Minority-Led Stories

Swifts endorsement: KC couple opens Cadillac of Cajun restaurants along streetcar line

Richard and Sheila Swift started small: selling their Cajun cuisine out of an existing bar and grill in Kansas City, Kansas, in late 2022. Within a few months they had a loyal following.  Still, they wanted their own operation. So they paused and spent a month planning their next step. They formed an LLC, splurged…

KC founder’s hip hop edtech app for children, families earns earns $50K in 5G innovation competition

A grants program focused on boosting social entrepreneurs — traditionally underfunded women and persons of color — who are using 5G wireless innovation to address pressing community challenges this week awarded a $50,000 prize to Kansas City startup Healthy Hip Hop for its work on child literacy. Catalyst — a competitive grants initiative by the Washington,…

Tough Chiefs loss propels Kansas City artist to launch winning business

Editor’s note: The following story was originally published by AltCap, an ally to underestimated entrepreneurs that offers financing to businesses and communities that traditional lenders do not serve. The Kansas City Chiefs came up one win short of entering the Super Bowl when they lost by a field goal to the Cincinnati Bengals in January…

Candidates: Unchecked property crime against businesses driven by prosecutor’s failure to hold offenders accountable

Melesa Johnson, Tracey Chappell share their solutions for combatting recent uptick in break-ins at Kansas City businesses Editor’s note: Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker is not seeking re-election, so it’s an open race for her countywide seat. Democrat Melesa Johnson and Republican Tracey Chappell are running in the 2024 general election with a vote…

Bingo with lingo: Black culture reshaped history (and how we talk); this board game revives a timely story of KC pride

A board game originally conceived in the wake of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1969 assassination is making a revival in 2024 — thanks to the Kansas City entrepreneur who created it and remains committed to keeping Black history alive. SLANG-A-LANG!™ returned to shelves earlier this year, said Irene Carter, noting the game was born out…