Racial Justice News | Kentuckians For The Commonwealth

Racial Justice News

5 Years, 1 Bill: Kentucky’s Black Lawmakers Shut Out Of Process

April 7, 2021
LEO Weekly

[N]o bills primarily sponsored by Scott, D-Louisville, have passed at all since she became the first Black, female legislator to be elected to the statehouse in almost 20 years. And, until this year — since at least 2017 — no bills led by Kentucky’s Black (and all-Democrat) legislators have passed, according to a data analysis by LEO Weekly.

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Just Transition town hall and actions to help us all THRIVE

April 7, 2021 at 07:25am

KFTC and allies hosted a virtual town hall on March 31 to spotlight the inspiring ways Kentuckians are shaping a Just Transition to a just, anti-racist and sustainable future in Kentucky. U.S. Rep.

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Despite challenges, Kentuckians make an impact in Frankfort

March 31, 2021 at 12:00am
Campaign For Our CommonWealth, , Energy Democracy, , Just Transition, , Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, , Sustainable Energy, , Tax Reform, Big Sandy, Campaign For Our CommonWealth, , Energy Democracy, , Just Transition, , Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, , Sustainable Energy, , Tax Reform, Central Kentucky, Campaign For Our CommonWealth, , Energy Democracy, , Just Transition, , Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, , Sustainable Energy, , Tax Reform, Cumberland, Campaign For Our CommonWealth, , Energy Democracy, , Just Transition, , Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, , Sustainable Energy, , Tax Reform, Jefferson County, Campaign For Our CommonWealth, , Energy Democracy, , Just Transition, , Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, , Sustainable Energy, , Tax Reform, Madison County, Campaign For Our CommonWealth, , Energy Democracy, , Just Transition, , Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, , Sustainable Energy, , Tax Reform, Northern Kentucky, Campaign For Our CommonWealth, , Energy Democracy, , Just Transition, , Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, , Sustainable Energy, , Tax Reform, Kentucky River, Campaign For Our CommonWealth, , Energy Democracy, , Just Transition, , Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, , Sustainable Energy, , Tax Reform, Rolling Bluegrass, Campaign For Our CommonWealth, , Energy Democracy, , Just Transition, , Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, , Sustainable Energy, , Tax Reform, Rowan County, Campaign For Our CommonWealth, , Energy Democracy, , Just Transition, , Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, , Sustainable Energy, , Tax Reform, Shelby County, Campaign For Our CommonWealth, , Energy Democracy, , Just Transition, , Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, , Sustainable Energy, , Tax Reform, Southern Kentucky, Campaign For Our CommonWealth, , Energy Democracy, , Just Transition, , Kentucky Voting Rights Bill, , Sustainable Energy, , Tax Reform, Wilderness Trace

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. 

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First 100 Days: Just Transition & Climate Actions & implications for Kentucky

KFTC chairperson met with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in January 2019, just days after she was sworn into office.
March 17, 2021 at 10:40am

The text below was updated on March 26, 2021.  (All previous weekly updates can be viewed here.)

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LexStand sponsors virtual town hall on Breonna’s Law

March 2, 2021 at 12:00am
Communities Taking Action, Central Kentucky, Communities Taking Action, Jefferson County

Kentuckians deserve more than what the General Assembly had to offer. That’s why LexStand for Breonna’s Law Coalition co-sponsored a virtual town hall with Mission Behind Bars and Beyond, Inc. and KFTC to support HB 21, Breonna’s Law, and to also push for Lexington to become the second Kentucky city with a local ban on no-knock warrants. 

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‘Big Tent’ Environmental Justice Plan Looks Past Racial Divides

February 5, 2021
Bloomberg Law
Just Transition, Big Sandy, Just Transition, Cumberland, Just Transition, Kentucky River

Environmental justice advocates are looking to link communities of color with experience fighting industrial polluters and landfills with polluted communities in Appalachia—a “big tent,” strength-in-numbers approach they say is ripe for results.

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Kentucky restored voting rights to 178,000 with felonies. That's not far enough, advocates say

January 28, 2021
The Courier-Journal

More than 178,390 Kentuckians who completed sentences for nonviolent felony convictions have regained their voting rights since Gov.

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Opinion: Kentucky lawmakers must pass Breonna's Law in 2021

December 21, 2020
Cincinnati.com

(N)o-knock warrants … allow armed officers to forcibly enter homes without knocking or announcing themselves … and have disproportionately been used to target Black and brown people.

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Justice for Breonna Taylor: Amplifying and learning from the Louisville uprising

January 4, 2021 at 12:33pm
Jefferson County

On March 13, 2020 Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) murdered Breonna Taylor – a 26-year-old Black woman, award-winning EMT and beloved community member – while she was resting in her own home. 

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Kentucky Democracy Project Launch! Sign up to Volunteer!

September 3, 2020 at 02:19pm

Voter Registration CaitlinThe Kentucky Democracy Project is a new campaign to register, educate and mobilize Kentucky voters to participate in the 2020 election and beyond. As Kentuckians, we can work together to build a healthy democracy where everyone has a voice and a vote. Our focus is on communities often left out of the political decision-making process – lower income communities, people of color, and young people - particularly 170,000 Kentuckians with felonies in their past got back their right to vote.  All Kentuckians should have a voice in elections and should be listened to by elected leaders.

The Kentucky Democracy Project’s work includes online trainings, phone banks to register or mobilize voters, leaving lit pieces on doors, COVID-19 safe voter registration tables and canvassing, and mailings. If you’d like to get involved or learn more, visit www.KentuckyDemocracy.org/volunteer  We have two big trainings next week and lots of upcoming phone banks!

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