INDIANAPOLIS — Recent federal and state policies that impact many marginalized people are creating some uncertainty in central Indiana communities.
A local advocacy group is trying to spread awareness and spark change. Hundreds of Hoosiers showed up Saturday to be a part of it.
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“A lot of people are realizing that we have to wake up and we actually have to start fighting now,” said April Thornton.
She came with her mom Saturday to join that fight with Indivisible of Central Indiana.
“My mom, she’s done over 20 years in the military, and I don’t think it’s fair for her to lose any of her social security benefits or her Medicare benefits,” she told WRTV.
“We want to make sure that our democracy is preserved and that people under attack are protected in our country,” added Lamont Hulse, a volunteer with the local chapter.
The national organization was started in 2017, and an Indianapolis chapter quickly came after.
The local group’s event on Saturday gave organizations that support immigrants, women and LGBTQ+ communities a platform to advocate and share resources.
“It’s incredibly important in this moment that women step in and speak to their lived experience, that we talk about reproductive rights, that we talk about how important it is for our society,” said Angela Carr Klitzsch, CEO of Women for Change Indiana.
“Right now, there has been an attack on immigrants and just people in general so I think right now is the time to work together,” added Lucia Mercado, the executive director of the Coalition for Our Immigrant Neighbors (COIN).
She told WRTV that many immigrant Hoosiers who they serve are on edge.
“We’ve been hearing from undocumented immigrants to documented immigrants who are just fearful and don’t know what to do,” explained Mercado.
Indivisible is trying to help ease some of that uncertainty by bringing activists together to help empower these communities.
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“This is an opportunity for people to come out and learn about how they can advocate for legislation at the state and federal level and all sorts of actions they can take to make a difference,” added Hulse.
The interest in Saturday’s event was so big they had to move locations to North United Methodist Church. Close to 350 people showed up.
The group is already working on future events to reach even more Hoosiers.
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