Equestrian and actor Chanel Minnifield to discuss debut novel at 250Lex event
Editor’s Note: As Lexington celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, the Herald-Leader and kentucky.com each day throughout 2025 will share interesting facts about our hometown. Compiled by Liz Carey, all are notable moments in the city’s history — some funny, some sad, others heartbreaking or celebratory, and some just downright strange.
She’s an actor and Olympic hopeful — and next week, she’ll be discussing her debut book in Lexington.
Chanel Minnifield, a Lexington native, will headline an event at Black Soil as part of 250Lex, a celebration of Lexington’s 250th anniversary. Minnifield will discuss her book, “Yes, That’s Vegan: Rooted & Balanced,” and her journey from Lexington to Hollywood.
Minnifield is also training as an equestrian, with the goal of becoming the first Black American to ride in the Olympics. The event will take place on Oct. 14 at Black Soil’s new location, 820 Lane Allen Road.
Minnifield is the daughter of NFL Hall of Famer Frank Minnifield, and has been acting since she was 14. As a teen, she worked in national commercials before moving on to television, in the series “Jane the Virgin” and the soap opera “General Hospital,” and feature films, appearing in the Oscar-nominated film “Rustin” starring Coleman Domingo.
But she’s also been a lifelong athlete.
Minnifield competed at some of the highest levels in gymnastics, golf and cheerleading. As a Junior Olympic gymnast, she ranked in the top 10 in the vault and floor exercises. And as a cheerleader, she ranked as an All-Star, making the national team NCA.
She’s also a horsewoman, currently training for the 2028 Olympics.
Ashley Smith, executive director of Black Soil, said Minnifield’s book and life compliment the organization’s mission — reconnecting Black Kentuckians to their heritage and legacy in agriculture.
Established in 2017, Black Soil works regionally, nationally and globally to elevate Black farmers and to encourage Black farming and land ownership. Since then, the organization has invested more than $1.5 million in Kentucky’s Black farming community through partnerships, product placement and cooperative economics.
For Black Soil, having Minnifield at the store furthers the group’s mission while highlighting the equine legacy of Black Kentuckians, Smith said.
Of the first 15 winners of the Kentucky Derby, 13 were Black. Some of those jockeys, including Oliver Lewis, were the superstars of their day.
Lewis was the second of 10 children born to Goodson Lewis and Elanora Keys Lewis of Versailles, Kentucky. He was only 19 when he entered the first Kentucky Derby as a jockey. An estimated 10,000 spectators watched him ride Aristide to victory that day.
Later that season, Lewis would go on to come in second at the Belmont Stakes in New York and to win three more races at the Louisville Jockey Club.
“This plays into our larger mission which is to reconnect Black Kentuckians to their heritage and legacy in agriculture,” Smith said. “Chanel really is living out that legacy and that heritage with this Olympic pursuit. And we love highlighting Kentucky authors in our soil and roots library. We’re just really excited to offer literacy, education and outreach around what it takes to become an Olympian.”
Smith said attendees to the event will be able to sample one of Minnifield’s recipes as well as hear her story.
“We’ll be enjoying some vegan chili samples from Chanel featuring our ... red tomatoes and yellow onions,” she said. “We’re also excited to have the Sprout Mobile Pharmacy market there with some fresh produce for purchase. But really this event is all about Chanel and her journey to the Olympics, her love of vegan food, her journey in the equine industry.”
While advance registration is already full, standing-room-only space for walk-in participants will be available. Seating begins at 5:30 p.m., and the doors close to the event promptly at 6.
Have a question or story idea related to Lexington’s 250-year history? Let us know at 250LexKy@gmail.com.