Thank you to good folks like Erica Perry, Mike Floss, Aaron McGee and the many volunteers and youth at the Southern Movement Committee for their continued commitment to the SMC’s Varsity Spending Plan. The plan advocates for allocating public funds to an Office of Youth Safety, restorative justice programs and community center programming.
In 2024, the Metro Council approved $1 million to staff the Office of Youth Safety and to enhance programs offered at the Napier Community Center. In 2025, a substitute budget proposal included nearly $1.7 million for the Office of Youth Safety and additional community center programming.
I first interacted with Floss last year, when I was working on a magazine being released by my college newspaper. While we haven’t personally kept up since, I have been sure to follow the strides the SMC has made in creating safer communities. The SMC is training the next generation of leaders. Youth who participate in the programs build confidence, understand how the government operates, and learn how to implement real change in their communities.
If you ever feel unsure about the future of our town, just watch one of the many clips of SMC members speaking at Metro Council meetings and let the dread dissipate, allowing hope to shine.
—Noah McLane
Editorial Intern, Nashville Scene
Our notes of gratitude to the community advocates, health care workers and others who make Nashville special
