TN Writers | TN Stories: Katie Seigenthaler (editor), Amy Frogge (editor), and Rachel Hester, Charles Strobel – The Kingdom of the Poor: My Journey Home (Vanderbilt University Press) in conversation with Kay West

As Charles Strobel, beloved Nashville priest and advocate for the unhoused, reached the end of his life in 2023, he began to contemplate the last message he wanted to leave for his family, friends, and community. With the help of his niece, Katie Seigenthaler, and his colleague, Amy Frogge, Charlie began to dictate The Kingdom of the Poor. He wrote, “Mark Twain, the great American folk hero and writer, has said, ‘The two most important days of your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.’ The following pages help to explain why I was born.” The “why” of Charlie Strobel’s life, which was devoted to helping the homeless and disenfranchised people of Nashville, was a simple motivating belief that we are all poor and we are all worthy of love. The Kingdom of the Poor is the story of how he came to this understanding, and lived his life accordingly once he had.