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Celebrating Black History with Local Authors

Author Olivia Hill Author, Artist, Activist, and Playwright OliviaHillWrites.com @OliviaHillWrites Olivia Hill was born and raised in Kansas City. She is an author, artist, activist, and a playwright. Her memoir, Travel North Black Girl, is a story of self-discovery and empowerment. Set in the early 1980s, Olivia recounts her experiences of moving to the remote […]

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Celebrating Black History with Christian dos Santos, International Center for Music at Park University

Christian dos Santos is studying for a bachelor of music degree in viola performance with Professor Peter Chun at the International Center for Music at Park University. He will be featured in this month’s Park ICM Orchestra Valentine’s Concert. Christian grew up in Brazil. Thanks to a social project for children from low-income families, he […]

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Celebrating Black History with The Village KC 

Di’Anna Saffold founded The Village KC in 2020. The organization offers programs and activities for Black students in the fifth through the 12th grades. There are four main topics: the arts, holistic health and wellness, recreational activities, and bright futures, (which focuses on college, career, trade, and entrepreneurial tracks). The Village KC supports Black-owned businesses […]

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Rachel’s Reads – February 2023

“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” – Thurgood Marshall Black history is American history and thus should be something that we all understand, know, and discuss. Acknowledging and learning from the painful parts of our shared past should be something that we appreciate rather than trying to […]

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Celebrating Black History with Whitney Huell, Kansas City Ballet

Kansas City Ballet Company Member Whitney Huell will be performing later this month in Devon Carney’s Cinderella. She has been with the Ballet since 2014; she was the second Black female dancer to join the company. Whitney was five years old when she began ballet lessons in Columbia, South Carolina. She earned a bachelor of […]

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Celebrating Black History with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

John “Buck” O’Neil founded the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in 1990. It is the only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating African-American baseball history and its impact on the social advancement of America. Originating in a one-room office in 1991, the NLBM expanded to a 10,000 square-foot space in the cultural complex known as the […]

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Art Scene – Dean Mitchell

Peaceful, quiet, contemplative, witnessing – all descriptors of Dean Mitchell’s art thoughtfully created in a variety of media. Whether this prolific, powerhouse artist is working in oil, watercolor, or acrylic, the message is the same… sit back, take a look, don’t be in such a rush, see for yourself exactly what this world is offering […]

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Celebrating Black History with The Independent’s Rising Stars

TRAILBLAZER: André Davis, Rising Star Class of 2019 André Davis has often contemplated his legacy. He said, “When we as Brown/Black people are being invited to the ‘table,’ how are we making space for others? I believe we all should consider operating from an ‘abundance’ and not a ‘scarcity’ mindset. It’s not just enough to […]

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Celebrating Black History with The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City 

The vision of The Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City is a united community embracing stories of the African-American experience; its mission is to educate and inspire our community by presenting and promoting appreciation for Black culture through our stories.  Local Actor-director-entrepreneur Damron Russel Armstrong established the company during the 2016-2017 season with Dreamgirls in […]

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Celebrating Black History with The Nia Project

In 2022 Terri Barnes, president and founder of The Nia Project, set out to create for Kansas City, the first-of-its-kind publication: The Beloved Community – Your Black Nonprofit Resource Directory. “The directory is intended to serve as a guide to help community members find services, as well as help organizations become aware of other agencies […]

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Celebrating Black History with Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City

An archive requires a vast amount of material, often created by a large number of people during a period of years that may be counted in decades, centuries, or generations. What separates an archive from a hodge-podge of random files and miscellaneous items is often the vision and discipline of one person. In the case […]

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Harriman-Jewell Series – 1,000th Concert Celebration

Harriman-Jewell Series hosted its 1,000th Concert Celebration with the Kansas City debut performance of Pretty Yende, soprano. Jackie and John Middelkamp were the honorary chairmen, and Suzanne Shank served as the chairman of the January 7th event. Benefactors enjoyed a spectacular concert and a delicious post-performance dinner at The Carriage Club. Guests celebrated the artists […]

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Kansas City Ballet Guild – Nutcracker Luncheon

The Carriage Club was the site for Kansas City Ballet Guild’s  annual Nutcracker Luncheon, which was held on December 15th. John Livingston played holiday classics on the piano. The decorations included a variety of nutcrackers (available for purchase!). Jeffrey Bentley, Kansas City Ballet, spoke about the Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker. President Melissa Ford presented […]

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Truman Library Institute – Wild About Harry

Ursula Terrasi and Jim Miller are the honorary chairs for Truman Library Institute’s Wild About Harry, which will be held on April 20th at the Muehlebach Tower of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. The 24th annual event will celebrate the 75th anniversary of President Harry S. Truman’s “Year of Great Decisions,” 1948, which paved the […]

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TRAILBLAZER: Author Olivia Hill Author, Artist, Activist, and Playwright Olivia Hill was born and raised in Kansas City. She is an author, artist, activist, and a playwright. Her memoir, Travel North Black Girl, is a story of self-discovery and empowerment. Set in the early 1980s, Olivia recounts her experiences of moving to the remote indigenous […]

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Congratulations, Kathryn & Jason!

Mr. and Mrs. John Clark Hjalmarson of Leawood, Kansas, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Kathryn Olivia Hjalmarson, to Jason Stephen Blake, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Arthur Randolph MacKenzie Blake of San Diego, California. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Peter Gerson, the late […]

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Rachel’s Reads – January 2023

“Sooner or later, everything old is new again.” – Stephen King I often see and hear requests for classics that should either be revisited or books that have stood the test of time. Although everyone has incredibly diverse tastes, there are books that have and have not aged well. Literature is something that should be […]

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Kansas City Young Matrons – Mistletoe Party

Kansas City Young Matrons held its annual Mistletoe Party on December 9th. Members and their guests gathered at Blue Hills Country Club and enjoyed a festive evening filled with fellowship and fun.    Featured in the January 21, 2023 issue of The Independent.

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Junior League of Wyandotte and Johnson Counties in Kansas – 72nd Annual Community Ball and Cotillion

Gina Brozenic, Lindsey Golubski, and Sara Willimon were the co-chairs, with Marsha Oyer serving as Cotillion chair, for the Junior League of Wyandotte and Johnson Counties in Kansas’ 72nd Annual Community Ball and Cotillion. The theme was “Old Hollywood.” The December 3rd event was held at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. On the evening’s agenda […]

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Kansas City Ballet Guild – Land of the Sweets Nutcracker Ball 2022

The Kansas City Ballet Guild hosted its 55th annual gala, Land of the Sweets Nutcracker Ball 2022, at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center on December 3rd. Barbara and Dr. Greg Storm were the honorary chairmen, and Angela and John Walker served as the chairmen. Barbara Nash was the recipient of the annual Pirouette […]

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Symphony League – Holiday Luncheon

Mission Hills Country Club was the site for the Symphony League’s  Holiday Luncheon on December 14th. President Katherine Schorgl recognized Johyne Hamra for her 25 years of membership. Ursula Terrasi, Symphony Ball co-chair, presented a check to Pat McCown, Kansas City Symphony board president. The concluding activity was the passing of the gavel to Linda […]

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