Panelists:

Antonia Baliey, Community Advocate

Antonia Bailey, a single mother and dedicated community advocate, turned tragedy into a mission for change after losing her two oldest children, Nicholas (16) and Ashlynn Nelson (15), to gun violence at the hands of a 15-year-old in their Eastside Indianapolis apartment on August 23, 2019. Choosing forgiveness despite the unimaginable loss, she has since worked to prevent similar tragedies by founding The Untold Foundation Inc. in their honor, focusing on gun violence prevention, youth empowerment, and community support. Through annual holiday drives, youth expos, and back-to-school initiatives, she has impacted hundreds of families while mentoring students and sharing her story to promote healing. As the Aggravated Assault Advocate Supervisor with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, her work has contributed to an 8.5% decrease in nonfatal shootings. Antonia continues to uplift others, ensuring Nicholas and Ashlynn’s legacy drives meaningful change.

Beatrice Beverly, Community Advocate

Beatrice is an Indianapolis Foundation Ambassador where she is tasked to ensure that every day under-appreciated Central Indiana residents voices are heard and that needed resources and social capital are considered in the foundation’s work through advocacy, urgency, and equity. She is the Co-owner/founder of Stop the Violence Indianapolis, Inc., which specializes in community engagement, empowering youth and families, life skills training, mentorship and coaching to youth and their families. She is President, Senior Consultant at Genesys Solutions, where life skills training, corporate training, habilitation training, DEI training and assessments are their specialty. She has a passion for helping people and enjoys bringing diverse thoughts together in an organized fashion to meet business, community, and family objectives with actionable solutions. When approached with challenging issues, she creatively seeks solutions that benefit the progression of the business, family and the community. She also is a Women’s Fund advisory board member.

Lisa Butler, AM LCSW, Co-Producer

Lisa Butler is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice. For over 26 years, she has worked with women and girls to help facilitate emotional healing. She specializes in depression, anxiety, trauma, mother-daughter conflict, and mindfulness. Lisa believes most challenges begin with our thoughts about ourselves, others, and the world. She uses cognitive and dialectical behavior therapies to teach clients how their thoughts/feelings inform their behaviors and life choices. She believes that helping people manage their thinking is key to emotional wellness. Lisa is a Ford Scholar and a graduate of the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration.

Dr. Janice Collins, Executive Director and Documentarian

Dr. Janice Marie Collins is a multi-national and international award-winning professional journalist, documentarian, and media expert with more than 35 years of experience in the media industry. She has worked in network and top-level news and sports organizations as well as freelance positions as a storyteller for social impact. While working at WXIA in Atlanta, Georgia, ranked in the top ten market of the nation, Collins was nominated for 12 Emmy awards and took home 6 as an individual– more as a member of news teams. She has also won Best of Gannett, Associated Press, NABJ, AABJ, and other esteemed awards for writing, producing, reporting, cinematography, directing, and editing. Some of her awards include multiple Emmys, Best of Gannett, Associated Press, NABJ, and AABJ for writing, producing, reporting, cinematography, directing, narration and editing. She is an Associate Professor in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, President of ACEING IT! L.L.C., and CEO of World Changers Media International Foundation”

Dr. Ruby Mendenhall, Co-Producer

Dr. Ruby Mendenhall is the 2024 City of Urbana’s Poet Laureate. She is an Associate Dean at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine and an Associate Director of the Cancer Center at Illinois at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is currently co-directing the Youth Wellness Project in Chicago, IL that trains youth Community Health Workers and Citizen/CommunityScientists. Her team is creating Wellness Stores/Spaces in museums and schools. Her research examines how living in racially segregated neighborhoods with high levels of violence affects Black mothers and families’ mental and physical health.

Josette’ Robinson, Moderator

Josette’ Robinson is a seasoned philanthropic professional with over 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Her career has been dedicated to advancing social and restorative justice, criminal justice reform, and promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. She currently serves as the Director of Special Programs and Initiatives at The Indianapolis Foundation, where she leads efforts in public safety, crime prevention, gun violence intervention, substance abuse prevention, and addressing domestic and intimate partner violence. Previously, she served as a Community Leadership Officer for the Foundation, furthering its mission to drive equitable community impact.

A lifelong learner and passionate advocate for education, Josette’ has pursued academic excellence at Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. She graduated summa cum laude and magna cum laude, earning degrees in Philanthropic Studies and Liberal Arts, along with certifications in Travel Studies and Nonprofit Management. She was recently accepted into the Global Executive MBA Program at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business. Josette’ is a proud member of the Phi Theta Kappa and Nu Lambda Mu International Honor Societies, recognizing her outstanding academic achievements.

As a proud resident of the Far Eastside of Indianapolis, Josette’ is deeply committed to uplifting and promoting the community’s rich assets and resources. Her dedication to social impact extends beyond her professional role—she serves on the boards of two nonprofit organizations and actively engages in volunteer efforts both locally and internationally. Driven by her passion for equity and empowerment, Josette’ strives to create opportunities that elevate BIPOC leaders and residents, fostering stronger and more inclusive communities.

More About the Film:

The documentary delves into the enduring trauma and the limited resources available to families impacted by gun violence in Chicago. Producers Lisa Butler, a clinical social worker based in Chicago; Dr. Ruby Mendenhall, associate professor of sociology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; executive director and documentarian Dr. Janice Collins, President of A.C.E.ing IT Consulting, LLC., CEO of World Changers Media International Foundation, and associate professor in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, offer an exploration of the lives of individuals lost to gun violence through the voices of their families.