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KFTC Blog

Thoughts on the election from KFTC's chair

Dana Beasley Brown on November 4, 2015 in , Voter Empowerment

Dear friends,

Like many of you, I'm deeply concerned about the election outcomes. All night, I kept thinking about what we do and where we go from here. In those moments, I was grateful to be part of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth. We are exactly what we need.

I woke up this morning and heard about so many of you inviting your loved ones to join KFTC, and the responses that you've had. Truly, we are our best hope for change. We have to dig in today, right now, to build the people power we'll need to protect our commonwealth, and to build a brighter future.

I want to share one of the posts that inspired me this morning, from Tanya Torp, KFTC's Vice-Chair. So far, ten Kentuckians have joined KFTC from  reading Tanya's post. Other Kentuckians have joined since the election, too, maybe after hearing from some of you. 

Friends, now is the time for us to get to work. Reach out to your friends. Invite them to join. Let's organize. 

Best,

Dana Beasley Brown
KFTC Chairperson

 

 

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Become a PowerBuilder for KFTC this Fall

KFTC staff on October 26, 2015 in , Fundraiser

Vice Presidential Debate, Centre College 2012

KFTC is gearing up for an exciting fall campaign to grow our membership, raise funds and build power to do important work across Kentucky in 2016.

Want to help? Become a PowerBuilder.

What does it mean to be a PowerBuilder? You host a personal online page to recruit new members and raise funds for KFTC. It’s an opportunity to engage your family and friends in this work that’s important to you.

PowerBuilders have a big impact. In 2014, our PowerBuilders together raised $18,000 and recruited 153 new members to KFTC! Their success supported on-the-ground work in communities across Kentucky this year – campaigns for a fair wage, affordable housing, renters’ rights, Appalachian transition, and more.

It’s easy. It takes just a few steps to build your page. You can tell your KFTC story and include photos and video.

Questions? Need help getting started? Contact KFTC’s Development Team: Amy Hogg ([email protected]) or E’Beth Adami ([email protected]).

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An Open Letter To The Lexington City Council From The Central Kentucky Chapter of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

Staff on October 23, 2015 in Economic Justice, Central Kentucky

We are the Central Kentucky chapter of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth, and we believe that all Lexington’s workers deserve a wage that can sustain themselves and their families.

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Empower Kentucky will build a state energy plan “that works for everybody”

KFTC staff on October 20, 2015 in Economic Justice, New Energy and Transition, Just Transition, , Sustainable Energy, Air Quality, , Climate Justice, , Empower Kentucky, , Power Plants, , Water Quality

Empower Kentucky, an ambitious project to re-shape Kentucky’s energy future based on a vision “that works for everybody” was announced today by KFTC members.

“Over the next year KFTC will invite thousands of people from all walks of life to share their vision and ideas for transforming Kentucky’s energy system,” said Sean Hardy of Louisville. “Then, together, we will write our own energy plan, one that works for everybody, all of us.

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Federal grants support economic transition efforts for eastern Kentucky

KFTC staff on October 15, 2015 in New Energy and Transition, Just Transition, Big Sandy, , Harlan County, , Perry County, , Rowan County, Empower Kentucky

KFTC members are applauding the Obama administration’s commitment to a just economic transition for eastern Kentucky through the investments in people and communities reflected in several

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Recap of 2nd Annual Smoketown GetDown

Shavaun Evans on October 14, 2015 in Economic Justice, Voting Rights, Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, , Restore your right to vote, Jefferson County, Fundraiser, , Voter Empowerment

Last month the Jefferson County Chapter hosted the 2nd annual Smoketown GetDown for Democracy block party: the party hasn’t stopped since!  The event was a celebration of the history of the Smoketo

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Rowan chapter offers festival- goers healthy food options

Annie Adams on October 11, 2015 in , Rowan County, Fundraiser

The Rowan County KFTC Chapter held its second fundraiser of the year at the Cave Run Storytelling Festival, September 25 and 26.  The chapter was one of many food vendors at the popular festival, vendors that included professional carnival merchants as well as volunteers from other nonprofits, such as the Boy Scouts of America. 

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Members ask for strong protections for streams affected by mining

KFTC staff on September 24, 2015 in Coal and Water, Enforcement, , Mountaintop Removal and Strip Mining, Big Sandy, , Harlan County, , Perry County, OSM - Office of Surface Mining, , Water Quality

Members of KFTC, the Sierra Club, Kentucky Waterways Alliance, Appalachian Citizens Law Center, Kentucky Conservation Committee, Appalachian Voices, Kentucky Resources Council and others had a strong presence at a public hearing September 3 to advocate for the strongest possible protections for water in communities where coal is mined and downstream.

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KFTC members "All In" during exciting annual meeting

KFTC staff on August 25, 2015 in Coal and Water, Economic Justice, New Energy and Transition, Voting Rights, featured, , Leadership Development, , workshop

EmPower Kentucky panel at 2015 Annual Meeting

KFTC members affirmed once again that we are “all in” for a better Kentucky.

Celebration of Tanya Turner

At the 2015 Annual Membership Meeting August 21-23, members from across Kentucky gathered at General Butler State Park to strategize, envision, share ideas and have fun together.

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Happy 34th anniversary, KFTC!

KFTC staff on August 17, 2015 in

 It was 34 years ago today, August 17, 1981, that a group of 26 people from 12 counties meeting in Hazard agreed to officially form a new organization – KFTC, then known as the Kentucky Fair Tax Coalition. 

"People, especially in eastern Kentucky, were getting to know each other. All around the region there was a loose network of people who had worked together with each other in various ways over the past 15 years or so. What we didn't have in those days was a structured connection between us. There was a no interlocking of these community-level efforts, until KFTC."  –  Herb E. Smith, Letcher County

According to the book Making History: The First Ten Years of KFTC:

"We just knew that it made sense to work together across county lines because the problems we faced were similar and needed to be addressed on the state or national level," said Gladys Maynard, who was representing the Concerned Citizens of Martin County and became KFTC's first chairperson.
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