In my view, 2014 in Indianapolis was marked by the continued severe lack of overall leadership by Indy’s leaders; by the continued disrespect shown to our African-American community by the city’s Republican mayor; and by an African-American community in disarray and disunity; dissembled into jealous factions where unity is a dirty word and cooperation, the forgotten, forsaken virtue of a bygone era.
The dysfunction in Indy’s African-American community came into sharp focus in March when Indiana Black Expo’s (IBE) board severed its 43 year relationship with the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper.
The decision stunned all levels of our Black community and contributed to Expo’s continued lower attendance and the Classic’s record low attendance.
The feckless IBE board’s decision crystallized for many the disturbing lack of operational unity among Black institutions.
Community leadership from Black businesspersons has eroded and with Bill Mays’ passing, Black businesspersons are in danger of being totally marginalized; uninterested in helping drive the forward motion of our Black community.
Church leadership is extremely fractured and factionalized. Much of that has been precipitated by Mayor Greg Ballard’s deliberate wedge driving among Black ministers. Another contributing factor? The attitude of some Black ministers that if you don’t join their own neighborhood and street ministries and missions, then you’re against God and our Black community.
Crime was a major 2014 concern. Despite some who say crime isn’t that bad, the perception and reality is city crime is on the rise and seemingly Indy’s leaders haven’t a clue what to do.
During 2014, Mayor Ballard launched several anti-crime plans that went nowhere in taking bites outta crime. In February, Ballard launched an effort to have families call 2-1-1 to get help with troubled youth. The effort flopped.
In July, Ballard suddenly said to fight crime we had to spend millions giving 4 year olds from poor families vouchers to attend “quality” pre-schools. The business community ponied up millions more. All of which may well curb crime in 2025, but do nothing about it in 2015.
Indianapolis’ business and civic leadership are going gaga over four year olds while starving programs and initiatives that could turn those age 14 to 24 away from crime now, is the best example of the abdication of civic responsibility of Indianapolis’ leadership.
What’s damning about the leadership dysfunction in our Black and the overall community is Indianapolis leadership’s failure to devote its full weight and wisdom on the singular issue holding Indianapolis back — our city’s stubbornly high poverty rate.
While the mayor, governor and chamber of commerce brag about falling unemployment rates, they’re silent about stagnant personal and household incomes in Indiana cities and towns; including its capitol.
In September, I reported over one million Hoosiers lived in poverty. The state’s media and leaders ignored the issue.
Last month, United Ways throughout Indiana reported 37 percent of Indiana households and 45 percent of Indianapolis households either live in poverty or are “asset limited, income constrained, yet employed;” households and families with incomes falling short of meeting basic necessities.
What I’m Hearing in the Streets
After months of deliberate secrecy while shadowy multinational corporations bid, the Ballard Administration grudgingly allowed the public to hear some details of the proposed County Justice Center.
In a live interview on our WTLC-AM1310 Afternoons with Amos program, Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Adam Collins went out of his way to not provide detailed information.
Collins couldn’t explain how much rent the existing jail, criminal courts and other county offices scheduled to move into Justice Center are paying now. Those specific “savings” are the alleged justification for why we’ll pay $46.9 yearly for 35 years to a consortium led by a French (what again!) company.
I had to pry out of Collins information about the Justice Center’s minority business goals. Info the City didn’t provide to the public when this deal was announced December 12.
On air Collins said 30 percent of workers on the project would be Marion County residents. Again, info not publicly released.
Collins claimed the Justice Center’s minority business inclusion would be equal to Eskenazi Hospital’s.
But Collins’ evasiveness and the refusal of the City to mention it from jump, makes me suspicious. And based on past deals, the Ballard Administration’s commitment to veracity and honesty is of Pinocchio dimensions.
Worse, unlike other major projects — Convention Center expansion, Lucas Oil Stadium, the Fieldhouse and Eskenazi — the Justice Center involves no African-American-owned business as a major upfront subcontractor.
For seven years Ballard’s talked a good game about African-American-owned business inclusion; but when asked for proof; they refuse to provide it.
Meanwhile, another sort of disrespect was shown by the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA). The Museum, enveloped by Black-majority neighborhoods, including some of the city’s poorest, announced they would charge admission of $18; even though the museum’s been free for nearly all its 130 year history.
The poorly worded press release announcing IMA’s decision, made no mention of discounts for low-income families on TANF, Food Stamps and Hoosier Healthwise which are offered by other Indy museums — Children’s, Connor Prairie, NCAA, and Eiteljorg.
It wasn’t until IMA’s CEO Dr. Charles Venable appeared on Afternoons with Amos, that IMA said they’d provide those discounts.
But, said Venable, no discounts off the $18 admission for senior citizens because they comprise a substantial part of IMA’s customer base.
So low-income Indy families can get in the art museum for a buck. But Indy’s low-income seniors have to pay $18. Insane!
See ‘ya next (year) week!
You can email Amos Brown at ac-brown@aol.com, or follow him on Twitter at: @amoswtlcindy.
