‘Black Excellence’ sees World Cup 2026 as major Missouri opportunity

January 12, 2024 83

KANSAS CITY (Missouri News Service/Public News Service) — Major Kansas City developments — such as the upcoming 2026 World Cup and building the first women’s professional sports stadium — are driving gentrification that could displace or exclude the Black community. However, there’s a movement to ensure whatever happens is equitable for all.

Black Excellence is a group of professionals and entrepreneurs seeking to uplift the Black community in Kansas City. Registration has been extended through February for its 22-week leadership training. In the “Ascend Cohort,” people build a three-year plan to grow their household income by 30%.

Black Excellence founder Craig Moore said it’s important for everyone to get a piece of the pie.

“That’s going to bring Kansas City billions and billions of dollars over the next 10 years,” he said. “How can the Black community make sure that they’re ready to benefit [from] these new resources and opportunities that are coming down?”

Black Excellence was awarded a grant by Health Forward Foundation in support of the mission to strengthen small, community-based organizations led by and serving people of color or rural areas. Moore said grants have helped them develop online tools such as one known as Proximity, which is also used by the Heartland Black Chamber.

Moore pointed to a lot of new development where Juniper Gardens was just bought out in Wyandotte County. He said it’s important for people to change their perspective, finding ways to upscale and increase their income so they can’t be bought out — and could instead be engaged in these types of opportunities.

“Those things do happen,” he said. “Gentrification happens. We see it happen all the time. But I think that the biggest thing of it is that we’re never at the table early enough.”

He added that it’s equally critical to vote for people and develop the right types of leaders who will make decisions that integrate resources fairly, into all neighborhoods, and support Missouri communities as a whole.

Listen to “'Black Excellence' sees World Cup 2026 as major Missouri opportunity” on Spreaker.

Farah Siddiqi, Missouri News Service

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Born and raised in Canada to an early Pakistani immigrant family, Farah Siddiqi was naturally drawn to the larger purpose of making connections and communicating for public reform. She moved to America in 2000 spending most of her time in California and Massachusetts. She has also had the opportunity to live abroad and travel to over 20 countries. She is a multilingual communicator with on-air experience as a reporter/anchor/producer for television, web, and radio across multiple markets including the USA, Canada, Dubai, and Hong Kong.

She moved back to America in 2023 with a unique International perspective and understanding. She finds herself making Nashville, Tennessee her new home, and hopes to continue her passion for philanthropy and making connections to help bridge misunderstandings specifically with issues related to race, ethnicity, interfaith, and an overall sense of belonging.