Meet Tylena Jeans
This month, the ReImagine Nashville member we are highlighting is Tylena Jeans! She is a part of the original ReImagine Nashville founding crew! We are excited for you to learn more about her!
Why did you originally join ReImagine Nashville?
I moved to Nashville from Chicago in early 2020. I was quickly thrown into the political landscape of this state and became discouraged the more I observed and understood what was happening around me. My first instinct was to be apathetic. Why would things change since they have always been this way? But then Jacki invited me to be a part of something bigger and our first planning “who are we” meeting was like a balm to my soul. It was a gift to be around women who saw the importance of investing in our community but also didn’t want to be superheroes. We want to empower the real superheroes already doing the work to keep on during the fight.
How has being a part of the ReImagine Nashville Giving Community encouraged you?
It has been so encouraging to me to see like minded people wanting to make a difference in their community. It is also encouraging to support people who are already doing the work to make Nashville more equitable, just, and inclusive.
What does it mean to you to be committed to creating a community that is equitable, just, and inclusive?
To me, when we center our work around the empowerment of the most vulnerable populations, everyone wins. If we are committed to reimagining a new nashville, our community needs to be welcoming and warm when so many are siloed and isolated.
What motivates you to contribute as part of a collective group, rather than solely as an individual?
We get further together. Doing this with a group of people allows us to each bring unique abilities and contributions to our collective work. Getting to make a huge impact together goes beyond what I could do by myself.
What inspired you to focus your financial contributions towards achieving racial equity in the Middle Tennessee area?
My entire career has been working in non profits, and what non profits always need is money. Faced with the reality that Tennessee ranks almost last among states in the U.S. at helping children and families thrive, it only made sense to invest my money in building a better future for the next generation.
Share your experience!
If you or a ReImagine Nashville member you know is interested in being our Spotlight Member of the month, we would love to connect! Please note that Spotlight Members may be anonymous if this makes the person sharing more comfortable. It is important to us that we honor the privacy of those in our community. To get involved please email us at rngc@legacycollective.org. We appreciate you sharing your journeys with us!
