Code for Kentuckiana, a local brigade of Code for America, announced its launch today.
Code for Kentuckiana is the official Code for America Brigade for Louisville, Ky. Currently, there are 70+ Brigades across the United States, bringing together community organizers, developers, and designers to use technology to improve the lives of citizens. Code For Kentuckiana’s mission is to organize and advocate for the use of public data and technology to make Louisville and Southern Indiana a more safe, resilient, and equitable place. The first membership meeting is tentatively scheduled for March 9th with updated information to follow online at openkentuckiana.org
A representative for Code for America noted: “Code for America is very excited to have Code for Kentuckiana as part of the Code for America Network! We look forward to seeing the work they produce to help those in their communities thrive, and working with them on behalf of work going on across the country”
Grace Simrall, Louisville’s Chief of Civic Innovation and Technology, said: “When Mayor Greg Fischer created a position for the first Chief Innovation Officer in municipal government at the start of his first term in 2011, he envisioned that this role would co-create breakthrough innovations with the public. The addition of Code for Kentuckiana to the civic tech community is a welcome one and as a new chapter is written by this Code for America bridge, we greatly anticipate building on the legacy of work that has come before.”
Shameka Parrish-Wright, volunteer, The Bail Project, said: “The Bail Project is a not for profit revolving community bail fund. Our mission is to help those in need of our services and to dramatically decrease pretrial incarceration which is one of the feeders into mass incarceration. Our main objective is ensuring freedom should be free. We see Code for Kentuckiana as a community partner helping us to reach those impacted by cash bail, developing local data tools to address the racial & economic disparities in our justice system and inform the people of the need for real progressive bail reform.”
Ben Carter, Senior Litigation and Advocacy Counsel for Kentucky Equal Justice Center, shared: “Despite efforts to help people resolve common legal problems as easily and inexpensively as possible, the legal system is still difficult to navigate for busy, regular people. Technology won’t solve all the problems people face when getting a divorce, contesting a parking ticket, trying to get a deposit back, or finding help to stop an abusive debt collector. But: Code for Kentuckiana is a group of smart, thoughtful, and hard-working people asking good questions and listening to real people. I’m excited to work with them and see what is possible.”
Kehontas Rowe, Code for Kentuckiana Steering Committee Chair, shared: “I’m so excited to be a part of launching Code for America brigade serving Kentuckiana. I see this as an inclusive step in the right direction to increase civic and technical engagement across the region. We have a talented and dedicated steering committee that is equally excited to support our community in efforts to increase the availability and use of data for civic engagement. Looking forward to working with you all!
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