♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE" WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

I'M YOUR HOST, KELSEY STARKS.

THIS WEEK WE CONTINUE EXPLORING THE LEGACY OF MUHAMMAD ALI.

WE TAKE TO YOU THE MUHAMMAD ALI CENTER WHERE THE CHAMP'S WIFE, LONNIE ALI SHARES THEIR VISION FOR THE CENTER WHEN THEY CREATED IT TOGETHER 20 YEARS AGO.

HOW THE CENTER ITSELF HAS EVOLVED OVER THESE TWO DECADES WHILE CONTINUING ITS MISSION OF EDUCATING AND INSPIRING PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE.

AND, HOW THE NEXT GENERATION IS REMEMBERING THE CHAMP, THANKS TO THE PROGRAMMING AND OUTREACH AT THE MUHAMMAD ALI CENTER, DEDICATED TO HELPING EACH OF US FIND OUR OWN GREATNESS.

PLUS, ALI'S LEGACY STEPS INTO THE RING ON BROADWAY; A NEW MUSICAL IN THE WORKS.

AND A NEW TELEVISION SERIES, TOO.

BUT IF WERE YOU IN LOUISVILLE IN 2016, YOU LIKELY REMEMBER HOW THIS CITY CAME TOGETHER TO HONOR THE GREATEST UPON HIS PASSING.

COMING UP, YOU'LL HEAR LONNIE ALI'S UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE ON THE PLANNING OF THE MASSIVE MORATORIUM AND HER EXPERIENCE THEN AND NOW.

IT'S HARD TO FORGET THAT DAY HERE IN LOUISVILLE.

MANY OF US REMEMBER THAT DAY IN JUNE AS A DAY WHEN EVERYTHING STOOD STILL.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE PEOPLE TO THINK ABOUT YOU WHEN YOU'VE GONE?

>> I WOULD LIKE FOR THEM TO SAY HE TOOK A FEW CUPS OF LOVE HE TOOK ONE TABLESPOON OF PATIENCE, ONE TABLESPOON OR TEASPOON OF GENEROSITY.

ONE PINT OF KINDNESS, ONE QUART OF LOVE AND ONE PEACH OF CONCERN AND MIXED LOVINGNESS WITH HAPPINESS, ADDED LOTS OF FAITH AND STIRRED IT UP WELL AND SPREAD IT OVER A SPAN OF A LIFETIME AND HE SERVED IT TO EACH AND EVERY DESERVING PERSON HE MET.

>> SO LET ME TELL YOU A STORY ABOUT A MAN.

HIS NAME IS MUHAMMAD ALI.

HE IS THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME.

HE IS FROM LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY AND HE LIVES IN EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> THE MOST SIGNIFICANT EVENT I'VE EXPERIENCED HERE IN THE CITY WAS THE FUNERAL OF MUHAMMAD ALI AT THE YOUNG CENTER AND NOT JUST THE FUNERAL.

THE FUNERAL ITSELF WAS SPECIAL.

OBVIOUSLY TO HAVE PEOPLE COME IN FROM AROUND THE WORLD, CELEBRITIES, WORLD LEADERS, TO BE RIGHT HERE IN LOUISVILLE, TO SAY GOODBYE TO THE CHAMP.

THAT, INDEED, WAS SPECIAL.

BUT I THINK WHAT TOUCHED ME PROBABLY MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE WAS THE OUTPOURING OF LOVE THAT YOU SAW THROUGHOUT THIS CITY.

I HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.

THERE WERE PEOPLE IN THE STREETS.

THERE WERE PEOPLE HANGING OUT IN FRONT OF THE CENTER, CELEBRATING, YOU KNOW, FOLKS DRAWING LOVE, HEARTS AND MESSAGES ON THE CONCRETE.

YOU SAW PEOPLE FROM ALL SORTS OF BACKGROUNDS TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER OUT FRONT.

PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT NATIONS HERE, COLLABORATING.

AND IT SHOWED ME WHAT WE HAD THE POTENTIAL TO DO AND TO BE RIGHT HERE IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

>> IN MY FIRST FULL YEAR HERE AT THE PHRASIER HISTORY MOOM 2016 WAS WHEN MUHAMMAD ALI DIED AND WE HAD A GROUP OF PEOPLE HERE THAT WENT ON TO THE ROOF TOP AND WATCHED PROPERTY SESSION THAT LITERALLY SHUT DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND IT WAS SUCH A UNIFYING DAY.

AND WE HAD PROBLEMS THEN AND WE HAVE PROBLEMS NOW.

WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PROBLEMS, BUT IT WAS A DAY THAT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER AND YOU SAW THE SIGNIFICANCE AND THE PAIM PACT THAT HE HAD NOT JUST ON LOUISVILLE, BUT ON THE STATE AND ON THE COUNTRY AND ON THE WORLD BECAUSE HERE, SPEAKING ON HIS BEHALF THAT NIGHT, YOU'VE GOT BILLY CRYSTAL, BILL CLINTON, JOHN RAMSEY DID AN AMAZING JOB.

IT WAS A REALLY IMPACTFUL DAY THAT EVERYBODY JUST PUT ALL THE STUFF ASIDE AND CELEBRATED THE LEGACY OF ONE OF LOUISVILLE'S GREATEST HEROES.

>> WHAT DID MUHAMMAD ALI THINK OF THIS CENTER WHEN HE WAS HERE FOR ITS OPENING.

>> I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, TO MUHAMMAD AND TO LARRY THAT MUHAMMAD BE PART OF THIS CENTER; THAT IT BE-- BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, PEOPLE BUILD THINGS ONCE PEOPLE HAVE PASSED AWAY, RIGHT?

AND WE DID A LOT OF RESEARCH.

WE WENT TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT MUSEUMS THAT WERE DEDICATED TO INDIVIDUALS.

TO CAUSES LIKE THE CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM.

BUT USUALLY PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARIES, THINGS ARE DONE AFTER SOMEBODY IS GONE AWAY.

AND WE REALLY WANTED MUHAMMAD TO BE HERE AND TO REALLY PUT HIS HAND PRINT ON THIS CENTER; WHERE PEOPLE COULD WALK IN, AGAIN UNEXPECTEDLY AND HERE HE WOULD BE.

WHAT A WONDERFUL THING.

FOR THEY WOULD HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT AND HAVE THAT ALI EXPERIENCE SO THEY COULD HAVE THEIR ALI MOMENT AND HAVE THEIR ALI STORY, WHICH EVERYBODY HAS ONE.

SO THAT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.

>> THIS COMMUNICATE-- THIS COMMUNITY'S COLLECTIVE ALI MOMENT, I THINK, WAS HIS FUNERAL.

>> RIGHT.

>> WE'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, ON THIS SHOW PARTICULARLY, AND WE HAVE BEEN ASKING THEM, WHAT IS A SIGNIFICANT MOMENT IN LOUISVILLE HISTORY THAT YOU EXPERIENCED.

AND THE MAJORITY OF THEM HAVE SAID MUHAMMAD ALI'S FUNERAL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT WAS FOR THIS CITY?

AND WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE?

>> YOU KNOW WHAT?

YOU COULD NEVER IMAGINE IN MY WILDEST DREAMS IT WOULD HAVE TURNED OUT THE WAY IT TURNED OUT.

NOW, GRANTED, WE HAD PLANNED THIS, YOU KNOW, LIKE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS IN ADVANCE.

MUHAMMAD'S ATTORNEYS HAD SAID LONNIE, YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO MUHAMMAD, YOU ARE NOT DOING TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO PLAN ANYTHING, WHICH WAS TRUE.

AND, YOU KNOW, SO WE HAD STARTED THIS PLANNING LIKE FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO HIS PASSING.

AND I REMEMBER IT WAS PAINFUL TO GO THROUGH.

I HATED IT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, SO, BUT WE WANTED MUHAMMAD TO KNOW WHAT IT WAS ABOUT, MAKE SURE HE WAS APPROVING EVERYTHING.

BUT I REMEMBER WE WERE DOING PART OF IT AND AS TO WHERE TO HOLD IT, AND MUHAMMAD SAID HE WANTED IT IN AN ARENA.

AND I REMEMBER SAYING WHAT?

AND I SAID MUHAMMAD, NOBODY HAS A FUNERAL IN AN ARENA.

HE GOES YEAH, BUT MY FANS WILL COME.

I KNOW THEY WILL.

HAVE IT IN THE ARENA.

I THOUGHT OH GOOD, I WAS GETTING VISUAL.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THINK WE ARE NUTS.

I REMEMBER WOOK-- WE WERE LOOKING AT A FOOTBALL GAME, SITTING IN ARIZONA WATCHING A FOOTBALL GAME.

THEY WERE SHOWING THE STADIUM.

AND HE GOES "LIKE THAT" I SAID OH NO, NOBODY DOES THAT.

BUT ANYWAY, AT THAT TIME, YUM CENTER WAS NOT BUILT.

AND WE WERE THINKING ABOUT THE KENTUCKY CENTER FOR THE ARTS AND WE THOUGHT THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE BIG ENOUGH UNDERSTAND THEN MUHAMMAD SAID A STADIUM.

WE WERE TRYING TO GO WITH HIS WISHES.

THEN THEY BUILT THE YUM CENTER AND EVERYTHING WORKED OUT BUT WE DID NOT EXPECT HIS DEATH WHEN IT OCCURRED.

AND WE HAD ALWAYS KEPT EACH MAYOR APPRISED SO WHEN MAYOR FISCHER WAS, YOU KNOW, HE WAS THE ONES WHO CAME IN AND WE LET HIM KNOW THE PLANS IN ADVANCE.

WAY IN ADVANCE.

YEARS IN ADVANCE, WHEN HE CAME INTO OFFICE.

SO WHEN IT ACTUALLY OCCURRED, YOU KNOW, IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST MOVING THINGS I HAVE EVER SEEN.

I MEAN WHEN WE FLEW IN FROM ARIZONA WITH MUHAMMAD'S BODY ON THE PLANE AND THERE WERE CARS AND PEOPLE AT THE MORTUARY ON BREK RIDGE LANE LINED UP ALREADY TO RECEIVE US AND PEOPLE WERE EVERYWHERE.

AND MAYOR FISCHER, GREG FISCHER MARSHALED ALL OF THE CITIES' RESOURCES TO THE CENTER TO ASSIST WITH THIS BECAUSE PEOPLE STARTED COMING IN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THERE WERE PROBABLY 15,000 PEOPLE HERE JUST FOR MUHAMMAD'S FUNERAL FROM DIGNITARIES TO PEOPLE WHO JUST, YOU KNOW, FROM PAKISTAN WHO, YOU KNOW, MET HIM OR MAY NOT HAVE MET HIM.

YOU KNOW THERE, WERE JUST PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.

PEOPLE WERE OPENING THEIR DOORS TO STRANGERS BEING HOSPITABLE.

LOUISVILLE WAS ON DISPLAY FOR THE WORLD.

AND OVER A BILLION PEOPLE WATCHED MUHAMMAD'S MEMORIAL SERVICE.

I MEAN HOW MUCH BIGGER CAN YOU GET?

I WAS SO PROUD OF THIS CITY.

I MEAN FROM DAY ONE, OUT ON THE OTTER AS-- ON THE TERRACE.

PEOPLE WERE GATHERING, FLOWERS, MELT OWES, MESSAGES, DOING THINGS, THE MAYOR COORDINATED SOME EVENTS FOR CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO EXPRESS THEIR LOVE FOR MUHAMMAD, TOO.

EVERYBODY WAS SO LOVING, BLACK, WHITE, INDEPENDENT, DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN.

IT DIDN'T MATTER.

WHAT WAS INTERESTING THAT PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW IS THAT HUMID WANTED HIS MEMORIAL SERVICE TO BE A TEACHING MOMENT, INCLUSIVE OF EVERYONE, THE WAY HE WAS INCLUSIVE OF EVERYBODY AND ACCEPTING.

SO THAT'S WHY WE HAD PEOPLE FROM ALL RELIGIONS, WE HAD PEOPLE FROM ALL, YOU KNOW, ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS.

BROUGHT TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT SOCIAL STATUS, BROUGHT TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE THIS MAN, AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.

I MEAN IF YOU COULD HAVE EXTRACTED IT FROM MY HEAD AND PUT IT UP ON THAT STAGE, IT WAS PERFECT.

IT WAS RIGHT THERE JUST THE WAY I HAD IMAGINED THAT PART OF IT BUT THE WAY THE CITY TURNED OUT, I DID NOT IMAGINE.

I MEAN THERE WAS SO MUCH LOVE IN THIS CITY FOR SO MANY PEOPLE AND ALL THE DIVISIVENESS WE SEE TODAY, THAT DIDN'T EXIST THAT DAY.

THAT WEEK, YOU DIDN'T SEE IT.

IF IT WAS THERE, IT WAS GOD BECAUSE EVERYONE, EVERYONE WAS OUT ON THE STREETS DOING WHATEVER THEY COULD CLEANING UP THEIR YARDS, HELPING THE POLICE CLEAN THE STREETS, EVERYTHING, TO MAKE SURE IT WAS PERFECT FOR HIM.

>> THAT'S WHAT SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE SAID ABOUT THAT MOMENT IN TIME.

I BROUGHT MY YOUNG DAUGHTERS DOWN HERE.

I REMEMBER BEING DOWN THERE WITH THEM.

IT WAS SUCH A WONDERFUL DISPLAY OF THE COMPASSION OF OUR CITY.

>> RIGHT.

SINCE THEN SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED.

>> YES.

WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH BREONNA TAYLOR'S DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH PROTESTS, WE HAVE BEEN REALLY IN A PLACE OF DIVISIVENESS LIKE NONE OTHER WHAT DO YOU THINK HE WOULD THINK OF THE PLACE WE ARE IN AS A CITY AND EVEN AS A COUNTRY TODAY?

>> SOMETIMES I'M GLAD HE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT OR WITNESS THAT.

HE DIDN'T WORRY ABOUT THAT.

HE ONLY WORRIED ABOUT WHAT HE COULD DO.

AND THAT'S WHY I SAID HE WAS INTENTIONAL ABOUT EVERYTHING.

SHOWING THE COMPASSION SETTING THE EXAMPLE.

HE DIDN'T CARE WHETHER OR NOT YOU DID IT.

HE WAS GOING TO DO IT WITH OR WITHOUT YOU BUT HE SET THAT EXAMPLE AND PEOPLE WOULD FOLLOW THAT EXAMPLE.

THAT'S WHY YOU SAW SO MANY PEOPLE COMING HERE.

PEOPLE HAD NEVER MET HIM AND TRYING TO GIVE THEIR, OR PAY THEIR FINAL RESPECTS TO HIM; BECAUSE HE TOUCHED PEOPLE IN A DIFFERENT WAY, YOU KNOW, IT WAS THAT LOVE AND COMPASSION THAT BREAKS THROUGH ALL OF THAT DIVISIVENESS, THAT HARD SHELL THAT WE PUT AROUND OUR HEARTS, YOU KNOW, OPENING IT UP TO OTHER PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, HE WAS ABLE TO DO THAT.

AND I THINK MUHAMMAD WOULD WORRY ABOUT-- HE WOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT ALL OF THAT.

HE WOULD WORRY ABOUT WHAT HE WAS DOING, BUT I SHOULD TELL YOU THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'VE JOINED IN AN ORGANIZATION CALLED BUILDERS, THE BUILDERS MOVEMENT WITH DANIEL LABETSKI, THE INVENTER OF THE KIND BAR, IS TO SORT OF HELP WITH THAT US VERSUS THEM MENTALITY.

ONLY 87% OF US REALLY WANT TO MOVE FORWARD AND GET PAST THAT.

SO BUILDERS AS AN ORGANIZATION HELPS THEM DO THAT.

IT GIVES THEM THE SKILLS, THE TOOL SET, THE SUPPORT, TO BE ABLE TO CONFRONT THAT TOXIC ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY FIND THEMSELVES CONFRONTED WITH IN A VERY CONSTRUCTIVE WAY.

>> AND THAT IS THE MISSION OF THE ALI CENTER.

>> THAT IS TRUE.

THAT'S WHY IT WAS SORT OF A PART OF MUHAMMAD'S LEGACY.

MUHAMMAD IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THAT, YOU KNOW.

HE DIDN'T CARE WHAT RELIGION YOU PRACTICED.

HE DIDN'T CARE WHAT-- WHO YOU VOTED FOR.

HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT ANY OF THAT.

ALL HE CARED ABOUT IS THAT YOU WERE A HUMAN BEING AND HE WAS GOING TO TREAT YOU AS SUCH, RESPECT YOU AND LOVE YOU WITHOUT ASKING ANYTHING IN RETURN.

YOU KNOW THERE, WAS SOMETHING THAT I READ RECENTLY THAT THE "COURIER JOURNAL" AFTER MUHAMMAD PASSED, SOMEONE DID A STORY ON MUHAMMAD AND THEY SAID HE WAS A CITIZEN OF THE WORLD.

AND HE ABSOLUTELY WAS.

WHEREVER MUHAMMAD'S FOOT TOUCHED THE GROUND, HE WAS HOME.

HE MADE HIMSELF AT HOME.

THOSE BECAME HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS, HIS PEOPLE, SO IF WE COULD-- BUT HE TRAVELED A LOT.

SO HE KNEW.

HE WAS ABLE TO EXPERIENCE CULTURES AND ALL THAT KIND OF THING.

AND SO IF WE COULD ALL BE LIKE MUHAMMAD AND I ALWAYS SAY IT'S HARD TO BE LIKE MUHAMMAD, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO BE THAT OPEN.

BUT HE DID IT EFFORTLESSLY.

AND HOPEFULLY THE CENTER IS ABLE TO CARRY THAT LEGACY FORWARD BECAUSE IT'S WORTH PRESERVING.

>> YOU ARE COMING UP ON 20 YEARS.

>> 20 YEARS NEXT YEAR.

>> SINCE THE CENTER OPENED.

>> YES, IT OPENED IN 2005.

NOVEMBER 19, WHICH WAS HUMID AND MY ANNIVERSARY, WHICH WAS INTERESTING.

AND THEN YEAH, WE ARE COMING UP ON 20 YEARS THAT IT HAS BEEN HERE.

>> WHAT IS THE MISSION OR VISION MOVING FORWARD?

>> WELL, BEFORE WE WERE MORE INTERESTED IN MAKING IT TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR PEOPLE TO COME THROUGH, HAVE THE PROGRAMMING, THE EXHIBIT AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN OUR DREAM THAT WHOEVER COMES THROUGH THE DOOR, WHEN THEY LEAVE, THEY'RE A DIFFERENT PERSON.

THEY'VE DISCOVERED SOMETHING ABOUT THEMSELVES.

THEY'VE BEEN INSPIRED BY-- BUT WE REALLY NEEDED TO ACTIVATE THE LEGACY, TO CARRY IT FORWARD, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE TIMES WE WERE IN NOW, TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE AND ALMOST TANGIBLE TO PEOPLE, TO PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO EMULATE AND LET HIM BE THE EXAMPLE.

AND WE DO THAT A LOT THROUGH PROGRAMMING.

>> AND I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T EVEN REALIZE THE TYPE OF OUTREACH THAT YOU ALL HAVE HERE IN SCHOOLS AND THE PROGRAMS AND EVENTS AND IT IS INCREDIBLE.

>> IT IS.

WE HAVE LOTS OF PROGRAMMING HERE.

WE HAVE THE MAX WHICH IS MUHAMMAD ALI CENTER FOR THE COUNCIL OF STUDENTS, THESE ARE HIGH SCHOOLERS WE BRING IN.

THEY MEET HERE AT THE CENTER TWICE A WEEK.

AND THEY'RE TAUGHT ABOUT-- WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THEY HAVE TO BE COMMITTED IN TO IMPROVING THEMSELVES AND HELPING THEIR COMMUNITIES.

THAT'S IMPORTANT.

BUT THEY LEARN ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE AND NON-VIOLENT MOVEMENTS; OF HOW TO CHANGE THINGS IN A NON-VIOLENT WAY.

AND THEN WE HAVE ACES, WHICH ARE THE ALI CENTER ENTREPRENEURS AND THEY'RE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AS WELL, AND THEY MEET TWICE A MONTH HERE.

AND THEY LEARN ABOUT SOCIAL ENTERPRISE.

SO THROUGH THE YEAR, THEY LEARN HOW-- THEY WORK IN TEAMS, THEY LEARN HOW TO PUT TOGETHER A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AND THEY LEARN HOW TO CONCEPTUALIZE IT, PRODUCE IT, MARKET IT AND LAUNCH A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE BUSINESS BEFORE THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO GIVE THEM TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

AND THEN WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT ARE CHARACTER EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN SOME OF THE COLLEGES.

RIGHT NOW WE ARE WORKING WITH HANOVER COLLEGE IN HANOVER, INDIANA.

THEY LOVE IT.

WE HAVE HAD OTHER COLLEGES CONTACT US WANTING THE SAME CURRICULUM TO HELP TEACH ALL FRESHMEN WHO COME IN THROUGH THE SCHOOLS HAVE TO TAKE THE CLASS.

>> SO IMPORTANT.

>> YEAH, AND THEY HAVE REALLY EXPERIENCED A CHANGE IN THOSE KIDS, YOU SEE KNOW,'ING THEM GROW FROM THIS CHARACTER INDICATION EDUCATION.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT SOME BIG PROJECTS WE ARE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT VERY SOON.

ALI THE MUSICAL, WHICH HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR YEARS, RIGHT?

WITH TEDDY ABRAMS COMPOSING MUSIC FOR IT.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT AND WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT HERE?

I CANNOT WAIT FOR THIS.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, TEDDY, IT WAS TEDDY'S CONCEPT BECAUSE HE DID A MUSICAL OPERA ON MUHAMMAD HERE.

AND HE WANTED TO EXPAND THAT.

SO HE ASKED ME ABOUT THIS.

AND IT WAS SHORTLY AFTER MUHAMMAD'S PASSING THAT HE ASKED ME COULD HE PURSUE THAT, WHICH HE DID AND NOW IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE RICHARD WILLIS WHO IS A HUGE PRODUCER, AND A FABULOUS TEAM OF PEOPLE ARE WHO PUTTING TOGETHER THIS MUSICAL.

AND I'M AN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ON IT.

I HAVEN'T SEEN ALL OF IT BECAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW LAYERED IT WAS PUTTING A MUSICAL TOGETHER.

IT WAS SO MUCH WORK.

SO MUCH WORK.

AND, YOU KNOW, NOT ONLY WRITING THE STORY.

IT'S WRITING THE LYRICS, LEARNING THE DANCE.

EVERYTHING.

IT'S JUST A LOT OF WORK.

BUT ANYWAY, THEY MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT IN CHICAGO IN AUGUST.

AND IT'S GOING TO OPEN AT THE NEYLANDER THEATER NEXT APRIL.

SO THAT'S BIG.

>> HUGE.

>> I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT IN ITS COMPLETION.

AND PRODUCE IT.

HOW IT IS PRODUCED AND SEE THE FINAL PRODUCT.

>> WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN SO FAR, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US?

>> IT'S GOING TO BE AWESOME.

IT'S GOING TO BE AWESOME.

THE PEOPLE THEY HAVE WORKING ON THIS WILL BE AWESOME.

IT WILL SPEND A MONTH IN CHICAGO, TWEAK IT AND THEN HOPEFULLY GO TO BROADWAY.

HEAPFULLY WILL IT BE A PHENOMENAL SHOW.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK MUHAMMAD WOULD THINK ABOUT BROADWAY.

>> HIS NAME IN LIGHTS?

IT'S STRAIGHT UP HUMID.

HE WOULD LOVE IT.

AND THEN THERE IS AN AMAZON PROJECT AS WELL THAT WILL BE-- >> THAT'S EXCITING.

>> THEY GREEN LIT IT FOR PRIME VIDEO.

A SCRIPTED SERIES.

UTSZ SUPPOSED TO GO FOR THREE SEASONS.

FIRST TIME ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAS BEEN DONE ON MUHAMMAD'S LIFE.

SO IT WILL BE MORE IN-DEPTH P ANY DOCUMENTARY OR, YOU KNOW,THAT WE HAVE SEEN OR WHO HAVEY.

SO-- I HAVE A LOT OF ALI PROJECTS AND THEN I HAVE A PODCAST CALLED ALI AND ME WHERE WE HAVE INTERVIEWED PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY MUHAMMAD, WHO ARE CARRYING THE TORCH FORWARD, A LOT OF PEOPLE, BOB COSTAS, BILLY CRYSTAL, LEYLA ALI MY STEP DAUGHTER, GOVERNOR CASEC, ALLISON FELIX, MIKE TYSON, KILLER MIKE COMMON.

REGINA KING.

WE'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

I'M GOING THIS WITH A GREAT FRIEND, JOHN RAMSEY WHO HAS BEEN A FRIEND OF THE FAMILY AND MUHAMMAD'S VERY A VERY LONG TIME AND SERVES ON THE BOARD AT THE ALI CENTER.

THAT IS TRUE TO BE RELEASED IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS AS WELL.

>> HIS LEGACY CONTINUES.

>> HIS LEGACY CONTINUES.

THERE IS ALWAYS SO MUCH ALI STUFF THAT POPS UP.

EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND, THERE IS SOMEBODY WANTING TO DO SOMETHING ELSE ON HUMID.

IT NEVER ENDS AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S JUST BECAUSE OF THE LIFE HE LED.

THERE WAS SO MUCH HE PILED INTO ONE LIFETIME, THAT IS SO RICH, SO WONDERFUL THAT PEOPLE FIND IT STILL INTERESTING AND STILL INSPIRED BY IT.

>> WHAT DO YOU MISS THE MOST ABOUT HIM?

>> YOU KNOW, I MISS...

HE WAS A PACKAGE.

I MEAN THERE WAS SO MUCH ABOUT MUHAMMAD, HIS HUMOR, HIS LAUGHTER, HE HAD A DRY SENSE OF HUMOR, TOO.

WHICH WAS HILARIOUS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, HIS MOTIVATION, JUST HIS PRESENCE WAS INSPIRING, JUST HAVING HIM TAKE UP SPACE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAD A SPECIAL FEELING WHEN THEY CAME IN CONTACT WITH MUHAMMAD, THAT-- I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS REVERENCE OR WHATEVER, BUT WHEN WE LIVED IN ARIZONA, PEOPLE WOULD COME TO THE HOUSE, EVEN WHEN HE GOT TO A POINT WHERE HE COULD NOT TRAVEL AS MUCH, HE WAS PRETTY GOOD BUT COULDN'T TRAVEL AS MUCH SO PEOPLE CAME TO US.

IN FACT ONE TIME, ANDREA BOTECELLI CAME OVER.

HE WAS AWE STRUCK BECAUSE HE WAS IN ROME, I GUESS HE HAD BEEN BORN WHEN MUHAMMAD WAS IN THE OLYMPICS AND HE LOST HIS SIGHT LATER IN LIFE BUT HE ALWAYS WANTED TO MEET HUMID AND HE WAS JUST LIKE, ENTHRALLED BY HIM.

SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING-- THERE WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT MUHAMMAD THAT PEOPLE STILL MISS, YOU KNOW, I DO AND I KNOW HIS CHILDREN DO AS WELL.

AND HIS GRANDCHILDREN.

>> WHAT A FORCE.

>> HE WAS A FORCE.

BUT TAYE GOOD FORCE.

BUT A GOOD FORCE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ A FORCE THAT CONTINUES IN SO MANY WAYS.

IF YOU HAVEN'T YET, CHECK OUT PART ONE OF OUR INTERVIEW WITH LONNIE ALI.

YOU CAN FIND THAT EPISODE AND THIS ONE ONLINE ANY TIME AT CLORNG/"INSIDE LOUISVILLE."

YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM AND HEAR SOME OF LONNIE'S GREATEST MOMENTS IN LOUISVILLE.

WE ARE ALSO SHARING BEHIND THE SCENES PICTURES AND MORE FROM OUR GUESTS.

YOU CAN FRIEND ALL OF THAT ON INSTAGRAM AT KET IN LOU.

TAKES FOR TAKING A LITTLE TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE.

HOPE TO SEE YOU HERE NEXT TIME.

UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪