One year ends, another begins – it’s the time of reflection, celebration, and resolution! We’re all remembering the accomplishments of the year (professional and personal!) and setting our goals for the New Year. But! Before we can aspire, we must first be inspired. So, to remind us all of what’s possible and of how incredible our Louisville community is, we’re showcasing one of our recent “Neighbor of the Month” spotlights, Taylor Ryan.
Taylor is an active community member in Louisville, committed to organizing her neighbors, educating, and advocating for equality; on top of being a great neighbor, she’s also a mother to her young son, Jordan. After obtaining her master’s degree from Marshall University, Taylor returned to Louisville to work in and grow her home community. A part of Play Cousins Collective, Taylor serves as the home-school program administrator, among her work with other Play Cousins programs. Taylor recently graduated from our Neighborhood Institute, and can add the knowledge gained and insights gathered from that experience to her already strong skill set, as she works to serve her community and expand her network. Her goal is to bring in black-owned businesses to provide fresh food, juices, and holistic products to the Algonquin Neighborhood. She was able to obtain a Neighborhood Institute micro-grant of $500 to support her project.
In addition, Taylor has founded a nonprofit called Change Today, Change Tomorrow (CTCT) that centers on the needs of the African American community through education and community service. CTCT provides access to resources, education, and community engagement to all African Americans in the Greater Louisville area. Since she began Change Today, Change Tomorrow, Taylor has helped almost 40 Kentucky teachers with education initiatives, hosted the Kentucky National Period Day Rally, donated over 30 period packs to UP for Women & Children here in Louisville, mapped over 50 black-owned restaurants with the Center for Neighborhoods, hosted a World AIDS Day event in partnership with Louisville Metro Public Health & Wellness and Play Cousins Collective at Lyles Mall, and is currently hosting a blanket drive for the homeless.
We honor Taylor today and thank her for her continuing efforts to be a great neighbor!
Our “Neighbor of the Month” spotlight is a way for Louisville neighbors to spread the word about the good work being done in the community and who is doing it. We all have gifts to share, and we all have our own special ways of giving and participating. You don’t have to be famous around town to be a good neighbor; some of the best neighbors are this city’s best kept secrets!
Do you know someone who deserves a spotlight? If you would like to nominate a neighbor to be a “Neighbor of the Month,” email Ryane Puckett: ryanep@centerforneighborhoods.org. (Please include their name, neighborhood, and your reasons for why they should be Neighbor of the month.)
GO BE NEIGHBORS!