On Track

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On Track episodes

March 23 Louisville group aspires to elevate women in immigrant and refugee communities
March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize women’s leadership in our communities.

Amina Shale is one of those leaders in Louisville. She is a first-generation refugee and the executive director of More Than a Smile Foundation, a nonprofit supporting immigrant and refugee families through mentorship, community support and women’s empowerment programming.

The organization’s name hearkens to Shale’s belief that “a smile should never be a mask for struggle, but a symbol of strength, hope, and belonging.”

LPM’s Ayisha Jaffer spoke with Shale about her work and why centering women matters.
28 min
March 04 Hometown quarterback Chris Redman returns to lead Louisville’s new pro team
Louisville is getting a new professional football team this spring, and leading it is someone who already knows this city, this state, and its football culture well.Former University of Louisville quarterback Chris Redman has been named head coach of the Louisville Kings, the city’s new team in the United Football League.The Kings will open their inaugural season March 27, hosting the Birmingham Stallions at Lynn Family Stadium.LPM’s Ayisha Jaffer spoke with Redman about what this new team could mean for the city and its players.
13 min
February 27 Event will encourage Black Louisvillians to rest and recharge
This weekend, the nonprofit organization Change Today Change Tomorrow wraps up Black History Month with an event called “Black Recharge: Rest and Relaxation.” It’s designed to be a day of rest, with yoga, journaling and other self-care practices.
Isaiah Scott, one of the event’s organizers, spoke with LPM's Michelle Tyrene Johnson about the need for Black people to feed their spirits and relax their minds during stressful times, and how he hopes this event will help.
11 min
February 18 NPR Student Podcast Challenge returns to amplify young voices
NPR is once again inviting students across the country to tell their stories through audio as part of its annual Student Podcast Challenge. Now in its eighth year, the competition has introduced students from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. to the world of public radio and podcasting.LPM’s Ayisha Jaffer spoke with Steve Drummond and Janet Woojeong Lee, two of the people behind NPR’s Student Podcast Challenge about what to expect this year.The deadline for the Student Podcast Challenge is May 31.
9 min
February 18 Researchers explore how place shapes connection for older adults in Louisville
Loneliness is often treated as a personal problem, but researchers are finding where we live plays a major role in how connected we feel.Through an effort called “Universal Belonging,” researchers at the University of Louisville and Simmons College of Kentucky are examining how place, policy and community influence connection across the city.LPM’s Ayisha Jaffer spoke with Lauren Anderson, a program manager at U of L’s Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute and Jecorey Arthur, a researcher and professor at Simmons College of Kentucky.
20 min
February 16 Louisville nonprofit spotlights community’s role in nurturing families
Play Cousins Collective is a nonprofit organization rooted in the concept that it takes a village to raise a child. But how does that philosophy survive in a culture that puts so much value on individual rights and responsibilities?Play Cousins co-founder and Executive Director Kristen Williams talked with us about the variety of approaches her organization uses to support families.
8 min
February 09 Louisville documentary explores link between transportation and food access
At The Food Literacy Project, a team of young people created a documentary about the link between food deserts and transportation
15 min
February 06 Southern Indiana native Nick Goepper heads to his fourth Olympics
The Winter Olympics are kicking off, and one Hoosier is heading back to the world stage in Italy. Southern Indiana native Nick Goepper has qualified for his fourth career Winter Olympics.Goepper already holds three Olympic medals from slopestyle competition and secured his place on Team USA earlier this month by winning the freeski halfpipe World Cup in Calgary.LPM’s Ayisha Jaffer spoke with Goepper about how growing up skiing in Indiana shaped his career, what pulled him out of retirement, and why he made the rare switch to freeski halfpipe.
13 min
February 04 Louisville group works to support Hispanic and Latino students to graduation
It’s National Mentoring Month, and in Louisville, Adelante Hispanic Achievers has worked to support Hispanic and Latino families for more than 20 years. Their focus is on one of the fastest-growing student populations in Jefferson County.The organization partners with students and parents to support academic growth, career readiness and long-term success.LPM’s Ayisha Jaffer spoke with Adelante Hispanic Achievers Executive Director Juliana Rodriguez about the organization’s mission and how mentoring is shaping outcomes for students in our community.
25 min
January 30 Louisville event will explore intersection of history and science with expert panel
A History and Science forum in Louisville will bring together leaders from both backgrounds to explore how they intersect. It’s part of a series hosted by the University of Louisville Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute. Natasha DeJarnett is an assistant professor of environmental medicine at U of L. She helped organize the event, and joined us to talk about the series.
19 min

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On Track brings you news and conversations about what matters most to you. We meet people who enrich our community, and take a closer look at the issues that challenge us, in Louisville, Southern…