Jefferson County | Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

Chapter: Jefferson County

 

Since the chapter formed in 1983, we have supported and worked with allies on issues that affect you and me, including affordable housing, police abuse, sweat shops, hazardous waste reduction and recycling. Our doors are open to anyone who wants to fight for justice while building a compassionate, connected, and fun community here in our great city. With over 2,500 KFTC members across the County, JCKFTC is an anchor chapter of Kentuckians For The Commonwealth. The chapter focuses on three issues: Education Justice, Energy and Climate Justice, and democracy Justice. 

  • You can find JCKFTC members agitating and lobbying the local school board, rallying for trans students, traveling to Capiltal to lobby and rally for education bills that support students, and creating strategies to save education in Kentucky. 
  • RSVP here for KFTC's Education Justice Lobby Day & Rally at the Capital on Tuesday, February 4, 2025
  • RSVP here for KFTC's monthly virtual Statewide Education Justice meetings.
  • Share your voice by taking our digital Education Justice Survey by October 31, 2024.

  • In addition to being part of the Just Transition Coalition, the Jefferson County chapter also has a robust Energy & Climate Justice working group that meets monthly on the 4th Wednesday from 7 - 8 pm EDT. You can RSVP here for our monthly Energy & Climate Justice working group here:

  • JCKFTC members register voters across the County, including at places like Actor’s Theatre, Simmon’s Freedom School, Sarabande Books’ Annual Poetry Carnival, Carmichael’s Bookstore, and more. 


From schools to houses of faith to recovery centers, JCKFTC offers training and presentations on all of our issues. Some of the most requested trainings and presentations are on voting rights restoration, political education, voter registration training, the state of education justice, arts and activism at the intersection of climate and energy justice, and organizing for change. Email us today to begin a conversation about bringing a training or presentation to your group.

You’ll be able to find KFTC’s quarterly newspaper, Balancing The Scales, at various locations, including multiple Heine Brothers Coffee locations, the Old Louisville Coffee Co-Op, Elderserve, Goodwill, the Bishop’s Table, and more. JCKFTC members enjoy reading Balancing The Scales and contributing to the publication. You can find JCKFTC members’ Balancing The Scales articles on the KFTC Blog. 


Each 2nd Monday of the month, from 5 - 7:30 pm, JCKFTC hosts a Chapter Meeting - all are welcome and invited. We begin by sharing a meal & networking for an hour, then spend the remaining 90 minutes discussing our ongoing work & strategizing for a future where all Kentuckians can thrive. We have an average attendance of about 45 - 50 people. This is a life-changing family-friendly event. You can RSVP for a monthly chapter meeting with us here. 

We offer POWER 101, an in-person intro to organizing for change course. This two-hour organizing course covers The Transition Zone, Powerful Questions, the Accountability Pathway, and more. The chapter plans to pilot a virtual option to POWER 101 in early 2025.  
 

You can find all things JCKFTC on our LinkTree.

Recent Activities

Jefferson County co-hosts Citizen Lobbying 101

Elijah McKenzie on December 17, 2013 in Coal and Water, Economic Justice, New Energy and Transition, Voting Rights, Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, Jefferson County, General Assembly

How does a bill become a law in Kentucky? What’s the best way for people to arrange a meeting with their legislators? How can ordinary citizens hold lawmakers accountable?

These questions, and more, were brought to the forefront during Jefferson County's citizen lobbying training on Wednesday, December 11, which took place at the First Unitarian Church in Louisville.

Images that are often associated with the word “lobbyist” are those of corporate lackeys treating policymakers to expensive drinks over a round of golf. It’s a misconception that was quickly broken as community organizers from throughout the state shared their lobbying experiences on both local and state levels.

Blue Morals

Megan Casey on November 14, 2013 in Coal and Water, Mountaintop Removal and Strip Mining, Jefferson County, Water Quality

I remember one day I walked into my home after school, my father was in tears and had not yet broken his fast. After I succeeded in convincing him to eat, he requested that I listen in private and so I did. My father could see the challenging future I was about to face, yet how could I know when I was barely nineteen years of age? He recommended that I hold on to courage and faith, and that I remember the strength of those whom I might or should leave behind, wisdom in choices, justice in actions, and if I speak let it be the truth even if it leads to an unpleasant ending. My siblings and I may have not had the greatest childhood, but we had the greatest father, a warrior, and a mother that did better than her best to ensure our safe survival.  

We experienced serious issues and shortages with water. My mother was one of the hundreds of women who traveled miles searching for a source of water, but how much can one woman carry this burden across many miles through cold and heat? She must have ignored her pain to protect us, her needs to provide for us, her own sufferings to ensure our survival, and she must have lost the feeling of life just to see us prosper of ours.

Jefferson County Chapter discusses local issues

Ryan Fenwick on October 22, 2013 in Economic Justice, Coal Ash, Jefferson County, Air Quality, , coal ash, , Power Plants

Jefferson County Chapter recently chose to identify local issues as a way to both improve the county and also reach out to a broader section of the urban population that is not yet connected to KFTC’s statewide work. The process for local issue selection is not obvious. Assembled KFTC members have no shortage of issues, quickly identifying years worth of issues worthy of grassroots attention. There is no shortage of cooperative attitude, but there are many potential approaches to this important decision process. 

Chapter members agreed the first step to selecting the chapter issue was to brainstorm issues to be discussed at the April chapter meeting. KFTC principles for issue selection were presented by Jefferson County organizer Alicia Hurle, and discussion led to additional criteria being added. The group determined a local issue should be one that is winnable with opportunities for action in the short term, even if completely winning would ultimately take focus over a longer time horizon. The group also agreed the ideal local issue would be important to people in areas not currently connected to state wide work. We want an issue that will energize the chapter and get members involved in our work. Outreach to chapter members encouraged them to contribute issues they would like to see considered and were invited to participate in discussion of issues and the process for selecting issues at the next chapter meeting.

Jefferson County Open House

Ryan Fenwick on October 3, 2013 in , Jefferson County

 The invitation to participate in member-driven grassroots activism along with music, brownies, cookies, and sweet tea brought numerous current KFTC members and dozens of community members to the new Jefferson County KFTC office in Louisville’s Smoketown Neighborhood.  At the event speakers explained the two new local chapter campaigns, air quality in the Rubbertown Neighborhood and affordable housing, and an information table was there to connect people with state-wide work.  Attendees were invited to tour the new office, meet KFTC members and allies, and write their vision for the Smoketown Neighborhood on poster boards.  People identified 100% voter registration, ending the food desert, affordable housing, more green space, green energy, installing bike lanes and sidewalks, spaces for children, and more jobs as priorities for the neighborhood.

KFTC accepting applications to attend event with Congressman John Lewis and Rachel Maddow

KFTC Staff on September 20, 2013 in , Jefferson County

On October 15, the University of Louisville Kentucky Author Forum will present a public event featuring Congressman John Lewis and MSNBC News anchor Rachel Maddow in Louisville. 

Rep. John Lewis is Georgia’s 5th Congressional District Representative, the son of sharecroppers in Alabama, and a pillar of the civil rights movement across many decades. His story has recently been told in a new book, the graphic novel called March. 

KFTC is thrilled to have secured 15 seats to this event to share with our  members.  

Please use the form below if you are interested in attending. All KFTC members are welcome to apply for one of 15 available spots. Our Leadership Development Committee will have the hard and important task of selecting a diverse set of members to participate. 

To apply to attend the public event with Congressman Lewis, please fill out this form.

If you want to make your own plans to attend the event, go here.

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Chapter Feature:

Regular Meetings:

Jefferson County KFTC office
786 Shelby Street
Louisville, KY 40203
Monthly Chapter Meeting

Each 2nd Monday of the month, from 5 - 7:30 pm, JCKFTC hosts a Chapter Meeting - all are welcome and invited.

We begin by sharing a meal & networking for an hour, then spend the remaining 90 minutes discussing our ongoing work & strategizing for a future where all Kentuckians can thrive.

We have an average attendance of about 45 - 50 people & folks are welcome to bring a dish to share.

This is a life-changing family-friendly event.

You can RSVP for a monthly chapter meeting with us here.

Chapter Organizer:

Bonifacio Aleman
786 Shelby Street
Louisville, KY 40203

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