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THANK YOU. UM YEAH. IT SHOULD BE. SO.[00:11:43]
WE? WE WERE STARTING ABOUT 30 SECONDS.MM. ARE YOU GUYS READY? STORE OVER HERE. I GUESS NOT. HEY, GUYS, WE GET READY TO GET STARTED. THIS IS THE. EQUITY COMMUNITY AFFAIRS, HOUSING HEALTH AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
I AM THE CHAIR COUNCILWOMAN BARBARA SHANKLE, A VICE CHAIR COUNCILMAN STUART BENSON.
COUNCIL MEMBER TAMMY HOPKINS. CANCEL ME ON THEORY AR COUNCIL MEMBER ANDREW S. COUNCIL MEMBERS. TIME SO THEY ARE ON THIS SIDE, OK? COUNCIL MEMBER OF MARYLAND PARKER, COUNCIL MEMBER OF BETSY WHO OF BETSY RUE. SO TODAY WE HAVE BEFORE I START. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT IF YOU HERE FOR THE, UH RESOLUTION ON CEASEFIRE. IT'S GONNA BE HERE TODAY, AND WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE IT UNTIL A COUPLE OF WEEKS FROM NOW. SO ALSO IS BEING UP THERE YET. OK? THEN UH, WE'RE GONNA LET YOU GO FIRST. IF YOU DON'T MIND. OH, YEAH, REALLY GOOD. THIS MEANS BEING HERE SERVED TO CAR 61.8826 IN COUNCIL ROOM FIVE, A. R FOUR. THE MOTION. DID YOU? ITEM THREE. AN ORDINANCE AMENDED SECTION OF CHAPTER 35 OF THE GLOBAL METRO CODE OF ORDINANCE EXPANDING PAID FAMILY LEAVE READ IN FULL MOTION. EXACTLY. THEN ALSO WHERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING, UH, THIS. DRAFT ORDINANCE TO, UH , FLOAT THROUGH YOUR COMMITTEE WHILE WE WAITED FOR APPROPRIATE ANALYSIS. UM THIS ADDRESSES A VERY SMALL AND TECHNICAL GAP IN METRO'S CURRENT PARENTAL AND FAMILY LEAVE ACT AND HAS AS UH, DEMONSTRATED BY OMB A NEGLIGIBLE
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FINANCIAL IMPACT. HOWEVER IT DOES HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL IMPACT ON THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WOULD BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR FAMILY. LEAVE WITH THIS. SO UH, AS YOU ALL ARE DOUBTLESS FAMILIAR. UM KENTUCKY HAS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF INCARCERATED PARENTS. OF ANY STATE IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE AN INCREDIBLY HIGH LEVEL OF CHILDREN WHO ARE IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. WE ALSO HAVE AN INCREDIBLE UH, NUMBER OF PARENTS WHO ARE UM, STRUGGLING WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, AND WE HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST RATES OF GRANDPARENTS WHO ARE THE PRIMARY CARETAKERS OF THEIR GRANDCHILDREN. METRO COUNCIL OR METRO GOVERNMENT HAS A PARENTAL LEAVE POLICY THAT COVERS WHEN PEOPLE BECOME THE PERMANENT CUSTODIANS OF MINOR CHILDREN THAT GIVES THEM THE FULL AND SAME RIGHTS OF PARENTAL LEAVE. AS OTHER PARENTS, HOWEVER , THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL GAP BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM WORKS BETWEEN WHEN PEOPLE APPLY TO BECOME PERMANENT CAREGIVERS FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER SYSTEM WHO ARE IN THEIR CARE, AND WHEN THEY ACTUALLY ARE APPROVED FOR THAT PERMANENT. CUSTODY. THAT IS A GOOD THING BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING AS A SYSTEM TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO GO BACK WITH THEIR PRIMARY PARENTS AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE, BUT FOR THE METRO EMPLOYEES WHO ARE GO THROUGH THAT STEP OF APPLYING FOR PERMANENT CUSTODY. THEY THEN NEED TO WAIT SEVERAL MONTHS WHEN REALLY PARTICULARLY FOR SMALL CHILDREN. WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THAT WE NEED THAT TIME RIGHT AWAY. THAT'S WHEN THE SMALL CHILD IS GOING TO HAVE ALL THE DISRUPTION. I'M GOING TO LIVE WITH THEIR GRANDPARENTS OR OTHER K. SO THIS ADDRESSES THAT VERY SMALL GAP. IN POLICY. I'VE SPOKEN WITH HR SPOKEN WITH OMB, UM AND LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR SUPPORT, AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN ARTHUR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILMAN. THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION, AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE ADDED AS A COSPONSOR AS SOMEONE WHO WAS RAISED BY MY GRANDMOTHER AND MY AUNT. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE THIS TECHNICAL CHANGE. TO MEET THE NEEDS OF KIDS LIKE ME, SO THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I WOULD WELCOME THAT. AND WHAT ELSE? OK, YOU KNOW I'LL BE READY TO VOTE. OKAY? ON IN FAVOR. OH, WE GONNA USE STUFF WE CAN WHAT I. I MEAN, ARE YOU DOWN HERE. I'M THAT I'M USED TO MY COMPUTER INSTEAD OF USING THIS ONE HAVE SOME SIGN.HERE. SEE YOU. ABOUT I DON'T HAVE YOUR BUT YES, I DID. CAME OUT. WELL. CHERISH AND HAVE EIGHT YEARS VOTES. WE HAVE A CORN. NO ONE AGAINST IT, SO IT'S GOING TO GO TO DO YOU WANT IT TO GO TO THE CONSENT OR YOU WANTED TO GO TO OLD BUSINESS? CONSENT. CONSENT IS GREAT. SO THIS WILL BE SENT TO CONSENT. DIDN'T KNOW IF SOMEBODY ELSE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT IT SO OK? THANK YOU APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THE NEXT THING WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA WE HAVE DOCTOR, RICK JONES, AND HE'S GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT THE DE. I WOW. YOU HAVE TO BLOW A MISTER J. B IN, UH. SAY YOUR NAME AND YOUR POSITION FOR THE CLERK. YES, MADAM CHAIR, MADAM CHAIR. MY NAME IS DOCTOR RICKY L JONES, UM BALDWIN, KING SCHOLAR IN RESIDENCE AT THE CHRISTINA LEE BROWN BARROOM INSTITUTE AND PAST CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PAN-AFRICAN STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE. OK? YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN AND CHAIR SHANKLIN FOR INVITING ME HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU TO ALL COUNCIL, WOMEN AND COUNCILMAN WHO ARE PRESENT HERE IN CHAMBERS AND TO THOSE WHO ARE ONLINE AS WELL AS THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE, AND MAYBE SOME THAT HAVE JUMPED IN ACROSS THE STATE TO TALK ABOUT WHAT I THINK IS A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE. I'M NOT A NATIVE, BUT I HAVE LIVED IN LOUISVILLE NOW FOR 28 YEARS AND HAVE A DAUGHTER HERE WHO IS 15 YEARS OLD, WHO IS A NATIVE, AND SO I HAVE A LITTLE THE SKIN IN THIS GAME AND WANT TO MOVE FORWARD, SPEAKING OF IN A IN A IN A COUPLE OF CAPACITIES, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE I'LL CONCENTRATE ON HIGHER EDUCATION. WE ALSO HAVE PRESENT WITH US HERE TODAY, DOCTOR BRANDON MCCORMICK, WHO IS THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PAN AFRICAN STUDIES, IF YOU DO NOT KNOW, THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE HAS THE DISTINCTION OF HAVING ONE OF THE OLDEST
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BLACK STUDIES DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTRY, WHICH IS NOW CELEBRATING ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY . AND WITH THAT SAID, I THINK IT IS. IT IS PROBLEMATIC THE COURSE THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE ITSELF TRAVELED ON DIVERSITY, ESPECIALLY ANTI BLACKNESS AND WHERE WE ARE, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN TURN THAT AROUND AS WE CAN TURN AROUND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY. AS A PROFESSOR, I KNOW THAT IT'S PROBLEMATIC TO SIMPLY LECTURE SO I WANT TO TAKE A LITTLE BIT OF TIME TO ESTABLISH A BASIS FOR OUR CONVERSATION. AND THEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE MOVE INTO Q AND A WITH YOU SO THAT WE CAN DO YOU KNOW, WHATEVER. YOU WANT TO EDUCATE THE CITIZENS. WE'RE BASICALLY LOOKING FOR A COALITION OF THE COURAGEOUS TO EDIFY, THE CURIOUS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, AND THAT'S WHAT I'LL TRY TO DO TODAY. SO I HAVE TO TELL YOU SO THAT YOU CAN UNDERSTAND EXACTLY HOW I'M ORIENTED. MY LIFE'S WORK IS BASICALLY BEEN DEDICATED TO THREE MAJOR ISSUES. ONE HOW IS RACISM AND WHITE SUPREMACY ESTABLISHED IN AMERICA? CERTAINLY GLOBALLY, BUT PARTICULARLY IN AMERICA. THAT'S BEEN THE FIRST UM CONCERN OF MY PROFESSIONAL CAREER IN LIFE. THE SECOND CAREER IS HOW HAVE THEY BEEN CONCERTIZED SINCE 1619 OVER OVER TIME, AND THE THIRD CONCERN IS, HOW CAN WE AT LEAST AMELIORATE THEM OR DESTROY THEM? SO HOW WAS THIS DYNAMIC ESTABLISHED? HOW HAS IT BEEN REAFFIRMED? WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET RID OF IT? DE I IS THE LATEST IN A NUMBER OF INITIATIVES TO TRY TO SPEAK TO THAT, AND I DO THINK IT IS A NOBLE ENDEAVOR. NOW ALSO, LET ME BE CLEAR AS A BLACK ORGANIC INTELLECTUAL. I HAVE TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY I KNOW TO BE. I TOO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH DE I AS IT IS CURRENTLY CONSTRUCTED, BUT NOT FOR THE SAME REASONS THAT MANY PEOPLE FROM THE RIGHT HAVE WHO SEE IT AS SOME TYPE OF EVIL INITIATIVE THAT NEEDS TO BE, UM UM, DESTROYED. I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT BECAUSE I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE RE AND RECONSTRUCTED IN MANY SPACES. AND LET ME TELL YOU WHAT. MY CONCERNS ARE. EVEN THOUGH THE CURRENT DIVERSITY OF MOVEMENT LARGELY COMES OUT OF THE AMERICAN BLACK FREEDOM MOVEMENT THAT USUALLY DOESN'T GET TALKED ABOUT THAT'S USUALLY NOT ADMITTED, SO ENGAGEMENT OF THAT IS STILL NEEDED. CONSIDER A RECENT REPORT ON HATE CRIMES IN THIS COUNTRY. THERE'S CERTAINLY BEEN A LOT OF A LOT OF TALK ABOUT HATE, BUT A RECENT REPORT CAME OUT AND SAID THE MAJORITY OF HATE CRIMES IS A LONGITUDINAL STUDY FROM 2018 TO 2 2022 SAID THE MAJORITY OF THE HATE CRIMES DO EXIST. THEY ARE ON THE RISE IN AMERICA. ONE IN 10 HATE CRIMES THAT IS 10% OF HATE CRIMES IN THE COUNTRY OF HAPPENED AT AMERICAN SCHOOLS. THAT IS A SUBSTANTIAL PERCENTAGE OF HATE CRIMES. BUT THE GROUP THAT IS USUALLY TARGETED WITH HATE CRIMES IN THE COUNTRY IN SCHOOLS, AND OUTSIDE ARE AFRICAN AMERICANS. MOST HATE IS ANTI-BLACK. NOW LET ME BE CLEAR. THIS IS NOT A STUDY FROM SCHOLARS AT MY ALMA MATER OF MOREHOUSE COLLEGE OR SPELMAN OR HOWARD OR FAM, YOU OR JACKSON STATE OR ANY OTHER H BC U. IT DOESN'T COME FROM THE URBAN LEAGUE N A AC P, NAACP OR SOME BLACK THINK THIS IS DATA THAT COMES FROM THE FBI. AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THAT IS REAFFIRMING THAT THE MOST HATE THAT HAPPENS IN THIS COUNTRY TARGETS BLACK PEOPLE. I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO LET THAT SOAK IN. BUT WRONGHEADEDLY MANY DE I PROGRAMS LUMP ALL NON-WHITES INTO ONE GRAND CATEGORY AND THEIR STRUGGLES ARE SIMPLY NOT THE SAME. SO THIS IS THE REASON YOU MAY HEAR AD E I PRESENTATION AS I'VE HEARD. DE I PRESENTATIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE THAT NEVER MENTIONED BLACK PEOPLE. THAT'S HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC. SO YOU EVEN LOOK AT THE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION CASE THAT WAS RECENTLY BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT. THAT WAS A CASE THAT TARGETED BLACK ADMISSIONS. IT WASN'T AD E. I CASE IT WAS AN ANTI AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, AND I WOULD ARGUE AN ANTI-BLACK CASE. AND SO WE NEED TO BE CLEAR ON THAT. WE NEED TO MENTION BLACK PEOPLE ANTI-BLACK, RACISM AND THE TRIBUTARIES OF DISCRIMINATION THAT COME OUT OF THAT. THE LAST ISSUE THAT I HAVE WITH DE I AND WE SEE IT QUITE OFTEN FROM ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS INTO CORPORATIONS AND COMPANIES IS THE WHILE COMPANIES WILL REAFFIRM AND WE SAW THIS IN LOUISVILLE IN 2020. WHAT I LIKE TO CALL THE SUMMER OF BLACK LOVE WHEN WE HAD A TRIUMVIRATE OF KILLINGS OF AMAR AUBREY DOWN IN MY HOME STATE OF GEORGIA, BRIANNA TAYLOR HERE IN KENTUCKY, AND THEN GEORGE FLOYD, YOU SAW A LOT OF ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS AND COMPANIES RACING TO PUT OUT DIVERSITY STATEMENTS. REAFFIRMING WE DID NOT KNOW THINGS WERE THIS BAD. WE MUST DO BETTER, AND WE WILL DO BETTER. SO YOU HAD A SLEW OF THEM IF THEY DID NOT HAVE THEM ALREADY ESTABLISHED DIVERSITY POSITIONS, BUT WHAT THEY REALLY DID. IF YOU STRIP EVERYTHING AWAY, CERTAINLY SOME PLACES LIKE MY EMPLOYER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, WHO VOWED TO BE THE NATION'S PREMIER ANTI RACIST INSTITUTION. THAT ANTI RACIST INITIATIVE IS GONE. I CHALLENGE YOU TO GO TO ANYTHING THAT IS PUT OUT BY THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE NOW AND[00:25:04]
FIND THE TERM ANTI-RACISM. I CHALLENGE YOU TO GO TO MANY OF THE CORPORATIONS THAT THEIR COMMITMENT TO FIGHTING ANTI BLACKNESS IN THIS TOWN AND HIRING DE I OFFICERS AND SEE HOW THEY FOLLOWED UP ON THOSE STATEMENTS. WELL, THEY ALSO QUITE OFTEN WILL DO. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PUSH A NON-BLACK DE I OFFICER ON THE PUBLIC BECAUSE THE RACIAL DYNAMIC IN KENTUCKY IS STILL LARGELY BIFURCATED WHITE AND BLACK. THIS ISN'T SAN FRANCISCO OR CALIFORNIA, WHERE YOU HAVE MUCH MORE DIVERSE ETH ETHNICITIES IN THE STATE. THIS IS A AAA DICHOTOMOUS POPULATION, SO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO PUSH. UH UH UH, A NON-BLACK DE I OFFICER ON THE PUBLIC. BUT WHAT ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, WHERE I WHERE I AM AND OTHER COMPANIES, THEY WILL CHOOSE SOME OF THE WEAKER, MOST NON COMMITTED AND MOST NON CONTROVERSIAL BLACK PEOPLE TO PLACE IN THESE POSITIONS. SO IN EFFECT, WHAT THEY BECOME, ARE CONSPIRATORS IN MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO RATHER THAN PUSHING ANY CHANGE. THESE ARE THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE WITH DE I THAT I THINK NEED TO BE SPOKEN TO. SO IN EFFECT, IF YOU ARE AD E I OFFICER WHO IS AFRAID OR HAS BEEN MUZZLED IN SPEAKING ABOUT DIVERSITY AND THE ANTI DIVERSITY MOVEMENT. WHAT GOOD ARE YOU? SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE? BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT KENTUCKY RIGHT NOW AND WHAT'S COMING OUT WITH SOME OF THE LEGISLATION BECAUSE YOU ALL CERTAINLY ARE POLITICIANS, BUT MANY OF THESE INITIATIVES ARE NOT COMING OUT OF YOUR CHAMBERS.BUT THIS IS THE MOST DIVERSE CITY IN THE STATE. AND I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT BUSINESS LEADERS, EDUCATIONAL LEADERS AND POLITICAL LEADERS IN THIS CITY FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL AGAINST WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS STATE. THE FIRST QUESTION THAT THAT I HAVE IS WHAT IS KENTUCKY SO AFRAID OF KENTUCKY ALREADY HAS VERY LITTLE DIVERSITY. AND SO IT SEEMS TO ME THAT PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING AGAINST SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT EXIST. LET ME GIVE YOU SOME FACTS. KENTUCKY IS CURRENTLY 87.3% WHITE. MAKING IT THE EIGHTH WHITES STATE IN THE COUNTRY. NOW I MUST SAY THE KENTUCKY IS DOING A LITTLE BIT BETTER. LAST YEAR, IT WAS THE SEVENTH WHITE STATE IN THE COUNTRY. NOW IT'S NUMBER EIGHT BECAUSE THE SWITCH PLACES WITH OREGON SO THEY'RE VERY FEW NONWHITE PEOPLE IN THIS STATE. CERTAINLY VERY FEW BLACK PEOPLE. TWO KENTUCKY HAS NEVER HAD A BLACK GOVERNOR. IT IS NEVER HAD A BLACK UNITED STATES SENATOR, IT IS NEVER HAD A BLACK MEMBER OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND VERY FEW BLACKS HAVE SERVED ON THE STATE LEVEL IN POLITICS. IT HAS VERY FEW BUSINESSES WHERE BLACKS ARE THE CEO S OF THOSE BUSINESSES IN ITS LARGEST CITY, LOUISVILLE. LOUISVILLE IS ONE OF ONLY TWO OF THE 50 LARGEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE NEVER ELECTED A BLACK, HISPANIC OR FEMALE MAYOR. PEOPLE IN THIS REGION QUITE OFTEN WANT TO ESCAPE THAT REALITY IN LOUISVILLE AND GO UP TO INDIANAPOLIS? GUESS WHAT INDIANAPOLIS IS THE OTHER OF THOSE TWO CITIES AGAIN. LET ME REPEAT. TWO. IT IS ONE OF TWO OF THE 50 LARGEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY TO HAVE NEVER ELECTED A BLACK, HISPANIC OR FEMALE MAYOR.
KENTUCKY IS NOT THRIVING IN EDUCATION. ACCORDING TO A 2024 WALLET HUB SURVEY. KENTUCKY CURRENTLY RANKS 43RD IN EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT OVERALL. IT RANKS 46 IN THE NUMBER OF BACHELOR'S DEGREES PRODUCED. IT IS EVEN WORSE WHEN WE CONSIDER ADVANCED AND PROFESSIONAL DEGREES SUCH AS MASTER'S DEGREES J DS, PHD, S AND M DS. SADLY A 2021 REPORT FROM THE KENTUCKY CENTER FOR ECONOMIC POLICY SHOWS KENTUCKY IS AMONG THE 10 STATES WITH THE WORST CUTS TO STATE FUNDING FOR HIGHER EDUCATION SINCE BEFORE THE GREAT RECESSION. LAWMAKERS SPENT A FULL 27% LESS IN ON PER KENTUCKY STUDENT IN 2019 COMPARED TO 2008 . SO WE'RE GOING BACKWARDS. THIS FAR EXCEEDS THE NATIONAL AVERAGE DECLINE IN INVESTMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION OF 11.6% THESE CUTS HAVE HELPED DRIVE UP THE COST OF COLLEGE TUITION THAT COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY TUITION IMPOSING THE GREATEST COST BURDEN. THIS ISN'T ACCORDING TO ME, THIS IS ACCORDING TO THEM, THE GREATEST COST BURDEN HAS BEEN PUT UPON FAMILIES OF COLOR. THOSE WITH LOW INCOMES. THE TRENDS RESULTED IN THE AVERAGE NET PRICE FOR A FOUR YEAR EDUCATION IN KENTUCKY WOULD SUCK UP ON AVERAGE 29% OF THE MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME FOR WHITES IN THE STATE. BUT WHEN YOU DISAGGREGATE THE DATA AND CONTROL FOR RACE THAT COST IS A GREATER BARRIER FOR BLACK KENTUCKIANS, KENTUCKY WAS ONE OF 17 STATES WHERE BLACK HOUSEHOLDS WOULD NEED TO SPEND AT LEAST 40% OF THEIR INCOMES TO GET A DEGREE. THE IDEA THAT KENTUCKY'S UNIVERSITIES ARE SUPER LIBERAL AND NEED TO BE BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL BECAUSE THEY ARE SO DIVERSE. IT'S ALL FLAWED. THEY ARE NOT THE MYTH THAT IT'S EASY
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SLEDDING FOR BLACK PEOPLE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY OR THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE OR ANY OTHER PREDOMINANTLY WHITE INSTITUTION IS ABSOLUTELY FLAWED . THE DEPARTMENT OF PAN-AFRICAN STUDIES WHERE I HAVE WORKED FOR YEARS, AND DOCTOR MCCORMICK IS CURRENTLY CHAIR HAS BEEN STARVED OUT BUDGETARILY BY THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE. AT ONE POINT WE AS LARGE AS 16 PROFESSORS. WE NOW HAVE NINE. THERE IS NO PLAN AT THE UNIVERSITY TO RECOVER POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE LOST FROM PEOPLE GOING TO OTHER UNIVERSITIES DYING OR RETIRING. THAT IS PROBLEMATIC. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A BLACK PRESIDENT AT ANY OF KENTUCKY'S MAJOR UNIVERSITIES OUTSIDE OF THE H BC US AS SPORTS OBSESSED AS KENTUCKY IS ITS MAJOR UNIVERSITIES HAVE NEVER HAD A BLACK ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, AND THEY'VE HAD VERY FEW BLACK HEAD COACHES, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE HIGH REVENUE. SPORTS BEING FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL ARE PRIMARILY POPULATED BY BLACK STUDENTS. THE SCHOOL'S BLACK STUDENT POPULATIONS ARE WOEFUL. THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, FOR EXAMPLE, SITS IN THE STATE'S MOST DIVERSE CITY WHILE THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE IS RIGHT AT 24% BLACK AS IT TRIES TO RECOVER BLACK REPRESENTATION AFTER MERGER, WHICH DESTROYED ALL BUT DESTROYED THE BLACK BOAT IN THE CITY AND PRETTY MUCH ENSURED THAT LOUISVILLE WOULD NOT HAVE A BLACK MAYOR TWO DECADES AGO. THE UNIVERSITY THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE'S BLACK STUDENT POPULATION IS LESS THAN HALF THAT, AS IT SITS RIGHT AT 11 TO 12. WHEN I CAME TO THE STATE OF KENTUCKY IN 1992 FOR MOREHOUSE COLLEGE TO GET A PHD AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, I WAS LITERALLY ALONE. I WAS THE ONLY AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDENT IN THEIR PHD PROGRAM IN THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE. THERE WERE NO BLACK PROFESSORS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE. WE HAD TO LITERALLY IMPORT A GOOD GUY WHO LIVES ACROSS THE BRIDGE IN IN JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA, BY THE NAME OF ROGER WILSON TO LEXINGTON ONCE A WEEK IN ONE OF MY YEARS TO TEACH A COURSE ON BLACK POLITICS, WHICH WAS AN ELECTIVE, IT WAS NOT A PART OF THE CURRICULUM TO THIS DAY, THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY'S POLITICAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT ONLY HAS ONE BLACK PROFESSOR WHO CAME THERE WHILE I WAS THERE. THESE ARE THE REALITIES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH THE FACULTY SITUATION AT UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE IS BAD OUTSIDE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PAN-AFRICAN STUDIES. IN THE LARGEST COLLEGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES AS I WAS GETTING READY TO EXIT AS CHAIR WHEN WE BEGAN THE YEAR WE HAD 24 BLACK FACULTY MEMBERS IN THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES IN A COLLEGE THAT HAD OVER 400 FACULTY MEMBERS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. SIX OF THOSE FACULTY MEMBERS LEFT, WHICH LEFT US WITH ONLY 18 BLACK FACULTY MEMBERS IN THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, NINE OF THEM A FULL 50% OF THE BLACK FACULTY WERE IN DEPARTMENT. HOURS THE DEPARTMENT OF PAN AFRICAN STUDIES CONSIDERING THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WERE IN MANY UNITS, NO BLACK FACULTY MEMBERS IN ARTS AND SCIENCES, OTHERS ONLY ONE AND WE ARE THE MOST DIVERSE COLLEGE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE. WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT BLACK FACULTY, AND THERE IS NO PLAN, ACCORDING TO PRESIDENT KIM SHAKU HERSELF TO SPEAK TO THIS REALITY, SO THE QUESTION FOR ME IS WHERE IS CONCERNED. KENTUCKY IS ALREADY LAGGING BEHIND IT IS GETTING WORSE. AND WHAT ARE THE POLITICIANS WHO ARE PUSHING ANTI DE I LEGISLATION REALLY AFRAID OF IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THEY ARE IN SEARCH OF A QUOTE UNQUOTE PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT EXIST, SO I CONTINUE. AS WE CLOSE OUT.THAT THIS IS AN ANTI DEEP. THE ANTI DE I MOVEMENT IS REALLY NOT ABOUT DE. I IT'S THE LATEST IN USING ANOTHER CATCH ALL ACRONYM TO DEMONIZE BLACK PEOPLE SPECIFICALLY IN OTHER NON-WHITES. IN WAYS THAT PEOPLE THINK ARE EASY TO HOLD ON TO AND SPEAK TO A LARGER MISSION. IF YOU REMEMBER FIRST IT WAS BLACK LIVES MATTER. BLM WAS THE DEVIL. THEN IT WAS CRT CRITICAL RACE THEORY WAS THE DEVIL. EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE WHO PUSHED THAT KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT KIMBERLY CRENSHAW OR DEREK BALE OR CRITICAL LEGAL STUDIES NOW IT'S DE I DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION. THE BOOGEYMAN'S ACRONYMS CHANGE, BUT THE THRUST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE ANTI DIVERSITY CAMP ARE THE SAME. FUNDAMENTALLY. THEY ARE TRYING TO STRIP OUT WHAT LITTLE DIVERSITY THIS STATE HAS WHILE ARGUING THAT THE DIVERSITY MOVEMENT YOU INSERT NAME BL MC RT DE I, WHATEVER IS THE TRUE PROBLEM. HERE ARE SOME OF THEIR CURRENT ARGUMENTS. ONE DE I
[00:35:02]
PROGRAMS REPRESENT A LIBERAL CONSPIRACY TO INDOCTRINATE HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE STUDENTS AND NEW EMPLOYEES IN LEFT WING IDEOLOGY TO EXPAND THE LIBERALS POLITICAL POWER. LIBERALS HAVE VERY LITTLE POLITICAL POWER IN KENTUCKY, AND IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. AND I AM NOT AWARE OF THIS GREAT LIBERAL CABAL AND I CERTAINLY AM NOT EVEN A SELF AVOWED LIBERAL. I AM TO THE LEFT OF THEM, AND I WISH THEY WOULD CREATE SOME TYPE OF CONSPIRACY TO FIGHT BACK TWO D I PROGRAMS ARE INTENDED TO INDUCE GUILT, SHAME AND INTIMIDATION IN WHITE AUDIENCES BY LINKING THEM TO THE MISCONDUCT OF A SMALL GROUP OF WHITE ENSLAVERS KKK LYNCHERS. WHITE CITIZEN CITIZEN COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OTHER BAD ACTORS WHO LIVED A LONG TIME AGO . THE NUMBERS ACTUALLY TELL US THAT NOT ONLY WERE RACISM AND WHITE SUPREMACY REAL HISTORICALLY, THEY ARE REAL TODAY. SO WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE REALLY SAYING IS YOU WANT TO INDUCE GUILT? KNOW WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO TEACH IS THE TRUTH. SO THAT IT'S NOT REPEATED AGAIN. 3D E I PROGRAMS ARE INTENDED TO FOSTER A VICTIM MENTALITY IN BLACKS AND OTHERS LEADING MEMBERS OF THOSE GROUPS TO EXPECT EXTRA RESOURCES AND DEMAND SPECIAL TREATMENT TO OVERCOME IMAGINED TRAUMA. I THINK THE YOUNG FOLKS CALL THAT GAS LIGHTING THESE DAYS WHEN PEOPLE DO SOMETHING TO YOU, AND THEN TELL YOU IT EITHER DOESN'T EXIST OR IT'S YOUR FAULT. LET ME TELL YOU BLACK PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY SUFFERED VERY REAL TRAUMA TRAUMA LIKE COUNCILWOMAN ARTHUR. I, TOO, WAS RAISED BY MY GRANDMOTHER IN THE HOUSING PROJECTS OF ATLANTA. I CERTAINLY WANT A COUNTRY THAT IS LOOKING OUT FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME TO TRY TO GAIN SOME TYPE OF OPPORTUNITIES THAT WERE DENIED TO BLACK PEOPLE SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN. AND THIS ARGUMENT THAT BLACK PEOPLE ARE GETTING ADVANTAGES. I CERTAINLY ASK YOU IN KENTUCKY, WHERE ARE THEY? THE NUMBERS DO NOT LIE. IT ALSO MAKES THIS ASSUMPTION THAT THAT BLACK PEOPLE SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE BLACK ARE GETNG JOBS THAT THEY'RE NOT QUALIFIED FOR. I WOULD WAG THAT THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF MEDIOCRE TO ABSOLUTELYNQUALIFIED AND UNTALENTED WHITE PEOPLE WHO CONTEMPORARY AND HTORILLY HA GOTTEN POSIONS SIMPLY BECAUS THEY ARE WHITE. AND BECAUSE OF THEIR INCOMPETE, MANY T NOT T IS N HAVE AUITE ELECTEDYOU FICIAL IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY, WHO WILL MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT HER FATHER, WHO WAS BORN IN 1933, WAS ACTUALLY A WHITE SLAVE IN THE MID 20TH CENTURY, AND THERE IS NO UPROAR ABOUT IT, BUT SHE IS ONE OF THE CHIEF PROPONENTS OF THE NTDE I MOVEMENT. FOUR DE I PROGRAMS FOSTER REVERSE DISCRIMINATION AND WILL DISADVANTAGE WHITE PEOPLE. SUCH AS CERTAIN CITIZENS AND THEIR FAMILIES WHEN SEEKING COLLEGE ADMISSIONS OR JOBS. WE'VE ALREADY SEEN WHITE PEOPLE ALREADY HOLD THE MAJORITY OF THE JOBS, CERTAINLY THE ONES THAT ARE DECISION MAKING JOBS. THEY ALREADY HOLD THE MAJORITY OF UNIVERSITY SEATS. SO WHAT MESSAGE ARE THEY REALLY GIVEN? WE DON'T WANT MOST OF IT. WE WANT IT ALL. AND LASTLY, DE. I IS MARXIST AND WE'LL DESTROY AMERICA. I AM A POLITICAL PHILOSOPHER BY TRAINING. I'VE ACTUALLY READ MARX. I'VE READ CAP. I'VE READ THE COMMUNIST MANIFESTO. I'VE READ HAGEL. I'VE READ LENIN. I DON'T THINK MOST OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE IF THEY HAD , THEY WOULD KNOW THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN EQUATE MARXISM OR LENINISM AND THOSE ARE DIFFERENT. TO DE I SO I WOULD CHALLENGE ANY OF THEM TO SIT ON A STAND BEFORE A MICROPHONE ARGUE. THE TENETS OF MARXISM VERSUS LENINISM AND HOW THEY RELATE THOSE TO DE I YET THEY CONTINUOUSLY REPEAT THAT LIE WHEN THEY'RE TOLD IT'S PROBLEMATIC. SO MY ARGUMENT IS THAT THE DE I MOVEMENT ANTI DE I MOVEMENT ISN'T ABOUT DE I AT ALL. WHAT IT'S REALLY ABOUT, AND PEOPLE ARE LOATH TO SAY IT IS THE MAINTENANCE OF WHITE SUPREMACY IN KENTUCKY. E EDUCATIONAL SYSTEMS AND POLITICS SOCIALLY AND IN BUSINESS AND LET ME DEFINE WHITE SUPREMACY FOR YOU. BECAUSE I USED TO HAVE A VERY NAIVE DEFINITION OF IT. FOR A LONG TIME. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ABOUT THE KU KLUX KLAN BURNING CROSSES ON PEOPLE'S YARDS OR A BLACK NATIONALIST MARCHING THROUGH CHARLOTTESVILLE , VIRGINIA, SAYING JEWS AND OTHERS WILL NOT REPLACE US. NO, NO, YOU CAN SEE THOSE PEOPLE COMING FROM A MILE AWAY. THAT'S NOT WHAT WHITE SUPREMACY IS.WHAT WHITE SUPREMACY REALLY IS. IS THE IDEOLOGY OF MEMBERS OF A CERTAIN GROUP WHO THINK THAT THEY AND ONLY THEY BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW.
THINK AND DECIDE ON ALL MATTERS OF IMPORT. THEY THINK THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE. THEY HAVE TO WRITE TO THINK ABOUT THE BEST OPTIONS. AND THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO. THAT'S WHAT WHITE SUPREMACY IS. ANY INSTITUTION YOU LOOK AT IN MOST
[00:40:03]
SPACES IN KENTUCKY. THE ULTIMATE DECISION MAKERS. ARE NOT BLACK. THEY ARE WHITE. AND UNTIL THIS CITY. IN THIS STATE CAN DEAL WITH THAT FACT. AND TRY TO UNDERSTAND EARNESTLY. WHAT THE ANTI DIVERSITY MOVEMENT IS REALLY ABOUT. IT WILL NOT. I REPEAT, WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD.CERTAINLY ONE WAY OF MAINTAINING WHITE SUPREMACY IS USING EDUCATION AS A SOCIALIZING AGENT. AS WE'VE SEEN DESPITE WILD CLAIMS, C, RT AND DE ARE NOT DOMINATING KENTUCKY EDUCATION. MOST PEOPLE, INCLUDING ANTI DE, I, POLITICIANS AND PUNDITS ARE NOT EVEN CONVERSANT. ON WHAT THESE THINGS ARE. THERE'S ALREADY LITTLE INTELLECTUAL DIVERSITY IN KENTUCKY'S K THROUGH 12 SYSTEMS. AND LET ME TELL YOU, I KNOW I SEE IT. IN THE SUBPAR KNOWLEDGE BASIS OF THE STUDENTS WE RECEIVE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE. AND IT IS GETTING WORSE. NOT BETTER WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT STUDENTS WHO COME FROM THE SCHOOLS IN KENTUCKY. SO THE ARGUMENT THAT C RT AND DE I ARE BEING TAUGHT TO EVERYBODY IS SIMPLY A LIE IT'S BLACK HISTORY MONTH, SO LET ME CLOSE WITH WHAT OUR GOOD BROTHER CARTER G, WOODSON SAID ABOUT EDUCATION IN 1933, HE SAID, AND I QUOTE WHEN YOU CONTROL A MAN'S THINKING, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HIS ACTIONS. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TELL HIM NOT TO STAND HERE OR GO YONDER. HE WILL FIND HIS PROPER PLACE AND HE WILL STAY IN IT. YOU DO NOT NEED TO SEND HIM TO THE BACK DOOR. HE WILL GO WITHOUT BEING TOLD IN FACT, IF THERE IS NO BACK DOOR, HE WILL CUT ONE FOR HIS SPECIAL BENEFIT HIS EDUCATION. MAKES IT NECESSARY. END QUOTE. SO I SAY TO YOU, IF THE ENEMIES OF DECENCY TRUE FREEDOM, JUSTICE AND EQUALITY ALLOWED TO WIN THE DAY. IN 21ST CENTURY KENTUCKY. IT WILL REVERT THIS STATE TO MID 20TH CENTURY SENSIBILITIES AT BEST, AND YOUR BEST NATIVES ACROSS LINES OF RACE WILL LEAVE. AND TALENTED PEOPLE BOTH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY, WILL NOT COME HERE. BECAUSE THEY WILL SEE IT AS A HOSTILE SPACE.
ALL SPACES BECOME THE BEHAVIOR THEY REWARD. IF YOU ARE A SPACE THAT REWARDS ACQUIESCENCE, COWARDICE AND SILENCE, YOU WILL BECOME AN ACQUIESCING, COWARDLY AND SILENT STATE THAT WILL MOVE BACKWARDS. IF YOU REWARD BRAVERY, TRUTH AND INTELLECTUAL ENGAGEMENT. YOU WILL BECOME A COURAGEOUS AND SMART STATE THAT WILL MOVE FORWARD. FINALLY, I AM A FATHER. I'M NOT A NATIVE OF LOUIS. I'M FROM ATLANTA, GEORGIA , AND I COME OUT OF A VERY DIFFERENT SITUATION. WE'VE HAD A BLACK MAYOR. IN ATLANTA SINCE 1974 50 YEARS. WE'VE HAD A BLACK MAYOR IN ATLANTA AND THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT IT. ALL OF THOSE BLACK MAYORS HAVE NOT BEEN GOOD. SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN BAD. ONE OF THEM EVEN WENT TO PRISON. BUT EVEN WITH THAT CONSIDERED WE KNEW THE OTHER BLACK PEOPLE WERE GOING TO GET A CHANCE. THE PRESSURE ON BLACKS HERE IN KENTUCKY IS SO GREAT.
THAT EVERY INDIVIDUAL HAS TO BE A CHAMPION FOR THE ENTIRE RACE. AND IF HE OR SHE FAILS, THEY KNOW THAT THE DOOR WILL BE SLAMMED ON PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE THEM. AND MORE. SADLY SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN SO SKEWED BY THEIR EDUCATION AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT. THE BLACK PEOPLE, I MEAN THAT THEY GET INTO SPACES AND THEY THEMSELVES SLAM THE DOOR ON PEOPLE WHO LOOK LIKE THEM. MY DAUGHTER IS A KENTUCKIAN. SHE'S 15 YEARS OLD. A MOTHER AND I A MANDATING THAT SHE LEAVE THE STATE FOR COLLEGE. BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS HER HOME. AND I REALLY HOPE THAT THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE AND THE STATE OF KENTUCKY MOVE IN SUCH A DIRECTION THAT IF SHE DECIDES TO COME HOME WHERE SHE GREW UP AND HANG WITH FRIENDS THAT SHE KNEW AND BE AROUND FAMILIAR SPACES. SHE WILL KNOW AS A YOUNG BLACK WOMAN. THIS IS A PLACE THAT SHE CAN THRIVE NOT SIMPLY SURVIVE THAT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE HAPPY AND BRAG TO WORK FOR THE MAYOR. BUT IT'S A PLACE WHERE SHE CAN BE THE MAYOR. THIS IS THE FUTURE THAT I HOPE FOR LOUISVILLE AND I HOPE FOR KENTUCKY, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I'M OPEN. FOR YOUR QUESTIONS. DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN ARTHUR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE
[00:45:04]
AND I CAN'T WAIT TO SHARE YOUR REMARKS FAR AND WIDE ACROSS THE CITY AND OUTSIDE OF THE CITY AS WELL SO THAT EVERYONE CAN HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR STATE. A LOCAL COALITION. OF THE COURAGEOUS, ALSO KNOWN AS A PATH FORWARD, IDENTIFIED SENATE BILLS 93 AND SIX AS WELL AS HOUSE BILLS, 9191224 AND 304 IS BEING ANTI DE . I DO YOU THINK ANY OF THESE BILLS ADDRESS YOUR CONCERNS WITH THE E I OR ANY OF THEM HELPFUL? DO YOU THINK ALL OF THEM ARE HARMFUL? ALL OF THEM ARE HARMFUL . I'M VERY, VERY HAPPY, UM, WITH WITH THE BALDWIN KING PROJECT, WHICH I FOUNDED AT THE AT THE CHRISTINA LEE BROWN AND BY ROOM INSTITUTE TO A PARTNER WITH URBAN LEAGUE PRESIDENT LYNDON PRYOR. AND A NUMBER OF OTHERS. YOU KNOW WE HELP WE, WE CORO THAT UM, ANOTHER PIECE THAT CAME OUT IN THE COURIER JOURNAL AND SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE USA TODAY NETWORK AND WE'RE VERY, VERY CLEAR HOW HARMFUL ALL OF THESE BILLS ARE. WE'RE ALSO VERY, VERY DISTURBED. BY THE LACK OF OPPOSITION. OF OPEN AND VOCAL OPPOSITION FROM POLITICAL LEADERS FROM BUSINESS LEADERS AND OTHERS TO THESE BILLS, WHICH ARE NOT AGAIN REALLY ANTI DE I THEY ARE ANTI-BLACK. AN ANTI OTHERS. AND IT'S HARMFUL TO THE EDUCATIONAL SITUATION HERE. BUT IT'S NOT JUST THAT. NAME A GREAT CITY IN THIS COUNTRY THAT DOES NOT HAVE A GREAT AND DIVERSE UNIVERSITY. YOU CAN'T SO THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE IN PARTICULAR IS INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO DELIVERING THE FUTURE PROFESSIONAL CLASS TO THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE. AND THE STATE OF KENTUCKY. THESE ARE BILLS THAT WILL PUSH AWAY. STUDENTS WHO ARE PART OF THE CHANGING DEMOGRAPHIC OF THIS COUNTRY. THE REALITY OF IT IS EVEN THOUGH KENTUCKY IS INCREDIBLY WHITE. AMERICA IS CHANGING. FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME LAST CENSUS SHOWED US THAT WHITES ARE BELOW 50. OF THE POPULATION OF THIS COUNTRY, WHICH I CERTAINLY KNOW IS STILL A GREAT DEAL OF FEAR IN SOME PEOPLE. WE'VE ALREADY HIT AN ENROLLMENT CLIFF IN THIS COUNTRY BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE FEWER CHILDREN. SO AS THE STATE REFUSES TO PROPERLY FUND HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS. THEY WANT TO GET MORE STUDENTS. I ASK YOU. WHERE ARE THOSE STUDENTS COMING FROM? ONE MORE AND MORE OF THEM ARE BLACK AND BROWN. AND MORE AND MORE OF THEM MUST COME FROM OUT OF STATE. IN MY HOMETOWN OF ATLANTA, METRO ATLANTA. WE NOW HAVE RIGHT AT 6 MILLION CITIZENS. THE ENTIRE STATE OF KENTUCKY ONLY HAS 4 MILLION. YOU DON'T HAVE THE STUDENT BASE TO INCREASE THE NUMBERS YOU NEED AT THE UNIVERSITIES. THEREFORE RECRUITMENT MUST BE OUTSIDE OF THE STATE. NOW I AS THINGS CURRENTLY STAND CANNOT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE RECRUIT A SINGLE BLACK FACULTY MEMBER OR PROFESSIONAL OR STUDENT TO COME TO THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE OR ANY OTHER SCHOOL IN THIS STATE WITH BEING SUCH A HOSTILE SPACE AND THERE BEING VERY LITTLE OPPOSITION. SO THE PATH FORWARD WE USE THAT LETTER. TO ONE PAY ATTENTION TO PEOPLE WHO SIGN THAT LETTER. WHO STAND IN SOLIDARITY OPPOSING WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THIS STATE. BUT COUNCILMAN WE'RE ALSO PAYING ATTENTION TO THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T SIGN. WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT WE SENT THAT LETTER PERSONALLY TO THE LEAD DIVERSITY OFFICER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, AND HE REFUSED TO EVEN RESPOND.WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO THOSE THINGS AS WE ALL ARE. YES THOSE ARE VERY, VERY HARMFUL. UH, BILLS THAT STAND A GREAT CHANCE OF BECOMING LAW BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL COMPOSITION OF THE OF KENTUCKY'S LEGISLATURE. SHOULD I KEEP GOING OR DO YOU WANNA GET IN THE QUEUE? OK SO I PROUDLY SIGNED A LETTER. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE ON METRO COUNCIL TO SIGN ON TO THAT LETTER. I'M CURIOUS ABOUT OTHER ACTIONS THAT YOU THINK LOUISVILLE CAN TAKE. TO HELP STOP THESE BILLS. I THINK THE FIRST THING THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO DO AND LOUISVILLE DOESN'T HAVE THE NUMBERS. YOU KNOW, AS PEOPLE TALK IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, AND THEY SAY, OH, GEORGIA, AND I KEEP USING GEORGIA BECAUSE IT'S HOME FOR ME. AND THEY SAY, WELL, GEORGIA IS BECOMING A BLUE STATE . NO. GEORGIA IS BEING PULLED BY ATLANTA. BECAUSE GEORGIA HAS A POPULATION OF 10 MILLION PEOPLE.
ATLANTA IS RIGHT AT SIX SO IT CAN PULL THE STATE TO THE LEFT. LOUISVILLE DOESN'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS. IT'S ONLY ABOUT A QUARTER OF KENTUCKY, SO THEREFORE IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE SUBJECTED TO ATTACKS THAT THERE'S GONNA BE MORE DIFFICULT FOR IT TO FIGHT ALL. I'M I'M ALWAYS FASCINATED AND I THINK IT'S A PART OF THE STATE'S CULTURE. BUT HOW PEOPLE WON'T BE VOCIFEROUS AND AGGRESSIVE IN FIGHTING THINGS OFF THAT HURT THEM. FOLKS DON'T EVEN WANT TO
[00:50:02]
SAY THAT THERE'S A WAR ON LOUISVILLE COMING OUT OF FRANKFURT. THERE IS RIGHT, BUT IT'S EVERYTHING IS RELATIVE. WHILE LOUISVILLE IS NOT THE MOST PROGRESSIVE PLACE IN THE COUNTRY, IT'S THE MOST PROGRESSIVE PLACE IN THE STATE. BUT I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR BUSINESS LEADERS TO START SPEAKING OUT. THEIR ECONOMIC ENGINES THAT DRIVE THIS STUFF. THEY NEED TO SPEAK OUT. I THINK IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS TO SPEAK OUT. I THINK IT'S SCHOLARS AND PRESIDENTS ARE THE PEOPLE WHO BEST QUALIFIED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ON WHAT THE TRUTH IS, AND WHAT LIES ARE BEING TOLD. AND THE FACT THAT MANY OF THEM WON'T SAY A WORD OR IF THEY DO RELEASE STATEMENTS. THEY'RE SO INCREDIBLY INNOCUOUS. THAT THEY REALLY DON'T MATTER. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO COMPARE THE STATEMENTS RELEASED BY UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY PRESIDENT ELI CAPELOUTO. WHICH WAS POWERFUL A WEEK AGO. AND THE STATEMENT RELEASED BY UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE PRESIDENT KIM SCHATZEL. WHICH WAS ABSOLUTELY UNP IMPACTFUL. ALL STATEMENTS HAVE TO BE IMPACTFUL ALL LEADERS IN LOUISVILLE BUSINESS BUSINESS LEADERS, POLITICAL LEADERS, EDUCATIONAL LEADERS NEED TO PUBLICLY LOCK ARMS AND SAY, LOOK , EVEN IF WE LOSE WE'RE GOING DOWN FIGHTING. BUT DON'T BE PEOPLE WHO JUST CHANGING NAMES OR POSITIONS THAT YOU YOUR UNIVERSITY BECAUSE YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THE EVIL PEOPLE LEAVE YOU ALONE. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO I'LL JUST ASK ONE MORE FOLLOW UP BEFORE I GET BACK IN THE QUEUE. AND THIS GOES TO WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT WISHING AND HOPING THAT LIBERALS WOULD WOULD FIGHT BACK. YEAH, THAT'S NOT A STRATEGY HAS INTRODUCED A BILL TO ADVANCE THE PROGRESS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING TO SEE IN EDUCATION. IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE BILLS TO ADVANCE THE PROGRESS? YES HAVE YOU NOTICED ANYONE WITH A DIFFERENT PLAN? COMPARED TO WHAT? WE'RE TRYING TO FIGHT RIGHT NOW? NO, THEY'RE ALL ON THE DEFENSIVE, QUITE HONESTLY. YOU KNOW, KENTUCKY NEEDS TO FUND ITS UNIVERSITIES BETTER. KENTUCKY NEEDS TO HAVE PLANS THAT THAT THAT THAT MAKE THE BEING MORE DIVERSE, EASIER, NOT HARDER. KENTUCKY NEEDS KENTUCKY POLITICIANS NEED TO SPEAK OUT VERY, VERY CLEARLY ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH PEOPLE FROM THE OTHER SIDE. THEY NEED TO BE JUST AS A I'M NOT A DEMOCRAT OR A REPUBLICAN. SO I'M SORRY. I CAN'T SUPPORT ANYBODY HERE. I'M AN INDEPENDENT, RIGHT AND I THINK THE REPUBLICANS ARE FAR TOO CALLOUS. AND I THINK THE DEMOCRATS ARE FAR TOO COWARDLY AND TIMID. IF AND WE CERTAINLY HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS, RIGHT, SO DON'T PERSONALIZE IT. WE CERTAINLY HAVE SOME INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE WARRIORS AND WILL FIGHT BACK. BUT MY QUESTION IS WHAT'S HAPPENED HAPPENING WITH YOUR PARTY? OVERALL IT'S VERY MUCH LIKE MY FRATERNITY DOCTOR. MCCORMICK AND I ARE BOTH MEMBERS OF KAPP. ALPHA PSI. SO IF ONE KAPPA DOES SOME DOES SOMETHING THE FRATERNITY GOES. OH, HE'S A KAPPA KAPPA. NO KAPPA. I DID NOTHING THAT INDIVIDUAL, CAPA RIGHT, AND SO I THINK THAT THE STATE PARTY NEEDS TO BE MUCH MORE. AGGRESSIVE AND FORMULATING BILLS AND EVEN LAWS POTENTIALLY DOWN THE LINE. TO BE ABLE TO FIGHT BACK, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT UNTIL YOU EXCITE VOTERS. TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. NOW LET ME SAY THIS. IT COULD BE. I DO NOT KNOW. IT COULD BE THAT KENTUCKY IS A LOST STATE. BECAUSE THERE CERTAINLY IS A PUSH. BY MANY POLITICIANS, AND IT IS CLEAR WHO DESIRED THIS TO BE A WHITE ETHNO STATE. THEY MAY WIN. AND AS YOU MOVE FORWARD , YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT. WHERE YOU ONE OF THE TOP 10 WHITER STATES IN THE COUNTRY. BUT WHAT IS IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE INTELLECTUALLY? WHAT IS IT GOING TO LOOK LIKE? EDUCATIONALLY WHAT'S IT GONNA LOOK LIKE SOCIALLY? WHAT'S IT GONNA LOOK LIKE? BUSINESS WISE? I THINK THOSE ARE QUESTIONS THAT YOU NEED TO ASK THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH BLACK PEOPLE, NECESSARILY, BECAUSE I DO NOT THINK YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE BLACK PEOPLE OR ANY OTHER MINORITIES CONTINUE TO COME HERE IN THIS CLIMATE. AND LET ME SAY THIS TOO. I ALSO DON'T THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE FORWARD THINKING WHITE PEOPLE. OR THEIR CHILDREN STAY HERE OR COME HERE. THAT IS A DISCUSSION THAT I THINK NEEDS TO BE HAD IN THE CITY AND IN THE STATE. SO ARE THERE ANYTHING GOING FORWARD RIGHT NOW? AS FAR AS LEGISLATION? NO, EVERYBODY'S ON DEFENSE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING TODAY. FIRST OF ALL, I'VE ALWAYS FOUND ANY OPPORTUNITY. I GET TO HEAR YOU TO BE VERY POWERFUL. AND YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE EXPRESS EVERYTHING IN A WAY THAT MAKES IT EASY FOR US TO UNDERSTAND IN YOUR PASSION COMES THROUGH. THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND AS FOR THIS LETTER, I HAVE NOT SEEN IT. BUT I WILL CERTAINLY SIGN IT AND I WILL BE PUTTING SOME THINGS OUT IN MY NEWSLETTER AS WELL. ASKING MY CONSTITUENTS TO CONTACT PEOPLE IN FRANKFURT AS WELL. THANK YOU. COUNCIL GET OUR VOICES HEARD. SO UM, I GUESS I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT THANK YOU FOR COMING AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT I CAN DO. I DO WANT TO BE A VOICE IN THIS STRUGGLE. THANK
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YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCIL. THANK YOU ANYONE ELSE HERE IN COMMENTS CONCERNS OR WHATEVER I DID NOTICE ON TV. I THINK IT WAS YESTERDAY. WHERE DOCTOR POLIO. HE'S GONNA BE. HE'S VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT BILL WITH THE DE. I BUT HAS IT ALREADY PASSED OR. IS IN THE HOUSE, OR, I THINK ONE BILL SENATE BILL SIX PASSED OUT OF THE SENATE. IS HEADED TO THE HOUSE. I'M NOT SURE OF THE OTHERS. UM, WE CERTAINLY MET WITH DOCTOR POLIO. I INTENTIONALLY KEPT MY COMMENTS. TO HIGHER EDUCATION HERE IN THE IN THE CONSEQUENCES, BUT THIS IS SPREADING. THERE WAS ONE BILL THAT TARGETS K THROUGH 12 EDUCATION IN THE STATE. THERE'S ANOTHER SPECIFICALLY TARGETING HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE STATE. I THINK DR POLIO IS CONCERNED, AND HE'S EXACTLY CORRECT. THE. THINGS THAT LOOK TO BREAK UP THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OR REALLY THINGS THAT LOOK TO RESEGREGATE. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DISTRICT. YOU HEAR CODE WORDS IN EDUCATION K THROUGH 12 WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS THAT IS REALLY A COLD WAR FOR RESEGREGATED SCHOOLS, AND THAT THIS IS STILL A HIGHLY SEGREGATED CITY. UM I. I DO THINK THAT THE WORK DOCTOR POLIO AND ONE OF HIS LIEUTENANTS DOCTOR JOHN MARSHALL ARE DOING ON THIS ISSUE IS NOBLE WORK, BUT THEY ARE DROWNING. THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY DROWNING IN IT, AND THEY THEY NEED HELP. AND I THINK THERE ARE OTHER THINGS TOO. WHEN YOU LOOK AT, UM, TRYING TO MAKE ELECTIONS IN THIS CITY, NONPARTISAN, YOU KNOW FOR THE MAYOR AND OTHER THINGS, SO THERE IS A COORDINATE ATTACK. ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE RELATED TO ONE ANOTHER. SO WE CAN'T BE MYOPIC AND THINK THIS IS JUST ABOUT HIGHER AID. AND JUST ABOUT K THROUGH 12 AND JUST ABOUT YOU KNOW HOW HOW MAYORS WERE ELECTED IN LOUISVILLE ARE JUST ABOUT HOW MUNICIPALITIES CAN BREAK OFF OR EVEN JUST ABOUT EVEN THOUGH KENTUCKY IS LEADS THE COUNTRY. THESE ARE THE TYPE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LEADING THE STATE AND I'M NOT BEING FACETIOUS. KENTUCKY LEADS THE COUNTRY IN PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 65, WHO HAVE NONE OF THEIR NATURAL TEETH. THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY TOOTHLESS. WE LEAD THE COUNTRY IN THAT. YET POLITICIANS IN FRANKFURT FIND IT NECESSARY TO TRY TO PASS A LAW.THAT GIVES MUNICIPALITIES THE OPTION OF INCLUDING FLUORIDE IN THEIR WATER OR NOT. THESE ARE THE TYPE OF PEOPLE THAT BUSINESS LEADERS AND COLLEGE PRESIDENTS ARE RUNNING FROM. THAT I FIND FASCINATING. THOSE ARE THE LEADERS OF THIS STATE. AND I KNOW FOR PEOPLE WATCHING. THIS IS NOT SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. KENTUCKY KENTUCKY IS THE MOST TOOTHLESS STATE IN THE COUNTRY, AND POLITICIANS WANT TO REMOVE FLUORIDE FROM THE WATER. I'LL JUST ASK ONE MORE QUESTION. AND THEN I HAVE SOMETHING I NEED YOU TO DO. OK? WE CAN TALK AFTERWARDS, CO CO COULD YOU LIKE, WELL, I JUST WANTED TO HAVE YOU REAL QUICK. TO OUR ALLIES. GIVE THEM A MESSAGE, BECAUSE, YES, ALL OF THESE BILLS ARE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TARGETING WHETHER IT'S COVERTLY OR OVERTLY. BLACK KENTUCKIANS? YES. BUT WHAT THEY ALSO DO IS THEY HAVE COLLATERAL DAMAGE. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DE I THEY ALSO END UP BEING ANTI DISABLED STUDENTS IN JCPS, WHO BENEFIT FROM THOSE PROGRAMS AS WELL OR THE ANTI SECTION EIGHT BILL THAT'S BEING INTRODUCED BECOMES ANTI VETERANS AS WELL. SO COULD YOU JUST GIVE A MESSAGE TO ALLIES ABOUT WHY THEY SHOULD GET INVOLVED IN THIS FIGHT AS WELL? AND NOT JUST THE ALLIES, COUNCILMAN ARTHUR EVEN TO PEOPLE WHO ARE BLACK AND BLACK ORGANIZATIONS. I ENCOURAGE THEM. I ENCOURAGE YOU BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO NOT CONTINUE TO TRY TO RE INVENT THE WHEEL. NOT TRY TO GO IT ALONE. PARTNER WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. THE URBAN LEAGUE NEEDS TO BE WITH THE N A AC P. THEY ALL NEED TO BE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PAN-AFRICAN STUDIES. THEY ALL NEED TO BE WITH SIMMONS COLLEGE OF KENTUCKY. THEY ALL NEED TO BE WITH THE KENTUCKY ALLIANCE. THEY ALL NEED TO BE TOGETHER. AND THEY ALL NEED TO LOCK ARMS. WITH WHITE BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY KENTUCKY HAS A STRONG HISTORY OF THAT. KENTUCKY HAS A HISTORY OF BEREA COLLEGE, FOR INSTANCE, A PREDOMINANTLY WHITE INSTITUTION THAT STOOD ALONE IN EDUCATING BLACKS IN THIS STATE. EVEN WHEN THE STATE TRIED TO DESTROY INTERRACIAL EDUCATION WITH THE DAY LAW. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY, BEREA FOUGHT BACK. TOOK IT ALL THE WAY TO THE US SUPREME COURT. THEY LOST, BUT THEY FOUGHT. AND SO PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT SOMETIMES EVEN WHEN YOU LOSE, YOU WIN BECAUSE YOU STOOD FOR A RIGHTEOUS CAUSE. SO THOSE ARE THE TYPE WHITE BROTHERS AND SISTERS LIKE ANNE BRADEN. RIGHT WHO WHO STOOD AT IN THE VANGUARD OF A LONG HISTORY. I CALL HER A FEMALE JOHN BROWN. JOHN BROWN, WHO WAS WHITE, AND HE SPOKE OF SLAVERY, HE SAID. I HAVE AN
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INSTITUTION TO DESTROY, AND I HAVE NO TIME TO WASTE EVEN THOUGH HE WAS NOT THREATENED WITH BEING ENSLAVED. SO KENTUCKY ACTUALLY HAS A HISTORY OF WHITE BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO LOCK ARMS WITH BLACK FOLK AND OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE SUFFERING INJUSTICE. WHO ACTUALLY BELIEVE IN FREEDOM, JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. I ENCOURAGE THOSE PEOPLE TO BE REIGNITED. STAND WITH ONE ANOTHER SPEAK UP, COME UP WITH STRATEGIES TO FIGHT AGAIN, EVEN IF YOU LOSE BECAUSE IF WE LOSE TODAY IT DOESN'T MEAN WE CAN'T WIN NEXT WEEK. AND IF WE LOSE NEXT WEEK WE COME BACK NEXT MONTH NEXT MONTH. WE COME BACK NEXT YEAR. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT.AND LEADERSHIP HAS TO STEP UP AND DO THAT. SO THAT'S MY MESSAGE TO EVERYBODY STOP BEING SO COMFORTABLE. I SAY IT TO OUR FACULTY IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PAN AFRICAN STUDIES. DON'T YOU DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY. OF BEING COMFORTABLE OR COMPLIANT. THIS DEPARTMENT WAS BORN OUT OF STRUGGLE. AMERICAN FREEDOM WAS BORN OUT OF STRUGGLE. IN THAT STRUGGLE CONTINUES.
UNFORTUNATELY IT'S SAD THAT WE STILL HAVE TO FIGHT INTERNALLY. TO REACH AMERICAN IDEALS. BUT THAT'S THE LOT THAT THAT WE HAVE. THAT'S THE HAND WE'VE BEEN DEALT, SO WE HAVE TO MEET THAT CHALLENGE. COUNT COUNCILWOMAN. UM THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING AND SPREADING SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE. DID YOU SAY THAT? UM YOUR PRESIDENT WOULDN'T SIGN IT. DID YOU SAY THAT? ALSO SHE HAS NOT AS OF YESTERDAY. UNLESS SHE SIGNED IT TODAY. YOU KNOW, THE PERSON THAT I SPOKE OF WAS THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, WHO DID NOT RESPOND. TO A NOTE THAT WAS SENT TO HIM ABOUT IT AND THE FOR ME, COUNCILWOMAN. THE TIME HAS PASSED FOR US TO BE NICE TO FOLK WHO IN EFFECT ARE NOTHING BUT COLLABORATORS SO THEY CAN COME OUT AND DELIVER PROPAGANDA AND SAY, OH, WELL, WE'RE DOING THIS WORK. WE'RE DOING IT, BUT THEY SPEAK. THEY SPEAK OF IT IN ABSTRACT TERMS, AND I'M SENSITIVE ABOUT THAT POSITION.
BECAUSE THE CHIEF DIVERSITY OFFICER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE THAT POSITION I LED THE MOVEMENT ON CAMPUS OVER TWO DECADES AGO TO CREATE THAT POSITION. AND WE VERY INTENTIONALLY CALLED IT A VICE PRESIDENT FOR DIVERSITY. AND LAST YEAR THAT THE PERSON WHO SITS IN THAT SEAT. MADE A DEAL AGREED TO TAKE DIVERSITY OUT OF THE NAME OF THAT POSITION. AND CALL IT SOMETHING ELSE IN THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. THE POSITION WAS CREATED BY NATIVE LOUISVILLE AND J BLAINE HUDSON EVERY TIME BLACK HISTORY MONTH ROLLS AROUND THE NEWS OUTLETS WANT TO PUT A BOOK TWO CENTURIES OF BLACK LOUISVILLE ON AND SAY, WE'RE CELEBRATING TWO CENTERS OF BLACK LOUISVILLE. IN EFFECT, THEY'RE CELEBRATING J. BLAINE HUDSON WELL, JAY BLAINE HUDSON WAS THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES AND WORKED WITH DEAN JIM BRENTON TO ESTABLISH AND ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR DIVERSITY POSITION IN THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES LAST WEEK. THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, ALONG WITH THE COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES STRIP DIVERSITY OUT OF THE NAME OF THAT POSITION. THE BLAINE HUDSON FOUGHT LIKE A DOG TO CREATE SO I'M SENSITIVE TO THOSE THINGS, AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE NAME NAMES UNTIL YOU ALL WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON. LASTLY IS, JANE BALDWIN SAID. I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT YOU SAY BECAUSE I SEE WHAT YOU DO. WELL WELL. WELL I WILL.
I AGREE WITH THAT. UM AND ONE THING THAT YOU SAID YOU USED THE WORD COWARD. UH, ONE THING THAT I CAN'T SPEAK FOR ALL MY COLLEAGUES, BUT I NEVER HAD TO GO TO THE WIZ. GET NO COURAGE. I HEARD THAT ABOUT YOU. UM AND AS FAR AS, UH, MAKING PEOPLE UNCOMFORTABLE. YOU'RE RIGHT. SO.
I DON'T THINK THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT HAVE CAME ON BOARD THAT DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MAKING NOBODY FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE. GOOD STUFF, YOU KNOW? YEAH, BECAUSE, UH UH A LOT OF US ARE INVOLVED. YOU KNOW, WE WORKED HARD TO GET OUR SEATS. YOU KNOW, AND, UH UM.
I KNOW ME AND I WILL SPEAK FOR MY COLLEAGUES, ESPECIALLY THE ONES RIGHT HERE. THAT'S BEEN HERE, UM NONE OF US CAME HERE TO JUST SIT HE CAME HERE TO SERVE RIGHT, SO I DON'T THINK THAT ANY OF US WOULD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH, UM FOLLOWING BEHIND YOU STANDING , BUT I ALSO SAY THAT FOR ME IT'S WITHIN YOU. A WHAT COLOR YOU ARE. WHAT? WHAT YOU GOT IN HERE? YOU KNOW, UH AND IT'S NOT ABOUT REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT. WE GOTTA WORK TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY. SO YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY SURPRISING THAT YOU SAY YOU ARE INDEPENDENT. UH YOU KNOW MY COLLEAGUE DOWN HERE, YOU KNOW, HE WENT AND I REALLY I WAS STRUGGLING WITH. WHY DID HE DO THAT? FOR A LONG TIME. YOU KNOW, UM. BUT IN SO MANY SITUATIONS, I BEGIN TO SEE WHY. UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IF WE WORK TOGETHER MORE COLLECTIVELY, A LOT OF TIMES, UH, I FIGHT WITH MY OWN PARTY. ABOUT WHAT'S RIGHT. SO I HAVE TO
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FIND MYSELF A LOT OF TIMES TRYING TO REACH ACROSS THE AISLE. GET THINGS DONE. OH, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY THIS. I CAN TELL THAT YOU'RE VERY PASSIONATE. VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN. SO WHAT THE PEOPLE THINK YOU ARGUING. THEY SAID THAT THE OTHER IT OK, I'M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU. I'M JUST DOING IT ON THIS SIDE. SO UH UH, I'M IN THE FIGHT WITH YOU. UM, IT'S NOT A BLACK OR WHITE THING FOR ME, BUT IT'S ABOUT WHAT YOU GOT INSTILLED IN YOU BECAUSE SOME THINGS EVEN CAN'T BE TOLD. CERTAIN AGES. IT'S JUST IN YOUR LANE. AND YOU'RE RIGHT. LET ME SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE I CERTAINLY THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT I AM SO, UH, UNNECESSARILY PARANOID IN PUGNACIOUS, YOU KNOW, THEY THEY THEY FEEL THAT I'M ARGUMENTATIVE. I DIDN'T COME OUT OF THE CULTURE AGAIN. I'M A GRADUATE OF MOREHOUSE COLLEGE. MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR JULIAN BOND. MAYNARD JACKSON, THE FIRST MAYOR OF ATLANTA. SPIKE LEE AND ALL OF OUR FAVORITES SAMUEL L JACKSON, ALL MOREHOUSE, ME AND SAMUEL JACKSON PROBABLY WOULD USE LANGUAGE THAT YOU COULD NOT, YOU KNOW, USE OVER THE AIRWAVES, BUT I'M NOT ANGRY. BUT I AM PASSIONATE. BUT THEY DO. THEY DO THEY DO, BUT BUT IF I WERE ANGRY I WOULD SAY I WOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO BE ANGRY. I WOULD HAVE A RIGHT TO GO HARD AND BE, YOU KNOW, A BALL OF FURY. BECAUSE I'M NOT JUST FIGHTING FOR A CAUSE AGAIN. I'M FIGHTING FOR MY CHILD. I'M FIGHTING FOR THIS TO BE A BETTER PLACE FOR MY DAUGHTER. I'M FIGHTING FOR THIS TO BE A BETTER PLACE FOR CHILDREN WHO LOOK LIKE HER. I'M FIGHTING FOR YOUNG BLACK GIRLS AND YOUNG BLACK BOYS TO BE ABLE TO ENTER THE WORLD WITH MORE DIGNITY, JUSTICE AND EQUALITY. I DO BELIEVE THAT THAT MAKES CITIES STATES, THE COUNTRY AND THE WORLD BETTER FOR EVERYBODY.BUT I DON'T WANT THEM TO SUFFER THE SAME HUMILIATION AS OUR ANCESTORS. I DON'T WANT THEM TO HAVE TO SUFFER FROM THE SAME FEAR AS MY CONTEMPORARIES. IF WE'RE NOT FIGHTING FOR THAT. IF WE'RE NOT STRONG ENOUGH AND COMMITTED ENOUGH TO FIGHT FOR OUR CHILDREN. IF WE'RE NOT PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'D BE PASSIONATE ABOUT. SO? SO YOU'RE RIGHT. I GET MISTAKEN. YOU KNOW, BUT I GO HARD. I MEAN, I HAVE TO. I'M AN ATLANTA FALCONS FAN. I'VE BEEN PASSIONATE ABOUT THAT. AND THAT'S PROBABLY JERED ME A LITTLE BIT CRAZY, NOT DE. I BUT THE FALCONS, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT ANOTHER TIME AS WELL. I JUST WANNA LET YOU KNOW THAT WE AS A COUNSEL. EVERY YEAR. WE HAVE A BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM IN OUR BLACK HISTORY PROGRAM.
EVERYONE HAS TO GET RAN A AFRICAN AMERICAN IN THEIR DISTRICT. THAT HELPS WORK WITH THE ARM VOLUNTEERED OR WHATEVER, AND IT HAS BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL. EVERY OUR WS BLACK. EVERYBODY COMES UP WITH SOMEBODY AND IT'S YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THEY HAVE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN IN THEIR DISTRICT THAT THAT WE ARE HONORING AND WE'LL HONOR THEM. UM THE 29TH NEXT THURSDAY, SO EVERY NOW AND THEN WE HAVE SOMEBODY THAT STRUGGLES AND TRY TO FIND SOMEBODY, BUT I TELL THEM ALL THE TIME. AND THEY KNOW WHAT I'M GONNA SAY. EVERYBODY HAS A BLACK PERSON SOMEWHERE IN YOUR DISTRICT. DON'T TELL ME YOU DON'T KNOW ANY. SO I SAY THAT IN EVERYBODY COMES UP ONE AND IT'S REALLY A NICE PROGRAM. YEAH, AND I THINK I THINK THAT'S A GREAT PROGRAM. UH UH, MADAM CHAIR, BUT A AS WE AS WE HONOR BLACK PEOPLE AND CELEBRATE BLACK PEOPLE. I WOULD CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE FOLK TO FIND SOME BLACK PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY IN TOUCH WITH BLACK PEOPLE, IF YOU ARE CELEBRATING TIM SCOTT IN SOUTH CAROLINA, YOU'RE NOT CELEBRATING BLACK PEOPLE. YOU KNOW IF YOU'RE CELEBRATING AMAROSA, MANAL, YOU'RE NOT CELEBRATING BLACK PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WITHOUT BEING TOO POLITICAL ABOUT IT IF YOU'RE CELEBRATING BLACK PEOPLE WHO WHO DO NOT HAVE THEIR FINGERS ON THE PULSE OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY AND ARE WILLING TO SELL THE BLACK COMMUNITY OUT MORE CONCERNED WITH INDIVIDUAL POSITION THAN THEY ARE COLLECTIVE POWER AND JUSTICE. THEN WE DO A DISSERVICE TO ALL BLACK PEOPLE. SO BE CAREFUL OF THE BLACK FRIENDS THAT YOU CHOOSE. MANY ARE MELANATED. BUT THEY AIN'T EXACTLY BLACK. AND YES, THAT IS A RACIAL AUTHENTICITY ARGUMENT. IN. AND THEY'RE ALL BE HERE. THAT'S GOOD STUFF. THAT'S GOOD STUFF. 1010 10 AFRICAN AMERICAN JUDGES, BLACK PEOPLE TAKING OVER YET ANOTHER THING RIGHT? IT'S JUST TOO MANY OF THEM. I DO WANT I HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU. AND, UH UH, COUNCILMAN BOUGHT THIS ONE TO READ IT FOR US. BECAUSE I DON'T. WE HAD TO HOP DOWN THERE ON MY SO HE'S GONNA HE'S GONNA BE WONDERING. I NEVER READ THESE. SO FORGIVE ME. I STRUGGLE WITH THE LEGAL LANGUAGE TO ALL WHOM THESE LETTERS SHALL COME. GREETINGS KNOW YE THAT THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF THE
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LOUISVILLE JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO GOVERNMENT HEREBY RECOGNIZES AND HONORS DOCTOR RICKY L JONES, PROFESSOR OF PAN-AFRICAN STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE IN HONOR AND RECOGNITION OF YOUR DILIGENT, PROFESSIONAL AND UNTIRING EFFORTS AS A STRONG PUBLIC SCHOLAR DOING ESPECIALLY INNOVATIVE WORK ON AMERICAN RACE, POLITICS, LEADERSHIP AND MALE IDENT. WHILE ALSO SERVING AS A LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ANA ANALYSTS ACROSS VARIOUS MEDIA. WE HEREBY CONFER THIS HONOR WITH ALL THE RIGHTS PRIVILEGES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THERETO ARE PERTAINING IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF WE HAVE CAUSED THESE LETTERS TO BE MADE IN THE SEAL OF THE METRO GOVERNMENT TO BE HERE AND TO A FIXED UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I I'M ABSOLUTELY HONORED. LET ME SAY IN CLOSING, UM, AGAIN, IT'S BALDWIN SAID. PEOPLE THINK THAT THINK THAT THAT HE HATED AMERICA BECAUSE HE OFFERED CRITIQUES. HE SAID. NO, I ACTUALLY LOVE AMERICA. AND I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CRITICIZE HER TO MAKE HER BETTER. LOUISVILLE HAS BEEN GOOD TO ME. I'VE SPENT MORE TIME HERE THAN I DID IN MY NATIVE ATLANTA IS THE HOMETOWN OF MY DAUGHTER. AND I MET MANY GREAT PEOPLE, AND I WISH NOTHING BUT GOOD ONTO THE CITY ONTO THE UNIVERSITY AND ITS CITIZENS, SO IT'S AN IT'S AN HONOR THAT YOU WOULD INVITE ME IN AND EMBRACE ME, YOU KNOW, AS A LONG TERM VISITOR OF THE CITY AND THE STATE SO MUCH LOVE TO ALL OF YOU, THANK YOU. AND WE WANNA THANK YOU FOR COMING. I CALLED AND HE JUST SAID NO PROBLEM CAME RIGHT AWAY. HOW COULD I SAY NO TO YOU? ONLY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE SO LONG. THIS MAY THANK YOU SO MUCH. MR TV. DID YOU HEAR THAT? WE ADJOURNED. LET ME SAY IT AGAIN. SHE.* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.