Woman-led Stories
Growing movement by Black farmers seeds plan to honor land, ancestors while cultivating better health
Dina Newman wanted to reclaim Black growers’ seat at the table — helping an overlooked community in Kansas City create their own healthy and affordable food systems to nourish themselves. “When I’m talking food system, I’m talking from a seed to plant,” said Newman, founder of Kansas City Black Urban Growers (KCBUGS). “When you look…
Crossroads boutique styles Y2K nostalgia with 2024 representation: ‘It heals my inner child’
Courtnie Ross wants to help customers of all kinds embrace their own personal style in her store — and be comfortable in the fit, the LoveStoned boutique owner said. “The core of what I feel like I’m meant to do in life is to help people feel good about themselves,” she said. With glittery sets,…
UMKC pitch competition brings validating relief, cash prizes for emerging founders with big ideas
A popular UMKC pitch competition awarded more than $80,000 in cash prizes to student and full-time entrepreneurs Friday — validating new ideas and emerging ventures alike. “I never saw anything like this when I was in college,” said Dr. Brandy Archie, founder of AskSAMIE, who competed in a category especially for established startups at the University…
Meet the winners of KC’s first grants for micro-businesses; $55K awarded to women of color
A newly launched collaboration between entrepreneur support efforts announced Thursday its first batch of grant winners — positioning four Kansas City micro-businesses for greater success amid a near-universally challenging start for the year. “The first quarter of the year is hard for most businesses, and extremely hard for small businesses. This year was no different…
These ‘Urban Heroes’ are helping evolve downtown KC; here’s why they’re on the right path
In a prelude to today’s celebration of downtown Kansas City’s evolution and momentum, four “urban heroes” were honored Thursday for their passionate work to make downtown a more vibrant place to live, work, and play, organizers said. Winners of the “Urban Hero Awards” ranged from honorees on the east side to the Crossroads and the…
