Several thousand people turned out at Shawnee Park on Saturday and Sunday, July 25 and 26, 2009, for the West Louisville Appreciation Celebration, a festival that includes a 5K run, family reunions, exhibits, church picnics, a dominos and checkers tournament and music from gospel to Christian hip hop. The Louisville Defender newspaper hosted the event held in the city’s well-known and largely African American neighborhood. The park was covered with tents where festival-goers shared handshakes over smoky grills and serving tables. After Saturday’s rain, temperatures on Sunday were warm in the park, which abuts the Ohio River.

The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights took advantage of the splendid opportunity to pitch a tent and reach out to minority adults and children, alike, in order to chat about every person’s right to equality and the commission’s job to enforce civil rights. Visitors filed in, playing games, making music, talking to commission representatives, watching civil rights videos and picking up brochures about the commission’s work. Sharing the tent were guests the commission invited from partner organizations. They provided information about issues affecting people protected by civil rights laws. We are proud to have been a part of this festival that celebrates community pride.

The Kentucky Civil Rights Act mandates the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights to conduct education and outreach programs that promote compliance to laws prohibiting discrimination. Participating in public events such as the West Louisville Appreciation Celebration is just one way the commission works to share the message that in the Commonwealth, each of us is different, all of us are equal.  

The Kentucky Commission on Human Rights is the state agency that enforces state and federal laws that make discrimination illegal.

-30-