When District 41 welcomes people from across the beautiful spectrum of human cultures to live and not just visit, we all win.
District 41, your Democratic party has plagued our district with false allegiance to diversity as we’ve developed what is arguably the whitest district in the city. Highlands, Southeast Louisville, and Clifton residents aren’t racist and don’t mean to shut out minorities, but the facts stand. As sign after yard sign proclaims that Black lives matter and welcomes newcomers in several languages, those yards overwhelmingly belong to white people. Even as Highlands elites complain that the redistricting was designed to make the District less Democrat, they ought to be excited that by adding parts of Bashford Manor and Clifton Heights, at least we have more people of color actually living here.
The lack of diversity in District 41 doesn’t stop there: the district is one of the most childless, richest by household income, most educated, with a majority of married couples, and a lack of dependents under 18 or over 65.
The reasons behind this and the possible solutions are complex, but they aren’t so complex that we can’t tackle them and do it effectively. Part of it is math: minorities are disproportionately affected by poverty. There’s very little poverty in District 41 because poverty keeps people out of wide swaths of it by virtue of less affordable housing.
The answer is not in more government handouts. Programs like SNAP and subsidized housing are incredibly important, but they can’t diversify District 41. The problem is that at best, the government can help struggling people survive, but it can’t help people thrive and build wealth. There simply isn’t enough money to go around. Government subsidized housing has a vested interest in staying cheap (read: not a nice place to live). Buying your own home, on the other hand, is an empowering step that builds real assets, lifts neighborhoods, and restores dignity.
I support policies that will help District 41 look more like the values we espouse, including programs that transition people out of government assistance, empower minority students to train in high-income professions, promote festivals that bring minorities into our district to experience its beauty and friendliness, shore up robust fair housing laws, incentivize minority homeowners who move to a less diverse neighborhood, support child-arrival undocumented immigrants (“Dreamers”) in their pursuit of the best education Kentucky has to offer, and expand the availability of affordable housing in the district.
I long to see a district where children run down our sidewalks, play in our parks, and climb in our trees. We must fund protection and infrastructure, especially quality schools. Families with children want a district that offers good schools and safe streets. Also, people equipped to earn higher incomes are less stressed, more committed to families and community, and more committed to a better environment for their children.
Above all, I want to see people thrive. This district boasts major bus routes and promising businesses. We have beautiful period homes, sprawling apartment complexes, and hip multi-family homes close to the heartbeat of the city. Let’s get to work really welcoming the world to our district.