C3KC organizers: Want to bring real social change to Kansas City? Let’s talk about it

The sold-out C3KC — a one-day conference that returns Tuesday, April 2 to Union Station — reflects the Junior League of Kansas City’s mission to bring together leaders for collaborative change in action, shared Ericka Duker.

Ericka Duker, Junior League of Kansas City

The Junior League — which aims to advance women’s leadership for meaningful community impact through volunteer action, collaboration and training — launched C3KC in 2018 to bring together leaders from the civic, corporate, and nonprofit sectors to discuss issues and look for ways to spark change in our community, she continued.

“C3KC has become known as a cornerstone of change, presenting relevant and cutting-edge topics focused on social innovation,” added Duker, who serves as president of the Kansas City organization. 

The conference draws 500 people annually and attendees range from corporate and nonprofit executives to city council members, philanthropists, and community leaders, she noted.

“What we have learned in our 110 years (as the Junior League of Kansas City) is that no one person can bring about change,” Duker said. “It takes leadership, funding, and policy change.”

Click here to read about the 2023 C3KC conversation on economic inclusion.

Terrell Jolly, Integrity Capital Management, and Pedro Zamora, Hispanic Economic Development Corporation, share the stage during the “Enabling Economic Inclusion” session at the 2023 C3KC conference; photos by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu

The conference — developed and produced entirely by volunteers from the Junior League

— kicks off with a panel highlighting current issues in Kansas City, which will be moderated by US Engineering CEO Tyler Nottberg and PLX Corp co-founder David Oliver and features Health Forward Foundation Director of Community Impact Hayat Abdullahi, University of Missouri-Kansas City Dr. C. Mauli Agrawal, Aligned President and CEO Torree Pederson, Civic Council of Greater Kansas City President Dr. Dred Scott, and Children’s Mercy Hospital psychiatrist specialist Dr. Shayla Sullivant.

Other session highlights include the “Rise of Women Entrepreneurs,” featuring UMKC Innovation Center Executive Director Maria Myers and local entrepreneurs Vanessa Jupe of Leva and Dr. Brandy Archie of AskSAMIE.

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“Half of all businesses started in the pandemic era were founded by a woman, compared to just 29 percent in 2019,” Duker said. “Whether it was due to rising childcare costs, the need for flexibility, or simply the desire to seize the moment, women continue to bet on themselves and our society took note. Since 2020, a strong foundation has been laid of resources, programs, and networks.”

The closing session — “Draw Your Future” —  is expected to feature Patti Dobrowolski of Up Your Creative Genius. 

“Patti is a change activator and graphic illustrator who will engage the audience and bring to life — in words and pictures — the issues we face, as well as promising practices to lead us forward,” Duker noted.

The full list of scheduled panel sessions at C3KC 2024 includes: 

• Mental Health Matters
• Sparking an Empowered Workforce
• Rise of Women Entrepreneurs
• Transforming Foster Care
• Hidden Factors for Healthy Outcomes
• Mattie Rhodes Center: Success Stories in Community Collaboration
• Culturally Intelligent Healthcare
• Early Care and Education: Successes and Opportunities
• Healthy Food, Healthy Lives

Click here to explore the schedule for C3KC 2024.

Gretchen Rubin

Maurice Watson

At each C3KC conference, the Junior League honors a local changemaker as the recipient of its Branton/Hall Community Collaborator Award, named in honor of members Shawsie Branton and Adele Hall.

Maurice Alvin Watson — co-founder and principal of Credo Philanthropy Advisors, LLP — is receiving this year’s honor. According to the Junior League, Watson has more than 30 years of experience in law, social, and public policy and board governance as a lawyer, advisor and board member. He was the first Black graduate of the Barstow School, went on to attend Harvard College and Harvard Law School, and then returned to Kansas City after serving as legislative aide to then-Missouri Senator John Danforth. While at Husch Blackwell, Watson was the only Black chair of an AmLaw 100 firm in the country.

“Maurice Watson is recognized as one of Kansas City’s most influential leaders and has

trailblazed a path of collaboration among the many philanthropic organizations that he has helped to lead through board service,” Duker added.

New York Times bestselling author Gretchen Rubin will be the keynote speaker at the conference.

Rubin — a Kansas City native whose mother is a sustaining member of the local Junior League — will share insights from her most recent book, “The Four Tendencies”, that explains why people do and don’t act, according to Duker.

“Attendees will gain an understanding of where they fall within the four tendencies and use that information as a way to take action on what they learn at the conference in order to spark change,” she added.