BLAQUE Kansas City ads

Thank you Mayor Quinton Lucas for declaring October 5, 2026, as BLAQUE Kansas City Day! Today marks six years of impact, six years of advocacy, and six years of championing better educational outcomes for Black children in our region. The work continues, and I am grateful to our community for moving it forward with us. Happy BLAQUE Kansas City Day! 👏🏾

On Monday, I had the joy of launching Power Conversations with Dr. Cokethea Hill-Woodard, BLAQUE Kansas City's new quarterly speaker series. Together, we explored the future of our region’s educator workforce, the pathways that will bring more teachers into classrooms, and the economic opportunities that will help them flourish. I am deeply grateful to DeAngela B. for joining us for this inaugural conversation about Teach KC and to the partners and community leaders helping turn our shared vision into action. The future of teaching is Kansas City! #Education #Nonprofit

Earlier this week, we celebrated our sixth anniversary at BLAQUE Kansas City. As a founder, each passing year carries immense meaning. But this year brought something truly special. Mayor Quinton Lucas issued a proclamation declaring October 5, 2026, BLAQUE Kansas City Day. BLAQUE Kansas City Day. I want to sit with that for a moment. This is a milestone worth marking. It is a celebration of the work we have accomplished together and, in many ways, it is also a celebration of the communities we serve. As I reflect on this milestone, I am reminded of what has changed in our city since our founding. Since 2022, we have placed 51 community leaders on school boards, including KCPS. Earlier this year, we invested $1.8 million in three charter schools and two local education nonprofits. And with a $13 million grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, we are launching Teach KC to bring 1,500 new educators to our region over the next decade. In a recent Substack reflection, our Manager of Strategic Communications, Anetra Burton, captured what this recognition means: “In many ways, the recognition of BLAQUE Kansas City Day feels less like a period at the end of a sentence and more like a comma. Because so much more lies ahead.” Her words stayed with me. As we step into our seventh year, our vision is clear: 51% of Kansas City schools will be high-performing by 2030. Here’s what I know—reaching that goal will require working directly with our community as co-creators. And while BLAQUE Kansas City Day gives us a moment to celebrate and renewed energy to keep going, so much more lies ahead. I hope you will help us write the next chapter. #KansasCity #Education #Nonprofit

The data is clear, and the moment is urgent: only 1 in 3 students in Kansas City currently attends a quality school. That’s why we invested $1.8 million in three Kansas City schools and two organizations to improve outcomes for students throughout our city. Because our kids deserve an education that empowers them and lets them achieve their dreams.

$13 million. 1,500 passionate educators. One coalition. One goal: strengthen Kansas City classrooms by recruiting, training, and supporting the next generation of passionate and talented educators. We’re thrilled to receive a $13 million investment from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to launch Teach KC. This will help make Kansas City a hub of exceptional education and contribute to a brighter future for Kansas City’s students, families and communities.

What can $13M do for Kansas City educators? Thanks to the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, we’re launching Teach KC to strengthen the local educator workforce. We’re investing in the very people who are shaping the future of our education system and will become the leaders of tomorrow.