‘This is their newspaper:’ New Indianapolis Recorder editor-in-chief on serving community

Journalism runs in the family for Brandon Perry.

Perry’s mother, Debra Marshall, was a journalist who worked at the Gary Crusader, The Times of Northwest Indiana and Indianapolis Monthly, as well as Chronicles, a magazine for Eastern Star Church.

“I got a lot of inspiration from her,” Perry said. He was also inspired by his father, who worked as a truck driver and instilled in him a love for world affairs and events, as well as history.

More:New Barbie doll in ‘Inspiring Women’ series honors Madam C.J. Walker

Perry was recently named editor-in-chief of The Indianapolis Recorder, the fourth-oldest surviving Black newspaper in the country. Perry replaces former editor Oseye Boyd, who is now the public engagement editor for IndyStar.

But while it’s a new role for Perry, he’s not new to the Recorder. He worked there previously for a total of 13 years and got his start there in 2002, while a student at IUPUI.

“Brandon is an amazing journalist whose professional expertise, strong leadership skills and passion for the community make him the ideal person to serve at the helm of the newsroom,” Robert Shegog, president and CEO of the Indianapolis Recorder, said in a news release Monday. “I look forward to Brandon serving in this capacity and continuing the rich legacy of our historical newspaper.”

Part of Perry's passion for journalism came from his parents, but was also fueled by his own interest in government and politics, which he developed at an early age. The main way to keep up with politics, he said, was to read about it in newspapers and magazines and watch the news.

"That's where my personal love of journalism developed, is seeing how these different writers presented what was going on in the political scene," he said.

While he’s starting a new role as editor-in-chief, returning to the Recorder “is like reuniting with an extended family," Perry said. He’ll also lead all aspects of the Indiana Minority Business Magazine (IMBM), the Recorder’s sister publication, according to the news release.

When Perry left the Recorder for the first time in 2014, he was a senior staff writer. Now, returning following a career in security management, Perry said his passion for the community and for writing never left.

“I still have a passion for the Indianapolis community and its people and our people,” he said. “(I) still have a passion for the work of reporting news.”

Perry said his goals are to continue community engagement and to work to increase the Recorder’s sustainability as a business. He’s looking at developing partnerships with local colleges and universities, as well as reaching out to organizations to make sure they’re present at events. He also wants to make sure the Recorder is connecting with the community at large.

“I would like to make sure that everyone knows that the Recorder is still here for them,” he said. “It's been around for over a century and it is still here as a vital resource for everyone in the Indianapolis area. It is also their voice.”

Perry also looks forward to mentoring young writers and “helping them cultivate their journalistic talent.”

While the Recorder is a news source, Perry said, it also serves as a forum for people to have a voice in their community.

“It also provides an opportunity for people in the community to express how they feel about what's going on and what kind of changes they want to see,” he said.

In the spirit of community conversation, Perry said they are looking at bringing back Letters to the Editor soon, as a way to hear about positive stories and concerns.

Ultimately, Perry wants the community to know that he’s here for them in this role.

“This is their newspaper … This position as editor-in-chief, it doesn't just belong to the Recorder and to me,” he said. “It belongs to the people of this city.”

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis media: Meet the Indianapolis Recorder's editor-in-chief