Longtime activist Karl Meyer, at 87 years old, spent a rainy evening on the Tennessee State Capitol lawn in protest of the state’s ban against camping on public property, a law that targets unhoused Tennesseans. He was arrested for his Aug. 1 protest but returned to the lawn for another campout, and spent another evening beneath an underpass. Meyer sought an audience with Gov. Bill Lee to discuss the law (which passed without the governor’s signature), though that never materialized. Still, people take notice when someone of Meyer’s advanced age puts his body on the line. There’s no shortage of dedicated advocates in Nashville, but Meyer shows that a rebellious do-gooder spirit can stay kindled for decades.Â
Best Longtime Advocate
Karl Meyer
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Alejandro Ramirez
Managing editor
Alejandro Ramirez
Managing editor
