Defend Nashville

DEFEND NASHVILLE: A Five-Part Community Empowerment Initiative

 

In 2016, as Communication Coordinator for the Nashville Public Defender's Office, Sara Sharpe conceived of, designed, and implemented a multi-pronged campaign designed to educate the Nashville Community about the injustices plaguing our criminal justice system, and to bring about needed reform in Nashville and beyond. The aggressive campaign included a Speaking Tour, Listening Tour, Court Watch program, and Participatory Defense group. The campaign, replete with a new Nashville Defenders logo and re-branding effort, was predicated on the idea that any re-branding effort must be earned. To that end, the office instituted an internal communication effort in addition to the external one. That effort included bi-monthly Office Culture meetings, ongoing implicit bias training, the implementation of a Client Advisory Board (that we might receive guidance and feedback from our client community) and renewed focus on client-centered implementation.

 

Read about DEFEND NASHVILLE in the Nashville Scene HERE

 

Speaking Tour If your organization or congregation is interested in learning more about the criminal justice issues plaguing our nation and city, what the Public Defender's Office does, and what the Defend Nashville campaign entails, we would love to add you as a stop on our tour. Our Metro Public Defender, along with some of our other Nashville Defenders, will come speak to you all and answer any questions you may have.

 

Listening Tour: If there are members of your organization or congregation who have had experience with the criminal justice system and would like to share their experiences, concerns, or ideas with the Public Defender's Office, we would be honored to add you as a stop on our Listening Tour. Meaningful reform will never happen until we recognize that those who have suffered the most know best what needs to change. Our Metro Public Defender, along with some of our Nashville Defenders, will come to your community and invite members of the public to voice their concerns and share their ideas for change.

 

Court Watch: If you would like to see what happens in our courtrooms every day, we invite you to join our unique Court Watch program. Meet the Public Defender, sit in on actual court proceedings, and see our criminal justice system in action. One participant will be chosen to participate in a criminal justice "reality tour." This participant will be charged with an offense during the morning briefing, and will then meet with her or his attorney for an initial discussion (in front of the group). At the end of the day, (s)he will meet with her or his attorney to hear about options and make a decision. (Take the plea? Fight the charges?).

 

Participatory Defense: If you have a loved one who is facing criminal charges, we invite you to join in Participatory Defense. Participatory Defense is a community organizing model that helps people facing charges, their families, and their communities influence case outcomes and transform the landscape of power in the court system. Participatory Defense is a valuable opportunity to come together with other people impacted by the criminal justice system to share knowledge and resources and learn to navigate the system. It is also a reminder that YOU ARE NOT ALONE, and that fam ily and community involvement can dramatically change the outcome of the case of a loved one. If you are interested in Participatory Defense, please call 615-854-0982 or send an email to nashvillepartdef@siliconvalleydebug.org. Participatory Defense Meetings are held every Tuesday night at McGruder Family Resource Center (in partnership with Free Hearts). More info HERE.

 

Our Clients, Ourselves: The Our Clients, Ourselves initiative documents and collects the stories of the clients and staff of the Public Defender’s Office in order to humanize the people operating within the criminal justice and public defense systems. The goal of this initiative is to bridge the gaps in communication and understanding across the Nashville community. In February 2016, the Our Clients, Ourselves initiative released a brief documentary.