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Children’s Museum of Indianapolis shares story of AIDS advocate, Kokomo native Ryan White  

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Children’s Museum of Indianapolis shares story of AIDS advocate, Kokomo native Ryan White  


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is sharing the story of one Indiana boy’s bravery in the face of the AIDS epidemic, and how it impacted his small Indiana community and beyond. 

Ryan White was born in Kokomo in December 1971, and when he was 13, Ryan was diagnosed with AIDS after a blood transfusion.

After his diagnosis, he faced much AIDS-related discrimination from his community, but used his voice to fight against fear and misinformation surrounding HIV/AIDS. Most famously, he became an inspiration for his fight to continue going to school.

AJ Morrison with the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis told News 8 that Ryan’s story is particularly unique because of its local connection.

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“They were in Kokomo and then moved to Cicero. He went to Hamilton Heights High School, where he was welcomed by the students there,” he said.

The museum’s exhibit shows part of Ryan’s bedroom on display. The more than 500 artifacts from Ryan’s life help tell the story of his struggle with AIDS, his fight to attend school, and the great accomplishments he achieved before his death in April 1990.

“It just helps kids realize that anybody can really make a difference, and in Ryan’s case, standing up and speaking out against bullying and HIV/Aids,” Morrison said.

Along with the exhibit, Ryan’s mother and sister, Jeanne White Ginder and Andrea White, hosted a series of talks at the museum.

Sunday’s conversation runs from noon to 2 p.m., and will be structured like an informal conversation in Ryan’s bedroom. Listeners will be able to hear firsthand stories of how Ryan’s bravery impacted their family and several Indiana communities.

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A formal presentation will take place after from 2 – 2:45 p.m. Museum leaders add that topics discussed in the conversations about Ryan may be difficult for young children.

The exhibit and Ryan’s room will be showcased inside The Power of Children: Making a Difference on level 3 of the museum.

For more information on these talks and White’s story, visit the museum’s website.  

News 8’s Michaela Springer contributed to this report.

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Indianapolis, IN

Jaguars-Colts: Week 5 Prediction

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Jaguars-Colts: Week 5 Prediction


The Jacksonville Jaguars have one of their biggest Sundays of the year on the horizon.

Not only will Week 5’s AFC South battle against the Indianapolis Colts serve as a chance for the Jaguars to back on track after an 0-4 start, but the Jaguars will be honoring the greatest head coach and arguably the most influential figure in franchise history in Tom Coughlin.

“In the history of the Jaguars, I think it’s important that they know that and that we get to celebrate Coach Coughlin and also getting some former players, some legends back this weekend,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said this week.

“It will be exciting for the guys to see and visit. So yeah, definitely want that out in front of the team. It’s important they see that.”

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So, can the Jaguars walk out of Week 5 with their first victory of the year? We break it down below.

Prediction: Jaguars 23, Colts 16

The Colts as a whole have been a better team than the Jaguars this season; that much can’t be argued. But the Colts are simply one of the NFL’s most banged-up teams in the NFL right now, and the Jaguars might just be catching them at the right time.

In addition to Jonathan Taylor being ruled out, Kwity Paye and DeForest Buckner, and Kenny Moore will all miss the contest. Center Ryan Kelly is also ruled questionable. For as banged-up as the Jaguars have been in recent weeks, the Colts currently have it even worse.

There is also the factor of Anthony Richardson being questionable, which means the Jaguars will either play a banged-up Richardson, backup quarterback Joe Flacco, or both. The Jaguars have prepared for the event of both quarterbacks all week.

As things stand today, either result may not be too much of an issue for a Jaguars defense that has been reeling in recent weeks but is also now getting healthier.

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The Jaguars will have linebacker Devin Lloyd, who missed last week’s game with a knee injury, and nickel cornerback Darnell Savage, who has missed the last three games with a quad injury, Savage had a dominant performance in Week 1 and his veteran presence has been lost in an otherwise youthful secondary that has had a rookie, a second-year player, and a third-year player all playing major snaps.

Offensively, the Jaguars at least have history on their side. The offense has played well in all four games against the Colts under Doug Pederson, largely because the Jaguars’ scheme has typically been the perfect foil for the Colts’ defense.

This feels like a game the Jaguars need to take control of. With their season spiraling after an 0-4 start, they need some way to find a break and get over the hump and get things back on track. Sometimes it only takes one win. The Jaguars need to make that this week.

If the Jaguars lose this week, they will be heading into London with an 0-5 record. The time to right their wrongs is now.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and never miss another breaking news story again.

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Wikipedia conference comes to Indianapolis

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Wikipedia conference comes to Indianapolis


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The people behind the online encyclopedia Wikipedia are in Indianapolis this weekend for a 4-day conference to share ideas and talk about how to improve the site.

IU Indianapolis is hosting Wiki Conference 2024. It drew hundreds of people from around the globe, including James Popoola, of Nigeria.

“I contribute mainly on Wikidata, and also I have some African biographies on Wikipedia,” Popoola said.

Justin Clark is the digital initiatives director at the Indiana State Library. He said many of the people who contribute to Wikipedia do so on their own free time.

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“You are being a part of a community,” Clark said. “They’re a community of editors, creators, writers, and experts across many different fields who collaborate together to do this kind of work in real-time.”

Diversifying the types of articles on Wikipedia is a big focus of this year’s conference. Nearly 80% of biographies on the site are of white men.

An effort is being made to include works from people of color, women, and the LGBTQ+ community.

Event organizer Dominic Byrd-McDevitt said anyone is allowed to edit or make contributions to Wikipedia as long as they follow the organization’s guidelines.

“Misinformation is one of the biggest issues Wikipedia deals with, and bias,” Byrd-McDevitt said. “When it comes to editing Wikipedia, there are a lot of policies that govern the content like neutral point of view.”

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Popoola is also involved with the Wikivibrance project which encourages young people to get involved with initiatives affecting their countries. He’s looking forward to learning a lot at the conference.

“I think especially is how you can pick ideas from here and go plant it where ever you come from like taking action,” Popoola said.

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett proclaimed Oct. 4 as “Wikipedia Day.” The IU Indianapolis Library received $280,000 from the Indianapolis Foundation Library Fund to improve Indiana’s digital heritage on Wikipedia.



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Parisian Market benefits Fair Haven patients

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Parisian Market benefits Fair Haven patients


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A cancer survivor’s vision drives the Parisian Market, Fair Haven’s fundraiser to aid seriously ill patients seeking care in Indianapolis.

News 8 first shared information about the Parisian Market on Monday’s “Life.Style.Live.”

Fair Haven is a foundation that provides free housing and other services for patients and their families who are traveling to Indianapolis for medical treatment. Its housing is located near several health care facilities including IU Simon Cancer Center and Franciscan Health Cancer Center.

Amanda Milner, founder and executive director of Fair Haven, said, “I battled cancer several years ago and was a single mom at the time. I just faced a lot of the challenges that many people with cancer face. Trying to get to my chemotherapy and not being able to work.”

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Whether it’s for cancer, organ transplants, high-risk pregnancies, or cardiovascular conditions, Fair Haven offers furnished housing and unwavering support to people in need at no cost. It’s all thanks to Milner, a survivor who has been through it all.

“I worked at the cancer center and went back to work and met so many patients and families traveling here to central Indiana from all over the state and beyond.”

The Parisian Market is more than just a shopping event. It’s a celebration of community, compassion, and the power of generosity. Over 150 volunteers curate the experience.

Milner said, “We have a fantastic team that puts this together every year. They collect items all year long, and they are hand-selected. We have interior designers that come together, and they are staged so people can go in and shop and see how it will look in their own homes.”

Kidney transplant patient Erik Jenkins calls his Fair Haven stay a “glimpse from heaven,” sharing that he’s made lifelong friendships and even cooks for fellow guests. “It’s like a big family. You meet people from everywhere, from all over Indiana and the world. Some people come in for different health reasons, issues, and surgeries they have to have. I’ve been privileged to transport them to and from the hospital, which created a job for me there!”

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The Parisian Market has a preview night on Thursday, and was open on Friday. The market’s final day will be from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Glendale Town Center, 2625 E. 62nd Street. Admission, available at the door, is $5. Kids 16 and younger get in free.



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