Tennessee Voices, Episode 313: David Wyley Long, author, activist and Real Love Tennis owner
The work of serving marginalized communities during a health care crisis requires empathy.
That is something David Wyley Long emphasized during this episode of the Tennessee Voices video podcast. Long has served people living with HIV/AIDS in Nashville when he worked with the nonprofit Street Works.
We also discussed the current outbreak of monkeypox, which has primarily impacted men who have sex with men.
In addition to the need for health service, Long is concerned about essential resources such as food security especially for members of the community are low-income.
Long wears multiple hats and has various passions. A Newark native and graduate of Nashville State Community College and Tennessee State University, he founded a matchmaking firm called Real Love and also a tennis business with the same name.
In 2021, he published his memoir "Up Against the Wind," which chronicles his struggles as a Black pansexual person. He ends the book talking about how he finally found his life's purpose.
Our conversation also delved into his love for nature and tennis. He said his game has improved over time and we chatted about tennis legend Serena Williams, who said she is planning to "evolve" away from the sport.
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About Tennessee Voices
The Tennessee Voices videocast is a 20-minute program, which started in March 2020 and invites leaders, thinkers and innovators who have written guest columns for a USA TODAY Network Tennessee publication to share their insights and wisdom with me and our viewers.
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David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee and an editorial board member of The Tennessean. Tweet to him at @davidplazas.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Voices: Health care and tennis with David Wyley Long