Interview with Carla Wallace, March 4, 2011

Partial Transcript: Okay. This is Amber Duke and I am interviewing Carla Wallace.

Segment Synopsis: Introduction to the project, interviewer, and interviewee.

Partial Transcript: Tell me when and where you were born.

Segment Synopsis: Ms. Wallace was born in Louisville, Kentucky in 1957, but split her time between Louisville and Amsterdam, Netherlands until 1975 when she moved to Louisville permanently. She talks about her mother's issues with the United States and her influence on her husband's politics, her siblings' involvement in social change, and participating in her first demonstration, which was on desegregating the Brown Theater in Louisville.

Partial Transcript: And so, with this long family history, I mean, how and what did you learn about political and social justice issues as a child?

Segment Synopsis: Ms. Wallace talks about hearing stories about her grandmother hiding people from the Nazi's and how this greatly impacted her. She also talks about researching information, how the Vietnam War affected her, and meeting Carl and Anne Braden.

Partial Transcript: Okay. I want to move, now, a little bit into talking about the Kentucky Alliance.

Segment Synopsis: Ms. Wallace discusses working on the Free Ben Shavis case while in high school and attending the memorial service for Carl Braden. She mentions some of the issues she worked on while attending school in Boston, then how she became involved with the Alliance once she moved back to Louisville in 1983. She recalls working for and learning from Anne. She joined the board in 1984 or 1985.

Partial Transcript: You know, for me, in all the study of U.S. history I had done and in the political work I had done...

Segment Synopsis: Ms. Wallace says her biggest issue with society is the way people are divided from each other despite common interests and goals. She liked that the Alliance was multi-racial. She compares the racial make-up of the Alliance to other groups and lists some of the individuals in the Alliance who inspired her, such as Mattie Jones, Betty Payne, Jackie Shaw, and Bob Cunningham.

Partial Transcript: The Alliance was not an easy organization in any way.

Segment Synopsis: Ms. Wallace discusses some of the struggles among the workers and the challenges of working with people with differences, and how the Alliance could take over one's life. She talks about how it was good for her to work here despite tensions and how she believed in giving affirmations, support, and understanding.

Partial Transcript: Well, you've talked about some of the...

Segment Synopsis: Ms. Wallace states that the two issues she felt particularly strong about and believed the Alliance was most successful with was the work on the fire-bombing of black homes and the Klan being on the police force. She also talks about the struggles of educating the wider community members and attempting to open their minds.

Partial Transcript: Can you tell me a little bit about how organizing happened?

Segment Synopsis: Ms. Wallace recalls some of the members who used to be a co-chair of the Alliance. She briefly discusses committees, campaigns, some of the legal cases the Alliance focused on, and the attempt to gain more participation from white people. She remembers some of the difficulties the Alliances had with planning and structure. She was on the board until the early '90s.

Partial Transcript: Can you talk a little bit in more depth about the Alliance's relationship to other social justice organizations in Louisville and nationally as well?

Segment Synopsis: Ms. Wallace says the Alliance had a coalition approach to working on issues. She talks about working with the NAACP, the Fellowship of Reconciliation, peace groups, groups at UofL, the Intra-Mural Alliance, and the Kentucky Rainbow Coalition. She recalls the internal struggle in the Alliance on what issues they should and should not work on.

Partial Transcript: Well, just talking about...

Segment Synopsis: Ms. Wallace says one of the greatest rewards from working in the Alliance is the relationships she built - they are like family. She talks about learning things from her co-workers, having a supportive family, and her stance on work-place relationships.

Partial Transcript: Did you get specific push-back about doing this kind of work cross-racially?

Segment Synopsis: Ms. Wallace talks about trying to connect people to why they should choose to work on these issues, despite their differences. She recalls some of the challenges she personally faced as a white activist and and her struggle to come out of her comfort zone, especially early on in her work.

Partial Transcript: But if you had to summarize, you know, the mission of the Alliance, how would you do that?

Segment Synopsis: Ms. Wallace describes what she believes the political mission of the Alliance in the community is, which is a type of alarm and educator against injustice. She also discusses some of the challenges of finding its mission, especially once the National Alliance began fading and Anne Braden passed away. She states that the mission can change depending on who is on the board. She also mentions generational struggles and burn-out within the Alliance.

Partial Transcript: Is there anything that you'd like to share that you haven't had the opportunity to share?

Segment Synopsis: As the interview comes to a close, Ms. Wallace says that despite any tensions or conflicts with the people on the Alliance, there is a deeper connection between them and she has learned from every challenge.