Mirror Indy

After a woman said she was held against her will at an Indy-area mental health facility, more than a dozen patients have come forward with their stories. One of them is 46-year-old Dustin Fogt, who says he was restrained and hit in the ribs by staff at Options Behavioral Health Hospital as they tried to make him give up his phone passcode. In a lawsuit, he says staff warned him not to press charges — or else they’d keep him at the facility even longer. “I went along with it because I didn't want to be there,” Fogt told Mirror Indy. “I wanted to get out as soon as possible.” Acadia Healthcare, the facility’s operator, said it could not substantiate the allegations made by Fogt and other patients. https://lnkd.in/gqN2C_uG

New from Indy Documenters: The Pike Township school board announced plans to use its 2025 $160.8 million budget to replace six buses, repair roofs on elementary schools and more at a September meeting. https://lnkd.in/g_ZjUsc4

In 1857, the young queen of a Northern Indian kingdom stood up to the British Empire. Born in 1828, Manakarnika “Manu” Tambe, Jhansi K Rani is an icon to many, especially to women’s empowerment and the Indian independence movement. Her story will be performed by the Natyalaya School of Arts from 3-5 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Tobias Theater at Newfields. The timing of this performance, on Oct. 6, is significant because of the nine-day Hindu observance of Navaratri, which celebrates the power and creative energy of the Divine Feminine. Tickets are $20. https://lnkd.in/gurGzu9C

Congrats to Free Press Indiana’s Market Director Ebony Chappel for receiving the Inclusive Excellence Award from Ball State University for her dedication to advancing inclusivity and equity in the field of communication and media. https://lnkd.in/gdhkz5tB

Congrats to our Market Director Ebony Chappel for receiving the Inclusive Excellence Award from Ball State University for her dedication to advancing inclusivity and equity in the field of communication and media. https://lnkd.in/gdhkz5tB

On Wednesdays at Chapelwood Baptist Church, women who are refugees and immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa can meet to practice their English and eat. Alicia Gunn started the English conversation club in 2016 after teaching classes with Indy Internationals. She noticed a serious need for a place where women could learn, feel comfortable and meet new people. “We were trying to build a community together,” Gunn said. Gunn also organizes family-friendly social events for the group, such as trips to the apple orchard, or baby showers for the group’s expectant mothers. This is what attracted Khadidja Mehamli who immigrated to Indianapolis over a decade ago from Alegria. She speaks some English but she said it’s hard for her to remember words and phrases. But she worries about the day when there's an emergency and she won’t be able to communicate with her daughter’s teachers. “It’s necessary for my life,” Mehamli said. “Sometimes I talk to my God, ‘I want to learn English.’ The first thing I want in my life is to learn English.” https://lnkd.in/dMBwnfpZ

Toni Stone became the first woman to play on a men’s baseball team in the Negro Leagues with the Indianapolis Clowns in 1953. She was born Marcenia Lyle Stone in 1921 and got her start playing on her church’s baseball team. If you aren’t familiar with this piece of history, the Indianapolis Black Theater Company hopes to change that. Lydia R. Diamond’s play “Toni Stone,” captures the challenges Stone faced like sexual harassment from her teammates and the racism she experienced as Black person playing in the Negro Leagues. “She broke a barrier nationwide, and when people outside of Indianapolis put on this play, they’re presenting our history,” IBTC director Ben Rose said. The play will run from Oct. 3-6 at The District Theatre and stars Indy-based actor Psywrn Simone (AshLee Baskin) as Stone. https://lnkd.in/dTrFuCUJ

The Indianapolis Black Alumni Council will host its annual HBCU college fair from 6-9 p.m. Oct. 3 at Crispus Attucks High School. Students and families will have the opportunity to speak to reps from a dozen historically Black colleges and universities across the U.S including Central State, Tennessee State and Hampton. https://lnkd.in/gbf-FFdh

Mirror Indy teamed up with Chalkbeat Indiana and WFYI to bring together everything you need to know about 2024 school board elections in Marion County. Click the link to get our full school board election guide. https://lnkd.in/g5MSyqAw

Have ideas for how to help local news reach underserved audiences? Come talk to Amanda Kingsbury, Mirror Indy's managing editor of innovation, along with Ariana Beedie, community journalism director, and Sharlene Birdsong, Documenters assignments editor, on Oct. 2 at the AMP at 16 Tech, 1220 Waterway Blvd.