Upcoming events
The Olmsted Parks Racial Justice Tours Return!
Over the past year, Denise Davis, a Listen Learn Act member and tour guide for Olmsted Parks Conservancy, has led five LLA Racial Justice park tours. Each one revealed how racism played a role in our parks from 1890 through much of the 20th century in ways that affect us to this day.
We are pleased to announce that we will be offering another series of park justice tours beginning in the Fall.
The parks series will include,
Introduction to Olmsted Parks in Louisville, Sept. 19, 2026 - Register HERE
Cherokee Park, Oct 10, 2026 - Register HERE
Shelby Park, Nov 7, 2026 - Register HERE
Chickasaw Park, March 13, 2027 - Register HERE
Iroquois Park, April 17, 2027 - Register HERE
Shawnee Park, May 22, 2027 - Register HERE
To kickoff the series, Denise will provide an overview of the parks. All are welcome!
“Introduction to Olmsted Parks in Louisville"
WHEN: September 19th at 10:30 am - noon.
WHERE: Earth and Spirit Center, 1924 Newburg Rd.
The event is free, but please let us know you’re coming! Register HERE
Anti-Racism Challenge
Are you ready to take the Challenge?
It's free and begins October 2, 2026
Anti-racism work is an active and ongoing commitment to identifying, challenging, and dismantling systemic and individual racism to promote racial equity. It goes beyond being "not racist" by actively seeking to change policies, behaviors, and beliefs that perpetuate racist ideas and actions.
Please join us for this 28-day Anti-Racism Challenge.
This is how it works -- each week participants receive an email with a list of 10-12 possible anti-racism activities to do on your own. We ask participants to choose and complete 3 of these over the course of a week. Activities might include reading an article or watching a video, patronizing a Black-owned business, volunteering with or donating to a social justice organization, emailing or calling a political leader.
By regularly participating in anti-racism activities, we naturally develop better habits of noticing and challenging racism in our daily lives.
To view past ARCs, click HERE
Try it with a friend!
The ARC can be an individual effort (you don’t report back to anyone) but there are other ways to do it, too, and one of the most rewarding is with a friend or as a group. We have several church groups that do it in community, meeting weekly to attend events or view films together as well as share their experiences with other activities. Some people do it in pairs, meeting for coffee once a week to discuss the activities they completed (and doing some together). The Challenge can also be done like a selection for a book club. We encourage you to take the Challenge with others—and please let us know if you do!
Sign up Here
Alabama Civil Rights Tour
Join us for an Alabama Civil Rights Tour where we will visit Birmingham, Montgomery and Selma to see some of the most important places in our country’s struggle during the Civil Rights Movement. Learn more HERE
Cherokee Park Walking Tour
Historic Cherokee Park Walking Tour
Please join us for a walking tour of historic Cherokee Park led by Denise Davis, where we'll delve into the complex history of another of our beautiful Olmsted parks. Denise will cover Olmsted's vision and design while also exploring the ways Louisville culture and customs, even more than laws, worked to maintain the racial hierarchy in our city. The tour begins in Willow Park. The tour path is paved with a few hills and about 1.5 mile walk.
WHEN: Saturday, October 10th at 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
WHERE: Meet at Willow Park, 1402 Willow Avenue
LED BY: Denise Davis, Olmsted Park Tour Guide and Listen Learn Act member
The tour is free, but registration is required. Sign up HERE
Listen Learn Act - "From Learning to Action: Becoming an Effective Ally for Justice"
"From Learning to Action: Becoming an Effective Ally for Justice"
Come explore with us what it means to be an effective racial justice ally, deepen our understanding of justice and equity, and discover practical ways to turn our values into action in our communities and everyday lives.
Guest speakers include,
John Borders, Louisville Real Estate Attorney,
Dr. Raymond Burse, President Louisville NAACP,
Sadiqa Reynolds, CEO Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center,
Field trip to Simmons College (HBCU) with Dr. Kevin Cosby, President.
When: Tuesdays mornings beginning October 27 - December 8th from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
(there will be no classes held on Election Day, Nov. 3, or the week of Thanksgiving, Nov. 24th)
Where: The class is offered as a hybrid, meeting in person at the Earth and Spirit Center (1924 Newburg Rd.) and over zoom.
Shelby Park Walking Tour
Historic Shelby Park Walking Tour
Please join us for a walking tour of historic Shelby Park led by Denise Davis, where we'll delve into the complex history of another of our beautiful Olmsted parks. Denise will cover Olmsted's vision and design while also exploring the ways Louisville culture and customs, even more than laws, worked to maintain the racial hierarchy in our city. The tour path is paved and flat.
WHEN: Saturday, November 7th at 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
WHERE: Meet at 600 E. Oak
LED BY: Denise Davis, Olmsted Park Tour Guide and Listen Learn Act member
The tour is free, but registration is required. Sign up HERE
Listen Learn Act - "From Learning to Action: Becoming an Effective Ally for Justice"
"From Learning to Action: Becoming an Effective Ally for Justice"
Come explore with us what it means to be an effective racial justice ally, deepen our understanding of justice and equity, and discover practical ways to turn our values into action in our communities and everyday lives.
Guest speakers include,
John Borders, Louisville Real Estate Attorney,
Dr. Raymond Burse, President Louisville NAACP,
Sadiqa Reynolds, CEO Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center,
Field trip to Simmons College (HBCU) with Dr. Kevin Cosby, President.
When: Tuesdays mornings beginning October 27 - December 8th from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
(there will be no classes held on Election Day, Nov. 3, or the week of Thanksgiving, Nov. 24th)
Where: The class is offered as a hybrid, meeting in person at the Earth and Spirit Center (1924 Newburg Rd.) and over zoom.
Listen Learn Act - "From Learning to Action: Becoming an Effective Ally for Justice"
"From Learning to Action: Becoming an Effective Ally for Justice"
Come explore with us what it means to be an effective racial justice ally, deepen our understanding of justice and equity, and discover practical ways to turn our values into action in our communities and everyday lives.
Guest speakers include,
John Borders, Louisville Real Estate Attorney,
Dr. Raymond Burse, President Louisville NAACP,
Sadiqa Reynolds, CEO Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center,
Field trip to Simmons College (HBCU) with Dr. Kevin Cosby, President.
When: Tuesdays mornings beginning October 27 - December 8th from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
(there will be no classes held on Election Day, Nov. 3, or the week of Thanksgiving, Nov. 24th)
Where: The class is offered as a hybrid, meeting in person at the Earth and Spirit Center (1924 Newburg Rd.) and over zoom.
Listen Learn Act - "From Learning to Action: Becoming an Effective Ally for Justice"
"From Learning to Action: Becoming an Effective Ally for Justice"
Come explore with us what it means to be an effective racial justice ally, deepen our understanding of justice and equity, and discover practical ways to turn our values into action in our communities and everyday lives.
Guest speakers include,
John Borders, Louisville Real Estate Attorney,
Dr. Raymond Burse, President Louisville NAACP,
Sadiqa Reynolds, CEO Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center,
Field trip to Simmons College (HBCU) with Dr. Kevin Cosby, President.
When: Tuesdays mornings beginning October 27 - December 8th from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
(there will be no classes held on Election Day, Nov. 3, or the week of Thanksgiving, Nov. 24th)
Where: The class is offered as a hybrid, meeting in person at the Earth and Spirit Center (1924 Newburg Rd.) and over zoom.
Listen Learn Act - "From Learning to Action: Becoming an Effective Ally for Justice"
"From Learning to Action: Becoming an Effective Ally for Justice"
Come explore with us what it means to be an effective racial justice ally, deepen our understanding of justice and equity, and discover practical ways to turn our values into action in our communities and everyday lives.
Guest speakers include,
John Borders, Louisville Real Estate Attorney,
Dr. Raymond Burse, President Louisville NAACP,
Sadiqa Reynolds, CEO Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center,
Field trip to Simmons College (HBCU) with Dr. Kevin Cosby, President.
When: Tuesdays mornings beginning October 27 - December 8th from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
(there will be no classes held on Election Day, Nov. 3, or the week of Thanksgiving, Nov. 24th)
Where: The class is offered as a hybrid, meeting in person at the Earth and Spirit Center (1924 Newburg Rd.) and over zoom.
Anti-Racism Challenge
Are you ready to take the Challenge?
It's free and begins January 1, 2027
Anti-racism work is an active and ongoing commitment to identifying, challenging, and dismantling systemic and individual racism to promote racial equity. It goes beyond being "not racist" by actively seeking to change policies, behaviors, and beliefs that perpetuate racist ideas and actions.
Please join us for this 28-day Anti-Racism Challenge.
This is how it works -- each week participants receive an email with a list of 10-12 possible anti-racism activities to do on your own. We ask participants to choose and complete 3 of these over the course of a week. Activities might include reading an article or watching a video, patronizing a Black-owned business, volunteering with or donating to a social justice organization, emailing or calling a political leader.
By regularly participating in anti-racism activities, we naturally develop better habits of noticing and challenging racism in our daily lives.
To view past ARCs, click HERE
Try it with a friend!
The ARC can be an individual effort (you don’t report back to anyone) but there are other ways to do it, too, and one of the most rewarding is with a friend or as a group. We have several church groups that do it in community, meeting weekly to attend events or view films together as well as share their experiences with other activities. Some people do it in pairs, meeting for coffee once a week to discuss the activities they completed (and doing some together). The Challenge can also be done like a selection for a book club. We encourage you to take the Challenge with others—and please let us know if you do!
Sign up Here
Chickasaw Park Walking Tour
Historic Chickasaw Park Walking Tour
Please join us for a walking tour of historic Chickasaw Park led by Denise Davis, where we'll delve into the complex history of another of our beautiful Olmsted parks. Denise will cover Olmsted's vision and design while also exploring the ways Louisville culture and customs, even more than laws, worked to maintain the racial hierarchy in our city. The tour path is paved and flat.
WHEN: Saturday, March 13th at 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
WHERE: Meet at 1200 Southwestern Parkway
LED BY: Denise Davis, Olmsted Park Tour Guide and Listen Learn Act member
The tour is free, but registration is required. Sign up HERE
Iroquois Park Walking Tour
Historic Iroquois Park Walking Tour
Please join us for a walking tour of historic Iroquois Park led by Denise Davis, where we'll delve into the complex history of another of our beautiful Olmsted parks. Denise will cover Olmsted's vision and design while also exploring the ways Louisville culture and customs, even more than laws, worked to maintain the racial hierarchy in our city. The tour path is paved and flat.
WHEN: Saturday, April 17th at 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
WHERE: Meet at Iroquois Amphitheater, 5216 Iroquois Rd.
LED BY: Denise Davis, Olmsted Park Tour Guide and Listen Learn Act member
The tour is free, but registration is required. Sign up HERE
Shawnee Park Walking Tour
Historic Shawnee Park Walking Tour
Please join us for a walking tour of historic Shawnee Park led by Denise Davis, where we'll delve into the complex history of another of our beautiful Olmsted parks. Denise will cover Olmsted's vision and design while also exploring the ways Louisville culture and customs, even more than laws, worked to maintain the racial hierarchy in our city. The tour path is paved and flat.
WHEN: Saturday, May 22, at 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
WHERE: Meet at 4501 W. Broadway, Louisville
LED BY: Denise Davis, Olmsted Park Tour Guide and Listen Learn Act member
The tour is free, but registration is required. Sign up HERE
LLA Hosts Non-Violent Louisville meeting
You are invited to be part of expanding this new city-wide Nonviolent Louisville Movement that is committed to creating our Beloved Community. The event is free.
When: September 3, 2026 from 11:00 - 12:00 pm
Where: Earth and Spirit Center, 1924 Newburg Rd. Louisville
Community Conversation with Dr. Mario Ransan
Join Listen Learn Act for a Community Conversation with Dr. Mario Ransan!
NPR reports that America’s two largest private prison companies, GEO and CoreCivic, have reported that their combined quarterly revenue soared to 1.4 billion dollars this spring, as immigration detentions reach near record levels.
As they profit from human misery, Dr. Mario Ransan works tirelessly to alleviate it. He is the founder of Southern High School's Solidarity Project, a grassroots relief effort that provides direct aid, food, and care packages to immigrant families who feel unsafe leaving their homes. As a naturalized citizen, he understands all too well the challenges of what immigrants go through and strives to be a helping hand to all currently facing turmoil due to sudden changes in immigration laws and procedures.
Please join us in a Community Conversation with Dr. Mario!
WHEN: Thursday, August 27, 2026, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
WHERE: Earth and Spirit Center, 1924 Newburg Road
Light refreshments will be served. Please share this with your friends and community!