Advancing Social and Racial Justice Issues in Kentucky

UofL’s Muhammad Ali Institute engages our campus and our community through outreach, training, and education efforts designed to advanced social and racial justice. This work in 2019-20 has included:

Professor Trucios-Haynes, Director:

  • Professor Trucios-Haynes is Chair of the Kentucky Advisory Committee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission. The Committee is examining “whether Kentucky’s pretrial release determinations in different courts, districts and before different judges vary so widely that they violate the constitutional rights of poor persons, women, or communities of color in Kentucky. The Committee is also examining the effectiveness of the existing risk assessment system in achieving the goal of diminishing the use of cash bail in favor of pretrial release.” A report with recommendations will be released in early 2021. (2019-2020)
  • Professor Trucios-Haynes was a Co-Presenter, Advancing Peace and Justice Using Critical Consciousness Pedagogy: Creating a Muhammad Ali Centered Curriculum, at 30th Annual Conference of the National Association for Multicultural Education, Advancing and Advocating for Social Justice & Equity (with Dr. Shelley Thomas) (October 2020).
  • Professor Trucios-Haynes  was a Co-Presenter, “Immigration – Then and Now” organized by Catholic Charities of Louisville at Speed Museum (August 2019)
  • Professor Trucios-Haynes gave a community lecture, DREAMers: How a Youth Movement Challenged Immigrant Rights Orthodoxy, as part of a short course on “Social Justice Movements: Past and Present” at Louisville Free Public Library (January 2019)
  • Professor Trucios-Haynes created Immigrant Heritage Tour for the Define American Summit (October 2019)
  • Professor Trucios-Haynes was an invited speaker to the City of Henderson, KY Board of Commissioners Working Public Meeting on a proposed Fairness Ordinance, Panel member representing the ACLU of Kentucky with Chris Hartman of Fairness Campaign, Richard Nelson of the Commonwealth Policy Center, and Josh Hershberger of Church Law Institute (May 2019)
  • Professor Trucios-Haynes was recognized for her advocacy and was named the inaugural recipient in 2018 of the Daniel M. Alvarez Champion for Justice Award from the Louisville Bar Association for “demonstrating a strong devotion to serving underrepresented individuals or groups by giving a legal voice to those who would otherwise be voiceless.”
  • Professor Trucios-Haynes directs a service project, Know Your Rights” Presentations to Immigration Detainees, at the Boone County Jail ICE Detention Center.  UofL students, faculty, and staff have participated in the project since its inception in 2011. It is a collaboration with National Immigrant Justice Center. The project was featured in the 2019 annual INSIGHT Magazine recognizing UofL’s receipt of the 2019 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award https://www.insightintodiversity.com/2019-heed-awards-social-justice-and-activism/

Ashleigh Hazley, Assistant Director:

  • Ashleigh Hazley, and Marcos Morales, Cultural Center Program Coordinator, created and hosted the Protect Your Peace Instagram Series (hyperlink?). The weekly discussions focused on COVID19 experiences of students, faculty and staff with a particular focus on communities of color, with special guests including Karina Barillas from La Casita Center and Dr. Kaila Story. (Summer-Fall 2020)
  •  Ashleigh Hazley participated a New Cards Critical Conversations event hosted by the Office of Admissions and the Office for Diversity Education and Inclusive Excellence. The purpose of this gathering was to respond to student concerns about the university experience as it pertains to their racial identity, and provide an opportunity for students to have “real” conversations with current UofL faculty and staff. Ashleigh facilitated the Black Student caucus conversation. (August 2020)

  • Ashleigh Hazley has been selected by UofL Athletics to help engage in conversation with administration and student-athletes on its response to racial injustice in Louisville. She is a facilitator and panelist member at events designed to share different perspectives about current racial justice issues in the city of Louisville. The first panel on Authentic v. Performative Allyship was attended by senior UofL Athletics administrators, coaches, and academic staff. Potential additional panels will focus on student-athletes. (August 2020)

  LaJa Hurt, Program Assistant:

  • LaJa Hurt led MAI’s 2020 Black History Month ACT! Activist Recognition Series engaging UofL’s campus community in a weekly tabling events sharing the unique contributions four activists (Blair Imani, Claudette Colvin, Dick Gregory, and Rosa Clemente) and providing buttons with quotes from each. Students who collected the four buttons received a free Muhammad Ali Institute T-shirt.
  • LaJa Hurt is leading the MAI’s Monthly Heritage Activist Recognition Series on Instagram providing outreach and education regarding a variety of activists (Fall 2020)