Summit empowers Indiana students to make a difference as Black leaders

By MELEA VanOSTRAND
WISH-TV | wishtv.com

A group of young leaders on Friday made an impact in central Indiana.

Fishers High School’s Future Black Leaders student organization hosted its seventh annual Black Leadership Summit in Shelton Auditorium at Butler University.

Jayden Rucker, a senior who is president of Fishers High School’s Future Black Leaders, said, “This isn’t really an experience I get a lot, and I think that’s also a feeling that a lot of people here share, and I think that’s one of the reasons why we do this, to give people that experience they typically don’t have. It’s really empowering and inspiring.”

Jayden Rucker, a senior, is president of Fishers High School’s Future Black Leaders. (WISH-TV photo)

He hopes to see more Black students across Indiana become empowered to get out and take to help within the community. “After I leave (the yearly summits), I just feel really motivated to go out and do something in my community.”

Over 350 students from 16 predominately white central Indiana schools gathered at the private university in Indianapolis. The students had discussions and workshops on leadership, career readiness, and social justice.

Gianna Fowler from Fishers High School has come to the last few Future Black Leaders summits and now helps organize it as a co-chair. “Not everybody gets this type of opportunity, so to be able to not only be a part of this event, but help with it and just be a person that someone can look up to is just amazing, and that’s what I want to take away.”

A group of students at Fishers High School started Future Black Leaders in 2016, and it’s grown to include other predominantly white schools. The group’s goal is to promote racial equality and make a difference.

Khalilah Marbury, vice president and chief diversity officer at Butler University, says many students have concerns as they see several changes with diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and at schools. “It is part of our founding mission to ensure access and equity for all, and this is just one example of the support that we will continue to offer to our community.”

This story was originally published by WISH-TV at wishtv.com/news/multicultural-news/fishers-high-school-future-black-leaders-summit-2025.