Kansas City Archives – Kansas City Defender

The Kansas City Defender Announces The Formation (& Inaugural Cohort) of “The Young Defenders Fellowship” Program

By KC Defender Staff ● Kansas City ● September 8, 2023

The Young Defenders Fellowship program is a semester-long experience for young (Black and brown) Kansas Citians to gain experience in journalism and community organizing by immersing themselves in The Kansas City Defender and surrounding media landscape.

Latest in Kansas City

It’s Official: Kansas City Had The Highest Rent Hike In The United States

By Ryan S. ● Housing ● September 7, 2023

Kansas City leads the U.S. in skyrocketing rent, deepening housing inequalities and jeopardizing the well-being of its most vulnerable residents.

REGISTER NOW: The Kansas City Defender’s first-ever “Young Black Writer’s Social”

By KC Defender Staff & Nasir Montalvo ● Kansas City ● September 7, 2023

The Kansas City Defender believes that youth are integral to Black liberation, and that is why we’re proud to announce our first-ever Young Black Writer’s Social.

America’s First Black-Owned Hard Seltzer is From Kansas City, & the Founders Just Got a $3 Million Investment From a Former Chiefs Player

By Ryan S. ● Black Business ● September 6, 2023

Discover how Kansas City-based Kin Seltzer, America’s first-ever Black-owned hard seltzer brand, has secured a pivotal $3 million investment from former Chiefs player Dezman Moses, underlining a period of booming Black entrepreneurship in Missouri’s beverage sector

Roaches, Mice, Mass Flooding: Residents At KC’s Quality Hill Towers Living In Lethal Conditions Under “Predator Landlord” Who Still Demands Full Rent Payments

By Ryan S. ● Housing ● September 5, 2023

Despite the horrifying conditions, the resident’s “predator landlord” still demands full rent — fueling an uprising among tenants who’ve had enough.

KC Community Rallies as Appeals Court Revisits First-Ever Conviction of a White Cop for Killing A Black Man

By Ryan S. ● Justice ● September 5, 2023

Kansas City faces a watershed moment as the community rallies and the Appeals Court reviews the first-ever conviction of a white KCPD cop for killing a Black man.

Systemic Neglect Exposed: Elders Suffer as Elevator Fails in Kansas City Senior Home

By Ryan S. ● Justice ● August 29, 2023

Uncover the harsh reality of life for elders at Town House Apartments in Kansas City, where a broken elevator serves as a symbol of systemic neglect and mistreatment. Only one elevator works in the 14-story complex.

New Victim In KC “Serial Killer” Case Found In Missouri River, Clay County Prosecutor Admits Greater Public Safety Threat Than Initially Stated

By KC Defender Staff ● Justice ● August 1, 2023

After dismissing concerns over missing Black women, Kansas City now grapples with the chilling discovery of Jaynie Crosdale’s body, further validating the specter of a “serial killer” or an accomplice still at large. The tragic outcome contradicts the official police narrative, driving urgent demands for transparency and accountability in the handling of a botched high-profile case that has failed so many.

A Paradigm Shift: Decarcerate KC Galvanizes Kansas City to Consider Innovative Alternatives to Incarceration

By Ryan S. ● Justice ● July 24, 2023

In a major shift led by Decarcerate KC, the Kansas City Alternatives to Incarceration Commission made a groundbreaking vote not to recommend any new jail beds to the city council. This victory, borne of steadfast community advocacy, underscores the city’s growing momentum towards exploring innovative alternatives to incarceration and rejecting the idea of a new jail.

“This is a Hate Crime”: White Supremacist Stabs Black Man to Death in Kansas City, Receives “Peace Disturbance” Charge

By KC Defender Staff ● Kansas City ● July 18, 2023

A horrifying racial execution took the life of Jon Rone Jr., a kind, loving Black man who was brutally murdered in broad daylight by white supremacist, Sean Tonkin, outside a Kansas City gas station. The 36 year old white man told eye-witnesses he wanted to “f*ck up a n*gger” before stabbing and killing Rone Jr. To the family’s shock, now two weeks after the incident the white man only faces a “peace disturbance” charge.