Indiana Council on Educating Students of Color Hosts We Care Community Festival & Education Summit
Indianapolis, IN — The Indiana Council on Educating Students of Color (ICESC) will hold the We Care Community Festival & Education Summit on Saturday at the Washington Park Community Center. This initiative offers a comprehensive array of free resources aimed at supporting families as their children return to school. The festival is part of a broader five-year strategy focused on closing educational achievement gaps in the state.
Scheduled to commence at 10 a.m., the festival will provide an extensive range of essential services including free meals, diapers, educational books, grooming services such as haircuts, and vital health and dental screenings. These offerings are designed to address the multifaceted needs that directly impact a child’s well-being and educational success. The event is open to all families in the community, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility.
Diana Daniels, the executive director of the Indiana Council on Educating Students of Color, highlighted the collective responsibility of the community in fostering a better educational environment. “You have a role to play. You have obligations of what you need to do to make sure that the next generation is well educated because that is the future,” she stated. This call to action underscores the council’s commitment to engaging the community in the educational landscape.
The festival benefits from the collaboration of more than 20 nonprofit organizations, all working together to ensure that the resources and services offered remain free of charge to the attendees. In addition to the fundamental resources, the event will feature educational workshops, including sessions dedicated to understanding the implications of artificial intelligence in the classroom and how parents can support their children in a technology-driven academic environment.
Daniels expressed her motivation for the festival, stemming from her concern over low test scores in schools located in the 46218 ZIP code. She emphasized the urgency of action, noting, “Let’s do it. Let’s do it. How are we going to if we don’t have money? It’s going to come out of all of our pockets. So, everyone has donated.” This statement reflects an essential principle of community engagement, where local resources can be pooled to address shared challenges.
The We Care Community Festival is not merely an event; it represents a commitment to confronting prevalent issues such as food insecurity, mental wellness, and the impacts of educational funding cuts. Daniels articulates this initiative by stating, “From food insecurities and mental wellness to cuts in education, health care, and community resources, we are determined to address these challenges. We care.”
As families face a multitude of pressures, festivities like the We Care Community Festival serve as vital touchpoints, offering not only essential services but also a community-centric approach to addressing the critical needs of Indianapolis’ youth.
