Louisville is all about neighborhoods and community, and there’s always something to talk about. And as we turn the page on 2025 and move into 2026, there are some conversations we’ll still be having, as well as old discussions that will pop back up.
As senior producer of the “On Track” talk show and in my role conducting community conversations for broadcast, here are a few local topics that I think will continue to spark talk.
Louisville Jamaican eatery helps those impacted by Hurricane Melissa
Elliment isn’t just a downtown restaurant with delicious Jamaican eats — its owner, Louisvillian Janice Clarke, reminds us that we can feed our values and not just our appetites. Clarke, a native of Jamaica, talked with me about how she has raised money to send relief to her home country after the devastation of Hurricane Melissa in late October. According to the United Nations, as of a few days ago, Jamaica’s tourism industry and agriculture production have not fully recovered. As official safety nets come and go, we can expect Louisvillians to continue to figure out ways to help others.
Sadiqa Reynolds says stepping down from Perception Institute means she can focus on Louisville
There are few leaders in the city of Louisville who have the name recognition and range of connections that Sadiqa Reynolds has. The former president and CEO of Louisville Urban League, talked with me in October about stepping full time into the job of running Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center. In a few short years, the facility has hosted a breadth of events in West Louisville and that doesn’t seem likely to change in 2026.
The two things that are inevitable are death and taxes, but added to that list in recent years, especially here in Louisville, is wondering about your rights if you participate in public protest. And since that doesn’t seem likely to change in 2026, this episode of “On Track” that I produced unpacks what you need to know.
On Track: Free speech and protest
Back in July, host Ayisha Jaffer talked with two First Amendment experts about what to consider in our changing and evolving landscape of protest.
On Track: City planning, and who decides what goes where
Deciding which buildings go where in the city might not seem like a buzzworthy topic. But when Louisville residents are unhappy about development decisions, they tend to talk about it, and loudly.
After a controversial tennis and pickleball complex was proposed — and then cancelled — for Joe Creason Park in May, host Ayisha Jaffer talked with someone from the Louisville Metro government to get insight on how these decisions are made.
On Track: How old is Kentucky?
With America having 250 birthday candles to blow out in 2026, there will be a lot of talk about history, and the origin story of places and institutions.
In July, “On Track” host Ayisha Jaffer sat down with a historian from the Filson Historical Society to untangle how we decide when to celebrate the birthday of a city, state or country.
Race Unwrapped
Although I’m still working on the next season of the LPM podcast “Race Unwrapped,” earlier this year, I produced a Juneteenth special featuring A'shanti Gholar. She’s the President and CEO of Emerge, a nonprofit network that supports women running for political office.
We discussed the increased need for community, resilience, and strategic organizing during tumultuous political times.
