Zach Perez
Community Engagement ProducerAs KCUR’s Community Engagement Producer, I help welcome our audiences into the newsroom, and bring our journalism out into the communities we serve. Many people feel overlooked or misperceived by the media, and KCUR needs to do everything we can to cover and empower the diverse communities that make up the Kansas City metro — especially the ones who don’t know us in the first place. My work takes the form of reporting stories, holding community events, and bringing what I’ve learned back to Up To Date and the rest of KCUR.
What should KCUR be talking about? Who should we be talking to? Let me know. You can email me at [email protected] or message me on Twitter at zach_pepez.
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The first ever Black Comedy Festival KC will take place from April 25-28, mainly in Kansas City’s historic 18th & Vine district. Festival organizers say it’s the first festival to highlight black comics in the region, as well as the first to feature several different forms of comedy.
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The recent ransomware attack which closed the Jackson County Assessment, Collection and Recorder of Deeds offices is just the latest in a series of cyberattacks against government offices in the Kansas City metro over the past few years. Federal advisors say attacks against municipalities are growing in number, often because they’re the easiest targets.
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Durante varios meses de sesiones de escucha y entrevistas en los barrios más antiguos de la zona del West Side de Kansas City, Missouri, y de las nuevas comunidades en el condado de Johnson, Kansas, KCUR escuchó historias de cómo los latinos están trayendo culturas distintas a la vez que comparten preocupaciones comunes.
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The April 8 solar eclipse sweeping across the U.S. hit 89% coverage at its peak in Kansas City, just before 2 p.m. Cities along the path of totality saw a boom in tourism from out-of-towners trying to catch the last North American solar eclipse until 2044, but residents around the metro found ways to watch closer to home, too.
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The Overland Park nonprofit Gift of Life works to educate the public about living organ donation and support donors and recipients through the transplant process.
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Over several months of listening sessions and interviews in the oldest neighborhoods on the West Side of Kansas City, Missouri, to newer communities in Johnson County, Kansas, KCUR heard stories of how Latinos are bringing distinct cultures while sharing common concerns.
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The Royals' original plan was to place the team’s corporate offices and entertainment venues on Oak Street, which would close the main thoroughfare and demolish buildings that house about 10 businesses. The Royals intend to continue with that district development but will alter plans to keep Oak Street open. The Royals and the Chiefs also announced new stadium leases on Wednesday.
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A recent Pew Research Center study estimated that 36.2 million Latinos will be eligible to vote in 2024, making them the largest racial or ethnic minority voting bloc in the United States. As Latino communities in the Kansas City metro grow in size, advocacy groups and supportive elected officials are working to educate and empower potential voters.
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Since recreational weed was legalized in Missouri, thousands of residents say they get a greater high than from the pot they used to buy. It's spurred many consumers to ask: "Has weed gotten stronger?"
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Riding a bike to get groceries, walking from your house to the bus stop, or even just getting a ride to work can be a challenge in Kansas City in severe winter weather. While the city and state transportation officials clear streets, residents without cars say bike lanes, sidewalks and bus stops don't get the same attention.