Contents
The group campaigns on community issues by promoting housing rights, reforming the state of Kentucky’s criminal justice system, expanding access to affordable housing, and implementing harm reduction services such as syringe exchanges and overdose prevention programs. 2
VOCAL-KY’s work focuses on community organizing and civic engagement, 3 while its activism includes lobbying for Medicaid expansion as well as proving opportunities for incarcerated individuals such as access to health care and stable housing. 4
Activities
On August 15, 2024, VOCAL-KY activists voiced opposition to Kentucky House Bill 5 (HB5) which outlawed camping and sleeping in public spaces. 5 Vocal-KY executive director Shameka Parrish-Wright claimed, “we have law enforcement that’s connecting people to services and care…but the aggressiveness in the way that law enforcement has been using to target people, we cannot watch that happen.” 5
In July 2025, VOCAL-KY was one of over 600 nonprofits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to sign a letter opposing a ruling by the House Homeland Security Committee in June 2025 demanding the financial records of over 200 NGOs accused of assisting the Biden Administration in settling migrants into the United States. 6 7 Committee Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) and Subcommittee Chairman Josh Brecheen (R-OK) commented in a letter sent to the NGOs in question claiming the Committee was “deeply concerned that NGOs that receive U.S. taxpayer dollars benefitted from the border crisis created by the Biden Administration, and stand ready to do so under future Democrat administrations.” 7 The letter signed by over 600 NGOs and non-profits claimed the Committee’s ruling targets “civic organizations that have provided services under valid federal contracts that were authorized and appropriated by Congress…[t]his effort appears to be an attempt to weaponize Congressional power and create the appearance of wrongdoing against those who the signers believe disagree with their political agenda.” 6
Leadership
Shameka Parrish-Wright is the executive director of VOCAL-KY, serving in the position since 2022. 8 9 Prior to this, Wright worked as a partnership and advocacy manager for nonprofit group Bail Project from 2019 to 2022. 10 11