On the Summit’s Horizon: Who Relocates to Fort Wayne, Part II

By Rev. Christopher W. Riley
FWIS Contributing Writer

The Summit City brings newcomers to the city for a variety of different reasons. Employment, Education and a “Special Assignment.” Fort Wayne has a way of igniting the “special assignment” within you. Moreover, many have changed the trajectories of their lives and their families’ destiny has been impacted in the second largest city in Indiana.

Mark Buchanan, a native of California and a local social worker came to Fort Wayne in 2009 to support a church plant. Buchanan is a part of the ministerial staff at Latter Rain Ministries under the leadership of Bishop Reginald Blackmon. When asked about his greatest accomplishment since coming to the Summit City, Buchanan shared, “My greatest accomplishment, since moving to Fort Wayne, has been raising my family, successfully planting our church, completing my undergraduate and graduate degree, and home ownership.”

Buchanan stated that he has found that African Americans in Fort Wayne are much healthier to one another than what he has observed on the west coast. Joan Lewis, retired school librarian and educator came to the Summit City in 1971 shared that she was impressed as to how open and welcoming Fort Wayne was to African Americans. Lewis and her husband Lyman have a unique and interesting story. The Lewis’ came to Fort Wayne in 1971 and stayed until 1972. Lyman was hired by General Electric in the Technical Marketing Program. In 1972, Lyman’s career with GE took him to Patterson, New Jersey. However, in November of 1978 the Lewis Family came back to Fort Wayne, a community that they found very liberal and was impressed with its low cost of living.

“Family is the most important thing in our lives. You can be a family anywhere.” said, Joan Lewis. Lyman is a native of Cleveland, Ohio and Joan originally hails from Washington, D.C. However, Fort Wayne has been home for the last 47 years. This is where they have raised their two sons, the oldest was born in the old Lutheran Hospital on Fairfield during their first stint in the Summit City. When the Lewis Family moved back to Fort Wayne GE assisted them in the process of finding a house, the young couple were interested in moving to the Southeast side of town which is where they lived in 1971-1972. However, GE would only permit their executives to live in Aboite Township or Georgetown. The Lewis’ chose Georgetown because of the established area and school system and still live Northeast today. In addition to raising their family, the Lewis’ have become involved in the Fort Wayne Community, Lyman is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Theta Upsilon Lambda Chapter. He was initiated in 1968 at Beta Chapter at Howard University. Joan is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and was initiated in the Fort Wayne Alumnae Chapter. Joan took her professional talents to Fort Wayne Community Schools where she served as an English Teacher and a Librarian. After 12 years at Kekionga Middle School and 10 years at Snider High School, Joan decided to continue her education at IPFW and become licensed in English as a Second Language (ESL). “I wanted to learn, it was personal satisfaction. I went on to volunteer at the Literacy Alliance and Blackhawk Ministries.”

Lyman retired from General Electric in 2003 and later accepted an adjunct position at IPFW and later became the Director of the Accelerated MBA Program. In 2014, Lyman retired from IPFW and is still enjoying life in the Summit City. He and Joan have been married for 55 years in October of this year. The two young lovebirds met at Howard University where they worked in the same office as undergraduate students. They started out as friends and later decided that they were compatible as a couple.

Darius Darling, national recording artist, associate pastor at Zion Tabernacle under the leadership of Bishop Crystal Thomas and Human Resources Specialist for Employment at Brotherhood Mutual came to Fort Wayne to attend Indiana Tech in 2010. As an active student on campus his involvement spilled over into the community. Hence, when he graduated from Tech and decided to pursue his master’s in business administration making Fort Wayne home was second nature. “I fell in love with the people and the potential of the city.”

Darling’s greatest lesson learned in the Summit City. “Relationships matter. The Summit City is a place where everyone is connected to everyone. I found that if you are connected to someone you are connected to everyone!”

When asked about advice to a new resident of the Summit City:

“My advice is that Fort Wayne is growing, despite the "gatekeepers of the circles", the secret is out. Fort Wayne is a great place to raise a family. As far as vision and opportunity, personal growth, etc., there is more opportunity than when I arrived in 2009.” In life there are pioneers and settlers. Pioneers make sacrifices that settlers benefit from. It is important that both pioneers and settlers embrace their contributions and lessons for the overall whole; this makes for a thriving populace or "Summit City.” said, Buchanan.

“Embrace the city and the city will embrace you. As you grow and develop your relationships in the city, you will begin to see the benefits of the city in more ways than you can realize. Get out of the house and enjoy the eateries and entertainment. While Fort Wayne is smaller, it has most things that the major cities have.” It has been a joy to live in this community and I pray that we continue to grow in unity and present a greater Fort Wayne to the region and to the world. said, Darling.