2024 Community Scholars’ students [from left to right] Amy Le Ann Richardson, William “Randy” Shepherd, and Ashley Homrich learn the importance of flag dancing through participating in a presentation; Photo taken by Camille Maria Acosta (Folklife Specialist for the Kentucky Folklife Program) ~ Saturday May 11th, 2024

The Kentucky Folklife Program in partnership with the Southeast Kentucky African-American Museum & Cultural Center, the Kentucky Arts Council, and the Kentucky Folklife Digital Magazine hosted the first three installments of the 2024 Community Scholars Program; an educational platform for community members to learn about cultural ethnography.

On Saturday, April 13th, a group of eight individuals participated in the first session of the Community Scholars Program, a free educational outreach program originated by a multitude of arts organizations in the country. Working with a local partner, the program introduces participants to the techniques of documenting, interpreting and presenting their unique local cultural resources and traditional art forms, utilizing exhibits, festivals, blogs, and plenty of other research mediums. Through exploring the basics of folklife and ethnography, to learning about how your projects can come to fruition and aid communities, the Community Scholars Program has become a vital piece of the Kentucky folklife puzzle.

2024 Community Scholars’ student Darryl “Dee” Parker introduces himself at the very first Community Scholars Session in Hazard, Kentucky on April 13th, 2024; Photo taken by Camille Maria Acosta (Folklife Specialist for the Kentucky Folklife Program) ~ Saturday April 13th, 2024.

The Kentucky sector of the Community Scholars program was spearheaded by the KFP’s founder Bob Gates, and is now housed with the program on Western Kentucky University’s campus. Alongside Gates, Judy Sizemore, a force in the Folk & Traditional Arts communities here in Kentucky has been a facilitator of the program for years. She continues:

“To me, the community scholars program is an opportunity for reciprocal teaching and learning. Specialists from the KY Folklife Program share the tools of folklife scholarship: the ethics and logistics of oral history interviewing and archiving; critical analysis of primary resources; and interpretive techniques. The participants share their firsthand knowledge of the traditions of a folk group community. Together they consider how the scholarship tools might be applied to a project to interpret the traditions of the folk group communities of the participants.”

Judy Sizemore – Folk & Traditional Arts Freelance Consultant/ Co-Facilitator in the Community Scholar’s Program; May 2024

[from left to right] Brent Björkman, Community Scholars’ co-facilitator listens to William “Randy” Shepherd and Melanie Turner introduce themselves to the class; Photo taken by Camille Maria Acosta (Folklife Specialist for the Kentucky Folklife Program) ~ Saturday April 13th, 2024.

Any community members with a passion for cultural ethnography and folklife are encouraged to apply, and every year the graduating classes shine brighter and brighter. Former Community Scholar’s graduate Aaron Banther has truly bloomed in the world of cultural ethnography since advancing from the program. Banther states,

“The Community Scholars program has been a transformative journey, providing me with invaluable skills, knowledge, and a sense of belonging. It empowered me to grow as a person and make connections with genuine people while fostering a strong sense of community and support that I will carry with me throughout my lifetime.”

Aaron Banther – 2023 Community Scholars Graduate; May 2024

2023 Community Scholars’ graduate Aaron Banther presents his ethnographic research on Farristown at the 2024 Kentucky Crafted Market in Lexington, Kentucky; Photo taken by Camille Maria Acosta (Folklife Specialist for the Kentucky Folklife Program) ~ Saturday May 9th, 2024.

This year’s cohort consists of a powerhouse group of eight artists across the state of Kentucky:

• Brenda Bear
• Ashley Homrich
• Emily Jones Hudson
• Sandra Jones
• Darryl “Dee” Parker
• Amy Le Ann Richardson
• William “Randy” Shepherd
• Melanie Turner

2024 Community Scholar Ashley Homrich has fun during the flag demonstration during the 3rd Community Scholars’ session in Hazard, Kentucky; Photo taken by Camille Maria Acosta (Folklife Specialist for the Kentucky Folklife Program) ~ Saturday May 11th, 2024.

So far, this group of future Community Scholars has been nothing short of passionate, creative, and incredibly inspirational in working toward giving back to their communities. From individuals determined to document the Oral Histories of BIPOC populations in their neighborhoods, to farmers crafting projects around sustaining the Earth’s resources in their hometowns, it is clear that the 2024 graduating class will set a high bar. Brenda Bear, a future Community Scholar in this year’s program expressed,

“Being chosen as a community scholar has not only been an honor; it’s a chance to delve deeper into the people and history of my community.”.

Brenda Bear – Current 2024 Community Scholar; May 2024

Another student in this cohort is the Founder and Executive Director of a major partner for this year’s program. Emily Jones Hudson, the Director of the Southeast Kentucky African-American Museum & Cultural Center took it upon herself to enroll in this year’s class alongside helping each session prosper within the Hazard community. This organization prides itself in highlighting and sharing the stories of African-Americans in Eastern Kentucky for years to come; documenting the voices often overlooked in history books. Excited to continue her work in the program, Hudson mentions:

“For me, the Community Scholars program is like a gigantic flood light shining on the work I’ve already done but providing a name for it. I look forward to ingesting and wrapping my thoughts around what folklore is and what it means to be a folklorist. And I’m loving the toolbox I am assembling!”

Emily Jones Hudson – Founder & Director of the Southeast Kentucky African-American Museum & Cultural Center/ Current 2024 Community Scholar; May 2024

For the 2024 Community Scholars Program, the KFP was fortunate enough to receive funding from South Arts, a nonprofit regional arts organization from Atlanta, Georgia empowering artists, organizations, and communities, and increasing access to arts and culture to make the sessions come to fruition. The Kentucky Folklife Program was also privileged to collaborate with the Kentucky Arts Council and the Kentucky Folklife Digital Magazine to keep the program engaging and accessible to as many community members as possible. Mark, Folk & Traditional Arts Director of the Kentucky Arts Council has also been a proud organizer for a majority of the Kentucky Community Scholars Programs. While his work has been vital in the continuation of the program, his unwavering belief in the students has made this program thrive. He elaborates:

“I think the work of a Community Scholar and their connections with the network of other Scholars can be lifelong and life-changing. I’ve seen new friendships and collaborations develop that have lasted for years. With some practice of tried-and-true folklore fieldwork research and presentation, a Community Scholar can deepen experiences and interactions within their own communities and beyond.”

Mark Brown – Kentucky Arts Council Folk & Traditional Arts Director/ Co-Facilitator of the Community Scholars Program; May 2024

2024 Community Scholar Sandra Jones waves her flag high as she joins the class during the flag demonstration in Session 3 of the program; Photo taken by Camille Maria Acosta (Folklife Specialist for the Kentucky Folklife Program) ~ Saturday May 11th, 2024.

The Kentucky Folklife Digital Magazine is also making an appearance this year, as Editor-in-Chief Delainey Bowers is the head facilitator for the program. A fantastic folklorist and ethnographic writer, Bowers brings a piece of her work to the table each and every session; reminding the students that they can achieve anything they set their minds to. With Bowers’ unique position as an Editor, she is able to communicate the importance of one’s words and how to properly transmit them through an ethnographic medium. Bowers continues:

“As a facilitator for this round of Community Scholars, I’ve been impressed by the level of commitment our scholars have shown towards celebrating the traditions and legacies that make their communities so treasured. Their dedication to uplifting local voices, uncovering compelling narratives, and sharing their research with larger audiences should be commended. I consider myself immensely fortunate to collaborate with knowledgeable and passionate Kentuckians, and I look forward to bringing the Community Scholars Program to more regions throughout the Commonwealth.”

Delainey Bowers – Kentucky Folklife Digital Magazine Editor-in-Chief/ Head Facilitator of the Community Scholars Program

Head facilitator of the 2024 Community Scholars’ Program Delainey Bowers teaches the very first class of 2024 in the Arts Alliance in Hazard, Kentucky; Photo taken by Camille Maria Acosta (Folklife Specialist for the Kentucky Folklife Program) ~ Saturday April 13th, 2024.

The Kentucky Folklife Program is thrilled to participate in the final three installments of the 2024 program, and is even more ecstatic to witness the blossoming of the 2024 cohort as they make their dreams a reality. 

2023 Community Scholars’ student Kyra Higgins leads a flag demonstration for the current cohort of Community Scholars, highlighting the importance of diversity, accessibility, and inclusion within the Folk & Traditional Arts; Photo taken by Camille Maria Acosta (Folklife Specialist for the Kentucky Folklife Program) ~ Saturday May 11th, 2024.

South Arts

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, South Arts is a nonprofit regional arts organization empowering artists, organizations, and communities, and increasing access to arts and culture. 

The Southeast Kentucky African-American Museum & Cultural Center

The Southeast Kentucky African-American Museum & Cultural Center is a new African-American museum and cultural center located in Hazard, Kentucky, the goal of which includes highlighting and sharing the stories of African-Americans in Eastern Kentucky for years to come. The purpose of the Southeast Kentucky African-American Museum & Cultural Center is to Document, Promote, Protect, Explore, Recover, and Preserve the rich history of African-Americans in Southeast Kentucky.

The Kentucky Arts Council

The mission of the Kentucky Arts Council is to foster environments for the people of Kentucky to value, participate in, and benefit from the arts. The work of the Kentucky Arts Council is focused in five thematic areas: 

Vibrant Communities

Creative Industry

Creativity and Innovation

Entrepreneurship

Showcasing the Arts

The Kentucky Folklife Program

Established in 1989, the Kentucky Folklife Program (KFP) is the Commonwealth’s statewide public folklife program, with the mission to document, present, and conserve the diverse traditional cultures and heritage of Kentucky. In 2012, the KFP moved from Frankfort to the Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology at WKU.

For more information, contact KFP director Brent Bjorkman:

(270) 745-6261, brent.bjorkman@wku.edu or

KFP Folklife Specialist Camille Maria Acosta: 

(270) 745-4133, camille.acosta@wku.edu. 

Western Kentucky University

Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.