Tag: Joel Barrett

Kauffman Foundation announces first-ever semifinalists for Uncommon Leader Impact Award

By Tommy Felts / October 23, 2025

A new leadership prize aimed at celebrating changemakers at organizations aligned with the priorities of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is closer to naming its first winner, the influential nonprofit announced Wednesday, revealing 12 semifinalists culled from more than 300 nominations. “The response from community members across the Kansas City metro area was tremendous,” said…

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Young mom’s apparel for crawling babies wins best fit for UMKC Side Hustle Challenge

By Tommy Felts / November 15, 2024

Riley Rhoads knows firsthand how overwhelming it is to shop for baby clothes, the University of Missouri-Kansas City student and new mother shared, so she created a product to help fellow moms. Hold Tight Baby — Rhoads’ venture that earned her first place at UMKC’s Side Hustle Challenge — makes pants for crawling babies. The…

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GEWKC just launched its 2024 lineup; Here are three of the can’t-miss entrepreneur events

By Tommy Felts / August 30, 2024

Inspiration — and top honors — are on the calendar this fall as registration launches for Kansas City’s busiest week in entrepreneurship. Among the headline events for the connection-packed summit: two grants competitions and a new-to-GEW celebration of Kansas City innovation. Organizers this week released the official schedule for the in-person Nov. 19-21 Global Entrepreneurship Week –…

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KC Rainbow Tour highlights LGBTQ+ history: You can legislate us, but our stories keep us alive

By Tommy Felts / December 5, 2023

Kansas City’s LGBTQ+ history is one of its best kept secrets, Joel Barrett said, explaining his journey to share a wealth of local lore with residents and visitors alike. The KC Rainbow Tour — a free, 90-minute self-guided driving tour — uses the VoiceMap app to highlight about 20 destinations with LGBTQ+ significance, including the…

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