Urban Connections

As Memorial Day approaches we honor the United States Colored Troops of the American Civil War.  Nearly 290,000 Black men risked everything to fight for freedom during the war, not knowing if they would survive or face enslavement once again. Joining the program are Edward Gantt ,  Jeffrey Blansett , and Victoria Chase , all active with the African Americans in the Civil War Era Round Table (AACWE...

Dr. Wagner teaches Urban Planning and Design at UMKC. He is the faculty founder of the UMKC Center for Neighborhoods - a research and outreach unit dedicated to building the capacity of neighborhood leaders and advocates in Western Missouri. He is a member of the advisory board of the international Journal of Urban Design.  Jacob A. Wagner, Ph. D ., has been recognized for his work with UNESCO Cit...

Wasim Kahn , Chief Executive Officer of Baraza African Cultures Center is a Certified Diversity Professional and is Yan-Koloba Certified and has vast experience working with immigrants, refugees & indigenous peoples. He has spent 30 years working cross-culturally and in international business. Andrea Smith Khan , Chief Education Officer of Baraza African Cultures Center is a Certified Diversit...

Lewis W. Diuguid  is a multimedia consultant, lecturer, freelance writer and editor, certified diversity facilitator. He is a former columnist, editorial board member, op-ed page editor, and letters editor at The Kansas City Star, as well as a published author. He is a St. Louis native and worked more than 39 years as a journalist with The Kansas City Star, rising to vice president of community re...

Dr. Paris Woods is an education leader, social entrepreneur, and advocate for financial empowerment, dedicated to driving positive change in education and economic mobility. With over two decades of experience in educational settings, Dr. Woods has established a track record of innovation, leadership, and impact. Dr. Woods’s commitment to education is reflected in her roles as a senior leader acro...

[caption id="attachment_181540" align="alignleft" width="199"] Dr. Angela Simms[/caption] Angela Simms is Assistant Professor of Sociology and Urban Studies at Barnard College-Columbia University . She examines the political economy of United States metropolitan areas through the lens of suburban Black middle-class jurisdictions’ capacity to garner sufficient tax revenue for maintaining high-quali...

Earl Martin Phalen is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Great Jobs KC , one of the nation’s most impactful programs in supporting young adults and adults who live in low-income communities on the pathway to good careers. Great Jobs KC has two core programs, one which awards 11th graders college scholarships and supports them to and through college. The KC Scholars Program awards over one thousa...

Marion Orr, PhD ., is the inaugural Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science and Urban Studies at Brown University . He previously was a member of the political science faculty at Duke University. Professor Orr earned his B.A. degree in political science from Savannah State College, M.A. in political science from Atlanta University (now Clark-Atlanta Universi...

Journalist and author Lewis W. Diuguid poses a chilling question: Does the treatment of immigrants in the United States echo the treatment of enslaved people in this country’s early history? Both, he argues, have lived under the constant fear of being seized and irreparably harmed. Both have been compelled to carry papers and prove their right to exist wherever they stand. And in this historical c...

Journalist and author Lewis W. Diuguid makes a bold argument: the same systemic racism that once united white colonists against British rule may again serve as a catalyst — not through solidarity, but through shared suffering. In this episode, we explore how deep-rooted racial biases helped pave the way for Donald Trump’s second term, including America’s resistance to a Black woman ascending to th...

Suzanne Johnson was born of Korean parents, somewhere in the Korean countryside, at sometime in 1966. Suzanne does not know her true birthdate. She explains why that is the case in this conversation. Suzanne is a "first waver" Korean adoptee, which means her adoption is directly tied to the aftermath of World War II. It is specifically tied to the Korean War since she was adopted in 1969. South Ko...

Whitney Plantation is a non-profit museum dedicated to the history of slavery, situated on a historical sugar, indigo and rice plantation which operated from 1752-1975. The museum preserves over a […] The post American History preserved – slavery at the Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana appeared first on KKFI .

Wasim Kahn, CEO of Baraza African Cultures Center is a Certified Diversity Professional and is Yan-Koloba Certified and has vast experience working with immigrants, refugees & indigenous peoples. He has spent 30 years working cross-culturally and in international business. Andrea Smith, Chief Education Officer of Baraza African Cultures Center is a Certified Diversity Professional, Certified D...

Adenike AmenRa is also known as Kandaki-Ma Beqsu Nuta AmenRa-Mosley. Kandaki equals  Queen-Mother, Minister, Priestess, Teacher, Artist, Environmentalist, Maker, Recycler, Wife. Adenike AmenRa graduated from the University of Kansas, (M.Ed, […] The post Adenike Amen Ra of Amen Ankh Urban Farms on growing food, NOT lawns appeared first on KKFI .

Lewis W. Diuguid is a multimedia consultant, lecturer, freelance writer and editor, certified diversity facilitator. He is a former columnist, editorial board member, op-ed page editor, and letters editor at […] The post Author, journalist Lewis W. Diuguid on truth, lies and America appeared first on KKFI .

Tracie Canada, Ph. D, is  socio-cultural anthropologist whose ethnographic research uses sport to theorize race, kinship and care, gender, and the performing body. Dr. Canada’s work focuses on the lived experiences […] The post Dr. Tracie Canada, ethnographer and anthropologist, on the intersection of race and sport: Black college athletes unpaid labor, power, profit and survival appeared first on...

Andrew LaMont Eanes was nominated twice by then President Barak Obama as Deputy Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA). Eanes served at the SSA from July 2014 through December […] The post LaMont Eanes on leadership and transformation at the Social Security Administration appeared first on KKFI .

Over four decades ago, Laura moved to Kansas City to begin her career at a local Social Security Administration service center. In this episode, she shares firsthand reflections on her […] The post Inside the SSA – A Kansas City Story appeared first on KKFI .

Bird Ellington Fleming, is the Executive Director and founder of the Traditional Music Society. The Traditional Music Society (TMS) offers a dynamic global journey through music and dance from multiple […] The post Bird Fleming of Traditional Music Society on celebrating the journey of humankind appeared first on KKFI .

Lewis W. Diuguid is a multimedia consultant, lecturer, freelance writer and editor, certified diversity facilitator. He is a former columnist, editorial board member, op-ed page editor, and letters editor at […] The post Journalist Lewis W. Diuguid on working with the “Scarecrow” appeared first on KKFI .

On Tuesday, March 25th, the Kansas City Defender and the Kansas City Call hosted an urgent town hall titled Kansas City’s Crisis of Black Food, Land & Survival — And […] The post Carl A. Stafford, founder of My Region Wins! on food, land, conservation and survival appeared first on KKFI .

Marilyn McCleod, Anne Calvert and Harry Bognich discuss concerns and activities of Leagues of Women Voters. They are interviewed by Radio Active Magazine regular Spencer Graves. Marilyn is President of […] The post KC Metro Leagues of Women Voters appeared first on KKFI .

Joseph Jackson is host, producer and engineer of KKFI public affairs program, Cow Town Conversations, which airs every Thursday, 9 am to 10 am, www.kkfi.org, following Democracy Now. Joseph is […] The post Joseph Jackson, host of KKFI’s Cow Town Conversations on his bucket list trip down south -Super Bowl to Selma appeared first on KKFI .

Damron Russel Armstrong is the founder, CEO and Executive Artistic Director of The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City (BRTKC). The mission of BRTKC is to educate and inspire our […] The post Damron Armstrong, founder, artistic director of the Black Repertory Theater of KC on Mahalia: A Gospel Musical appeared first on KKFI .

Lewis W. Diuguid is a multimedia consultant, lecturer, freelance writer and editor, certified diversity facilitator. He is a former columnist, editorial board member, op-ed page editor, and letters editor at […] The post Journalist Lewis W. Diuguid on working with the “Scarecrow” appeared first on KKFI .