Councilmember Antoinette Lee proclaims Nashville Caribbean American Heritage Week; community group thanks city

Councilmember Antoinette Lee of District 33 of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County read a proclamation recognizing June 2025 as Nashville Caribbean American Heritage Week and encouraged residents to attend related events.

The proclamation said Nashville has seen a significant increase in Caribbean and West Indian residents over the last decade and celebrated cultural, social and community contributions from the diaspora. Councilmember Lee read language from the proclamation citing national observance of Caribbean American Heritage Month and calling for local recognition of the community’s contributions.

Amir Sisay, introduced in the meeting as “president of the National Rio Caribbean Association,” thanked the council and said the recognition showed the community “has a voice” and that “Nashville has taken the proper steps for everybody to feel inclusive.”

The proclamation noted community events on the council lawn and urged residents to attend a gala the association planned for “next Saturday,” according to remarks at the meeting. The transcript included numerical population figures that were garbled and not stated clearly; the proclamation’s text cited growth in the Caribbean and West Indian population but the exact counts for Nashville were not specified in the record available.

The council’s remarks were introductory and ceremonial: no ordinance, funding decision, or formal council action related to the proclamation was made during the announcements period.