Celisa Calacal
Race and Culture ReporterAs KCUR’s Race and Culture reporter, I use history as a guide and build connections with people to craft stories about joy, resilience and struggle. I spotlight the diverse people and communities who make Kansas City a more welcoming place, whether through food, housing or public service. . Follow me on Twitter @celisa_mia or email me at celisa@kcur.org.
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EZ Pedicabs will take you from the West Bottoms to 18th and Vine, or from CPKC Stadium to the Plaza — and anywhere in between. Owners want the company’s electric trishaws to become an essential part of getting around Kansas City, long after the World Cup. -
The Round of 32 victory sends Colombia to the next round against Switzerland, and knocks Ghana out of the tournament. Fans of both teams gathered in Kansas City to eat traditional foods and cheer together. -
Algerian fans find more halal food in Lawrence as restaurants and bars embrace 'radical hospitality'To welcome Algerian visitors and make them feel at home in the charming college town, Lawrence restaurant owners offered more halal options, with some pulling pork from their menu. The Algerian team’s presence also gave an opportunity to spotlight Lawrence’s Middle Eastern restaurants. -
The JuneteenthKC Heritage Festival takes place this year across two days in a newly-transformed Historic 18th and Vine district. It's also the first time festival organizers will welcome a World Cup audience. -
Argentina and Algeria face off June 16 at 8 p.m. at Kansas City Stadium. Demand for ConnectKC26's direct bus service to the stadium for the match is surging, with some routes already sold out. -
Kansas City officials are working on a new way to ban so-called “conversion therapy.” The move comes just weeks after the Kansas City Council repealed a prior ban on the discredited practice because of a Supreme Court ruling against a similar law in Colorado and a lawsuit from the Missouri Attorney General. -
Almost 400 Kansas City residents took advantage of a program offering cheaper short-term rental permitting during the World Cup, hoping to catch a windfall from the influx of tourists. Some aren't seeing the bookings they anticipated. -
Judges in Kansas City Immigration Court hear asylum cases from across Missouri and Kansas. The high denial rates for asylum stem from judicial discretion and how hard it can be to prove persecution in one’s home country. -
The Grand Boulevard Bike and Pedestrian Bridge opened to the public on May 8, offering a safer option to walk to sites like CPKC Stadium. This comes shortly before the Kansas City Streetcar Riverfront Extension opens on May 18. -
What began as an annual celebration of Mexican immigrants and their cultural roots has grown into a weekend-long block party filled with music, food and the chance for longtime supporters to reconnect.
