His name and that of his wife now adorn the display of the kitchen’s name, Mesa Komal, which comes from the Spanish word for table followed by the Kurdish word for community, which happens to be similar to a Spanish word for griddle. Soto told The Tennessee Star on Friday that Boyd’s donation went entirely to capital investments and that no part of it was used for other program costs.
In a letter to supporters last year, Soto said the investment would also support adding office equipment and a conference room for participating entrepreneurs. Boyd’s donation helped Conexión Américas double the size of the kitchen, adding storage space and a walk-in freezer. The culinary entrepreneurship program began in 2013 but needed more kitchen space. The building, which opened to great fanfare in 2012, also houses an early learning center for Metro Nashville Public Schools, whose leaders have similarly endorsed progressive immigration policies, mostly recently with the school board showing support for the now withdrawn “sanctuary city” bills being considered by Metro Council. The nonprofit is open about its advocacy and that of the organizations that pay rent to Conexión Américas to share the Casa Azafrán building on Nolensville Road south of downtown. “N0 Travel Ban,” said one talking point. Another blasted Tennesee’s Republican attorney general for requesting that the federal government end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and also demanded “comprehensive immigration reform.” The talking points on display at Conexión Américas on Friday were decidedly anti-Trump. That same month, Soto announced the local Indivisible campaign. However, the political messaging in the talking points for the letters virtually mirror the talking points found in the national Indivisible Guide, published by several former Democratic congressional staffers in December 2016 and widely discussed in the media. “We didn’t know there would be other groups using the same word.” “It’s something we decided internally,” said Gini Pupo-Walker, senior director of education policy and strategic growth for Conexión Américas. While the goals are similar to the national Indivisible movement, the Indivisible campaign launched by Conexión Américas has no formal connection to the national movement and receives no funding from it, leaders claim. The celebration featured a storyteller’s booth where people could share their thoughts about what it means to be an American and get a handheld American flag.Ĭlad in Indivisible t-shirts, Conexión Américas leaders were on hand to help people with their letter writing and had a prompt available for them to copy from. It is the largest private gift in the park’s history.įriday’s event at Casa Azafrán, held indoors and in the parking lot out front, was called “Indivisible, with Biscuits and Tacos for All,” the biscuits being a nod to one of the staples on Gilbert’s menu. In March, he donated $5 million to Zoo Knoxville in his hometown. While his donation to Conexión Américas was huge from their standpoint, he has given far greater amounts to other causes. Haslam’s former economic development commissioner, is known for his philanthropy. The expansion was also funded by the JPMorgan Chase Foundation and others.Ĭonexión Américas does not screen for immigration status on applications for the program, but is not required to do so by law since they are not employing the entrepreneurs. The program is open to all, regardless of background, as long as the applicants have taken steps to start a food-related business or have a solid business plan to start one.īoyd, a wealthy businessman and Gov. His donation was the single largest individual gift since the nonprofit launched in 2002. Conexión Américas’ progressive stances have created a problem for Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd, who last year donated $250,000 to help expand the culinary incubator entrepreneurship program of which Gilbert is a part.
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