KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For Black History Month, the Kansas City Current is partnering with the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce to highlight Black-owned businesses in the community.
Kim Randolph, CEO of Heartland, along with Current players, will visit the businesses to tell their stories and bring attention to their importance in the local economy and culture.
Current defender Elizabeth Ball is one of the players participating.
"Obviously being Black, it's so nice to see people that look like me excelling in different avenues," she said. "Definitely seeing people doing these things that look like me is super inspiring and when I'm done with soccer, it's amazing to be like, wow, I can be in this world too."
The group's first stop was Niecie's Restaurant, a Kansas City staple since 1985, where they shared a meal with owner Denise Ward.
"It's just so cool to see her journey, the ride that she's taken," Ball said. "Starting her entrepreneurial career back in that time period where things were very different, and obviously things still need to improve, but she's just ridden that wave and she's excelled and the community loves her, I love her, and it's amazing to see."
They'll also be visiting One Pair, a shoe store that employs teens and young adults and helps them learn to be entrepreneurs; the Laya Center, a wellness center in Midtown and District Biskuits, a fast-casual restaurant in North Kansas City.
You can watch the full video of their visit to Niecie's in the video player below.
