We celebrated our one-year anniversary at Mirror Indy this month, and I continue to be amazed at the work my colleagues have done in such a short time.
We’ve published major investigations such as Out of Options and Trapped, but also stories that reflect everyday life in the city and articles that connect people with resources.
I asked our journalists to share their favorite work so far. From articles about a teacher who makes a difference to a barber who’s been around since the Beatles played here, they came up with some terrific work.
At Indy climate camp, adventure is a bus ride away
I got to feel like a kid again for a day in July when photojournalist Ted Somerville and I followed along with one of Earth Charter Indiana’s climate camps. I ate a gummy worm off the floor of an IndyGo bus on a dare (don’t be like me, kids), learned about birds while floating on the White River and picked up litter. Jim Poyser has led the camps for a decade, but, really, he lets the kids lead with their curiosity. Check out this reel I made, too.
— Sophie Young
Trapped: A city leader’s abuse of power and how 3 women got out
Sometimes when people talk to me about “Trapped,” they refer to it as the story about the scandal in the Hogsett administration. Or, worse, they say it’s the one about the sex scandal.
Most, though, see that article the way I see it: a story of empowerment for three women who found and supported one another through some of their most difficult times.
Today I’m still in awe of Lauren Roberts, Caroline Ellert and the third woman, who I am not naming here. They shared their experiences with the goal to make the world a little better for others — even though doing so carried professional and emotional risks. May more of us learn from their example.
— Ryan Martin
Meet the Pike teacher who makes school feel like home
Graciela Miranda teaches English-language learners at Pike High School. She also sponsors Pike’s LatinX Student Association, and teens say she’s created a space where they feel safe to learn and grow. She’s so good at it, students who’ve never had her flock to Graciela’s room to hang out during passing periods.
We all need a reminder sometimes of the power each of us has to make a difference in the lives of others. Graciela was that reminder for me this year.
— Carley Lanich
After six decades, a westside barber prepares for what’s next
Bill Taber worked in the West Indianapolis neighborhood for more than six decades. Like a sundial, Taber, 86, stayed in place at his one location while the world revolved around him, including the Beatles’ last concert in Indy. He was able to see the neighborhood change, though the changes were not always positive. By talking to him, I was able to get a sense of the vibrant neighborhood West Indianapolis was and, if current development plans affect it the right way, how it could be vibrant again in the future.
— Enrique Saenz
Sharing campus life with students who have intellectual disabilities
It’s always a treat for me to spend time in a college classroom, and hanging out with the students from IU and IPS’ SITE program was one of my favorite reporting assignments this year. Many people — including me — look back on college as a time of immense personal growth. And though SITE students don’t earn degrees, program staff told me that year after year, they see students graduate more confident and self-assured than when they started. It’s a good reminder that higher education looks different for everyone, but that doesn’t make it any less important.
— Claire Rafford
Through Tevin Studdard’s Literacy Entrepreneurship and Dreams program, 80 kids became self-published authors in August. I loved hearing the audience cheer as the kids were handed their completed books. Studdard has since extended the program to reach more Indy kids. It’s a feel-good story about a community member investing in the city’s youth.
— Darian Benson
Indy’s ShotSpotter pilot is over, so why are the sensors still there?
When a Wired Magazine investigation revealed the locations of ShotSpotter gunshot detectors on the east side, I wanted to know why they were still there more than a year after Indy’s pilot had ended. I love this story because it demonstrates what motivates a lot of my journalism: Getting answers for my fellow Indy residents.
That reporting led to revelations about the pilot’s outcome and helped press the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department for answers. Within a month, IMPD Chief Chris Bailey revealed his department had opted to spend money on tasers instead of gunshot detection.
— Emily Hopkins
Near west siders debate Blue Line project as lawmakers weigh its future
I enjoyed walking along West Washington Street and talking to people for this story about lawmakers trying to kill the Blue Line.
A lot had been written about Irvington and the Blue Line, and I wanted to give the same attention to a neighborhood without all that political and social capital.
Most of the people I talked to had a vague understanding about the bus route, but I was able to fill them in on more specifics and keep them up to date on how some state lawmakers were trying, unsuccessfully as it turns out, to kill it.
That story was a good reminder that the best stories don’t happen over the phone. You have to go out and find people.
— Tyler Fenwick
Out of Options
After reporting for four months, we uncovered widespread allegations of abuse at a local mental health facility. The subject matter is dark, but there’s an important saying in journalism: “Sunlight is the best disinfectant.”
I hope the story will help people know they are not alone and raise awareness about some of the issues at facilities meant to help people in crisis.
— Mary Claire Molloy
Battle over bike lanes shows challenges of achieving Vision Zero
A proposal to install protected bike lanes on Pennsylvania Street in an affluent section of Meridian-Kessler faced intense opposition from some neighbors who didn’t want to lose on-street parking.
The city-county councilor who advocated against the project, John Barth, came up with what he considered to be a common-sense solution. The city is resurfacing the road and painting shared lane markings for bicycles and motor vehicles. He called it “the best approach that works for the most people.”
The cyclists lost the battle, but what stung the most was the fact that Barth, who has been one of the leading voices behind pedestrian safety efforts, had seemingly changed his tune after receiving pushback.
“Never meet your heroes,” one cyclist told me.
— Peter Blanchard
How ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ helped me reconnect with childhood traditions
I went to Beef and Boards and saw “Fiddler on the Roof.” I didn’t realize how much it would connect me to my own family traditions.
The biggest takeaway is my grandmother’s influence on my life. She modeled a life of loving and supporting the arts. Now, every now and then, my daughter sings, “Tradition!” I’m excited to continue more traditions during this holiday season.
— Ariana Beedie
‘3 by 3’ art show has puppets, performances and paperwork
Each person I interviewed about the ‘3 by 3’ art show seemed to be living very deeply in their explorations of what it means to be human — the paperwork it takes, the histories we carry with us and the strangeness of emotional vulnerability. The show invites community curators to Herron School of Art and Design’s galleries, which means there is an element of surprise as to which artists will be part of the show. It was very moving to put what I heard into words.
— Jennifer Delgadillo
Where art meets storytelling: Our 2024 digital art gallery
This past year, we hired at least 30 artists in the community to help us tell the stories of our neighbors and make our news reporting more informative and engaging. Reflect on some of our favorite commissioned works in this inaugural year-end digital art gallery.
From our eccentric culture journal collages to our tone-setting news illustrations, Indy’s talented artists came ready to dream big.
My favorite part: When we partner with an artist, they bring their own identity and lived experiences with them and our storytelling is better for it.
— Jenna Watson
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