A Call To Vote: Let Your Voice Be Heard!

Crowd at voting rally holding signs reading “YOUR VOTE MATTERS,” “VOTING IS POWER,” and “EVERY VOTE COUNTS.”

A Statement from the Office of the Moderator
General Association of Baptists in Kentucky (GABKY)

As we approach the November 3, 2026, General Election, I encourage every eligible member of the General Association of Baptists in Kentucky, and every citizen across our Commonwealth, to exercise their sacred responsibility and constitutional right to vote.

Our history reminds us that the right to vote was not freely extended to everyone. It was secured through sacrifice, struggle, courage, and determination. We honor those who came before us not simply by remembering their sacrifices, but by exercising the rights for which they fought.

We are aware of the plans of the United States Department of Justice to send election officials to monitor voting activities in Louisville and Lexington. While the presence of federal officials may raise questions or concerns, we encourage every voter not to be intimidated, discouraged, or deterred from casting their ballot. May we be emboldened by our rich history of men and women who overcame various and vicious forms of voter suppression during their day to secure and exercise their right to vote.

Your vote is your voice, and your voice matters!

As people of faith, we believe that civic engagement is one way we demonstrate our commitment to justice, equality, and the well-being of our communities. We must never allow fear, uncertainty, or intimidation to silence our voices or diminish our participation in the democratic process.

I urge our pastors and churches throughout Kentucky to encourage their congregations and communities to vote, to remain informed, and to stand firm in protecting the dignity and rights of every eligible voter.

Do not be intimidated. Do not be discouraged. Do not be silent. GO VOTE!

May we remember the words of the prophet Micah: “What does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8)

Rev. Dr. Nathl L. Moore
Moderator
General Association of Baptists in Kentucky

The City of Louisville prepares for a remembrance ceremony marking one year since the UPS plane crash

By Sherlene Shanklin

I covered the accident for many days after the plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Louisville, Kentucky on November 4, 2025.

UPS plane crash site in Louisville, KY one year later. Courtesy: Sherlene Shanklin. #sherlenesstory

I had never visited the crash site until this week. Getting out of the truck and stepping onto the property literally took my breathe away. To see remnants from the crash and trying to visualize what used to be there.

I was there as our news team prepares for the remembrance program being held at the site around the time the plane crashed on that very day.

I wrote down 5:14pm. That was the time I heard emergency personnel being dispatched to Grade Lane.

I was sending news teams to a report of an explosion. Going into the unknown is the hardest part of the job. You prepare for everything until you can figure out what it was. Between sources, state and local officials and people in the area helped us determine fairly quickly it was a plane.

Over the next few days I will share photos and videos of what I saw while at the site.

Follow me on my social media platforms and THEVIPPREPORT.COM.

#Remembering the 15 people who died both in the air and on the ground  when a UPS plane crashed in this area. Look at all of the stuff still at the #crash site. #Louisville November 4, 2025 #sherlenesstory

Touring the UPS plane crash site in Louisville as they approach one year

By Sherlene Shanklin

Ahead of next week’s #remembrance #ceremony I went to the #planecrash site that killed 15 people on November 4, 2025. Seeing it in person took my breathe away. Over the next few days I will #share with you some of the things I #witnessed. #sherlenesstory #WHAS11 @highlight Sherlene Shanklin Sherlene Shanklin

JAY-Z will perform at the Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium in LA

By Sherlene Shanklin

So, its official! In a news release tonight, Apple Music, the NFL and Roc Nation announce that JAŸ-Z will perform at the Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. on Sunday, February 14, 2027, airing on ESPN, ABC and Disney+.

Apple music’s leadership says “JAŸ-Z’s impact on global music culture is as profound as it is undeniable,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s Vice President of Music and International Content. “We’ve had the privilege of working closely with him these last few years to bring some of the world’s most exciting and prolific artists to the Super Bowl Halftime Show stage and we are so thrilled that he will be taking that stage himself this year. We know it’s going to be an incredible show.”

The Apple Music Super Bowl LXI Halftime Show telecast will be executive produced by Roc Nation. Hamish Hamilton will serve as director. Roc Nation also serves as the strategic entertainment advisor of the live performance.

JAŸ-Z 30, a year-long celebration of the 30th anniversary of JAŸ-Z’s seminal debut album Reasonable Doubt will combine Valentine’s Day and Super Bowl Sunday into the love of hip-hop meets the NFL for what’s being called a performance for the ages.

In 1912, Lincoln Institute was named to honor the 16th U.S. President & Kentucky native Abraham Lincoln.  Founders recognized that Kentucky had no educational institution named in his honor.  #abrahamlincoln #lincolninstitute #preservinghistory

Celebrating Lincoln Institute during the month of October and its rich history

Inspired by Lincoln Institute’s historic mission, Lincoln Foundation carries forward the commitment to educational opportunity, leadership development,and community impact!

Jubilation! A Celebration of Kentucky’s African American Heritage Returns with Expanded Cultural Programming

Official News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LOUISVILLE, KY – Jubilation! Kentucky’s premier celebration of African American heritage, history, culture, and community, continues its tradition of honoring the rich contributions of African Americans through dynamic educational, artistic, and cultural experiences. This year’s programming will feature a special collaborative presentation, “Tracing the Sacred Journey of African Music,” highlighting the enduring influence of gospel music on American culture.

Presented by the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage in collaboration with the Simmons College of Kentucky Music Department, the educational listening room experience will feature “A Joy That Would Not Be Silenced: The Rise and Power of Gospel Music,” facilitated by acclaimed Louisville gospel artist, songwriter, producer, and choir leader Jason Clayborn.

The presentation will explore gospel music’s evolution from its roots in African spiritual traditions and the Great Migration to its impact on churches, concert stages, radio broadcasts, and international audiences. Participants will gain deeper insight into how gospel music became both a profound expression of faith and a catalyst for cultural and social change.

“Jubilation! has always served as a powerful platform to celebrate the stories, traditions, and achievements that have shaped Kentucky and the nation,” said Aukram Burton, Executive Director for the Heritage Center. “Programs like this offer audiences an opportunity to connect with the sacred and cultural roots of African American music while honoring its continuing influence on communities around the world.”

Jason Clayborn’s distinguished career spans decades of musical excellence. A nationally recognized gospel artist, Clayborn has toured throughout the United States, Europe, and Africa and has songwriting credits recorded by renowned artists including Hezekiah Walker, VaShawn Mitchell, Ricky Dillard, and Wess Morgan. His award-winning song “Better” topped Billboard’s Gospel chart and earned recognition from the Grammy Awards, Stellar Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Soul Train Awards, and Dove Awards.
Event Details
Tracing the Sacred Journey of African Music
Featuring: A Joy That Would Not Be Silenced: The Rise and Power of Gospel Music
Facilitator: Jason Clayborn
Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
Time: 1:00 PM
Admission: FREE but due to space constraints you need to register at KCAAH.ORG
Location: Kentucky Center for African American Heritage
1701 West Muhammad Ali Boulevard
Louisville, Kentucky

For additional information, visit KCAAH.org.

Media Contact
VIPP Communications
Email: jubilationkcaah@vippcommunications.com

About the exhibit: Jubilation! Ambassadors on a Sacred Journey, the traveling exhibition celebrating the Fisk Jubilee Singers, is open at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage and run through Sunday, February 28, 2027.

The Louisville Black Chef Showcase will give culinary favorites a little ‘soul’ at this event

By Sherlene Shanklin

The air inside the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center will be heady, with an ammonia of a complex bouquet of woodsmoke, caramelizing sugars, and the sharp sense of soul in every bite. I’m referring to the 4th Annual Louisville Black Chef Showcase. On Sunday, November 8 from 3 pm to 6pm the Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Complex will transform into an interactive culinary experience. Over thirty local chefs stood at their respective stations, putting the final, meticulous touches on dishes that bridged generations of culture.

This is where creativity, celebration of community, customs will meet all on display waiting to be sampled. Every bite was a testament to the immense skill thriving right within the local community. The dishes will come with some traditional soul food dishes to an unique twist with bold flavors of dishes you would of never tried until that day. It will be a fusion

The Louisville Black Chef Showcase gives area chefs and opportunity to shine as the community offered a meaningful opportunity supports them and applaud their delectable dishes as the warm hearts and fill empty stomachs.

Event Details & Tickets

  • What: The Fourth Annual Louisville Black Chef Showcase
  • Where: Norton Healthcare Sports & Learning Center, 3029 West Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Louisville, KY 40212
  • When: Sunday, November 8, from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM
  • Tickets: Secure your general admission or look for updates on their official Eventbrite page.

The VIPP Report is a digital news and media column created by an Emmy Award-winning journalist that covers news, community affairs, entertainment, sports and major regional events across Kentucky, Indiana and cities across the Midwest. For story submission and/or to advertise contact us at thevippreport at vippcommunications dot com.

Beloved Sports Information Director Kenny Klein will be honored posthumously at a UofL game with a banner

Kenny Klein photo courtesy University of Louisville Basketball

The University of Louisville announced today that they will raise a banner in honor of longtime UofL administrator Kenny Klein.  The ceremony will take place on Saturday, January 2nd at the Cardinals’ home game against Stanford.

Klein will join several basketball legends in the rafters including Louisville’s six retired numbers No. 2 Russ Smith, No. 8 Charlie Tyra, No. 10 Junior Bridgeman, No. 31 Wes Unseld, No. 35 Darrell Griffith, and No. 42 Pervis Ellison; and three of UofL’s head coaches in Denny Crum, John Dromo and Bernard “Peck” Hickman.

Klein joined the Cardinals’ staff in July of 1983. His storied career spanned more than 40 years, served as UofL’s Sports Information Director from 1983 until his retirement in 2022.

If you knew Klein, you know he worked tirelessly behind the scenes and earned the reputation as one of the most well-known and respected communications leaders in collegiate athletics.

Vice President/Director of Athletics Josh Heird says, “Kenny Klein dedicated his career to telling the stories of Louisville’s greatest moments and the people who made them possible. He never sought the spotlight or recognition for himself, but there is no question that Kenny profoundly shaped the history and tradition of Louisville Basketball as we know it. Heird goes on to say “His loyalty, humility and love for this university were unmatched, and the relationships he built and lives he touched extend far beyond the basketball court. There is something incredibly special about knowing that a man who spent more than four decades celebrating Louisville’s legends will now take his rightful place among them.”

Following his retirement, Klein continued to work as a consultant with the Cardinals’ men’s basketball program during the 2022-23 season. After a year of retirement, Klein returned to action, rejoining former Louisville men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino as a special advisor for St. John’s men’s basketball program from 2024-26.

Klein has worked alongside Hall of Fame Louisville basketball coaches Denny Crum and Rick Pitino.

Klein coordinated the computerized statistics operation for 40 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Fours.

He served as the media coordinator for the 1987 USA Pan American Games men’s basketball team, has served on the NCAA Final Four media coordination committee and annually assisted in media operations for the Kentucky Derby.

So, again on January 2, 2027, Klein will be remembered with his own banner hanging from the raptures of the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

The VIPP Report is a media column and news platform created by an Emmy Award-winning multi-skilled journalist and public relations executive.

Lincoln Institute: A Legacy Rooted in Learning and the Land

Lincoln Institute was self-sufficient with a working farm that raised hogs, dairy cows, produced vegetables, and supported four ponds stocked with fish. Today, 160 acres are still used for agriculture.

For over 50 years, Lincoln Institute served students from across Kentucky, as one of the Commonwealth’s most influential African American educational institutions. Its graduates went on to become educators, ministers, professionals, civic leaders, and change makers. #Leadership #BlackHistory #LincolnInstitute #LegacyOfExcellence #preservinghistory

Shawnee Park: Hayride in the Park

The Olmstead Parks Conservancy and the Louisville Parks and Recreation are hosting a pop-up fall festival. They are calling it ‘Hayride in the Park’. It will take place on Sunday, October 25 from 2-5p in Shawnee Park, located at 4501 W. Broadway. The event will be held in the pavilion. There will be face painting, children’s activities, some food trucks and entertainment. The loop of the park will be closed to vehicles so families can run around freely in the area while enjoying the festival. The event is free and open to the public.

Eckstein Norton University, founded in 1890 in Bullitt County, Kentucky, was one of the state’s earliest educational institutions dedicated to African American students. Founded by Rev. William J. Simmons and Rev. Charles H. Parrish, the school provided both academic and vocational training at a time when educational opportunities for Black Kentuckians were severely limited. #BlackHistory #KentuckyHistory #EducationMatters #EcksteinNortonUniversity #preservinghistory

The Whitney M. Young Scholars Program is named in honor of Whitney M. Young, Sr., the first black president of Lincoln Institute, and Whitney M. Young, Jr., a Lincoln Institute Valedictorian, and former Executive Director of the National Urban League #LincolnInstitute #lincolnfoundation #education #wysp