Human Rights Day Celebration to be Held at First Amendment Center

The Tennessee Celebration of Human Rights Day on December 10^th in Nashville, Tennessee will be held at the First Amendment Center.

Tennesseans are excitedly making plans to attend the celebration of Human Rights Day at the First Amendment Center, after a recent announcement that the event would take place there. This event commemorates the ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations, originally signed in 1948. “The First Amendment Center is the ideal place to have this event due to its nature and legacy,” says Rev. Brian Fesler who chairs the planning committee and pastors the Church of Scientology.  

Founded by John Seigenthaler, the First Amendment Center is an operating program of the Freedom Forum and is associated with the Newseum and the Diversity Institute. The center has offices in the John Seigenthaler Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. The center’s programs provide education and information to the public, including educators, government policy makers, legal experts and students, according to firstamendmentcenter.org.

The Human Rights Day celebration in Tennessee centers around the Human Rights Lifetime Achievement awards, the Rising Advocate Awards, and new to this year’s program: Outstanding Human Rights Service awards. In 2008, John Seigenthaler was a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award. Fesler says the committee plans to pay special tribute to Mr. Seigenthaler who passed away in July of this year.

Last year, three lifetime advocates received awards for their work, including the Rev. James "Tex" Thomas, pastor of Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church; Elliott Ozment, the founder and managing attorney at Ozment Law; and Carrie Gentry, who was active during the civil rights movement in Nashville. Rising Advocate awards were given to Gatluak Thach with the Nashville International Center for Empowerment and Stephanie Teatro with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition. Fesler says that the committee is reviewing nominations for this year’s awardees but would not yet reveal any names.

For more information or to register for the event, visit nashvillehumanrights.org.  

Drug-Free South Wants You to Wear the Red Ribbon

To protect youth from the disastrous effects of abusing drugs, the Drug-Free South team is bringing the truth directly to students and the community in honor of Red Ribbon Week.

Red Ribbon Week begins today. This week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country, according to imdrugfree.com. Red Ribbon Week occurs during the last week of October each year and is a time to educate young people and help prevent drug abuse.

Drug-Free South has participated in the campaign since 2009 by distributing copies of The Truth About Drugs booklets, which help young people understand what drugs are and how they affect the user, visiting school classrooms to deliver a seminar to students utilizing the documentary The Truth About Drugs: Real People, Real Stories, and getting the Drug-Free World public service announcements played on television.

This year, Drug-Free South volunteers have lined up a series of events to commemorate Red Ribbon Week. “Our volunteers will be all across Tennessee and will see thousands of people,” says Brian Fesler, regional coordinator for the Drug-Free South, “This is shaping up to be a fun, fast-paced week where we can really reach everyone and help them understand the truth about drugs.”

Drug-Free South has provided seminars to students in over thirty counties in Tennessee, but Fesler says the group won’t stop until drugs are no longer an issue. “We are reaching young people before drugs become a problem in their lives,” he says

The Red Ribbon Campaign was started when drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered DEA agent Kiki Camarena in 1985. This began the continuing tradition of displaying Red Ribbons as a symbol of intolerance towards the use of drugs. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a Drug-Free America, according to redribbon.org.

Drug-Free South is the Tennessee chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, an international non-profit organization. Its materials demonstrate the dangers of drugs through factual information and interviews with former addicts giving personal perspectives on each of the substances covered.  For more information, visit drugfreesouth.org. 

Artlightenment Prepares 6th Annual Festival

November draws ever nearer and with the Artlightenment festival ready to roll in the second week, much excitement lies ahead for Nashville’s art community.

Artlightenment, now in its 6^th consecutive year, is boasting local talent from painters to sculptors, screenwriters to fashionistas. The festival will showcase underwater photographer Christy Lee Rogers, actress and filmmaker Carla Christina Contreras, celebrity photographer Raeanne Rubenstein, screenwriter Annie Kananack, and fashion designer Elisabeth Donaldson of Monarch Clothing. Each is bringing a unique element to the show and will deliver a special presentation during the festival.

Underwater photographer Christy Lee Rogers will deliver a seminar prior to the show titled “Making a Career as an Artist,” on Nov 13. Rogers’ work has been described as, “…undeniably contemporary yet also timeless,” by writer Duncan Beebe for Eyemazing Magazine.  Rogers’ seminar will be followed by Carla Christina Contreras with her seminar “Secrets to a Long and Successful Acting Career.” Contreras was born and raised in Hollywood and has been acting since the age of three.

On Nov 14, celebrity photographer Raeanne Rubenstein will deliver a talk on “The Funny Side of Art and Film,” which echoes the central theme of the 2014 Artlightenment showcase.  Rubenstein has worked with some of the biggest names in movies, music and pop culture such as Andy Warhol, French director Francois Truffaut and iconic singers Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison, among others.

Screenwriter Annie Kananack will deliver the workshop “From Screenplay to Big Screen,” on Nov 15 to encourage future screenwriters. Kananack says, “I am most alive and fulfilled when I’m writing,” and takes her inspiration from the films of the 30s and 40s which are very character driven.

The seminars have been an integral part of the festival since its inception, where successful artists pass on their knowledge to others.  Robyn Morshead is founder of the annual art show. An artist and filmmaker herself, she gears the event toward the advancement of every artist and filmmaker who participates or attends.

The festival will take place Nov 13 - 15 at the Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Nashville, 1130 8th Ave S, and all are welcome. For more information, visit artlightenment.com.

Religion Communicators Council Hears About Health, Disaster and Faith

The Religion Communicators Council meets each month to hear about a topic of interest. In October, the Nashville Chapter heard from the Tennessee Department of Health on faith and disaster preparedness.

Faith is not always front and center in today’s world. It is a mission of the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) to promote the good news of people of faith through communications work. The Nashville chapter does this by providing meetings once a month to learn about new ways to improve religious communications or hear about topics of interest. For the October meeting, members heard from Dr. Michele Gourley, Director of Faith-Based Initiatives for the Tennessee Department of Health as well as two of her staff who spoke to disaster preparedness.

This wasn’t the first time Dr. Gourley has reached out to the RCC. In 2012, she came as a special guest to talk about her position and what it means to faith groups in the state. Her position had just been re-introduced at that time.   

“We are excited that Dr. Gourley was able to speak with us again,” says Rev. Brian Fesler, President of the Nashville RCC chapter and pastor of the Church of Scientology, “She brings faith and health together, and hearing from her is always a treat.”

Prior to serving in this role, Dr. Gourley worked for the state of Tennessee in the Division of Health Planning, where she helped write and oversee the 2010 and 2011 State Health Plans. She obtained her medical degree and Masters of Public Health degree from East Tennessee State University with an emphasis on rural primary care and community health.  She has also completed studies in wellness coaching, trauma and resilience and health impact assessments.

Dr. Gourley has spent the majority of her life as a part of faith communities in Middle and East Tennessee, has served as part of faith-based medical and public health projects in Central America and has participated in ecumenical faith communities in the Middle East and Europe.  In 2010, she was selected as a participant in Duke Divinity School’s Center for Reconciliation’s Summer Institute, where she focused on the role of food as it pertains to faith and reconciliation.

During the meeting, Dr. Gourley discussed the importance of being prepared in case of a disease epidemic in the community, such as Ebola, as well as having Points of Dispensing Clinics (PODs) set up well in advance so communities have a location to turn to in case of an outbreak of this nature. She encouraged congregations to set these up and also to visit the state department of health website to learn more.  

For more information about the RCC or their next meeting, visit www.religioncommunicators.org.

Planning Committee for Human Rights Day Celebration Seeks Nominations for Awardees

The Tennessee Celebration of Human Rights Day will be December 10^th from 4-6pm in Nashville, Tennessee. The planning committee has just published a request for nominations for the lifetime achievement and rising advocate awards.

Tennesseans are planning to gather on December 10^th to celebrate the ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations, originally signed in 1948. “Human Rights Day gives the community a chance to focus on basic human rights, applicable to everyone,” says planning committee chair Rev. Brian Fesler, pastor of the Church of Scientology of Nashville.

The celebration centers around the Human Rights Lifetime Achievement awards and the Rising Advocate Award.  Last year three lifetime advocates received awards for their work, including the Rev. James "Tex" Thomas, pastor of Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church; Elliott Ozment, the founder and managing attorney at Ozment Law; and Carrie Gentry, who was active during the civil rights movement in Nashville. Rising Advocate awards were given to Gatluak Thach with the Nashville International Center for Empowerment and Stephanie Teatro with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.

Fesler says that the committee has just opened the floor for nominations for this year’s awardees. Prospective names can be submitted at nashvillehumanrights.org under the tab for nominations.

The event will also have a keynote speaker, various exhibits from human rights organizations, and student artwork depicting the various human rights on display. All information regarding the event can be found at the website nashvillehumanrights.org, and Fesler encouraged anyone interested to visit the website to find out how to get involved. 

Drug-Free South Reaches Out with the Truth About Drugs

To protect youth from the disastrous effects of abusing drugs, the Drug-Free South team is bringing the truth directly to students and the community across Tennessee.

Drug-Free South, the Tennessee chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, is intensifying its efforts to bring the Truth About Drugs to youth and adults alike.

Since 2009, the Drug-Free South Initiative has participated in festivals, been out on the streets, and gone to schools to spread its message as far and wide as possible. Brian Fesler coordinates the Tennessee campaign and says, “we’ve been from Lauderdale county to Johnson county and many more in between, but the point is we need to get this information into students’ hands before dealers get to them.”

Fesler said the Drug-Free South works with many organizations across Tennessee in its mission. “Drug problems cross all racial, religious and economic lines. There are a lot of government agencies and non-profits working hard on this issue, and we’ll work with anyone who has a heart and wants to help kids,” he says. “The message is ‘get the truth,’ ‘get the facts.’ We want to arm them with knowledge before someone makes them decide.”

The organization is planning a series of events at the end of October and early November, but representatives say they will gladly add to their calendar. “The more we do each and every day, the better off our kids will be. We are giving them a chance to choose a good, healthy life. That’s why we do what we are doing,” says Fesler.  

Drug-Free South is the Tennessee chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, an international non-profit organization. Its materials demonstrate the dangers of drugs through factual information, and interviews with former addicts giving personal perspectives on each of the substances covered.  For more information, visit drugfreesouth.org.

Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Nashville Displays Fine Art by Stephen Hackley

Artwork by Stephen Hackley will be on display at the Nashville Church of Scientology during November and early December.

The Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Nashville has a primary mission to support the artists in society. This includes musicians, photographers, fine artists, filmmakers—anyone creative, trying to produce something aesthetic. The reason behind this is simple: L. Ron Hubbard who founded Scientology said, “A culture is only as great as its dreams, and its dreams are dreamed by artists.” The Church carries this forward today by hosting a number of events to drive forward the dreams of artists, and thereby uplift the culture.

In alignment with this mission, the church will be hosting artwork by fine artist Stephen Hackley during the month of November. Hackley, who paints in oil on canvas, says, “I am inspired by beauty… I love to paint to music. To me music and painting are way, way up there in the world of aesthetics. Both are communication carriers that surpass words.” 

Hackley has been recognized time and again as one of the top floral artists of the world and many know him as “the flower painter.” His artwork was chosen twice by the Blossom Art Competition, hosted by the Susan Kathleen Black Foundation as one of the fifty pieces to tour top museums in America for two years. In September of 2007, Hackley was recognized by the Mayor of Richardson, TX, as one of the world’s top floral artists with a proclamation from the city which read, in part, “Stephen’s unique floral paintings extend beyond the canvas. His use of intense color and flowing lines have become a form of spiritual communication as people are drawn emotionally and soulfully into his pieces.” That same year, he was recognized by the governor of Texas, Rick Perry, for being a finalist in the Blossom Art Competition.

Hackley describes his work as, “I produce floral works on canvas and also on wood using a monochromatic under-painting followed by layers of colored glazes, which allow the under-painting to come through, thereby creating a noticeable depth to the work… My works tend to be larger than life pieces, enhanced by dramatic lighting and intense color, giving a new viewpoint or perspective to the viewer.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to bring this fine painter to exhibit his artwork in our church,” says church president Corinne Sullivan.

Stephen Hackley’s artwork will be displayed during the month of November and early December at the Church of Scientology, 1130 8^th Avenue South. For more information on Stephen Hackley, visit stephenhackley.org. For more information on Scientology, visit scientology-ccnashville.org.

Drug-Free South Honors the Red Ribbon

“Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country,” according to imdrugfree.com. Red Ribbon Week occurs during the last week of October each year and is a time to educate young people and help prevent drug abuse. The Red Ribbon Campaign was started when drug traffickers in Mexico City murdered DEA agent Kiki Camarena in 1985. This began the continuing tradition of displaying Red Ribbons as a symbol of intolerance towards the use of drugs. The mission of the Red Ribbon Campaign is to present a unified and visible commitment towards the creation of a Drug-Free America, according to redribbon.org.

Drug-Free South has participated in the campaign since 2009 by distributing copies of The Truth About Drugs booklets, which help young people understand what drugs are and how they affect the user, visiting school classrooms to deliver a seminar to students utilizing the documentary The Truth About Drugs: Real People, Real Stories, and getting the Drug-Free World public service announcements played on television.

This year Drug-Free South volunteers have lined up a series of events to commemorate Red Ribbon Week. “We are visiting Benton County, Crockett County, Rutherford, Jefferson and Campbell County and will see thousands of people. This is going to be a fun, fast-paced week where we hope to really reach people with this information on the truth about drugs,” says Brian Fesler, regional coordinator for the Drug-Free South.

Drug-Free South has provided seminars to students in over thirty counties in Tennessee. One school which received a lecture was Smyrna West Alternative where a teacher expressed his gratitude by writing a letter to the volunteers.  He noted the program “is a highly informative, mind-grasping look at the dangers and horrible realities that addiction creates.  Just say no is not just a cliché or a challenge for teens to try drugs after this program; it becomes a hard-hitting, in-your-face demand that has real meaning and power.”

Drug-Free South is the Tennessee chapter of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, an international non-profit organization. Its materials demonstrate the dangers of drugs through factual information and interviews with former addicts giving personal perspectives on each of the substances covered.  For more information, visit drugfreesouth.org. 

Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Nashville Has Mission to Help Artists

The Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre Nashville works tirelessly to uplift the culture in Music City by helping artists and other leaders. “Our mission is to elevate the artists, athletes, business and government leaders, as they are the ones who will drive the culture forward,” says President of the church, Corinne Sullivan.

Since 2009, the Church has hosted seminars by successful artists for up-and-coming artists to help them in how they approach their career and life. These seminars have been a public service to the community and have helped many artists in Nashville and surrounding areas feel more competent and ready to take off in their careers. 

One such seminar was held this past weekend with guest David Carus, who delivered a seminar called “You Can Be an Artist.” The seminar gave insightful information on how to make a career out of one’s passion.

Carus is author of the book Super Artist – How to Take Flight as a Creator and during his seminar spoke to ways attendees can overcome obstacles in the way of artistic careers.

The Church of Scientology, located at 1130 8^th Avenue South, has scheduled a series of seminars with celebrity musicians and visual artists to assist the blossoming talent in Nashville over the next few months. For more information on upcoming events at the Church, visit the website scientology-ccnashville.org or call 615-687-4600.  

Artlightenment 2014 to Showcase Monarch Design

The annual Artlightenment festival which occurs every November at the Church of Scientology & Celebrity Centre Nashville is set to close with a fashion show by Monarch Clothing.

“My life has always been filled with creativity and inspiration,” says Elisabeth Donaldson who founded Monarch Clothing.  Donaldson is organizing a fashion show which is set to conclude the annual Artlightenment festival this year.

Artlightenment is an art show and film festival that has occurred each year since 2009. This will be the third year that Monarch Clothing has had a fashion show in the festival.

According to the Monarch Clothing website, the style is described as, “…modern Bohemian chic with a dash of Steampunk, a bit of retro vintage and a ton of fun.” Donaldson took the name Monarch from the Monarch butterfly, she grew up on Monarch Lane, but mainly wanted the name because of the implication of royalty and power. “…I am really behind the idea of creating expressive pieces of clothing that allow an individual to tap into that inner power of some long gone or long denied ruler-ship,” she says.

Shortly after the inception of Monarch in 2012, Donaldson was voted one of Nashville's top designers of the year in the RAW artist showcase and was a featured designer at Knoxville Fashion Week.

“Ultimately, for me, Monarch is beyond clothing. It’s a way of thinking – it’s the mindset of supporting the power of artists and everything that that represents.”

The fashion show with designs by Elisabeth Donaldson of Monarch Clothing will take place at 8:30pm on Saturday, Nov 15^th and is free and open to the public. For more information about the Artlightenment festival, visit artlightenment.com.  For more information about Monarch Clothing, visit thequeenhaswings.wordpress.com. 

Human Rights Day Celebration in Tennessee Set for December 10

Each year, Tennesseans gather to celebrate the ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations on Dec 10, originally signed in 1948.

“Human Rights Day means acknowledging the leaders of the past while encouraging others to take up the torch for the future,” says planning committee chair Rev. Brian Fesler, pastor of the Church of Scientology.

The celebration centers around the Human Rights Lifetime Achievement awards and the Rising Advocate Award.  Last year three lifetime advocates received awards for their work, including the Rev. James "Tex" Thomas, pastor of Jefferson Street Missionary Baptist Church; Elliot Ozment, the founder and managing attorney at Ozment Law; and Carrie Gentry, who was active during the civil rights movement in Nashville. Rising Advocate awards were given to Gatluak Thach with the Nashville International Center for Empowerment and Stephanie Teatro with the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.

The committee plans to feature many different human rights organizations, especially the Tennessee governmental and non-profit agencies that have commitments to the thirty rights as laid out in the UDHR. Organizations who wish to participate in the planning may contact the organizer through www.nashvillehumanrights.org.