The program integrates leadership training with federal policy insight and skill development, equipping fellows to take on key roles in an evolving sector. Fellows take part in retreats, interactive learning opportunities, projects and a placement experience at another college or university. The program also provides the chance to build a valuable network of higher education leaders. The fellowship year offers opportunities for ACE Fellows to view leadership in action and emerge with both the practical skills and theoretical knowledge to implement effective changes for higher education.听

鈥淏eing named an ACE Fellow offers an opportunity to deepen my engagement in institutional decision-making, learn alongside a national cohort of peers and draw from proven best practices to strengthen leadership capacity and drive meaningful, mission鈥慶entered impact,鈥� Craddock said.听

Craddock joins an elite list of previous ACE Fellows from the University of Louisville. They are Richard Clover, 2001-2002, and Arist贸fanes Cede帽o, 2006-2007. UofL also has hosted five fellows through the聽American Council on 成人直播 program.

The ACE Fellows Program is one of the longest-running leadership development programs in the United States with more than 2,500 alumni 鈥� many now聽presidents, provosts and senior executives.

More than 2,000 students who applied for degrees and certificates are expected to participate in commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 9, at the KFC Yum! Center, with two separate sessions at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Ready will speak at both ceremonies.

In a conversation with UofL News leading up to commencement, Ready reflected on his journey as a first-generation student, the experiences at UofL that shaped him and why returning as commencement speaker is especially meaningful.

UofL News: You鈥檝e previously stated that stepping onto UofL鈥檚 campus was the moment you felt like you had 鈥渕ade it鈥� as the first in your family to go to college. What did the UofL represent to you then, and what does it mean to return now as the commencement speaker?

Ready: As a first-generation college student, just getting there felt significant. I didn鈥檛 come with some big, polished vision of what my career would be. I just knew that being on campus meant that I had an opportunity that my family and I had worked really hard for and I wanted to make the most of it.

Coming back now as commencement speaker is really special because my time at UofL was truly transformative for me as I know it is for all the students. Graduation is one of those moments where you鈥檙e proud of what you鈥檝e done, but you鈥檙e also standing right at the edge of a lot of unknowns and a lot of opportunity. To be invited back to be a part of that moment with all of these students is truly an honor.

UofL News: As a first-generation college student, how did your time at UofL shape your confidence and expand your sense of what was possible?

Ready: Confidence didn鈥檛 come from walking onto campus already knowing I belonged. In fact, I probably had a bit of imposter syndrome and wasn鈥檛 sure if I would make it. But little by little, I learned that I could handle more than I thought and I figured out that there were plenty of other people that were figuring it out as they went just like me.

I came from a family that valued hard work deeply. My parents encouraged me to do my best, but there wasn鈥檛 a roadmap for what a career like mine could look like. Silicon Valley and the tech world weren鈥檛 part of the environment I grew up in – I didn鈥檛 even know how to use a computer when I arrived on campus.

That鈥檚 one reason UofL mattered so much. It opened the aperture on what was possible and exposed me to people and opportunities that I couldn鈥檛 have imagined before. I also benefited from people who gave me nudges in the right direction – professors and mentors who saw something in me and challenged me to dream bigger. One professor, in particular, encouraged me to consider Harvard Business School, and that鈥檚 a great example of how important it is to have someone help you imagine a future you might not have imagined for yourself. And, sometimes all it takes is one person who sees something in you before you fully see it in yourself.

UofL News: Looking back, you鈥檝e said some of the hardest moments in your life became the most character-building. Did you have any of those experiences during your time at UofL?

Ready: Absolutely. I think for a lot of first-generation students, one of the hardest parts of college is that you鈥檙e not just learning the material – you鈥檙e also learning the environment. You鈥檙e figuring out how to navigate a world that may feel very foreign, and you鈥檙e often doing that without the benefit of a family playbook for how college works. That can be challenging, but it can also be incredibly character-building.

While I was at UofL, I was working two or three jobs at a time along with fulltime coursework because I was terrified of taking on debt. There was a stretch where I would work second shift at a gas station or a call center depending on the night and then go work from midnight to 4 a.m. sorting packages at UPS.听 I had an 8 a.m. class 鈥� so, I鈥檇 sleep a few hours in my car on campus to save time from driving back to my apartment that was 45 minutes away and I鈥檇 shower at the gym at the student center.听

That felt really hard at the time but it actually gave me the motivation to take the leap with the first startup I was a part of. I wasn鈥檛 thinking I was going to be an entrepreneur, I was just thinking I could have one job instead of three. Later, it would be one of the best examples for me of how the toughest moments can also lead to growth that redefines what鈥檚 possible.

UofL News: We hear your connection to UofL is also personal 鈥� you met your spouse, Lucy, during your time here. How did that happen, and what memories from those days do you both still hold onto?

Ready: We met in high school but didn鈥檛 start dating until freshman year here at UofL. Lucy was a biology major 鈥� so we were actually on opposite sides of campus and neither of us realized that the other was going to college here. We randomly bumped into each other outside the student center one day and reconnected over how we were each working through the transition to college.听

We went to UofL in a time before cell phones were popular and we were on completely different schedules. We left notes on each other’s cars to communicate. I still have several of the notes she left for me. She鈥檇 often leave a few words of encouragement for me in those notes and her encouragement was a big part of what kept me going, especially in the toughest moments.

That chance encounter was certainly one of the most consequential of my life. We鈥檝e now been together for nearly 30 years, and she鈥檚 been an amazing partner through all of life鈥檚 journeys. I don鈥檛 think any of it would have been possible without her.

UofL News: Many graduates today are stepping into a world that feels uncertain, whether that鈥檚 with AI, geopolitical tensions or the ever-changing job market. What advice would you give them about taking risks and moving forward when the path ahead isn鈥檛 clear?

Ready: It鈥檚 true that graduates today are entering a world that can feel uncertain. But in a lot of ways, uncertainty has always been part of any meaningful next step. The difference now is the pace of change, especially with AI and how quickly industries are evolving.

My advice is not to wait for the path ahead to become perfectly clear, because it rarely does. Instead, focus on building the skills and mindset that help you adapt. One of the most important things I鈥檝e learned is that learning itself is a skill. The people who thrive are not the ones who have everything figured out on day one – they鈥檙e the ones who stay curious, keep growing and are willing to take thoughtful risks.

That鈥檚 especially true with AI. I think of AI as a tool, not a replacement for people – more in the passenger seat than the driver鈥檚 seat. Over time, it鈥檚 going to become table stakes for almost every job, much like email or the internet did for earlier generations. The key is not to fear it, but to learn how to use it well and responsibly.

All ceremonies will be broadcast live at聽. For more information on commencement, visit the .

鈥淭his is a testament to the robust work which happens around campus to create meaningful education paths and to support our military-connected students,鈥� said Kyle Hurwitz, director, Center for Military-Connected Students.

With almost 3,200聽聽enrolled, military students account for more than 12% of UofL鈥檚 total enrollment.

Each year, Military Friendly庐 evaluates universities based on graduation outcomes, culture, military support and financial aid, among other areas. Military Friendly庐 Gold institutions are selected for 鈥渓eading practices, outcomes and effective programs.鈥�

鈥淲e are very proud to continue to earn these designations year after year,鈥� said President Gerry Bradley. 鈥淲e recognize and celebrate the Center for Military-Connected Students, whose dedicated efforts enable us to promote student success at the highest levels.鈥澛�

One of the many programs supporting UofL鈥檚 service members is Red Bird Allies, a once per semester training for faculty and staff to learn about the military-connected student experience and to understand the concerns, unique perspectives, strengths and challenges of this student population.听

Emily Miles, an academic advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences, is one of more than 200 faculty and staff Red Bird Allies. She frequently advises students who have been in the military, have a parent in the military or want to join when they graduate.听

鈥淭hanks to the training I received, I feel comfortable giving guidance about transferrable credits or financial coverage concerns and referring them to the highly capable specialists at the Center for Military-Connected students,鈥� said Miles. 鈥淔eedback from students indicates UofL’s support of military-connected students is exceptional.鈥�

Interested in becoming a Red Bird Ally?聽.

鈥淵ou can hear rapids before you get to them or sometimes see them,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou start to think how you鈥檙e going to get through them, and then you turn the corner and get through them. It鈥檚 sort of similar to life.鈥�

Sloan鈥檚 journey began at Princeton University in the 1960s. After two years, he had to withdraw to help out his family business. Like the river he describes, life continued to ebb and flow. He took courses at Butler University, changed jobs, took courses at Indiana University, changed jobs again 鈥� but never finished his degree.

Now at 83, UofL is giving him that opportunity.

This December, Sloan will graduate with a bachelor鈥檚 degree thanks to the . In Kentucky, students 65 and older can take a select number of classes for free at any state-supported institution within the commonwealth.

The world has changed drastically since Sloan began college. He remembers the first personal computers that ran on punch cards. Now, he鈥檚 finishing his degree entirely .

But for Sloan, earning his degree isn鈥檛 just about checking a box. He spent most of his life as a crafts salesman, traveling and selling fabric, yarn and other art supplies. His education was an education built by doing. Those experiences, he said, enriched his academic work.

鈥淚f you like what you are doing, you will like it more after becoming better educated,鈥� Sloan said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good way to improve yourself, learn how to do a better job and become a better person.鈥�

Sloan says continuing to learn 鈥� at any age 鈥� is part of what keeps him energized.

鈥淚 think it makes you happier because you鈥檙e learning about the world,鈥� he said.

He often thinks of a quote from actress Olivia de Havilland, who lived to be 104. When asked the secret to a long life, she replied: 鈥渓ove, laughter, learning鈥� and stairs.鈥�

鈥淭hat鈥檚 always stuck with me,鈥� Sloan said. 鈥湷扇酥辈� is important. It鈥檚 a good thing to remember.鈥�

Sloan will graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences with a , with interdisciplinary studies in communications, creative expression and humanities. His communications courses taught him some of the theory behind his job as a salesman.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just the words when we communicate,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the gestures, the body language.鈥�

Better yet, Sloan is just as much a part of campus and the Louisville community as any student. He鈥檚 an avid Cardinals sports fan, holding courtside season tickets to women鈥檚 volleyball. He also regularly attends baseball, men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 basketball games.

Sloan is a proud member of the Rotary Club of Louisville, which has more than 400 members and is the 13th-largest club among Rotary International鈥檚 45,000 clubs. The club sponsors scholarships, hosts guest speakers and supports humanitarian efforts.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a bunch of do-gooders doing good in the community,鈥� he said.

Sloan has watched more than a dozen graduations of his children and grandchildren over the years. On Dec. 12, many of them will come to watch him take his turn. And when the moment comes to cross the stage and receive his diploma, he said one emotion comes to mind: happiness.

鈥淚鈥檒l be very happy,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd I think I might even continue taking courses here after.鈥�

Through a survey, Military Times collects data from colleges nationwide. With this information, institutions are evaluated based on academic quality, student support services, affordability and outcomes for veterans 鈥� including graduation and retention rates.听

This year鈥檚 survey showcased a substantial increase in online/hybrid program options and a meaningful growth in veteran resources like peer mentorship centers and mental health services for post-service transition.

This latest honor adds to the accolades of UofL’s military-connected student supports. In 2025, the Cardinal community received recognition as a聽for the fourth year in a row. UofL is one of only 27 Carnegie research 1 institutions in the nation to earn a designated status, and the only one in Kentucky to earn a 鈥淕old鈥� designation from Military Friendly庐, a veteran-owned company that ranks universities for how well they support military students.

With almost 2,600 military-connected students enrolled, military students account for more than 10% of UofL鈥檚 total enrollment. The聽聽is committed to providing a supportive space with five full-time staff members dedicated to assisting military students on campus. Some of the benefits include scholarships for veterans and their dependents, lower tuition rates and multiple fee waivers.听

To learn more about the Best for Vets Colleges rankings,聽

鈥淲e want to expand the reach of SGA, making sure many voices are heard,鈥� Waddle said.

She says this includes undergraduate students, professional school students, as well as graduate students, pointing out that creating a space for students of all career paths is crucial to the integrity of any college campus.

鈥淲e represent students who live on campus, may be commuters or may take classes online. Our goal is to really make SGA more accessible this year.鈥�

The leadership of the organization, known as the 鈥淭op 4鈥� also includes Anna Hernandez, executive vice president, Grant Avis, services vice president and Kathleen Price, academic vice president. They each began their roles in fall 2025.

Waddle says the Student Government Association has launched a new executive staff outreach team led by Hernandez, which aims to increase student knowledge about SGA.

鈥淲e are trying to open things up to the student body and show students how SGA works and how they can get involved,鈥� she said.

Since 1952, UofL鈥檚 Student Government Association has been working to make the university a better place, where student voices are heard and the campus is able to thrive.

Learn more about the .

By Brie Carlini

Professor Oluwaferanmi Okanlami encouraged attendees to ask that question at the 2024 health equity keynote: “Disabusing Disability: Demonstrating that Disability Doesn’t Mean Inability.鈥� Okanlami, whose mission is to close the gap among the diverse members of our society to create a more equitable and promising future for all, highlighted shortcomings in how most of society views disabilities and what must change.

Born in Nigeria before immigrating to the U.S. at a young age, Okanlami attended high school at Deerfield Academy and went on to Stanford University where he also ran track & field, serving as captain his last two seasons and achieving Academic All-American recognition.听Okanlami earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan before matching into orthopedic surgery residency at Yale University. At the beginning of his third聽year of residency, he experienced a spinal cord injury, paralyzing him from the chest down. After two surgeries and intense rehabilitation, he recovered some motor function and navigates the world as a proud wheelchair user.

Today, Okanlami is director of student accessibility and accommodation services at the University of Michigan, where he oversees the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities, two Testing Accommodation Centers and the Adaptive Sports & Fitness Program. He also is an assistant professor of family medicine, physical medicine & rehabilitation and urology at Michigan Medicine and an adjunct assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. In addition, he earned a master鈥檚 in engineering, science and technology entrepreneurship from the University of Notre Dame and completed his family medicine residency at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana.

As an accomplished athlete, he is passionate about adaptive sports and fitness and champions access to physical fitness and inclusive recreational and competitive sports for all.

At Research!Louisville, Okanlami鈥檚 topic provided insight into creating a health system which is accessible to and inclusive of both patients and providers with disabilities, as well as providing provisions necessary for students and employees with disabilities in higher education.

The Americans with Disabilities Act defines a person with a disability as an individual who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. Okanlami鈥檚 work emphasizes that disabilities do not fairly identify individuals, but more than likely perceptions of disabilities can lead to artificially placing limits on people who have just as much or more to contribute to society.

As a disabled, Black, Nigerian, immigrant, cis-gender heterosexual, male, physician and athlete, Okanlami doesn鈥檛 just speak from an acquired knowledge-based perspective. He has experienced firsthand the difficulties of being identified in a culture that does not understand his main message that 鈥渄isability does not mean inability.鈥�

In his talk, Okanlami illustrated how each individual with a disability has unique needs for accommodations.

鈥淲hen you have met one person with a disability, you have met one person with a disability,鈥� he said.

Okanlami said that everyone must recognize that we live in an ableist world and we need to provide reasonable and appropriate accommodation for people that identify has having disabilities, whether those disabilities are visible or invisible.

鈥淭he health care system is ableist by definition. The medical model of disability teaches us that disability is pathology. It is something that is broken that should be fixed, prevented or cured,鈥� Okanlami said. 鈥淭he social model of disability does not see the problem living in the individual, it sees the system we are in as being inaccessible. If someone is born without the ability to walk, that shouldn鈥檛 be a problem if we have access to the resource they need to be able to navigate.鈥�

But he encouraged everyone to take action.

鈥淲hat is it we can do to make someone鈥檚 tomorrow better than their yesterday?鈥� Okanlami said. 鈥淭here is something that each of you can do, even if it is a tiny little bite, but the impact that little bite can have could be something that makes a profound impact on someone else鈥檚 life.鈥�

Okanlami鈥檚 Research!Louisville presentation on Sept. 19 at the University of Louisville Health Sciences Center was led by the HSC Office of Health Equity and Engagement and the School of Medicine Office of Community Engagement and Diversity. To watch his entire keynote discussion, visit the .

Betty Coffman contributed to this story.

This summer, eight Muhammad Ali scholars embarked on a transformative, two-week international learning and cultural experience in South Africa. Sherry Durham, director of the , said the scholars are asked to be active in building awareness of social justice issues, not just on a local level but national and even internationally.

鈥淭hat was one purpose of the trip,鈥� she said. 鈥淢uhammad Ali was very committed to service and empowering his community. We want to help build future change agents. Whatever the student is passionate about, we connect them with real people who are doing that work, and they come up with some type of solution.鈥�

Durham, along with Marian Vasser, associate vice president for , and Muriel Harris, retired faculty member from the , led the students abroad.

One stop on the journey included a tour of Robben Island, the infamous site of the prison where peace activist Nelson Mandela was held during apartheid. While talking with a tour guide and former prisoner, the group gained insight into South Africa鈥檚 arduous journey to democracy, and the resilience and spirit of the community.

鈥淭hrough dialogue and conversation, we helped the students connect what they learned from the community and from the history in South Africa to their research projects,鈥� 聽Durham said. The director said she also was interested in connecting the dots from seemingly other disparate historical events around the world, like instances of genocide in various countries. 鈥淓ven though these are very different events, it’s some of the same mistakes that we鈥檝e made throughout history over and over again, regardless of race or ethnicity.鈥�

Muhammad Ali Scholar and 聽student Kaamraan Iqbal said he appreciated the conversations with local residents.

鈥淓veryone I spoke to who was affected by apartheid were extremely welcoming in sharing their stories and how they coped,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he people of South Africa should have a medal of honor for perseverance with all the stories I heard.鈥�

Additionally, Durham said she welcomed the opportunity to see how other cultures experience their worlds.

鈥淚 wanted everyone, not just the students, but everybody, to recognize their privilege on so many levels. For example, in America you might be an ally, or a part of the LGBTQ community, but in Africa, that’s frowned upon in a lot of places,鈥� said Durham. 鈥淚 felt blessed to be able to see a broader perspective versus what we see here in our little bubble in the United States.鈥�

Iqbal said the Ali Scholars program has opened his eyes to so many possibilities.

鈥淔or anyone who’s trying to find themselves, who’s wanting to be more than what they are right now, who wants to make a change but doesn’t know how, the Muhammad Ali Scholars program can help you reach that goal,鈥� he said.

Created in 2004, the Muhammad Ali Scholars Program is designed to create a community of scholars who embody Muhammad Ali’s legacy, becoming transformative leaders who positively impact the community. Through a commitment to service and social justice, the scholars inspire change and become future change-makers. The two-year program of social justice leadership development, academic research, community engagement and service also requires undergraduate students to research a social justice issue where they wish to make an impact.

鈥淐arrying the floss had nothing to do with me wanting to do dentistry,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t had everything to do with me not liking things in between my teeth.鈥�

But McPheeters knew she wanted to be some type of medical professional.

鈥淚 would look up anatomy in encyclopedias, intrigued with the human body and thinking, ‘wow, this is inside of me.’鈥�

She said a mentor from her hometown of Chicago who helped minority students pursue professional careers was instrumental to guiding her to dentistry. After dental school graduation from Indiana University in 2016, she began her career in public health dental practice, but always with an eye towards academia later in her career.

That timetable was unexpectedly accelerated after her second child, Joshua, was born in 2018 with Trisomy 18, also known as Edwards Syndrome – a very rare genetic condition that causes severe developmental delays. The syndrome has no treatment and is usually fatal before birth or within the first year of life, but miraculously Joshua continues to beat the odds.

The demands of a special needs child and the arrival of COVID-19 prompted McPheeters to explore a career shift to academic research. In January 2021, she joined UofL and couldn鈥檛 be happier with the transition.

Her son鈥檚 special needs also became the inspiration for the professor鈥檚 decision to conduct oral health care research for special needs children.

鈥淚 had this idea to come up with some things to teach the community,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have home nursing, however most clinicians don鈥檛 have any training on how to brush teeth or care for the mouth because most of the times they’re focused on things like, 鈥楬ey, is their heart working OK?鈥欌��

She applied for and received a 聽to create a curriculum to help providers with oral care training for special needs patients.

鈥淢ost times we don鈥檛 see special needs patients until they鈥檙e in their 20s or 30s, and they need a full-mouth teeth extraction because someone hasn’t brushed with them, so I knew there is a need in that area. There are specialty clinics, but they have a two-year waiting list, so being on the prevention end will be helpful in so many ways.鈥�

With the grant, she collaborated with local company Ohio Valley who provides home health services, and stocked them with special dental supplies for the community. McPheeters will present results of her initial community engagement research in March 2025. With the success of the Gheens grant, she plans to apply for larger grants that will allow her to continue and expand the work.

Coming from a big city, McPheeters has appreciated a slower pace and friendly vibe that is more aligned with family and work-life balance. She said she loves UofL鈥檚 emphasis on welcoming diversity.

鈥淚 never wake up dreading coming in to work, and when I come here, it brings joy to my day. I could be having a really tough morning, but if I’m able to mentor a student and touch their life in a way where I can encourage them and give them some good advice, it makes my day.鈥�

A three-lecture series on Juneteenth will examine the past, present and future state of racial and social justice. Crystal Bradley, vice president of the , coordinated the series. UofL News caught up with Bradley to discuss Juneteenth and its continuing impact.

UofL News: How do you feel like our collective understanding of Juneteenth has evolved the past few years?

Bradley: There has been more awareness for everyone about the significance of Juneteenth, not just an awareness but a kind of freedom to celebrate the event as part of history. Juneteenth is not just Black history but it鈥檚 American history. It should be a positive thing and something that unifies us, not divides us. We can celebrate the idea of such an oppressive system of slavery being dismantled. You can imagine the enslaved getting this message that you don鈥檛 have to live this way anymore. That’s what we celebrate with Juneteenth, this message that you’re finally free from this oppressive system.

UofL News: What do you think is the most important thing that needs to be communicated about Juneteenth?

Bradley: Accuracy. Having a correct insight on history and the significance of it. It is not a divisive or taboo subject, and while it鈥檚 not pretty, it is American history and it鈥檚 our history to be embraced and shared by all. Information should be shared with everyone, so I think that’s the most critical part.

UofL News: How did the thematic concept of past, present and future 鈥� the idea of where we鈥檝e been, where we are, where we’re going – how does that play into the struggle for racial equality?

Bradley: The Juneteenth event planning committee was deciding how to frame it, and we thought with everything going on this year, there are some people who want to rewrite history, and some just want to bury it altogether. With this theme of past, present, future, it’s kind of hitting the pause button on all of the noise to say, hey, let’s have an open, intelligent discussion with scholars and people who know about this subject matter. Let鈥檚 look back where we were as a community and talk about how the decisions made back then affected us, and how what we do now is going to affect us 20, 30, 40 years from now. We don鈥檛 want to stay stuck, so we need to have a vision to look forward. Our goal with this theme was to reflect, to pause and look at where we are and then to envision where we want to be in the future.

UofL News: Can you tell us a little bit about each speaker of the series?

Bradley: Monday, June 17th, Metro District 4 Councilman Jecorey Arthur is going to speak to our present component. One reason we chose him is because it is the 60^th anniversary of 鈥渇reedom summer,鈥� where in 1964, there was a big push to increase Black voter registration. That was in alignment with looking at how decisions we made back then plays into where we are now and the importance of voting, and how that plays into where and how we move forward as a society.听

On Tuesday, June 18, John Mays, former director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for Yum Brands, also known as the 鈥淚 believe I can 鈥� man,鈥� is going to address the future aspect. He’s a dynamic coach, author, entrepreneur and DEI motivational speaker. He brings a lot of energy, and he鈥檚 going to speak to that vision that we can have for ourselves as African Americans and as Americans collectively.

June 19^th is the official holiday, so on Thursday, June 20, the Coalition on the History of the Enslaved, which is a partnership and a collective of four diverse groups here in Louisville, will close out our speaker series. These are scholars who have deep knowledge of all the historical facts and points and sites within Louisville and surrounding areas such as the Oxmoor farm. They will speak about the impacts of the past, and tie back to how it affects us now and going forward. There’s been a lot of talk of slavery and what it is and what it isn’t, but I guarantee after listening to this group聽 we鈥檒l all walk away knowing more than we did before.

UofL News: Where do you see positive/ negative movement in addressing racial justice issues?

Bradley: Positive movement is that people are feeling more empowered to take up that fight, because it is a fight when you are going against forces and groups that feel like a zero-sum game. If you have, that means I can鈥檛 have, when we can actually all have. It’s a long, tiring fight, but I am encouraged that people 鈥� Black, white, Latinx 鈥� are all willing to say no, we鈥檙e going to push back on this agenda. No, we are not going to accept that.

We’re going to continue to fight, and when they change the rules of the game, which they do, then we’ll adjust and adapt but we’ll continue to push equity and inclusion forward because it’s important.

What is negative is that for every step made to increase equitable solutions, the powers-that-be are there to knock you ten steps back. Now they鈥檙e passing legislation and controlling what goes on in the classroom and changing the narrative. They’re in powerful positions that can affect that kind of change. So that’s really discouraging, but we wouldn’t have come this far as a society, as a community, as a collective, had we just accepted other people’s agendas years ago.

Learn more about the .