The June Neighbor Spotlight shines on Rachael Brown from Wilder Park. She is part of a team of neighbors who are co-designing Better Block 2023 which will be held in Wilder Park on August 12th & 13th at the Wilder Park Community Center, Huston-Quin Park, and “Historic Wilder Avenue“.
What is your name?
Rachael Brown…from Derbytown.
What neighborhood do you live in?
Wilder Park
Do you have a website to share more about your work?
What does your work focus on?
Community Building and Organizing
Tell us about yourself!
Well, in my 35 years I’ve pretty much lived in the same are of Louisville. The South End. I grew up at 3rd Street and Central Ave., learning the hospitality of parking cars with my Nana during racing season at Churchill Downs (I may or may not have sold a hot dog or two, maybe three). I started my short athletic career started at Beechmont Youth Sports. I went to grade school at Most Blessed Sacrament and I graduated from Pleasure Ridge Park in 2006. I’ve been employed with UPS for 16 years. I also work at couple local restaurants; The Bambi Bar and The B. A. Colonial. In my free time, I enjoy just sitting still because that’s few and far between. Ha!
In 2018, I saw community cleanup opportunity for the Taylor/Berry neighborhood, so I volunteered. The whole experience brought me to a level of “what could I do to help my community be better”, someone introduced me Center For Neighborhoods and by that Fall in was enrolled the Neighborhood Institute. In 2019, I was a part of forming coalition “We Love Taylor Blvd” in standing up for community investment. I hosted an historical walking tour for the main event, showcasing some historical sites, businesses and buildings in the South End that still have meaning and purpose today.
I bought my first home in December of 2020. That was a major deal, not just because of the time or my first “big girl purchase” but because I’m a 3rd generation homeowner in a neighborhood my family has grown-up in. That’s something I’m pretty proud of. So, here I am back in Wilder Park!
What do you love about your neighborhood?
Before I purchased my home, my backyard of my rental house was literally the white fence that separated Churchill Downs on Central Avenue from the residential side of the South Louisville (G.G Moore) neighborhood. Every day it was construction, tourists and traffic. It was isolating. I remember the first Spring of moving back to Wilder Park; I heard the laughter of kids playing, a basketball being dribbled down the street towards the park, there was a lady at a corner house giving popsicles out as they passed by. There was music coming from yards and neighbors were cooking out. It was so refreshing to see life in a community again, it was almost unreal!
Now, really living here and seeing things as an adult I appreciate the beauty in it’s quaint design and history. We have a beautiful, grassy median that’s filled with varieties of trees and bushes; lined on each side with beautiful homes. I love that neighbors get together to sit on the porch and hang out. I love hearing the train creaking at night, and the sounds of the fireworks going off for UofL home games. Being walking distance to two Kroger’s is something you don’t find everywhere, it’s super convenient but I’m still partial to the little one. I love how it’s pot of different cultures but still the Southend in the same. I love how I can go to Wagner’s for breakfast and hit up the taco truck for dinner. I love how there’s a community association that’s organized by the people who actually live in my neighborhood and host community engagements. And aside from my own special, sentimental reasons, I love how people have stories about Wilder Park through generations, like the elders talking Watterson moving in, grandparents that worked for L&N railroad, the Central Avenue Derby Eve Parties and a lot of all the in-between. I love it!
How and why did you get involved in your community?
I’m not a fan of bugs, but the one I most can’t stand is a litter bug! I got involved with a community clean-up and met people/friends along the way and I’ve just rolled with wherever I could be of help. When I moved back to Wilder Park, I knew there was a Community Center. What I didn’t know was it was completely operated and owned by the members of the Wilder Park Neighborhood. I started going to some monthly meetings to get to know more neighbors. Finding out it is a non-profit organization that has been struggling since the Pandemic, I helped with a few fundraising projects; t-shirts, raffles, donations and other things to help cover a few bills and events.
The “why” part is what I’m unsure how to answer. Being apart of the Southend in a way is family. Somebody, knows Somebody, that grew up with Somebody and it was their best friends sister, or something like that and somehow your cousins, it’s connected, it’s hard to explain. Being connected means you look out for eachother. Everyone, even our neighbors go through things and being able to help them get the right tools or in touch with the right people sometimes can be lifesaving. So I guess my “why” is as corny as it sounds, I care about the people in my community.
What have you been working on recently in your neighborhood?
Recently, I’ve been helping with the Wilder Park back-to-school ice-cream social and ideas for funding the continuation of the Wilder Park Community Center, we have also been planning the 2 Day Better Block Party August 12th and 13th! I’m still in shock that WP was the recipient for The Center For Neighborhoods “Better Block Grant”. We are currently designing layouts and pop-ups at three locations in the neighborhood. We plan on highlighting our Veterans Memorial at the beginning of our historical, grassy median with a walk-path decorated with colorful art murals at each intersection and fun history facts about the neighborhood and the famous people who have lived here.
Outside of the WPCC, we plan to go back into time with a mock “Cozy Theater”, activities for the kids, art and more to come. Huston Quin Park, located on S. 1st St., will have food trucks, a small market for local vendors and a series of live, local bands. I’m getting anxiously, excited! This isn’t just for the Wilder Park Neighborhood, everyone from everywhere is invited!
What are your hopes for your neighborhood in the future?
My hopes for the Wilder Park Neighborhood is that generations to come will get to experience the good things that come from it. I hope that there’s new ways to implement funding and programs that are able to fit the need of this community.