); On Sept. 18, 2014, John A. In our community, we have a lot of violence, we have a lot of poverty, we have a lot of broken infrastructure, Barnes said. I remember riding up the glistening elevator, and walking awkwardly around the immaculate, modern top-floor club room. The summer program is scheduled to launch in 2022. According to Policy Link and the USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity's Profile of the Kansas City Region, "There is a looming skills and education gap for the region's African Americans and Latinos, whose rates of postsecondary education are lower than the share of future jobs that will require that level of education." When I host Up To Date each morning at 9 a.m., my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City areas challenges, hopes and opportunities. . ITS PARTNERING WITH THE UNITED WAYOR F THIS CAMPAIGN. To donate, go to GiveBlackKC.org or you can text GiveBlack22 to 41444. Phone: (816) 235-2891, Kansas City Society of Black Architects and Engineers My vision is to get past the safety net, Barnes said. While there certainly has been some change in KC during that time, its pace is usually slow and the change isnt always for the better. I've been a teacher in the classroom, started teaching in 1997 and just noticed the lack of Black teachers in the classroom but also seeing the impact of Black teachers, Trinity said. Bullington responds by sending a 2014 contract between BEU and the city to improve the Lincoln Building. The Nia Project plans to offer two programs: Black Women Get Fit, an annual health and wellness event, and a summer program for high school girls. Kansas City, MO 64110 Business service providers have to create a better ecosystem for Black-owned businesses and that means connecting owners with resources, said Richardson. Theyre not just existing and barely making it.. "He wanted access to their financial records, the property records, things he has no business having access to," Ford said. Cotton plans to use the grant from Give Black KC to extend her lease on the shop. In a Black youth panel conducted by the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, other Black students expressed that they also have to look elsewhere - in places like Chicago or New Mexico - to find opportunities built for them. BEU appears to have made duplicate payments to contractors.". And the poverty rate is 36%. A grant from Give Black would allow her to market better and reach an even wider audience. Residents can help raise capital for underserved communities trying to build a better . Still, panelists stress the importance of business owners familiarizing themselves with local banks. Safe Passage is a curriculum based program that focuses on four primary areas: developing life skills both hard and soft promoting education including post high school opportunities like four year colleges, junior colleges, vocational and other programs and certifications leading to career fields community service and exploration of the institutions and cultures of Greater Kansas City. 6025 Prospect The organization works to ensure social justice and equality for black immigrants. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Where have all the candidates gone? Need the ability to download nonprofit data and more advanced search options? Phone: (816) 842-3804, Kansas City Globe Newspaper (weekly) Wood - in his then-capacity as assistant city manager and director of the city's Neighborhoods and Housing Services Department - signed the federal money contract with BEU. Lenexa, KS 66215, Urban League of Greater Kansas City Women-led businesses normally don't get funding from funders and things like that, Buckner said. Editor: Clara Reyes Higher ACT test scores open up acceptance to more colleges and additional scholarship opportunities, which are vital in ensuring more students attend four year colleges. Teachers Like Me focuses heavily on recruiting, developing and retaining Black teachers. In an August 2018 email, Lorek asks Bullington for an accounting of all federal money given to BEU. When the 41 Action News Investigators asked Wood why the city would agree to give money to fix the elevator and five years later, still hasn't inspected it after the permit ran out, he replied, "I don't know. Of the 107,000 residents who live east of Troost, more than 75% are Black. e = d.createElement("script"); Fierce is New York-based organization catering to the extremely underserved LGBT youth of color. Rather than external entities coming into Black inner-city neighborhoods and trying to tell residents what they need, or even disrupting these communities altogether, we need Kansas City to empower its low-income communities directly: listen to what developments Black folks in the city want (or are already working on) and then support and/or implement those developments. Most of the funding came from her own finances, and as it's grown, shes gotten a bigger space and hired more staff. ITS ABOUT EQUALITY. A lot of the folks that we serve are afraid of systems. are joining forces to host Give Black KC, a fundraiser to support the Black community and entrepreneurs. The folks who are already in power have the responsibility to fight for us: folks on city councils, in foundation boardrooms, in voting booths, on school boards, in recruiting offices. })( In Kansas City, patrons can find Black-owned businesses on Kcblackowned.org, said Richardson. The second annual Give Black KC event,. Seven social justice organizations from the Kansas City area are doubling down on demands for the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department budget to be reduced and for Chief Rick Smith to resign. It also says, The BEU maintains an office in the Lincoln Building. 727 Minnesota Ave. Phone: (816)923-5399 Winds SW at 25 to 35 mph. You need to build a relationship with your banker. View City Hall hours and holidays. "Why doesn't the city know where all the money that's been allocated?" "A lot of school districts here in Kansas City, Missouri, the counselors are kind of focused on getting people to graduate things outside of school, getting kids to school. Collaboration is key Randolph said the Heartland Business Chamber of Commerce ramped up partnerships with other organizations doing similar work during the pandemic. Saatva Mattress Review: Our Pick for the Best Overall Bed of 2023, We Found 12 Cute Planters and Flower Pots That Cost Less Than $25, Here's Where to Watch and Stream Marvel's 'Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' Online. The future of us is one of the nonprofits chosen for funding. Harris states in the court record, "They were talking about paying property taxes and mowing vegetation on all the vacant lot properties Vewiser owns for his upcoming real estate development. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The program gives money to cities - with relatively few strings attached - to help improve communities. Organizers believe working together brings change. According to Harris' testimony, former BEU Director Marvin Lyman and long-time BEU advisor Vewiser Dixon - Dixon's wife Cathy Brodhurst is currently BEU's interim director - siphoned BEU money to Dixon's private business. Investigating the systems and circumstances that contribute to inequality. I remember the barn with a large Black power fist painted on it; wandering chickens and produce growing outside and greenery and tanks filled with tilapia inside. The Empowerment Program offers resources like employment assistance and housing referrals for black women experiencing poverty, homelessness and incarceration. Learning through measurement and evaluation help us better support programs that improve education, boost entrepreneurship, and help Kansas City thrive. Phone: (913)371-3070 "I was the only one who argued vehemently against the sale of the organization's greatest asset and iconic home for decades," Harris stated in the court testimony. Fax:(816)531-5256, Kansas City Hispanic News THE COUNSELORS ARE KINOFD FOCUSED ON GETTING PEOPLE TO GRADUATE THINGS OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL GETNGTI KIDS TO SCHOOL. There are 16crime prevention organizations in the greater Kansas Citymetro area, including the cities of Kansas City, Lenexa, and Overland Park within the states of Kansas and Missouri. Contact: Simone Garza She also says Special Agent Lorek has interviewed her as part of his ongoing investigation, specifically asking her about BEU. If you have an idea for a column, please read the guidelines for contributors. In an email response to the 41 Action News Investigators, Dixon called Harris' accusations against him "false, unfair and unwarranted.". Phone: (316) 681-1155 ", Also in the same report it states, "BEU's former executive director's name remained on an account for the agency's Community Service Block Grant until December, 2004. Harris also states in the court record other BEU leaders forged his name on fraudulent board resolutions and misrepresented his participation in other organization matters. We always hear a lot about, you know, taking care of ourselves, but its so important that we take care of each other. From West AfricanSuya, meat skewersorEast African Injera with stewed meat, you can get it all atFannie's African Cuisine., "You have to order chicken and donuts. ALP is a New York-based organization that dedicates itself to achieving social and economic equality for LGBT communities of color. A 41 Action News Investigation reveals federal officials are looking at how the Black Economic Union of Greater Kansas City spent tax dollars. The group played a significant role in, Cut50 is a project by The DreamCorps that aims to reduce the number of people incarcerated through awareness campaigns like. Generating Income for Tomorrow is raising money to support five Black-led organizations. The email also states BEU is in good standing, self-sustaining, successfully maintaining its current assets and continuing to pursue its mission of economic empowerment for minorities in the Kansas City area. Associates of the Kauffman Foundation work in partnership with people who share a passion for entrepreneurship and education. We will help you if you want to be helped but you have to meet us halfway, she said. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. It also helps teachers with housing. The contractor generated its own invoices and paid itself from the agency's account without agency personnel involvement. "For the life of me, I can't explain why they did what they did," Wood said in describing the sale. The 41 Action News Investigators obtained a series of emails between Special Agent Joseph Lorek from HUD and Stuart Bullington, the now former assistant director of Kansas City's Neighborhoods and Housing Services Department. Kansas City, MO 64110 by Ashley Clarke, Center for Public Integrity July 27, 2021, This and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
. In the document, Harris wrote the contractor clearly is not qualified to do such technical work which requires a license and the elevator never got fixed.". Residents can help raise capital for underserved communities trying to build a better Kansas City. Officers, directors, trustees, and key employees, Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics, Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools, Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations, Revenue and expense data for the current fiscal year, CEO, Board Chair, and Board of Directors information.