The Independent - Celebrating AAPI Month

Captain Michael Dalton Patterson, United States Navy, Retired, and Mrs. Patterson of Raleigh, North Carolina, are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Erin Leigh Patterson, to James Davis Parkerson, the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Hutton Parkerson of Kansas City, Missouri. The bride-to-be is the granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clement James Sterck of Jacksonville, Florida, Jencie Mae Garner of Staunton, Virginia, and Mrs. Charles Gordon Patterson, Jr., of Manakin Sabot, Virginia, and the late Mr. Patterson. Erin is a graduate of Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, Virginia. She earned a bachelor of arts degree in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia. A member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, Erin is employed with WEP Clinical in Morrisville, North Carolina.

Her groom-elect is the grandson of Dr. and Mrs. Richard Earl Whitehead of Prairie Village, Kansas, and Mr. John Beveridge Parkerson of Ormond Beach, Florida, and the late Mrs. Parkerson. James is a graduate of The Pembroke Hill School. He was a Gentleman of The Jewel Ball and an escort in 2017. James earned a bachelor of arts degree in economics and statistics from the University of Virginia. A member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, he is employed with H.I.G. Capital in Miami, Florida. Theirs will be a September 23rd wedding at The Umstead Hotel & Spa in Cary, North Carolina.

In The Spotlight

Kansas City Ballet Guild will host the 56th annual Ballet Ball on December 1st at The Westin Kansas City at Crown Center. Susan Lordi Marker and Dennis Marker will serve as the honorary chairmen. Jo Anne Dondlinger will be the Ball chairman, and the Guild’s incoming president is Cyndi James. The evening will feature presentations by Kansas City Ballet School students, delicious cuisine, a raffle, and dancing to the musical stylings of KOKOMO. Proceeds will support Kansas City Ballet performances, the award-winning Kansas City Ballet School, and numerous educational programs in Our Town. More at kcindependent.com.

Jo Anne Dondlinger, Ball chairman; and Cyndi James, Guild incoming president

Strauss Peyton

Bethel Neighborhood Center opened its doors in 1911 as a community center of the Women’s Baptist Home Mission Society. The Center’s work focused on serving needy families, many who were new immigrants, and lived near or worked in the meat-packing plants of the West Bottoms of Kansas City. Today, its mission continues to be to empower individuals to achieve a renewed sense of hope, wellness, and self-sufficiency. Mang Sonna has been the executive director of Bethel Neighborhood Center since 2009. Prior to his appointment, he served as assistant program director for the organization. Mang’s previous experience included his roles as vice principal and principal of Rayburn College in Lamka, Manipur, India. Thank you, Mang, for the wonderful work you do for our community!

The Kansas City Asian American Health & Wellness Conference, presented by the Fountain of Life Senior Community Center, is set for May 23rd through the 26th. The virtual event combines the goals of Mental Health Awareness Month and Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Heritage Month to assist seniors in the AAPI community to learn how to improve their physical and mental health. There will be 16 sessions offered, including five in Mandarin, five in Cantonese, three in Korean, and three in Vietnamese. The lineup of speakers includes Iris Chang, Mike Cheung, Eriko Her, Steven Mak, Tim Wholf, Thao Le, Dr. Ciloue Cheng Stewart, Cathy Vu, Sarah Haupt, Dr. Paul Dew, and Heeseong Ha. Visit fountainoflifekc.org for more info.

I Wonder –how a chance meeting in the Florida grocery store could lead to a family connection in New York?

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The Japan Festival, presented by the Heart of America Japan-America Society (HAJAS), is a one-day event held every year at JCCC. HAJAS’ mission is to further the understanding between the people of Japan and the Greater Kansas City area by promoting social, cultural, and educational exchanges. This year’s event is set for October 7th. Visitors will enjoy Japanese musical performances, an exhibit showcasing Japanese cultural villages for kids, workshops, demonstrations, cultural presentations, and traditional Japanese foods, including snacks, sweets, and a candy artist. There are also many opportunities to shop for unique Japanese gifts, including crafts, Kimonos, Kokeshi dolls, ceramics, and more. The Festival was first held on the campus of the University of Missouri–Kansas City in 1997. Dr. Andrew Tsubaki served as the first chairperson of the committee. During this time, there was a Japanese Consulate in Kansas City led by Consul General Tatsuo Tanaka, who helped to start the Festival. Since 2016, James Satoshi Kanki has served as the Honorary Consul of Japan in Kansas City. Visit kcjapanfestival.org to learn more.

HONORARY CHAIRMAN

Mrs. Alan Reid Marsh

Who’s Who in The Jewel Ball

CHAIRMAN

Mrs. Norbert Russ

VICE CHAIRMAN

Mrs. Droste DeForest Milledge, Jr.

SPECIAL ASSISTANT Diana Withers Russ * STEERING COMMITTEE: Mrs. James Grant Burcham, Mrs. John Eric Gyllenborg, Mrs. Barret Spencer Heddens III, Mrs. Michael Atha Merriman, Mrs. William Keith Pence, Mrs. Bruce Alan Reed, Mrs. Mark Joseph Sachse, and Mrs. Dwayne Kent White * Ex-Officio Mrs. Phillip Scott Woodward * Junior Advisory Board Representative Mrs. Timothy Samuel Blackwell * ADVISORY

BOARD: Mrs. John French Barlow, Mrs. Bryant Page Barnes, Mrs. Frederick Aylette Embry, Mrs. Robert Eby Esrey, Mrs. Frederick Merry Goodwin, Jr., Mrs. Porter Thomas Hall III, Mrs. Thomas Myron Higgins III, Mrs. Irvine Oty Hockaday, Jr., Mrs. David Histed Hughes, Mrs. Eric Thor Jager, Mrs. William Patton Kline, Mrs. Paul Guthrie Koontz, Jr., Mrs. George Edward Leonard, Mrs. Alan Reid Marsh, Mrs. David Lee Moore, Mrs. Richard Moffett Orr, Mrs. Bartley John Readey III, Mrs. Charles William Schellhorn, Mrs. Michael Robert Thiessen, and Mrs. Robert Hartley

West * JUNIOR ADVISORY BOARD: Mrs. Hunter Westwood Armistead, Mrs. Timothy Samuel Blackwell, Emily Bartlett Darling, Mrs. Robert Eugene Horner, Mrs. Anthony Earle Jackson, Ann Louise Kirkland, Sarah Elizabeth Pence, Mary Gentry Reed, Amy Alexandra Sachse, and Katherine Elizabeth Sachse * MEN’S ADVISORY BOARD: Mr. James Grant Burcham, Mr. Michael Duane Fields, Mr. Barret Spencer Heddens III, Mr. Mark Joseph Sachse, Mr. Paul Uhlmann III, Mr. Dwayne Kent White, and Mr. Phillip Scott Woodward * GENERAL TREASURER Mrs. William Hutton Parkerson * ARRANGEMENTS CHAIRMAN Mrs. Robert Rickey Stuart * Co-Chairman Mrs. Michael Ryan Turner *

Committee Members: Mrs. Patrick Griffith Bolen, Mrs. Richard Harper Coulson, Dr. Brynn Shaffer Everist, Dr. Staci Nicole Reintjes, Mrs. Robert Starritt Scott, and Mrs. Harry Montgomery Spradling * BENEFACTOR/PATRON INSIGNIA CHAIRMAN Susan Ambler Spencer *

BOUTONNIERE CHAIRMAN Megan Lynn Bubb * Co-Chairman Mrs. Kevin Douglas Maughan * Committee Members: Mrs. Neilson Perry Atha, Mrs. James Christopher Burcham, Mrs. Anthony Earle Jackson, Maren Rymar Johnson, and Mrs. James Peter Sotos * DATABASE ARCHIVES

CHAIRMAN Heather Nicol Paxton * DATABASE CO-CHAIRMEN Mrs. Michael Atha Merriman and Mrs. David Thornton Manry Powell *

Committee Member: Mrs. Jason Alexander Norris * DEBUTANTE CHAIRMAN Mrs. Kevin Joseph Rooney * Debutante Assistant Ann Wilson McCray * DEBUTANTE TEA CO-CHAIRMEN Mrs. Michael Robert Thiessen, Mrs. John Michael Waldeck, and Linda Rubin Watson *

Committee Member: Mrs. Gary Paul Grandcolas * DECORATIONS CHAIRMAN Mrs. Charles Hodge V * Co-Chairman Diana Withers

Russ * Committee Members: Mrs. David Rall Bradley, Jr., Mrs. Alexander Robert Dunn, Mrs. Robert Clay Grant, Mrs. William Thomas Grant II, Mrs. William Thomas Grant III, Mrs. Scott Taylor Hall, Caroline Valentine Hogan, Allison Duncan Laner, Mrs. Robert Oliver Lesley III, Emily Ann McCann, Mrs. Norman Michael Neubauer, Mrs. Brandon Michael Nott, Mrs. Brian David Petersen, Dr. Lara Langstaff Sulliva n, Penelope Hall Vrooman, Penelope Smith Vrooman, and Mrs. Thomas Jefferson Wood III * FAMILY DATA CHAIRMAN Mrs. Jason Alexander Norris * Co-Chairmen Emily Bartlett Darling and Mrs. David Walter Dickey * FAMILY LIAISON CHAIRMAN Mrs. Christopher Dale Long *

Co-Chairman Mrs. David Thornton Manry Powell * Special Assistant: Jenny Turner Tuttle * Committee Members: Mrs. David Parker Bleakley, Mrs. Mark Russell Frame, Mrs. Stephen Michael Gorny, Mrs. Lawrence Clinton Hoffman, Mrs. Jeffrey Michael Johnson, Elizabeth Merritt Kerr, Mrs. Robert Morton Kissick, Jr., Mrs. Robert Lyman Knighton, Mrs. William John Kornitzer III, Sandra Morello McCray, Mrs. Charles Allan Penner, Mrs. Mark Alan Peterson, Mrs. Nelson Raymond Sabates, Mrs. Adam Phinney Sachs, and Mrs. Christopher Jordan Swope *

GENTLEMEN OF THE JEWEL BALL CHAIRMAN Mrs. John Darren Harding * Gentlemen of The Jewel Ball Rehearsal Chairman Mr. Robert Vanneman Spake, Jr. * Co-Chairman Dr. Brian MacNeille Everist * Gentlemen of The Jewel Ball Serenade Chairman Mr. Daniel Patrick Bolen * Co-Chairman

Mr. Matthew David Bleakley * Serenade Liaison Chairman Mrs. John Scott Robertson * Co-Chairman Mrs. Robert Palmer Ingram III *

INVITATIONS CHAIRMAN Mrs. Thomas I. Volini * Co-Chairman Mrs. Matthew Allen Hummel * Committee Members: Mrs. Richard Hunter

Chamberlain, Cynthia Rapelye Cowherd, Mrs. William Austin Hall, Lisa Merrill Hickok, Mrs. Niles Ericsson Jager, Mrs. Bradford McClure Johnson, Mrs. Russell Scarritt Jones, Jr., Elizabeth Merritt Kerr, Mrs. David Branson Launder, Mrs. Droste DeForest Milledge, Jr., Heather Nicol Paxton, Mrs. Nicholas Kuehn Powell, and Mrs. Robert Vanneman Spake

Richard Joseph Nachbar III, who is known as Tripp, received an early birthday present this year. His brother, William Prentice Nachbar, was born on January 4th – three days before Tripp’s very first cakedate! The boys’ parents are Brooke and Richard Nachbar, Jr., of Leawood, Kansas. Grandparents Diana and Brian Willliams and Joni and Richard Nachbar are delighted with this adorable addition to the family. The newest Nachbar will be known as Liam. His first name is a nod to his mother’s maiden name, and his middle name is in honor of Brooke’s grandfather. Liam weighed seven pounds, six ounces, and was 21 inches long. He has brown hair and brown eyes. Already, the two brothers are the best of friends!

Donny Cruz was only 12 years old when he began dreaming of bottling his family’s unique soy sauce. His father, Teodoro Cruz, a native of Guam, perfected a soy sauce that was created by his ancestors nearly 200 years ago. It can be used to marinate steaks, fish, chicken, pork, and more. Teodoro brought the recipe with him when the family moved to the Midwest. In 2003, Donny used his father’s recipe to create the first American branded soy sauce. The delicious soy sauce is low sodium, non-GMO, all natural, and gluten-free. Visit pacificislandsauces.com to learn more.

Cafe Cà Phê, Kansas City’s first Vietnamese coffee shop, is celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month by hosting the second annual Kansas City AAPI Festival on May 20th at Columbus Square Park. This year’s theme is “ICONIC: A Throwback to 1999,” and the aesthetic will be 1990’s magazine cover. Make sure to dig out your acid-washed jeans, tube tops, red leather jackets, platform shoes, and more for this fun event. AAPI guests are invited to wear traditional garments from their culture to show off AAPI pride during a fun fashion show. Entertainment for the event features AAPI performers, including DJ Kay Fan, Three Trails Taiko, Wenny Grant, and more. Vendors from the AAPI community will be selling their unique items.

The Missouri Asian American Youth (MAAY) Foundation will present The Asian American Voice: Reclaiming the Narratives exhibit at ArtsKC from May 23rd through the 25th. The exhibition honors Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month by elevating young artists and highlighting the exceptional collection of artwork created by talented Asian American artists from Missouri. The MAAY Foundation was created to provide young people with the tools, training, and self-confidence to be leaders in the classroom, boardroom, and beyond. For more information, visit maayfoundation.com.

UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES

Life Unlimited’s mission is to support people with developmental disabilities as they experience life with unlimited possibilities. It is the largest service provider for adults with disabilities in the metropolitan area. Life Unlimited was formed by the merger of three previously independent organizations: Immacolata Manor, Concerned Care, and Open Options, (which was once known as Open Options UCP, following a merger with United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Kansas City). The programs that Life Unlimited offers include Community Living, which offers housing in a variety of residential settings. Clients receive services that include personal care, money management, transportation, and medication administration. For clients and their families who prefer independent living at home, there is the Community Support Options program. This focuses on individualized skill development, community integration, and personal assistant services. The Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program uses the science of behavior, along with sessions with caregivers and behavioral analysts, to foster positive change through data-based decision making. In the Day Services program, which is known as “My Day,” a participant’s day might include volunteering at a soup kitchen, social skills development, or exercising at the local community center. The organization’s support staff works to help each individual to make their goals and outcomes a reality. More than 500 clients participate each year in the Community Therapeutic Recreation program. There are a variety of activities, including bowling, attending classes in subjects such as cooking

“By my son Conrad’s first birthday, we knew that something wasn’t normal, and he was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy. With the help of so many incredible people and great organizations, my son is reaching his full potential. As a dad, one of my biggest fears is the unknown of how his disability will impact his adulthood. There are numerous organizations focused on babies and kids but I was in search of an organization that also helped adults. This is what drew me to Open Options (now Life Unlimited). After researching Open Options for several months, I reached out for an introductory meeting. Within minutes of the initial meeting, I could sense Open Options’ passion and drive to serve those with disabilities.”

– Brian Mall, board member

David Riffel

Chrysi, Conrad, Brian, and Hutson Mall

Brian, Rebecca Hall, and Rose

The exterior of a Life Unlimited residence

The interior of a Life Unlimited residence

and fitness, responding to music therapy, or volunteering, all with the goals of promoting physical well-being, social skills development, and community integration. Life Unlimited also has an Employment Services program. It provides individualized employment services, including job skills training, placement and coaching, to help individuals find and maintain meaningful jobs in their community. The organization is committed to the idea that everyone has talents and abilities that can make an impact through employment. Katie, a 24-year-old client with Down syndrome, was able to attain a job as a dining room attendant, thanks to her own determination coupled with the involvement of an employment specialist. For the first four weeks of Katie’s work, the employment specialist accompanied her to every shift, developing systems that would improve her abilities to handle her responsibilities, and ensuring that her manager and co-workers were aware of ways to enhance their communications with Katie, making it easier for them to provide training and feedback to her directly. Once that process was completed, the employment specialist continued meeting with Katie, but only twice per month. Katie’s story highlights the goals of Life Unlimited: she has achieved success in her chosen endeavor. This is a source of satisfaction to her and to those close to her. More at kcindependent.com.

“Finding My Day was a miracle for us! The program enhanced Holly’s social development and enabled both my husband and me to go to work knowing that she was in very good hands! (After Holly was deemed too medically fragile to return to her former day program,) Holly’s case manager helped us find the My Day program which was only six miles from where we lived. We met with a team of support staff including the director of My Day, Julie Turley, and the Life Unlimited nurse. After meeting Holly and talking about her needs, it was decided that the My Day program would be a suitable place for Holly to spend her weekdays while I and her stepfather were working. This was a real blessing for us.

Michael and I were more at ease with the staff at My Day and Holly sure took a liking to her main care provider, Kathy Cooper. Kathy was very attentive to Holly, talking to her and making her laugh often. Holly’s favorite activities included watching NASCAR races, Judge Judy, Thomas the Train, and Star Trek Voyager.”

– Ginger and Michael French

Brian

Deb attended Life Unlimited’s Day Services program, “My Day”.

Sarah Oyen, namesake of the Sarah Oyen Classic, an annual fundraiser; participated in a Therapeutic Recreation program.

Julie Edlund, Life Unlimited; with Rose

... Eric Chapman and his mother Jacquie Coen Reprinted from the November 9, 2002 issue of The Independent.

Monica Curls and Tracy Musolf will serve as the co-chairmen for Starry Night at Starlight, which will be held on July 22nd at Starlight Theatre. The 2023 Class of All-Stars will be spotlighted at the event, which will feature a theme based on the Starlight production of Rain – A Tribute to the Beatles. All of the All-Stars are known for their charitable endeavors. Proceeds are earmarked for the Starlight Bob Rohlf Internship Program.

Monica Curls, co-chairman

Tracy Musolf, co-chairman

Sam Barnett, All-Star

Andrea Boswell-Burns and JJ Burns, All-Stars

Laura Brozovich, All-Star

Traci Clatterbuck, All-Star

Jamie Day, All-Star

Jacob Derritt, All-Star

Theresa Garza, All-Star

Kyri Gorges, All-Star

Tonya and Lawrence Guinn, All-Stars

Daniel and Angela Kennedy, All-Stars

Teresa Martinez and Tyler Means, All-Stars

Stacy Mayer, All-Star

Rachel Merlo, All-Star

Taylor Mills, All-Star

Mark Moberly and Kerri Stowell, All-Stars

Melissa and Robert Hingula, All-Stars

Dudley Hogue, All-Star

Elise Jones, All-Star

Name Dropping

By Heather N. Paxton Graham Porter

Joan Knight Marsh (Mrs. Alan Reid Marsh) is serving as the honorary chairman of the 2023 Jewel Ball. She was the chairman of the 1997 Jewel Ball.

The former Dorothy Joan Knight attended the University of Missouri. A member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority, she is a graduate of Texas Tech University.

Joan wed Alan Reid Marsh in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1958. As newlyweds, they resided in Clarinda, Iowa, where Alan, a graduate of Stanford University, was employed with Burns & McDonnell. They subsequently returned to Our Town.

Joan and Alan became the parents of two sons, Alan Reid Marsh, Jr. and Clayton Knight Marsh, both of whom were Jewel Ball floor committee members. (The floor committee was the predecessor of The Gentlemen of The Jewel Ball.) Their elder son, Reid, was Jean Louise Levitt’s escort for the 1979 Jewel Ball. Clayton served as Karen Ruth Holden’s escort at the 1982 Jewel Ball. Reid wed Mary Farnsworth, and Clayton married Margaret Hastings. The Marshes have eight grandchildren – Anna even has the distinction of having been born the week of the 1997 Ball. Anna is known to Joan and Alan as their “Jewel Ball Baby.” Of the eight grandchildren, Jack and Clayton F. have been Pages, Margaret and Anna curtsied as Debutantes, and Jack, Clayton F., Freddy, and Robby made their bows as Gentlemen of The Jewel Ball.

In 1969, Joan was the founder of MarshMedia, an educational publishing firm. She served as the company’s president until its sale in 2011. In addition, she is the author and publisher of 25 books for children and 17 historical biographies.

Early in their marriage, Joan was active in the Junior Women’s Philharmonic and the Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri, where she was an officer and the recipient of the Junior League Community Service Award in 1999. At the time Joan became Jewel Ball chairman, her charitable activities also included the positions of past president of the Children’s Relief Association, and past president of the Pembroke Country Day School Parents Association. She had recently served as the chairman of the Rose Brooks Cabaret ‘94 and the FAO Schwarz opening benefit for Children’s Mercy Hospital.

Since then, Joan has served as the president of the Friends of Children’s Mercy Hospital auxiliary board. Joan and Alan have filled leadership roles in the Genevieve Byrne Speaker Series events, which benefit the American Red Cross, and also The National WWI Museum and Memorial, and Saint Luke’s Hospital Foundation.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art has played an important role in the life of the Marshes. In 2012, Joan was a co-founder of the Committee of 100. The C100 Luncheon is an annual event, which features a noteworthy speaker discoursing on topics such as art, interior design, and architectural design, followed by a sumptuous luncheon in Kirkwood Hall. Alan was a member of the Museum’s board of trustees for 15 years, and served as a representative of the Museum at the 2017 Jewel Ball. He had previously been an announcer and an usher at The Jewel Ball.

1997 marked the 43rd anniversary of The Jewel Ball. The event was notable for being more integrated than previous Balls. As Laura Rollins Hockaday wrote in the Kansas City Star, “For the first time since the founding of the Ball in 1954, two young African-American women will make their bows in Kirkwood Hall, on the South Terrace, and in Rozzelle Court.”

The two were Allyson Lelia Ashley, daughter of DeVette and Dr. Lillard Governor Ashley, Jr. and Marissa Dianne Cleaver, daughter of Dianne and Mayor Emanuel Cleaver II.

Joan was joined on the podium by Donald Joyce Hall, who represented the The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and Richard Henry Spencer, who represented the Kansas City Symphony. The Ball’s outlook was bright: sunshine yellow was the predominant color, with antique gold accents. Ancient Greek caryatids were among the decorations. Adding an air of whimsy in Rozzelle Court were three large hot air balloons, custom made by Trapp and Company, which hovered above the fountain. Making for an even more golden evening was the fact that it was June 21st, the longest day of the year.

Anne Potter Russ (Mrs. Norbert Russ) is the chairman of The Jewel Ball. The event will be held on June 17th at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. More at kcindependent.com.

The Joseph James LeMark Memorial Golf Tournament

Friday, May 26th at St. Andrew’s Golf Club

Proceeds from the Tournament will benefit the Joseph James LeMark Memorial Foundation and our partnership with First Tee of Greater Kansas City. First Tee is a youth development organization teaching young people positive values such as honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, and confidence while using the game of golf as a tool. The Joseph James LeMark Memorial Foundation is managed by the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. To donate and learn more, visit jjlmemorial.com.

Reprinted from the July 5, 1997 issue of The Independent.

Mrs. Alan Reid Marsh, chairman of the 1997 Jewel Ball

Words Of Welcome

Two events are on the calendar for Leawood Welcomers in the coming weeks. Marcia McCoy, Saint Luke’s Muriel I. Kauffman Women’s Heart Center, will address the subject of heart health at the 2023 Spring Hospitality Coffee on May 17th at Leawood City Hall. Kaite Mediatore Stover, Kansas City Public Library, will speak to the Leawood Welcomers’ Book Club on the culture and etiquette of book clubs at the Leawood Pioneer Library on May 24th. Leawood Welcomers, a social organization which sponsors numerous events, including presentations by acclaimed women speakers, is celebrating 65 years. More at kcindependent.com.

Bring the beauty of nature into your workplace or home with the lovely designs of Kirsten Wilson and Irena Rice of Nature Matters KC. Their process involves creating unique and customized art using 100 percent natural preserved moss and plants. The stunning pieces provide an eye-catching addition to any space. To learn more, contact Irena at 913-707-7132.

GOCHEW Burger & Sandwich is Kansas City’s first Korean American food truck. It serves mouthwatering fare through pop-up events and pre-ordered pick up and delivery within 30 miles of Independence, Missouri. The menu of delicious Korean/American foods includes spicy, sweet, and savory offerings. The goal is to make it easier for Kansas Citians to try their favorite foods which are made with the wonderful flavors of Korea. To learn more, visit go-chew.com.

Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy’s inaugural Leading with Love celebration is set for June 15th at Loews Kansas City Hotel. Enjoy cocktails, dinner, an auction, and more. Ann and Andrew Tisch are the honored guests for the evening. Founder Christine Kemper, board chair, and Event Co-chairs Tammy Edwards, Debby Ballard, Laura Welch, Mara Cohara, and Jeanette Prenger are hard at work on this exciting event. Learn more at kcgpa.org.

Operation Breakthrough’s 25th annual Big Dreams - Bright Futures event will be held on June 15th at the Muehlebach Tower of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. Enjoy dinner, drinks, a silent auction, a program with entertainment from some of the children served by Operation Breakthrough, and a Wine Raffle. For more information, visit operationbreakthrough.org.

Family Health Care KC’s Tacos & Beer on the Boulevard will be held on June 15th at Boulevard Brewing Company. Enjoy delicious fare, beer and wine, great music, a silent auction, a raffle, and more. Vanessa Harrison Self, Josh Gochenour, and Melissa Basgall are serving as co-chairs for the event. Visit swbfhc.org to learn more.

Marcia McCoy, featured speaker

Congratulations, Nancy, for being recognized at this year’s Life Unlimited Hats Off to Mothers luncheon!

Editor Nancy Sachse, The Independent; was flanked by daughters Amy and Kate.

June 10th, 2023

Best Of The Season

April 20th was the date, and Feasts of Fancy was the place for Tablesteaks, hosted by the American Royal. Ken Wagner served as the chairman. Mo Brings Plenty, star of the television series Yellowstone, was the featured guest. The auction highlight was a custom artwork piece by Mike Savage. Funds raised support the American Royal’s mission to be the nation’s leader for food and agriculture education, events, and engagement. Proceeds also support new youth scholarships.

Ken Wagner, chairman; Mo Brings Plenty, featured guest; and Gordon Lansford, American Royal board chairman

Walt George, Jim Gamble, Mo Brings Plenty, James Rodenberg, Ryan Vickery, and Chip George

Current and Former American Royal Board Members: Charlie Tetrick, Mike Roos, Gordon Lansford, American Royal board chairman; Lindsey Smith, Mo Brings Plenty, featured guest; Allen Dillingham, John Mitchell, Ken Wagner, chairman; and Walt George

Kelli Schrag, Kyle Vena, Allyssa King, and Macy Evans, American Royal; Mo Brings Plenty, featured guest; and Lauren Luhrs, Cliff Becker, Harold Bertz, and Jackie McClaskey, American Royal

Side

The Benefactor Party for th Contemporary Art on March which was held on April 1s Singer were the Ball co-chairmen Mary Beth Gentry is the president

Jo Anne Dondlinger and Gigi Rose with Peggy Beal and Karen Yungmeyer, auction co-chairmen

Juliette Singer and Edie Downing, Ball co-chairmen

Edie Downing, Ball co-chairman; Drs. Karla and Ivan Batlle, Ball honorary chairmen; and Ian Spinks and Juliette Singer, Ball co-chairman

Andrew and Peggy Beal, Lucinda Rice-Petrie, and Susann Ogg and Jeff Anthony

Barbara Spilker, Mary Leonida, Karen Mische, Michael Breeden, Lyric Opera of Kansas City; and Sharon and Michael Barry

Doug Peavey, Carmen Sabates, Carolyn Price and Lou Ferro, and Circle President Mary Beth and Jimmy Gentry

By Side By Side

he Lyric Opera Circle’s Lyric Opera Ball was held at the Nerman Museum of h 28th. Drs. Karla and Ivan Batlle served as the honorary chairmen for the Ball, st at the Sheraton Kansas City Hotel at Crown Center. Edie Downing and Juliette n, and Peggy Beal and Karen Yungmeyer served as the auction co-chairmen. t of the Lyric Opera Circle.

More at kcindependent.com.

Joseph and Kelly Privitera, Deanna Diebolt, and Kristina Klug

Carl and Lynne Weilert, Sheila and Dr. William Jewell, Jenny Manka, and Nicole and Richard Browne

Bill and Regina Kort with Drs. Karla and Ivan Batlle, Ball honorary chairmen

Dr. Robert and Pam Bruce with Anne and Howard Elsberry

David Christian and Jill Ingram Reynolds, Suzanne Shank, Charlotte Barksdale, and Travis Marshall

Jack and Trudy Gabriel, Lora Smith, and Angela and John Walker

TRAILBLAZER: ANDI MEYER

BY PAUL HORSLEY

There are many roads to a theater career. Andi Meyer prepared for her profession by way of several traditional routes: She studied theater as a teen in North Dakota and earned a bachelor of arts degree at UMKC Theatre. She was also a part of the award-winning radio show, Right Between the Ears, and in recent years she has appeared on most of Kansas City’s stages. Now a full-time member of the artistic staff of the Kansas City Repertory Theatre, she has also formed her own theater ensemble.

But long before any of that came about, Andi observed Native Hawaiian traditions in the state of her birth: experiences that were, in many ways, distinctly theatrical. “As a small child in Hawaii, I was surrounded by performance and cultural practice,” said Andi, who today is artistic associate at the Rep and founding artistic director of Tradewind Arts. “It’s really part of the Hawaiian culture: the hula, the chanting, the songs, the playing of instruments. … I really absorbed it there, and I remember being fascinated, as an elementary school student, by these performances.”

Part of this fascination, she believes, is genetic. “I am both Native Hawaiian and Japanese Okinawan,” she said. “My family on the Japanese side came to the Hawaiian Territory in the 1880s.” Andi identifies as AANHPI (Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander): an acronym that some agencies are adopting today as an alternative to AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) toward clarifyingthe statistical differences in such areas as health outcomes and resource needs. “Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders have such different histories,” Andi said. “There is a wide gap between our cultures.”

Her father was a professor of political science and sociology, her mother a nurse. Andi caught the theater bug early on, although she does not remember knowing of any Asian American playwrights growing up. While her full-time job today is with the Rep, in 2015 she formed Tradewind Arts, an organization dedicated to “illuminating, motivating, and amplifying the Native Hawaiian, Pasifika, and Asian American diasporic voice through diverse creative media, particularly in the theatrical arts,” according to its website.

Andi hopes the group can pave roads for new works and perspectives from Native Hawaiian, Oceanic, and Asian American populations and theater artists. Next season, in fact, Tradewind Arts will partner with the Coterie Theatre on a National Endowment for the Arts-funded production of Justice at War. This new play by Mimi Jo Katano, Wendy Lement, and Jordan Winer is a reenactment of the 1944 Supreme Court case Mitsuye Endo 323 U.S. 283, which successfully challenged the legitimacy of the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II.

Andi believes in wisdom she heard from Kevin Willmott, The University of Kansas professor of film and media studies who is also a playwright and Oscar-winning screenwriter: “Don’t wait for anyone else to tell your story,” he said. “Tell it yourself.”

AAPI theater artists have long awaited their turn at the table, and now is the time. And it’s about allocation of resources: Why not offer the playwrighting grant to the person who lived the story firsthand? It’s hardly a novel idea, but it has been a long time coming.

“Are we consciously trying to cultivate voices from the Asian America, Black, Latine, Native diasporas?” Andi asked. Rather than continuing to offer opportunities to what she calls “the global majority,” it’s time for the theater world to devote resources to “developing the stories and the voices and the talent within these actual populations.”

Change is not simple, but it is underway. “It’s a whole systemic shift that covers not only the artistic and technical and design staff,” Andi said, “but also the audience, the community, philanthropy, city development, all of those things.” Representation goes beyond just putting AAPI actors onstage: It applies to all areas of production.

“Don’t have designers who put Japanese trees in China, or Vietnamese music in a story about Tibetan people,” Andi said, citing examples of how representation can go wrong even in the details. “You will have a greater likelihood of cultural authenticity if you actually let people be engaged in telling their own stories.”

For information about KCRep for All, go to kcrep.org/event/ kcrep-for-all. For more on Andi’s company, see tradewindarts.org. More at kcindependent.com.

Andi Meyer

Nelson Eusebio III and Andi Meyer were pictured at a recent presentation of KCRep for All, a project designed to take theater productions such as this year’s the ripple, the wave that carried me home, into community venues.

Eric Palmquist, Un Joo Christopher, and Andi Meyer starred in the Coterie Theater’s production of Hana’s Suitcase.

Sean Yeung and Andi Meyer starred in Qui Nguyen’s path-forging play, Vietgone, at the Unicorn Theatre, which in 2018 became one of the first all-Asian performances in the history of Kansas City professional theater.

Professor

The

Owner and Metalsmith, Ngan Vuong Designs NganVuong.com @NganVuongDesigns

Partner, The Beyond Borders Collective TheBeyondBordersCollective.com

@TheBeyondBordersCollective

@AZNPRDStreetwear

Kri

HIIT

HiitFitt.com • @Kri_Chay  SARINADE Sarinade.com • @TasteOfAAPI @Authentic_Sarinade

Photography Bonjwing.com @Bonjwing

Ho Anthony Ahn Private Cello Instructor Retired Member, Kansas City Symphony @HoAnthonyAhn

Pam Liberda Owner/Chef, Waldo Thai WaldoThai.com @PLiberda

Bing Low Market Research Analyst, Mercury Broadband LinkedIn.com/in/Bing-Low

Joohae Yoon Founder, GOCHEW Burger & Sandwich GO-CHEW.com @GOCHEW.KC

Jackie Nguyen CEO, Cafe Cà Phê CafeCaphe.com @CafeCaPhe

Johnny Chen and Boggie Otgonbayar Owners, Mr.D’s Donuts @MrDsDonutshop

Dr. Lillian G. Pardo Co-founder and Executive Director, Sinag-Tala Performing Arts Troupe, Filipino Association of GKC Filipino-Association.org

Emerita, Pediatrics and Neurology

University of Kansas Medical Center

Ngan Vuong Owner/Therapist, Creative Inner Connection CreativeInnerConnection.com @Creative_Inner_Connection

Keyo Chay and Kri Chay Founders, AZN PRD Streetwear  AZNPRDStreetwear.com

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Shivani Meave Business Development, Smart Info Technologies SmartInfoTechnologies.com

Emily Soo Weber

State Representative District 24, Missouri House of Representatives EmilyForMissouri.com @Emily4MO

Phon Wills

TRAILBLAZING: ASIAN AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

AsianChamberKC.com

he Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City was founded in 1998 by Young Sexton and Joseph Melookaran. The mission of the non profit is to, “enhance the economic opportunities for Asian American businesses through education, networking, and advocacy while promoting community engagement and visibility.” As John Thong, president, stated, “The past few years have highlighted a desire for greater community and support among our members. I am extremely energized and encouraged by how our Chamber supports membership and community as a whole.” The Chamber is active through events such as the Annual Career Fair, various ribbon cuttings, scholarship awards, B2B Procurement Networking, and much more. Funds are raised through an annual golf tournament and holiday party, and proceeds go to KVC Health Systems and Children’s Mercy Hospital. Volunteers are always needed and encouraged to contact the Chamber. More at kcindependent.com.

TTRAILBLAZER: KUOK-WAI LIO

Agraduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Pianist Kuok-Wai Lio is a recipient of the Avery Fisher Career Grant administered by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Career Advancement Award given by the Musical Fund Society of Philadelphia, and a Scholarship award by the Feltsman Piano Foundation. Kuok-Wai Lio is a student at Park University’s International Center for Music. The Vancouver Sun calls him “a musician’s musician,” and The New York Times touts his “hypnotic” effect. The Macau-born pianist has performed as a concerto soloist with orchestras all around the world, including the China Philharmonic, Macau Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Camerata Salzburg, the Kansas City Symphony with Michael Stern, and the Houston Symphony Orchestra. His prize-winning ways have also reached around the globe. When he is not ensconced in his music activities, the talented pianist is found reading, walking in nature, and cooking with friends. He is interested in art, literature, poetry, psychology, philosophy, theology, history, and languages. He speaks English, German, Portuguese, Mandarin, and is working on Hebrew. More at kcindependent.com.

TRAILBLAZER: MARIA NGUYEN

Maria Nguyen is a senior at Bishop Miege High School. Along with her parents and five siblings, her family is involved in community service, primarily at nursing homes. Maria occupies one of the top leadership positions at Miege – she’s a “herd executive.” Maria is an honor student and involved in many activities. She is a cross country captain and a member of both the honor choir and the newspaper staff. Her future plans are to attend The University of Kansas and either take pre-med courses or study occupational therapy.

More at kcindependent.com.

The ancient art of Ikebana, the arrangement of flowers based on the harmony of simple linear constructions and the appreciation of the subtle beauty of flowers, branches, and stems, was introduced in Japan in the sixth century by Chinese Buddhist missionaries. Kansas City Ikebana Group began in 1978 with a group of people who wished to study, teach, and create displays of Ikebana. Members of the organization have exhibited their beautiful designs in many locations across Kansas City, including the Loose Park Garden Center, Powell Gardens, the Carlsen Center at JCCC, and more.

Victor Hwang and Benny Lee attended the Entrepreneurship Workshop

Abraham Gin spoke to the group during the LinkedIn Optimization Workshop.

MARY BUCHE

Rachel’s Reads

For me, the short story is both an art form and a magic trick. Authors can write from a few pages to several thousand words and break my heart or give me an out-of-body experience. They can create worlds in which I am forced to confront deeper parts of myself or just transport me to a different world entirely. Authors can experiment with the form and can really pack a punch.

The Asian and Pacific Island diaspora communities have so much diversity in their experiences that it was fun to compile this list of seven short story collections. These collections focus on the engrossing and illuminating elements of different facets of their lives. From the traditional to the fantastic, these collections center the human experience.

Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So

Offering an expansive portrait of the lives of CambodianAmericans, this collection ranges from the absurd to the enormously tenderhearted. They are intimate and contain emotional precision from humor to grit to compassion.

This is Paradise: Stories by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Mary Buche, who is of Korean ancestry and was born in Seoul, South Korea, is the first Asian American to serve as the chair of the Community Bank Advisory Council of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She is senior vice president, fair banking & CRA officer at Lead Bank. (CRA stands for Community Reinvestment Act, a regulation meant to ensure that banks serve people with low to moderate incomes and small businesses in their communities.) Mary views mentorship as important and is thrilled that she has just been accepted as a Big by Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City. “I want young Asian females to see they have resources of support and that they belong in all places,” she said. Mary hopes they will feel more confident than she did in her youth. “I had to work to advocate for myself and it felt unnatural, as I was raised to not speak up and be modest,” she noted. In addition to her other responsibilities, Mary is a board member of Resurrection Catholic School and serves as the chair of the table committee for Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas’ Snow Ball. More at kcindependent.com.

REMEMBER WHEN - 51 Years Ago

This collection captures modern Hawai’i with breathtaking force. Kristiana travels across the islands and digs into the tensions between locals and tourists, between expectation and tradition, and between the façade and the true self. These stories remind us of the powerful desire to have a place to call home.

If You See Me, Don’t Say Hi by Neel Patel

In these sharp stories, Neel gives voice to stereotypes about Indian-Americans and turns them on their head. The men and women in this collection are full of passion, envy, regret, anger, and yearning. There are characters to root for and others to dislike, and each story has humanity and emotional weight.

Vā: Stories by Women of the Moana edited by Sisilia Eteuati and Lani Wendt Young

These stories by 38 women from across the Moana contain fantasy, humor, intrigue, and magic, and were written in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The stories contain such variety and can make us want to smile, cry, or potentially rage in anger.

Bliss Montage by Ling Ma

In this collection, Ling Ma tells of the humans making their way through the madness and reality of our world. They experience love, loneliness, connection, friendship, and possession. They are quiet and elegant, surreal and startling.

Ancestry by Albert Wendt

This collection explores the ideas of family, tradition, and culture through the eyes of people caught between modern life and the ancestral ties of their heritage. It tackles these major issues with wisdom and wit. They meditate on what it means to be human in an ever changing world.

Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang

Mr. and Mrs. Kichinosuke Tonomura from sister city Kurashiki, Japan, were in Town for a Japanese folk art exhibit at Hall’s. Mr. Tonomura directs the Kurashiki Museum of Folk Craft and, with Mrs. Tonomura, teaches at their weaving school. (L to R) Carl Fox of New York, (formerly of People-to-People, he is now director of Hallmark’s Folk Art Program and has written “The Doll” on doll-lore and craftsmanship); the Tonomuras; Mayor Charles B. Wheeler; and Mrs. Robert Plotsky, who visited the Tonomuras when she was in Japan.

Reprinted from the November 25, 1972 issue of The Independent.

Centered around the experiences of Asian immigrants living in New York, the collection mainly focuses on the coming of age of young women. These girls are loving, cruel, immature, and resilient, and yet want to be desired and seen. The collection is full of messiness and heart and is absolutely stunning.

Happy Reading!

“For me, any story I tackle begins with the human relationships and not the plot.” - C ELESTE N G

Sara Marie Photography

Mary Buche in a traditional Korean Hanbok

(Seated) Mary’s mother, Myong Yon Kearns (standing) Robert Kearns, her brother; and Mary Kearns Buche

Wilborn and Associates

TRAILBLAZING: FILIPINO ASSOCIATION OF GREATER KANSAS CITY

In 1968, the Filipino Association of Greater Kansas City was founded by Dr. Edilberto Lorenzo, Dr. Manuel Pardo, Dr. Arnulfo Sulit, and William R. Ick to preserve, promote, and enhance Filipino culture through education and cultural arts, and to provide service to the community at large through its projects and programs. The Association supports the Asian American Islander Heritage in Kansas City by participating in events that showcase its culture through dances and food. It also puts its philanthropic muscles behind the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City, and the Ethnic Enrichment Commission of Kansas City. According to the Census Bureau, there are more than 3,000 Filipinos in the Kansas City metro area, and the Association would love to be able to connect with and support all of those individuals. Its desire to share and preserve the Filipino culture provides opportunities for people to get involved in activities such as Sinag-Tala Dance Troupe,

TRAILBLAZER: WEIYI ZHANG

Weiyi Zhang was born in China and is an actor. Her education involved stints at several boarding schools, beginning when she was five years old. Weiyi later studied at the University of Iowa. While in Our Town, she was in the cast of productions such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare’s A Christmas Carol, Romeo and Juliet, The Tempest, The Pests, What We Give Back, and You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown for theatrical organizations that include the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, Kansas City Actors Theatre, and the Coterie Theatre. In addition, she acted in the film, Cooper. Weiyi is currently living in Los Angeles, California. More at kcindependent.com.

TRAILBLAZER: MATTHEW ESTES

Whether it involves swimming, playing the violin, working on cars, or working with computers, Matthew Estes of Shawnee Mission West High School is already putting in the dedication to be a renaissance man! He has made it to Top Orchestra at school, participated at the State Competition for swim and dive, and was selected to be part of Leadership Shawnee Mission. Matthew will attend The University of Kansas in the fall to study sports medicine. He is also a fan of technology and has built computers for himself and his father. And, in his spare time, he enjoys working on cars and with ceramics. We can’t wait to see what’s next! More at kcindependent.com.

REMEMBER WHEN 66 Years Ago

Reprinted

the Sampaguita Choir, and the Rondalla. In addition, there are hosted health fairs, blood drives, educational events, and even assistance from the Philippine Consulate. More at kcindependent.com.

(Seated) Cindy Kulphongpatana (standing) Helen Austin, Jonel Loreno, Rachel Manakul, Luz Conde, and Babette Orlich volunteered at the Blood Drive.

(Front row) Armando Costes (back row) Carlo Dix, Luz Conde, Evie Tan-Todd, and Paul delos Santos volunteered at the Ethnic Enrichment Festival.

Weiyi Zhang, Jacques Roy, and Sam Cordes in the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival’s Romeo and Juliet

Brian Paulette

Brian Collins

House of Toy – Featuring tomato green pepper beef (tender sirloin of beef with sliced green peppers and tomatoes with sauce) . . . also American meals and Chinese delicacies.

from the April 6, 1957 issue of The Independent.

TRAILBLAZER: ALLAN CHOW

ART Scene

By Anne Potter Russ

Need some color? Explore Allan Chow and explode the senses with the most delicious palette knife layers of luscious hues and contrasts that invite the soul to jump in and play. Dive into the Flint Hills with the sun, the grass, the fires, the rebirth, the storms - it’s all there. Desire something a bit more urban? The normally ubiquitous Western Auto sign and the Broadway Bridge are veritable vacation destinations on these canvases. The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is absolutely glowing, and the Missouri River through Allan’s eyes is gorgeous and tempting, enticing, and blue. Allan’s talent and technique immerse the audience in the pool of color, and the audience can’t wait to become engulfed in his world.

Born and raised in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and living and working in America, Allan’s artistic sensibilities are clearly influenced by both his Malaysian and stateside environs. Blending cultures turns out to be more difficult than blending his intoxicating colors. Being transplanted as a 13-year-old from Malaysia to Austin, Texas, with his two younger brothers presented a challenge for the young artist. Allan’s father had received a work opportunity in Austin, and his parents felt like it was a great chance for their sons to receive a western education. While that may have been true, the social and emotional price of relocating took its toll on Allan. But, despite the teen angst, he was lucky to have an art teacher in high school who served as a mentor for the budding artist.

The budding artist had an innocent enough beginning to his quest. According to Allan’s memory, “I remember when I was five standing in my living room and hovering over my mom’s shoulder looking at an ad for art classes in Malaysia. She signed me up and I attended every Sunday until I was about 12. I believed my teacher, who was an incredible Chinese calligrapher and artist, made a positive impression on me and inspired me. I grew up in a country where pursuing a career as an artist is not encouraged.”

Fast forward to the art teacher in Austin, and he made a recommendation to Allan and his parents to take a look at The Kansas City Art Institute. Starting at KCAI in 1987, he spent four years earning his degree as an illustrator. But … his heart was anchored in the thought of displaying his fine art in galleries and shows. Having created a portfolio of sorts with works depicting scenes from Malaysia, he wanted to pound the pavement, so to speak, and get discovered in Kansas City’s rich artistic incubation scene. The only problem with that dream was ensuring his ability to stay in the States with a green card. Existing on random shows and gallery stints will not satisfy the requirements.

To that end, Allan spent time learning graphic design in order to obtain a job with Grand Communications. While that didn’t last long, it gave him enough time to make the contacts to be represented by Prairiebrooke Arts - an association he still is proud to have. This partnership led to Allan being a self-sustaining artist with his works being in the collections of H&R Block, the Kansas City Chiefs, Russell Stover Candies, the Kauffman Foundation for the Performing Arts, and The University of Kansas Medical Center, among others.

After a stint in Portland, Oregon, he and his wife and children now live and work in Houston, Texas. He is able to keep Prairiebrooke Arts well-supplied by bringing pieces in person, while his wife visits family in the area. The Oregon residency coincided with the pandemic, and again found Allan struggling to make ends meet as an artist. The relocation to Houston, was, “... because we found a diverse community where we want to raise our children and the cost of living in Texas is much less than Oregon. Looking back, moving to Texas allowed our children to resume school quicker (post-pandemic), which gave us time to focus on regaining stability in our careers.”

The settled, happy Allan Chow is evident in his work. No matter his current location, he is clearly able to preserve and recreate extraordinary memories that turn into audacious and vibrant works. We could be very happy and settled, ourselves, gazing into the Flint Hills as Allan sees them. More at kcindependent.com.

Artist Allan Chow

Forever Young

TRAILBLAZING: INDIA ASSOCIATION OF KANSAS CITY

The India Association of Kansas City (IAKC), which was founded in 1965, works to foster Indian heritage and build a sense of unity between its community members and those of other Asian and American communities. The organization hosts several annual gatherings, including the India Republic Day, India Fest, India Nite, the New Year Ball, and the Health Fair, in addition to sports events. For the younger generation, IAKC has IAKC YUVA, which organizes extracurricular activities focused on community, caring, and creativity. The organization also sponsors a select number of scholarships each year to deserving students. More at kcindependent.com.

TRAILBLAZER:

KWAN LEUNG LING

TRAILBLAZER: SERGEANT STEPHEN STRODER

Kwan Leung Ling, who is from Hong Kong, is a student at the UMKC Conservatory. He is a composer and plays the suona, which is a traditional Chinese wind instrument. At the end of this month, his new composition, Snowflower, will have its premiere in Hong Kong. The piece will be performed by Wai Him Ma, the principal suona of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra at the Hong Kong City Hall Theatre. Kwan has served with the UMKC Composers Guild for two years. During that time, he has produced numerous chamber music concerts featuring works by UMKC composition students, performed by UMKC students along with guest artists. More at kcindependent.com.

With family from Tokyo, Japan, Sergeant Stephen Stroder of the North Patrol Division of the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department speaks some Japanese, and taught English in Japan for three and one-half years. Stephen is proud of his Japanese heritage. He has a degree in history from UMKC, is the father of three grown daughters, and has served in the military. (Although, he’ll tell anyone that his hardest job was being a stay-at-home dad!) Having always been interested in being an officer, he answered an ad for the position, and has now served in the role for the last 20 years. He loves interacting with people and helping them solve problems. The metro is lucky to have Stephen as a public servant! More at kcindependent.com.

Stage performers and coordinators at the Hilltop event in January 2023

SarabJeet Singh, 2023 president

Ainapurapu Photography and India Association of Kansas City

TRAILBLAZER: JUN IWASAKI

BY PAUL HORSLEY

If you grow up in a home with a celebrated pianist for a mother and a world-renowned cellist for a father, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll at least consider a career in music. For Jun Iwasaki, there was never any pressure to pursue piano or cello, or any instrument for that matter. But the very early exposure to great musicians and great music-making was engaging, and by age five Jun had already begun to settle on the violin.

“They put a cello in my hands first, and it didn’t take me long to switch,” said Jun, who this past fall became concertmaster of the Kansas City Symphony. “I don’t know if maybe it felt too cumbersome,” he said, adding with a laugh: “or maybe, you know the old adage, I didn’t want to do exactly what Dad did.”

Born in Japan, Jun moved with his family to The United States when he was a few weeks old. His father, Ko, initially had a position as cello professor at Illinois State University. “I never lived in Japan, but we went to visit every year to see grandparents and family,” Jun said. “So I was able to experience the culture, and I grew up speaking both languages at home. But as with most kids growing up in The United States, once you start going to school, it becomes harder to keep up the native tongue.”

Today he laughs when people compliment his English. “I just say, yeah, I’ve lived here for 40 years. They kind of assume, because of the way I look, that I must have immigrated recently.” A large Mitsubishi plant in the university town of Normal, Illinois, had brought numerous families from overseas, and young Jun was able to attend classes in Japanese each Saturday.

In the mid-1990s, his father took a post at Southern Methodist University, and Jun grew up winning many of the youth competitions in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He also established, through Ohio’s Encore School for Strings, a strong connection to the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he would eventually earn his bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Later he would also graduate from the Cleveland Institute’s Concertmaster Academy, a focused program that trained violinists for that rarified position at the front of an orchestra.

“My parents were surprised,” Jun said of the reaction at home of his career choice. “I think they were happy, but being musicians, they knew that the competition is high and the success level is low, and that it’s hard to make a living out of it. But they supported me all the way through.”

Jun’s father, now retired, was one of the most prominent cellists of his generation, and in addition to his teaching positions here, Ko was on the faculty at Toho Conservatory and ran international festivals in Japan. As a result, Jun got to meet plenty of legendary artists growing up: especially violinists such as Pinchas Zukerman, Cho-Liang Lin, and Gidon Kremer, some of whom he later found himself performing with onstage as concertmaster.

Just as important to the building of Jun’s musical persona was getting to hear his father’s cello sound during his formative years. “It’s rare for a child to be able to hear the sound of a Stradivarius every day of his life,” Jun said of the cello his father played at the time. “And even to have the chance to pull the bow across the strings. … Growing up hearing that sound my entire life shaped the way I produce sound on my violin now.”

To this day, he feels the pull of “having that knowledge, having the wherewithal, knowing that’s the kind of sound that can be produced, and having been lucky enough to hear it day in and day out, all day every day.”

Not long after his graduation from the Cleveland concertmaster program, Jun won a plum job at the Oregon Symphony, where he was concertmaster from 2007 to 2011. In 2011, Jun won the parallel post with the Nashville Symphony and its charismatic music director, Giancarlo Guerrero: There he quickly became a major figure in Music City’s cultural landscape.

When the Kansas City Symphony position came open, it seemed like a natural transition. “My family is happy here,” he said, of his wife, Paige, and the couple’s two school-aged children. “It’s everything that we had hoped it would be, and we look forward to seeing the growth continue.”

A concertmaster is the most important musician in an orchestra. He or she always sits at the front of the first violin section: a vestige, in part, of the period in which orchestras had no conductors and instead followed the physical and musical indications of the primo violino. Among the modern concertmaster’s responsibilities is to serve as symbolic leader of the strings, in addition to playing the many violin solos embedded in the repertoire.

Jun is also responsible for marking bowings for his section, for stage-managing the orchestra’s tuning, and for serving as a sort of spokesperson for the musicians. “The best thing about it is that you get to do everything,” he said. “You get to play all the wonderful symphonic repertoire that we have, and because you are in a leadership position, you will play a crucial role in how that music is played.” Concertmasters also get to perform chamber music with other orchestra members, and they get invited to take part in summer festivals around the world.

“You have to become your own leader,” Jun said of this most complicated of jobs, “and figure out what works best with whomever is on the podium at that moment. … You have to be a little bit of a chameleon… to be flexible and figure out very quickly what works and what doesn’t work.”

More at kcindependent.com.

Jun Iwaski became the Kansas City Symphony’s concertmaster in fall of 2022.

In November 2022, a Happy Hour Concert introduced Jun Iwasaki, left, to Kansas City Symphony audiences, along with Chia-Fei Lin, Stirling Trent, Filip Lazovski, MingYi Hsu, Jesse Keone Yukimura, and Susie Yang. (out of camera range) Meredith McCook

Alison Barnes Martin Photography

Fountain of Life was founded in 2022 by Jennifer Tung Alexander, Cher-Yee Lye, and Rebecca Tsang. The organization strives to meet the health and wellness needs of Asian elders. It offers a variety of programs, including Matinee Movie Club, Asian art classes, Plaza Dancing, and events, such as field trips, Hot Pot socials, and the Lunar New Year Celebration. “I was inspired to establish Fountain of Life after witnessing my 94-year-old grandmother experience cultural and linguistic barriers to accessing community resources,” said Jennifer Tung Alexander, co-founder and board president, adding, “I grew up with my grandmother. She helped take care of me when I was a child.” This month, Fountain of Life will host the Kansas City Asian American Health and Wellness Conference, a four-day virtual event which will begin on May 23rd. More at kcindependent.com.

TRAILBLAZER: KUNAL TANNA

Kunal Tanna is the assistant to the general manager of the Kansas City Chiefs. He is proud of his Gujarati Indian heritage. A tradition he is especially fond of is Navratri, a nine-day festival, which honors Durga, the goddess. Kunal’s father was from Mumbai, India. His late mother was born in Kampala, Uganda, which she left, due to Idi Amin’s dictatorship, moving to London, England. Kunal’s advice for young people, who, like him, are first-generation Americans? “Do not let anyone tell you that you can’t do anything you set your mind to, especially in sports. Growing up, most of us were pushed academically to become doctors, lawyers, or engineers. If you did not reach any of these professions, you were deemed as a failure. People might look at you and see your physical appearance and stereotype you. You and only YOU can create the real version of yourself.”

More at kcindependent.com.

REMEMBER WHEN - 48 Years Ago

Celebrating Chinese New Year at Trader Vic’s/Crown Center Hotel are Dr. Chein Liu (honored as “Outstanding Doctor of the Year” in San Francisco), Dr. C. C. Cheng (a specialist in cancer research recently invited to Poland to speak on that subject, he is a full professor of chemistry at U.M.K.C.), Trader Vic’s manager Mr. Willie Tung, and Mrs. James C. Durham (Mr. Durham is managing director of Crown Center Hotel).

Our Town’s own Lupe Moe, affectionately known as Aunty Lupe and Mama Lupe, serves on the board of the National Pacific Islander Education Network. The organization helps Pacific Islander students in the community to pursue their educational goals by providing financial aid, scholarship information, mentoring, and much more. The organization will not turn away any student who needs support. Lupe is Samoan and migrated with her family to Independence, Missouri, as a teenager. She attended Truman High School and the University of Central Missouri, where she earned her bachelor of science degree in general studies with an emphasis is social work. Lupe’s long history of public service includes serving as the Samoan Commissioner of the Kansas City Mayor’s Ethnic Enrichment Commission and serving on the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration Coalition. She was named as one of the Pioneering Women of Color for the city in 2018.

Hongxia Zhang, Shuteh Hsieh, Grace Tung, Xiuying Liao, Bi-Hua Chan, Tsoi-Yin Yeh, Yin Zhang, Yunming Li, Rebecca Tsang, Shann-Keun Yeh, Jia-Hu Yang, and Peter Xue at a Matinee Movie Club event

(Front row) Patti Zhang, Rebecca Tsang, and Ai-Hua Zhou (back row) Amy Shin, Kelly Wu, Shi-Yi Xue, Hoi Kei Au, volunteer art instructor; Shuteh Hsieh, and Grace Tung

Reprinted from the February 22, 1975 issue of The Independent.

TRAILBLAZING: CHINESE CLUB AND LION DANCE TEAM AT ROCKHURST HIGH SCHOOL

“As a Mandarin Chinese teacher and Lion Dance Team moderator, I have observed how Rockhurst High School students developed their learning interests from studying a hard language in the classroom to undertaking the physical challenge of traditional Chinese lion dance,” said Jackie Shao, who is also the Chinese Club moderator. For more than a decade, many Rockhurst students have been captivated by the Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn Festivals hosted by the Kansas City Chinese Association and The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art – and that interest has led to greater involvement. Recently, the Lion Dance Team has performed for audiences at St. Teresa’s Academy, the Blue Valley School District, the Kansas City Chinese Association, and visitors to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Kansas City Zoo, and Wonderscope Children’s Museum. More at kcindependent.com.

TRAILBLAZER: SUSIE YANG

Susie Yang is the associate principal cello, Richard Hill chair, Kansas City Symphony. She has been with the Symphony since 2010. Susie is originally from the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. When she was 11, she made her debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Her teachers have included Andre Emelianoff and Laurence Lesser. Susie earned degrees from The Juilliard School and the New England Conservatory of Music and has been the recipient of many scholarship awards. She was a top prize winner in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Susie has been a participant in the Juilliard Quartet Seminar and the Beethoven Intensive Quartet Seminar at the New England Conservatory of Music. She was a fellow at the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida, and was a rotating principal under Michael Tilson Thomas, the music director. After winning the concerto competition, Susie performed the Dvorák Cello Concerto with the New World Symphony. She reprised her performance in 2016, this time with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra in Knoxville, Tennessee. Her work is eagerly appreciated by fans at numerous festivals. Susie enjoys teaching and maintains a small private studio. In addition, she and Meredith McCook are the musicians of 2CellosKC. More at kcindependent.com.

REMEMBER WHEN51 Years Ago

Reprinted from the March 11, 1972 issue of The Independent.

Lion Dance Team Members Maddox Hughes and Ezequiel Hernandez in the yellow and red lion, and Owen Lundstrom and Oliver Priestland in the black and red lion, practiced at Rockhurst High School.

(Front row) Ezequiel Hernandez, Jabari Cambridge, and Brody Jacobson (back row) Isaiah Martinez, Landon Tolbert, John Olson, JP Hepler, and Owen Lundstrom at the Glow Wild Lantern Festival at the Kansas City Zoo

Marc Wilson, Nelson Gallery’s associate curator of Chinese art, unpacks sculpture for the Gallery’s upcoming Ancient Indonesian Art Exhibition. Interested onlookers are Mrs. Byran Horner; Mrs. Satyawati Suleiman, associate director of Indonesia’s National Archaeological Institute; and Mrs. Jay Tschudy, Jr. Organized by New York’s Asia House with the Indonesian government’s cooperation, the Kay See exhibit is sponsored by the Society of Fellows of the Nelson Gallery Foundation. An early preview for Society members is March 16, preceding the opening for the Friends of Art.

William H. Haney

@Sushi210

TRAILBLAZING: SINA G-TALA PERFORMING ARTS TROUPE

Filipino-Association.org

embers of the Sinag-Tala Performing Arts Troupe function as the cultural ambassadors of the Filipino Association of Greater Kansas City. The Filipino Association was founded in 1968, and the Sinag-Tala in 1972. Dr. Lillian G. Pardo said, “As a co-founder and current executive director of the Sinag-Tala, the promotion and preservation of our rich cultural heritage is most valuable in keeping second and third generation Filipino Americans as part of this experience.” The all-volunteer organization welcomes people of all ethnic backgrounds who are willing to practice and learn the cultural arts, including dance, choir, or music with the rondalla string instruments. Members participate in city-wide programs, such as Fiesta Filipina and the Ethnic Enrichment Festival. Sinag-Tala recently celebrated its 50th anniversary with a concert at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. More at kcindependent.com.

TRAILBLAZER: MARA KHANNA

MTRAILBLAZER: CHRIS CONSTANT

Mara Khanna is a student at Kansas City Ballet School. She will attend New York University this fall, and she intends to study ballet and psychology. Rochester, Minnesota, is Mara’s hometown. During her time in Our Town, she has taken online classes with BlueSky in Minnesota. Mara has appeared in student roles in Kansas City Ballet productions of The Nutcracker and Cinderella. During her free time, she enjoys baking, art, being with friends, and spending time with animals. More at kcindependent.com.

Chris Constant was born in Seoul, South Korea, and grew up in Our Town. He and his husband, Rob Lundien, are the parents of two children. Chris serves as a board member with the Heart of America Council, Boy Scouts of America, and The Family Conservancy. Chris is a vice president with the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, where he works in the Bank Supervision and Risk Management Division. More at kcindependent.com.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s Traditions of Japanese Art exhibit will be on display through October 8th. Visitors to the Museum will be able to view distinct aspects of art and culture cultivated in Japan through more than 50 pieces of art in wide-ranging media. The works were created in the last 1,300 years and display people’s spiritual practices and engagement with theaters and the natural world. The Japan Foundation provided generous support for this exhibit. To learn more, visit nelson-atkins.org.

Rob Lundien and Chris Constant with their children, Emily and Isaac

Armando Costes, Jonel Loreno, Luz Conde, Mila Tiojanco, Shirley Sulit, Manny DeLeon, Dr. Lillian G. Pardo, and Gemma Alemania Snyder

Maggie Albers, Jonel Loreno, Rica Lansangan, Alexis Snyder, Armando Costes, Rosanna Paat, Carlo Dix, and Stephanie Mina

TRAILBLAZER: DAVID BANDY

Palatable Pursuits

One of my favorite people in Kansas City is David Bandy. If you know Bandy, then you know who I am talking about. He is genuine, funny, cool, thoughtful, a great storyteller, and loves the hell out of his mom. More about that last one later. If you wine and dine in Kansas City, then chances are, you’ve crossed paths with him. For more than 25 years, Bandy has worked in many capacities in Kansas City restaurants, including as back of house, front of house, bartender, bar manager, and general manager. Bandy has done it all.

I recently sat down with Bandy and his wife Adrian at Waldo Thai for an after-work happy hour. If you have not been to Waldo Thai, grab your phone and make a reservation now. They do a daily happy hour from 4:30-6:30 p.m. and feature an adventurous array of cocktails and appetizers — Cosmos, Gimlets, calamari, lettuce wraps, handmade crab Rangoon, and more. Chef Pam Liberda recently received a James Beard nomination, so she, and her restaurant, are kind of a big deal!

The kid who started his restaurant career serving at Picadilly Cafeteria in the 1990s now wears a suit and

By Jessica James

Notable AAPI-owned businesses serving up top notch hospitality in Our Town:

Bangkok Pavilion, Overland Park: BangkokPavilionOP.com

913-341-3005

Come for the crab rangoon, shrimp in a blanket, laab, and crab fried rice... you won’t be disappointed.

Cafe Cà Phê, Columbus Park: CafeCaPhe.com

816-786-6623

tie and manages the bar at Rockhill Grille in The Crossroads (another great spot!). He has had other notable stints around town at Port Fonda, J. Gilbert’s, Woodside, and Tiki Taco. Bandy’s wife Adrian also works in the restaurant world, which is where the two met—Adrian a server, and Bandy, the last man standing on a late night out with friends. Turns out, Bandy’s parents, Jimbo and Mai, as Bandy calls them, also met in a restaurant, in 1970 in Vietnam.

Jimbo, an aspiring math teacher, was drafted into the United States Army and sent to Saigon where he ended up working at an Army café. Mai, pronounced My, was a young Vietnamese woman who also worked in the café. The two fell in love and got married in Vietnam in 1972. With a call home to Joplin, Missouri, Jimbo asked his parents to sell his beloved 1963 Corvette so he could sponsor Mai and bring her home. Jimbo’s mom would teach Mai to cook Southern Missouri meat and potatoes. The new couple went on to have three kids—Bandy being the middle child and only son.

I know firsthand how special the mother-son relationship can be. Bandy adores his mother, and they share a love of food. She is known for her “Mai’s Pies” (apple peach crumble cream cheese pie!) and insists on replicating her favorite restaurant dishes at home because “I can make it better,” she says. Mai has worked at Dillard’s for more than 30 years across various women’s wear departments, and Bandy affectionately calls his mother “a fashionista.” He’s made her pseudo-famous on social media with his hilarious videos of startling her while she’s racking clothes at the department store.

As a half-Vietnamese teenager growing up around mostly white kids in Overland Park, Bandy shared that his house was the regular hangout because of his mom. Her goofiness and willingness to always feed a crowd, while giving Bandy and his friends a long leash, made his mom “the cool mom.” His mother’s hospitality stuck with him, and he credits her authenticity with why he chose a career in hospitality. “If I’m not myself, I can’t be anything for my wife and family,” shared Bandy.

When he’s not running the bar at Rockhill Grille, Bandy enjoys spending time with his wife, their dogs and cats, and dining out on their nights off together. Some of the couple’s favorite restaurants include Waldo Thai, ABC Café (most consistent broth in the City according to Bandy), Monkey King for Chinese, and, always, his mother Mai’s kitchen for Vietnamese food.

May is a month packed with graduations, Mother’s Day, and the recognition and appreciation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and the contributions they have made to our country. As you patronize your favorite restaurants this month, please remember two things: Mother’s Day is the single busiest day of the year for many restaurants, (so tip your server well!). In a time when our country is deeply divided and hate crimes are on the rise, especially against AAPI, please recognize the value that the diversity in our country brings to all of our daily lives. More at kcindependent.com.

Vietnamese coffee shop that serves a variety of bold coffee drinks with something for non-coffee drinkers, too.

Cafe Vie, Overland Park: CafeVieKS.com

913-901-0565

A variety of Asian dishes and some very memorable pho and steamed buns.

New China Star, Gladstone: NewChinaStarKCMO.com

816-454-7300

Consistently great Chinese food with wonderful service and fast delivery.

Phikul Thai Bistro, River Market: PhikulThaiBistro.com

816-894-3993

Serving up some of the best Pad Thai in Kansas City!

Princess Garden, Waldo:

816-444-3709

Family-owned Chinese restaurant with consistently great food and service.

Mai Bandy and David Bandy

Mai Bandy and David Bandy

TRAILBLAZING: THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ASIAN AMERICAN PROFESSIONALS – KANSAS CITY

he National Association of Asian American Professionals was started in New York City in 1982. The Kansas City chapter was founded by Cynthia Fung, Joel Ma, and Anita Ranhotra in 2010. The non-profit, all-volunteer organization promotes the career advancement and leadership development of Asian American professionals in all fields. The theme for 2023 is “Together, we are…” Activities include cultural events, Happy Hour networking, community outreach, the WIN! (Women in NAAAP-KC) Speaker Series, and professional development sessions, such as 5 Voices leadership training. In 2022, NAAAP-KC partnered with ArtsKC to host 23 events. Upcoming events will highlight inclusion, representation, diversity, and education. The organization has led social media campaigns to counter the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes. NAAAP-KC will host the NAAAP National Leadership Convention in 2025. Junann Lopez said, “As the NAAAP-KC president, I am committed to building relationships with our members, sponsors, and community. We strive to provide programs, gatherings, and opportunities that will bring growth, personally and professionally.” More at kcindependent.com.

TRAILBLAZER: KAREN LISONDRA

KTaren Lisondra is the associate director of Peter Pan and Wendy at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre. She is the fourth child of Filipino immigrants who settled in Hutchinson, Kansas, in 1973. During her childhood, Karen performed with Sinag-Tala, the Filipino dance troupe based in Kansas City. She studied anthropological theater and martial arts in Argentina, where she was an original cast member of Fuerza Bruta, an aerial theater company. In 2007, Karen joined the company of El Teatro de los Andes where she spent four years touring as Calypso in their version of Homer’s Odyssey. Next up was a one-woman show of her own devising, Mocambo. Karen returned to Kansas City in 2014. She and her husband, Amado Espinoza, the Bolivian musician, have co-created several theatrical projects, including We are the Landscape at The Arts Asylum, El Amor que Mueve el Sol y las Demas Estrellas at Kansas City Public Theatre, and the Storytelling Project at UMKC. Karen is an arts educator at InterUrban Art House. At the Kansas City Rep, she was a featured performer in Ghost Light 2022, (an event held on two evenings in October in Roanoke Park, with songs and stories for families), and was an understudy for Flood, a recent production. She teaches the Indian healing arts of yoga, ayurveda, and pranayama (breath control), and she practices Tai Chi. Karen is a cancer survivor who believes that every breath is a blessing. More at kcindependent.com.

TRAILBLAZER: NORMA SHINNO IRVING DONLON

Norma Shinno Irving Donlon has resilience. Her ancestry is Japanese, and she was born in Arkansas during World War II. Because of that, Norma’s birth took place in the Camp Jerome War Relocation Center. At the age of seven, Norma lost her hearing due to an illness. She compensated by learning lip reading. Norma attended two colleges in California, El Camino College and Pierce College. Norma wed United States Army Ranger First Lieutenant John W. Irving, Jr. She was widowed at the age of 22 when he was killed in the Vietnam War. Four years later, Norma married another career United States Army Special Forces Soldier, Roger Donlon. The couple has five children. Norma and Roger’s commitment to each other and to military service has provided structure for their lives. Norma earned the Department of the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal in 1988. In recognition of her 50 years of support, Norma was given an honorary membership by the National Special Forces Association in 2017; she was the seventh woman to receive one. Also in 2017, Norma and Roger served as co-grand marshals of the Wreaths Across America Convoy. In 2018, Norma was appointed a Wreaths Across America ambassador. Since Roger’s retirement from the Army as a colonel, Norma is involved in many activities, including giving speeches to educate people on the history of Americans of Japanese ancestry. She has held several offices, including the presidency, of the Whittier Club, one of the oldest literary clubs in Kansas. More at kcindependent.com.

Karen Lisondra in Mocambo

(Front row) Jonel Loreno, Arati Ashok Kaushik, Ganga Toniappa, Tanna Hooks, Alison Park, Kimberly Carlson, Chi Hoang, Dennis Truong, and Hao Quach (back row) Will Vorngsam, Gajen Toniappa, Sockalingan Shanmugam, John Ong, and Jeffrey Nguyen

Board Members Shivani Meave, Bing Chen, Junann Lopez, David Moore, Mary Buche, and Kimberly Carlson at the Annual NAAAP-KC Holiday Party

Norma and Colonel Roger Donlon, United States Army, Retired

KCNAAAP.org

Eduardo Osorio

TRAILBLAZER: NAOMI TANIOKA

BY PAUL HORSLEY

Naomi Tanioka’s career path from her native Sapporo, Japan, to Kansas City Ballet might seem like a long and winding road, but in the context of today’s dance world it makes perfect sense. Her training at Chida Toshiko Ballet Studio was marked by a strong emphasis in classical ballet, which is the best start to any dance career anywhere.

“I grew up watching Svetlana Zakharova on television and on video,” Naomi said of the dazzling star of Russian ballet. “She and Natalia Osipova, with her ability to jump as high as any person, man or woman… were just mind-blowing.”

Naomi’s foundation in ballet served her well in her next home, in North America. A teacher recommended she continue her studies at Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Canada, which also featured a strong emphasis on classical ballet. She then started her professional career at Ballet Arizona in Phoenix, which Artistic Director (and former Balanchine star) Ib Andersen has made into a solid Neoclassical company. The emphasis on the Balanchine repertoire and style was a radical transition for Naomi, but she welcomed this logical next step.

I’m very much a classical ballet dancer,” she said. “But I do love every single Balanchine ballet that I’ve had a chance to do. It’s not my primary training, but it’s so much fun.” In 2016 she moved to Cincinnati Ballet, which featured a mixture of classical, Neoclassical, and contemporary repertoire. There she was able to dance in such works as Coppélia, Romeo and Juliet, The Sleeping Beauty, Rite of Spring, and Peter Pan. She also got to live in a milieu where Kansas City Ballet Artistic Director Devon Carney had spent part of his career: as ballet master and, later, as associate artistic director.

Thus, the leap to Kansas City in 2019 again felt like a logical move: to fresh yet somewhat familiar territory. Here Naomi has been able to expand her repertoire further and, most importantly, dance principal roles: in The Nutcracker (Sugar Plum, Snow Queen), Dracula (Lucy), and most recently, in Devon Carney’s acclaimed Cinderella.

These moments have allowed Naomi to start dreaming again. “When I was younger, I wanted to be a ballerina,” she said, “to do all the ballets and be the principal dancer. But at some point… I decided that just dancing was enough for me, that I felt fulfilled just being onstage.” Now she begins to see her original dream as within reach, and feels heartened by it. “Cinderella was such a big moment for me, and recently I’ve felt a passion for doing big roles again.”

If she has a word for younger dancers, it’s “Don’t take rejection personally.” While it’s true that “subconsciously or consciously, we are judged by our ‘look,’ so ethnicity does sometimes come into play. … And I do hope that people are open-minded, looking for ability and not just a look.” But in the end, a director might have concerns that a dancer can’t anticipate. “Sometimes companies are looking for shorter dancers, or they want tall guys because they have all these tall women. … So it’s what the director is looking for at the moment to ‘paint his whole picture.’ … Some things are out of your control, and all you can do is just dance your best every day.”

Naomi loves Kansas City Ballet for, among other things, its lack of hierarchy. “We have such a special group of dancers, who are so strong and different,” she said. “Every one of them can do principal roles, and in different ways, and have successful performances. That’s another reason I love it here: Every dancer is inspiring. I can look at each of them and take something for myself. It’s a wonderful thing.”

She also admires Devon’s attention to fairness, in works such as the variations of his The Nutcracker, which many choreographers today are reexamining toward eliminating ethnic stereotypes. “Devon did research into incorporating hand gestures, coming from genuine traditions of dance in China,” she said of the search for subtler touches in the Chinese (“Tea”) Variation. “He also wanted to change the makeup so that it did not include those exaggeratedly wide eyes and red cheeks.”

Kansas City has been an especially welcoming place for Naomi. “I do feel like I belong here. I feel ‘seen’ by Devon, and I love the ballets he brings. And I feel connected to every dancer. … Even the dance community here is very close: I’ve had more people come up to me after shows than ever. … I feel recognized here, at home, part of the community.”

To reach Paul Horsley, performing arts editor, send an email to paul@kcindependent.com or find him on Facebook (paul.horsley.501) or Twitter/Instagram (@phorsleycritic). More at kcindependent.com.

Naomi Tanioka

Joshua Bodden, Devon Carney, and Naomi Tanioka danced the opening scene of The Nutcracker.

Andrew Vecseri and Naomi Tanioka danced with the company, in Kansas City Ballet’s Cinderella.

Tom Styrkowicz

Brett Pruitt & East Market Studios

Brett Pruitt & East Market Studios

Calendar OF Events

MAY

13

Wayside Waifs; Fur Ball Gala; Purr-pare for a tail waggin’ time at the 2023 event with a gourmet dinner, open bars, and a lively auction. This is a night guests won’t furr-get; Overland Park Convention Center; 5:30 p.m. Contact Amanda Smasal: 3901 Martha Truman Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64137 or 816-986-4409 or waysidewaifs.org or  asmasal@waysidewaifs.org.

15 Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas; The Ben and Betty Zarda 42nd Annual Golf Classic; Celebrating 42 years of the Golf Classic and the legacy of Ben and Betty Zarda; Lake Quivira Country Club. Contact Lindsay Smither: 9720 West 87th Street, Overland Park,  Kansas 66212 or 913-433-2068 or catholiccharitiesgolfclassic.org or lsmither@catholiccharitiesks.org.

17 Global Ties KC;  Heartland Pop Up Event;  This unique pop up event takes place in an exclusive part of Kansas City. Learn more about Global Ties KC by joining them for entertainment, a program, fun cocktails, food, and networking; Mark One Electric; 5 p.m.; $75. Contact Justin Keehler: 30 West Pershing Road, Suite 405, Kansas City, Missouri 64108 or 816-421-4242 or globaltieskc.org or jkeehler@globaltieskc.org.

21 Child Protection Center; Cook for Courage; Chefs and breweries will compete in a barbecue and brew cook-off to prepare the best smoked ribs and beer. Patrons are invited to come and enjoy the ambiance of the Historic 12th Street Bridge in the West Bottoms; 6 p.m. Contact Laura Willeke: 3101 Broadway, Suite 750, Kansas City, Missouri 64111 or 816-778-8002 or cpckc.org/cookforcourage or lwilleke@cpckc.org.

21 KC Pet Project; Caturday in the Crossroads; A cat-themed pub crawl in the East Crossroads with more than a dozen locations. Guests will enjoy a fun event to support the 7,000 cats and kittens that will come to KC Pet Project in 2023; East Crossroads;  noon. Contact Stephanie Sullens: 7077 Elmwood Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64132 or 816-683-1342 or kcpetproject.org/caturday or stephanie.sullens@kcpetproject.org.

22 Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City; Legacy Golf Tournament; Designed for community and business leaders as the premier client entertainment golf tournament in our area. Foursomes are treated to an extraordinary gift salon and unmatched player amenities;  Loch Lloyd Country Club; $6,000/foursome. Contact Kristi Hutchison: 1709 Walnut Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64108 or 816-820-2275 or bbbskc.org or kristi@bbbskc.org.

22 Folly Theater; Folly Golf Classic; Join us as we take a swing at raising money for Kansas City’s oldest operating and most iconic theater. Last year’s tournament was a sell-out, so don’t miss your chance to join the fun; Oakwood Country Club. Contact Rick Truman: 300 West 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64105 or 816-842-5500 or follytheater.org or rick@follytheater.org.

23 Pathway To Hope; Walk for Wellness Virtual 50K for Mental Health; Just a mile a day can make a difference! Participants will create an individual fundraising page and walk at their own pace and on their own time frame. Contact Aaron Cash: 2140 East Santa Fe Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062 or 913-397-8552 or walk4wellness23.givesmart.com or aaronc@pathwaytohope.org.

29 Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas City; 36th Annual Going the Distance for Brain Injury Memorial Day Run; Held in beautiful and historic Loose Park, the run includes a 10K, 5K, Walk for Thought, and a Fun4kids event for children eight years old and younger. All participants will receive a colorful, high-tech, race t-shirt and medal and enjoy great food, drinks, and entertainment; Loose Park; 6:30 a.m. Contact Bev Jacobson: 6701 West 64th Street, Suite 120, Overland Park, Kansas 66202 or 913-754-8883 or biarun.org or bjacobson@biaks.org.

JUNE 1 Jewish Community Relations Bureau | American Jewish Committee (JCRB|AJC); Stack the Deck Against Antisemitism; Join JCRB|AJC for a summer evening full of BBQ, drinks, and fun—all while helping stack the deck against antisemitism. Vaad-certified Jack Stack BBQ will be served; Boulevard Brewing Company; 6 p.m.;  $75. Contact Hillary Thomas: 5801 West 115th Street, Suite 203, Kansas 66211 or 913-327-8184 or hillaryt@jewishkc.org or jcrbajc.org/stack-the-deck-against-antisemitism-event.html.

1 Nonprofit Connect; Awards Celebration; Honoring individuals and organizations for their outstanding commitment to positive impact in Kansas City. Now in its 38th year, the event has honored more than 200 non-profit professionals and organizations. Contact Hannah  Bernardini: 1703 Wyandotte Street, Suite 100, Kansas City, Missouri 64108 or 816-759-8614 or npconnect.org/awards-celebration or hbernardini@npconnect.org.

1 Pathway To Hope; Clubhouse Giving Day; Event details to be determined. Contact Aaron Cash: 2140 East Santa Fe Street, Olathe, Kansas 66062 or 913-397-8552 or pathwaytohope.org or aaronc@pathwaytohope.org.

1 -2 The Salvation Army of Greater Kansas City; Civic Event; Bringing the Greater Kansas City civic community together to honor the hard work of employers and employees in our city. Contact Juliann Nichols: 3637 Broadway Boulevard, Kansas City, Missouri 64111 or 816-447-1422 or salarmymokan.org or  juliann.nichols@usc.salvationarmy.org.

2 Kansas City Zoo; Jazzoo; Party animals from across the metro will gather to enjoy unlimited food, drinks, and entertainment. Your support of this event provides food and care for our 1,700 animals as well as educational opportunities for children in our community; Kansas City Zoo; 7 p.m. Contact Susan McFee: 6800 Zoo Drive, Kansas City, Missouri 64132 or 816-595-1234 or kansascityzoo.org/jazzoo or  askthezoo@fotzkc.org.

2-3 Children’s Mercy Kansas City; Big Slick; A weekend event hosted by native Kansas City Celebrities David Koechner, Rob Riggle, Paul Rudd, Eric Stonestreet, Jason Sudeikis, and Heidi Gardner. They invite celebrity friends and celebrate with exclusive VIP parties, softball games, a party, and show. Contact Children’s Mercy Events: 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64108 or 816-346-1300 or  bigslickkc.org or events@cmh.edu.

3 American Lung Association; Fight For Air Climb; Step up and make a positive impact on lung health while climbing nearly 1,400 steps. Fun, fellowship, and family entertainment will fill your morning as you climb in honor of a loved one or for the pure challenge; Children’s Mercy Park; 9 a.m. Contact Tammy Rock: 8400 West 110th Street, Suite 130, Overland Park, Kansas 66210 or 913-353-9166 or kcclimb.org or tammy.rock@lung.org.

3 Association of the United States Army;  2023 Army Birthday Ball;  Honoring the 50th anniversary of the all-volunteer force with Featured Guest Holly Petraeus who will share stories of the immense impact made by Army families; Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza; 5:30 p.m.; $90. Contact Bob Bennett: 808-285-6437 or ausa.org/greater-kansas-city-chapter/events/army-birthday-celebration2023 or programs.kcausa@ausa.org.

4 Folly Theater; Folly Garden Party; Eat, drink, and be jolly for the Folly! A festive garden party in the beautifully manicured garden of Brian Williams featuring picnic food, libations, and music; 4 p.m. Contact Rick Truman: 300 West 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64105 or 816-842-5500 or follytheater.org or rick@follytheater.org.

I Wonder –how many people the darling toddler has told that her beloved dog who passed away is now “in Kevin”?

4 The Whole Person; The Big Dill Pickleball and Cornhole Tournament; Benefiting the Adaptive Sports Programs, the event will feature a pickleball tournament and a recreational cornhole tournament with prize packages for the top two teams in each tournament; Chicken N Pickle Overland Park; 4 p.m. Contact Kelly Grooms: 3710 Main Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64111 or 816-627-2232 or thewholeperson.org/ bigdill or kgrooms@thewholeperson.org.

5 Alphapointe; C&C Group Alphapointe Pro-Am; Join us for a spectacular day of golf at an official Midwest Section PGA Pro-Am. Proceeds benefit Alphapointe’s programming for children and teens with vision loss, including summer work experiences, college preparatory programs, adventure/technology camps, and more; The Country Club at Loch Lloyd; 9 a.m. Contact Jake McLaughlin: 7501 Prospect Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64132 or 816-237-2059 or alphapointe.org/golf or jmclaughlin@alphapointe.org.

5 KidsTLC; Open Golf Tournament; Golfers will enjoy a decadent day on the rolling links complete with lavish food stations, custom cocktails, elite gifts, and creative competitions; Shadow Glen Golf Course. Contact Sierra Slattery: 480 South Rogers Road, Olathe, Kansas 66062 or 913-484-7182 or kidstlc.org/open or sslattery@kidstlc.org.

5 Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City; Trent Green Golf Classic; Join us for a great day of golf, delicious food and beverages, and great company including local celebrity golfers, like Trent Green! Enjoy boozy bourbon balls, cigar rolling, unique player gifts, and a pro-shop certificate; Oakwood Country Club; 6:30 a.m. Contact Allison Malott: 2502 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64108 or 816-541-8314 or rmhckc.org/golf or amalott@rmhckc.org.

9 Child Abuse Prevention Association (CAPA); 2nd Annual Play

Like a Kid! Field Day Fundraiser; Teams of five adults register to compete in 10 rounds of silly field day games with an on-site team photo booth, take-home swag bag, tasty food truck offerings, fun trophies, and more! This is a great team building activity for offices, civic groups, and organizations; Franke Soccer Fields, Lake Jacomo;  10 a.m.; $250/team. Contact Megan Campbell: 503 East 23rd Street, Independence, Missouri 64055 or 816-252-8388 or capacares.org/events or mcampbell@capacares.org.

9 First Call; 30th Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament; The tournament includes breakfast, a four-person scramble, and lunch; Swope Memorial Golf Course. Contact Sarah Link Ferguson: 9091 State Line Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64114 or 816-800-8060 or firstcallkc.org/golf or sferguson@firstcallkc.org.

9 Lead to Read KC; Get Schooled; Guests can expect dinner, cocktails, auctions, and entertainment at this fifth annual event. Contact Pauly Hart: 6022 North Strathbury Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64151 or 913-544-8873 or getschooledkc.org or pauly@leadtoreadkc.org.

9 Olathe Health Charitable Foundation; 10th Annual Moon Over Miami; The 10th annual event will benefit the Miami County Medical Center. Guests will enjoy a casual, indoor/outdoor event with great food and drinks, music, live and silent auctions, raffles, wine and whiskey pull, and more; The Haven; 6 p.m. Contact Rob Wyrick: 20375 West 151st Street, Suite 325, Olathe, Kansas 66061 or 913-355-4216 or bidpal.net/moon or ohcf@olathehealth.org.

9 Sheffield Place; 13th Annual Sheffield Place Golf Tournament; Featuring drawings, silent and live auctions, games, prizes, and golf; Shoal Creek Golf Course; 8 a.m. Contact David Hanzlick: 6604 East 12th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64126 or 816-483-9927 or sheffieldplace.org or dhanzlick@sheffieldplace.org.

10

Camps For Kids; Camp Out at the Zoo; The evening begins with dinner followed by a guided twilight tour, zoo activities, crafts, and a movie. When the sun sets, guests may camp out in the zoo, either indoors in the penguin pavilion or the outback campground. On Sunday campers can enjoy breakfast and join an Animal Ambassador visit; Kansas City Zoo; 6 p.m.; $70. Contact Regina Weir: 5913 Woodson Road, Suite 211, Mission, Kansas 66202 or 816-839-6494 or campsforkids.org or  executivedirector@campsforkids.org.

10 KC Pet Project; 5K; The first in-person 5K race hosted by KC Pet Project; Swope Park. Contact Stephanie Sullens: 7077 Elmwood Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri 64132 or 816-683-1342 or kcpetproject.org or stephanie.sullens@kcpetproject.org.

12 Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City; Legacy Golf Tournament; Designed for community and business leaders as the premier client entertainment golf tournament in our area. Foursomes are treated to an extraordinary gift salon and unmatched player amenities; The National Golf Club; $6,000/foursome. Contact Kristi Hutchison: 1709 Walnut Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64108 or 816-820-2275 or bbbskc.org or kristi@bbbskc.org.

13 Newhouse; New Day Breakfast; Join Newhouse for breakfast! Hear a story of strength and resilience from a survivor of domestic violence and learn about Newhouse’s vision for the next chapter of life-changing work; 8 a.m.; free admission. Contact Chris Stibbs: P.O. Box 240019, Kansas City, Missouri 64124 or 816-462-0508 or newhousekc.org/breakfast or chris@newhousekc.org.

OurTown

by Charlie Podrebarac

15 Family Health Care; Tacos & Beer on the Boulevard; Brew with a view, join us for cold beer on a hot night! Photo booth, DJ playing great music, fabulous food, and an amazing silent auction; Boulevard Brewing Company; 6 p.m. Contact Shari Webster: 340 Southwest Boulevard, Kansas City, Kansas 66103 or 913-722-3100 or swbfhc.org or shariwebster@kcfhc.org.

15 Kansas City Girls Preparatory Academy; Leading with Love: A Celebration for KC Girls Preparatory Academy; This inaugural event will share our progress as well as our vision toward educating the next generation of female leaders - boldly stepping into tomorrow with love; Loews Kansas City Hotel. Contact Kara Kahn: 4550 Main Street, Suite 227, Kansas City, Missouri 64111 or 816-268-2570 or kcgirlslead.org or kkahn@kcgpa.org.

15 Operation Breakthrough; Big Dreams - Bright Futures Annual Event; The 25th annual event will feature cocktails, a large silent auction, program, dinner, and entertainment by the Operation Breakthrough children; casual attire; Muehlebach Tower of the Kansas City Marriott Downtown; 5:30 p.m.; $250. Contact Lee  Duckett: 3039 Troost, Kansas City, Missouri 64109 or 913-219-7456 or operationbreakthrough.org/events/2023-big-dreams-bright-futuresannual-event or leed@operationbreakthrough.org.

17 The Jewel Ball; A debutante presentation of longstanding civic and cultural significance. A benefit for two of Kansas City’s greatest assets, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kansas City Symphony; The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art; 6:30 p.m. Contact Anne Russ: annodini@gmail.com.

21 FIRE Foundation; Purses with Purpose; Guests will be surrounded by a beautifully curated collection of purses, totes, jewelry, unique packages, and more. As you bid on your favorites, you’ll enjoy bubbles and bites and chat with fabulous friends; 7 p.m.; $125. Contact Susan Williams: 20 West 9th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64105 or 816-810-1199 or firefoundation.org or susan@firefoundation.org.

21 Make Music Alliance; Make Music Kansas City; Part of the international Fête de la Musique, this event is a celebration of sound, occurring annually on the same day in more than 1,000 cities in 1,120 countries; citywide locations; 11 a.m.; free admission. Contact Nancy McGuire: 8517 High Drive, Leawood, Kansas 66206 or 913-219-1330 or makemusicday.org/kcmo or nancemcguire@kc.rr.com.

24 Arts & Recreation Foundation of Overland Park; Stems: A Garden Soirée; Tastings of all kinds, wine, and craft beers are served at destinations among the gardens with music, special entertainment, and fireworks to cap off the evening. This year, guests will be among the very first to experience LongHouse - the Arboretum’s new visitor center and surrounding event spaces; Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens; 6 p.m. Contact Jennifer Cairns: P.O. Box 26392, Overland Park, Kansas 66225 or 913-322-6467 or stemssoiree.org or jennifer.cairns@artsandrec-op.org.

24 Kansas City Metropolitan Crime Commission; Kansas City Guns N Hoses; An annual evening of excitement as our area firefighters, police, and EMTs square off in the boxing ring to raise funds for the Surviving Spouse and Family Endowment Fund (SAFE). SAFE provides immediate financial assistance to the families of our fallen first responders; Municipal Auditorium; 6:30 p.m. Contact Tami Holthus: 3100 Broadway, Suite 1234, Kansas City, Missouri 64111 or 816-960-6800 or kc-crime.org or tholthus@kc-crime.org.

25 Jackson County CASA; Carnival for CASA; A fun, family-friendly event with a western theme. Guests will experience attractions like zipline, mechanical bull, corn canning, petting farm, pony rides, wagon ride, stagecoach bounce house, and barn activities at the Ranch;  Faulkner’s Ranch; 1 p.m.; $25. Contact Lara Klover: 2544 Holmes, Kansas City, Missouri 64108 or 816-785-4097 or jacksoncountycasa-mo.org or lklover@jacksoncountycasa-mo.org.

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JULY

10-21 Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City; Summer Bowl for Kids’ Sake; Nearly 500 teams and 3,000 participants divide into teams of six who work together through the summer to fundraise online. To celebrate, teams enjoy a giant party with free bowling, beer, pizza, and prizes; Park Lanes. Contact Kristi Hutchison: 1709 Walnut Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64108 or 816-820-2275 or bbbskc.org or kristi@bbbskc.org.

14 Band of Angels; Art That Blows; Partygoers will enjoy bidding on one-of-a-kind art, a high-energy atmosphere, and raising money for music camp scholarships; The Abbott; 5 p.m. Contact Mike Meyer: 11890 West 135th Street, Overland Park, Kansas 66221 or 913-491-6636 or  artthatblows.com or info@bandofangels.org.

22 Starlight; Starry Night at Starlight; Highlighting an annual class of All-Stars, featuring Kansas City’s most dynamic charitable movers and shakers, the night features local food, an open bar, photo opportunities, and tickets to a Broadway show at Starlight; Starlight Theatre; 6 p.m. Contact Andrew Lang: 4600 Starlight Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64132 or 816-997-1129 or kcstarlight.com/starrynight or andrew.lang@kcstarlight.com.

28 Arthritis Foundation; Art for Arthritis; Pairing children with juvenile arthritis with local artists to create masterpieces that are sold at the live auction. The event also features a silent auction, dinner, and drinks; Loews Kansas City Hotel. Contact Brooke Hilst: 816-601-1382 or arthritis.org/kcart or bhilst@arthritis.org.

28 Infant Loss Resources; Tee It UP for Infant Loss Golf Tournament; Join us for a fun and fabulous day at the 16th annual tournament, featuring breakfast, golf, on-course promotions and tastings, prizes, silent auction, and great food and drinks; Swope Memorial Golf Course; 8 a.m.; $125. Contact Cindy Sims: 1111 West 39th Street, Suite 100, Kansas City, Missouri 64111 or 913-269-5717 or infantlossresources.org or cindy@infantlossresources.org.

AUGUST

5 Hope House; believe - illuminating hope gala - 40 Year Anniversary Celebration; Guests will enjoy live and silent auctions, cocktails, a delicious dinner, entertainment, engaging guest speakers, dancing, and more; black tie; Loews Kansas City Hotel; 5:30 p.m. Contact Anne  Aubuchon: P.O. Box 577, Lee’s Summit, Missouri 64063 or 816-257-9328 or hopehouse.net/events or aaubuchon@hopehouse.net.

If

are

Publisher • Rachel Lewis Falcon

Associate Publisher • Jenny Owens Hughes

Art Director • Lisa M. Shea

Editor • Nancy Sachse

Historian and Principal Writer

Heather N. Paxton

Web Editor • Annie England

Performing Arts Editor • Paul Horsley

Senior Account Executive • Lauren Cashman

Account Executive • Christin Painter

Office Manager • Laura Gabriel

Cartoonist • Charlie Podrebarac

Feature Writers

Jessica James and Anne Potter Russ

The on Society

D rumming Up Fun

Three Trails Taiko has approximately 10 members, all of whom are enthusiastic about playing the taiko. (That’s the Japanese word for drum.) Three Trails Taiko performs at local festivals, relief events, business events, and more, in a style known as “kumi-daiko.” This was invented in the 1950s by Daihachi Oguchi, the jazz drummer. It is ensemble drumming that may include a variety of types of drums and percussion instruments.

Three Trails Taiko was formed in 2010. Often, the musicians are hard at work, using the drums to convey different moods and help highlight aspects of Japan’s culture and history.

Keiko Okada-Brown, Colbee Baessler, and Aasritha Ganta