In a small meeting room in 2015, a partnership between the Nashville Predators and AMEND Together (formerly known as MEND) - with a goal to make Nashville the safest city in the country for women and girls - developed with big plans and a limited foundation.
Now, with the alliance in its 10th year, the initiative has positively affected thousands and shows promise to continue to inspire change within the community.
“At that first [meeting], we had a dozen people there,” Predators CEO Sean Henry said. “Every time we did another one, we outgrew the room. It went from being in a quarter of the meeting room, to half a meeting room, to a full meeting room… And the last one we did was in the arena bowl…It was 500 people. It was just awesome.”
The AMEND Together program was launched in 2013 by the YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee with the intention of addressing the area’s immense levels of gender-based violence. At the time, the state of Tennessee ranked among the worst-rated states for the safety of females with one in four women being affected.
“It has become a great resource for us,” Henry said. “When we get to the goal of making this a safer city, and then eventually the safest - and eventually not having domestic abuse - it will be incredible.”
AMEND’s goal was simple: educate the young boys and men of Middle Tennessee of upholding dignified masculinity while treating their female counterparts with respect. A donation from the Predators in 2015 began an impactful collaboration that has long worked to enhance the protection of girls and women within the community.
In partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools, AMEND Together hosts AMEND clubs across the city where hundreds of boys are provided a safe space to talk about healthy masculinity and gender-based violence.
Additionally, AMEND Ambassadors, who serve as leaders and mentors in the groups, are prominent members of the Nashville and Middle Tennessee community. These men and women lend their expertise to help the YWCA achieve the AMEND Together goals while working with the AMEND Together team on strategic planning, fundraising, outreach and events.
“We knew that we had to work with young boys to change the way they think and what they see and what's normal,” Henry said. “We didn't know how to do that, and that's why I give so much credit to the YWCA, [former President & CEO, YWCA Nashville and Middle Tennessee] Pat Shea, [President & CEO, YWCA Nashville and Middle Tennessee] Sharon Roberson, and [AMEND Together Executive Director] Shan Foster. Also, [to] all of the key people that have been underneath them that built the program as we were going. They literally built the rowboat in the water.”
What was once a rough sketch of possibilities for growth within the community currently sits as a nationally recognized operation with federal support. Having served over 5,000 boys, AMEND Together presently has 30 clubs around the city of Nashville with more than 500 current enrollees.
This Thursday, the Predators will present their millionth dollar to the AMEND Together project as they deliver their annual $100,000 donation to the initiative. Looking forward, Henry remains confident that positive results will continue to occur as the partnership continues.
“AMEND impacts more of the community than any initiative that we take on because we're all impacted by it, whether we know it or not,” Henry said. “If we get rid of this, it's going to be amazing. Now, will that happen in my lifetime? Probably not. But if we can change the one-in-four to one-in-20, that's transformative.”
For more information on AMEND Together and how to get involved, click here.
