Brandon Calloway has heard more than three hundred pitches and helped move more than two million dollars into Black-owned businesses in Kansas City. Here, he opens the judges' room and tells you exactly what the table needs to see.
A new Westport social hub blends coffee, collaboration, and community for Kansas City creatives.
Federal judge allows civil rights conspiracy case to expand after a local Black entrepreneur’s motion sufficiently alleged evidence of "common discriminatory purpose" to exclude Black business owners from Kansas City's historic entertainment district. At the center: allegations of a weaponized "Good Neighbor Agreement,” brazen threats captured on tape, and a music ban targeting chart-topping Black artists.
This 7,000-square-foot space on Agnes Ave. offers artists, podcasters, and entrepreneurs the access, equipment, and support they’ve long been missing.
A queer Black woman’s journey from backyard pop-up to Orange by Devoured: a pizzeria that claims space, sparks joy, and leads without apology.
In a neighborhood built to keep them out, three sober visionaries create space for healing, joy, and radical inclusion.
Local bookstore BLK + BRWN hosted their annual Juneteenth Block Party to commemorate the bookstore turning four years old.
We’re thrilled to welcome Tiffany Watts as our first-ever full-time reporter. In her inaugural piece as Lead Reporter for Black Economic Justice, Food & Culture, Tiffany investigates the forces threatening Black economic survival—and just as powerfully, celebrates the brilliance of Black chefs, salon owners, growers, and organizers reimagining what a liberated economy looks like in our city.
KC Daiquiri Shop, a beloved Black-owned restaurant known for its signature daiquiris and serving as a Black community hub, is closing its doors on December 1st. This marks the fifth Black-owned restaurant to shutter in 2024
The story of the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council captures a community's journey from adversity to triumph, highlighting the resilience and collective power of its residents. Through empowerment and unity, they navigate challenges, seek accountability, and pave the way for a brighter future together.
Community support is the lifeblood to the sustainability & growth of our urgent work among Black youth. Will you help us by becoming a Defender?
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