Leadership and Legacy.
Empowering Youth, Strengthening Community Futures.
The Leadership and Legacy Campus at EMCC provides after-school programs that focus on social-emotional growth, academics, and civic engagement. Through STEM activities, college preparedness, and responsible technology use, students build skills and confidence to succeed in school and life while contributing positively to their community.
The Home of our Intergenerational programs.
A community linchpin and a model of neighborhood renewal, the 13-acre Leadership & Legacy Campus is home to Edna Martin Christian Center’s (EMCC) intergenerational programming, serving school-aged youth, preschoolers, and Senior Angels. The campus is a key part of the 25th Street Corridor Renaissance Project.
The 24,000-square-foot building on Ralston once served as an oil recycling and wastewater treatment facility—a symbol of job flight, shifting economies, and pollution. Today, it has been transformed into the Leadership & Legacy Campus, welcoming hundreds of children and seniors each weekday.
The campus is designed to support multiple community initiatives. It strengthens the MBEZ by offering high-quality preschool, school-aged academic enrichment, character and leadership training, and efforts toward creating a community high school. It bolsters the MBFRN through access to affordable produce and hands-on learning opportunities in growing, handling, selling, and preparing fresh food. Additionally, it advances the CSEC’s mission by providing youth with maker-space programming, entrepreneurship training, and farm-related business opportunities.
History of LLA
1930s – 1990s
The site was used for bulk-oil storage and distribution operations. Mobil Oil was the first was the first owner, then Tri-Country Petroleum, and finally Sandy Port Properties acquired the site and used it to process and treat wastewater and used oil
1950s
Douglass Little League the nations oldest continuously operating African-American Little League played ball on the southwest corner of the property of the property. Douglas Little League moved from the site in the 1990s, relocating to Oscar Charleston, near 28th & Keystone.
Factoid: L.S. Ayers department store used the northernmost building as a production-display facility until about 1996.
2000s
The site was acquired by East 91st Street Christian Church, which used it to start Jireh Sports, a non traditional sports ministry (primarily gymnastics) for children in the neighborhood. Jireh began operating independently after a few years, and came under the auspices of Shepherd Community Center in 2008. Jireh ceased operations in 2014.
Modern Day of LLA
2015-Present
EMCC acquired the property in 2015 for use as an intergenerational space for youth and senior programming. In 2016, the EPA completed a major clean-up of lead- and petroleum-contaminated soil, replacing over 14M pounds of soil. In 2017, Edna Martin’s youth programs began operating at this second campus, christened “Leadership & Legacy Academy.”
After two capital campaigns, campus renovations were finally completed in 2021, including programming space for preschool, school-aged youth, seniors, and entrepreneurs; the first high school in the neighborhood’s history (KIPP Indy Legacy High School); administrative offices, a recording studio, urban farm & garden areas; a meditation/prayer labyrinth; and expanded playground and sports amenities.
