When most people think of Nashville, they think of country music, the Grand Ole Opry, and hot chicken. But hopefully in the near future, they will also think of Odessa Kelly. Odessa (she/her) is a working-class, openly gay Black woman and mom of 2 who devotes her time, energy, and resources to the social justice non-profit she founded and now leads, Stand Up Nashville! This former Division I women’s basketball player went into public service after graduation but soon discovered that even a full-time government job is no longer enough to make ends meet. This experience of living hand-to-mouth motivated Odessa to start her social justice work advocating for the working class, housing justice, and racial equity in her home city. Read on to learn more about the force of nature that is Odessa Kelly!

Where are you based?
Nashville, TN

What inspired you to get involved in activism and politics?
Honestly, It was desperation to save my own life and the lives of the people I loved...I had two college degrees, yet I was living check to check and in debt not because I was irresponsible with money, but because I chose to become a civil servant. I loved my job working for our city's Parks & Rec department, it allowed me to be in the communities I grew in which also happened to be the front line of poverty and inequality. Being severely underpaid coupled with the glaring inequality my community was battling everyday is what pushed me into the work I currently do.

In 2022 you ran for Congress in Nashville with the backing of Justice Democrats. How did you receive their endorsement, and why did you decide to run?
They have a nomination process that's open to the public for people to submit names of people in their communities who they would like to see hold office. Apparently a bunch of people in state and out of state submitted my name for several cycles, I declined the first time they (JD) approached me in 2020, but after the pandemic I was ready to step up and be an authentic representation of the progressive movement that is happening on the ground across America, especially in the south. We have been betrayed and/or co-opted by the majority of individuals who hold office and claim to share our values and that became glaringly clear to me when I observed how the squad represented my values and the values of most people in my city better than the person who was elected to represent us.

Tennessee is one of the most gerrymandered states in the U.S. at both the state and federal levels. How can Tennesseans demand more equitable representation in the state legislature and in Congress? What steps can bring Tennessee to adopt a fair and honest redistricting commission?
By organizing the rank and file in rural counties to vote for their needs. Expansion of the Supreme court (whenever AOC becomes President) and passing federal legislation like the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement bill.

You were a civil servant for 14 years before going into activism. What kind of work did you do there that informed your worldview?
I ran a community center that was connected to an elementary school in the most impoverished neighborhood in Nashville, I hung out with our senior population all day, collaborated with parents, teachers, cafeteria workers, and support aids to run a food bank, the best free after school program, and summer camp in the city. I watched brilliant, talented kids with big dreams get caught up or shut out of the American dream because of their zip code. Parents working 2 -3 jobs just to make ends meet with no ladder to climb out of the hole that they were systemically shoved into. I was hired to provide recreation but my job became me providing the space and resources for recreation, education, self determination and dignity, and restoration when needed. All of these things made me hate the way my community was portrayed, exploited by everyone from politicians to church groups, and how America has an unspoken caste system that allows America's working class to be exploited across race and economic status.

You are the executive director of Stand Up Nashville. What kind of work does this group do and how did you come to lead it?
We address racial and social justice through an economic lens. We believe that if people are engaged in government, and the government is responsive to the needs of people, we can create a better city for everyone. We currently are focused on the most dire needs of the working class that can be mitigated with better allocation of our public tax dollars...housing, public transit, good jobs, and childcare.

You have worked as the Economic Equity & Jobs task force chair at Nashville Organized for Action and Hope (NOAH). Can you tell us about what meaningful changes you brought to Nashville in this role?
I was a volunteer task force leader and the biggest accomplishments while with NOAH was getting the first female progressive mayor elected. Getting three ballot initiatives passed, a local hire bill, ban the box bill and inclusionary zoning.

You received the National Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Award for her work fighting for justice for working people, housing justice, and racial equity. Can you tell us a bit about this?
Yes, in 2018 we (Stand Up Nashville) passed the state's first ever community benefits agreement. It's a legally binding contract with the owners of Nashville's MLS club that would create almost 1000 units of affordable housing (30% being 3 bedroom units for larger families) in the urban core, a 4000 sq ft childcare facility on a sliding scale, a $15 min wage in a state that has the lowest min wage floor in the country, along with a bunch of other benefits that the community wanted.

The process to get this done took an entire year and I led the on the ground organizing across the city and the negotiations with the ownership. It's considered to be one of the strongest and most impactful CBA's in the country given all the concessions we were able to lock into the agreement. I think that's what garnered me national attention and being awarded the Legacy award, which I'm humbled to have. It was the first time in my life I'd been applauded for disrupting the wealth of the rich in an effort to uplift everyone else.

The housing crisis only seems to be getting worse across America. What are your thoughts on the issue and how this can be resolved?
Whew, Chile, tell me about it!!!! I'm nervous, I'm anxious, I'm pissed, and steadfast to stay the course. I despise the thievery that corporate America and the top 1 percent are allowed to get away with, they are destroying our democracy and the American dream. This can and will be resolved with solidarity of the working class across racial lines and flat out rebellion against all forms of oppression, power to the people!!! We (you included) are the resistance and must empower every person we encounter to be brave and part of the resistance as well. I know that sounds cliché but damnit it's true!

Do you have any other upcoming projects or efforts you are working on?
lol, yep somebody gotta lead the resistance and I'm here for it! No seriously, we are actively base building by ensuring our recently passed transit development encompasses and prioritizes the dire needs I mentioned prior. Go to our website and check out our active campaigns and read our SHIFT Nashville policy platform.

A lot of activists are saying that the left needs to take as much time as it needs to rest and reset after the win of Trump in November. Do you agree? How should progressives be handling the next four years?
Hmmmm, I'm not sure, some days I totally agree that we should be resting and other days I don't. I'm definitely tired and frustrated, and in need of some physical, emotional, and mental rest and healing. Yet, I'm also more pissed and fired up than ever to bring about the change we all desire. My son and daughter will inherit the world we leave them and I want them to know I did everything I possibly could to make it better which propels me to stay the course even though I should probably sit my ass down and chill out for a minute.

Progressives should be handling the groundwork and building trust and solidarity amongst the people over the next four years, then reclaim our government, and then become better global citizens and repair the harms we caused or allowed domestically and abroad.

It has been a crazy past few years, how do you stay positive?
I'm struggling to stay positive like everyone else, it's a real roller coaster. However, things that keep me from constantly being triggered are spending time with family and friends, laughing whenever I can, watching all of the Star Wars movies and spin offs ( I wish they would make 10 more movies and a season 2 of Boba Fett btw) , and watching my younger staff grow into amazing organizers and leaders.

What is your motto in life?
Embrace it all.

Where can we find out more about you?
IG follow me @odessakellyTN and @standupnashville or go to our website at standupnashville.org (and donate a couple dollars if you can)!

Odessa Kelly - A Force To Be Reckoned With