Minority-Led Stories

Community honors ‘relentless storm’ of Chicano culture (starting with its unsung women)

An emotional celebration of Chicana women leaders, artists, and advocates earlier this month centered on honoring resilience and reclaiming identity — something Deanna Muñoz once felt pressured to hide. “I used to shrink myself,” said Muñoz, founder of the Chicano Center for the Arts and the first-ever ¡Viva La Chicana! Awards. “To fit in, to…

This (still) ain’t luck: How a decade of grit proved these urban heroes are ‘more than just clothes’

MADE MOBB’s ‘collaboration is community’ mindset takes the stage as streetwear brand named an Urban Hero Earning the title “Urban Hero” allows the owners of MADE MOBB an opportunity to publicly give themselves flowers, they said, sharing a twist on the slogan from one of their most popular tees. MADE MOBB — a Crossroads-based streetwear…

Muralist Sike Style tapped to bring Buck O’Neil’s legacy to life along bridge honoring KC baseball icon

A new mural project honoring legendary baseball player Buck O’Neil not only helps capture the spirit of a Kansas City icon, artist Phil “Sike Style” Shafer said; it bridges a cross-generational legacy for the barrier-breaking sports icon. “Meeting Buck O’Neil at the K was a moment I’ll never forget,” said Shafer, a renowned Kansas City…

New role at Endeavor Heartland scales Craig Moore’s concierge ecosystem building

In a move that highlights Kansas City’s growing influence within the global landscape, innovation booster Craig Moore has taken on a new role with a Northwest Arkansas-based network for high-impact entrepreneurs — bringing his ecosystem-building superpowers to a broader scale. As senior manager of entrepreneur experience at Endeavor Heartland, however, Moore isn’t abandoning his roots…

Thai Orchid opens Northland location with homey street food set to wow its new neighbors

Even though the new Thai Orchid restaurant in Kansas City’s Northland proudly pays homage to the Rojjanasrirat family’s culinary legacy in Mission, its second-generation owner wants to shock the taste buds of diners who are unfamiliar with the business’ story. “I want the reaction of the people who try our food to be, ‘Wow! That’s…