TUESDAY, June 30
Community Conversation with Sadiqa Reynolds Online Free | Noon-12:30 p.m. Sadiqa Reynolds has been at the vanguard of protesting for racial equality in Louisville for a long time. And she and the Louisville Urban League have been making differences in the community long before the protests began, including with this project: the Urban League’s Sports and Learning Complex. Join this free, online discussion with Reynolds as she discusses the development of the Sports and Learning Complex. This massive undertaking will make Louisville a world-class destination for national and international track and field events, while also providing affordable, accessible health and wellness facilities to West Louisville. Earlier in the day, Reynolds will speak before the Chamber of St. Matthews and share a story to inspire others. Tickets are $25.Rheonna Nicole, Lipstick Wars Poetry Facebook Live Free | 3-4 p.m. Rheonna Nicole, founder of Lipstick Wars Poetry, talks “the importance of loving and embracing the beauty of our bodies through poetry” and how the COVID-19 pandemic has caused her to self reflect.
Proud + Polite: A Garden Party Benefitting Louisville Youth Group Trouble Bar $19.69 | 7-10 p.m. Trouble Bar is back open to the public and continuing to promote social justice. This garden party honors “the history of Pride, the people that fought and continue to fight for equality, and the amazing folx at LYG creating safe and inclusive spaces for our Queer family in Louisville.” The LYG is the Louisville Youth Group, which supports the development of LGBTQ+ youth and their allies. All ticket proceeds and $1 of any drink purchase benefits the LYG. But also come for a raffle and “fun items from Regalo.” Masks are required.
There is No Climate Justice Without Racial Justice Jefferson Square Park Free | 10-11 p.m. The Greater Louisville Sierra Club and Kentucky Interfaith Power & Light, Inc. are environmental advocacy groups. But, on Tuesday, they’re advocating for racial justice. Those things are intertwined, organizers write: “…if we address Racism in all its forms, we can unite and begin to break the system that targets people of color disproportionately with pollution and poisons, and divides us from joining together for the change we all need.” Louisville Showing Up For Racial Justice participates as well.
WEDNESDAY, July 1
When Love Is Not Enough — How Implicit Bias Affects Our Daily Interactions with Others Online Free | Noon-1 p.m. Just because you mean well, doesn’t mean that you aren’t sometimes inflicting racial harm. This class, from Leadership Louisville and Greater Louisville, Inc., will cover Implicit Bias, the prejudices and stereotypes that people unknowingly pick up and act on, and how to identify and interrupt cases.THURSDAY, July 2
Decoding Whiteness: An Anti-racism Collective Online $29/month | 6-8 p.m. Learn what it takes to go from being “not racist” to “anti-racist” in this nine-month, intensive course from the Decode Project, a Louisville-based nonprofit. Decode staff will check in with participants through monthly Zoom calls, weekly emails and online community support. The course is based on seven texts and will cover history and terms and build cultural competence and tolerance for racial stressors.KPA at Home: Hotel Metropolitan Tour Facebook Live Free | 8-8:30 p.m. Betty Dobson takes you on a live-streamed tour of the Hotel Metropolitan in Paducah, Kentucky, which housed African Americans who were traveling during segregation. Dobson, an activist, educator and the co-founder of the Upper Town Heritage Foundation, will also answer any questions you may have.
FRIDAY, July 3
Finding Black Boy Joy Facebook Live Free | 7 p.m. Poet Lance G. Newman II reflects on life in the United States as a Black man in this retrospective featuring 16 years' worth of writings and poems. He’s joined by Isiah Fish, Nipsey Green, David Moore and DeepSea Rice.The Jesse Lees Back/Black Jimmy Can’t Dance $12 | 7 p.m., 9:30 p.m. Neo-rock and soul band The Jesse Lees are back playing live with this socially distanced show at Jimmy Can’t Dance. Wear black to mourn the loss of a regular 4th of July. Only 40 tickets will be sold for each performance, masks are required and you’ll be subject to a temperature check.
Afrofuturism & Revolution Gallery 358 No cover | 7-9 p.m. Destiny Mbachu of the Black creative collective A Well Written Photograph curates this show on Afrofuturism, featuring the work of local Black artists. Afrofuturism is art that melds African American culture with science fiction and technology. RSVP by July 1 if you’d like to attend.
ALL WEEK
Protests Jefferson Square Park Any time This weekend, Louisville photographer Tyler Gerth was shot and killed at Jefferson Square Park as protesters gathered to demand justice for Breonna Taylor, the Louisville ER tech killed by police. Join every day to ask for the officers involved to be fired and charged. Monitor LSURJ and BLM Facebook pages to find out about specific actions. LSURJ has posted a list of supplies needed at Jefferson Square Park: first aid kits, snacks, water, Gatorade, face masks, bug spray (individual), hand sanitizer (individual) and bandages.
