5 Items on the Horizon Blacks Should Watch in 2022
By Sharon Tubbs and Keith Edmonds
Ink Spot Contributors
The year 2022 is upon us, and the pandemic’s persistence has made it look much different than anyone had hoped. TV news shows and headlines don’t tell the whole story and there is more to come this year than different strains of coronavirus. Fort Wayne Ink Spot contributors see opportunities for growth and change in the Black community and we identified five things African Americans in Fort Wayne should watch for in 2022:
1. Development in Southeast Fort Wayne Linda Golden, CEO of LegacyOne Inc., recently announced the construction of her Legacy Office Centre will begin in the spring. The 6,000-square-foot facility will be the corporate offices of LegacyOne Construction and LegacyOne Real Estate. The facility, in Southtown Center near Menard’s, will include office spaces for lease. Golden says she envisions constructing additional buildings on the site, as well as a housing development nearby with 66 homes.
Golden hopes her office project is the start of much more. “As a passionate advocate of southeast Fort Wayne, it is my belief that this development will be a catalyst for additional investments,” she says.
But her projects won’t be the only efforts to watch. The YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne recently announced a 20,000-square-foot facility for teens and young adults near the Renaissance Pointe YMCA off Creighton Avenue. The City of Fort Wayne’s Southeast Strategy, including plans for upgrades and development, has progressed in recent years. And this month the Boys and Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne announced a career center that would serve many youth living in the southeast. Break-ground and completion dates are not locked in for some, but it’s worth watching the progression of these and other touted projects. If their promises hold true, they would spur economic, social, and educational growth.
2. Men’s Basketball Tournament Returns After a three-year absence due to COVID-19 concerns, the men’s NCAA Division 3 basketball tournament is scheduled to return to Fort Wayne this spring. The championship games will be held March 18 to 19, at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Visit Fort Wayne and Manchester University are the hosts. Fort Wayne will be the site of the championships through 2026, adding a jolt of excitement for basketball lovers—not to mention an economic boon estimated at about $525,000 each year, according to area leaders.
3. Multipurpose Black Churches
These days, local churches are spearheading food drives, hosting COVID-19 vaccine clinics, and reaching beyond their walls through virtual platforms. In other words, they aren’t just for Sunday sermons and the saints anymore. The change reflects a return to the outreach and activism reminiscent of Black churches during the Civil Rights era. Such efforts will only expand in 2022, even after the pandemic subsides, some pastors say.
“The number one thing, as far as I’m concerned, is we have a unique opportunity to really live the tenets of our faith as disciples of Christ in the community,” says Rev. Raymond Dix, Jr., pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Church. “The pandemic, for lack of a better term, has pushed the church into the streets.”
Pilgrim, like Come As You Are Community Church, Joshua’s Temple, and others, partnered with agencies to hold food distribution events for people in need. Some hosted COVID-19 vaccination clinics, too. In 2022, Pilgrim will routinely double as a vaccination site, in a partnership with the Indiana Department of Health, says Dix.
As president of the General Missionary Baptist State Convention of Indiana, Dix also wants to amplify resources for mental health care among African Americans, he says.
4. The Impact of the Black Service Organizations In 2022, we may see how traditional Black service agencies can solidify their relevance and meet modern needs in the community.
The NAACP, for one, is focused on voter registration and heightening awareness about redistricting, President Larry Gist says.
States redraw voting district boundaries after the national census, in 10-year cycles. The majority Republican Indiana Legislature approved current maps in fall 2021. But Gist said these new districts may negatively affect voting patterns and local representation for African Americans.
“We need to deal with that situation now,” he said. The NAACP is compiling educational documents and plan to distribute them at churches and community events, he said.
Other organizations are in the winds of change. Black Chamber Fort Wayne announced a new alliance with Greater Fort Wayne Inc. and a move of its offices downtown from Paulding Road. Chamber board president Ramadan Abdul-Azeez said the chamber will focus on expanding Black businesses and entrepreneurship. Meanwhile, Terra Brantley left her post as executive director of the Urban League—less than a year after announcing in May 2021 that she would take on the position. Brantley begins a new job as president and general manager of Northeast Indiana Public Radio (NIPR) later this month. At last notice, the Urban League was working “in partnership with the National Urban League to identify a new President and CEO,” according to a press release.
5. The Lingering Effect of COVID-19 Despite efforts to move forward with everyday life, COVID-19 continues its destructive effect throughout the world, and of course African Americans are not immune. As much as we’d like to, we can’t ignore it.
“This is having a heavier toll on the Black community due to a variety of factors,” says Dr. Justin McGee, an emergency room physician. “It is a very complex and multi-layered issue that’s going to be affecting health care for some time in 2022.
Yet, zip codes where African Americans are significantly represented rank lower than other areas of the city for vaccination to combat the virus’ effects. As of January 6, about 37 percent of residents in 46803 were fully vaccinated; almost 43 percent in 46806, and 52 percent in 46816, according to data from the Allen County Department of Health. Comparatively, vaccination rates were 65 percent in 46804 (near Jefferson Pointe), 93 percent in 46814 (farther southwest), and 80 percent in 46845 (near Parkview North hospital).
Said McGee: “It is important to remain vigilant about your own health and well-being. I would encourage people to always wash their hands, wear masks when in close proximity to others, and get vaccinated if you are willing.”