Our City Our Voice

The Eiteljorg Museum hopes to captivate visitors with its annual Díade Muertos Community Art and Altar exhibit .The community altar at the Eiteljorg invites visitors to engage with the holiday by adding remembrances for departed loved ones. The Eiteljorg’s array of community-created altars opened Monday. The public exhibit is free. Visitors are being encouraged to explore each altar’s offerings of...

Pavel Solanco-Safadit is a versatile, classically trained pianist who truly shines in Latin jazz. Safadit was born in the Dominican Republic. He came to the United States on a scholarship to study music at the University of Arkansas in 1998. He says the scholarship was his lifeline but he’s never forgotten his roots. His compositions are a tapestry of cultural influences, weaving together the soun...

A two-day art show in the Factory Arts District will showcase the captivating works of three Cuban artists and offer vibrant Cuban culture. The exhibit features 60 paintings by Lopez Aguilar and two other artists, Lidia Aguilera and Viviana Mendez. The featured artwork looks into the depths of the current Cuban art movement, which is informed by the past but grasping for a better future. The exhib...

Revolt Staffing has seen a surge in demand for a wide range of positions, including skilled laborers, heavy equipment operators, and other specialized roles. Antonio Martinez , co-president of Revolt Staffing, said, “Construction is a booming industry. Here in central Indiana, we have a lot of big projects that are going on, from hotels to the airport and the IU (Indiana University) expansion. The...

A passion helping others and a vision for a healthier future drives Dr. Alfredo Lopez-Yunez . He chose Indianapolis as his new home and established The Alivio Medical Center, which is dedicated to serving the Indiana Hispanic community. Lopez-Yunez provides essential services in Indianapolis, such as immigration exams and primary care, and addresses the unique health care needs of Hispanic newcome...

A vibrant mosaic of culture and heritage is coming to life at the University of Indianapolis. It’s the art exhibit “To The Roots, Embracing Heritage.” The exhibition uses diverse artistic mediums to showcase the resilience and beauty of cultural roots, which is especially meaningful at the University of Indianapolis , where students note the relatively small Hispanic population. Imelda Pozos, a UI...

La Plaza’s Fiesta Indianapolis has traditionally been held in downtown Indianapolis. This year, the event was moved to Military Park .“It’s a great time to learn about the rich history of Latinos here in central Indiana,” said La Plaza President and CEO Miriam Acevedo Davis. Fiesta Indianapolis has been one of the premiere celebrations of Latino culture since the 1980s. It draws thousands of visit...

From the crackling static of radio airwaves emerges a symphony of Spanish melodies, lively talk shows, and engaging discussions celebrating Latino culture’s richness. Manuel Sepulveda, program director for Continental Broadcast Group , said, “Over the years, it’s grown a lot since the Latino community has grown a lot here in Indianapolis 18 years ago. When I arrived, the Latino community wasn’t as...

Hoosiers have eagerly awaited the arrival of El Grito, a celebration of Mexican Independence Day that marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month . Passionate cries of freedom echoed throughout Garfield Park as the sense of unity and pride extended beyond the boundaries of culture and language. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/pr...

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is hosting Fiesta De La Familia on Sunday to celebrate Mexican Independence Day ahead of Monday. The Fiesta will celebrate the hundreds of cultures across Latin America through family fun activities and crafts, including a worry doll. A worry doll, or Muñeca Quitapena, are dolls originating from the Mayan regions of Guatemala and Mexico. According to folklore,...

The Indiana Historical Society is getting ready to kick off its Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations with a series of events that will spotlight the contributions of Latino communities in Indiana. This year’s programming features a mix of featured artists, special programs, and traveling exhibits, drawing inspiration from the IHS press book, Hoosier Latinos: A Century of Struggle, Service, and Suc...

Indiana’s school voucher program, described as one of the largest of its kind in the nation, continues to expand, prompting questions about its sustainability and the extent to which it benefits all students. Emil Ekiyor, a WISH-TV contributor, joined News 8 on Wednesday for a conversation about the program. Launched in 2011, the program’s primary goal was to provide low-income families with great...

New research sheds light on a critical issue affecting older Black Americans, a lack of awareness about Alzheimer’s disease. Older Black Americans are two to three times more likely to die from Alzheimer’s disease than other races, according to a study of Black Americans in Indianapolis over the age of 55. The study was funded by NIH/National Institute on Aging, the Department of Veterans Affairs,...

Indianapolis is set to host it’s 2nd annual Rally Innovation Conference , where InnoPower ‘s Minority Business Week will give essential tools and insights for success. InnoPower’s 5th annual Minority Business Week is joining the larger Rally Innovation Conference, which will bring together global leaders in tech, AI, and investing. InnoPower is known for it’s commitment to uplift underrepresent co...

The Indiana Black Breastfeeding Coalition is at the forefront of addressing critical issues faced by Black mothers and their infants in Indiana. The Indiana Black Breastfeeding Coalition (IBBC) has provided families in need with free backpacks filled with essential supplies making a significant impact in the Indianapolis area, but their mission extends beyond that. Not only do they promote healthi...

The annual Innopower Minority Business Week at the Rally Business Conference is set to feature a blend of business innovation and community service through its “Day of Hope” event. WISH-TV contributor Emil Ekiyor joined us to discuss the collaborative effort between community members and business leaders. Ekiyor detailed various roles for volunteers to pursue, including distributing essential item...

During the month of August, News 8 will take a moment to celebrate, acknowledge, and appreciate Black-owned businesses across the U.S. The annual month-long celebration aims to highlight the robust community of Black business owners and the unique challenges they face. News 8’s Felicia Michelle sat down with our multicultural contributor Emil Ekiyor to discuss how Indianapolis plans to celebrate....

Marion County, Indiana’s largest and most populous county, crossed a demographic milestone, becoming majority non-white between 2020 and 2023, according to recent U.S. Census Bureau data . During this period, the county also experienced a shift in its population demographics, recording a net loss of approximately 8,000 residents, according to the data. The county saw gains of about 7,000 Black res...

Indy Shakes is returning to the Circle City with a new play, “Riverside,” by ML Roberts. It premieres this week at the Taggart Memorial Amphitheater in Riverside Park. The play, which explores the history and community of the Riverside neighborhood, features an ensemble cast of eight. ‘”Riverside” tells the story of Black Indianapolis through the lens of a single family across three decades: the 1...

The issue of elementary illiteracy has intensified following the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting Indiana and numerous other states across the nation to confront the challenge. Beginning in the upcoming school year, Indiana will introduce evaluations aimed at improving literacy rates among elementary-aged children. The initiative comes as part of broader efforts to mitigate the educational setbacks ma...

A new app called Indy Biz Pass has set a precedent for supporting and promoting minority-owned businesses in Indianapolis. The innovative network uses technology to leverage Indianapolis’ collaborative economic environment to enhance connectivity and resources for minority-owned businesses. The concept for Indy Biz Pass was inspired by the 2020 J.P. Morgan Chase research findings on Indianapolis,...

Two exceptional local musicians are making waves, proving that classical music is a universal language that transcends racial boundaries. Classical music is taking on a transformative dimension as pipe organist Wolff von Roos and pianist Teneh Karimeo are paving the way for a new generation of Black musicians in the classical world. According to a 2023 study published by the League of American Orc...

As we celebrate Juneteenth, many Americans are delving into its historical significance. Originating in Galveston, Texas, Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when some 2,000 Union soldiers brought news of freedom to more than 250,000 enslaved African Americans, nearly two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The National Civil Rights Museum , which is located where Dr. Martin L...

Arts with a Purpose at Eskenazi Health commemorated Black Music Month by using the arts to create positive change, social awareness, and inclusivity in the Circle City. Music enthusiasts and professionals with Arts with A Purpose paid homage to rich African traditions that influenced jazz, hip-hop, R&B, and rock and roll. President Jimmy Carter established Black Music Month in 1979; the observ...

Indy Gay Market hosted its annual “Big Gay Pride” festival on Saturday and Sunday on Monument Circle. “We are vendor-focused so we try to make sure that the vendors feel cared for and celebrated in our event, so we are connecting them to each other, as well as to the community,” Lead Coordinator at Indy Gay Market Hannah Hadley said.  Over the weekend, the artisan festival featured 100 Q...