Embedded within the storied legacy of the Indianapolis Recorder are the stories of those whose lives it has influenced — and the stories of those who influenced it right back.
Crystal Dalton, who works mainly in legals at the Recorder, has lived both stories.
Dalton has worked with the Recorder for just over 35 years. To her, the Recorder has been like a family.
“I love the Recorder because the Recorder has been here for me when I needed it,” Dalton said.
Dalton recalled a time when one of her daughters discovered her cancer had come out of remission while she was away.
Dalton’s daughter was able to book a trip back to Indy.
However, she could not book a flight back for her daughter, Krystal (named after Dalton), who was two years old at the time.
After telling the staff at the Recorder, the then publisher, Eunice Trotter, helped pay for airfare so they could get the little Krystal back home.
“The Recorder got my baby back to me,” Dalton said.
Through it all, Dalton said the Recorder was a source of support.
The Dalton family had always been involved with the Recorder, with three of Dalton’s daughters participating in the Journalism and Writing seminar, the students of which Dalton affectionately refers to as the “Recorder babies.”
“I often wonder where they’re at,” Dalton said. “What are they doing? Did they fulfill their dreams?”
Dalton recalls reading the work that her own daughters did as part of the program and feeling a sense of pride that she still feels today.
Now, one of her daughters, April, still works with the Recorder, working as a route driver just as her late father did.
“The Recorder has always been more like a family to us,” April said.
Working alongside her mom at the Recorder has been one of her favorite parts of the job.
“My mom has always been my role model,” she said. “I think she’s an awesome lady. She hasn’t retired; she hasn’t given up.”
Dalton said her commitment to the Recorder is due to a respect for its legacy.
“This is us,” Dalton said, referring to the Black community.
With her job, she’s able to be a listening ear to the community and help community stories be told, she said.
In addition to being a welcoming presence to the community, her coworkers feel like she embodies a fairy godmother like presence amongst the staff.
Jeana Ouattara, the Recorder’s production manager, said her friendship with Dalton started in the late 1990s when Ouattara came to the Recorder.
“For me, she was always like mother,” Ouattara said. “She was someone who had the answers when I needed them.”
Dalton plans to continue to help the Recorder be the voice of the community.
“I love that we can speak out about things,” Dalton said. “I’ll stand here and be an ear.”
Contact Indianapolis Recorder intern, Kayla Barlow, at kaylab@indyrecorder.com