News Updates
+ Showcase Your Business at WorldFest 2025
 Local food and craft vendors are invited to participate in the 23rd Annual WorldFest, Louisville’s premier international festival, taking place over Labor Day weekend. Attracting more than 150,000 attendees over four days, WorldFest offers an exceptional opportunity for local businesses to showcase their cuisine and crafts to a diverse and enthusiastic audience. The festival celebrates the many cultures that call Louisville home, featuring live entertainment on multiple stages, the vibrant Parade of Cultures, the Global Village, and more.
Food vendors will have the opportunity to bring their own cooking equipment—provided it meets health code requirements—and should be prepared for fast-paced service to accommodate the large crowds each day. WorldFest is free and open to all ages, making it one of the city’s most popular and inclusive events.
For more information or to express interest in participating, please contact Dorian at dorian@jwagnergroup.com.
+ Global Louisville Directory: Find Services in Your Language
 The Global Louisville Directory is a free, interactive tool designed to help our international community easily find services and resources available in their own languages.
It also highlights and promotes businesses owned by foreign-born residents, celebrating the vibrant diversity that enriches our city. With multilingual navigation options, this tool makes it easier than ever to connect with your community in the language you speak!
+ Safe Louisville – A Comprehensive Violence Reduction Plan
Every Louisvillian deserves to live free from violence and feel safe in their community. Violence is a complex issue that requires a comprehensive solution. It is intertwined with public health, public infrastructure, and the efficacy of the justice system.
It is not a problem that can be addressed with any one strategy alone. Instead, it demands a collaborative and multifaceted solution—it calls on us to invest in underserved communities, to empower communities to lead the charge for change, to reach out to at-risk youth and individuals, and to ensure that those who engage in violence are quickly apprehended and face serious consequences for their actions. And we all must work together.
+ Join us as a volunteer with the Office for Immigrant Affairs!
 Volunteers play a crucial role in supporting our events and programs. You’ll have the opportunity to:
Connect with Organizations and Businesses: Support partnerships across Louisville that uplift immigrants and refugees, and help strengthen our city’s diverse landscape.
Meet People from Around the Globe: Be a welcoming face and a bridge for our international neighbors as they integrate and thrive within our vibrant city.
Learn & Support: Gain hands-on experience working with organizations dedicated to empowering immigrants and helping them succeed.
+ Plan your Summer with the Cultural Pass
 The new Cultural Pass app is your Digital Passport to Creativity! Cultural Pass offers young people ages 0-21 and their families in the Greater Louisville area access to over 50 arts and cultural activities FREE from May 31 – August 10, 2025.
Register for updates and be the first to download the Cultural Pass app when it becomes available this spring!
+ FAFSA Completion Workshop Hosted by Evolve502
 On May 13 from 4 to 6 p.m., Evolve502, in partnership with the KentuckianaWorks College Access Center, will host a free FAFSA completion workshop at Sojourn Church Carlisle, located at 3548 Taylor Blvd. This drop-in event is open to students and families seeking assistance with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Representatives will be available to provide one-on-one support and share information about the Evolve502 Scholarship, available to eligible Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) seniors.
Pre-registration is strongly encouraged to ensure attendees bring the necessary documentation.
+ News You Can Use
+ Scholarships available to participate in Leadership Louisville Programs
 |
|
The Leadership Louisville Center has scholarship opportunities to support people interested in upcoming Focus Louisville classes held June 12-14 and September 18-20.
Learn more details about the classes and tuition support by visiting their website. You can also find more information for longer community leadership programs such as Ignite and Leadership Louisville.
|
Upcoming Events
Celebrating Community: Grand Opening of the Somali Community Center of Kentucky
 Everyone is warmly invited to attend the grand opening of the Somali Community Center of Kentucky on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 8:00 PM. The celebration will take place at Grand Lux Venues, 4205 Cane Run Road, Louisville, KY 40216.
This special event will celebrate the rich culture, traditions, and contributions of Louisville’s Somali community. Congratulations to the Somali Community Center of Kentucky on this exciting new chapter, one that will foster connection, support, and new opportunities for Somali families and the broader community.
+ Celebrate Culture and Community at Speed Art Museum’s Community Day
 The Speed Art Museum invites the public to experience a vibrant afternoon of cultural celebration at Community Day on Sunday, April 27, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. This free, family-friendly event will feature live performances, interactive art activities, and hands-on crafts that highlight the rich diversity and creativity that make Louisville a unique and welcoming city.
Admission is free and open to all ages. Join us at the Speed Art Museum and help celebrate the vibrant cultures that help Louisville thrive.
+ Racing Toward Impact: Winsday Supports Local Nonprofits
In partnership with the Community Foundation of Louisville, the inaugural Winsday event on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, will spotlight the essential work of local nonprofit organizations during Derby Week. By purchasing tickets through one of the 50 participating nonprofits—including Americana World Community Center, Backside Learning Center, Jewish Family and Career Services, LUCE, and the World Affairs Council—supporters will directly contribute to these organizations.
+ Uplifting Voices, Celebrating Contributions: The 2025 JFCS MOSAIC Awards
The JFCS MOSAIC Awards ceremony, honoring outstanding refugees and immigrants in Greater Louisville, is quickly approaching. This annual event will take place on May 15 and promises to be another inspiring evening celebrating the achievements and contributions of individuals who have enriched the local community.
Since 2006, the JFCS MOSAIC Awards have recognized 95 refugees, immigrants, and first-generation Americans from 47 different countries. These honorees have made Louisville their home and have played a significant role in strengthening the city and the Commonwealth of Kentucky through their leadership, service, and accomplishments.
Image of the Week
 Empowering Youth Leaders Through Connection and Community
This April, the International Youth Empowerment Program (IYEP) launched a dynamic series of weekly sessions designed to deepen participants' understanding of local government, leadership, and community resources.
Each student is paired with a dedicated mentor, meeting weekly to foster personal and professional growth. The program will culminate in a meaningful capstone project in collaboration with a local community agency.
IYEP is proud to empower youth in Louisville with the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to lead positive change in their communities. This program is modeled after the Office for Immigrant Affairs' Global Louisville Leadership Academy.
Policy Updates
+ Immigration Policy Tracker
The Immigration Policy Tracking project keeps up with federal agencies policy memos, executive action, and internal communication. Be sure to keep up with new communications here: Immigration Policy Tracking Project
+ Sign up to receive emergency alerts in your language
Sign up to receive emergency alerts on your cell phone!
Text "LENSAlert" to 67283
|
