When Kansas City voters go to the polls on June 20, their choices have the potential to dramatically change the way the City Council does business. At least six of the 12 seats will be filled with a new member.
Civic Engagement
Posted inCivic Engagement
Stay safe and celebrate: Tips for KC Pride and LGBTQ+ living
When Lea Hopkins organized Kansas City’s first Pride parade in 1977, the threat of being exposed as LGBTQ+ kept many people from marching with her. “You could lose your job or get taken out of your apartment,” Hopkins said. Only about 20 people participated, she said, because the stigma around queer identity was so strong. […]
Posted inCivic Engagement
11 ways to celebrate Juneteenth 2023 in Kansas City
As people gather this month for programs and other events celebrating the end of slavery in the United States, they are celebrating more than Black resilience. By invoking conversation, they’re also helping to bridge the gap between Black communities and other communities in Kansas City, said Makeda Peterson, the program director for JuneteenthKC, a nonprofit […]
Posted inCivic Engagement, Local Government
KC’s fast-moving charter review considers drastic changes to elections
Without much fanfare, Kansas City’s nine-member Charter Review Commission has been discussing changes that could make it harder to recall officials, challenge City Council votes and propose citizen initiatives.
Before May 18, the commission must decide which measures to recommend to the Kansas City Council for a vote. A radical change in the governance of the Department of Parks and Recreation was on the table, but has been pulled by the mayor’s office.
Posted inCivic Engagement
Kansas Citians say the shooting of Ralph Yarl changed them. Here are some voices
More than two weeks ago, 16-year-old Ralph Yarl rapped on the door of a home in Kansas City’s Northland and was shot twice by a man inside. The bullets knocked the Black teenager to the ground and left him with traumatic injuries. And they dealt a blow to the psyche of community members and institutions in and around Kansas City.
“It rocks us,” said Shelton Ponder, a 79-year-old Black man who is a U.S. Air Force veteran and member of the Liberty, Missouri, City Council. “This is going to happen again. We never know where, when or how. And we don’t recover. It stays with us.”
Posted inCivic Engagement
Know your rights: How to protest in Kansas City
The shooting of 16-year-old Ralph Yarl Thursday night in Kansas City’s Northland, and an initial decision by police to allow the suspected gunman to go home after being questioned, have brought protesters to both new and familiar places around the city.
Beginning Sunday, hundreds of people have shown up on the 1100 block of Northeast 115th Street in Kansas City, which is where Yarl knocked on the wrong door as he was trying to pick up his younger brothers.
Posted inCivic Engagement, Education
The votes are in for 2023 Kansas City-area school board elections
Here’s a look at the preliminary results from the April 4 election. The Beacon published Q&As with many of the candidates ahead of the elections, so follow the links to learn more about the winners.
Posted inCivic Engagement, Health, State Government
‘We all are like one giant family’: Parents of trans children fight bans on gender-affirming care
Along with responsibilities of managing their families, parents of transgender children in Missouri find they are frequently called upon these days to clear their calendars and hit the road to Jefferson City to oppose legislation aimed at their kids and gender-affirming care. After several years spent debating bills related to the small percentage of Missourians […]
Posted inCivic Engagement, Local Government
A guide to the Kansas City Council primary: 2nd District at-large candidates
The 2nd District encompasses areas of Kansas City’s Northland.
Posted inCivic Engagement, Local Government
An incumbent versus two challengers: A guide to KC’s 6th District at-large race
Incumbents will appear on the ballot in half of the City Council races up for election in the April 4 primary. That includes the 6th District at large, where Andrea Bough faces two contenders.
Early voting in that race and others began this week, and Kansas City residents can report to polling locations in Jackson, Clay and Platte counties to select candidates in seven council races that have more than two candidates on the ballot.