Indiana Black Expo, Inc. (IBE) is a long-standing, often misunderstood mainstay of the Indianapolis Community. If one were to ask Indy natives what exactly IBE does, the primary response would most likely reference the annual Summer Celebration in some way.
While the Summer Celebration is an integral part of IBE, the reality is that the reach and the impact of the organization are so much more.
The roots of IBE can be found during the Post Civil Rights Era of the 1970’s. The organization was founded in order to positively represent and to develop the interests of African Americans in Indiana. To some, that may appear to be a broad and rather lofty goal, but IBE has worked since its inception to achieve exactly that.
The organization offers a broad range of programming and develops opportunities which reinforce its founding principles and support its mission, “to be an effective voice and vehicle for the social and economic advancement of African-Americans.”
So. Why does any of this matter?
The question raised often among my peer group is a simple one – Has Indiana Black Expo outlived its usefulness? My answer to that is a resounding no. IBE has impact as not only one of our cultural treasures in Indiana, but also as a touch point for social and economic issues concerning Indy’s African-American community. While the organization certainly has room to grow, we would all be doing ourselves a disservice by dismissing its importance.
Indiana Black Expo is uniquely positioned to reach a broad range of religious, socio-economic, and cultural constituencies. The city of Indianapolis is over 25% Black/African-American, yet there is truly only one organization which strives to create cultural experiences and cultivate a sense of community on a grand scale within that population. That organization is Indiana Black Expo.
Events like the annual Summer Celebration serve as a conduit to create that sense of community and togetherness. This year’s IBE Summer Celebration will feature events to satisfy any interest, including a film festival, outdoor concert, employment opportunity fair, boxing tournament, health fair, professional development workshops, and more. One look at the 2014 calendar of events is enough to convince one of the amazing work being done by Indiana Black Expo. I would encourage anyone, of any race or cultural background to take advantage of at least one of the 2014 offerings.
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