Cameran Amir Drew is a proud native of Surry County, raised by Cornelius and Misty Drew alongside his four incredible siblings. A graduate of Surry County High School and Virginia Peninsula Community College, he will now be pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with a minor in Political Science at Virginia State University, starting in Fall 2026. Cameran is a business owner, student, philanthropist, and dedicated community advocate who represents the Dendron District on the Surry County Board of Supervisors. His decision to serve is rooted in a deep love for the community that shaped him. He is especially passionate about youth mental health and diabetes awareness, causes close to his heart as someone who lives with diabetes and has personally navigated mental health challenges. In 2025, at just 19 years old, Cameran made history as the youngest elected official in both Surry County and the Commonwealth of Virginia. He is also currently one of the youngest elected supervisors in the nation. Guided by Philippians 4:13 — “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” — a verse lovingly spoken over him by his parents, he approaches life and leadership with faith, determination, and purpose. His journey has been highlighted in news outlets such as “Politics Nation” with Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBC, CBS Evening News, The New York Times, and Roland Martin: Unfiltered, amongst many others. Not only is Cam’s story news, but it’s also a Lesson Plan for Social Studies teachers across the globe. Through every opportunity, Cameran remains grounded, grateful, and committed to being a steady voice and bright light for his community, working to move Surry County forward while honoring its rich history and ensuring every voice is heard.

Kenneth Bell is a lifelong resident of Surry County, VA, the community that he loves because of close familial ties as well as having deep rooted friendships with many throughout the community. He is a graduate of Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA, receiving a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Governmental Administration in May 2003 and a Master’s of Art Degree in Teaching in May 2006. Upon completion of his Master’s Degree, Kenneth began his educational career, the first three years teaching for the public school system in Charles City County, VA and the last eighteen years in his home of Surry County, VA. Outside of his career, Kenneth is involved in the community in numerous capacities, to include being a member of the Surry County Youth Services Citizens Board, a member of the Surry County Historical Society, and a volunteer assistant with the Surry County High School baseball teams. Something that is of utmost importance to Kenneth is his faith in God, so much so that the most recent addition to his resume is that he has become an ordained minister. Faith, family, and community- values that define who Kenneth Bell is. Kenneth made the news when he and one of his students, Cameran Drew, became political opponents for local office.

Dr. Sherri Williams is a race and representation researcher who teaches about how media images are connected to and uphold oppression and inequality. Williams, who was a journalist for a decade before entering academia, teaches journalism and media studies courses that examine how race, gender, class, sexual identity, ability, age and body size are portrayed in mass media. Williams believes that storytelling can be a tool for liberation.

Oseye Boyd, editor-in-chief of Mirror Indy, is an award-winning journalist and editor.

Calvin Davis is Capital B Gary’s government and politics reporter. His journalism career began in Northwest Indiana as a sportswriter for The Times of Northwest Indiana, after which he covered hip-hop for XXL and numerous online publications during hip-hop’s blog era. He covered Chicago’s City Council as a 2017 City Bureau Fellow, and most recently spent three years as a media consultant with the city of Gary’s Common Council.

Fredrick McKissack is the editorial page editor of The Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A veteran journalist, editor and communications professional, he writes about local and state government, public policy, civic life and culture. He is also the author of several books for young readers, including Best Shot in the West (Chronicle Books), Black Diamond: The Story of the Negro Leagues (Scholastic) and Shooting Star (Atheneum Books for Young Reader). His work has received second place for editorial writing from the Indiana Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, and he shared an honorable mention in the Carmage Walls Commentary Writing Awards.

Camike Jones is the Editor-in-Chief of the Indianapolis Recorder. Born and raised in Indianapolis, Jones has a lifelong commitment to advocacy and telling stories that represent the community.

Tamara Winfrey-Harris is the president of Women’s Foundation of Indiana, which answers the community’s call by investing in systems change, advocating for women’s rights, and building collective power for women and girls. The Women’s Foundation envisions an Indiana where all who identify as women and girls exercise full power to decide how to live their lives. She is the immediate past board chair of ACLU-IN and serves proudly on the boards of Leadership Indianapolis, Mays Family Institute of Philanthropy, New Harmony Project and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy. Tamara is also a nationally renowned writer, speaker and thought leader, focusing on issues of race and gender and their intersection with politics, popular culture and current events. Her work has been published in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Los Angeles Times, Ms. magazine and other media. And it has appeared in books, including The Lemonade Reader: Beyonce, Black Feminism and Spirituality (Routledge, 2019); The Burden: African Americans and the Enduring Impact of Slavery (Wayne State University Press, 2018); and Black in the Middle: An Anthology of the Black Midwest (Black Belt Publishing, 2020). She has been invited to speak on issues of gender and race at venues across the country, including The Ohio State University, Northern Arizona University, Princeton University and others. In spring semester 2022, Tamara served as Liberator-in-Residence for Bennett College, a women’s HBCU in Greensboro, NC. She is the author of the award-winning book, The Sisters Are Alright: Changing the Broken Narrative of Black Women in America (2015, 2021), Dear Black Girl: Letters from Your Sisters on Stepping into Your Power (2021) and A Black Woman’s Guide to Getting Free (2024).

A’Lelia Bundles is the author of Joy Goddess: A’Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance, a 2026 Anisfield-Wolf Prize finalist, and On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker, a New York Times Notable Book about her great-great-grandmother. She founded the Madam Walker Family Archives and worked for thirty years at NBC News and ABC News as a producer then as an executive. She serves on several non-profit boards that reflect her interests in free speech, social justice, historic preservation, and education including Indiana Landmarks, the Rethink Coalition, the Schlesinger Library on the History of Women at Harvard, and the National Archives Foundation.

Dr. Leslie K. Etienne is an assistant professor of Africana Studies and director of the Africana Studies program at Indiana University Indianapolis in the School of Liberal Arts. He is also the founding executive director of the Center for Africana Studies and Culture and holds affiliate faculty appointments in American Studies, Museum Studies, and the Art and Humanities Institute. Dr. Etienne’s research interests are based at the intersections of Black Freedom Movement Histories, Cultural Heritage studies, Pan Africanism, and Agroecology. His paramount research lies within the justice-based multigenerational emancipatory education found in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Freedom Schools enacted during the “Freedom Summer” in 1964. In the community, he is Executive Director for the IU Indianapolis Freedom School site. Committed to service both inside and outside of the university, he serves as the President of the Joseph Taylor Branch (Indianapolis) and a national executive board member of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History.

Nicole Martinez-LeGrand is a historian, curator, an award winning documentarian and author, with over twenty years of experience in the museum and nonprofit sectors. Over the past decade, her work has centered on community development and strategic relationship building within museums. She has held a wide range of positions across the museum field, including roles in both art museums and children’s museums. Since 2016, she has spearheaded the Indiana Historical Society’s multicultural collecting initiative, where she is actively is enriching the archives with over a century’s worth of history from Latino and Asian communities from across the state of Indiana. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Marian University and a Master of Arts in Museum Studies from Indiana University–Indianapolis.

Kisha Tandy is the Curator of Social History at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites. With over twenty years of experience in the museum field, she researches individuals and events, collects artifacts, and presents content focusing on Indiana’s history and cultural heritage. Kisha is an adjunct professor at the IU Indianapolis Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in American History, Master of Library Science, and Master of Public History from Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (now Indiana University Indianapolis). Kisha serves on the boards of the Asante Art Institute, CICOA-Central Indiana Council on Aging, Indiana Association of Historians, and the Indiana Album.

Adam Maksl, Ph.D., is Professor of Journalism & New Media and Chair of the Department of Communication at Indiana University Indianapolis. A scholar of news, media, and AI literacy, his work explores how citizens critically access, evaluate, and create information in complex media environments. He previously served as Senior Faculty Fellow for GenAI Learning Innovation across Indiana University, leading university-wide efforts to help faculty and students thoughtfully adapt to the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence. His recent work examines how emerging technologies are reshaping learning, civic engagement, and the ways people encounter and make sense of information. He is the co-author of “American Journalism and Fake News: Examining the Facts” and “Attacks on the American Press: A Documentary and Reference Guide.”

Cara Berg Raunick is a doctorally prepared women’s health nurse practitioner. She has worked clinically in family planning, sexual medicine, and vulvovaginal disease. She currently sees patients through PATH4YOU, Indiana’s statewide contraceptive access project. She is Director of Health Strategy and Advancement at Health Care Education and Training (HCET), a nonprofit focused on improving sexual and reproductive health in communities. Using and advocating a trauma-informed approach has been central to her philosophy of care since early in her career when she worked as a certified sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) at the Cleveland Clinic. Continuing this work, she now serves as the Director of the Midwest Trauma-Informed Training Center at HCET. Cara teaches frequently in community, academic, and professional settings on various sexual health, women’s health, and trauma-informed care topics.

Aspen Clemons serves as Executive Director of Prosperity Indiana, Indiana’s network for community economic development, where she provides executive leadership, advocacy, and strategic support in the areas of community development, housing affordability, consumer protections, and economic opportunity for low and moderate income households on behalf of Prosperity Indiana’s 200+ organizational members and over 1300 individual practitioners statewide.

A native of Anderson, Indiana, Aspen’s background includes intersectional professional experience across the public policy, nonprofit, higher education, and government sectors. Aspen is a sought-after thought leader, strategist, facilitator, and connector.

Laura Merrifield Wilson is Professor of Political Science and the Pre-Law Advisor at the University of Indianapolis. She is widely published in state government and election scholarship, including her recent book, The Exciting Dynamics of State and Local Government (2025) co-written and edited with Dr. Shufeldt. Wilson regularly appears as a political analyst in newspaper, TV, and radio. She is an original cast-member of the EMMY award-winning Fox 59 and CBS 4’s “IN Focus,” a writer for WFYI’s “Indiana Lawmakers,” and the host and producer of WICR’s “Positively Politics.” She has had the pleasure of moderating several statewide televised debates for various organizations, including two gubernatorial debates in 2016 and 2024, two US Senate debates in 2022 and 2024, and an Indiana SOS debate in 2022. Wilson has earned numerous recognitions including the IBJ’s Forty Under 40 (2022), UIndy’s Teacher of the Year (2021), and the May Wright Sewell Leadership Award (2025). Wilson earned her Bachelors in Theatre (2008) and Masters in Political Science (2010) from Ohio University and her Masters in Women’s Studies (2014), Masters in Public Administration (2012), and PhD in American Politics (2014) from the University of Alabama.

Gregory Ballard served as the 48th mayor of Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the United States Marine Corps. On November 6, 2007, he defeated two-term incumbent Democratic Mayor Bart Peterson and was re-elected to the position in 2011. He is running for Indiana Secretary of State in 2026 as an independent.

Lauri Shillings is a Libertarian candidate for Indiana secretary of state and chairwoman of the Hamilton County Libertarian Party. A creative director at the University of Indianapolis and a small business owner, Shillings brings a background in business management, transparency, and public accountability to a statewide office that oversees elections, business filings and public records.

Terrell “Mintea” Davis is a tea enthusiast, creative entrepreneur, and cultural curator dedicated to elevating the experience of tea through community, storytelling, and lifestyle. What started as a personal connection has grown into a dynamic brand that blends herbal culture with creative expression and intentional living. His love for tea began at an early age, inspired by his mother, who worked at Tea’s Me Cafe in Indianapolis, Indiana. Being exposed to tea culture as a child sparked a lasting appreciation that would later evolve into the foundation of his work today. That early influence continues to shape how he approaches tea. Not just as a beverage but as an experience that brings people together. Through his growing platform, Terrell has built a recognizable presence that merges tea with culture, connection, and everyday life. From curated pop-ups and collaborations to digital content that feels both relatable and innovative, he creates spaces where community and creativity can thrive. Whether he’s hosting, collaborating, or sharing a cup of tea, his goal remains the same: to create intentional moments that inspire connection, conversation, and culture.

Mintea will be hosting a tea lounge free for guests of ArcFest to enjoy throughout the day.

The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis (EOI) serves as an active and constant witness to the development and evolution of Indianapolis history. Updated continuously, EOI connects locals, students, educators, and visitors with the city’s past and helps them engage more effectively in its present and future.

The EOI will be one of the groups featured in our Community Activation Space hosted in the courtyard of Hine Hall during ArcFest.

MADVoters educates Hoosiers on voting, legislation, elections, and all things civics so they feel empowered to advocate for themselves at the ballot box, the statehouse, and beyond. Their vision is Mutually Assured Democracy – a state where people are civically informed, empowered, and engaged.

MADVoters will be conducting voter registration in our Community Activation Space.