🏈 Titans leak (possible) new logo

🎧 The Tiny Nonprofit That Fed Thousands During Nashville’s Storm

As Metro officials scrambled to enact a response plan in the wake of Winter Storm Fern, The ReMIX Way snapped into action, delivering tens of thousands of meals, stocking alternative shelter locations with food, and ensuring Spanish-speaking residents were informed. Organizers Cathy Carrillo and Kelly Chieng share why they stepped up, what they learned, and where our government needs to improve before the next storm hits. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

🛣️ New TDOT Choice Lanes Could Displace Nashvillians

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has released maps showing where they will be expanding I-24 for “Choice Lanes,” paid toll lanes NDOT says could ease traffic congestion. The maps mark several homes and businesses — including the just-opened Pan-Asia Supermarket — as properties to be “relocated.” Leaders are asking the state to work with local council members to find alternatives. TDOT is hosting three public hearings in the first week of March to gather input. [WKRN]

📣 Public Outcry Delays Controversial Buchanan Overlay

The proposed Buchanan Street commercial overlay in North Nashville was delayed last month after residents expressed concerns that it would unfairly impact Black-owned businesses, which sparked debate over gentrification’s role in the historic neighborhood’s future. The Metro Planning Commission will review the controversial legislation again on Feb. 26 before it returns to Metro Council for a second reading on March 3. [Nashville Scene]

🏪 Acme Building Threatened by Property Tax Hike

Nashville’s historic Acme Feed and Seed is at risk of closing due to a massive property tax increase — an increase of nearly half a million dollars per year. Owner Tom Morales, who has helped preserve other Nashville landmarks, warns that the restaurant will close unless the city steps in with tax relief, adding that Mayor Freddie O’Connell has yet to respond to his request for a meeting. [WZTV]

While Lunar New Year is often associated with East and Southeast Asia, it’s also deeply meaningful in Middle Tennessee, where Asian American communities continue to grow, thrive, and shape the cultural fabric of our region.

Chinese immigrants first arrived in Nashville in the late 1870s, with a documented community established by 1878. Early businesses like Shing Lee Laundry and Wah Lee Laundry operated on what was then Cedar and North Cherry Streets — present-day Fourth Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Their presence laid the groundwork for generations to come.

My Lunar New Year Story

Growing up in a Vietnamese household, we celebrated Tết every year. Tết Nguyên Đán marks the arrival of spring and is the most important holiday in Vietnamese culture. It’s a time to honor our ancestors, gather with family, reflect on the past year, and set intentions for the year ahead. From receiving lì xì — lucky money tucked inside red envelopes — from elders, to wearing new clothes and sharing traditional meals, this season was always about connection. I cherished the bonding with my parents, siblings, and our wider Vietnamese community. Tết made me proud to be Vietnamese and grounded me in my heritage. 

One of my favorite traditions is eating bánh tét, a log-shaped savory cake wrapped in green banana leaves and filled with glutinous rice, mung beans, and pork belly. Its cylindrical shape symbolizes the sky and the yang principle. You might also see its square counterpart, bánh chưng, made with the same ingredients but representing the Earth and the yin principle. Together, these dishes reflect harmony and balance — values deeply woven into Lunar New Year traditions. Around town, you can often find them at Asian supermarkets like Chợ Á Đông, though you’ll want to shop early. They sell out quickly.

When I moved to Nashville in 2009 to work at the Consulate-General of Japan, I didn’t see many visible Asian Pacific Islander community members, despite our longstanding roots here. Today, our community is larger, more organized, and more vocal — particularly among younger generations. Even as we confront anti-Asian hate and persistent stereotypes, we are building power, deepening cultural pride, and showing up boldly across civic, nonprofit, and business spaces. The recent openings of ELEVEN11 on Dickerson Pike and Pan-Asia Supermarket in Chinatown are proof that Asian-owned businesses — local and national alike — believe in Nashville and are investing in its future.

Chúc mừng năm mới. Gong hei fat choy. Saehae bok mani badeuseyo. Happy Lunar New Year.