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ATTEND AND SUPPORT: Join Listen Learn Act for a Community Conversation in support of Armelle Bondonga and all of the other immigrant families
in our community. If you haven't heard about the arrest and detainment of Armelle Bondonga by ICE, here’s an overview and recap of her horrific story:
Armelle's story
The Community Conversation will be held at Armelle’s church, Bates Memorial Baptist Church (620 Lampton St, Louisville, KY), on October 6th from 6:30 - 8:00 pm.
We will hear from speakers Sadiqa Reynolds and Ryan Davis, Armelle's teacher and friend. We will also have a food and supply drive to support families who are in need of supplies but are fearful of leaving home. Needed items include diapers (all sizes,) personal and feminine hygiene products, canned goods, rice, dried beans, cleaning supplies. Please let us know you are coming -- Register here.
WATCH the excellent documentary, By Persons Unknown, created by the Western Kentucky Department of History and PBS and narrated by Mr. Michael Morrow, Director of the SEEK Museum in Russellville, Kentucky. It depicts Black life in southern Kentucky in the early part of the 20th Century, especially focusing on the 1908 lynching of four Black men in Russellville.
Watch here
*Includes images of lynchings. From 1877-1950, there were 4425 African Americans lynched in the United States.
REGISTER: For Listen Learn Act upcoming class, “From Learning to Action: Becoming an Effective Ally for Justice.”
When: Tuesdays, October 27 - December 8, from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m. (no class Thanksgiving week or Election Day)
Guests will include Dr. Raymond Burse, President Louisville NAACP, Sadiqa Reynolds, CEO Norton Sports and Learning Center, John Borders, Louisville attorney, and a field trip to Simmons College with Dr. Kevin Cosby.
Where: The class is offered as a hybrid, meeting in person at The Earth and Spirit Center and over zoom.
Learn more and register HERE
LEARN: About the amazing Negro league team, the Louisville Black Caps, which played in in Louisville in the 1930s.
Read about it here.
ATTEND: Arts and Afros Art Sale, October 3 - 4, 12:00 - 6:00 pm at the Norton Sports and Learning Center, 3029 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd. Free admission and Open to the public! Check out the art and listen to live jazz while you browse!
READ: Words of compassion from children’s educator and YouTuber, Ms. Rachel, have drawn sharp criticism and backlash from conservatives. An opinion column in The Root points out that America has always punished white people who broke racial ranks. Read about it here.
JOURNAL: Write about a time you have observed people being ostracized (or choosing not to speak out) because of this pressure (subtle or overt) that white people should not sympathize or align with Blacks.
SUPPORT: Simple communication isn’t free for those in detention. Whenever a prisoner in a Kentucky jail calls her family or texts her lawyer, she has to pay a fee. ICE detainees in Kentucky county jails need financial assistance to stay in touch with the outside world. You can make that happen with a donation. Fifteen dollars gives an ICE detainee 150 texts on a prison phone. Here’s how to help:
Commissary and phone/text accounts for ICE detainees
(ex. $15 buys 150 text messages for one person)
Calor Humano, an LSURJ project which translates to “human warmth and kindness” in English, provides support for these neighbors through commissary fund donations, phone account funds, volunteer visits, legal aid support, and transport and care upon release. Please consider a donation to support this important project! Venmo: calor-humano-ky or Zelle: M Porter
LEARN: The fascinating story of Thornton & Lucie Blackburn who escaped enslavement in Kentucky in 1871. Read about their escape to Detroit, and ultimate landing in Toronto where they established Toronto’s first taxi service!
Thorton and Lucie Blackburn
There’s a historical marker at the intersection of West Main Street and North 4th Street in downtown Louisville, and the Frazier Museum has a display about their story.
LEARN: It’s been 10 years since Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem to protest police killings of Black people. The consequences were swift and harsh: he was blackballed in the NFL and not allowed to play football the following year or after. He recently released his autobiography, The Perilous Fight, covering his protest and its aftermath. On this Daily Stoic podcast, he discusses all that and what he sees as our social obligation, the need to USE success and money to contribute to a society that is more just. Watch here
CREATE your own anti-racism activity. If you like, please share it with us at dikerrigan@listenlearnact.org so we can pass the idea on to others.
CONNECT: Invite a friend to the 4-week ARC. Just send them this link to sign up!
Thank you for your commitment.
Debbi and Di
Use the link below to copy or download this ARC Tool to track your progress:
ARC tracking tool.xlsx
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