Inspirational snapshots of community members of Central Indiana and their stories.
I would like to think that the future is bright and that more and more schools and decision makers will see the importance of the arts. I love just seeing the reaction of the children that are participating in the programs. Either when they’re actually participating in something and creating something or when it’s passive, when they’re just listening to an artist—to see how they’re responding to it—that’s the real joy.
—JoEllen, president and CEO of Arts for Learning
I’ve lived here for 45 years, and I love Indy’s accessibility. You can do anything you’d like to do very easily. I’d suggest that new people get involved in organizations based on your interest. That’s how you meet new people and discover new things.
—Stephen, participant in Indy Ultimate
Stopover took me on a journey that I never thought I’d be on. It showed me the ways that my mother and father couldn’t show me. Stopover gives back to the community for kids who need help—showing them that they can be better than what people tell them and that there’s another way to get through life. They show us how to work. They show us how to get things that we need. When I first got here I didn’t have a birth certificate or a social security card, nor did I even work. So, they made it a goal for me to get my social security card and my birth certificate. Since I’ve been here for the last two months I have both now. I plan on giving back. I plan on helping kids like me who didn’t have nothing growing up and feel like they’ve been left out. For me, I want to give back to the community for kids like me who have been through what I’ve been through.
—Kevin, youth from Stopover’s Safe Place program
My mission is to be a voice and speak out and tell people what’s right and what’s wrong—to be a role model. I feel that it is my duty as a trans woman to be an advocate and speak out and help other trans folks and other LGBT people.
—Lamiya, IMAGE program ambassador at Brothers United
We are a resource for artists, the arts community and the general public as well. We’re associated with a diverse assortment of arts experiences, programs, initiatives and even arts funding. Gallery 924 was the response to the fact that Indy’s gallery scene was shifting. We now show mid-career and established artists because that is the current need, as there aren’t as many galleries downtown anymore.
—Shannon, vice-president and director of Gallery 924 at the Arts Council of Indianapolis
