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. Rishard is a part of 1828’s Class VII. We sent him some questions and he responded. Keep reading to learn more about Rishard!
How do you spend your days?
I’m the Grant Services & Education Partnerships Coordinator at the Arts Council of Indianapolis. My role is split evenly between grants and education. My grants work includes: developing grant applications; leading grant-writing workshops; providing support to applicants; and assembling panels for reviewing grant applications. My education work focuses on the Any Given Child Indy initiative, which is a program designed to reduce the gaps in K-8 arts education for all IPS schools. I operate as a link between schools and arts organizations, professional development opportunities, and funding opportunities.
Where are you originally from?
Indianapolis
It’s the weekend. What are your plans?
I spend most of my weekends catching up on TV shows/binging on Netflix, resting, and reading. When I do go out, I tend to pursue new experiences in the form of restaurants, festivals, or one-off events. I also frequent arts and culture venues and events. I really enjoy going to concerts.
When thinking about the future of our city, what are you looking forward to the most and why?
I think downtown is becoming a thriving place to live, work, and play again. Five to ten years ago, I would say that downtown was pretty inaccessible. Now, a lot of energy has been devoted to beautifying downtown, improving cultural offerings, increasing civic engagement, and supporting small businesses. I think Indy has been missing this kind of energy for years, and a thriving downtown really makes the city competitive with others of this size. With all of this considered, I do hope the city is careful of displacement as they make development decisions.
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?
Bakersfield. Fish tacos.
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?
I don’t believe I’ve identified a local cause yet. Since graduating from IU Bloomington in May of 2017, I’ve been focused on relearning Indianapolis as an adult. I believe familiarizing myself with local causes is a part of that effort. My participation in this program has exposed me to many new opportunities!
What’s your favorite podcast right now?
The Friend Zone
What book has impacted you most to date?
The Bible
Let’s talk about your most recent vacation. Where’d you go and what’d you do!?
I went on vacation to Seattle, Washington. During my visit, I mostly ate, and more specifically ate seafood, but I also visited the Space Needle, the Museum of Popular Culture (MoPop), Pike Place Market, and spent a day outdoors hiking and at the beach.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
There are many, however, my biggest is when people are unnecessarily disrespectful to people in the service industry. Chewing with an open mouth is a very close second.
