INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — Tuesday was a milestone day for the Indianapolis Urban League, which is the local chapter of a national organization that serves communities of color with basic needs, housing and food assistance, as well as scholarships for students.
The Indianapolis Urban League is celebrating 60 years of service, and held its annual Equal Opportunity Day Awards luncheon.
WISH-TV’s Gina Glaros and WRTV’s Derricke Dennis teamed up to emcee the event, which featured keynote speaker Stacey Abrams, a voting rights activist and politician from Georgia who talked about voter suppression, the threat of redistricting, and how Indiana state lawmakers recently voted against redrawing Indiana’s congressional maps.
“When redistricting happens, what is occurring is they’re taking away your right to be heard. When they shift who gets to vote where, they're basically letting politicians pick the voters, instead of voters pick their leaders,” Abrams said. “In a nation where power is supposed to be shared, redistricting is dangerous because they may start with communities of color, but they’re never going to stop there.”
That was part of Abrams’ message as the keynote speaker for the luncheon at the Indiana Convention Center.
The program honored the Urban League’s community partners, sponsors, student scholars, and leaders who are making a difference in the lives of Hoosiers in need.
“What if they’re about to be evicted, what if they’re about to have their utilities shut off, what if they need food, so just imagine even the basics,” said Tony Mason, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Urban League. “Our organization stands in the gap for those in need day in and day out.”
It’s a mission 92-year-old Faye Williams, affectionately known as the mother of the Indianapolis Urban League, has been working for decades to uphold.
“It’s very important because the Urban League is what I call a bridge builder,” Williams said. “It connects various segments of the community together.”
Abrams, in her remarks, urged the crowd of 1400 to commit to voting, to stay active politically and to disrupt the status quo.
“One of the reasons I am so vigilant about voting rights is that it’s how we determine the nature of our lives. In a country like ours, who gets to speak determine what gets done.”
The Urban League’s annual Equal Opportunity Day Awards luncheon raised more than $50,000, with more donations expected in the days ahead.
