Nashville Metropolitan Council Meeting – October 1, 2024
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Nashville Metropolitan Council Meeting – October 1, 2024
The Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County convened on October 1, 2024, to present two proclamations and hear announcements from council members. No votes or legislative actions were taken during this portion of the meeting.
Proclamations
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Centennial Birthday of Miss Emma Smith – Councilmember Suara presented a proclamation recognizing Miss Emma Upkin Smith’s 100th birthday. The proclamation detailed her life, including her birth in Lynch, Kentucky; education at Lynch Colored School, where she excelled and graduated as valedictorian; work as a clerk typist at Wright Patterson Field; training and career as an operating room technician; retirement in 1979 after refusing to cross picket lines; and active involvement in community organizations and church. She relocated to Nashville in 2014 and continues volunteering at Clack United Methodist Church.
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Nigerian Independence Day – Councilmember Suara also presented a proclamation recognizing October 1, 2024, as the 64th anniversary of Nigerian Independence. The proclamation reviewed Nigeria’s history, including independence from Britain in 1960, its status as the most populous country in Africa, and the contributions of Nigerian Americans. Key statistics included: 61.4% of Nigerian Americans aged 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or higher (compared to 28.5% of the total U.S. population), 29% hold master’s, doctoral, or advanced professional degrees, and an estimated 712,294 U.S. residents were of Nigerian ancestry as of 2022. Two Nigerian languages, Yoruba and Igbo, rank among the top ten African languages spoken in the United States, and over 25 Nigerian Americans serve as elected officials at federal, state, and local levels. Councilmember Suara introduced Kalechi Anuna, a Nigerian American who grew up in Nashville, played basketball for Nigeria’s national team, and spoke about the Nigerian community’s positive impact on Nashville and Tennessee.
Council Member Announcements
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Councilmember Kubin encouraged attendance at National Coffee with a Cop Day (Oct. 2, 9–11 a.m. at The Finch), a District 19 town hall (Oct. 5, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) with Councilmember at Large Olivia Hill and the mayor’s Choose How You Move campaign, Germantown Oktoberfest (Oct. 5–6) including a 5K and Dash Hound Derby, and recognized the start of Rosh Hashanah (apples and honey available in the break room). She also noted the one-year anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel, with a hostage walk on Sunday and a memorial event on Monday.
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Councilmember Easlick announced Coffee with a Cop on Saturday (Oct. 5) in Old Hickory on Robinson Road, and a Meet the Council Person event on Oct. 9 at 5 p.m. at The New Tavern at the Village.
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Councilmember Parker reminded colleagues about National Walk to School Day on Oct. 2, encouraging participation and contact with Metro Nashville Public Schools or David Braum.
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Councilmember Benedict invited the council to an event on Oct. 3 at 5 p.m. at Stratford High School honoring four young women who integrated the school in 1963, including former Deputy Mayor Brenda Haywood. The program includes a historic marker unveiling at 5:30 p.m., tailgate at 6 p.m., and homecoming football game at 7 p.m.
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Councilmember Druffel announced a community meeting to discuss the transit referendum on Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. at Brookhall Baptist Church.
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Councilmember Lee expressed support and prayers for residents affected by recent heavy rain and fallen trees, and for East Tennessee communities impacted by flooding.
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Councilmember Gadd promoted Walk to School Day at Sylvan Park Elementary (meet at 7:25 a.m. at McCabe Community Center) and a joint neighborhood association meeting on transit on Oct. 10 at 6:30 p.m. A community meeting later in October will address historic conservation issues.
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Councilmember Bo (District 17) announced a community safety meeting on Oct. 2 at 5 p.m. at Church of the Messiah, a transit town hall on Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m. at Watson Grove Baptist Church, the start of a street sweeping pilot program in Napier and Chestnut Hill neighborhoods (Oct. 3, 8 a.m.–2 p.m., with signs posted), the Celebrate Nashville festival at Centennial Park (Oct. 5–6, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.), and the beginning of Filipino American History Month.
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Pro Tem Zapulvada thanked council members (Councilmember Berkeley Allen, Councilmember Voe, Councilmember Cash, and Councilmember Gadd) for volunteering at a voter registration drive at Hillsborough High School that registered 12 students, and announced another drive at Antioch High School on Oct. 3. She also expressed condolences for an 18-year-old Latino man of Peruvian descent who died from gun violence in her district, and encouraged attendance at Hispanic Heritage Month events.
Meeting Transcript
Period, we do have two presentations. Uh the first one is uh the Nigerian Independence Day Proclamation by Councilmember Swara. So, Councilmember Swara, are you ready? You're doing, oh, okay. So the first one will be Emma Smith proclamation. Oh, okay. It's like I'm a child. Okay. Joy. You know, the other joy and uh for real. JK. All right. Thank you, Pro Tem, and uh congratulations again. So this is a proclamation recognizing Miss Emma's one hundredth birthday. Whereas Miss Emma Upkin Smith, known to all as Miss Emma, was born in Lynch, Kentucky to Emmons and Nanny Bubby Nanny Mary Bobbitt. And whereas Miss Emma and her twin brother Hemets Jr. were the fifth and six siblings of nine siblings. Miss Emma was educated in the Lynch Colored School, where she excelled as a student and graduated as the Violet Detorian. She was also the Ed Majorette of the Lynch Pirates Machin Band. And whereas after graduation, Miss Emma went to Dayton, Ohio to live with her mother's sister and her husband. She worked as a clerk typist at Wright Patterson Field and later returned to Lynch, Kentucky. And whereas Miss Emma married a young coal miner, Mr. Jasper Hopkins, and to this union, two daughters were born, Frida Hopkins, Outlaw, and Rita Hopkins, B oh, excuse me. In 1976, Mr. Hopkins passed away, and Miss Emma later married Mr. Otis B. Smith, to whom she remained married until his passing, and whereas Miss Emma began working as the operating room cleaning person for the U.S. SEAL Hospital that was operated by the Sisters of Notre Dame, a Catholic order of religious sisters who served the poor. The nuns recognized that Miss Emma was very bright and trained her to be an operating room technician. The training in the Notre Dame Hospital was not transferable. But when the hospital closed, she became employed by the Harlan Appalachian Regional Hospital, where she studied and passed the examination for national certified operating room and surgical technicians, and whereas with these credentials, Miss Emma worked alongside and assisted surgeons, nurses, and other members of the health care team during surgical operations. During her tenure, many surgeons would not operate if she was not scheduled to assist them. She also participated in training residents from the University of Kentucky and the operating room. Miss Emma worked at ARH until she retired in 1979 after refusing to cross the picket lines, where the hospital food service and sanitation workers were on strike. And whereas Miss Emma was a very active member of the Lynch community and secular social and religious areas. She was the worthy matron for the Order of the Eastern Star, an active member of the Red Red Hatters, and the Embinaries, a cultural club that provided community services, such as making dinner for those who were not able to do for themselves and other events, and whereas Ms. Emma was also a committed member of the Eastern Kentucky Social Club, founded in 1969 by families of black coal miners, and may be the longest-running African American organization of its kind dedicated to social purposes and whereas for many years you could find Miss Emma in the kitchen of the club on Friday and Saturday nights, frying chicken to be sold as sandwiches to raise money for the EKSC Scholarship Fund and whereas Miss Emma was a lifelong member of the Good Temple African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, where she served as assistant superintendent of the Sunday school, member of the trustee board where she was the secretary, head of fundraising, and in many other leadership roles. In fact, her daughters used to tease her that she was practicing medicine slash nursing without a license. She was known in the community for her healing hands and thus was always being requested because she was kind, compassionate, knew what she was doing, and provided services at no cost, and whereas in 2014, Miss Emma relocated to Nashville to be closer to family. She joined Clack United Medicase Church, where she actively participated, working with the Meals on Wheels Ministry, United Women of Faith, the Hospitality Ministry, and always volunteered when the church needed something. And whereas Miss Emma is the last surviving sibling in a family, however, she's surrounded by by law from my two daughters, two devoted son-in-loves, five grandchildren, nine great grandchildren, a host of nieces and nephews, and many friends. And now, therefore, I Zofasora Council member at large of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County and the other signed council members of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, do hereby recognize and celebrate Miss Emma Smith and congratulate her upon this joyous occasion of our 100th birthday and extend our very best wishes for continued earth and happiness. Yes. Happy birthday. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, Miss Emma. Happy birthday to you. Can we get a picture? All right, let's do a picture.
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