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Community members showed their support for Ashley C. Ford, the women & girls reporter for Free Press Indiana, during a welcome reception Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech.

Attendees met the team behind Mirror Indy and Free Press Indiana, followed by a panel conversation on why Ford’s new role will be beneficial to residents across Indiana, featuring women who are leaders in the state.

Take a look back on the event and see the moments of locals engaging with community journalism.

Ashley C. Ford answers questions during a panel at the organization’s Women & Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

Ashley C. Ford (left) responds to questions during a panel with (from left) Tamara Winfrey Harris, president of the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana, Leslie Bailey, founder and CEO of Indy Maven, and Amanda Kingsbury, managing editor of innovation for Mirror Indy, during Free Press Indiana’s Women & Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

Meet Indiana’s new women & girls reporter

Ashley Ford joins Free Press Indiana as its first statewide reporter.

September 3, 2025September 3, 2025

Guests collect food during Free Press Indiana’s Women & Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

(From left) Ann Stack, Vop Osili, president of the Indianapolis City-County Council, and Ashley C. Ford talk during Free Press Indiana’s Women & Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

Ashley C. Ford hugs Christina Romero after Free Press Indiana’s Women & Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

Amanda Kingsbury, Mirror Indy’s managing editor of innovation, responds to Ashley C. Ford during Free Press Indiana’s Women & Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

Audience members laugh during a panel at Free Press Indiana’s Women & Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

Ashley C. Ford (left) listens as Daya Bates, Mirror Indy’s kid reporter, answers questions about what type of reporting she hopes to see from Ford during Free Press Indiana’s Women & Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

Lisa Renze, Free Press Indiana’s director of strategic partnerships, mingles with guests at the organization’s Women & Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

Peter Hanscom, Free Press Indiana’s chief development officer (left), thanks panelist members and guests for coming out to the organization’s Women & Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

Tamara Winfrey Harris, president of the Women’s Fund of Central Indiana (second from left), answers questions during a panel at Free Press Indiana’s Women & Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.

Brett Phelps is a community photojournalist for Mirror Indy in partnership with Report for America and Catchlight Local. Contact Brett by email brett.phelps@mirrorindy.org.

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Photos: Free Press Indiana welcomes women & girls reporter

by Brett Phelps, Mirror Indy
October 16, 2025

<h1>Photos: Free Press Indiana welcomes women & girls reporter</h1>
<p class="byline">by Brett Phelps, Mirror Indy <br />October 16, 2025</p>

<p>Community members showed their support for Ashley C. Ford, the women &amp; girls reporter for Free Press Indiana, during a welcome reception Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech.</p>
<p>Attendees met the team behind Mirror Indy and Free Press Indiana, followed by a panel conversation on why Ford's new role will be beneficial to residents across Indiana, featuring women who are leaders in the state. </p>
<p>Take a look back on the event and see the moments of locals engaging with community journalism.</p>
<figure class="wp-block-image alignfull size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251014_WG-KickOff-Event_BP_24-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64590" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ashley C. Ford answers questions during a panel at the organization's Women &amp; Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251014_WG-KickOff-Event_BP_11-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64577" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ashley C. Ford (left) responds to questions during a panel with (from left) Tamara Winfrey Harris, president of the Women's Fund of Central Indiana, Leslie Bailey, founder and CEO of Indy Maven, and Amanda Kingsbury, managing editor of innovation for Mirror Indy, during Free Press Indiana's Women &amp; Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
<div class="wp-block-group has-light-gray-background-color has-background" style="padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)"> </div>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251014_WG-KickOff-Event_BP_03-1024x665.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64569" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Guests collect food during Free Press Indiana's Women &amp; Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251014_WG-KickOff-Event_BP_05-1024x701.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64571" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">(From left) Ann Stack, Vop Osili, president of the Indianapolis City-County Council, and Ashley C. Ford talk during Free Press Indiana's Women &amp; Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251014_WG-KickOff-Event_BP_15-881x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64581" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ashley C. Ford hugs Christina Romero after Free Press Indiana's Women &amp; Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
<div class="wp-block-columns alignfull">
<div class="wp-block-column">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251014_WG-KickOff-Event_BP_20-1024x759.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64586" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Amanda Kingsbury, Mirror Indy's managing editor of innovation, responds to Ashley C. Ford during Free Press Indiana's Women &amp; Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
</p></div>
<div class="wp-block-column">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251014_WG-KickOff-Event_BP_21-1024x729.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64587" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Audience members laugh during a panel at Free Press Indiana's Women &amp; Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
</p></div>
</p></div>
<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251014_WG-KickOff-Event_BP_27-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64593" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ashley C. Ford (left) listens as Daya Bates, Mirror Indy's kid reporter, answers questions about what type of reporting she hopes to see from Ford during Free Press Indiana's Women &amp; Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251014_WG-KickOff-Event_BP_02-1024x715.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64568" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lisa Renze, Free Press Indiana's director of strategic partnerships, mingles with guests at the organization's Women &amp; Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251014_WG-KickOff-Event_BP_25-1024x707.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64591" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Peter Hanscom, Free Press Indiana's chief development officer (left), thanks panelist members and guests for coming out to the organization's Women &amp; Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251014_WG-KickOff-Event_BP_31-1024x651.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64597" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Audience members laugh during a panel at Free Press Indiana's Women &amp; Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
<figure class="wp-block-image alignwide size-full"><img src="https://mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/20251014_WG-KickOff-Event_BP_30-scaled.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-64596" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tamara Winfrey Harris, president of the Women's Fund of Central Indiana (second from left), answers questions during a panel at Free Press Indiana's Women &amp; Girls Kick Off Event on Oct. 14, 2025, at The AMP at 16 Tech in Indianapolis.</figcaption></figure>
<p>This &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://mirrorindy.org/free-press-indiana-women-girls-reporter-welcome-reception/&quot;&gt;article&lt;/a&gt; first appeared on &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://mirrorindy.org&quot;&gt;Mirror Indy&lt;/a&gt; and is republished here under a &lt;a target=&quot;_blank&quot; href=&quot;https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/&quot;&gt;Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;img src=&quot;https://i0.wp.com/mirrorindy.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/cropped-Mirror-Indy-square-logo-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;amp;ssl=1&quot; style=&quot;width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;&quot;&gt;</p>
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