Season for Sharing: Madam Walker Legacy Center promotes arts and entrepreneurship

The Madam Walker Legacy Center started this year with the first events in its newly renovated theater and plans for a grand reopening celebration after more than $15 million in renovations.

The center's annual celebration for Martin Luther King Jr. Day featured Kevin Richardson, one of the five men wrongfully convicted of assaulting a white female jogger in 1989 in New York's Central Park, as a speaker. 

It was a glimpse into the kinds of events that the center aimed to have — ones that are impactful to the community as well as the country, said Kristian Stricklen, the center's marketing chairperson and a board member.

"We recognize we represent a national brand," Stricklen said of Madam C.J Walker, who launched a business making hair care products for Black women and became America's first self-made female millionaire. "We are really proud that she made her mark here in Indianapolis."

Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened, and the center postponed its reopening to 2021 and shifted from in-person events to virtual ones. 

One of those events to shift to virtual was Kamp Kuumba, which was previously an in-person summer camp. This year, it became the Madam Walker Summer Institute. 

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The virtual camp for ages 6 to 14 featured daily "power hours" with lessons from arts and poetry to building rockets. 

“Madam was a patron of the arts and it makes sense to honor her legacy in the arts and entrepreneurship,” said Devon Ginn, curatorial manager of programs and communications for the center. “We see that creativity is often the path to critical thinking and experiential learning is a way to have (students) dip their toes in the waters of different things to see what sticks.”

Plus, since the camp was virtual, not only did Indianapolis area kids attend but students from as far away as Dublin, Ireland and Cape Town South Africa joined in, learning about Walker along the way.

Ginn said students also learn about Walker and the history of Indiana Avenue, giving them the opportunity to think: "This lady sounds cool," and do more research.

And the center is planning the first Madam Walker Winter Institute for late December, Ginn said, adding details will be posted on the center's website and social media soon.

The center has done other virtual programs such as a comedy show and a jazz concert, as well as paired with local businesses during those events, Stricklen said. And she added that plans for MLK Day 2021 will be announced soon — and will be virtual.

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"We want to just encourage people to get involved, we're still here," Stricklen said. "Just like everyone else, despite COVID, we are trying to make our way. There are a lot of quality things that the Walker is doing right now, so I would encourage our community to take a second look."

What is your organization’s mission?

Stricklen said she would describe it as "elevating who Madam Walker was to this community and continuing to celebrate the Black community overall."

She added that the center does that through the arts in its theater as well as through supporting entrepreneurship such as working with local businesses as well as encouraging young people to be business owners.

How many people do you serve?

Since the center was closed for renovations and many events moved virtual, it's difficult to know that number, Stricklen said. Plus, she said a lot of the programming is new and prior to COVID, there wasn't as much.

"That's why we were so intentional," she said, "about impactful programming."

What is your No. 1 need?

"We definitely need the financial support," Stricklen said, adding that while the center has funds from the Lilly Endowment, that's just a start and more is needed to sustain the center for the long term.

And even though events are virtual, people can still volunteer as well, she said.

How can people get involved?

Follow the center on social media — Instagram and  Facebook, Stricklen said.

She added that people can also visit the center's website and the best way to donate or volunteer is to reach out to the staff via email at info@madamwalkerlegacycenter.com.

Season for Sharing and the African American Legacy Fund

The shared mission of IndyStar’s Our Children initiative and annual Season for Sharing campaign is to harness the power of journalism to make a difference in the lives of Central Indiana youth. We invite you to join us by making a financial contribution. The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust will match donations dollar-for-dollar up to $25,000. All charitable donations are tax deductible.  

With this year’s campaign, we’re focusing on the inequities that affect the quality of life of youth and young adults of color in Central Indiana. We’ll be partnering with the African American Legacy Fund of Indianapolis to provide grants to organizations that are working to dismantle systemic racism and create equitable opportunities for success.

Go to cicf.org/season-for-sharing-2020 to give online. If you prefer to send a check, please mail to: Central Indiana Community Foundation, Attn: Our Children, 615 N. Alabama St., Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46204. You also can donate by texting “SHARING” to 80888. 

About the Madam Walker Legacy Center

Address: 617 Indiana Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46202

Phone: 317-236-2099

Website: www.madamwalkerlegacycenter.com

Call IndyStar education reporter MJ Slaby at 317-447-1586 or email her at mslaby@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @mjslaby.