Nashville Public Television is one of eight Tennessee nonprofit organizations to receive a 2018 Nissan Foundation grant. The grant will help fund NPT’s Next Door Neighbors project.
Next Door Neighbors began in 2008 and, through documentaries and video shorts, aims to shed light on Nashville’s status as a destination city for refugees and immigrants and to explore the rich diversity of people now calling Middle Tennessee home. The most recent documentary, Next Door Neighbors: Between Two Worlds, premiered in April 2018 on NPT. All the documentaries in the series are available for online viewing at video.wnpt.org/show/next-door-neighbors/.
“NPT is extremely grateful to the Nissan Foundation for its long-standing, generous support of Next Door Neighbors,” said Kevin Crane, NPT’s president and CEO. “The Next Door Neighbors project is a cornerstone of NPT’s service to the Middle Tennessee. More than a decade after it began, the documentary series continues to play a vital role in building acceptance and appreciation for the diverse tapestry of cultures found in our immigrant and refugee communities. I am proud of the work NPT has done in this area and look forward to continuing another year of Next Door Neighbors.”
The Nissan Foundation’s 2018 grantees include 29 nonprofit organizations located in Southern California, North Central Texas, Middle Tennessee, Central Mississippi, Eastern Michigan and the New York and Atlanta metro areas. In total, the Nissan Foundation is awarding grants amounting to $730,000.
In 1992, Nissan North America formed the Nissan Foundation in response to the civil unrest that occurred near Nissan’s then U.S. headquarters in Southern California following the Rodney King trial verdict. Every year since, the Nissan Foundation has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to organizations that offer educational programs that inform, inspire and celebrate diversity among the various cultural and ethnic groups that make up society.
Over its 26-year history, the Nissan Foundation has awarded more than $10 million to approximately 120 organizations promoting respect and understanding among cultural and ethnic groups.
“It is a privilege to recognize Nashville Public Television with a Nissan Foundation grant for the work it is doing to promote the value of racial, ethnic and cultural diversity,” said Nissan Foundation President Scott Becker, who is also senior vice president, Administration, Nissan North America, Inc. “The Nissan Foundation has a proud history of recognizing and supporting organizations making a real impact in this regard.”