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IMPACT: The 9th Street Divide, West Louisville's whole story

It is our responsibility to tell the whole story.

The 9th Street Divide

It is our responsibility to tell the whole story.

That's why WHAS11 is going a step further and a step deeper to show you all sides of West Louisville.

Renee Murphy, Jonathan Wahl, Sherlene Shanklin, CJ Daniels and EZ Bluegrass have been working on a project we are calling Impact: The 9th Street Divide.

“There is so much good that's happening and that good, that's what we want to show,” Murphy said.

West Louisville is rich in history and full of potential.

“I grew up in the West End and I have been in the media almost 30 years and it’s very hard to hear some of the things that people say,” 411 reporter and assignment editor Sherlene Shanklin said.

As we spent time in the area west of 9th Street we realized the stories of many of the people were different than the stories we were sharing on the news.

“This is just not right that everyone assumes if everyone who lives in West Louisville is a thug. So, that's when I was like, if we are going to talk about crime in West Louisville, we have to also let people know that’s not the entire story,” Wahl said

“My wife and I lived in White suburbia in Missouri so when we were looking to try something different, something that would have us step outside our comfort zone.”

And Wahl did. He and his wife are raising their family in the far West End.

“We had to be very specific talking to a realtor and say you realize we are looking in the West End and find someone who is willing to come over and look at homes,” Wahl said.

WHAS gathered a team of reporters and West Louisville residents at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage at 18th and Muhammad Ali

“There are phenomenal people doing great things in West Louisville,” Shanklin said.

“That's what we want to address, what really happens here and address that stigma,” Murphy said.

We want to show you a community in our city you've maybe never been to.

“People will continue to have that perception but until you have come down to see us and experience our culture what do you have to say about this end of town,” web producer Christopher Daniels said.

“I think people just need to get rid of that 9th street divide,” Wahl said.

IMPACT: The 9th Street Divide

PART 1: PERCEPTION
PART 2: HOW DID WE GET HERE
PART 3: JONATHAN'S STORY
PART 4: ECONOMY
PART 5: UNSUNG HEROES

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