Living in East Chicago, Workshop of America
However, maybe because of the cantankerous aging process or a rekindled love for the region’s history, I often find myself staring at these sites now, wondering what once was and one day could be.
Crossroads of Desire
On Black and White Indiana During the Great Migration
“As Tough as the Steel We Produced”
There seems to be a complex equation that residents have to live with, a struggle between acknowledging the past and hoping for the future while demonstrating their community’s resilience. A necessity of crafting out a tomorrow in the rust.
Overnight, the geese
A poem by Lex Vacilando.
Fathers, Sons, and Notre Dame
His life span and mine, thus far, cover 133 years – 1889 to 2022 – and we, my father and I, shared the planet for only 29 of those years before his death.
Loretta Lynn, Made in Appalachia
Seventy-seven songs on the charts over the years, 16 number one hits, 45 million albums sold and number one female country artist of all time.
The Gritty, DIY World of Lawn Mower Racing
The niche, grassroots sport has a global presence, but it was born in the Rust Belt.
Gary’s Gold Coast
This historic apartment district in Gary, Indiana is a museum of architectural styles.
A Locals’ Guide to Gary, Indiana
Plan your trip to the heart of the Rust Belt.
Are You Staying in South Bend?
On identity, possibilities, and giving my hometown a chance.
Belt’s Top Stories of 2021
Ten pieces our readers kept coming back to.
Reimagining the Myaamia Storytelling Tradition
On Dungeons & Dragons & Diaspora.