2020-06-08

Some of the most memorable things that happened in Lexington and in Kentucky over the last week include: On Friday, a car parade wound its way 8 times around Lexington’s downtown in honor of Louisville resident Breonna Taylor, who was shot by police 8 times. Friday would have been Breonna’s 27th birthday. We keep saying her name: BREONNA TAYLOR. Asked about the statue of Jefferson Davis which holds a prominent spot in the state capitol, Governor Andy Beshear answered with clarity and conviction: “I believe the Jefferson Davis statue is a symbol that divides us.” On Friday, Beshear called for the removal of the statue. On Friday, the President of the University of Kentucky ordered a mural to be removed from Memorial Hall, one of the university’s signature buildings. Seen by many as a symbol of our shared racist past and an unwillingness to acknowledge it—let alone challenge it—the mural had long been considered “controversial.” In the meantime, peaceful protests continue to swell the streets and hearts of communities all over Kentucky. People marched in Hazard, Kentucky, and in Richmond, Kentucky. In Richmond, the protest was organized by a group of young women.