In my post-Circle City Classic coverage, I thought it would be great to start off with some positive remarks about the various activities. So…here we go:
n Wednesday night’s Classic Prayer and Praise Worship Service was a motivating and uplifting event. Actress Tasha Smith shared her life’s journey that included overcoming drug abuse and a reckless lifestyle to pursuing her dream of being an actress.
n Anything that promotes education is always a positive attribute and the 32nd Annual Indianapolis Black Alumni Council College Fair was no exception. The colleges and recruiters should be applauded for their efforts to provide local students with education options. So too should the parents, mentors and counselors who take teens to the annual event.
n Although people have grown accustomed to attending the Coaches Luncheon at the Convention Center, having this year’s event at Lucas Oil Stadium was an attempt to switch things up a bit. Some people thought it was a nice touch, while others preferred to have it at the newly-renovated Convention Center.
n The Classic Cabaret featuring Keith Sweat, Lalah Hathaway, and Frankie Beverly & Maze seemed to be a huge success.
n The Comedy Jam with Chris Tucker as the headliner was well-attended.
n The Gospel Music Explosion had a solid crowd; attendees loved the performances of Deitrick Haddon, the Judah Band, the Brown Boys, and the Living for Jesus Mimes. The crowd participation was a testament to the event’s success.
n I was surprised at how quickly the Circle City Classic Parade ended. The flow of the event was nice and that is obviously a testament to the core organizers.
n The concert after the Classic game featuring Monica and Bow Wow was a nice bonus for attendees, particularly given the admission specials Classic offered.
While not all of the aforementioned positive events were Classic-sponsored, they certainly helped to enhance Classic as a whole.
I like pointing out the positive aspects of Circle City Classic, but I wouldn’t be true to myself nor anyone reading this editorial if I didn’t tell the truth about some of the not-so-great aspects of Classic. As with any other Indiana Black Expo/Circle City Classic-related editorial I have previously written, my objective is to help each organization reach their full potential and have total success. If I didn’t personally care for either organization, I would never dedicate so much time or ink towards offering possible solutions to enhance them.
One of the ways I feel Classic could really rejuvenate itself within the community is by going back to the basics and reminding people that Classic is in essence a fundraiser for students. The money generated from ticket sales goes towards scholarships for minority students. That’s phenomenal! If that point is highlighted more frequently, I think it could really help increase community involvement.
It’s great that Classic promotes celebrities who attend their various activities – be it the parade grand marshal, the comedians or the musical artists – but it would be even better if they promoted things like the college fair more. Of all the ads that Classic published, not one prominently featured the College Fair. The focus should be on the work that Classic does and who it benefits – not on celebrities who are on to their next paid gig before we can even recuperate from the weekend activities. The people who should really be highly touted are those college recruiters who provide thousands of dollars a year for local students to attend their universities – Historically Black Colleges and Universities that have a rich history in this country. The college fair recruiters should be placed on a pedestal like the celebrities are.
Regardless of what Classic does, true and complete success is not going to be accomplished until sponsors are truly and completely happy. The fact of the matter is many sponsors still are not happy with the Expo/Classic. This is not me talking, it’s not Amos Brown talking…it is what sponsors themselves are telling us and showing Classic with their reduced levels of participation. It’s a major issue that simply is not being addressed at the 3145 N. Meridian St. Expo office.
One sponsor shared a great suggestion with me: Classic should pull all the sponsors together to express their thoughts on how to improve the organization. Like a roundtable of sorts. It’s a great idea and one that could be highly effective, particularly since the sponsors are highly respected and successful companies themselves.
One last thing. Expo and Classic have to be financially transparent. Where are the public statements of finance? Like Expo and Classic, the United Way is a non-profit entity. If there is a mode to follow, it would be the United Way’s system of doing things. That organization makes its financial information public and they even motivate the community to donate by implementing public campaigns that promote the financial goal the organization hopes to receive within a certain period of time. I’ve seen United Way thermometers all over the city. If Classic did something like that, I’m sure they would see an increase in giving – be it ticket sells or actual donations.
I can run my mouth or type until my fingers fall off. Amos can too. Nothing we say, do, or write will ever mean anything if Expo/Classic doesn’t commit to change their standard of business.
While I’m sure Expo and Classic folks (including the board) may roll their eyes or get frustrated when I or my counterpart say something they don’t want to hear, at least we are saying something and trying to help. An even greater problem will be when we get so irritated, frustrated, or disillusioned with all things Expo and Classic that we don’t say anything at all. I am almost at that point. It is insane for me to continuously try to help an organization that either doesn’t think it needs help, or is not willing to change. The definition of insanity is doing the same think over and over and expecting a different result. I’m not willing to risk insanity for that organization much longer.
You can email comments to Shannon Williams at shannonw@indyrecorder.com.
