2019 has allowed me to take part in some unforgettable collaborations. One of my all-time favorites was with Toyota.
I was chosen to participate in Toyota’s Steeped In History tour that made its way to Indianapolis this fall. To be clear, the Steeped In History tour is one unlike I’ve seen before. You are guided through a “driving” tour around the city to visit historic African-American sites. I don’t think I’ve ever said yes to something so fast.
I then learned this opportunity also came with a vehicle loan for the week. Now, I was really pumped to drive a new Toyota for the next week.
Leading Up to the Tour
A few days before the tour, a 2020 Toyota Corolla was delivered to my home, and let’s just say it was nice to live in luxury for the following seven days. In my home, my fiance and I both drive Corollas, but ours certainly didn’t match the swanky-ness of this newer version.
The car had some super cool features, like a phone charging pad and various safety features.
Let the tour begin!
In total, five Indianapolis influencers were chosen to participate. I knew a handful from other Indy activities, which made this feel like a huge family reunion.
We started off the day at Kountry Kitchen Soul Food Place where we were greeted for the first time, met our tour guides and were given a jam-packed schedule.
Historical Sites
We then caravanned to visit other historical sites around the city. There was also an opportunity to connect our phones to our cars, via Bluetooth, to hear more history from our tour guides as we drove by other sites.
Want to follow the exact tour path we covered? Here is a list of the sites around Indy:
- Kennedy-King Park
- Indiana Historical Society
- Indiana State Museum
- Madame Walker Legacy Center
- Historic Ransom Place
- Crispus Attucks Museum
- Cleo’s Bodega and Cafe
- Center for Black Literature and Culture
- Michael’s Soul Kitchen
Not being a native of Indianapolis, I surprisingly know a lot about historical black culture in the city. I owe that to my time working as the newsroom manager at the Indianapolis Recorder newspaper, a black publication over 125 years old.
Though I came in with a good amount of knowledge, I learned tons! I got the chance to explore museums that I probably wouldn’t have without this tour. It was such a great experience to reflect on black culture and my own personal roots.