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

Louisville Loves Mountains Day 2013!

Laura Read on May 17, 2013 in , Jefferson County

This is our live blog of Louisville Loves Mountains 2013 held on May 17.

4:10 pm

Everybody is setting up for the 5th Annual Louisville Loves Mountains Day!

Secretary of State meetings gathering input on election laws

Dave Newton on May 9, 2013 in Voting Rights, Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, Jefferson County, , Madison County, , Northern Kentucky, Voter Empowerment

35421_1360070120623_1197630007_30870127_3370161_nThe Kentucky Secretary of State's office is setting up a series of town meetings across the state to review and recommend improvements to Kentucky’s election laws.

A few have already happened, but four upcoming meetings are:

• Wednesday, May 22 – Kenton County - 5:30pm at Dixie Heights Highschool

• Monday, June 3 – McCracken County - 12:30pm.  Robert Cherry Civic Center, 2701 Park Avenue, Paducah, KY

• Thursday, June 6th – Jefferson County - 12:30pm.  Muhammad Ali Center, 144 N. 6th Street, Louisville, KY

• Thursday, June 20 – Madison County - 5:30pm.  Madison County Extension Office, 230 Duncannon Lane, Richmond, KY

*blog updated on 5/9,  5/20, and 5/30 to reflect shifting times and locations.  See the bottom of the blog entry for more information. 

This could be an excellent time for KFTC members and allies to make the case for changes we would like to see in our democracy - from expanding voting rights to former felons, lengthening voting hours, or limiting the power of corporations and large donors.

As three of these 4 meetings are in KFTC chapter areas, we'd like to encourage our members to come out to them and speak their minds. 

You can say anything you want, but we created a template (adapted from the earlier blue ribbon tax commission hearings) that might help you think through what to say:

Former Felon Voices - Mark Romines, Louisville

Alicia Hurle on April 22, 2013 in Voting Rights, Former Felon Voices, , Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, Jefferson County, Voter Empowerment

Mark RominesIn an attempt to share more of the stories from former felons across the Commonwealth, we’re presenting a series of short interviews every few weeks on our blog and in our newsletter balancing the scales.

Mark Romines is a Louisville, Kentucky native. He has been happily married for 32 years and has a son, 2 daughters, and 2 grandchildren. Mark has been a member of the Volunteers in Police Services program for 7 years. He is a volunteer usher at the University of Louisville basketball and football games and a member of his local homeowners’ association. Mark is also active with KFTC’s Coal Ash campaign. Mark is a carpenter by trade and served in the military. In his spare time he enjoys watching college sports and riding his motorcycle and ATV.
 
Mark lost his right to vote in Kentucky almost 40 years ago after being convicted on a drug charge in Nebraska. At the time he was not aware that he was considered a felon. “I was placed on probation and didn’t spend any time in jail.” It wasn’t until he received a call from the ATF more than 20 years later asking that he surrender a hunting rifle he had recently purchased that Mark found out he was a former felon.

Jefferson County Chapter discusses fair housing

Jennifer Jeffers on April 16, 2013 in Coal and Water, Economic Justice, Jefferson County

The Fair Housing Act was enacted 45 years ago on April 11, 1968, and April is Fair Housing Month. So this month's Jefferson County chapter meeting was a great time to continue the conversation on fair housing in Louisville that we started during our March meeting.

We began by brainstorming ways our chapter could be involved in addressing local housing issues. Some of the ideas shared included:

Register and attend the "Get on the Bus" tour of Louisville's housing segregation history on April 23rd Make housing issues a key focus of our chapter's economic justice committee Include fair housing fliers when tabling at events Respond to the Mayor Fischer's plan for vacant housing  Attend Metro Councile meetings in support of the Louisville Affordable Housing Trust Fund  Interview people affected by housing issues and make a video to raise awareness Contact groups like Local Options for Kentucky Liens (LOKL) and Network Center for Community Change (NC3) to find out if they are doing any door-to-door work around housing issues that we can assist with Re-establishing Louisville's Tenant's Association
 

(We would love to add to this list – email your ideas to Alicia, [email protected])

We also discussed the prevalence of the “not in my neighborhood” attitude in Louisville, historic buildings being torn down in the Portland neighborhood, and apartment buildings for low-income residents on Cherokee Parkway being torn down and replaced by high-rent condominiums.

Louisville Loves Mountains Youth Essay Contest

Alicia Hurle on April 2, 2013 in Coal and Water, Just Transition, , Mountaintop Removal and Strip Mining, Jefferson County
Make your voice heard at Louisville Loves Mountains 2013!

I Love Mountains Day 2012 We know that young Kentuckians care deeply about our mountains and mountain communities. This year, we want to make sure their voices are heard loud and clear at Kentuckians For The Commonwealth’s Louisville Loves Mountains Festival on Longest Ave and Bardstown Road, May 17th from 4-10 pm.

That is why we are asking young people to share their written thoughts and ideas for a brighter future for our mountains. And then they can help us deliver those ideas to everyone at Louisville Loves Mountains where we will announce the winners of our essay contest.

Page

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

Other Pages