Joan B Kite

With deep sadness, but with gratitude for her life and legacy, we share news of the sudden passing of Joan Kite — a beloved friend, fierce advocate, and cherished member of our community.

Joan Beth Kite was born in Florida on September 16, 1963. Her life was a testament to resilience, intellect, and the power of justice-seeking love. A former journalist for the Miami Herald, Joan brought her exceptional writing skills to Tennessee, contributing her talents at Tennessee State University and, more recently, Meharry Medical College where she served as Research Communications Editor. 

Her words carried truth and care, and she never stopped writing — whether professionally, or as a member of The Word Witches, or simply for the joy of storytelling. Shortly before her passing she branched out into radio, guest producing two episodes for Nashville Public Radio’s show “This is Nashville.” One such episode chronicled green witches’ use of holistic means–herbs, plants, and the rhythms of the lunar and solar cycles–to heal and nurture themselves, others and the Earth. 

Several years ago, Joan experienced a devastating accident that resulted in a months-long coma. Believing she would not survive, a court-appointed conservator shut down her apartment and donated her belongings. But Joan defied all odds. She awakened. She learned to walk again. When she was discharged, she had little more than the clothes on her back. Yet she started over — rebuilding her life with courage and determination.

Joan lived at the Mission before finding a new home — an affordable apartment where she could do what she loved: garden. She often expressed deep gratitude to her landlord for providing not just a roof over her head, but a space where she could grow food and reconnect with the earth. For Joan, housing was not just about shelter; it was about dignity, healing, and wholeness.

Joan was a faithful member of NOAH’s (Nashville Organized for Action and Hope) Affordable Housing Task Force and participated in NOAH’s Integrated Voter Engagement work, always showing up for justice. She believed in the power of community organizing, the right of every person to have a safe and affordable place to live, the right to vote, and everyone’s right to have a say in the policies and decisions that affect their lives. 

She was a member of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashville and a lifelong learner who found joy in Greek mythology, the goddess Hecate, and the written word. Joan loved Taylor Swift and Alanis Morissette, adored her cats, and was a dedicated volunteer at Cheekwood Botanical Gardens. She believed everyone should learn to grow their own food and lived her values with quiet strength and conviction.

Joan passed away on July 8, 2025. We will miss her voice, her gentleness, her wisdom, and her fire. May we carry her spirit forward in the work we do and in the justice we seek.

“I’ll tell you something right now — I’d rather bleed than let them squeeze what’s left out of me.”

— Taylor Swift, “Daddy I Love Him”