Up To Date

A Kansas City Nonprofit Is Amplifying The Voices And Power Of Black Women

By Brian Ellison,

Published September 25, 2020 at 4:21 PM CDT

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Michele Watley founded Shirley's Kitchen Cabinet in 2018 to help Black women "be effective advocates for the issues that matter to them and the communities they serve."

Shirley's Kitchen Cabinet aims to use the collective power of Black women to influence public policy.

The founder of the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization discussed how it determines the issues most important to Black women, then works to affect needed change. She outlined the disproportionate negative impacts of the pandemic on Black women.

Michele Watley, founder of Shirley’s Kitchen Cabinet and the Griot Group

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Brian Ellison

As a host and contributor at KCUR, I seek to create a more informed citizenry and richer community. I want to enlighten and inspire our audience by delivering the information they need with accuracy and urgency, clarifying what’s complicated and teasing out the complexities of what seems simple. I work to craft conversations that reveal realities in our midst and model civil discourse in a divided world. Follow me on Twitter @ptsbrian or email me at brian@kcur.org.

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Liam Mays

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Danie Alexander

As senior producer of Up To Date, I want our listeners to hear familiar and new voices that shine light on the issues and challenges facing the myriad communities KCUR serves, and to expose our audiences to the wonderful and the creative in the Kansas City area. Just as important to me is an obligation to mentor the next generation of producers to ensure that the important conversations continue. Reach me at alexanderdk@kcur.org.

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