Minority-Led Stories

BacklotCars developer balances work, school and helping recover 33,000 pounds of food for the hungry 

Behind the scenes of BacklotCars’ historic $425 million exit deal, one of the Kansas City company’s top developers is feeding innovation in his home country, said Josh Parsons. Pablo Ulguin — a full-time senior software developer at BacklotCars who also is completing night school in Uruguay to earn a degree in computer science and learn…

Jackie Nguyen, Cafe Cà Phê

New in KC: Why Jackie Nguyen hit the brakes on acting to open a mobile coffee cafe

Editor’s note: New in KC is an ongoing profile series that highlights newly relocated members of the Kansas City startup community, their reasons for a change of scenery, and what they’ve found so far in KC. Click here to read more New in KC profiles. Lifting the curtain on the region’s first Vietnamese coffee traveling cafe, Jackie Nguyen is…

Shelley Cooper, SureShow, Diversity Telehealth

How Shelley Cooper hopes to turn her telehealth remedy into an appointment for ‘Unicornville’

No shows mean no dough — but SureShow means cash flow, Dr. Shelley Cooper rhymed, laughing. “I’m supposed to be really professional and that sounds kind of goofy, but you know, if it makes people remember … ” joked Cooper, founder of SureShow by Diversity Telehealth, in a rare moment of downtime as she prepared for…

KC performer appointed UN Young Leader, extending Battery Tour’s energy worldwide, says AY Young

Singer-songwriter-street performer AY Young has a new stage for his unique message, announcing Friday the Kansas City artist’s appointment as one of the United Nations’ 17 Young Leaders for Sustainable Development Goals. “I’ll be honest, I was like, ‘It’s about time,’” Young said, laughing. “I’ve powered over 800 concerts using renewable energy; I’ve been getting…

Craig and Eruviel Montes-Boyle, What Duh Fog

What Duh Fog: Couple offers dual take on inclusivity with COVID-prompted venture

The threat of COVID-19 exposed gaps in access to effective and proactive cleaning services for small businesses hoping to reopen amid the pandemic, said Eruvial Montes-Boyle. “We wanted to help people and businesses feel safe in their homes or shops, so making [fogging] available to all has been a huge driver for us,” said Montes-Boyle,…