ShamekaParrishWright

Good morning, Louisville. My phone died last night, so I couldn’t call to congratulate those who won or offer well wishes to those whose races didn’t go their way. I wish them all well. I woke up concerned, inspired, and with a house full of kids. :-)

Just because #TeamShameka didn’t get the outcome we wanted doesn’t mean Louisville no longer needs a fighter. The people deserve one. Greenberg’s victory doesn’t mean the work is over. We must make sure Louisville gets everything it deserves during his second term.
The concerns that drove my campaign about the mayors favoritism, nepotism, lack of equity and inclusion, corruption, and ethics violations just don’t disappear because of last night’s outcome. Organizers must keep strategizing and protecting what we have. If we don’t stay alert, all of us could be sold down the river. Many voters are still trying to understand the differences between corporations, DINOs, and other entities. But what Louisville needs hasn’t changed.

Some of you have told me you don’t trust the election results. I encourage you to get involved in polling and precinct work and help strengthen our elections.

I’m grateful for this valiant fight you helped me make. Thank you to every volunteer and everyone who worked on the team. We outperformed in many precincts where I fell short in the primary. This wasn’t a small challenge, y’all, we were a real challenge to the status quo.
I’m thankful to keep serving as your councilwoman through the end of the year. I’m grateful for my courage, faith, and hope and especially for the people power you ALL brought to this campaign. I’m thankful for my family, who loves me and has stood beside me every step of the way.

Today, I get to celebrate my mother’s 69th birthday and visit my fifth grandchild. I’m grateful for this time with family and for the support that helped us pay our bills and nearly all our campaign vendors.
I ran with dignity, faith, and love. I’m thankful to continue doing social justice work and serving the people of Louisville. #wedeservebetter #WeGetThereTogether

Throwback Thursday brought a little extra shine to council tonight: I finally wore my grills!

Last year, my husband and I drove to Atlanta and got grills. It was my first time ever wearing them. When I was a teenager, my father wouldn’t let me get permanent ones. He had one with an “S” or dollar sign on it, and he’d tell me they could ruin my teeth: “You don’t want to mess up your smile.” I always remembered that.

As I wind down my term, I’d said I was going to wear my grills to Council. Then I saw the Birmingham mayor wearing his “Go Vote” grills and thought that was such a unique, Southern-style way to make a statement. My husband loves his grills, and he’s from Miami, Florida, so you know how that goes!
Tonight, I took a picture with the Council page from C3, who was here courtesy of Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins. He asked, “You remember me?” I said, “Yes, and you’re much taller!” If I’d known, I might have taken my grills out, but he said they were okay. So it’s official: my grills got the page’s approval. I guess they’re okay for everyone else, too!

Today was a full day, y'all, and one of my long Thursdays, with Council in the evening. We weren’t there very long tonight, and I’ll take that. Now I’m reflecting on these past three years serving as Louisville Metro Councilwoman. I tried to do a little bit of everything, and I hope I got more things right than wrong. The community has been so kind and encouraging, and I’m grateful for that.
Serving has given me the chance to show up for my community with resources in ways I couldn’t before. It has been an honor. I’ve also kept working to be the best mother, grandmother, aunt, cousin, and friend I can be. Holding so many relationships together while working, serving on Council, and running for mayor was hard. Now I’m reclaiming some of that time, and I’m enjoying it.

And I need my naps back! I love a good nap, and I missed plenty along the way.

Grills, naps, food, fun, and people mean that’s a good Thursday to me. Good night! #TBT #keepgoing #itsthelittlethings

A day in the life of a boy mom! I’m currently at a wrestling scrimmage at Central High School, watching my senior, Jaiden Wright, practice and compete alongside students from schools across the area as they prepare for the 2026–27 season.
I’m grateful to have Veterans Day off work, even though I still got a little work done. Big shout-out to all military personnel and the Vets we have lost. We can never repay you, but please collect all your gifts, discounts and flowers.

It felt good to show up for my son and spend time in community. Earlier, thanks to Jennifer, I got to finally visit Locals Food & Pizza Pub for a “not-working-but-working” meeting. I’d heard wonderful things, and it was great to experience it for myself. #Louisville has so many gems, and I’m always glad to discover another way to spend local, buy local, and share local. You know how much I love our small and locally owned businesses.

Now I’m ending this Wednesday, aka Humpday tired but happy, watching young people take part in wrestling. It’s wonderful to see so many families here, and this year’s scrimmage feels even bigger than last year’s. Activities like this give young people a place to build skills, stay engaged, and spend time with one another.
Wrestling teaches core strength, patience, discipline, breathing, timing, and strategy. I’m proud that Jaiden has stuck with it, and proud of my son James for completing four years of wrestling. I’ve seen how much it helped shape him.
Just good reflections on this fine Wednesday. #BoyMom #SupportLocal #CentralHighSchool #5down1togo #WeAreJCPS @highlight

#MondayMotivation: Day one back at work full-time with VOCAL-KY.ORG was a success, and I feel truly blessed to be back, y'all!
I am still heading home late tonight after attending community meetings like Effective Law Enforcement for All (ELEFA), which focuses on monitoring the Community Commitment that Mayor Greenberg and Chief Humphrey put together. While I was running for Louisville mayor, working at VOCAL-KY, and serving as a councilwoman, it was hard to make some of these meetings. I’m grateful I could attend a few this year, and I’m committed to staying involved. We all deserve the constitutional policing that was promised. Violence is harmful, whether it comes from police, guns, or anywhere else. Those who enforce the law must respect human rights and be held accountable when they violate them or participate in corruption. No one is above accountability, professional and personal development. Some in law enforcement embrace the commitment to serving the whole community fairly; others struggle with it. Louisville can move forward only if we face our challenges honestly.

I’m also proud that VOCAL-KY continues to fight for public restroom access and operate harm reduction restrooms. Everyone needs a safe place to use the restroom. As someone with a heart condition who takes diuretics, I know how important access is. Our city continues to clear homeless encampments without providing enough places for people to go, and the problem is spreading into other parts of the city rapidly. We can do better by really connecting them to services and care. I’m proud of our members and leaders who keep fighting for what’s right for themselves and for everyone.

I’m grateful to be here, in decent health, and able to keep doing this work. I’m catching up on emails, calls, and texts and rebuilding my calendar, so please be patient if you’ve reached out. If I haven’t responded within 48 to 72 hours, please nudge me. A reminder helps.

We have three Metro Council meetings left this year: this Thursday, December 3, and December 17. The deadline for new business is November 30. Please attend if you can and stay informed as we discuss budget reallocations and proposed legislation. Frankfort is preparing for its work, and LMPD budget negotiations are already underway. There is a lot happening, and our participation matters.

I’m also looking forward to the District 3 Good Neighbor Awards on November 28, from 1 to 3 p.m., where we’ll honor District 3 residents. I hope you’ll join us.
The work continues. #goodnight

Three years ago today, on November 7, 2023, I won my campaign to serve as Louisville Metro Councilwoman for District 3. I’m still grateful for the opportunity and very proud of what we’ve done together.

I hadn’t expected to run for office so soon after the 2022 primary. When former Councilwoman Keisha Dorsey left to work for Mayor Greenberg, our district had an open seat. I also warned her not to put all her eggs in that basket with Greenberg. Neighbors wanted someone strong to step up, and I did. I’m so glad I answered that call. I stood on what I ran on, and serving District 3 has been an honor.

I knew running for mayor meant taking a chance. I could have run for my council seat again, but I wanted to offer Louisville a different choice. I did that with pride, dignity, and honesty, alongside an incredible team that has stood with me and this vision for a long time. Thank you, #TeamShameka, and thank you to everyone who supported us.
Since the mayor’s race ended, people have been stopping me everywhere daily, even at Kroger while I’m picking up groceries to cook dinner for my family, just to tell me they voted for me:-) That means more than I can say.
I appreciate you al,l and I understand how much this race meant to so many of us.
District 3, I’m still serving you through the end of my term. You have my support and my resources, and I’ll keep showing up however I can. The work we’ve done over these three years is not down the drain. I’ve shared our progress and priorities with the incoming councilwoman, and as a District 3 resident, I’ll continue to stay engaged.

On Monday, I return to my regular job, but I’ll always care about this district and the people who make it what it is. Thank you for trusting me with the opportunity to serve. It has been an amazing three years. The people always deserve a fighter.
#WeGetThereTogether #screenshotsaturday #saturdayvibes