Although I’m a Bay Area, California native, I have to admit that Indianapolis has become a second home. I return three or four times a year to visit friends or attend Colts events, and every trip reminds me why this city holds such a special place in my heart.
This particular trip was about celebrating legacy. DREAM Alive, the nonprofit my wife Maya and I founded, turned 25 this year, and watching it grow exponentially in both size and impact over the decades has been one of the greatest honors of our lives. Twenty-five years represents countless hours of sacrifice, faith, and an unwavering belief that communities deserve investment, dignity and opportunity.
The timing of this visit carried an added layer of meaning.
Indianapolis was also hosting the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium, an event I participated in 29 years ago, and the very reason I first set foot in this city. Watching hundreds of young men chase their NFL dreams on that same turf brought everything full circle. I remember the nerves, the hope, and the hunger of that experience like it was yesterday. To return now, not as a prospect but as someone who has built something lasting, was a reminder of how far the journey can take you when you stay committed to purpose.
“Indianapolis has a remarkable way of reminding you that greatness has been built here, layer by layer, for generations.”
But as I moved through the city throughout the week, I found myself recognizing legacy far beyond our organization’s anniversary. Indianapolis has a remarkable way of reminding you that greatness has been built here, layer by layer, for generations.
It starts the moment you land. Indy’s airport does something few airports across the country bother to do, it educates and honors. Walking toward baggage claim, I passed Colts memorabilia capturing legacy moments I was fortunate enough to be a part of. There’s something surreal and humbling about seeing your journey reflected back at you in a public space. But the airport doesn’t stop at football.
A stunning Black history tribute mural honoring Madam C.J. Walker stopped me in my tracks. Walker, a trailblazing entrepreneur and philanthropist who built her empire in Indianapolis, represents the countless Black men and women from this city who sacrificed so that those coming after them could walk through doors they helped open.
That spirit carried into every corner of the week. I had the opportunity to work out of Polk Stables, a dynamic co-working space that embodies the entrepreneurial energy coursing through this city. And I spent meaningful time engaging with the work being done in neighborhoods like Martindale-Brightwood, a community rich with history and resilience that is now at the center of conversations about economic renewal and equitable development.
“What makes Indianapolis truly special is its values.”
What makes Indianapolis truly special is its values. This city is deeply committed to faith, excellence, empowerment, representation and philanthropy. Those aren’t just words on a brochure; they show up in how Indy’s leaders lead, how its organizations serve, and how its residents show up for one another. Indianapolis is not a city resting on its recent progress. It is a city with leaders who keep pushing the needle forward and who refuse to leave people behind.
I cannot fully express how meaningful it is to see my own lived experience woven into the DNA of this city. From my very first visit for the Combine in 1997 to celebrating 25 years of community impact on these same streets, Indianapolis has shaped me as much as I hope to have contributed to it.
Indianapolis, thank you for being a second home. Here’s to the next 25 years.
Tarik Glenn, a former Indianapolis Colts player, is the founder of DREAM Alive, a mentoring program that connects youth to career paths. For more information, visit dreamaliveinc.org.
