Hope is not simply wishful thinking—it’s about expectation. It believes the best about God, the best about people, and the best about our circumstances.

In this podcast episode, Choose Hope founder and businesswomen Britney Smith bravely shares her story about breaking generational cycles of addiction and instability.

A former SVDP resident, Britney opens up about experiencing homelessness, losing custody of her children, relational poverty, and overcoming substance abuse. She reflects on how resilience was built over time and how those experiences led her to launch Choose Hope, which is an organization that helps those struggling with addiction and mental health to reclaim their self-worth. Britney now uses her experiences to encourage others.

Why access to affordable child care changes a community?

Finding accessible, high‑quality child care can feel overwhelming for many families across Jefferson County. With annual costs exceeding $11,000 per child, child care can consume 10–20% of a household’s budget—placing pressure on parents with young children (according to the Kentucky Lantern).

In this episode, Reylene Robinson, Executive Director of Thrive by Five, joins the conversation to unpack why child care is more than a family issue—it’s an essential infrastructure for housing stability and Kentucky’s economic future. Reylene shares about Thrive by Five, one of the community’s newest nonprofits, and some innovative solutions to the child care system.

Did you know that nearly half of Louisville's renters are cost burdened—spending more than 30% of their income on housing and utilities?

In this podcast episode, Tony Curtis, the Executive Director of Metropolitan Housing Coalition, breaks down what happens when there’s a lack of affordable and accessible housing. Every day, families struggle to keep a roof over their heads while wages stagnate.

In MHC’s 2025 Report, Tony shares the drivers behind an increase in housing instability shaping our city, the latest trends in housing and wages, and three keys to housing success moving forward.

Check out MHC’s latest initiative, www.roofoverourhead.org/

How do Legos help explain housing segregation? Louisville Metro Government Planning Supervisor Joel Dock shares what they have to do with one another.

This is an eye-opening podcast conversation! On the topic of housing segregation, author Leah Rothstein and Joel are global and local leaders, respectively. They are passionate about what we can do in our own communities to begin to challenge and redress segregation. You can also watch now!

Watch: Video

Leah is a nationally known housing policy expert and coauthored “Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law,” which released last year. Joel has worked at Louisville Metro Government for 11 years, and oversees zoning changes and land development code in the Louisville area in the Office of Planning.

Our CEO Dave Calzi talks with Leah and Joel helps put housing segregation into layman's terms:

• Leah shares how she and her father, Richard, became a strong dad-daughter duo in the housing arena. Richard wrote “The Color of the Law,” which has sold almost one million copies and focuses on how federal, state, and local governments gave rise to and reinforced neighborhood segregation. "Just Action" is the sequel.
• As a nation, are we past segregation from a housing perspective? Why or why not?
• Specific examples from “Confronting Racism in City Planning and Zoning" help us look at decisions made over the last century and what led to zoning segregation.
• Joel shows us how Legos can teach us about more "middle housing" options for local citizens.
• Over the last few decades, Louisville has become more diverse, and in particular, has many refugees and a growing Hispanic population. How does this affect housing?

To purchase "Just Action," go to https://www.justactionbook.org/ or visit justaction.substack.com.
Joel and his team's interactive exhibit/story map of “Confronting Racism in City Planning and Zoning": https://arcg.is/1Snbj4.

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If you want to grow as a leader, then listen to Churchill Downs Incorporated President & COO Bill Mudd and Vice President of Corporate Communications Tonya Abeln open up about what they've learned as high-level leaders over the years.

In our 25th podcast episode and ahead of the 150th Kentucky Derby, we hear from Bill and Tonya as they talk about what's new at Churchill Downs and give leadership advice. You can download to listen, or watch now!

Watch: https://youtu.be/dGr5INxvp4o

Bill has been the President and Chief Operating Officer of CDI since 2015. He joined CDI in 2007 as the Executive Vice President and CFO after working for several years at General Electric and was promoted to the role of President and CFO in 2014. Under Bill’s leadership CDI’s business has expanded through the development of live and historical racing entertainment venues, the growth of TwinSpires horse racing online wagering business and the operation and development of regional casino gaming properties. CDI follows a long tradition of corporate social responsibility and has been a committed charitable partner for decades.

In her role as Vice President of Corporate Communications for Churchill Downs, Tonya is responsible for the strategy, implementation and oversight of internal and external communications and revels in the opportunity to share the thrilling and inspiring stories behind one of America’s most iconic brand—the Kentucky Derby. Additionally, as President of Churchill Downs Foundation, she drives strategic charitable initiatives and manages community partnerships across the company’s entire portfolio of racetrack and gaming properties.

Our CEO Dave Calzi sits down with Bill and Tonya to hear about the rich history of the Kentucky Derby and CDI:

• Bill and Tonya reminisce on their favorite Derby Day memories.
• The major changes and cultural shifts at CDI over the last couple of decades, including what's new ahead of this year's race.
• The first Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks were held in 1875. St. Vincent de Paul Louisville started in 1853. Each organization has a rich history that has impacted the community in different ways. Through corporate giving, the Churchill Downs Foundation contributes over $5 million annually in charitable grants and in-kind donations to more than 800 organizations nationwide. Tonya talks about the importance of the Foundation's corporate charitable giving.
• They share some of the ways CDI serves the community and seeks to engage horseracing fans year-round, including the Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy.
• The definition and growing pains of leadership, especially in the early years.
• Advice for young leaders who don't just want to climb the ladder, but hope to make a difference in the workplace for the benefit of the community.
• How you can balance a demanding job with everything else in your life.

To learn more, visit https://www.churchilldownsincorporated.com/.

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Coalition for the Homeless Executive Director Natalie Harris shares the work of the Coalition and explains how people in the Louisville community can help the Coalition serve those without homes.

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This conversation dives into the intersection between tourism and homelessness in shaping our city.

In this episode, Louisville Tourism President & CEO Cleo Battle and Greater Louisville Inc. President & CEO Sarah Davasher-Wisdom talk about the "brand of Louisville" and the economic ripple effect of homelessness on attracting new businesses or visitor perception.

With Louisville Tourism estimating an annual economic impact of more than $4.4 billion, we ask an important question, "How does visible homelessness impact economic development, tourism, and the Louisville brand?"

Watch Here

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Scarlet Hope founder Rachelle Starr used to drive past "Theatre X" everyday on her way to work without thinking twice about the sex entertainment industry. Today, she goes into strip clubs with home-cooked meals and brings hope to the women inside.

In 2007, Rachelle founded Scarlet Hope, a nonprofit that shares the hope and love of Jesus with women in the adult entertainment industry. Scarlet Hope has since expanded across 10 cities in the United States from Las Vegas and Los Angeles to Atlanta and Orlando. Rachelle is a national speaker who has trained thousands of people to launch similar nonprofits worldwide. She is also the author of “Outrageous Obedience.” You can download to listen, or watch now!

Watch: https://youtu.be/WnzD9wFdLpw

Our CEO Dave Calzi sits down with Rachelle to talk about the local and global sex entertainment industry:

• Rachelle shares her story and how Scarlet Hope launched.
• In the early years of Scarlet Hope, Rachelle talks about her many personal doubts and others calling her "crazy." She shares about overcoming her initial fears and her organization's frontline work to combat sex trafficking.
• How Hollywood films like "Taken" or "Sound of Freedom" may not give us an accurate picture of the adult entertainment industry.
• Louisville is the 13th largest sex industry per capita in America. Rachelle says sex trafficking is happening "right next door" and gives us a look behind the curtain into the adult entertainment industry—whether in strip clubs, online, or on the streets.
• Rachelle and her team went to this year's Super Bowl in Las Vegas. She shares about sex trafficking at the Super Bowl and their organization's outreach experience.
  
  To learn more, visit https://scarlethope.org/.

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