Ball Bearings Magazine | Volume 11 Issue 2

BALL BEARINGS

The Muncie Issue

Spring 2020

MAGAZINE

MI DDLETOWN :

The un told s tories

Muncie is known nationally as America’s Middletown thanks to a series of sociological studies. However, some crucial perspectives were left out of its pages.20

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Contents

What’s inside The Muncie Issue

10.

14.

Spring 2020

34.

02.

From the editor 02. How the recent pandemic affected this issue 03. Who’s who on our team

04.

News 05. Spotlight on LGBTQ spaces in Muncie 06. How to support the environment, even after Earth Day 07. What to do this summer

38.

08.

Features

20.

On the cover 46.

48.

08. Take a look at Muncie’s history, from the 1700s until now.

10. Members of Muncie’s burlesque troupe share their journey to becoming performers.

14. A former factory worker shares his thoughts on the deindustrialization of Muncie.

20. The Untold Stories: Three residents who were left out of the demographics of the original Middletown study share how they made Muncie their home.

34.

Columns 34. How Muncie residents transformed a near-abandoned downtown into a prospering center for business and community.

38. A Muncie man creates his own community of creatives through his photo studio.

46. An organizer of Muncie’s first Pride on how the event came to be, and why he believes Muncie is ready for the celebration.

48.

Lifestyle 48. Take a look at some of the most Instagrammable places in and around Muncie to freshen up your feed.

Spring 2020 | Ball Bearings | 01

Letter from the Editor

I

From the Editor

I am writing this letter from my brand new office, and not to brag, but it’s really big. Big enough for two beds, actually.

Ok, I lied. I’m writing this from my hometown bedroom that I share with my sister because I’m self-isolating. We all are, right now.

It’s springtime and Ball State has moved all classes online and closed the residence halls in order to protect against COVID-19, a highly-contagious version of the coronavirus. All restaurants in Indiana are closed, ESPN can’t broadcast any sports, people are fighting each other for hand sanitizer and toilet paper, and they’re saying we could have another baby boom, for obvious reasons.

It seems like every day, something that I’ve taken for granted as part of normal life changes suddenly and I’m left struggling to adjust.

To top it all off, Ball Bearings was right in the middle of putting out our print edition, the one you’re reading right now. And even though it’s been one of the most stressful things I’ve had to do, I’m so happy we decided to go on with the magazine.

This was already kind of a weird year for us. For starters, we have no editor-in-chief. (I would’ve titled this leddiexecutive-editor, but it just doesn’t have the same ring to it.) Griffin, our managing editor, and I have taken on coeditor-in-chief positions in addition to our other jobs for the spring semester to make up for this. Until we all went home, I pretty much lived in our newsroom. It was starting to feel like my primary residence.

We also changed up our format. In keeping with the lifestyle publication we launched last year, we’ve been

teaching our writers to work within different styles, and have focused much of our efforts in building this new publication from the ground up.

This theme is even new for us. We wanted to seek out and cover more local stories, and so we decided to center our publication around Muncie for the semester. Everything was different, so it was important to make sure we all did our best to be part of a team and communicate with each other. And then COVID-19 happened, and we all moved to different “offices.”

So it’s a good thing that Ball Bearings has the best staff in the world (not that I’m biased). When we decided to keep our print edition going, everyone could not have been more supportive. We had virtual meetings. We changed our photo plans last minute. We made a new social media strategy. There was no obstacle we couldn’t overcome, because we care too much about this magazine and the people whose stories reside in its pages.

When you read this issue, I hope you feel proud. Proud of the people who took a nearly deserted downtown and revitalized it. Proud of the people whose perspectives feel erased from Muncie’s national narrative but who still work to make sure their city thrives. Proud of Queer Chocolatier and Foto-Therapy and the Fabulous Funcie Femmes and all the things that make Muncie a beautiful place to live.

But I also hope you feel proud of the people behind the scenes of these stories. The journalists who decided to put out a magazine even when everything seemed to be against them.

This issue is about Muncie. I am so proud of the way it turned out. g

Sam Nower Executive Editor srnower@bsu.edu @samanthanower

The Ball Bearings staff celebrates the launch of the fall 2019 issue.

Ball Bearings Magazine is published bi-annually, once during the fall semester and once during the spring semester.

Ball Bearings | Ball State University | Muncie, Indiana | Spring 2020 | ballbearingsmag14@gmail.com

BALL BEARINGS

Ball State Online

BallBearingsMag.com @ballbearingsmag

Executive Executive Editor Samantha Nower Managing Editor Griffin Sciarra Lifestyle Editor Annelise Hanshaw Art Director Emily Wright Digital Design Director Elliott DeRose

Editorial Senior Editors Sophie Edens Becca Foerder Taylor Smith Staff Writers Haley Boyce Pauleina Brunnemer Robbie Moscato-Goodpaster Natasha Leland Arianna Sergio Sophia Senese Molly Ellenberger Lily Staatz Rebekah Hoffer

Photo and Video Photo Editor Shannon McCloskey Video Editor Maya Montague Staff Photographers Riley Bastin Therese Jirgal Logan Wood Joshua Smith Jacob Musselman Kristen Triplett Nathan Abbott Staff Videographers Haley Boyce Kara Hernandez Mason Kupiainen Hope Stauffer Zoe Hagymasi Rebekah Hoffer Alex Hockenberry Paul Vela

Adviser Lisa Renze-Rhodes

Fly further with online courses this summer.

350+ online courses

to choose from.

Register now! bsu.edu/online/summer

News

Trending Topics .

Quick takes on the stories impacting

LGBTQ spaces in Muncie 

the Muncie and Ball State communities, here and now.

Editor’s note: These stories were written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Indiana Stay-at-Home Order, so some events mentioned may be postponed, canceled, or altered. We’re sorry for any inaccuracies.

04 | BallBearingsMag.com | Spring 2020

Celebrating Earth Day in Muncie 06

Summer events in the city 07

Queer and There in Muncie A spotlight on three Muncie businesses and organizations that support the LGTBQ community.

By Rebeckah Hoffer

1.

Queer Chocolatier

Perhaps the most well-known LGBTQ space in Muncie, Queer Chocolatier is located just down  the street from Ball State in the Village. This chocolate shop is owned by Morgan Roddy and her wife Cheri Madewell, and features a wide variety of truffles, pastries, drinking chocolate, and other beverages. All of Queer Chocolatier’s ingredients are ethically sourced, and many items on the menu are vegan, including the truffles.

Beneath the “Family Wall ‘’ of photos celebrating the history and diversity of the LGBTQ community, you’ll find a bookshelf overflowing with titles Unsplash, Photo Courtesy like Gender Trouble by Judith Butler and Fun Home by Alison Bechdel.

This collection serves as a miniature resource library for anyone curious about gender and sexuality — and it’s perfect for perusing a few pages while you polish off a pastry.

According to the shop’s website, they have around 40 books in the library that explore LGBTQ topics. The shop also has a Little Free Library.

Of course, Queer Chocolatier offers more than just food and reading material. They host open mic nights, book readings, chocolate tastings, “Gayyyme Nights,” and more. If you’re looking for a community hub that prides itself on being a safe, sober space for folks of all sorts — or if you’re just looking to satisfy your sweet tooth — Queer Chocolatier is the place to be.

2.

Mark III Taproom

Muncie’s oldest and only LGBTQ nightclub, established in 1968.

Although Mark III Taproom is only open to those 21 and over, it offers a wide variety of energetic events and delightful drinks.

They host monthly drag shows, weekly karaoke nights, and daily all-around good times — not to mention their $2 tacos. Stop by on a Friday for free pool games, and check out the events calendar on the club’s website to find out when the

next trivia night or themed dance party is happening. Don’t forget to try one of their signature Rainbow Long Islands.

Mark III Taproom also holds fundraisers, benefits, free HIV/AIDS testing, safe sex supplies and information, and other events that focus on the health of the LGBTQ community. Stroll down to South Walnut Street to check them out, right across from Made in Muncie Pottery.

3.

Muncie OUTreach

For the younger members of the LGBTQ community, Muncie OUTreach provides a space to connect, learn, and have fun. This program provides support groups for parents of LGBTQ kids, youth groups for ages 12-20, weekly art and robotics clubs, and much more.

One of their biggest current projects is organizing Muncie’s first-ever Pride this coming September (find more information on that at munciepride.org). According to their website, before Muncie OUTreach was established, founder Laura Janney realized there were very few resources available for LGBTQ kids in the area — now, they only have to look as far as the YWCA downtown. g

Spring 2020 | Ball Bearings | 05

News

5 ways to celebrate 50 years The 50th anniversary of Earth Day was April 22, but you can still show your love and support for the environment by taking part in these activities, on campus and off.

By Sophia Senese

sy rte Cou hoto P , h as Unspl

Spend some time in nature.

Muncie has many opportunities for you to get out and appreciate nature. One thing you can do is visit Minnetrista. Take a walk, go to the farmers market, schedule a tour, browse the Orchard Shop, or simply visit the gardens and nature area.

The Rinard Orchid Greenhouse is located on the southwest side of Ball State’s campus. You can schedule a tour or simply browse the different plants and orchids they have to offer. It’s a great way to de-stress and be one with nature and all its beauty.

Christy Woods is another great option.

These on-campus woods are open to the public for guided and self-guided tours. For the month of April, the tours feature spring wildflowers.

Practice green efforts.

Recycling is a simple way you can be a little more green on an everyday basis. When shopping, try to bring reusable bags rather than plastic bags.

Refillable water bottles can also be a simple fix to help reduce single-use plastics. Also, try storing food in Tupperware rather than zip-close bags.

You can go paperless around your house, purchase products made from recycled materials, and use dish towels instead of paper towels.

06 | BallBearingsMag.com | Spring 2020

Learn how to be green on campus.

Ball State is a top green university. Take advantage of the many ways Ball State promotes a green campus.

According to the 2016-17 Ball State Campus Green Guide, oncampus housing offers inhall recycling, ozone water for cleaning, and energyefficient lights.

Instead of driving to class, you can take advantage of Charlie’s Charter bus.

Charlie’s Charter is a shuttle service that provides free transportation on Ball State University’s campus in the evenings. You can also take advantage of the Ball State’s shuttle bus service.

Download the Transloc Real-Time Tracking app and track the times of all the different routes.

Go “unplugged” for the day.

It sounds impossible, but try turning off all electronics and lights and unplug all appliances. This not only helps conserve energy, but it also allows you to enjoy being present in the moment.

Get involved in the community.

There are plenty of ways to volunteer around the community. One way is by doing a community clean up. Student Voluntary Services (SVS) at Ball State University seeks to send out students into the community so they can give back and serve others. They have annual community clean up events.

According to SVS, there are no Earth Day service events scheduled, but they have other events on a weekly basis that allow you to get out in the Muncie community and help.

Check out their website for more information on upcoming service and volunteer opportunities.

Moonlight Movies

Check out some of the best summer activities to do in Muncie.

By Molly Ellenberger

The Barking Cow

Pauleina Brunnemer, DN File

Ice cream, ice cream, don’t just read all about it. If you head on over to South Walnut Street in downtown Muncie, this little eatery has tons to offer. Especially during the summer, ice cream is a delicious treat to enjoy during those hot and muggy days.

Whether it’s Cookie Fest, Rebel Delight, or Bearcat Sundae, The Barking Cow has the perfect flavor for you.

Unspla sh, Ph oto

We know what you’ll do this summer

s Court esy; Em ily

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How does a cool summer night, out on the lawn, sitting on a blanket watching a fun movie sound? If you visit Canan Commons during summer months, be sure to go to Moonlight Movies for the perfect outdoor theater experience. It’s great for date night, family time, or fun with friends.

Canan Commons shows four movies throughout the summer months at 8 p.m.

Vendors will have light snacks on site. Make sure to bring a blanket or lawn chair.

Foodie Fridays at Canan Commons

Calling all food fanatics, if you love trying different foods or just want to enjoy your lunch outside, come to Foodie Fridays at Canan Commons. Every Friday during June and July, Foodie Fridays happen at the Canan Commons in downtown Muncie from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

There will be food trucks and entertainment. You can bring your own food or buy something delicious from the rotating cycle of vendors.

your year-round gathering place come discover something new at minnetrista

Farmers Market at Minnetrista

If you crave fresh fruits and vegetables during the summer, you may want to check out the farmers market at Minnetrista.

Every Saturday from May to October, Minnetrista holds a farmers market. During May and October it is open from 9 a.m. to noon, and during the months of June to September it is open 8 a.m. to noon.

Whether you’re looking for homegrown fruits and vegetables or on the hunt for flowers, there are plenty of fresh produce and plants to choose from. Almost all vendors are local. Even if you don’t have a desire to buy anything, the atmosphere may draw you in. If your summer is busy, no need to worry. The farmers market moves inside during winter months so the fun doesn’t have to stop.

minnetrista.net

1200 n. minnetrista pkwy. muncie, in 47303 . 765.282.4848

Origins of Muncie How well do you know your Muncie history? This timeline, from the 1700s until now, breaks down some important events.

1837

The area’s first newspaper was published, called

Story by Natasha Leland Illustrations by Emily Wright Early history

Delaware County was first settled by the Lenape people.

The Lenape were pushed out of their

trading post so he could trade with the local indians which he called “the noble red men.” In fact, he became an honorary chief for the Miami Indians after helping them in a conflict.

1818

Local Native Americans were homes in New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and eastern New York by the force of the United State’s budding government.

They founded several towns along the White River, including Munsee Town.

Early 1810s

The first white settler, David Connor, came to the area. He created a

08

forced to move further west by the government.

Early 1820s

White settlers came to Munsee Town.

1827

1790s - 1865

1790s

Becoming Muncie

Delaware County formed and was named after the

Delaware Indians.

Munsee Town became the county seat. It was made up of pioneers and was largely agriculture based.

1828

Mail service reached the area, and the government changed

the name from Munsee Town to Muncietown.

1845 The Muncietonian, which offers the first in-depth description of Muncie: Three Hundred and twenty inhabitants, a post office, a printing office, four physicians, six mercantile stores, three taverns, three groceries, one grist-mill, one saw-mill, one distillery, one carding machine, one cabinetmaker’s shop, two tailors, two hatters, one shoe-maker, six house-joiners, one bricklayer and plasterer, two chairmakers, two tanners, two blacksmiths, one gunsmith, one wagon maker, one painter, one saddler’s shop, four milliners, one schoolmistress, one Sheriff, one Clerk of Court, two magistrates, one School Commissioner, one County Surveyor and Recorder.

Muncietown was shortened to Muncie by the Indiana General Assembly.

1865

Muncie became an actual town with its first mayor, John Brady.

Read more The loss of factories

More on the

in Muncie: A city

Middletown Studies:

deconstructed10

The Untold Stories20

1899

The Muncie Boom

Natural gas was discovered in Eaton,

Muncie National Institute was created. This was Ball State University’s original campus.

In 1922, it added the name “Ball Teachers College”, and it

1935

1910

A depletion of natural gas left Muncie’s large labor

became Ball State Teachers College in 1929.

1924

Indiana, which is 20 minutes away from Muncie.

1887

The Ball Brothers Glass Manufacturing came to the area

from Buffalo, New York. This period was known as the Muncie Boom.

The population from the 1880’s to 1900 went from 5,000 to 20,000.

Muncie was chosen

by Robert and Helen Lynd for a study known as the force to turn to the automotive industry, which had a boom of its own after World War I.

1918

The Ball Brothers bought the Muncie National Institute

and donated it to the state of Indiana.

Then it was named Indiana State Normal School.

Middletown: A Study in Modern American Culture was published in 1929.

Middletown Studies.

It was chosen as a model for a typical American city due to its dramatic shift from a farmingbased community to an industrial town.

The first study,

1876 - current

1876

Modern-day Muncie

move elsewhere.

In 1980, Muncie’s population was over 77,000, but 10 years later it was just above 71,000.

2009

BorgWarner, a factory that had a 100-year history in Muncie making

The Lynds came back to Muncie to see how the Great Depression had affected life. It was called Middletown in Transition: A Study of Cultural Conflicts.

1965

Ball State became a university.

automotive parts, closed its doors.

Many residents lost friends and jobs.

2018

Ball State University celebrates its centennial. g

1970s

Many of Muncie’s manufacturing plants started to close or

Spring 2020 | Ball Bearings | 09

Burlesque: ‘110% feminist’

By Arianna Sergio

Feature

1.

T

he Fabulous Funcie Femmes, Muncie’s burlesque troupe, was founded at a Mexican restaurant.

Stephanie Hutchison had just finished a burlesque class at her dance studio, and was celebrating with the other women in the class and their instructor Darci McWilliams, otherwise known by her burlesque name, Pepper Mills.

The women talked over their margaritas and tacos, reliving the excitement of the class and talking about the future. It was here that they decided they needed to take their passion for burlesque to the next level.

Burlesque is a form of theatrical entertainment that features parody and typically consists of comic skits. Sometimes, it also features a chorus line or striptease, according to the New World Encyclopedia.

Burlesque was introduced in the 19th century as a mix of adult entertainment, performance art, and satire. It was originally featured in music hall entertainment and vaudeville, according to New World Encyclopedia.

10 | BallBearingsMag.com | Spring 2020

1. Margo Lugoski. The Fabulous Funcie Femmes, Photo Provided 2. Bettie Nuggs. The Fabulous Funcie Femmes, Photo Provided

2.

The Fabulous Funcie Femmes are a group of performers who bring a modern take to a specific kind of vintage entertainment: Burlesque.

Spring 2020 | Ball Bearings | 11

Feature

Stephanie, otherwise known by her stage name as Margot Lugosi, started her burlesque journey in the studio she owned with her mother, Studio Exhale.

Margot started teaching burlesque-based workout and dance classes.

Minx Le Mew, another member of the Funcie Femmes who got her start in Margot’s dance studio, has a background in costume designing and has done pinups for years. She wanted to do burlesque because for her, it was a natural progression of what she was already doing. She loved the glitz and glam, body positivity, and the community as a whole. She wanted to be a part of it, but there was no outlet for it.

That is until she caught wind of the burlesque classes that were being offered at Studio Exhale.

She didn’t hesitate to sign up. After meeting Margot, the two instantly clicked, so she decided to drag Lady J, her friend, to the classes. It didn’t take much convincing to get her to join. On top of liking pinup style, Lady J has multiple sclerosis and wanted to exercise, so it was a no-brainer for Minx to introduce her to Margot and the burlesque class.

One day, Pepper Mills did a workshop for their class. It was then that the group of women decided they wanted to perform burlesque seriously.

They mentioned the idea to Pepper, a performer herself, and asked for her help. After that class, the four women and Pepper Mills talked over a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa at Casa Del Sol, a Mexican restaurant in downtown Muncie. The rest was history.

Pepper said she thought the women could really do it and thought they had “talent and style,” so she offered to book them in her next show. She urged the group of women that they would be the first ever burlesque troupe in Muncie. It was February 2016 and her next show was in May. They received their big break in May of 2016, when they were invited to perform in PEEP!, which was created by fellow burlesque performer Pepper Mills. PEEP! was the first burlesque show they performed in together and their first show as individuals. The only previous experience they each had were the classes at Margot’s studio.

The women had their burlesque names picked and started the development of their characters months before PEEP! began, but the show helped them further develop their characters and grow into the women they are today.

“We were all so nervous. But I remember getting on the stage and as we were doing the number, the nerves

“I just think there is some enrichment that we can bring just 3.

12 | BallBearingsMag.com | Spring 2020

4.

as people and performers that Muncie probably needs.” turned to a high and then it was over,” says Minx. “We had been bitten by the burlesque bug and I knew then most of us would make this happen for real.”

After a revolving door of people joining and quitting, the burlesque troupe now consists of Margot Lugosi, Minx Le Mew, Lady J, Bettie Nuggs, Greta Glee, Dolores Daze, and Kiki LeRoux.

The group has troupe “kittens”, who act as assistants to the main performers. The kittens are made up of Alyson Marchere, who is “head kitten”, Mischief McQueen, and Sparky Andersyn, who also acts as the stage manager and emcee. The kittens set up props, do all the pickup, conduct intermission games, raffle off tickets, and sometimes even help out with a performance.

Besides the performers and kittens, there are other members of the Funcie Femmes team who work to make sure the show goes perfectly. Sound is courtesy of DJ Mecca. The host and additional emcee is Count Funkenstein. The head photographer is Cameron Grubbs. The self dubbed ‘Fabulous Funcie Femmes historian’ is Nathan Prang, Lady J’s husband.

The man in charge of their merchandise table is ‘Merch Table Brad,’ Margot Lugosi’s significant other.

“It’s kind of funny how we all have our own personas and our characters, but really I think we are that person inside,” says Minx. “It’s just, your persona is the way you can bring that other side out. I’m Minx, but Minx is that side that I want to be all the time. A couple times a month or once a month, I get to show everybody who is inside.”

Burlesque is about being in control and only doing what the performer is willing to do, Bettie says. “[Burlesque] is 110% feminist. You are not going to find a burlesque dancer that is not a feminist. It’s a very powerful thing you can do. You’re in control. You get out there and you take off what you want to take off and you do what you want to do. You’re sharing it with other people,” Bettie says.

The troupe is not only known for their burlesque skills, but also their generosity within the community.

The Fabulous Funcie Femmes do a great deal of charity work. Lady J hosts an annual Orange Ball, which is a benefit for the Multiple Sclerosis in Indiana. The ladies also do the Star Follies, which is a benefit for the Muncie Civic Theater, and Hot Rods for Hunger, which benefits hunger relief and poverty alleviation programs in East Central Indiana.

The troupe also performs at events within the community, like the annual Old Washington Street Festival and this year’s Muncie Pride.

“I joke we are strippers with hearts, but we really do want to get out into the community and help more and bring a light to what we do, an education,” Minx says. “I just think there is some enrichment that we can bring just as people and performers that Muncie probably needs.”

Studio Exhale has since been closed down, but this was where Margot Lugosi, Minx Le Mew, Lady J, and Tantra Mankiller, created their group and left their fabulous mark on Muncie. g

- Minx Le Mew, Member of the Funcie Femmes

3. Lady J. The Fabulous Funcie Femmes, Photo Provided

4. Sparky Andersyn, Kiki LeRoux and Alyson Marchere. The Fabulous Funcie Femmes, Photo Provided

Spring 2020 | Ball Bearings | 13

Feature

The Muncie Chevrolet plant in the 1960s.

Digital Media Repository, Photo Courtesy

14 | BallBearingsMag.com | Spring 2020

A

city

deconstructed

a city deconstructed

A

c i t y

d e c o n s t r u c t e d

By Becca Foerder

The site of the old Borg Warner factory on March 18, 2020.

Shannon McCloskey, Ball Bearings

Muncie was once a factory city, but in recent years has experienced rapid deindustrialization. Spring 2020 | Ball Bearings | 15

Feature

If you took a time machine back to the 20th century in Muncie, Indiana, you would find factories booming and thriving all throughout the city, according to the Delaware County History website.

In 1880, Muncie experienced The Gas Boom. The discovery of natural gas in Indiana meant that towns like Muncie could attract industry to them with the promise of free natural gas. According to the American Oil & Gas Historical Society, this was when the Ball Brothers factory moved to Muncie, and when 162 factories came to the “Gas Belt,” which consisted of Muncie, Kokomo, Anderson, and Marion.

The upsurge of the automobile industry in the early 1900s brought even more factories to the little Indiana town. According to the Indiana Historical Society, industrialization hit its peak in Muncie in the 1950s during the post-World War II boom.

“The Midwest was one of the fastest growing places in the world,” says Dr. Michael Hicks, professor of economics at Ball State University.

Along with the rapid growth of factories came stable, high-paying jobs. Population rates grew to an all-time high, employment rates in the city began to skyrocket, and the community thrived like never before, according to the Muncie Public Library.

Factories like Borg Warner, Chevrolet and Ball Brothers Co. not only provided jobs for a huge portion of the Muncie population, but also seemed to create tight-knit communities and a sense of togetherness throughout the entire city.

The boom of factories and growing industrialization in Muncie came to a quick halt around the end of the 20th century.

According to the Muncie Public Library, the more than 20% of the population that had been employed by factories in the 1970s had dropped to a staggering 7% by 2000.

According to Hicks, the 12,000 factory workers that were employed in Muncie in August of 1995 decreased significantly to 3,900 factory workers that were employed in Muncie in January of 2020.

The site of the old Borg Warner factory. Shannon McCloskey, Ball Bearings

16 | BallBearingsMag.com | Spring 2020

3 The Borg Warner old factory site lies empty with fog on the outskirts of Muncie on March 18, 2020.

Shannon McCloskey, Ball Bearings

17

Feature

3 New lettering and a facade are added to the Muncie Chevrolet plant in the 1960s. During this period, the plant witnessed growth and expansion before later facing hardship beginning in the late 1970s and 1980s.

After a series of ownership changes, the factory closed in 2006. Digital Media Repository, Photo Courtesy

18

The Muncie Chevrolet plant that employed more than 3,000 people closed its doors permanently in 2006. Borg Warner, an automotive manufacturer that employed nearly 4,000 people, followed suit in 2009.

Muncie resident Rick Shirk worked at the Muncie Borg Warner plant for 32 years. He spent the majority of his life working within the 1.1 million square feet of the plant. Rick says it was the high starting wages and unbeatable benefits that initially drew him to the factory.

Fortunately for him, Rick retired just three months before Borg Warner closed its doors in July 2009.

“I was one of the lucky ones. Not everyone was that lucky,” Rick says.

Rick left Borg Warner not because of the impending shutdown, but rather because things were starting to change, including the factory’s decision to hire women and other minority groups. Rick believes major changes like these were one reason why the factory started to decline so rapidly. He knew he had the ability to leave before things at the factory really took a turn for the worse, so that’s exactly what he did. He says it wasn’t a shock to anyone when they announced the factory was closing, but that didn’t make it any less difficult.

Rick says working at the factory was a lot of fun when he first started in 1973, at the age of 22.

“In the summertime, it’d be so hot. We used to fill up buckets with water balloons and we’d sneak up and hit each other in the back with them,” he says.

Rick emphasizes to anyone who asks about his time at Borg Warner that life at the factory was anything but clean. Despite the employment of cleaning crews, the use of oil in the plant created thick layers of dirt and grime on most of the surfaces. The workers would come home after long shifts reeking of oil and sweat.

“Working at the factory was never a clean job. You could look down the aisles and see the oil mist just lingering in the air,” Rick says. “It was everywhere.”

Throughout his time at Borg Warner, Rick filled many different positions.

He operated numerous types of machinery and moved around from sector to sector. In other words, he knew the ins and outs of the factory just about better than anybody. Although he wasn’t laid off like some as a result of the shutdown of Borg Warner, the closing of the plant was still difficult for him to witness.

“The closing of factories around Muncie has killed a huge part of the city,” Rick says.

Hicks agrees that the jobs lost by the closing plants were a devastating blow to the community, not just economically, but also socially.

“The things that sustain a community are not factory jobs, but the relationships we have with other people, which are greatly enhanced by jobs,” Hicks says.

You don’t have to go back too far in a history book to see how integral factories were to the growth and development of Muncie. The shutdown of factories not only left thousands of people without jobs, but also left a gaping hole in the Muncie community.

But the effects of deindustrialization were felt all across the country, not just in Muncie.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an estimated 7.5 million Americans have lost their jobs due to factories shutting down since 1980. Manufacturing employment is lower now than it has been in decades as the country continues to shift away from the industrydriven economy it once was.

If you took a drive around Muncie now, it would look a lot different than it did back in the mid-20th century. Factories that were once flourishing are now abandoned and sit in empty lots, left to rot and decay. g Editor’s note: The views expressed by the people in this story do not necessarily reflect the views of Ball Bearings.

3The Borg Warner factory off of Kilgore Avenue in Muncie, Indiana, now sits barren after serving as a major work hub. The site closed down in 2009.

Shannon McCloskey, Ball Bearings

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Feature

MIDDLETOWN:

Russell Irving, Keith O’Neal, and Bibi Bahrami call Muncie home.

Their experiences are vastly different, but share one thing in common: they’ve been left out of a national narrative. One that’s defined Muncie for decades.

In the 1920s, Robert and Helen Lynd published their first collection of surveys and other sociological studies in their book “Middletown: A Study of Modern American Culture.” This 500-page study examined the lives of individuals living in what the Lynds considered an average American town, but some perspectives were not included in its pages.

By Taylor Smith

The Untold Stories

“R

obert and Helen Lynd wanted to focus on relations between the ‘business class’ and the working class,” says James Connolly, director of the Center for Middletown Studies. “To do that they tried to eliminate other variables, such as racial or ethnic differences. They picked Muncie as a place to study in part because they thought it was a homogeneous place. That approach was a mistake since class can’t be easily separated from race, ethnicity, religion, or other categories.”

The Lynds’ study would soon be celebrated as a triumph in the world of sociology. Middletown would go on to symbolically represent the attitudes and actions of middle America for years to come. Even today, Muncie is viewed by many as a typical American town, all thanks to the data gathered by the Lynds.

The Lynd’s decided to conduct their studies on the residents of Muncie, Indiana, because they believed the town had a “small African-American and foreign-born population.” Their surveys and data left members of the Muncie community out of their research.

“The one thing I think deserves more attention is the ways in which Muncie was and is diverse,” Connolly says.

“Outsiders tend to think of [Muncie] as filled with white, blue-collar people and little else. That’s true to some extent, but there is more variety when you look more closely at the city’s history and present character.”

At the time of the Lynds’ study, there were many citizens outside of their parameters. Today, as many people still look to Muncie as a hallmark of the Midwest, there are missing perspectives that walk by everyday.

Perspectives that live in Muncie neighborhoods, have memories of Muncie childhoods, have loved and lost and persevered, and who are just as much a part of Muncie as the Middletown subjects. The only difference is that they are largely forgotten by the wider world, overshadowed by the results of Middletown.

Russell Irving, Bishop Keith O’Neal, and Bibi Bahrami are just three of the many perspectives that weren’t represented in the Middletown studies.

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the untold stories

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Middletown: The Untold Stories

01.

Russell Irving Russell Irving runs his fingers over the spines of old novels in The Neely House’s library, pointing out how each one was cut from the book it once belonged to and laughing as he described it as “the world’s largest collection of short stories.”

3

Russell Irving (left) with husband Ean Taylor (right). Russell and Ean are the co-owners of The Neely House restaurant.

Russel Irving, Photo Provided

3Russel Irving sits in the library of The Neely House. The house was originally built in 1852, and Russel is proud to share its history through the restaurant. The Neely House, Photo Courtesy

The library is on the back wall of one of the dining rooms in The Neely House, which Russell, with the help of a few others, decorated and remodeled himself.

Russell is the co-owner of The Neely House, a restaurant that is modeled on Thomas S. Neely, a Muncie pioneer who kept extensive journals about life in the 1800s. The Neely House recreates life as it might have been during this time and serves historically accurate food. Russell is proud of what he offers Muncie, a classic and historical artifact of the town’s past and a place for Muncie residents to enjoy the “No. 1 brunch in Indiana.”

Muncie has always been home for Russell, and he’s most comfortable at The Neely House. He gives a spontaneous tour of each individual room, explaining what it was used for in the house’s earlier days, and grinning widely as he shares his extensive knowledge of Thomas Neely and his relation to Muncie history.

Muncie is where Russell’s family is, where his life with his husband, Ean Taylor, grows and thrives, and where his prized restaurant continues to succeed.

But Muncie didn’t always bring Russell a sense of satisfaction and belonging. Growing up as a gay man in Muncie during the 1960s and 70s made acceptance hard to come by.

Russell started having feelings that something was different about him when he was younger. It was the 60s in the Midwest, and Russell didn’t have many resources to turn to as a way to explore what he was experiencing. So he did what most children his age would do: he turned to his mother.

How come whenever two people get married it’s always one man and one woman, and it’s never two men or two women?

Russell asked her.

“I remember she just went crazy. She just went sick and twisted, so all I remember is, ‘wow, there’s a lot more to that question,’” he says.

But the answer he received didn’t stop Russell from continuing to wonder. As he hit puberty, the answer to his questions became clearer, but it didn’t make his life any easier.

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Middletown: The Untold Stories

Feature

“I realized I was different by things that were out of my control,” Russell says, “and there was just a huge amount of shame.”

Because of this, Russell experienced discomfort throughout high school. He doesn’t remember that period of life fondly because of the internal struggle he experienced.

“I thought about suicide many times as a teenager,” Russell says. “I prayed every night from the time I was 13 to 17 for God to take the things out of my head that were in there.”

But the things in Russell’s head never left, and he remembers crying and praying, telling God, “This can’t be right. You’ve got to fix this.”

At 17 years old, Russell accepted that the thoughts weren’t going away, so he decided he would get as far away from his family as possible to save them shame.

Russell moved to Los Angeles for college where he studied animation at California Institute of the Arts.

But leaving Muncie didn’t mean leaving behind the part of him Russell felt ashamed of; it meant trying to figure it out. Russell made plans to get a psychiatric evaluation to “get fixed,” but his psychiatrist had other knowledge to share.

His psychiatrist told him that being gay wasn’t a mental illness; Russell’s real problem was that he grew up in a community that was unaccepting.

Russell began what he calls his exploratory phase of his life at that point, trying to build himself in the Los Angeles culture he was immersed in. His first step was self-acceptance and surrounding himself with people who accepted him. He made friends, and even had his first boyfriend.

“To be around people who accept you is so comforting and so addicting,” he says.

While still in California, Russell’s mother called him and asked if he and his boyfriend were living together. That phone call is when he officially came out to his parents.

He was 22.

Are you kidding? She asked.

You call me from 2000 miles away to ask me this, and you think I’m kidding? Was Russell’s reply.

A big struggle of coming out, Russell said, is that he wanted the comfort of hearing other people tell him that he was okay. But the real struggle is being able to tell yourself that you are okay, and sometimes Russell had to do that even when other people told him the opposite.

“At the end of the day, you have to put your head on your pillow and believe that you’re okay.”

Today, living in Muncie again with Ean, who Russell considers “the single greatest human” he knows, Russell knows that he is okay. He never thought he would live to see the advent of things like “Will and Grace,” marriage

24 | BallBearingsMag.com | Spring 2020

“

To be around people who accept you is so comforting and

so ddicting.” a - Russel Irving

equality, and acceptance in books, movies, and TV shows, but he is happy for the kids who are able to grow up in an environment more accepting than the one he grew up in.

“I think it’s great that we have gotten to that place, but I think Muncie still struggles,” he says. “I still have people who don’t care for me and think that [being gay] is a lifestyle that was chosen. They don’t understand. Ignorance is rampant.”

Being gay, Russell said, is synonymous with having no moral compass for some people, and Russell thinks this is because there is a huge shortage of critical thinking.

People find comfort in following rules and religious norms, he says, and they don’t use critical thinking to search for the whole truth.

Russell hopes more people start thinking critically, but he is not one to protest with signs and march in the streets.

He understands that he has done his part, and that society as a whole is what needs to continue to change.

“I can’t fix people that are broken. I can’t fix the way people think. I can just simply live by example. And that’s always been my activism. I live a life I’m proud of, and if people learn something from it, that’s their choice.”

3The Neely House is located at 617 E. Adams St. in Muncie, Indiana.

The food served at the restaurant is historically accurate for the time period in which the house was built.

Taylor Smith, Ball Bearings Russell Irving examines a book in Ball State University’s Bracken Library. Russel Irving, Photo Provided

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the untold stories

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Middletown: The Untold Stories

02.

Keith O’Neal Keith O’Neal sits in front of one of the large windows in the conference room of Destiny Christian Center International, the light from outside illuminating his already glowing smile.

3

Keith O’Neal preaches during a church service at Destiny Christian Center. Keith says that he knew from age 23 that he was called to be a pastor. Keith O’Neal, Photo Provided

3Keith O’Neal, the founder of Destiny Christian Center. Keith O’Neal, Photo Provided

Keith has spent all but three years of his life in Muncie.

At 59 years old, he has established his own church in his hometown and built what he considers the “most diverse church community” in Muncie, and he believes that throughout his life, God prepared him for the job.

Despite being a pastor now, there was a time in Keith’s life when his faith in God was tested.

There were times where he doubted God and the plans He had for Keith and his family. When he and his wife divorced after 15 years of marriage, the two spent 18 years apart. During that period of time, Keith questioned moving out of Muncie and possibly changing his career path.

It seems like you’re leaving me here, Keith would say to God. Are you trying to kill me?

“I went through some very dark times when we got divorced,” he says. “Even some poverty issues that I had never experienced before. My parents were considered well-off, and then all of a sudden I found myself lacking.”

Keith’s parents were both involved in the education system growing up. Their jobs were very different from most black families Keith knew at the time, and because of this, he found himself “navigating both worlds” in terms of class and race.

Growing up, most, if not all, of his friends were white, and despite being one of the only black families in Halteman Village, his friends were all very accepting of him and his family. But his experience was culturally different from other black families living in Muncie during the 70s.

Keith says that he remembers a divide between Muncie’s business class and working class during the 70s.

Most of his black family friends, as well as people who were not exclusively black, he remembers, were part of the working class at that time.

Struggling after his divorce, and grappling with money issues for the first time in his life, the Muncie that Keith had known suddenly seemed very different. But Keith says he knew God was teaching him important lessons during that time of his life.

“There was a whole lot of softening of some really prideful attitudes that I had, which actually helped to qualify me for what I’m doing now,” he says. “I never could have pastored in that shape.”

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Feature

I just knew in my heart it was time to launch [Destiny

Middletown: The Untold Stories

Christian Center]. There was nothing good about the timing at all, but

it wacsall.” a - Keith O’Neal

28 | BallBearingsMag.com | Spring 2020

Keith says he was called to pastor. After his encounter with God when he was 22, he knew by the time he was 23 that he would be a pastor, but he didn’t become one until he was 45 years old.

“It was a call. It was time, and I just knew in my heart it was time to launch [Destiny Christian Center],” he says.

“There was nothing good about the timing at all, but it was a call.”

The church, which started as an eight-person team in Keith’s living room, could have been established anywhere.

Keith says he had lots of options, but Muncie has always been his home.

“I feel called to Muncie. It’s really that simple. I love Muncie, and that’s why I stay.”

Today, Destiny Christian Center’s membership is around 400 people on average, and nearly half of its community is composed of individuals who would not have been included in Muncie’s Middletown Studies.

“We’re a very community-oriented serving church, and we are arguably the most diverse church in our city,” Keith says. “Out of those people who attend regularly, it’s probably 45% African American, which is very rare in this nation, and even more rare in this region, especially with a black pastor.”

“If you don’t have the voices and the representation around the table and in the decision-making processes, you just continue to leave people out,” Keith says. “I’ve been [in Muncie] forever, and what is very obvious is that black people have just been left out of the decision-making process. You have very few black people that are in the position to make decisions that would affect those that look like them.”

For Keith, improvement begins with intentionality.

People have to want change in order for change to happen, he says. Everyone’s voice needs to be heard, and there has to be intention to make that happen.

When Keith reads the Bible, he says he cannot not read it as a black man. He reads the story of the Exodus from the perspective of the oppressed, but others who are different from him may not read it the same way, and crucial perspectives are therefore ignored.

“We need to be willing to hear things from another perspective. We need to get that experience of what it might be like to be someone else,” Keith says. “We live in an adversarial nation, and so it’s impossible to get the best product [of society] because we spend all of our time trying to tear each other down.”

The bottom line, Keith says, is that we all need to come together to figure out how to make sure everyone is taken care of and heard, and that’s the message Keith lives every day as he walks through the doors of Destiny Christian Center, ready to welcome anyone into his community with open arms and a glowing smile.

3The Destiny Christian Center is located at 5000 E. Centennial Ave. in Muncie, Indiana. Emily Wright, Ball Bearings Keith O’Neal delivers a sermon at the Destiny Christian Center. The church started in Keith’s living room with eight people and has grown to a membership around 400. Keith O’Neal, Photo Provided

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the untold stories

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Middletown: The Untold Stories

03.

Bibi Bahrami Unlike Russell and Keith, Bibi Bahrami didn’t grow up in Muncie. She didn’t grow up in the United States, either. She is a refugee from Afghanistan, and she made Muncie her new home in 1986.

3

Bibi Bahrami, president of the Islamic Center of Muncie receives Ball State’s 2019 Community Partner of the Year award from President Geoffrey Mearns. The Islamic Center of Muncie was given the award after partnering with Ball State students and a professor to produce a documentary that told the stories of individuals within the Muslim community in Muncie. Ball State University, Photo Provided

3Bibi Bahrami sits in her office at the Islamic Center. As the president of the center, Bahrami says she pushes for greater involvement within the Muncie community.

Jacob Musselman, Ball Bearings

Bibi left her home when she was just 13 years old with nothing but her traditional clothing after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in late 1979. She spent the next six years of her life volunteering at the refugee camp in Pakistan, where she met Saber Bahrami, another volunteer. The two fell in love, and got engaged.

Life at the refugee camp was hard. Her memories while in Pakistan involve fighting for survival in the refugee camp and losing her loved ones, including her brother and grandfather.

“The experience in the refugee camp was always hearing the bad news that somebody has killed somebody else,” she says.

They stayed at the camp while Saber searched for a place to do his medical residency in America. After searching for employment for five years, Saber was offered a position at Ball Memorial Hospital.

“That’s how I was able to come here. Muncie became my first home, more than Afghanistan,” Bibi says, “I love my beautiful Muncie.”

But the adaptation to Muncie wasn’t easy. Bibi felt isolated and alone in her new city. When she traveled outside of her house alone, she carried a sign with her that said “I don’t speak English.”

One day, Saber reached out to their neighbors, Elizabeth and Olive Mock, in the apartment he and Bibi shared. He asked them if they could visit his wife.

Elizabeth and Olive would visit Bibi and help her with her studying, she says, teaching her English, playing games, and going to church and out to lunch together. Bibi considered them family.

Elizabeth and Olive played a big role in Bibi beginning to feel like Muncie was home.

“They’re welcoming — the people of Muncie — in how they accommodate, how they comfort, how they assist me,” Bibi says. “The people who started with me, supporting me, they’ve stood beside me. It means the world to me.

There’s no place like Muncie. I always say that, wherever I go. Muncie love is special.”

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Feature

“

There’s no place like Muncie. I

s i e v o l e i c n u M special.”

always say that, wherever I go.

Middletown: The Untold Stories

- Bibi Bahrami

Bibi attended a GED program to earn her high school diploma after moving to Muncie. She later began her college career at Ball State University, where she studied accounting, but after founding her own non-profit organization, Afghan Women’s and Kids’ Education & Necessities, Inc. (AWAKEN), she chose to change her major to art instead.

Bibi says she founded her organization after 9/11 when she believed there was still some home left for Afghanistan to rebuild. She always had a vision to start an organization after completing school and raising her children, but 9/11 presented her with an opportunity that she knew she could not ignore.

After the United States began attacks on the Taliban on Oct. 7, 2001, Bibi knew her loved ones were being affected.

She had already lost some of her loved ones from the Soviet invasion, she said. After 9/11, she lost even more.

“One day, my parents were crying, I was watching the news crying, and I said ‘Enough. Enough is enough.

I’m just so exhausted over this.’ I turned off the TV and said, ‘I’m not going to watch it anymore. I’m going to do something about it.”

Bibi says that because the women and children suffered so much during Soviet occupation, she wanted to reach out to that population and help them in the areas in which they were suffering most: healthcare, education, and vocational training.

“I wish that one day I can give this to the girls I left behind who had a similar thirst for education.”

As Bibi became more involved in helping people in her home country, her commitment to the Muncie community

32 | BallBearingsMag.com | Spring 2020

also grew stronger. Bibi ended up finding a diverse Muslim population in Muncie. She gets together with them to celebrate holidays.

“It’s been a great experience the last 30 years with these people,” Bibi says. “It’s been a blessing.”

Bibi and Saber were always involved in the Islamic Center of Muncie, where Saber served as president for around 10 years. Bibi began to add female representation to the community, and she now serves as the first female president of the Islamic Center of Muncie after over 40 years of the center’s existence.

“I added a woman’s touch to it,” she says.

Bibi says she made it her mission to get the Islamic Center more involved with the greater Muncie community.

“I am one of those to always break the ice, and that has been a big part of my life,” Bibi says. “I like connecting people in the community.”

When it comes to Middletown, Bibi says that by leaving people out, we are not doing a favor for our people.

“I strongly believe in education, opportunity,” Bibi says, “and if these [studies] are going to give education and opportunity to others, they need to be well-rounded.”

Students at Ball State, Bibi believes, not only need to study their academics, but they need to know more about Muncie, its history, and its people.

“There’s a Middletown whether you’re Muslim, whether you’re Jewish, whether you’re Hindu, whether you’re Buddhist,” Bibi says. “There are different people, nationalities, religious groups, and they all have a Middletown.”

3Bibi Bahrami stands outside the Islamic Center of Muncie on March 15, 2020. The Islamic Center is located at 5141 W. Hessler Road in Muncie, Indiana. Jacob Musselman, Ball Bearings Bibi Bahrami is the first female president of the Islamic Center of Muncie. Jacob Musselman, Ball Bearings

Spring 2020 | Ball Bearings | 33

1.

2.

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Column

1. Pazols Jewelers may look the same, but Walnut Street has been transformed since this photo in 1977.

The street was once paved for pedestrians, but people weren’t wandering from store to store. Digital Media Repository, Photo Courtesy 2. Walnut Street’s design alternates brick and concrete along the street-level sidewalks. Removing curbs makes business more accessible for people with disabilities.

Annelise Hanshaw, Ball Bearings

Downtown Muncie was nearly abandoned, until Muncie residents and organizations made an effort to revitalize it.

The new face of downtown

By Annelise Hanshaw The buildings alongside Walnut Street were wrapped in corrugated aluminum, hiding the historic brick facades. Some had been renovated to the styles of the ‘80s. It was a mishmash of architecture. The street was paved over as a plaza for pedestrians to walk from store to store — except they didn’t.

“It looked like a ghost town,” Vicki Veach, executive director of the Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, says. Downtown was 92% vacant in 2012, according to Veach.

So, in 2012, the Muncie Redevelopment Commission (MRC) offered a grant for downtown property owners to restore buildings to historic standards. Owners could receive up to $250,000 to fund renovations.

The MRC offered $1.2 million as grants to

encourage these renovations, and it spurred $21 million in private investment, Veach says.

The city repaved Walnut Street — this time without curbs. This way, it’s wheelchair-friendly and festival-friendly.

Heather Williams, associate director for the Office of Community Engagement at Ball State University, describes the transformation as “night and day.”

When she was an undergraduate student, she didn’t leave campus for the first three years. As a senior, she ventured out to find downtown empty with few businesses apart from Vera Mae’s Bistro and The Heorot Pub and Draught House.

“So much effort has been put into the Downtown beautification; it really became a destination,” Williams says. “You don’t just go to one shop and drive away; enough businesses are here that you can walk from store to store.”

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Column

1. The Patterson Block building was green in 1993, the olive paint starting to fade. Its next color wasn’t painted until after the Downtown Redevelopment Commission offered grants for exterior restoration downtown. Digital Media Repository, Photo Courtesy

1.

2. The mustard-and-red Patterson building previously housed Ivy Tech Community College. The school is finishing up a new location adjacent to the bus station downtown. Annelise Hanshaw, Ball Bearings

2.

One of the things that we’re proud of is that we attract a wide group of different types of citizens in the community. Downtown is a central gathering place and accessible.”

- Vicki Veach, Executive Director of the Muncie Downtown Development Partnership Veach holds a similar sentiment. “One of the things that we’re proud of is that we attract a wide group of different types of citizens in the community,” Veach says. “Downtown is a central gathering place and accessible.”

The Muncie Downtown Development Partnership holds 38 free events throughout the year to get residents engaged. Food trucks circle Canan Commons for Foodie Fridays every week in July. People picnic in the park, buying lunch from the trucks.

The events are just one piece of the partnership’s work.

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In 2013, The Muncie Downtown Development Partnership hired Intersection, a Muncie advertising agency, to help them create a branding campaign.

They called it “DWNTWN, The Original Muncie,” adding a fresher image to an antiquated downtown.

Black and white photos are coupled with vibrant colors and bold text to attract college students and hopefully companies. Veach says it’s important to brand and invest in the city, and it attracts more business — and jobs — into Muncie.

“When people come here to look to see if they want to bring their business here, one of the first places they look at is downtown and how we’re investing in ourselves and the community,” Veach says. “And so we have to show our best face forward.”

Now, Veach says, downtown is 84% occupied, and residential buildings downtown are full just six years after the rebrand launched.

Housing

To meet the demand for apartments, a development of high-end units is planned alongside the White River on the outskirts of downtown.

Residential planning administrator for MRC Zane Bishop says the project should make the river more of an attraction and link it to the downtown experience.

But the houses surrounding downtown are struggling. According to Census data, almost a third, or 837 houses, are vacant in the 47305 zip code.

Out-of-state investors contribute to this problem, Bishop says. They’ll see a cheap price on a house and not understand all the renovations needed.

A large part of Bishop’s job is managing blighted and vacant properties. Abandoned houses and empty lots affect the city in a variety of ways: housing values drop, fewer tax dollars are collected, and blight makes Muncie look rundown.

In 2014, Muncie received money from Indiana’s Hardest Hit Fund, an award from the U.S. Department of the Treasury given to states suffering from the downturn of the housing market. The MRC demolished 209 blighted properties with the money, removing eyesores from the community and adding empty lots to the MRC’s thousands of holdings.

Residents can lease empty lots from the MRC for community gardens and pocket parks. They can also apply to purchase property from the MRC.

Nonprofits

There are numerous nonprofits that chip away at blight. Organizations like Urban Light and EcoRehab renovate and build affordable housing, focusing on southside neighborhoods.

A new nonprofit called the Muncie Land Bank was incorporated in 2017 and received non-profit status in 2019. It has not yet acquired property, but it will soon take on a pilot project.

The land bank will maintain houses and land, securing points of entry from squatters and tarping damaged roofs. Then it’ll sell the property after reviewing applications, so houses go to owners that’ll improve their value.

“People often say Muncie is a very giving community, but we are also a community of great need,” Williams says.

Williams serves as the secretary for the Muncie Land Bank. She loves working with housing organizations, and serves with EcoRehab, Building 3.

3. Cheap siding or aluminum covered many downtown businesses, hiding the charm beneath. Downtown was mostly vacant, and the storefronts weren’t maintained. Digital Media Repository, Photo Courtesy

4.

4. Multi-colored facades line Walnut street. Even small moulding is accented with bright colors, details once hidden by sheets of siding.

Annelise Hanshaw, Ball Bearings

“People often say Muncie is a very giving community, but we are also a community of great need.”

- Heather Williams, Associate Director, Office of Community Engagement at Ball State University Better Neighborhoods, the Village Alliance, and the Muncie Action Plan.

She spends “every waking hour” working to better Muncie, in addition to raising a family alongside her husband Scott (who is one of the owners of Twin Archer Brewpub). She met him pursuing a master’s degree at Ball State, and they settled down in Muncie together.

One of the commonalities between Williams, Bishop, and Veach is that they studied at Ball State and decided to stay before they graduated. (Though Williams spent 10 or 11 months in Chicago between undergrad and grad school.)

Bishop came to Ball State after growing up in suburbs north of Indianapolis. He knew in his sophomore year that he wanted to stay in Muncie.

He didn’t feel a large sense of community in his hometown and liked the size of Muncie.

Him and his wife Courtney love the city so much that they make and sell T-shirts on Etsy bearing the Muncie name. One shirt says “Muncie water tastes fine.”

“It’s a much smaller community here,” Bishop says.

“All your daily needs are here, but you actually have the opportunity to meet people and get involved with things.”

Bishop, Veach, and Williams aren’t exactly anomalies in Muncie. They are three of many people in the community passionate about seeing the city grow. g

Fast facts: Muncie’s economy There are 2565 houses in the 47305 zip code. 650 are owneroccupied, 1078 are rented, and 837 are vacant.

There are approximately 2400 vacant lots, 1300 vacant structures, and 750 blighted structures in Muncie. This takes away $2.3 million in potential tax revenue.

Over 4,000 people are employed downtown. Five new businesses opened downtown in 2019.

There are 241 total businesses and attractions.

There are 21 community gardens in Muncie.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Muncie Land Bank abandonment report, 2019 MRC Annual Report, Muncie Neighborhoods

Spring 2020 | Ball Bearings | 37

FOSTERIN

MAKERS

IN

Georedt Michael Huggins and Foto-Therapy Photography stay in Muncie to be a creative space for students and locals.

NG

By Shannon McCloskey

Photo essay

39

Photo essay

Huggins poses Jazmine Taylor, his model for the day, in the road and centers her with the double yellow as rain falls on Feb. 24, 2020, in downtown Muncie, Indiana.

Shannon McCloskey, Ball Bearings

40 | BallBearingsMag.com | Spring 2020

Starting in fashion, Georedt Michael Huggins did not see himself as one day being a photographer and a creative support for youth in Muncie. Now that he has, he is remodeling a studio for students and other local creatives to foster a new generation of makers.

With the help of his mentor and fellow photographer James Parks, as well as artist Johnny Wood, the three have embarked on the renovation journey to create that ideal space.

“People in the city want to connect more with Ball State students, and here in the last few years, it’s been more of a push for that gap to be bridged,” Georedt said.

Georedt’s connection to Ball State started with his father, who was a photography student at Ball State, and who brought Georedt’s creative side to life.

“Growing up, just seeing pictures of my dad with the camera on Ball State’s campus, he was involved. I don’t know if it was a club he was in or the class that he was taking, but he always had a camera,” Georedt says.

Georedt did not start in photography, but it would soon be the bridge between his loves. He was always a musician, starting on drums at age 4. He then found a new passion in fashion in middle school, drawing his own clothes and designs.

“I remember drawing when I’m supposed to be taking notes. [I] always was drawing different pictures and different types of aesthetics,” Georedt says.

James Parks and Huggins look over some shots of Jazmine Taylor and collaborate on their next move. Parks acts as Huggins’ mentor as they work out of the same studio. Shannon McCloskey, Ball Bearings

Georedt Michael Huggins thumbs through his own printed brand on sweatshirts, t-shirts, and tank tops in his photo studio in Muncie, Indiana.

Shannon McCloskey, Ball Bearings

But, music prevailed at the time, and he graduated from Vincennes University with a certificate in music production and audio recording. Coming home to Muncie after graduation, Georedt started working for a screen printing and embroidery shop, which is where he saw the potential for his own clothing line.

Banner Clothing Company, which drew inspiration from his family, his faith, and church, became Georedt’s new venture.

He knew he needed an avenue to promote it. This was the beginning of the photography that has always laid somewhere in his subconscious, starting so long ago with his father.

“Of course, I had to get a photographer, try to figure out how I’m going to promote this, and it was costing a lot to try to keep on scheduling photographers,” Georedt says. “So, I bought some lights, and I was like, ‘I’m gonna force myself to learn.’”

He jumped around to different spaces, met some other Muncie creatives along the way, and finally found a spot that he can open up to more than just himself. Georedt says he feels that, “God really opened up the door.”

42

Jazmine Taylor adjusts her footing with the help of Huggins and his mentor, James Parks, to try and get the shot before the next car comes down the road. Shannon McCloskey, Ball Bearings

Georedt’s work is demonstrated through his portraits and personalized images made through his time with Foto-Therapy Photography.

Georedt Michael Huggins, Photos Provided

Spring 2020 | Ball Bearings | 43

Photo essay

Georedt Michael Huggins pictures his future in his studio as he works to open it to local creatives in Muncie, Indiana. Shannon McCloskey, Ball Bearings

44 | BallBearingsMag.com | Spring 2020

I would really love to be a part of that movement and that push to give our students a reason to come off campus to connect, to grow, to learn, to network, to get real world experience, and eventually maybe stay here after graduation.”

- Georedt Michael Huggins, Photographer and clothing designer

Georedt can be found on Instagram @fototherapyphotography.

Opening up his space so that multiple shoots can be going on at the same time allows photographers who need extra room and encouragement to find it in Georedt.

“There’s other photographers I know of who don’t have space. And that’s one thing that held me up for the longest time,” he says.

Georedt has more visions, though, than just a photo studio. A design lab is a long-term goal that he feels would be a connector for him, photographers, and other creatives in Muncie that need resources in order to work and reach their potential in their fields.

“All those things just like to connect, to really kind of grow, and really give back to Muncie and also connect with Ball State,” Georedt says.

Georedt says he often hears Muncie is nothing without Ball State, and he says he believes this statement to be wrong.

Muncie has fostered success for him and the fellow creative locals that are in no rush to leave the area. He hopes to disprove this for the generation of “makers and creators” that are here to tell a different story.

“I would really love to be a part of that movement and that push to give our students a reason to come off campus to connect, to grow, to learn, to network, to get real world experience, and eventually maybe stay here after graduation,” he says. g

45

Muncie’s first pride is centered around celebrating inclusion, not just the LGBTQ community.

PRIDE Along for the

By Robbie Moscato-Goodpaster

In September, Muncie will have its very first Pride festival.

SteVen Knipp, one of the organizers, attributes his 17 years as a Muncie resident to him feeling comfortable putting together an event like Pride.

A little over a year ago, SteVen sat down with Laura Janney, executive director of Muncie OUTreach, and Rachel Thompson from IU Health, to discuss the possibilities for Muncie’s first pride. In the past, there have been attempts to establish an ongoing pride in Muncie, but the progress resulted in an idea that wasn’t fully executed. SteVen points to obstacles relating to commitment more than anything else as the reason for the unsuccessful attempts.

The first Muncie Pride is set to happen this year on September 19. The festival will be a safe space for the LGBTQ community and will center around inclusivity regardless of sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religious background, etc. The intent is to build relationships and grow an understanding of the diverse people in Muncie, according to SteVen. The idea of a Pride festival is usually accompanied by a parade, but that’s not the case for Muncie’s first pride. Indianapolis’s first pride festival began in 1996, but it wasn’t until nearly six years later that it held its first Pride parade in 2002.

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Column

SteVen says the reason for not having a parade in Muncie yet is to get a feel for “Muncie’s temperature,” on having a pride festival.

Emily Johnson, an assistant professor of history at Ball State University, is working on an oral history to preserve the queer history of Muncie through interviews with community members. Through this project, she’s learned about the rich queer history of Muncie.

Johnson says although it’s always existed, Muncie probably hasn’t always felt like a safe space for the queer community. She highlights the owners of The Mark III Tap Room – Indiana’s oldest LGBTQ nightclub – who’ve shared with her stories about people in the 90s coming in and shouting slurs and running away.

“It’s really important to highlight that queer people have always existed here,” she says, “but I think it’s only maybe recently that we’ve seen a proliferation of spaces including Queer Chocolatier, Muncie OUTreach, and Spectrum, to the point where it’s felt maybe safe and do-able for people to have a parental appreciation.”

The Human Rights Campaign examined cities like Muncie for their laws and policies regarding LGBTQ inclusivity in categories like non-discrimination laws and leadership on LGBTQ Equality. According to the data, Muncie ranks 69 out of 100. Of the nine cities in Indiana ranked on this spectrum, Muncie comes in sixth.

In his efforts to rally support for the event, SteVen says he feels the response from the community about hosting the event has been an overall positive one.

However, proper precautions are being put into effect to ensure the safety of the community.

Until 2019, Indiana was one of only five states without a hate crimes law. An Indiana University study found that from 317 bias homicides, anti-sexual orientation/gender identity, and anti-race/ethnicity accounted for the majority of them from 1990-2016.

SteVen and the other members of the planning committee have taken active shooter training, and are working with the Muncie police department.

SteVen says this is an opportunity to bring the LGBTQ community and the police department, two divided groups, together.

Not only will the event bring together the police department and the LGBTQ community, but it will also bring together a handful of affirming churches in the community: The Quaker church, Urban Light, Grace Episcopal Church, and Church of the Cross. At the event, the plan is to have members of these churches hold up affirming signs to anyone with protesting messages to help maintain a supportive atmosphere.

The success of this year’s pride sets a precedent on what the future of these events will look like.

According to SteVen, one way to ensure that an

3Emily Johnson, Assistant Professor of History at Ball State University is leading a project to document LQBTQ history in Muncie.

Emily Johnson, Logo Provided

event like Pride will continue to be successful in the future is through the support of a community, and one of the ways to help facilitate a conversation and understanding among the Muncie community and the LGBTQ community is through education.

The idea is that the event will pull out people from the community from all different areas and subgroups. On top of regular food and retail vendors, there will also be vendors offering education on health and housing services. At the festival, SteVen explains there will be an educational and resource tent throughout the day where there will be programming to educate the queer community and the greater Muncie community on how to be better allies toward the queer community.

There will also be things to do for kids of all ages, like bounce houses and face painting for younger kids, and a youth essay contest with a scholarship that is available to students currently enrolled in a college or juniors and seniors in high school.

Before reaching a place where it felt that Muncie could put on a successful pride festival, Johnson found it “really interesting” in seeing the way the LGBTQ community has made a community for themselves.

“There are all these sorts of support groups that have existed forever, like dinner party groups: people who just get together on a weekly basis and have for decades, and the ways in which that space is being claimed,” she says. “I think now we’re seeing that come out more into public spaces, but it’s always existed, it just has had to be invisible, and so it has been.” g Editor’s note: This story was written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Indiana Stay-at-Home Order, so some events mentioned may be postponed, canceled, or altered. We’re sorry for any inaccuracies.

Spring 2020 | Ball Bearings | 47

Lifestyle

5 hidden gems in Muncie The Muncie area has numerous spots to capture the perfect photo.

By Lily Staatz

Honestly, one would have to live in Muncie to love it. This thought crossed my mind as I experienced student life on the Ball State campus and visited the more industrial hip downtown culture of Muncie. Being a freshman at the university, I had to do some exploring in order to find the most Instagram-worthy spots throughout the community. Whether just hanging out with friends and needing a great location for a photo opportunity, or celebrating graduation with family, these are the top spots to visit.

1. White Rabbit Books

This tiny store in the Village is packed to the brim with books. When you walk in, you’ll see massive collections of stories stacked in piles on the floor and crammed into any possible space on bookshelves. The White Rabbit is located at 1604 W. University Ave, between The Cup coffee shop and Greek’s Pizzeria.

The two floors of the building hold a vast collection of used books, DVDs, RPG manuals, and just about any print material you can imagine. The bookstore has been in business for 30 years and holds decades of rare and used books.

Take a picture among the books or sit upon the spiral staircase for a more sophisticated photo.

It reminds me of a place out of a Harry Potter book; perhaps you’ll also feel enchanted.

2. Frog Baby

Photos Courtesy: 1. Reagan Allen (@reaganlynnseniors) 2. Ball State Panhellenic Association (@ballstatepha) 3. The Caffeinery (@thecaffeinery) 4. Project One Studio (@_p1studio) 5. Ball State University (@ballstateuniversity)

If you are in need of luck, comfort, a meeting spot, and possibly a remarkable photo, head on over to the Frog Baby fountain. The Frog Baby fountain features a bronze sculpture of a little girl holding two frogs and smiling upwards at the sky. Currently located in the middle of a fountain on the north side of Bracken Library, this Ball State landmark serves as a lighthearted location for pictures.

This sculpture was created by American sculptor Edith Barretto Stevens Parsons in 1937. Later, Muncie industrialist Frank C. Ball donated the sculpture and it resided in the David Owsley Museum of Art for many years.

The fountain in which she resides is dedicated to the late Alexander M. Bracken, who is the son-in-law of Frank Ball, who was also a key player in Ball State’s rapid growth after World War II. Ball State students have traditionally believed that if you rub her nose, you’ll have good luck on your next exam. Frog baby’s nose slowly became

48 | BallBearingsMag.com | Spring 2020

damaged as students caressed layers of bronze away. Her nose was restored in 1993.

3. The Caffeinery

Located in the heart of downtown Muncie, at the corner of Walnut and Charles Streets, The Caffeinery is a cozy, coffee-lovers’ paradise. One of the best times is mid-afternoon when the sun has the perfect golden glow flooding in through the windows of the cafe.

The store was opened in 2013 by Frank and Lauren Reber.

Prior to owning the cafe, Frank worked as a musician and Lauren as a wedding and lifestyle photographer, but they both shared an interest in coffee. The cafe began as a single-roasting shop and has evolved into both a company and cafe. One tasty coffee blend the cafe offers is the “Habitual Espresso,” made with milk chocolate, toasted almond, and amaretto.

4. Extess Sculpture

Colorful and eye-catching, this sculpture would create a fun and interesting background for any photoshoot. The sculpture is made from aluminum and features connecting colorful triangles that represent the interconnectivity of downtown. Similar to how members of a community offer different perspectives, so does the sculpture. If you stand around the sculpture, you will get a different point of view from either side. Located in the new Cornerstone Park, at the corner of Maine and 101 S. Madison St., The City of Muncie commissioned the art sculpture from Project One, a local fabrication company.

5. Beneficence Statue

Ball State’s emblem and a symbol of pride for students and family. Located on the south side of campus, just west of the administration building, this statue symbolizes the generosity of the land donation from the five Ball brothers. Their contributions led to the founding of Ball State University.

The statue was commissioned in 1927 by the Muncie Chamber of Commerce in order to express gratitude toward the Ball brothers. The bronze statue took 10 years to complete. Sculptor Daniel Chestor French, creator of the Abraham Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C., created Beneficence as his last commissioned work.

This statue is an excellent spot for group photos of students and families, especially during graduation in the spring semester. g

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