Inspired February 2015 Inspired February 2015 | Page 22

Sponsored b

y

COMMUNITY
Changing Community for the Better
Youth help the homeless of Indianapolis

Dana Parker
Brebeuf Jesuit
Preparatory School
Indianapolis, IN
Photos by
Jeff Kisling

Editors note: On Friday, December
5, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School
students staged a rally on Monument
Circle, downtown Indianapolis. The rally
was attended by over a dozen Brebeuf
high school students, along with numerous
activists and three City County Council
members: John Barth, Leroy Robinson
and President Maggie Lewis. The students
set up numerous tents on this cold,
rainy, ultimately sleet-filled night, with the
purpose of spending the night to send
the message that Indianapolis care for its
homeless population. One of the organizers
of this event was Dana Parker. This is her
testimony.
Just over a year ago, I was lucky enough
to become involved with a group of people
working one-on-one with the homeless. As I
began volunteering, I was shocked to learn
that there were 8,000 homeless individuals
living in downtown Indianapolis alone.

I was exposed to real life problems that were
happening right under my nose. I watched

dehumanization occur on the streets of
Indianapolis and I was determined to
change that. I met homeless men, women
and children who have changed my life. I
engaged in real conversations with people
who were living in the streets or living in
poverty.
The stories that were shared with me greatly
impacted how I view my own life and how I
view my Indianapolis community.
I became aware of the severe mental
illnesses and addictions that people struggle
with, and I was disgusted to find out just how
much we lack funding and services to help
people who are living on the street. I couldn’t
believe that there was no government
funding going towards helping the homeless.
My first step towards making a difference
was meeting a city councilman who had
agreed to write legislation for a Homeless
Bill of Rights. Within the span of two weeks a
friend and I were determined to pull
together a peaceful, awareness-raising rally,
downtown.
We first emailed City County Council
members to try and capture their attention.
On a rainy, and cold Friday evening, my
friend and I went downtown with supporters,
signs, tents, and bullhorns, to raise
awareness about homelessness. We began
with pitching tents, which we planned to
sleep in to make a statement.
We each presented a speech we had
written, and then we marched around
downtown for around 4 1/2 hours.
Throughout the night, I faced a variety of
opinionated people who had much to say
about the work I was doing. The night of the
rally made me more aware of the negative
views that many people obtain about the
homeless.
As I continue influencing my city, I plan to
establish a homeless transitional facility. The

22 Inspired

/InspiredKidsIndy

/inspiredkidmag