Mayor Karl Dean Hopes Nashville Never Sees English-Only Push Again
Mayor Karl Dean Hopes Nashville Never Sees English-Only Push Again
At an AS/COA immigration forum, Nashville’s Mayor Karl Dean predicted that immigrants will significantly shape the city’s future.
About 12 percent of Nashvillians are foreign-born, and the number is climbing. By 2020, the majority of the city will be non-white.
Mayor Karl Dean told an audience at an immigration forum Friday afternoon that the impact of immigrants will significantly shape the city’s future....
He said when Nashville voters rejected a proposal to make English the official language in 2009, it helped usher in a new wave of migrants. The measure would have barred government workers from communicating in any language other than English.
“By beating this thing, by saying no to being intolerant, it was a very affirming thing for the city. We made a decision to move in a positive direction, in an open direction, and I think it’s given us a lot of energy....”
