Together We Rise - Stand Against Injustice 2025
Dr. Sekou Franklin (third from left), Metro Nashville Vice Mayor Angie Henderson (fourth from right) and community partners gather with YWCA Nashville & Middle TN leaders and League of Women Voters for Together We Rise event at Scarritt Bennett Center’s Harambee Auditorium.
(NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Aug. 10, 2025) – On Wednesday, Aug. 6, YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee, in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Nashville (LWV), hosted the annual Stand Against Injustice Rally at the historic Scarritt Bennett Center’s Harambee Auditorium, a landmark for civil rights organizing in the South. This year’s theme, Together We Rise: Advancing Justice Through Civic Engagement, honored the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) and the grassroots movement that made it possible.
The afternoon began with a stirring rendition of Lift Every Voice and Sing, performed by Fisk University music major Laila Cooper, setting the tone for reflection, remembrance, and recommitment. YWCA President & CEO Sharon K. Roberson shared a story of her mother, the late Lettie Kendall, growing up and teaching school in Arkansas and being required to pay a poll tax in order to exercise the franchise the 1950s.
Mayor Freddie O’Connell and Vice Mayor Angie Henderson underscoring the importance of civic participation.
“There are significant headwinds in this state, according to the findings of a report last fall from voting rights nonprofit Organize Tennessee,” said Mayor O’Connell. “State policy makes voting harder for communities of color and disabled voters. But you probably don’t need to read the report to confirm what you already know, just by looking at the congressional district lines that carve up Davidson County. Our fight is to re-enfranchise the vote and recommit to the battles we thought were won.”
Following their remarks, Vice Mayor Henderson introduced Metro Council Resolution RS2025-1375, recognizing YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee for its unwavering commitment to standing against injustice. She read the resolution alongside Councilwomen Brenda Gadd and Jennifer Gamble. The reading was a moment of public affirmation of YWCA’s mission, drawing applause from the audience.
Dr. Sekou Franklin, newly appointed Executive Director of the John Lewis Center for Social Justice at Fisk University, delivered a moving keynote address. He reminded the audience that the Voting Rights Act was not simply the product of political will, but the triumph of ordinary people who refused to give up:
“The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was one of the monumental accomplishments of the 20th century… The Voting Rights Act came about because everyday folks strategically organized despite having few resources.”
Dr. Franklin drew a powerful contrast between competing visions for America’s future, invoking the words of the late Congressman John Lewis:
“Ordinary people with extraordinary vision can redeem the soul of America by getting in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble. Voting and participating are key… You must use it because it is not guaranteed. You can lose it.”
A Poignant Recognition of Service
The evening also included the presentation of the Carrie Hull Award to Tina L. Fox, Director of Community Relations for the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. Fox’s award was especially moving, as she shared in her bio that she is the great-granddaughter of a slave—making the recognition on the anniversary of the Voting Rights Act both profound and timely. Fox, who served as the first African American State Director of Victim Services for the Tennessee Board of Parole (2012–2019), is nationally recognized for her work with crime victims and is a recipient of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Award.
Community Commitment
Ophelia Doe of the League of Women Voters Nashville concluded the program with a passionate call for civic engagement as election season approaches.
That call to action led directly into the signing of a joint resolution by YWCA, LWV, and representatives from more than 20 organizations, reaffirming their commitment to protecting voting rights and promoting civic engagement in Middle Tennessee. Cooper then closed the event with We Shall Overcome, as attendees joined in song.
More than 75 community members and partners attended, representing organizations such as Tennessee State University, Fisk University, the Equity Alliance, NAACP Nashville, the Urban League of Middle Tennessee, and AWAKE.
This event was made possible through the generous support of the Harnisch Foundation and AllianceBernstein. Together, we remain steadfast in our mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and ensure that the legacy of the Voting Rights Act continues for generations to come.
