Some thoughts about organizing.
Meeting with leaders in the organizations we typically relate to who have indicated a willingness to help.
Catholic Conference of Kentucky - Jason Hall - exec. Director
Kentucky Conference of Churches - Donald Gillette - exec. Director He is part-time but can be very
helpful identifying ministers who may be helpful. The Conference does not include the Baptist
communion so not so helpful with them.
To reach to evangelical community, we will have help from Conservatives Concerned. We also have a
supporter - Miriam Byrd Hans - who is an evangelical believer and also a victim family member.
Both of the above have legislative action lists of supporters and have used them to highlight our death
penalty legislation.
NAACP - Raoul Cunningham in Louisville is a leader and can put us in touch with others throughout the
state. With a Black population of only 8%, mostly located in Louisville, exercising political pressure has
been difficult. But with Black Lives Matter, pressure has increased. There are also Urban League chapters
in Louisville and Lexington and maybe other locations. Those they interact with can be helpful in
speaking with legislators.
Kentuckians For The Commonwealth - KFTC - this is the largest grass roots organization in Kentucky and
they have a position opposing the death penalty, but have not really done a lot of work on the issue and
it is not that important to them. Nonetheless, we should draw closer to them because when we go into
the more rural areas of the state, especially eastern KY, their contacts could be very helpful to us.
ACLU-KY, one of our strongest partners has not done as much recently, but is willing to help. Their staff
includers a former prisoner who works on crime issues - Amanda - who is probably the best contact
after Kate Miller whose job now causes her to focus on a lot of issues and supervision of staff.
Newspapers/Media - in each community there are usually local news outlets. We need to meet with
editors/editorial boards, news editors to alert them to the presence of the movement and its purpose.
Murder Victim Families for Reconciliation: Ben Griffith is a resource we will want to use and grow. He is
Secretary of the Board
We also have some supporters who served time for crimes they did not commit. We have found them as
helpful with legislators and the public and those actually exonerated after being on death row. Our
Board member, Mike Von Allmen, is willing to make presentations. We need to make sure we involve
him in community presentations sponsored by colleges, church, civic organizations.
Political organizations we should seek out for speaking engagements include Young Democrat and
Young Republican clubs. Perfect situation to have a victim family member and innocent person to speak;
separately or together. Also look for opportunities to speak with some of the libertarian groups who are
usually supportive.
The following will require refinement, but in general, we will want to target regions of the state
represented by members of the general assembly in Republican leadership as well as members of the
two judiciary committees, unless we know we can absolutely count on their vote. There will also be
other targeted areas. And we won’t turn down opportunities when someone begins to hear about us
and asks for our participation.
College campuses are generally not that good for us because of the fluidity of the student body, but
there may be opportunities there that could generate news in the local community.
| just had a thought recently that in addition to collection names and addresses for our legislative action
list, we might also create a simple petition that we ask folks in a community to sign and then deliver to
local legislators after events.
Also, after finding a group of interested supporters, we should set up meetings between them and their
legislators. There is no reason to only meet with them while they are in session. It is all the work in the
between time that will bear fruit for us.
