WELCOME

Dear Friends:
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak to the 450 or so participants in our first Empowerment Conference. It was a great experience, and I was pleased to see such a great turnout for this important event. As I told those attending, we are united by a common belief in the dignity and inherent goodness of humankind, regardless of race, religion, gender, age or socio-economic status. Stereotypes based on these criteria are wrong because they discount the unique qualities that God has given to each individual.

My administration, and not just one office or one committee, is working to empower all of our Commonwealth's citizens. Empowerment is achieved through many avenues, but all of these avenues cross each other, are interrelated and end at the some point: Empowering the individual to be educated, to enact positive change in his or her community and to improve his or her quality of life. In Kentucky we are reaching empowerment goals by providing all Kentuckians with access to the same quality of education, health care, housing and most importantly, opportunity. Kentucky offers a vast array of possibilities that can help individuals - individuals of all races, religions, genders and ages - fulfill their potential for success. Kentucky's resources are for everyone.

For those who attended this conference, it is my hope that you took the ideals presented and will use them to help fulfill your potential for success. For those of you who did not attend, I hope you will consider next year's event so that you, too, can gain a greater sense of what Kentucky has to offer.

Sincerely,
Ernie Fletcher
Governor
www.governor.ky.gov


Greetings! The excitement I felt after the first Governor's Empowerment Conference last month in Louisville has been tempered by the tragedy in New Orleans and the Gulf States region. It's difficult to focus on empowerment when the wrath of Mother Nature has deprived so many of their loved ones, their homes, and their dreams. But then we see the human spirit rise indomitably from the flood waters and the carnage. We feel empowered by the stories of common people performing acts of uncommon heroism. We understand what our conference speakers meant when they talked about never giving up and fighting through adversity.

Our speakers, especially Governor Ernie Fletcher and Louisville Metro Councilman Kelly Downard, were inspirational and informative. Listening to their messages and watching the rapt attention of those in the audience, I felt gratified -- and, yes -- relieved that everyone seemed to be deriving some tangible benefits to take home with them.

As you will see in this newsletter, we are winning battles and making inroads every day. Usually our victories are small ones, but they are victories nevertheless. Due to Governor Fletcher's Jobs4Kentucky initiative, opportunities are increasing. The playing field is becoming more level for minority-owned businesses.

I'm already thinking about the 2006 conference and I welcome your suggestions about how to improve it. By then, I hope that New Orleans and the rest of the area ravaged by Hurricane Katrina will be well on the way to recovery. Let's hope that the victims all derive empowerment from the prayers that are coming their way from around the world.

Sincerely,
Tierra Kavanaugh Turner
Executive Director of Minority Empowerment
Office of the Governor
www.ome.ky.gov


COMING SOON


UPCOMING HIGHLIGHTS

Highway Marker Unveiling
October 4, 2005
The KY Highway Marker dedicated to Jennie C. Benedict will be unveiled Tuesday, October 4 at 10:00 am at 1830 So. 3rd St. in downtown Louisville. Located between 1st and 2nd Streets. At the driveway of Masterson's Restaurant. NAWBO (National Assoc. Woman Business Owners) is the group sponsoring the marker. For further information please contact Gayle Shumake Graham, Louisville NAWBO president, at 3815 Newburg Road Louisville KY 40218, 502 458-6214, 502 458-9851 fax or gaylegraham@bellsouth.net.

Jennie Benedict was one of Louisville's earliest women business entrepreneurs who opened her restaurant/tearoom in downtown Louisville in 1900. Author of autobiography and cookbook, as well as a reformer for women's health care.

Kentucky League of Cities Annual Convention
October 5-8, 2005
You are invited to the Kentucky League of Cities Annual Convention which brings together more than 800 of Kentucky's municipal decision makers. The KLC Convention is where city leaders from all over Kentucky convene to learn and share experiences, challenges, solutions and best practices. To be held at the newly renovated Galt House in Louisville from October 5-8, the KLC Convention will feature mobile workshops, nationally recognized speakers, state and national elected officials and workshops covering a broad range of topics. Two special attractions include an afternoon symposium titled "Dealers Take All - How Communities are Taking a Stand Against Drugs" as well as Zap the Gap! Solving the Multi-Generational Puzzle, led by the captivating Meagan Johnson, a 'get results' seminar leader. For additional information, to review the program and/or to register your attendance, please visit www.klc.org or call Arlene Nance, Convention and Special Events Manager at 800.876.4552.

Fourth Annual Suit & Salad Luncheon
October 6, 2005
Please join Dress for Success Louisville at the Seelbach Hilton Hotel, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm, for a fun and rewarding day to celebrate the successes of the women they serve. There will b a Silent & Live auction and Success Story Fashion Show. Tickets are $50.00 each or $500 for a table of 10. Dress for Success Louisville is empowering women to succeed in the workplace from "Suits to Self-sufficiency" with interview suits and career development. For more information or to RSVP please email: louisville@dressforsuccess.org or visit their website at www.dressforsuccess.org.

2005 Louisville Metro Take Back the Night (TBTN) Rally
October 6, 2005
The UofL PEACC Program is excited to announce that the 2005 Louisville Metro Take Back the Night (TBTN) Rally will take place Thursday, October 6, from 5:30 - 8:30 pm at the UofL Red Barn. This year TBTN is packed full with music, drama, and empowering speakers. The evening will begin with music by John Dean, dancing by the Semillita Latinas group, a Step Show, "Hands are not for Hitting" children's art project, monologues by Tiffani Chase, emcee Karina Barillas, personal appearances by UofL President Ramsey, Rev. Al Herring and Women's Basketball Coach Tim Eatman, Keynote Address by Gabriela Alcalde from the Louisville Metro Office for Women, and a Speak Out with opening poem by Rus Funk, of the Center for Women and Families. The evening would not be complete without the traditional March and Candlelight Vigil, and the group reading of the Closing Statement.

To increase public awareness about TBTN, the week prior to the rally, TBTN will hold annual events such as: The Pinwheel Project, and The White Ribbon Campaign:

* "The Pinwheel Project", in which participants are asked to place a pinwheel on the UofL West Lawn in remembrance of victims of violence, gathered 350 pinwheels in 2004. The evocative visual imagery of the pinwheels twirling in the wind inspired several area churches and members of the Louisville community to come together as one group to remember loved ones affected by violence.

* Men of PEACC volunteers will organize a "White Ribbon Campaign" in which men will promise to "never commit, condone, or keep silent about violence against women". Men of PEACC volunteers collected 1,100 signatures last year, and the goal for this year is 2,000 signatures.

Everyone is invited to participate in this event which symbolized the ability of women to reclaim the streets, rather than to remain passive in the face of violence. For more information please contact PEACC at 852-7014 or Sharon LaRue at sdlaru01@louisville.edu.

Kentucky State University Homecoming
October 7-8, 2005
On Friday come join KSU as they celebrate at the Trill upon the Hill Alumni and Friends Party at 10pm in the William Exum Center. Enjoy the DJ, refreshments and the live band 4U from Louisville. Cost: $20. View full Itinerary

19th Annual Governor's EEO Conference
October 10-12, 2005
The Personnel Cabinet is proud to once again host the 19th Annual Governor's EEO Conference. This year's conference will take place from October 10-12, 2005, at the Holiday Inn Hurstborne in Louisville, KY. This is the premier training event for EEO coordinator's, counselors, ADA and diversity practitioners, and personnel executives and administrators. Over the course of three days, you will have the opportunity to attend workshops, meet with leading local practitioners in the EEO fields, network, and receive tools to develop and enhance skills needed to perform in this role. The conference will feature presentations from the Federal EEOC and the Kentucky Human Rights Commission. The Personnel Cabinet has also successfully attracted more voices, thus perspectives, from outside its public service community, such as Carol A. Dawson of the nationwide corporation "EEO Guidance". Not your conventional presenter, Carol exemplifies the message she preaches. She is the lone Kentuckian Finalist in the national Women Helping Women and Best New Business of the Year categories of the prestigious 2004 Stevie Awards for Women Entrepreneurs. A leading example of the strides women are making in public agencies and private industries alike, Dawson has taken her "never-boring" training sessions to EEO Compliance Officers and state agencies across the country. We are fortunate to have her presence here in the Commonwealth. Other workshops include, the "Business Case for Diversity" and a video presentation of an "Unlikely Friendship". This year's conference is a training opportunity that you and or your employees do not want to miss.

As the Commonwealth continues to move forward in achieving its goals in female and minority hiring this year's EEO Conference is just one step towards that direction. "This year we wanted to change the format to include more topics related solely to the issues of Equal Employment and Opportunity. We wanted our state employees to have access to additional resources and to begin thinking about Diversity and what it means to the Commonwealth", said Stephanie Surratt, Special Assistant to the Personnel Cabinet. Developing diversity in the workplace and meeting agency employment goals are the essential pieces of an even greater universal objective to support Governor Fletcher's commitment to creating opportunities for all Kentuckians. The main goal of the 19th Annual EEO Conference is to supply you with the resources and information that make the larger goal of EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES feasible, efficient, and successful for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. For more information please visit http://personnel.ky.gov or call (502) 564-4460.

UK Women's Studies Announces its Fall 2005 Film Series, Women's Bodies: Culture, Politics, and Health
All films will be shown at the Gaines Center's Bingham-Davis House, 218 E. Maxwell Street, Lexington, KY, and are free and open to the public. The series include:

Writing Desire (Ursula Biemann; 2000; 23 min.)
Monday, October 10, 7:00 pm
An experimental video essay on the new dream screen, Writing Desire explores the impact of the Internet on the global circulation of women's bodies from the third world to the first world. Commentary and discussion led by Baishakhi Banerjee, a sociology doctoral student from India who is completing her dissertation on the victimization of immigrant women in intimate partner relationships.

Señorita Extraviada/Missing Young Woman (Lourdes Portillo; 2001; 76 min.)
Wednesday, October 26, 7:00 pm
Señorita Extraviada, Missing Young Woman tells the story of the hundreds of kidnapped, raped and murdered young women of Juárez, Mexico. Commentary and discussion led by by Francie Chassen-Lopez, professor of Latin American history whose research focuses on Mexico and gender in Latin America.

The Life and Times of Sara Baartman: The Hottentot Venus (Zola Maseko; 1998; 52 min.)
Tuesday, November 15, 7:00 pm
By combining the history and tragic destiny of Baartman, with the theories and racist imagination of the period...[this film] presents an implacable plea against racism. Commentary and discussion led by Yolanda Pierce, associate professor of English, whose areas of specialty include African American literature and gender studies. Recently, she conceived of and coordinated Black Women and the Body, a UK conference held in March 2005.

2005 Annual Forum State of Black Health in Kentucky
October 15, 2005
View Itinerary and Register

Bluegrass Alliance for Women: Securing Our Future Together
October 25, 2005, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm (light supper provided)
Location: Fayette County Extension Office, 1140 Red Mile Place (off Red Mile Road)
The Bluegrass Alliance for Women (BAW) is open to all individuals and organizations that are committed to improving the economic status of women in the Bluegrass. BAW's mission is to create grassroots opportunities that empower women and girls in the areas of leadership, education, health and well-being, equity, and economic sufficiency.

Janet Holloway, executive director of Women Leading Kentucky, will be the guest speaker. Ms. Holloway understands what it takes to be a leader and she recognizes the importance of grassroots efforts. For more information or to register please email your name and contact information to Sharon Marcum, MARCUM3@aol.com.

Kentucky Women Remembered 2006
Deadline: November 4, 2005
The Kentucky Commission on Women (KCW) is seeking nominations for exceptional Kentucky women to be included in the Kentucky Women Remembered permanent exhibit in the state Capitol. We encourage you to nominate an outstanding woman from the state to be honored for her accomplishments and achievements! Help us promote awareness of women who have-with courage, ability, and determination-accomplished what might have seemed impossible. Nominations must be postmarked, faxed, or emailed by November 4, 2005. Please visit the KCW web site at http://women.ky.gov or call 502-564-6643 to obtain a nomination form.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Luncheon
November 10, 2005
Western Kentucky University associate professor Linda J. Lumsden will lecture on the life of suffragist Inez Milholland (1886-1916) at the third annual Elizabeth Cady Stanton Luncheon. Milholland, a contemporary of Alice Paul, was most famous for wearing a crown and cape as she rode a white horse in a suffragist parade. Milholland was recently portrayed in the HBO film Iron Jawed Angels. The luncheon will be held at the University Club at the University of Louisville. Tickets to the luncheon are $25.00 per person. For more information about the luncheon, please visit the Women's Center website: http://www.louisville.edu/provost/womenctr/, or contact the Women's Center at womenctr@louisville.edu or call 502-852-8976.

Miss Wheelchair Kentucky
November 11-12, 2005
The Miss Wheelchair Kentucky Committee is conducting a statewide search for Ms. Wheelchair Kentucky 2006. The pageant will be held on November 11-12, 2005, in Louisville at the Rudd Heart & Young Building, Jewish Hospital. Contestants must meet the following criteria:

-- Be a U.S. citizen between the ages of 21 and 60;
-- Utilize a wheelchair for all her daily mobility outside the home;
-- Martial status is not a consideration;
-- Must be a resident of Kentucky for a minimum of 6 months.

The winner will actively solicit speaking engagements and public appearances. She will also meet with state and local representatives as well as compete in the 2007 Miss Wheelchair America Pageant in July 2006.

If you or someone you know would like more information visit: http://www.mswheelchairkentucky.com/ to download an application, call (270)785-4522, or email jane19828@hotmail.com or you can contact Pat O'Bryant at (502) 394-9160 or at patobryant@bellsouth.net for more information. Deadline for entrees is October 15, 2005.

The 12th Annual Conference of the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center
November 15, 2005
Prescription for Change: A Conference Presenting Findings from the Kentucky Health Insurance Research Project; Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville. Roughly half a million Kentuckians do not have health insurance, and little progress has been made in covering the uninsured. This longstanding dilemma remains unresolved. Yet research consistently shows the uninsured are far more likely to postpone attention to health care needs or forego them altogether. The costs and consequences ripple throughout our society and economy. The Kentucky Health Insurance Research Project has sought to define the scope of the problem and propose responses. Funded by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration, which facilitates state-level responses to uninsurance, the projects diverse research team includes researchers from the University of Kentucky (UK) Center for Excellence in Rural Health, the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center, the UK College of Public Health, the UK Survey Research Center, and the University of Louisville. Prescription for Change presents findings from this multifaceted research project, which includes public forums in the states Area Development Districts, statewide surveys of the general population and small firms, an analysis of the social cost of uninsurance, and a comprehensive review of the legal, ethical, and practical implications of policy options open to the Commonwealth. Please mark your calendars now. For more information and to register, please visit: http://www.kltprc.net/conference2005.htm.

The KMBC Achievement Awards
November 18, 2005
Kentucky International Convention Center, 221 South 4th Street, Louisville KY, Black Tie Optional, Silent Auction/Reception: 6:30 pm, Welcome by the Mayor, Dinner/Awards: 8:00 pm., Dancing: 9:00 pm. To register visit: http://www.kmbc.biz/documents/2005aainvite.pdf. For more information please contact Toni Dunbar, KMBC, at 502-625-0147 or tdunbar@kmbc.biz.

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PLACES OF INTEREST

Kentucky's Historical African American Parks

African-American Family History Resources

African-American Trail Map Lexington

Paris-Bourbon County Tour of African American Sites

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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The mission of the Commonwealth’s Personnel Cabinet is to take care of state government employees, as well as, those seeking employment with the state. Thus, we invite you to peruse their website at http://personnel.ky.gov/employment/meritsystem.htm We are confident you will find the information beneficial.

View the Blue Ribbon Task Force for Merit System proposed recommendations.

Kentucky State Police
Applications are now being accepted. Find out how you can become a Kentucky State Trooper.

Planning Project Supervisor, 8046, 31095-06-17-01-00-001; Salary: $2,771.28 - $3,671.38; Grade: Grade 14; Division: Emergency Management; Location: Franklin County; Duty Hours: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm; Requirements: Education: Graduate of a college or university with a bachelor's degree. Experience: Must have four years of experience in planning. Substitution Clause: Education: Graduate work in planning or a related field will substitute for the required experience on a year-for-year basis up to a maximum of two years. Experience: Experience in research, analysis or data, planning or a related field will substitute for the required college on a year-for-year basis. Duties: Formulates guidance for state and local hazards Emergency Operations Plans (EOP) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). Supervises, reviews, develops and updates the KY Emergency Operations Plan and supervises the review and revision of local EOPs and SOPs. Supervise the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) and other planning grant requirements that provide funding to enhance state and local capability to respond to all hazard and terrorist events. Supervise and assign workloads to the KYEM Planning staff to insure timely completions of acceptable state and local EOPs and SOPs. Prepare and submit grant proposals, progress reports and modifications; work schedules and validate timesheets. Support development, delivery and evaluation of disaster preparedness, response and recovery exercises and drills. Perform the duties of an operational specialist during exercises, drills and actual disasters. In order to apply for this position the following must be followed: Any individual interested in applying for this position shall submit one completed application to the Personnel Cabinet, 200 Fair Oaks Lane, 5th Floor, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, and request placement on the register. You may be required to pass the appropriate examination or selection method before being placed on the register for any job classification. The Department of Military Affairs office is not responsible for assuring you are on the register for this position or any other position. It is the responsibility of the applicant. How to Apply: Send one updated application to: ATTN: Crystal Simpson, Office of Management and Administration/Admin. Svcs., Boone National Guard Center, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601. DEADLINE: Applications must be submitted no later than the close of business on October 3, 2005. AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER M/F/D

Kentucky Educational Television (KET)
Please click here to see KET Internships available.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER M/F/D

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BUSINESS

Interested in doing business with the Commonwealth? One must be registered to do so. All potential vendors seeking a contract with the Commonwealth and/or wanting to be notified of opportunities to do business with the Commonwealth should be registered. Registration allows vendors the opportunity to identify products and services they wish to offer to the Commonwealth. In addition, vendor registration makes it easier for agencies to find your company. Vendors may register and review current bid opportunities on the eProcurement website: https://eprocurement.ky.gov/. A vendor registering for the first time may go to the New Vendor Registration section on the eProcurement page and provide the requested information.

ATTENTION NEW CONTRACTORS! If you are interested in viewing the Transportation Cabinets' "Notice to Contractors," please visit their web page at: http://transportation.ky.gov/contract/. This is a listing of all upcoming projects to be bid upon during the upcoming letting. If you have any questions, please contact the Transportation Cabinet at 502-564-3500.

 

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NEWS OF INTEREST

Kentucky's Woman Veteran License Plate is Here!
The Woman Veteran license plate celebrates the contributions of Kentucky's women veterans who have served our country in the military with honor and courage and at great personal sacrifice. The red sticker reads "WOMAN VETERAN" and can be placed on any veteran license plate issued in Kentucky. Contact your County Clerk's office to get your new license plate this month! The new war era stickers are also available for all Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. Each veteran's license plate purchased provides $5 to the Veterans Program Trust Fund. If you are a woman that has served on active duty in the military in peacetime or in war, join the registry of Kentucky's women veterans by contacting your State Women Veterans Coordinator at: pamela.luce@ky.gov.

Are you ready?
Do you or your family know what to do if disaster strikes? Do you need help in designing a plan to ensure your family is ready and prepared? The following websites are available to help you be informed, make a plan, and get the supplies you need to be ready and prepared. Visit http://www.ready.gov/get_a_kit.html and http://www.ready.gov/make_a_plan.html or for more information check out:

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HEALTH NEWS

View the Cabinet for Health & Family Services (CFHS) Wellness Website

CHFS Focus on Wellness monthly newsletter

National Women's Health Indicators Database - National, regional, state and county data are available by gender, race, ethnicity and age at the National Women's Health Indicators Database. The website allows users to customize tables, graphs and maps.

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PEOPLE OF INTEREST

Isaac Burns Murphy
Jockey
1861-1896

Considered one of the greatest jockeys in American history, Isaac Burns Murphy's career inspired a long list of firsts. The son of a former slave, Murphy rose to prominence in a field that was dominated by African American jockeys at the time. Born in 1861 in Fayette County, Kentucky, he first worked as an exercise boy at Lexington stables, and acquired his first race mount in 1875 at the age of 14 as a replacement rider. Murphy won the race and launched his career.

He was the first rider to win three Kentucky Derbies, and the only jockey to win the Derby, Oaks and Clark Handicap in one meeting. Murphy ultimately rode 628 champions, winning 44 percent of his races (no other rider since has come close). Murphy was the first rider voted into the Jockey Hall of Fame and the first to win successive Derby crowns (1890 and 1891). This distinction went unmatched until another outstanding black rider, Jimmy Winkfield, won the coveted "Run for the Roses" in 1901 and 1902.

Murphy was known for his skill, his honesty and his loyalty. He once refused to let champion Falsetto lose the 1879 Kenner Stakes, even though gamblers enticed him with bribes. Murphy also owned and trained horses during his career. He retired in 1892 to become a horse trainer. He achieved a record 628 wins in 1,412 races during the 15 seasons he rode. Murphy died of pneumonia in 1896 at age 35. He was belatedly inducted into the Jockey's Hall of Fame at Saratoga in 1955. His body was re-interred at the Kentucky Horse Park in Fayette County in 1977. (Source: http://www.aetna.com/foundation/aahcalendar/1991murphy.html.)

Ellis Wilson
Artist
1899-1977

From a segregated neighborhood known as The Bottom in Mayfield, Kentucky, Ellis Wilson was one of six children of Frank and Minnie Wilson. His father, a barber, was also an amateur painter. Wilson acknowledged that he got his artistic talent from his father and the desire for an education from his mother. He attended Kentucky State College in Frankfort for two years before enrolling in the Chicago Art Institute, from which he graduated in 1923.

For the next five years, Wilson worked in Chicago as a commercial artist and, in 1927, he was featured in a Chicago Art League festival alongside other prominent African American artists, such as Henry Ossawa Tanner, Edward Mitchell Bannister, and Richmond Barthe. Wilson moved to New York City in 1928, where he lived and worked for the rest of his life. In the 1930s, he participated in the Harmon Foundation traveling exhibitions and he produced work for the Works Progress Administration / Federal Art Project from 1935 to 1940. During the war, he was commissioned by the Citizens Committee for the Army and Navy to create religious triptychs for barrack and naval chapels.

Funeral Procession is Wilson's best-known painting, thanks to its appearance in the plot of an episode of The Cosby Show in 1985, during the second season of the long-running series. In the program, Mrs. Huxtable acquires the painting -- which is ostensibly by her "great-uncle Ellis" -- at auction, paying $11,500. At the end of the episode, Dr. Huxtable hung the painting over the living-room mantel, where it would stay for the duration of the series. However, in real life, the most Ellis ever got for a painting was about $300, but the Cosby mention did spark a revival of interest in the artist. Ellis never quite managed to make a living at painting; no black artist of his time did. He died in 1977 in New York and was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave. Its location is unknown. (Sources: http://www.tfaoi.com/aa/1aa/1aa488.htm and http://www.ket.org/content/elliswilson/funeral.htm.)

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