Bring It On! – WFHB

Originally aired on June 13, 2022:

In today’s edition of Bring It On!, hosts, Clarence Boone and Liz Mitchell spend the hour with Dr. Gina Forrest. She has conducted extensive research on Sundown towns in Indiana. Dr. Forrest graduated from Indiana University Bloomington with a Master of Public Health and a Ph.D. in Health Behavior, focusing on Health Inequities. She was a former Chief Diversity Officer with the Indiana Supreme Court.

Sundown towns, also known as sunset towns, gray towns, or sundowner towns, are all-white municipalities or neighborhoods in the United States that practice a form of racial segregation by excluding non-whites via some combination of discriminatory local laws, and intimidation, or violence. The term came from signs posted that “colored people” had to leave town by sundown. The same process also created entire sundown counties and sundown suburbs. The practice was not restricted to the southern states, with New Jersey and other northern states being described as equally inhospitable to black travelers until at least the early 1960s.

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Today on Bring It On!, hosts, Clarence Boone and Liz Mitchell, spend the hour with 2024 Living Legend Award Recipient, Elizabeth Ann Bridgwaters, and Female High School Award Recipient, Ms. Jael Davis. These awards, among others, were presented at The City of Bloomington’s Black History Month Gala. The gala offered an opportunity to acknowledge, honor, and celebrate the accomplishments of African Americans who have devoted their time, talents, and resources to make a difference in the Bloomington community and beyond.

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On today’s edition of Bring It On!, hosts, Clarence Bone and Liz Mitchell, speak with Leon Bates, local Indianapolis historian and former guest of Bring It On!, and Judith Thomas, Deputy Mayor of Neighborhood Engagement for the City of Indianapolis, about respecting the remains from Greenlawn Cemetery as the land is being developed. In addition, the city is putting together a commission to recommend how best to memorialize the history of Greenlawn once the bridge project is complete.

Eunice Trotter, director of Indiana Landmarks’ Black Heritage Preservation Program, said they have found city death records for a decade of the late 1800s showing hundreds of Black residents were buried in Greenlawn. City officials say they plan to disturb as little of the site as possible. They have hired an archeologist to examine the ground as construction progresses and look for signs of burials. If remains are found, work in the area will stop and everything will be documented and processed, according to the city.

Diamond Chain bought a portion of the site in 1913 for its manufacturing facility and remains have been discovered there over the years. That portion of the property is now being turned into Eleven Park, the massive mixed-use development that will include Indy Eleven’s new 20,000-seat soccer stadium, and historians expect more remains will be uncovered during the construction. Eunice Trotter, director of Indiana Landmarks’ Black Heritage Preservation Program, said they have found city death records for a decade of the late 1800s showing hundreds of Black residents were buried in Greenlawn.

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On today’s edition of Bring It On!, hosts, Clarence Boone and Liz Mitchell, spend the hour with Laurisa LeSure, the director of Better Homes: The Play. In the 1950s African American Studebaker workers from the South won out over Jim Crow in the North to build 22 homes in a white neighborhood and create a legacy. Their success demonstrates the decisive importance of fair housing for generations to come. It is a victory in a battle that has not been won yet since housing discrimination and redlining persist today.

This collective group was known as the  Better Homes of South Bend, and they built 22 homes on 1700-1800 blocks of North Elmer Street, creating a vibrant and peaceful community here in a formerly all-white neighborhood. And now, history is being transformed into a play based on the book by Gabrielle Robinson, Ph.D.

In honor of Black History Month, we felt it was important to shed light on this Indiana story of resilience. There is a historical marker on South Bend’s far northwest side where 22 Black families began a housing co-op in the 50s known as the “Better Homes of South Bend.” WNIT of South Bend will show the entire play along with talk-back segments from the cast & crew of “Better Homes: The Play” on Friday, February 23, at 9 PM and on Sunday, February 25, at 8 PM.

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Today Bring It On!’s hosts, Clarence Boone and Liz Micthell, spend the hour with Jim Sms and Beverly Calender Anderson.

When Bring It On launched in 2005, Jim Sims was the first co-anchor along with Delia Alexander. Jim was employed at Indiana University – Residential Programs and Services Division (31 years) and additionally served as Council liaison to the City of Bloomington Utilities (among other council board, commission, and committee appointments), as President of the Monroe County NAACP, and as Chair for Second Baptist Church Trustee Board. Jim is the second African American to ever serve on Bloomington City Council, where he also served as Council President and At-Large Representative.

Beverly Calender Anderson has enjoyed a long tenure as one of the distinctive voices as an anchor for Bring It On! For more than 18 years Beverly has served the City of Bloomington in the Community and Family Resources Department. First as the director of Safe and Civil Cities (9+ years) and then as director of the department (9+ years). She is a longtime leader in the community, through her roles with the City of Bloomington, and countless other community-based roles on boards and commissions. She serves as an inspiration to women in local government and social services. She leads humbly but firmly, she encourages creative solutions to new problems, mentors and supports others, and she is willing to go above and beyond her job description to serve our community. Among her many recognitions, in 2021, she was bestowed the distinction as a Women Excel Bloomington Honoree.

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On today’s Bring It On!, hosts, Clarence Boone and Liz Micthell, put the spotlight on Black History Month in Bloomington, IN. Here in Bloomington, the Black History Month theme for this year, “Blacks in Cinema,” celebrates the profound impact and enduring contributions of Black individuals in the world of film. Throughout history, Black filmmakers, actors, and storytellers have played pivotal roles in shaping the cinematic landscape, enriching it with diverse narratives and perspectives. This theme invites reflection on the resilience, creativity, and transformative power of Black voices within the realm of cinema.

On the Indiana University campus, the theme for this year’s celebration is “For the Culture,” which symbolizes the contributions of Black people from around the world and here at Indiana University. The Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center (NMBCC) chose this theme as a way to honor and celebrate the culture, beauty, creativity, intellect, and resilience of Black people everywhere. As one of the oldest Black culture centers in the nation, the NMBCC is proud to celebrate 50 years of power, progress, and promise.

Joining us this evening to discuss celebratory activities surrounding Black History Month in the City of Bloomington and on the Indiana University Bloomington campus are Bring It On! guests, Shatoyia Moss, Director of Safe and Civil Cities for the City of Bloomington, Dr. Gloria Howell, Director of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center on the Indiana University Bloomington campus, and William Lawrence, Director of the Black Film Center & Archives also on the IUB campus.

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This is a rebroadcast from January 20, 2020:

Today we honor Martin Luther King Jr. with a special edition of Bring It On!

Tonight at 7 PM, the City of Bloomington is honoring the MLK holiday with a celebration at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. We are recognizing the 2020 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with two riveting interviews. We’ll begin our show with a powerful discussion with Ms. Brittany Packnett, the keynote speaker for Bloomington’s 2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration. In the second half of the hour, hosts Clarence Boone and William Hosea interview tonight’s keynote speaker Dr. Melina Abdullah, Professor and Chair of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles, who will speak on “Courage and Beautiful Struggle: Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with Our Work”.

Ms. Brittany Packnett is an activist and co-founder of Campaign Zero. She was also a member of President Barack Obama’s 21st Century Policing Task Force, and she was executive director for Teach for America in St. Louis. Her 2019 TED Talk on confidence has garnered nearly 3 million views worldwide. Brittany is the author of the forthcoming book, We Are Like Those Who Dream, with One World.

Dr. Melina Abdullah is a recognized expert on race, gender, class, and social movements. She was among the original group of organizers that convened to form Black Lives Matter and continues to serve as a Los Angeles chapter leader. She is a co-host and co-producer of the weekly radio program “Beautiful Struggle” which airs on KPFK, part of the Pacifica radio network, and hosts and produces the weekly internet radio show “Move the Crowd,” which airs on Radio Justice (radiojustice.org).

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On today’s edition of Bring It On!, hosts, Clarence Boone and Liz Mitchell speak with Dr. Gloria Howell. Gloria is the director of the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center and has a mayoral appointment on the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Commission. The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Commission seeks to promote and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and promote the acceptance of diversity in the community. The Commission sponsors events and programs to commemorate the annual Dr. King federal holiday, including a volunteer service day initiative “A Day ON! Not a Day Off”, “40 Days of Peace”, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award, and the annual community-wide Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration. The Commission also sponsors events throughout the year that promote justice, racial harmony, and equal opportunity.

In honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Indiana University hosted “An Evening Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” last Friday, January 12, 2024, at the Indiana University Memorial Union’s Alumni Hall. The program included student performances, IU’s Building Bridges award presentations, and special keynote remarks from Dr. Shaun Harper, one of the nation’s most highly respected racial equity experts. Sharing Dr. King’s sentiments, the City of Bloomington Dr. MLK Birthday Celebration Commission is committed to amplifying his message regarding the power of education during the 2024 celebration and beyond. This year’s theme is Unlocking Freedom: The Transformative and Liberating Power of Education.

Today’s 2024 Birthday Celebration included:

More information about Indiana University’s activities for Black History Month can be found here.

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For this year’s Bloomington MLK Day observance, the theme  is “Keep Knocking!” The January 16 evening keynote speaker, Park Cannon, is Georgia’s youngest State Representative and one of two openly queer lawmakers in the Georgia General Assembly. She represents House District 58, which encompasses a diverse cross-section of Atlanta.

The Democratic lawmaker recently made national headlines when she was unlawfully arrested and removed from the Georgia Capitol after she knocked on the door to the Republican governor’s office during his signing of SB 202. This restrictive law limits voting rights in the state. Republicans rushed the bill through both chambers of the legislature a few hours before he signed it into law. It has been harshly criticized nationwide for disenfranchising Black voters, is being challenged in court, and is being dubbed “Jim Crow 2.0.”

Tonight Representative Cannon talks about her start in politics and the state of affairs in the State of Georgia. She also shares her reflections on such issues as the Mid- term success of Senator Raphael Warnock and her work with such civic leaders as Stacey Abrams. Finally, as the keynote for next Monday’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we’re inviting her to share a preview of her remarks.

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This is a rebroadcast from July 4, 2016:

William Hosea and Clarence Boone talk with three special guests from sub-Saharan Africa. The U.S. State Department’s Mandela Washington Fellows for Young African Leaders brought 25 young leaders to the US for several weeks. These Fellows are leaders who have established records of accomplishment in promoting innovation and positive change in their organizations, institutions, communities, and countries. On this 4th of July, hear how the American experiment impacts these leaders, and at the same time how America gains wisdom from these African leaders.

Sylvester Andamowei SEDE (NIGERIA) is a media professional with over eight years of experience in creative innovation, media production, and programming in community development. He has worked extensively with over 300 youths and women in Nigeria’s Niger Delta. Sylvester is the MD of a media firm, Sylverflame Media Ltd, and president of the Creative Arts for Peace Initiative, a youth NGO.

Zemedena Abebe ARERU (ETHIOPIA) is an activist and mentoring high school girls toward reducing gender-based violence, environmental education, and hygiene and sanitation strategies.

Zukiswa Yoliswa Zinhle NZO (SOUTH AFRICA), is an advocate and community leader who strives to address issues of inequality of diverse groups, especially disability.

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