Compassion in Action: The Journey to Greatness

This Black History Month, the Muhammad Ali Center invites you to a transformative event that celebrates compassion as the foundation of greatness and a driving force for meaningful change. Inspired by Muhammad Ali’s legacy as a champion in the ring and a global humanitarian, this program brings together Louisville leaders, changemakers, and visionaries to reflect on practical solutions to foster compassion in our community, nation, and world.

Join the Muhammad Ali Center as we celebrate Black History Month by honoring the past, embracing the present, and shaping the future. Together, let us create a world where compassion leads to action and greatness is defined by the good we do for one another.

Program Elements:

1. Panel Discussion: Compassion in Action

Hear from a panel of local leaders who embody the spirit of greatness through their work to advance equity and foster unity. They’ll share inspiring stories of how compassion has driven their efforts to address social challenges, create opportunities, and build stronger, more inclusive communities.

– Moderated by DeVone Holt

Panelists: Elmer Lucille Allen, Tiffany Benjamin, Lamont Collins, Dr. Steve M. Kelsey

2. The Inaugural Muhammad Ali Compassion Report

Presentation of the Muhammad Ali Compassion Report, an inspiring and data-driven publication based on the groundbreaking Muhammad Ali Index. The Muhammad Ali Index is the world’s foremost study on compassion, blending human and artificial intelligence to track and predict the state of compassion across America. The Compassion Report highlights the extraordinary efforts being made to advance social justice, while also offering actionable insights to inspire future progress. This report exemplifies Muhammad Ali’s belief that true greatness is achieved by how we treat one another and the impact we leave behind.

3. Community Conversation: Uniting through Compassion

Facilitated dialogue with fellow attendees, exploring how each of us can channel compassion into program, practice, and policy. This interactive session will spark ideas, forge connections, and empower individuals to take compassionate action locally, leading with empathy and courage.

Admission: Free and open to the public. Registration is required.

Panelist information:

Bishop Dr. Steven M. Kelsey –

Bishop Dr. Steven M. Kelsey is a retired Louisville Mero Police Officer of twenty five years and currently serves as the Behavioral Mental Health Specialist for Emergency Management Services (EMS) for Louisville Metro and is the Pastristical Founder of Alpha and Omega Church Ministries International, Inc., the Founding Pastor of Spirit Filled New Life Church Ministries and CEO of Fresh Start Education and Counseling Center Inc., located in Louisville, KY. Dr. Kelsey has over thirty years of ministry and counseling experience and has touched the souls and spirits of clergy, community organizations, members, and leaders, through his personal mantra of Loyalty, Commitment, and no Excuses.

Dr. Kelsey serves on multiple boards, including the Ronald McDonald House Charities and  Volunteers of America, and published author of The Psychosocial Experience Of Retired Police Officers: A Phenomenological and Scriptural Souls: The Psychology Of Sin And Salvation In The Bible: Chosen In Spite Of.  A man of vision, wisdom, character and integrity, and through his belief in God, he teaches that it is possible for all of God’s children to live a victorious life.

Dr. Kelsey is a dynamic, inspirational, and motivating speaker who has preached locally, nationally, and internationally in places such as London England, Canada, India, Trinidad, Amsterdam, Africa, and the Netherlands. He has won numerous awards at the national and local level, including the WAVE TV 3 STEP Award, Who’s Who Among American Professionals, Bishop of the Year from Lord’s Churches Fellowship, and Officer of the Year by the Kiwanis Club.

Dr. Kelsey also had the privilege to speak at President Bill Clinton’s round table discussion, and was chosen by WAVE TV 3 to carry the Olympic Torch in 1996

Dr. Kelsey is the husband, of thirty years, to Lady Elect Diane Kelsey, who is the epitome of a woman who has been graced with dignity, charm and elegance and they are proud parents of three children, Whitney, Amaris and Josiah.

Dr. Kelsey’s core competencies afford him to provide transformative care that empowers individuals towards a fresh start, while bring innovative and culturally sensitive approaches to mental health. By integrating his expertise in psychology, pastoral care, and as a retired first responder, he contributes to a holistic support system that enhances resilience among emergency services personnel.

Elmer Lucille Allen- 

Elmer Lucille Allen (she/her) is a retired chemist who was the first African-American chemist in 1966 at Brown-Forman Corporation, one of the largest family-owned companies in the field of spirits and wine. She retired in 1997 as a Senior Analytical Chemist after thirty-one years of service. She has been known for her volunteer service in the artistic community since the early 1980s. A native of Louisville, Kentucky, she graduated from Central High School (1949) and Nazareth College (now Spalding University) with a Bachelor of Science in 1953. She earned her Master of Art in Studio Arts at the University of Louisville in 2002, and Doctor of Humane Letters from Spalding University in 2024.

Elmer Lucille Allen took her first ceramic class in 1977 at a JCPS evening class. In the late 1970s and the early 1980s, she took ceramics and fiber classes at Metro Arts Center. She studied ceramics with Melvin Rowe and Laura Ross who were University of Louisville graduate students.  In 1981, she was encouraged by Melvin Rowe and Laura Ross to explore ceramics at the University of Louisville with the late Thomas “Tom” Marsh, the founder of UofL Hite Art Institute ceramics program. She continued to take ceramic classes at UL. In 2000, Allen was recruited to pursue a masters degree in ceramics. In addition to ceramics, she had to take a second art class and she chose fiber.  In the Masters program she studied ceramics with Todd Burns and fiber arts with the late Lida Gordon.  Elmer Lucille’s Master of Arts thesis exhibition consisted of over 200 reduction-fired sculptural porcelain boxes and stenciled wall hangings. In her coursework, she was introduced to multiple fiber technique. She was introduced to stitched resist shibori by a fellow student. After graduation she got a studio space at Mellwood Arts Center where she began to make stitched resist shibori wall pieces. She has participated in several regional art exhibitions where she has exhibited both fiber art and ceramics..

In the 1980s, Elmer Lucille Allen was a co-founder who became president of the Kentucky Coalition for AFRO-American Arts, Inc. (KCAAA). This organization received a grant from the Kentucky Arts Council to document African American artists in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Two directories of African arts organization and artists were produced. In 1986, Elmer Lucille was awarded the Governor’s Community Arts Awards for contributions to the creative economy in the Commonwealth of Kentucky by Governor Martha Layne Collins. During her years as President of KCAAA, she held two art conferences, one in Louisville and one in Lexington. When the KCAAA disbanded in the 1989. Elmer Lucille Allen (president) and Priscilla Cooper (treasurer and cultural activist), donated KCAAA remaining funds to the Arts Council of Louisville under the leadership of Louisville-based storyteller, Nana Yaa Asantewaa.

Elmer Lucille has played many critical roles in the regional arts community. She was the curator and director of the Wayside Christian Mission’s Wayside Expression Gallery from 2005-2017 where she exhibited local emerging artists. In 2015, she received the Art and Advocacy Award from the Kentucky Museum of Arts and Crafts (KMAC). She was the recipient of the 2011 Caritas Medal – Highest Alumnus Award from Spalding University. Recognition of her life’s work has been featured in publications including the “Portraits of Grace” written by Marian T. Call with original art by Louisville-based artist Joan Zehnder (2007) and “Kentucky Women: Two Centuries of Indomitable Spirit and Vision” edited by Eugenia K. Potter (1997). Nancy Gall-Clayton, a Kentucky-based playwright, wrote and produced a play titled, “She Moves Like the Wind” about Elmer Lucille Allen’s life in 2018. That same year, Elmer Lucille Allen received five awards from various organizations for her contribution to the arts and the wider community. She loves to be involved in her community by attending cultural workshops, arts conferences and exhibition events to meet other fellow artists. She enjoys taking photographs of artists with their artwork to nurture strong connections and fond memories. Art is an integral part of her life. In addition to the arts, she attends meetings about civic issues that impact her community within the Metro Louisville area. She is truly a lifelong learner.

Family life has been very important to Elmer Lucille. Her family included her mother, Ophelia Hammonds (1899-1964); father, Elmer Johnson Hammonds Sr. (1903-1987); stepmother, Thelma Morton Hammonds (1904-2008); brother, Elmer “Bud” Johnson Hammonds Jr. (deceased). and sister, Mary Elizabeth Hammonds (deceased). Her mother was a domestic maid and cook. Her father was a Pullman Porter and taxicab driver. She grew up in an area now known as the Russell neighborhood. She lived at 1724 West Chestnut Street in a three-story brick rental home with two bathrooms and electricity. Her family lived on the first floor and her parents rented out rooms to other tenants on the second and third floor. The children took baths in a tin tub. She also stayed in Louisville’s Smoketown neighborhood with her grandparents, Lucien Guinn and Ella Guinn (born in the 1800s), who lived at 611 East Finzer Street. Elmer Lucille’s grandparents  home did not have indoor plumbing or electricity. The historic home still exists in the neighborhood but has been updated. A mural was designed at Jackson and Caldwell Street that commemorates Elmer Lucille Allen’s important connection to that part of town. She remembers how her grandparents’ home felt different because they did not have electricity or an inside-bathroom like her parents’ home.

Elmer Lucille Allen also has clear memories of the major flood of 1937 that changed the lives of many in Louisville. She remembers being rescued in a boat from her grandparents flooded home. She and her grandparents ended up staying on the top floor at what is now the Chestnut Street YMCA. Eventually, she and her grandparents went to her home at 1724 West Chestnut Street.

Elmer Lucille attended Western Elementary School, Madison Street Junior High School and Central High School. She is the only member in her family who graduated from high school. Now at age 93, she has three children, one grandchild, and three great grandchildren.

Lamont Collins – 

Lamont Collins, a dynamic leader and former University of Louisville football player, stands as the 67-year-old visionary CEO and Founder of the ROOTS-101 African American Museum. His journey into preserving African American history began when his mother gifted him Muhammad Ali’s autograph, sparking a passion for collecting artifacts that tell the stories of Black culture. Collins has seamlessly blended his athletic background with a fervent commitment to cultural preservation. Through ROOTS-101, he strives to amplify the narratives of African Americans, fostering understanding and appreciation. With an indomitable spirit, Lamont Collins continues to inspire and educate, leaving an indelible mark on the cultural landscape.

Tiffany Benjamin – 

Tiffany Benjamin serves as the Humana Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer. In her role as CEO, Tiffany guides the Foundation in establishing new ways to co-create healthy communities and eliminate unjust differences in U.S. health and health care. She is committed to closing systemic gaps in mental/behavioral health, nutrition, and food security. She leads the Foundation’s philanthropic disaster response and recovery strategy, as well as its scholarships and associate giving programs. She brings a strong understanding of healthcare systems and policy and the social determinants of health.

Prior to joining Humana, Tiffany was President of the Eli Lilly & Company Foundation and Senior Director, Social Impact at Eli Lilly and Company. In 2020, she led Lilly’s global philanthropic efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its philanthropic efforts to address racial inequity in the United States. Tiffany previously served in various roles at Lilly within the legal function.

Prior to that, Tiffany served as Senior Investigative Counsel for the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee.

Tiffany has a law degree from Harvard Law School and an undergraduate degree in Journalism and Political Science from Indiana University.

In 2022, Tiffany was recognized as one the 100 Most Influential Black Americans by The Root. She was also awarded the 2024 Corporate Philanthropy Leadership Award by the Council on Foundations. She has received various other recognition including being named 2021 Indiana University College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Young Alumni; the 2021 United Way of Center Indiana’s Exceptional Executive of the Year; one of the 2023 “Businesswomen in the Bizwomen 100” by The Business Journals; one of “Power 50” by the Louisville Business First in 2023 and 2024; and a recipient of the 2023 Louisville Healthcare CEO Council’s Optimize Healthy Equity Champion Award.

Tiffany serves on the boards of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (Chair), Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy (Chair Emeritus), Indiana University College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Advisory Board, Leadership Kentucky, and Early Learning Indiana. Tiffany writes extensively about topics around private philanthropy and health equity and teaches undergraduate courses at the Indiana University Lilly School of Philanthropy.