But audit records show BEU had multiple accounting problems from 2004 through 2006 with the city's Housing and Economic Development Finance Corporation or HEDFC. In 2003, former BEU Director Sylvester Holmes pleaded guilty in federal court to embezzling $33,000 of the organization's money. Give Black KC would help cover her administrative costs and hire a part-time assistant. Higher wind gusts possible.. According to Harris' court statement, former BEU director Lyman took out a $400,000 loan for the building in May 2016 just months after Thompson left. Cotton plans to use the grant from Give Black KC to extend her lease on the shop. "It's not something that I would've done. Despite Harris' claim that BEU gave $69,000 to an unqualified contractor to the fix the elevator, Wood says the remaining funds were not given to BEU and re-purposed. Black Girls Code is on a mission to increase the number of black women working in computer programming. According to Policy Link and the USC Program for Environmental and Regional Equity's Profile of the Kansas City Region, "There is a looming skills and education gap for the region's African Americans and Latinos, whose rates of postsecondary education are lower than the share of future jobs that will require that level of education." Phone: (913) 220-0281, Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce Saatva Mattress Review: Our Pick for the Best Overall Bed of 2023, We Found 12 Cute Planters and Flower Pots That Cost Less Than $25, Here's Where to Watch and Stream Marvel's 'Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' Online. We will help you if you want to be helped but you have to meet us halfway, she said. After jobs in several different sectors, McCray decided to start her business while working as a full-time therapist. City records also show BEU submitted an invoice, as part of the Lincoln Building renovations contract, for $833 paid to Prosperity Electric for wiring charges. Contact: Joe Arce HEDFC operates as a bank with federal money used to fund low-income housing projects. Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Marvin used the term "development costs," not for a BEU development, but for Vewiser Dixon's development.". 816-234-4784. When I host Up To Date each morning at 9 a.m., my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City areas challenges, hopes and opportunities. The 41 Action News Investigators asked Wood if it's a potential red flag to hire a contractor in the same building BEU owns with no specific address in that building. "We determined that the project wasn't going to be completed in a timely fashion and so we basically terminated the contract," Wood, who now serves as director of the Neighborhoods and Housing Services Department, said. Black Americans comprise more than 12% of the population but account for less than 6% of doctors in the United States. The 41 Action News Investigators asked Wood if he believes there's some type of malfeasance with BEU or the city based on the open federal investigation. Banking is a system, law is a system, education is a system and theres this myth of entrepreneurship and what that really is thats a system too.. The contractor authorized all payments during the fiscal year from the program fund. So, we're trying to step in that piece and encourage kids to go to college and seek higher education," said Brenan Latimer, co-founder of The Future of Us. The 41 Action News Investigators were unable to reach Parker for comment. The Marlo house in Kansas City was the site of a 1978 meeting between Civella crime family members and Tropicana hotel-casino executives Carl Thomas from Las Vegas. Kansas City, MO 64106 But Awesome Ambitions needs funding in order to provide these experiences to girls. After receiving hundreds of thousands of tax dollars to fix up the Lincoln Building, including roughly $387,000 in federal stimulus money, $171,500 in federal and city money, and after securing the $400,000 loan, court records show BEU sold the Lincoln Building to Henry Service for $750,000 in 2017. For additional information on Black-owned businesses, vendors and resources in Kansas City, consult our partners at KC Black Owned orBlack Privilege. The following list provides information for contacting some minority and women business organizations and publications. Not only in those buildings, but in that area, in the Power & Light District. 727 Minnesota Ave. Mission. Missouri state records show Prosperity Electric dissolved in February 2019. Seems simple, say members of a Kansas City Health Equity Learning and Action Network working group. 5737 Swope Parkway Contact: Robin Norris Please check your inbox in order to proceed. Many young people are working for change right now, but we need to know were not alone in the fight. Get started with eight dining recommendations from local foodie Kasim Hardaway. The opportunities to supportKC's local Black-owned businesses are vast, from favorite area restaurants to bookstores that foster a connected community of readers. It isnt meant for me. Contact: Kelvin Perry The auditor notes in that report, When agencies do not report recent information on their financial condition and accounting and internal control structures, its not available to elected officials, the city manager or monitoring departments. In a Black youth panel conducted by the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, other Black students expressed that they also have to look elsewhere - in places like Chicago or New Mexico - to find opportunities built for them. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. If Kansas City prioritized programs which explicitly supported Black youth beginning with increased funding, but also publicity, visibility, and community support the battle for equity would feel a lot less defeating. HEDFC, Bank of America and the U.S, Economic Development Administration are among the agencies and businesses which have filed long standing active claims against BEU. . We always hear a lot about, you know, taking care of ourselves, but its so important that we take care of each other. Phone: (816) 471-0550 But it's not. There are no source documents, contracts, orders or other to show where that money went.". The accusations come in a now-dismissed eviction case current Lincoln Building owner Henry Service filed against BEU in March, 2018. about GuideStar Pro. In addressing Harris' claims, Lyman said in an email response to the 41 Action News Investigators there was "no malfeasance or illegal activity by me.". Throughout my junior and senior years, I held leadership positions from designated blogger to Junior Advisory Board President and grew as a public speaker and collaborator with other girls like me. Dacia Martins started UrbnHub during the pandemic to connect families with organizations that serve the urban core. Website: www.buildersassociation.com, Unified Contractors of Kansas City (UCKC; unification of Hispanic Contractors Association of Greater Kansas City and Minority Contractors Association of Greater Kansas City) When I spoke with Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas in January about my plans to move, he told me we could "build an Atlanta here." The organization focuses on teachers who are in the first three years of their careers, because thats when teachers need the most support. I watched my brother chase chickens with the other young kids and tried to grapple with the fact that I was standing in the middle of a nonprofit community garden and urban farm at 29th and Wabash. I remember riding up the glistening elevator, and walking awkwardly around the immaculate, modern top-floor club room. The project comes from the work that founder and president Terri Barnes has been doing for 20 years. Let us know on Instagram or via email. If youre looking to organize against the current, unstable political atmosphere, heres a list of 28 active organizations that service a range of black communities. I was blessed to have the experience of being a member of Awesome Ambitions, a career- and college-readiness program founded by Cynthia Newsome for girls in grades 8-12. The 100 Black Men of Greater Kansas City is an all-volunteer organization and was formed in 2006, as one of 116 chapters nationally and internationally with over 10,000 members serving 100,000 youth participants. Follow @kcblackowned on Instagram forfresh information on a daily basis. ITS ABOUT EQUALITY. Harris claims tens of thousands of dollars of the organization's money were funneled from BEU to other organization leaders for their own personal benefit. Kansas City, MO 64110 "Because we know Black-led organizations, just like anything else, have been left out of the philanthropic cycle," said Cornell Gorman, co-found of Generating Income for Tomorrow.GIFT is partnering with the United Way for this campaign. Through partnerships with other local organizations, WeCode students can build projects and receive stipends to gain real-world experience. Skip to: The program gives money to cities - with relatively few strings attached - to help improve communities. Atlanta is a hub of Black history, culture, and opportunity a vital fact for me as a Black woman majoring in African and African-American Studies. If you want to support Black businesses to help them thrive, patronize them. Richardson said. The folks who are already in power have the responsibility to fight for us: folks on city councils, in foundation boardrooms, in voting booths, on school boards, in recruiting offices. I was attending a reception with Sisters Circle of Greater Kansas City, an organization which had awarded a large grant to Awesome Ambitions. These are skills that kids can learn as soon as they get out of school and start with an internship or actually in the workforce, said co-founder and CEO Tammy Buckner. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Eligible businesses must employ between three and 20 people, be located in an "economically vulnerable community," and have been financially hurt by COVID-19 disruptions. This organization helps bring more Black teachers into Kansas City schools By Steve Kraske , Reginald David Published March 1, 2023 at 11:56 AM CST Listen 14:41 Ways To Subscribe Courtesy. Kansas City, MO 64130 Contact: Brenda Bethman You can reach her on Twitter @jambojiang. I, and other young Black people, need to feel that Kansas City is for us. Utilize them on projects, support them, mentor them.. The invoice shows Prosperity Electric had the same Lincoln Building address as BEU, which owned the building at the time, but no suite number; Only a listing of "second floor" was included. e = d.createElement("script"); The organization continues to mobilize and amplify national dialogue around state-sanctioned violence. Contact: info@midamericalgbt.org 11249 Strang Line Rd. African-American Community in Kansas City From art and music to food and sports, the contributions of Kansas City's African-American community are vital to the city's culture. The 41 Action News Investigators, on multiple occasions over several months, have gone to BEUs office in the Lincoln Building seeking comment. Website:www.wcoekc.org, Mid-America Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (TAAC) Leaders working to support Black business owners joined an online forum organized. })( If it is your nonprofit, add geographic service areas to create a map on your profile. Bullington responds by sending a 2014 contract between BEU and the city to improve the Lincoln Building.

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