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Life worth living: three steps to take toward carbon neutrality

DANIEL POYNTER
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Life worth living: three steps to take toward carbon neutrality

According to the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, over 50% of Hoosiers are worried about climate, as it continues to be negatively affected by carbon emissions. A person or thing is carbon neutral when it does not add greenhouse gases (GHGs) to the atmosphere. Carbon neutrality means being net-neutral. You still emit some GHGs but invest in projects that soak up the same amount it emits. Anything can be carbon neutral: an individual, a household, a company, a specific product that a company makes, a city, a state, a country, even the entire world.

In 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change declared the world must become carbon neutral by 2050 or face expensive and horrific consequences. Carbon Neutral Indiana (CNI) is a nonprofit social enterprise that’s helping Indiana become carbon neutral as soon as possible. Founded in April of 2020, CNI analyzes the carbon footprints of households, businesses and academic institutions at no charge and connects them with verified projects that offset their footprints. If you don’t want your carbon emissions to damage your very own backyard or experience longer heat waves, more heat strokes and respiratory illnesses from poor air quality, there’s something you can do about it. Here are three steps to take toward a life of carbon neutrality: 

1. Measure your carbon footprint and other GHGs from activities.

It’s important to first calculate your carbon footprint to see where your emissions come from. Some of the largest sources of greenhouse gases in a typical household include electricity, natural gas, transportation and consumption, which means buying goods and services. For example, if you calculate all the energy required to create, ship and operate an iPhone, as well as the energy to run the servers that store its data, it’s about as energy intensive as a refrigerator. 

2. Reduce emissions wherever possible.

To reduce a household’s direct emissions, you might consider investing in energy efficiency to reduce the amount of electricity used per product, such as LED light bulbs or energy efficient appliances such as dishwashers and refrigerators. There are so many other ways households can reduce emissions. Use a heat pump, work from home a couple of days a week, go for a plant-based meal by participating in “meatless Monday” and buy high quality clothing as opposed to fast fashion, which creates about 10% of global emissions. Take more time to seal any air that leaks into or out of your home, fly less or not at all, install solar energy, and switch to a hybrid or an electric vehicle to get higher miles per gallon. 

3. Offset the remainder as you go. 

Investing in the carbon market by purchasing carbon offsets is a great, affordable way to balance the remainder of your emissions. That is, buy carbon offsets generated by internationally verified projects that either reduce emissions or pull them out of the atmosphere. Examples include a tree-planting project or a landfill methane-capture project. Due to so many project types and developers, there’s a massive competition to offer the lowest cost, highest quality “negative emission.” This results in a cost-effective reduction of GHG emissions. So far, CNI has invested in three internationally verified carbon projects: forestry and land use, methane capture and utilization and nitrous oxide avoidance from nitric acid reduction.
Although these steps may seem intimidating, CNI makes it easy by measuring your carbon footprint for you over the phone in fifteen minutes or less and providing the best carbon offset investment options for you.

For more information on Carbon Neutral Indiana or becoming carbon neutral, visit: https://www.carbonneutralindiana.org/.

Daniel Poynter is the founder of Carbon Neutral Indiana.

From Facebook group to LLC, Black Dolla Indy — the epicenter of Black networking

TERRENCE LAMBERT
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From Facebook group to LLC, Black Dolla Indy — the epicenter of Black networking

Carl Gordon opened Gordon’s Milkshake Bar on Massachusetts Avenue in December 2019. He was excited to see how much his business would grow with spring and summer on its way. Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, leaving him to question if there was a future for his business.

Then came Black Dolla Indy.

After Gordon joined Black Dolla Indy, he noticed the line to get into his milkshake bar getting longer and saw customers waiting outside before the store opened. He also saw steady business all the way until he had to close shop for the day.

“I owe them,” Gordon said. “They were a new day for me. They really changed the dynamic of having a business in the pandemic. As a Black person, they really did it for me.”

Carmen Davenport founded the Black Dolla Indy Facebook group June 6, 2020, and the group now has over 37,000 members. Members can look for suggestions for hair care, household projects, therapists, nail technicians and even bounce house services that are all Black owned.

“It’s a consumer page with Black businesses at the forefront,” Davenport said. “If you’re looking for plumbing, in no time you’re gonna have over 10 referrals. Black Dolla is the one-stop shop for everything.”

Davenport started Black Dolla Indy after she realized how disconnected she was with other Black businesses and uses the page to showcase those businesses all year around.

Prior to being admitted into the Facebook group, users must read the group rules and answer questions. Davenport said there could easily be half a million members if everyone took the time to read the rules and answer the questions.

Of the thousands of requests to join, she and the other group admins have only accepted around a third of the requests they receive.

Wednesdays and Saturdays are “Black Dolla Days,” which are days set aside for advertising and promoting products and different local events. The other days are for customers to browse, shop and review different businesses.

“We have received 90% of our customer base from Black Dolla,” said Brittani Buford-Towner, owner of Maxx Beauty Supply. “If it wasn’t for them, I don’t know how we would’ve gotten the word out so fast.”

Buford-Towner said whenever someone is looking for places with hair care products or offers spa treatments, her business is always tagged. She also said customers will post a review in Black Dolla which keeps the word around her business going.

Brianna Membres, founder and CEO of SheEdits LLC, helps future and current college students find a full range of scholarships through workshops and master classes on how to write scholarship essays and complete applications.

Membres said if it was not for Black Dolla Indy she wouldn’t have found one of her biggest clients, who won an $11,000 scholarship renewable for up to four years.

What started as a Facebook group is now a limited liability company (LLC) made up of a team of nine members. This transition to a formal business gives the group a bigger platform to help more Black-owned businesses be successful.

“It almost brings tears to my eyes,” Davenport said after reflecting on how much Black Dolla Indy has grown in only a year. “That type of impact is why I’m here.”

Black Dolla Indy has created events that range from “Black Dolla Dining Days” to highlight local Black-owned restaurants that don’t have the opportunity to be featured during Devour Indy, to “Dollas in the Details” which focus on Black businesses that detail and wash cars.

“That kind of encouragement will make all the difference,” Davenport said.

Davenport said she still needs resources to help create a program for Black startups to be ready to run and maintain their business and plans on having a 5K walk next year to raise money for these programs.

Contact staff writer Terrence Lambert at 317-924-5243. Follow him on Twitter @TerrenceL.

Food truck promotes community health, generational wealth

BREANNA COOPER
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Food truck promotes community health, generational wealth

If you find yourself at the green and black food truck outside Cleo’s Bodega, there’s a good chance you’ll see 7-year-old Zanaya Slack peeking over the counter. She and her two older sisters, Zyla and Zion, help their parents run Black Leaf Vegan. Derrick and Taria Slack, who’ve been vegans for five years, started the food truck when their favorite vegan restaurants closed due to the pandemic.

Most would be wary of opening a business in the middle of a pandemic. But for Derrick, a veteran businessman, overcoming hurdles is just a normal part of entrepreneurship.

“We’re African American, so there’s always some kind of pandemic or something that happens, and we didn’t feel [the pandemic] was any different,” Derrick said. “When our favorite places closed down, we wanted to start making some vegan food and thought other people might want some as well.”

The hard work paid off. This year, Black Leaf Vegan will be the first vegan vendor in Indiana State Fair history. Derrick hopes to show potential customers that you can have comfort food that isn’t a detriment to your health.

The Slack family adopted a vegan lifestyle following the death of Taria’s father. After researching their respective family histories, both Derrick and Taria found hypertension, diabetes and cancer. Both hypertension and diabetes are more common in African American populations, but not necessarily because of predisposition.

Instead, Derrick argues, changing diet habits can reduce one’s risk of developing various diseases. The No. 1 goal for Black Leaf Vegan, Derrick said, is to protect the community.

“We’re a business, so we want to win customers, but we also want the community to be healthy,” Derrick said. “That’s our primary mission. If our community is healthy, everyone benefits and we have a more vibrant society.”

Everything about Black Leaf Vegan is family oriented. All three daughters are listed as owners of the limited liability corporation (LLC), they’re involved in meetings about ingredients and new food options — the girls came up with the idea to add nachos to the menu — and the daughters work the truck a few nights a week.

“When we talk about generation wealth, it isn’t just about money,” Derrick said. “It’s about the knowledge we leave behind, the health that we have as norms in our lives. It’s about being emotionally and mentally healthy. That’s what I consider generational wealth, and when they grow up, they can pass that on.”

Derrick estimates about 50% of customers aren’t vegan but said most wouldn’t recognize they aren’t eating meat. While his favorite menu item is the tacos, the best-seller — and his youngest daughter’s favorite — is the bacon ranch burger.

Topped with homemade vegan ranch, coleslaw and coconut-based “bacon” that would fool any carnivore, the burger is making customers question everything they thought they knew about vegan food.

Mike Wardlow tried Black Leaf Vegan’s tacos at an event April 12. On April 14, he was in line at the food truck waiting on a bacon ranch burger.

“I’m not a vegan, but they’re about to make me one,” Wardlow said. “The food is so good, and I can’t tell it’s not beef.”

Thanks to dedication and word-of-mouth advertising, Black Leaf Vegan is quickly growing. Derrick plans to add another truck later this year, and the girls hope to have a vegan ice cream truck over the summer. Regardless of the changes that may come to Black Leaf, Derrick said the main goal will always be to teach customers — especially those in the African American community — that health starts with what you eat.

“Our long-term goal is to keep introducing foods that are healthier to our community,” Derrick said. “What you’re ingesting — whether it’s the food you eat or the media you consume — creates a balance in your life. The more we are conscious about those things, we as a community are better off physically, spiritually and financially.”

Contact staff writer Breanna Cooper at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @BreannaNCooper.

Black tattoo artists find creative outlet, lucrative career

STAFF
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Black tattoo artists find creative outlet, lucrative career

In 2008, Brian Winston bought his first tattoo gun. After teaching himself how to tattoo, he went to a well-known tattoo shop in Anderson, took some people he tattooed with him in an attempt to show the owner his work and get a job there. 

Without glancing at the art, the shop owner looked Winston up and down and said, “Bro, you are Black. We ain’t never seen a Black tattoo artist before.”

So, instead of working for someone else, Winston opened Studio 77 to ensure his apprentices and artists would not have to go through similar situations. 

July 17 is National Tattoo Day, which recognizes the cultural and historical significance behind tattooing. As Black tattoo artists and businesses are becoming more well known throughout the community, more creatives see tattooing as a viable career option. Black tattoo artists also are well-versed in tattooing darker skin. 

Most of the artists at Studio 77 are young. It’s because they are easier to teach, Winston said. His apprenticeships are free, and in addition to tattooing, he teaches them how to balance their finances, create a retirement plan and plan for a successful future in the tattoo industry.

“I love the people that work here,” Winston said. “I want to see them be successful.”

While the apprenticeships are free, the artist must work at Studio 77 for a year to get a better understanding of what it is like to work at a tattoo studio.

Nyderia Harris began her apprenticeship at Studio 77 in August 2020. She recently graduated from college with a degree in painting and art but had issues finding a job in the art industry. Winston, her cousin, encouraged her to become a tattoo artist, and she has been tattooing ever since.

“I kept taking on more and more complicated projects and nailing them,” she said. “I was patient and dedicated to making it happen, and I made it happen.”

As a Black woman in the tattoo industry, she said it was hard for her to find clientele because of the way she looks. Harris does not have a lot of tattoos, and when people see her, they do not believe that she is a good enough artist. 

However, she enjoys working at Studio 77 and believes the shop creates a comfortable atmosphere for the artists and the customers. 

“It’s a whole ‘nother vibe here, and that’s why I love it,” Harris said. “It’s like a family.”

The owner of Rated Art Tattoo Studio, Precious Young, is also protective of her artists because of some of the challenges she faced early in her tattoo career. During her apprenticeship in 2006, her mentor told her she needed to dress more feminine to be a woman tattoo artist.

“I kind of try to look after my artists,” she said. “What do I have to do to make sure my artists don’t go through what I went through?” 

Around the time Young became a professional tattoo artist, she was homeless and lived inside the shop where she worked. These challenges are what inspired her to open her own shop in 2019.

For those interested in becoming a tattoo artist, Young advises them to “try not to get deterred” by the lack of representation in the industry. As more and more Black artists transition into tattooing, it inspires others to do the same. Just “go for it,” she said.

Winston also encourages those with talent to become tattoo artists because not only is it a way to be creative, but it’s also a way to create financial stability.

“This industry can change your life,” Winston said. “You just have to get your head into it.”

Contact staff writer Abriana Herron at 317-924-5143. Follow her on Twitter @Abri_onyai.

Black-owned ice cream shops serve unique treats, happiness to Indianapolis residents

MADISON SMALSTIG
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Black-owned ice cream shops serve unique treats, happiness to Indianapolis residents

Gordon’s Milkshake Bar owner Carl Gordon could have opened a burger joint or a lunch spot after he finished culinary school. But he chose ice cream because, to Gordon and many others, ice cream is not just food.

“I’ve seen the faces of people when you hand them four scoops of cookie dough ice cream,” he said. “I wanted to be in that atmosphere where people are always smiling.”

Gordon’s Milkshake Bar, TeeJay’s Sweet Tooth and FreeStyle Cupcake, Coffee & Ice Cream Bar are three Black-owned shops that Indianapolis customers can stop by to brighten their mood with not only classic cones, but also ice cream wrapped in cotton candy, scooped into dessert nachos and buried in unlimited toppings.

The Milkshake Bar, which opened December 2019, offers multiple ice cream flavors and customizable milkshakes, including a variety of vegan and dairy-free options. This month, National Ice Cream Month, customers can go into the shop to purchase BOGO (buy one get one) ice cream cones or special items, such as cinnamon apple tamales or a chocolate banana shake.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gordon said he didn’t see the number of customers walk in that he wanted to, but he still saw a steady flow of ice cream lovers who needed a pick-me-up and knew he needed to stay open for them.

“That’s my drive,” he said, referring to the feeling his food gives his customers.

TeeJay’s Sweet Tooth co-owner Taylor DeBruce said she believes a consistent stream of cars came to their drive through last summer, when many people were quarantining, because it served as a safe way to get out of the house when it felt scary to go almost anywhere else. Their unique ice cream dishes also offered at least a small amount of comfort for everyone who passed through, DeBruce said.

Now, almost three years after the ice cream shop opened, TeeJay’s is still thriving and serving a variety of nontraditional but “Instagram-able” sweet treats such as sorbet slushees, rotating specialty ice cream flavors, cloud cones and warm doughnut sundaes. One of DeBruce’s favorite items is the doughnut sandwich because of the different flavor combinations customers can create.

“You can kind of play with it,” she said. “You can get really creative with your ice cream and topping combinations.”

One of DeBruce’s favorite combos is banana cream pie ice cream sandwiched in a doughnut with vanilla wafers.

FreeStyle Cupcake, Coffee & Ice Cream Bar also offers customizable ice cream items, in addition to baked goods such as cupcakes and bagels.

With about 40 ice cream flavors and an unlimited topping bar, customers can create anything from vanilla with sprinkles to bubblegum covered in Skittles. Some of the more unique ice cream flavors found at FreeStyle are red velvet, birthday cake and strawberry cheesecake.

FreeStyle owner Yalera Shorter said she also believes in the unique healing powers of ice cream, which is one of the reasons she wanted to offer the frozen treat in the shop.

“I don’t care what kind of day you’re having, what you’re going through, ice cream makes it better,” she said.

Shorter even swears ice cream heals pain — just like mom’s kisses.

FreeStyle is temporarily closed and will be for about the next month because Shorter recently underwent knee replacement surgery. Shorter said anytime she feels pain due to her recovering knee her husband brings her ice cream and after a few bites she feels better.

“The doctors better watch out, ice cream is going to take over,” she said.

Contact staff writer Madison Smalstig at 317-924-5143. Follow her on Twitter @madi_smals.

Teaching During a Global Pandemic: A Globalized Look at Being an Educator During COVID-19

ELIZABETH HEAD
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Teaching During a Global Pandemic: A Globalized Look at Being an Educator During COVID-19

According to a United Nations study, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the largest disruption of education in history, having already had a nearly universal impact on learners and teachers around the world. Head of school at the International School of Indiana (ISI), Elizabeth Head, has details to share about a faculty member that has the distinction of being an educator during the pandemic in both China and the U.S.

Reopening Schools on Different Sides of the World

Richard Bruford, our current upper school principal at ISI, started 2020 as the head of an international school in Suzhou, China, and within months found himself moving to Indianapolis to fill the upper school principal role at ISI — all during a global pandemic. While reopening two schools on opposite sides of the world during a global health crisis was not what Richard had expected, the globalized experience of working through the challenges of a pandemic with staff, faculty and students from all over the world has been invaluable for him and the rest of the ISI administration.

Richard was working at Suzhou Singapore International School when the COVID-19 pandemic first started. China was one of the first places to shut down due to the origin of the virus, which meant their schools also were among the first to go virtual. The pandemic started when his school was on break for Chinese New Year and with so many teachers and students abroad when the country locked down, they resumed learning with teachers and students across 10 different time zones.

Richard’s team in Suzhou was unique in that it was among the first in the world that had to implement a plan for virtual learning. Other parts of the world were actually able to learn from China’s switch to virtual learning and had time to prepare. Similarly, the ISI team was one of the first in Central Indiana to create a plan for reopening. As an international school connected to a network across the globe, ISI had the advantage of drawing on their peer institutions to develop a successful operational plan.

Making the Move from China to the U.S.

After the initial outbreak of the pandemic and just as classes in Suzhou were returning to in-person learning, Richard chose to take a job across the world in Indianapolis. ISI appealed to Richard due to the small class sizes that offered a more personalized approach to both teaching and learning. He chose to move across the globe to ISI because of the diverse school community where students can develop a globalized perspective and have empathy for others all over the world.

With travel restrictions, it took exactly one month door to door for Richard and his family to make the move from Suzhou to Indianapolis. When arriving in Indianapolis, he found the U.S. was in a different place with the virus due to differences in protocols, procedures and the rate of disease transmission. The students, teachers and staff at ISI were able to find support and comfort in his experiences, as he had already gone through many of the challenges of teaching during a pandemic while at Suzhou Singapore International School.

Using Global Experiences to Create a Safe Learning Environment

Richard was happy to use his experiences to share safe and effective procedures with our ISI staff. For example, ISI created a cohort model specific to our school and campus that kept students in pods to prevent transmission if a student were to contract COVID-19. Richard, as well as the entire staff and faculty, positioned ISI to be one of the first schools in the region to create and implement a COVID-ready campus plan, developed through proactive conversations with the first foreign schools to deal with COVID-19. As a result, our school was among the first Central Indiana schools to safely resume in-person instruction.

Progressing Beyond the Pandemic

Schools are still facing challenges as they continue to work through COVID-19, but ISI has found that flexibility has allowed the school to exceed even during a pandemic. Since state-mandated reporting began in September, ISI has only had about two dozen confirmed cases (3.6%) among students, faculty and staff. That places the institution near the top percentile in terms of COVID-safe campuses among our Indianapolis-area peer schools.

“That genuine care for the student’s health and well-being has driven ISI to be successful in providing students with the best education in a safe and fun environment,” Richard said. “I couldn’t have made a better choice.”

As the pandemic continues to impact the world, ISI has found a globalized approach to education offers a perspective that allows the school to flourish even with the challenges brought by COVID-19. With staff members like Richard, we are able to come together collectively to make choices that are best for students, staff and faculty.

For more information about ISI and safety procedures in place at the school, visit https://www.isind.org.

Elizabeth Head is head of school at the International School of Indiana.

Clarence Crain joins Lilly Endowment board

TYLER FENWICK
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Clarence Crain joins Lilly Endowment board

Clarence Crain, a former program director for Lilly Endowment, was elected to serve on the endowment’s board.

“My colleagues and I could not be more pleased that Clarence has agreed to join
our board,” said N. Clay Robbins, chairman, president and CEO of the
endowment. “His deep knowledge of the Indianapolis community and key
national organizations that the Endowment supports will be most valuable as we
envision, conduct and evaluate our grantmaking.”

Crain spent 14 years as a program director for the endowment’s education division. Prior to that, he worked for 30 years at General Motors.

While at the endowment, Crain administered many of the grants to organizations that serve African American youth, including Center for Leadership Development, Indiana Black Expo, Indianapolis Urban League and Fathers and Families.

Adult learners find their place in a pandemic

TYLER FENWICK
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Adult learners find their place in a pandemic

Tosin Ajayi has always loved working with computers. She’s amazed by technology in general because in Nigeria, where Ajayi lived until 2009, access was limited.
“I like finding ways to make a cell phone work easier and do what I want it to do,” she said. “I’ve always had that curiosity.”

Ajayi, 32, enrolled at WGU Indiana, an online university that caters to working adults, in 2020 to earn a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. She first went back to school in 2016 at Ivy Tech and has had two children since then.

The COVID-19 pandemic didn’t spare Ajayi’s job in information technology, which she lost in May 2020.

“I didn’t know what I would do with myself,” she said.

Going back to school can be difficult, especially for someone who’s trying to navigate between classes and a job, all while raising children. The proliferation of online courses has expanded access, but it still takes a considerable amount of time and energy.

Ajayi got a significant boost from WGU Indiana, which awarded her a $10,000 scholarship. If she has her way, Ajayi will one day be a cybersecurity expert who tries hacking into systems to show companies — maybe even countries such as her home Nigeria — where they need to improve.

“I’m working toward a better life for myself and for my children,” she said.
Ajayi may have become closer to the exception than the rule by deciding to further her education during a pandemic.

Jerry Haffner, assistant director for adult education at the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, said the state’s approximately 55 providers have seen a reduction in students going back to school for their high school equivalency or technical training since the start of the pandemic.

Part of that is due to practical issues such as stay-at-home orders, but Haffner said the pandemic has also made some people back away from commitments that aren’t essential in favor of those that are: taking care of a family, helping students navigate e-learning, etc.

“Some basic needs have need to be met first,” he said.

Alison Bell, chancellor at WGU Indiana, said it can be intimidating for working adults to return to college — pandemic or not — because of the perception that college is supposed to be for younger people without too many other responsibilities.

Returning learners wonder if they’ll be the oldest in their class or if they still have what it takes to succeed.

Another challenge, Bell said, is a disconnect between the education and corporate worlds when it comes to language. Take “project management” as an example. A student can learn all the necessary skills and credentials, but it’s a lost opportunity if they can’t communicate those things in a way an employer will understand and appreciate.

“In higher ed, we’re just beginning to speak in skills language,” Bell said, “so how do they know if their degree translates to these specific skills?”

WGU Indiana recently received a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment to help adults accurately communicate their skills and credentials to employers.

Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.

Changing lives one injury at a time

Editor
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Changing lives one injury at a time

By Breanna Cooper

FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, Jenna Casale has worked as an athletic trainer at the Athletico Physical Therapy branch in Greenfield. There, she works with student athletes from Eastern Hancock High School to treat sports-related injuries, which she has personal experience with.
During her senior year at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, Casale injured her knee playing for the soccer team. After working with an athletic therapist, Casale discovered her career path.
“When I realized there was a job that allowed me to stay around sports and help others, I decided that is exactly what I wanted to do,” Casale, 24, said. “They [physical therapist and high school athletic trainer] genuinely cared about me outside of just my knee injury and made the recovery process fun, engaging and worth every second. … I knew I wanted to be able to help others the way I was helped.”
After studying athletic training at Anderson University, Casale quickly found her footing in the profession.
“My experience in the field has been crazy, fun and baptism by fire,” Casale said. “ … My absolute favorite part of my job is the relationships I get to build. My athletes know to come to my training room when they are injured, but they also have realized that they can come in my training room anytime for anything. We talk, laugh, share stories, and they know they have somebody that will listen to them even for five minutes.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 8.6 million sports-related injuries are reported every year in the United States. Casale said injuries change based on sports seasons, but the most common injuries she sees are ankle injuries and injuries to the lower back and shoulders.
“A lot of my athletes in basketball, volleyball, softball, cheer and football have ankle and shoulder injuries,” she said. “They have acute episodes that occur during the season or several of them have chronic issues from previous injuries.”
To treat her athletes, Casale works on ankle strengthening and shoulder mobility and strengthening depending on what each individual athlete needs. For back injuries, Casale said she focuses on flexibility and core strength to help manage and alleviate pain.
To avoid injuries, Casale said it’s the little things that can make a big difference.
“Avoiding injuries is all in preparation and doing the little things right,” Casale said. “Take the extra time before and after a workout, practice or game and stretch. … Also, working in the weight room, focusing on proper form can help better prepare athletes. Lastly, drink water! Stay hydrated, always. It’s also important to enjoy what you are doing. Sports require a lot of hard work, but they should still be fun.”
While athletic therapy is often a lot of work, Casale said her athletes make the workload enjoyable.
“My athletes and the relationships we have been able to build are the highlight of each day and make all the hardships worthwhile,” Casale said. “Helping them, in any way I can, is all I could ask for, and I am blessed to have the privilege to take care of them.” I

Nonprofit offers opportunities in media to youth

Editor
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Nonprofit offers opportunities in media to youth

By Dennis J. Jarrett

By Dennis J. Jarrett

Access. Train. Connect. These are the three pillars that signify the mission of The Next Generation Initiative (NextGen), an Indianapolis-based 501(C)3 organization. What started as an extension of a curriculum-based video program within Warren Township Schools and the Walker Career Center has grown into a city-wide initiative to provide career training for young people interested in pursuing a media production career.

It Started with a Vision

The vision is to provide opportunities for young people, who would not normally have access to professional equipment and training. They receive hands-on experience and guidance to prepare them for success in what is a very competitive industry. The result of their training produces a “ripple effect” wherein participants develop industry-standard skills, and in turn, use those technical and creative skills to impact their community. 

“From my association as a member of the board of advisors, I got to see firsthand the impact The Next Generation Initiative was having on young people. As I took on the role of president for FrontRunner Media, it was a no brainer to invest our time, talent and dollars to continue providing these great opportunities for young people who, in normal circumstances would not have access to the resources and training the program provides,” stated Gary Naylor, FrontRunner Media president.

Impact Opportunities

With the steady growth in the penetration of digital media throughout all sectors of the marketplace, NextGen believes there will be an increase in the number of individuals aspiring to make a career out of this type of work. By providing this exposure and experience at the high school and post-high school level, The Next Generation Initiative believes our participants will have the opportunity to accelerate their skill development and subsequently increase their chances for success in the media production field. 

 A key component of our training is the real-world projects on which our participants have the opportunity to work. For instance, over the past four years our NextGen team has provided live coverage of sports events through our MIC Network, one of the only high school sports networks in the country. We have also partnered with other media organizations including WRTV, IndyStar, Ball State University SportsLink and WTHR to provide training and project opportunities for our participants. We put this training in action by producing projects for companies and organizations like Community Health Network, NCAA, Tom Wood Automotive Group, Salesforce and HealthNet, just to name a few.

According to NextGen Program Coordinator Dennis Jarrett, “It is vitally important that we establish the type of partnerships that result in an enlightening and empowering experience for our participants now, and a real connection to career opportunities in the future.”

Helping our young people see the incredible role that media communications can play in community development is also a key aspect of what we do. To this end, we have developed NextGen Productions, a long-form media division focused on producing community-impact documentaries such as “Faces In The Desert,” a working project on the food insecurity issue in Indianapolis.

Going Forward

The Next Generation Initiative is having a profound impact on the lives of youth, instilling dreams and opening doors of opportunity few thought possible for these kids. To date we have more than 60 former program participants who are actively employed in the media production and communications fields. And we have seen hundreds of participants go on to pursue media communications as the degree choice at the university level.

We are also extremely excited about this new opportunity to partner with the Indianapolis Recorder to train young journalists and create digital content for their online and social media platforms.

Dennis Jarrett is the president and program coordinator for The Next Generation Initiative. He has over 30 years of experience in television broadcasting, video production and digital content creation.

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