Street Roots sister paper in Nashville — The Contributor is scrambling to help vendors and people on the streets secure safe refuge from yesterday's flooding. Over the past two days— flooding from the Cumberland River has taken over most of downtown Nashville.
"Most of the shelters are safe," says Tasha French, the Executive Director from The Contributor. "At least a dozen camps along the river have been destroyed, including Tent City." Tent City, like Portland's Dignity Village, is a low-barrier tent city with structures, etc.
Ray Russell sits by what is left of the entrance to "Tent City." Tent City has existed in this location, behind and to the right of inner City Ministries, for more than 20 years. The latest camp population reached nearly 150 individuals. Everything is now under feet of contaminated river water, sewage and diesel fuel.
Photos by Tasha French
Posted by Israel Bayer