A new book about a Louisville neighborhood is out.

The authors are more than two dozen residents who live there.

Our Kelsey Stark sat down with one of them.

Louisville's Russell area was once called Louisville's Harlem because of its heavy concentration of black businesses and residents.

Well, now it's undergoing a major transformation.

Almost $1,000,000,000 have gone into redeveloping this area just west of downtown.

So this book is called If You Write Me a Letter sent it here.

Voices of Russell in a Time of Change.

And Derek Pressley is one of 26 authors whose stories are in this book about the neighborhood.

And tell us, why is it it's so important to tell the stories of your neighborhood?

Because this is our history and this is it's my neighbors where I grew up.

I got over 55 years in this neighborhood.

And it's just I don't know.

And it's kind of seeing everything come new.

And it's things are getting change.

And I just like to see them remember us.

And remember, I can remember they always remember the bad things happen.

The plaque is is a good spot for us.

Yeah.

Tell us about your story that's included.

Yeah, well, my story is it's a tree in Benton Street Park on 29th Street side.

And if it's a breeze in Louisville, it's under this tree.

And I'm not kidding.

I don't care what's going on.

You go to stream.

We got a breeze, and it's a state fair for me.

We've been having barbecues and cookouts forever, and it's one spot, never no trouble.

And I just.

I just love just my porch.

This Rosslyn neighborhood.

Yeah, in this neighborhood has gotten a bad rap.

Yes.

Tell us what you want people to know about the Russell neighborhood and what it's really like living there.

I want them to know it's not like it's.

It's not all bad.

Oh, don't you ever hear about.

It's bad.

But you don't hear about us in 20 Report.

You don't hear about our bike crews riding every Tuesday and Thursday.

All You seen this come?

We come through.

We everybody has to go up.

Looks like a Christmas tree.

So I know you've seen this and it's good times.

I like to write about some good things happen.

It's just a lot of good things going on in that park and we can get it together.

I turn to an end street for.

Yeah, and some of the stories in here, I mean, you've got everything from stories of music, the many churches and the religi their culture.

It is the history of this part of Louisville, right?

Yes.

And so what kind of stories are people going to read about when they pick up this book?

To go read about our lives, how we lived, and not just the bad, but it's good, you know, how we live and, you know, so we have this this all I should say.

It is so not an interest in people in our neighborhood.

It's not just like you might read about violence.

It's not all murders.

It's good.

People down there need to come down and visit and see.

Come, you come by.

You mentioned have some follow and I mean and you're safe.

But it is changing.

It is changing.

What do you think is next for the Russell neighborhood?

Oh, just development.

Like I said, we've got the hospital coming up.

There's some apartments growing all around the park and not just seeing things picked up.

And I'm I'm I didn't think God will be around to see us uplift again.

And I'm kind of seeing it.

I'm happy I'm going to be around and see some change, some good things for the neighborhood.

We deserve.

It.

Well, thank you so much for sharing your story with all of us in this.

This is fantastic.

And this is the 10th publication from the Louisville Story program, which brings together stories like this.

And they are marking their 10th anniversary three as a literary arts nonprofit.

Well, thank you, Kelsey.

The Louisville Story Program is a nonprofit organization committed to amplifying unheard voices and untold stories.

The book can be purchased through their website.