Steward Speakers: What The Youth Of Indianapolis Needs.

Living in Indianapolis as an African American millennial is tough. While there isn’t a shortage of African faces (depending on where you look), there is a lack of African American communalism if one doesn’t know where to start. Being an emigrate to the city myself, I have first-hand experience of how hard it is to find the mobilized black citizenry of Indianapolis. Many of us search for a space for communal discussion amongst our own, and at times have struggled So finding the Steward Speaker Series is one of the best things that has happened to me since moving to the city. The Steward Speaker Series has taken the forefront in filling this role for Indianapolis’ African American community.

The Steward Speaker Series provides 3 key components to the Indianapolis community: access to thought leadership (education), a forum for the discussion of our people’s current political state (engagement), and a town hall forum for our people’s voices to be heard by the community’s leaders (experience). It is the organization we as a demographic must get behind if we want to unite our voices, and create a truly shared consciousness as a community that insights ACTION.

The Steward Speaker Series has been around for over 30 years and was created with the mission to “inform, inspire, and foster meaningful dialogue and cultural exchanges” (via StewardSpeakers.org). The slogan “More Than Just Talk” is supplanted by the fact that the thought leaders the series hosts are all leaders in their spaces through action first and foremost.

The Steward Speaker Series’ board members, volunteers, affiliates and the African American thought leaders they bring to this city, provide historical context in narratives many of our people are unfamiliar with, perspective on the communal issues of the day, and actionable ways for us to come together as a community to tackle these issues together.

Youth initiatives are a huge focus for the organization. The members of the organization find ways to impact the community with their own influence as established professionals. They bring in students K-12 to hear speakers address them at every major event. Awareness being spread informatively & digestibly, however, is something all attendees, regardless of age, benefit from & appreciate. Education, especially about our history, is an ongoing process throughout adulthood and providing an opportunity for African Americans of all age groups to learn about our culture & context is of the utmost importance to the organization.

We had an amazing time speaking with the students of @igniteindy2017 at the #Fatemasters after school program last week, as our president & @IMPDnews officer, Matthew Steward, spent time discussing his role as & police officer & offering advice to the young leaders. 🌱🌿🌲 https://t.co/oTOQAoV5er

Advocacy is important, but so are forums. While organizations like the NAACP & the Urban League provide spaces for African Diaspora advocacy at the grassroots level, the Steward Speaker Series serves as a hub organization for discussions on diversity & inclusion, racial dissension in current affairs, and the historical implications of our past here in America.

Providing a space for not only the members of these organizations but also other African American advocacy groups with different agendas & focuses allows for new connections to be made and fresh discourse to be had. It creates a space for organic networking amongst our people. The Steward Speakers also allows the various ideas and perspectives and beliefs of not only these organizations but the INDIVIDUAL to be heard as well. A space created purely for dialogue & discourse is important. The Steward Speaker Series provides a space for organic engagement and is an opportunity we should all take advantage of as African Diasporas living in Indianapolis.

The experience of voicing your beliefs and perspectives as an African American here in Indianapolis is still a unique one in 2019. While organizations like the aforementioned NAACP, Urban League, African American student unions at the collegiate level, and others are doing their part to facilitate dialogue, there are not many places or moments where these various groups and levels of advocacy can come together, network, dialogue, and share space. The biggest value the Steward Speakers provides is this communal experience for the city’s African American collective.

We laughed with @amandaseales talked reparations with @angela_rye but the #YearOfTheWoman series doesn't stop there up next the legendary Phylicia Rashad! You don't want to miss this one! Click the link in our bio and reserve your seat today! #MoreThanJustTalk #StewardSpeakers https://t.co/EhibojGz6j

There are not many places where college students, corporate professionals, advocates, political leaders, educators, and any other background you can think of (of any ethnicity) can come together either formally or informally to discuss public affairs. The experience Steward Speaker Series provides: a place for African Americans of all ages, socio-economic status’, and whatever other social identifiers can be conceived to be able to come together, dialogue, and learn from one another is simply invaluable. Mix African American thought-leaders in the equation and you have an indelible experience in the minds & hearts of every attendee.

In a city still fighting for recognition as a major city, there are not many opportunities where you will be able to listen to political strategist Angela Rye break down the context of generational trauma, hear a comedian & writer like Amanda Seales highlight & illustrate the thread of culture that ties African Americans together through comedy & music, and learn about historical African American communalism from the likes of Susan L. Taylor, Michael Eric Dyson, Reverend Al Sharpton, and Roland Martin. These learning moments are once in a lifetime experiences many of the attendees simply will not find if not for the Steward Speaker Series.

The city of Indianapolis is a stalwart when it comes to the work being done in the space of African American promotion & advocacy. Organizations like the Indianapolis Urban League, 100 Black Men, Black Expo Inc., the Divine 9 Greek Organizations, and many others continue to play key roles in the fight for equity. There is, however, a lack of communal discourse which is an essential driver of grassroots change in any social movement. Steward Speaker Series has provided a platform for the entire African American community to get educated, involved in the conversation, and have our voices heard.

As millennials, we are the essential bridge to the old and the new. Old enough to remember what it was like to sneak and use the house phone for hours on end, and young enough to see when AT&T changed the game with “Unlimited Minutes & Data”. Rapper J.Cole beautifully illustrates the paradigm of operating between two very contrasting generations in his latest song, “Middle Child”, when he said:

Presumably, we have a responsibility to bridge the gap when it comes to the discourse concerning our people. It is essential for the city’s millennial youth to not only get involved in this forum but to champion the initiative by serving as a conduit for the members in our community unaware of this forum, both seasoned and youthful. It is our purpose. It is our duty. The Steward Speaker Series’ slogan is “More Than Just Talk”, a call to action for the discussions held at each event. Action, however, does indeed start with discourse.

Let’s drive action in our city. Join Steward Speaker Series at the next event, a part of the “Year Of The Women” series: An Evening With Phylicia Rashad

An Evening with Phylicia Rashad Powered by IUPUI

Wise words from the next guest in our #YearOfTheWoman series the award winning Phylicia Rashad! Click the link in our bio and reserve your seat today! #MoreThanJustTalk #StewardSpeakers https://t.co/yrOOCKZAlu

Steward Speakers: What The Youth Of Indianapolis Needs. was originally published in PREP CULTURE on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.