Regional Activity Centers – More Complex than the Core and Suburbs - Indianapolis MPO, Near East Area Renewal, MS Consultants - What does it mean to core neighborhoods that Indianapolis is part of a larger region where downtown and the suburbs isn’t the only dynamic at play? The Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has been identifying regional activity centers, hubs of population and employment and studying the relationships between them. Commuting isn’t just from the suburbs to downtown, it’s across neighborhoods and communities within our region. People also travel between these activity centers for shopping, recreation, and dining. This session will present the regional activity centers, key findings from the research, and how it affects our transportation system and access to jobs and services for people in core neighborhoods. Panelists include representatives of the MPO, core neighborhoods, and suburban communities to share why neighborhoods and communities in the region are working together to improve transportation access, job access, and access to affordable housing.
Collaboration Efforts to Reduce Tobacco and Electronic Cigarette Use in Marion County - Indiana Black Expo, Indiana Latino Institute, Indiana State Department of Health, Marion County Public Health Department, Minority Health Coalition of Marion County - The tobacco industry spends $9 billion annually marketing their products, and though they have marketing restrictions, they still find ways to target youth and disparate populations in gas stations, convenience stores and tobacco retail shops. This is a huge concern as tobacco use rates are higher in minorities, low income areas, LGBTQ+ population, and youth are using tobacco products at alarming rates. The 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey revealed a dramatic increase in e-cigarette (JUUL, vape, mod) use among youth in just one year. The U.S Food and Drug Administration consider this an “epidemic” and are taking forceful steps to confront the issue. The tobacco industry invests billions of dollars into point-of-sale, because they know their marketing is appealing to youth and encourages them to start using tobacco, makes it more difficult for current smokers to quit, and disproportionately targets communities. The tobacco industry works hard to make tobacco use look trendy, socially acceptable and even markets some products as “safer”. There is no safe product and there is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure as it can lead to disease, cancer and death. Smoke Free Indy is a coalition that is dedicated to reducing tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure through education, prevention and advocacy in Marion County. This session will discuss current point of sale marketing data in Marion County, as well as collaboration efforts between Smoke Free Indy partners to reduce the impact tobacco use has on various populations, especially at the point of sale.
Dreamers - Shepherd Community Center - Participate in an informative session on immigration and learn what a local Community Center is doing to support immigrant families as they connect with neighbors and resources. Receive up-to-date data on the current immigration system, legal options for families, and the economic impact of immigrants. There will be time for Question & Answer at the end of the session.
Power and Promise: Breaking Stereotypes, One Peer Mentor At a Time – VOICES Corp - VOICES Corp received a grant through the Central Indiana Community Foundation, (CICF), to implement a Peer Mentoring program, utilizing systems involved to mentor elementary/middle-school aged youth who have had behavior issues in school. The goal of the program is to increase self-esteem, academic achievement, and self-efficacy, while decreasing recidivism rates, behavior referrals, and attendance issues. The presentation will focus on the importance of creating opportunities for youth who are often left out of the conversation to develop their leadership skills and allow them the space to be positively represented.
Pursuing Equity in Neighborhood Engagement - John Boner Neighborhood Centers - How do you effectively engage with neighbors? How do you get people excited about participating in neighborhood events? How can you connect better with neighbors who have been historically excluded or marginalized? Near Eastside Community Builder, Alicia Baker, will share what she is learning and invites you to join the conversation about how we can pursue equity in neighborhood engagement.
Session Full - Collaborate, Build Community, and Address an Identified Community Need - Bethany Community Gardens, South Indy Quality of Life Plan (So Indy), South Indy Quality of Life Health and Wellness Team, Purdue Extension, University of Indianapolis, Purdue Extension Urban Garden Program Manager, Hunger, Inc. Food Pantry - Through a neighborhood assessment process, Bethany Lutheran Church determined that the key needs in their area were lack of availability of fresh vegetables and the need for caring relationships among neighbors.
By working together, Bethany Lutheran Church, South Indy Quality of Life Plan, INRC, and Purdue Extension leveraged their connections to launch a very successful community garden project that addressed the need for gardening knowledge at the neighborhood level, while giving away over 500 pounds of garden fresh produce to two food pantries and the garden volunteers.
This panel discussion will show how the Bethany Community Gardens’ core team ultimately brought together 22 collaborating partners and scores of community volunteers to build and plant 26 in-ground community garden beds, 17 individual garden beds, and 6 new raised garden beds for the Bethany Early Learning Ministry, as well as how it helped build new relationships.
Lift Indy in Monon 16 and the Old Southside - King Park Development Corporation, Old Southside Neighborhood Association, City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development - In 2017, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett launched a new program aimed at boosting neighborhood revitalization efforts. Lift Indy identifies a new neighborhood each year to receive funding through two U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grants. Lift Indy is a comprehensive community development program, which promotes equitable neighborhood revitalization through affordable housing, economic development, and placemaking. The Monon16 area, in the Kennedy King and Martindale Brightwood neighborhoods, with lead organization King Park Development Corporation, was the 2018 Lift Indy awardee, and the Old Southside neighborhood, with lead organization Old Southside Neighborhood Association, was the 2019 Lift Indy awardee.
Neighbors or Strangers? Building Stronger Relationships in and out of our Neighborhoods – Bates-Hendricks Neighborhood Association - How well do you actually know the people who make up your neighborhood? Beyond their name, occupation, address, and what events they show up to, do you really know who your neighbors are? Meaningful relationships are the lifeblood of a strong neighborhood. They encourage individuals to join, stay, engage, and lead but without them, we experience disengagement and individuals who may leave. In this interactive session, you will learn the art of being more socially excellent, building stronger relationships, and asking better questions while engaging with fellow attendees.
Session Full - Going Beyond the Gate: The Role Stakeholders Play in Community Building - Pastor John Girton, Jr. and Northwest Indianapolis - This workshop examines the important role community institutions play in community development. Through the use of practical examples, the facilitator demonstrates and reconstructs the tactics and strategies used by his local church to impact employment, crime and violence, social justice, health disparities, food access, communication, addiction, mental health, infant mortality, criminal justice, poverty, and spirituality. Examples include community-based partnerships that connected institutional relationships with neighborhood residents to address immediate needs. The goals are to develop trust between residents and institutions along with positioning them as reliable resources for community development and engagement.
