Urban Connections

KKFI 90.1 FM Kansas City Community Radio

This podcast tracks the audio archives for the “Urban Connections” show. Urban Connections conducts guest interviews covering issues affecting our local, national, international and global communities from a Black perspective.

  1. 2D AGO

    Honoring the United States Colored Troops of the American Civil War - Union soldiers who fought for freedom

    As Memorial Day approaches we honor the United States Colored Troops of the American Civil War.  Nearly 290,000 Black men risked everything to fight for freedom during the war, not knowing if they would survive or face enslavement once again. Joining the program are Edward Gantt, Jeffrey Blansett, and Victoria Chase, all active with the African Americans in the Civil War Era Round Table (AACWERT). [caption id="attachment_183218" align="alignleft" width="159"] Edward W. Gantt, Captain, U.S.Navy (Retired)[/caption] Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Edward Gantt graduated from Howard University and the National Defense University. He served 30 years in the military, first as a door gunner on a Huey helicopter in Vietnam with the Army, then joining the Navy after completing his degree, eventually rising to Navy Captain. He served as a Naval Flight Officer in F-14 TOMCAT squadrons, both in the U.S. and aboard aircraft carriers. After retiring from the military, Gantt became a high school teacher in public schools in Prince George’s County, MD, and Washington, D.C. Passionate about telling underrepresented stories, he joined the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, an African American Civil War reenactment group, and also serves with the 23rd USCT in Maryland. He is active with The African Americans in the Civil War Era Round Table and serves as Vice Commander-in-Chief of the Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW).     [caption id="attachment_183221" align="alignleft" width="200"] Jeffrey Blansett[/caption] Jeffrey Blansett, a high school teacher and principal in Blythe, California, is an historian and content creator for the 97th U.S. Colored Infantry, and commanding officer of a U.S. Colored Troops living history group in the Southwest United States. He will discuss the legacy, sacrifice, and overlooked stories of the United States Colored Troops.         [caption id="attachment_183223" align="alignleft" width="179"] Victoria Chase[/caption] Victoria Chase currently serves as Treasurer of AACWERT. Victoria has revitalized and re-released the book I Remember the Buffalo Soldiers, written by her great-grandmother, Sybil Barnes who was born in Kansas City, MO, in 1909. The late Sybil Barns, recalls her life as the wife of a Buffalo Soldier stationed at Fort Leavenworth, KS.   Founded by individuals committed to preserving this history, AACWERT was created to ensure the stories of the USCT are finally told and remembered. Links to additional information of the United States Colored Troops (USCT), African Americans who served as Union Soldiers in the Civil War: 97TH U.S. COLORED INFANTRY History of the famous Louisiana Native Guards (73rd USCT). Several of their enlisted men and black officers would become Civil Rights leaders during the time period and be co-founders of the National Equal Rights League. Complete list of U.S. Colored Troops reenacting/living history groups that one can join today:  Living History and USCT Reenacting groups Published accounts of USCT from African American men who served and wrote about it: James Henry Gooding, On the Altar of Freedom – A Black Soldier’s Civil War Letters from the Front, first published as letters in the New Bedford Mercury, 1863  (as a book in 1991) George Washington Williams, A History of the Negro Troops in the War of the Rebellion, 1861 – 1865, published in 1887 Joseph T. Wilson, The Black Phalanx – A History of the Negro Soldiers of the United States in the Wars of 1775 - 1812 and 1861 – ‘65, published in 1887, available as free download from the Gutenberg project at https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31339) Host/producer/engineer:  Donna Morrow Wolfe

    1 hr

  2. APR 18

    Dr. Jacob Wagner, UMKC Professor of Urban Planning and Design, Celebrating Kansas City's cultural contribution as a UNESCO Music City

    Dr. Wagner teaches Urban Planning and Design at UMKC. He is the faculty founder of the UMKC Center for Neighborhoods - a research and outreach unit dedicated to building the capacity of neighborhood leaders and advocates in Western Missouri. He is a member of the advisory board of the international Journal of Urban Design.  Jacob A. Wagner, Ph.D., has been recognized for his work with UNESCO Cities of Music and the UNESCO Creative Cities Network of the United Nations by both local and international bodies. Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and the City Council recognized Wagner and his colleague, Anita J. Dixon, in 2020 with a proclamation citing the city’s appreciation for their work “to raise awareness, present programs and create economic strategies that support Kansas City’s musicians and membership in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.” Wagner has also been nominated for a “Public Service Award for a Leading Music Cities Professional” by the Music Cities Awards, a global competition designed to acknowledge and reward the most outstanding applications of music for economic, social and cultural development. The awards seek to promote best practices for music cities and to demonstrate the value of music to cities around the world. ​ Until recently, Kansas City was the only UNESCO City of Music in the United States. New Orleans has recently been recognized as a UNESCO City of Music. Other U.S. cities in the UNESCO Creative City Network include Austin (Media Arts), Detroit (Design), Iowa City (Literature), Paducah, Kentucky (Crafts and Folk Art), Tucson (Gastronomy), San Antonio (Gastronomy), Santa Fe (Crafts and Folk Art) and Seattle (Literature). Each UNESCO Creative City Network member city must maintain active participation in the network through annual meetings, cooperative projects with other cities and by providing leadership on the use of creativity as a driver of sustainable urban development. Correction: host mentions iconic Kansas City music venue Hootie's Roost, located on 27th and Indiana. Hootie's Roost was actually located at the corner of 31st and Indiana, in Kansas City, MO. The structure is no longer there. Kansas City initiative UNESCO Cities of Music: Voyage of the Drum Introduction featuring Bird Ellington Fleming Voyage of the Drum Fête de la Musique The Kansas City Public Library: The Past, Present, and Future of Cultural Diplomacy and UNESCO, Former ambassador to UNESCO David Killion talks to Jacob Wagner, associate professor of Urban Planning + Design at UMKC International Day of Jazz, April 30th, 2026 celebrations in Kansas City: Jazz Day Relay Count Basie Band in the Music Hall host/producer/engineer:  Donna Morrow Wolfe

    59 min

  3. APR 10

    Wasim Khan and Andrea Smith Khan on the strength, courage and determination of US immigrants

    Wasim Kahn, Chief Executive Officer of Baraza African Cultures Center is a Certified Diversity Professional and is Yan-Koloba Certified and has vast experience working with immigrants, refugees & indigenous peoples. He has spent 30 years working cross-culturally and in international business. Andrea Smith Khan, Chief Education Officer of Baraza African Cultures Center is a Certified Diversity Professional, Certified Diversity Trainer, Certified Leadership & Team Building Trainer, Certified Safe Space Trainer, is Yan-Koloba Certified and has extensive experience working with immigrants, refugees & indigenous peoples. She has over 30 years educational experience teaching on three continents and with people of all ages. Baraza African Cultures Center's mission is to provide leadership through the context of African cultures to create, preserve and promote a deeper understanding of one's own culture and a broader appreciation of the various world cultures. Baraza African Cultures Center's  vision is to  provide cultural leadership through promoting knowledge and appreciation of the richness of humankind; forging a positive future of valuing the beauty and strength of difference while recognizing our commonalities.     BARAZA African Cultures Center Global Neighbors and Flavors KC Public Library: Refugee & Immigrant Services & Empowerment (RISE) Kansas City Ethnic Enrichment Commission:  Ethnic Enrichment Festival,  Diplomatic Ball,  Northland Ethnic Festival, Outreach Events, World Refugee Day Rock Island Bridge UNESCO Cities of Music: Kansas City Host/producer/engineer:   Donna Morrow Wolfe

    1 hr

  4. MAR 28

    Journalist, author, Lewis W. Diuguid on the United States, Cuba and 21st Century Imperialism

    Lewis W. Diuguid is a multimedia consultant, lecturer, freelance writer and editor, certified diversity facilitator. He is a former columnist, editorial board member, op-ed page editor, and letters editor at The Kansas City Star, as well as a published author. He is a St. Louis native and worked more than 39 years as a journalist with The Kansas City Star, rising to vice president of community resources responsible for the newspaper’s philanthropic and outreach efforts in the community. He wrote an award-winning column for The Kansas City Star for 30 years and served on the editorial board from 1999 to 2016. He is the recipient of many awards, including the 2000 Missouri Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism and the 2017 Louis M. Lyons Award for Conscience and Integrity in Journalism from Harvard University. Diuguid is a member of the National Association Black Journalists, Kansas City Association of  Black Journalists (president 1986, secretary 1987, vice president 1993, treasurer since 1994), National Society Newspaper Columnists, Monroe Trotter Group of Black Voices in Commentary. He serves as chair of the Political Action Committee for the National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME), which honored him with the Carter G. Woodson Service Award in 2014. Books by Lewis W. Diuguid: • Exploring Cuba: Erasing Fears through Multicultural Education [with Bette Tate-Beaver] • Our Fathers: Making Black Men • Discovering the Real America: Toward a More Perfect Union • A Teacher’s Cry: Expose the Truth about Education Today Lewis’ reading list:      John Perkins: Confessions of an Economic Hitman Music for this  episode, Lo Tuyo Es Mental, is by Cuban artists Celia Cruz and Johnny Pacheco . Celia Caridad Cruz Alfonso[a] (21 October 1925 – 16 July 2003), known as Celia Cruz, was a Cuban singer and one of the most popular Latin artists of the 20th century. Cruz rose to fame in Cuba during the 1950s as a singer of guarachas, earning the nickname La Guarachera de Cuba. In the following decades, she became known internationally as the "Queen of Salsa" due to her contributions to Latin music. She had sold over 30 million records, making her one of the best selling Latin music artists.   Host/producer/engineer:  Donna Morrow Wolfe

    1h 1m

  5. MAR 21

    Dr. Paris Woods on helping young people build wealth and plan for financial freedom

    Dr. Paris Woods is an education leader, social entrepreneur, and advocate for financial empowerment, dedicated to driving positive change in education and economic mobility. With over two decades of experience in educational settings, Dr. Woods has established a track record of innovation, leadership, and impact. Dr. Woods’s commitment to education is reflected in her roles as a senior leader across education nonprofits. Her leadership has supported the development and leadership of diverse high-performing teams, resulting in increased access to high-wage, high-growth career pathways and postsecondary credentials. With a strong emphasis on equitable outcomes, Dr. Woods has built cohesive teams dedicated to fostering positive change. As the Co-Founder and Executive Director of College Beyond, Dr. Woods addressed the critical need for college success among low-income youth. Her innovative strategies led to unprecedented increases in first-year college retention rates. She was recognized for exceptional leadership by The Gambit’s 40 Under 40, Millennial Award in Education, and Tulane University Hometown Hero. Paris Woods, PhD, is a lifelong educator and leading voice in economic mobility and financial empowerment. Her book, The Student’s Guide to Financial Freedom: A Real-World Money Guide to Help Young People Build Wealth, Avoid Traps, and Plan for Freedom fills a critical gap in financial education. It is a peer-to-peer guide that helps high school and college students—especially first-generation, low-income, and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) youth—plan early for lifelong financial independence. Drawing from her own journey as a first-generation Harvard graduate who grew up working class, Dr. Woods combines personal storytelling with clear and practical advice on credit, saving, investing, and education costs. Dr. Woods is also the author of The Black Girl’s Guide to Financial Freedom, which has empowered thousands and gained widespread recognition. Dr. Woods has created a movement that reshapes financial narratives. Dr. Woods currently serves at Chief Program Officer for StriveTogether, a national movement whose purpose is helping every child succeed in school and in life from cradle to career, regardless of race, ethnicity, zip code or circumstance. As CPO, she leads impact acceleration and scale to create better, faster and more equitable outcomes for youth across the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network and beyond. Outside her professional accomplishments, Dr. Woods remains deeply engaged in her community. She serves on the boards of Believe STL Academy, 4.0 Schools, and College Beyond, further amplifying her commitment to advancing educational equity. She is also an adjunct faculty member of educational leadership at Tulane University. Dr. Woods earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Harvard University, and her doctorate in education from The University of Texas at Austin.   Host/producer/engineer:  Donna Morrow Wolfe

    57 min

  6. MAR 14

    Dr. Angela Simms discusses disparities in wealth accumulation between Black and White Americans in "Fighting for a Foothold"

    [caption id="attachment_181540" align="alignleft" width="199"] Dr. Angela Simms[/caption] Angela Simms is Assistant Professor of Sociology and Urban Studies at Barnard College-Columbia University. She examines the political economy of United States metropolitan areas through the lens of suburban Black middle-class jurisdictions’ capacity to garner sufficient tax revenue for maintaining high-quality public goods and services. Prior to academia, Angela served in the federal government for seven years as a Presidential Management Fellow and legislative analyst at the Office of Management and Budget during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama Administrations. She holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania, a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Texas-Austin, and a bachelor’s degree in government from William and Mary. Angela is from Woodbridge, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. She lives in New York City (Harlem) and is a member of Renaissance Church, where she serves on the prayer ministry. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, running and lifting weights, hiking, and museum exhibits and the performing arts. Prince George’s County, Maryland, is a suburban jurisdiction in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and is home to the highest concentration of Black middle-class residents in the United States. As such, it is well positioned to overcome White domination and anti-Black racism and their social and economic consequences. Yet Prince George’s does not raise tax revenue sufficient to provide consistent high-quality public goods and services. In Fighting for a Foothold, sociologist Angela Simms examines the factors contributing to Prince George’s financial troubles. Simms draws on two years of observations of Prince George’s County’s budget and policy development processes, interviews with nearly 60 Prince George’s leaders and residents, and budget and policy analysis for Prince George’s County and its two Whiter, wealthier neighbors, Montgomery County, Maryland, and Fairfax County, Virginia. She argues legacy and ongoing government policies and business practices —such as federal mortgage insurance policy prior to 1968, local government reliance on property taxes, and private investment patterns—have resulted in disparities in wealth accumulation between Black and White Americans, not only for individuals and families but local jurisdictions as well. Prince George’s County has a lower cost of living than its Whiter, wealthier neighbors. As the most affordable county bordering D.C., it attracts a disproportionate share of the region’s core middle-class, lower middle-class, working class, and low-income residents, resulting in greater budget pressure. Prince George’s uses the same strategies as majority-White jurisdictions to increase revenue, such as taxing at similar rates and vying for development opportunities but does not attain the same financial returns. Ultimately, Simms contends Prince George’s endures “relative regional burden” and that the county effectively subsidizes Whiter counties’ wealth accumulation. She offers policy recommendations for removing the constraints Prince George’s County and other majority-Black jurisdictions navigate, including increased federal and state taxes on wealthy Americans and corporations, which will enhance the capacity for government to distribute and redistribute resources equitably; increased state-level funding of public goods and services, which would decrease local jurisdictions’ reliance on locally-generated tax revenue; and the creation of equity funds to remediate harms inflicted upon Black Americans. Fighting for a Foothold is an in-depth analysis of the fiscal challenges experienced by Prince George’s County and by the suburban Black middle-class and majority-Black jurisdictions, more broadly. The book reveals how race, class, and local jurisdiction boundaries in metropolitan areas interact to create different material living conditions for Americans.   Host/producer/engineer:  Donna Morrow Wolfe

    1h 7m

  7. JAN 24

    Leading with Purpose: Earl Martin Phalen of Great Jobs KC, an educator at heart

    Earl Martin Phalen is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Great Jobs KC, one of the nation’s most impactful programs in supporting young adults and adults who live in low-income communities on the pathway to good careers. Great Jobs KC has two core programs, one which awards 11th graders college scholarships and supports them to and through college. The KC Scholars Program awards over one thousand (1,000) $50,000 college scholarships each year. The program's scholars are on track for 75% graduation rates — 3 times the national average for low-income and first-generation students. Great Jobs KC, with a $50 million grant from the Kauffman Foundation, also supports adults who want to secure a credential in a high-demand career. Over the next 10 years, Great Jobs KC is going to help 50,000 adults secure careers that allow them to care for themselves and their loved ones. Under his leadership, a Great Jobs KC (GJKC) program has been established to assist Kansas City organizations and their workforce achieve higher levels of performance and income. Earl Martin Phalen is also the Founder and CEO of K-12 public-school network, the George and Veronica Phalen Leadership Academies (PLA) named in honor of his parents. Under Earl’s leadership, Phalen Leadership Academies have grown from one school to a national network of 23 schools serving nearly 10,000 Scholars. Helping the most vulnerable communities achieve exceptional educational outcomes is a passion Earl discovered in himself while studying at Harvard. PLA’s oldest school is 10 years old, and scholars at that school have outperformed the state average on both the English Learning Arts (ELA) and math portions of state tests consistently for years. As an entrepreneur, Phalen is a nationally recognized leader in education with a track record of successful leadership and innovation. Phalen brings over two decades of executive experience to Great Jobs KC. Phalen began his career in education while a law student at Harvard, where he founded the organization Building Educated Leaders for Life (BELL), which operates after-school and summer education programs in several major U.S. cities. Under his leadership, the organization grew from a local community service project to a national non-profit educating 15,000 children annually. He then founded Summer Advantage USA, a summer reading program that has served 20,000 children in six states since its inception in 2009. As a result of the impact of Summer Advantage, Phalen and his team were encouraged to expand their 25-day summer program model to a year-round school model. In 1997, President Clinton awarded Phalen the President’s Service Award for his impact on the lives of children. Other honors and awards include: The Silver Anniversary Award from NCAA; Black Law Student Association Community Service Chair; Co-founder of the Charles Ogletree Scholarship Fund; Board Member of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation; Boston Uncornered Advisory Board Member; and Advisor for Coaching for Change. Phalen is also a Mind Trust and Ashoka Fellow. He was awarded the Black Entertainment Television (BET) National Hero Award and is a three-time recipient of Fast Company’s Social Capitalist Award. Phalen holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Yale University and a law degree from Harvard. Books by Earl Martin Phalen: Giving My All:  An Autobiography From Vision to Impact: The Secrets to Building a Successful Social Enterprise Aim High, Dream Big: The Story of Earl Martin Phalen   Host/producer/engineer:  Donna Morrow Wolfe

    59 min

  8. JAN 10

    Dr. Marion Orr on his book "House of Diggs: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Consequential Black Congressman, Charles C. Diggs Jr."

    Marion Orr, PhD., is the inaugural Frederick Lippitt Professor of Public Policy and Professor of Political Science and Urban Studies at Brown University. He previously was a member of the political science faculty at Duke University. Professor Orr earned his B.A. degree in political science from Savannah State College, M.A. in political science from Atlanta University (now Clark-Atlanta University), and a Ph.D. in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park. Professor Orr's expertise is in the area of American politics. He specializes in urban politics, race and ethnic politics, and African-American politics. He is the author and editor of eight books. His book, House of Diggs: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Consequential Black Congressman, Charles C. Diggs, Jr. (University of North Carolina Press, 2025), is the first biography of Michigan's first Black member of the U.S. House of Representatives. At the height of the civil rights movement, Charles C. Diggs Jr. (1922–1998) was the consummate power broker. In a political career spanning 1951 to 1980, Diggs, Michigan's first Black member of Congress, was the only federal official to attend the trial of Emmett Till's killers, worked behind the scenes with Martin Luther King Jr., and founded the Congressional Black Caucus. He was also the chief architect of legislation that restored home rule to Washington, DC, and almost single-handedly ignited the American anti-apartheid movement in the 1960s. Drawing on extensive archival research, including Diggs's rarely seen personal papers, FBI documents, and original interviews with family members and political associates, political scientist Marion Orr reveals that Diggs practiced a politics of strategic moderation. Orr argues that this quiet approach was more effective than the militant race politics practiced by Adam Clayton Powell and more appealing than the conservative Chicago-style approach of William Dawson—two of Diggs's better-known Black contemporaries. Professor Orr argues that Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr. is one of the most consequential Black federal legislators in US history.  Says Dr. Orr, "Congressman Diggs was a legislative lion whose unfortunate downfall punctuated his distinguished career and pushed him and his historic accomplishments out of sight. House of Diggs restores him to his much-deserved place in the history of American politics."   Host/producer/engineer:  Donna Morrow Wolfe

    1h 5m
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About

This podcast tracks the audio archives for the “Urban Connections” show. Urban Connections conducts guest interviews covering issues affecting our local, national, international and global communities from a Black perspective.

Information

  • Creator
    KKFI 90.1 FM Kansas City Community Radio
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    127
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © KKFI 90.1 FM Kansas City Community Radio
  • Show Website
    Urban Connections