Minority-Led

She refused to back down; how this gamechanger earned a spot on the field with the KC Current 

By Tommy Felts / April 9, 2024

As a history-making season rolls on for the Kansas City Current, a recent match proved the perfect opportunity to honor the founder and CEO of WeCode KC, said Christina Lively, detailing Tammy Buckner’s selection as the first “Gamechanger” award winner. “Tammy’s story is the perfect example of pursuing your dream and refusing to back down…

Curated to the core: How a chaplain-turned-entrepreneur is elevating streetwear to boost KC nonprofits

By Tommy Felts / April 5, 2024

In a world of loud statement tees, sometimes the most impactful messages are quietly sewn into the tag, said Makenzy Jean, whose Kansas City-based apparel company partners with local nonprofits on brand-merging designs that give back to their community causes. “Streetwear is from the streets,” said Jean, founder of Associated Humanity and a former chaplain.…

After east side restaurant closes, KC Cajun drives back to its food truck roots, cooking up a new market

By Tommy Felts / April 5, 2024

Esra England is hitting the streets again, he shared. The head chef and founder of KC Cajun recently closed his fixed location on the east side, and is returning to the food truck and catering strategy that gave him his start. “It was a good learning experience,” England explained. “But with the overhead of trying…

Some 18th & Vine leaders say losing downtown stadium could have ‘a tremendously negative impact’

By Tommy Felts / April 5, 2024

Editor’s note: The following story was published by KCUR, Kansas City’s NPR member station, and a fellow member of the KC Media Collective. Click here to read the original story or here to sign up for KCUR’s email newsletter. Businesses were split on their reaction to the vote on April 2 that rejected the extension of a 3/8th-cent sales tax…

Build a bigger bandwagon for women entrepreneurs, founders say; an isolated journey is too lonely 

By Tommy Felts / April 4, 2024

Representation of women in entrepreneurship is critically important, Vanessa Jupe told a crowd gathered this week at Union Station, emphasizing the power of exposure and leading by example to create a stronger, more diverse ecosystem. “If we don’t start businesses, then other women aren’t going to see that as a possibility,” said the founder and…