Strange Fruit

Derby Week is finally here! With it come fancy hats, random celebrity sightings, tardiness to work, and parties all night, every night. Derby events come in all shapes, sizes, and degrees of swankiness. This week, we learn about a two-part Thurby night party that's raising money for a cause dear to our own hearts. The Rainbows & Roses Soirée is a fundraiser for the LGBTQ+ Coalition of Louisville, the brainchild of artsits Josh Miller and Theo Edmonds, who join us this week to tell us more. The coalition came together just over a year ago, with members from Louisville Youth Group, Kentuckiana Pride Coalition, Trans Women National, and IDEAS xLab. They have an ambitious five-year plan to create an LGBTQ+ Community Center. Theo Edmonds says they wanted to focus on what people actually want and need before putting any bricks on the ground. "The important part of a community center is that first word: community," he says. Edmonds say they decided to spend a year assessing those needs, so they've held