Suzy Bogguss
On Tuesday, Aug. 12, a star-powered slate of performers will take the 3rd and Lindsley stage for a good cause. Sounds of Welcome is a benefit for the Nashville International Center for Empowerment, aka NICE, an organization that helps refugees, asylees and immigrants in Middle Tennessee. Among others, the lineup includes singer-songwriter Suzy Bogguss, the Phil Madeira Trio (all members Emmylou Harris’ band), Marcela Pinilla, Will Barrow, and Yeli Ensemble performing with musician, educator and indie label head Jeff Coffin (who also plays with Dave Matthews Band).
The benefit is an all-ages show, and with tickets including fees starting at $26.26, it’s an affordable one too. That’s intentional, says Elizabeth Harrington, associate director of development at NICE. The organization aims to be as inclusive as possible and to introduce Nashvillians of all stripes to its work.
“We’re trying to involve folks in Nashville who care about current events and who have a heart for our new American community members and want to get involved,” Harrington says. “We are in a kind of challenging moment of federal funding uncertainty, and we are striving to continue to empower these new American communities that make Nashville the city that we love to live in.”
Historically, NICE has provided resettlement services and social services to new refugees, asylees and immigrants arriving in Middle Tennessee. While new refugee arrivals are currently paused, there is still a lot of support needed for those who have already planted roots in Nashville. NICE has been serving 150 recently arrived individuals (36 families) in its resettlement program alone, before the administration closed the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) in January. (Harrington notes that USRAP had been in existence with bipartisan support since 1980.) These recent arrivals were left without the regular benefits and infrastructure that would normally support them in their resettlement, so NICE is working to fill in the gaps, she says.
NICE also works to help subsidize immigration application fees, particularly U.S. Permanent Resident Card (“green card”) applications and renewals. Those can cost more than $7,000 for a family of five, a high bill on top of other day-to-day costs. The organization is also preparing for increased incidents of food insecurity in the community due to upcoming policy changes affecting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. In 2022, 733,866 people in Tennessee received SNAP benefits. Funds raised from the Sounds of Welcome concert will support this work.
Phil Madeira
“To be honest, until my buddy Will Barrow called me about this concert, I didn’t know what NICE stood for,” Suzy Bogguss says. “I’m just so glad to know that Nashville has a service like this. When I put myself in the shoes of someone who’s had to flee their homeland to try and make a better life, I think it must be such a relief to find help with learning the language and culture. What a great way for our community to welcome folks.”
The benefit concert is one of several events planned for NICE’s 20th anniversary year. On Sept. 18, the organization will host its 20th Anniversary Gala at Rocketown. That event is a higher-dollar ticket ($200-$1,500) and will include musical performances, visual art by local refugee and immigrant artists and stories of resilience.
“I can’t wait to share the stage with these great artists, playing colorful music from many cultures,” Bogguss says of the Sounds of Welcome event. “Hopefully, it will inspire more folks like me who are new to NICE to take an interest in this great program. I’m proud to be a part of a night celebrating such kindness.”
