Features
Homelessness is lethal. Cold weather just makes it more visible.
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During the ice storm in late January, a street newspaper vendor died while living outside. This is not an unpredictable tragedy unfortunately.
Column
From Blame to Compassion: Rethinking Homelessness in Tennessee
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Why Tennessee’s homelessness laws reveal more about us than about those we punish
Column
The Symptoms of a Broken System: Why Our Response to Homelessness is Missing the Mark
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People asking for money on street corners. Individuals sleeping in doorways of businesses, in the shadow of towering developments. Encampments springing up on public and private land. A Supreme Court decision criminalizing people for sleeping outdoors when no shelter is available. Families sleeping in cars.
Features
Rethinking Mental Health: Insights from‘Your Consent Is Not Required’ by Rob Wipond
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Wipond’s investigative work exposes the often-coercive nature of psychiatric interventions and the troubling expansion of mental health laws that infringe on individual rights and autonomy.
Column
Bridging the Gap: “Airstream” Advocates for Pedestrian and Bike Safety on MLK Jr. Memorial Bridge
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Vicki Stinnett, affectionately known as “Airstream,” is a familiar sight on the MLK Jr. Memorial Bridge, whether she’s walking, biking, or rallying the North Nashville community.
Column
Contributor Vendors Celebrated for Outstanding Sales and Contributions at The Contributor’s Annual Breakfast
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The annual breakfast was held at Belmont’s Ayers Center, where we recognized the top street newspaper sellers of 2023.
Features
Cycling in Nashville: When Bollards and Painted Lines Fall Short of True Infrastructure
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The addition of bollards and fresh paint to delineate cycling spaces is acknowledged as progress by the local biking community, yet many still regard these steps as inadequate.
Features
A New Mayor and the Path to Bicycle-Friendly Streets
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Nashvillians who hope for bicycling to become a practical, safe and sustainable daily mode of transportation know the city has a long way to go to reach that goal.
Features
Denver’s Success Story
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The Contributor’s Executive Director Will Connelly provides his insight to answer this question.
Column
Too Hard Living
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“It’s been too hard living,but I’m afraid to die,Cause I don’t know what’s up there beyond the sky.It’s been a long, a long time coming,But I know a change gonna come,oh yes it will.” (Sam Cooke)
“You are not dying on the streets, Jim.” I surprised myself when I said it. As an outreach worker, I have been trained to “under-promise and over-deliver” when serving individuals experiencing homelessness. The idea is that you don’t want to promise permanent housing or seamless medical care when you can only guarantee emergency shelter or emergency room care. Not delivering on your promises results in a loss of trust in any community. Jim really needed to hear that though.