT FLORIDA FARM WORKERS
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NHPP sent a delegation of 3 to support the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, who are building a national movement to hold Burger King accountable for the slavery conditions of farm workers who pick tomatoes for Burger King. NHPP particpated in a 9 mile march through the heart of Miami past several burger king restaurants ending at Burger King's corporate offices. NHPP also participated in an all day conference where we shared experiences and learned from grassroots groups across the country fighting for worker's rights. For more information see: |
11-19-07 HOMELESS SUPPORT SMITHFIELD WORKERS
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NHPP sent a delegation of 8 to HG Hills Monday afternoon, to raise the conciousness of managment about Smithfield products. Smithfield's Packing plant in Tar Heel, NC is the world's largest hog slaughter and pork processing facility. Human Rights Watch has cited Smithfield for violating international human rights standards, including denying workers's compensation to injured people on the job, and retaliating against those who report injuries. For More information: http://www.smithfieldjustice.com/ for how you can help, contact Megan Macaraeg with Middle TN Jobs With Justice.
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615-733-0633 | 42 The Arcade Nashville TN 37219 | Info@HomelessPower.Org