Emma Curtis

I’m a lifelong Kentuckian. I was born in Lexington in 1996 and have spent my entire life in the Greater Lexington area. Growing up on my family’s farm, I learned quickly how to work hard and get the job done. I’ve carried that work ethic with me ever since.

As a young, working class person, I know what it's like to watch my tax dollars go towards policies that make it harder for folks like me to thrive instead of going towards investments in our community that benefit all of us.

This city is my home. Its future is my future. I'm tired of the politics of anger and division putting that future at risk.

That's why I'm running to be your next District 4 Councilmember.

I have dedicated my life to building a better future for my community and my commonwealth. Since graduating from Centre College in 2018, I’ve worked as an independent filmmaker, an issue-based organizer, and an advocate focused on increasing civic engagement, voter registration, and fairness for all Kentuckians.

I’m a member of several community-focused organizations, including CivicLex, the Lexington Forum, and the Fayette Women's Network, which focus on bringing people together, having good-faith conversations, and improving Lexington's civic health.

Going backwards isn’t an option and standing still isn’t nearly enough. That's why I will work tirelessly on Council to ensure that every voice is heard so that we can move Lexington forward, together.

• My first priority on Council will be to improve traffic flow and safety on Nicholasville Road. Like most in our community, I've spent far too much time sitting in standstill traffic on both of these roads. But these roads aren't just inconvenient and inaccessible—they're dangerous. In 2023, Kentucky State Police data showed that we saw a 566% increase in pedestrian fatalities from car crashes in Lexington over what we saw in 2022. Along with my colleagues, community partners, and constituents, I will work towards innovative solutions that incorporate modern technology and infrastructure to improve traffic flows, cut our travel time, and make our roads safe for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians.
• Lexington has an affordable housing crisis. As a renter, I am experiencing the impacts of this crisis firsthand. That's why I fought hard to ensure our Council passed a ban on source-of-income discrimination and why I will always advocate for housing policy that prioritize Lexingtonians, not predatory out-of-state corporations. As a Councilmember, I'll push to create more emergency housing for those experiencing homelessness, overhaul our zoning ordinances and land-use guidelines, and fight to significantly increase the amount of money we allocate to the Affordable Housing Fund. I support the creation of an eviction diversion program and guaranteed seats for tenants on civic boards and commissions directly related to housing.
• The residents of District 4 deserve a Councilmember who will show up, listen, and advocate for them both inside and outside of Council Chambers. I have been talking face-to-face with the folks who live in my district and giving them my personal phone number for many months now. I don’t intend to stop doing so once I’m elected. If we are going to build a thriving and prosperous city for all, we need to make sure that we are actively promoting civic engagement and making our local government accessible to everyone. That's why I will work to adjust our meeting schedule so that Council Work Sessions—where the most robust debates about proposed policy occur—take place in the evening when more people are able to attend in person.

I am deeply passionate about civic engagement and community participation in local government.

I've spoken with hundreds of District 4 voters at their doorsteps so far. As of this writing, only 3 people have known their current Councilmember's name.

There’s no more important job for an elected official than constituent services. How are residents supposed to have their concerns addressed if their Councilmember is so absent that the majority of them don’t even know their name?

I will go above and beyond to make sure I am the most transparent and accessible Councilmember in Lexington so that issues in District 4 are addressed promptly, thoroughly, and intentionally.

There are three people that immediately come to mind: Andy Beshear, Susan Lamb, and Lamin Swann.

I believe that Gov. Beshear has shown the positive impact that our elected leaders can have when they put aside anger politics and instead lead with love and compassion. I aspire to follow his example by focusing on the things that unite us rather than on manufactured issues meant to divide us.

Susan Lamb, to me, is somebody who isn't just a politician. She's a true public servant. I'm grateful for her continued service as Fayette County Clerk, but I must admit that I miss having her as our District 4 Councilmember. I will work to follow her example by bringing back servant-leadership and a people-first approach to serving South Lexington.

The late Rep. Lamin Swann was my friend and my mentor. I miss him dearly. He was able to bring an enthusiasm and passion to his work that would instantly light up any room he was in. He made me understand that my voice mattered and could make a difference. I hope that I am able to make the folks who come to me with their concerns understand that their voices matter and can make a difference.

Honesty, transparency, accessibility, curiosity, and courage.

I believe that it's incredibly important for elected officials to be honest about where they stand on the issues that they will be crafting policy to address. Dishonesty from our leaders erodes our trust in our institutions of government. I will work to restore that trust.

Without transparency, it’s impossible to build that trust. Elected officials work for their constituents and must always remember that. Too often, elected officials mislead or attempt to dodge questions about where they stand out of political convenience. I will always be transparent about my decision making process on Council.

While there will certainly be situations where folks in the 4th District disagree with me, I will always show up and have conversations in good-faith about those disagreements and keep an open mind. Accessibility is the foundation of a healthy relationship between an elected official and the people they serve. I’ve made myself available and accessible throughout this campaign and that won’t change once I’m in office.

These conversations with people who have different beliefs and experiences than me are some of the most rewarding conversations I’ve had. Elected officials should greet these conversations with curiosity, the desire to learn more and better understand experiences they haven’t personally had.

Lastly, elected officials must have the courage to always do what is right, not simply what is easy. My grandfather served on his town’s school board and lost his seat after vocally and successfully pushing for desegregation, which wasn’t a popular decision at that moment in time. But he did what was right, regardless of what it cost him politically. I will always strive to follow in his example.

I believe that I have a fresh perspective, enthusiasm, and experience in political organizing that will make me a successful officeholder.

I’ve been elected to office within Kentucky Young Democrats multiple times and have contributed to the organization’s immense growth. As Vice President of Recruitment and Expansion, I am very proud of the work I’ve done there, including recruiting more than 40 candidates under the age of 40 to run for office across Kentucky in 2024.

I’m also a lifelong resident of the Greater Lexington area. In that time, I have been a homeowner and a renter. I’ve worked everywhere from Target to the University of Kentucky International Center. I know what it’s like to struggle to make ends meet and what it’s like to have earned financial stability against the odds.

On Council, I will show up to work every day with those experiences in mind and make sure that every resident of the 4th District has a seat at the table, regardless of their age, race, gender, partisan affiliation, or socioeconomic background.

"Universal Sound" by Tyler Childers