Kansas
Kansas legislative forum sparks debate over treatment of Black female candidates • Kansas Reflector
TOPEKA — As the first Black woman to run the Kansas Democratic Party, Jeanna Repass knows what it’s like to be told to step down for a white male politician. Her message: “It’s got to stop.”
The competition over Topeka’s District 19 Senate seat has reignited conversation about the treatment of women of color running for seats at the state and local level.
In Senate District 19, House Minority Leader Vic Miller is involved in a five-candidate race for an open seat. Cynthia Smith and Tyler Wible are running in the Republican primary, while ShaMecha King Simms and Patrick Schmidt are running against him in the Democratic side. The district stretches east from Topeka to Lawrence, including Tecumseh and Lecompton.
During a May 11 Democratic candidate primary forum, Miller said he expected a record number of Democratic women candidates on the ticket and that the legislature needed more women.
Then he addressed Simms.
“ShaMecha, that’s not an endorsement of you,” Miller said. “Your time’s another day, another place.”
Miller later said he meant his comment as a compliment. Others have called it part of a disturbing pattern in state politics.
“I’ve been in politics long enough to know that people take things out of context,” Miller said in a Kansas Reflector interview. “It would be silly for me to say that it was her time to beat me. I’m in the race, and I don’t know what’s in her future. But as far as the immediate future, I think I’m the best candidate, or I wouldn’t be running myself. … I’m not in this race to lose or to endorse somebody running against me. That was the context. It was actually meant as a compliment, not as a slight.”
Repass put the incident another way: “Everyone supports women running until a woman wants to run against them. Everyone supports candidates of color until candidates of color want to run against them.”
She added: “Those punches land. They’re meant to land, and they do. They land, and they hurt.”
Repass emphasized that as party chair, she is not endorsing or opposing any candidates in the race, but she felt the need to share her own perspective. During her run for the party seat, Repass’ competitor was Lynn Rogers, a former lieutenant governor and state treasurer.
After announcing her intent to run, Repass received a phone call from someone she didn’t want to identify but characterized as a “white male who has been formidable in Kansas politics.” Her phone was on speaker, so her son also heard everything.
She says that he told her: “ ‘You blacks. When you speak well, you can talk people into anything. … Jeanna, you can be a preacher. You can be anything you want, but you can’t be the chair. It’s Lynn’s turn. It’s his time.’”
When she watched the video of the May candidate forum, Repass remembered that call. She said she felt shocked and disturbed.
“It was very disappointing to me that I am leading a party where anyone is going to tell anyone else, in an open democratic process, that you should not be running for something,” Repass said. “There’s room for all of us to add our voices. But in particular, when it is white men telling black women when our time and when our place is to run, it is beyond disappointing. It is disturbing. And I will tell you I find it unacceptable and it’s got to stop.”
Miller’s statement was the catalyst for the “It’s Our Time Kansas! — A Celebration of Women of Color Candidates,” campaign event held by the Topeka chapter of The Links, Incorporated. The Links is an international nonprofit including more than 17,000 women of African descent committed to sustaining and ensuring the culture and economic survival for women of color.
The event supported Simms and fellow women of color state legislative candidates, including Stacey Knoell, Brooklynne Mosley and Jessica Porter. Knoell is running for the Senate District 23 seat. Mosley is running for the Kansas House of Representatives District 46 seat, and Porter is running for the Kansas House of Representatives District 50 seat.
Simms said the incident allowed for a larger conversation about values, unspoken biases and legislative mentalities.
“I think what we’re really up against now, we’re trying to birth a new way of relating to one another, and the old ways don’t work for that,” Simms said. “They’re stuck in a cycle that doesn’t allow for growth. It doesn’t allow for reflection, and without reflection and growth, we can’t move the ball forward. And that’s really just kind of where I stand on that. I want to see growth.”
A Kansas City man has been charged with the murder of a teen following a shooting in Klamm Park last weekend.
LaRon Jaka Belcher III, 21, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Branden Jamal Baskin, 18. Baskin lived in Kansas City, Kansas, according to the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office.
Wyandotte County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Klamm Park at 2515 N 27th St in Kansas City, Kansas, around 6:30 p.m. on July 21, The Star previously reported. Deputies found Baskin dead at the park, which is located behind KCK Fire Department Station 14.
Two other suspects, an adult and a juvenile, were arrested after the shooting, The Star reported. Belcher alone was charged with murder.
Court documents indicate that the shooting took place while Belcher was trying to sell or distribute some form of controlled substance.
Belcher was booked into the Wyandotte County Jail earlier this week, according to jail records. A Wyandotte County set his bond at $200,000 at a hearing Friday morning.
Belcher is set to next appear in court on August 6.
Baskin’s death was the 16th homicide reported in Kansas City, Kansas, in 2024, according to data collected by The Star. At the same time last year, 14 homicides had been reported in the city.
CINCINNATI — First, Ja’Marr Chase refused to say his name. Now, he’s getting trolled by the Raiders.
Las Vegas trolled Patrick Mahomes with a Kermit doll. Mahomes responded on Friday.
“Stuff like that happens,” Mahomes said. “It’ll get handled when it gets handled.”
Mahomes is 10-2 in his career against the Raiders. Trash talking him is a bold choice.
The Bengals play the Chiefs in Week 2. It’s reasonable to call it the best rivalry in the NFL. It would be shocking to see Cincinnati troll Kansas City that way and they’ve had head-to-head success against them.
A bold choice by Las Vegas. Check out the troll video and Mahomes’ response below:
Patrick Mahomes responds:
“It’ll get handled when it gets handled.” 👀pic.twitter.com/OpyfiZqjEn https://t.co/6slSBkdu5O
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) July 26, 2024
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Two recently opened Kansas City attractions were announced today among 100 extraordinary destinations to visit; named to TIME’s list of the World’s Greatest Places.
TIME’s annual feature includes CPKC Stadium, home to the KC Current and the first stadium in the world purpose-built for a women’s professional team, and The Rabbit hOle, a North Kansas City children’s literary museum that debuted this spring after years of anticipation.
To compile the list, TIME solicited nominations of places — including hotels, cruises, restaurants, attractions, museums, parks, and more — from its international network of correspondents and contributors, as well as via an application process, with an eye toward those offering new and exciting experiences.
The Kansas City selections reflected those timely elements, editors said.
“Like Alice in Wonderland, visitors go down the rabbit hole (quite literally into a “hole” of winding tunnels and caves), tumbling into classic and contemporary storybooks and meeting life-size characters,” TIME wrote in its description of the newly opened Rabbit hOle.
Spanning three floors, visitors can catch a ride with Nana and CJ on the bus to “The Last Stop on Market Street”; whisper “Goodnight Moon” in the quiet dark of the great green room; outshine Mr. Sun with “Sam and the Tigers”; feed jum-jills to “The Funny Thing”; or find themselves scaling the cliffs of “My Father’s Dragon” when visiting the magical museum.
“The Rabbit hOle is a living thing, and it becomes something new for every visitor who enters it,” said Deb Pettid, co-director at The Rabbit hOle. “It’s impossible to define, but that’s what makes it a true place of discovery. And where else can you read a book inside a book?”
Julie Denesha
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KCUR 89.3
“Since opening this March, we’ve had more than 60,000 visitors from nearly every state and all over the world,” added Pete Cowdin, co-director. “The Rabbit hOle is unlike anything, anywhere.”
The Rabbit hOle also features a bookstore, print shop and story lab, makerspace, resource library, gallery for original book art and a cafe, making it an ideal space for innovative programming and private events.
CPKC Stadium also deserves its spot on the list, said Raven Jemison, president of the KC Current.
“Ownership’s vision has changed women’s professional sports for generations to come,” Jemison said. “CPKC Stadium is proof that an investment in women is a smart one as we continue to sell out KC Current matches. Fans from all over the globe have made the trip to Kansas City to witness history. Now the world knows what the excitement is about; we’re just getting started.”
CPKC Stadium has been on a worldwide stage since formally opening in March.
On July 3, CPKC Stadium was announced as the venue for the 2024 National Women’s Soccer League Championship, which is set for Nov. 23. The stadium is also the host venue for the 2024 NWSL x Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup semifinals Aug. 6 and was selected as the site for the 2024 Big 12 Soccer Championship.
The stadium has also hosted a variety of national conferences, like the United States Conference of Mayors, as well as private and local events like the city’s AANHPI Heritage Festival.
This story was originally published on Startland News, a fellow member of the KC Media Collective.
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