Segment 1: Vince Ortega has a long history working with COMBAT and the Kansas City Police Department.
It's been 29 years since Jackson County voters first approved the Community Backed Anti-Crime Tax, or COMBAT, aimed at funding drug prevention, treatment and criminal justice programs. After turbulent times over the last two years, which saw oversight of the program shift from the county executive's office to the county prosecutor, the task force has a new leader. Today, he shared his priorities for the organization and explained the interplay between drug use, violent crime and mental health in Kansas City.
- Vince Ortega, Jackson County COMBAT director
Segment 2, beginning at 21:00: The contradictory origin story of Haskell Indian Nations University.
Founded in 1884, Lawrence's Haskell Institute began with just 22 students and a pedagogy now largely considered misguided. Despite its previous assimilationist curriculum, very harsh treatment of students, and a tiny budget, the school eventually became a place where native youths could explore and preserve their indigenous cultures, and contributed to an unintendent growth of pan-tribal identity.
- Eric Anderson, Haskell Indian Nations University professor and chair of Indigenous and American Indian Studies
Anderson will discuss the first 25 years of Haskell's history at 2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 18 at the Kansas City Public Library's Central location, 14 W. 10th St., Kansas City, Missouri 64105. To RSVP, go to KCLibrary.org.
