Thanks to all the individuals and organizations responsible for this gathering today…including Simmons College of Kentucky, the Urban Insight Agency, The Louisville Defender newspaper, the Interdenominational Ministerial Coalition, the St. Stephen Family Life Center and the Canaan Community Development Center and more.
I know that many of you are already involved in important work improving and enriching life for people in our community.
But you could not have chosen a better time to come together.
As Charles Dickens once wrote: These are …in some ways… both the best of times and the worst of times…times of change and times of challenge…times of great hope and times of real heartache.
The hope: The excitement of a new President … a strong, smart, idealistic, gifted individual with a fresh perspective … sensitive to the challenges at home here in America’s cities ….ready to deal thoughtfully with our role in the world.
As for the heartache: This are the most difficult economic times of our lifetimes . . that translates to hardship and uncertainty for many individuals and families…whether it’s lost jobs, lost homes, lost retirement, lost college savings…or a gray cloud of worry about our financial futures and the futures of our children.
When DeVone Holt invited me today, he said, “We want you to help us understand what we can do to assist in improving West Louisville.”
So that’s what I’d like to talk about today: In challenging times, more than ever, it’s important to work together.
We could talk West Louisville projects and programs and bricks and mortar investments from the recent past. . . like
1. The NIA Center…
2. The demolition of Cotter-Lang housing projects and the creation of our new Park-Duvalle neighborhood.
3. Shawnee Park improvements – including a new sports complex, playground, pavilion improvements and more.
4. The companies that have established themselves there – from internet services to food-flavoring companies. Just the other day I passed a coffee company at ((streets to come)) with a sign in its window: “We love” – they used a heart – “West Louisville.” DeVone Holt -- who has worked to encourage job growth here for more than 5 years…through city government’s economic development partnership with GLI -- can tell you the studies and success stories that have brought us to this point today – and he has a couple more in the works right now.
As I said I could talk about the past. I could also talk about new initiatives under way…like:
· Our Parkhill corridor project … ready for its implementation phase. Already activity there … and consultants are working with a committee from the community for the next stage.
· When it comes to public health, our health and wellness department is winning national attention for its efforts to tackle high rates of illness by race and income … especially in West Louisville… that translate to unequal opportunities for productive lives.
· Our police chief’s commitment to community-oriented policing is making a difference. But police can’t do it alone. Dozens of citizen block watch clubs have been established in the last two years.
· Developers have big plans for the former Philip Morris site. Construction of the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage is again under way.
· Louisville just received $40 million in new market tax credits that will help local businesses and nonprofits take on new projects in distressed areas…Early next month ((December)) Louisville’s Community Development Bank will have information sessions on how to apply.
· And West Louisville is not an island: Ft Knox is bringing almost 5000 new civilian white-color jobs…have will have ripple effect down Dixie Highway and throughout our community. Someone compared this to our netting a major new corporate headquarters. They will be moving into homes and using services throughout our region.
· And: New projects continue to move forward downtown…arena, Center City… that equals jobs… quality of life…good for economic health of entire community.
At the same time, these are challenging times. You may have heard about some cities facing dramatic budget deficits and cutting jobs and services. We know already that our city tax revenue is not only short of projections—it’s less than we collected for the same period last year.
So we will face difficult decisions about city spending cuts in the weeks ahead. I can tell you this: We will maintain our core services to our residents. We’ll still catch criminals. We’ll still collect garbage. We’ll still sweep streets. But we won’t be able to do everything we hoped to do. If there is a silver lining in these dark clouds, there may be federal funding for infrastructure projects as part of the latest economic stimulus package – for projects like ((fill in a few examples).
And this financial situation will encourage us to look for new partnerships and more efficient ways to operate. As one of President Elect Obama’s top aides said last week: “You don’t ever want a crisis to go to waste; it’s an opportunity to do important things that you would otherwise avoid.”
So we must make the most of our financial resources – and our human resources…and potential partnerships.
Today I see a room that is rich in human resources. . . and potential partners.
Let me talk for just a couple minutes about how we can work together.
1. First, these difficult financial times will have an impact not only on government but on the social service agencies that serve as safety nets in our community. Their budgets are already reeling because of growing need and declining contributions… and never before have they needed more support from the community… whether it’s community ministries … Dare to Care… the programs some of you operate that serve residents in need.
Whether you can help with donations or with time…or with getting the word out more broadly across this entire community…this has to be a top priority…supporting our safety net.
2. Second, let’s talk about education. You all know the difference education has made in your own lives. Well, not everyone gets it yet. We have a public school system that has won some of the top national awards possible. But consider this statistic: One out of every 4 9th graders in our public schools do not complete high school 4 years later. One in 4. The percentage at some schools is worse…1 in 2 or 3.
Consider that… knowing that there are fewer and fewer jobs available to just-plain-high-school graduates. And that trend will accelerate. In fact, the typical young person today will have 9 jobs by the time they are 32 years old. And the typical adult will zigzag in and out of school over the decades they work … to get new skills and training. If you don’t have a strong educational foundation, you are out of the game.
So how can you help?
· You can get involved one-on-one with young people who are struggling. We started a program 20 years ago called LEEP that linked struggling high school students with adult mentors. They could help with homework, talk about job ideas, introduce students to college and the world of work. At that time, businesses even provided summer jobs for these young people.
I’ve been a LEEP mentor myself for the past 5 years – and it’s been a learning experience for me, as well as the students. The young man I work with now is from a large family …where the mother works long hours and he helps take care of his younger brothers and sisters. This young man’s family has moved 5 times in 2 years. He can hardly keep up with the bus routes. He does not have a quiet place to do homework. He does not have a computer…at a time when online research and writing is expected. And he does not have an adult role model who has finished high school -- not to mention going to college. We need hundreds of mentors for students like him. Hundreds.
· We need more strong after-school programs that provide oversight, homework help, relationships with caring adults that encourage these young people. I know some of you are involved with such programs. Look around your extended family, your workplace. Who else can you recruit?
· We need more summer jobs so these students begin to understand the world of work. Could your agency or business provide some?
· We need more internships once young people make it to college, to help them stay on course…to cement their commitment to settling in our hometown.
· We need to get the word out about education for adults as well, as I mentioned earlier. People who have started a degree and not finished it -- they need to go back. It’s the ticket to opportunity for their futures – and for the Louisville area. If we are going to attract and develop well-paying jobs, we need a skilled workforce…all the way to more PhDs.
· The bottom line is that we need to really change the culture about education. It transforms lives. Spread that message in your extended family… at church… at work. And at work, ask if there are good programs that encourage employees to go back to school. Do you provide tuition assistance? Flexible schedules?
Third and last, let’s talk also about strengthening neighborhoods.
· We have a police department that is committed to community-oriented policing. From its anonymous tipline to those block watch groups I mentioned a few minutes ago, our police chief believes a safe city depends on a partnership with its residents. I hope you feel that commitment. We are ALWAYS open to new ways to connect.
· We have a neighborhoods department that is committed to helping neighborhood organizations stay strong so they can be a voice for community needs.
· And we have a housing department that aims to respond to the wave of home foreclosures… that are devastating families and entire blocks in some neighborhoods. Our community’s 211 phone line still offers assistance to people threatened with foreclosure. We have limited funds for foreclosure assistance. And limited funds will also be available to acquire, fix up and resell foreclosed-upon houses. Our goal is to do this in targeted neighborhoods – to get the maximum benefit stabilizing that area.
In the meantime, if there are vacant houses or vacant lots that concern you, let us know. . . and do what you can. This is a simple thing: It would also be a tremendous service for community groups to cut grass…when the grass is growing. . . saving city crews for other purposes.
What is comes down to … is that government can make a difference in important ways… but that government …needs your support…community … institutional responsibility… strong partnerships…to be transformative in the best of times and the worst of times…
I’m so glad you’ve decided to come together in this way…and hope this is the beginning of a long conversation about how we can work together.