When Kentucky for Kentucky started as a Kickstarter campaign 15(!) years ago, the goal was to promote the amazing people and places in our kick-ass state. We never could have dreamed that it would turn into a fundraising vehicle, a home for the coolest staff in the world, and the best and weirdest collection of Kentucky-themed gear around.
We also never could have predicted how much the climate in our country would change since then. We want to take a minute and acknowledge that 2026 has started off on a really distressing note. Fellow humans, who have inherent worth and dignity, are being hurt, taken, and sometimes killed, in an operation that can only be described by any decent Kentuckian as “cruel.” Bad news seems to come out of government daily.
Honestly, it’s felt really weird to be marketing our merch to y’all during this. We’ve tried to make our values known, but we also know that, like a week later, we’re emailing you about an Eric C. Lepreconn shirt. And, believe it or not, that might not be what some people are looking for.
So we’re sending this message out, just as an acknowledgement that we know this is a hard time for many of us. We encourage every one of you to take care of your mental health. Stand up for your neighbors. And most of all, be kind.
Like our buddy Andy says, “We will get through this together.” Kentuckians always do.
In the meantime, we’re going to keep emailing you about “Heated Rivalry” shirts. We still need to take care of the coolest staff in the world. But if that’s not what you need right now, we completely understand. We love you anyway.
Love,
The Kentucky for Kentucky team
