VOCAL-KY

VOCAL-KY is a statewide grassroots movement that builds power among low-income Kentuckians who are directly impacted by HIV/AIDS, the war on drugs, mass incarceration, and homelessness, in order to create healthy and just communities. We fight for systemic change rooted in justice, compassion, and love. We accomplish this through community organizing, leadership development, advocacy, direct services, and direct action.

Our model of movement building draws inspiration from three traditions: traditional community-based organizing, direct-action AIDS activism, and Black-led social movements for racial justice.

We approach this work with a firm belief in reducing harm and ending stigma, the knowledge that the issues impacting our communities are driven by institutional oppression, not personal failings, and a deep commitment to being a member-led organization, with directly-impacted at the forefront of our strategic vision and grassroots advocacy campaigns.

Major Accomplishments

• Officially launched a drop-in and services hub in our 3,000-square-foot office located in a high need part of downtown Louisville, in January 2024. We open 3-days per week for 4-hours each day, and regularly serve 90 people daily, coordinating care and connecting them to trusted community partners for services and care.

• Supported our members and leaders in contributing to transformative victories across the state. We helped to decriminalize fentanyl test strips (HB 353), pass the HIV Is Not A Crime Bill (HB 349), pass HB 21 which provides state IDs for community members experiencing homelessness, pass the Family Preservation Act, offering a form of diversion, stipulating that caregiving responsibilities be taken into consideration at sentencing, and pass Yes In God's Backyard, making it easier for faith communities to build affordable housing on their properties.

• After calling for every dollar of opioid settlement funds to go toward housing, services and care, helped secure over $1 million in funds for key partners. We are leading an effort to educate residents about the process for state and local opioid settlement funds to be allocated and how residents can use their voices to call for money to be spent on harm reduction, services, care, and housing for people who have been directly impacted by the opioid crisis.
• Worked with local allies to release a Roadmap for Louisville Metro Government to End Overdose and Reverse the Harms of the War on Drugs in 2022, 2023, and 2024 to provide a path forward for the city. We also helped to develop a national Roadmap for Opioid Settlement Funds: Supporting Communities & Ending the Overdose Crisis, signed by over 130 organizations and featured in The New York Times.
• Held a series of powerful local events, a 2022 Mayoral Candidates forum, 3 major international overdose awareness days, a City Council Candidates forum for District 4 with over 120 attendees and 9 of 10 candidates participating, annual Juneteenth events celebrating the anniversary of our founding, and No More Drug War Town Halls in locations across Kentucky to educate community members and stakeholders on the failed drug war and the need for harm reduction solutions, including policy and budget advocacy to provide or facilitate services and care.