With the start of a new year come new beginnings and new opportunities for us to be greater and stronger as individuals and collectively as a community.
While any time throughout the year is a great time to start anew, January tends to be the most opportune for the majority of Americans to renew and recharge. Like many other people, I, too, take extra time to reflect on things at the beginning of the year. Following is my 2018 wish list for our local community:
Less crime
In 2016, Indianapolis experienced a record-high 150 criminal homicides. Last year, we surpassed that number. Top on my 2018 wish list is for our great city to see a reduction in crime. While wishing for less crime sounds good, that won’t actually reduce it. There are so many factors that contribute to high crime rates — many of them systemic. However, one simple thing we can do to reduce crime is report wrongdoing in our communities. Minorities in general are less likely to report crimes primarily because they fear retaliation or are honoring street code by not being a snitch. There are multiple safe and completely confidential ways to report crimes, including calling Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS or the City of Indianapolis’ 24-hour crime hotline at 317-327-6682.
More jobs for youth and ex-offenders
Equipping youth and ex-offenders with jobs is a great way to enhance our local economy while also reducing crime. Not all youth and ex-offenders are bad. However, because of poor decision-making skills, desperation or simply not having a positive and productive place to go, youth and ex-offenders resort to criminal activity. Data show that if a community invests in jobs, that community will thrive as property values increase and crimes go down. Mayor Joe Hogsett has made it a priority to offer employment opportunities to youth, and nonprofit organizations such as PACE are working hard to employ ex-offenders, so we are on the right path, but there is still work to be done. There are thousands of youth and ex-offenders who are either out of work or are drastically under-employed. Better access to quality jobs is an ideal way to increase the confidence of that target demographic, reduce recidivism and eliminate crime.
More accountability and authenticity
Looking at the man or woman in the mirror can be an onerous task, as doing so can reveal things about ourselves that may be difficult or embarrassing to grasp. Still, it is necessary for each of us to do a self-analysis and truly acknowledge the mistakes, wrongdoings or missteps of our past. The moment we begin to hold ourselves more accountable is when we can get to work on addressing our issues and correcting mistakes.
Being a journalist can be challenging at times, especially when this newspaper addresses something that may make someone uncomfortable. Sometimes in my columns I write about things that people don’t agree with or respect as the truth. Nonetheless, it is my responsibility as a journalist and the Recorder’s responsibility as a purveyor of truth to do just that … even if it means we’ve pissed someone off. That is what accountability and authenticity are all about.
More unity in the community
Blacks are the largest ethnic group in prisons across America; however, they are also the most divided (and vulnerable) group behind bars because of various allegiances and gangs. The same is true for Blacks “on the outside,” blue-collar Blacks and white-color Blacks. We have a history of tearing one another down so we can rise up. This crabs-in-the-barrel syndrome needs to stop. If we had more unity in the community, we would be more powerful and further along in so many areas including entrepreneurship, social justice and wealth generation. More unification will ensure true progress in our community.
Continued support of minority media
The Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper, Indiana Minority Business Magazine, Radio One, the Gary Crusader and Our Times Weekly are some of the minority-owned media entities in Indiana. It is important to support these and other outlets, because only we report accurately and extensively on matters of importance to African-Americans. No other media outlet will dedicate the time, space and energy to news that affects minorities. Nor will any other outlet highlight the accomplishments of our community in such a progressive and consistent manner. Sam Cornish, the godfather of Black media, said it best: “Too long have others spoken for us.” I implore Blacks to amplify your support of minority media, as having an independent voice is essential during times such as these. In addition, I encourage non-minorities to continue supporting minority media, because doing so allows you to be exposed to a culture and community that is so much more than the stereotypes and misperceptions that plague it.
