Kentucky Life
Featuring the people, places, and events that make Kentucky.
In February 2022, I began my role as a producer for Kentucky Life at Kentucky Educational Television, where we feature interesting people, places, and events around the state. As a producer, I pitch story ideas, conduct interviews, direct camera and audio crews, and edit segments to be aired on TV and the web. Below, you can find a few of the segments I’m most proud of.
Eastern Kentucky Flood
In this extended, web-only cut, we visit Eastern Kentucky communities in the aftermath of a series of devastating floods in July 2022, where neighbors came together to support and care for one another in the face of unthinkable destruction and loss.
Honoring Jonesville
The community of Jonesville was once a vibrant, primarily African American community located in the heart of Bowling Green. In the 1960s, the neighborhood was destroyed by a campaign of urban renewal and was quickly replaced by Western Kentucky University’s rapidly expanding campus. Today, a buon fresco mural honoring the community stands in WKU’s Kentucky Museum, overlooking the area where Jonesville once stood.
Louisville’s Western Library
The Western Branch of the Louisville Free Public Library system, located in downtown Louisville, was the first library in the nation staffed by and intended for African Americans. Created by a pioneering group of civil rights leaders in Louisville, the library was a beacon of Black excellence in a still-segregated state. Today, Western Library continues to offer community activities and learning opportunities to people across Louisville.
Hillbilly Days Festival
Every April, Pikeville, KY hosts the Hillbilly Days festival, three days of food, fun, and hillbilly spirit. Featuring bluegrass music, a line of jalopies, and attendees decked out in their best hillbilly attire, the festival creates a way for Eastern Kentuckians to reclaim the word hillbilly – all while supporting a good cause.