Middle Tennessee was slammed with multiple days of severe weather storms in early April. The strong winds and rain left downed trees, knocked out power lines and transformers, and flooded streets and backyards. Driving conditions were terrible. Only necessary and urgent travel was recommended. It certainly wasn’t the time to joyride or cruise your way down the highway.

Reverse

While the early April storms have passed, there are man-made storms that still have us reeling. These storms include a lack of attainable housing, insufficient infrastructure to meet Nashville’s needs, neighborhoods without access to nutritious grocery items, and rising childcare costs – just to name a few. We can’t sit back and be lulled by cruise control.

This past March marked five years since an EF-3 tornado tore through North Nashville with a 60-mile trail of terror in 2020. Beyond the heartbreak of destroyed homes and fatalities, it exposed the city’s lack of financial preparedness. There was no rainy day fund to provide relief.

Not much has changed today. Especially where there continue to be more tax breaks for billionaires and their corporations. We don’t see deals and breaks that truly benefit residents. Businesses that capitalize on Nashville’s fame should be required to invest in public education and infrastructure through appropriate taxes. Where are those requirements?

Park

We need a strong Nashville. One that builds a sustainable future for our children and prioritizes helping residents recover from natural disasters and the unexpected. Choose How You Move presents a new era of opportunity to cultivate what we need and desire for our city. SHIFT Nashville transcends transportation.

Our everyday challenges and problems need tangible, equitable solutions.

• We know climate change is real
• The housing crisis continues to disrupt communities
• It is clear that centuries of racism have corrupted our systems

This current moment for transit can do more than get us to and from home. We can adequately address the issues that plague our neighborhoods and communities. A strong Nashville represents a city that prioritizes sustainability and shared prosperity. 

Drive

The SHIFT Nashville platform is an alert, offensive driver. We see what hasn’t worked. And we believe in better for the present and future. Ultimately, we know that transit can lead the way for keeping residents safe in the face of disaster. Our platform envisions the possibilities through the following:

• Invest in green spaces and climate resiliency infrastructure
• Remedy historical climate injustice and prevent green gentrification from future improvements
• Incorporate resilience hubs into transit-oriented development and other existing public spaces to serve as emergency shelters
• Reduce pollution and energy use with increased bus ridership through a Zero Fare program
• Establish clean energy workforce development programs for sustainable resiliency-focused jobs and union apprenticeships

Get in the car with us and let’s take action. Sign the budget priorities petition and register for the SHIFT Summit.

• The petition details a people-centered approach to our city, money, and future. We’re on our way to achieving 3,000 signatures that send a clear, strong message to elected officials and decision makers.
  
  
• The summit is a community convening on Thursday, May 22, 2025, at 6 pm, at the TIRRC Headquarters, 3310 Ezell Road, Nashville, TN 37211. This collaborative event with The Equity Alliance and Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition will introduce the next phase of our SHIFT campaign.

Each one of us has the power to make a difference now.

Together in advocacy and action,

Stand Up Nashville