Indiana

Addressing racist allegations against Haitians through community support • Indiana Capital Chronicle

Published

1 year ago

September 23, 2024

Addressing racist allegations against Haitians through community support • Indiana Capital Chronicle

By now, the unsubstantiated rumors of Haitians eating pets in Springfield, Ohio have been completely debunked. However, the animosity and hate towards Haitians has only heightened. Indianapolis and other communities in Indiana have also seen a large influx of Haitian immigrants in the last few years. The reality is – that Haitians come to places like Springfield, Indianapolis and Evansville because of the availability of jobs — period.

Theses times, however, are particularly dangerous as right-wing groups are weaponizing such dog-whistle lies to reignite racism that has been suppressed in mainstream America for the past few decades. All week long, I’ve been fielding calls about Haitian community centers receiving bomb threats from community leaders who are rightfully afraid for the safety of the Haitian people and theirs. Prominent Haitians in Ohio and elsewhere have been victims of swatting and other threats.

So, what can be done when those so much power repeat such despicable lies? With the advent of social media where unverifiable news move at such an exponential pace, the only viable option for leaders in the Haitian community is to set the record straight by providing new perspectives.

So, what really took place? Both Indiana and Ohio were economically depressed and devastated by COVID-19. The labor shortage in the Midwest, especially in the manufacturing sector, called for extraordinary business measures. Employers throughout the Midwest states, unable to fill regular orders, resorted to employing those willing and able to work back-breaking jobs, odd shifts, and overtime, often running the gamut of 60-70 hours a week — when needed.

It turned out that the group valuing hard work the most — since good wages and stable work have eluded them for most of their lives — were Haitians.

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So, this rapid relocation of Haitians to the Midwest has been transformative for both Haitians and the manufacturing sector in the Midwest. During these past four years, Haitians have worked ungodly number of hours to help close manufacturing production gaps, while Midwest employers fulfilled orders, added new shift and kept labor costs low — a win-win situation. According to the Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, on the aggregate, the US economy has largely benefited from adding immigrants to its workforce. As a result, the tradeoff is that social costs have also risen, and inflation has lingered, creating angst and anxieties among the average American — further fueled and exploited by the extreme right rhetoric.

It is obvious that hospitals, local police departments, and school districts are in need of more employees with Haitian Creole proficiencies to accommodate the population increase. In Indiana, where I live, many such prominent organizations have reached out to local Haitian organizations to learn about the community they serve. These efforts have led to significant initiatives. Collaborations between city officials, the Indianapolis Mayor’s Office, and numerous healthcare organizations, including prominent research universities, have led to coalition addressing maternal, infant, and mental health, as well as jobs and housing challenges.

Hoosier efforts

From my humble opinion, these efforts could be replicated in other communities with burgeoning Haitian populations throughout the US. The model here is to have local Haitian leaders help major organizations and city officials navigate the deep cultural, social chasm that might exist between Ohioans, Hoosiers, and Haitians. Established Haitian organizations can play a powerful role and serve as a bridge, informing and guiding the best use of local resources, providing culturally appropriate recommendations by assisting in cultural competency and advocacy.

What gives me comfort is knowing that most Americans do care! Americans have always been known to lend a hand to those in need. Our organization received help from many strangers, all Hosiers; especially when Haiti suffered from the most devastating earthquake in 2010. So, what I’m essentially suggesting is that — if it feels broken to you, here are a few tips on what you can do:

Patronize a local Haitian business such as a restaurant or a Haitian bakery. Buy Haitian products online you like. Offer a space of worship to local Haitians who don’t have their own church building. Attend events organized by local Haitian organizations to learn about their culture and way of life. Be an ally and donate to your local Haitian organization, so they can continue to support programs that help Haitian families integrate into the community.

By taking these steps, you can empower Haitians trying to make a difference in their community, while uplifting your own community.

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Indiana

Watch Indiana basketball’s Lamar Wilkerson give his mom a Cadillac

Published

11 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

Watch Indiana basketball’s Lamar Wilkerson give his mom a Cadillac

Indiana basketball sharpshooter Lamar Wilkerson is known for his generosity.

Upon joining the Hoosiers, he gave a tidy sum of his NIL earnings to his previous program, Sam Houston State.

“I was blessed to be able go from that, from not having a lot, to being here, having a lot more than I even knew what to do with,” Wilkerson said at the time. “I just thought, I can give them this.”

He upped the ante on IU’s Senior Night, giving his mother a Cadillac after the Hoosiers throttled Minnesota.

You could imagine her reaction.

Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar’s Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.

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Indiana

Indiana basketball vs. Minnesota score, updates tonight: Start time, where to watch

Published

23 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Indiana basketball vs. Minnesota score, updates tonight: Start time, where to watch

The Indiana Hoosiers have lost four straight games and are scrambling to earn an NCAA Tournament berth.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are trying to reach .500 for the season. They beat IU in a Big Ten opener in December.

Indiana (17-12, 8-10 Big Ten) has no room for air as it hosts Minnesota (14-15, 7-11). The Hoosiers have lost four in a row, leaving them on the NCAA Tournament bubble, while the Golden Gophers have won three of their last four. Minnesota beat IU in a conference opener.

We will have score updates and highlights, so remember to refresh.

What time does Indiana basketball play Minnesota tonight, March 4? Start time for Minnesota basketball vs Indiana on Wednesday, March 4, 2026

The Indiana-Minnesota game is at 6:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana.

Where to watch Indiana vs. Minnesota tonight, March 4? What channel is the Minnesota-Indiana on college basketball game today?

Watch college basketball with a free Fubo trial

Indiana vs. Minnesota predictions tonight, March 4

Zach Osterman, IndyStar: Indiana 75-69
“Indiana is on the ropes. Minnesota has nothing to lose. Gophers already beat IU once this year. So picking Minnesota here is going to be trendy. Too trendy. The Ohio State game is tougher to forecast, but the Hoosiers win here.”
Michael Niziolek, Herald-Times: Indiana 78-70
“Can Minnesota spoil IU’s Senior Night? The Gophers upended Indiana in Darian DeVries’ Big Ten debut earlier this season and have been a tough out in conference play. They are just 7-11, but six of those losses are by single digits and two of those came in overtime. The Hoosiers need to do a better job of locking down the perimeter while getting a more balanced scoring effort. Indiana should be able to pull this one out and keep its NCAA Tournament chances alive for another night.”

Where to listen to Indiana vs. Minnesota tonight, March 4, 2026

How much are Indiana vs. Minnesota tickets tonight, March 4, 2026?

IU basketball tickets on StubHub

Basketball rankings college: Indiana vs. Minnesota

As of March 2

(all times ET; with date, day of week, location and opponent, time, TV)

0, Jasai Miles
1, Reed Bailey
2, Jason Drake
3, Lamar Wilkerson
4, Sam Alexis
5, Conor Enright
6, Tayton Conerway
7, Nick Dorn
10, Josh Harris
11, Trent Sisley
12, Tucker DeVries
13, Aleksa Ristic
15, Andrej Acimovic

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Indiana

Trump can’t carry Mike Braun, Indiana Republicans anymore | Opinion

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Trump can’t carry Mike Braun, Indiana Republicans anymore | Opinion

On Iran, as on everything else, Gov. Mike Braun is letting Trump think for him.

Gov. Mike Braun might end up being the last person in MAGAland to realize it, but he and his copartisans are adrift. Braun will be a one-term governor unless he can think for himself and start serving Indiana without regard for what’s best for President Donald Trump.

Braun doesn’t get it yet. His robotic support for Trump’s war with Iran — “decisive leadership on the world stage,” he told reporters March 2 — shows his brain is cryogenically frozen in 2018 even as the world turns toward an unsettling future with a worsening economy and artificial intelligence-guided military operations.

You can almost sympathize with Braun’s unwillingness to put down the MAGA playbook. Braun is among countless political figures who’ve risen to power over the past decade by genuflecting to Trump and embracing his shamelessness.

Amoral populism launched careers, but it won’t sustain weak leaders through tumultuous times.

Iran is dividing MAGA

Voters are looking for substance — and, in Indiana, they’re seeing vacuous men who’ve let go of principles so they can cling to Trump like a talisman for their political careers. That goes for Braun, chief among them, but also for a host of other Republicans, including Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, Sen. Jim Banks, Attorney General Todd Rokita and Secretary of State Diego Morales, whose temporary claims to power will be forgotten by the next generation.

This MAGA cast of characters achieved success by outsourcing their thinking to a political nerve center. For years, they’ve only had to agree with whatever Trump happened to say today, even if it contradicted what Trump said the day before. Trump’s popularity among conservative voters rewarded groupthink and punished independence.

But Trump’s Iran war adds a critical layer to Americans’ anxieties — including overaggressive immigration enforcement, affordability and a softening job market — which are scrambling U.S. politics and severing the connection between Trump’s stream of consciousness and voter approval.

Some of the savviest MAGA influencers are hedging their bets. Megyn Kelly, Tucker Carlson and other voices whose personal wealth depends on harnessing the hearts and minds of the right are breaking with Trump on Iran — or, perhaps, using Iran as an opportune moment to create distance from a president whose popularity is falling.

MAGA is a declining brand

It’s too soon to say with certainty what’s signal and what’s noise. But we have increasing evidence that the American public (though not necessarily Republican primary voters) are breaking with Trump-aligned Republicans.

Democrats have been out-performing Kamala Harris’ 2024 results by double digits and they have a 7-point lead over Republicans in congressional midterm polling. Most Americans disapprove of Trump’s military strikes on Iran, per Politico.

The winds of change are blowing in Indiana. Republicans who carried water for Trump’s early redistricting push suffered an embarrassing loss in December. Braun, the Indiana face of early redistricting, has a 25% approval rating, according to a Public Policy Polling survey.

Braun’s path out of office runs in multiple directions: He could simply decline to run again, as he did in the Senate; a primary challenger could exploit his 43% approval rating among Republicans; or a Democrat could capitalize on the kind of hometown unpopularity that produces a 16% approval rating in Jasper.

Morales faces the same reckoning. His reelection bid for secretary of state is in deep trouble.

Some Indiana Republicans are more adaptable than others. Banks, for example, is an adept shape-shifter who could likely adopt a sober, statesmanlike persona if he perceived an evolving market demand.

Braun’s internal software does not seem to update so easily. He has time to change, having served just over one year as governor. The next three years will test Braun’s capacity to be something more than he’s been since winning election to the U.S. Senate in 2018.

Braun and his fellow Indiana Republican travelers have sailed as far as Trump’s tailwinds can take them. We’re about to see how they perform when they have to find their own ways.

Contact James Briggs at 317-444-4732 or james.briggs@indystar.com. Follow him on X at @JamesEBriggs.

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