Emma Curtis is a
lifelong
Kentuckian.
The daughter of a single mother, she grew up on her family’s farm where her mom raised her to always work hard, lead with love, and get the job done.
From an early age, her family instilled in her a deep love for Kentucky and taught her the importance of civic engagement.
As a student at Centre College, she helped organize and participated in several campaigns and events aimed at increasing administrative transparency, reducing sexual assault and harassment on campus, and promoting inclusion and equality for students of color and LGBTQ+ students.
She began knocking doors and phone-banking for the political campaigns of candidates she believed in, as well as attending rallies and community organizing meetings.
Since graduating from Centre in 2018, she has lived and worked in Lexington as an independent filmmaker and community organizer focused on uplifting the voices of Central Kentuckians who have long gone unheard.
Her most recent film, There Is No Answer, documents the life and career of Lexington artist George Szekely. It was released by KET on November 5, 2024.
Whether registering marginalized Kentuckians to vote through her work with Kentuckians for the Commonwealth or lobbying in Frankfort with organizations like the ACLU of Kentucky and the Fairness Campaign, Emma has demonstrated a relentless commitment to building a better future for her community and her commonwealth.
She is a member of several community-focused organizations, including CivicLex and the Lexington Branch of the Kentucky Women’s Network, that focus on bringing people together and improving Lexington’s civic health.
Emma also serves as the Vice President for Programming at Kentucky Young Democrats, where she has held leadership roles since 2023, and is a member of the Emerge Kentucky Advisory Board.
Since being sworn into office on January 3, 2025, Emma has quickly established herself as a consensus-builder, a change-maker, and a relentless advocate for her constituents.
She has been hard at work delivering results for her constituents on the issues that she ran on—fixing roads, ensuring pedestrian safety, lowering housing costs, and strengthening Lexington’s relationship with the Kentucky General Assembly.
