Task Force Named For 'Your Life Matters'

In March, city leaders announced an initiative to connect community groups with the city’s troubled youth as a way to reduce crime and inspire change.

Tuesday, the "Your Life Matters" Task Force was announced.

The 14 members were put together to come up with ideas to break down barriers particularly for young African American men. That means helping them connect with jobs and educational opportunities.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana CEO Darcy Palmer-Shultz is one of the task force members.  She says the initiative is important because it shines light on specific problems in the city.

"It's a heightened awareness around the fact that there are some specific challenges in the community, but there are also a lot of ways that people can actually engage with making a change," said Palmer-Shultz.  "We've been really motivated by the fact that this has been a positive call to action for the community."

Jamal Smith is the Executive Director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission and will serve as the task force’s co-chair.

He thinks this initiative has the opportunity to create real change because it is connecting programs that already exist.

"It's really taking a really good comprehensive look as to how effective (the programs) actually are and whether there are some gaps in some," he said.  "Those that are effective, we want to recommend that we pilot those as best practices in those areas and if there are others that have gaps we need to fill we want to make sure that that is in the recommendation."

The task force will meet for the first time June 18.

Smith says they plan to get together every other week and provide a list of recommendations to the Mayor’s office in October.

Your Life Matters Task Force Members:

• Tanya Bell, President & CEO, Indiana Black Expo, Inc. – Co-Chair
• Jamal Smith, Executive Director, Indiana Civil Rights Commission – Co-Chair
• Michelle Gough McKeown, General Counsel, Center for Education and Career Innovation
• Greg Taylor, Senator, State of Indiana
• Mike Huber, President, Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce
• Pastor James Jackson, Fervent Prayer Church
• Ontay Johnson, Executive Director, 100 Black Men of Indianapolis
• Darcey Palmer-Shultz, CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana
• Judge Marilyn Moores, Juvenile Court Judge
• Steve Quick, President, AFSCME (Local 725)
• Frankye E. Johnson, President, Black Social Workers of Indianapolis
• Sam Odle, former United Way Chairman and Executive VP and COO, IU Health
• Steve Jefferson, Crimebeat Reporter, WTHR - Channel 13
• Rafael Sanchez, Consumer Reporter and Investigator, WRTV - Channel 6
• Pat Roe, Senior Program Officer and Special Assistant to the President, USA Funds
• Martha Lamkin, Founding CEO, Lumina Foundation