Casa AzafránA Home for All

Casa Azafrán brings together Nashvillians from all walks of

life

On the evening of January 30, 2013, Latino men and women arrived at Casa Azafrán for an

entrepreneurship class in the Thinkubator; Nashvillians of all stripes walked through the main lobby toward Flatrock Hall for a free showing of the

documentary “La Camioneta” presented by Vanderbilt’s Center for Latin American Studies; and in the Global Education Center studio, a raucous Zumba class

was in progress.

In that moment, just two months

after Casa Azafrán opened, the staff of Conexión Américas knew the dream had just been realized: Casa Azafrán brought Nashvillians together.

And in the weeks to come, Casa Azafrán – at the gateway to Nashville’s international district -- would prove itself to be the

center it was designed to become: A home for all.

continued on page 2

CONNECT WITH US

2012 2013

annual report

“At Casa Azafrán's grand opening, the culturally interlaced Nashville of the future arrives early.”

Nashville Scene December 2012

continued from page 1

Casa Azafrán, a $5.5 million initiative of Conexión Américas,

offers:

✦ English as a Second Language classes

✦ Parent engagement

workshops

✦ Affordable commercial kitchen rental and incubator assistance for food entrepreneurs

✦ Music, arts, dance classes for adults and children

✦ Affordable event space for corporations, organizations and private individuals.

✦ Free bilingual counseling sessions for adults and children

✦ Global cooking classes

✦ Pop-up restaurants and

other food events

And, that is just in the first six

months.

As we entered the 2013-2014 fiscal year, the Unity Clinic, a primary care clinic operated by

United Neighborhood Health Services, which will see 25 patients a day, opened in October. Also, the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights

Coalition and the American Muslim Advisory Council moved into Casa Azafrán in the late summer of 2013, bringing the total number of resident

partners to 10. (**Please see Page 3 for the complete list of partners.)

CULTURALLY INTER-LACED NASHVILLE

When the center opened in December 2012, the Nashville Scene proclaimed “At Casa

Azafrán's grand opening, the culturally interlaced Nashville of the future arrives early.” Casa Azafrán represents an unprecedented private/public

investment in South Nashville by private individuals, foundations, corporations and government entities. The 10 nonprofit groups that call Casa

Azafrán home share affordable space and reach out to each other to coordinate services to immigrants, refugees and the Nashville community.

By June 30, 2013, Conexión Américas has raised $3,120,000 million toward the capital

campaign for Casa

Azafrán, with $1.4 million coming from the federal and local government for small business and economic

development. The largest individual investment in Casa Azafrán comes from Mr. Bill Freeman, who

donated $100,000.

COMMERCIAL KITCHEN

The Mesa Komal commercial kitchen has been instantly popular with food entrepreneurs, food truck owners, caterers and wholesale

food producers. By June, the end of the fiscal year covered by this report, we have indication that the kitchen is already at near capacity. You

can find a full list of current kitchen members at MesaKomal.org

In October, the Nashville Scene

named Mesa Komal the “Best New Resource for Culinary Start-ups” in the 2013 Best of Nashville, saying “Mesa Komal is a gorgeous commercial

kitchen available for catering, cooking classes, and other food-related enterprises. A busy community calendar includes canning workshops, pop-up

brunches and supper clubs celebrating international culture, and budding immigrant entrepreneurs can find resources similar to those

bringing such hopeful results at the Nashville Farmers’ Market.”

It has been our pleasure not only to watch food

entrepreneurs grow and expand their businesses, but to see Nashvillians come together in the kitchen, to cook, share and enjoy the cuisines and traditions

of new Americans. (Read more about Mesa Komal on page 4.)

IMMIGRATION REFORM

In June 2013, Tennessee’s U.S. Senators, Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, voted in favor of a bipartisan immigration reform

bill that, thanks to their key votes, was approved in the senate. We applauded our lawmakers for their courage and wisdom to fix our broken

immigration laws. We continue to work toward having our voices be heard in the U.S. House of Representatives. Conexión Américas continues

to advocate for immigration reform and work toward creating a Nashville that is welcoming, so that all Nashvillians can experience the

friendship and community we are privileged to enjoy at Casa Azafrán each day,

C a s a A z a f r á n Resident Partners

American Center for OutreachInformation, education and empowerment of the Muslim community

American Muslim Advisory CouncilBridge between Tennessee Muslims and local government and private agencies

Conexión Américas (Lead Partner)Programs and advocacy promoting the social, economic and civic integration of Latino families

Family and Children’s ServiceCulturally competent mental health counseling services for children and adults

Financial Empowerment CenterFree bilingual, one-on-one financial counseling

Global Education CenterGlobal and traditional dance, music and arts for all ages

Justice for Our NeighborsImmigration legal services for low-income immigrants

Mesa Komal Commercial KitchenA program of Conexión Américas, the kitchen incubates new food entrepreneurs and helps others grow and expand their food businesses

Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights CoalitionImmigrants, refugees and allies advocating for a Welcoming Tennessee for all

United Neighborhood Health ServicesUnity Clinic, primary health care care for low-income families

YWCAGirls, Inc. after-school program for middle school students

Padres Comprometidos

226 Latino parents participated in Parents as Partners program at 6 different schools. Those parents represent 678 children enrolled in a Metro Public School.

My Roots Art Project

And while parents attended Padres Comprometidos workshops, more than 170 Latino young people, ages 3 to 17, explored issues of identify

and self-esteem through the arts during the 2012-2013 school year.

Best Places to Work Award

Conexión Américas was named to the Best Places to Work, Class of 2013, presented by the Nashville Business Journal. The award is based on anonymous surveys of the staff, who were asked to measure 10 key engagement categories, including team effectiveness, trust in senior leaders and manager effectiveness.

Carlos Davis and BJ of Fine Street Food

The Churro Queens, Brenda and María.

We chose the name Mesa

Komal as a banner for our kitchen, to capture the spirit of vital immigrant and refugee communities in Nashville and send the strong message:

Everyone is welcome at the table. The kitchen brings us together, creates community and fosters connections.

The goal of Mesa Komal, a new program of Conexión Américas, is to support food entrepreneurs with the infrastructure and technical

assistance needed to start and grow their business.

The need for the kitchen was

made obvious to us as we heard the needs expressed by small food businesses who could not find easily affordable or convenient commercial kitchen

space in Nashville.

Mesa Komal is certified by the Metro Health Department for licensed use by caterers and food producers who sell

unpackaged food directly to customers. It also is certified by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture for the production and packaging of retail and

wholesale food products.

m e s aS p a n i s h f o r “t a b l e”

k o m a l K u r d i s h f o r “c o m m u n i t y ”

c o m a lSpanish for “gr iddle”

“Best new resource for culinary start-ups”Best of Nashville 2013Nashville Scene

Learn more, connect!Visit CasaAzafran.org to find an up-to-date calendar of events, classes and programs such as:

✦ Music, dance, art classes for adults and children

✦ Pop-up restaurants ✦ Global cooking classes✦ Free documentary

screenings✦ Event rental info✦ Partner news

THE COMMUNITY’S TABLE

Conexión Américas created and hosted its first Summer

Internship and Leadership Program in June 2013. The five students were rising Seniors or recent high school graduates and first-generation Latino Nashvillians.

In their month at Conexión Américas, the interns:

✦ Were paired with a staff member and worked on a project for several hours a week.

✦ Practiced public speaking.

✦ Learned to give an elevator speech about their “pretend”

nonprofit job and the nonprofit’s mission.

✦ Participated in mock interviews with Conexión Américas staff and an entrepreneurship challenge.

✦ Met Latino professionals from all walks of life, ranging from real estate developers, business owners, restauranteurs,

graduate students, college professors and corporate financial managers.

✦ Heard a variety of life experiences and motivational messages, which ranged from “trust the process; have faith” to “set small, achievable goals” to “you set your own

limitations in your mind” to “being bicultural is being unique.”

OTHER YOUTH SERVICES

We continued our partnership with Justice for Our Neighbors (JFON) and the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights

Coalition (TIRRC) to help 251 Latino youth, ages 15 to 31 and their families access information and case management services to apply for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

FIRST SUMMER INTERNSHIP AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

“It was more than just work: We made family, we made f r i e n d s a n d w e m a d e adventures too.

The lesson I learned is that being different isn’t a bad thing; it has its positive sides. I don’t need to hide myself, I

don’t have to try and be like everyone else. I am who I am and I can be proud of being Mexican-American. And now when I’m with all these other students, I’m going to stand

out, I’m going to succeed, and I won’t hide behind anyone ever again.”

– Miriam

Seventy-nine (79) men and women graduated from the Spanish-language small

business education course, Negocio Próspero (Prosperous Business), between July 2012 and April 2013. With a 90% retention rate, and an average wait-list of 10 students per semester, the 9-week course teaches basic skills and knowledge to start a new business or grow an existing enterprise.

Taught by experts in their field, the topics focus on things such as financial education, accounting,

taxes, insurance, permits, contracts, marketing and public relations.

The types of businesses

that aspiring entrepreneurs are most interested in include:

•Cleaning services

•Landscaping

•Construction

•Beauty services

•Child care

•Arts and crafts

•Catering and restaurant

Supporting the immigrant entrepreneurial spirit

258 Latino workers increased their understanding of their responsibilities as taxpayers and filed their family’s tax return through our free tax-preparation service in 2013.

Debunking the Myth: Paying Taxes

Our Cole Elementary Family

Resource Center, funded by United Way of Metro Nashville, strengthens and empower families through access to resources and parent

education. The center, in operation since 2009, is available to families of Cole Elementary students and the surrounding community and

experiencing phenomenal growth and success.

HIGHLIGHTS

✦ A group of Belmont University seniors partnered with Conexión Américas and designed a school garden with the help of Cole parents, Tools

for Schools, and United Way volunteers. The summer harvest included cilantro, lettuce, pumpkins, basil, summer squash. The 4th-grade

science lab now tends the garden.

✦ More than 100 parents registered for English classes,

which are taught by dedicated volunteers like Ellen Tighe, pictured below.

✦ For the third semester in a row,

the University of Tennessee Extension Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP) held 6-week Nutrition Classes

✦ 20 parents graduated from

Parents as Partners in the fall session. They learned how to help their young children learn at home and prepare them for kindergarten. They grew not

only in knowledge of the school system, but also in friendship and self-confidence.

✦ The YWCA hosts a support

group for Latina women, who get to talk with a bilingual counselor once a week in a safe place.

✦ The FRC Parent Advisory Council meets about once a month and has empowered parents to become leaders at the school.

✦ Cole Elementary is now a Community Achieves school, and the work of the FRC supports the goals of the

schools to ensure school success for every child.

Conexión Américas in Antioch: Family Resource Center at Cole Elementary

OUTREACH

5 5 , 1 2 9

Lat ino individuals in Middle Tennessee have l e a r n e d a b o u t t h e dangers of drinking and dr iv ing through our awareness campaign, funded by the Governor’s Highway Safety Office.

“Manejar borracho? No seas tonto, muchacho!”

Before the December 2012 move to Casa Azafrán,

Conexión Américas offered English as a Second Language classes only at Cole Elementary, where we run a United Way Family Resource Center.

With beautiful classroom space available, and

demand escalating, free ESL classes were expanded and offered at Casa Azafrán. Two classes are held in the mornings and two in the evenings. Free childcare, which makes attendance possible for many participants, is offered. Participants have been

from Latin America, Spain, Egypt and Japan.

In total, the volunteer-led program held at Casa Azafrán and Cole Elementary reached 77 Latino adults each week.

Beth Hopkins, pictured center left, who has been

teaching ESL at Casa Azafrán, says: “My students are eager to learn because English is a great social and professional tool for them. They do have a hard time, not only because English is difficult, but because they all work and have families, and taking

a language class on top of that is difficult. However, whenever my students are there, they are there with a smile and ready to participate.”

English classes expanded, serve many more immigrants and refugees

AT&T

Avenue Bank

Bank of America

Baptist Healing Trust

Barrett Johnston, LLC

Bass, Berry & Sims

Belmont University

Bone McAllester Norton

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings

Bridgestone Americas

Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund

Caterpillar Financial Services

Dollar General Corporation

Dollar General Literacy Foundation

Fifth Third Bank

First Tennessee Bank

HCA/TriStar Health

Hispanic Heritage Foundation/NFL

Jackson National Life Insurance Company

Joe C. Davis Foundation

JP Morgan Chase

Lipscomb University

LiUNA! Southeast Laborers' District Council

Louisiana Pacific

McNeely Pigott & Fox

Metro Arts Commission

Metro Nashville Airport Authority

Nashville Convention & Visitor's Bureau

Nashville Electric Service

Nashville Predators Foundation

National Association For Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB)

National Council of La Raza (NCLR)

Nissan North America

Pinnacle Financial Partners

Regions Bank

Scarlett Family Foundation

Second Presbyterian Church

Skanska

SouthComm

Southwest Airlines

State Farm

Target

Tennessee Arts Commission

Tennessee Valley Authority

The Cal Turner Family Foundation

The Dorothy Cate and Thomas F. Frist Foundation

The Frist Foundation

The HCA Foundation

The Melkus Foundation

The Memorial Foundation

United Healthcare

Vanderbilt University

Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis

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LOCATED AT THE CASA AZAFRÁN COMMUNITY CENTER

2195 Nolensville Pike | Nashville, TN 37211(615) 320-5152 | En Español (615) 269-6900

info@conamericas.comconexionamericas.org

Our mission is to help Latino families realize their aspirations for social and

economic advancement by promoting their integration into the

Middle Tennessee community.

FAST FACTS

For more details and financial information about Conexión Américas, visit Giving Matters:

http://bit.ly/PQD6JA

Executive Committee

Stephen Zralek, PresidentBone McAllester Norton

Virginia “Gini” Pupo-Walker, Vice PresidentMetropolitan Nashville Public Schools

Scott Tift, SecretaryBarrett Johnston, LLC

Thomas Negri, TreasurerMetro Human Relations Commission

Terry Maroney, At-LargeVanderbilt University Law School

David Esquivel, Immediate Past PresidentBass, Berry & Sims PLC

Board Members

Adriana BialostozkyVanderbilt Children’s Hospital

Shirley Borloz GuerreroCommunity Volunteer

Katharine DonatoVanderbilt University

Ana EscobarMetropolitan Clerk’s Office

Carrington FoxFreelance Journalist

Nicole MaynardJP Morgan Chase

J.C. MendezHCA, Inc.

Eduardo MinardiBridgestone Americas, Inc.

José “Pepe” NúñezCaterpillar Financial Services

Liliana RodríguezHispanic Council

Mark TobinLouisiana Pacific Corporation

Lisa QuigleyOffice of U.S. Congressman Jim Cooper