There’s a poster in the This Is Nashville studio that says “Our City, Our Stories.” And today it could say “Nuestra ciudad, nuestra historias.”

Eleven percent of Nashvillians identify as Hispanic or having Hispanic heritage and today we're spending the hour with some of our Spanish-speaking neighbors: a coffee shop owner who can be found some days passing out free sweet bread to drivers stuck in traffic, a community health worker who brings care to people who need it most and a business leader who helps Hispanic entrepreneurs plug into the city’s power circles. Esto es Nashville.

You can also join us live on YouTube to get the visual show experience and share your thoughts.

This episode was produced by Josh Deepan. 

Guests

In My Place is a series that educates listeners on what communities like Nashville can do to prevent and end homelessness — while caring for our neighbors who are still unhoused.

In our last episode, we celebrated getting those keys!

In this episode, we’re talking about the difficulties of having a home.

It’s easy for those of us who have never been homeless to celebrate someone getting housed, breathe a sigh of relief, and then stare in disbelief when things don’t go smoothly. Today, we sit down with those who have gone through the housing process to talk about barriers that remain — and unexpected issues that may arise after people move into permanent housing.

This series was created thanks in part to support from Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and was produced by Judith Tackett.

Guests:

Further listening:

Fred Bailey didn’t just defy the odds. He didn’t see his circumstances as a deck stacked against him. In fact, he couldn’t see at all, which was one of the challenges you’d expect to hold someone back. "You’re Black, blind, and poor," his father told him, adding that hard work was going to be the only way out. 

And he lived it out. 

In this profile interview, Bailey talks about his memoir, his career and his nonprofits that help at-risk youth in Gallatin.

More on Fred Bailey: 

It’s Thursday and time for another episode of The Roundabout – the "Nashville Nice" edition

"Nashville Nice" is a unique flavor of Southern hospitality and friendliness. And since we last took a look three years ago, a lot more than the skyline has changed. Today we wonder, as more transplants move in and Lower Broad leans into its "party city" reputation, are cracks starting to appear in our collective civility? Are we in danger of losing the very things that made Nashville Nice possible? And is "Nashville Nice" enough for you to stay?

And The Roundabout also welcomes your voice. Give us a call at 615-760-2000 to weigh in — or join us live streaming on YouTube at noon and pop your question into chat.

This episode was produced by Mary Mancini.

Guests:

Let’s discuss the dreaded G-word – geriatrics – and clear up common misconceptions about that medical specialty and why it’s important for healthy aging.

For many, it conjures images of decline, disease, and – well – dying. But what if we take the view that geriatricians are experts in body and mind maintenance for late-model humans? That’s the focus of this episode of our monthly series, NEXT AGE, where we’re reframing aging.

The goal of modern geriatrics is to help our health span match our lifespan as more of us are living longer. We hear from experts in the care and maintenance of our aging bodies and learn why more people are actively seeking geriatric care early in their latter years.

There’s a growing effort to recruit and train more professionals in geriatrics and increase all of our appreciation and access to these specialists.

Our show is made possible, in part, by BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and our series on aging is made possible by a grant from The West End Home Foundation — enriching the lives of older adults though grantmaking, advocacy and community collaboration.

This episode was produced by LaTonya Turner.

Guests:

Running a small business is tough — especially if you’re in a city like Nashville where commercial lease rates are increasing significantly.

Today, we’re tallying the cost of doing business in Middle Tennessee. Joining us are small business owners, subject matter experts, and property developers to enlighten us on how small businesses are adapting to the changing economic landscape.

You can also join us live on YouTube to get the visual show experience and share your thoughts.

This episode was produced by Josh Deepan.

Guests

When people in Nashville have nowhere else to go, they find our guest this hour.

We’re getting to know the story of Joy Flores, the vice president of ministries at the Nashville Rescue Mission. Her journey includes time working in foster care, years on Skid Row in Los Angeles, and losing her own brother to the perils that accompany homelessness. It’s a career that has shaped her whole-person philosophy of caring for anyone who is homeless, because usually they need a lot more than a place to lay their head. 

This episdoe was produced by Josh Deepan. 

Guest

• Joy Flores, Vice President of Ministry and Outreach, Nashville Rescue Mission

Freddie O’Connell is back for another round of “Ask the Mayor.”

Today we have questions for him about a land swap deal for Dolly, massive gridlock at the airport, deploying the National Guard to cities around the country (is Nashville next?) and if public employees should lose their jobs for private speech. But there’s more to be asked and that's where you come in. Call in to ask Freddie your own question.

Plus, the phone lines will stay open for you to shout out your upcoming community event. Joining us to talk about the screening of their documentaries this weekend are Karla Murtha (The Gas Station Attendant) and Dr. Eiman Jahangir (Eiman Jahangir: Liftoff).

Call 615-760-2000 to ask Freddie or amplify your event — or pop your question into chat — we’re streaming live today at youtube.com/@wpln.

Guests

Maybe we didn’t know what we had until it left a theme park-size hole in Nashville’s heart. A documentary premiering at the Nashville Film Festival, called “A Circle Broken,” gives us a good excuse to reopen that wound and hear the story of Opryland like we’ve not heard before, a story about how perhaps Opryland saved the Grand Ole Opry itself. We’re talking to the characters who are keeping the memory alive and hearing your memories of Opryland USA.

This episode originally aired on July 22, 2025.

Guests:

Further reading:

Predatory lending practices are not new. Think salary buying and loan sharks of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

But the modern version was born in the 1990s right here in Tennessee. Sometimes called "payday loans," many who use the service are in a financial crisis and need quick cash — often leading to a trap of high interest debt. Today we speak with Tennessee Lookout reporter Adam Friedman, who along with ProPublica, uncovered the scale of this lending model, the hidden dangers of the latest version called the "Flex Loan," and the toll the practice has taken on Tennesseans.  

Note: We reached out to Advance Financial. A representative declined to come on the show. Anyone with issues related to Advance Financial, Harpeth Financial or another flex loan lender should call 615-270-6861 to share their experience.

This episode was produced by Mary Mancini.

Guests:

Adam Friedman, reporter, Tennessee Lookout
Erin Akery, senior manager, Nashville Financial Empowerment Center at United Way
Rep. Mike Sparks, Tennessee General Assembly, District 29, part of Rutherford County
Mike Stewart, former state representative; attorney

Further reading and listening: