Tag: Renata Soto

Nashville La Raza Affiliate Conexión Américas Hires Juliana Ospina Cano as Director, Who Vows to Continue Social Justice Work

Jason M. Reynolds

  Juliana Ospina Cano will lead Conexión Américas, a Nashville Latino advocacy group, as its new executive director beginning today. Ospina Cano succeeds Renata Soto, who co-founded Conexión Américas 17 years ago. “Juliana is the ideal leader for Conexión Américas’ next chapter,” said Board President Terry Maroney. “She brings with her a sharp mind honed by her doctoral studies, an empathetic heart grounded in her own immigrant experience, and deep knowledge of Nashville, the state and Conexión Américas. Her combination of vision, skill, work ethic and history with this organization will be invaluable resources for our community.” Ospina Cano said, “It is with great excitement that I come home to Nashville. I look forward to re-joining an organization that views economic, civic and social integration as the vehicle to equip, inspire and mobilize immigrant families to fulfill their potential while celebrating their roots. My commitment to these values has been the compass guiding my professional and personal journey. I look forward to honoring Renata’s unparalleled legacy and serving the Tennessee community alongside Conexión Américas’ team, Board of Directors and partners.” Conexión Américas is an affiliate of The National Council of La Raza. The National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino…

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Phil Bredesen Ally ‘La Raza Renata’ Would Welcome Members of Migrant Army, Which DHS Says Includes Criminals, Marching Through Mexico from Honduras Who Come to Nashville

Jason M. Reynolds

Phil Bredesen ally Renata Soto is issuing a clarion call to the criminal migrant army marching toward America’s southern border. Soto on Monday tweeted in Spanish that Bredesen’s Senate race opponent, U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) gave her heartburn. La Blackburn me da heartburn. Por favor vota estas elecciones por Phil Bredesen por Senador. Y Karl Dean necesita nuestro apoyo también para llegar a ser el próximo gobernador. A votar, mi gente!!!! Votación temprana empieza este miércoles. — Renata Soto (@RenataSotoTN) October 16, 2018 Soto is the immediate past chairman of the George Soros-supported national group formerly known as La Raza and founder of Nashville’s Conexion Americas. The Tennessean quoted her Tuesday as encouraging the criminal migrant army: The Honduran migrants highlight the United State’s need for sound refugee and asylum policies, she told the newspaper. “‘We must continue to be a beacon of hope for families and children who, due to violence and dire circumstances, are forced to flee their homes,’ Soto said in an email,” the newspaper said. The Washington Examiner reported Tuesday that the group is composed of multi-national criminals, quoting the Department of Homeland Security. “@DHSgov can confirm that there are individuals within the caravan who…

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Nashville’s ‘La Raza Renata’ Endorses Phil Bredesen, Tweets in Spanish ‘Blackburn Me Da Heartburn’

Jason M. Reynolds

Renata Soto, the immediate past chairman of the George Soros-supported national group formerly known as La Raza and founder of Nashville’s Conexion Americas, has endorsed Democrat Phil Bredesen for Senate, claiming in a Spanish language tweet that Republican nominee U.S. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) gives her heartburn. La Blackburn me da heartburn. Por favor vota estas elecciones por Phil Bredesen por Senador. Y Karl Dean necesita nuestro apoyo también para llegar a ser el próximo gobernador. A votar, mi gente!!!! Votación temprana empieza este miércoles. — Renata Soto (@RenataSotoTN) October 16, 2018 Soto is the immediate past chairman of the board of the Trump-bashing group now known as UnidosUS (the new name adopted by the George Soros-funded National Council of LaRaza in July 2017), and founder and head of Conexion Americas, the Nashville affiliate of UnidosUS. She was one of the featured speakers at the February kickoff of the Transit for Nashville campaign to support the passage of the tax increasing transit plan on the May 1 referendum in Nashville, The Tennessee Star reported at the time. Soto is also the leader of the Nashville “Indivisible” anti-Trump campaign, and a close ally of disgraced former Nashville Mayor Megan Barry. Democratic…

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Renata Soto, Chair of George Soros-Funded UnidosUS (AKA ‘LaRaza’), Featured Speaker at ‘Transit for Nashville’ Campaign Kickoff Supporting $9 Billion Transit Plan

Tennessee Star Staff

Renata Soto, the Donald Trump-bashing chairman of the board of UnidosUS (the new name adopted by the George Soros-funded National Council of LaRaza in July 2017), and founder and head of Conexion Americas, the Nashville affiliate of UnidosUS, was one of the featured speakers at Saturday’s kickoff of the Transit for Nashville campaign to support the passage of the tax increasing transit plan on the May 1 referendum before Nashville/Davidson County voters. Soto was joined by former Nashville Vice-Mayor Howard Gentry and Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN-05) as the featured speakers in the 22 minute kickoff event. Notably, embattled Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, who two weeks ago admitted to conducting a two-year-long extramarital affair with her bodyguard, was not one of the event’s featured speakers, though she was, apparently, in attendance. “My name is Renata Soto and I am with Conexion Americas, one of almost 120 coalition members who are so excited to get this campaign kicked off today,” Soto began. “Are we ready for transit?” she asked the crowd “Our coalition represents almost 300,000 Nashvillians. We have collected more than 30,000 signatures. We have hosted more than 200 community events. And we know that with your support, your enthusiasm, your…

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Conexion Americas Community Event in Nashville Focused on Progressive Activism And Food From Randy Boyd Funded Kitchen Incubator

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Michael Gilbert has worked in the restaurant industry for 15 years, but he’s only had his own business for about a year. The South Carolina native turned to Conexión Américas for help in getting his food truck off the ground. He is a member of the nonprofit’s culinary entrepreneurship program that offers people like him training in marketing and other skills they will need. Most importantly, it offers them use of a commercial kitchen. Gilbert said he values the chance to interact with other chefs in the program. “It’s a good learning experience,” he said Friday as he served breakfast fare from his City Kitchen food truck parked outside Casa Azafrán, where Conexión Américas held an Independence Day celebration. While Gilbert is an American citizen, the help he has received has come from an organization that promotes relief programs for illegal immigrants and provides services for them, as well as for legal immigrants. Conexión Américas co-founder Renata Soto is chair of National Council of La Raza, a national organization that has protested counterterrorism measures on grounds they violate immigrants’ rights. Conexión Américas’ progressive stances have created a problem for Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd, who last year donated $250,000 to help…

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Gubernatorial Candidate Randy Boyd Donated $250,000 to La Raza Affiliate And Has Not Renounced Nashville Sanctuary City Ordinance

Chris Alto

  Almost immediately after the Metro Nashville Council voted on second reading to pass a sanctuary city ordinance last week, Congressman Diane Black (R-TN-06), State Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma) and gubernatorial candidates, Mae Beavers and Bill Lee, issued strong rebukes to the city’s move to violate federal and state law. The Randy Boyd campaign, despite being asked directly by The Tennessee Star for a comment regarding the proposed Nashville ordinance, did not respond. In a state where The Tennessee Star’s polling results showed that 1,007 likely Republican primary voters rejected in-state college tuition for illegal aliens by a stunning 84 percent to 11 percent margin and where 1.5 million voters helped elect President Trump, Boyd’s silence on a key immigration issue, could prove costly to his campaign. Three days after announcing his candidacy for governor on March 6, 2017, The Star reported on Boyd’s $250,000 donation in 2016 to Conexion Americas, an affiliate partner of the National Council of La Raza (NC La Raza). Renata Soto, co- founder and executive director of Conexion Americas served for three years as vice-president of the NC La Raza Board and was elected to lead the NC La Raza board in 2015, the year before Boyd made his donation. Days later The Star asked Boyd whether he knew…

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Randy Boyd Uses Haslam’s ‘Leadership Tennessee’ to Advance His Gubernatorial Platform

Chris Alto
Tennessee Star

  Leadership Tennessee, a program funded by Governor Haslam and his allies, was launched to promote “collaborative leadership” across political, cultural and business lines that could problem-solve for the “common good.” Complete Tennessee is gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd’s initiative to “complete the mission of education and economic development initiatives” of the Haslam administration. According to the President of The Cornerstone Foundation a funder and early promoter of Leadership Tennessee, a “terrific example of collaboration in action” was SCORE’s Executive Director Jamie Woodson, the biggest and most well-financed lobbyist for Common Core in Tennessee. Common Core standards championed by the Obama Department of Education, the Gates Foundation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, was a cornerstone of Haslam’s education reform platform during his 2010 gubernatorial campaign. Haslam’s plan to fully embed these standards into Tennessee’s K-12 system was derailed in 2013 by House conservatives. Five months before announcing himself as a gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd who describes himself as a  political “moderate,” launched Complete Tennessee, “a nonprofit 501(c)3 education advocacy organization focused on increasing postsecondary access and completion in Tennessee.” Boyd is getting help in his “complete” mission from fellow Leadership Tennessee classmate, Janet Ayers who is a Complete Tennessee and SCORE board…

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