Minority-Led

Black Drip plans OctoberFest showcase to give KC a taste of overlooked small businesses

By Tommy Felts / September 26, 2023

Black Drip Coffee’s OctoberFest is an extension of Charon Thompson’s passion for helping his fellow entrepreneurs, he shared. The free event — now in its third year — aims to bring together coffee enthusiasts, music lovers, and foodies in a vibrant atmosphere that showcases local small business owners. Festivities are set for 2 p.m. to…

Startup ambassadors’ pitch to former Kansas Citians: Move your innovation, hustle Back2KC

By Tommy Felts / September 26, 2023

Kansas City is having a moment, said Liam Reilly, and it’s an opportunity he and fellow Back2KC organizers couldn’t pass up — reviving the tech talent recruitment program amid Chiefs glory, downtown baseball district buzz, KC Streetcar expansion, riverfront revitalization, and a World Cup on the horizon. “We didn’t want to wait another year to…

Godfrey Riddle wants to build you a home; How Civic Saint’s eco-friendly bricks could reshape the foundation of affordable housing

By Tommy Felts / September 23, 2023

Winning $55,000 in a recent national LGBT pitch competition provides Godfrey Riddle the building blocks for a hard pivot — shifting the focus of his lifestyle company Civic Saint from handmade retail goods to earthen bricks used to sustainably create artful, affordable homes. “Affordable housing is a problem I’ve been pondering since my family lost…

This virtual jukebox app is bringing live music to Lemonade Park; Here’s how the interactive show works

By Tommy Felts / September 21, 2023

A one-of-a-kind interactive music festival that allows anyone to be the DJ arrives later this month in Kansas City, shared YouSpin founder and CEO Adell Hendon. The YouSpin Anywhere Music Festival — set for 7 p.m. Sept. 29 at Lemonade Park — is planned as a crowd-driven concert using Hendon’s socially-interactive virtual jukebox app. “People…

Fashion show designs space for KC streetwear to walk alongside Western fringe, crochet couture

By Tommy Felts / September 20, 2023

The Kritiq fashion show is a runway of representation, said Mark Launiu, describing the origins and evolution of one of Kansas City’s premiere creative showcases. “I just wanted to see people that looked like me, designers who don’t have the opportunity to showcase their skills and their talents,” The Kritiq founder and co-founder of MADE…