Minority-Led Stories
These ‘Urban Heroes’ are helping evolve downtown KC; here’s why they’re on the right path
In a prelude to today’s celebration of downtown Kansas City’s evolution and momentum, four “urban heroes” were honored Thursday for their passionate work to make downtown a more vibrant place to live, work, and play, organizers said. Winners of the “Urban Hero Awards” ranged from honorees on the east side to the Crossroads and the…
Coffee shop owner (and superhero super fan) pours himself into the pages of Darkmoon Comics
Mike Gladney might not be living in the Marvel or DC universes, but he is dwelling within the realm of his own dream world surrounded by comic books, he shared. Gladney — and his wife, Vania — own Comic Coffeehouse in Olathe, and now he’s also the editor-in-chief for Kansas City-based Darkmoon Comics. “I’m doing…
She refused to back down; how this gamechanger earned a spot on the field with the KC Current
As a history-making season rolls on for the Kansas City Current, a recent match proved the perfect opportunity to honor the founder and CEO of WeCode KC, said Christina Lively, detailing Tammy Buckner’s selection as the first “Gamechanger” award winner. “Tammy’s story is the perfect example of pursuing your dream and refusing to back down…
Curated to the core: How a chaplain-turned-entrepreneur is elevating streetwear to boost KC nonprofits
In a world of loud statement tees, sometimes the most impactful messages are quietly sewn into the tag, said Makenzy Jean, whose Kansas City-based apparel company partners with local nonprofits on brand-merging designs that give back to their community causes. “Streetwear is from the streets,” said Jean, founder of Associated Humanity and a former chaplain….
After east side restaurant closes, KC Cajun drives back to its food truck roots, cooking up a new market
Esra England is hitting the streets again, he shared. The head chef and founder of KC Cajun recently closed his fixed location on the east side, and is returning to the food truck and catering strategy that gave him his start. “It was a good learning experience,” England explained. “But with the overhead of trying…
