Café Corazón

Jahna Riley, Aya Coffee + Books pop-up at Blip Roasters

Black and bookish: Founder hopes to turn pop-up page, eyeing coffee and book shop on KC’s east side

Jahna Riley loves the atmosphere of coffee shops. Connecting with others over coffee and a good book is a personal joy, she said, noting one glaring exception in most shops: inclusivity.   “Kansas City has an amazing coffee scene, but it’s not necessarily one where I see my culture reflected in it,” Riley shared. “I want…

$100K in microgrants awarded across 23 struggling, but resilient minority businesses

Editor’s note: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a financial sponsor of Startland News. This report was produced independently by Startland News’ nonprofit newsroom. A COVID-era resiliency fund that quickly closed applications after receiving a deluge of response from entrepreneurs in need has awarded microgrants to 23 minority businesses on both sides of the state…