Ep. 21 - Tedd Hardy - President of Friends of Belmont Beach
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Intro
I don’t recall how I heard about Belmont Beach. But when I did I gave it a quick Google. What I found was a story of a historic Black beach, a gathering place, a third space that had recently been revitalized. I knew immediately that I wanted to talk to the people behind it because this is exactly the type of space I am interested in. Grassroots community building, free events, and true fellowship right here in Indianapolis.
I am so thankful to have come across this further, and by Serendipity, Tedd Hardy, at Get On Board back in June. And I know now even more than before that this project was an act of passion for a part of town that historically and still today doesn’t get a lot of investment or love.
I had a wonderful time spending a morning talking to Tedd about his journey with Belmont Beach and hearing a bit about his personal story. I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to chat for just a bit, and I hope you enjoy the conversation just as much.
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Important links and mentions
Production learnings from the episode
I am lucky to be getting to the point where I am fairly happy with the audio I output. Similar to my last post. I was actually telling my cousin this weekend that my main point of learning lies on the photography side of things. And now that I have a new phone, I am actually having to learn how to use the new power.
The iPhone 17 Pro has an excellent camera, almost too good? I feel like I am decently happy with the output here, but again, the constantly changing visual and audio environment makes it hard to dial in the details exactly how I want them. Here, I feel that the footage is too bright, and next week’s episode also looks bright. So this is a constant thing to be thinking about — do I need to work with the brightness settings or add a filter, do color correct in post, yadda yadda. Definitely stuff that’s on the mind here.
Segregation In Greenspaces
When I think about my childhood, so many iconic moments happened at a park of some kind. Beyond this, I think so many people have a favorite green space. I also talk a lot about my personal experience here on the podcast, and to this end, there are some things that are impossible for me to have experienced and perspectives for me to have.
I have been thinking a lot about “exclusionary spaces” recently. I mean this in regard to spaces that are primarily for LGBTQ+ folks, for women, or for children. These spaces are so important for a sense of safety and for camaraderie to form. I brought this up to Tony from ICY and he said, “All spaces are exclusionary; it’s just a matter of who they are excluding.” I, of course, was thankful for this perspective because it’s not something I often think about.
So when I think about why Belmont Beach came to be 100 years ago, a space made purely because those spaces that were exclusionary have always existed, segregated parks and green spaces. That is what makes this place special. Not that it is exclusionary to a certain group, but rather that it is inclusionary to a group or set of groups of people who were in need of community space to satisfy the need for connection that all people feel.
I am so thankful to have stumbled across this story, and I am deeply interested to learn more about the history of Belmont Beach, both those already written and the ones that Tedd Hardy and his team at Friends of Belmont Beach are actively creating today.
I hope you enjoy(ed) the episode. Have a great day :).
Third Space Indy is supported by City Rising
Episode Summary
Community Building at Belmont Beach with Teddrick Hardy
In this episode of Third Space Indy, host Michael Zarick is joined by Teddrick Hardy, the president of Friends of Belmont Beach. They delve into the significance of community spaces and how Belmont Beach, a historically significant area for Black residents, has been revitalized through a team effort. They discuss the importance of creating safe, inclusive spaces without heavily relying on financial resources, emphasizing the role of genuine community effort. Teddrick shares insights into his background, his journey from being a promoter to fostering community spaces, and his aspirations for the future. The conversation also touches on personal anecdotes, the different communities within Indianapolis, and the value of building inclusive and vibrant public spaces.
00:00 Introduction to Community Spaces
00:52 Meet Teddrick Hardy: President of Belmont Beach
01:07 The History of Belmont Beach
05:54 Revitalizing Belmont Beach
11:03 Community Events and Activities
14:34 Challenges and Triumphs
23:02 The Role of a Promoter
26:08 Transition to Marketing and Sponsorship
27:11 Introduction to Mark Latta and City Rising
28:54 Understanding the Concept of Third Space
29:55 Personal Reflections on Community Spaces
34:05 The Story of Tiki Bobs
38:17 Belmont Beach and Community Engagement
41:18 Future Aspirations and Personal Growth
43:53 Final Thoughts and Shoutouts
Episode Transcript
Tedd Hardy
[00:00:00] Tedd Hardy: And so this is what I could say a community space looks like, not just because we're in Haughville, but I think this is how you build a community. The people that want to enjoy the spaces you are around, the people that likes to be with you, the people that vibe with you
it's just about where you feel safe, where you feel comfortable and all of that. And that's why I take so much pride in this. And We could talk for hours about it, but it showed me that community joy and love doesn't take money. Money can amplify it.
But we all get caught up in the money and trying to build these things. And if we build it genuinely from the heart, from the community, from the joy, from, I mean, look around, this is not money. You know what I mean?
[00:00:52] Michael Zarick: Hello, my name is Michael Zarick This is Third Space Indy Today I'm joined by Teddrick Hardy.
[00:00:57] Tedd Hardy: Yep. Yep.
[00:00:58] Michael Zarick: He is the president of Belmont Beach. Yep. Yep. Down here, I don't know where, I don't even know what I would describe this as. All I can know is that Long's Bakery is right around the corner. I, I do not remember how I came across Belmont Beach, and correct me if I'm wrong, but this is a historically black.
Park and place of gathering.
[00:01:18] Tedd Hardy: Yeah, it was a, a joyful space. Um, just to sum it up, black people couldn't swim along the river and all the beautiful spaces, and this is where we landed at, as we all know the story mm-hmm. Of downtown and the pollution and the waters. Um, this is where we had to swim in at the time.
[00:01:34] Michael Zarick: Okay. So I'll have you tell me a little bit more about the story of Belmont Beach. Yep. Yep. But first. Ted, how you doing?
[00:01:40] Tedd Hardy: I'm doing great, man. I'm happy to be here. I know we had to reschedule 'cause last week the rain was crazy.
[00:01:44] Michael Zarick: Yeah. Now the, now we got this beautiful morning. Yeah. So sitting here looking across the river, um, so Tedd or Teddrick either, uh, tell me a little bit about yourself and then we will take a look at what's in the bag.
[00:01:57] Tedd Hardy: All right, so Teddrick is your community guy. He is your father, he is your husband. He is the president of Friends of Belmont Beach. And then when you say Tedd Hardy, that is your outgoing person. That's your inner. Retainer, that's your promoter. So I wear a couple hats.
[00:02:16] Michael Zarick: So you got like multiple personalities out here?
Yeah, like
[00:02:19] Tedd Hardy: depending. That's what I say today. I'm, all of it. I'm at Belmont Beach. So all of that. Um, but yeah, that's how it comes off.
[00:02:25] Michael Zarick: That's amazing.
[00:02:25] Tedd Hardy: So if you see my social media and one might say Teddrick and one might say Ted.
[00:02:29] Michael Zarick: That makes sense. I think I maybe picked up on that a little bit. Yep. Uh, cool.
So I stopped by 16 Tech, uh, or the AMP, whatever to get some coffee. And then I saw some pastries and I love the idea, this is a, when I have the opportunity to, of breaking bread with my guest. Uh, and so I have two options for you. Yeah. Or we can eat both. I don't care. What's that? Uh, we got just a regular butter croissant and then we got a chocolate croissant.
[00:02:54] Tedd Hardy: I've never had a chocolate
[00:02:55] Michael Zarick: pizza. You've never had, oh my God. This is your time, man. Never.
[00:02:59] Tedd Hardy: Butter croissants. Yeah, breakfast. I go for it. Here, take it. We'll share it together. You want I about say you want a piece of that or break half? That's the big one.
[00:03:10] Michael Zarick: Yeah. Yeah. Oh, I'm not even getting half or whatever.
I'm not that worried about it. Oh, okay. Take as much as you want. I've never gonna make a mess.
[00:03:16] Tedd Hardy: It's all good. At least y'all know where it came from. I've never in my life seen this.
[00:03:21] Michael Zarick: I should have paid attention to the um, chocolate. It the name of the bakery, but it's the one right next to mm-hmm. Um, Tinker and as soon as you walk in the door Yeah.
It's like right in the front door. It's right
[00:03:31] Tedd Hardy: there.
[00:03:31] Michael Zarick: That's how they get you.
[00:03:32] Tedd Hardy: It is always fresh. I've never not seen somebody in there always making fresh products. So
[00:03:38] Michael Zarick: How is that?
[00:03:40] Tedd Hardy: Great. Did you get chocolate in that piece?
[00:03:41] Michael Zarick: Yeah,
[00:03:42] Tedd Hardy: I about to say you might wanna grab that one, but
[00:03:44] Michael Zarick: take as much as you like. Um.
But I love connecting over food. Mm-hmm. Because I'm down with it.
[00:03:50] Tedd Hardy: Everything just are smart. This is how you open the heart up, man. That's how you, you know, some people think it's cocktails and things like that, but good old eating to do that.
[00:03:57] Michael Zarick: That's how, that's how you find a wife or a whatever.
[00:04:01] Tedd Hardy: That's how I got mine.
We went out to eat a lot. Next thing I know we was married.
[00:04:05] Michael Zarick: Um, okay, so through between bites or while you're chewing, I don't care. Whatever. Mm-hmm. Um, tell me a little bit about. Belmont Beach. How historically, and then there was a gap in when it was used. Right. And then you were sort of the revitalization effort.
Right.
[00:04:26] Tedd Hardy: I would say I'm part of the team. I ain't gonna take all the credit. No, but it was a team effort. So as I said earlier, this is speed it up so we not taking all the time about that. Yeah, that's fine. Um, but you can find that a lot of this history online when we came in, let's say about the 1930s. To 1950s is when the phase was.
Um, and the name, the name that we got found record of was Goosey Lee and his business partners. We didn't get all the business partners name, but I knew Goosey Lee headed the spirit of buying the land, getting the land for people to come to
[00:05:00] Michael Zarick: Goose Lee back in the thirties and forties. Goosey Lee back in the thirties and
[00:05:02] Tedd Hardy: forties.
Yes. So that was the name of the community leader at the time. And so time went on, you know, other places, bill. Um, this place became tragic. Other pools opened up for black people to come and things went. So this land became, um, I called it a wall 'cause I didn't wanna use a bad word. It was just blocked. It just overgrew.
We didn't use it no more. We heard all the bad stories. You know, when I was a kid, we heard stories like the fish had three heads down there. Um, soon as you walk by the river, you're gonna die. I wasn't even talking about murder. It was just. The horror stories that we see in movies is what we thought about this place
[00:05:41] Michael Zarick: because of the river,
[00:05:42] Tedd Hardy: because of the river stories, right?
Mm-hmm. From the 1950 to the late two thou, or early two thousands, what, like nothing happened in between. So if you look to your right, I'm sorry you guys can't see this, but if you look to your right past that, that's what this area looked like. Mm-hmm. And so five years ago, how the revitalization happened, myself, Mike Treez, Ebony, Chappelle, Robert, and Grime from over Indy Conversions.
Uh, Greg Hardge and a couple other folks Visit Indy, Brad, um, Airport Authority. We all came together and say, what can be done in this space? And so it's supposed to be a, a, um, and it don't get talked about much, but we was Belmont Beach Project two years ago. Mm-hmm. And so this was supposed to be a one year project from March to October to see what happens if we create a space for the community in Harville.
What I did here was there was a like. A million dollars by the going, but we know how far a million dollars spread through community. So it probably wouldn't have been a lot, but there was gonna be a space that went in and then COVID happened. Mm-hmm. Right through the conversation. This had, this wasn't built yet.
This is what happens. And so now COVID happens and I think it was best and intentional to have a black face. Right? Like not being real
[00:06:54] Michael Zarick: sure,
[00:06:54] Tedd Hardy: um, you lead this, this is your community. Let's see what happens if it fails the city, do whatever they was gonna do. We could say we did community input. It fell, it didn't fail.
So at the end, well let's, let's go back to October. When we at, did we start in nine 20? This season? Five. Sorry. I think we started during COVID. We started building during COVID. Hmm. Whatever it was. We on year five. So going back to year one, um, when we got to the end of the year was like, what do we do?
What's next? This was a good year. I see y'all have a great time, but. The more and more we see it on Facebook. People wanted it back, people wanted it back. What was going on? Why did it stop? Why we don't have no events, why all this and that? And next thing you know, we're in an email thread like, what does this look like for one more year?
Shout out to Eli Lilly and our community partners for making it happen for one more year. Okay, let's see how this goes. Boom. Maybe it fails communities at Duke Parks. You know, this is conversation that's happening. I'm just blurting it out. Yeah. Communities that do parks and things usually don't last after a couple years.
'cause funding don't come through. Community, don't enjoy it. Who's gonna maintain it? Who's going to, mm-hmm. Obviously shout out, that's why I said it wasn't all me. Maybe I was a part of the voice and a part of putting it all out, but from, from our team members, from cutting the grass to keeping the trash up, to keeping the events going.
We do, we do events every weekend from March, or let's say April through October. Um, and so I can't do all that by myself. And with that being said, now where we are from the Belmont Beach Project and trying these things and different volunteers that we formed our own board and as we was forming a board, we didn't realize there's only so much support you can get, you know, when funding or anything come through, like right, it is either the next person getting funded or these companies run outta money or they just, you're just out of that loop or things like that.
And so we really had to get. Within ourself to contain this thing. So from, I would say from 23 to 25 has been, I'm not gonna say self sustain, but we haven't had large grants. Hmm. Right. Yeah. We had a lot of different partners and a lot of just things that we was blessed with and we made some good decisions early.
And so this is what I could say a community space looks like, not just because we're in Haughville but I think this is how you build a community. Right. Not about. What you claim or whatever, but the people that want to enjoy the spaces you are around, the people that likes to be with you, the people that vibe with you, the it don't, it don't even matter about the race, the race, sex, color, age, gender, none of that.
It's just about where you feel safe, where you feel comfortable and all of that. And that's why I take so much pride in this. And like I said, through this whole process, it's been up. We could talk for hours about it, but it showed me that community joy and love doesn't take money. Money can amplify it.
But we all get caught up in the money and trying to build these things. And if we build it genuinely from the heart, from the community, from the joy, from, I mean, look around, this is not money. You know what I mean? This is, these was me and my cousins and yeah, Robert and Negro put these big old poles in.
We used a, we probably should have did it. We used a four by four truck, our own, are you talking about this
[00:10:02] Michael Zarick: overhang that we're sitting under? All of this
[00:10:04] Tedd Hardy: was built by my cousins. Yes. Robert Degra, Greg Harger, Devonte Hardy, uh, my, you know, like. Pinky, Ebony. There wasn't Lowe's that came out and dropped this.
It wasn't, you know, L and l, LLC. So it showed us like if we do it, if we put our heart into it and we treat it that way, I think others will. Mm-hmm. There's no secret sauce to this, but that's Belmont Beach in a fast sum. That
[00:10:27] Michael Zarick: wass amazing. Did you
[00:10:27] Tedd Hardy: want another piece too? I, yeah, yeah. Gimme a little bit more.
Yeah. Yeah. I, I was looking at it as I was talking. I'm like, oh, take that. Get a bigger piece. Ah, I don't want you to get a bigger piece
[00:10:35] Michael Zarick: off. I'm like, I'm covering you in, in powdered sugar. I feel bad.
[00:10:37] Tedd Hardy: It's okay. It's okay. And don't want you to get the big piece. Nah. But, uh, so
[00:10:42] Michael Zarick: when I don't know what image I had, I had, this is my first time here.
[00:10:45] Tedd Hardy: Okay. Welcome.
[00:10:46] Michael Zarick: Thank you. Welcome. Um, I don't know what image I had in my head. A beach. What? Belmont Beach I saw in my head. I was like, oh, it looks like Florida, but obviously not. So if I, I didn't walk down mm-hmm. Uh, to the, to our right. Um, but there's a ramp down there that mm-hmm. You can access the river.
[00:11:02] Tedd Hardy: Mm-hmm. And it takes you down. But up here
[00:11:03] Michael Zarick: is where I've seen your posts, I've shared your posts, uh, of you have community events. Yeah. Music, movie nights, small
[00:11:11] Tedd Hardy: yoga, music and jokes. Um, we do nature hikes. Our last one was the coffee and conversation. It was one of our better ones. Shout out to Tinker for this.
Mm-hmm. Um, but we just had some coffee on. I walked around and showed people this beautiful space, like our nature team, way better than me in telling you what's out there from the fish, just carrying. So you see that wonderful bird right there? Oh yeah. That's like
[00:11:36] Michael Zarick: a, it's not a crane. There's another word for it.
Not a stork either. I don't know. Yeah. Heron. Heron. Yeah. Is that a word? Yeah. Gray blue bird is huge.
[00:11:44] Tedd Hardy: And so it's more things like that, like it's so many different and that's how you know the, you know, when you hear the story, the river is dirty. Mm-hmm. Things that when you start seeing gray, blue hairs and stuff like that, they lets you know that the water is not as bad as you think.
That mean they help the fishes help you. They're only travel and eat where they can eat well and things like that. We used to see birds and geese. Uh, it's diving in as we speak. Um, oh it is. Yeah. Literally. But what else, man, I didn't want to get off track about the the space.
[00:12:16] Michael Zarick: What I really appreciate what you said about like what.
a real community space is. Mm-hmm. About how it's not the money you put into it, but it's the manpower, it's the love, it's the people. And that says a lot to me. Can you tell me a little bit about like some of the other individuals that you work with? Um, any, any, not to like make favorites or anything like that, but some, maybe some highlights from the past few years of like work that they've done?
[00:12:44] Tedd Hardy: Well, I can say that this community first and foremost got this. Where it's at today from protecting this brand. I mean, we've heard the horror stories about the community, but you haven't heard 'em about Belmont Beach and that community is right there. Mm-hmm. So that's first and foremost. But lemme I wanna start with Ebony Chappel, um, she's over at Mirror Indy now.
Mm-hmm. I'm talking to her in like two weeks or a. So she was our executive director that got this ish together. I don't want to cuss, but she whipped us. You are
[00:13:15] Michael Zarick: allowed to cuss if you, if you want to. She got
[00:13:17] Tedd Hardy: this shit together. Alright. I had to say it with that manner. She got the, she was our fucking physical coach that, you know, you need that trainer to see through the Olympics that you didn't know you needed.
Mm-hmm. And you thought she was the best in the world. Mm-hmm. That's what, but they took you to another level. Yeah. That's what Ebony Chappel did for me. And knowing that she was a community member. Um, we graduated together.
[00:13:39] Michael Zarick: Where'd you go? Ben Davis. Okay. 2007. My wife attended Ben Davis. Partially
[00:13:44] Tedd Hardy: good.
I'm glad to know that. See, um, so all of that. And then, you know, she's elevated. We've elevaTedd and we're still growing, so I'm glad you get a chat with her. So, and it's gonna be very interesting to see her growth. Um, and then we worked, her dad, her dad was part of whipping us into shape too. He obviously, being an elder, we listened to him a lot.
And he had a strong voice in this community. I'm talking about
[00:14:09] Michael Zarick: you live in Haughville?
[00:14:10] Tedd Hardy: Me?
[00:14:11] Michael Zarick: Yeah.
[00:14:11] Tedd Hardy: Uh, no. I'm getting my house remodeled. I currently don't.
[00:14:13] Michael Zarick: Okay.
[00:14:13] Tedd Hardy: But 5, 5, 6 Lynn is where we reside. Uh, my story goes deep too. Lynn Park is where I started at. The park was like right behind my house in Ville and it kind of got me into the community.
Mm-hmm. Uh, stayed in Haughville for 33 years and it was time to elevate as I grow this space. Um, but. Sad about us building and developing and our transitions started happening. Mike actually was, uh, caught a bullet, a stray bullet, and he got hit in the back. Um, not no beef, nothing we had to worry about. No nothing wrong place, wrong time.
And so, and that, um, we had to dig back in because at that time, Ebony was elevating with the Mirror Indy already. Um, obviously we lose our vice president through tragedy and what happens next, right? Like that's. What happens next? And so I remember after Mike passed, the news was out here and cameras was in our face.
And you know, I even went to the club that night. It was cameras all in my face and I seen failure. You know what I mean? I still remember that night like I did this 'cause he passed like on a Saturday and we had a party on Tuesday. 'cause we did industry night for artists. I still had to fucking party in the news.
When they asked me, I said yes, but I was just going off adrenaline, but sitting in the nightclub thinking like this is. This motherfucker's about to fail. Right. That, that is literally what went in my head when the lights hit my face. I did the interview and everything, but I was like, this is, I'm back to square one.
Like this is where they thought we was gonna be four years ago or three years ago as Mike passed. Uh, no. And so I returned it back on. One of my close other members, Eric Washington, he grew up one street behind me on Tribe. He became the vice president. And so what that did is just held it down. And so we brought an executive director that Ebony has already been working with.
We kept our nature team. Um, Indy Convergence is no longer on the board 'cause they've been growing, but we still work with him. Anything come with art stages and you hear the excitement start coming back outta that. 'cause like that's where the community was built from. Like all the work that we put in before the fame, before we was Belmont Beach.
Yeah, before we was on the new, it was already something built. It was already love built. It was already a connection. Definitely. But I didn't have to say anything. They was already ready. And so all in all, um, Kelly. I don't wanna forget no names when we talk about the team. So Kelly has been here,
[00:16:27] Michael Zarick: they'll let you know
[00:16:28] Tedd Hardy: Simone, uh, who else we got?
We got Tara Tiara, we got Martina, we got Greg Harger and, and Tony Devonte Hardy. I'm sure I didn't miss anybody else 'cause you guys is always around and pushing us, so thank you.
[00:16:46] Michael Zarick: Amazing. Thank you. Thank
[00:16:47] Tedd Hardy: you.
[00:16:48] Michael Zarick: So when, when you guys hold events out here mm-hmm. Who is. Not necessarily how many, but like who's coming out?
Is it Ville or is it just people from across the town? Um, like who is your community?
[00:17:02] Tedd Hardy: That was the hardest. I'm gonna talk it in spurts again.
[00:17:05] Michael Zarick: Yeah.
[00:17:09] Tedd Hardy: The hardest thing was to get Haughville,
[00:17:12] Michael Zarick: even though they're right here
[00:17:14] Tedd Hardy: because of the history.
[00:17:16] Michael Zarick: Mm.
[00:17:18] Tedd Hardy: You know how many people's drowned in that water? It ain't the people today, it's their grandfathers uncles. And then when I start realizing, after hearing some of the stories, some of the stories that they telling is not even true.
It's just when it just, when the bad, you know how the, you know how the phone line goin? I tell you something. You tell him something, you tell mm-hmm. By the time they get back to you, the world turns Somebody fell out the sky. Yeah. You got monsters and aliens. You got monsters and aliens. And that was, that was the fight that we had to get over with Haughville.
And so what happening is I'm a promoter. You know what I mean? At the end of the day, that's how I make my living. I'm a promoter, so some of the people was not Haughville, but they was the people that dealt with me, deal with Ebony, dealt with Mike. And then when Haughville said, oh man, y'all got Lance Stevenson over there, right?
Y'all got, y'all got, what is Rachel Simons? I'm just using names. Sure. Just find things out. What is. Man. Y'all got the new y'all doing, y'all not having movie night over there. And that's what took it. So it was outside, it was outside people that was already connected to us. That came in. I wouldn't even say our, the people that supported and funded, I wouldn't put that on them to come out.
'cause they just pushing our mission. If they came out, this is their thing. And I, I had to understand that early too. Like a company can, can fund us and then send 30 of their employees. Why would they fund, they could just do their own movie night. Mm-hmm. Um, so just start taking that in, in accountability, man.
Uh, I was about to start rambling, so I'll just refrain back to That's okay. To the,
[00:18:49] Michael Zarick: um, I'm gonna pivot just a little bit. Okay. Tell me about, just 'cause I, I, I'm so interested. The only person I know, I think this is, that can't be true. I was just gonna say the only person I know who went to Ben Davis is my wife, but that's definitely not true.
Mm-hmm. Um, but can you tell me a little bit about. Uh, Ben Davis and your experience with like high school and, and you've said Ebony, you've held on to her as a friend from high school even. Um, I, I think a lot of like local people, this happens in Louisville too, like really connect with what high school they went to and, and think about those experiences positively.
[00:19:24] Tedd Hardy: It's purple pride. Uh, and we took that, we take that with strides 'cause our parents went to George Washington High School. Mm-hmm. And so they have a purple pride and we have to like carry that because. In 2007 was like 2000, well, we graduated in 2008 was the year they kind of cut off bussing in Ville.
Mm-hmm. And so that's always strong. So we gonna always have that fight with our parents about who was the strongest purple y. They're not really Hall Bill, they bused y'all out there for athletics. But I went there, so yeah. Yeah. Everything I learned my education. That's Did you, were
[00:19:56] Michael Zarick: you in the career center?
I, no. No. Okay. I was wondering.
[00:20:00] Tedd Hardy: I was, I played bass. Basketball.
[00:20:01] Michael Zarick: Okay.
[00:20:02] Tedd Hardy: I was in the career center at my leisure. Right. Okay. Okay. You know, I was a basketball player, it was pretty good and I had good grades, so I got to move through high school, uh, greatly. Um, but with that being said, our connection, so what Ben Davis' did for me, and it may have been a sport or maybe 'cause I was a people person, but I've always been diverse and I use high school for that from class.
From who you in homeroom with. To who you ride the bus with at? You know, after so long we didn't, we couldn't really decide who we was sitting next to. You know, it was already set. So if I'm sitting next to, I'm gonna say Jose, 'cause I got a lot of friends named Jose. If I'm sitting next to Jose and Lucy, I think there have to be.
That's who I'm gonna have to talk to. I really don't talk to this person behind me. So I took that moving forward into college. I actually played basketball in London, in Mexico, so I never felt,
[00:20:53] Michael Zarick: you say you played basketball in Mexico?
[00:20:54] Tedd Hardy: Yeah. And got what I played in uh, Chihuahua. Well, for real. Yeah. That's so cool.
So that's why, that's why like when we talk, even like the hood shit, like when people talk about how gangster the neighborhoods and stuff was like where I played at, where I, and you can look it up, where I played at was, uh, what we watch on tv. Mm-hmm. You know what I mean? Yeah. Like I was with the cartels, I was with the people.
But when I, when I tell my family and friends, they're like, what? You was with them? It's not what we think. No, that shit is an operation, is business. Only time you see somebody's head getting chopped off and all that is when you playing with the business of everybody, it's not like, oh, you stepped on my shoe, you gonna get your head chopped off?
Like, no, it was all, uh, it was just like this. But what I realized with me saying that that shit was all about family coming together. They worked hard, they party hard. They worked hard, but it was, they ate together. They came. After every basketball game, we was not getting our game. Like when I'm used to in America, we get, we go to the game, we eat a little bit of food, we go be isolated.
We go with our friends, we go to the club, we go home, we go play our game. When we got done with basketball, we ate together and we partied together. We went home. You know what I mean? It was like everything was together. And that's, and I, that's what I feel when I come here. I'm like, man, all these, y'all think y'all tough.
This is not tough. Being tough is like bringing people together, uh, making sure things go well. I think of like the
[00:22:15] Michael Zarick: Godfather. Yeah. You know, I'm like the Godfather, you know, none of those people in the Godfather are good people, but they are really about family. They're really about being together with each other.
Like the opening scene of The Godfather is a wedding, like, it's like about
[00:22:26] Tedd Hardy: they business kind of get in the way of the family, right? Yeah. That's kind of what. Obviously if you put I, we're not here, you know? Yeah. Condoning
[00:22:34] Michael Zarick: the efforts of the, the cartel. Yeah. I, I
[00:22:35] Tedd Hardy: wanna, but if you understand the story play of what we're trying to say and how that works, and so that's how I operate.
I think. Check my record. I've not a drug dealer. I've never been locked up. It's not me. But we watch those movies. We see what we see. We, I got product of my environment on my arm. I've seen what I've seen. I know what I know, and it's just putting that into the world.
[00:22:56] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm.
[00:22:57] Tedd Hardy: Yep.
[00:22:57] Michael Zarick: I know what you're saying.
Yep. Can you tell me a little bit? I don't, I don't really know what it means. So can you tell me a little bit about what being a promoter is?
So you're like a content man for other people? Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:23:11] Tedd Hardy: So I, I'm, I'm, I'm explaining it, but I, my role is elevating from a promoter. I don't think I'm a promoter anymore.
[00:23:21] Michael Zarick: Okay.
[00:23:21] Tedd Hardy: Um, but what happens when promoters get called in? It's when a business is failing, it's when. A space like this doesn't get any love is what?
It may not be changing. It's when you're nightclubs. I know. We see it and I know if a shooting or something happened, uh, that's a cool, unique thing about this space too. Uh, this is where the airport authority actually own this land to speak about Belmont. Uh, the airport authority owned this land, and this is where one of those satellite beings was at.
You remember? Oh really? The tall light. And so I'm surprised not, not a lot more is went over, but it's always planes going over. 'cause this is the site to the airport. Mm. Um, sorry, what was it yet before that
[00:24:00] Michael Zarick: we were talking about promoting?
[00:24:02] Tedd Hardy: So, being a promoter comes in, like I said, when the business is spelling, usually bar nightclub restaurants who call promoters in,
[00:24:08] Michael Zarick: definitely they
[00:24:08] Tedd Hardy: don't call 'em in when they're thriving, when the big doors first open.
And so we come in really getting chump change. You know, we coming in trying to help your business stay alive, trying to help their business stay alive while put money in our pocket and the promoter always get the bad stick of it because this businessman or woman is saying, my business is, well, I need your help.
Get these people in here. Get these people in my building and then when we don't get those people, when we get 10, 20 people, we're failing. You suck. I don't know why I'm paying your ass. You know? We get all the things that we don't see on the news. When there's nice business owner go on there and say, we got this promoter in our venue.
Boom. We're forcing these people in your club to keep you open. An incident happened, we take the back in. That's what a promoter is. Fast paced.
[00:24:49] Michael Zarick: Okay.
[00:24:50] Tedd Hardy: I'm more now a coordinator. I will go to a venue now and say, y'all could put my name on the flyer, but I ain't coming. I promote it, but I ain't coming. Now what I really want to do is work with them and getting this done.
I want, I'm more of the business manager consultant for the nightclub, for the venue. Let me walk you through this full process. It might take us eight weeks to get this right, but I'm not gonna build your club overnight. And if anything happen, I'm fully responsible and that's happened to me multiple times and I see it on the news.
I see the promoters, I see downtown. Only reason these black kids or whatever, or whatever downtown is because the business was just failing. They got forced downtown through promotion, through the, these venues are allowing us to come in and do this. It is not, we don't own these places. Right. And I, that's where I just see the story get twisTedd and I want to help the promoters, um, concept.
But that I was able to beat, that I was able to sustain and show people that I wasn't a bad person, I wasn't a bad individual. These people called me because I had a platform and said, can you get people to my venue? I'm not a security manager, I'm not a bar manager. I'm not a door. You call me 'cause I have a, so that's a promoter.
Long story short, we come in on the back end to help businesses sustain or pay their bills and we take the back end of whatever's left. Hmm.
[00:26:08] Michael Zarick: Cool.
[00:26:08] Tedd Hardy: Yep. So let's transition. What I do now, I showcase tell stories and I help you bring your vision alive without being the face or the promoter of the event.
[00:26:18] Michael Zarick: So yeah, so you're sort.
That's You're a marketer.
[00:26:21] Tedd Hardy: Yeah. So say we had to change the name of, so now it's marketing. You said elevator
[00:26:26] Michael Zarick: marketer. Yeah. Any of those types of things.
[00:26:28] Tedd Hardy: Some, something. It's crazy how the word play changes everything.
[00:26:32] Michael Zarick: Yeah.
[00:26:32] Tedd Hardy: Right. Because if the news said the marketing company did it, then everybody would be like, why would you blame the marketing company?
So thank you for allowing me to, to use that space to say that too. That's totally fine. Yeah. Um,
[00:26:45] Michael Zarick: Oh, I actually should say this now. Uh, so this is the first episode with a guest, uh, WI that has, uh, a sponsor shout out. Uh, I'm gonna drop this in just so my good friend, Mark Latta, uh, said he was really, he's been, oh, you know, Mark Latta. Oh, we can talk about that foundation.
[00:27:05] Tedd Hardy: The ambassadors. CIC Oh, I don't
[00:27:07] Michael Zarick: know what he's in probably, yeah.
I just know that he's Learn
[00:27:10] Tedd Hardy: Tree.
[00:27:11] Michael Zarick: Oh yeah, he was with the Learning Tree for a while. So Mark Latta who is my second guest on the podcast, said, I've been really enjoying your podcast, shout
[00:27:17] Tedd Hardy: out to you.
[00:27:18] Michael Zarick: Um, so he is decided to give me a little bit of money. If you want more information about why I decided to take that on, it's on the website.
Um, but Mark Lata sponsored me through his, um, business, which is called City Rising. Yep. . He's about changing policies. And helping and changing mindsets and
[00:27:36] Tedd Hardy: mindsets
[00:27:36] Michael Zarick: and setting, uh, goals for long term and finding you ways to reach those goals.
[00:27:43] Tedd Hardy: When I first met him, I was like, who the hell is this guy?
[00:27:47] Michael Zarick: See you. I don't even need to, to, to advertise. You could do it for me. uh, If you are, uh, an organization or a business who needs help, you know, developing your community, uh, reach out to Mark, reach out to me and I can help you reach out to Mark, um, or reach out to Tedd.
'cause apparently you know him as well.
[00:28:04] Tedd Hardy: You know, we got a couple connections. No, I just shout out to Mark for sponsoring this and you, and the connections y'all got. But like I said, I, when I, when I met Mark, uh. I didn't know that he had the brain power and the connections that he had until he continued to talk.
He continued to show up similar, like this space, you know, when people show up, not just talk, but show up, do help, support, um, all of those aboves Mark shows that. So I, I wanted to jump in and give him some love, man. Of course. Yes, yes.
[00:28:34] Michael Zarick: So respect to Mark Latta. Thank you for sponsoring the podcast, city Rising, once again, city rising.org.
I think I really should figure that out. Uh, because it's gonna, it's gonna be in the show notes no matter what. Or you can reach out to me and I'll connect to you. Um, but I told Mark he could sponsor a question. It's the recurring question here on the podcast. Okay. Do you know what a third space is?
That's the name of the podcast. It's not, it's okay if we don't, I can't explain it that
[00:29:01] Tedd Hardy: I'd rather for you to explain it so I don't get it wrong, but I think I know.
[00:29:04] Michael Zarick: Okay. Well, actually tell me what, so the question is, what is a third space to you? But we will, I'll let you, I think get me outside
[00:29:11] Tedd Hardy: of your comfort zone.
When I think of Third Space. Mm.
[00:29:14] Michael Zarick: I like that. Just so what it is to me. Well, this is more book def definition. Okay. Uh, so you have three spaces. You have your home, it's where you live, you have your work, it's where you work, do labor, uh, and then your third space is anywhere outside of those two places that you build community, that you go and exist and talk with people.
So the question sponsored by City Rising is. What is a third space to you right here? Maybe think of it in a more like, woowoo way. You know, think of it like what does it mean to have this type of space for yourself?
[00:29:53] Tedd Hardy: No, for real. When I was just pointing here. Um, if you follow my journey, notice parks, any type of place where I could just either walk, sit, or feel freely.
I don't need a basketball goal. I, I just need the space and also. Can the third space include people? Of course, being able to see people enjoy those spaces, right? Like that's part of my getaway. That's part of my joy. That's part, matter of fact, that's part of my reset, really. Like if I go to a park or I go to a community space, I don't even wanna selfishly say here, but let's just say we sitting here and we just seen somebody walking their dogs through.
It's just two dogs walking through, maybe has a pee or whatever, and then walk on back. Yeah. That's like joy instead of like having to hide or feeling uncomfortable walking down the street, you know, just me being a product of my environment, we really didn't have joyful spaces for a spurt of time. So seeing people come back out and really enjoy these, I get to just sit back.
Like I said, I'm making sure I'm comfortable when I'm making sure I'm relaxed, I'm gonna have my laptop and not doing nothing on it. Sometimes I do that too, so I don't get bothered. Right. I have my laptop and some headphones on, not listening to nothing. Not looking at nothing but actually watching what's going on.
How are people activating these spaces? And then it sucks 'cause work come back in and I can't help it, but how can I help improve this space? Mm-hmm. Or who can I connect to this space? Or what are they missing is kind of how I,
[00:31:15] Michael Zarick: I'm seeing your, your life kind of has a, a rhythm or a pattern to it. There's a little caterpillar down there, you see it, uh, where you are really interesTedd in.
Even as a promoter or a marketer or whatever, where you want to, you are interesTedd in fostering space for people to exist. Yeah. Even though, you know, you may not have a direct connection to the businesses you're, you're working with, you're still working to create a space that people want to be correct.
Right? Correct. So, whether it's Belmont Beach or whether it's, uh, a random business that you are working with, that's, that's really what you're looking for.
[00:31:48] Tedd Hardy: I got a question for you. Sure. From knowing that about me. Huh. If you was me and somebody asked you, what do you do, how would you
[00:31:58] Michael Zarick: answer that? That's a hard question.
So if I'm answering it from your perspective as me Yeah,
[00:32:02] Tedd Hardy: sorry. I, I, I, I put it as a rhythm. I riddle. How would you answer that?
[00:32:09] Michael Zarick: I would say in, in the way that, uh, you know, I'm, I'm here to foster space for people to exist and connect with each other while also supporting local business.
[00:32:22] Tedd Hardy: I really like that.
See coming, coming from that promoter stamp
[00:32:26] Michael Zarick: Uhhuh,
[00:32:26] Tedd Hardy: I'm like, how do I stamp this thing? So I like, you know, I, I asked that question. Sorry for asking. I hope you used it too. Yeah, but I asked that. I don't
[00:32:34] Michael Zarick: really cut that much out. Alright, good.
[00:32:36] Tedd Hardy: I asked that 'cause I'm like, dang, I come on and I'm promoter community guy got, huh?
Do does it sound weird or does this sound like a full package or something? I asked that because it was like, you sound like a full circle. And I'm like, mm-hmm. That's kind of what I wanted to do and I used to be like, am I crazy? I'm trying to like get people to fucking eat hot dogs at the park and just play cards.
And then my friends is like, let's go race cars. And I'm like, we can do that later, but let's shoot. Let's play pig or horse or don't you get some kids, let's go to swing or let's go. That's funny. Ride a bike.
[00:33:06] Michael Zarick: Oh, that's the other thing. I was surprised there's not a basketball goal here.
[00:33:08] Tedd Hardy: Well, we had to take it down.
[00:33:09] Michael Zarick: Oh really?
[00:33:10] Tedd Hardy: That space right there. If you go look up, if you ever look up, when we first started, you'll see a basketball goal. We had a black and brown event and it was dancing on the basketball court. But what happened was everybody started coming over here to play basketball. Oh. And we didn't want to take away from the park.
Okay. The park is right there. Ell Sanders Park, Uhhuh. And so it's the full court basketball. That's where we did the Haughville meaning expo is at. Okay. But through my love, there was definitely, and we had the best basketball court in Haughville built. We definitely had an official gorilla goal. We got it sponsored.
Um, the in league, and I can't remember the name of the company who installed it, but it was like a $2,500 court. We got like $700 plus installed.
[00:33:48] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm.
[00:33:49] Tedd Hardy: So
[00:33:50] Michael Zarick: it's not in Indiana Park if it doesn't have a basketball court,
[00:33:52] Tedd Hardy: it's not. And I was like, how are we, how are we gonna open these places without it? It was like, no, we can't listen.
We have to do this. But yeah, there was a query.
[00:34:00] Michael Zarick: That's funny. All right, so an extension of this previous question. Mm-hmm. That I really like asking 'cause I, I think you get a little introspective in this, what is a third space or place that you used to have that no longer exists?
[00:34:23] Tedd Hardy: So it's home work.
[00:34:25] Michael Zarick: Yeah. Think of it, uh, if you wanna rephrase it. What's a, what's a community space or a place you used to hang out or tiki box?
[00:34:31] Tedd Hardy: Wait, say again. Tiki Bar. Tiki Bobs.
[00:34:34] Michael Zarick: Oh, Tiki Bobs. Yeah. Oh my God. Tell me about this.
[00:34:38] Tedd Hardy: Remember that story I told you about the promoter who took the blame? Sure. For the venue?
Mm-hmm. Um, before that happened, um, that was me in the store. Um, but before that happened, there was love being built. I met these young businessmen. Um, they were just looking to grow their business downtown Indy. Fridays. Saturdays was cool, but they was looking like that was just taking all their bill money.
They was looking for one more night to pay the bills and they could make some money. Uh, came in. Everything was great. This is where, this is how I feel like this is how I built my name to get this from all of the nightlife because these is my network. This is how every drink that I had right here in the guy, I think I made a network and I was taking 10 a night.
I was every hand I shook it was buying a drink or they was buying me. One was like somebody that I see work with or connect with now, shout out to social media and I got to grow in there. I got to see them build and I got to grow into the man I am today. Now, when that time happened, when the news hit, I understand business.
Somebody gotta take the blame, they gotta protect their business and boom. Uh, but that was my third space for about eight years.
[00:35:44] Michael Zarick: Thank you. Tiki Bobs. Thank you. Tiki Bobs. Can you paint a picture of Tiki Bobs for, what does this place look like?
[00:35:50] Tedd Hardy: Tiki thinking. Tiki. What is the tiki trees and stuff? Yeah. Got like,
[00:35:53] Michael Zarick: like, like the weird, not weird.
That's the faces and the, yeah.
[00:35:57] Tedd Hardy: And then you got tiki trees through, obviously it was more club atmosphere, so it didn't look all mm-hmm. Too like spiritual or too, uh. I wouldn't even say spiritual. It didn't look too off. It didn't look too, it looked Indiana. Still let me give it that. But the bar was cool, so it was a square bar.
Okay. And so, you know, you go to most venues, you gotta go to your seat. It's not a place to walk.
[00:36:18] Michael Zarick: Mm-hmm.
[00:36:18] Tedd Hardy: You like a skating rink?
[00:36:19] Michael Zarick: Yeah.
[00:36:20] Tedd Hardy: And so if you got a drink on this side of the bar, it was four places to get a drink. That's the first bar. Then you, then you walk about, you got about 25, you got about 50 feet dance floor.
Then you could walk up some stairs. There's another bar with about 20. 20 to 30 feet. Mm-hmm. Pretty wide for a nightclub. Then you can go down a long ass hallway that's about 50 feet and that's is where all the thugs wanna hang out. Right. Watch the girls hack on the girls, tap on 'em, whatever. And if you get to the back of the club, that's where I hang out.
You, it was no VIP access. It was just the music was a little lower, the bartender was a little bit more elegant. You're saying
[00:36:54] Michael Zarick: that's where you're shaking hands? Yeah, that's where I'm
[00:36:55] Tedd Hardy: doing my hands shaking at. Right. Okay. That's where, if I meet you in the front of the club, you know how the guy bring the girl to the back of the club where the quad.
This club was just already designated to have conversations in the back because it's down. I think they, they did that smartly. It was TVs everywhere. It looked like a sports bar when you got to the back of it. Yeah. So now we're talking, now we're this, what do you do? What do you do? Buy another shot. And by the time we three shots in, I didn't know your life, your family.
Do you really like what I do? Are you coming back to party or are you a investor? Yeah. Are you trying to bring an artist?
[00:37:23] Michael Zarick: We hung out at, uh, Kilroy's on in Broad Ripple Oh yeah. On Friday. Yep. And I noticed that the music was at the perfect level, in my opinion, where it was loud enough where I couldn't hear other people, but it was quiet enough where I could hear the person across from me.
And that created like this almost like weird privacy from the other people around you. It was, it was really impressive. It's like you talking regular, shout out to Gilroy, you're
[00:37:49] Tedd Hardy: talking regular. But they came here. Yes. And it's like, and yo, that's what I'm talking about. Like, that was created and, and I don't think people used it like I did.
Mm. Right. Like I, everybody's like, well, what you doing down there? Why are these people coming back? They felt like, like they probably want to keep the con 'cause I probably got too drunk to keep it going. Or I said some shit, like, he really could get me here, so I'm coming back. So it worked. That's, I say I, it phased into work, but that was my third place for about eight, eight or nine years.
[00:38:15] Michael Zarick: I love that. Thank you for sharing. Yeah. Got a little. Is there anything else you wanted to bring up about Belmont Beach or yourself, or anyone you wanna talk about?
[00:38:24] Tedd Hardy: Since we're here at Belmont, I would just love to say we are always looking to gain new friends, get people involved, host events, listen to conversations, um, maybe support ideas.
Um, you can look us up on our website,, that's friends@belmontbeach.org. Our friends@belmontbeachIndy.org Mm-hmm. Or Friends of Belmont Beach are all social media platforms. Uh, just reach out to us real easy to work with and. Like I said earlier, we're still looking to grow a small team, small but mighty, looking to grow that uh, any other ways.
We're just looking to connect, come be a part of this community. Mm-hmm. Come have some joy, come visit the space, come walk the space. And after this, um, point out some ways where you can walk and hike and maybe get some b roll or see some things to share with these folks that don't get to make it to Belmont.
[00:39:09] Michael Zarick: Beach. Well, thank you for sharing. Uh, that is not necessarily the end, but I was just asking
[00:39:14] Tedd Hardy: can I right there, since it's not the end yet, can I give one more shout out? Say
[00:39:17] Michael Zarick: whatever you want. We got, I, I normally go for an hour, so Oh, cool. I
[00:39:20] Tedd Hardy: want, so through all these stories, and I wanted you to know this too.
Um. There's a platform on Instagram that I picked up and I didn't really want people to know it's me, but I have to continue to spread this love I did the whole summer without really pushing it like that. But look up Next Gen West on Instagram.
[00:39:38] Michael Zarick: Next, N-E-X-T-G-E-N. West,
[00:39:41] Tedd Hardy: west, west. And you will hear some organic stories and I, you see how we having this conversation to where we're just.
You asking a couple and I'm just flowing. Yeah. I did that with the community. And you get to hear how they feel about these spaces, not what I feel about these spaces. And so I want to continue to push that when I do get the platform, like y'all hearing from me, uh, I'm just rambling. I'm matter of fact, I'm a old guy that don't know about what's going on at Harville, but these guys do.
So I look up next Because you moved
[00:40:10] Michael Zarick: out.
[00:40:12] Tedd Hardy: Yes. Yes. I, I elevated. To a space where my family and friends needed me to be, to continue to grow this work. Um, so moved out. Do I sleep at Haughville? No, I live, I live comfortably. My house in Haughville was, I have, I married, I have twins now and I like a lot of shit.
If I went, gets my pride, try to stay in the house I grew up in, I would be miserable. Yeah. I wouldn't be able to grow. My girls would be stuck in a box. Cause we ain't got no space. So I had to do what's best for the family.
Yeah, no, I just, whatever you need.
I'd be wanting to make that clear to the people that's coming behind me because sometimes we get help because I want to help somewhere because I wanna support somewhere. We always like I see the, well you don't live here. Yeah. If I live here, I probably wouldn't be able to afford to help you. You know what I mean?
Like Yeah. And that's just where I'm at with it now. And if I, if I keep being stuck in a box, I won't be able to afford to really help. And so I want to encourage the people that's coming like me or going through those conversations and you're getting held back because of where people think you should be.
Um, and I hope y'all take something from that.
[00:41:18] Michael Zarick: Yeah. When are you moving to Hamilton County?
[00:41:21] Tedd Hardy: Hey, so that may be next. My girls.
[00:41:24] Michael Zarick: Oh, really? I was joking, but I
[00:41:26] Tedd Hardy: No really, let me tell you y'all, what's really happening for me right now. Okay. It's not about me anymore, right. I have two twin girls.
[00:41:33] Michael Zarick: Yeah.
[00:41:33] Tedd Hardy: Both of their parents are good basketball players and they're, they're growing pretty fast.
[00:41:37] Michael Zarick: Oh, you, you, they got the genes, is that what you're saying? I'm not
[00:41:40] Tedd Hardy: doing basketball that up, but Hamilton got some good basketball programs out that way.
[00:41:45] Michael Zarick: You know, Hey, tall people can play volleyball, tall people can play all sorts of stuff.
[00:41:49] Tedd Hardy: I, they, I want them to play everything. Yeah. I just know they genuinely going to be.
Left or right-handed, you know, they can jump off both legs. That's all those sports. So if you want to play, I just want, I really want them to go where they're going to be 'cause I want them to stay. They don't have to stay together forever,
[00:42:07] Michael Zarick: Uhhuh.
[00:42:07] Tedd Hardy: But if they could sit, if they can win together for through high school,
[00:42:10] Michael Zarick: how are they twins?
[00:42:11] Tedd Hardy: Yeah. Four years old.
[00:42:12] Michael Zarick: Oh my god. Imagine like twins on like the Fever that would go hard. You see what I'm saying? In like 10 years. Did you, years you see
[00:42:17] Tedd Hardy: like the Morris twins in the NBA don't even like they, I don't even like how they play basketball, but I watch them 'cause they twins. You know what I mean?
Like, so I see that in my daughters. They went through high school, they went to college together and they went to the NBA. They got on separate teams, but they went all the way till they got professional. And it's just beating the odds. What people say can't happen. Twins is don't get alone in the same classroom.
My girls do their home. No, I don't wanna go intover with that, but it's really about them now. So wherever they need to be in the next, I got 10 years. I got 10 years to move around and decide where do I really need to be. Um, that's a long time. Yeah, I got a long time. You can reinvent yourself in that time.
So just know I stayed in, I'm 35, 6. I just turned 36. Oh yeah. I lived in Haughville for 33 of those years.
[00:43:01] Michael Zarick: Hmm.
[00:43:03] Tedd Hardy: Yeah,
[00:43:03] Michael Zarick: that's what I'm saying. 10 years is a long time. I think we worry about, um, we spend a lot of time worrying about the future, but if I think about myself five years ago, especially 10 years ago, just, uh, the way you can reinvent yourself, the way your life changes, the good things that happen in that time span, you know, the bad happens, but the good mostly happen.
That's
[00:43:24] Tedd Hardy: why we are here today. Keep going. That's why we're here. That's why we're here.
[00:43:27] Michael Zarick: I mean, even a, I mean, I didn't do this podcast a year ago, but I've met so many amazing people over the past.
[00:43:32] Tedd Hardy: How long you been doing this?
[00:43:33] Michael Zarick: Uh, I, I started recording in late March.
[00:43:36] Tedd Hardy: Dang. So around the time we met. Yep. I mean, you know, we, we
[00:43:40] Michael Zarick: officially shook hands at, uh, Get On Board.
Yeah. Which was in July, I think. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um, so
[00:43:47] Tedd Hardy: look how connections work, y'all. You never know. So keep going.
[00:43:51] Michael Zarick: Uh. Great. I have one last question for sure. Actually kind of two. Don't worry about it, it's all good. Um, so I always ask a question from the previous guest. Okay. So the previous guest, his name is Lou Harry.
He is a writer. He's really into board games. Uh, he great guy, he's a journalist. There's a lot of things he is, uh, but he asked you the question, what is your third favorite thing about Indianapolis? And I can't answer this because I don't think of things in terms of favorites, but if I were to answer it, I would think of it as like, what's like the most, what's something you appreciate about the town that doesn't feel like a hot take or like personal to you, but what's your third favorite thing?
He is thinking deeply
about Indianapolis. Are you? Well, what? What comes to your mind immediately? He did say about Indianapolis,
[00:44:57] Tedd Hardy: because I'm gonna be selfish. The top two would probably be on the west side. So if it's the third thing that I like the most about Indianapolis,
[00:45:06] Michael Zarick: well, let's go through the top two. What's the top two?
[00:45:09] Tedd Hardy: The top two would be Lentz Park.
[00:45:11] Michael Zarick: Okay.
[00:45:12] Tedd Hardy: You gotta look that up too. It's L-E-N-T-Z. So that's one thing. That's one. I just wanted you to know the right place. Yeah, yeah. Um. And the second one would be a, a, a little block on Persian called, or a little space in Haughville called Persian. Okay. Persian Street. My granddaddy owns a nice little quadrant over there.
And that's like our family safe space. So any big holiday, any big thing, if the world's coming to an end, we go there. Right? So that's why I say the top, those fluctuate between one and two, Lynn and Nap, but three will have to be in the whole Indian nap. If you go to any neighborhood in Indianapolis, and that's, I call it three, because this is what I share with people.
Mm-hmm. In every neighborhood in Indianapolis is different. And that's why I say my top. That's what I really enjoy about going. Like when I'm at West Montgomery, I talk different. I even wear different car. I drive a different car. When I'm at Bertha Ross, the basketball games is different. I'm. When I'm over at 16 Tech or at Riverside, you know, I, the food is different.
They're more about healthy, they're more about, you know, the Cleos Bodega gardening, the community gardens, and everybody I come over to Ville, we're doing different things, you know, and it's like, I don't think we celebrate that enough when I watch the news. That's what made me get into stories telling, like Next Gen West, when I watch the news, we don't highlight.
The cool corner stores and stuff anymore, like, uh, over there by Washington Park. I think where Mike is, you think,
[00:46:36] Michael Zarick: um, me, Indy does a good job of that.
[00:46:38] Tedd Hardy: Me, Indy does a great job
[00:46:39] Michael Zarick: of highlighting specific neighborhoods.
[00:46:41] Tedd Hardy: Mirror Indy does a great job. I say they in the whole me Indy came in and that seems like that was their goal.
And I know with some of Ebony guidance, obviously, look what we've done nationally. On spreading the word on this. No, forget all that other stuff. This is what's happening in this space. This is what Haughville being represented by. So Mayor Indy, I think I gave y'all a shout out earlier too, is doing the excellent, excellent, excellent job by, from the pictures to the stories to even videos, right?
Like, and one thing about their reporters, and please keep this going. They are, nothing's changed with people in their job, but they're consistent. Like if you see one reporter at your event. You might see him again, he might not even be recording. He might ask a couple questions or she, then you might see him as a photographer.
So that makes us as community workers comfortable in talking. 'cause you're there for us. You, you might look up in a Mirror Indy person, help volunteer. And so that goes a long way. And all, a lot of times
[00:47:39] Michael Zarick: they are members of that community too, a lot of times.
[00:47:42] Tedd Hardy: So other news networks take,
[00:47:44] Michael Zarick: even my aunt and uncle, uh, yesterday were like, They were talking, we were talking and they were like, we are so tired of hearing about shootings on the news. It's like, that is all we hear about. That's all Indianapolis is. But when you, I think if you go adventure into the city, adventure, just walk around.
It doesn't have to be an adventure. It could be a normal day. You'll find safety, you'll find beauty. You'll find. Did you see them
[00:48:07] Tedd Hardy: guys running with the ski mask when you got outta the car? You know these, they're playing tag.
[00:48:11] Michael Zarick: Yeah. The same. Um, well, I saw him put the ski mask on. I was like, what is he doing?
And then like, and then he said like, uh, some, he said some Spanish curse words. Yeah. And I was like, all right. Yeah. They just play.
[00:48:23] Tedd Hardy: And they, but the steer, if we had a camera on them watching them run and we just cut that
[00:48:26] Michael Zarick: uhhuh,
[00:48:27] Tedd Hardy: that would've been two thugs running through Belmont Beach. We don't know what's going on.
Lock your doors, watch your back. And it's like, these guys is playing tag these. Now, granted they was wearing a ski mask.
[00:48:37] Michael Zarick: Yeah.
[00:48:38] Tedd Hardy: But just, you know, the image in the
[00:48:39] Michael Zarick: middle of a 70 degree day in the, I think that's just stupid at 11
[00:48:44] Tedd Hardy: o'clock. But just the thought, just the thought and the processing of that.
Like, and that's my goal too, by being that cool guy at short, bro, you don't have to be like that to be cool. I got the tattoos, I got this. That's why I pull up in a nicer whip too. Like, bro, I could, you could, you don't have to live, you know, that's for another conversation. But they don't have to live so like they're below anything.
But that's why I'm here. You know? I think that's just, that's been my blessing. That's why I never could, I never knew what I was gonna be until this happened. Mm-hmm. I thought I was gonna be NBA player, first of all. And then when I realized I could talk to people, I'm real charming. I thought I was gonna sell cars, you know?
I was like, I don't wanna sell cars. I'm gonna own a business. I was like, man, I really just want to help. Like, I could own a business, budha, I can help you grow your business Like that. That satisfaction it, I had it. I already went through it. It just, it just. It didn't irk me enough. Like some people are like, I gotta get my business.
And I was like, yeah, you get your business. Let me help you. I just eat for free. I got this already going. Let me just help you thrive when you win, I will win. There might be a mafia move too, but
[00:49:47] Michael Zarick: Yeah. You're taking, you're taking cues from the cartel. Um, cool. One last question. Yep. What is your question for the next Third Space Indy guest?.
It can be, it doesn't have to be about community. I'm, I'm
[00:50:01] Tedd Hardy: about to go hard. I'm, it doesn't have to be about Indianapolis. I'm all about reverting back so we can get, so we can think where we started and where we are. Mm-hmm. You can this be, it can be about anything you want. If they can't answer who is your third friend or who is your third grade teacher, like, if that's too hard, who is your third grade teacher?
[00:50:18] Michael Zarick: What's your third, third friend ever or third grade teacher? Yep. I remember my third grade teacher, her name is Ms. Fletcher. Mine was Miss Tardy. Oh, yeah. Ms. Tardy and Hardy. I thought she was my wife, man.
[00:50:29] Tedd Hardy: I thought they were, oh, look me, this my girl.
Yeah. That's why, that's why it make me relate back to Southfield. It made me think about my old friends. It made me think about when I was a kid, why was this important? And, and when I, when somebody asked me that question, it made me think about is this, this is really what I want to do. Like, so that's why I asked that.
[00:50:47] Michael Zarick: Um. I don't remember specific stuff about my third grade teacher, but I remember specific stuff. So my fourth grade teacher, her name is Miss Ebony, wonderful lady. At least I remember her being that way. She used to eat Snickers all the day, all the time. And it probably wasn't even that much, but that's what I noticed.
And then, uh, then I met my, my good friend Michael Pitt, uh, in fourth grade too. That's, I think that's the real connection there. Um. And just like thinking about, that's pretty cool. And if, if I were to say like my quote unquote third friend, that's hard to remember. Yeah, that's what I said. But Michael Pitt is definitely somebody I met at a very early age of my life, but is not the very first friend I ever had.
I say third
[00:51:23] Tedd Hardy: grade memory.
[00:51:24] Michael Zarick: Yeah.
[00:51:24] Tedd Hardy: Or something around there to keep it simple.
[00:51:26] Michael Zarick: Who's your third friend?
[00:51:29] Tedd Hardy: I think it was, uh, and I'm saying this fast, so if any of my friends see this, mark me if I'm wrong. I think it was Ramon. Ramon Hold, uh, what was the last name? Hold
[00:51:39] Michael Zarick: Hold.
[00:51:39] Tedd Hardy: Yep. Um. 'cause he was a flipper. Like he was, he was a little fatter than us.
You know what I mean? You know, you know you against your gangs and people you hang with. Yeah. I was tall, skinny, athletic kid, but we realized he did flip. It wasn't many of us, but I think it was just, just me and my homie. And Ramon used to do flips. That's how I remember he was one of, oh, when you say flipper, you mean
[00:52:01] Michael Zarick: literally No, like flips.
Like he was, he was doing
[00:52:04] Tedd Hardy: back flips. Back flips. I'm not, not one or two. I'm talking, I'm not exaggerating. He could do, just think we're 10, 11, 12. No, I'll go back. We're seven to 12. He's doing 20 flips. We count one, two, he got the whole bar. 3, 4, 5, 6. Then one day, about his sixth grade year, we friends, friends after this.
He climbs up to the, I'm sure you've seen this on YouTube or movies or something. He climbs on the top of the swing set and did a double, like two head double landed on his feet.
[00:52:37] Michael Zarick: Bro
[00:52:37] Tedd Hardy: shook me. He's my friend forever. I'm not doing
[00:52:40] Michael Zarick: that.
[00:52:40] Tedd Hardy: I don't care what's going on this. He's a ninja. That's my, I don't wanna fight him.
I don't wanna do nothing. So Ramon used to hold his special heart. I think if you wasn't third, you was fourth.
[00:52:50] Michael Zarick: Ramon the goat.
[00:52:51] Tedd Hardy: Yep. And now he's shorter than all of us. We make fun of. He was bigger and stronger than all of doing all the flips. Now he's four foot six.
[00:52:59] Michael Zarick: He never grew in there. Hey, hey, hey, we love Short Kings out here.
[00:53:02] Tedd Hardy: Hey, you still my homie. You just never grew. You was bigger than that. Your muscles developed. That's why we couldn't flip.
[00:53:07] Michael Zarick: All right, third friend, third grade teacher. We'll figure it out. Somewhere in there with the third, somewhere in there. Uh, anyways, Ted. Where do we find you? Where do we find Belmont Beach?
You kind of already mentioned it, but do it again. Run it back. So
[00:53:21] Tedd Hardy: for me, you find me on all social medias at Tedd Hardy, T-E-D-D-H-A-R-D-Y, uh, on my personal pages, T-E-D-D-R-I-C-K-H-A-R-D-Y. And then for the Friends of Belmont Beach, um, on any platform you could just Google Friends of Belmont Beach. And all of our things should pop up.
Please be on the lookout
[00:53:42] Michael Zarick: in the show notes. Of course,
[00:53:43] Tedd Hardy: yes. Join us. Be a friend. All of the above.
[00:53:47] Michael Zarick: Amazing. Thank you so much. Hey, thank you for listening to this episode of Third Space Indy We are here in Belmont Beach. It is very nice. Great day. I might go walk down to the river to see what's up. Please do.
Um, you can find me at Third Space Indy on Instagram and thirdspaceIndy.com I write a weekly blog. Along with the show notes were links to things like Friends of Belmont Beach will be. Thank you, Mark Latta for sponsoring this and City Rising. I shouldn't say Mark Latta City Rising for sponsoring this episode of Third Space Indy The Third Space Indy Intro Music is done by the local artist, Jennasen. Thank you Jennasen for sharing your music with me and the people, and as always, hope to share the next episode of Third Space Indy with you. Have a great rest of the day. Bye.