ENVISION EQUITY Nov2015_Lowres

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Ben Richmond: Leaving a Legacy of Equity and Inclusion 

ENVISION EQUITY NOVEMBER 2015 

Photos, Abdul Sharif 

Above, Ben Richmond speaks during his retirement celebration. 

Donna M. Hargens, Superintendent 

There has never been a 

time that Ben Richmond 

refused to support Jefferson 

County Public Schools 

(JCPS). His fidelity to public 

education and JCPS has 

been a true support to me. I 

could call Ben and know 

that I would receive candid 

advice and unwavering 

support. It is Ben’s love for 

JCPS and all of the 

students that I will always 

admire. He is truly 

unmatched. 

Although Ben has handed the reigns to another great person, 

Sadiqa Reynolds, who I look forward to working with, I know 

I will still see Ben in our schools, in the community, and at 

board meetings. Because, like he always told me, “We’ve got 

work to do.” 

Ben, thank you for being a part of making Louisville a home 

for me. I respect you immensely and wish you nothing but the 

best in this new chapter of your life. 

Regardless of the 

news–either good 

or bad, I learned 

early that I needed 

to know where Ben 

Richmond stood 

on an issue. Ben 

sees through a lens 

of inclusion and 

equity. When we 

celebrated 

successes, he was 

right there with us; 

however, he would remind me that there is more to do. It is 

that simple with Ben. He modeled what he said, “There is 

always work to do.” I always say that I refuse to quit on the 

kids of JCPS. Leaders like Ben Richmond will make sure we 

never quit. Ben, and leaders like him, have made this city the 

most welcoming city imaginable. 

Congratulations and job well done, friend. 

Donna M. Hargens 

Superintendent 

Continued on next page 

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Photo, Mayor’s Office 

On October 

1, Ben 

Richmond 

retired from 

the Louisville 

Urban 

Sadiqa N. Reynolds, Esq. 

League, after 

serving as 

president and CEO for 29 years. 

Growing up in Mississippi in the 1950s 

and early 60s, Ben lived through 

segregation and knew firsthand the 

struggles of Blacks in the south and 

throughout this country. He witnessed 

the civil rights movement and knew early 

on that he wanted to make a difference. 

He has. 

I look forward to picking up 

where Ben left off and 

pushing forward in a way 

that advances equity in 

education and meets the 

challenges of today and the 

future with courage and 

innovation. 


Ben worked to create the 15K Degrees 

Initiative because he believed that 

education is key to the success of any 

people. The15K Degrees Initiative aims 

to create an education movement within 

the African-American community that 

advances a college-going and degreecompletion 

culture and ultimately leads 

to increases in the number of college 

graduates in our midst by 2020. 

During Ben’s tenure, the Louisville 

Urban League has worked to solidify the 

relationship with JCPS, recognizing that 

no one institution is responsible for the 

success or failure of any of our children. 

We all play a role. Under Ben’s 

leadership, the Louisville Urban League 

has created and expanded the Street 

Academy Program, providing a literacyrich 

curriculum for fourth-grade and 

fifth-grade boys. In addition, the Project 

Ready Program has prepared hundreds 

of students to graduate high school 

college- and career-ready. 

I look forward to picking up where Ben 

left off and pushing forward in a way that 

advances equity in education and meets 

the challenges of today and the future 

with courage and innovation. Ben will 

continue to be a valuable asset in our 

community and those of us here at the 

League hope that you will join us in 

saluting him for his lifelong commitment 

to making the world better for us all. 


President & CEO 

Louisville Urban League 

JCPS Religious Observances Calendar 

By Dr. Monica Lakhwani—Diversity/Multicultural Education Specialist, JCPS Department of Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Programs 

JCPS as a school community values academic and extracurricular activities. Furthermore, as a school community, we value religious 

diversity. Those who schedule school district activities should be mindful of the diverse religious observances of community members 

and parents at large. The scheduling of academic or extracurricular events on major religious holidays should be avoided whenever 

possible. 

Educators are expected to be mindful of potential conflicts with religious observances. Provided below is a link to the 2015-16 

religious observance calendar. This calendar lists significant holidays from the largest global faith traditions. Please note, holidays for 

some faiths are associated with a solar/lunar calendar or cultural pattern. Hence, some dates for holidays may vary by year. 

http://www.jefferson.kyschools.us/Programs/mcconnections/calendar.html 

The Department of Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Programs encourages all educators to review the link above out of respect for 

diverse faith traditions. Additionally, we encourage principals to view the resource in their Principal’s Planner (starting on page 49) and 

share it with school staff. 

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Developing an Equity Responsive Climate: Enhancing Instructional Capacity to 

Increase Student Learning 

By Gaëtane Jean-Marie, Ph.D.—University of Louisville Department of Educational Leadership Chair and Professor 

U.S. public education systems have 

experienced a rapid growth in ethnic, 

racial, socioeconomics, linguistics, and 

culture, evidencing the changing faces of 

P-20 student populations (Milner, 2013; 

Sundstrom, 2008; Sanchez, Thornton, & 

Usinger, 2008). Specifically, educational 

settings represent the diversity that is 

manifested in an increasingly 

multicultural world (Samuels, 2014). 

Scholars increasingly document the 

Gaëtane Jean-Marie, Ph.D. 

importance of addressing the needs of 

culturally, linguistically, and economically diverse students and 

their families (Hogan, 2012; Jones & Nichols; 2013). Yet despite 

the shifting demographic landscape, the cultural framework of 

P-12 education system remains firmly aligned with middle-class 

values, preferences, and practices (Sanchez, Thornton, & Turner, 

2015; Sundstrom, 2008;). Further, many educators believe they 

are adequately prepared in teacher education and leadership 

preparation programs to build cultural inclusiveness in the 

classroom and within the educational context. However, what is 

evident is the “significant number of children within racial and 

ethnic subgroups who become disinterested in, disengaged from, 

and drop out of school at an alarming rate, particularly in racially 

and ethnically diverse urban school settings (Jones & Nichols, 

2013, p. 2).” Moreover, racial disparities in achievement and the 

administration of school discipline continue to plague our 

nations’ schools (Turner, 2015). 

A driving force for change is a sense of urgency to refocus 

agendas and resources, and establish innovative policies to 

respond to demographic shifts (Kotter, 2008; Milner, 2013; 

Turner, 2015). Coupled with the fact that our nation’s schools are 

becoming increasingly diverse, we argue that the sense of urgency 

could not be higher, especially when urban students’ success is 

directly connected to the future long-term health of the U.S. The 

educational system and its stakeholders need to make a paradigm 

shift in thinking and practices about how to educate students. 

Policymakers, practitioners, parents, and the community at large, 

while they may disagree about how to reform schools in response 

to increased diversity, agree that the “quality of leadership of 

schools matters to how children mature, develop and achieve, and 

to their future life chances” (Lumby, Crow and Pashiardis, 2008, 

p. xv). Further, the cultural competence of school leaders and 

teachers is essential to creating a school climate that understands 

and values learners who come from a wide range of cultures, 

ethnicities, and socioeconomic status. Yet, there is little 

understanding on the formation of organizational cultural 

competence in schools. 

As part of a longitudinal study, the UofL/JCPS Equity 

Responsive Climate project probes school leaders and teachers’ 

understanding of cultural competence. An equity responsive 

climate (ECR) seeks to establish an organizational cultural 

competence in schools that brings together leaders and teachers 

who have the collective power to change the instructional 

environment for diverse learners. ECR, a latent construct is a 

triadic process that is premised on the affective, cognitive, and 

behavior engagement domains of cultural competence (Jones & 

Nichols, 2013; Koth, Bradshaw & Leaf, 2008). This is an 

information-gathering research project, designed to gather data 

on cultural competence, climate and culture, instructional 

capacity, learning conditions’ perceptions directly from 

principals/assistant principals, teachers, students, and parents. 

This project will help guide professional development provided to 

administrators on cultural competence and inform JCPS district 

and site-level priority setting. 

There are three overarching research foci. The first is to 

understand school leaders’ and teachers’ perceptions of cultural 

competence and develop an equity responsive climate instrument. 

Perspectives of principals and teachers will help JCPS construct 

processes and structures to lay the foundation for developing and 

nurturing an equity responsive climate in schools to meet the 

needs of diverse learners. The second is to examine the ways in 

which school leaders and teachers engage in cultural competence 

practices to enhance instructional and student capacity through 

the diffusion of an equity responsive climate. Digging deeper 

through diffusion theory, perspectives from teachers, students, 

parents and administrators will provide insights on ERC’s effect 

on learning conditions, and achievement. Within year one and 

two, school leaders and teachers will engage in participatory 

action research to develop the wealth of knowledge and expertise 

that help to create an equity responsive climate to enhance 

teaching and learning. Lastly, the purpose is to measure the 

relationship between instructional capacity, equity responsive 

climate, and learning conditions. The focus is on the spread of 

the reform (i.e., equity responsive climate) to support the needs of 

diverse learners. The UofL/JCPS Equity Responsive Climate 

project will add value to practitioners working within urban 

settings because today’s school leaders and teachers must be better 

equipped to address academic inequalities found within racially 

and ethnically diverse schools. Specifically by sharing perceptual 

understandings of the factors associated with an equity responsive 

climate, this research project provides those working within the 

urban context a glimpse into the efforts of JPCS seeking to better 

prepare culturally competent leaders and teachers. The research 

team includes: Dr. Gaëtane Jean-Marie, Dr. Bradley Carpenter, 

Dr. Tia Dumas, Dr. Jason Immekus and Dr. Lisa Hooper (UofL), 

and Dr. Daniel Spikes –Iowa State University). 

References 

Hogan, M. (2012). The four skills of cultural diversity competence. Cengage Learning. 

Koth, C. W., Bradshaw, C. P., & Leaf, P. J. (2008). A multilevel study of predictors 

of student perceptions of school climate: The effect of classroom-level 

factors. Journal of Educational Psychology, 100(1), 96. 

Kotter, J. P. (2008). A sense of urgency. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press. 

Jones, B. A., & Nichols, E. J. (2013). Cultural Competence in America's Schools: 

Leadership, Engagement and Understanding. Charlotte, NC: IAP–Information Age Pub. 

Inc. 

Lumby, J., Crow, G., Pashiardis, P. Eds. (2008). International handbook on the 

preparation and development of school leaders. New York: Routledge. 

Milner IV, H. R. (2013). Start where you are, but don't stay there: Understanding diversity, 

opportunity gaps, and teaching in today's classrooms. Harvard Education Press. 

8 Story Street First Floor, Cambridge, MA 02138. 

Samuels, D. R. (2014). The culturally inclusive educator: Preparing for a 

multicultural world. New York: Teachers College Press. 

Sanchez, J., Thornton, B., & Usinger, J. (2008). Promoting diversity in public 

education. Promoting diversity within public education leadership. 

International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, 3(3), 1–10. 

Available: http://cnx.org/content/m18745/latest 

Sundstrom, R. R. (2008). The browning of America and the evasion of social justice. State 

University of New York Press. 

Turner, E. O. (2015). Districts’ responses to demographic change: Making sense of 

race, class, and immigration in political and organizational context. 

American Educational Research Journal, 52, (1), 4-39. 

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Rocketing All Students Toward Success: JCPS Third-Grade Reading Pledge 

By Karen E. Branham—Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction 

Above, Jacob Elementary School teacher Felicia Ellingsworth, works with a group of students. 

Photos by Jonathan Roberts 

In 

elementary 

classrooms 

across 

JCPS, 

teachers 

are 

changing 

the way 

they teach 

students 

how to 

read. 

Karen E. Branham 

Building 

teacher capacity using researched-based 

literacy practices is one strategy of an 

initiative in JCPS called the Third- 

Grade Reading Pledge. JCPS is 

organizing a communitywide effort to 

create a system of academic services 

and supports to ensure that each and 

every student is reading on or above 

grade level by the end of third grade. 

The initiative is focused on closing the 

opportunity gap in literacy for all 

children. Research shows that some 

students start school with as much as a 

30 million-word gap. Not all students 

come to school from homes where a 

parent or family member cultivates 

their learning nor do they come from 

homes that have plenty of print-rich 

material. Many of our youngest 

learners come to school “not ready to 

learn” because of challenges like 

poverty, unmet medical needs, broken 

homes, crime, abuse, and other barriers 

to learning. 

Several of the most promising 

collaborations that will help our 

community make sure all students are 

reading on grade level by the end of 

the third-grade include the JCPS- 

Bellarmine Literacy Project, the 

University of Louisville (UofL)- 

JCPS Early Literacy Project, 

Kindergarten-Readiness Camps, 

the Early Grade Summer Reading 

Program for English Language 

Learners (ELLs), and the Summer 

Literacy Boost program. In addition, 

JCPS partners with the Louisville Free 

Public Library (LFPL), which offers 

numerous programs and incentives that 

support the Third-Grade Reading 

Pledge. 

The UofL-JCPS Early Literacy 

Project is focused on developing 

qualified, knowledgeable Primary 

literacy teachers. Teachers become 

learners and researchers who study 

their own literacy practices as they 

support young children’s progress to 

reading proficiency. Teachers 

participate in coursework, a summer 

institute, meetings, and conferences 

while they increase their understanding 

of the reading process and contentrich, 

culturally responsive, inquirybased 

learning. 

Kindergarten-Readiness Camp is 

a summer program targeting some of 

our most at-risk incoming kindergarten 

students. The goal of the camps is to 

boost kindergarten readiness by 

providing additional time and support 

for student learning. During the 

summer of 2015, Kindergarten- 

Readiness Camps at three Early 

Childhood Program locations served 

approximately 300 incoming 

kindergartners. Students attend camp 

five days a week, take part in programs 

for 5 1/2 hours each day, and receive 

breakfast and lunch. Pre- and postassessments 

monitor student progress 

during the camp, and participating 

students take the BRIGANCE 

Kindergarten-Readiness Screen as they 

enter kindergarten. Results show that 

students participating in the camps 

have increased kindergarten-readiness 

levels as much as 20 percent on the 

BRIGANCE Kindergarten-Readiness 

Screen. 

The Early Grade Summer 

Reading Program for ELLs 

provides continuous reading support 

and boosts reading achievement for 

kindergarten through second-grade 

ELLs who have been in school for at 

least six months and are reading below 

grade level. 

Each program site has four English as a 

Second Language (ESL) teachers and 

four bilingual associate instructors 

(BAI). Students are placed in 

classrooms based on their text level. 

ESL teachers and BAIs use the Leveled 

Literacy Intervention kits as the 

curriculum with supplemental 

materials. 

Continued on next page 

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The district has offered Summer 

Literacy Boost since the summer of 

2012. Summer Literacy Boost has 

grown from 50 students from 4 schools 

in 2012 to 609 students from 51 schools 

during the summer of 2014. The 

program targets incoming first- and 

second-graders. Participating students 

receive intense literacy instruction 

through a framework that includes 

whole-group, small-group, and 

individual lessons in strategic processing; 

letters/words/phonemic awareness; 

interactive/guided reading; interactive/ 

independent writing; independent 

reading; and oral language development. 

The program also provides breakfast, 

lunch, and transportation for 

participating students. 

The LFPL supports the Third-Grade 

Reading Pledge in many ways. 

Highlights of their involvement include 

the following programs: 

• The 1,000 Books Before 

Kindergarten Challenge is 

designed to build early literacy 

skills by encouraging a love and 

habit of reading. More than 

17,000 children have enrolled 

in the challenge. 

• Share 100 Stories Before 

Fourth Grade encourages 

early elementary students to 

read aloud. In 2014-15, all 

kindergarten through thirdgrade 

students received an ageappropriate 

book to keep, and 

in 2015-16, all kindergarten 

through second-grade students 

received a book. Bookmarks 

with guiding questions 

accompanied each text. 

Students were encouraged to 

read aloud to others, and free 

books were provided to students 

who completed the program. 

• The Summer Reading 

Program promotes preschool 

through teen reading in the 

summer while providing 

incentives for program 

completion. A record-breaking 

number of participants (30,559) 

completed the 2015 Summer 

Reading Program. 

Finally, the JCPS-Bellarmine 

Literacy Project is in its second year of 

implementation. During the 2014-15 

school year, approximately 200 teachers 

from 19 low-performing elementary 

schools participated in this collaborative 

initiative, which develops and builds 

teacher capacity to provide effective, 

research-based, culturally relevant 

reading instruction to JCPS Primary 

students. Teachers at selected schools 

participate in graduate-level coursework 

and implement their learning in their 

own classrooms while being supported 

by a school-based coach. While teachers 

receive more than 90 hours of jobembedded 

training and support, 

principals participate in a Principal 

Fellowship, which meets twice monthly 

to build instructional leadership in 

building principals. This year, 38 schools 

and more than 500 teachers, coaches, 

and principals are participating in the 

second cohort of the JCPS- 

Bellarmine Literacy Project. 

One of the 

schools 

participating 

in the JCPS- 

Bellarmine 

Literacy 

Project for 

the second 

year in a row 

is Jacob 

Elementary School. Principal Michael 

Terry describes how the project has 

supported his leadership at Jacob 

Elementary. “My highest priority as an 

instructional leader is to close the gap 

and increase proficiency levels for all 

students. Literacy is an extremely 

important part of the learning process. 

The Bellarmine Literacy Project is 

providing teachers with literacy tools and 

strategies to differentiate literacy 

instruction and meet each student where 

they are. Part of the program involves 

accurate assessment of student literacy, 

which is imperative as we work toward 

proficiency. As teachers are using the 

tools in classrooms at Jacob, we are 

seeing confident readers emerge and 

gains on our district assessment 

scores. As a leader, this excites me. My 

goal is to see all students perform at their 

highest ability. The Bellarmine 

Literacy Project brings us one step closer 

to achieving that goal.” 

Above, Jacob Elementary School teacher 

Felicia Ellingsworth 

One of the 

teachers 

participating 

at Jacob is 

fourth-grade 

teacher 

Felicia 

Ellingsworth. 

Ms. Ellingsworth shares how her 

participation in the JCPS-Bellarmine 

Literacy Project has changed her 

classroom instruction and supported 

improved levels of student literacy. “The 

Bellarmine Literacy Project has 

completely changed my idea of literacy 

instruction. How literacy is taught, 

assessed, and approached is now much 

different inside my classroom. I am 

learning the importance of creating a 

culturally relevant classroom that creates 

a holistic approach to literacy. Using 

researched-based assessments and 

teaching strategies, I have deeply learned 

who my students are as readers. 

Teaching the five main components of 

reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, 

fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) 

each day allows my instruction to be 

focused on the levels of my learners 

instead of a one-size-fits-all style of 

teaching. Through using what I have 

learned in this project, I have noticed an 

increase in engagement, effort, and 

academic performance from my 

students. In addition, I know exactly 

what each of my students needs in order 

to boost their literacy knowledge to 

create more equipped readers who can 

apply a variety of strategies to new 

experiences in reading.” 

If greater 

Louisville 

partners 

with 

JCPS to 

get all 

students 

reading 

on grade 

level by 

the end of 

Above, Jacob Elementary School students 

read during class. 

third grade, we will not only ensure our 

students’ immediate success but also 

increase graduation and college 

completion rates, enhance job 

qualifications, reduce discipline and 

crime rates, and combat the “school-toprison 

pipeline.” We want policies and 

practices that do not push our nation’s 

schoolchildren, especially our most atrisk 

children, out of classrooms and into 

the juvenile and criminal justice systems. 

Instead, we want students to become 

citizens who are successful, competent, 

literate, and productive members of 

society. The Third-Grade Reading 

Pledge is the first step to guarantee that 

our future generation is prepared and 

inspired to reach their full potential and 

contribute meaningfully to our shared 

world. 

6


Professional Learning Communities 

Observations—Your personal invitation 

to a behind-the-scenes look into 

student success 

By Melissa Barman 

Once upon a time, the profession of teaching could be very 

isolated and solitary. Teachers had no opportunity to work with 

fellow teachers. They were limited by the four walls of their 

classroom and not encouraged to reach out for support. The 

thought of turning to one of your colleagues to ask for help was a 

foreign concept, and one that was even frowned upon. Many 

teachers searched on their own for a mentor, an experienced 

colleague who understood the value of sharing his or her 

expertise. If you were really lucky, you could find a team of 

colleagues that you could lean on for support and advice and to 

serve as springboards for ideas. The idea of sharing with your 

fellow teachers was not something to be celebrated; it was 

something to be done undercover. Thank goodness times change! 

On any given school day, in any school across the JCPS District, 

you will find teams of teachers working together, discussing 

student progress, and collaborating with one another about 

teaching strategies. These discussion groups aren’t spontaneous, 

and they aren’t just sharing lunch in the teacher’s lounge; they are 

focused on supporting student achievement. These groups are 

called Professional Learning Communities (PLC). Our teachers 

are working together to focus on student achievement to target 

instructional practices that are best for the students they have in 

their classrooms and producing solid results. 

Ask any teacher today if he or she is worried about working with 

fellow teachers in a team, and you will most likely get a very 

confused look as your answer. Today’s teachers expect to work 

with their colleagues, and they expect that there will be an 

atmosphere that supports teamwork because that is what is best 

for students and adults alike. Recently, JCPS has been working 

hard to showcase to the community how our teachers use the 

model of PLC to enhance student learning. During these 

sessions, teachers work together to go over lessons that have been 

taught, look at student responses, discuss areas where they see 

improvement, and dissect areas of concern. During this time, 

Photo, JCPS Communications 

teachers share ideas and strategies on how they can better their 

planning and how lessons can be made more child-centered 

when taught in the classroom. During the PLC time, teachers can 

discuss individual students, issues, and concerns as well as 

barriers to learning they see. Instead of feeling isolated in their 

classroom—struggling to search for answers in how to best help 

reach their students—teachers can now rely on scheduled times 

to come together with colleagues who teach the same grade level 

or same content area. The beauty of these groups is that not only 

do you have the variety of perspectives but you also have the 

variety in experience. New teachers have the benefit of learning 

from those who have had years in the classroom while 

experienced teachers can benefit from an infusion of new ideas 

and perspectives. It is a win-win situation for all involved— 

students and teachers. 

As this process has become more and more infused into our 

schools in the last few years, we have seen the positive force it has 

created within our schools. The model is a strong one and has 

numerous benefits. It is a wonderful model for those in the 

classroom, but it could easily be translated into the business 

world, out-of-school-time programs, or any professional setting. 

The theme of good teamwork is universal. With this thought in 

mind, JCPS wants to share this with our community. Not only is 

it important that we showcase the outstanding work that is being 

done within our schools, but it is also important to give our 

community members insight into how our hardworking teachers 

use tools at their disposal to drill down to help students on an 

individual level. This model is designed to make sure that the 

focus is put on all students—each student is seen individually with 

a success plan that is designed so that each student achieves 

success. 

We know that this is a powerful movement in classroom 

instruction. In a district as large as JCPS, we want to capture 

each opportunity to open our doors to our community. The 

opportunity to share this powerful tool to support student success 

is the perfect opportunity. We invite all community members to 

accept Dr. Hargens’ personal invitation to see a PLC in action. 

Every month of the school year, we are offering one to two 

sessions at schools across the county. Sessions are offered at 

various times throughout the days to provide as much flexibility 

as possible for attendees. During the sessions, participants will 

have the opportunity to speak with the principal and to learn 

more about the school and how the PLC process works there. 

After the observation, participants can speak with the teachers 

they observed to get their point of view on how the process 

works, what they have done to tweak the process to make it work 

best for their team, and what results they are seeing as far as 

student achievement. 

Join us! Come and witness the extraordinary learning that is 

happening in JCPS. Registration is simple. Pick the session(s) of 

your choice, and call 485-3506 to reserve your spot. Don’t miss 

your opportunity to witness greatness in the making! 

Kentucky Latino Scholarship Fund 

Latino/a students can apply for the Kentucky Latino Scholarship Fund, El Sueño 

Centenario (100 Dreamers). Eligible recipients will receive a $1,000 scholarship. To be 

considered, students must meet certain criteria and complete the application process by 

September 18, 2016. For complete details, or to download the brochure click here or 

visit http://www.100dreamers.org. Questions may be directed to Ben Ruiz at 244-6774 

or ben@adhawks.com. 

7


Clockwise from left: Rose 

Mapendo gives students a 

‘thumbs up’ for 

encouragement; students 

have a conversation with 

La Casia Director Karina 

Barillas; students pose 

for photo at Muhammad 

Ali Center. 

ESL Newcomer Academy Student Spotlight 

JCPS Students Meet Local, National Leaders at Daughters of Greatness Event 


By Dr. Monica Lakhwani—Diversity/Multicultural Education Specialist, JCPS Department of Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Programs 

On September 18, eight JCPS high school students from various 

backgrounds had the opportunity to meet local and national 

leaders at the Muhammad Ali Center. Charles Gwinn and Erin 

Herbert of the Ali Center welcomed the students for the 

Daughters of Greatness event, where they listened to WAVE3 

news anchor Dawne Gee address the audience. Students were 

touched by the shared experiences expressed by Ms. Gee and 

held to heart her phrase, “One person can change the world.” 

Following the event, students 

were introduced to Hadiqa 

Bashir, Sasha Fisher, and 

Rose Mapendo. Bashir has 

dedicated her young life to 

the advocacy of women’s and 

girls’ rights against forced 

child marriage in Pakistan. 

Fisher, via Spark 

MicroGrants, enables remote 

villages in East Africa to design and launch social impact 

projects. Rose Mapendo, Humanitarian Award Winner for 

Gender Equality, encouraged students to find their true selves 

and look for their passions/strengths when working with peers, 

families, and the community. 

They wrapped 

up their 

morning with 

a visit to La 

Casita, where 

Director 

Karina 

Barillas and 

her staff 

provided 

students with a 

tour of the 

grounds and 

facility. Barillas 

shared her 

own experiences with these students and empowered them to 

stand together as women and to find the similarities of their 

struggles while respecting the differences each brings to the table. 

8


Fall Equity Institute Recap 

From left: JCPS staff attend Equity 

Institute at Ramsey Middle School; 

Finneytown Local School District 

Superintendent Tyrone Olverson 

facilitates breakout session. 

By Abdul Sharif—Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Programs 

The 2015 Fall Equity Institute was held on October 5 at Ramsey Middle School. The institute provided 

participants a wide array of breakout professional development (PD) sessions on topics, such as closing 

the achievement gap, classroom management, building relationships, student motivation and 

engagement, connecting with parents, and culturally responsive teaching strategies. 


The institute was organized by Charles Davis, coordinator of the Equity and Inclusion Unit, and Dr. 

Roger Cleveland, president of Millennium Learning Concepts and associate professor at Eastern 

Kentucky University. This year’s institute featured keynote speaker Dr. Lamarr Darnell Shields, who stressed the importance of selfmotivation 

and resilience to the more than 60 JCPS staff in attendance. 

Clockwise from top left: JCPS staff 

participate in group activity; Dr. 

Ron Chi facilitates breakout 

session on motivating students; 

Ramsey Middle School teacher 

Todd Bernard facilitates breakout 

session on boys of color; Dr. Roger 

Cleveland facilitates closing 

session. 

9


Photos courtesy of www.seedtimefestival.org 

Dr. Carol Anderson to Deliver Ninth Annual Anne Braden Memorial Lecture 

By Dionne Griffiths—Program Coordinator of UofL Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research 

Emory University historian Carol Anderson will deliver the Ninth Annual Memorial Lecture, 

“White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide,” on November 4, 2015, at UofL. 

The topic of the lecture is inspired by Dr. Anderson’s 2014 essay for The Washington Post, 

“Ferguson isn’t about black rage against cops. It’s white rage against progress.” The essay went 

viral overnight, spurring heated debates about racial justice across the nation and challenging the 

country to think about the events in Ferguson in a new way. Anderson is now writing a book on 

the history and evolution of white rage. 

As we see in the news, over the past two years, there has been an increase in police brutality in 

predominately African-American communities. There have been surges in protests and riots. And there has been the creation of slogans and 

movements like #BlackLivesMatter and #SayHerName and the wearing of hoodies to challenge the violence against African-American men 

and women. What does all of this mean for our Louisville communities and neighborhoods, and JCPS schools, students, teachers, and 

administrators? What is at the heart of these issues, and what is at stake? How are we all, regardless of race, class, and gender, impacted? And 

how can we create positive change, collectively and as individuals? Dr. Carol Anderson will give further insight into this topic from a historical 

and contemporary perspective. This is a great and timely opportunity for the JCPS community to be engaged in positive social change. To 

promote dialogue about race, justice, and equality in the United States, we encourage teachers to have students read Anderson’s article and 

then facilitate thoughtful and reflective classroom discussions with their students about the article. We also look forward to the JCPS 

community attending the lecture. 

Link to article: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ferguson-wasnt-black-rage-against-copsit-was-white-rage-against-progress/ 

2014/08/29/3055e3f4-2d75-11e4-bb9b-997ae96fad33_story.html 

The lecture will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the Belknap Playhouse on the UofL campus with a book signing and reception to follow. Public 

parking is available at meters along Third St, Cardinal Blvd. and Brandeis Ave., and in the Speed Museum parking deck. As always, the 

lecture is open and free to the public. 

Carol Anderson is an associate professor of African-American Studies and History at Emory University. Her research focuses on the ways in 

which public policy intersects with issues of race, justice, and equality in the United States. Her first book, Eyes Off the Prize: The United Nations 

and the African-American Struggle for Human Rights, 1944–1955, explored the impact of the Cold War on the Black freedom movement. In her 

recent book, Bourgeois Radicals: The NAACP and the Struggle for Colonial Liberation, 1941–1960, Anderson explores the history of the NAACP’s 

fight for the liberation for Africans and Asians. Dr. Anderson has served on a number of working groups that focus on race, minority rights, 

and criminal justice, including one for the United Nations. She has also been a member of the U.S. State Department’s Historical Advisory 

Committee. 

Promotional materials and additional information are available by contacting us at 852-6142 or by visiting http:// 

louisville.edu/braden. 

10


Dr. Ivory Toldson Speaker Series 

By Abdul Sharif—Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Programs 


The department of 

Diversity, Equity, and 

Poverty Programs 

was proud to host Dr. 

Ivory A. Toldson as 

he appeared in 

Louisville to conduct 

several speaking 

engagements and PD 

sessions for JCPS staff 

and community members. 

Dr. Toldson is the deputy director for the White House 

Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. 

Prior to this role, Dr. Toldson served as an associate 

professor at Howard University, senior research analyst for 

the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and editorin-chief 

of The Journal of Negro Education. He was also 

contributing education editor for The Root, where he 

debunked some of the most pervasive myths about African 

Americans in his Show Me the Numbers column. 

While in Louisville, Dr. 

Toldson made an 

appearance at the 

annual principals 

meeting at Gheens and 

later spoke to members 

of the Kentucky 

Psychological 

Association. Dr. 

Toldson also conducted 

two PD sessions at 

VanHoose and spoke at a Community Conversation at the 

Louisville Urban League. 

Dr. Toldson has 

more than 60 

publications, 

including 4 books, 

and more than 

150 research 

presentations in 

36 u.s. states, 

Puerto Rico, 

Dominican 

Republic, Scotland, South Africa, Paris, and Barcelona. 

He has been featured on MSNBC, C-SPAN2 Books, NPR 

News, POTUS on XM Satellite Radio, and numerous 

local radio stations. His research has been featured in The 

Washington Post, The New York Times, The Root, The National 

Journal, Essence Magazine, and Ebony Magazine. 

Dubbed a leader "who could conceivably navigate the 

path to the White House" by the Washington Post, one of 

"30 leaders in the fight for Black men," by Newsweek 

magazine, and the "Problem Solver" by Diverse: Issues In 

Higher Education, Dr. Toldson, according to U.S. Secretary 

Arne Duncan, is "a prolific young scholar and myth 

buster." According to Capstone Magazine, "Toldson has spent 

a lot of time traveling across the country talking with 

teachers about misleading media statistics that invariably 

either link Black males to crime or question their ability to 

learn." Dr. Toldson was named in the 2013 “The Root 

100,” an annual ranking of the most influential African- 

American leaders. 

11


Book Review by Rajaa Ammor—Bilingual Associate Instructor, 

Hazelwood Elementary 

Rajaa Ammor participated in a 

group study of the book How 

Does It Feel to Be a Problem?: Being 

Young and Arab in America, by 

Moustafa Bayoumi, in October. 

The JCPS Equity and Inclusion 

Unit sponsored this four-week 

PD. Ms. Ammor shares her 

thoughts on the book in the 

following review. 

What I learned from the book 

How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?: 

Being Young and Arab in America, by 

Moustafa Bayoumi, is that it did 

not only highlight discrimination 

against young people from Arab 

and Muslim backgrounds who 

were falsely and unfairly treated, but it also dealt with many 

things pertaining to the typical teenage culture and its 

consequences in America. The young people—Rasha, Yasmin, 

Sami, Akram, Lina, Omar, and Rami, whose stories were told in 

this book—were simply striving for what the majority of young 

adults desire: opportunity, marriage, happiness, and the chance 

to fulfill their potential. 

Photos, google images 

Arab and Muslim Americans are the new largely undiscussed 

“problem” of American society. Their lives are no better 

understood than those of African Americans a century ago. 

After the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan and the terrorist attacks, 

a misunderstanding of Arab Americans and Muslims was 

defined. The lives and experiences of the young people were the 

best witness of the fundamental misunderstanding of this group 

of people. 

The last chapter of the book and the story of Rami sends the 

message that the Qur’an does not promote terrorism. There are 

negative comments about people who discriminate and 

generalize Arabs as extremists. Most people today make 

misconceptions that following Allah makes Muslim terrorists, 

but the truth is, it is not. Rami was spreading the message that 

Islam is not a religion of terrorism and being a terrorist or 

suicide bomber is not considered Islamic and those acts are 

illegal in the faith of Islam. 

The fact that the author based his book on true stories made it 

at once lively and blunt. Yet it left a feeling of promise and hope 

as the characters continued their struggle through their future 

and present lives. 

I really loved the book because I could see many similar 

situations that happened to me personally but I haven’t 

expressed to my family or friends. 

Book Review By Robert Nickerson—ACES Student, JCPS 

Robert Nickerson participated in a group study of the book How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America, by 

Moustafa Bayoumi, in October. The JCPS Equity and Inclusion Unit sponsored this four-week PD. Mr. Nickerson shares his thoughts 

on the book in the following review. 

How Does It Feel to Be a Problem?: Being Young and Arab in America by Moustafa Bayoumi recounts the stories of seven Arab-American 

youths growing up in post-9/11 America. Bayoumi conducts in-depth interviews with each subject as they offer us a compelling 

account of the blatant and underhanded discrimination they experienced while trying to create opportunities for themselves—and 

their families—in a country that seemingly is not interested in having them. 

The seven youths came to America from different parts of the Arab world, and usually under different circumstances, but all arrived 

with a similar purpose: opportunity. Whether it was to seek job opportunities or to further their education, all seven sought the dream 

that America has promised its citizens—and immigrants—for years. However, after the 9/11 attacks, Arab and Arab-American 

people were portrayed as an evil and ill-intentioned people whose only purpose was to do harm to the American people, property, 

economy, and way of life. As a result, this group of seven faced various types of heavy discrimination from the native citizenry and 

began to struggle climbing their respective career ladders as they experienced backlash and hatred while trying to function in their 

everyday lives. 

This book was an excellent read and reminder to those of us in a minority population just how difficult life can be as a nonwhite and 

how quickly things can turn depending on the cultural climate in America. 

12


Awareness of diversity brings about a different perspective leading to change. Awareness can bring about respect and understanding for 

self as well as for another individual. Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity (S.E.E.D.) cohort leaders share their voices from within, 

reminding us that often our students receive messages much in the same way as we did when we were growing up. Participants reflected 

on the voices that they heard while growing up from family members, friends, and/or the school community. Below are excerpts of 

prose from various S.E.E.D. participants. 

By Matt Trzaskus— Teacher, Seneca High 

School 

Success. Success is title, land, and property; 

nothing less. 

You were born to succeed and it is 

expected; nothing less. 

Less. Less is what you feel, what you can 

show; you are stoic; you are stone. You are 

the mountain, cold and distant; never 

changing your reaction no matter what life 

throws at it. 

No change. Never change; don’t look 

beyond yourself; you should know what you 

want to be! You’ve been privileged, 

advantaged, can’t you see! 

See. See, see all the pain and suffering all 

around. Don’t get caught in it; it will only 

drag you down. Stay strong; stand tall; 

never let it show. A mere crack in the armor 

can expose you don’t you know. Stay in 

your shell, stay in your place; never feeling 

(but always wanting to care) but don’t show 

it with your face. 

Face. Your face is hard and burnished now; 

tanned by wind and sun. You should be 

more wrinkled and hard, you should not 

stay looking young. 

Youth. Youth is a fix that only the old 

wants; a drug; intoxicating and fleeting too. 

Yours has been wasted by the trivial things 

you do. 

Fix it, fix it; can’t you see; you fix the house, 

you fix the car, the toys, but not me. 

Voices From Within 

By Leslie Hall— ACES Teacher, Cochrane 

Elementary 

What’s his name? 

He’s named after me. 

Go to school. Do all your work. 

Pay attention in class. Respect your 

teachers. 

Respect your elders. Do as you’re told. 

Play a sport. Baseball it is. 

Hit homeruns. Be an all-star. 

Did you lose the game? 

You better not cry! 

Time for football. Make the tackle. 

Hurt somebody. Don’t get hurt. 


Better learn to fight. 

Take on a bully. Lost the fight. 


Time to grow up. 

Treat women with respect 

Be a good man. 

Work hard. Work smart. 

Be a great father. 

Definitely better than the one you had. 

I am boy standing strong, high above, I 

pride myself on fixing things, but just like 

you I need love. I am boy, motionless and 

distant as can be . . . I can fix anything, but 

you can’t fix the problem …….. you can’t 

fix me. 

By Connie McKinley, Teacher, Highland Middle 

School 

Good girls don’t have pierced ears. No, you 

can’t shave your legs. No makeup but blush 

and light lipstick. I snuck and did it anyway. No 

alcohol allowed in this house. No smoking 

allowed in this house. No dancing. Danced and 

drank occasionally anyway. No room for the 

Holy Spirit between you two. Go to church 

twice on Sunday and once on Wednesday. Jesus 

loves you and so do we. Respect your elders. 

Always be kind to the young and the elderly. 

Singing is praying twice. Singing with my 

daddy in church when I was six. Stood on a 

box so the congregation could see me. 

Listening to my daddy sing tenor in a traveling 

barbershop quartet and loving the sound of 

voices in harmony. 

Let someone know where you are going before 

riding your horse miles and miles away by 

yourself on logging trails in the forest. Be home 

by sundown. Play in the creek and catch 

mudpuppies, minnows, and crawdads. Build 

forts with the neighbor kids. Ride your horse 

bareback and play cowboys and Indians 

rounding up real cows. Dare the neighbor to 

go out in the field with a dangerous bull. Ride 

the Brown Swiss steer around in the pasture 

with no halter. Don’t go on anyone else’s 

property without permission. 

Iron everything, even sheets and underwear. 

Learn to make a way out of no way. We were 

dirt poor during the depression. Be grateful for 

what you have. Family is your richest blessing. 

Hide money in case the banks fail again. The 

country way is respectable. Hard work, 

honesty, and help your neighbors. A handshake 

is a binding promise. Girls who marry don’t 

need to go to college. Bring home less than an 

A and you are being lazy. Get married and 

have a family. Marriage is a partnership. Travel 

to learn new things and explore history first 

hand, even if you have to borrow the money. 

Getting married young is OK. Mom and I got 

married when she was 14 and I was 18 and we 

have loved each other 63 years. 

Don’t drive by yourself in Louisville. It isn’t 

safe. Know your place in the world. Hard work 

gets results and pays the bills, not dreams. 

Things happen for a reason, and the reason is 

God’s business, not ours to know. Get back up 

and try again if you fail. Get back on the horse 

if it bucks you off. 

13


Plan Ahead to Reserve Culture Kits at IUS Center for Cultural Resources 

Photos, google images 

By Dr. Claudia Crump—IUS Center for Cultural Resources 

From the Center for 

Cultural Resources at 

Indiana University 

Southeast (IUS), a 

familiar response: “Sorry, 

you are too late. All six of 

the Native-American 

culture kits are checked 

out.” Leaders in the 

CCR have begun 

adding, “But it is not too early to reserve resources. Plan ahead, 

yes, even for the entire year.” Reserved dates for resource kits and 

artifacts, even though established early, may be adjusted slightly 

for the 21-day use period at a later date. As a prompter for 

thinking ahead, envision your needs for as many as six categories 

in anticipating future resources for hands-on requirements and 

setting tentative dates: 

(1) Ethnic kits representing students in the class. Mexico (MEX) 

is seldom found sitting in kit cubicles, and Southeast Asia (SEA) 

kits are becoming just as popular. 

(2) Study trips that are currently limited may be augmented by 

artifacts and media; the Fossils of the Ohio kit (FOO) provides 

hands-on fossils. The Music Around the World (MAW) or Art 

Around the World (AAW) kits are loaded with musical instruments 

and art items to assist with or substitute for trips to the Louisville 

Orchestra or art centers. 

(3) Consider seasonal holidays and special celebrations, especially 

October and November, that are important to your community 

and curriculum and schedule kit binders from the Celebrations 

Around the World (CAW). The kits are available by clusters, such 

as “Harvest Festivals” or “Celebrations of Light and Giving.” 

(4) In the spring, especially in March and April, half of the 

center’s kits are checked out for school and community festivals 

featuring represented area ethnic-related kits; even though the 

CCR has 100+ kits and resources from 200 countries, specific 

topics may be unavailable. 

(5) If you are planning group research projects for your class, 

identify topics for securing ample and varied background data. 

Upon request, CCR leaders may visit your class and teach your 

students to use the resources in the most beneficial approaches 

after conferring with you about compatible instructions. 

(6) Now, let’s get personal: If you struggle with specific standards 

and hated topics, such as interpreting data, repeated mapping 

skills, abstract timelines, and varied literacy media, study can 

become meaningful and lively with charts providing comparative 

data for the u.s. and every country (well, almost) on the globe and 

a huge collection of maps, including construction of giant floor 

maps, tiered timelines, and tear sheets from an assortment of 

journals and news clippings. 

Are you convinced? Let us hear about your reservations at 

ccr@ius.edu or claudiadcrump@gmail.com, call (812) 948-8123, 

or better yet, by visiting the CCR for browsing or an arranged 

appointment. 

14


Books for Young Readers 

Two White Rabbits 

By Jairo Buitrago 

Published in 2015 by Groundwood Books 

For Preschool Through Grade Four 

A young girl and her father face 

challenges together as they move 

from place to place. They travel 

by foot and by train and are 

happy to catch a ride with 

passersby when they can. Told 

entirely through the sensibility of 

the child, the narration informs 

readers that “the people who are 

taking us don’t always take us 

where we are going.” The young 

girl passes the time by counting the interesting items she sees, 

such as animals, people, clouds, and stars. She is content because 

she has her daddy and her two white rabbits. This simple, yet 

poignant, picture book beautifully illustrates the life of one 

migrating family. Set in Central America or Mexico, it shows the 

arduous journey north to the United States in search of a better 

life. This book is a great tool for introducing immigration and 

can be appreciated on many levels. 

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian 

By Sherman Alexie 

Published in 2007 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 

For Grades Eight Through Twelve 

Half a World Away 

By Cynthia Kadohata 

Published in 2014 by Atheneum for Young Readers 

For Grades Four Through Eight 

Eleven-year-old 

Jaden is adopted, and 

he knows he’s an 

“epic fail.” He’s sure 

that’s why his family 

is traveling to 

Kazakhstan to adopt 

a new baby—to 

replace him. He 

knows his parents 

love him, but he feels 

nothing. Once they 

reach Kazakhstan, 

Jaden finds himself 

increasingly intrigued 

by and worried about 

one special needs 

toddler. For the first 

time in his life, Jaden 

actually feels 

something that isn’t 

pure blinding fury, 

and there’s no way to 

control it or its power. 

Arnold Spirit, a goofy-looking dork with a decent jump shot, 

spends his time lamenting life on the Spokane Indian reservation. 

When a teacher pleads with Arnold to want more, to escape the 

hopelessness of the rez, Arnold switches to a wealthy, mostly 

white school and immediately becomes as much an outcast in his 

own community as he is a curiosity in his new one. He weathers 

the typical teenage indignations and triumphs like a champ but 

soon faces far more trying ordeals as his home life begins to 

crumble and decay amidst the suffocating mire of alcoholism on 

the reservation. 

Information provided by Stevie McKinney, Louisville Free Public Library 

15


Professional 

Development 

Department Title Session 

Code 

Equity and 

Inclusion 

SBDM Office 

Equity and 

Inclusion 

Selma to Montgomery 15-1672264 

SBDM: Utilizing the 

Comprehensive 

School Survey to 

Guide Council Work 

LGBTQ 103: 

Transgender Cultural 

Competency 

Date & Time Location Contact 

November 9, 2015 

4:30 to 6:30 p.m. 

15-1672455 November 9, 2015 

4:30 to7:30 p.m. 

15-1670798 November 12, 2015 

4 to 6 p.m. 

Ali Center 

Waggener High 

Gheens 

Academy 

Equity and Inclusion 

485-7269 

SBDM Office 

485-3056 


485-7269 

Equity and 

Inclusion 

Adapting Content 

Instruction for Diverse 

Learners 

15-1670839 November 19, 2015 

4 to 5 p.m. 

Gheens 

Academy 


485-7269 

Equity and 

Inclusion 

Poverty 103: 

S.H.A.R.E 

15-1670810 November 30, 2015 

4 to 5 p.m. 

Gheens 

Academy 


485-7269 

Equity and 

Inclusion 

Culturally Responsive 

Classroom 

Management 

15-1670840 December 9, 2015 

4 to 5 p.m. 

Gheens 

Academy 


485-7269 

Student Due 

Process 

Code of Conduct 

Updates 

15-1669999 January 7, 2016 

9 a.m. to 12 noon 

Gheens 

Academy 

Student Due Process 

485-3803 

Student Due 

Process 


Updates 

15-1670001 January 7, 2016 

1 to 4 p.m. 

Gheens 

Academy 


485-3803 

Student Due 

Process 


Updates 

15-1670002 January 8, 2016 

9 a.m. to 12 noon 

Gheens 

Academy 


485-3803 

Student Due 

Process 


Updates 

15-1670003 January 8, 2016 

1 to 4 p.m. 

Gheens 

Academy 


485-3803 

Equity and 

Inclusion 

Diversity 

Consciousness 

15-1672825 January 14, 2016 

4:30 to 5:30 p.m. 

Gheens 

Academy 


485-7269 

Equity and 

Inclusion 

Debunking 

Stereotypes: 

Disabilities 

15-1672816 January 25, 2016 

4:30 to 6:30 p.m. 

Gheens 

Academy 


485-7269 

Equity and 

Inclusion 

CLD 102: Best 

Practices 

15-1672829 January 27, 2016 

4:30 to 5:30 p.m. 

Gheens 

Academy 


485-7269 

Equity and 

Inclusion 

Poverty 101: What Is 

Poverty? 

15-1672830 February 16, 2016 

4 to 5 p.m. 

Gheens 

Academy 


485-7269 

16


Children’s Book Series Promotes Cultural Diversity 

and Literacy 

Author and illustrator Tytianna N. M. Wells Smith’s Sweet Pea & 

Sugar Tea’s Country Family Adventures: A Collection of African-American 

Poems is now available as a complete four-volume book series 

with character-based writing activities. This educational series 

also includes a comprehensive multicultural literacy-based 

curriculum program that is offered to schools throughout the 

year. 

Through poetry, spoken word, and storytelling, students of all 

ages will be entertained and motivated by the characters, like 

Uncle Chuckle, whose laughter spreads joy; Curly Girl, whose 

courage proves the world wrong; Big Momma, whose love 

brings the community together; Butter Bean, whose birthday 

wish brings a special person home; and more. 

This book series and literacy program help students develop 

rigor for larger texts, increase reading stamina, reflect on their 

cultural identity and place in the world, and respect diversity in 

the classroom and community. 

For more information or to schedule an author visit, please 

contact Tytianna N. M. Wells Smith at 298-7392 or 

honeytreepublishingus@gmail.com. 

LFPL November Events 

African-American Archives Tour 

Western Library (604 South Tenth St) 

Friday, Nov. 13, 10:30 a.m. 

English Conversation Club 

-Iroquois Library (601 W. Woodlawn Ave.): Saturdays in 

November, 3 p.m. 

-Main Library (301 York St.): Wednesdays at 7 p.m. 

Middletown Library (200 North Juneau Drive): Wednesdays at 

6:30 p.m. 

-Okolona Library (7709 Preston Hwy.): Saturdays, Nov. 7 and 

21, 11 a.m. 

-Shively Library (3920 Dixie Hwy.): Wednesday, Nov. 25, 6:30 

p.m. 

Food, Cultures, and Reading With 4-H: South Africa 

Thursday, Nov. 19, 4–5 p.m. 

For ages 9 and up 

Jeffersontown Library (10635 Watterson Trl.) 

Bilingual Family Storytime/Cuentacuentos Bilingue 

Para La Familia 

-Southwest Library (9725 Dixie Hwy.): Saturday, Nov. 7, 3 p.m. 

-Main Library (301 York St.): Tuesday, Nov. 17, 6:30 p.m. 

Resilience & Reality: Exhibit by Dobree Adams and 

John Nation 

A photographic tribute to the resilience of the people 

of the mountains of Kentucky and a recognition of the 

reality of the changed and changing landscape 

All November 

Main Library (301 York St.) 

Iraqi Artist Basim Hussein Exhibit 

All November 

Iroquois Library (601 W. Woodlawn Ave.) 

For additional information, visit the LFPL website at http:// 

www.lfpl.org. 

Editor—Catherine Collesano 

Editor, Photo Contributor—Abdul Sharif 

Credits 

Special thanks go to Sadiqa N. Reynolds, Esq., Dr. Gaëtane Jean-Marie, Melissa Barman, Karen E. Branham, Dr. Marco A. Munoz, 

Dionne Griffiths, Matt Trzaskus, Leslie Hall, Rajaa Ammor, Robert Nickerson, Dr. Claudia Crump, the Louisville Free Public Library, 

and all of our other community partners and educators who helped make this publication possible. 

Envision Equity is a publication of the JCPS Department of Diversity, Equity, and Poverty Programs. All submissions should be sent to 

Catherine Collesano at catherine.collesano@jefferson.kyschools.us or Abdul Sharif at abdul.sharif2@jefferson.kyschools.us. If you are 

interested in becoming a subscriber or a contributor to Envision Equity, please contact one of the editors at the above email address. 

www.jefferson.kyschools.us 

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Offering Equal Educational Opportunities 

17

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