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Kansas City Today

Can these Black veterans revive Kansas City's roller-skating scene?

By Nomin Ujiyediin,
Anna Schmidt
Published February 28, 2024 at 4:00 AM CST
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The founders of SK8 Shot Studios are taking Kansas City roller-skating rinks by storm. Their plan is to revive the once thriving scene and grow it into a global destination for Black skate culture — one class and skate party at a time.

Skaters of all skill levels filled the rink on a recent Friday night at Winnwood Skate Center in Kansas City, the metro’s new mecca for Black skate culture.

They were there because of the work of Knejie Allen and Adontis Atkins, two Black Air Force veterans who last fall opened the region’s only stand-alone roller-skating school, SK8 Shot Studios, at 16th Street and Burlington Road in North Kansas City. KCUR's Lawrence Brooks IV brings us their story.

Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Anna Schmidt and KCUR Studios, and edited by Madeline Fox and Gabe Rosenberg.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

Tags
Kansas City Today Race and CultureNorthlandblack-owned businessesNorth Kansas CityBlack HistorydiversitySkating Rinkveteranssports
Nomin Ujiyediin
As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
See stories by Nomin Ujiyediin
Anna Schmidt
Anna Schmidt is the fall 2023 intern for KCUR Studios. She recently graduated from Kansas State University, where she was the Opinions Desk Editor for the Collegian student newspaper and took over the role of podcast host. You can email her at anna.schmidt@kcur.org.
See stories by Anna Schmidt
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