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Friday, March 29, 2024

Staying true to the community

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Circle City Classic is for the community.

With Classic festivities officially underway, it’s important that we keep this very important fact at the forefront of our minds.

Fortunately, the organization’s executive committee as well as past and present leadership have done an outstanding job of maintaining Classic’s mission of providing opportunities for youth and promoting cultural excellence in the community. Year-after-year the mission is executed because of strong partnerships, strategic plans, and the hard work of Classic’s small, but effective staff and hundreds of volunteers.

There’s a lot of work that goes into planning an event the size of Circle City Classic and the efforts of everyone who contribute to its evolution shouldn’t be taken for granted, nor should the underlying mission. While it’s certainly going to be great for participants to attend the festivities and see the celebrities, it’s also great to reflect on the message of all things Classic.

One such message is that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) are viable options to consider for post-secondary education. So often people discredit HBCUs as substandard, when that’s simply not true. The fact that HBCUs are so often frowned upon makes Classic’s role in the community that much more essential. We must uplift our Black institutions and educate local residents on the great aspects of Black colleges.

It saddens me to hear a person speak of Black schools as if they are inferior. Even if I weren’t a graduate of an HBCU (yea, Jackson State University) I would be utterly offended at the way in which some African-Americans speak of our schools. Most HBCUs were founded during a time before we were considered African-Americans or even Black. They were established when we were referred to as “colored” or “Negros” – during a time when going to a Black school was the only option. HBCUs were also founded during a time when Black people were at a different place internally. Despite the societal climate in the early 1800s when Black colleges came to fruition, African-Americans felt a tremendous sense of pride in themselves and those that reflected their views, which included HBCUs. Now, hundreds of years later, that sense of self-pride has diminished drastically. If for no other reason than respect for the founding of HBCUs, we, as a people, should be more cognizant of the way we represent Black institutions – whether you attended one or not.

Speaking of properly representing HBCUs, one local organization does it effortlessly: the Indianapolis Black Alumni Council (IBAC). For 30 years IBAC, through its various partnerships has provided over a million dollars in scholarships for underrepresented students.

IBAC is a “classic” example of what true dedication to the community means. Members of the organization have never lost sight of its creed, by making the work that they do not about them as individuals, but more about the kids.

Have a safe and enjoyable Classic weekend!

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