Shameka for Mayor means CHANGES we can see and feel.

Like you, I love my Louisville COMMUNITY and want it to be the best it can be. After a worldwide health pandemic and racial uprising, our next mayor must be able to unify our City to foster new economic growth and prosperity for everyone, not just some.

With me as your next mayor, you get two firsts with one vote. Louisville needs a People’s Mayor, who knows the struggles of families to make ends meet, to keep a roof over the heads of loved ones, and to be treated with dignity no matter who you are. Electing the first black woman mayor of Louisville, Kentucky is exactly what we need to move forward together. I’ll work hard for folks from the West End to St. Matthews, from Fern Creek to PRP, and everywhere in between because I have been every Louisvillian.

Our community is in desperate need of healing and unity as we look ahead. I have locked arms in the streets and in halls of power with folks from all over Louisville, cultivating solutions for all of us. With my leadership, Louisville can become the thriving community it deserves to be. To stay true to what I am running on I will have a board made up with representatives from many neighborhoods that will advise my administration and hold me accountable to their needs that have been neglected for far too long.

I believe that HOUSING is a human right. As someone who was houseless at one time, I understand in a way that no other candidate possibly can, what it means to be housing insecure.

Every zip code and every person in Jefferson County should have affordable rentals and homeownership opportunities. Our houseless folks come from a variety of backgrounds, and, with the lingering impacts of the pandemic, we must be inclusive and offer tangible solutions. Residents’ voices should be heard for all major development decisions involving new policies and projects at the local level. Policy improvements that aim to ensure neighborhood affordability must include homeownership programs, repair programs, rental assistance programs, and related education efforts.

I will ADVOCATE for QUALITY JOBS, support UNION rights, robust EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES,stronger TRANSPORTATION infrastructure, and social services with adequate MENTAL and PHYSICAL HEALTH supports.

As we lift up the least of us, we’ll all rise a little higher. We will do so by re-imagining public health, criminal justice and policing, and moving toward living wages for all working families.

As Louisville’s mayor, I will work to restructure our budget to ensure we fund what works for our youth, seniors, Louisville Metro Government employees, entrepreneurs, and infrastructure. I will find creative solutions to fill in gaps and work hard to prevent layoffs for our public servants.

NURTURING every NEIGHBORHOOD is how I will reimagine public safety, mitigate gun violence and create equitable solutions. As Louisville prepares to create a co-responder model based on input from community members, leaders, and experts, I will work to establish and fund Neighborhood Trauma Response Units for every neighborhood and small city that desires it. These units will employ representatives from each community that will go through extensive de-escalation and racial trauma training along with addiction and adverse childhood experience certification. They will be paired with social workers, legal, and mental health professionals that have direct access to nurses, medical assistants and emergency shelter.

We are all better when those most vulnerable are cared for. I will work with community agencies to reopen the Living Room program making sure it is staffed and funded to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Access to the INTERNET must be for everyone. I will work to make broadband access available and working in all neighborhoods.

Mayoral Appointees matter. From our Police Chief to TARC, to the Department of Air Pollution Control and more—-we need leaders that are accountable, accessible and loyal to the communities they serve. We need the best and diverse appointees to every board and commission.

PROGRAMMING and COMMUNITY CENTERS combats violence and builds community. . As mayor, I will advocate for free sports, Martial Arts, and Yoga lessons offered every week. I support community swimming pools, and will keep them open and fully staffed. We need 4 to 6 community centers in the South, East, West and Downtown that are open 24 hours and turn to respite and triage centers after 9pm. Most of them have kitchens, and bathrooms and need to be staffed with people from the neighborhood who are paid livable wages.

GRASSROOTS community organizing is where I began my journey.I learned that top down leadership does not work. But when we all work together, we can get the job done. I’ll bring the people’s voice to the table, and I’ll work to maintain Louisville’s autonomy. EDUCATION is vital to a thriving City and we need a fierce advocate for our students, teachers, and administrators who understands the issues and will work to eradicate barriers. As Mayor, I am committed to working with the Superintendent, Board of Education, and education stakeholders to tackle the opportunity and achievement gaps that the pandemic has only exacerbated. We need to focus on each child – their lives both in and outside the classroom – to ensure they have the support systems they need to learn and succeed.

I will ensure continued support for programs that have proven success, like Evolve 502, SummerWorks, 15,000 Degrees and 55,000 Degrees. I’ll support lifelong learning for all Louisvillians who are working towards continued self-improvement. I will support raises for educators and fight for our teachers in Frankfort. I will help to increase the minimum wage and workers’ rights.

Our ENVIRONMENT matters. AIR QUALITY impacts all of us. We must meet with Air Pollution Board members to identify companies that are affecting air quality and implement measures to regulate them. I will support Urban Agriculture encouraging more COMMUNITY GARDENS and tree planting in heat islands. SUSTAINABLE and equitable solutions that ensure success for all Louisvillians must be the priority as we move forward. As mayor, I’ll bring an equity lens to all decisions. This is critical as we repair our City and work to live up to the Compassionate City name.

Mom to Mayor means I understand the importance of affordable and safe neighborhoods and I’ll work with community stakeholders to get there together.

I have long been a supporter of the arts, CULTURE and entertainment communities and will continue to create private-public partnerships to ensure their sustainability as part of bringing life and helping us heal. IDEAS from the community will be listened to in my administration. Here are some I’m hearing:

Push for Louisville to be a nationally known city for the arts

Push for Louisville City FC to join Major League Soccer (appoint committee)

Grants for local businesses to become music venues (speakers and copyright licenses needed)

Foodie Tours

Return of Trolleys or Modern Street Cars

Olmsted Park Hiking and Historical Tours

Improved public transit and a feasible plan for some type of fixed rail transit that connects the 80 small cities, our airport and downtown.

All TARC Stops improved for quality with solar power for charging and wifi.

Legalization of Cannabis and new dispensaries

New National Ad Campaign with the Tourism ideas listed above that include and extend beyond downtown Louisville and the Bourbon Trail.

Affordable homeownership and housing in every zip code.

Universal Early Childhood Education and Pre K that is free to every child no matter what zip code or income bracket they come from.

Increased recycle pick up