Podcast Sheds Light on Unique Voices in the Circle City
Photographer / Michael Durr
With his Made In Indy podcast, host Kendall Antron aims to shine a light on individuals who make Indianapolis tick.
“The foundation of Made In Indy is to highlight and illuminate the creative tapestry of Indianapolis,” Antron says. “I achieve that mission by talking to creators, innovators and change-makers in their industries. That’s what it started out as, and it’s really ballooned into a community of people who are just looking to get connected and plugged into the city.”
Originally started in January of 2020, the biweekly podcast is now up to 60 episodes. Notable guests on Made In Indy have included restaurateur Jonathan Brooks, Madam Walker Legacy Center President Kristian Little Stricklen, weatherman Chuck Lofton, Indiana State Representative Blake Johnson and more.
A native of Indianapolis, Antron moved to Los Angeles after graduating from Howard University to pursue a career in songwriting. After eventually returning to Indianapolis, he was looking for a way to reconnect with his hometown, which led to the start of Made In Indy.
“I had been away from Indy for probably nine years and I wanted to create a way to get back in touch with my city,” Antron says. “This bright idea came along for me to create a podcast.”
When it comes to selecting his guests, Antron says he simply seeks out people who seem to have intriguing stories.
“Honestly, it’s about who I find to be interesting and who I think other people will find to be interesting,” Antron says. “I’ve spent a lot of my life as a bit of a curator in my community so I tend to find, if I think something’s interesting, that other people may find it to be interesting too.”
In reflecting on what he enjoys most about hosting Made In Indy, Antron cites the moment he realized he was meant to engage with other people.
“My senior year of college, there was a group of 20 kids who all majored in acting, theater and musical theater, and had dreams of success,” Antron says. “My professor said, ‘I want you to sit around this table, talk to everyone and guide this conversation.’ Maybe she figured out that I was good at talking to people, but that was such a riveting conversation, where we were all being transparent and being vulnerable in this public space. That’s a moment that stands out in my life of what it is I’m supposed to be doing. I’m supposed to be talking to people, and that’s what led me to Made In Indy.”
While Made In Indy is a great way to educate Indianapolis residents on what’s going on in their own backyard, Antron also hopes his podcast can inspire people to live their best lives.
“These conversations are designed to help people become the best version of themselves,” he says.
For more info, go to madeinindypodcast.com.
