News Stories

KC’s premier queer sports league nearly doubles in enrollment; focuses on uniting diverse LGBTQ+ community

Athletics has not always been a space where Jared Horman felt comfortable, he shared; but through Stonewall Sports, he discovered a way to genuinely enjoy games while connecting with other queer individuals and allies. “We get to kind of reclaim this thing that was terrifying for us as children,” said Horman, who was first introduced…

Jordan Fox, Foxtrot Studio

Sneak peek: Foxtrot Studio rebrands, reopening in KCK with more space and a caffeinated twist 

With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting in-person retailers across the globe, Jordan Fox found himself compelled to take a step back and return to the roots of his passion — creating quality products by hand, he shared.  “Foxtrot has always been very experience-driven. The feeling you have when you come into the space, coupled with the…

Ryan Harvey

Demand more than the life you see scrolling Instagram, Ryan Harvey urges after scam inspires self-reflection

Kansas City motivational speaker Ryan Harvey thought his dreams had come true when a duo from Los Angeles offered him a job creating videos for their up-and-coming self-help company, he recalled. To the community thought leader’s shock, the two took the revenue from the company and disappeared — leaving Harvey to answer to upset clients…

Carlanda McKinney, Bodify

Right fit, refined: Carlanda McKinney’s third venture in apparel measures up to its digital design

Online shopping is a staple for Carlanda McKinney, she noted, but the inaccuracy and variety of size guides leave both shoppers and retailers with major pain points.  “On the shopper side, it is frustrating to order multiple sizes and not have anything fit your body the right way. … On the seller side, retailers are…

OpenCities team

OpenCities sells: Denver govtech company acquires Australian startup with Kansas City HQ

An Australia-based govtech startup with a sizable Kansas City operation has sold.  OpenCities — a hub-like platform that digitizes city forms and requests — was acquired by Denver-based Granicus, the companies announced Thursday, solidifying a deal that’s expected to better define what the future of civic engagement might looks like. Financial terms of the acquisition were not…