A new documentary set to debut later this month will focus on the history of Black communities in Lexington.
The film is called “Lexington: Resilience in the Redline” and is being presented by the Black Yarn organization.
Their goal is to shine a light on systemic harms, foster equity, and connect Black experiences with those of all Americans through storytelling, research & collaboration.
Redlining is an illegal practice that is defined as a discriminatory lending practice where financial institutions deny or limit services to residents of specific neighborhoods, often based on racial or ethnic composition.
Regina Lewis is a doctoral candidate at the University of Kentucky Martin School of Public Policy and Administration. As part of her research, she serves as the lead data scientist for Black Yarn.
In an interview with Eastern Standard, she said redlining doesn't happen like it used to, but the impact is still present.
“We also see differences in poverty rate, the racial makeup of a community, as well as the value of your home. So this Georgetown Street community and this Ashland Park community, they've been residential areas for a long time, but the average home value in the Ashland Park community is just over half a million dollars, whereas the average home value in the Georgetown Street community is actually under a hundred thousand dollars,” she said.
Lewis said these communities are only five miles away from each other.
Kristen LaRue is a Realtor in Lexington and worked on this project. She explained some of what people can expect to learn from the film.
“You'll learn a lot about hamlets, Black enclaves, historically Black neighborhoods, and how they developed. You'll also learn some of the impacts of entrepreneurship in the Black community and how that has really grounded the Lexington community, but it's really been unspoken about. You'll also see the diversity within our community and how it supports itself,” LaRue said.
The documentary is set to premiere on August 23rd at the Lyric Theater in Lexington.
To hear more about the documentary “Lexington: Resilience in the Redline” listen to Eastern Standard later today on WEKU.
