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Human Relations Commission launches "No Hate on My Plate" community dialogues, seeks volunteer facilitators
Summary
The Metro Nashville Human Relations Commission described a pilot series of facilitated communal meals aimed at reducing hate and increasing understanding, announced facilitator training and modest host food stipends, and listed upcoming session dates.
The Metro Nashville Human Relations Commission on Tuesday described a new community-conversation initiative called No Hate on My Plate and asked commissioners and community partners to serve as trained table facilitators.
The initiative uses small, curated communal meals to prompt guided conversations across differences; Director Davy Tucker said the pilot sessions produced emotional, substantive discussion. Tucker said the event included “tears” and “laughter” and lasted well beyond the formal program as participants continued to converse afterward.
The program is designed for groups of about 40 people, with a trained facilitator guiding a set of agreed conversation rules. "I believe hate needs 3 things to exist. You need ignorance, you need silence, and you need complicity," Director Davy Tucker said, explaining the program’s goal to break those dynamics through moderated conversation.
Organizers described the facilitation role as requiring a 90-minute online training and ongoing support. The commission is assembling a toolbox for hosts and plans an end-of-session survey to track participants’ responses. For now the commission is using salary savings from unfilled positions to seed the effort; organizers said hosts who request assistance can receive $600 toward food costs.
No Hate on My Plate sessions already scheduled include May 13 at the Nashville Food Project, May 15 at Thistle Farms Café on Charlotte Avenue, and June 5 at Kingdom Café and Grill; staff said sign-up links and facilitator training dates will be emailed to commissioners. The commission said it aims to build a cadre of facilitators so community organizations can run sessions without direct commission staffing.
Phyllis Hildreth, Summer Ali and a community partner identified only as Daoud were listed as coordinators and facilitators for the initial pilot; Crystal (staff) is handling sign-ups and logistics. The commission asked interested commissioners to provide their names to staff for training scheduling.
The commission said it will compile facilitator notes and participant survey results into a toolbox and post materials over time so hosts and future facilitators can replicate the model.
Organizers emphasized that the sessions are not intended to change participants’ political or religious beliefs but to create opportunities for people who disagree to listen and consider different perspectives. They asked commissioners to consider facilitating when the training is scheduled and to publicize sessions to their networks.
