“If you, as an Indianapolis resident, had the option of moving your family to northside cities such as Carmel and Fishers, would you make the move?”
This was the question the Recorder asked city dwellers of all backgrounds and age ranges.
Camille Mason, a Black Indianapolis resident who resides in the Riverside neighborhood with her two children said, “No, without a doubt.”
“Why on earth would I want to go up there? There are no Black people and if they are, they’ll probably think they’re too good to talk to me,” she said.
When the Recorder asked if her children were able to obtain a higher quality education, would her answer stay the same, she seemed uncertain.
“I’m not sure. In theory it sounds great, but there are other factors I’d have to consider because it is a trade off. You trade a better education for a chance that my children may not be as connected with their heritage because they won’t see anyone like them. I just wouldn’t want them to be out of place,” she said.
Mason is one of many residents who sees little value in living outside of the inner city. In addition, she said she feels as if there is an invisible line of tension between Blacks in the inner city and those who live in the suburbs.
Where a family or individual chooses to live doesn’t only depend upon their quality of education and financial stability, it also impacts their life expectancy, according to a study released by Indiana University Fairbanks School of Public Health in 2015 titled, “Worlds Apart: Gaps in Life Expectancy in the Indianapolis Metro Area.” On average, those who live on the city’s northside live 14 years longer than people in some inner city neighborhoods.
“What prompted this study was our concern about how health inequalities are fueled by inequalities in life. People’s lives are different based on things like the house they live in, the kind of education nearby, childcare and transportation. These things add up over time and can shorten lives,” said Weathers in a previous interview with the Recorder. “Maybe we’ll never get to the point where every community has the same kind of well-stocked store Carmel does, but we can certainly get to a point where every community has a full-service grocery store with some vegetables you’d want to eat, for example.”
Andre Davidson has lived in Carmel for the past 10 years along with his wife and three children.
“I work in Indianapolis and when my coworkers hear where I live, they always comment, ‘You live all the way up there?’ or ‘You must have a lot of money for a house up there’ and honestly, it’s frustrating. My wife and I work hard everyday to ensure we and our children have a good quality life. We weren’t just handed a house in Carmel, we worked for it,” said Davidson who told the Recorder he’s lived in the inner city most of his life.
Weathers’ mention of well-stocked grocery stores is one of Davidson’s perks of living up north.
“I grew up in the ‘hood’ of Indy so I know what its like to not have fresh food or to have a bullet come through your window at night,” he said. “It’s frustrating because people slap an identity on you and think because you live up north you’re privileged.”
Davidson said he does understand the other side of the coin, as a few of his neighbors of color on the Northside sometime appear to “act too upscale.”
“We’re all Black and we understand the struggles we and our ancestors faced so I don’t understand why some people of color move into this area and act as if they are too good to mingle with those in the inner city,” he said.
Davidson said his children are enrolled in a great school system and he hopes they never have to endure the struggles he experienced growing up. He said while many other Blacks think Noblesville residents are white, he said many of them are immigrants which helps his children become exposed to other cultures and traditions.
Kiera Smith, a recent college graduate grew up in Hamilton County but once receiving her degree, decided to move to downtown Indianapolis. She said her decision was based on the recent major developments of the area.
“Downtown is the next trendy place and if you can afford to live there, why not,” said Smith, who also mentioned she has noticed tension between those in the Black community depending upon location. “Because I’ve lived in both areas of the city, I’ve seen it all and honestly I think it’s silly. When I lived in Hamilton County, my friends from Indy would ask why I lived with white folks and now that I’m downtown people ask, ‘Why don’t you live up north since you’re from that area?’ At this point in society Black America has no choice but to try and band together. We don’t have time to mettle one another over silly things such as this.”
