Spirit & Place, IU Indianapolis

Looking Forward: Black Indianapolis Artists Imagine the Future
2022-11-05 13:30 - 14:30 (America/Indiana/Indianapolis) | Herron School of Art + Design – Eskenazi Hall, Basile Auditorium, 735 W. New York St., Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
This exhibit and panel discussion address the long-lasting impact of African American enslavement on our shared history and sense of identity. These offerings provide a space to delve into complicated histories by focusing on Indianapolis artists and how identity creates the context for telling stories.
Artwork in the exhibition Past is Present: Black Artists Respond to the Complicated Histories of Slavery comes from contemporary African American artists addressing the legacies and impacts of slavery and the 160-year-fight to receive equal rights and acknowledgement for their contributions to our collective culture. By featuring works of both nationally renowned and local artists paired with primary source documents from the Indiana Historical Society, Indiana State Museum, and others, this exhibit and panel discussion will help attendees see how slavery has shaped not only our nation, but our neighbors, friends, and communities.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Doors to the galleries will open at 3pm to give visitors an opportunity to meet with the artists, curators, and participants for an informal tour of the exhibit. This panel for Looking Forward: Black Indianapolis Artists Imagine the Future features moderator Kaila Austin, Campus and Community Engagement Coordinator for the exhibit; Curator Dr. Jonathan Square, Assistant Professor of Visual Culture at the Parson’s School of Design; and local artists Shamira Wilson, Matt Cooper, and Lobyn Hamilton.
A partnership between IU Herron School of Art and Design at IUPUI, Center for Africana Studies and Culture at IUPUI, and IUPUI Senior Academy.
Contact event organizers at 317-274-2462 or ktaustin@indiana.edu.
Walk-ins welcome!

Virtual opportunity also available by registering here.
Event: Saturday, Nov. 5, 5:30-6:30pm
Exhibit: Sept. 28, 2022—Jan. 15, 2023, 12-5pm
Matthew Cooper. DNA No. 28, 2022. Oil and paper on canvas. 36 x 24 in.

Jadzia, My Beloved Old Friend! Gender Representation in Science Fiction
2022-11-06 09:00 - 10:30 | Center for Inquiry, 350 Canal Walk, Ste. A, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
As with many political and socially sensitive topics, SciFi has long created a safe space to fully explore one’s identity. Hear from SciFi fans who have explored – and embraced – their gender and sexual identities through the art and power of science fiction.
This inclusive and welcoming event features a moderated discussion with SciFi fans who have a nontraditional experience with their own gender identity or sexual orientation. They will explore inspirational models they’ve encountered in SciFi stories and how these models have affected their own journeys. A wider discussion will also examine some of the ways SciFi has represented gender, romance, and sexual orientation through film, writing, and even fannish gatherings (e.g., cosplay) and how these spaces of imagination create accepting environments that encourage a full exploration of one’s identity.
A partnership between Starbase Indy, Gender Nexus, and Center for Inquiry.
Contact the event organizers at 317-626-2163 or Lisa_meece@starbaseindy.org.
Walk-ins welcome, but registration is strongly encouraged by Nov. 6.
Register below.

Holy Sparks: Celebration the Feminine in Spirituality and Faith
2022-11-07 13:30 - 15:30 | Indiana Interchurch Center, 1100 W. 42nd St., Indianapolis, IN, United States
After viewing the exhibit, “Holy Sparks: Celebrating 50 Years of Women Rabbinate,” guests are invited to explore the feminine influences on religious traditions and faith journeys by hearing from a panel of diverse religious leaders as well as a poet, sculptor, and musician.
Too often, people are not as aware of the deep and profound feminine influence of their faith formation and faith journeys because of the patriarchal nature of religion in general. This emphasizes the feminine through music, art, sculpture, spoken word, and food.
Using the “Holy Sparks” art exhibit as a backdrop, this event encourages attendees to contemplate and identify the feminine influence on their faith formation and faith journey. Stories from sacred texts will be shared along with stories from individuals that identify, recognize, honor, and celebrate the stories of women, how they have shaped faith practices, communities, and individual faith journeys.
Panel speakers include moderator Katherine Tyler Scott (Managing Principal Ki ThoughtBridge), Rabbi Sandy Sasso (Rabbi Emeritus, Congregation Beth-El Zedeck), Dr. Anita Joshi (Hindu Temple of Central Indiana Board), and Reverend Dr. Marilyn Gill (Executive Director of Indiana Christian Leadership Conference). Featured artists include Deepha R. Maturi (poet), D. Del Reverda-Jennings (sculptor), and Dena El Saffar (musician).
A partnership between Center for Interfaith Cooperation, Congregation Beth-El Zedeck, and JCC-Indianapolis.
Contact the event organizers at 317-318-5304 or charlie@centerforinterfaithcooperation.org.
Walk-ins welcome, but registrations is strongly encouraged by Nov. 7.
Register below.
EXHIBIT DATES: Nov. 1 – 30
Image courtesy of Sonia Benjamin, Heller Museum at Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion

Identity and Community in the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis
2022-11-08 13:30 - 15:00
Join us as we explore the Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, a resource that helps to define, create, and enhance identity for Indianapolis. Learn how the encyclopedia can be a powerful tool for helping citizens participate effectively in the community.
The digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis (EOI) provides a home for knowledge about Indianapolis’ past and present. Its entries, timelines, an interactive atlas, and in-depth features tell the stories of people, organizations, places, and events that define Indianapolis and its region. The past shapes our future and without a good, reliable, and comprehensive view of our achievements and struggles, we lack a common sense of identity. EOI works with both organizations and individual members in the community to create neighborhood histories, atlas, and features and shares data through a common framework that defines, creates, and enhances our identity as a city while providing information to mitigate and solve problems.
We will spend about 60 minutes presenting the digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis (EOI). We will focus on neighborhood, community, and faith content and how this content serves our community. The program will then shift from us to the audience. For the remainder of the presentation (about 30 minutes), we will act as facilitators–inviting comments, insights, and questions from attendees.
A partnership between Encyclopedia of Indianapolis and Indianapolis Public Library.
Contact the event organizers at 317-275-4135 or evanallen@indypl.org.
Registration required by 4:30pm on Nov. 8 to receive the Zoom link.
Register below.
Image Credit: Mars Hill Arts Center

HIV Modernization: Ending the Stigma of People Living with HIV
2022-11-09 12:30 - 15:00 | Phoenix Theater Cultural Center, 705 N. Illinois Street, Indianapolis, IN, United States
Through an art exhibit and panel discussion, learn how people living with HIV and their allies are working to end HIV stigma by modernizing Indiana’s outdated HIV criminal laws.
People living with HIV often face stigma and discrimination related to Indiana laws that criminalize them due to their positive HIV status. This event features speakers living with HIV who are working to end HIV criminalization through legislative change, activism, art, and community support.
A visual art show featuring Indy-based artist Contonnia Turner, Jr. and photographer/digital artist Todd Fuqua will provide a backdrop for the discussion. Contonnia Turner, Jr. is a talented young Black Hoosier with multiple layers of intersecting identity who creates artwork that reflects who he is physically, mentally, and spiritually. Todd Fuqua is an Indianapolis-based artivist (activism through art) who started a social movement called CelebrateUU, building on the concept of HIV Undetectable=Untransmittable (U=U).
Explore the exhibit and interact informally with artists beginning at 5:30. The Talk will begin at 6:15 moderated by Terrell Parker and will include HIV Modernization Movement Chair Dr. Carrie Foote, and Co-Chair Mark Anthony Hughes. The Phoenix bar will be open, and snacks will be provided.
A partnership between Phoenix Theatre Cultural Center and HIV Modernization Movement Indiana.
Contact the event organizers at 317-635-7529 or cmacy@phoenixtheatre.org.
Walk-ins welcome, but registration is strongly encouraged by Nov. 9.
Register below.
EXHIBIT DATES: Nov. 3-13.

Navigating a New Identity After the Loss of a Loved One
2022-11-09 14:00 - 15:00 | Indiana Interchurch Center – Krannert Hall, 1100 W. 42nd St., Indianapolis, IN, 46208, United States
Join us for this profound discussion as individuals from the book Heart Guide share how identity changes after the death of a loved one: such as reevaluating career choices or forging new life paths after losing a child, spouse, parent, or other loved one. Moderated by Award-Winning Author Diana Ensign.
Tackling the topic of death and how we, as individuals and as a culture, go forward in healthy ways after the loss of people we love is a question asked throughout the ages in religion, art, and philosophy. There are no easy answers, but we can share our stories in the hope that it inspires others to forge a new identity in the face of personal hardship.
Drawing from the award-winning book Heart Guide: True Stories of Grief and Healing, panel members will share how they shifted their lives and found hope while navigating a new identity after the loss of their loved one. The audience will find hope in these stories because the speakers have forged ahead in inspirational ways: forming nonprofits to help others, finding new life partners, and creating new identities.
Panelists include Jeanine Hoffman, Franklin Oliver, Justin Phillips, and David Traylor. Moderated by award-winning author Diana J. Ensign. Doors open at 6:30pm for light snacks with presentations beginning at 7pm.
A partnership between Diana J. Ensign, SAMs Watch, and Overdose Lifeline.
Contact the event organizers at 317-828-6883 or dianaensign.com/contact.
Walk-ins welcome, but registrations strongly encouraged by Nov. 9.
Register below.
Navigating a New Identity After the Loss of a Loved One

Finding My Place
2022-11-09 14:00 - 15:30 | KanKan Cinema and Brasserie, 1258 Windsor St, Indianapolis, IN, 46241, United States
A screening of the WFYI film “When Kids Wrote the Headlines,” a story of local student journalists, with a panel discussion on how those experiences shaped their identities and their role in our civic life.
This event showcases the film “When Children Wrote the Headlines,” which is the story of a news bureau – Children’s Express/Y-Press – staffed by students, ages 10-18, who learned the skills of research, interviewing, and, writing to produce news stories for The Indianapolis Star & WFYI from 1990—2012. Their experiences shaped not just their own sense of identity at a critical time in their personal development, but also their role in the civic life of their community.
Following the film screening, moderator Lynn Sygiel, Children’s Express/Y-Press former Director; alum youth journalists Warren Stokes and Lisa Schubert Nowling; a WFYI reporter (TBN); and Bill Moreau, co-founder of The Indiana Citizen will join in conversation on how this experience helped the students identify their skills and interests, shaped their future lives and how they learned the imperative to participate in the wider world, the civic life of our community—to find their place.
A partnership between KanKan Cinema, WFYI, and The Indiana Citizen.
Contact the event organizers at (317) 800-7099 or hello@kankanindy.com.
Walk-ins welcome, space permitting. Registration is strongly encouraged by Nov. 9.
Register below.
Image Courtesy of Lynn Sygiel

(Un)Comfortable Conversations: The Power to Identify
2022-11-10 08:00 - 09:00 | Ivy Tech Community College – Illinois Fall Creek Center, 2535 N. Capitol Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46208, United States
Hear from local writers, poets, and spoken word artists as they share brief and engaging stories of change centered around how they identify and how their sense of identity has shaped their lives and art.
How do the arts, humanities, and religion help identify the truth of who we are? How have identities changed over time? How does identifying with a group create unity? How does it create division? What does it mean to claim a new identity? How do the arts allow us to express our identities?
Writers and spoken-word artists from diverse backgrounds will honestly and courageously tackle these questions and more during this event in which participants will also be given the opportunity to reflect on and write about similar themes. A Q&A will follow between the audience and presenters.
A partnership between Word as Bond, Inc. and
A partnership between Word as Bond, Inc. and the Department of English, Humanities, and World Languages at Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis.
Contact event organizers at 317-940-9814 or amackjackson@wordasbond.org.
This is a hybrid event with in-person (Illinois Fall Creek Center, Rm. 306) and online participation options. Walk-ins welcome, but registration is strongly encouraged by Nov. 8.
Register below. (The single registration link will register you for both in-person and Zoom options!)

Blue Like Me: Identity Exploration with Siona Benjamin and Rabbi Sandy Sasso
2022-11-13 09:00 - 11:00 | Arthur M Glick JCC – Laikin Auditorium, 6701 Hoover Rd., Indianapolis, IN, United States
Through performance art, conversation, and Q&A, attendees will explore sacred stories of identity, challenge, and transformation during this creative and thought-provoking event featuring Indian Jewish artist Siona Benjamin and Rabbi Sandy Sasso.
Centering the sacred storytelling of the midrash, Siona Benjamin – a trans-cultural Jewish artist who grew up in Hindu and Muslim societies while educated in Catholic and Zoroastrian schools – will, along with Rabbi Sasso and dancers from Phoenix rising, explore how sacred narratives link one’s identity to larger communal traditions and understanding.
The speakers and performers at this event have each had to create their own narratives to break down barriers in order to reach their high levels of achievement. Together, they will examine the sacred responsibility of holy storytelling and will teach the audience how they can create sacred stories for themselves.
A partnership between JCC Indianapolis, Congregation Beth-El Zedeck, and Center for Interfaith Cooperation. This event is also part of the JCC’s 24th Ann Katz Festival of Books.
Event organizer contact info: (317) 715-9233 or lrothenberg@jccindy.org.
Walk-ins welcome, space permitting. Registration is still encouraged by Nov. 13.
Register below.
Image Credit: Siona Benjamin

Sovereign Sustenance: Indigenous Food Sovereignty Talk and Cooking Demo
2023-11-03 14:30 - 16:30 | Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, 500 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN, 46204, United States
Chef, educator, and founder of Indigikitchen Mariah Gladstone (Blackfeet/Cherokee) will talk about the meaning and significance of Indigenous food sovereignty and conduct a cooking demonstration with Indigenous recipes, which attendees will have a chance to sample. Attendees will then learn about local Indigenous food sovereignty efforts from Felica Ahasteen-Bryant, the Director of the Native American Educational and Cultural Center (NAECC) at Purdue University and Dani Tippmann, the Community Food Program Director for the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma.
Hybrid event with live-stream option!
Questions? Contact 317-275-1377 or museumprograms@eiteljorg.com.
Event Partners: Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art and Purdue University Native American Educational and Cultural Center.
Event Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 1. Walk-in guests are welcome while seating remains. A live-stream link will be posted on the Eiteljorg website and social media for those who are not able to attend in-person.

Image Credit: Shelby McGrady

Making Room at the Table: The Story of the Philadelphia Eleven
2023-11-03 14:30 - 17:30 | Newfields – The Toby, 4000 N. Michigan Rd., Indianapolis, IN, 46226, United States
ASL Upon Request.
Watch The Philadelphia Eleven, a compelling new documentary film about the first women to become Episcopal priests. Join a panel discussion with the filmmaker, two of the Eleven, and some of Indy’s trailblazing female religious leaders.
The film shows how a brave group of women shattered the stained glass ceiling on July 29, 1974, by challenging the very core of patriarchal culture to seek ordination as priests in the Episcopal Church. It is a powerful story of faith and conviction. It is a story for all of us, regardless of faith tradition.
Their story prompts questions such as what does a just and inclusive community look like in practice? How do we break down barriers with grace and remain true to ourselves in the process? How do we, as either the protagonist or as an ally, stand up to institutions that do not allow people to be who they are called to be? How do we practice radical inclusivity?
After the film screening, guests will hear from the filmmaker, Margo Guernsey, as well as two of the “Philadelphia Eleven,” Rev. Dr. Carter Heyward and Rev. Nancy Wittig. Joining them in conversation will be Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows, the first Black woman elected diocesan bishop, and Rabbi Sandy Sasso, the first woman to be ordained a rabbi by the Reconstructionist movement. These trailblazing women have each played key roles in making room at the table and in bringing women’s perspectives and leadership to provide spiritual nourishment.
Questions? Contact 317-926-1346 or ktrumancox@trinitychurchindy.org.
Event Partners: Trinity Episcopal Church, Indianapolis; St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Richmond; Christ Church Cathedral; and the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis.
Event Registration: Registration requested by noon on November 3. Walk-ins welcome.
Audience Note: Doors open at 6pm with seating beginning at 6:30pm. Entry to Newfields requires x-ray and bag screening. Please allow extra time for entry. The film screening and parking are free and fully accessible. Food is available at the museum cafe from 6-6:30pm. Please note only packaged food items from the cafe — nothing plated — may be taken into the theater.

More Than Words: Nourishing the Myaamia Community through Language and Cultural Revitalization
2023-11-05 12:00 - 13:30 | Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art, 500 W. Washington St., Indianapolis, IN, 46204, United States
ASL Interpreted.
Featuring Daryl Baldwin, founding director of the Myaamia Center, discover the ways language nourishes deep connections to self and community through this interactive presentation on efforts to revitalize indigenous culture and languages.
When we view language as simply a tool for communication, it doesn’t seem so harmful to swap one tool for another or to alter – or discard – the tool altogether. But when we recognize language as a knowledge system and a core component of identity, we see how it connects us to our history and ancestry. Local Native and Indigenous communities know this better than anyone else as they fight to reclaim lost, arguably, stolen language. Language revitalization efforts offer the next generation of speakers the opportunity to better connect with tribal knowledge systems, philosophy, and values, thereby nourishing a new generation’s access to ancestry and identity
Questions? Contact 317-274-2462 or festival@iupui.edu.
Event Partners: IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI linguist student Kayla McVeigh with support from the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art and the following IU School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI departments, programs, and centers: American Indian and Linguistics Programs; Departments of Philosophy, Anthropology, Religious Studies, English, History, Sociology, and World Languages and Culture; The Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture; IUPUI Arts & Humanities Institute; and the Native American Student Alliance (NASA).
Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 4. Walk-ins welcome while seats remain.

Nourishing Our Spirits: an interfaith dinner with Center for Interfaith Cooperation
2023-11-06 12:00 - 14:00 | Indiana Interchurch Center – Krannert Hall, 1100 W. 42nd St., Indianapolis, IN, 46208, United States
SOLD OUT
Enjoy conversation over dinner with members from across Indianapolis’ faith communities on the ways food rituals and practices sustain faith.
Hindu, Jewish, Pagan, Sikh, and Sufi prayers and reflective practices will be offered by local faith leaders as well as information on the historical and cultural significance of these practices. Dinner will follow and, with the aid of dialogue cards and table facilitators, attendees will be invited to share their own reflections on history, culture, food, and faith. Digital booklets of recipes, prayers, and reflections will keep attendees engaged after the event.
Questions? Contact 317-268-5300 or josih@indycic.org.
Event Partners: Center for Interfaith Cooperation, Sufi Ruhaniat International, Indiana Pagan Community Outreach and Dialogue, Hindu Temple of Central Indiana, Sikh Satsang Indianapolis, and Congregation Beth-El Zedeck.
Event Registration: Due to a seating limit of 50 guests, registration is required by October 30.

Indy Community Voices: Storytelling for Tenants’ Empowerment
2023-11-06 12:00 - 15:00 | The Amp at 16 Tech, 1220 Waterway Blvd., Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States
Housing is a basic human need. This event invites communities in Indy to share their experiences and envision paths for affordable housing stability, which is central to human and community nourishment.
Please join us to share and listen to stories and experiences around rental housing and building communities in Indianapolis. Stories have power as they bring people together to build community through shared experiences. Using multiple art forms and other means of expression, this event highlights the centrality of stories for creating spaces of community nourishment and empowerment. Attendees to this event will be encouraged to share their stories verbally, through art and audio, before hearing from panelists who will share their stories, experiences, and struggles related to rental housing in Indianapolis. Attendees will also be able to consult with housing attorneys and the City of Indianapolis Tenant Navigators.
Questions? Contact 434-242-1012 or indyhousingproject@gmail.com.
Event Partners: Indy Community Voices Podcast; Patricia Basile, assistant professor in the IU College of Arts and Sciences Department of Geography in Bloomington; Andy Beck, community designer with the Learning Tree, equitable development consultant; Greater Indianapolis Multifaith Alliance (GIMA); and Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership (INHP).
Event Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 5 (button below). Walk-ins welcome.
Audience Note: Doors open at 5pm with food and activities. Panel remarks will begin at 6pm.

Image Credit: Wildstyle Paschall

Rooted in Love, Lifted in Strength: The Pettiford-Weaver Story
2023-11-09 13:00 - 14:30 | Eastern Star Church, 5750 E. 30th Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46218, United States
Rooted in Love, Lifted in Strength is a documentary following the Pettiford-Weaver family–descendants of one of the first Black settlements in Indiana. Through faith, family, and fortitude they have nourished one another at family reunions for 100+ consecutive years and celebrated their heritage with ownership of their recently reclaimed historic land.
Fleeing slavery and persecution, Black settlers moved to Grant County, Indiana in the 1840s establishing what would become the Weaver Settlement. The settlement included schools, churches, stores, a horseracing track, and even a home for the elderly. A limited supply of farm land and higher paying city jobs drew people away from the settlement in the 1920s and 30s, but the descendants of this proud self-contained Black community have boasted an annual family reunion since 1919.
Learn more about this amazing family and their history – Indiana’s history! – by viewing a documentary and hearing from descendants of the Pettiford-Weaver family.
Doors open at 6pm for a soul reception with the documentary viewing beginning at 6:30pm. An audience discussion will follow.
Questions? 317-413-0926 or PettifordWeaverLand@gmail.com.
Event Partners: Loving Life Productions, LLC; the Pettiford-Weaver Family; and WFYI Public Media.
Event Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 9. As of 11/7/23, this event is SOLD OUT and cannot guarantee seating.

Image Courtesy Loving Life Productions, LLC and the Pettiford-Weaver Family

Come to the Table: Interfaith Understanding Through the Culinary Arts
2023-11-09 13:30 - 15:30 | Franklin College, Napolitan Student Center – Branigin Room, 101 Branigin Blvd., Franklin, IN, United States
ASL Upon Request by Nov. 1.
Join us for an engaging evening of food, fellowship, and exploration around how different faiths interact with food and spiritually. Enjoy a tasting reception followed by a presentation from Dr. Adrian Miller, award-winning author of Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time.
By providing an opportunity to engage with other faiths around a shared experience – food! – Franklin College and its partners invite attendees to learn about other religions not through doctrine, but through the experience of breaking bread together and sharing stories. Catered dishes from a variety of cultures and religious traditions will be shared as well as stories about the significance of these foods.
Dr. Adrian Miller, executive director of the Colorado Council of Churches and award-winning author of Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time, will give a short presentation followed by a panel discussion featuring local practitioners of a variety of faiths.
Questions? Contact 317-738- 8140 or hadamsingram@franklincollege.edu
Event Partners: Franklin College, Interchurch Food Pantry, and the Center for Interfaith Cooperation.
Event Registration: Registrations requested by November 6.

Quiet as a Gateway
2023-11-11 10:00 - 12:00 | Indianapolis First Friends, 3030 Kessler Blvd., East Drive, Indianapolis, IN, 46220, United States
ASL provided if requested by Nov. 3.
Join in as a Friends (Quaker) minister, philosophy scholar of Buddhism, art therapist, and a meditation instructor guide attendees in paths leading to a quiet state.
Quiet can reduce stress, enhance creativity, and deepen a sense of tranquility. It is a space – and practice – that encourages self-exploration and can help lead to a deeper understanding of our place in the universe. Guided by practitioners of different meditative and philosophical approaches, as well as a (secular) artist, this event invites guests to feel the power of quiet through dialogue, practice, and art-making activities.
Questions? Contact 317-627-3147 or cyfitzpatrick@gmail.com.
Event Partners: IUPUI Senior Academy and Indianapolis First Friends Meeting.
Event Registration: Registration requested by Nov. 9. Walk-ins welcome!

Art Feeding Empathy: A Burma-Congo Conversation on Peace
2023-11-12 08:30 - 10:00 | Central Library – Indiana Special Collections Room, 40 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis, IN, 46204, United States
Two artists – one from Myanmar and the other from the Democratic Republic of Congo – share their work to demonstrate how seeing life through the lens of another nourishes the spirit of empathy.
Burmese artist Saw Kennedy and Congolese artist Jean Claude Lofenia originate from different parts of the world, but both share a love of art and an understanding of the refugee experience. Commissioned by Patchwork Indy, they have been learning about each other’s’ lives over the past year in order to develop a painting series that depicts each other’s stories, as well as their own.
Learn about the dynamic histories of Burma the Democratic Republic of Congo, view the artists’ work, hear from them directly, watch video clips of documentary on their journey, and see the world through someone else’s eyes.
Questions? Contact 317-488-8894 or patchworkindy@gmail.com.
Event Partners: Patchwork Indy, Crane Center for Mass Atrocity Prevention, and Two Kites Media.
Registration: Registration is requested by Nov. 11, but walk-in guests are welcome.

Image courtesy of Two Kites Media

A Blessing, not a Burden with Alex Kor and Graham Honaker
2024-11-03 11:00 - 12:30 | Arthur M Glick JCC – Laikin Auditorium, 6701 Hoover Rd., Indianapolis, IN, United States
ASL provided by students in IUI’s Program in American Sign Language (ASL) and English Interpreting
By all accounts, Dr. Alex Kor’s life has been a miracle. The son of two Holocaust survivors, including the Mengel twin Eva Kor, Alex will discuss his book A Blessing, Not a Burden. Co-author Graham Honaker and Troy Fears of CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center join the discussion.
Eva Kor, Alex Kor’s mother, was known for her controversial choice to forgive the Nazis. She did not forgive them on behalf of anyone but herself, and her choice to forgive was a way of giving herself peace and freedom from anger. During this event, Alex Kor will explore what it was like being raised by two Holocaust survivors who also experienced immigration to the United States, continued antisemitism, and post-traumatic stress. Through it all, Alex has retained a deep sense of gratitude for his upbringing and life’s journey.
Questions?: Contact 317-715-9240 or carnett@jccindy.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between JCC Indianapolis, CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center, and Hooverwood Living.
Registration: Registration is encouraged. Use the blue button below.
Book Cover Courtesy of Pediment Publishing.

Image Courtesy of Pediment Publishing

Attitude of Gratitude: Finding Gratitude in Times of Loss
2024-11-07 13:00 - 14:30 | Indiana Interchurch Center – Krannert Hall, 1100 W. 42nd St., Indianapolis, IN, 46208, United States
ASL provided by students in IUI’s Program in American Sign Language (ASL) and English Interpreting
How do you maintain a sense of gratitude during times of loss? Panelists from diverse faith and belief backgrounds, as well as the Threshold Choir, will share their experiences and invite participants to also share.
Sharing from their sacred texts, music, theology, sacred art, photography, and personal lives, panelists will explore what their faith or belief communities have taught them about finding gratitude during times of loss. Created as a reflective and interactive experience, attendees will be given the opportunity to not only ask the panelists questions, but also reflect on select question prompts and listen to (and sing with!) the Threshold Choir.
Panelists in include Indu Vasudevan, writer and guide at the Hindu Temple of Central Indiana; Rev. Dr. Lynn Martin, chaplain and former pastor at Light of the World Christian Church; and Connor Bomar, Client Experience Coordinator at Balanced Alignment Ayurveda and graduate student at Christian Theological Seminary (CTS). Threshold Choir International has over 200 chapters and thousands of singers in several countries with a repertoire of almost 600 songs. Chapters send trios of singers sharing gentle songs of comfort in a cappella harmonies to homes, hospitals, and hospices.
Questions?: Contact 317-268-5300 or deb@indycic.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Center for Interfaith Cooperation, Indiana Interchurch Center, Threshold Singers of Indianapolis, and Interfaith Alliance for Mental Wellness.
Registration: Registration is encouraged by using the blue button below.

Souls of the Seasoned Saints: An Exploration and Exhibition of Aging Bodies
2024-11-08 13:00 - 16:00 | Witherspoon Presbyterian Church, 3535 W. Kessler Blvd. N. Dr., Indianapolis, IN, 46222, United States
Aging bodies have a wealth of knowledge to share with the world – their experiences, courage, triumphs, failures, and redirection. This exhibit highlights seasoned bodies to reclaim and uplift the
narratives and journeys of our elders. Exhibit opens at 6PM with the panel discussion beginning at 7PM.
We only get one body and the journey that body takes is filled with amazing life lessons. Yet, an obsession of appearing young permeates society. This photo exhibition— built around questions such as, “What advice would you give your younger self about the aging journey?”— aims to highlight seasoned bodies (55+) and encourage deep gratitude for the bodies we have. Too often we run away from the idea of getting older. We complain about changes with skin, firmness, attractiveness, and hope to distract the world from our “imperfections.” However, if blessed, we all will age, shift, and change. This opportunity will remind attendees that aging is a gift, one that we are not all fortunate to receive. Join us in a spirit of for the bodies that come before us and the bodies we will one day leave behind.
Exhibit Dates: Can’t make it out on Nov. 8?
Check out the exhibit from Nov. 4 – 10.
Monday – Friday, 10AM – 4PM
Saturday, 10AM – 2PM
*Slightly different times appear in the festival event guide. The times on this webpage are the correct times.
Questions: Contact 317-278-4060 or info@fatnessfiction.com.
Event Organizer: A partnership between Fatness Fiction and Witherspoon Presbyterian Church.
Registration: Walks-in welcome, but registration is encouraged. Use the blue button below to register.

Having Our Stories Told: Preserving LGBTQ+ History
2024-11-09 09:00 - 11:00 | Eugene and Marily Glick Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis, 46202, United States
ASL provided by students in IUI’s Program in American Sign Language (ASL) and English Interpreting
Remembrance is a gratitude that honors our past and propels us forward with love and knowledge. Join LGBTQ+ organizations from across Indianapolis for a community discussion and behind-the-scenes tour of the Indiana Historical Society LGBTQ collection.
Attendees are invited to explore holding of the IHS archives and engage in small group conversations examining the theme of gratitude as well as queer recognition, forgetting, agency, and storytelling. Guests will reflect on how these acts of acknowledgement, or lack of, influence understanding of queer communities and identity. Tour and talk with others to find new connections while delving into the IHS’s LGBTQ collection and deepen your sense of gratitude for past generations and the stories they’ve shared.
Questions?: Contact 317-234-0033 or cterry@indianahistory.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Indiana Historical Society, Indiana Historical Bureau, Indiana Youth Group, Indy Pride, Indiana Pride of Color, and artist/citizen historian Sylvia Thomas.
Registration: Registration encouraged; use the blue button below.
Image Courtesy NUVO, Indiana Historical Society

Indiana's Wetland Wonders: Connecting Communities & Nature
2025-11-11 15:00 - 18:30 | Marian University Nina Mason Pulliam EcoLab, 3200 Cold Spring Rd., Indianapolis, 46222, United States
Wetland Tour & Presentation — Choose one or both!
Registration strongly encouraged.
Discover how wetlands sustain communities by cleaning water, protecting them from floods, sheltering rare species, and more. Through an (optional) wetland tour, breathtaking photo exhibit, and three community-expert presentations, learn about ongoing wetland conservation efforts.
Indiana’s Wetland Wonders shines a spotlight on the hidden beauty and essential role of wetlands in our state. Discover how wetlands sustain biodiversity, protect water quality, and nurture both human and natural communities. This event invites you to see wetlands not just as landscapes, but as vital ecosystems worth cherishing and protecting.
Questions? Contact 219-310-9390 or miturbide@hecweb.org.
Event Organizers; A partnership between Hoosier Environmental Council, Marian University Nina Mason Pulliam EcoLab, and Wetlands not Warehouses of Franklin Township. 219-310-9390 or miturbide@hecweb.org.
Event Details:
Arrival & Parking for the Optional EcoLab Tour
The optional guided walking tour of Marian University’s full-scale restored wetland begins at 3 PM, rain or shine. Be sure to wear warm clothing and shoes that can get wet, as it may be snowy or muddy. For those with limited mobility, please note that this tour will have dirt trails with a wide clearance. We recommend parking at location 19 in the part of the lot closest to Cold Spring Road, where your tour guide will be waiting. Please see the map for more detail.
Arrival & Parking for the Panel Discussion and Photos
The panel discussion and photo exhibition begins at 4 PM at the Wood College of Osteopathic Medicine at Marian University — Building #21 on the map.
Registration: Click here to register.

Sacred Roots: FernGully and Earth’s Spiritual Stories
2025-11-12 18:00 - 21:30 | KanKan Cinema and Brasserie, 1258 Windsor St, Indianapolis, IN, 46241, United States
Limited capacity. Registration required.
Join us for a screening of FernGully: The Last Rainforest and an interfaith panel exploring how various faith traditions and spiritualist groups understand nature as sacred and interconnected. Enjoy nature-based crafts and sharing stories during an evening of film, faith, and reflection.
Questions? Contact 317-268-5300 or kevin@indycic.org.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Center for Interfaith Cooperation and Kan-Kan Cinema and Restaurant.
Registration: Click here to register.

The Sacred Cycle: Faith, Consumption, and Our Ecological Future
2025-11-16 14:00 - 16:00 | The International School of Indiana, 4330 N. Michigan Rd., Indianapolis, 46208, United States
Join faith communities and experts in a panel discussion and hands-on “Why We Care” fair exploring how faith can inspire ecological action and values-based economic choices. Hear stories from Indy faith groups leading the way, and connect with organizations advancing environmental justice, reducing waste, and protecting our planet through creative, community-rooted strategies.
Questions? Contact 317-762-7834 or pfrancis@schottdesign.com.
Event Organizers: A partnership between Circular Indiana, Mundell & Associates, and the International School of Indiana.
Registration: Click here to register.
