KFTC Blog

In January, KFTC launched its first ever Political Education Series: Abolition 101. Rooted in police and prison abolitionist perspectives, this political education series depends on a curriculum that cultivates our collective imagination. When we come together to reimagine seemingly concrete structures in our communities, real change can take root. 

KFTC was founded nearly forty years ago in eastern Kentucky as the Kentucky Fair Tax Coalition. Since our founding, we’ve grown into the statewide, multi-issue organization we are today. And as we’ve continued to grow, our membership has changed, our program of work has exploded, and we’ve outgrown many of our old strategies, structures, policies, and practices.

Participants in Imagining and Envisioning the Future of KFTC heard a word from our chairperson, Cassia Herron, and Executive Director, Burt Lauderdale to provide some context as we prepare for change. Read the transcript below, or watch the video at www.vimeo.com/522584493.

CH = Hello, I’m Cassia Herron, she/her and I am your KFTC Chairperson. I’m a proud Kentuckian, home of Yuchi, Miami, Osage, Shawnee, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Quapaw, and Oceti Sakowin people. Born and raised in Richmond/Madison County and I’ve lived here in Jefferson County since 97.

BL = And I’m Burt Lauderdale, he/him. I grew up in Auburn, Alabama, but I’ve lived here in Kentucky since 1983, here in Laurel County since 1988. I’m your KFTC Executive Director.

CH = Burt and I are here to describe the KFTC Organizational Change Initiative, and our collective responsibility in Imagining and Envisioning KFTC’s future. There’s at least four reasons why KFTC is investing in Organizational Change.

You’ve made an impact during the 2021 General Assembly. Some of these impacts have been on legislation – a key meeting with a legislator that changes the course of a bill, or a push of calls and tweets that makes the will of the people more visible and harder to ignore. We also set a goal this session to continue to build the power we need. So many impacts have been in our own communities, talking with neighbors and networks about the bills that impact us, and the work of our legislators.