2017 Ali Scholars Project
Ali Scholars in Smoketown Neighborhood
Second year Muhammad Ali Scholars are required to complete a service-for-social-change project working with a community partner. This year the Scholars partnered with YouthBuild Louisville to develop a project that would assist the organization in fulfilling its mission. YouthBuild Louisville is an education, job training and leadership program that provides low-income young adults ages 18-24 opportunities to realize their potential as active community leaders and an educated workforce for Louisville. After meeting with YouthBuild leadership and students, the Ali Scholars decided to assist with the Smoketown Laundry Project. The Project represents a collaboration between YouthBuild Louisville, IDEAS xLab, Simmons College, Bates Memorial CDC, Jewish Family and Career Services and Leadership Louisville's Bingham Fellows .
The Smoketown Laundry Project adopts an innovative approach to develop community-wide strategies to improve the health of Smoketown residents. It will include transforming an unused, vacant property into a laundromat, with multi-functional space to focuses on the other "everyday life" things that impact health such as economic well-being, social support and community safety. The Laundromat will house a community health connector and a minority-owned small business incubator. The Ali Scholars will work to reconnect with Smoketown community about the project and related activities. The Ali Scholar’s work on this project to reengage the community ensures that the project meets the needs of the community and remains on track.
Learn more about the Smoketown Laundry Project