Latino voices to shine at Tennessean storytellers event

Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean
·2 min read

Yenín Miralda Echeverria will share her story as a champion for immigrant rights.

Ana Escobar will discuss her journey to general sessions court in Davidson County.

Together, Echeverria and Escobar will join a group of local storytellers at the first-ever Latino Tennessee Voices Live, scheduled for Oct. 13 at Plaza Mariachi in South Nashville.

Admission is $10, which includes refreshments and food during a pre-event reception before showtime at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.

"They're all going to be telling a very distinct story about their lives,” said David Plazas, the opinion and engagement editor for The Tennessean.

“But one theme that is common is that they'll be talking about how they found who they were, how they found their voice in different ways."

During the final week of Hispanic Heritage Month, the storytellers will share pivotal experiences from Argentina, Honduras, Columbia and Mexico.

Latino Tennessee Voices Storytellers 2022: (Clockwise from top left) Judge Ana Escobar, Fabian Bedne, Diana Perez, Miguel Vega and Yenin Miralda Echevarria
Latino Tennessee Voices Storytellers 2022: (Clockwise from top left) Judge Ana Escobar, Fabian Bedne, Diana Perez, Miguel Vega and Yenin Miralda Echevarria

Plazas hopes these Latino voices will bring more awareness to a growing culture and influence in not only in Middle Tennessee, but the state. After all, Tennessee’s Latino population has more than doubled since 2010.

Meanwhile, Plaza Mariachi has become a center for immigrant and Hispanic commerce in Nashville.

Also scheduled to appear:

∎ Fabián Bedne, originally from Argentina, was the first Latino immigrant member of the Metro Nashville Council.

∎ Diana Pérez, originally from Colombia, is a nonprofit leader at Conexión Américas and a Metro Arts commissioner.

∎ Miguel Vega, who was raised in Mexico, serves as a regional corporate governor for the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals.

Plazas curates the Tennessee Voices and Latino Tennessee Voices newsletters. Since March 2020, his Tennessee Voices video podcast has produced more than 300 episodes.

On Sept. 20, The Tennessean hosted a similar event: Black Tennessee Voices Live.

Reach reporter Craig Shoup by email at cshoup@gannett.com and on Twitter @Craig_Shoup. To support his work, sign up for a digital subscription to www.tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessean hosts Latino voices storyteller event