“The great evil of American slavery wasn’t the involuntary servitude; it was the fiction that Black people aren’t as good as white people, and aren’t the equals of white people, and are less evolved, less human, less capable, less worthy, less deserving than white people.”
Bryan Stevenson

Originally Published: June 19, 2020
Updated: July 7, 2020

Black community leaders and those of good conscience are working to push for answers and consequences while Mayor Fischer has yet to make a statement condemning the actions of LMPD. 

For far too long, our communities have operated on the principle of keeping Louisville’s issues out of the public eye. The cover-up has ended. The time has come to give us the necessary resources to begin to do the work for ourselves since our elected leaders are reluctant to do what they have been sworn to do for all of our citizens. Should our concerns not be acknowledged and addressed, Louisville will continue to experience the public outrage and demand for change that it is seeing after the unnecessary and unjustified deaths of our Black residents at the hands of the LMPD. 

The actions of LMPD clearly demonstrated that we cannot trust them to protect and serve all of us regardless of where we live or the color of our skin. It’s difficult to imagine a more serious breach of trust than when police unnecessarily kill the people they are charged to protect. We demand transparency and the opportunity to be involved in creating real change in LMPD, including the search for a new Chief, as stated in our previous requests.

“Jobs, justice, education, health, and housing” is not just a Louisville Urban League slogan; it is a holistic approach to what Black communities across this country need for systemic restructuring. The protests happening in the streets of Louisville and in at least one city in every state in our country are evidence that Black America and people of good conscience everywhere are exhausted by the traditional methods of negotiation. These methods have clearly failed. While we agree with the desire for peace, we won’t be supportive of a hollow peace—one that comes at the expense of Black lives and does not lead to justice. 

Along with the rest of Black America, Black Louisville is suffering. Louisville is not an exception to any rule. We have been so blinded by occasional generous words and sporadic individual acts of compassion that we have allowed our city and its leaders to believe otherwise, to believe that this city is somehow different. That our pain hasn’t been significant, hasn’t been real. That misconception must end. To continue on this path will deprive Louisville of the opportunity to become the city that lives up to its promises to every resident. 

This is not a time for fragility. It is not a time to cower behind guilt and discomfort. We are not interested in being studied and examined further. Now is the time for direct action and we cannot—will not—tolerate any further delays.

Black community leaders and those of good conscience are working to push for answers and consequences while Mayor Fischer has yet to make a statement condemning the actions of LMPD. 

For far too long, our communities have operated on the principle of keeping Louisville’s issues out of the public eye. The cover-up has ended. The time has come to give us the necessary resources to begin to do the work for ourselves since our elected leaders are reluctant to do what they have been sworn to do for all of our citizens. Should our concerns not be acknowledged and addressed, Louisville will continue to experience the public outrage and demand for change that it is seeing after the unnecessary and unjustified deaths of our Black residents at the hands of the LMPD. 

The actions of LMPD clearly demonstrated that we cannot trust them to protect and serve all of us regardless of where we live or the color of our skin. It’s difficult to imagine a more serious breach of trust than when police unnecessarily kill the people they are charged to protect. We demand transparency and the opportunity to be involved in creating real change in LMPD, including the search for a new Chief, as stated in our previous requests.

“Jobs, justice, education, health, and housing” is not just a Louisville Urban League slogan; it is a holistic approach to what Black communities across this country need for systemic restructuring. The protests happening in the streets of Louisville and in at least one city in every state in our country are evidence that Black America and people of good conscience everywhere are exhausted by the traditional methods of negotiation. These methods have clearly failed. While we agree with the desire for peace, we won’t be supportive of a hollow peace—one that comes at the expense of Black lives and does not lead to justice. 

Along with the rest of Black America, Black Louisville is suffering. Louisville is not an exception to any rule. We have been so blinded by occasional generous words and sporadic individual acts of compassion that we have allowed our city and its leaders to believe otherwise, to believe that this city is somehow different. That our pain hasn’t been significant, hasn’t been real. That misconception must end. To continue on this path will deprive Louisville of the opportunity to become the city that lives up to its promises to every resident. 

This is not a time for fragility. It is not a time to cower behind guilt and discomfort. We are not interested in being studied and examined further. Now is the time for direct action and we cannot—will not—tolerate any further delays.

Rooted Solutions:

This work must be rooted in systemic solutions that lead to health and wealth building in Black communities. They must be both educational and economic solutions because racism, while wide-reaching and pervasive, cannot be detached from the direct and serious educational and economic impacts on those who suffer and those benefit from it. Therefore, we, the people, believe that extensive, catalytic investments in the Black community are required to position this community for creating wealth and educational opportunities that will cross generations.

Invest/Divest

We are addressing the long and challenging history LMPD has had with Louisville’s Black community. This means we are standing up against aggressive policing practices, abuse, an absence of transparency, and cover-ups that have plagued this department and eroded public trust. We demand investments in the education, health and safety of Black people, instead of investments in the criminalizing, caging, and harming of Black people.

Black Community Fund

For too long, public safety in Louisville has taken a police-centered approach and ignored the possibilities of publicly-resourced, community-led solutions. This initial $50M allocation will allow us to begin the process of addressing systemic racism in our community. “The compounding crises of structural inequality, plummeting economic mobility, mounting death tolls, and ongoing injustice and brutality have been raging for generations,” and we are asking the city to join us in this moment to seize the opportunity to disrupt these crises.

US Conference of Mayors

After serious discussion by the group, this document also serves to register our deep concern with [Mayor Fischer’s] ability to lead the conference of Mayors, and Louisville, while our city remains in crisis. We believe that, in many respects, the culture of our police department has regressed under [his] leadership, and we have serious concerns about what police reform might look like under your leadership of the conference.

 

“We demand investments in the education, health and safety of Black people, instead of investments in the criminalizing, caging, and harming of Black people.”
Movement for Black Lives

In addition to the immediate requests outlined above, there are a number of issues facing our community that should be priorities for those in positions of power and authority. We know the money and authority to act exists. There is only a question of courage and will.

JOBS

JOBS

Strong workforce development is about investment in training for jobs that exist today, forecasting training needs for the jobs of tomorrow, and continued investment in people to advance careers as technology and the economy continue to revolutionize what employment looks like in America.

JUSTICE

JUSTICE

The police department, the justice department and our elected officials have repeatedly failed those whom they have pledged to serve. While 400 years overdue, there is an opportunity to change right now.

EDUCATION

EDUCATION

We must invest in the education of our young people because they have the potential to change outcomes for generations. Providing wrap-around services and other supplemental supports for students will help to close the achievement gap and provide them the necessary support to not only graduate but enroll and complete higher education.

HEALTH

HEALTH

The physical, mental, and emotional health of our community is as important as it has ever been. And as the Louisville Health Equity Report (2017) states, “[i]nterventions must happen at multiple levelsindividual, interpersonal, organizational, community and policyto have the biggest impact on health.”

HOUSING

HOUSING

The Metropolitan Housing Coalition has documented the societal cost of redlining in Louisville: 22,000 Black families who should be homeowners are not.  We can address this and change the physical conditions in disinvested neighborhoods to reinvest in and recycle thousands of abandoned properties and vacant lots.

We sense that, after years of mostly ignoring our pleas, you seem now to be listening to our requests. Now that we have your ear, we are counting on you to respond in earnest. We share this petition as a collective of civic leaders, social service organizations, philanthropic partners, faith-based community members, families, friends and impacted people, because we understand that one leader, one organization, one perspective is not enough. This is our combined plea. This is our combined demand. This is our collective opportunity.

Many of us have been asked individually what it is that we think Louisville needs. If perhaps not fully coordinated or complete, our answers have been overwhelmingly consistent. We will not succumb to the pressure of being monolithic. There is no one spokesperson or one ideology for Black Louisville. Instead, we are a collective in our pain and we are united in our need for multi-dimensional responses and investment. The police department, the justice department and our elected officials have repeatedly failed those whom they have pledged to serve. While 400 years overdue, there is an opportunity to change right now. 

In the Movement,

Sadiqa N. Reynolds, Esq.
Louisville Urban League

Dr. Yvonne D. Austin-Cornish Louisville Urban League Guild
Closing the Gap Consulting, LLC

Dr. Billie Castle
Louisville Urban League Young Professionals

Monica E. Unseld, Ph.D
Data for Justice

Alice Houston
Dana Jackson
Audwin Helton
15,000 Degrees

Damian Thompson
Emmanuel Baptist Church

Verna’ Goatley
Shawnee Neighborhood Association

Timothy Findley Jr.
Kingdom  Fellowship

Mellone Long
Center for Neighborhoods

Ja’mel Armstrong
New Horizon Baptist Church

Dave W. Christopher Sr.
AMPED

Nicole Hayden
Friends of Nicole 50/50 Mentoring Collaborative Inc.

Timothy Findley Jr.
Justice & Freedom Coalition

Johnetta Roberts
40 & One Company

Dr. Jamesetta Ferguson
Molo Village CDC
St. Peters United Church of Christ

Kevin L. Dunlap
REBOUND, Inc.

Arthur Cox
St. George’s Scholar Institute

Marcus Ray
NAACP, Kentucky State Conference

Dr. Corrie Shull
Burnett Avenue Baptist Church

Ben Johnson
Education First Foundation

Darryl Young, Jr.
Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
Louisville Alumni Chapter 

Dr. Eddie L Woods
No More Red Dots, Inc. 

Monica Flowers
Alumni NPHC

Kristen Williams
Play Cousins Collective

John Marshall
Jefferson County Public Schools

Dee Muldrow 
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc.
Theta Omega Chapter

Toya Northington
artThrust

Dr. Walter Malone Jr.
Canaan Christian Church

Erich Shumake
African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Gary N Eley
100 Black Men Of Louisville 

Rev. Samantha Jewell

Rev. Rachel Small Stokes
Immanuel United Church of Christ

Rev. Ann Houlette
United Church of Christ

Lettie Johnson
Gifted By Design Leadership and Consulting, LLC  

Tomeika S. Leavell
Leavell Counseling, LLC

Shervita West 
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc.
Beta Alpha Xi Zeta Chapter

Sonja Grey
Exploited Children’s Help Organization (ECHO)

Anthony Smith
Cities United
Russell Place of Promise

Sara Klein Wagner
Jewish Community of Louisville, Inc.

Rashaad Abdur-Rahman
Racial Healing Project

National Council of Jewish Women
Louisville Section

Ken Ellis
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. 
Alpha Lambda Chapter

Eric Stout
Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Louisville Alumni Chapter

Dr. Deshawn Burrell
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
Eta Zeta Chapter

Monya Logan
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. 
Pi Sigma Chapter

Marion Phinazee
Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. 
Beta Nu Omega Chapter

Shameka Parrish-Wright
The Bail Project-Louisville

Jan Brown Thompson
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Pi Lambda Omega Chapter

DaMarrion Fleming
Sowing Seeds with Faith

Kenneth Marshall
Jefferson County Public Schools

Marland Cole
Evolve502

Tina M. Johnson
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Louisville Alumnae Chapter

Daphne L. Jones

William Westerfield Tolbert
Keepers Of The Torch

Sedgewick Parker
Yearlings Club Inc.

Jerome Baker
Jamila Young
River City Drum Corp

Christie McCravy
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc.
Eta Omega Chapter

Bruce Williams
Bates Memorial Baptist Church

Rev. Dr. Kevin W. Cosby
Simmons College of Kentucky
St. Stephen Church

Carla Wallace

Rev. Joe Phelps
EmpowerWest Louisville

Kelly Kirby
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church

Rev. Dr. Ann Deibert
Central Presbyterian Church

Benjamin K. Richmond, Retired
Louisville Urban League

Rev. Matthew E. Smyzer, Jr.
Beargrass Missionary Baptist Church

Matthew Bradley
Christ Church Cathedral

Jecorey 1200 Arthur
Simmons College of Kentucky

Arika Marshall-Embry

Rev. Lauren Jones Mayfield
Highland Baptist Church’s Anti-Racism Team

Rabbi Robert B. Slosberg
Congregation Adath Jeshurun

Marna Miller

Deb Frockt
Jewish Family & Career Services

Rev. Dr. Larry W. Stoess
Mistee Spry Browning
Church of the Promise 

Rev. Ryan Stoess 
Promise Housing LLC 

Cecil M. Brookins
J.O. Blanton House Board of Directors

Rabbi Joe Rooks Rapport

Rabbi Gaylia R. Rooks

Damon Cobble, LMFT, CCTSF
Minority Mental Health Project

James Pasch
ADL Cleveland 

William Mack III
Grace Community Covenant Church

Pastor Eric T. French, Sr.
Antioch Baptist Church

Ebony O’Rea, MSSW
Making Changes Together, LLC

Rev. Kevin Gardner-Sinclair
Broadway Baptist Church

Kevin Fields
Louisville Central Community Center

What can I do?

Louisville has everything it needs to transform our community. Everyone just needs to do their part. We encourage you to read the document and find places where you and your organization(s) can be of assistance. We have attempted to make your search easier by grouping priorities according to potential actors. Click the category(s) below that fits your organization and see how you can help.