Tag: Godfrey Riddle

Godfrey Riddle, Civic Saint; photo by Fawn Lies

Civic Saint: How life-threatening setbacks inspired company built on universal humanity, survival

By Tommy Felts / April 2, 2021

Loss is stitched throughout much of Godfrey Riddle’s human story, he said. But its threads don’t define him — and they won’t unravel his mission to bring opportunity to Kansas Citians of every shade, size, and sexuality.  “Being a Black, gay man … I’ve lived through countless experiences of marginalization,” Riddle said, looking back on his…

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Juaquan Herron, Scarlet Knight

Not all entrepreneurs wear capes: Chamber’s ‘Superstars’ campaign unmasks heroes of KC business scene

By Tommy Felts / March 22, 2021

A critical need is driving changes to one of Kansas City’s longest-running annual business events: support for every small business — no matter their scale or the neighborhoods in which they belong.   “This is a time like no other,” explained Vicky Kulikov, small business director for the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, detailing changes to…

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Godfrey Riddle and Jennifer Lapka, Rightfully Sewn, AltCap winner

AltCap winner launching its first Rightfully Sewn-label little black dress at TEDxKC Women

By Tommy Felts / November 16, 2018

Winning $10,000 in this week’s AltCap Your Biz Competition will help Rightfully Sewn expand, Jennifer Lapka said — a move coming on the heels of the social endeavor releasing the first dress under its own label to support the Crossroads-based seamstress training program. “It’s a stylish, well-made LBD (little black dress) that women can wear…

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Now in new Crossroads space, Rightfully Sewn prepares to welcome male sewists (Photos)

By Tommy Felts / July 20, 2018

The secret to any startup venture is to move forward one stitch at a time, said Rightfully Sewn founder Jennifer Lapka. “Start small, struggle, have success, then scale,” she said, quoting one of her many mentors. Freshly moved into a 2,200-square-foot atelier, or design studio, at 1800 Wyandotte St. in the Crossroads, Rightfully Sewn is…

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Jennifer Lapka, Rightfully Sewn

Video: Rightfully Sewn threads ‘United Nations of Sewing’ concept into fabric of Crossroads

By Tommy Felts / April 17, 2018

A new studio space in the heart of Kansas City’s creative community will thread the needle for expanding capacity for Rightfully Sewn to help diverse, at-risk women, as well as support its nonprofit mission, said Jennifer Lapka. The program, which trains women to be seamstresses for local designers through a two-year experience, is set to…

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