Heartwork: Embracing Intersectionality in Indianapolis

There’s hard work, and there’s heart work. Throughout my diverse career, I’ve positioned myself as an expert in equitable organizational leadership and strategy within many of Indiana’s leading industries — and while the work is complex, my mission is simple: to help Indianapolis embrace its intersectionality.

In 2024 alone, Indianapolis has collaborated on a global stage to host All-Star Weekend and the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials. Through innovative approaches to public, private and philanthropic partnerships, Indiana has established itself as a global sports destination — and this designation has a tremendous impact on our competitiveness, business and talent attraction, and economic impact.

Mayor Hogsett was even quoted as saying that the expected economic impact of the NBA All-Star Game was approximately $320 million. The results are clear: When Indiana works together across county, industry and political lines, we are unstoppable. The question remains: How far are we willing to go together?

I am a Black, biracial woman, born and raised in Hoosier. While I live this identity with confidence today, it hasn’t always been easy to navigate. Living on the edges of identity has always exposed me to how I relate to the cultures, languages, and experiences of others—even when their experiences don’t align with mine. Brené Brown calls this cognitive empathy, and it’s a skill that leaders who focus on intersectional practice possess. It allows us to truly see the complexities within ourselves and how they relate to others, how we can all contribute to a shared vision.

Growing up, I learned Spanish in high school to better communicate with the rapidly growing Hispanic population in Indiana. I knew we were connected and intuitively understood that whatever affected them affected me in some way. This understanding of connectedness is something that Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chavez embodied. They focused on different sub-causes in the civil rights movement, but were aware of each other’s actions and understood that they were fighting the same battle.

I want us to be able to do that in Indiana — to build a collective “we” that embraces all needs. Our identities must recognize the complexity of all Hoosiers and act accordingly. Conversations about race and gender can sometimes be divisive, but they don’t have to be. Investing in historically excluded populations doesn’t have to be charity; it can create a stronger vision for our state. The results are clear: When Indiana embraces its diversity and invests in all of its people, we are unstoppable. The question remains: How far are we willing to go, together?

Just as sacrifices have been made to ensure Indiana leads in innovation and economic development through sports, agriculture and other sectors, we can truly exemplify bipartisan intersectionality by strategically innovating and investing in diverse communities.

Diversity and equity have become common topics of conversation and sometimes weaponized. My organization, Indy Equity Collaborative, was founded to do this work differently.

We guide organizations to strategically “do intersectionality.” In doing so, we create space for people to gain a complex understanding of themselves and those around them, and the threads that connect us all in the same tapestry. This leads to collective action and accountability, along with better communication, collaboration, and community building.

However, this work will never succeed on its own. True community requires breaking down our silos, and Indianapolis has shown that this is possible in our sports industry. What more could we achieve if we focused on a shared vision and a shared voice across the lines of difference? As my 13-year-old would say, at IEC we like to stand up for things. You know what — don’t just talk about it — do it.

In that spirit, we know we’re not the only organization working to create a better community, and we truly believe that our community is stronger when we work together. The false narrative of a zero-sum mentality — that one person’s gain is another person’s loss — must be dismantled. Multiple women in my industry have lifted me up, even when they seemingly had no reason to. We can all win together.

That’s why Indy Equity Collaborative was proud to partner with Women’s Equity Bruch for the recent WE Happy Hour at the Biltwell Event Center. During WE Happy Hour, the community was invited to have candid conversations about inequities in the workplace and to speak with allies in the room about how men can support their female colleagues. Through WE Happy Hour, everyone has a place to find safety and support. But it’s all about showing up and being ready to participate.

If this is one example, I hope it sparks many more. We have the tools, the momentum, the talent, and the leaders to become a model for equality, right here in Indiana. Now we just need to determine how we collectively commit to that vision.

Dr. Nicole Carey currently serves as CEO of the Indy Equity Collaborative.