After the recent mass shooting downtown, some believe the Summer Celebration is the perfect way to refocus and uplift the community.
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Black Expo kicked started its Summer Celebration with a church service on Friday, the same way it has for 54 years.
New Direction Church hosted this year’s annual Ecumenical Service. Senior Pastor Ken Sullivan said the history and mission of Black Expo cannot be understated.
“Expo is something that has provided this community in the city of Indianapolis with just the culture of African Americans. Not only the historical things we have experienced here as a people, but also just the pride in which we have in our community in our culture from our arts to our worship to our singing, through our dance, through our expression, to our creativity,” Sullivan said.
Some of that was on display at the service. After the recent mass shooting downtown and other instances of gun violence, some visitors believe the Summer Celebration is the perfect way to refocus and uplift the community.
“As sad as it is and heartbreaking it makes us more aware of the positive things that are going on and the people that are here to help.”
Earlier on Friday, IMPD Chief Chris Bailey called for the community to come together and work toward a peaceful weekend.
Local pastors agree that to solve the problem, first you have to understand the issue and they believe some of that work starts there.
“It’s not something that’s just here in Indianapolis, it’s across the world. I think we need to come together and be a platform, as far as Indianapolis in terms as working with together with the clergy, with the community as well as the leaders in the community. To come together have some type of strategy, so we can make Indianapolis better, safe and work together,” Rev. Michael Wooley said.
“From school shootings, to mass shootings, to all of these different things taking place, it’s not just one community’s issue. It’s a national issue that we all need to come together and address,” Sullivan said.
But for some people there, they don’t think the recent events take away from what the community is celebrating.
“It’s really important for them to see all the positive things. Especially the young black men to see positive men that look like themselves doing things in the community,” Easler said.
In fact, some say it just makes the positive things shine brighter.
For a full list of Black Expo events, click here.
