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Gary, IN – On Saturday, March 8, 2025, the Gary community came together at Marquette Park Pavilion for the secondannual Ladies First, a celebration of women hosted by First Lady Crystal G. Melton.
"Last year’s Ladies First was an incredible success," said First Lady Melton. "Seeing the impact it had on our community, I knew we had to do it again. This event is about recognizing the strength, dedication, and contributions of women who make a real difference, and I’m honored to continue this tradition."
At the event, NAACP Image Award-winning television producer, Kyra Epps gave a keynote speech.
This year’s event recognized seven outstanding women for their remarkable contributions in education, public safety, sports, community service, small business, and health care.
About the Honorees:
Angela Hambley Blakely, Sports: Angela Hamblin Blakely, a Gary, Indiana native, is a passionate educator, mentor, coach, author, photographer, and inspirational speaker dedicated to empowering future generations.
A former collegiate and professional basketball player, she competed in the WNBA and was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. She teaches at West Side Leadership Academy, where she also coaches the girls' basketball team, and co-founded the Black Coaches Association of Indiana. As the founder of the Hamblin Foundation, she champions young female athletes and organizes the MLK Girls Basketball Classic.
Alongside her husband, Bishop Jermal Blakely, she has served as Senior Pastor of Christ Is King Church Ministries for nine years, leading community outreach and women’s ministry. The author of Sis, Flip the Switch! Turn on Your Inner Genius, she frequently speaks at women’s conferences, inspiring others through faith. Above all, Angela is a devoted wife of 26 years and proud mother of four.
Catisha Toney, Education: Catisha Toney is the Founder and Executive Director of COATES Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to educational equity and empowering young adults for college and career success.
With over 15 years of experience across K-12, proprietary, and higher education, she specializes in education policy, dual credit implementation, and program development. A first-generation college graduate, she holds a B.A. and an M.P.A. from Indiana University.
Currently, she serves as a Postsecondary Leadership Coach with One Goal, impacting over 80,000 students nationwide. Her leadership has earned her numerous awards, including the Purdue Northwest Society of Innovators and NWI Times “Top 20 Under 40.”
Passionate about equity, she is committed to breaking barriers and expanding opportunities for underserved students.
Freida Graves, Community Service: Freida Graves comes to us with over 30 years’ experience in the Nursing Field and 10 years’ Farm Management experience as a Master Gardener.
Graves has been researching the Food is Medicine concept to reverse health disparities and help address food insecurity in the Northwest Indiana Community. The Indiana Department of Health Focus for Food is Medicine is cardiovascular disease with Heart Healthy Culturally relevant meals 7 days a week.
The Nutrition Incentive Hub Gus-nip diagnosis focus is diabetes, Cardiovascular and gastrointestinal disorders with a bi-weekly produce box recipes and live cooking demonstration both programs have a nutrition education portion 2 times a month all at no cost to participants.
Kiarica Law, Small Business: Kiarica Law is a remarkable woman, mom, dedicated educator, and passionate entrepreneur from Gary, Indiana. Born and raised in Gary, she attended West Side High School and Indiana University.
A proud mother of three, Kiarica's passion for children's education and well-being drives her to make a positive difference in her community while making an ever-lasting impact through her various endeavors.
Kiarica serves as an 8th-grade math teacher at 21st Century Middle School in Gary, inspiring young minds and fostering a love for learning.
Beyond her teaching career, Kiarica is a successful entrepreneur, owning and operating Legendary Cheesesteaks, a popular food truck that has traveled throughout the Midwest.
She also educates through her career as a real estate agent where she helps individuals and families achieve their dream of homeownership and creating generational wealth.
Kiarica's commitment to giving back to her community is evident through her non-profit organization, Positive Role Mommies, which focuses on empowering women and children. She organizes and sponsors numerous community events, including free Back-to-School events, feeding the homeless, and family-friendly activities that promote networking and support among local businesses and families.
Prophetess Markeysha Coleman, Faith Based: Markeysha Coleman, a Gary, Indiana native with roots in Mississippi, is a devoted wife of 25 years, a mother of six, and the Co-Pastor of New Divine Truth Apostolic Church alongside her husband, Bishop Dwayne Coleman.
Called to ministry from birth, she was filled with the Holy Spirit in 1997, ordained an Elder in 2010, and affirmed as a Prophet in 2018. Passionate about youth ministry, she founded “God’s Heart,” a performing arts-focused initiative at her church.
An educator for over a decade, she has taught secondary education and performing arts and currently teaches K-8 music at Thea Bowman Leadership Academy. She also coaches volleyball and founded a local volleyball club in 2021, providing opportunities for underprivileged youth.
Markeysha is the creator and host of The Creator’s Girl Talk Show and the author of The Art of Out Loving Your Spouse. A powerful intercessor, preacher, and healer, she has traveled on mission trips to Ghana and holds degrees in theology, sociology, African American studies, and a master's in teaching.
She has served as the National Head of Intercession for the Anointed Word Assembly Fellowship of Churches for 15 years and was honored with a Doctor of Divinity degree. Inducted into Gamma Phi Delta Sorority as a sister with Virtue in 2021, she now serves as General Overseer of Creator’s Word Apostolic Fellowship, launched in 2023. Passionate about ministry and service, she is dedicated to seeing people saved, growing in faith, and fulfilling their God-given purpose.
Dr. Janet Seabrook, Healthcare: Dr. Janet Seabrook M.D. MBA is the CEO and founder of Community HealthNet a Federally Qualified Health Center. Dr. Seabrook serves as the City of Gary’s Health Commissioner. Dr. Seabrook was born in Charleston, South Carolina and raised in Gary, Indiana.
She is a graduate of Gary Roosevelt High School. Dr. Seabrook received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama, her Medical Degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN and her master's in business administration from Purdue University in Hammond, Indiana. Dr. Seabrook completed her residency in Family Medicine at Methodist Hospital.
While still a resident, Dr. Seabrook worked on the Mayor’s Task Force and with the Indiana State Department of Health to obtain funding to start a health center in Gary. Since that time the health center has grown and expanded from a small trailer in the Glen Park section of Gary to eight locations in Gary, Merrillville, Calumet Township and Hammond, Indiana.
Dr. Seabrook is an advocate for Breast Cancer services, the expansion of maternal health and the reduction of infant mortality in the African American community with an interest in the development of public policy around those issues. Dr. Seabrook is married to fellow Family Medicine physician Dr. Augustine Izah they have two children.
Ashley Stewart, Public Safety: Born and raised in Gary, Indiana, Ashley Stewart embodies perseverance, dedication, and service. A top student-athlete at West Side High School, she excelled in academics and multiple sports before joining the U.S. Army as a medic in 2013, where she rose to the rank of Sergeant, mentoring others in life-saving operations.
In 2018, she transitioned to firefighting, becoming the only female in her Fire Academy class and the
third in department history. She earned her paramedic certification in 2021 and was named Paramedic of the Year in 2024.
Just five years into her fire department career, she was promoted to Chief Medic of the Gary Fire Department in July 2024, overseeing emergency medical operations and leading a team of medics. Passionate about fitness and personal growth, Ashley is dedicated to inspiring young girls and women to break barriers and pursue their dreams, no matter the odds.
"Women are the foundation of our communities," said First Lady Melton. "Too often, our strength and resilience go unrecognized, so I’m grateful for moments like this that allow us to celebrate, uplift, and empower one another."
The City of Gary extends its sincerest congratulations to the 2025 Ladies First Honorees! Click here to watch the video.
The City of Gary would like to recognize all the sponsors that made this event possible:
Media Contact:
Erika Blackwell, Chief Communications Officer, City of Gary
Eblackwell@gary.gov (219) 806-6489
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