This is the thirteenth show in our series on the importance of voting with the great wisdom keeper, Megan Barry.

Why is it important to vote?

Does our vote even matter?

What is democracy?

THESE SEGMENTS ARE MUCH SHORTER THAN OUR USUAL PROGRAMS… SO THEY ARE EASILY CONSUMED!

Megan Barry was the seventh mayor of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County following an historic election in which she became the first woman and first member of the Metro Council to be elected as Mayor.

Barry’s focus when mayor was on improving the educational outcomes at our public schools, engaging regional and state partners to develop a unified vision and plan for transportation, creating more affordable housing options for residents of all backgrounds, and continuing to grow our economy while ensuring all parts of Davidson County share in the prosperity.

Barry put an emphasis on building upon Nashville’s economic growth with a renewed focus on supporting the music industry and the city’s creative and entrepreneurial sectors – while also addressing the challenges that come with growth by creating the first ever transportation and infrastructure department within the Mayor’s Office, and creating the Office of Economic Opportunity and Empowerment focused on helping the most vulnerable Nashvillians to gain access to jobs, affordable housing, and financial empowerment services.

In building her administration, Barry also put a sharp focus on ensuring that the Mayor’s Office is reflective of the city it serves. To that end, Barry put together the most diverse team in the history of Metro Nashville and has been committed to diversifying Metro Boards and Commissions.

Megan Barry is married to Bruce Barry, a professor of organization studies at Vanderbilt. Their son, Max, is a junior in college, and they share their home with two rescue dogs, Hank and Boris.