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Race & Equity

This is where to find WPLN’s coverage of race and ethnicity, and of questions of equity relating to both. We strive to tell stories that reflect the diversity of Middle Tennessee, empower communities of color, and explain the systems that uphold inequitable power dynamics.

We as a newsroom are thinking deeply about what stories we choose to cover, who we talk to and about what, but we know we can always do better. Read more from our news director about the work we're doing and how to get in touch.

Quick links:

  • Sigue a Nashville Noticias, donde periodistas de WPLN comparten las noticias en español dos veces a la semana.
  • Listen to Breaking Points, a special series from summer 2020 that passes the mic to Black Nashvillians.
  • We're sharing our goals and progress with you on our WPLN News transparency page. Read our annual newsroom goals and how we're keeping track of source diversity.
  • Read our latest FCC quarterly report, which includes our source diversity numbers.
  • For coverage specifically on policing and criminal justice, please refer to our Criminal Justice topic page.

Mexican-American artist Louie the Singer has his own definition of country success

By jewly hight

June 6, 2025

Louie the Singer is dropping his first major label album with an unwavering sense of self-determination as a Mexican-American artist. “They say I ain’t country,” he sings, “but my people started this thing they call country.”

Filed Under: Arts, Culture & Music, Race & Equity, WPLN News Tagged With: Country Latin Association, country music, Louie The Singer, MCA Nashville

U.S. Republicans probe Nashville mayor, allege ‘chilling effect’ on ICE

By Marianna Bacallao

June 2, 2025

Two U.S congressional committees are looking into Nashville’s response to federal immigration activity.

Filed Under: Metro, Politics, Race & Equity, WPLN News Tagged With: Andy Ogles, Donald Trump, Freddie O'Connell, ICE, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Mark Green, raid, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition

ICE to pay Nashville ‘a lot of attention’ after mayor decries raids

By Marianna Bacallao

May 29, 2025

The Trump administration’s ‘border czar’ said congress has opened an investigation into O’Connell’s response — and implied an escalation in enforcement.

Filed Under: Metro, Politics, Race & Equity, WPLN News Tagged With: Donald Trump, Freddie O'Connell, ICE, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, raid, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition

Group cancels events surrounding Nashville SC game, cites immigration arrests

By Anne M. Peterson, AP

May 11, 2025

A supporters group for Nashville SC canceled game-day activities following recent ICE operations.

Filed Under: Race & Equity Tagged With: Immigration, Nashville SC, Soccer, Sports

‘My mom isn’t a criminal’: Nashville families search for loved ones detained by ICE

By Marianna Bacallao

May 8, 2025

Nashville families impacted by a series of ICE raids in the past few days still don’t have concrete answers on where their loved ones are.

Filed Under: Criminal Justice, Metro, Politics, Race & Equity, WPLN News Tagged With: 287(g), Freddie O'Connell, ICE, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, raid, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition

3 former Memphis officers acquitted in fatal beating of Tyre Nichols after he fled a traffic stop

By Adrian Sainz, AP

May 7, 2025

A jury took about 8 1/2 hours over two days to find Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley and Justin Smith not guilty on all charges after a trial in state court in Memphis.

Filed Under: Criminal Justice, Race & Equity, WPLN News Tagged With: Associated Press, memphis, police, police brutality, Tyre Nichols

Here’s how two Nashville teachers are supporting immigrant students amid worries about growing absenteeism

By Camellia Burris

May 6, 2025

Amid the Trump administration’s crackdown, two Nashville teachers say they have seen a rise in absences among their immigrant students and are working to support them.

Filed Under: Education, Race & Equity, WPLN News Tagged With: Elementary schools, high school, ICE, immigrant, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Metro Nashville Public Schools, public schools, school, schools

State and local officials clash over Nashville ICE raid

By Marianna Bacallao

May 5, 2025

Mayor Freddie O’Connell has decried the wide-scale arrests of South Nashville drivers Saturday night. But the office is limited in how it can respond.

Filed Under: Metro, Politics, Race & Equity, WPLN News Tagged With: 114th Tennessee General Assembly, 287(g), Bill Lee, Freddie O'Connell, ICE, Immigration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, raid, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, tnleg, tnpol

Feds charge alleged white supremacist over 2019 arson at Tennessee school that trained Rosa Parks

By Travis Loller, APandAaron Morrison, AP

May 3, 2025

A suspect whom authorities have linked to white supremacist movements has been arrested in the March 2019 fire that destroyed an office at a storied Tennessee social justice center. Regan Prater was arrested last Thursday and charged with one count of arson.

Filed Under: Criminal Justice, Race & Equity, WPLN News Tagged With: arson, Associated Press, John Lewis, Martin Luther King, MLK, white supremacy

Nashville’s in-depth affordable housing strategy is ready for public review

By Char Daston

April 30, 2025

construction tractors Nashville
Listen

The mayor’s plan is meant to address Nashville’s rapidly rising housing prices and rents, which are burdensome for low- and even middle-income residents.

Filed Under: Metro, Politics, Race & Equity, WPLN News Tagged With: affordable housing, Freddie O'Connell, Housing, Nashville mayor, Unified Housing Strategy

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