community

Alvin Brooks has served as a bridge in Kansas City for decades — as one of the city’s first Black police officers, an educator, a civil rights leader, a founder of Ad Hoc Group Against Crime, and almost a Kansas City mayor. Today he’s still on call 24/7 for whenever anyone needs help. As he asks everyone to mark their calendars for his 100th birthday in 2032, he looks back to his earliest days in Kansas City.

Residents of the Westside neighborhood say that gentrification — like the upcoming Pennway Point entertainment district — is forcing the Latino community out of the neighborhood with rapidly-rising property taxes.

Republican state Sen. Holly Thompson of Scott City sponsored legislation to decriminalize the harm reduction tool. She hopes this will help lower opioid overdoses.

KCUR's community engagement team is holding listening sessions and interviews across Kansas City, as part of a year-long initiative to learn how diverse Kansas Citians feel about guns and the rising rates of gun violence, and to hopefully find solutions to the issue.

Kookin’ Cousins Kitchen, a Kansas City-based kitchen rental and culinary instruction facility, opened its doors in March of this year. Since then, it’s offered residents the chance to hone their cooking skills through a series of classes, and test out their ideas for new restaurants and businesses.

Last year, Ruby Jean's Juicery owner Chris Goode began his push to change Troost Avenue, named after a slaveholder, to Truth Avenue. Now, the Kansas City Council is taking steps toward making the name change a reality.

Law enforcement agencies must be careful when they use social media. The public depends on the information from law enforcement to stay safe in violent situations such as active shooters, mass shootings and kidnappings.

The NFL Draft started in 1936 with no media coverage, but has blossomed to a nationally televised event that is the largest non sporting event in America bringing hundreds of thousands of football fans to Kansas City

Justice Gatson, founder and director of Reale Justice Network, said it’s been an emotional several days for Kansas City Black communities. Gatson was one of hundreds of protesters who have been calling on the Kansas City Police Department to arrest Ralph Yarl's shooter — and now she's calling on the police chief to resign.

It's Ramadan, one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar. The Dialogue Institute, a local nonprofit, has partnered with 33 different organizations to hold community fast-breaking dinners, called iftars.

The Kansas City Royals hope to build a new downtown ballpark and entertainment district. Community residents say they should have input and establish an agreement to protect future workers.

A Kansas City woman turned her own family’s struggle into a way to help her community get better access to healthy food. Her idea just earned her $100,000 from the Google for Startups Black Founders Fund.