This “3 Questions With” comes from a sponsored interview in partnership with Tecovas.
Trinity Community Commons is a neighborhood nonprofit in East Nashville that has transformed a historic United Methodist Church into a hub for the community. We spoke with Executive Director Zach Lykins about how his work helps build community in Nashville.
What does a day in your life look like?
“I have mornings with Elsie, my 8-month-old daughter. Then, I'll spend time at Trinity with neighbors doing community gardening or building. We're transforming what used to be an empty outdoor lawn into a vital community gathering space. On Tuesdays, we have a community dinner. It's something all neighbors, rich and poor and across race and class lines, create and set up together.
“The whole goal of the event is relationship building, especially with neighbors different from you. We put on name tags, sit with people we don't know, and build those relationships so that outside of events at Trinity, everyone is enmeshed in a rich network of friends and neighbors who know their name, know their story, and can love and support them well.”
A meal with neighbors at Trinity Community Commons. (Courtesy of Zach Lykins)
What are some other programs offered at Trinity Community Commons?
“Every program is about connecting people in relationships. On Thursdays, we have a neighbor-led community farmer's market. We also partner with a lot of other organizations to host events. One of the reasons we do things together, like building tables and garden beds, is that when you work with your neighbor on a shared goal, something that makes your community better, it builds good relationships, and communicates something valuable to neighbors in need. It tells them, ‘Hey, you're not just a passive recipient of aid. You're an active, creative, capable member of this community. And we need you. We value your gifts as an equal. We want to work with you and with your guests to create things together.’”
Why is creating community so important to Nashville’s future?
“When I think about Elsie's future and the future of Nashville, I think that we need third spaces, and we need community spaces like Trinity to be able to get to know our neighbors, work alongside them, and to love and be loved by them. I'm passionate about this because I want Elsie to grow up with a very different experience than I had, where she gets to know her neighbors and sees the God-given creative talent and potential in each one of them. I want her to value them as much as she values every neighbor she meets.”
