40 ideas: Going hyper-local to make Indy area more equitable

Our idea is for central Indiana to become the most equitable metropolitan region in the United States—where disparities are minimal, power is shared, and human potential is nurtured and unleashed.

To think big like this, we need to go small—to the hyper-local level. We need to lift up neighborhoods and allow residents to have their own voice and control over their own destiny by giving them power and access to resources. And ensure everyone has an authentic mechanism to generate ideas, create relationships, engage meaningfully, and leverage assets of every type and at every level toward solutions. And enable every child to explore, learn, contribute and see optimism and opportunity as they grow into the next generation of productive citizens.

What could the economy be like, what would our environment look like, how would public safety be different, how exponentially would opportunity grow if we were to intentionally, structurally and systematically unleash the human potential of every citizen in our region?

Central Indiana Community Foundation has as its mission to mobilize people, ideas and investments to make this a community where all individuals have equitable opportunity to reach their full potential—no matter race, place or identity. We have seen that all of this is possible! Sharing power, shifting resources, creating real and trusting relationships, being open to change, and disrupting systems that unfairly hold people back and creating new ones that are fair to all people will make central Indiana the most equitable metropolitan region in the country, which in turn will make it one of the most desirable, prosperous and joyful places to live in the world.•