Our City Our Voice

The Baptist Ministers Alliance on Wednesday hosted its annual Emancipation Proclamation Service at Olivet Baptist Church, bringing faith and city leaders together to discuss building a stronger Indianapolis. The event is also touted as a call to action as community leaders say it’s a step toward building a healthier and more united community.

One of the event highlights was Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears and Mayor Joe Hogsett addressing the community. The Democrat leaders Hogsett emphasized the importance of community collaboration in tackling crime, social inequities and city initiatives.

Issues including health disparities in the Black community and even having opportunities for youth to succeed are top of mind for many members of the alliance.

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he Institute of Chicana and Chicano Psychology and Community is preparing to host a public, online training session next month.

The session is aimed at providing participants with a foundational understanding of culturally responsive therapy from a Chicano, Chicana, and Chicanx affirmative approach.

The event is designed to explore the unique intersection of culture, identity, and mental health, offering tools to better serve the diverse communities within the Chicano/a/x population.

Contributor Bibi Heredia joined News 8 anchor Dakarai Turner to provide deeper insights into this important initiative.

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One of Indianapolis’ oldest congregations has teamed up with the Indiana State Museum for its annual community Kwanzaa celebration.

Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.

Witherspoon Presbyterian Church plans to celebrate Kwanzaa’s Day 4, which is called Ujamaa, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday at the Indiana State Museum as an inaugural Kwanzaa community festival. “Ujamaa” means “cooperative economics.”

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National Signing Day isn’t just about athletics, it can also provide valuable lessons off the field. WISH-TV contributor Emil Ekiyor joined News 8 to discuss how the community can make a difference.

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Inner Beauty Program Inc. and New Breed of Youth Inc. mentoring programs are preparing to host their 2024 Fight For Joy Christmas Extravaganza weekend celebration. The event will kick off Friday with a free “guns down, gloves up” youth boxing showcase with a dinner provided.

On Saturday, the annual Inner Beauty and New B.O.Y. holiday awards ceremony will highlight and affirm community leaders and young people in the organizations’ mentorship programs.

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s the holiday season approaches, one of Indianapolis’ most pressing challenges continues to be homelessness.

There are also issued raised around affordable housing. The city’s struggle with housing instability has only deepened, affecting thousands of people, including families.

WISH-TV contributor Emil Ekiyor joined News 8 anchor Dakarai Turner to discuss the scope of this issue and for a closer look.

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From planting seeds to planning careers, agricultural education is cultivating more than crops: It’s growing tomorrow’s leaders.

Indiana FFA, in partnership with National FFA, launched its new initiative Grow With Us, which aims to give Indiana students the opportunity to learn a wide variety of skills and make connections.

Agricultural education includes classes that can lead to over 350 careers in fields like STEM, business, education, communications, and policy.

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George Washington High School is helping students prepare for life after graduation by hosting an assembly with an organization dedicated to empowering the next generation.The event is all about giving students in grades 10-12 the tools and inspiration they need to succeed after graduation.

Trendsetter Foundation’s event, called ‘The 3E’s: Enrollment, Enlistment, Employment,’ helps high school students explore a wide range of post-graduation opportunities. Founder John Gaiters says he was inspired to start the foundation four years ago.

The assembly is designed to introduce students to a variety of career and education pathways, from enrolling in college, to enlisting in the military, or jumping straight into the workforce. Skills taught include the importance of networking, advocating for themselves, and exploring their options.

The event wouldn’t be possible without the generous support of sponsors like Wade Davis, The DuJuan and Tina McCoy Foundation, and the Gina Radke of Galley Support Innovations.

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The nonprofit Indy Health District is taking action to improve heath outcomes for underserved communities on the near north side of Indianapolis.Indiana University Indianapolis has been named the lead evaluator of the program.

Metrics include data on people’s quality of life, social determinants of health, and an increase in life expectancy for the community.

According to Indy Health District, data from the latest U.S. census said people who live within the district’s footprint die 20 years sooner than people in surrounding neighborhoods.

The evaluation effort is conducted in partnership with IU Indianapolis’ The Polis Center and the nonprofit Health by Design. Some of the variables that IU Indianapolis will evaluate are crash hot spots for pedestrians and bicyclists; green spaces; and access to prenatal and long-term health care.

Data will be updated every year, and community surveys will be conducted every other year.

The first official community gathering event for the Indy Health District will be held Nov. 20, where Yeager and other organizations hope to get public feedback.

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While American military veterans are a collective of people called to defend our country, they are also a from various ethnic backgrounds.

News 8’s Cody Adams sat down with multicultural contributor Bibi Heredia to highlight the rich history of Latino service members.

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