Manifesto
January 2025
The City of Gary, Indiana is in crisis. Pining for the days when the Magic City turned City of the Century inspired hope, our obsession with the past has transformed us into a metaphorical pillar of salt, unable to envision a future of progress and prosperity.
StartUP Gary exists to disrupt this narrative. The past has passed; the present and future are ours to control. Change starts with the narrative we sell ourselves. Narratives are not just about stories and conversations, it is what we do that changes conversations.
We expect that decisions impacting our health, safety, and livelihoods be prioritized. They must begin and end with what’s in the best interests of those who live in and love our city. No longer should neighboring communities so to easily attract and win us over with newer and better. Without its people, there is no Gary.
We need a new approach, an approach that truly engages and includes the voices of the people. No, blight can’t be erased overnight, but decline can be halted in an instant. By working in concert to stabilize what we have, we can fend off the forces of chaos and disorder and incrementally shift our trajectory.
Together, we can remake Gary as a viable, growth-oriented city, with proud residents, quality housing, thriving neighborhoods and responsive businesses,
We want our community back. Who's with us?