FOUNTAIN SQUARE — Imagine you just moved to a new city — you’re unfamiliar with the area, the culture, the people.
An initiative through the Indy Chamber is helping folks acclimate to life in the city.
Arianna Cruz is the founder of Make Opportunities Reachable for Everyone also known as MORE Magazine.
She loves volunteering for community organizations like Gleaners Food Bank, Damar Services, Big Brothers Big Sisters and more.
Cruz is always down to try a new cocktail or wander through local galleries like the Stutz.
She rises with the sun for 6 a.m. boxing classes and rides her bike on the Monon Trail later in the day.
“I’ve gotten to stay in Indianapolis because different parts of the city have grown with me as I’ve grown up as an adult," Cruz said.
Cruz didn’t originally think she’d plant roots in Indy after moving here to attend the IU Kelley School of Business.
Now, she shares her passion for Indianapolis with others as an Indyfluencer.
“Showing up somewhere by yourself can be very scary, so I think being part of the Indyfluencer network being an invitation to say, 'Come with me, join me,'" Cruz said.
An Indyfluencer is a local volunteer who shares first-hand knowledge about living and working in the Indianapolis region.
The program is a part of Indy Chamber’s livability initiative Life in Indy.
“An Indyfluencer is there to support, help guide and be a resource for someone who’s never lived here before or somebody that just moved here," Content & Community Marketing Manager Alli Donovan said.
Indyfluencers help attract talent to Indianapolis and the surrounding nine-county region.
Prospective newcomers are matched with current residents based on different criteria: degree level, industry they work in, neighborhood, demographics, interests and more.
“They get to talk to them, network with them and answer any questions they have about moving here," Donovan said. “We get a lot of folks, especially young professionals, that are looking at downtown Indianapolis, Mass Ave, Broad Ripple. We have a lot of families who are looking at Greenwood, Center Grove or North side.”
Cruz has lived in different areas of the metro region.
She now owns a home in Geist, so she can have more space for her dog to play.
“Being able to come here for school, buy my first home close to downtown and then buy my second home with more of a yard and still be part of Indianapolis is something I find really unique," Cruz said.
You can click here to connect to a local today.
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Nico Pennisi joined WRTV in October 2022. His passion has always been telling the stories of people who often get overlooked. Share your story ideas and important issues with Nico by emailing him at nico.pennisi@wrtv.com.
