Tennessee Voices: A conversation with Ashford Hughes

The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed the deep societal inequities in education, technology, health care, housing and employment.

These gaps have been around for a long time, disproportionately affecting African Americans and other communities of color most negatively, but they are in plain view now.

The question now is: Will we finally do something about it?

Ashford Hughes Sr., founder of Blueprint Solutions Group LLC, is challenging society to use the current crisis to create a social contract that will be equitable to all residents.

Hughes, a Knoxville native, has worked in local politics and served as a senior leader on equity and inclusion issues in the Nashville mayor's office until 2019. He has remained steadfast in his mission to shine the light on inequity and propose novel, if tough, solutions.

We talked about his work and his leadership in the My Brother’s Keeper Nashville alliance.