Minority-Led

First he got the park clean, then his brother; New theater explores how Chris Harris played through the hazards

By Tommy Felts / May 5, 2023

Five years after opening a golf course in the Ivanhoe neighborhood to help revitalize his community from within, Chris Harris is taking a swing at the east side’s theater desert. Harris — the owner and operator of Harris Park Midtown Sports and Activity Center and lifelong neighborhood resident — has now built an indoor theater…

Former KC startup acquired by Atlanta-based banking platform, uniting two of the largest Black-owned fintechs

By Tommy Felts / May 5, 2023

ATLANTA — Greenwood, a digital banking platform for Black and Latino individuals and businesses, announced this week its acquisition of Kansas City-founded Kinly — a neobank building generational wealth for Black America. The deal will help grow Atlanta-based Greenwood’s ecosystem of more than 1 million members and provide Kinly’s community of more than 300,000 with…

Million-dollar corporate gift puts $25M Negro Leagues capital campaign on the board; now you’re on deck

By Tommy Felts / May 3, 2023

Editor’s note: Bank of America is a financial partner of Startland News, although this report was created independently by the nonprofit newsroom. A historic age of impact is under way, said Bob Kendrick, as Kansas City’s Negro Leagues Baseball Museum unveiled plans for a new, state-of-the art campus backed by a $1 million grant from…

They walked right past us: Small biz owners shocked by low NFL Draft sales, now wary of World Cup

By Tommy Felts / May 2, 2023

A massive surge in visitors and foot traffic as Kansas City hosted its first NFL Draft failed to score many points outside the event grounds this weekend, as countless small businesses along the city’s urban corridor reported a sharp dip in revenue. “I think we’re all looking at our numbers and everything right now, and…

Her airport debut is an early success; now Chef LaRonda LaNear is extending Safi Fresh’s runway with new Crossroads location

By Tommy Felts / May 1, 2023

Changing your lifestyle can start with what you put on your plate, said LaRonda LaNear. “Safi Fresh is all about educating people on the benefits and importance of eating clean. I’ve helped a lot of people lose weight and wean themselves off medication through changing their diet. I’m excited to do that on a larger…