People

By Delores Jones

Kansas City, MO – Five African American members of Sheet Metal Workers Number 2 are suing their union in federal court for race discrimination. They're alleging they've been passed over fpr construction jobs over the last five years. During this period, Kansas City has enjoyed a tremendous building boom. Minority leaders have been at odds with city officials and the construction industry as to whether jobs have been fairly distributed.

By Sylvia Maria Gross

Kansas City, MO – In order to unravel the mystery of the Steptoe neighborhood in Westport, you'd have to go back about one-hundred-forty years to the times of the Civil War when Missouri's fate as a free versus a slave state hung in the balance.

Joe Louis Mattox, a historian at the Bruce R. Watkins Cultural Heritage Center, has looked into the neighborhood's history. He sat down with Sylvia Maria Gross to tell us how he first became interested in Steptoe.

Novelist Salman Rushdie speaks about religion, writing, and freedom. The author of controversial 'The Satanic Verses,' his latest novel is called 'Shalimar the Clown.'

By Ahmad Safi

By Laura Spencer (edited by Linda Sher)

Kansas City, MO – El Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is a Mexican celebration to celebrate, remember and prepare special foods in honor of those who have departed. The holiday reflects the Mexicans tradition of reacting to death with mourning along with happiness and joy.

By Delores Jones

Kansas City, MO – As a result of low investment in the African-American community, many cannot reach their retirement and college savings goals. The primary reason cited in recent studies for not investing enough is lack of knowledge.

By Gina Kaufmann

Kansas City, MO – Muslims began fasting from dawn to dusk earlier this month when a new crescent moon signaled the start of Ramadan, Islam's holiest month. The month-long holiday commemorates the time 1500 years ago that Muslims believe the first verses of the Koran were revealed to the Prophet Mohammed. The faithful try to be especially pious this month and refrain from food, drink, smoking and sex - all the sensual pleasures - during daylight.