Ashley Smith

Recent Articles

  • Shake it with celebrity choreographers at IBE’s dance festival

    INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — You’re invited to learn from some of the country’s best-known choreographers at Indiana Black Expo’s first Dance Heritage Festival. Choreographers who have worked with music-industry superstars like Beyonce, Pink, Janet Jackson, Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez are teaching classes on jazz, hip hop, funk, African dance and more. Organized in collaboration with Movin’ Legacy, a local nonprofit to preserve and celebrate African dance, the festival kicked off Wednesday and continues through this Saturday, July 20, at 601 […]

  • Extremely rare singing dogs call Beech Grove home

    INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Two of the world’s rarest dogs live in central Indiana. New Guinea singing dogs Koga Taine and Toa Jean are permanent residents at Wizard of Paws, a nonprofit wildlife sanctuary and education center in Beech Grove. There are only about 250 New Guinea singing dogs in captivity in the world, and it’s unclear whether the species still exists in the wild. The dogs are widely considered the rarest in the world. The species is believed to have […]

  • Ohio man running across U.S. to support people returning from prison

    INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — A Columbus, Ohio man is running more than 3,000 miles from Los Angeles to New York to raise awareness about the stigma attached to people with criminal records. Cam Williams, 29, founder of People Objective, is running an average of 45 miles per day over 93 days. He is stopping in a number of cities along the way to capture stories of people coming home from incarceration, along with the organizations and employers that help them readjust […]

  • 8 things you didn’t know about Mardi Gras

    Mardi Gras might conjure up images of parades in New Orleans, brightly-colored beads and an insane amount of partying.  But there’s rich history behind the festive occasion that gets lost in all the celebration. Mardi Gras didn’t originate in New Orleans, for one thing – the holiday predates the existence of the United States.   And although it has always been about partying, at least to some extent, the celebration also has Christian significance.   To mark Fat Tuesday, here’s a list of […]

  • Lifelong educator Carole Craig advocates for underprivileged kids

    This is the second in a series of stories celebrating Black History Month. In partnership with Indiana Black Expo, we’re highlighting local African Americans who have made an impact in Indy through their professional work, community involvement, volunteerism and more. INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Carole Craig credits a long line of teachers, colleagues and mentors with contributing to her success as a lifelong educator. Her family story has also been a source of inspiration. In 1930 at age 11, her mother […]

  • Educator, speaker and author Robert Jackson works to empower local youth

    This is the first in a series of stories celebrating Black History Month. In partnership with Indiana Black Expo, we’re highlighting local African Americans who have made a significant impact in Indy through their professional work, community involvement, volunteerism and more.  INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – When Robert Jackson started out as an Indianapolis Public Schools teacher 20 years ago, his motto was “No More Excuses.” He didn’t let students feel sorry for themselves or let their life circumstances define their futures, […]

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