Twelve FIVE may 2016 mag

2

This magazine is called

TWELVE to note its

monthly presence, only

TWELVE times a year.

Also, and more im-

portantly, TWELVE is a

symbol of time. So it

represents timely infor-

mation and the central

point by which life

events are measured.

And of course, time-

pieces are part of the

finer things, perfect for

our core readers in pur-

suit of sophisticated

living.

Welcome to TWELVE.

3

Tell A Friend!

Welcome to number FIVE of

TWELVE. This is our Success Guide.

We discuss economic empowerment

through business and job opportunities.

There’s always plenty inside from fash-

ion to education.

Review the calendar to discover up-

coming events and take note of what’s

happening in the city.

You have an opportunity to contribute

to the content by writing, submitting

story suggestions, and of course, at-

tending our events and more. Contact

us today at [email protected].

Sincerely,

COVER

DON CHEADLE

DON’T MISS

Calendar 52

KCSoul.com

INSIDE

CAREER:

Transitioning

6

ART:

Don Cheadle

8

CAREER:

Winning Resume

10

LEADERSHIP:

Vanessa Sims

16

BUSINESS

Brand w Dr.J

24

BUSINESS:

Wing Cafe

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IMAGE: Suits 42

MAY 2016 Volume IV, Issue V

Though a lifestyle publication isn’t unique, TWELVE evolves the genre. It’s the

only magazine that you both read and live. We set out to create more than a

literary piece. We’ve merged both the online world and the live event into the

“magazine experience”. Once a month, we release a new issue of the magazine.

The release is paired with a live launch event, where the feature elements and

characters of our magazine are brought to life for you to touch, taste, feel and

experience. The live experience becomes part of gathering ground of additional

stories, photos, and more for the final written magazine.

What’s Different? Read It & Experience it Live

Twelvekc.com | @TWELVEKC

TWELVE Magazine is part

of the KCSoul.com net-work. Owned by H.G.E.

Marketing, LLC. (H.G.E.). Views & opinions ex-

pressed here are not

necessarily those of H.G.E.

or contributors.

4

REVIEW

Sherenna Clinton interviews Don Cheadle, on the red carpet, at the premiere of his new film Miles Ahead.

5

SPECIAL THANKS

To all of Our Writers,

Designers, Planners,

Contributors,

Advertisers &

Supporters

of Xii.

Ken L.

twelvekc.com

[email protected] @twelvekc

PICTURED:

Ciara Barton from the

Fashion Opera

Photo: Raye Jackson

6

CAREER:

When Things Change

Remember 3 Things

Career In Transition?

C hances are, you’ll be impacted by a layoff, skill deficit or other change that affects your job and livelihood. Change is inevitable but here are three things to remember:

You're the Boss of You If you're the president and CEO of You Inc., then it's your job to ensure you don't go out of business. It's your job to nurture growth and prosperity. You do this by planning carefully, performing consist-ently, operating true to your mission and investing in You Inc.

You Create Your Own Future Your career is yours to mold. Investing in yourself gives you the clarity, power and tools to create your own future and take the path less traveled. Sometimes, investing means taking a risk, but that's the price of entry for success and happiness.

How to Invest in Your Career Invest in understanding yourself better and developing your goals, plans, professional skills, knowledge, career management skills, networks, and your personal brand and profile. Do it your-self, or pay experts to do it for you. Try thinking, planning, self-assessment tools, goal development, reading, consulting experts, getting coached, taking courses, upgrading or acquiring skills and proactively marketing yourself. Recognize that investing in yourself often requires that you don't play it safe. Debra L. Bronston, EMBA www.on-pointcareerstrategies.com (816) 769-0011

Debra Bronston is the Managing Partner of On-Point Career Strategies (OPCS). OPCS provides personal career navigation consult-ing and staffing support for businesses. Debra began her business career as a Financial Ex-aminer for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kan-

sas City where for nearly 11 years, she exam-ined large and complex state member banks and bank holding companies in the Tenth Federal Reserve District. As one of the first women of color in that role, she broke new

(Continued on page 7)

By Debra L. Bronston

7

CAREER

ground and was able to build strong rela-tionships and gain the respect and admi-ration of colleagues and management. She achieved the status of Commissioned Financial Examiner for the Federal Reserve System. Debra was afforded the opportunity to es-tablish and spearhead the bank’s diversity strategy, a high profile role that for 20 years, enabled her to expand her influence across the organization and significantly impact its talent recruitment and retention and cultural change. In 2011, Debra retired from the Federal Reserve Bank. After a year of self-assessment and reflection, Debra became

a Project Staff Consultant with Right Man-agement, the global leader in talent and career management workforce solutions that designs and delivers solutions to align talent strategy with business strategy. Sim-ultaneously, Debra created On-Point Ca-reer Strategies (OPCS). Debra holds an Executive Master of Busi-ness Administration Degree from Rock-hurst University, Kansas City, MO and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration from Grambling State Uni-versity, Grambling, LA. She is also a grad-uate of the Kauffman Foundation’s FastTrac New Venture Program.

Debra Bronston Managing Partner, On-Point Career Strategies

7

8

ARTS

DON

CHEADLE BACK HOME IN KC

MILES AHEAD

K ansas City native Don Cheadle at-tended the Kansas City Film Fest Friday, April 15, 2016 to support his new film MILES AHEAD about

musician, Miles Davis. The screening was held at Cinemark Palace at the Plaza. Mayor Sly James was among the esteemed guests on hand and proclaimed April 15th as “Don Cheadle Day.” Cheadle is recognized for his superb acting talents in co-starring and leading roles of

blockbusters. However, changing roles for this project, MILES AHEAD is the directorial debut by the Oscar nominated actor, in the title role. Described as one of 20th century music's creative geniuses, Miles Davis was a plati-num selling artist, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee among other credits. Initially rooted in jazz, it’s not totally coinci-dental that Miles would become band member of KC’s famed Charlie Parker.

9

TWELVEKC.COM

See Our Video Interview at TWELVEKC.COM

This was in the mid-forties, be-fore Miles branched out on his own and becoming the legend we know today. Working from a script he co-wrote with Steven Bai-gelman, Cheadle worked to not make a convention-al bio-pic but rather a unique, portrait of an artist, at one point in time. Miles’ neph-ew Vince Wilburn, Jr. and his son Erin Davis were also part of the creation. Producers de-scribe the story as “a few dangerous days in the life of music icon Miles Davis, the virtuoso, fighter and genius, as he bursts out of his silent period and conspires with a Rolling Stone writer (Ewan McGregor) to steal back his music.” What you’ll discover through the film was

that Miles was a pio-neering jazz-man and bandleader, but he never stopped evolving his music and sounds, leading im-provisational music that touched funk, pop and even electronic music. Miles died in 1991 of a brain aneurysm so we salute Cheadle’s work and this effort which allows a jazz icon to get intro-duced to another gen-eration

An inde-

pendent film,

MILES AHEAD was funded in part through

crowd funding on social media. Promoted

through Sony Classics in a limited screen

release, you can check for viewing loca-

tions at milesahead-movie.com.

Don Cheadle Attends Red Carpet Premier of His New Film Miles Ahead

A Sony Classics Film

10

CAREER

Job Competition is Fierce We have moved from an employee-driven marketplace to an employer-driven marketplace. As unemployment rates slowly decline, the labor market is saturated with job seekers who are all competing for the same positions. Competition is fierce. According to the April 17, 2013 issue of Forbes Magazine, the average number of people who apply for any given job: 118. Twenty percent of those applicants get an interview. More re-cent reports from Inc.com, December 2015, report the average number as high as 250 resumes per corporate position with only 4 to 6 people receiving an interview call for a single job.

Making it more difficult, Forbes cited many companies use talent-

management software to screen résumés, weeding out up to 50% of ap-

plication before anyone ever looks at a résumé or cover letter. Today’s

employers and hiring managers will only spend 5-10 seconds reviewing

your résumé AFTER the applicant tracking system (ATS) has screened the

bulk of résumés for keywords.

Before & After Résumé Results This job seeker was nearing retirement after a lengthy mili-tary career. As a non-commissioned officer (NCO), he was determined to make a lateral or promotional move from the military into a similar role in terms of scope of re-sponsibilities and salary. I created a branding title along with branding subtitles that readily tell the reader who he is and what he has to offer. I also created a branding sum-mary paragraph that high-lights his excellent and rele-vant accomplishments. Addi-tional areas include actual quotes from superiors, quanti-tative information, and perfor-mance highlights. The perfor-mance highlights are placed beneath the summary para-graph for each position. The education section is placed at the end of his résu-mé. His education is relevant but not crucial to his employ-ment search as he has not yet completed his undergraduate studies, but already has am-ple expertise and experience within his chosen career field.

He landed his

dream job just

two weeks after

utilizing my ser-

vice, along with a

substantial salary

increase.

Resumes That Win

By Monica Sykes

Continue To Resume Tips On Page 13

11

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Portia Kibble Smith, MBA is President

of PKS Executive Search and Consulting, an inno-vative Executive Search and Consulting Firm that focuses on MBA graduates and alumni from the top tier business schools who possess a diverse set of experiences. She has a long career helping Fortune 500 companies identify and place di-verse business leaders within their organizations. Portia is a well regarded and recognized recruit-ing professional with productive networks. PKS offers customers a range and breadth of services that are unique in the industry.

Portia is committed to diversity in the workplace and has a proven track record of attracting and retaining top talented MBAs throughout the coun-try, both majority and minority. Her expertise is in recruitment, sales, consulting, business develop-ment and relationship management. Portia leads with her strength of providing strate-gic direction for the recruitment processes for top firms. The mission that she leads is to identify,

More recently Portia has focused on working with companies who are committed to hiring diverse fi-nancial advisors and organizations who are seeking a more diverse workforce in technical positions.

MOVERS

PKS Executive Search and Consulting

pkssearch.com

13

Start here. Who are you and what do you have to offer? Brand. We’ve moved from the empty objective statements (“To secure a position utilizing my winning personality”) to branding statements that present evidence of your key skills, highlight a few of your amazing ac-complishments, and the value you bring to an organization. Job seek-ers must now clearly demonstrate their brand within the top 1/3 to 2/3 of the résumé in order to stand out and make a favorable impression. Additional factors that will determine whether or not your résumé will receive a 3-second glance or an in-depth review include: 1. Formatting. Your résumé must be formatted in a way that is concise, consistent, and easy to read with clearly designated sections, areas, or categories. 2. Relevance. Including extensive information on your résumé about your background in accounting when you’re applying for a nursing po-sition is an easy way to screen yourself out of the hiring process. Ca-reer changers and those in transition must showcase and demonstrate transferable skills and experience as it relates to the position descrip-tion. 3. Hard Facts. Phrases such as team player, hard worker, excellent verbal and written communication skills are better utilized in the cover letter and only in limited doses. Today’s résumés must showcase hard facts: numbers, quantitative data, accomplishments, skills, areas of ex-pertise, credentials, and the ability to make a positive impact and con-tribution. Is there one résumé style that seems to be a top performer over others? Résumés truly are not one size fits all. However, as a general rule of thumb, résumés should not exceed two pages unless applying for exec-utive level positions, federal civilian vacancies, positions within aca-demia (curriculum vitae, or CV), research, or professional positions such as those persons possessing JD or MD credentials. One page résumés are great for entry-level employment seekers, those with limited career experience, or those who have been with the same employer for a number of years. The three most common formats are: combination, chronological, or functional. Of the three formats, combination and chronological are most preferred, whereas the functional format is good for those who want to deemphasize gaps in employment, or who’ve been with the same employer for a lengthy amount of time. For those in transition from a long-term job, 10-20 years employment, how can they position themselves as youthful and still relevant? It’s essential that ALL persons, irrespective of age, position themselves to remain relevant and current in a rapidly changing, global-landscape. Remaining current with trends, joining professional associations, sub-scribing to industry-related associations or journals, and above all, en-suring that your skills are up-to-date will position you for advancement opportunities.

Monica Sykes is the Founder

and Scribe of Winning Words

Writing Services. Monica is a

Certified Professional Résumé

Writer (CPRW) and also a

Global Career Development

Facilitator (GCDF) who spe-

cializes in brand development,

military-to-civilian transition

résumés, and more. She has

held various positions within

the corporate and academic

sectors including her most re-

cent role as a university Career

Services Manager. Contact

Monica Sykes at (707) 876-

4800 or email

[email protected]

to schedule a Free Consulta-

tion with Winning Words Writ-

ing Service where Excellence

Opens Doors! Visit

www.winningwordsllc.com for

more information.

YOUR RESUME STRATEGY

Continued From Page 10

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B ecoming a leader takes time and a concerted effort. There’s first a foundation you build with education and experience. Yet, your true track to leadership comes through personal examination and the appli-cation of key principles. UMB SVP, Vanessa Sims provides this lesson.

Maintain personal integrity. As a leader, not defined by a title by the way, it is important to know who you are, and for you to know what you believe, and to be true to those things. Just as important, is to know that you are in the place where you can serve others, as you live out who you are and what you believe. Be sure to stand firm without compromising your integrity. No job, title, corner office, or pay check is worth your character. Compromising your integrity shows up in seemingly innocent actions: small deceptions, exaggerations, white lies, or cutting corners in your work. No big deal right? No one knows - but you. When you reach that point check yourself before those seemingly innocent actions become habit and turn into something larger: self-serving, taking credit not due or blaming others for your ac-tions. Take a look in the mirror, ask yourself the hard questions, and consider why this behavior is occurring. Wherever you are planted at various stages in life, give your best and serve with integ-rity, which leads me to the next point:

Maintain faithfulness. For some, a career can be smooth sailing to the job of your dreams. You've arrived! For others, the road can be filled with ups and downs, stum-bling blocks, speedy advancements or stagnant lulls. Maybe those you work with are difficult and demanding but with personal financial com-

mitments staring you in the face every day, you may feel economically trapped in your job. While there is nothing wrong with seeking out another role inside or outside of your cur-rent employer, be faithful to the assignment on your plate while you prepare for the next door to open by building your skills, strengthening relationships, and delivering excellence. Burn-ing bridges or quitting the job before you leave the job is your own career death sentence. Be faithful.

Maintain personal well-being. No one can take better care of you than you. Your spiritual and physical health can guide and determine your attitude toward your-self, others, and your circumstances. Eat well, get enough rest, relieve stress, learn something new, and - something I've had to learn - play! Find out what makes you happy and do it. I work out regularly and have made a habit of taking up something new, each of the last five years. Make a point to manage your workload and community commitments to prevent overload or burnout. Learn how to prioritize for efficien-cy. There are, of course, certain those things that you will need to handle yourself, but when feasible, put aside your pride and don't be afraid to ask for help. Although we are asked and expected by our employers to do more with less, we have each been given a limited amount of time and energy. Be a good steward of it by making healthy mental, physical, and work choices. "Your success and failures do not best describe you, your character and attitude do." Anony-mous. Vanessa is responsible for D&I strategy

integration aligned with UMB’s growth

and ability to attract, motivate and retain talent essential to achieving business ob-

jectives. She has a proven track record in

leading radical change to deliver competi-

tive and innovative Diversity & Inclusion,

compensation, and benefits strategies

while targeting cost effective solutions.

CAREER

The Path To

LEADERSHIP

By Vanessa Sims

17

Vanessa K. Sims SVP Executive Director, Diversity and Inclusion Human Resources UMB Financial Services

twelvekc.com

18

SUCCESS

[left to right] Sylvester Pearl, VP Client Relations Manager Vanessa Sims, SVP Executive Director Diversity and Inclusion Carmen Spencer, AVP Client Relations Manager Sterling Stanford, SVP, Director Associate Relationship Carl Lewis, VP, Manager Bank Operations Melvin Porter, VP Manager Trust Operations Gary Henry, EVP Enterprise Service and Support

UMB Financial Services

The Executives

19

Photos: Raye Jackson

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BUSINESS

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The Market and The Details By Doug Ngomsi Although starting a business is often done with commercial pursuits in mind, it’s a very personal decision. A person embarking in business often puts time, resources, relation-ships and reputation on the line — all for the chance of addressing a need or seizing an opportunity in the marketplace. It’s very easy to get caught in the allure or the “idea” of starting an enterprise but budding business owners should keep two key things in mind: 1.When starting a business, entrepreneurs should start by identifying their target market and end-user. It’s very easy to start with an original concept and then chase it as it evolves beyond what is feasible, and before you know it you’ve lost your initial purpose. 2. Eighty percent of businesses fail every year, and usually you have a general sense of whether or not you’ll buck the trend by the end of your first year. For that reason, it is critical that you mind all aspects of your “store” and give just as much attention to the back-office as you do the storefront. Being competent in administrative and clerical tasks such as bookkeeping, inventory management and business operations analytics separates the idealists from the industrialists. A venture without this foundation is an expensive hobby and its days are likely numbered. When seri-ously exploring the prospects of your busi-ness, put a down payment on its longevity by ensuring you —or someone on your team— can support your daily operations with sound back-office practices so that your enterprise can thrive by focusing on what it was founded on: offering solutions to customers’ needs. These are lessons that have served us well since March 2013 when we founded Integrity Capital Management, LLC, a property man-agement and property investment firm. Integrity Capital Management, LLC

Secure a Commercial Loan By Michael Rosales, UMB No matter the amount of money a business owner needs or the type of business they’re in, lenders ask certain questions and look at certain criteria when evaluating loan requests. By understanding how banks and lenders evaluate these requests, business owners can be armed with the information they need to successfully seek out and secure a loan. It Starts With the Plan Lenders want to know how much money will be personally invested in the business, how much money the creditor is being asked to fund and how the money will be used. For a start-up company, owners will need to present more than the basics, such as a business plan. The business plan is the opportunity to answer these questions as well as the follow-ing questions:

Who will own and operate the business? What experience and/or qualifications do

you have to operate the business? What will the business sell? Who will the business sell to? Who is your

target market? What is your marketing plan?

For a company that has already been in busi-ness two or more years, lenders will require current balance sheets, profit and loss state-ments, and interim balance sheets. It’s a good idea to bring personal tax returns and financial statements, as well. To successfully secure a loan, lenders must be confident that the owner has a solid un-derstanding of the industry, the product de-mand and the competition as well as the im-portant tasks that come with owning a busi-ness, such as recordkeeping, cash flow man-agement, inventory control and marketing.

Business 101

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BUSINESS

J. Anthony Snorgrass, PhD Professor of Communications & Media Avila University

25

Remember, brands are nothing more than shorthand; you’ve got to be no-ticed before you can be heard! To accomplish this, I recommend a proprietary strategy I call “SPARKS” (Sensory Provocation And Reality Kinetics Sensationalized). It is a strategy used by Beyoncé, Donald Trump, Kanye, Budweiser, and others seeking to raise their branding profile and capture the media cycle for a sus-tained period without the trappings of traditional big budget, often ineffective, publicity campaigns. Gone are the days of issuing media

alerts and press releases, holding press conferences, doing trade shows, and spending countless hours promoting your endeavors. Instead, the SPARKS approach advocates springing projects, ideas, pro-grams on audiences/markets with little or no warning building value in your products or services through genuine excitement, anticipation and surprise.

D r. J. Anthony Snorgrass is a recognized and awarded professional in the fields of advertising, management, administration, and brand development. He is also a credentialed photographer and mixed-media artist. He received his Ph.D. from Walden University's School of Public Policy and Administration focusing on emergent media communications in public policy environments

and non-profit management. He also holds two Master's degrees from the Ohio State University and a B.A. from the University of Kansas. He is certified as an Economic Development Specialist (EDS) by the National Development Council and has national certification from the American Institute of Certified Plan-ners (AICP). Snorgrass specializes in new media, augmented reality applications, accessibility, universal design strategies, brand cultivation, and diversity marketing. As an educator, Snorgrass describes his teaching style as intellectually demanding, introspective and vi-sionary. He expects students to develop an appreciation and understanding of both the art and science of advertising, media, technology and communication mediums then to become confident in this knowledge and its applications in the real world. He has a unique and diverse background, which includes over thirty (30) years professional experience as a public service executive, corporate executive, entrepreneur, and educator in various communication venues. This includes stints as Executive Vice President of Muller + Company which specializes in adver-tising and design for retail and corporate clientele; and President of AdVantage Associates, a firm dedicat-ed to providing non-profits and cause related advertising and programming. A hallmark of his work at Muller + Company included full responsibility for the $39 million multi-media Missouri Tourism Account, which included nation-wide and international branding and advertising where he worked in collaboration with Al Reis, noted author and brand guru.

BRAND TIP: Sudden Impact Break Through The Clutter

Beyonce.com

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GRADS

Class of 2016

We salute this year’s college graduates and wish them the best for a bright and

prosperous future.

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Tujuana Slater June 2016 National American University Major: Management

28

Florence Osei May 2016 UMKC Major: Biology

Terrance Mabry May 2016 UMKC Major: Biology

GRADS

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Mozella M. Dyer, ED.D., ED.S., M.B.A. April 2016 Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership Saint Louis University

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It’s In the Sauce

Wings Cafe is an artisan wings and fish restaurant that focuses on bringing hand-crafted unique flavors to Kan-sas City wing lovers. Locally owned and operated since 2012, Wings Cafe has served some of the best wings in Kansas City, with unique flavors cycling through the ever-changing menu.

Family owned, Wings Café is operated by the Redwoods,

(Continued on page 33)

TASTE

31

Wings Cafe

(l to r). Partners: Orin Redwood,

Lee Redwood, Eze Redwood

32

Wings Café 3927 Broadway, KCMO

33

Where do the ideas come from? “It’s more inspiration says Eze. Take the Choco-late Espresso Wings, we were tired one night and said what if we developed a wing to make

you more alert. People thought we were crazy. We researched it and even discussed it with chefs in Ney York, and they said you can’t make that taste good.” The Redwoods took the challenge and proved them wrong and now a new favorite is on the menu.

Business First Eze says, “Restaurants are a business whose product is food. Peo-ple fail when opening restaurants thinking it’s all about the food.” The Redwoods actually learned the business by doing it, but under-

stood they would have to manage several areas of the “business”. Customer Service, product quality, consistency, payroll, inventory manage-ment, fighting with distributors to even managing staff personalities all come in to play. “If your employees aren’t happy they’ll reflect it to cus-tomers, so you end up being a relationship coach too,” says Eze.

The owners believe they have a winning formula and recipe. Now, with two restaurants in the KC area, they plan to continue development. Part-ner Lee Redwood attributes their success to three factors: People Process & Product. People—relating to staff and customers with a hometown, family feel. Processes—precision in manage-ment of the seasoning. Product--unique flavors and offering. “We’ve got Scarface fries and des-sert wings.” It’s the unique touches that make them stand out.

Try it for yourself. Two locations at 3927 Broad-

way Blvd in Westport, KCMO and in the North-

land, 516 Northwest Englewood Rd., KCMO.

www.thewingscafe.com

who are originally from Little Rock, Arkansas. Partner, Eze Redwood describes what makes them a town favorite. “We invent a lot of our own sauces and dry rubs, so people can’t get them anywhere else. We have control over what it tastes like,” he said.

“Everything’s made in house,” he says. “We have things like Smoked Sriracha, Slap Your Momma Cajun Creole, Coconut Curry wings.” It’s an unending menu, limited only by imagina-tion. “We even have Espresso Chocolate BBQ and dessert wings. We push the boundaries of what people are used to do-ing.” Beyond wings, they also offer boneless, chicken strips, fish fillets and shrimp!

How did you get started? “We felt like in KC, people un-derstood wings because it’s so close to barbecue, but there weren’t any really good wings. So we decided we’d bring that to KC. Four years ago we took an apprentice under a restaurant in south Arkansas. The operator there demands the food be the sole priority for his guests. “If he can see your phone, he’ll cuss you out and kick you out. He kicks people out all the time but people love his food,” says Eze.

“We took what we learned but we wanted to go beyond the traditional BBQ, Buffalo and Lemon Pepper. We wanted to push the envelope, invent our own stuff and go beyond boundaries.”

Taste the Adventure In business, one of the first rules to have a unique selling proposition. The flavors are the advantage at Wings Café. “The things we’re thinking about and rolling out are plantain fries, blueberry ketch-up, Sweet Potato fries with a marshmallow drizzle, that we make ourselves,” says Eze. The menu has the familiar favorites so people are comfortable enough but adventurous so people will try new things. Orin Redwood, another partner says, “You can taste our personalities in our food. Our flare, need for excitement, and how adventurous we are.”

(Continued from page 30)

Lee Redwood demonstrates the technique.

34

GIVING

L et’s Play Ball! Kansas City is a baseball town. That’s an undeniable claim with KC Royals stand-ing on winning side of the 2015 World Series championship. Our baseball bona fides stretches back further as the historical birthplace of the Ne-gro Leagues baseball which spawned baseball powerhouses whose legacies thrive to this day at our Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Those greats range from legends such as Satchel Paige, an All-Star pitcher, to Jackie Robinson, one of our very own KC Monarchs before becoming Ma-jor Leagues Baseball’s first African-American player.

Even with Kansas City’s laudable baseball history, like so many other cities “America’s Pastime” has-

The

Boy Who

Became

KING

YOUTH

35

n’t maintained the spirit or participation that it did in the early days. The 30-year drought of a championship from the KC Royals didn’t help. The RBI program, Reviving Baseball in Inner Cit-ies, seeks to change that. This KC program is run by the Boys and Girls Club. The goal is to rein-troduce the game in the city, especially urban neighborhoods. RBI exposes youth to the game while guiding them to be productive, positive adults.

This same need, using baseball as a development tool, was also recognized by Chris Evans. In 2011, he founded the I am King Foundation. The foundation centers on youth baseball players ages 5-10. Initially there were only 15, pre-K kids. Now the organization boasts 70 players.

The play includes participation in the RBI leagues and more.

Though the fundamentals of baseball are im-portant, lessons beyond baseball abound. “We teach the kids there’s no such thing as fair.”, says Evans. “Sometimes the calls won’t go your way.” Evans stresses the importance of individual devel-opment. “What I like about baseball is that no kid can hide. Everyone gets a turn at bat.” That’s important these days, especially in an era where playtime is about video games rather than physical activity outdoors. “We learned funda-mentals from kickball, running, throwing, tagging up. These kids don’t learn that now without pro-

(Continued on page 37)

The I Am King Foundation develops youth

through sports.

36

37

Big tournament weekend

with the Kings. #4, Addison

Miller hits a Grand Slam.

grams like ours,” says Evans.

The more impressive na-ture of I Am Kings Sports is the cultural awareness. The Kings are often the only African-American team during play, so that’s a noticeable differ-ence. Another is their coaching staff. They have about 20 coaches, who are fathers of the boys. The men are there to teach the game but also to serve as role models. “Out of 20 coach-es, 18 have college degrees. We encourage them to wear their college and Greek wear to show the kids,” says Evans. That helps break the stigma of who African-Americans are and can be, and reinforces the King name and mantra, ‘I am King’.”

Participation extends beyond the dads. The whole family is encouraged to attend to show support

(Continued from page 35) and to cheer the boys in their team “spirit wear”. “That does a lot to build kids’ confi-dence” explains Evans.

Evans is excited about the future of the Kings and though the Major Leagues could be in reach for some, they leaders work to advise the youth that a MLB player is only one of many paths to success. Minor league players can secure healthy salaries, but there are also positions as agents and administrators that could also be lucrative, fulfilling options for the youth to pursue.

The larger foundation continues its work through other efforts like the Mother and Son dance, Badges and Baseball—a collaboration where police officers teach the kids baseball as well mentor them in areas such as safety, and Celebration of Kings program.

If you’d like to step up to the plate and help the Kings in their mission, visit Iamkingsports.com

“Out of 20 coach-es, 18 have college degrees.”

38

YOUTH

The 100 Black Men of Greater Kan-sas City (100 BMGKC) is committed to empowering young African-American men for their eventual roles as leaders and productive citi-zens within the community. The 100 BMGKC leverages existing and new relationships with other public and private entities to provide dynamic programs and guidance which en-hances the knowledge, skills and abilities of our young men. These

programs are:

Safe Passage is a curriculum

based program, within an aca-demic year, which enhances our young men’s, life, leadership and team-building skills. Instruction is also provided for matters such as health and wellness, financial litera-

cy and technology. Field trips ex-pose our young men to history, cul-ture and institutions that are critical to their success. In this program, concentration is based on young men between the ages of 11 and 17.

Act Right provides FREE ACT tu-

toring for both our young men and young women, who are sopho-mores and juniors in high school. as

they prepare for college. Tutoring for the ACT Exam is provided in a small class en-vironment or, if necessary, in a one on one relationship. Additional FREE services for those planning to attend col-lege include guidance and instruction on selecting col-leges, applying for colleges, as well as identify-ing scholarships and grants to

which they can apply.

Bridge reconnects the 100

BMGKC with young men they men-tored and who are now between the ages of 18 and 25. These young men are provided guidance and counsel as they navigate life complete their education and es-

MENTORING 100 BLACK MEN OF GREATER KC

By Jerry Rose

39

tablish careers. Job place-ment is an important com-ponent of this Program.

Discover more and find out

how to get involved at

100blackmenkc.org.

40

Celebration of Women, Art & Jazz concert" on April 23, 2016 at the Gem Theatre. This celebration highlighted the accomplishments of women, including local women, in business and community-related arts. This concert will benefit The House of Restoration girls outreach program and residential facility.

Photos: Keyana Collins

41

EXFOLIATE You should always exfoliate your lips. You can make a homemade lip exfoli-ate with sugar, honey and coconut oil.

THE BIG EYE The illusion of a bigger eye. Instead of lining your water line with dark eyeliner, use a white eyeliner to create the bigger eye look.

FOUNDATION To have the perfect foundation match simply apply a thin layer of foundation to your jawline to assess the match. If the color blends into your skin. it’s the correct shade.

BEAUTY

Latrese M. Kabuya is an empowerment coach,

professional skin care and make-up artist with over

20 years in the beauty industry. Her experience

includes countless runway shows, weddings, and

photo-shoot events. She has also Freelanced for

Estee Lauder, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Lancôme, and

Kiehl's. Latrese's affable personality has given her

the opportunity to appear as a frequent guest on a

local television show Better KCTV5, providing

women not only skincare and makeup advice but

also coaching women of all ages to embrace a

healthy self-esteem.

Make-up Tips

Get The Look

42

STYLE

What are the top considerations for choosing a suit? The number one consideration when choosing a suit is the fit! When a suit doesn’t fit correctly nothing else flows. These are tried and true ways of ensuring that a suit is the right fit for you. Ensure that the suit’s shoulder pads end with your shoulders. Your flat hand should slip easily into your suit under the lapels when

the top (or middle) button is fastened. If you put a fist in, the suit should pull at the button.

The top button of a two-button suit — or the middle button of a three-button suit — should not fall below your navel.

With your arms at your sides, your knuckles should be even with the bottom of your jacket.

Jacket sleeves should fall where the base of your thumb meets your wrist.

Between a quarter and a half inch of shirt cuff should be visible.

Material I personally stay away from polyester blend suits. I find that polyester suits don’t breathe well and that’s too much to put up with during the short life of a suit. A 100% wool suit is definitely the way to go since wool is natu-ral, breathes well, and is also extremely stylish. Suit fabric is also im-portant to consider given the time of year. Fabric to season pairings in-clude: flannel during winter; cotton for spring, summer, and fall; and lin-en for the summer.

(Continued on page 44)

Image Is EVERYTHING

“The number

one considera-

tion when

choosing a suit

is the fit! When

a suit doesn’t fit

correctly noth-

ing else flows.

Terrell Jolly

43

Terrell Jolly

Integrity Capital Management

Raye Jackson, photo

44

Cut Two button suits generally works best for men with a full frame. Also, a flat front might not be the best choice for pants depending on the thick-ness of your thighs. For slim or taller men, three button suits work best, along with flat front pants.

Suit Trends? I personally don’t follow trends, I set them. But I have noticed that mix and match colors and patterns has remained popular. I prefer to wear some of my pants a little shorter to show off my socks. Pointed lapels and double breasted suits are timeless.

What’s in this season? Currently pastel and paisley colors are in for the summer.

What are the wardrobe essentials? For starters, a suit of each of these colors: black, blue, gray and brown. They should be solid colors in order to be versatile enough to wear for any occasion. Every man should also own a tuxedo. This is too often overlooked and pays for itself overtime in both style and convenience. To accompany the suits, white and blue button down shirts are essential. And capped off with brown and black shoes with matching belts. You can further accessorize for a touch of class with collar stays and cuff links.

Since fashion varies, when you create a look, how do you know it works? I simply go what is pleasing to my eyes. Being comfortable in your dress and letting it reflect you is the best way to hedge against shifting fashion trends. Do you.

Any other fashion tips for men? Never undervalue the importance of details – The final piece you put on is usually the first thing noticed. So mind the details instead of throwing together the main parts of your outfit. These details can include how your pocket square is folded, how shined your shoes are or even how your bowtie is tied. And a bonus tip for men who wear bowties: a bowtie is never supposed to look perfectly tied. Incorporate your personality into how you tie your knots. Like fashion in general, there are many ways to feature it.

(Continued from page 42)

“I simply go

what is pleasing

to my eyes. Be-

ing comfortable

in your dress

and letting it re-

flect you is the

best way to

hedge against

shifting fashion

trends. Do you.”

Terrell Jolly

Image Is EVERYTHING

45

Photo: Raye Jackson

The Fashion Opera. April 30th at Bartle Hall. Conceptualized in 2006 by fashion designer turned writer, Antonio Wingfield, The Fashion Opera is touring the country with its latest project, Fashion Arena. Fash-ion Arena is a traveling fashion show-case and marketplace characterized by art installations, the power of words, shopping, and a notorious fashion showcase filled with garments that many are calling wearable works of art.

Raye Jackson, photos

REVIEW

46

W hen choosing a suit, I go for nothing more than the material of the suit and I ask myself what is the material? Does it go with the season I'm currently in or dressing for... Am I going with a slim fit, tailored fit, or regular. These are the key questions to start with when suit searching. And you must not forget the tai-

loring process because your tailor can make a $100 suit look like $1,000. Trending- Double breasted suits are coming back to the light, as well as three piece suits. As accessories go, bow ties are in. However, I'm starting to see ties slowly but surely fade away in exchange for your lapel pins and pocket squares and my favorite, “crazy” socks. Your socks give character to your wardrobe. Another trending style--seer sucker suit, your grey, navy, charcoal and your staple hue black. You also have your khaki, Lenin and wool. Wool is great to have because it keeps the wrin-kles away and it allows you to get more wear out of it.

How do you know a look works? That’s simple. "Confidence" will tell you everything about a man be-

cause you can have on a $1,000 suit but the suit doesn't make you. You make the suit. Also, pay atten-

tion to personality when styling someone. If you know they are not an out-spoken person then it's a

great chance that they wouldn't “pull off” or feel comfortable in something that will draw atten-tion like add-ons, different hues or anything out of the norm.”

"Don't write your legacy. Wear it." Taking owner-ship in your craftsmanship will take you a long way and it will open doors for you to a life you never seen yourself living.

Image Is EVERYTHING

Personal Stylist Neko fields

Raye Jackson, photo

47

twelvekc.com

Visual Merchandiser &

Stylist 8 years

She and twin sister Ta-

sha, manage the blog

Madealikestyle. The

purpose of Madealike-

style (Lookbook) is to

give a general idea of

style and to inform

readers how to be fash-

ionable, even on a budg-

et!

Madealikestyle.com

Tamra Wright

STYLE

48

MUSIC

Blair Bryant

Raye Jackson, photos

49

Blair Bryant

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MUSIC

A t 22 years of age Blair Bryant pre-sents himself as somewhat of an

old soul. The product of a family of musi-cians with origins in the church, Blair says his love affair with music began 2 decades ago – yes – at two years old. “My mom played the or-gan in church on Sundays and I was kind of a bad kid, I guess, so they had the drummer watch me. I used to sit on his lap dur-ing service and watch him play the drums and some-times he would hand me a stick so I would play with him. Next thing you know it was over”. Starting with his first drum set and moving to the bass at the age of 13, music and instruments have been key in his life. “I fell in love with music so young. It was the notes, the composition, the chords. It was the move of the song, the beat of the song, I just wanted to mim-ic every sound.” Bryant is a “self-taught” musician who plays over 14 instruments. “My favorite instrument would probably be the base”, he laughs “that’s what everyone wants me to play now. I don’t even get a chance to really play the drums anymore”. While his passion for music is rooted in the church, is doesn’t end there. Hailing from Kansas City, a place that’s world renowned for its rich jazz and blues legacy, Bryant has written hundreds of original jazz composi-

tions over his short lifetime and plans to continue. You can find him playing locally for several churches and The University of Missouri Kan-sas City’s band. “I have my own band, Blair Bryant featuring

the B2 experience. We play at the Juke House a lot and the Blue Room a little bit. We also per-form at private par-ties and shows around the coun-try.” Recently signed to Innervision Records in 2016, his current single, “Lift Off” is climbing the groove jazz charts. He is set to premier his next music pro-ject “Gold,” later this summer. “I want to be rec-ognized for being a

good artist. I want to reach people with music. I want to make them feel good with my music. I just want to inspire people.” Being the “old soul” that he is Bryant has one bit of advice for the “younger” musi-cians just starting on their own musical jour-ney. “Do not give up. Don’t put the instrument down because you will never ever pick it back up. You gotta keep playing”.

“I fell In love with music so young. It was the notes, the composi-tion, the chords. It was the move of the song, the beat of the song, I just wanted to mImIc every sound.”

Sound & Soul

By Iman Lott

51

Blair Bryant

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Thu 06/02 5th Annual NETWORK 100 Event type: Conference Venue: UMKC Student Union: 5100

Cherry St Kansas City MO Time: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM Producer: TWELVE Magazine and pre-sented by 100 Black Men KC Contact: Email: [email protected] Web: twelvekc.com/network Thu 06/09 23rd Annual Business Associ-ate Event and Scholarship Program Event type: Networking Venue: Ryan' s Family Steakhouse: 10810 W. 75th Street Shawnee Select One Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Producer: charlotte collins, facilitator Contact: Charlotte Collins Email: [email protected] Phone: Web: http://www.abwa.org/chapter/golden-royalties Sat 06/11 Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Alpha Epsilon Zeta Christian Woman of the Year Scholarship Luncheon Event type: Fundraiser Venue: Overland Park Marriott: 10800 Metcalf Avenue Overland Park KS Time: 11:30 AM - 2:00 PM

Producer: Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Alpha Epsilon Zeta Chapter Contact: Carmen Hopkins Email: [email protected] Phone: Web:

Thu 06/30 "A Night to Remember" Feat. Grammy Award Winning Vocalist How-ard Hewett Event type: Fundraiser Venue: Nelson-Atkins Museum: 4525 Oak Street Kansas City MO Time: 5:30 PM - 10:00 PM

Producer: Awesome Ambitions Contact: LaShaundra Randolph Email: [email protected] Phone: 8162351032 Web: http://www.ticketsforless.com/awesomeambitions Sat 08/06 Black Entrepreneurs Blueprint 2 Success Summit Event type: Business - Finance Venue: delta athenaeum: 900 E Linwood Kansas City MO Time: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Producer: KCLOC Contact: Shanita Parker Email: [email protected] Phone: 816.26.7460

kcsoul.com

COMING UP 2016 SUMMER GUIDE

Add your events and more to kcsoul.com. Just create a login or use your Facebook log-in.

CALENDAR

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CAREER

Dr. Andrea Hendricks Federal Reserve Bank of KC

Photo:

Jessikha Williams

55

O ne key leadership tool is a Pro-fessional Board of Direc-tors. When it comes to person-al and professional life, every-

one needs advice. Many people know about the value of a coach, mentor or sponsor. All 3 offer different and reward-ing experiences. However, over the years, I have found having a personal board of directors is extremely valuable. This is structured just like a corporate board for an organization. But it is just for you!!! You need to have diverse professionals in your life to guide you through your jour-ney. Your board structure needs to have a finance leader, an education leader, a community leader, legal representation, family members and close friends. More importantly, they need to be representa-tive of all ages, genders, ethnicities and backgrounds. In order to get a rich and rewarding experience with your board, you need the mix to make it work. This process is a little different for everyone—some professional relationships happen naturally, while others require time. This one requires an investment of time, talent and treasure. The rewards are HUGE!!! The question I ask is Do you have a personal board of directors? Dr. Andrea Hendricks

THE INTERVIEW. The name of the game is being job-ready. If you make it through

the application stage and are fortunate to have an interview, these tips will help you with the next stage:

Applicants should do their homework. Research the company in advance and be able to answer general questions.

Have a list of prepared questions to ask the interviewer. Know you job history. Applicants may not know exact dates but should have knowledge

about their past experience without referring to their resumes. Practice interviewing. Know how you can bring value to the organization.

Denise Kelly, HR Director City of Lee’s Summit

CAREER: The Way To The Top

Dr. Andrea Hendricks is assistant vice president of human resources, depu-ty director of diversity and inclusion, and secretary and advisor to the Fed-eral Reserve Bank of Kansas City's Management Committee. Andrea leads a broad portfolio of work, in-cluding employee engagement pro-grams, EEO programs, organization-al development, and diversity and inclusion programs. Ms. Hendricks joined the Bank in 2014. Andrea brought with her extensive experience and expertise in diversity and inclusion, organizational devel-opment, and community engage-ment. Over the past 20 years, she worked in the non-profit, higher edu-cation, and financial services sectors. Andrea Hendricks holds a B.S. de-gree in Human Development Psy-chology and Mass Communications and a M.S. degree in Counseling Psychology from Kansas State Uni-versity, and a Ph.D degree in Psy-chology and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

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T here are plenty of reasons why you go to work every day. Just think about it. You go because you have bills to pay. You go because you

feel an obligation to your employer. You go because you feel like you don’t have any other options. You go because you’re supposed to, right? Have you ever stopped to really think about why it is you do what you do? I don’t mean the superfluous Q & A. I mean the real dig-down-deep kind of emotion evok-ing why. When you pinpoint what drives you to do the things you do you’re likely to find a more fulfilling and successful career with a more satisfying balance of work and play. Kenneth Cheadle is a Certified Life and Career Coach, a millennial leader, entrepreneur, author, speaker and frequent contributor to TWELVE magazine. He understands the career challenges in an ever-changing world can be overwhelming. So, Ken has dedicated himself to helping millennials navigate change in their life and in their career.

M y number one career tip is "To always remain professional". When one enters the work envi-ronment you must be mindful

that your movement may possibly be ob-served and/or scrutinized. Separate your per-sonal life from your professional life. You have been hired to perform a task. By setting a professional tone you may be selected for the fast track towards a leadership role. Mozella M. Dyer, ED.D., ED.S., M.B.A. President Kansas City Chapter National Black MBA Association

JOIN OUR TEAM OF EXPERTS Writers Editors & Content Providers Email: [email protected]

CAREER

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Kenneth Cheadle Certified Life Coach

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