We’re still here around the corner from the Recorder — Martindale-Brightwood (MB), a sometimes forgotten but always breathing neighborhood and community in east Indianapolis. Here between Mass Ave. and 30th Street, Monon and Sherman Drive is an area intent on “going high.” We heard the amazing Michelle Obama speak these words, and we have taken them to heart in our community engagement, building and development.
It’s been a month since we last talked, and so much has happened in this little bit of time. MOVE has worked hard to prepare a continuation of the expiring 2017 Martindale-Brightwood Quality of Life plan to be presented to residents of the community for approval at the October Town Hall meeting. Edna Martin Christian Center has kicked off its Great Families 20/20 initiative focusing on early education and family. Oasis Christian CDC has wrapped up its Summer Youth Employment Program in partnership with troubled Forest Manor Multi-Service Center to give additional students the benefits of professional mentoring. PACE is welcoming a Recovery Coaching study to assess the benefits of matching its recovering clients with specially trained coaches. Stop the Violence Indianapolis traveled and toured the East Coast with 10 students after having spent six weeks with them writing personal business plans. Martindale-Brightwood CDC continues to support entrepreneurs with their small business workshops. Martindale-Brightwood CDC and Edna Martin Christian Center have both hosted successful annual golf outings. These successes are all evidence of a community on the move, growing and preparing for the future.
I bet you want to know what is coming next. This community on the move is openly declaring that its time for major development has arrived. In the coming months, you will be introduced to some awesome work and development being done as MB unveils the formation of a Healthy Food Access Zone. This zone will include the community’s answer to the “food desert” label placed on this and surrounding neighborhoods. Renovation and development is coming to the Leadership and Legacy Center (formerly Jireh Sports). New development, including a farm initiative, is in the works for this same area. Project 500 will continue work in the Arsenal Homes area. IUPUI is a partner for two information and training events scheduled in September and October. The first of these programs will be workshops and continuing engagement around therapeutic trauma informed care. Providers and community members will begin the process of developing opportunities to provide community healing with a new way of receiving and addressing the needs of our neighbors. The area’s annual Harvest Festival will include an information and health fair organized in partnership with IUPUI School of Nursing. Martin University will continue to build out the Education Zone. Providers in the MB area will expand their reach to help close the gaps left by the closing of Forest Manor Multi-Service Center. Keep your eyes and ears open for your opportunity to invest in this community during the Annual Thanksgiving Family Dinner and Christmas Family Gifting.
Excitement is high around here, and it’s understandable. Michelle Obama said in a memorable speech at the last National Democratic Convention speaking about modeling behavior for her daughters: “… we urge them to ignore those who question their father’s citizenship or faith. How we insist that this hateful language they hear from public figures on TV does not represent the true spirit of this country. How we explain that when someone is cruel or acts like a bully you don’t stoop to their level. No, our motto is: When they go low, we go high.”
Here around the corner, we have adopted this as our motto in community building. No matter what negative things are said about this community, we will continue to build, and when they go low, we’ll go high! No matter the feeling we have had here that, most times, our community is overlooked for development, when they go low, we’ll go high! Even when naysayers within our community speak out with negative tones, when they go low, we’ll go high!
Keep visiting us so that you can be a part of going high!
Want to soar with this area? Contact me at gfears@ednamartincc.org or (317) 637-3776.
