The YMCA of Greater Indianapolis will host the 2026 Monster Meeting on Feb. 22 with special guest Gabby Thomas. A Harvard graduate, public health advocate and an Olympic gold medalist, Thomas will share “powerful insights on leadership, resilience and navigating pressure,” the YMCA website states.
“Gabby Thomas represents exactly what Monster Meetings are about — excellence, resilience and purpose in action,” said Michael Farris Jr., COO of YMCA of Greater Indianapolis. “She is not only an Olympic champion, she is a scientist and an advocate who shows young people that success is built through discipline, education and service. Her story reminds our youth that setbacks are not barriers — they are fuel for growth.”
Farris hopes this Monster Meeting will leave people “energized and ready to act.”
“We want every person in the room to leave energized and ready to act,” Farris said. “Attendees will gain practical wisdom about resilience and goal setting, powerful inspiration from the stage and a deeper understanding of how the YMCA empowers youth and strengthens families. Most importantly, they will leave believing that resilience is built together.”
What is a Monster Meeting?
The Monster Meeting Series welcomes students, families and community members to engage in important conversations that cross viewpoints and generations.
“Monster Meetings have always been about bringing our community together around bold ideas and transformative impact,” said OrthoIndy Foundation YMCA Executive Director Monic Hill. “We have revitalized the YMCA Monster Meeting Series because this is a moment that calls for truth, education and inspiration.”
Since its establishment in 1920, the Monster Meeting Series has featured prominent figures such as W. E. B. DuBois, Carter G. Woodson, George Washington Carver, Jackie Robinson and Martin Luther King, Jr., according to the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis.
Related: Monster Meetings series gets at reboot at YMCA
“We are seeing more individuals, including our young people, making things happen across Central Indiana,” Hill said. “The Monster Meetings allow us to celebrate their leadership while recommitting to the Monster Meeting goal: to empower future leaders through truth and healing dialogues that educate, motivate and inspire positive change.”
The 2026 Monster Meeting will be Sunday, Feb. 22 from 3-5 p.m. at the OrthoIndy Foundation YMCA at 5315 Lafayette Road. Guests can begin arriving at 2 p.m. Individual tickets are $25. Guests 18 and under can attend at no cost. For more information and to register, click here.
