Fourth grade Explore! Community School students recently held their own Poetry Slam that was featured on Nashville’s own Channel 5 News. What is a Poetry Slam, you might ask? “Slam Poetry” is a form of live poetry that combines the elements of performance, writing, competition, and audience participation. Events featuring Slam Poetry can also be […]

Communities around the world recognize Poverty Awareness Month in January. This global campaign is an opportunity to raise awareness about the impact of poverty in our city and world, as well as successful strategies to defeat it. Watch this space for news about dialogue opportunities in January on topics around poverty, as well as our […]

Martha O’Bryan Center’s mission-awareness and fundraising event, Champions Breakfast, returned to its traditional in-person format on September 27, 2022 with an audience of about 700 supporters there to hear stories and strategic updates on the nonprofit’s work. The biennial tradition had not been held live since 2018 and returned to its regular location at the […]

Martha O’Bryan Center is pleased to announce that both our charter schools, East End Prep and Explore! Community School, have earned 2022 Reward School designations from the Tennessee Department of Education! For the uninitiated, these awards recognize the top-performing schools in the entire state of Tennessee. What’s more, each school also earned Level 5 TVAAS […]

Come out and enjoy a lovely summer Saturday afternoon this July 16th from 11am – 3pm in Musician’s Corner, at Centennial Park as we welcome Music City Chef Throwdown back this year with a new twist… FOOD TRUCKS! In this year’s event, we are proud to partner with some of Nashville’s best food trucks, INCLUDING: Funk Seoul […]

Martha O’Bryan Center, Lead Organization for New Collaborative Tennessee Alliance for Economic Mobility (TAEM), Awarded $25M to Improve Families’ Economic Mobility and Wellbeing in Middle Tennessee Alliance Will Innovate Across Seven Counties to Defeat Poverty Using TANF Funds   The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) has selected the Martha O’Bryan Center and the Tennessee […]

   Martha O’Bryan Center and Tennessee Alliance for Economic Mobility (TAEM) submitted today a $25 million application for a Tennessee Opportunity Pilot grant, a new program for reimagining how the state supports families on the road from poverty to economic advancement. Seven applicants will be selected this spring to implement innovative approaches for defeating […]

Stratford STEM School students Titan Up! Do you remember being in school and working on a fun assignment with your classmates? By the end of the project, each of you probably hoped for the ultimate recognition of your collaborative success, such as a TV spot on the local news, or, maybe the local legendary professional […]

It could not have been a more perfect day to celebrate such a monumental change in the landscape at the Martha O’Bryan Center than on Monday, January 10th, 2022. The sun shone brightly, melting the memory of the heavy snow from the week before and requiring the lightest of winter attire. Thank you to all […]

Marsha Edwards is the president and CEO of the Martha O’Bryan Center in Nashville. This article was originally published as an Op-Ed piece in the Tennessean on Dec. 16th, 2021. Belmont University’s Bridges to Belmont program is a proven success that invests in Nashville students and could help plenty more if replicated by other private […]