The 1828 Project is one of our signature programs at IndyHub and each year it’s full of incredible leaders between the ages of 18 and 28. Nick is a part of 1828’s Class VII. We sent him some questions and he responded. Keep reading to learn more about Nick!
How do you spend your days?
Director of Communications and Strategic Alignment for The Mind Trust
Where are you originally from?
South Bend, Indiana
What made you lay your roots here in Indianapolis?
After graduating from Indiana University, I joined Teach For America as a high school mathematics teacher in one of my top-choice cities: Indianapolis.
It’s the weekend. What are your plans?
For me, there’s no better Saturday morning than one spent reading a good book at a coffee shop, preferably one with cozy chairs, free refills, and a surplus of outlets.
When thinking about the future of our city, what are you looking forward to the most and why?
Over the past few years, our city has taken positive steps to acknowledge the pervasive inequities in our city, especially those that relate to race and class. Whether it be the Indy Chamber’s commitment to Inclusive Growth, CICF’s recent announcement that it plans to focus on dismantling institutional racism, or any number of other organizations (including the one where I work) that are working explicitly to address structural inequities, I look forward to our collective words and commitments translating into collective action and progress. Nothing is of greater importance to our city’s future.
Quick- you can only eat at one local spot for the rest of your life. Where ya going and what’s your go-to item on the menu?
While I’m tempted to go with Pure Eatery’s “Purrito” (so good!), if I’m going to be eating out for the rest of my life I should probably select a place where I can get a really great value. That’s why I’d head to La Parada and get a couple Veggie Tostadas – I’m pretty sure there’s not a better deal in Indy!
What’s a local Indy cause that is near and dear to your heart and how might people go about learning more or getting involved?
Education. There’s no shortage of ways to learn more or get involved. Here’s a few:
1) Read the education journalism of Chalkbeat Indiana, whose reporters exclusively cover the education beat in our state and city.
2) Attend one of the Story Slams put on by Teachers Lounge Indy, where real Indianapolis teachers tell real stories about the challenges and triumphs of working in our city’s schools.
3) The nonprofit where I work–The Mind Trust–hosts bus tours of local schools every other month and regularly holds open community conversations on important education issues facing students and families in Indy.
4) Volunteer at the school in your neighborhood or one of Indy’s many education nonprofits (Starfish Initiative, School on Wheels, Boys and Girls Club, Big Brothers Big Sisters, etc.). Or, if you’re interested in board service, consider learning about what it takes to serve on the nonprofit board of an IPS Innovation Network School or charter school.
What’s your greatest idea for a new product or service that Indy residents could really benefit from?
Just northwest of Fall Creek Parkway and Keystone Ave., there’s a large sign shared by Paco’s Taqueria and a Car Wash. It’s always made me wonder if there’s a niche market for a car wash where you get served a burrito right before you shift your car into neutral.
Any favorite podcasts you’re listening to right now?
Pod Save America.
What book has impacted you the most, to date?
Richard Rothstein’s “The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America” opened my eyes to the significant role government policies played in segregating our country’s neighborhoods and schools. It is an absolute must read.
