2023 Honorees
Nelle Blevins
Nelle Blevins, co-owner and designer at Manuel Zeitlin Architects (MZA), has earned widespread acclaim for her architectural designs, particularly her initiatives to rebuild the Germantown neighborhood while maintaining its historical integrity after the devastating tornado. Outside of her architectural work, Blevins designs jewelry and devotes her spare time to animal rescues. Nelle’s designated charity is Nashville Industry Fund.
Chakita Patterson
Chakita Patterson is the founder of United Street Tours, Nashville’s top cultural and historical walking tour, and she is respected by her peers for catalyzing positive change within communities. Her passion for preserving history and heritage is reflected through her work in providing anti-racism education to those who want to better understand the complexities of racism. Chakita’s designated charity is Boomin University / The Black Business Boom.
Terry Vo
Terry Vo serves as District 17 Metro Councilwoman and is an advocate and founder of API Middle TN. Her recognition stems from her unwavering dedication to fostering diverse communities of social change and connection. As co-founder of API Middle Tennessee, she actively pursues racial justice by advocating for the underrepresented and marginalized. Terry’s designated charity is API Middle TN.
2022 Honorees
Dr. Paquita Pullen
Dr. PaQuita Pullen is the founder of Ubuntu Counseling and Wellness, a mental health cooperative that supports all individuals, regardless of racial/ethnic identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or socioeconomic status. As a mental health provider, she has invested her professional career in bringing affordable and accessible mental health support to underserved populations often overlooked by traditional services. Dr. Pullen’s designated charity is Nurturing Black Minds.
Rhonda Cammon
Cocktail entrepreneur Rhonda Cammon is a 20-year nurse and hospitality veteran who founded Nashville-based cocktail mixer company Perfectly Cordial in 2019. Rhonda has a passion for people, hospitality, and libations and has pursued her passion via several successful ventures. She is the current Treasurer of the United States Bartender Guild (USBG) Nashville chapter and is the chapter’s first African American female board member. Rhonda’s designated charity is Buy from a Black Woman.
Angela Buckner
Angela Buckner founded DFH Services, a successful, woman-owned mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering firm. Founded in 2010, the firm has completed over 1200 substantial projects under Angela’s leadership, including Gaylord Opryland, Nashville Sounds park, Plaza Mariachi, Pinewood Social, Fat Bottom Brewery, and the Johnny Cash Museum. Angela’s designated charity is the Mt. Zion UMC Food Pantry.
2019 Honorees
Ciona ROUSE
Ciona Rouse is the author of Vantablack, published by Third Man Books (2017). Her poetry has appeared in The Account, Talking River, Gabby Journal, Matter: a journal of political poetry and commentary and other publications. She is poetry editor of Wordpeace; the curator of several reading series in Nashville, including the monthly Lyrical Brew at Barnes & Noble at Vanderbilt; and a teacher of poetry workshops at places like Whitsitt Elementary School and Sewanee Young Writers’ Conference. With poet Kendra DeColo, Rouse hosts the Third Man podcast Re/VERB. Last month, her collective work alongside poets Adia Victoria Caroline Randall Williams and Caroline Williams was featured on NPR.
Rasheedat Fetuga
Rasheedat Fetuga is a mother, teacher, mentor and activist; a visionary with a revolutionary style of leadership that transforms communities through self-empowerment, creativity, healing and love. She is the founder and CEO of Gideon’s Army, a grassroots children’s movement eliminating the root causes of the prison pipeline. Gideon's Army led the campaign for Restorative Justice in Metro Nashville Public Schools and brought about the juvenile diversion program for Davidson County Juvenile Courts. Rasheedat is a prolific speaker and trainer on youth issues, education, art as activism, social justice, transformative organizing and restorative justice.
Dr. Kimryn Rathmell, MD
Dr. Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, is the Cornelius Abernathy Craig Professor of Medicine, Director for the Division of Hematology and Oncology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Deputy Director for Integration and Training for the Vanderbilt Ingram Cancer Center. She is a medical oncologist with a clinical and research focus on the biology of renal cell carcinomas and rare tumors of the kidney, and holds a PhD in Biophysics. In her current leadership role at Vanderbilt, she has recruited over 30 new faculty members, and over 40 advanced practice providers. Under her direction, the division is achieving national recognition, with a dramatically increased portfolio of funded research.
2018 Honorees
INGRID McINTYRE
Reverend Ingrid McIntyre is the co-founder and Executive Director of Open Table Nashville. Open Table Nashville is an interfaith homeless outreach nonprofit founded in 2010 that disrupts cycles of poverty, journeys with the marginalized, and provides education about issues of homelessness. Thanks to Ingrid's visionary leadership, Open Table has led efforts to create twenty micro homes that will provide housing for homeless individuals in south Nashville. This innovative project, called The Village at Glencliff, received some pushback from community residents who did not want to see this housing in their neighborhood. Ingrid has remained a tireless advocate for the most vulnerable residents of Nashville, inspiring many with her courageous vision, compassionate heart, and innovative spirit as a leader in the city of Nashville.
KELLY TIPLER
Kelly has built her career and her personal life on helping others. Professionally, in 2001 she founded the Tennessee Respite Coalition, a statewide agency that provides respite for individuals who care for family members with disabilities. In 2011 she founded Turnip Green Creative Reuse (TGCR) - a nonprofit that diverts items from landfills and makes them available to teachers, artists, and the public for creative endeavors. TGCR also delivers educational programs in schools to promote recycling and reuse. TGCR delivers programs to thousands of adults and children every year and has diverted nearly 200 tons of waste from landfills. In her "day job" Kelly works for Metro Government as Metro Beautification Director. She is also co-founder of Pet Community Center, a nonprofit veterinary clinic that has reduced pet homelessness in Nashville by 50% through spay/neuter and preventive veterinary care. Kelly is also a dedicated patron and friend of visual, musical and theater arts.
BARBARA TOMS
Barbara's devotion to using Sweet Creations Pie Bakery to participate in the revitalization of historic Jefferson Street, her commitment to providing jobs for the community, and her recognition as a key minority- and woman-owned business leader are just part of who she is. She has assumed leadership roles in her community, as well as in her business, family, and church. In addition to being a lifelong learner, with a Master's degree in Divinity and a Juris Doctor degree, Barbara also helps to educate others through her participation in nonprofit undertakings to help with financial literacy, housing, and more. Sweet Creations is the only retail pie bakery in Nashville specializing in sweet pies and offers several varieties including fudge, pecan, bourbon pecan, chocolate chip pecan, sweet potato, apple, peach, jus’-like-chess, and cherry. Located on Historic Jefferson Street, Sweet Creations’ pecan pie was named one of America’s Best Pies by Travel+Leisure magazine in 2013.
2017 Honorees
Beverly Byrum
FNP: Nashville AIDS and sexual assault victims advocate
Tatia Rose
Founder, Rose Music Group—the Grammy Academy-supported music program for neurodivergent students
Kennetha Carr
Co-Founder, Amun-Ra Theater
2016 honorees
Sally Williams
General Manager, Ryman Auditorium
Leatrice McKissack
Founder, McKissack & McKissack Architecture
VALI FORRISTER
Founder, Act like a GRRRRRRL + Actors Bridge Theatre