Haines talks about opening Sweet Peaches, first impressions of Russell, the importance of cooking good food for people, finding community and sense of self-worth in working, difficulty keeping business open during COVID, structuring business to meet the needs of the community, giving food away, working to stabilize life for children and families in Russell, life in food service, family life, learning to cook, recipes, being nice to everybody as a practice.
These and other interviews were conducted by the Louisville Story Program and collaboratively edited with the participants authors between 2020 and 2023. The culmination of this collaborative work is the documentary book, “If You Write Me A Letter, Send It Here: Voices of Russell in a Time of Change.” This anthology of nonfiction documents the rich layers of history and cultural heritage in the Russell area of west Louisville, a neighborhood whose history is centrally important to the Black experience in Louisville.
