Indianapolis, IN

We are here for a good time, not a long time – Indianapolis Recorder

Published

2 years ago

August 26, 2024

We are here for a good time, not a long time – Indianapolis Recorder

From the city of Detroit, Michigan, I grew up around a plethora of experiences including navigating the hood and the suburbs.

I watched as individuals close to me chose survival every day, having to hustle for their next meal and praying for their next blessing. This was a place where thriving was intertwined in materialistic gain because we had to prove we weren’t underdogs or “products of the environment.”

Early on, I learned that being quick on your feet, having critical thinking skills, well thought out responses, and quick decisiveness was a requirement to make it through the spaces I occupied. I watched members of my family experience destruction due to limitations; no access to food, financial insecurity, substance abuse, fear, confusion and using love as a radical tool to thrive.

Then I learned these experiences were not exclusive to my family or my neighborhoods. These experiences were happening to communities of culture across the landscape of America and around the world. I witnessed the deterioration of school systems, homes in low-income communities, a lack of access to health care, public safety services and grocery stores. It baffled me as a child to see unhoused individuals being ignored, denied basic needs and access to services. I watched as applications for government assistance were piling up, waiting to be reviewed or flat out denied. I saw churches become the ticket for survival and the only places we could hope to receive support.

These experiences continue to impact me today. It informs the way I engage with individuals from different backgrounds and identities. It helps me cut through tension and frustration to get to the root cause of inequities. It reminds me to remain involved in my communities and to hold systems accountable via my role in leadership and responsibility as a civil servant. It’s the cracking of my grandfather’s voice when he saw the climate around race look very similar to his experiences in Ware Shoals, South Carolina during the 40s and 50s in 2024.

I chose the work of diversity, equity and inclusion to move beyond lip service into action. I saw an opportunity to interrupt systems creating harmful experiences. I leaned into the opportunity to expose these systems and individuals while holding them accountable to review their programs, practices and policies to identify equity gaps and employ intentional solutions.

I knew the work of diversity, equity and inclusion was not new, but a continuation of the work done by our historic civil rights leaders, known and unknown by the masses, those who were in local communities, leadership positions, young adults and seasoned saints. They did the work because they wanted to ensure their families and communities would receive the support they needed. These individuals did not do the work to receive a book deal, an invitation to be a keynote speaker or panelist, they did it because they had a generation to protect. Knowing this, I take my positionality in diversity, equity, and inclusion work seriously, but I want it to be accessible.

In my role as a director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, I facilitate training, critical discussions and opportunities for mindset growth to move beyond the negative narratives associated with this work. I have done this work as a consultant at multiple higher education institutions, public and private sectors, small and large businesses and worked directly with executive leadership to identify equity gaps that will intentionally improve the climate and experience for everyone within the organization, while calling out the historical gaps impacting some identities more than others.

In February of this year, I was selected as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advocate of the Year presented by Eli Lilly for the ELEVATE awards by the United Way of Central Indiana. This honor reminded me of the work I am aligned with and continued to showcase the value of DEI in all spaces.

Thinking back to my graduating year of high school, 2008, I never imagined being able to uplift, center and challenge systems via diversity, equity and inclusion. I grew up low-income and often was reminded I would not make it out of the neighborhoods I occupied. I graduated high school with a 1.8 GPA and a ton of fear to move into the next phase of life. But I did not let that diminish or shift my plans to make a difference in the world.

The shame of graduating with a 1.8 GPA followed me for years. I attended a community college for three years, where I then transferred to Eastern Michigan University. Spending two years at this institution, I was able to join multiple student organization where I held a leadership role, I graduated from the Honors College with dual honors, received 14 academic scholarships, was mentioned in the president’s speech during graduation and went on to pursue my masters at Indiana University, graduating and now being a doctoral student in the Urban Education Studies (UES) program with an interdisciplinary focus on body diversity (BODEI) and diversity, equity and inclusion. My time spent in these spaces was intentional and continues to allow me to serve as a scholar practitioner.

I always want to make information accessible where people can utilize it to improve their lives and communities. This desire led me to lean into the nickname — DEI Homegirl. My approach to this work is intentional. I want you to understand, ask questions, seek clarification, learn, laugh and know you will be held accountable, and I expect you to do the same for me. Accountability does not have to be harmful or a tool to silence. It has to be intentional and equitable. With everything I have learned and continue to experience, I remind myself that those before me are the motivation to keep going when the world is choosing to ignore the value of DEI and lean into feeling inclusions does not matter.

This endeavor with the Indianapolis Recorder to share information about DEI is needed now, more than ever as we watch the rise of misinformation, hate and ignorance. This rise is more than clickbait and social media discussions. These actions are informing the programs, practices, and policies of our communities. To address these topics, I ask that you join me as your DEI Homegirl to use this platform to educate, challenge and redefine the narratives associated with DEI and its underpinnings. I’m excited to share this information with readers and hope that you will continue to join me to learn more and make critical changes.

As a reminder, the work is not always easy, but it is always needed. Remember, we are not here for a long time, but a good time. We’ve got work to do!

Take care friends!

Your DEI Homegirl

Follow Ellise A. Smith on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/ellisesmith.

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Indianapolis, IN

IndyCar driver Felix Rosenqvist had the busiest week after winning the Indianapolis 500

Published

6 hours ago

May 30, 2026

Press Room

IndyCar driver Felix Rosenqvist had the busiest week after winning the Indianapolis 500

The Indianapolis 500 is kind of unusual in that it’s the biggest race the series has to offer, and it comes in the middle of the season after an entire month of preparation.

That’s exhausting, and for the winner, attaining a lifelong dream like that means one thing: one hell of a wild week before you have to do it all over again.

IndyCar is in Detroit this week for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, but Rosenqvist hasn’t had much downtime since the biggest win of his career.

Felix Rosenqvist reacts after winning the NTT IndyCar Series 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Ind., on May 24, 2026. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)

According to IndyCar, immediately after winning the race, Rosenqvist’s media obligations got under way and those continued for several hours after the race.

Then, on Monday, he had more interviews and a photo session and the Victory Celebration that night.

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Then it was on to New York for more interviews, trips to the Empire State Building, Times Square, and even the red-carpet premiere of Indy 500 Grand Marshal Brendan Fraser’s new movie, “Pressure.”

On top of that, he still had more to do in Indy and threw out the first pitch at a Tigers game ahead of the Detroit Grand Prix weekend.

Felix Rosenqvist, driver of the No. 60 Meyer Shank with Curb-Agajanian Honda, crosses the finish line to win the 110th Indianapolis 500 ahead of David Malukas on May 24, 2026, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Ind. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)

I’m exhausted typing that. He lived it, and still has to race this weekend.

And, oh yeah, this is coming about two weeks after he became a father.

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“Obviously, (I’m) tired, but I had fun with it,” he said. “(There were) a lot of interviews, but you’ve got to strike when the iron is hot, right? Also, I feel like I’m representing motorsports in a way maybe we normally (can’t). It’s kind of cool. It’s good for the sport.”

Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist poses with his Indianapolis 500-winning car. (© Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

It’s great for the sport, and especially after the closest finish in Indy 500 history and one of the most exciting. It’s also great to ride the momentum and get back to racing as soon as possible.

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Rosenqvist will look to become the first driver to win the next race after winning the Indy 500 in quite some time, but he’ll have to do it from the middle of the pack. He’ll start the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix in P16.

Championship leader Alex Palou starts on pole with Will Power alongside him on the front row in P2.

Matthew Reigle is a writer for OutKick.

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Indianapolis, IN

Circle City Orchestra wraps up season with ‘Sound Bites’ fundraiser

Published

16 hours ago

May 30, 2026

Press Room

Circle City Orchestra wraps up season with ‘Sound Bites’ fundraiser

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Circle City Orchestra will close its 2025-26 season with a special “Sound Bites” concert on Sunday.

The concert begins at 4 p.m. at the Athenaeum’s Basile Theatre. Admission is free, with a suggested donation to support the nonprofit, all-volunteer orchestra and “keep the music going.”

Craig Mince, president of the Athenaeum, said the venue has been home to the orchestra for several years — a connection that runs deeper than most might expect. The Athenaeum once hosted a full-time orchestra of its own, and welcoming Circle City Orchestra back into the space has felt like a natural homecoming.

“We love having them,” Mince said. “It harkens back to an old Athenaeum orchestra that used to be in the building full-time. We’re happy to have music back in the building again.”

Phil Kranyak, principal cellist with the orchestra, started playing cello in third grade but stepped away from the instrument for 17 years before joining Circle City Orchestra. He said the group’s welcoming culture made the return feel seamless.

“We are inclusive in every sense of the word,” Kranyak said. “Whether you’re picking up an instrument for the first time or coming back after a long pause, it is so easy to step into this orchestra.”

Andrew Wu, an oboist who joined about a year ago, had a similar experience. Wu played violin, saxophone, and oboe through graduate school before taking a roughly 10-year break. He said the orchestra gave him a meaningful way to reconnect with both music and community.

“Music is such an important part of people’s lives,” Wu said. “Being able to express yourself through music and connect with a greater audience — and within your own orchestra — is just wonderful.”

The orchestra says it is always looking for new musicians.

Rehearsals are held every Wednesday at the Athenaeum, and new faces are always welcome. Mince said nearly every rehearsal brings at least one first-time attendee, and the orchestra embraces that.

Musicians do not need to commit to a full season – the orchestra asks only that members participate in rehearsals for the concert cycle they plan to perform in.

Concert Details

❓: Circle City Orchestra “Sound Bites” End-of-Season Concert.
⏰: 4 p.m. Sunday.
📍: The Athenaeum’s Basile Theatre, 401 E. Michigan St.

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Indianapolis, IN

Top seeded West Chester cruises to 12-3 win over University of Indianapolis in the Division II championship

Published

1 day ago

May 30, 2026

Press Room

Top seeded West Chester cruises to 12-3 win over University of Indianapolis in the Division II championship

CARY, N.C. — One big inning was all the West Chester baseball team needed to get off to a winning start at the Division II championship.

The Golden Rams put their first five batters on base in the first inning and all eventually came around to score in a 12-3 opening round victory against the University of Indianapolis at the USA Baseball National Training Complex on Friday.

Ace Julian Costa didn’t have his best stuff on the mound, but he battled through seven innings while his offense pounded out 14 hits to earn a date against UT Tyler on Sunday (6 p.m., ncaa.com) in the winner’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament.

» READ MORE: Kyle Lazer aims to finish what he started with West Chester baseball in Division II championship

“Our guys all do our homework, so we knew what we were getting and were just looking to be aggressive early,” said catcher Caleb Strawhecker, who in addition to going 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored at the plate, threw out two would-be UIndy base stealers. “Putting up a lot of runs on the board was the goal and luckily we were able to do that.”

The Rams (45-10) wasted little time establishing their dominance against the overmatched Greyhounds, who advanced to Cary, N.C. by winning the Midwest region.

Carter Rust hit a leadoff single in the first inning and scored on a double by Strawhecker, who then came around on a single by Austin Stalker. After Hunter Smith walked and a perfectly placed bunt single by Patrick Gozdan loaded the bases, Tanner Donati made it 3-0 with an RBI single before two more runs scored on a double-play grounder by Harry Middlebrooks and a single by No. 8 hitter Christian Michak.

“It was a good complete game effort,” West Chester coach Mike LaRosa said. “Jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the first. Give Costa a five spot and I think everybody feels confident from there on that we’ve got an opportunity to take that game.”

As it turned out, the first inning outburst was enough for the Rams to win the game. But it wasn’t as easy even with their best arm on the mound.

The senior left-hander Costa wasn’t as sharp as he was when he held Millersville without a hit into the seventh in last week’s NCAA Atlantic Super Regional. While he gave up 10 hits and walked two, he always seemed to make the right pitches at the right times to wiggle out of trouble.

» READ MORE: Rowan baseball drops opening game vs. Adrian in Division III championship, face elimination on Saturday

The only runs he allowed were a second inning homer to Brayton Bowen and an RBI single by Austin Bode in the fourth.

Not only did Costa leave the bases loaded twice on the way to his 13th win in 14 decisions this season, he started the game by picking off the first two UIndy runners to reach base in the top of the first. Strawhecker also helped him out by throwing out two more runners trying to steal second.

“It was a little [difficult] location-wise at the start of the game,” said Costa, who struck out seven. “Around the third inning was when I started extending my legs and worked on the mound, and everything came together.”

West Chester added to its lead with a run in the fifth, then broke the game open late with two in the seventh and three more in the eighth on a three-run homer to left center by Rust. UIndy (39-23) got its final run in the ninth off the Rams’ bullpen.

“After the pickoffs happened [in the top of the first], we all just laughed to ourselves and said ‘We’re good now,’” Strawhecker said. “Then it was just getting back to business, getting outs and playing our game.”

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