Gina Kaufmann

Harvey Williams is the founder of a black-owned theater in Kansas City; he sees that as an important addition to the arts ecosystem here in town. In this intimate conversation, Williams tells his own story, which begins at 12th and Vine, and explains why despite all the major iconic roles he's played on Kansas City stages, it matters enough to him carve out a space for diverse voices that he's doing it in his retirement years, when he could be "sitting on the porch, watching the mailman run up and down the street."

Segment 1: How Kansas City immigrants are dealing with threats of raids.

"Just in case" is the phrase Celia Calderon Ruiz uses to sum up how people in her community are dealing with the possibility of a raid in Kansas City. Our guests offer clarification on the constitutional rights of migrants, regardless of status.   

The Jackson County Detention Center has been a contentious topic in city and county politics, with a lot of the public debate focused on questions of funding and space. But conditions for inmates, most of whom are awaiting trial, continue to be concerning for those who know the facility.

Segment 1: A Fringe-famous performer tells his story.

Brother John is a pastor and storyteller who researches characters from African-American history then creates performances that bring history to life. He's become a regular contributor to Kansas City's Fringe Festival. This year, he's focusing on Smoky Robinson.

Our summery food odyssey begins with a trip to a fruit orchard, where blackberries and peaches are now in season, before heading back to the studio for ideas from a chef for how to use these tasty fruits in the kitchen. The food critics then join us on a search for the best restaurant patios in Kansas City.

Segment 1: Bra-Gate inspires a conversation about gender in the legal profession.

Three lawyers speak from personal experience, discussing pay equity, achieving partner status, re-entry to work after maternity leave, implicit bias in the courtroom, the high number of women who leave the profession after 7-10 years and more.

Segment 1: What changing recruitment techniques say about our changing culture.

Move over, millennials. The new new workforce is going to be made up of Generation Z, born in or after 1997. The incentives and benefits packages being offered to new recruits by major companies already reflect that generation's needs and values.

Segment 1: New research shows a difference between what we expect and what we experience when it comes to humor in romance. 

Data suggests that in heterosexual relationships, men tend not to recognize that their partner's sense of humor is a major determinant of long-term happiness. Why not?

• Jeffrey Hall, professor of communication studies, University of Kansas

Segment 2: A nineteenth-century vegetarian settlement in Kansas inspires further investigation.

Segment 1: Should Kansas City move the Royals to a downtown baseball stadium?

In March, the Kansas City Star's editorial board issued an article stating that "it's time" to start talking about a downtown baseball stadium. In this conversation, we look into how that might play out, evaluate the pros and cons, and hear from Kansas Citians about the idea.

Segment 1: A Ralph Steadman exhibit at the Kansas City Public Library excites local fans.

Ralph Steadman and Hunter S. Thompson satirized big moments in American culture and politics in a memorably explosive way. A Steadman retrospective gives local fans a chance to see the art up close.

Segment 1: The Kansas City Public Library has joined a movement toward eliminating late fees.

Following the announcement that the Kansas City Public Library is no longer charging late fees, we dig into the reasoning behind the decision, as well as the larger movement it's a part of.

Segment 1: As the tourism industry grows, so do questions about the impact of travel.

Are there ways to enjoy greater acess to travel while also treading more lightly on the destinations we visit? Or do we simply need to cut back?

Segment 1: A difficult image re-ignites debate over ethics in photography.

In a recent photograph, a migrant from El Salvador lies face down in water alongside his small daughter. The two have drowned on their quest to enter the United States. The image is part of ongoing debate about what it means to document responsibly.

• Keith Greenwood, associate professor, University of Missouri School of Journalism

Segment 2: What Kansas Citians would do if their student-loan debt disappeared.

Segment 1: The City Market, then and now.

The City Market continues to provide local produce to individuals and nearby businesses in Kansas City, but even those businesses have changed dramatically in the last decade. We go to Estelle’s Diner to see these changes firsthand, and talk with a historian about the stories behind them.

Segment 1: National perspective on affordable housing in Kansas City.

As new households form, additional housing stock isn't keeping pace, studies show. Meanwhile, rent is rising faster than inflation. It's a nationwide problem, but people are really feeling it in Kansas City.

• Chris Herbert, managing director, Harvard Joint Centers For Housing Studies

Segment 2: American Sign Language finally counts as a major at the University of Kansas. 

Segment 1: How a 1990s movie on DVD saved the life of a queer Kansas teen.

Savannah Rodgers is making a documentary about her obsession, as a 12-year-old, with the movie Chasing Amy.

Segment 1: An interview with the KCAI alum who worked on Taylor Swift's new music video.

Megan Mantia gives behind-the-scenes insights into the making of a music video that's got people talking. From safety when setting real fires to building fake neighborhoods.

Segment 1: What's behind the statistics for maternal mortality in Missouri?

Missouri ranks 42nd in the United States for maternal outcomes, with a number of pregnancy or childbirth related deaths per capita among the worst in the nation, according to a recent article in the Kansas City Star. Our guests say that's an indicator of poor health in the state overall.

They're both from Kansas City's East Side, but the couple met at a conference in Cincinnati, and they've been dreaming of making things happen for their community ever since. Their plans for a new neighborhood on a vacant lot are so ambitious that just getting a shovel in the ground to start building would be an achievement of national significance. Hear why.

• Ebony Edwards, CEO, Movement KC
• Daniel Edwards, architect, Movement KC

Segment 1: The rom-com everyone's talking about gets the Screentime treatment.

Always Be My Maybe is the next generation's Asian-American movie. Hear why.

• Anthony Sze-Fai Shu, associate professor of English, UMKC
• Tony Vinh, standup comic from Kansas City
• Loey Lockerby, freelance film critic
• Celisa Calacal, associate producer, Central Standard

Segment 2: Morel mushrooms find their way onto drink and dessert menus.

Segment 1: A New York Times reporter sees votes for Quinton Lucas as votes for neighborhoods.

The weekend before Kansas City's mayoral election, a story appeared in the New York Times suggesting that this election came down to a choice: continued emphasis on downtown, or a shift toward prioritizing neighborhoods struggling in downtown's shadow. The author joins us to reflect on the outcome.

Segment 1: Non-drinking bars are filling a void for socializing without booze.

Alcohol is central to a lot of social events and environments. It's part of hospitality. So if you stop drinking altogether, or just want to skip drinks for the evening, where do you go? What do you do? And why do the opportunities seem scarce?

Segment 1: In honor of the Women's World Cup, we ask what's up with the sport here in Kansas City.

We lost our professional women's soccer team in 2017. Kansas City isn't alone; the national league is having a hard time maintaining enough teams to sustain their seasons, despite the sport's popularity among girls.

Segment 1: Telling the American story through art by acclaimed African-American artists. 

There's no hyphen in 30 Americans, an art exhibition featuring masterworks by four decades of African-American artists. That's by design. Hear how Kansas Citians have made this traveling show their own, and why the curator who brought it to the Nelson-Atkins says it's "a long time coming."

Segment 1: Affordability of Micro-Apartments

Developers plan to include micro-apartments as an option for "affordable housing" in the Midland building downtown. The plan has inspired an outcry from skeptical Kansas Citians: Is paying $750 for a tiny apartment truly affordable? A housing advocate and a business journalist weigh in.

Segment 1: Why we don't fix things any more, and why that matters.

There's a national movement encouraging people to learn how to fix things as an antidote to consumer waste and excess spending. But fix-it-yourself workshops happening around the country are having trouble getting off the ground in Kansas City. Our guests give the spiels they'd deliver at such workshops, if they did exist here.

Segment 1: Mini Golf at the Nelson-Atkins

The role of museums in communities are changing, from being places to look at art to spaces where people can gather and socialize. The Nelson-Atkins Museum is also evaluating its role within the community, and as a way to become more of a social space, will be offering mini golf this summer. In this segment, we speak to the musem director about the new mini golf experience and the museum's changing relationship to the Kansas City community. 

Segment 1: Busking Law 101

If you're headed to a major city, you'll likely come across someone performing on a sidewalk with a hat, jar or guitar case set out for tips. But while that experience is common, the regulations governing it are not. We find out what buskers are allowed to do in Kansas City and how that differs from other places across the country.