Like most people, seeing the events of the past weekend during the “I Will Breathe” Rally was a call-to-arms. While the chaotic events of the evening warrant their own discussion, it’s undeniable that the peaceful events of the rally itself (and the impetus behind it) should be at the front of mind for everyone. Violence against people of color and all minorities of race, creed and color is unacceptable. This isn’t an obvious statement that only applies to post-rally thinking but should be ever-present for us all.

Knowing what to do about the perpetrated police violence in our community or any other is an incredibly difficult question to resolve. Voting can certainly help to put the right people in power but is an incredibly slow process; often taking literal generations to see meaningful change. Rioting is an understandable act of frustration to ensure the maligned voices are heard; though unsustainable over time. So, how do we support our minority communities through this crisis and see meaningful change?

In the short term, it seems the best tools at our disposal are Education, Understanding and Empathy. As a white male, my privilege is likely beyond my comprehension. Reading articles on The 1963 Civil Rights Movement in Nashville can provide historical context on these longstanding difficulties; as this is not a recent development. Taking time to sit with pieces on what the Black Experience is truly like will open your eyes up to better empathizing with the frustrations of daily life. And, finally, reading through proposals like The Nashville’s People’s Budget Coalition can help shine a light on understanding where the system is failing and how we can all work to reconfigure the faulty mechanisms. Willful ignorance can no longer be allowed.

As a podcast network that trades in entertainment and local music coverage, hopefully this does not feel like grandstanding. As we have said many times, the We in We Own This Town is meant to be representative of everyone. We may exist largely to provide an outlet of entertainment and levity but we seek to lift all voices and be as inclusive as possible. This isn’t possible without understanding the plights of the marginalized and doing something to help course correct; even if it’s just own behaviors.

Look to The Scene, Gideon’s Army, Black Lives Matter Nashville, the aforementioned Nashville People’s Budget and all of the organizations associated with them to assist. Give money when and where you can. Volunteer for support. Listen. I am striving to improve on all of these areas myself and hope that you will, too. For the sake of bettering communities everywhere, it’s time to proactively be involved, whenever and however you can.

See you out there.

Don’t be alarmed by the mass of people shown in the above image! That pic was taken on New Year’s Eve at ACME during the festivities DJ’ed by RATE and Coach; a testament to the throngs of folks that would come out each and every time they put on a party. In fact, Coach (aka Jeremy Todd) has been DJ’ing parties for a solid decade around Nashville. If you’ve ever heard of the ACME Rooftop parties, any Whiskey Disco event, Y2K, Recognize, Schwing, The Lost Ones or Do Not Disturb, you’re aware of Coach, even if you didn’t know it. So, when the self-quarantine rules set in, what’s a DJ to do?

In Coach’s case, he decided to challenge himself to keep the party going. Sure, he’d be responsible and sensible by keeping his personal distance from actual gatherings but that’s a distinctly separate issue from bringing music to the masses. As of this posting, for the past 71 days, Coach has been churning out what he calls Detention Mixes; themed compilations of upbeat jams to keep you entertained and joyful while you’re stuck at home.

Making a Spotify playlist during quarantine may not seem like a novel undertaking but Coach’s decade of experience results in mixes that aren’t simply a bunch of songs jammed together; they ebb and flow, they seamlessly tie genres together and they dig deeper than just your standard Top 40 Pop songs. You can travel over to his Spotify profile, check his public playlists and click any of the offerings there to lead yourself to a proper audible treat.

Not one to stagnant with his own self-laid plans, Coach has also recently taken up collaborating with others to spice up the diversity of his playlists. Notable musicians, other DJs and music aficionados of all sorts have joined him in his quest to keep the masses moving. Natalie Prass, QDP’s LT, Keegan DeWitt, Jon Burr, Trevor Risk, Skylar Wilson and Ian Fitchuk are just a few of the names you may recognize. It’s a veritable goldmine in there.

All that said, we’d be a little remiss not to toot our own horn a little bit as well. Coach reached out to collab with us on a mix comprised entirely of local music; a challenge that sounded right up our alley. Enjoy the results of that undertaking in the embed below:

While restrictions on gatherings are starting to loosen up, there really isn’t a set date for when we’ll all be able to gather in a sweaty enclosure that is the bread and butter of a Coach live event. With that in mind, Coach is dedicated to continuing the flow of new mixes – every single day. If you played them all back-to-back right now, you’d have roughly six days of continuous music to hear. Not only is that a lot of entertainment, it’s a lot of music education. There’s no way you’re going to know every single song being played and that ignorance can serve as a conduit to discovering a new favorite. Coach may have put himself in Detention but he’s schooling us all with the resulting efforts.. a welcome reprieve we thank him for.