For the past ten years Jay Mazon had organized and then directed "Solutions", a community based organization in her home town of Knoxville TN. She has helped lead campaigns that affect poor and working families because she grew up poor and recalls many challenges and injustices facing poor families.
Because of Jay's work tenants have a voice in Knoxville housing policy and have halted demolition of some of Knoxville public housing. In addition, policies have been put in place to be more inclusive of families who have been displaced in decision making.
Jay has also helped prevent state cuts to low income childcare programs, and helped put more funding into early childhood development. With other organizations like Stand for Children, she helped pass the Pre-K act of 2005. Jay organized a statewide childcare providers association so that providers would have a unified voice representing themselves and the low income families they serve in state childcare policy.
Jay has helped build awareness about the impacts of the dismantling of welfare reform on the national level by representing Tennessee with groups like Center for Community Change and the National Welfare Engine, together helping the keep rights of poor families on the national agenda.
Jay has served on the boards of several community organizations including Tennesseans for Fair Taxation, and she is currently the Co-Chair of the Appalachian Community Fund.
Jay accounts who she has become to her family. "My story doesn't really begin with me; it begins with the people that have helped shape me. My grandmother Callie Nolan has been incredibly active in our community while raising 13 children and now has more than 30 grandchildren and great grandchildren. Even today she is active in her Church. She really helped shape me. She is always the first to help others even when she is in need of help herself, and takes care of the whole community like they are her children. Everybody in the community calls her "mama" or "grandmamma". She is a natural leader, and has represented the community as the former president of Walter P Taylor Public Housing development of which our family was one of the first to move in."
Her parents are a major influence in her life well. "My dad always worked 2-3 low wage jobs at a time just so my mom and the four of us could be taken care of. He was a janitor in Knox County schools, but I never knew I was poor. I didn't even realize we were poor until I was grown. " Valuing and respecting the worth and dignity of people like my father, my grandmother, and other leaders within my family is why I do this work. When you see me at my best I hope you see a reflection of people like my father and grandmother."
After dropping out of high school, Jay has not only achieved her GED, but by working her way through college she now holds degrees both in Music and Voice as well as in Business and Organizational Management. She is currently perusing her MBA.
Jay is a mother of two; a twenty two month old boy, and six year old girl. Her father currently lives in Nashville.
In her free time, Jay can be caught writing and recording music in her home studio or singing at any number of open Mic's. Jay dreams of ghost writing songs for performing artists. She looks forward to putting roots down in Nashville, and empowering it's poor and homeless.
GARY BRIGHT - My name is Gary Bright and I was born and raised in Nashville,Tennessee. I have been homeless on and off for about 21 years. I grew up in Nashville's housing projects and had to experienced the harsh realities of life at an early age. My mother, who was a former crack user, taught me how to sell drugs which helped influence my decision to become involved in gang violence. I needed an outlet to escape my surroundings so i used drugs to help me get away. After an 8 year relationship went down hill, I left a my home and became homeless again. I have seen and done just about everything a person can being homeless.
DANIEL BROWN -Daniel is one of the founders of the Nashville Homeless Power Project. Originally, from St. Louis, Daniel is one of eleven chidren and being the oldest quickly became responsible as a "third parent". Daniel has lived in Cleveland, Dallas, and now has over 20 years in Nashville where he was married with one son. Now divorced and regularly visiting with his 16 year old son, Daniel would be defined as "chronically homeless" as he has been in the streets of Nashville for years. Daniel has struggled with cancer and other severe illnesses and has spent several occasions at the Respite House at the Campus for Human Development. Now staying regularly at the Mission, Daniel keeps his life calm, his diabetes regulated and quietly attempts to regain housing for himself.
CATHY BUCKNER- Long time advocate. Formerly homeless at age 19 by choice, and at age 40 due to a house fire as a result of the 1995 tornado. Current age 53. Cathy has worked with families of inmates for twelve years in both paid and volunteer positions, and with homeless veterans and homeless men needing vocational rehabilitation services for the past 15 years. She was a VISTA Volunteer from 1989-1995 doing outreach, education, and teaching self-advocacy in low income neighborhoods, and related program implementation/ evaluation. She has also worked with the Neighborhood Education Project, The Rape & Sexual Abuse Center, The Public Defender’s Family Support Program, and Matthew 25. In the past she has worked on issues related to Welfare reform, healthcare reform/TennCare/National Healthcare, public transportation issues, Kids Corners in Tennessee State Prisons, Sentence Equalization, family preservation programs (jails & prisons), and helped in organizing Organized Neighbors of Edgehill (ONE). Cathy is currently on the Leadership Team of Nashville Homeless Power Project, Executive Board of Nashville Coalition for the Homeless, and Commissioner on the Mayor’s Homeless Commission To End Chronic Homelessness. She was a nominee for the Mary Catherine Strobel Award and was a winner of a J.C. Penney’s Golden Rule Award. Losing her job of 15 years on January 5th at Matthew 25 for advocating for the rights of ‘those least able to help themselves’ she will now devote much of her time to writing grants for us and some other new non profits who can’t afford a grant writer, and working in the ‘Voter Registration Drive’ while seeking new permanent employment that is people centered. She would love to be able to get a small hotel to provide transitional housing for veterans with barriers to housing, and homeless families with any age children. (None is currently available for those with teens.) In her spare time she enjoys writing poetry, reading, and spending time with her three children. “Everything I have gone through in my life has prepared me for what I do now.
CLEMMIE- GREENLEE- Clemmie Greenlee, 46 years old was born and raised in Nashville. She grew up in several low-income areas around town. Both of Clemmie's parents were alcoholics and lost her dad, also her best friend, to breast cancer before the age of 13. Not able to rely on her parents at the time, Clemmie, felt that she had to take care of her younger siblings. At a young age she learned that through prostitution she could make enough money to help take care of her family. While prostituting she got immersed in the world of the street that included the world of drugs and violence. At the age of 13 she gave birth to her only son. Ms. Greenlee dropped out of school, barely survived being stabbed with a knife in the back that landed just 3 inches from her lungs and continued this to struggle in the streets until the age of 40. In 2000, God called her name one more time t clean up her act and since then Clemmie has changed her life. She entered the Magdaline recovery program and graduated with them in 2003, clean and sober and ready to make her life HUGE. She began to dedicate her life to helping to save the lives of those who had been just like her. She did outreach for Magdeline House and helped woman on the road to recovery. Her son was on the same path as she had been, and every day she plead that he change his was on the street. Ms. Greenlee's son was murdered in 2003. Over the last few year Ms. Greenlee helped start and run a true "fishes and loaves" program called Galaxy Star Drug Awareness. Funded out of the goodwill of those who believe in the program with just thousands of dollars each year Galaxy Star provides housing to homeless men & woman who are in immediate need. Clemmie has brought her work to public consiousness through the documentary on the Magdeline Women, Chances, been featured in Variety Magazine and has been interviewed countless times in local television, radio and newspaper. She acknowledges that God is first and foremost in her life today. Her church home is C.H.A.N.G.E. Ministry. Clemmie has been on the Board at the Nashville Peace and Justice Center since early 2005 and has been intimately connected to the Nashville Homeless Power Project through her work and spirit.
MATT LEBER- Matt, 30, of Jewish and Catholic ancestry, was born and raised in an affluent white suburb of Boston: Newton, Massachusetts. Never homeless, Matt describes his childhood years as “growing up in a bubble” where he thought the average American grew up like him: white and able to go to college. Matt’s bubble was first burst through community service work such as Habitat and Big Brother/Big Sisters but transitioned into social justice work after he left college and worked in Mexico City doing youth organizing. Matt learned his facilitating skills from skilled trainers who were serving time in a maximum security prison in Maryland called the Alternatives to Violence Project. He learned how to organize as an ally for the Coalition of the Immokalee Workers, who just achieved the largest wage increase for farmworkers in decades. Matt moved to Nashville with his partner to care for his mom-in-love, helped to co-found the NHPP in June 2002, and was hired in August 2002 as director of the Nashville Peace and Justice Center (NPJC). Matt left the NPJC to work full time with the Power Project in 2006.
JOHN ZIRKER- John is 56 years old, a native Nashvillian, and was homeless throughout the 1990s until finding a place to living in a housing authority in 2001. John grew up dirt poor and black in Nashville during the Civil Rights Movement. He was a union worker at a Firestone Bridgestone factory for over 20 years and participated with the Young Socialists during the heart of the Civil Rights Movement. John suffered injuries on the job in the late 1980s that exacerbated family problems that led to drinking problems and then full-blown addiction. John describes himself as a person who became “a player on the streets that slept under bridges, in allies, hooked on crack, and selling dope.” Through his own journey of detox and sobriety (clean since October 11th, 2001), community building through Narcotics Anonymous, the Living Room, Room at the Inn, and Hobson United Methodist Church, John began to rebuild his life. He became co-founder of the NHPP, is now Resident Association President of the largest housing authority in Nashville, member of the Nashville Coalition for the Homeless, and works around the clock as an unpaid outreach worker as part of his Ray of Hope Foundation. In 2006, John become a board member for the National Low-Income Housing Coalition.
HOWARD ALLEN- Howard, 44, Native Nashvillian and grew up in an upper-class black neighborhood of North Nashville. Self described as growing up as "spoiled" Howard got involved with drugs and violence that moved him into homelessness. Howard completed 3 years of college at Tennessee State University and Texas Southern, majoring in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology. In 1983, Howard was shot in the head and then again in 1995 in the leg. Howard lost both of his parents to Cancer, his mom in 1996, his father in 1998 and it was at that point that "the bottom fell out". With God's grace, Howard decided to change his life for the better. Howard has made committment to the end as caretaker for a 103 ear old man about 15 hours a week. His second job is as supervisor of clean up at the Titans Stadium and other public events. Howard, Cofounder of the Nashville Homeless Power Project has: served on the Mayor's Taskforce and on the Mayor 's Commission to End Chronic Homelessness, served as Vice-Chair on the Board at the Nashville Peace and Justice Center and is dedicating the next phase of his life to mobilizing his brothers and sisters on the streets.
JOE BARTON - In his 50s and born in DeQueen, Arkansas, a town Mr. Barton likes to say is "so small that if you blink three times you'll miss it". Spent most of his growing up years in Little Rock and graduated from Metroopolitan High School in 1969. In 1971 he met Melanie Staples who was to become his wife of 23 years. In 1997 Mr. Barton's work was phased out and he couldn't find any other jobs. Struggling with depression, he medicated with alcohol and fell into addiction. His wife left him and soon afterward Joe was homeless, without hope, and close to suicidal. The only place he could find to stay was the Salvation Army and in Arkansas at the time they only allowed an individual to stay in their place for 5 days per week. It was at what Mr. Barton describes as his "lowest point" that he felt that Jesus lifted him and his spirit and was able to get back onto his feet. While still homeless, he had a job at JC Penny that was also phased out after less than a year. After time in different cities looking for work, Mr. Barton ended up in Nashville in March 2003. He stayed in the Men's Rescue mission and received occasional work at the Day Labor companies near by. In September 2004, through familial support, Mr. Barton was able to obtain a federally subsidized housing.
CHARLES HILL- Recently homeless, Charles, 54, moved to Nashville in December 2004. Charles grew up in rural Arkansas and spent over 2 decades on the assembly line at GM and other auto companies. Charles struggles with heart disease and a recovering addict (clean since November 4th, 2004). Charles has part-time work as as a baker in a downtown business. Charles graduated from the Nashville Peace and Justice Center Leadership Institute, Training for Community Organizing in 2005.
ANGELA JOHNSON - Angela is 28 years old and often can be found sleeping on steps of downtown churches. She has struggled with chronic illness and searches for work even though her illness prevents her from being on her feet for long periods of time. Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Ms Johnson has 3 brothers and 1 one sister and "thousands of cousins". Although her children are not with her on a daily basis, she is a proud mother of a 14 year old son and a 6 year old daughter. Ms. Johnson's dream is to create a place for homeless people to live on her grandmother's farm in rural Tennessee. Ms. Johnson is the Power Project house photographer and has helped enroll the first 74 members of the Nashville Homeless Power Project. Ms. Johnson graduates from the Nashville Peace & Justice Center Leadership Institute on August 17th.
DAVID "COWBOY" LITRELL - Cowboy, 52, born and raised on the farm in rural California and has spent over 20 years on the streets. Cowboy has lived a full-life. A lisenced carpenter and having practiced in 18 states, Cowboy has supervised dozens of carpenters at a time and been responsible for putting the hard labor of building the Ryman and other major buildings across the South. Cowboy is not just a name, besides working the farm and carpentry, Cowboy knows and has retired from the Rodeo. Early in 2005 he found housing in Downtown Nashville for the first time and is proud to have a place to lay his hat and call his mom back West. Cowboy has major injuries from from his carpentry and construction work (now finding occasional temp labor) and always has severe pain in his knees and back with every step. Nonetheless, Cowboy, keeps thing positive and light with a joke to sandwich his words for justice. Cowboy is self described as "fat & sassy" and is respected in the streets for his compassion.
EMMA MCCLOUD- Ms. Emma, in her fifties, is a co-founder of the NHPP. She grew up on a farm, helping her family raise cattle and harvest. Ms. Emma has two sons who are both grown and on their own living in Tennessee. Emma has multiple health issues fincluding mental health, asthma, and is now on her 2nd hip. She is sporadically homeless and helps people remember how all people deserve respect and speaks up when she sees otherwise. Ms. Emma continues to be a committed member of NHPP.
RODNEY PEOPLES- Rodney was born in Chattanooga and raised in Nashville. After a ten year relationship and troubles with addiction I ended up homeless off and on since 1997. I was one of the homeless that would never be counted in a “Homeless Count” because I stayed with relatives and friends while doing odd jobs as well as working through the day labor. I grew in a family of photographers, particularly my father. He taught me not only the science of photography but how to develop pictures in a dark room. I studied Video Production at American Institute of Technology. I have been and am available to do freelance video production, specifically for lighting and as a gaffer. This year I will be listed in the Tennessee Filmmaking Directory. Meanwhile, to make ends meet, I work for a security company and work as many shifts as are offered on a weekly basis. In July 2006, I met my fiancé whom I lived with in a tent immediately after Tara Cole was murdered. I met Clemmie Greenlee and joined the Nashville Homeless Power Project to help make a change in people’s awareness and in the system. I am a true believer in family and friends sticking together for human and civil rights which is exactly what NHPP stands for.
CARMON RYALS -Ms. Ryals and her fiance left their home in a tent in the Nashville Downtown area on October 30th, 2006 and are now residing in their very own home run by Urban Housing Solutions. Low-income housing units provided by UHS is an example of what this city needs. Until this point, Ms. Ryals self-described herself as "chronically homeless". Originally from New Mexico, she went straight from high school to college. During her early adult years she tried survival at various job placements from administrative assistant, restauraunt worker, cosmetology, truck driving to counseling. Through all of this she continued to search for her sense of self and purpose. Unfortunately, she ended up with a Crack Cocaine addiction that kept her "running from herself" for over 20 years. For almost 15 years, on and off, she supported herself financially through prostitution. After 3 years clean and sober she accomplished more than she ever though possible, doing data-entry and working in a respite home with people with dual-diagnosis. Living in a 2 bedroom home, car, and bank account. Like so many people with mental health issues (Ms. Ryals is diagnosed with Bi-Polar I), problems balancing her medication led her to relapse in her Crack addiction and lost everything and returning to the streets. In 2005, Ms. Ryals started attending church again through a ministry that serves the homeless. With a lot of prayer and tiredness of and the hope for more, Ms. Ryals has surrendered herself to God. Clean and sober for several months, Ms. Ryals reconnected with Ms. Clemmie Greenlee (they had gone through Magdeline House together) and has gotten involved with the Nashville Homeless Power Project. Showing powerful speaking skills, understanding of the political process, good computer skills and a "go-gettedness" almost unsurpassed she has been a tremendous leader in the Power Project.
BRYAN WHITE-My name is Bryan K. White and I am part of the Nashville Homeless Power Project. Born in 1963 and raised in my mothers home town of Nashville, Tennesee. I grew up in the Preston Taylor housing projects until my mother until she died at the age of 25 of heart failure. From the age of seven my grandmother raised me and my siblings. I graduated from McGavock High school in 1983. Soon after high school I stepped into what became an 11 year marriage. In 1996, soon after we divorced I ended up on the streets and have been on the street ever since. Over the years I have held jobs as a professional boxer and have for over 15 years survived as a skilled carpenter rehabilitating houses. In fact, I have been the primary contractor for rehabilitating over 100 homes. Being homeless without savings, I didn’t have the same negotiating power for my work and often had to accept ¼ to 1/3 of what the work was worth. In 2004, I was going to school at Tennessee Technology while also living at the Nashville Rescue Mission. So I went to school during the day but then needed an income to pay for my schooling and I couldn’t work at night with my irregular hours and also stay at the Mission. The inability to be able to juggle school, work and staying in a shelter forced me to stop going to school. Now I continue to work for less and continue to struggle on the streets.
JERRY WEST- Jerry, native Nashvillian and long-time football fan anchors the Power Project. Jerry is a graduate of Welcome Home Ministires, a recovery house run by Darrell Murray and has been clean since June 10, 2001. As the practical consciouse of the Power Project, we know that when Jerry is on board that we have the issue that is important and winnable.
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