INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The HBCU All-Star Game Experience tips off Friday in Indianapolis, beginning a weekend of events that includes educational fairs, social justice panels and an all-star basketball game.

The multi-day event is centered at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and the Madam Walker Legacy Center, with activities scheduled through Sunday afternoon.

The experience is designed to celebrate the historical and contemporary role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in sports and civil rights. Beyond the athletic competition, the event aims to empower student-athletes through conversations about education, community development, and activism.

The weekend began Friday morning with a college admissions and scholarship fair at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

The fair, which started at 9 a.m., provided resources for prospective students and their families. Following the educational events, the focus shifts to a “social justice and civil rights luncheon and panel” scheduled for Saturday.

The luncheon and panel will be held at 12 p.m. Saturday at the Madam Walker Legacy Center. Mawuli Mel Davis and Sean Johnson are among those participating in the discussions and joined Daybreak on Friday to discuss the event.

Mel Davis explained that the inclusion of social justice topics is a direct reflection of the history of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

“We have seen the role of HBCUs in the social justice work since the inception of HBCUs,” Davis said. “And so we thought it was absolutely appropriate to have a social justice, civil rights conversation for our student athletes.”

Davis added that the event serves to remind young athletes of their ability to affect society.

“This will be a way of pouring into them and reminding them of their power as student athletes and as young people to really impact how things are happening in our community and in our society right now.”

The panel discussions are divided into two segments:

• Panel 1 – Civic Engagement, Public Safety & Police Accountability
• Panel 2 – Educate, Employ, Empower — Youth, Education & Workforce Pathways as Civic Power

Johnson said one session will focus on education, while the other addresses community development and the intimate nature of the HBCU experience.

“We want to make sure folks, again, understand the importance of HBCUs and the role that HBCUs have played in athletics,” Johnson said. “We see all across the sports spectrum that you see athletes that come from our historically black colleges. And we want to make sure we continue to uplift that.”

The panel features several prominent speakers, including Dr. Ricky Jones from the University of Louisville, along with Barbara Arnwine and Daryl Jones from the Transformative Justice Coalition. Local organizers will also join the conversation, which is free and open to the public.

Founder Travis Williams and Kya Williams established the event to provide a comprehensive look at HBCU culture. Johnson noted that the founders believe the experience should be “bigger than the game.”

Sunday’s schedule returns to the Indiana State Fairgrounds for a black business vendor showcase starting at 12 p.m. This event leads into the final athletic competition of the weekend.

The HBCU All-Star Game will tip off at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Corteva Coliseum. The game features top senior All-Star players from across the country and will be broadcast live on WISH-TV.

Circle City Broadcasting promised to serve the public, then gutted a newsroom after the federal government gave it a pass to violate an antimonopoly law.

Circle City Broadcasting, the parent company of WISH-TV and WNDY-TV, closed on a deal to buy WRTV for $83 million earlier this week. The deal went through after the federal government gave it a pass to violate an antimonopoly rule, claiming it would serve the public interest.

Mass layoffs at WRTV immediately followed. That’s bad for local journalism and is not in the public interest of Indianapolis viewers.

Circle City can’t blame finances for the layoffs

Immediately after Circle City Broadcasting purchased WRTV, former staff members reported on social media that they were fired along with a large portion of the WRTV staff. 

Kyle Mounce, a meteorologist, said “the staff at WRTV was shown the door today.” Chief Meteorologist Todd Klaassen confirmed “essentially the entire staff was let go.” Nico Pennisi, a downtown Indianapolis community reporter, and Nicole Griffin, an anchor, both confirmed on social media it was their last day at WRTV.