Our City Our Voice

The United Nations’ General Assembly has recognized the pivotal role of parents around the world by establishing the Global Day of Parents in 2012. The day, celebrated annually on June 1, honors the dedication and responsibility of parenthood. Whether it’s traditional parenthood or fostering, the aim is to pay tribute to all parents for their contributions. WISH-TV contributor Gloria Jimenez joine...

Join WISH-TV in celebrating Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage month this May! Hear the Celebrating AAIP Heritage special brought to you by the Marion County Public Health Department. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

A tanker wing’s new commanding officer on Monday said he hopes to pave the way for other Asian Americans seeking a career in the armed forces. Col. Van Thai was born in Saigon a year after the fall of South Vietnam in 1975. When he was five years old, his family fled Vietnam’s communist regime, first moving to Toronto before settling in Oklahoma City. Thai is now in his 26th year in the Air Force....

On the southwest side of Indianapolis, a mother and her daughter on Thursday practiced their dance moves for a Saturday festival. Tina Magnusson and her 18-year-old daughter, Anna Magnusson, will perform with their dance troupe during the Asian Fest at the Indiana Historical Society in downtown Indianapolis.  Anna will perform Mulan, a re-enactment of a Chinese poem. In the dance, she portray...

Indianapolis is a historical home for Asian American and Pacific Islander businesses. In coastal cities like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago, “Chinatowns” exist, but not in Indianapolis. President of Asian American Alliance Rupal Thanawala explains, “In many states and cities, Chinatowns really evolved because foreigners were not welcomed in the city. There were many neighborhoods that didn’t...

he month of May is here, and, in Indianapolis, that brings the most exciting news as the Indianapolis 500 is just days away. WISH-TV contributor Gloria Jimenez spoke on News 8 about the lineup of Latino features coming to Indianapolis Motor Speedway . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Many benefits can come from investing in student mental health. Those benefits can include the bolstering of students social, educational and economic well-being. Investing in the mental health of students also leads to increased well-being within the broader society, according to research by the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Healthy Minds Network. WISH-TV multicultural contributor Emil Ekiyor on Mond...

Reminders of this nation’s painful history show in the lives of people of color every day, and one way is through the manifestation of inequities. Many inequities are the result of systemic racism, which affects the wages that millions of Black women are paid for working full-time jobs. WISH-TV contributor Emil Ekiyor spoke about the topic on Wednesday on News 8. See Privacy Policy at https://art1...

The economic landscape of Indianapolis is, no doubt, vibrant and bustling, from the nonprofit sector to the commercial and private sectors. News 8 has been exploring Black representation in the workforce and leadership roles. That pertains, specifically, to the participation of Black workers in the U.S. private sector. According to a report by McKinsey and Co., a strategy and management consulting...

In 1915, Booker T. Washington — born into slavery before becoming a very influential American author, educator and proponent of African-American businesses — established National Negro Health Week, now called National Minority Health Month, as a way to build awareness about the health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities. It is still celebrated every April and encourages everyone to take...

The international culinary scene in Indianapolis has something for the adventurous and the risk takers as new restaurants continually burst on the scene. WISH-TV contributor Gloria Jimenez joined News 8 on Friday to discuss her top recommendations. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Join WISH-TV in celebrating Women’s History Month this March! Watch the Celebrating Women’s History special above. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Easter season marks one of the busiest, and, by some accounts, the best times to visit countries like Spain or Mexico. There is an abundance of festivities, religious traditions, and cultural cuisine. Schools and businesses have closed and will remain closed for two weeks as celebrations in those countries stretch from Palm Sunday to Easter. With more on Easter celebrations in the Latino community...

News 8 wrapped up a three-week series examining Black talent development in Indiana, that stretch from getting a K-12 education to landing higher-wage jobs. Emil Ekiyor, a WISH-TV contributor and the chief executive officer of InnoPower Indy Inc. , took viewers through barriers that people can face. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19...

Indianapolis Public Schools will break up its  newcomer program for English language learners who are new to the country . The move to pull the newcomer program out of Northwest Middle School will help reduce transportation costs, make the best use of physical space, and help students engage more with their peers who are native English speakers, officials said in a presentation to the school...

The Asian American Alliance on February 28 hosted a fireside chat with Ting Gootee. The president and chief executive officer of the TechPoint , an Indianapolis-based nonprofit created to advance Indiana’s tech economy, hoped to inspire young women. Organizers of the chat say the event was part of their A Seat at the Table speaker series. The Asian American Alliance has hosted the series for seven...

Indiana Avenue was one of the few safe havens for African-Americans in Indiana during the days of segregation. Tour guide, Sampson Levingston, walked and talked with our team on the history of Indiana Avenue.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

For the past 20 years Eskenazi Health and the Center for Leadership Development have partnered up to promote careers in health care among minority students in Central Indiana. The Rawles Scholars Medicine Initiative is a six week program created to provide students the opportunity to closely interact with medical professionals. The program is named after one of the first African-American...

The Madam Walker Legacy Center stands in downtown Indianapolis as a testament to Madam C J Walker’s pioneering efforts as an entrepreneur. Recently, the city of Indianapolis dedicated a portion of Indiana Avenue as Madam Walker Memorial Way. We spoke with Madam Walker Legacy Center president Kristian Little Strickland about...

Father Harry Smith and daughter Mya Smith Edmonds are both McDonald’s franchise owners, and we spoke to them to celebrate Black History month. They discussed the lack of African American franchise owners throughout Harry’s career, and how Mya has followed in her father’s footsteps. The duo also has a family foundation called the Smith Foundation that helps our community. Additionally, McDonald’s O...

The Indianapolis Public Library’s Center for Black Literature & Culture (CBLC) is dedicated to celebrating the vibrant and resilient heritage and triumphs of those born of African roots. We spoke to Bryanna Barnes from the CBLC to learn more about the center. Located in the R.B. Annis West Reading Room at  Central Library , the Center for Black Literature & Culture is home to a 10,000...

Dr. Martin Luther King Park, located at 1702 Broadway St. in the city, has a very rich history in the community. When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968, presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy was scheduled to hold a campaign rally in the inner city. As Kennedy received word that King had been shot, city officials and policy urged him to cancel his appearance. He refuse...

All month long, WISH-TV is highlighting people and places where you can celebrate Black History Month. A group of African American leaders came together back in 1900 and formed the Young Men’s Prayer Band. It merged into a colored YMCA by 1910, and by 1913, it would be known as the Senate Avenue YMCA. The Senate Avenue YMCA, 420 N. Senate Ave., was the center of community through activism and educ...

The Flanner House is well known in the Circle City for its goal of supporting and advocating for community members who need a hand-up. That mission started 125 years ago as many enslaved black people migrated North from Southern states. In the 1940s, the nonprofit started building what would be known as Flanner Homes. The project created a lot of opportunities for low-income African-American famil...

All month long, WISH-TV is highlighting people and places where you can celebrate Black History Month. In 1946, Crispus Attucks High School alum Ruth McArthur opened the McArthur Conservatory at 808-810 Indiana Avenue in downtown Indianapolis. The McArthur Conservatory was the first school in Indiana to offer a formal jazz program. The conservatory had over a dozen departments, most of which offer...