Innocent Magambi

A refugee from birth, Innocent spent the first 27 years of his life in five refugee camps in Eastern and Southern Africa. Despite facing much hurt along his journey, he never allowed the adversity to define him or to determine his destiny. With support from a local Church, Innocent became a change agent for fellow refugees and the host community in Malawi. Against all odds, he founded There Is Hope, an organisation that aims at mitigating the effects of long-term displacement among refugees and generational poverty among Malawians.

Innocent led There is Hope for fifteen years, impacting thousands of refugees and Malawians through educational scholarships, vocational training, Job creation through social enterprise Kibebe, and Leadership development through Bible training. A strong believer in healthy leadership succession, Innocent left his organisation, which now operates with a staff of 53 under the safe hands of local professionals. Deeply marked by his own experience, Innocent has dedicated the next phase of his commitment to advocate for refugee rights through Inua Advocacy. In Malawi, all refugees face indefinite encampment, excluded from local integration and deprived of right to employment.  

More details on Innocent’s journey can be found in his memoir titled “Refugee for Life: My journey across Africa to find a place called home”.“I have consistently used the difficulties I overcame as a catalyst to help others going through the same”

Rtn. Innocent is a member of the Rotary Club of Lilongwe- Lingadzi, Malawi.

The Justice Committee and Vocational Committee sponsors a trip to visit the National Parks Historic Site, the Brown v Board of Education Museum in Topeka, KS.  https://www.nps.gov/brvb/index.htm

We will carpool, leaving KC at approx 8:30 am Saturday Sept. 24. We will have a 90-minute guided tour at the museum. Tour is free, donations optional. Limited to first 20 -- please let Nancy or Roger know if you are interested in joining.

Optional lunch break at The WheelBarrow before returning. 

The Road to Justice

The story of Brown v. Board of Education, which ended legal segregation in public schools, is one of hope and courage. When the people agreed to be plaintiffs in the case, they never knew they would change history. The people who make up this story were ordinary people. They were teachers, secretaries, welders, ministers, and students who simply wanted to be treated equally.

 https://www.nps.gov/brvb/index.htm

Chiluba Musonda serves is the Deputy Director of Operations & Organizational Development for the Kansas City Museum and holds two degrees from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC); a bachelor’s in Business Administration and a Master’s in Public Administration.

After spending several years in higher education and the public sector, Chiluba joined the Kansas City Museum staff in 2018 to oversee the day-to-day building operations of the Museum. In 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, he played an instrumental role in transitioning the operations of the Kansas City Museum from the City of Kansas City, Missouri (public entity) to the organization now responsible for the management and operations of the Museum, the Kansas City Museum Foundation Inc. (private entity). This successful transition effort led to the Museum to reopen to the public in October of 2021 after having been closed for several years to undergo renovation and restoration work.

Chiluba now spearheads the strategic planning initiatives for the Museum while managing the business development and operations of the historic Kansas City Museum.

In 2015 Chiluba published a memoir titled “Home Away from Home: The Story of an International Students Journey from Africa to America.” The book chronicles his journey from Africa to America and offers a unique perspective on life in America as seen through the eyes of a black immigrant.

Outside of work, Chiluba is a proud dad of two little girls, and spends his free time offering community presentations on a range of topics that include Culture Shock, the “hidden costs” of immigration, and the unintended consequences of foreign aid in the developing world.

For more information, please visit kansascitymuseum.org or you can follow and like his personal Twitter and Facebook social media pages.

Join us for the Justice Committee Book Club 

When: Thursday, October 6 at 6 pm

Where: Aixois, 251 E. 55^th St, Kansas City, MO 64113

We will be discussing the short story 

The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas

by Ursula K. Le Guin

All are welcome to participate in this opportunity 

for reflective and thoughtful conversation. Purchase your own drinks, snacks or dinner at the event. PLEASE RSVP to Nancy or Kristy so we can have sufficient space reserved. 

“They all know it is there, all the people of Omelas,” Le Guin writes. “Some of them have come to see it; others are content merely to know it is there. They all know it has to be there. Some of them understand why, and some do not, but they all understand that their happiness, the beauty of their city, the tenderness of their friendships, the health of their children...depend wholly on this child’s abominable misery.

The short story is available on Amazon in Kindle edition for $6.49 https://www.amazon.com/Ones-Who-Walk-Away-Omelas-ebook/dp/B01N0PZ35J/ref=sr_1_1?crid=15MQGADCBSDH9&keywords=the+ones+who+walk+away+from+omelas&qid=1662931693&sprefix=ones+who+%2Caps%2C106&sr=8-1 (If you don't have an ebook reader, reach out to Kristy; the short story is also available in short story collections.) 

As a reporter covering breaking news and legal affairs, Margolies wants to demystify often-complex legal issues in order to expose the visible and invisible ways they affect people’s lives. He covers issues of justice and equity, and seeks to ensure that significant and often under-covered developments get the attention they deserve so that KCUR listeners and readers are equipped with the knowledge they need to act as better-informed citizens.

Join Kathy and Roger as they lead the committee members and club members in a joint planning session for our next club fundraiser, Pickleball Tournament on April 15, 2023.

Please join us for a Chief's Watch Party, Sunday, October 23rd at 3pm at Steve and Beverly Johnston's home for the Chiefs vs. 49er's Game!  Friends and family are all welcome. We will grill potluck style, so please RSVP with Club Service Chair Bethany Ruhl at bethanyruhl@gmail.com with how many people you'll be bringing and sign up to bring a dish or something to grill! "   The Johnstons live at 2032 West 96th Street, Leawood, KS 66206.  Geographically, that is one mile north of I-435 and Stateline Rd or 1/4 mile SW from 95th(Bannister Rd) and Stateline Rd.  Split rail fences line the road.

Join the Justice Committee for this KCPublic Library Event --

Segregation, Redlining, and Opportunity Hoarding: A Case for Reform

Sheryll Cashin

Thursday, October 27, 2022

Add to Calendar

Reception: 

5:30 pm

Program: 

6:00 pm

Plaza Branch

Room: 

Truman Auditorium

In Person Event

Online Event

 

 

The reception starts at 5:30 pm, the presentation starts at 6 pm. After the event, join us at Grand Street for cocktails, snacks or dinner. RSVP at the Library https://kclibrary.org/signature-events/segregation-redlining-and-opportunity-hoarding-case-reform and let us know if you will join -- contact Nancy (nancy@nancyshawver.com or 816-916-1141)

 

 

 

 

 

Phyllis is the Executive Director, of the Community Capital Fund

Phyllis leads the CCF team and guides the strategic direction for CCF.   Her work focuses on the development of relationships with community partners, awareness of the CCF community and economic development programs, and advancement of collaborative strategies with CCF’s sister organizations, AltCap and Equity2.

Chris Gutierrez is the President of Kansas City SmartPort, Inc., a non-profit economic development organization that works to attract freight-based companies, such as manufacturing, distribution and warehouses, to the 18 county, bi-state Kansas City region. SmartPort is an affiliated group of the Kansas City Area Development Council (KCADC).

Chris has been active in logistics and international business for more than thirty years.  He has worked in the public and private sector in economic development, international business and logistics. 

Chris’ community involvement includes his positions as a board member of the following organizations: Board of Advisors of the University of Kansas Supply Chain Management Program, CSCMP, Mid-America District Export Council, Kansas State MBA Program, and World Trade Center – Kansas City. He is also alumni of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Centurions.

Save the Date and contact Ralph Foiles for more information.  The club plans to sponsor a table at the District Foundation Dinner.  November 5, 2022.  

The keynote speaker will be:  Mike McGovern.  Mike has served as the Chair of the Rotary International PolioPlus committee since October 2014. In addition, he served in many Rotary positions, including Director and Vice President of Rotary International and as a Trustee and Vice Chair of the Rotary Foundation.

Trina is presently working with Dre Taylor  founder of Nile Valley Aquaponics and The KC Urban Farm Coop to educate families in the urban core about self -sufficiency thru growing their own food for their families.

Trina Hert began working as a community activist in both Kansas City, Ks and Kansas City, Mo in 1989. Along with local pastors Rev. David L Gray (former pastor Pleasant Green Baptist Church Kansas City, Ks), Bishop Marvin Donaldson (Greater Pentecostal Temple Kansas City, Ks.), Rev. Fuzzy Nelson Thompson (Martin Luther King Urban Center Kansas City, Ks and former community activist) and the first African American District Court Judge in Kansas Judge Cordell Meeks Sr., she formed Christian Youth Against Drugs in an effort to educate the urban community about rising drug use and crime.  

Trina is the founding member  and Executive Director of Oracle Center for Social and Cultural Activity KC, established in 2006. She began raising awareness for the homeless with the annual Oracle coat drive to provide coats, hats and gloves. In 2014 Oracle Center sponsored a community healthcare event to educate the urban community about how to eat to prevent  diabetes and high blood pressure.

Patrick Montgomery is the CEO/Owner/Beef Slinger of  the KC Cattle Company.

Patrick is a former Army Ranger with the First Ranger Battalion. He founded KC Cattle Company with a goal to mentor and employ veterans, and to honor his brother in-law, Jeremy A. Katzenberger, who was killed in action in 2011. Patrick brings the lessons learned through sweat, blood and hardship in the military, to agriculture, for the very same community he once served as an Army Ranger. 

The next meeting of the Plaza Rotary Club Charitable Foundation Board will be 12/1/22 at 8:00 and will be virtual. For more information, contact Terry Putney.

 

 

The Case for Ranked Choice Voting—Our speaker will show us 1) why the way we conduct our elections is the root cause of our political turbulence and 2) why Ranked Choice Voting is the path to political peace for all of us.

Missouri native Larry Bradley is a retired U.S. Army Officer and the creator of, “Why the Two Party System Isn’t Working Anymore—And What to Do About It.” Larry’s work life has been focused on making meaningful organizational change happen. He was on the Fielding Team for the first ever fielding of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (Companion vehicle to the Abrams tank) to a combat unit, cowrote the Army’s revised regulation on equipment modification and worked on early versions of the weapons system known as drones. Larry says changing to Ranked Choice Voting is the path to political peace for America.

Josh Henges remembers the first time he saw an unhoused person — near where the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is today. He was 5 years old.

He recalls his mother answering his questions about what he saw and "from that moment that spark has lit a fuse that has not come out." The experience drove Henges to dedicate his live to helping unhoused people.

Henges acknowledges that ending homelessness is large undertaking, but he says he believes cities can be major players in getting it done.

As homelessness prevention coordinator, Henges is heartened by Kansas City's vibrant non-profit community and sees "so many amazing minds" available to tackle the issue.

Henges makes it part of his job to help coordinate services, exchange information and find and place experts in the right spots to work on a homeless solution.

Published by KCUR.

About Joe:

As President/CEO of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce I represent over 2,200 member businesses throughout the Kansas City region. I work to ensure that Kansas City is a great place to grow a business and that our quality of life is world class.

I am passionate about the Kansas City Region and believe that great collaboration between business leaders, government and nonprofits will continue to propel Kansas City forward as an innovative and progressive place to do business and live.

As a two term mayor of Kansas City, Kansas, I worked on forming public/private partnerships that enhanced the quality of life for our citizens while creating new job opportunities. I take that experience and apply it to the role that Chamber can play in enhancing the entire region.

Professor Sean O’Brien teaches criminal law and procedure at UMKC School of Law since 2005 and serves as the Habeas Assistance and Training Counsel for the Eighth Circuit. He has represented people in death penalty cases across the country since 1983, and he has qualified as an expert witness on standards of performance for capital defense lawyers in state and federal courts throughout the United States. 

His Supreme Court cases include Schlup v. Delo, which set the standard for innocence claims in federal habeas corpus, and Stewart v. Martinez-Villareal, which empowers habeas courts to prevent the execution of insane prisoners. He directed the research and writing of the Supplementary Guidelines for the Mitigation Function of Defense Teams in Death Penalty Cases, 36 Hofstra L. Rev. 677 (2008), and publishes and lectures nationally on death penalty, indigent defense and related mental health issues.

Professor O’Brien has served as the Jackson County Public Defender, Executive Director of the Missouri Capital Punishment Resource Center, Chair of the MoBar Criminal Law Committee, and President of the Missouri Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He has been recognized for decades of successful work to free the innocent and prevent unjust executions.

In 2016, the Missouri Bar presented him the Spurgeon Smithson Award for improving access to justice. Other recognitions for his work on behalf of poor people include the KCMBA Lifetime Achievement Award (2005), the Jackson County Legal Leaders Award (2005), The Lawyers Association of Kansas City Justice Charles Whitaker Award (2004), Missouri Lawyer’s Weekly Lawyer of the Year (2003), Northwest Missouri State University’s Distinguished Alumni Award (2006), The UMKC Alumni Achievement Award (2002), the NLADA National Sentencing Project Award (2008), UMKC’s Daniel Brenner Writing Award (2008), the UMKC N.T. Veatch Award for creative scholarship and service, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Benedictine College (2005).

Board Meeting by videoconference.

Throughout the bid process to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Kansas City (the smallest bidding market) was consistently referenced by the media as being "on the bubble."  Come learn about how the "Soccer Capital of America" burst that bubble and defied expectations to be named a Host City for the FIFA World Cup in 2026.

Katherine assumed the role of Director of the KC2026 FIFA World Cup Bid after serving as Director of Marketing & Sales for the Greater Kansas City Sports Commission & Foundation | WIN for KC since early 2017. After 15 years living and working in New York City and San Francisco, she returned home to Kansas City in late 2015 and was Executive Director of the 2017 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. She then helped lead Kansas City’s successful bid to host the 2023 NFL Draft as well as other major collegiate and national sporting events. In 2022, she was named one of the Kansas City Business Journal’s NextGen Leaders. She is a graduate of Central Exchange’s Emerging Leaders program and will complete the KC Chamber’s Centurions leadership development program in 2023.

Katherine has cultivated a successful career focused on Sports & Entertainment Management and Marketing. She has sourced, negotiated, and led the activation of large-scale partnerships on behalf of several financial services companies including American Express, JPMorgan Chase and Visa. She has also worked on the agency side with Momentum Worldwide as well as the property side as Vice President of Partnership Strategy for the Madison Square Garden Company in New York City.

Katherine grew up in Kansas City, MO before heading out east to attend Trinity College in Hartford, CT where she played soccer while earning a BA in American Studies. She later earned her MBA, with a double major in Marketing and Communications/Media Management, from Fordham University in New York City.

Introduced by Jeff Chapman

Introduced by Jeff Chapman

Kansas’ storied past is filled with fascinating firsts, humorous coincidences and intriguing characters. Author and historian Adrian Zink digs deep into the Sunflower State’s history to reveal such hidden and overlooked stories as a prank leading to the first woman mayor elected in America, the invention of a dangerous game of automobile polo and the strange tale of the man that shot John Wilkes Booth...and his connection to Kansas.

Adrian Zink is a native Kansan who has worked in the history profession for over fifteen years at a variety of museums, universities, archives and historic sites. Born and raised in Larned, he holds bachelor of arts degrees in history and political science from the University of Kansas, a master’s of library science from the University of Maryland and a master’s in history from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He currently works at the National Archives–Kansas City. He has previously worked at the Kansas Historical Society, UW–Milwaukee Archives, the National Press Club Library and Archives in Washington, D.C., and at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum. Adrian and his two children live in Overland Park, Kansas. His published works include Hidden History of Kansas and Wicked Kansas.

Introduction by Jeff Chapman

Bob Kendrick was named President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) in March 2011. Founded in 1990, the NLBM is the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its profound impact on the social advancement of America.

Kendrick’s appointment as President marked a celebrated return to the NLBM after a 13-month departure. He became the museum’s first Director of Marketing in 1998 and was named Vice President of Marketing in 2009 before accepting the post as Executive Director of the National Sports Center for the Disabled-Kansas City in 2010. Kendrick is responsible for the museum’s day-to-day operations and the development and implementation of strategies to advance the mission of the 501 c3, not-for-profit organization. Since rejoining the NLBM in 2011, he has helped orchestrate a nearly $20 million turnaround that has helped the NLBM regain its vitality and financial stability.

Kendrick began his association with the NLBM as a volunteer during his 10-year newspaper career with The Kansas City Star. As senior copywriter for The Star’s Promotions Department, he won, or was part of a creative team that won, numerous local and regional advertising and marketing awards. He developed the advertising concept and campaign that helped attract more 10,000 people (in less than 30 days) to see the debut of the Museum’s first traveling exhibit in the summer of 1993. The success of that promotion led to an appointment to the museum’s Board of Directors in the fall of ‘93.

Bo Steed reports that several people have signed up to donate blood on February 17.  Bo asks that when people sign in for their appointment, please tell the check in person that you are with the Kansas City Plaza Rotary and the code is EH8J.  EH8J, just remember “Each Horse 8 Jello”.

The club Blood Drive is set for Feb 17th, and will include Feb 16, 17 and 20th.  Please call 888-647-4040 and set up your appointment at a time at 4040 Main.  You can also call 877-468-6844 to set an appointment at the Blood Center in Overland Park or Blue Springs etc.  OR use the website at  savealifenow.org  to set an appointment.

Introduced by Nancy Shawver

Determination, Incorporated is a nonprofit in KCMO, founded in 2018, that helps formerly incarcerated people start and grow businesses. Our mission is to empower formerly incarcerated people to seize employment and entrepreneurial opportunity in residential construction. Our vision is that formerly incarcerated people, by starting viable, hiring businesses, will help to solve the problem of recidivism and ultimately end mass incarceration. Learn more at UnlockESHIP.org

Kyle J Benson-Smith is the founder and Executive Director of Determination, Incorporated. He is an entrepreneurial ecosystem builder, marketing professional, & community catalyzer with a heart for helping others live and love to their fullest. He is inspired by formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs and started Determination, Incorporated to help their businesses succeed and to see their families flourish.

Pop-Up Event

As Bob Kendrick, our speaker on February 3^rd reported, admission is free to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum the entire month of February, courtesy of the Royals,  to celebrate Black History Month.  So let's take advantage of it!  This is a "pop-up" (yes, pun intended) event of sorts.  We'll gather there on Thursday, February 23rd at 3:30, giving club members us attending the vocational visit at the KU Cancer Center that evening at six a few hours to enjoy the museum.  Everyone is invited to attend...no signup necessary, though Roger Samuel will ask for a show of hands at this week's meeting so he can inform the museum ahead of time.

Vocational Visit KU Cancer Center:  Thursday, February 23rd.  Here are the details:

Bio for Wen Chen
Wen was born in China at the end of the Great Cultural Revolution. Being the victim
of this horrific atrocity that killed two million intellectuals and destroyed traditional
Chinese culture, Wen's parents had mixed feelings about her education. Despite their
discouragement, Wen eventually won a national prize at a science competition when
she was 16. Hence, she went to a top university for undergraduate study and then
came to the U.S. in 1994 for graduate school. Wen received a Ph.D. in Biology at the
California Institute of Technology in 2000. Because of her personal experience of
being brainwashed in China, she decided to voice for the voiceless. Since 2012, she
has given hundreds of presentations to community organizations about Chinese
culture, history, and society.

Wen has been working for Caltech since 2000 as a biologist and information scientist. Her everyday work includes
scientific outreach by speaking at conferences and seminars at universities. In her personal life, she is an active
member of Amnesty International, focusing on human rights in China. She serves as a board member and
community liaison for Caltech Women in Biology and Biological Engineering. She has a blog:
https://wenchenview.blogspot.com/

Kent was born on April 1, 1959 in Albany, Missouri.  His parents were Larry and Jean Shelman and he has 2 sisters, Karla Shelman and Kendra Howard.  Kent has been married to Janet for 36 years and they have two children, Jessica Shelman and Joshua Shelman, one daughter-in-law, Mary Kate Shelman, one granddaughter, Bailey Lynne Edwards.

Growing up Kent entered into Cub Scouts in 1967 and Boy Scouts in 1970. He received the Eagle Scout Rank in 1974 and the Rank of Warrior in the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. His son Josh is also an Eagle Scout. Kent was Cubmaster for several years for his nephew special needs Cub Pack.

He graduated from William Chrisman High School in Independence, Missouri in 1977,  and lettered  in Baseball and Basketball,  and was captain of the basketball team and Class President his senior year.

Kent started working in the Title Insurance field in 1977 as a delivery boy and was President of Kansas City Title for 15 years.  He is currently Senior Vice President – Commercial for Coffelt Land Title.

Kent became a member of the Rotary Club of Lee’s Summit in 1992 and was sponsored by Jack Hopkins. He served as Club President in 1999-2000.  He served as an Assistant Governor for 3 years, as District Grants Chair for 3 years twice and District Strategic Planning Chair for 3 years and is currently an RLI Facilitator.  Kent and Janet attended the Centennial Rotary International Convention in Chicago, IL in 2005, and recently the Rotary International Convention this last year in Houston, Texas.

Kent is a Paul Harris Fellow and a Bequest Society Member. He has served as RYLA Rotary Counselor for the last 7 years and going to RYLA again this year.

Kent enjoys spending time with his family, watching the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Royals, playing golf and attending Granddaughters sporting events along with all his Rotary activities.

Videoconference

Gene Taylor was named the Director of Athletics at K-State in April 2017, and in almost six years under his leadership, the Wildcats have recorded championship performances on the field and in the classroom, in addition to continued fundraising success and immediately improving the facility infrastructure to enhance the experience of all Wildcat student-athletes.
  
Highlighting Taylor’s tenure competitively has been back-to-back Big 12 Outdoor Women’s Track and Field championships, four football bowl appearances, a Big 12 Championship in football and a Big 12 Championship and Elite 8 appearance from the men’s basketball team, while Taylor and staff fundraised and have begun to implement a department-wide facility master plan that will benefit all Wildcat teams.

Taylor’s strategic plan for the department places an emphasis on the student-athlete experience, while his leadership helped navigate the COVID-19 crisis, in addition to enhancing the department’s already-strong diversity and inclusion program, has been well documented.

Serving as Deputy Athletic Director at Iowa from 2014 – 2017 after having a very successful run at North Dakota State and rising through the ranks over 15 years at Navy, Taylor started his career in Athletics at Arizona State and SMU.  

Taylor and his wife Cathy, have one daughter, Casey, and a son, Jared.

I’ll give a brief history of the Crossroads Arts District neighborhood, and its transition from a blighted area of abandoned warehouses and historic buildings to one of the most vibrant and diverse mixed-use neighborhoods in Kansas City.

·       First Fridays

·       Graffiti Cleanup Program

·       Security Patrol Program

CCA’s initiatives to continue to improve the neighborhood

·       Urban Forest Initiative

·       Efforts to create a Community Improvement District (CID)

Robert is a licensed professional engineer in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, and is a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP BD+C). Robert directed the development of LEED Prototypes for several large format retailers. He has extensive LEED documentation experience, and his company has participated in the successful certification of over 465 LEED projects covering more than 41,536,000 square feet in 48 states. Over the past several years Robert assisted clients in achieving EnergyStar Labeling for over 1,140 commercial buildings.

In 2013, Robert was instrumental in relocating his company from Overland Park to the Crossroads Neighborhood in Kansas City, MO. Dialectic, Inc. occupies approximately 20,000 square feet on two floors in the historic Zahner Building at 20^th and Central St. in the Crossroads.

Community Involvement

·       Crossroads Community Association-President (November 2018-Present)

·       Crossroads Community Association-Board Member (November 2014-Present)

·       Lake Lotawana Association – District 37 Director (June 2005-Present)

·       Lake Lotawana Association – Lake Improvement Board (January 2008-December 2018)