After marches and more, Louisville protesters say 'phase two' will focus on voting, reforms

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Rev. Tim Findley has often been in the middle of Louisville's ongoing protests for justice and reform. On the day of the Kentucky Derby, he led a passionate march around Churchill Down's gate. On the day after the grand jury released a decision in the Breonna Taylor case, Findley led hundreds on a march from Jefferson Square to NuLu and back.

Protest, the pastor says, is an effective tool that's produced results.

"It's the language that, I think, our city responds to," Findley said.

But as nightly protest marches seem to reduce in size, Findley says there’s a reason: he and other protesters are focusing more of their efforts on what Findley calls "phase two," while still encouraging protest.

"Protest is just one element in this push for change," he told WDRB News in an interview Thursday. "There are so many other things that people are doing behind the scenes."

Particularly, the pastor says he and others will work on voter registration and education in the coming days and the push for reform in coming weeks.

"The protesters showed us where the power really is, and I think now we need to take that reality and really take it not just to the polls but we need to develop systems and incubators to get people into positions and not just get us a seat at the table," he said. "I'm focusing on policy. I'm focusing in on elected officials who have not necessarily had the community's best interest at heart."

In many respects, Louisville Urban League President and CEO Sadiqa Reynolds agrees.

"Taking to the streets is just part of the solution," Reynolds said. "It is the part of the solution that highlights the issue, but then you really have to put answers out there to change the issues."

Now, she says it’s time for the coalition of protesters and allies to effect even more changes by voting, running for office and lobbying leaders for reforms. Reynolds is quick to promote a list of demands and priorities for Louisville called A Path Forward.

"Of course, it starts with police reform, which we all know is tremendously important, but we also have the need for more affordable housing, investment in small businesses, closing of the achievement gap," she said. "I think this march was the start of a movement that will go on and that will be included in the history books."

Both Findley and Reynolds say they'll be watching when the grand jury transcript on the Breonna Taylor case is made public, and both said it could spark new demonstrations.

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