Gov. Andy Beshear makes a stop at the KBC-LEO Summer Summit
WARREN COUNTY, Ky. – Anyone can be impacted from an economic and educational standpoint.
This week at the Kentucky Black Caucus Summer Summit, people from the Shake Rag District and elected leaders took the time to address pressing matters that reach beyond Warren County. Gov. Andy Beshear shares how these topics affect Kentucky as a whole.
He says, “Here in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, over half of our students are not prepared for Kindergarten when they go. And that is a failing grade, so making sure that we’re supporting every student, pre-K through 12, and then making sure we have the right policies and programs to help people achieve that next level of education.”
Preparing a child for their future begins at an early age, and for many of our local leaders, they believe that it takes a village.
Bowling Green chief of police Michael Delaney says, “Someone was a light and inspiration to me and gave me an opportunity, an experience to become what I am today.”
Albert Mbanfu, a Bowling Green native and Emory University student, tells us how being the change you want to see can motivate the next generation and give them hope.
Mbanfu says, “Being able to talk, to relate to officials about what truly matters to us, about what we want to see in the community, what we want funded to go and really bringing people together. I feel like when we have people, together with one voice, I think we are able to spread a message a lot better. “
According to Jay Hightower, the co-founder of Western Kentucky University’s For the People, being led by willing leaders and having a vision through different generations will also help create a space for people to work together.
She says, “The kind of insight I can provide is different from the kind of insight that a teacher who’s been working here for about 30 years can provide. So, as being able to come together and say, ‘well, here’s what I’m seeing, what I get from interacting with these people, and here’s what you’re seeing. Where’s the overlap and where can we find a solution from that point?'”
Delaney shares why the space to use your voice is important.
He says, “You know, it’s important to be able to speak freely, with, I know we have cameras on, with no cameras on and just being honest and being open with everybody who’s in the room and sharing those troubles and those experiences and those barriers that we have to overcome as a people, that some people may not realize that there are still barriers, there are still closed doors, but if you’re in a position, open some of those doors and help people out. That’s what you should be doing.”
