Last August — 102 years after women secured the right to vote in America — we set out to celebrate today's women of all experiences.
We asked Nashville to tell us about the “ordinary” women who inspire them, challenge them to be better, and encourage them.
Our city entrusted us with 100-plus stories. These stories have delighted us. Taught us. Inspired us and moved us.
We’ve fallen in love with every story. And, now, we hope you will, too.
Happy Reading.
Powerful, Insightful, Rockstar
A caring, thoughtful and provocative facilitator of conversation and explorations, Liz has led many organizations to greater success through her curiosity and intuition. Liz is a spark for new thinking and an igniter of confidence and leadership in others. She has stepped into her own leadership roles across our community and left a unique and lasting mark. She also allows her deep spirituality to continue to evolve her roles and identity in her work, family and life. She is a champion for other women and for the underrepresented and voiceless while also employing throw out the box thinking to allow space for evolution of models and structures in organizations and companies. She is a wise friend and an asset to Nashville.
Inclusive, Determined, Outspoken
Born in a Displaced Person’s Camp, Felicia has dedicated herself to combating Antisemitism. As a community leader and volunteer, she has worked tirelessly in educating about the Holocaust and created the Nashville Holocaust Memorial and Chaired the Tennessee Holocaust Commission with the goal of using this tragic historic event as a warning to society. She is a staunch advocate in developing programs and legislation on a local, national and international level to support women, children and families.
Passion for service
Dawn spent 17 years helping veterans with cancer in Seattle before moving to Nashville to protect travelers as a part-time TSA Officer at BNA. On top of that, she is a full-time home educator of her son, volunteers each week to teach yin yoga to under-served communities of Nashville, and guides her social network & family in areas of health, wellness and recovery. Her positive, healing energy is infectious, magnetic and constant.
Courageous, Driven, Accomplished
My beautiful daughter is my hero! After having my sweet grandson at a young age, she finished her degree and has been very successful in her career. Life was moving right along until last November when she was rocked by the news that she had Hodgkins Lymphoma. After 12 rounds of chemo in a 6-month period (along with 2 bouts of COVID), she is currently in remission. She never missed a beat at work and in parenting. I never knew what bravery was until I saw it in my daughter. And she looks amazing rockin' no hair!
Genuine, intuitive, heroic
Over the many years I've known Linda, I've watched her evolve from a fresh-faced do-gooder into a superhero of community care and action. Through her work at The Contributor and Open Table Nashville, she has encouraged those who others would have written off as unworthy, brought aid and comfort to the homeless and hungry, and been a loyal friend to all. Linda is one in a million. She's my hero!
Strong, Intelligent, Friend
Enduring Parkinson’s Disease with grace and selflessness. A lover of words who has continued to expand her mind with reading, writing and conversations. A true friend to do many.
Resilient, Patient, Thoughtful!
Not all heroes wear capes but she deserves hers. Always going above and beyond for someone. She has a great deal of patience dealing with a full plate. She is working full time has a newborn and also goes to school full time and makes time to volunteer in her community. If a problem comes about she doesn’t give up; she pushes thru. She is a fine example of a mother, and a go getter till the job is done. I look up to her! She helps me reflect on my life and what I’m doing and to strive for better! She is my hero!
Elegant, Courageous, Nurturing
What makes my hero Sepia Baker special is her capacity for compassion and her ability of walking in her greatness, so that the light she shines touches everyone. Sepia has worn many masks; businesswoman, community organizer, transformation life coach, and mother, all while being firmly rooted in her unique identity. She has the extraordinary power of creating other heroes by helping individuals discover the power and beauty within themselves. As Sepia truly embodies grace, leadership and kindness, it is without question that she is honored among a league of heroes who have always been, and remain a shining light to their loved ones and community.
Make it happen
My hero is my 88 year old mother! She went to the St.Thomas school of nursing and graduated in 1956. She married the love of her life, Frank Ballinger, and had five children. We all graduated from college and had families of our own. None of this would have been possible without her hard work and love. If one of our friends needed food, clothes, or college bedding, she was there! If the neighbors had a medical question, she was there! All of her 15 grandchildren have benefited from her love and guidance. She has 7 great grandchildren whom she adores. She demands that you sit down and have a meal with her. I honor her for the impact that she has had on her family, friends, countless patients and colleagues. She will always be our gold standard!
Helpful, Kind, Silly
She is always there to help us through the hard times. We can count on her to make everything alright. A warrior Queen she is...
Courageous, Trustworthy, Sincere
Sarah approached me about the George Floyd situation that happened in 2020. Her heart was troubled about the separation in humanity. She really didn't know me very well but she felt that God lead her to contact me. She did... we talked ... One of the things she said to me, that really showed her sincerity was that she was tired of sitting on the sidelines, wringing her hands together, wondering what she should do. From that conversation, she and I have been working in the community to build race relations between women all over the nation.
Fierce, Committed, Brilliant
I cannot say it better than Beverly Keel: I celebrate attorney Margaret Behm, who worked with Jeanie Nelson to raise nearly $4 million to create the Votes for Women permanent exhibit in the downtown Nashville Library, which opened this week. In today's world, you know you've made it when you are featured on CBS Sunday Morning, and since Margaret appeared in today's episode, she has clearly made it! Of course, she made it a long time ago. One of the city's power brokers, she has become more powerful because she has worked to ensure that more women have a seat at the table. She clearly embraces the adage, A rising tide lifts all boats, because she has devoted her career to helping and inspiring other women. As Larry Woods wrote in The Tennessean, Margaret was responsible for opening organizations closed to women and electing women to office. Her legacy will resonate in Davidson County for generations to come. She has changed the lives of women, which in turn will change their children's lives, and their children's lives, and so on. She knows business, government and politics. She is so powerful that her name is sometimes mentioned in hushed tones of awe, but her demeanor remains low key. She is the first to congratulate a woman on a promotion or achievement. She is the godmother of female attorneys in Nashville, a queen maker who isn't threatened by the success of others. She has a impeccable reputation as the go-to person in 40 years of representing clients and forging coalitions for change. Whether it's the law, the city's history, the government's institutional history or the best way to get something handled politically, Margaret knows it all. She proves you can speak softly when you have all of the answers. She earned her bachelor's and law degrees from the University of Tennessee and launched her legal career in 1976 at Legal Services of Middle Tennessee, Inc. In 1980, she and Marietta Shipley founded Shipley and Behm, the city’s first all-woman law firm. I knew that no women had their own law firm. I mean, the landscape at the time that I came was that women just generally did family law and wills, she told WMOT. Back then, women just weren’t taken seriously as business owners or lawyers, Behm says. I wanted to run my own business and demonstrate that women could not only run a law firm, but also be good lawyers. Their offices were the meeting location for many women’s organizations that were being created, including CABLE, the Lawyer’s Association for Women (LAW), and the Tennessee Women’s Political Caucus, as well as meetings for women’s political campaigns. She told WMOT that her goal was to move into litigating business transactions and to expand her practice. She told WMOT that male lawyers worried about whether women could handle business transactions, and whether a jury would find a woman credible I did have this inner desire to demonstrate that women could run a business, she told WMOT. I don’t know that I wanted to open up the first women’s law firm, but I wanted to open up a law firm to show that women could do it. We didn’t necessarily get a lot of encouragement until we found the only woman commercial banker in town. She is the managing partner of what is now known as Dodson Parker Behm & Capparella. (She's married to her law partner and they have two children.) Since 2003, she's been the general counsel and secretary of the Nashville Transit Authority. She spent 13 years as the general counsel of the Metro Nashville Housing and Development Agency. She's also served as an adjunct law professor at Vanderbilt University. She has been featured in The Best Lawyers in America in the field of labor & employment law each year for nearly two decades. She was named the 2013 Best Lawyers' Nashville Lawyer of the Year for Labor and Employment Litigation. Three years later, she was named Best Lawyers' Lawyer of the Year for Municipal Law in the Nashville area.
Dedicated. Compassionate. Chosen.
Dr. Kelly Bennett at the Fetal Center at Vanderbilt is a Woman Hero. She performed the procedure that saved the quality of life of my son when we found out he had Spina Bifida at our anatomy scan last year. She was the absolute cornerstone of my recovery and successful birth. If it wasn't for her, my son wouldn't be anywhere near where he is in his progress. For 3 months, she was my biggest cheerleader and advocate. She counseled me, encouraged me. She saw me through some of my darkest moments and handled them with a grace and genuine love that you don't see everyday. She is fierce with her expectations and just as fierce in her dedication to you. I will never forget Dr. Bennett's impact on my life. To this day, I still repeat her phrase, We have the best possible outcome when I'm having a hard time. She still continues to check in on my son's progress, visits him during clinic days, and shares in all of his big life accomplishments even though we are not patients in her office anymore. Dr. Bennett is a hero not only in her field, but in the lives of everyone she touches. She is compassionate, caring, dedicated to her craft, and an amazing example of what strong women look like. We love her so much, I look up to her and celebrate her all the time in my family's own ways. I am so honored to nominate her as a Woman Hero, because to me she will ALWAYS be my biggest hero.
Sharp, Compassionate, Energetic
Rev. Jane Boram, a graduate from Vanderbilt University Divinity School, is a retired mental health counselor and pastor. Highlights of her volunteering include serving as the co-chair of NOAH's (Nashville Organized for Action and Hope) Criminal Justice Task Force (CJTF) for the last 4 years. As co-chair, she advocated for HEALS (Health Engagement and Liaison Services), a non-police response for mentally ill persons in crisis. She currently serves on a metro team to implement HEALS (or similarly named program) that includes the Nashville Health, Fire & Emergency Communications Department. As part of NOAH she also assisted in and obtained a Judicial Court Order for bail reform in General Sessions Court, Davidson County. Finally, for the last 30 plus years she has volunteered with Nashville CARES, marched in the yearly AIDS walk, and served as a Buddy for terminal clients.
My Amazing Mom
She was a loving person who overcame several obstacles growing up. She became a young mother at 18 and was a person who never gave up and always accomplished anything she put her mind to. She was loving, smart, beautiful, and a role model to several people. She was the definition of "I am woman, hear me roar..."
Generous, Smart, Caring
Mona is constantly doing projects, which means she is helping others in various ways. She drives random people who need jobs around to interview, she drives 4 hours and back to get a mattress for someone in need, she repairs bikes for low income families (buying all materials and parts herself), she helps build homes for the homeless, etc. She gave her car to someone who needed one once. I mentioned my fan had broken and she gave me her new one she had just gotten for her own home. She is usually helping someone every single day. It is very impressive. She does hard work most people are too lazy to do. She never asks for anything in return. I have never heard her complain. Mona deserves this award! It is a true blessing she is in this world. I often wonder if she is an Angel.
Loving, Caring, Nurturing
She is a widow who goes above and beyond for everyone she meets. She has a soul that everyone loves about her. She is an on earth angel. She loves to make sure everyone is okay and if they need anything she tries to help.
Mother, Wife, Strong
My hero is my wife . After meeting her she completely turned my life around and showed me how to be a better person . She gave me a beautiful daughter and has taught me how to be a great parent by following her example . My daughter and myself are so lucky to have her. She is the rock that our family clings to to keep us sturdy in this every swaying world …
Ambitious. Creative. Unique.
This one of my heroes is special because she faced many adversities at an early age. She didn't allow any of them to stop her from giving her all to her mom's care when she fell ill. My mom still found a way to pursue her professional dream and be her creative self.
Giving. Reserved. Content.
My hero is special because she's truly one who loves simple pleasures and attending Nashville activities with her family. She's always supportive of me and my immediate family whenever we need it most. My hero is so reserved that I'm convinced she wouldn't panic in most worst case scenarios.
Compassionate. Caring. Captivating
Dr. Cantrell is the principal at Hull-Jackson Montessori Magnet. Under her leadership our children have flourished and so have so many others during her 16 year tenure. Her intelligence and care are evident in her actions and decisions. She genuinely cares for her students, staff and the community. Not only is she a boss on the job, she is a mother to three beautiful accomplished women and fur babies. She is a dear friend of mine and I'm grateful to work alongside her in volunteer efforts for non-profit organizations in our Nashville community. She is extraordinary!
Exuberant! Positive! Loving!
Patricia adheres to the purpose of lifting her community up and connecting people from all different backgrounds. She has a passion for weaving people together and constantly strives to make a positive difference in the lives of others. She uses her voice(s) and her heart to make sure that people know their worth and feel that they have meaning in the world.
Determined Social Mover
Born with the desire to serve humanity and the burden to ignore complacency, Sandra Collins continues to bring civil rights and humanitarian issues to light at age 84. Fearless to get her hands dirty, to step in the shoes of others, or to speak her mind in the face of discrimination, she has served those in greatest need in local Nashville and around the world. In addition to helping start the Wayne Reed Christian Childcare Center, a 3 star daycare and preschool serving many of Nashville's underprivileged children ages 12 mths to 5 yrs, she has spent her life serving organizations such as Youth Encouragement Services, The Living Water Project, Room in the Inn, Meals on Wheels, Ukrainian missions.....just to name a few from a very long list. As a retired English teacher from Lipscomb University, she has brought the gift of reading literature to university students, as well as the youngest of Nashville through tutoring at Y.E.S. and reading at WRCCC. Currently as a breast cancer patient with serious illness, her greatest joys and distractions continue to develop from serving others including family, friends, and anyone in need. Lipscomb University recently awarded her with The Mary Morris Award for Exemplary Service to Society. The voice of my mom, Sandra Collins, has echoed through Nashville for over 45 years to inspire others to make a change for good, be the hands and feet, open your eyes and heart, see the needs of others, and DO something about it.
Smart, Considerate, Daring
My hero, along with another lady by the name of Verna Wyatt, founded a nonprofit here in Nashville called TN Voices for Victims. Valerie has a heart for victims in our community. She works tirelessly to meet the needs of people going through some very difficult times. She goes weekly into our prison system to teach inmates about accountability. She teaches our children in the community about the dangers of the internet. Her phone number is always available for any victim to call her. She carries this heart filled love over to her family and friends during her downtime from work. Valerie is active in church activities and is always a leader in reaching out to others and sharing her faith. Valerie is a take charge type of person, and things get done when she is around. She is a woman who exemplifies righting the wrong in society. If Valerie had lived during the time of women being denied the right to vote, I can picture her choosing to join the group of women who worked tirelessly to earn that right for future generations. She cares deeply, and she follows her heart. I don't have to look to the sports arena or the political arena to see a hero. This hero is up on her feet at 4:30 a.m. most mornings to start her day and accomplish some very important activities. I am so proud to be able to submit this information to help honor a wonderful person.
Persistent, Committed, Inspiring
Margie has a really important and stressful job. She keeps everybody in line and is a wealth of knowledge. She loves her family deeply and shows up completely. Her faith is an important part of her life and she strives to represent her faith in her words and actions.
Intelligent, Philanthropic, Inspiring
Not only is Mrs. Cude a teacher who volunteers for United Way, local need-based programs, and recycling programs, but she also inspires her colleagues and students to participate in these endeavors. Every community she is part of benefits from her intelligence and kindness. She is also an avid lover of reading. She collects and distributes multi-cultural and cross-generational books to her students, often at her own expense.
Amazing Super Woman
Dorcas is a breast cancer survivor and a Godly woman! She raised three wonderful Children during this difficult and trying time by herself and never complained. She taught her children to be grateful and faithful toward God and she never let them fall into a ditch of ungratefulness. They got through many days with their gifts of song. Although it was hard, never once did she take her eyes off God! To this day unfortunately, she still has medical difficulties stemming from her previous surgeries and illnesses and she still holds on to God's hand with a smile. She has helped house, clothe and feed countless children, even during her illness. Thank you Dorcas for being the example through your storms so that others can know that no storm is too tough with God in your life. She is a Deliciously Amazing Women!! Thank you Dorcas for having so much strength in Jesus Christ!!
Smart, Stubborn, Teacher
My mother Peggy Davis is a career educator, with 40+ years in the classroom, the majority spent in Metro Nashville Public Schools. She likes the tough cases: she specialized in exceptional education, working with inner-city under resourced 7th & 8th graders with behavior disorders. That should tell you how smart and stubborn she is! Peggy Davis has that teacher voice, the stern evil eye, the wagging finger and the hand-on-hip stance that commands attention. Her creative approaches and dogged determination created the tough love high-standards yet supportive learning environment where her students could thrive. She is a hero to thousands of students, parents and teaching colleagues, and most of all, to me.
Passionate. Dedicated. Just
On November 8, 2016, Kerry Dietz was admitted to practice law in a ceremony before the Tennessee Supreme Court. She wore her power white suffragette outfit on the expectation that the country would elect our first female President that day. She celebrated with a lunch at the Hermitage Hotel, home of the suffragettes and anti-suffragettes during the 19th Amendment ratification. Disappointed in the results of the election, she interviewed for an accepted a job the next day with the Legal Aid Society for Middle Tennessee where, for four and a half years, she provided free legal representation for people who could not afford an attorney. She focused on keeping clients from being wrongfully evicted or foreclosed from their homes. She now works in a private firm representing workers and social justice nonprofits.
Honest, Caring, Humble
Tami constantly thinks of other people's feelings above her own. She is constantly positive about work, life, and people in general. Her knowledge is matched by her determination when it comes to doing her job. She makes people feel equal and feel good about life. She is a joy to be around and is a showstopper at karaoke:) I am a better person for knowing Tami Drake, and the world is a better, lighter place...
Conservative, Wife, and Regal
Winsome Earle-Sears represents the ever fleeting spirit of the traditional family and femininity. Sears is Pro-2A, conservative-minded, religious-based, and maneuvers about life with a practice of common sense that's grounded in being socioculturally/politically fruitful via benevolence void of malevolence. A modern-day debutant forged by fire and cloaked in grace. Sears, arguably, is an everyday woman untethered from social waywardness. The epitome of a politically encouraged dying breed - family, the basis of community, legacy, and righteous-based morality.
Caring, Exciting, Positive
Nurse Nancy Jones, with over 20 years in clinical practice, is a very caring nurse who loves unconditionally and passionately. Regardless of the circumstance, Nurse Jones always finds excitement and joy in any situation because her goal is to always have a positive attitude, especially in a world of adversity. Nurse Jones has the attitude that everyone she comes across is like family, which is evident in her everyday actions when she's on the clinical floor or volunteering within her community. Nurse Jones aims to encourage, empower, and motivate others in her community to appreciate the more minor things, such as a single act of kindness like a smile, and how to help improve things. She always wears a hard helmet, aiming to please all humanity holistically.
Intelligent, Leader, Amazing
Dr. Dellanita Fuqua is extraordinary in everything she does. She is a mother, leader, friend, sister, but most of all she is a God fearing woman that makes everyone that she meets feel and know that they are somebody. She makes sure that she lives an example of a Godly life each day so that others can see the God in her. She is a leader and strongly believes in the saying LEAD BY EXAMPLE!! She has touched many lives and continues to touch lives as she has served as a teacher, counselor, mentor, and administrator. She knows with out a doubt what her assignment is in life and she will continue to be that person that goes beyond the call to do what she needs to do for others, and her community.
Resilient, faithful, joyful
Tara is always there for people who need her. Anytime I have been at my lowest she has reminded me of what is joyful and has brought laughter to the moment while giving practical and loving advice.
Amazing, Courageous, Ambitious
Brenda is my She-ro because she is amazing, as a leader, friend, Mother and helper to anyone she can. She's courageous to continue to pursue her goals in life and education despite difficult situations. She's ambitious and always brings her A-game to every task she takes on. And as my Bestie, she inspires me!
Compassionate Generous Altruistic
Libby goes out of her way to help everyone - her family, her friends, coworkers, even complete strangers. She has been known to stop to help those who are homeless (even to the point of taking them to her home for a nice meal and shower). She has mentored women in prison and became like family to them when they were eventually released. Libby sees the good in everyone and exemplifies compassion and kindness with every breath.
Joyful, creative, compassionate
Ella is a life-long learner, curious about cultures, religions, nature and on and on. She is a self-taught artist whose work has elements of folk and outsider art. On 9/11 she finally gave herself permission to paint and on every 9/11 anniversary since has painted a piece in memory of that day. After retiring from a career as a hair stylist she has devoted herself to her art, creating murals, landscapes, multi-media and found art creations. She is deeply compassionate and seizes opportunities to assist those in need. She has a gift for maintaining longtime friendships with people from all walks of life.
Strategic, Sincere, Dedicated
Laurel is a truly incredible woman who embodies leadership through and through. Although she has a very important and time-consuming job, she makes time to give back to Nashville and beyond through her service to many nonprofits, including TennGreen Land Conservancy, Girl Scouts, Siskin Hospital, International Women's Forum, and so many more.
Genuine, Altruistic, Mentor
Dr. Elisa Greene is an inspirational mentor. The number of lives She has impacted - both at an organizational and intimate level - has made her city, her industry, and her college better places. What makes Dr. Greene so unique is not only the breadth and significance of her accomplishments but the way she has leveraged all of them to directly empower others’ success. Dr. Greene, Pharm.D., BCACP, is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy at Belmont University. Through her contract with Belmont, she also maintains a practice cite at Siloam Health, acting as Ambulatory Care Pharmacist, consulting directly with patients, collaborating with medical & office staff, and training students to provide whole-person healthcare to the indigent, immigrant, and refugee community in Nashville that is Siloam’s patient base. These roles have enabled her to achieve sweeping success in her field - receiving awards for innovative clinical practices, publishing an incredible breadth of academic research, and investing herself into her students Her published works include 14 peer-reviewed articles, 4 peer-reviewed text chapters and 1 entire textbook on subjects that range from anaphylaxis to reading comprehension. Further, she is a recurring reviewer on 10 different publications and has led or collaborated on 19 different peer-reviewed research posters. These posters alone have enabled her to collaborate with more than 50 other researchers, many of them students! As a clinician, she has redesigned curricula to empower cross-cultural communications, won awards for innovative clinical practice, and been selected for the Lily Faculty Fellows Program - designed to facilitate creative engagement around the intersection of Christian thought and academic practice. The important part of all that she does boils down to human impact though. As such, she has been directly responsible for training more than 150 students and residents in clinical practice, directly taught more than 750 students while at Belmont, and led more than 175 student on mission/community support trips. Even at such an early stage of her career, the mass of her impact can be seen all throughout the world of pharmacy.
She is compassionate
She is concerned about other people and is always helping others.
Courageous, Inspiring, Unique
My hero is none other than my mother. She constantly strives to surprise everyone around her with her curiosity, even the ones who once didn't believe in her and her research in Alternate medicine. She is my living example to keep trying even if you are the only one believing in yourself. I'm still crawling towards my dream and I believe I will be there one day and this woman is my inspiration. Another character of her that impresses me is her kindness and intent to help people around her. I LOVE YOU AMMA! Believe in yourself. Don't limit yourself to the skies, when there is a whole galaxy out there
Kind, resolute, strong
My hero, my mother Mary Elizabeth Gusky, was born five months before the ratification of the 19th Amendment. She was an ordinary woman who lived an extraordinary life. Although my mother was not afraid of taking calculated risks, she was always the person you could depend on. In 1944, my mother enlisted in the Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service) and served in World War 2. She voted in every election until her death at the grand age of 100 years in June 2020. During her middle years she worked the voting polls and was an active member of the Democratic Committee in her small New Jersey township. Through her actions, I learned that being an informed citizen was being an informed voter. Tragically when my mother was 41 her beloved husband died unexpectedly, and her post-World War 2 suburban life was forced to be reshaped. Although her community and civic involvement decreased as she realized her new role as a single and working parent to her three young children, my mother’s fortitude strengthened. Her commitment to her family’s well-being, community and neighbors remained strong. But not until I was an adult, did I understand the sacrifices my mother made for the sake of her children. She was steadfast in putting her children’s lives ahead of her own, and it was only after her children were grown did she consider living her own life. My mother will forever be my hero.
Intelligent, Compassionate, Strong
She is always thinking about others even when the odds are against her. She just finished up cancer treatment and even through that, she would be asking how others were doing and offering to comfort them if needed. On top of that, she is an advocate for women's rights and equality for everyone.
Disciplined, Servant, Educator
Nurse Johnnie Hamilton is a transformational and servant leader meeting her patients and staff where they are in their health and wellness journey. Nurse Hamilton is a model nurse that preserves the integrity, mission, and vision of any clinical infrastructure by serving the community unselfishly with dedication and unconditional love. Nurse Hamilton also embraces and educates new nurses entering the nursing field to ensure they are holistically supported to provide the best possible care to their patients. Nurse Hamilton with over 50 years of nursing across all health disciplines, including volunteering her clinical time in the community, continues to speak Heroic volumes through her daily acts of love.
Advocate, Innovator, Inclusive
Waverly Ann began working at Friends Life Community (FLC) 12 years ago and quickly became a leader. Now as CEO, she is creating opportunities for people with disabilities in Nashville and beyond. Through the visual/performing arts and weekday classes, this program amplifies the voices of those who cannot always speak and gives them ways to be a valued part of the wider community through employment or other forms of self-advocacy. She is a creative and inclusive leader not only to the FLC staff but to the Friends (clients), their families and other organizations and businesses in Nashville.
Loving, Brave, and Open
My grandmother grew up out west and followed her father around and learned how to be a cowboy. She could do everything the boys could do, and she fought ferociously for anyone with less power. She was an inspiring art teacher whose students went on to design fashion in Paris or work for Pixar. Most of all, her example shows me how to love.
Beautiful Fair Caring
She’s always caring, and always concerned about everyone doing the right thing. She loves everyone y
Loyal, Passionate, Rooted
Everything Nicole does is deeply rooted in her desire to serve others and see them succeed. As a teacher, she has impacted lives at the educational, moral, and spiritual levels (see an example of her impact on Ellen!). She has an uncanny ability to relate to people, feeling deeply with them while remaining a stable place to land.
Compassionate, Courageous and Charming
KaToya is a leader in the field of education. She is truly invested in the needs of her students, their families and her staff. She listens and pay attention in order to provide a tailored level of support. Year after year she continues to lead by example and with her heart.
Kind, Passionate, Tenacious
Anne Louise's friendliness, compassion, and kindness are exemplary. And her expressions of these characteristics extend throughout her life from otherwise-mundane daily interactions with strangers, to her ensuring that her family, friends, and even mere acquaintances are happy (or at least having their needs met), to championing social justice issues that touch her heart, and, of course, to her devotion to her formal volunteer work. Plus, she is a genuinely fun and entertaining person to be around.
Dedicated, resilient, loving
Catherine is not only my mother, but my best friend. She showed the world how much of a fighter she was when she beat stage 4 cancer in her 30's. Catherine went on to become a principal at an elementary school, all while being a single mom. While at that school, she got several grants for them and made the school a better place. Catherine is immediately loved by anyone who sees her dedication to her family and the youth she works for. It is an honor to have her in my life and call her my hero.
Intelligent, Giving, Special
This is my grandmother. Born 1921-2012. She opened her business Christmas Eve 1952 and ran strong until she passed in 2012. She had the longest going nightclub in Nashville run by a woman. The Starlite Dine and Dance Club. Many important and famous people visited her establishment. It was known for dinner and dancing.
Passionate, Inspiring, Advocate
Deborah has championed for quality education experiences for K-12 students across TN for many years. She innovates and finds creative opportunities to bring relevant, authentic learning to TN schools and districts. Deborah seeks out collaborative thought partners and has generated statewide momentum for engaged learning. She has supported hundreds of educators and schools and never tires.
Driven. Resolute. Leader.
Ashley Lawless has lived the life people read about: she grew up in a poor town in the Deep South, graduated with three degrees, and moved to New York City to launch a successful modern dance company. Traversing the country, she settled in Nashville and immediately immersed herself in the arts through dancing and performing, but most of all through teaching. Ashley taught and fostered the artistic growth of some of Nashville’s most exciting and talented up-coming artists. While doing this, she worked full time in the corporate health care industry and successfully transitioned in to the fast-paced tech world AND she is raising a bright and incredible son. She is incredible.
Strong Smart Principled
Jessica has worked in education, education research, and education advocacy. She advocates strongly for diversity in her work and for the female perspective in the workplace and in society.
Caring, compassionate, respectful
She’s a Pre School teacher who loves her job and students. She’s an amazing daughter that always goes above and beyond helping anyone in need, plus nursing me back to health. She’s the first person to step up and volunteer for friends that need help and various charities within our community. She loves to cook always trying new recipes She never wavers to help or do the right thing even before being called upon. She loves to read and going to Nashville soccer games.
Intelligent Mentor Friend
Sally Lewis is my life mentor who is an avid reader and therefore one of the most intelligent people I know. (She also makes great book recommendations). The greatest life lesson Sally taught me was to reject prejudice, racism and bigotry. I had been raised prejudice and I can only imagine the great people, friendships and relationships I would NOT have had in my life if I had continued that path. For one, I would have lost Sally as my friend. When I would tell others who knew and worked with Sally about what she means to me and how much I learned from her, they would tell similar stories of her intelligence and fairness and I could, once again, see her wide-reaching positive influence. Throughout our lives there are people who are givers. I can never fully articulate all that Sally Lewis has given me in life. I am forever grateful.
Brilliant, courageous, and enchanting
My sister Abby may be younger, but I look up to her. She is a passionate risk-taker, educator, and friend. Her most recent endeavor is moving to London to pursue a degree in history. She is a hero amongst women because she sets the bar for all of us to honor our inner compass above all else, and look good while doing it.
Amazing Caring strong
My Oma was born in Germany during WW2. She was considered a perfect Nazi simply because she was blond with blue eyes. But she helped American soldiers and nursed then back to health. She married 2 American soldiers. The first left her with 2 kids to move back to the states to his other family. The second she moved with him to the states, had 4 more children and raised them in a country she didn't know. Her second husband was very abusive. She survived the war, abandonment, and abuse. She was able to teach her kids in a land she didn't know and couldn't speak the language. She always had a kind word a smile for everyone. Loved with all her heart . Kept her family together and on the right path even when they didn't want to. She ended up passing away from Lung cancer after fighting it for years. She is still my guiding light and my daughters name sake.
Focused * creative * loyal
Joyce is a tireless advocate for her community. She ensures (by wheedling, convincing or demanding) that good people run for public office in this county. Joyce believes in our country and it's democratic ideals, and she models those ideals in a fun and approachable way. Finally, Joyce cares for and shows up for her friends and family - she gives selflessly and tirelessly to two teenagers. She is my friend. (Disclosure - she was my campaign manager before she was my friend!)
Amazing Precision and Talented
My Hero Is All About Loving Family Respecting Life. If You Can Make Anything Work For You It Is Probably For You
Authentic Uncanny Leader
Lyn was my mentor in the school psychology department in MNPS, and then she became one of my best friends. A lot of people consider her one of their best friends because of her loyalty, insight, caring, and humor. After raising her remarkable children and serving the students of MNPS for 20 years, she took a position with the federal public defenders' office to help citizens get a fair shake. She has coped with her Parkinson's diagnosis with her usual aplomb and leadership: she has given talks about the disease, raised money, and mentored newly diagnosed patients. She is participating in Vanderbilt research to help find a cure. She has become an artist. She is someone who has been making Nashville an it city since she moved here in the 1980s. She's amazing.
Organizer, advocate, inspiring
Brenda has been a leader, organizer, change agent, and gardener in the Edgehill community for over 30 years. She is President of the Edgehill Apartments Residents Association, director of Organized Neighbors of Edgehill and the United Way Family Resource Center in Edgehill. She advocates for the elderly and children in the Edgehill Community.
Hardworking, compassionate, dedicated
Aineth goes above and beyond for our clients at TN Justice for Our Neighbors everyday. Clients can tell that she truly cares about them and their immigration cases because she is warm and works tirelessly for them. She keeps the office running and makes it seem effortless although it truly is a massive amount of work. We are so lucky to have Aineth!
Selfless, loyal, compassionate
My hero, my wife, is a wonderful woman and mother to our two children. She puts everyone before herself and is so sweet and thoughtful to anyone she’s ever around. She is a small business owner in the Nashville area and loves providing outstanding service to our community. She is truly one of a kind!
Resilient selfless steadfast
Jen will drop anything she is doing, and she does really important things (wife, mother of 3, college counselor, development worker) to show up for someone in crisis or need. She is motivated out of the purest love for others to see the best in them even when they feel at their worst. She knows when to offer words and prayers and when to just be a trusted empathetic ear. She is THE brightest example of a friend that sticks closer than a sister, and I wouldn’t be who I am without her.
Selfless, brilliant, compassionate
Angie has dedicated her whole life in the service of others. She is the VP of restoration for a local nonprofit Who serves women and children who have been affected by human trafficking. Her patients, love, and intelligence in a department that is still very new and misunderstood to the mainstream world, she has been a part of pioneering best practices, programs, resources, for those in need.
Leader, Mom, Selfless
Belinda takes care of all elderly family members and even some non-family members past and present, Belinda stayed with her daughter in Indianapolis from December to April in a hospital with her daughter. Tamara had a kidney/pancreas transplant but Belinda kept working for her job in Nashville Belinda has and continues to serve on many boards for the community. Belinda has been a sound voice for many students that have come through the nursing program at T.S.U. and they all come back to say thank you, iIf it wasn't for you I never would have made it. I love to hear people saying this about my mom that is why I and her grand dog Rocky don't mind sharing her.
Loving Kind Caring
Beth Quiaoit is an extraordinary Christian woman, and I am proud to call her my friend. She has shown me the meaning of Christ's love throughout the past 25 years of our friendship, and I want to celebrate God's good works through this gracious and intelligent woman of God. She has raised three wonderful children and always worked two, sometimes three jobs, for over 40 years. (She worked (6) 10-hr days in a row recently). Through the pain of losing her father, her mother, her brother, and most recently her son, (also an extraordinary Christian) she still demonstrates the most wonderful and sincere attitude of love toward Christ and love toward others. She continues to work, and struggle, with the most positive attitude, sharing the love of Christ through caring for others as a home health aide, and previously with her job at Baptist Hospital. She has survived a near-fatal episode of Johnson-Barr syndrome, and many other difficulties, with such a kind and caring heart, I want you all to know that she deserves to be recognized for her sincerity, hard work, sacrifice and strength, and for being a great friend.
Therapist to inmates
She lights up any room she visits. Her doctorate and experience give her the know how to help but her grace and spark get her in the door.
Beautiful intelligent humble
Brenda has been the beauty and brains (kind of behind the scenes) during the entire renovation/resurgence of Broadway for the past 25 years.
Selfless Amazing Teacher
My mom, Debbie Sandwith, has been an educator since the 1980s - as a middle school English teacher at Highland Heights, a librarian at West Meade Elementary, and since 1997, the middle school librarian at Ensworth. She inspires so many to discover their love of books and reading, and helps those who already have that love increase it tenfold. She truly makes the library a welcoming place for everyone!
Votes for women!
For years Alma has tirelessly taught people about women’s history and how women got our right to vote. She organized getting the money and people together to create our beautiful Suffragist Memorial in Centennial Park. Her great joy is working behind the scenes to get women elected to offices locally and nationally.
Courageous, Driven, Compassionate
My mother has overcome many challenges in order to obtain the education in which she possess. She as a single mother, has raised two children are both gainfully employed and upstanding members of society. She has taught for all the years of my life. Many children in both Bedford County and Metro Public School System know and love Dr. Sebastian. She has inspired many students to become better than they ever thought they could. I would like to nominate her so that others may know the outstanding hero she has always been.
Brilliant, generous, compassionate
Martha is a Surgical Neurophysiologist, working in brain and spine surgeries at hospitals all across Middle Tennessee. Her speciality is somewhat new and still quite rare in the medical field, helping patients have more accurate, precise, and effective of procedures. Martha trained locally at Vanderbilt, and she now travels across the nation to share her expertise with hospitals who do not have a Surgical Neurophysiologist in their area. She is kind, intelligent, compassionate, generous, beautiful, and wickedly funny.
Talented Resiliant Giving
Odessa Settles has been a pediatric nurse at Vanderbilt for 56 years, working with Angel One , and two pediatric clinics . She is a uniquely gifted singer, and sings African American Spirtual music. She preforms with the Princely players.
supportive, steady, quick-witted
Rachel is one of my oldest friends, the kind who feels like family. She's been the first to step into the gap in times of crisis, bringing food, a hug, and just the right words when you need to laugh so you don't cry. She promotes others' successes personally and professionally, while also sustaining a vibrant career, a start-up business, three active children, and other family and community responsibilities. Somehow she also maintains a quick sense of humor, sharp sense of style, and a mind ready for interesting and thoughtful conversation!
Compassionate Amazing Strong
My hero is my daughter, Emily Sitton. I was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer at the beginning of the pandemic. While working full time in a demanding profession, Emily found time to advocate for me and be by my side through harsh treatment cycles and hospitalizations. She chose to isolate from others to care for me and keep me safe. Emily put her life on hold for two years until I was out of danger. It was only when I was declared cancer free and told to go live my life that she looked to her own aspirations. She relocated to Nashville and now works for Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC).
Strong.Brave.Courageous
Christina is a domestic violence abuse victim, over the past eight years, I have watched her overcome every challenge of being a single mother. Now she has started a nonprofit called Starting With Hope to help other domestic violence victims. She is strong and the most courageous woman I know. She is amazing mother to her son.
gutsy, compassionate, and resilient
My mother is extraordinary because she lives a colorful life full of helping others. The term gives the shirt off her back is a prelude into the type of human she is and how she shapes the world and lives around her. From a very young age I learned how to view the world and the people in it- just as magical and unique as each person is. She embodies what it means to live each day and stop to smell the roses. I have become that woman today and am damn proud to be called her daughter. What's more - my young daughter will walk in her footsteps too and leave her footprint of love and dignity to pass onto future generations of women. This is why my hero is special; her existence will create a ripple effect of extraordinary experiences, lives, and adventures. She has taught me to love unabashedly, laugh freely, and dance in the rain and for that, I am so grateful.
Supportive, caring, loving
Starting our married journey together at a young age just out of studies, Durga has been an immense pillar of strength to me, our son and my family. She sacrificed her career to build a work life balance for us and to look after our baby. The credit for my career's success, our son growing up today as a gentleman ready to go to college and spread his wings to soar goes to Durga. Her encouraging smiles, care, love and attention to each of us in the family is truly special.
Push, pull and bull
She never let her situation define her. She always defined the situation. Even when she was ill she never let the illness define her final days.
God Fearing Woman
Jewel is extraordinary in that she gives of her time and talents. She is a leader in her church and community. She makes sure that every individual that she comes in contact with knows that she will listen to them, and help them to get what they need in life to be successful. She especially takes care of those that are less fortunate. She loves to cook, and feeds many people in her neighborhood and community. She is one of those extraordinary individuals that meets no stranger and once you meet her you have met someone you know you can depend on.
God Fearing Woman
Brenda is a God fearing woman, mother, and a leader. She is an administrator in the Metropolitan Nashville Public School system., where she has served for many years. She is a strong advocate of children, families and educators. She also loves taking care of the elderly in her church and community.
Kind, compassionate, loving
Ariel has overcome a lot in life. She's from a small town in east Tennessee and she put herself through college to earn a Master's degree from Vanderbilt in mental health. She serves as a therapist for victims of crimes and is extremely passionate about helping everyone she can.
amazing, hardworking mom
Ad is a single mom with a son who has ADHD, significant depression and Adolescent Oppositional Disorder. She works two jobs, both considered self-employment so no benefits, just so she can take her son to and from school, to frequent doctor and/or therapy appointments and to music lessons. All this with a non-healing fracture of a bone in her left foot, necessitating the use of a knee scooter. One job is courier for multiple labs so she has to repeatedly get out of her car, get the knee scooter out of the back seat and use it to go to the pickup boxes and into the labs. The other job is for Shipt so she does grocery shopping for clients using a wheelchair/cart. She has some of the most negative, non-supportive parents I've ever seen yet she is always cheerful and optimistic.
entrepreneurial, imaginative, community minded
Emma became involved with improv and saw an opportunity to create community outreach. She got her masters in education nonprofit from Belmont. She created a nonprofit Unscripted (connected to Third Coast Comedy Club) that uses improv as a form of personal growth. There is improv for anxiety, improv for business professionals, improv for educators and an improv group for children. She has recently started a podcast, Unstandardized Testing, that takes teacher submissions of human error and turns them into improv skits. She is motivated to connect others through comedy and human experience. With her submission to the Kindling Arts Festival, a one woman show that she wrote and performed, she showcased her willingness to be honest and see the humor of life. Emma uses art to not only express her own humanity but to help others express their own.
Community Leader, Volunteer
Georgie Thomas, was my mother, a native Nashvillian from West Nashville, who attended Cohn High School and lived from 1933 to 1991. In 1974 Georgie Thomas opened Nashville's first Privately Owned Multicultural, Licensed-A+Rated Day Care Center. This Day Care Center served all children and was a support system for Nashville's multicultural Students, Teachers and their Families. Georgie Thomas fought against racism in 1974 when the Day Care Center was threatened, protested and picketed by local Racist Demonstrators for days, requiring Metro Police protection and local TV-News coverage. The many attempts to close the Center failed and through her committment and dedication to serving and protecting young children, the Merry Go Round Day Care Center under the direction of Georgie Thomas successfully served the Nashville Community by empowering young children and families for over twenty years.
Courageous Determined Hilarious
Brittany is my daughter and I sit in awe of her ability to connect with any and everyone. She is smart, funny and has a high emotional intelligence so people are drawn to her. Brittany is never jealous she celebrates the successes of others and is always extremely supportive. She is the embodiment of a phenomenal woman!
determined compassionate visionary
Mary founded and leads the Nashville Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition, a collection of heroes from all walks of life that strive to rescue and restore women and children impacted by the human trafficking industry. Mary's determination to serve these survivors is astonishing in it's breadth and consistency. The number of people caught up in this struggle is staggering and without hope, they suffer. Mary and her team give them support, direction and hope in the most creative, gracious and empowering ways imaginable. She and her team are true heroes for the city of Nashville.
Giving, Service-oriented, Smiling
My mother served as a public school 4th grade teacher for much of her life. When she retired, she kept her vow to devote all her presence, gifts, and service to others through a variety of community projects. At barely 5 feet tall, she may have been small in stature, but her heart was giant and fierce. My sister is always saying that Mama was a Saint and she might be right.
Lifeline, Compassionate, Hope Giver, Affirmation Voice, Director to Deliverence,
My name is Donna. I lived in affluent Green Hills for over 43 years of my life. I had the perfect life, endless money, social status, leader in the religious community, owner of a religious publishing company, wife of a worship leader and church deacon… AND I lived for 30 years, a double life in a large, horrifically, putrid prison of DOMESTIC ABUSE and VIOLENCE. No, actually it was a HOUSE OF HELL. I was silent for years. One day I went to our church, to our dark fellowship hall, and made a call from the church phone, to the YWCA Domestic Violence Hotline. The Domestic Violence Counselor, a woman, listened, affirmed me, gave me ideas on planning my escape, gave me hope, gave me a place to begin my Journey of Deliverance and Freedom. Also, around that time, a friend of mine told Singer AMY GRANT my story. AMY was moved with compassion. She offered to pay for counseling. I went to counseling, without my abuser present. (Don’t take the abuser with you ever, you are not on the same playing field). Amy’s kind gift began my road to receiving counseling, throughout my 30 year relationship and marriage. I went to counseling secretly and paid cash. I was the lucky one because I had the funds to pay for subsequent counseling after Amy’s sessions were over. These two women—-the YWCA DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COUNSELOR and AMY GRANT SAVED MY LIFE. THIRTY YEARS OF HELL were brought to a HALT and I received DELIVERENCE and RESCUE and FREEDOM. I am now WHOLE, HEALED, AND HAPPY. . Yes, I was SILENT for years but, the time has come to SPEAK OUT AND SHARE MY STORY. Whoever you are, no matter how horrific your circumstances, nor how deep you are in darkness and a pit of despair, remember this.. DON’T LOSE HOPE. LOOK UP. LOOK FOR THE LIGHT- NO MATTER HOW DIM. CRY OUT TO GOD. HE WILL HEAR YOUR CRIES. HE SAVED ME AND PULLED ME OUT OF THE SLIMY, DARKEST PIT. I AM STILL STANDING. I SURVIVED. SO CAN YOU. I LOVE YOU. GOD LOVES YOU YOU CAN DO THIS. BELIEVE. love always, Donna, The Pretty and Perfect Little Rich Green Hills Girl, who lived through Hell, but was Rescued and Delivered Forever. hallelujah. ?????????????????
Resilient sacrificial inspiring
She faithfully serves God and others daily, she is a diligent teacher of Gods word to little children, she has endured great hardship and withstood many challenges, she has remained steady and prayerful and faith filled without wavering. She loves her students as her own. She has seen the best in my son even through his struggles. She has patiently invested into him and helped grow him into a boy who loves God and others and displays good character.
Creative Kind Wordsmith
Maggi Vaughn has been the Poet Laurette of Tennessee since 1995. She wrote the official Bicentennial poem for the state of Tennessee. She also penned no less than four inaugural poems for Governors of Tennessee.. She has self published many of her own works including a historic set of poems published by the Tennessean about the Grand Ole Opry and the Ryman. At 83, she still hosts visitors into her home from across the country and the globe sharing her life and love of Tennessee. She was the first female recipient of the Mark Twain Fellowship Award. Her personal art collection is eclectic! Her stories of friendships with the likes of Loretta Lynn, Minnie Pearl, Johnny Cash, June Carter, and so many country music personalities are well known. A living encyclopedia to Nashville Country Music. She deserves to be recognized and remembered for a wonderful body of work in her lifetime.
Passionate, Energetic, Dedicated
Terry is a dynamic community leader who leaves an impression on anyone who meets her. She is committed to the betterment of her community and to empowering others whether they are youth, LGBTQ individuals & businesses, the API community, or women in leadership. Her enthusiasm and passion for others is infectious. She is truly an inspiration. Terry is the External Affairs Manager at Comcast and manages the company's government relations and community investments and partnerships throughout Tennessee. She is a proven leader and young professional with impact across across corporations, non-profit organizations, and government entities. Terry gives back to the community by extensively volunteering her time. Currently, she is a Board Member of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Middle Tennessee and Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC). She is the President of the Board of Directors of the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Board Chair of API Middle Tennessee, and President of the Chestnut Hill Neighborhood Association. Terry was named one of Nashville’s Top 30 Under 30 and Nashville Business Journal’s Top 40 Under 40 among other accolades. She is an alumna of Leadership Middle Tennessee and has recently been named as a part of the 9th class of Leadership Tennessee. Not only does Terry have impressive credentials, she is also a warm and caring person. In her free time she enjoys gardening and is an avid reader. A perfect day for her in Nashville includes a trip to the Nashville Public Library. I'm pleased to know Terry and am absolutely inspired by her.
Smart, diligent, caring
My hero is special because she shows up when no one else does without being asked. She cares and knows that being kind goes a long way. Not to mention her work ethic: it’s unmatched. You don’t meet a lot of people like her in this lifetime.
Compassionate; Humanitarian; Gifted
What makes Angela Wesson special is her genuine caring personality. Angela's heart of Gold and caring spirit makes her stand out from the rest. It doesn't matter if you are family, or a complete stranger. She is always helping where and when needed before her self and needs. She is definitely one of God's Angel's here on earth.
Very awesome woman
She goes over and beyond for people and her Community.
Christian, Loving Mother, and Courageous
Sis. Dorcas, is really my hero. She and a couple other Sisters at was my local church in Nashville, Tn, took to me to show me what a TRUE Believer in God's Word is as a Woman of God. She's a survivor of Breast Cancer and all the while giving GOD HIS thank yous and for not letting not letting her faint not. Because faith without work is dead. Her endless work in our community and her desire to also spread Gods Word is always in abundance because Sis. Dorcas is amazing mother to her kids, church, and her giving back but the credit is due to Gods love for Us.
Strong loyal and dedicated
What makes my hair look special only keep my mom but she was just fixed up who brought the generation was hurt by leaving her family in Las vegas. Sex trafficking and start and we located to where she have an author I spoke model senior and editing for other surviving to help the story and with the world. She's the first person in our family to attend college is to graduate college what is Social Security even services to better educate herself so she could be there for
Transparent, loving, intelligent
Whitney Wilson is a 35 year old dentist that has owned and operated her clinic since 2017 (when she was only 30 years old). She has been married for 11 years to her only husband and most recently became a mother! She and her husband adopted a sibling group of children from Colombia in September 2021. With a passion to serve the Hispanic community of Nashville, Dr. Wilson has built her practice to ensure all aspects are bilingual including her staff and educational material. In addition, she has learned Spanish herself, which allows her to better serve her patients and her adopted children. Although she is a busy business owner, she still maintains the ability to homeschool her children, as well as find time for her favorite hobbies of gardening, cooking, and practicing yoga. She is an awe inspiring, incredible woman!
