Our City Our Voice

An affordable housing pilot program has been designed to help set up families for success.Spearheading the program, the MLK Center needs the support of the community and landlords.

The first of two families in the pilot program has already moved in. In addition to the affordable housing support, the family also will get support specifically focused on education and financial literacy with a goal of eventually becoming homeowners and building generational wealth.

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Indiana is adding an extra $500,000 in grant funding to support Hoosiers living with sickle cell disease, which many say is a vital tool to support education and attack health disparities. Sickle cell is a condition most often found in Black people. It’s a disease marked by sickle-shaped blood cells that don’t flow smoothly, causing a backup in blood flow and debilitating pain. In Indiana, around 87% of people living with sickle cell are Black or African-American. Many of the health disparities we often see across the board are present in sickle cell treatment.

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In an exclusive interview News 8’s Brittany Noble spoke with one of the co-founders of Black Music Month, Dyana Williams.“The mother of Black Music Month” wrote letters, knocked on doors and made phone calls to make this special month a reality. Williams, truly a powerhouse in the entertainment industry, has made a lasting imprint in broadcasting, the music world and celebrity media strategy. The radio legend knows all about Black music.

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A local business is giving Hoosiers the chance to learn more about Indy’s place in Black music history.Indiana State University graduate Sampson Levingston began his own business, Through2Eyes Indiana, during the pandemic. “We’re stuck inside the house and then we had the Black Lives Matter movement and we had so much going on in our country,” Levingston said. “I knew so much about our history and how rich and how beautiful and untold it was.” Now, Levingston offers tours in 10 different Indianapolis neighborhoods. His most popular Walk & Talk attractions are one- or two-hour sessions along Indiana Avenue, a vital hub for Black culture, history, and business since the 1890s.

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Depression rates among the gender-diverse community suggest that a large number of children and teens have considered suicide. A recent Trevor Project study shows that 50% percent of gender-diverse kids — those whose gender identity or expression does not conform to male or female — have considered suicide in the last year. Numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau show that this group experiences significantly higher rates of anxiety and depression.

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Indianapolis sports teams are working to use their sporting platform to support LGBTQ+ inclusion.News 8 spoke with Shelly Snider, Executive Director of Indy Pride, and Tracy Ellis-Ward, Pacers Sports and Entertainment, Senior Vice President of diversity, equity, and inclusion, to learn more about the impact of LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports.

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While there will be a lot of festivities happening this month the Latinx community will be celebrating a milestone in the gay rights movement. Pride Month is more than just a celebration. According to Indy Pride, it’s also an opportunity to raise awareness, and in the Latinx community, there’s a new campaign that is shedding light on their challenges and triumphs. The campaign is called Generación Orgullo or Pride Generation. It focuses on how far they’ve come and their ongoing fight for equality.

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LGBTQ+ advocates warn this Pride Month is more important than ever to remain visible after legislation targeting their community passed in Indiana. Advocates across central Indiana said Pride is a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and a chance to live authentically, but with recent legislative changes, this year’s celebration is a chance to make a statement.

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Thousands enjoyed an afternoon of music, food, and fun at the 3rd annual Greenwood Pride festival Saturday. “Pride is being able to be who you are, being proud of who you are, and knowing that there are other people like you in the community,” said Suzanne Fortenbury, executive director of Greenwood Pride.

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Pride month has officially started, and Indy Pride has added roughly 20 events to its calendar. Organizers say people can expect a bigger and better event. For around 10 days, Military Park will be transformed into the Pride festival grounds. Organizers say they took feedback, and this go-around you’ll have more space to roam, see venders performs, and much more.

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