HISTORY IS A POWERFUL TEACHER, and as we celebrate Black History Month, it is important now, as ever, that we continue to dive deep and understand how to reconcile the more painful parts of our history in order to heal and build a healthier future for all people in our community. Many resources are being developed right now to advance A Path Forward and to bolster racial equity throughout our city.
As U of L President Neeli Bendapudi works to make the University of Louisville the premier anti-racist University, we take inspiration from the earlier adopters in our history and honor the work that has been done along the way. J. Blaine Hudson and Robert Douglas, along with Dr. Ricky Jones, are highlighted in a recent article entitled, "U of L is home to the first Black studies program established in the south." J. Blaine Hudson was no doubt a legendary civil rights leader – a great deal of his work (along with many other resources) is highlighted in this great resource from The Filson Historical Society: Historical Resources on Racial Inequality in Louisville.
We invite you to share some of the people that you are celebrating this Black History Month, along with any resources that serve as good tools for anti-racism work. The Center for Nonprofit Excellence has put together a collection of resources for Louisville here. There is much work to be done and much to keep up with! Let us continue to share and find ways that each of us can become part of the solution for promoting racial justice in our city!
A NEW STUDY has shown that lower daily temperatures led to higher COVID-19 infection rates in 50 Northern hemisphere countries. Read the article here.
Understanding of the impact of seasonal temperature changes on transmission of the COVID-19 virus is currently limited, but it is an important factor in reducing transmission rates. Researchers at the University of Louisville's Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, the John Hopkins University. School of Medicine, the US Department of Defense Joint Artificial Intelligence Center and others, have carried out a study that compared daily low temperature data and logged cases of COVID-19 in 50 countries in the Northern Hemisphere between January and April 2020. The results showed that as temperatures rose, the rate of new cases of COVID-19 decreased.
A FRIGHTENING METRO COUNCIL Development has come to our attention recently, concerning the Landmark Designation status of our historic Odd Fellows building in Louisville. The Omni apparently wishes to destroy this historic building that has been vital to our cultural tapestry for over 140 years! It tragically appears that Louisville's Metro Council and others are complicit in this effort, only giving more dollars to Omni's corporate coffers and not to the city, where it is desperately needed right now. Please do contact your councilperson and our Mayor before March 2 to say this effort is not acceptable.
THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF LOUISVILLE is now accepting applications for the Fund For Louisville 2021-2023: Racial Justice Cohort. This is for Black-led social change organizations or fiscally sponsored projects. Applications will be accepted through Monday, March 29.
LOUISVILLE UNANIMOUSLY PASSED Breonna’s Law in 2020, banning no-knock warrants and calling for increased police accountability. Seven other Kentucky towns have since joined, including Glasgow, and the law has also passed in states including Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Now we must protect all Kentuckians and adopt a statewide ban by getting House Bill 21 passed. The time for Kentucky to adopt this legislation is now. Please do take a moment to contact your State Representatives in support of this bill.
THE "CARR BILL" (SB229) is legislation being proposed to the Kentucky State Senate that will protect the life and safety of gun owners and the local community. The bill’s intent is to provide intervention and assistance to gun owners in crisis, with the goal of protecting their safety and health. Using this link, you can find a tool to find your Senator, and a script, if you’d like to join us in calling our Senators. Special thanks to KY Senator Paul Hornback (R) and KY Senator Morgan McGarvey (D) for sponsoring this important bill.
HARLAN COUNTY'S COAL helped build America, and the Harlan County Beer Company is planning to give back to this Appalachian community by encouraging tourism to this special area, and drinking beer! For more information on the project, here is a great article by the Courier Journal.
HOUSE BILL 328, a joint project between the billboard industry and Kentucky’s Transportation Cabinet, passed Kentucky’s House Committee last week. We are very hopeful that our representatives and Senators will vote yes for this bill. We hope you’ll join us in calling the Kentucky Legislative Line to voice our support! 1-800-372-7181
AFTER THE CALL TO ACTION on the Green Heart Virtual Event last fall, The Nature Conservancy and their many partners successfully completed Phase 1 of the buffer planting along the I-264 Watterson Expressway as part of the Green Heart Louisville Project. Click here to view the transformative nature of their work. TNC and their partners will continue the second phase of the Watterson Expressway planting and other potential roadside plantings in fall of 2021. If you want to contribute or learn more click here.
CAN(COMMUNITY ACTIVATION NETWORK) aspires to be a network of people and organizations who create and nurture a thriving nonprofit / social impact ecosystem marked by inclusion, co-creation, and interdependence. It is a place to create shared learning and understanding as well as make connections and strengthen relationships. Join in the CAN conversation and learn more here.
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