Career
Crystal Wilkinson, A Voice to be Heard
“I see myself as a role model, or at least a symbol for young women across the state, particularly young women of color in thinking about what they want to do in terms of writing but also anything they want to do. I hope there’ll be some young women motivated by...
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Bringing Derby to Life Through Innovation
Kristin Warfield Vice President of Partnerships, Churchill Downs Kristin Warfield and her team are putting the spotlight on Churchill Downs through developing corporate partnerships that will elevate the racetrack’s brand. Her team also oversees the Kentucky Derby...
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Bringing Derby to Life Through Entertainment
Lisa Higgins, owner Mint Julep Experiences Now is a great time to treat yourself to a Derby adventure. Lisa Higgins, owner of Mint Julep Experiences, specializes in coordinating bourbon distillery tours, horse farm tours and food tours. The company, which started...
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An Inspiration for Every Story of Strength: Shannon Sullivan
“You have to listen to the cheerleaders and encouragers. You have to have thick skin,” Shannon Sullivan says. Shannon Sullivan worked as a forensic chemist for the Kentucky State Police, but when she collaborated on a case with an agent from the Bureau of...
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An Inspiration for Every Story of Strength: Samantha Perkins
“After I’d completed what I thought was going to bring me everlasting bliss, I discovered that I wasn’t really feeling that great,” Samantha Perkins says. Samantha Perkins is not the only woman alive who has been underwhelmed by adulthood. “I had done all the...
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An Inspiration for Every Story of Strength: Dolly Lopez
“When someone in your industry says ‘no’ to you, it is not a sign of failure; it is a chance to prove them wrong,” Dolly Lopez says. Life doesn’t feel easy for most preteens, but a preteen who moves from Cuba to the United States and leaves behind her mom, sisters,...
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Artisan Courtney: Beautiful Tastes
“...I took an aptitude test, and it said I should be a mechanic or carpenter. Now I get it. I make things," says Courtney Yopp Norris. From the palette to the palate, Courtney Yopp Norris’ creations are multi-sensory. Not only is her art appealing to the eye, it...
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Artisan Tammie: Energetic Art
“I don’t usually have a plan when I begin a piece, I just know color and use color as expression,” says Tammie Demessie. Tammie Demessie hadn’t painted for 21 years when her sister asked for a favor. She wanted an original painting as a gift, but what Tammie didn’t...
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Artisan Cathy: The Details of Nature
“I look for little things . . . like a fern uncurling its fronds in the sun,” says Cathy Hillegas. There is magic in Cathy Hillegas’ trees. A play of light and shadows gives a sycamore divinity. In her painting “Rise Up,” the vantage point from the lowly ground makes...
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Artisan Faith: A Grape Adventure
“When you create, all the hard work is worth it in the end,” says Faith Hatcher. Meet Faith Hatcher, winemaker and champion of women. Faith’s path to the artisan craft of winemaking began in college where she studied biology and chemistry, prerequisites for her...
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Artisan Sravya: Drawing a New Life
“I keep getting inspired. I want to reach as many people as I can,” says Sravya Manohar. Don’t be fooled. Watching one of Sravya Manohar’s time-lapse drawing videos may give you the overzealous notion that if you pick up a graphic pencil, you may be able to draw...
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It’s Been My Lifeline: I Am Extremely Stubborn
“Physical fitness has been a savior for my mental health while enduring these continuous debilitating legal attacks over the past several years. The only thing I had left to fight for was my mind and health,” says Lori Cheek of Cheekd. Taylorsville, Kentucky, native...
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