Sadiqa Reynolds announced earlier this month that she was stepping down as CEO of the Perception Institute, a think tank based in New York City, to focus fully on the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center. Reynolds was a longtime leader of the Louisville Urban League.
I talked with Sadiqa about what brought her focus back to Louisville, and this weekend’s Artists and Afros event, an art show she started last year.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Michelle Tyrene Johnson: So, let's start with the obvious. You got a new job.
Sadiqa Reynolds: You know, it's not a new job, it's an old job. Actually, when I left the Louisville Urban League, I never left the Sports and Learning Center. I could never leave. It's like, I've got my two kids, and this is my third baby. So I went to Perception Institute, which is based in New York, but it was virtual. So I was really here, and I was very often working physically from the Sports and Learning Center. So, I just gave up one job. So for the first time in seven years, I just have one job. I'm only leading one thing. I'm 53 years old. A sister is a little tired. My bones started aching a little. I started not loving getting on the plane. I mean, I'm still traveling. I still love life, but one job.
MTJ: You mentioned your children. Didn't both your kids graduate?
SR: Both of my children graduated from high school, so they are both in college now. My oldest is a chemistry major. She loves all things environment, and I don't know what she's gonna do, but it's gonna be something fabulous. And my baby, she's at Spelman. The oldest is at Spelman, and then the youngest is at Hampton University, majoring in strategic communication.
MTJ: HBCUs, both of them?
SR: Yeah, unbelievable. And no pressure from mom, I promise. I'm serious. I really let them decide.
MTJ: Well, that's great, because knowing how you had a job in New York City, knowing that your children were graduating, and now they're not children, they're women now. But I was like, Louisville's gonna lose Sadiqa. And Louisville's got you full time. In fact, you just got a big award.
SR: I got inducted into the Business First Hall of Fame. It's this 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame.
MTJ: There you go. That seems like that's great timing. I know you've been working part time in Louisville, but now you are full time.
SR: Yeah, it's my focus. So, you know, it's one thing to build a thing, it is another entirely to see it through and to make sure it's successful. So we are celebrating our fifth year. Our fifth-year anniversary will be in February, and we built this beautiful facility, state of the art. It's an amazing facility. Track, indoor track, outdoor track.
What we did not expect to happen is that the community created something else within that space. We have green space inside the outdoor track and field, and that space is graded to be, you throw the shot put or the discus, not graded for play. But people started having soccer matches and tournaments, and then flag football and even lacrosse.
Over these four years, they've had so much activity on that outdoor green space they've worn it out. We actually had a ref come out a little under a year ago and say, you can't play here anymore. It's not safe. So I knew that I had to build what the people wanted. So now we really need to get our multi-purpose fields in. So that's what I'm doing now.
There are another two acres, and we're building fields for the community, two acres near the building. It's right there. If you're coming down 30th street, you hit the fields first, and then the sports complex. And then, of course, there is the state-of-the-art senior care facility that we built and that the Urban League owns. So it's just remarkable, all of the things. I'm so proud of what we have done together in this community.
MTJ: What I love about this is that the West End had something that, in a short period of time, wore itself out because of the positives of people working out and doing exercise and having team sports. The other thing I was going to ask you about, because I went last year: Artists and Afros. I loved it. Is it a call and response to the St. James Art Fair? What's up with that?
SR: Yeah, thanks for the question. I have been hearing over the years that I've been in Louisville, that so many Black artists were having trouble getting into the St. James Art Fair, and I don't know why. I have no inside information. So I said, why do we keep fighting to be a part of something else? Why don't we just create another event to complement the St. James Art Fair? So I don't intend to take any guests away from St. James at all.
I like the St. James Art Fair. I have attended many years, and I know teachers love it and all the things. All I'm doing is saying, here's another place for art. So when you travel into our city with your disposable income and you're looking for art, please do go to the St. James Art Fair. And by the way, come by Artists and Afros too, and we're located at 3029 West Muhammad Ali Boulevard. It's just that simple. Last year, we did, I don't know, maybe, like, a quarter of a million dollars in art sales. That's huge.
MTJ: That's amazing. I love that.
SR: What I wanted to do was create a space for other artists and for Black artists, to be able to be seen and be valued, and to not have to fight to be present, but to know that the space was actually created for you. This Saturday and Sunday. It's always the same time as the St. James art fair, 12p.m. to 6p.m. We'll have food and very easy parking. And in fact, you can take the bus from our facility to the St. James Art Fair. That's how much we want people to be connected to the St. James Art Fair. You can go [to] Artists and Afros, and then you can stop by the Speed Museum if you want to, and you can go over to the other art fair. But make sure you come to Artists and Afros.
