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Central Standard

Portrait Session With Sonya Willis

A middle school in Kansas City has been named after Gloria Willis, who grew up in Texas under Jim Crow Law. She joined Kansas City Kansas Public Schools in 1953, and went on to lead the charge to desegregate the schools there.

Her daughter, Dr. Sonya Willis, followed in her mother’s footsteps and became an educator as well. Though they shared similar values, it was not until Sonya became her mother's caretaker that they truly connected. This is their story.

People don't make cameos in news stories; the human story is the story, with characters affected by news events, not defined by them. As a columnist and podcaster, I want to acknowledge what it feels like to live through this time in Kansas City, one vantage point at a time. Together, these weekly vignettes form a collage of daily life in Kansas City as it changes in some ways, and stubbornly resists change in others. You can follow me on Twitter @GinaKCUR or email me at gina@kcur.org.