We are creating our future’s history today. Check out some regional investments we will enjoy for generations. The work our region is doing collectively to create an inclusive, welcoming, and prosperous region for all was celebrated during Horizon 2022. We were back in-person, creating connections – aligning, amplifying, and accelerating our community’s work for greatest impact.
Join us to keep KC rising!
Align with the Shared Vision: Pillars of Prosperity
It is our values that unite us, and the shared vision pillars that focus our efforts. Learn more about the seven pillars, and share with us if work you’re doing aligns with KC Rising’s Pillars of Prosperity strategies. Individual badges are also available on the website and can be downloaded and used in digital materials to show alignment with one or more pillars.
Invite KC Rising to share the vision or to lead a community conversation with your group.
Commit to Intentionally Purchase with Small and Diverse Businesses: Accept the Challenge
Corporations and individuals can commit to increasing their spend with small and diverse firms. Already, more than 20 CEOs have committed to intentional purchasing. Our goal is for 100 CEOs/companies to accept the challenge.
Establishing a new customer base for small and diverse businesses has a variety of benefits:
It creates social and economic mobility within our community.
It creates valuable connections and relationships.
It promotes innovation through diverse perspectives.
It can be a solution to supply chain challenges.
It contributes to a vibrant local community and builds our region’s competitiveness.
To learn more and to sign the pledge, visit here.
Make KC a place where talent stays and feels welcome
We have an opportunity to make KC a place people want to come and stay. In the recent Quality of Life survey, 76% of people see themselves staying in the region in the next five years. That number is 69% for Black people.
There is intentional work being done in our region to continue to raise both of those numbers as we want KC to be a place where everyone feels welcome and thrives.
This summer, an exciting new hub for paid summer youth experiences, ProX, will be providing professional experiences and piloting shared services that benefit both students and employers. Building on previous efforts such as Working for Youth, Entrepreneurship KC and HireKC, ProX is a collaborative group of community stakeholders creating the regional infrastructure to provide more opportunities for employers and high school students to come together for paid summer professional experiences across our region – starting with 500 students in 2022 but growing to meet the needs of thousands in the future.
At the recent hiring fair on April 23, taking place at the T-Mobile Center, over 700 youth attended and interviewed for placement with over 110 employers. Over 70% of attendees were students of color. Over 580 opportunities were available at the fair with 260 onsite placements. The program anticipates a total placement of 500 youth this summer. This strong response from youth in our community is amazing as we pull out of the pandemic in a challenging job market. There is a need for additional sponsorship to cover student stipends – to make a pledge today, click here!
ProX internships and projects run from June 6-July 8 and will culminate with a student showcase on July 8th at Arrowhead. Please register to join us!
If you are interested in learning more you can visit the program website to sign up for email updates, get notification for events and be the first to hear about 2023 intake! Follow the action through social media this summer on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Invest in a student by investing in a teacher
Do you have a teacher who impacted you and your future? Externships connect teachers to real-world learning experiences – exposing teachers to opportunities they later share with their students.
Check out the impact of internships and externships here: Webco Manufacturing and Portrait of a RWL Educator
Show-Me Careers is a five-day career professional development boot camp for educators, counselors, and administrators in the KC region. The program takes place in the June/July timeframe and provides a “hands-on” learning experience inside local companies. Through these externship experiences, educators gain a more robust understanding of the technical skills, behaviors and mindsets students need to be successful in today’s professional environments. The program further supports the Real-World Learning initiative during the school year with opportunities to share best practices, networking opportunities and further connections to employers in the region.
To learn more about Show-Me Careers, visit here.
Enjoy the arts: Go on a Parade of Hearts + Be Moved by Art
The Parade of Hearts is an ambitious, inclusive, free, outdoor art experience of 155 beautifully created five-foot sculptures, using the iconic KC Heart.
Over 700 designs were submitted from both amateur and professional artists. The Juror Panel selected 155 designs and from more than 120 artists who represented a diverse group – considering geography, cultural, ethnicity, age, and gender. Their stories and inspiration can be found on the Parade of Hearts website. Download the Parade of Hearts app to locate the heARTs across our region.
The parade will end this month but a demonstration of what’s in our heart will live on. Funds raised through the Parade of Hearts will benefit those most impacted by the pandemic – healthcare workers, tourism and hospitality, small business, childcare, and the artists themselves. Stay tuned for details on a Parade of Hearts art auction in June. Right now, you can contribute by purchasing Parade of Hearts merchandise to support the effort!
You can further explore regional arts by viewing Art Moves Us, a new hour-long special celebration of Kansas City’s arts and culture. It is full of captivating performances by local artists and features riveting community interviews that will examine how the arts contribute to our sense of belonging, overall health, education, and local economy. Presented by ArtsKC, Kansas City’s nonprofit regional arts council, in partnership with Kansas City PBS, Art Moves Us premiered last month and is now streaming on the Kansas City PBS app and YouTube.
Amplify + Accelerate: Connect with KC Rising
To receive regular communication from KC Rising, sign up for the KC Rising newsletter, which includes community spotlights and key updates.
Check out and share the videos that debuted at Horizon 2022. Follow KC Rising on Twitter and LinkedIn, and use #KCRising to highlight how you’re aligning with the KC Rising Pillars of Prosperity.
Share your excitement about Horizon on social media by posting: @KCRising’s #HorizonKC celebration highlighted the successes and opportunities that are driving our region toward a better tomorrow. I’m helping #KC rise. Join me, and learn more: https://kcrising.com/together-we-are-making-a-shared-vision-reality/
For media inquiries, please contact Laura McCarthy.
For general KC Rising questions, please contact us.