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.

“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.”

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.

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.”

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!”

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.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — At least one person died Friday morning in a crash on the city ‘s east side, Indianapolis police said.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were called just after 10:15 a.m. to an accident in the 4200 block of East Washington Street near Sherman Drive.

Officers at the scene told News 8 a black SUV was headed east on Washington Street when, for some reason, it crossed a sidewalk and struck a tree.

Only one person, identified by police as a male, was in the vehicle at the time of the crash. He did not survive.

East Washington Street is closed in all direction for crash investigation and cleanup.

No other information was immediately available.