In late 2020, we dreamed of creating an incubator for new groups and a hub uniting different struggles. Now, that dream is a reality. Since January 2021, we’ve hosted and supported over 630 actions, meetings, campaigns, and other political initiatives. What’s more, we’ve done so without any grants from the city or private foundations; without paying any CEOs or Directors. In fact, we pay to volunteer at the Center. Financial support from our volunteers, member-groups, and community, in the form of one-time donations or our Sustainer Program, keep us growing and are key to entering the next stage of achieving our mission of creating a city (and world) where the chains of exploitation are eradicated and structures of mutual respect, care, cooperation, and justice bind us together.
With our new space comes new expenses. We need to raise $5,000 to complete our move into your new liberated territory in Indianapolis. Once again, we’re placing our faith in our people because it’s our sacrifices that make history. There’s no amount too small or too large and no sliding scale; we value the financial sacrifices our people make. Whatever you can donate, please do so here before sharing to friends, family, co-workers, and everyone you know who values the work we have, and will, do to defeat the far right and create the city we deserve!
En 2020, soñamos con crear un incubadora para nuevos grupos y un centro que una diferentes luchas. Ahora, ese sueño es una realidad. Desde enero de 2021, hemos alojado y apoyado más de 630 acciones, reuniones, campañas y otras iniciativas políticas. Además, lo hemos hecho sin subvenciones de la ciudad o fundaciones privadas; sin pagar a ningún director ejecutivo o Director de Programa. Nosotros pagamos para ser voluntario en el Centro. El apoyo financiero de nuestros voluntarios, grupos miembros y comunidad nos mantiene creciendo y es clave para entrar en la siguiente etapa de lograr nuestra misión de crear una ciudad (y un mundo) donde las cadenas de explotación sean erradicadas y las estructuras de respeto mutuo, cuidado, cooperación y justicia nos unan.
Con nuestro nuevo espacio vienen nuevos gastos. Necesitamos recaudar 5.000 dólares para completar nuestra mudanza a vuestro nuevo territorio liberado en Indianápolis. Una vez más, ponemos nuestra fe en nuestra gente porque son nuestros sacrificios los que hacen historia.
A brief history of the Indianapolis Liberation Center
In late 2020, we the idea of creating an incubator for new groups and a hub uniting different struggles seemed entirely unrealistic. As it turns out, what is unrealistic one year is a reality another.
The billionaires and their politicians want us living in the shadows but we aren’t retreating. We’re doing just the opposite. On December 5, we held the grand opening of the new Indianapolis Liberation Center, our very first storefront located at 1619 Prospect St. We were overwhelmed by the turnout and support from such wide sections of the community.
When a handful of activists with ANSWER Indiana, PSL Indianapolis, and Indy10 BLM started this project in January 2021, the Center was little more than a glorified closet in the A&P Building, a warehouse on State Ave. Even without any windows, we were able to host public meetings and begin building, organizing, and collaborating without external distractions.
In August 2023, Arte Mexicano en Indiana joined the Center and we finally made the leap to our previous location at 1800 N. Meridian St. We didn’t have any money—at least not enough to pay more than the first two months of rent—but we did have the steadfast belief that the community needed a collaborative and independent organizing space and that, like all of our volunteers, they would support it. We were amazed at how quickly we grew and how wide our programming expanded. At the same time, we took on bigger and bolder campaigns, organizing the largest anti-ICE demonstration in the city’s history, helping victims of police terror defeat their attackers in the courtrooms, forced the Prosecutor to meet with the victims of IMPD, and spotlighted some of our many neighbors falsely imprisoned.
Our last space allowed the Center to bring more partner organizations into the space and created a hub for the community to hold transformative events: book readings with the Indiana Black Librarians Network connected children and families to authors, librarians, and wonderful children’s literature; the Fonseca-Du Bois Gallery and Arte Mexicano en Indiana brought in works by dozens of local artists each month, connecting everyone who came to the Center with powerful visual art and opportunities to participate in making it; Circle City Sangha gathered in meditation and created space for sharing. ANSWER Indiana met to hold meetings, build placards and art, and hold meetings to lead the local pro-Palestine movement, and the PSL Indianapolis met to paint banners, hold open study groups, and host monthly Liberation Forums.
We dedicated resources to creating collectives like Touch Grass, Indy and Free Shaka Shakur, which is now the Shaka Shakur Freedom Campaign, a national 501(c)(3) organization. Our volunteers sacrificed time, money, and energy to build up existing groups. In October 2023, Indy Hope Packages, previously a collaboration between PSL Indianapolis and Indy10 Black Lives Matter, became an independent entity with its own political program. In February 2025, we were able to launch the Coalition to Free Vernon T. Bateman. This summer, PSL launched its weekly podcast, Naptown People’s Radio, which features news and analysis from the people, not our oppressors. We built relationships with and supported Indiana AID, Hear Her Voice, Bodi Buzz, and numerous other groups. We provided free or discounted spaces for meetings and events that couldn’t find a home elsewhere—all because of our financial independence.
Since opening our new storefront at 1619 Prospect St., we wecomed our latest member-organization, Emancipatory Motions, and the Shaka Shakur Freedom Campaign produced a new documentary about Shaka and launched his first book at The People’s Forum in New York City. Within 12 hours after our grand opening, ANSWER Indiana was protesting to stop Trump’s all-out war on Venezuela before it starts and days later Indy Hope Package volunteers were assembling and distributing winter kits for our homeless neighbors while the the Hispanic Cultural Hub held for its first-ever Talleres de Arte, a celebration of art and community Center.
Our new storefront brings fresh possibilities: we have a physical Indy Liberation Store, a venue for hosting pop-ups, gift exchanges, parties, film screenings, concerts, parties, fashion shows, and more. It also comes with additional expenses. Once again, we’re placing our faith in the people because it’s our sacrifices that make history.
If you’re interested in working with or hosting an event with us, click here.
Featured image: A photo of the entrance to our new storefront on 1619 Prospect St. Credit: Indianapolis Liberation Center.