House District 94 update for the week of Feb. 16
Honoring Indiana’s Black Mayors
This week, I had the privilege of honoring six of Indiana’s seven Black Mayors. My colleagues and I in the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus hosted a resolution ceremony to celebrate the contributions and achievements of the Black Mayors. House Current Resolution 21 (HCR 21), which passed the house unanimously, is now headed to the Senate where it will likely do the same.
The following Black mayors are recognized in the resolution:
Mayor Anthony Copeland (East Chicago)
Mayor Eddie Melton (Gary)
Mayor Angie Nelso-Deuitch (Michigan City)
Mayor Deb Whitfield (Lawrence)
Mayor Rod Roberson (Elkhart)
Mayor Stephanie Terry (Evansville)
Mayor Ronald Morrell (Marion)
I want to thank all of them for their dedicated public service to make our state a better place for all Hoosiers to thrive.
Meeting my constituents
It is always a pleasure to see my constituents and other Hoosiers at the Statehouse! This week, I got to spend part of my Valentines Day with members of Noble (The Arc of Greater Indianapolis) and New Hope of Indiana. Their Valentines Day cards truly warmed my heart. Additionally, I got to see a group of children from the Boys and Girls Club of Indianapolis.
NBA Allstar Weekend
NBA Allstar Weekend is finally here! I am so excited for all of the out of state basketball fans to get to know the city we love. However, the influx of visitors means we will be seeing some road closures. Please see the below information on details about which roads are closed, and some alternative routes you can take. I hope everyone stays safe this weekend as we all enjoy the festivities.
Pike Township Referendum Hour
Saturday, March 23, community leader Robin Winston is hosting The Pike Township Voter Registration and Referendum Hour. The event will take place at the Olivet Missionary Baptist Church located at 4141 N. High School Road, 46254. Voter registration will begin at 5:30 p.m. with musical guests MEN in the FIRE starting at 7:00 p.m. Voting is the building block of our society, and our most sacred civic duty. Don’t miss out on this community event to help get registered!
2024 All-Star Experience Art Exhibition Gala
The Indianapolis Public Library’s African American History Committee is hosting the 36th annual Meet the Artists event. The Art Exhibit will be displayed from Wednesday, Jan. 31 until Saturday, March 23. The opening gala reception will take place at Central Library (40 East St. Clair Street) this Saturday, Feb. 17 from 5:15 - 10 p.m., during the NBA All-Star weekend, which inspired the theme of this years exhibition.
I cannot wait to see the work of our talented local artists this year. All events are free and open to the public! Click the link here for more information.
Blood Cancer in the Black Community education dinner
Mark your calendars! On Thursday, February 22 the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society will be holding a free dinner to educate people in Indianapolis about blood cancer in the Black community. The event will take place from 6 to 8 pm at Maggiano’s Little Italy located at 3550 E 86th St.
This program is intended to spread awareness about what types of blood cancers members of the black community are most likely to be diagnosed with and how to reduce risk factors. Additionally, the presenters will provide information what to do if you or a loved one is diagnosed with blood cancer, how to find quality care and methods to communicate effectively throughout the process.
Registration for this event will be opening soon. If you have questions or would like early access, please contact Lauren Fryzel at lauren.fryzel@lls.org or 248-581-3891. For more information about blood cancer now, you can visit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society website at LLS.org.
IMPD 31st Recruit Class
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is looking for recruits! If you or someone you know is interested in applying, the application deadline is Apr. 17, 2024 and classes start Dec. 9, 2024. Salaries start at $72,000 with a range of competitive benefits. IMPD is critical in protecting and serving all of Indianapolis’ diverse communities. Click here to view open positions to see which one is right for you. For more information on how to apply, click the link here.
Indy Free Tax Prep
Tax season is almost upon us. There is no way around it, taxes are complicated. Compiling documents, completing forms, spending hours waiting and even forking over large sums of money for help. For households that make $66,000 or less in 2023, United Way of Central Indiana has a free tax prep program for taxpayers to get assistance and file for free. This program runs through mid-April. Keep more of your hard earned money and take advantage of the Indy Free Tax Prep!
United Way is joined by the IRS, corporate partners, dozens of community organizations and hundreds of volunteers to conduct this program. Since 2015, volunteers have prepared more than 44,000 tax returns, helping people get more than $40 million in federal refunds!
Resources Available at the Marion County Public Health Department
The Marion County Public Health Department is a health and hospital corporation that serves all residents and visitors of Marion County. MCPH offers a range of mental, emotional and physical health services.
Some of the services offered at each clinic include immunizations, TB testing, blood pressure screening, general health counseling or a referral for community services. The MCPHD also offers prenatal care coordination for women who are pregnant. Children who are under 18 must have a parent or guardian with them to receive services. You should also bring a copy of your shot record, a Medicaid or insurance card and your ID.
MCHPD has four clinic locations: the Northeast District clinic, the South District clinic, the Action Health Center and the Eagledale Plaza. All four clinics are open Mon., Wed. and Fri. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Tues. and Thurs. from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. To find a certain clinic’s contact information, please visit
https://marionhealth.org/.