This story first appeared on For the Record: A Black Oral History Archive. The archive is a collection of over 100 firsthand stories of Black life in America. Ernest Mosley planned to stay three years. Fresh out of high school in 1975, he walked three blocks from his East Chicago home to Inland Steel looking for […]
Gary
Posted inEconomy, Environmental Justice
Gary Residents Want a Say in the Future of Steel
Environmental advocates from Northwest Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Japan gathered online this week ahead of Nippon Steel’s annual shareholders’ meeting to urge the company to invest in newer, cleaner steelmaking technology in communities they fear are being left behind. “The people of the Mon Valley [in western Pennsylvania] and Gary have given steel their labor, their […]
Posted inCommunity, Events
Where to Celebrate Juneteenth in Gary and Northwest Indiana
As Juneteenth approaches, people across Northwest Indiana are hosting festivals, performances, cultural events, and family activities to celebrate the holiday this year. “I’m always excited about Juneteenth and an opportunity to celebrate Gary,” said J’s Breakfast Club owner Joslyn Kelly. “I’m excited about the opportunity to celebrate the legacy of Black people, and all that […]
Posted inBusiness, Education
A Free IUN Program Helps Entrepreneurs Turn Their Dreams Into Reality
When Natè Billingsley got the idea for a dumping business, she wanted to do two things: help clean up her hometown and find work for formerly incarcerated individuals. “What I was finding is when they come home, they can’t find steady employment, and if they do have steady employment, the salary isn’t ‘cutting the mustard’ […]
Posted inPolitics & Policy, Public Meetings
June 2026 Public Meeting Schedule for Gary
Many of the decisions regarding infrastructure, housing, and development projects will be finalized in the coming months. The Gary Redevelopment Commission is laying the groundwork for the pending demolition of the Genesis Center by approving the purchase of storage containers that will be used to salvage usable materials, including wood, flooring, and staging equipment. Progress […]
Posted inCommunity
Where Families Can Get Free Food in June in Northwest Indiana
As summer begins, June brings another month of Northwest Indiana organizations working to provide relief from rising food costs and food insecurity. In Indiana, almost 10% of families and individuals receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits have had their benefits cut since last year. In Gary, nearly 40% of residents rely on SNAP benefits, while […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, Environmental Justice, Politics & Policy
Residents Demand Cleaner Future for Steel in Northwest Indiana
More than 100 residents gathered Thursday evening at the Gary Public Library to discuss the future of one of Northwest Indiana’s most important industries: steel. The town hall, titled “Our Mill, Our Future,” brought together residents, advocates, and elected officials concerned about the future of U.S. Steel’s Gary Works and whether the region will receive […]
Posted inBusiness
How One Gary Restaurant Preserved a Century of Chili, Community, and Tradition
The gospel music hums overhead while the fryer crackles behind the counter. Customers drift in and out of the narrow diner on Broadway, a place that seems stuck in time. At one end of the grill, Elisha Evans flips hamburgers with one hand while dropping fries into hot oil with the other. A few stools […]
Posted inCommunity, Education
Gary Youth Center Struggles to Stay Open After State and Federal Cuts
City Life Center of Northwest Indiana’s hallways are usually filled with children waiting for tutoring sessions, basketball games, hot meals, and rides home after school. But in recent months, leaders at the Gary nonprofit have been grappling with shrinking state and federal funding and the growing financial pressures that come with it. Earlier this month, […]
Posted inElections, Politics & Policy
Lake County’s Primary Reveals a Stark Divide in Who Shows Up to Vote
Despite a primary ballot that featured a historic race for Lake County sheriff and several competitive county council contests, voter turnout across Lake County remained sluggish on May 5, with most communities failing to surpass 20%. Just 16% of the county’s more than 367,000 registered voters cast ballots, according to Lake County Board of Elections […]
