Laura Ellis

Jaison Gardner describes ballroom shows as "akin to fashion shows, akin to a talent shows," and says they started with LGBTQ people of color, mostly gay men and transgender women, in 1970s and 80s Harlem.

Gardner was one the founders of our local ballroom community—but if you haven't heard of it, he's not surprised. "The ballroom scene has historically been an underground scene," he explains, "much like hip-hop was back in its early days."

Tiff Gonzales is a fourth-generation Mexican American, native to Texas, who identifies as queer both in gender identity and sexual orientation.

Tiff moved to Louisville five and a half years ago. She says when we talk about race in Louisville, we're generally only talking about black and white. Latino issues are rarely part of the conversation, and when they are, it often only includes immigrants. "There's so much that draws me to this city," she says, "but that invisibility is something that I, on a regular basis, would struggle with to determine whether or not I can continue to live here."

Maurice "Bojangles" Blanchard was born in Promised Land, South Carolina, the son of a Southern Baptist Minister, and says, "I grew up in church as much as I was in home." He was given his nickname at the age of three, when his grandfather noticed his ability to replicate any dance move he saw.

When he came out as a gay man, he experienced rejection from the church. "I was angry at God," he says. After struggling to reconcile his faith with his sexual orientation, he says he came to the conclusion that, "I was created like this, so I can't believe in a God who would create me bound to hell, as they're telling me I am." 

When asked to describe herself, Diane Moten says: "I’m just a simple person. I work with the homeless. I’m a part time nanny. I like to bike, I like to run and walk. Actually, I’m also a minister. The church ordained me last year. I say that in some situations to be helpful to folks when I do jail visits or hospital visits. I’m a pretty outgoing person, and I’m the type of person, if you’re willing to ask me a question, I’ll answer any question anyone wants me to answer."

Years before the city of Louisville offered legal protections to residents based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, Diane Moten was working at a daycare center when coworker asked her if she was a lesbian. She answered yes, and was fired within a week; her employer said she could no longer be trusted around children.

Walter W. Walker II has lived in Louisville since his family moved here in 1986. Here's how he describes himself:

Honestly, I would say I'm Walter. I think that everyone is different, everyone has their own identity, everyone's unique, and I think that I'm a unique person. I do consider myself an African American, a Christian, a Presbyterian, and also a gay man. When you put yourself in these boxes and you start labeling, you know, being African American you're going to experience the African-American experience. Being gay, you're going to experience the gay experience.

When I was younger, before I did come out, I was living in those boxes. So as I matured, as I got older, as I got comfortable with myself and started loving myself for who I am, I've kind of stepped away from those categories. And that's the reason why I say, I'm just Walter.

Each of the Triple Crown events—the Kentucky Derby, Maryland’s Preakness and the Belmont Stakes in New York—is run on a dirt track. Some in the horse racing industry want to end that tradition and lay down potentially-safer synthetic tracks. But with grandstands increasingly empty, critics say track owners are putting profits over safety. As part of our "Track Tech" series, WEKU’s Matt Laslo looks at the future of track material technology.

“Track Tech” is a collaboration between WEKU, Louisville Public Media, and N-P-R’s Innovation Trail.

Attendance at horse racing tracks has declined, and many blame the availability of online betting. Why deal with parking, unpredictable weather, and expensive concession stand food when all you care about is handicapping the race and winning money? As part of our "Track Tech" series, Ryan Delaney examines the implications of changing gambling laws in New York, home of the Belmont Stakes.

 "Track Tech" is part of a collaboration between WEKU, Louisville Public Media, and NPR’s Innovation Trail.