The 1828 Project is one of our signature programs at IndyHub and each year it’s full of incredible leaders between the ages of 18 and 28. Scarlett is a part of 1828’s Class VII. We sent her some questions and she responded. Keep reading to learn more about Scarlett!
What do you do for work?
I am a Project Manager in the Office of Mayor Joe Hogsett. I work on economic and community development projects that include public finance components and enhance job creation, create affordable housing, and support healthy neighborhoods.
Where are you originally from?
Riddleton, Tennessee
What made you lay your roots here in Indianapolis?
My husband matched into a general surgery residency program at IU Health, so we moved from New Orleans to Indianapolis in 2015. After four years in New Orleans, I never thought I would leave, and I certainly had no connections (and no job) in Indy before moving here, but it’s been an amazing three years for me in Indy. I think it speaks volumes about how we welcome new people into our city and into civic leadership, and I’ve become a proud advocate for Indianapolis. I hope I can support other new Indy residents as they build their professional and personal networks here.
If you had to choose one mode of transportation to get around our city, which would you choose and why?
In the warmer months, I bike as much as possible from my home in Garfield Park, but I’m a fair weather biker, so I’m looking forward to the construction of the Red Line bus rapid transit which will run within a block of my house and my office.
Which local coffee joint is your favorite? What’s your go-to order?
Mile Square’s batch brew, no cream or sugar. I like simple orders.
What are you most excited for with 1828?
This year’s class is so diverse, and each person has so much intellect and savvy to contribute. I’m most excited about continuing those relationships throughout our careers, and I can see this group of people being leaders that build and strengthen the public-private ecosystem in Indy.
What are you most excited about when thinking about the future of our city?
I think we are poised to take advantage of the creative sector of our economy and become a city that’s known for thriving arts and culture both for business and entertainment. In the community development sector, we have the opportunity in the next few years to redevelop several legacy industrial sites in neighborhoods surrounding the downtown core: PR Mallory, RCA Sherman Park, GM Stamping Plant, Twin Aire / former Coke plant, Coca Cola Bottling Plant – Bottleworks, to name the largest. These sites can become job centers and community assets that fit the needs of the current and future economy, and I think it will transform Indy’s neighborhoods.
What was the best compliment you’ve ever received?
The confidence that my employers and mentors have instilled in me over the years is better than any verbal compliment I’ve received.
What book has impacted you the most to date?
I recently read Between the World and Me after re-reading Ta-nehisi Coates’ article, “The Case for Reparations” in The Atlantic over and over for the past couple years. After living in both rural and urban settings in the South and now the Midwest, Coates’ writing has shaped my understanding of racial inequality and social and economic inclusion.
Truthfully, what gets you fired up?
Politics—that covers all the emotions. Specifically, I truly believe that every person should be actively involved in shaping public policy at some level, not just a select few.
What’s your dream adventure vacation?
I’ve done this before to some extent through study abroad and my graduate school research, but now that I’m an adult and have (a little) more money, I’d love to spend a year in South America experiencing every climate—Amazonia, Andes, Galapagos, Patagonia, Atacama, etc.—and also visiting every major city.
