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The Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association has named its first Black president in its long history. Alan Kneeland, co-owner of The Combine, told the Kansas City Star, “It’s very humbling.”
“It is something that I didn’t necessarily see myself doing, and if you would have asked me 15 years ago, I would have said that’s impossible,” he added. “But when you have a passion for something and you really put your heart into it, anything is possible.”
The association, which formed out of the Missouri Restaurant Association, has been around since 1916 when it was the Kansas City Business Men’s Association. The organization governs restaurants in the Kansas City area and helps them maintain bonds.
Post-pandemic, some restaurants have refused to evolve by not offering to-go options for customers or embracing delivery services like DoorDash. Kneeland says that change is inevitable in the restaurant business. “A lot of restaurants have had to change their concepts and change the way they do business to switch things up because the things that people were doing 10 years ago in the restaurant industry are definitely not what they’re doing now,” he told the Star.
i’m super grateful for the opportunity to have the ‘royal crown’ and ‘forever chief’ photos on display at the combine!
thank you for the support of the art & for the opportunity bro. Alan Kneeland i truly appreciate it!
The Combine
2999 Troost Ave
Kansas City, MO pic.twitter.com/6EBbjo1KJd— pascal.
(@scalesvision) January 26, 2023
Kneeland wants to use his position to generate interest in the restaurant industry in Kansas City’s schools to change the perception that the food service industry is a dead-end job. He believes that the emergence of more Black-owned businesses in the Kansas City area might be the key, even though that’s not a new concept.
“I think it is wild that Black-owned restaurants are looked at as something new in the metro,” Kneeland said. “For some reason, we don’t look at Gates or Arthur Bryant’s, which are some of the oldest eating places in the city and started by Black people in a time where Black people weren’t allowed to do very much.”
Kneeland hopes his ideas to engage the youth can awaken a desire to be business owners and entrepreneurs earlier than they awoke in himself, telling the Kansas City Star, “I think a lot of younger kids kind of look down at working in the food industry now. I didn’t realize that I wanted to be a restaurant owner until after being in the industry for at least eight years, but now I don’t think many kids think there is a point trying to work your way up.”
RELATED CONTENT: LISC AND UBER EATS ANNOUNCE BLACK RESTAURANT FUND TO EXPAND ACCESS TO GROWTH CAPITAL AND FUEL UNDERSERVED BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES
The Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association has named its first Black president in its long history. Alan Kneeland, co-owner of The Combine, told the Kansas City Star, “It’s very humbling.”
“It is something that I didn’t necessarily see myself doing, and if you would have asked me 15 years ago, I would have said that’s impossible,” he added. “But when you have a passion for something and you really put your heart into it, anything is possible.”
The association, which formed out of the Missouri Restaurant Association, has been around since 1916 when it was the Kansas City Business Men’s Association. The organization governs restaurants in the Kansas City area and helps them maintain bonds.
Post-pandemic, some restaurants have refused to evolve by not offering to-go options for customers or embracing delivery services like DoorDash. Kneeland says that change is inevitable in the restaurant business. “A lot of restaurants have had to change their concepts and change the way they do business to switch things up because the things that people were doing 10 years ago in the restaurant industry are definitely not what they’re doing now,” he told the Star.
i’m super grateful for the opportunity to have the ‘royal crown’ and ‘forever chief’ photos on display at the combine!
— pascal.
thank you for the support of the art & for the opportunity bro. Alan Kneeland i truly appreciate it!
The Combine
2999 Troost Ave
Kansas City, MO pic.twitter.com/6EBbjo1KJd
Kneeland wants to use his position to generate interest in the restaurant industry in Kansas City’s schools to change the perception that the food service industry is a dead-end job. He believes that the emergence of more Black-owned businesses in the Kansas City area might be the key, even though that’s not a new concept.
“I think it is wild that Black-owned restaurants are looked at as something new in the metro,” Kneeland said. “For some reason, we don’t look at Gates or Arthur Bryant’s, which are some of the oldest eating places in the city and started by Black people in a time where Black people weren’t allowed to do very much.”
Kneeland hopes his ideas to engage the youth can awaken a desire to be business owners and entrepreneurs earlier than they awoke in himself, telling the Kansas City Star, “I think a lot of younger kids kind of look down at working in the food industry now. I didn’t realize that I wanted to be a restaurant owner until after being in the industry for at least eight years, but now I don’t think many kids think there is a point trying to work your way up.”
RELATED CONTENT: LISC AND UBER EATS ANNOUNCE BLACK RESTAURANT FUND TO EXPAND ACCESS TO GROWTH CAPITAL AND FUEL UNDERSERVED BUSINESSES AND COMMUNITIES
‘Tis the season! The holidays 2023 are upon us. You know what that means? Spending quality time together, appreciating what you’re thankful for, and gift-giving galore. You can’t deny that gift-giving is a major part of many holidays. It’s that time of the year to shower the geek in your life with something special they’d enjoy.
Holidays gift-giving doesn’t mean you have to break the bank to be able to afford the best gift for your loved one. Obtaining flashy gifts like the newest gadgets, video games, or the latest style trends is a thing of the past. What’s better than to gift your favorite geek a book they will enjoy reading? Books can make a great gift for any gift-giver on a budget. Even if you choose to gift a book to a non-reader who doesn’t typically enjoy reading a novel, there are plenty of how-to books geared toward crafty or artistic individuals.
So, whether you like mystery, romance, or any lengthy book to dedicate your time to, check out this savvy guide for the best books the geek in your life is sure to love.
Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon
For all the romance geeks and young adult literature fans, this one is for you. New York Times bestselling novel Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon is about young love and the ability to learn how to love again after losing faith in true love. Protagonist Evie Thomas no longer believes in love after she sees a couple kissing and is later struck by visions depicting the exact moments when the couple gets together and drifts apart. As Evie tries to figure out her newfound ability, she finds herself learning to dance with a boy named X, whom she slowly begins to fall for. The last thing Evie wants is to fall in love when all she knows about love is it never ends without heartbreak.
Gaslight by Femi Kayode
True crime goes international in this next installment in Femi Kayode’s Philip Taiwo crime series, which debuted with Lightseekers in 2021. Gaslight picks up when investigative psychologist Philip Taiwo returns from the United States to Nigeria along with his family. His investigation begins at a Nigerian megachurch where Taiwo’s sister asks him to investigate a case involving the bishop of the church and the wife he is accused of having murdered. Although a body has yet to be found and the mystery is on, all the fingers point to Bishop Dawodu.
The Remarried Empress Vol. 1 from Alphatart
You’re not an official geek until you’ve added manga to your reading list. Whether you’re a dedicated manga fan or new to the genre, you should know that manga is filled with creative animation designed to tell a story primarily through graphic expression.
Listed as one of the best books of 2022 by Barnes & Noble, The Remarried Empress follows Empress Navier and Emperor Sovieshu, who are perfect for each other. Serving as the pillars of the land, the public believes the two share a ride-or-die relationship. This relationship appears as strong as can be until the emperor stumbles upon a woman in the forest and ends up developing feelings of attraction. With the determination to not be broken in spirit, Empress Navier makes it her life mission to remarry a man of her liking.
Gilmore Girls: The Official Cookbook by Elena Craig and Kristen Mulrooney
Gilmore Girls fans everywhere, rejoice! If you want to whip up something quick and crafty, look no further. Gilmore Girls: The Official Cookbook is your answer. A USA Today Bestseller and named one of People‘s 50 Food Faves of 2022, Gilmore Girls: The Official Cookbook features recipes inspired by the hit 2000s series, Gilmore Girls. Do Stars Hollow, Luke’s Diner, and the DragonFly Inn sound familiar? Filled with more than 50 recipes, this cookbook holds scrumptious and iconic recipes straight from the set of Gilmore Girls.
How to Draw Anime Characters from Fluffels House
If you thought crafty books were just limited to cookbooks, think again. If you’re not the type of reader to dedicate time to reading a longer narrative and prefer novellas and other short reads, you can find the same enjoyment in a how-to book. Many manga readers are just as fascinated by the graphics as they are with the story itself. With only a few words and killer animation, they can be vividly creative. Ever wonder how animation starts?
A how-to draw book can take you through the process. How to Draw Anime Characters: Step-by-Step Guide to Draw Your Own Original Characters from Simple Templates removes the complexity behind professional illustration with a step-by-step process. With How to Draw Anime Characters, aspiring artists will learn techniques like choosing the right colors and gaining an artistic perspective on facial features. Released in early 2023, this book is ideal for teens and adults.
Divine Rivals: A Novel by Rebecca Ross
Finally, we can’t end an official gift guide for geeks without adding fantasy fiction to the list. With a large number of engaging fantasy fiction and sci-fi books on the market, choosing the right type of story can often feel overwhelming. Sci-fi books are often filled with complex themes that can be difficult to grasp. This is when fantasy novels come into play. Whether you’re a novice fantasy reader or have an avid interest in the genre, Rebecca Ross’s Divine Rivals is a must-read. A first in a newly developed series, Divine Rivals: A Novel focuses on two young journalists finding love through a magical connection. While fighting for this love, protagonist Iris must fight for her brother and ultimately the fate of all humanity.
Add or give one or more of these trending reads to your bookshelf this holiday season. All books are available at Barnes & Noble or where major books are sold.
The fifth generation of home video game consoles brought about many of the firsts to the world of gaming. This includes widespread real-time 3D graphic rendering, analog controls, CD-ROMs as standard game media, full-motion video, and a massive diversification of the video gaming genres. The original PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and Nintendo 64 collectively gained more than 4,000 mainline gaming titles during this era, a few of which were groundbreaking and influenced the industry in subsequent generations.
1999’s Urban Chaos was one such game, as it broke new ground by featuring one of the first Black woman video game protagonists: Officer D’arci Stern. As such, the cultural impact of this gaming gem can’t be overstated. In an era in which game releases such as Max Payne and Final Fantasy VII are being remastered and remade left and right, this particular gem of the late ’90s emerges as a prime candidate for a revival.
Urban Chaos was set in the fictional Union City at the turn of the millennium. In the role of D’arci Stern, the player navigates the crime-driven and corrupt world of Urban Chaos as a representative of law-and-order, engaging in hand-to-hand combat and investigative missions. The game is set in largely free-roaming maps. While it isn’t a truly open-world game, it most certainly resembles open-concepts, as you can easily switch between indoor and outdoor environments and even switch areas with relative ease.
Considering that the protagonist D’arci Stern was a police officer fighting crime, the game involved combat that relied on a rather complex fighting system, allowing players to use weapons and hand-to-hand combat. Stern’s arsenal included guns but also kicks, punches, throws, sliding tackles, knives, and baseball bats, all of which were at the player’s disposal during missions. Those who wanted to immerse themselves further into the gameplay could arrest their enemies, which would ultimately make the populace more friendly towards the cops.
The free-roam environments, though not as big as those in modern games, did include indoor areas, people to talk to, fights to intervene in, and several additional missions. The other missions included hostage rescues, suicide prevention, and many other activities that might require police assistance. In short, the game had well-developed driving and combat mechanics before Grand Theft Auto 3 was a thing, as well as a strong and independent woman lead, who fortunately wasn’t as sexualized as Lara Croft from Tomb Raider.
Introducing an African American woman lead in the late ’90s was a bold movie in more ways than one. The world of gaming, which has been dominated by male protagonists, has seen its fair share of women stars. However, none of them escaped rampant sexualization within the gaming industry and culture of the time. A woman explorer threading the caves and dungeons in shorts? Really? We’re looking at you, pre-2013 Tomb Raider.
But D’arci was more than just a character. She was a statement: a strong, competent, and complex character who broke the previously established stereotypical mold for representation in gaming. She was portrayed as a no-nonsense rookie cop who’s not afraid to get dirt under her fingernails if that meant that bad guys would end up behind bars. This rendered her quite refreshing as a character. The groundbreaking portrayal of her character was mirrored in the game’s reception: Urban Chaos for PC received high praise for both its character design and the overall design and narrative.
It’s worth noting that not everyone shares fond memories of this game. Following its release on Microsoft Windows in 1999, the game was also released for the original PlayStation and Sega Dreamcast right on the cusp of the 2000s. However, the game didn’t fare as well on consoles due to technical limitations that hindered performance and player experience. As a result, many age-old reviews of this game on PC vs. console talk about it as if they’re talking about two entirely different and separate releases.
But the truth is that Urban Chaos deserves a modern remake or a complete overhaul due to the cultural impact it had upon its release. Not only did it introduce a fantastic African American woman protagonist, but it also proved a strong point that law enforcement can actually arrest bad guys without killing them. This would provide a really strong message in today’s “Defund the police” era. A new remake could benefit from the current graphics and gameplay that have limited the original while also introducing D’arci Stern to a whole new generation of gamers.
The gaming world has evolved quite a bit over the past three decades. Re-imagining the gritty world of Union City in stunning detail is now more a question of budget rather than technological limits in gaming. However, representation in gaming, with respect to African American woman leads, still makes for a rather short “best of” list. Apart from the recently released Forespoken, the decades-old Urban Chaos, and Assassin’s Creed Liberation — which we’ll cover in a subsequent story — there are not a lot of African American lady leads in gaming.
That should change. Urban Chaos definitely deserves a place in today’s gaming world, and its portrayal of African American woman protagonists makes it ripe for a revival and perfect as an icebreaker.