Transcript

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Odessa Kelly was born and raised right here in Nashville. She grew up on the east side, back when it was better known as out east and was a predominantly black community. Odessa is the youngest of three siblings. The product of a strong, stable, loving family, she leaned into being a standout student athlete at Stratford High, played basketball for and graduated from Tennessee State University and earned her master's degree in public service at Cumberland University. Her professional career began in Nashville's Parks and Rec Department, working on the front lines of poverty every day in an effort to bring joy, resources and a sense of worth to underserved black communities. Communities. While working at the parks, Odessa saw the ways in which the system has failed her community and failed her as a black woman, a resident of Nashville, and as a member of the working class. After nearly 14 years in civil service, Odessa had seen on a daily basis how black people, especially those living in poverty, were racially profiled by the police, how gentrification hurt residents with the deepest ties to the community, and how current leadership failed to deliver support for people who needed it the most. Knowing she could do more, she co founded Stand up Nashville in 2016 and left Parks and Rec in 2019 to become the Executive Director of Stand Up Nashville. It's an activist organization whose mission is to mobilize and empower our communities to stand up and take action. Together we will create a lasting change for the racial and economic good of all Nashvillians. I've seen her at every single activist meeting and rally I've attended every single important meeting with congressional leaders. Odessa ran for U.S. congress and garnered nationwide praise and support with a campaign platform that was centered around passing legislation that that would lessen the stress, debt and hopelessness of Tennesseans. Odessa garnered 78% of the Nashville vote and still lost due to the gerrymandered district maps in Tennessee. Odessa was recently named as one of Tennessee's one of the Tennesseans of the Year, along with the entire staff of Stand Up Nashville and Black Girls Rock 2023 Political Advocate Honoree In 2019, Odessa received the National Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Award for her work fighting for justice for working people, housing justice and racial equity. She was also a National Courage Award recipient. Nashville's seen 2018 Activist of the Year and was awarded the Human Rights Rising Advocate Award in 2018. And here today, in the wake of everything that is happening around us, so many people waking up to what's really going on in the U.S. what we see happening in Minneapolis, many people asking, well, how do I help? How do what do I do to be an activist? How do I protest? Here to talk us through what it means to stand up today is Odessa Kelly here on Flipping Tables. Just a couple announcements before we start. As a reminder, thank you so much to all my Patreon users. If you'd like to support the show or get these episodes ad free, you can subscribe@patreon.com Monty Mater. We are also doing pop ups over there. And what a pop up is is basically I will set an announcement several days in advance, but I'm going to come on and do an exclusive hour live with Patreon supporters. We will talk about current events, issues, talk about some of the topics I cover in the Bible study and really just actually spend some time together and build some community. Also, the highway to Hell Patreon is now up and running. We had a little bit of some tech issues with Patreon, but if you are a true crime fan and you really just want a page to decompress and listen to true crime and paranormal, which is unfortunate that that's how we decompress now. But that's gonna be@patreon.com highway to Hellpodcast. And again, thank you so much for your support. Thank you for taking the time to listen. And let's jump in with Ms. Odessa Kelly. Odessa, thank you for coming on Flipping Tables today. I know you came from a meeting to be here, so I appreciate you taking the time anytime.

Summary

Flipping Tables – Episode 53

Title: The Long Fight w/ Odessa Kelly
Host: Monte Mader
Guest: Odessa Kelly (Activist, Co-founder and Executive Director of Stand Up Nashville)
Air Date: February 2, 2026

Episode Overview

In this deeply compelling episode, Monte Mader welcomes Odessa Kelly, a renowned Nashville activist and community organizer, for an honest and wide-ranging conversation on the realities of systemic injustice, activism, economic and racial equity, the history of American social programs, and the role of faith, community, and resistance during pivotal times. The episode weaves together Odessa's personal journey, practical lessons from activism, and the urgent need for sustained, collective action.

Main Discussion Points and Highlights

Odessa’s Backstory: Community Roots and Civil Service

[03:35–08:00]

Raised in East Nashville, once a predominantly Black, working-class neighborhood now heavily gentrified.
Grew up in a loving, blue-collar family: “My dad was a civil servant, my mom a nurse. I knew early—blood and guts wasn’t my thing.” (Odessa, 04:17)
Athletic standout, played basketball for Tennessee State University, then entered Nashville Parks and Rec unintentionally—thanks to her dad gifting her a job application for her 23rd birthday:
“Opened it up. Inside of it was a job application…and scissors to cut up my credit cards. One of the best gifts a parent could ever give me.” (Odessa, 05:03)

Structural Inequities in Nashville

[08:03–15:15]

Gentrification, over-policing, and lack of resources for long-standing Black and working-class communities.
East Nashville transformed from a vibrant Black neighborhood to a “Williamsburg/hipster” enclave.
Financial literacy gaps and how natural disasters and buyouts (e.g., floods, tornados) led Black families to lose generational homes due to opportunistic investors. “Natural disasters exacerbate gentrification.” (Odessa, 11:11)
The myth of “laziness” around social services—majority of SNAP users are working, sometimes multiple jobs, even active duty military.
“Over 70% of SNAP users have jobs. Some of them are active duty military.” (Monte, 15:50)

The History and Racial Reality of American Social Programs

[15:49–19:33]

SNAP (food stamps) and the GI Bill: Social safety nets originally designed for white Americans, excluding Black Americans until the Civil Rights Act (1964). “It wasn’t because Black people needed help…That’s never been the priority of this country. It was because white people were like, ‘Hey, bro, I ain’t about to be working my ass off for you and not really have anything to show for it.’” (Odessa, 17:55)
Demonization of welfare:
“It really didn’t become demonized until the late 70s, early-80s, when Christianity and Republicanism kind of ended up in this marriage...” (Monte, 18:26)

Deconstructing Mythologies: Family, Gender & Economic Security

[20:00–23:48]

The "myth" of the single breadwinner and the realities for women, especially Black women, who were highly educated but limited to domestic work.
Toxic nostalgia from MAGA/red-pill communities about “going back” to an era that never really existed for most Americans. “The math ain’t gonna never math.” (Odessa, 20:36)
The deadly impact of denying women autonomy, especially during lockdown (domestic violence and suicide rates among women).

Self-Care, Rest, and the Organizer’s Mindset

[25:14–29:00]

Rest and boundaries as tools of sustainability for activists.
“The secret to being a good organizer is we make time for the things we need to make time for.” (Odessa, 27:12)
Critique of “constant hustle” culture, especially in organizing: creating space intentionally allows showing up when it matters, instead of being overbooked.

Local Politics, Zoning, and “The Overlay” Scandal

[29:07–34:59]

“Zoning overlays” as tools historically (and currently) used to exclude marginalized communities, or limit who can live where. “People showed up to a planning and zoning meeting—overwhelmingly Black, many had no idea this was even happening to them in their community.” (Odessa, 31:03)
Repeated patterns of decisions imposed on communities without transparency or input, e.g., secretive Tesla tunnel project, city contracts, and development.

Why Odessa Founded Stand Up Nashville

[38:15–47:07]

Personal devastation after losing seven children/teens in her care to violence in two years:
“He died in my arms… In two years, I’d experienced seven deaths. Six happened in one summer.” (Odessa, 39:23)
Experiences of racial profiling by police, economic stagnation, and working multiple jobs while holding a master's degree yet struggling financially.
Sparked by attending a town hall that finally put words to all her daily struggles and those of her community, leading her to co-found Stand Up Nashville:
“I was desperate to save my own life.” (Odessa, 38:15)
Stand Up Nashville’s focus: economic and racial justice through public policy and public goods.

Public Wealth vs. Private Gain: The Case for Social Goods

[49:05–54:49]

Pushback against the “mooching” narrative around social programs:
“I'm not talking about you not contributing, and then you just take a bag of gold and run away…What I’m advocating for is that the money that you pay into the system gives you something back.” (Monte, 50:19)
The real “welfare queens” are corporations and billionaires receiving public money and subsidies.
Community-oriented economics: investing in education and social services benefits everyone in the long run.

Deconstruction, Faith, and Personal Growth

[53:22–59:59]

Unlearning inherited myths (both religious and American) is key for progress, growth, and authentic faith.
Faith and religion can be oppressive or liberating, depending on whether they encourage growth or hide people from accountability: “So many people move to religion so they don’t have to grow.” (Odessa, 22:56)
The Black church as a source of community and resistance, but also not immune to the pitfalls of hierarchy and business interests.

Power, Myth, and the Loss of Communal Roots

[60:27–65:35]

Monte’s “tinfoil hat theory”: The insatiable emptiness and hunger in ‘white culture’—for conquest, for control—may originate from being forcibly cut off from pre-Christian communal, earth-based traditions.
“If we could find a way to connect white people back to the earth and to their community…maybe we could start to ease that hunger.” (Monte, 63:08)
Religion, when twisted for power, undergirds both capitalism and the loss of communal fabric.
“There is no capitalism without religion.” (Odessa, 65:35)

Getting Active: What Does Effective Activism Look Like?

[69:21–83:38]

Odessa’s Practical Guide to Activism

Find an organization already doing meaningful work aligned with your values.
Don’t reinvent the wheel; organize with others, build power collectively. “The best way to organize power is to organize people and organize money.” (Odessa, 70:52)
Start by showing up—at rallies, meetings, or events. Small first steps matter.
Be intentional about educating yourself: replace entertainment with documentaries or books about history and justice (71:41–72:42).
Economic disruption works: boycott corporations funding oppression, support labor and unions, leverage your consumer/activity power. “How can we economically disrupt this?...That’s what works every time.” (Odessa, 74:45 / Monte, 78:28)

On Violent Resistance and Upstanders

No significant revolution happened without some form of force/violent pushback.
Not everyone needs to be on the “front lines,” but consistent active resistance (voting, showing up, economic action) is essential.
“Consistently active daily resistance is required… You only need 3.5% of the population participating in consistent peaceful resistance to turn the dial.” (Monte, 82:04)
Importance of white allies putting their bodies on the line, using their privilege for protection in protest spaces (esp. white men).
“We need more white people to put their bodies on the line…match aggression with aggression.” (Odessa, 82:58)

Lessons in Solidarity, Deconstruction, and Intersectionality

[84:13–87:38]

Acknowledge the role Black women have always played as the backbone of social movements. “Black women have done enough carrying the water.” (Monte, 84:99)
Challenge to the Black community: Don’t aspire to the patriarchal, “white man” model—imagine/demand something better, more equitable.
Deconstructing patriarchy/toxic masculinity is essential, even within marginalized communities.

Building the Future: Hope, Action, and Stand Up Nashville

[89:10–100:23]

Moments of courage and community resistance (like Minneapolis) are what it means to be American.
True leadership is encouraging collective action (“Everyone take the day off and go to Memphis!”).
Investing in public goods (e.g., social housing, eviction representation) benefits all.
The importance of local organizing:
“So much gets slid through at the local level…when there’s big crisis nationally.” (Odessa, 94:42)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Odessa, on accidental entry into civil service:
“Inside [the box] was a job application…and scissors to cut up my credit cards. One of the best gifts a parent could ever give me.” ([05:03])
On the real impact of public support programs:
“Snap is a government service that came about because of inequity happening to white people after WWII.” ([15:55])
On structural barriers:
“The majority of the people we served had not one job; they had two. And city workers, teachers were still having to come to the food bank.” ([14:50–15:21])
On gentrification:
“Natural disasters exacerbate gentrification.” ([11:11])
On burnout and boundaries for activists:
“We make time for the things we need to make time for… the secret to being a good organizer is I don’t overbook myself.” ([27:12])
On the myth of the breadwinner:
“The math ain’t gonna never math.” ([20:36])
On why Stand Up Nashville was created:
“I was desperate to save my own life.” ([38:15])
On collective action and community:
“We should all be in Minneapolis. … We should be dropping our personal interests and just creating one big super org…that’s ‘stop this shit’…” ([73:34/74:23])
On building a society worth inheriting:
“The best way that we could take society is to heal ourselves… But the majority of what I've seen, religion uses to oppress, to be cruel, and to justify.” (Odessa, [55:07])
On courage and upstanders:
“Your courage inspires other people to act. And it's going to take all of us.” (Monte, [90:39])
On public money:
“A lot of our public tax dollars…just become transfers of public dollars to private wealth. And they don’t create any good for you.” (Odessa, [92:11])

Essential Timestamps

Odessa’s accidental start in Parks & Rec: 03:59–05:06
The effect of gentrification/natural disasters: 10:43–11:11
Race, SNAP, and US social programs: 15:55–17:55
Learning disparity through basketball: 11:44–13:21
On violence and loss in the community: 39:23–41:22
Founding Stand Up Nashville: 46:37–49:06
On healthy organizing and activism: 27:12–29:00
Getting involved in activism, step by step: 70:47–72:08
On the need for economic boycotts/disruption: 74:45–78:40
White allies, privilege, and protest: 82:41–83:38
Closing calls to action and Stand Up Nashville info: 90:58–100:23

Conclusion & Calls to Action

The episode closes with a powerful reminder from both Odessa and Monte that change is built on small daily actions, collective effort, and refusing to become numb or bystanders. Listeners are encouraged to:

Get involved locally:
Find and support grassroots organizations doing work you believe in—don’t wait for the next national headline to act.
Educate yourselves:
Deconstruct inherited myths and seek out deeper knowledge—about policies, history, and your own community.
Stand in solidarity:
Use privilege to protect the vulnerable, elevate others, and push for lasting systemic change.
Support organizations:
Learn more and contribute to Stand Up Nashville at standupnashville.org, or find a similar org in your area.

“The little things matter…You can do something—even in your local town, even if it’s rural in the South…We have the opportunity to build something better for the future.” (Monte, [100:23])

Follow:

Odessa Kelly – Stand Up Nashville
Socials: @StandUpNashville | @OdessaKellyTN

Support the Podcast:

www.patreon.com/montemader for ad-free episodes and exclusives.

Summary by Flipping Tables Podcast Summarizer.

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53. The Long Fight w/ Odessa Kelly