Nashville resolution supports communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Metro Council will be deciding on a resolution Tuesday night that would bring awareness to what advocates say are magnified societal inequities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thirteen council members in Nashville have sponsored RS2020-433, that supports communities disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

Vanderbilt Law School’s Immigration Practice Clinic has been working with community partners on the resolution. These include Asian and Pacific Islanders of Middle Tennessee, Tennessee Asian Pacific American Bar Association (TAPABA) and Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC).

Vanderbilt researchers and student attorneys have been collaborating on "a response to the increasing xenophobic acts of hatred and aggression against the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community due to COVID-19."

“This resolution is a product of close collaboration with community partners to affirmatively declare that there is no place for xenophobia and discrimination against communities of color in Nashville," Professor Karla McKanders said. "Our goal is to see the Metro Council come together to support communities of color acknowledging how communities of color are disproportionately affected by the pandemic.”

The law clinic says through research, it's found that Asians and Pacific Islanders have reported experiencing harassment and discrimination in stores and restaurants in Davidson Counties. Across the nation, researchers said there have been 1,800 reports of anti-Asian discrimination.

“COVID-19 has shone a light on the racism our Asian and Pacific Islander community faces and this is an important step for our city to come together and stand against hate,” Joseph Gutierrez, Executive Director of API Middle Tennessee said.

Councilmembers sponsoring the bill include Thomas Cash, Kathleen Murphy, Ginny Welsch, Gloria Hausser, Jeff Syracuse, Bob Nash, Russ Bradford, Tonya Hancock, Brandon Taylor, Antoniette Lee, Freddie O'Connell, Zulfat Suara and Joy Styles.

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