Steward Speakers Series will commence its 30th season with an eagerly anticipated State of Black America Town Hall — Indianapolis Edition on Nov. 12 at the Pike Performing Arts Center, 6701 N. Zionsville Road. The lecture begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15.
“We took a bus trip to Washington, D.C., for the Million Man March and one of the things that was discussed there was to go back to your local communities and have some discussions around critical issues, such as our community’s economy, education, civic participation and police/community interaction,” said Matthew Steward, founder and president of Steward Speakers Series.
Steward believed beginning the season with a conscious bang was a good foundation for this season’s speakers, who will follow the town hall meeting. To ensure his idea came to fruition, he chose distinct, noted speakers who pack an educational punch.
Panelists for the town hall meeting include George Fraser, an entrepreneur and one of the top 50 power brokers in Black America; Karen Freeman-Wilson, mayor of Gary, Indiana; Dick Gregory, legendary activist and comedian and the series’ first speaker; Nuri Muhammad, an influential member of the Nation of Islam; and Jamal-Harrison Bryant, activist and founder and pastor of Empowerment Temple AME church in Baltimore, Maryland. Emmy-award winning journalist Edward “Ed” Gordon will serve as moderator.
Steward said he and his team have also reached out to various organizations and institutions throughout Indianapolis that have begun the work in tackling critical issues and asked them to attend the meeting to lend their ideas and leave with an action plan to help catapult the Black community into a satisfactory place.
“We will be drawing on solutions and strategies and not just drawing on statistics,” said Bryant, who was also instrumental in organizing the Million Man March’s 20th anniversary. “Our community already knows we’re in dire straights. We’re trying to provide a roadmap to recovery as we eke our way out of this.”
Bryant notes he’s excited to hear all of the panelists’ perspectives and plans to lend his ideas from the faith community. He understands social activism has changed, but maintains the Black church remains relevant.
“The Black church is the moral compass. The Bible says ‘be angry but sin not,’ so we give that grounding and balance on what to do with justified rage,” said Bryant. “The Black Lives Matter movement is the first movement in modern history by Black people not led by the church. In many ways you can see the absence and impact of that. The church is adjusting to getting involved with a movement we don’t lead. We can be a part of it without being on the front lines.”
Bryant knows every city doesn’t have nationwide attention-getting issues, but encourages the Indianapolis community to find key issues important to them.
Steward makes clear that Steward Speakers Series is not commanding the charge, but is merely charting a path for action on issues important to Indianapolis.
“We have faith in our community that change will occur. We already see change happening. We want to keep the conversation going and encourage more action and less meeting for the sake of meeting. We have to move the (Black) agenda forward,” said Steward.
Following the town hall meeting, Steward Speakers Series will welcome rapper Common Feb. 22; attorney and TV personality Star Jones March 7; and philosopher, theologian, social critic and political observer Cornel West April 8. Before presenting a public lecture, each speaker visits with and lectures to students during the day.
The series’ title sponsor is IUPUI. The Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper also serves as a sponsor of the 2015–16 Steward Speakers Series.
For more information, call (317) 297-2905 or visit Stewardspeakers.org.
