I have been involved in many interesting project throughout my career but this one is very high on the list. As a founding member of the Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden, I learned a lot about the history of horse racing, Lexington, and America. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&q=isaac+murphy+memorial+art+garden

At its heart the story of Isaac Murphy is the story of America. A hard-working, talented rider - really, a groundbreaking talent that helped changed the way jockeys ride. He was from northeast Lexington, just a few steps away from the heart of downtown.

This is where the Kentucky Association horse track stood. It was Lexington's first track, located on what is now Race Street. The track was located there long before @keeneland was even a thought in central Kentucky's thoroughbred mind.

Through their hard work, skill, and incredible dedication, Isaac and his fellow African-American horse colleagues helped @LexingtonKyGov become the horse capital of the world.

Simply put: Isaac Murphy was the star of stars, the first American sports celebrity. Before Muhammad Ali, before Jesse Owens, before Michael Jordan - there was Isaac Murphy. He won an astounding 44% of his mounts. To my equine friends: Think about that? Unreal. @TVG @ToddTVG

But like I said, this is the story of America. When I first moved to central Kentucky in 1999 and returned in 2004, I never heard of Isaac or any other members of Kentucky's famed African-American horsemen. There were no streets, memorials, or historical markers around town.

But when the 2006-07 @leadershiplex class got together in the fall of 2006, I could tell something transformative was happening. We partnered with two terrific northeast Lexington organizations and got to work. We met with community leaders, historians, and neighbors.

We met. And we met. And we met again. We did that for years, making what some will call glacial progress. But it was progress - fruitful, rewarding progress. After we finally got out hands on the land where the park now sits, there was a wonderful discovery.

A community partner suggested that this land might have actually been Isaac's home. We were shocked and delighted. We had worked on this project for multiple years and no one had ever suggested that this might be true.

We hosted an archeological dig on the property and what do you know, we found the foundation of Isaac's home! Next time you go to the park, I encourage you to check it out - the stone that formed the foundation has been incorporated into the park.

If you have made it this far, you probably think this is the story of creating the Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden. You would be wrong. Really, it is the story of transformation - of transforming our community.

For when you walk through Lexington today, you can do so on the Legacy Trail, which connects the Isaac Murphy Memorial Art Garden with his final resting place, the Kentucky Horse Park. You can walk up to Elm Tree Lane and see the Polk-Dalton historical marker.

You can walk up Oliver Lewis Lane and honor the very first jockey to win the Kentucky Derby. Oliver, a Lexington, native, won the Derby at 19. If you head to Coldstream Research Campus you can see a historical marker for Aristides, the horse Lewis rode. https://uknow.uky.edu/campus-news/announcements/new-historical-marker-unveiled-coldstream

These streets and markers came about after we started with the project. All of them. The next time someone tells you that change is hard, change is impossible. Tell them they are partially right. It is hard. But when we are doing things for the right reason nothing is impossible.