Whether it’s building skyscrapers, running successful restaurants, researching diseases, performing music, cleaning hotel rooms, or holding public office, immigrants are changing Nashville from a mid‑sized city known for its country music industry to an increasingly diverse, multicultural destination. In Metro Nashville schools today, students speak more than 120 languages. The city is bigger, more congested, and more expensive than it’s ever been, drawing criticism from both longtime residents and newcomers. But growth has also brought top‑notch scientists and educators, a world‑class symphony, major league sports teams, investment from major corporations—and a wide range of immigrants whose talent and hard work have helped make all of that happen. Through its profiles of 39 immigrants from 38 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and Australia, Nashville’s New Americans provides a case study from one of the fastest-growing cities in the country on the contributions immigrants are making to its culture and economy. “Sheri Sellmeyer has held a mirror in front of the city, and turned a spotlight on our future—this really is Nashville.” — Bill Purcell , former mayor of Nashville, 1999–2007 “When talking about ‘the immigration problem,’ I often contend that if we understood the circumstances and the push and pull forces that draw people to the United States—and if we could put a name with the face—we would not be as polarized as we are today. Sheri Lea Sellmeyer does a superb job at highlighting the journeys of a wide array of folks who have made Nashville home and who have come from all corners of the world—from Canada to Siberia. Her stories cover a diverse group of foreign-born Nashville residents who work and live in all corners of our community, from academia to frontline workers. She portrays the multitude of conditions and circumstances that have landed immigrants here, always highlighting the humanity of their paths. One thing is for sure, Nashville is a better place because they are all here. You will be inspired by their stories and gain a deep understanding of the vibrancy that all of them contribute to our Nashville community.” — José González , Jack C. Massey Chair of Entrepreneurship and associate professor of entrepreneurship and management, Belmont University “While not everyone has the luxury to travel the globe, each of us has the ability to get to know our neighbors. This book is a window into the lives of immigrants who have brought their incredibly diverse histories, experiences, and stories to our community, giving us the opportunity to truly travel the world, perhaps without even leaving our own backyard.” — Sarah Lingo , executive director, Sister Cities of Nashville  “Too often, in political rhetoric, immigrants are used as speaking points rather than being recognized for their true humanity. With Nashville’s New Americans , individual stories allow us to move beyond labels to see people as more than their immigration status.” — Tessa Lemos Del Pino , executive director, Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors Sheri Lea Sellmeyer worked as a journalist for many years, as a reporter at the San Angelo Standard‑Times and Hays Free Press in Texas and as a freelancer for organizations such as the Bureau of National Affairs. Later she worked as vice president for an international corporation, Decision Resources Group, that produced market research on the health insurance industry, overseeing a staff that covered health care reform and trends in managed care. She and her husband live in Nashville. Compare Nashville’s downtown skyline in the year 2024 to 2000, and it shows an entirely different city. Compare the makeup of the city’s population, and the same is true. In 2000, 7 percent of Nashville residents were foreign-born. By 2023, that percentage had more than doubled. One in seven people in Davidson County have come here from another country, making Nashville a gateway city for immigrants from all over the world. Go beyond Davidson County to the thirteen other counties in Nashville’s metropolitan statistical area (MSA), and there are another hundred thousand immigrants. These new Americans have been crucial in the area’s growth and prosperity, launching new businesses, educating young people, building office towers, creating music, and filling thousands of service industry jobs. Immigration is a polarizing topic in the United States and the world, with debates over how to handle the crush of people seeking asylum and how immigrants are changing American culture. Misconceptions abound—that immigrants increase crime rates, take advantage of public benefits, don’t pay taxes. None of that is true. In fact, immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than US-born citizens. Those who are not citizens are not eligible for public benefits. And all immigrants pay taxes, including those who are undocumented. Immigrants are playing an increasingly im