by Carmen Gaskin ’25
February 14, 2025
Tennessee State Representative Justin Jones, known for his advocacy, activism, and commitment to his constituencies, entered the room on January 15 all too familiar with the inequity Dr. Martin Luther King confronted, framing his visit as a moment of reflection and a continuation of the work the civil rights leader catalyzed decades earlier.
As students crowded into the packed Durnan Auditorium, Rep. Jones’ presentation coincided with King’s 95th birthday and USN’s annual MLK Day lecture series, empowering a student body dedicated to thinking, learning, and creating change within their communities.
On April 7, 2023, in an extraordinary, emotionally charged session highlighted by tense exchanges and punctuated by boos and chants from onlookers, Tennessee’s Republican-led House expelled two Black lawmakers from office– Rep. Justin Jones and Rep. Justin Pearson, a week after the two Democrats led a gun reform protest in the chamber. Accompanying the two was Rep. Gloria Johnson, representing District 90. However, she was notably not expelled.
“I will continue to show up to this Capitol with these young people whether I’m in that chamber or outside,” Jones told reporters then. Only three days later, on April 10, Rep. Jones was reappointed to his former seat in the 52nd District.
Following the controversy of his expulsion, Rep. Jones has dedicated himself to advocacy for the youth, comprehensive gun legislation, rural communities left unable to access healthcare, the disposal of school vouchers in Tennessee’s education system and more.
Keeping his promise, he showed up on January 15 for the young people of the University School of Nashville.
Rep. Jones opened his presentation by first recognizing the historical significance of Civil Rights movements spearheaded by the work of Dr. King in Nashville, such as the Nashville sit-ins at the Woolworth’s Lunch Counter.
The peaceful, passive resistance of four African-American college students refusing to leave their seats for lunch in 1960 ignited the need for youth-led movements both across the South and nationally to challenge racial inequality.
“The plaques downtown celebrating the sit-ins show that Nashville and Tennessee have a history of young people taking action to challenge the status quo,” Jones said.
As a reminder of each young individual’s potential to imagine a better future, Jones challenged each student to carry the responsibility of Dr. King’s legacy within their collective communities.
Jones urged students to stay engaged and aware of the political climate of their world amidst a generation of citizens left with feelings of political inefficacy and incapability.
When asked how students can inspire change in the classroom or at the Capitol building, Jones encouraged activists to acknowledge the reality that history can come too late. After highlighting the impact of Dr. King’s work on his own life, Rep. Jones expressed that his favourite Dr. King quote underscores the urgency of now: “We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late.”
However, Jones stressed that understanding strategies for how to inspire change is often just as important as committing to creating it.
“You have the power to shape the conversation, but you need to be equipped with knowledge,” Jones said. “Watch committee meetings, read diverse news sources, and research the funding behind political decisions.”
As the floor began to open for comments, students rose to call attention to questions surrounding social justice issues within the community they wanted to advocate for.
“What do you think will happen this year in the [Tennessee State] Legislature?” asked Brendan West ’25.
Jones responded that two key issues were at the forefront of state politics: hurricane relief packages for counties affected and, more controversially, the ongoing efforts to introduce school vouchers in Tennessee. As Rep. Jones explained, Governor Bill Lee and the Republican supermajority planned a special session on January 27 to establish school vouchers in Tennessee–certificates of government funding for students to use at private schools chosen by themselves or their parents, and Gov. Lee has linked the two unrelated issues together to pressure rural counties to vote in favor of vouchers.
Students gained insight into comradery, partnership, and building communication across the aisle, even when discriminated against in policy-making.
Students like Caden Carrabba ’27 felt inspired by Jones’ story.
“Jones talked about how other representatives told him he was worthless and did not deserve to be there. Yet he perseveres and continues to prove his coworkers wrong,” Carrabba said. “This made me feel very seen because I, like many others, have felt worthless at times, and seeing the way Justin Jones keeps his hold high motivates me to do the same.”
Other students resonated with Rep. Jones’ ability to communicate to a younger audience plagued with political inefficacy.
“I think that it is really helpful for people to see someone that they resonate with doing things and making change,” Madeline Chalos, ’25, wrote. “A lot of the things young people are doing to create change are either not widely broadcasted or seem so distant that students can feel like they are not capable of doing those things.”
In order to foster an environment of political efficacy, students recognized the need to overcome challenging political obstacles that may prevent them from adopting an awareness of the world around them.
“In my experience, the biggest barrier to student civic engagement is the feeling that we are lost because the government is intentionally trying to hurt us or doesn’t care enough to help us,” said Beau Jones, ‘28. (Beau Jones has no relation to Rep. Justin Jones.)
However, with the uplifting words and actions from Rep. Jones’s presentation, students are empowered to educate themselves on their representatives, and legislative processes of politics.
“We can try to show that we can make a change, and write to our legislators, and at least try. Or as Jones put it, try to be on the right side of history,” Beau Jones added.
As the presentation came to a close, students rallied together, motivated to take action and apply Rep. Jones’ lessons to their own lives.
“The way he spoke to the youth felt empowering, as if the next waves of change were in our hands,” said Victor Peng ‘26.
Jones’ visit served as a powerful testimony, demonstrating that the legacy of Dr. King’s revolutionary work is far from over, and has only just begun.
Future activists left empowered to take charge, inspire change, and foster a community of cross-cultural understanding in the fight for justice.
