Local Nonprofit Leaders Drive Support For Nashville’s Latino Community

Tara Lentz and Martha Silva both have a long history of serving Nashville’s Latino community. In 2006, Lentz began interning at Conexión Américas, a nonprofit organization that welcomes and supports Latino immigrant families who move to Middle Tennessee. Four years later, Silva came on board to lead the organization’s flood relief program.

During their respective tenures at Conexión Américas, Lentz and Silva have each fulfilled various roles, but they have spent the last two years working together as co-executive directors. The programs they lead are designed to assist Latino families in every facet of their new life in America, including buying homes, starting businesses, learning English, joining the workforce and even helping their children succeed in school.

Under Lentz and Silva’s leadership, Conexión Américas served over 10,000 individuals and their families in 2022 alone. We spoke with both of them to learn more about their work at Conexión Américas, their own contributions to the local community and what they love most about serving the people of Nashville.

Answers have been edited for clarity and length.

Patch: What do each of you do in your roles as co-executive directors of Conexión Américas?

Lentz and Silva: Tara has helped with the design and leadership of some of the organization's successful programs, including its afterschool, family engagement and college access programs, as well as our fundraising and development growth strategy. Martha's contributions include the establishment, execution and leadership of several distinct programs under the organization’s Economic Prosperity pillar, including the Mesa Komal Culinary Incubator, as well as leading the operations of the Casa Azafrán nonprofit collaborative.

Patch: In addition to your work at Conexión Américas, are either of you involved in any other local organizations or community groups?

Lentz and Silva: Martha is a member of the Rotary Club of Nashville and holds a position as a Board Member of the Centennial Park Conservancy. Tara is an alumna of the Leadership Nashville class of 2023 and participates in the Migration Policy Institute's National Partnership of English Learners.

Patch: Can you tell us a bit about the recognition Conexión Américas has received from the community? What do those accolades mean to you as the leaders of the organization?

Lentz and Silva: In the more than 20 years since its founding, Conexión Américas has received numerous awards. These accolades and recognitions are important to us because they underscore the endorsement of trust from our community and supporters.

In Summer 2023, we were named Outstanding Diverse Organization in the Nonprofit category for the Nashville Business Journal’s inaugural Leaders in Diversity award. This award honors those who are leading the charge to advance diversity and inclusion practices in the workplace, showing progress over perfection and speaking out for others in the business community. We are proud that the persistent contributions and ideas of our staff, board of directors, volunteers and friends — both past and present — have helped us achieve this recognition.

Patch: What kind of impact has Conexión Américas had on Nashville through its various projects? What is your specific role in those initiatives as the co-executive directors?

Lentz and Silva: Conexión Américas partners with numerous organizations to amplify the impact in the community across diverse areas. We have also led projects that had an effect on the community, like the Azafrán Park, launched in 2018 through a successful public-private collaboration. We have also achieved many transit improvements and surveyed small business owners so we can better understand their needs and challenges.

Among other community projects are the disaster relief responses to events like the 2010 flood, the 2020 tornado and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a recurrent bi-monthly food distribution to families affected by the pandemic. In the advocacy field, a notable accomplishment was our role in defeating the divisive English Only referendum in 2009. This year, we're engaged in the Nashville Child and Youth Collaborative, working together to elevate the needs of children and youth in the 2023 municipal election.

We also have our own community outreach events, including an annual family festival now hosted at the Nashville’s Zoo, the Hispanic Heritage Month Awards Ceremony and our December Bazaar, which provides a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their products to the community. Additionally, we have fundraising events to bring awareness and promotion of our organization and raise vital funds to support our mission.

In projects and collaborations, we often act as a bridge, connecting ideas and initiatives with the Latino community. This makes us feel proud because it demonstrates that the community believes in us. It's rewarding for us to be the ones who share opportunities with the Latino community that contribute to their achievements.

Patch: Is Conexión Américas affiliated with any local or national organizations to amplify its impact on the Latino community?

Lentz and Silva: Conexión Américas takes great pride in being an affiliate of UnidosUS, the largest Latino advocacy and civil rights organization in the United States. We are also active members of NALCAB (National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders), which serves as a central hub for a nationwide network of over 200 organizations with a collective focus on Small Business, Financial Capability and Equitable Neighborhood Development. Locally, we are members of the Center for Nonprofit Management and the Nashville Child and Youth Collaborative, which focuses on centering community conversations around the needs of young people in Nashville.

Patch: Have you undertaken any new community initiatives at Conexión Américas recently, and if so, what has their impact been so far?

Lentz and Silva: In our 2022-2023 fiscal year, Conexión Américas launched several new initiatives that fuel economic and social progress and equity in our community. We participated in the Nashville Small Business Recovery Fund by contacting over 3,000 businesses about grants/loans and giving technical assistance to over 100 small businesses; launched the Eviction Right to Counsel program in partnership with the Nashville Hispanic Bar Association and Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands; and developed our new Workforce Development Program. Conexión Américas also launched Mesa Komal Cafe in August 2022. This initiative, in partnership with Belmont University and Sodexo, allows immigrant entrepreneurs from our Mesa Komal culinary incubator to gain restaurant management experience and to sell products in a storefront location on a rotating basis on the Belmont University campus.

Patch: What do you love most about being a part of the Nashville community?

Lentz and Silva: What we value the most about being a part of our local community is the sense of connection and impact. Seeing the positive changes and growth we bring to the community, and the trust they place in us, is truly gratifying. Being able to contribute to opportunities that support the well-being and success of our community members is a privilege that brings a deep sense of fulfillment.

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