BODY
A peek into Kansas’ formative years
methods
Artist Mona Cliff embraces Native crafting
Dorothy and the Dolls are redefining Lawrence’s drag scene
As friends, neighbors and healthcare teams, LMH Health supports vibrant communities. With leading edge medicine and dedicated clinicians and staff, we’re building a strong, healthy future.
As friends, neighbors and healthcare teams, LMH Health supports vibrant communities. With leading edge medicine and dedicated clinicians and staff, we’re building a strong, healthy future.
See what’s possible at lmh.org/thrive.
See what’s possible at lmh.org/thrive
Welcome to the summer 2025 edition of Lawrence Magazine! Hibernating isn’t just for the bears—I have spent this winter bundled under a stack of cozy blankets, reading books and re-watching Grey’s Anatomy. (Don’t judge.) But it is finally time to emerge from my winter cocoon. Now that the sun is out and the days are getting longer, I can feel my mood lift and my serotonin levels rise. It’s true what they say about sunlight affecting your mental health—time to grab the sunscreen and move my body!
I’ve never been one to enjoy the gym. The repetitive sets and shared equipment don’t appeal to me. But I’ve always loved moving in fun and different ways. As a kid, I loved to dance—contemporary dance fueled my soul. I also tried basketball and tennis and thought I was super cool rollerblading around my neighborhood. (I wanted to be a soul skater like Andy Brinker in the Disney Channel original movie Brink!)
Nowadays, I enjoy taking Jazzercise classes. It’s not the neon spandex and legwarmers you remember. We dance to popular songs, and the instructors always kick my butt with intense workouts. I enjoy the camaraderie of a group class, and aerobic dancing has been a great way to reduce my stress and improve my physical health.
In “Rock Your Body,” on page 38, Amber Fraley talks with three Lawrence residents of varying ages who have found joy in moving their bodies in different ways. I hope this article inspires you to move—whether it’s through Iyengar yoga like Diane Church or skateboarding like Dean Shiney and Julian Pope.
Maybe a relaxing walk in the sun is more your speed. Try one of the hiking trails at the Baker University Wetlands. Our “Lawrencium” on page 23 sums up fun facts about this treasured piece of land. Or get inspired to go on your own “Trans-Prairie Walk” like author Kelly Kindscher in our article “Revisiting the Prairie” on page 14. Perhaps you’ll be drawn to the jaw-dropping stunts that the drag troupe Dorothy and the Dolls perform downtown in our story “More Than Glitz & Glamour” on page 24. Whatever you decide, I hope these pages bring you something that sparks your interest. Get up and explore this city. I am constantly amazed by the talented people who live here.
Gina DeBacker, editor
EDITOR
Gina DeBacker
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Shelly Bryant
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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
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Lauren Kanan Susan Kraus
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features smorgasbord
33
In Her Own Words
A peek into the life and times of Mary Hammond Sly during Kansas’ formative years
38
Rock Your Body
These Lawrence residents find joy in movement and community outside the walls of a gym
8 Built from Sound
From solo home recordings to full-time gigging and a new studio in town, Lawrence musicians are building careers their own way
12 Opposites Attract
Two local authors release new works: a comedic romance and a newly expanded native plant resource
18 Stitching Stories
Mona Cliff embraces Native crafting methods to create works of art that reflect the resilience and joy of contemporary Indigenous life
the Cover
23 Lawrencium Baker Wetlands people
25 More Than Glitz & Glamour
Dorothy and the Dolls are redefining Lawrence’s drag scene, leading the charge by setting trends and performing jaw-dropping stunts places
28 A Tale of Two Cities
From reservations to riverboats, the Bismarck-Mandan area of North Dakota is the perfect place to enjoy America’s diversity
Dean Shiney, 11 (left), and Julian Pope, 9, skate the ramps in Centennial Park. Photograph by Jason Dailey
Built from Sound
From solo home recordings to full-time gigging and a new studio in town, Lawrence musicians are building careers—and community— their own way
Sad Cowboy Recording
Sad Cowboy Recording Co. is Lawrence’s newest recording studio. Located at the back of the Hillcrest Shopping Center, Sad Cowboy is somewhat of a novelty. Not only is it a studio where musicians can record music, but it also serves as a concert venue. Cofounders Quinton Cox, CFO, and Matthew Mulnix, chief operating officer, sat down with me to explain how this all came about.
The duo was ready to cut a record for their band, Quinton Cox & Co., but the studio they wanted in Texas was asking $10,000. Mulnix, who has been recording people out of his living room for the last seven years, had a better idea. “I thought, ‘Let’s just see if we can do it ourselves,’” Mulnix says.
“The easiest way to do it was to throw a show and record a live album,” Cox explains. “We figured out that we can do it exponentially cheaper than anybody else … not only do we do live recording, but we are also mobile.”
Cox and Mulnix says everything they need to capture an entire show can fit into the trunk of Cox’s Chevrolet Spark—they can visit virtually any venue to record an act’s entire set live, then mix and master it at the studio.
The recording duo takes pride in their quick turnaround. “We can get a master to [a band] within a week of a live recording, and then they can have it out on Spotify in two weeks,” Mulnix says. This is crucial— now more than ever—due to the need to remain relevant on social media.
As for the studio itself, its location was somewhat of a lucky break. One would be hard-pressed to find another venue slash studio in Lawrence that offers as much interior space with the convenience of ample parking. “We stumbled into this,” Cox says. “We were looking for commercial property and everywhere we looked was either way too expensive for us or didn’t have the space or the location.”
The ability to move in, set up and immediately get going was another plus, as the other spaces Cox and Mulnix considered required soundproof installation. “[When touring the space,] we set up all of our subwoofers and tower speakers, and blared music. Then we went next door to the closest point where our walls touch,” Cox explains. “You couldn’t hear us!”
Sad Cowboy opened in their new space in January 2025 and soon began a working relationship with the KU School of Music. The school used the studio to perform commercial jazz combos, and
Sad Cowboy recorded and delivered the entire live performance. The school also uses its studio space to teach recording classes. “It’s kind of the best of both worlds,” Cox says.
The recording duo explains how they use their sound mixing skills to enhance a song by a solo artist—such as one featuring a single voice and a piano or acoustic guitar—and give it a fuller sound. “We try to build a band around solo artists … build that acoustic song up to a full band … But we don’t wanna change their creative vision in the process,” Mulnix says.
This desire to avoid altering an artist’s music is at the core of everything Sad Cowboy does. Although Cox and Mulnix can serve as producers or engineers—or sometimes both—they are much more focused on the needs of a song than on the equipment used to record it.
“Songwriting, arrangement, dynamics—everything that goes in before the computer is much more important than the computer,” Mulnix says. “Number one? Don’t rely on a plug-in to save a bad song. Number two is frosting on the cake. Just don’t expect it to be the cake.”
As Cox points out, you don’t need a multimilliondollar facility to effectively capture sound and record music. “Back in the ’70s, people would put 5-gallon buckets over microphones or they’d record a song in a concrete bathroom because it didn’t have a reverb effect,” Cox says. “They made it themselves. We can do that … Matthew and I grew up recording in his grandpa’s basement.”
“We grew up in a town of 3,000 people,” explains Mulnix, who is from Bethany, Missouri. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from or how big that town is … do whatever you can with the resources that you already have.”
It’s been a wild ride—especially considering Cox and Mulnix’s original plan to share the space and split the cost fifty-fifty. Mulnix wanted to use the space to teach lessons, and the band wanted to have a place to record and rehearse. “We wanted to have our own little playground,” Cox says.
“It got outta hand real fast. We ended up partnering with KU, and we ended up with a bunch of students and a bunch of clients,” Cox adds. “Then, when teachers showed up and wanted to teach here, we opened an education department. Then, we ended up with a live venue … I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s an auto body repair shop here in the next six months with the way things are going.”
OPPOSITE Quinton Cox (left) and Matthew Mulnix jam in their new recording space Sad Cowboy Recording.
“I remember seeing Michael J. Fox playing guitar in Back to the Future and thinking that was the coolest thing in the world. For years, it never occurred to me that I could also do that.”
–Bradley McKellip –
Bradley McKellip
You’d be hard-pressed to find a musician who plays for more Lawrence bands than roots guitarist Bradley McKellip. McKellip has been with alt-country band The Roseline since 2017 and psychedelic country rockers Til Willis & Erratic Cowboy since 2019, joined the twangy Lauren Lovelle & The Midnight Spliffs last summer, and has occasionally sat in with indie rock band Flash Floods since last fall. He also finds time to produce solo work, where he is moving away from “roots rock” to create something more experimental.
For our interview, we sit in Richard’s Music Co. on Eight Street late one night after closing. He explains why he started recording his own music in 2020. “I didn’t know until 2021 that I’d ever be in a proper band again,” he says.
Fearful that the coronavirus had forever changed the world, McKellip used some of his stimulus money to set up a home recording studio and began experimenting with his music. This work resulted from uncertainty about whether he would ever play with a band again and served as a creative outlet for new guitar parts.
“It was a fun COVID project,” McKellip says about his experimental loops and drones. “Now I try to do it whenever I have the time.”
But, needless to say, McKellip is a very busy musician. Thankfully, the groups he performs with are all professional, and they have their shows scheduled well in advance. It’s a bit of a luxury, McKellip says, as all of those bands have been established and operating for years, if not a decade or more, before he ever joined them.
“I had very clear, results-based evidence that it probably wasn’t a bad call to sign up,” McKellip says. He previously knew all of the musicians in all of the bands he has joined; he knew they were all of a similar mindset about what they wanted to accomplish with their music. “I like jamming with people and stuff, but I think I’m a better musician when I’m taking it seriously on a professional level,” he says. “That improves everything for everyone.”
If his bandmates take their music seriously, then he takes it seriously, McKellip explains. Everything comes from there—writing better songs, making better records, and booking better gigs.
Being the go-to roots guitarist in a town full of roots musicians has been an interesting journey. With the numerous bands he plays in—along with his work at a music shop—McKellip’s passion for music is evident. However, this love emerged in an unexpected way, especially considering that, as McKellip admits, his family wasn’t particularly musical.
“I remember seeing Michael J. Fox playing guitar in Back to the Future and thinking that was the coolest thing in the world,” McKellip fondly remembers. “For years, it never occurred to me that I could also do that.”
In middle school, he began playing the cello and soon transitioned to bass guitar before eventually picking up the guitar. He continued to play the cello and bass during college, occasionally filling in on bass guitar (which is how he started playing in The Roseline), but he has always felt a deep connection to the guitar.
“It’s the one thing I really, really like doing a lot,” McKellip says.
His bands have also provided him with an opportunity to travel. The Roseline, in particular, tours Sweden each year. “I just feel insanely lucky … that one dude over there found us and started promoting us. That seems like—not fate, but a one in a million chance,” McKellip says. “Boy, howdy, I sure like playing guitar in Stockholm.”
Traveling internationally has shaped McKellip’s approach to music. Performing live in Europe has improved the band’s ability to work together.
“I think we’re just so in tune with everyone’s needs and tendencies, and that translates over here really clearly,” McKellip says. “It’s also just made me more mindful of efficiency in my own work, whether it’s the equipment that I use or how I get to and from a gig or how I behave at the gig.”
His appreciation for the people in Uppsala, Sweden, who come to his shows has also made him more appreciative of the people who come to his shows in Lawrence.
“I shouldn’t take people coming to shows in Lawrence for granted,” he says. “Whether it’s five people, or 50 or 500 … it feels good no matter where you are.”
ABOVE Roots guitarist Bradley McKellip says that he
Opposites Attract
Two local authors release new works: a comedic romance and a newly expanded native plant resource
Madcap Mayhem
Amanda Sellet grew up on Hollywood screwball comedies. Munching on liverwurst sandwiches, she would watch old films with her mom in their drafty living room in Vancouver, Washington. She imagined she would someday be like Myrna Loy in the Thin Man movies, “with perfect hair, a glamorous wardrobe, a dashing husband in a three-piece suit and the perfect quip for every occasion,” Sellet says.
On the day of our interview, Sellet, now 54, sports natural silver hair and a shirt declaring her part of the “Society of Obstinate Headstrong Girls.” She has turned her love of storytelling into a career as a romance author, where she gets to channel her inner Myrna Loy every day. And although she’s married to a French archaeologist—her last name is pronounced Sell-ay—she assures me he wears hoodies more often than three-piece suits.
Sellet’s latest novel, The Odds of Getting Even (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2025), draws inspiration from Sellet’s favorite director, Preston Sturges, and follows his 1941 comedy The Lady Eve (starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda). The novel’s premiere will be celebrated with a special showing of The Lady Eve at Liberty Hall on its release date, July 15, followed by a book signing.
The Odds of Getting Even follows Jean Harrington, who hits it off with the endearing but mysterious Charlie at the Hawaii resort where she works. After a late-night meet-cute involving a towel run, the two characters make a connection despite their opposing personalities. As Sellet explains, Charlie is a golden retriever scientist, and Jean is a black cat heroine. But when Charlie disappears without a word, Jean has a score to settle.
“She’ll do whatever it takes to get him back—no, get back at him—even if it means chasing him across
an ocean to brave the Wild West of his remote hometown, and the famous family business he neglected to mention,” the flap copy reads.
When Jean leaves her Hawaii resort to chase Charlie, she ends up in unfamiliar territory— South Dakota. Having previously lived in South Dakota, Sellet knew it would be a great location for armchair travelers. She let the state’s untamed beauty set the scenes for her: The novel features a campfire sing-along, a dude ranch, horseback riding and a romantic moment inside a covered wagon.
The Odds of Getting Even is not a slow-burn romance. “It’s a meet, fall in love, split up, comeback-together-again story,” Sellet says. But while many modern rom-coms emphasize the “rom” more than the “com,” Sellet takes the opposite approach.
“I wanted to push the comedy as far as it could go,” Sellet says. “It’s the thing I’m almost always looking for when I pick up a book.”
The romance is still present—just subtler. And though it is an adult novel, there are low levels of
What is Amanda Sellet reading?
EmilyWilde’s Compendiumof LostTales by Heather Fawcett
All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman
Love,Canter,Action by Katie Gilbert
TheUndercutting ofRosieandAdam by Megan Bannen
Amanda Sellet’s newest novel, TheOddsofGetting Even, will be celebrated with a special showing of TheLady Eve at Liberty Hall on July 15, followed by a book signing.
PhotographbyCarterGaskins
“spice.” Sellet describes her adult books as “closed-door romances,” meaning explicit moments are only implied. This style of storytelling is reminiscent of the old Hollywood films that inspired her.
“Also—I always imagine my mother reading [my books],” Sellet adds.
The Odds of Getting Even is a companion novel to Sellet’s first adult novel, Hate to Fake It to You (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2024), which follows the plot of the 1945 film Christmas in Connecticut Although each of her novels can stand on its own, Sellet weaves subtle Easter eggs between books, and her second novel’s timeline overlaps with the first.
Desserts to Devour with a Good Book
According to her online bio, Sellet has dessert once a day, so we had to ask, “What are your go-to dessert spots in Lawrence?”
At Cellar Door Café, Sellet enjoys the financiers and canelés. At 1900 Barker, it’s the almond croissants. And at WheatFields, Sellet likes the tiramisu and chocolate mousse torte.
In Hate to Fake It to You, Jean is the roommate and best friend of protagonist Libby Lane, where she already shows her madcap tendencies. She puts on a fake Irish accent for a large portion of the story and creates a huge, almost nude artistic rendering of her roommate. Given her track record, it’s safe to assume Jean will encounter similar situations as the screwball heroine of The Odds of Getting Even
Sellet has also written two young adult books, Belittled Women (Clarion Books, 2022) and the delightfully named By the Book (Clarion Books, 2020). (That’s right, folks—buy the book!)
Earlier in her career, Sellet worked as a reporter, covering music, theater and movies. When her daughter was born 18 years ago, Sellet found time to dream up stories and work on her novel-writing skills. She always loved reading and wanted to write novels, but “there was a longer than expected learning curve to switch from journalism to writing fiction,” Sellet says. Sellet wrote two books that were never published before finding success with By the Book. (Don’t make her tell you twice!)
Her advice for aspiring writers? “Be willing to rewrite and rewrite again … and rewrite again.”
Sellet is working on three more novels: two set to come out in 2026 and the other in 2027. If you share Sellet’s love for old Hollywood screwball comedies, you’ll be happy to learn that one will serve as the final installment of her Hate to Fake It to You and The Odds of Getting Even series. It will be set in France.
–Lauren Kanan
Revisiting the Prairie
Kelly Kindscher is passionate about native plants and prairie conservation. “My love of plants and people has always inspired my work,” Kindscher says. “There is such a rich mix of culture and food and uses and history.”
Celebrated environmental researcher Kelly Kindscher releases a newly expanded edition of his 1987 guide to prairie plants in North America.
PhotographbyDougStremel
What is Kelly Kindscher reading?
A celebrated environmental researcher, Kindscher is a senior scientist with the Kansas Biological Survey and a professor of environmental studies at the University of Kansas. His latest book, Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie: An Ethnobotanical Guide (University Press of Kansas, 2024), is a revised and expanded second edition of his 1987 book of the same name. It explores the diverse flora of North American prairies, detailing their identification, habitat, food use and historical use by Indigenous communities and European settlers. Blending scientific research with practical foraging tips, it shines a light on sustainable harvesting practices and the cultural significance of preserving native plants.
Almost 40 years have passed since Kindscher wrote his first book. “The University Press approached me and asked if I would be interested in doing a new edition,” Kindscher says. “My first reaction was to turn them down as I was working on other things, and I felt good about the first edition. But I changed my mind … as I thought about it, I had more to add.”
Recognizing that some language in his first edition was outdated, he set out to update the text, with a focus on incorporating Indigenous peoples’ traditional— and current—ecological expertise and acknowledging their generations-long understanding of our relationship with the environment.
“I strongly encourage the use of wild plants in a sustainable, resourceconscious way, and I want people to have interactions with plants to learn about them, enjoy them and care for them, which also leads to conserving them.” –kelly kindscher –
“The harvest of plants is a great place for all of us to honor traditional knowledge of Native Americans
and learn what their ideas are on using natural resources and also leaving them for the future,” Kindscher says. “I strongly encourage the use of wild plants in a sustainable, resource-conscious way, and I want people to have interactions with plants to learn about them, enjoy them and care for them, which also leads to conserving them.”
Kindscher has had an interest in prairie plants ever since childhood, when he spent summers on his family’s homestead near Guide Rock, Nebraska. But his love for native plants deepened after experiencing a “Trans-Prairie Walk” with his close friend Vicky Foth Sherry in the summer of 1983.
As Kindscher explains, he and Sherry walked 10 to 12 miles each day, starting at the mouth of the Missouri and Kansas rivers in downtown Kansas City. Heading west on country roads and old trails, they followed the Smoky Hill breaks, an area known for its dramatic chalk bluffs, grasslands and rocky ravines. “It was fun to track wildflowers, especially when I saw the first prince’s plume (Stanleya pinnata) and—even more impressive—the first ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa),” Kindscher says.
“We reached the Rocky Mountains 79 days later,” he adds. “I knew we were there when we reached our first Douglas fir trees.”
Since the publication of his first book, Kindscher has also written Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie (University Press of Kansas, 1992) and Echinacea: Herbal Medicine with a Wild History
TheServiceberry by Robin Wall Kimmerer
IntheCountry oftheKaw
by James H. Locklear
TheEcologyof HerbalMedicine by Dara Saville
(Springer, 2016). Apart from his positions at the Kansas Biological Survey and the University of Kansas, he is a founder of the Kansas Land Trust, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting prairies and preserving biodiversity, scenic landscapes and wildlife habitat.
He is also involved in a number of ethnobotany projects, or the study of how people of a particular culture and region use native plants. Currently, he is researching and documenting traditional corn, bean and squash culture of the Arikara tribes; working with Midwest tribes and the U.S. Forest Service to create a plant database for future restoration projects; and working to expand the USDA NRCS plant database to include Native American names and ethnobotanical information.
He is particularly passionate about his current collaboration with the Land Institute to research rosinweed (Silphium integrifolium), a perennial whose seeds the Land Institute is developing as a replacement to oilseed crops such as sunflower and canola. This is part of a broader effort to develop perennial crops as sustainable alternatives to annual agriculture.
As Kindscher explains, his research has focused on rosinweed’s ethnobotany, documenting and exploring
its traditional uses by Native Americans. “The history of its use, mostly medicinal, could be important to the development of this crop and could provide opportunities for collaboration and citizen science with some tribal nations,” he adds.
With no plans to slow down anytime soon, he received the Natural Areas Association’s George B. Fell Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024. This award is reserved for exceptional achievements in advancing natural area identification, protection, stewardship and research.
In his quieter moments, Kindscher gardens at his home just outside Lawrence—he grows vegetables, fruits, and pollinator plants and propagates native plants and fruit trees. “I love to grow lambsquarters in my garden. I semi-cultivate them, letting some plants go to seed each year,” Kindscher says. “I also have brought many other native plants into my yard that I like to eat, including milkweed, persimmon and pawpaw.”
He is working on a second edition of his 1992 book, Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie. It is expected to hit shelves in 2026.
–Shirley Braunlich
COVERAGE
Stitching Stories
Mona Cliff embraces Native crafting methods to create works of art that reflect the resilience and joy of contemporary Indigenous life
Artist Mona Cliff (Hanook-gah-neeh/Spotted Cloud) stitches together the past and present with her meticulous use of seed beads—tiny cylindrical glass beads that have a hole running through their length. Cliff centers her multidisciplinary artwork on traditional native crafting methods, such as seed bead embroidery, through which she has woven stories of resilience and resourcefulness.
“My initial drive as an artist is to represent the native community and bridge that gap,” Cliff says. “As an artist, I want to illuminate the contemporary joyfulness of our culture.”
A member of the Gros Ventre tribe, Cliff grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where she enjoyed listening to records while creating collages that covered entire walls with layers of pop culture posters. Creating came naturally to Cliff, who often helped her dad and uncle sew regalia and ceremonial objects. Her mother also made large quilts, and her grandmother sewed and practiced beadwork—she was surrounded by creative people.
is a learned skill—if you’re always presented with everything you need, you never learn how to think outside the box. I feel like that applies to so much of what I do.”
In 2004, Cliff followed her sister to Lawrence, where she attended Haskell University and met her future husband. Her fine art practice was put on hold for several years while she focused on raising her three children, during which time she continued to bead traditional regalia wear for pow-wows and other native ceremonies and events.
In 2018, Cliff reentered the fine art world by submitting seed beadwork to a traveling exhibition. She was featured in “The World of Frida,” an exhibit that included 95 international artists who reinterpreted aspects of Frida Kahlo’s life. This exhibit traveled for three years and opened the door to many great opportunities. Today, she is busier than ever before.
“I feel like I am making up for lost time,” she says.
ABOVE Mona Cliff’s work, including this adorned gas mask, explores “the changing culture and how we evolve alongside it.”
OPPOSITE Welcome to Downtown Lawrence, on display in the 9th and New Hampshire Street parking garage, is Cliff’s largest mural to date.
After high school, Cliff’s grandmother encouraged her to pursue art by taking her to a recruiting event at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, where she eventually graduated with a degree in printmaking and a minor in photography. Cliff enjoyed this opportunity to explore new skills and became fascinated by the resourcefulness of other cultures. Growing up, she always admired this quality in her father and grandparents.
“No matter what problems arose, they always found a way to deal with it,” Cliff says. “Resourcefulness
Today, two site-specific beaded pieces are in permanent collection at the Museum of Kansas City, and Cliff was chosen to complete a massive commission for the Kansas City International Airport Terminal’s One Percent for the Arts Program (a city project that stipulates 1% of all public construction costs be set aside for public art enhancements). This striking 17-foot beaded piece, titled Prairie Confluence, is made up of thousands of seed beads affixed to wood with beeswax and other natural adhesives.
Cliff’s connection with the Flint Hills influenced her work on this particular piece. “The plains were where our tribes migrated to follow the buffalo,” Cliff
says. “I felt making that connection to the landscape was important. Not mimicking it—I didn’t want to be literal about my translation … I wanted to allude to all parts of our environment.”
Thousands of years ago, seed beads were used as a form of currency, particularly in trade, between Europeans and other cultures. But Native Americans have transformed that material into a cornerstone of their cultural expression. “For me, seed beads are a significant part of how we express ourselves,” Cliff says. “They represent our resiliency and our transformation; they represent who we are as a contemporary people as well as our past.”
However, she felt an absence of connection with just gluing seed beads onto an object, Cliff says. She drew on her research of how people around the world used this material—for example, how the Huichol people of Central Mexico used beeswax to adhere seed beads to their art. Her work with seed beads marries these ancestral traditions with contemporary ideas. “When I do beaded work, it’s this free-flowing expression,” Cliff says. “It just comes out. I don’t dictate it.”
In addition to her beadwork, she has completed several public mural projects. Her vibrant Wazhazhe mural, located at the Dragon’s Hoard on Pennsylvania Street, depicts native plants such as chokecherry and pawpaw around the Osage word for “people.” Reclaiming Spaces, located on the pillars of the 23rd Street bridge over Burroughs Creek Trail, is inspired by traditional native ribbon skirts and local flowers. Restoration, located on the Louisiana and 31st Street underpass, was painted in collaboration with Van Go art director Rick Wright.
Her latest project, Welcome to Downtown Lawrence, is her largest mural to date. On display in the 9th and New Hampshire Street parking garage, it celebrates Lawrence’s Indigenous roots and incorporates several city landmarks, including the Campanile, Fraser Hall, the gazebo in South Park and the arch at Haskell Memorial Stadium.
“We are a thriving people. That’s my mission as a muralist and my mission working with seed beads,” Cliff says. “We are more than relics of the past. We come from thriving communities.”
ABOVE Cliff’s latest newest mural celebrates Lawrence’s Indigenous roots. “We are a thriving people,” Cliff says. “That’s my mission as a muralist.”
Cliff also works with other materials, as seen in her Past/Presence/Future series. Inspired by a piece she made in 2019—a beaded QR code that took viewers to her Twitter account—this series explores “the changing culture and how we evolve alongside it.” She sought modern uses for easily accessible materials, such as beading, feathers, crystals and paint, and used them to adorn gas masks and various types of regalia. “We are still having to actively work to maintain our culture,” she says.
Looking ahead, Cliff is deep in the throes of preparing for several exhibitions, including a retrospective solo show at the University of Oklahoma near the end of year, as well as a solo show at the University of Central Missouri in 2026. The Kansas Triennial at the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art in Manhattan, Kansas, will soon feature works by Cliff as well, alongside Mark Cowardin, Poppy DeltaDawn and Ann Resnick.
ABOVE Cliff connects with nature by combining seed beads with the natural contours of wood. “For me, seed beads are a significant part of how we express ourselves,” Cliff says. One of her beaded works—a QR code that takes viewers to her X (formerly Twitter) account, (bottom left)—inspired her Past/Presence/Future series.
Aaron Paden
Aaron Paden
Lawrencium
Baker Wetlands
The Baker University Wetlands is always bustling with activity, from families hiking to biologists conducting research. Decades of restoration efforts have transformed the land into a thriving habitat for diverse wildlife, migratory birds and native plants. Although the wetlands face challenges from urban encroachment, they continue to serve as a hub for education, conservation and recreation.
Baker University Wetlands & Discovery
Center
Electricity powered by 10 KWH solar array 75%
Monday–Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Hours
Total acreage 877
Miles of hiking and biking trails 11+
Cropland acres restored to wetland 310
The site holds deep significance to the Haskell Indian Nations University community—it lies near ancestral land belonging to the Kaw Nation, the Osage Nation, the Kickapoo Tribe, the Oceti Sakowin, and tribal communities represented by Haskell
Observed Flora & Fauna
Other vertebrate animals, including amphibians, reptiles and mammals
387
These numbers continue to grow as area university students, faculty, and nature lovers identify new species at the Baker Wetlands. The wetlands provide not only a habitat for hundreds of species of plants and animals but also a unique outdoor classroom of all ages.
Wetlands Timeline
Age is at least
300,000 years
1890-1902
The Bureau of Indian Affairs acquired the wetlands
1917-1927
Some wetland acreage was converted to farmland
1950s
Haskell transferred 573 acres of surplus farmland to the U.S. General Services Administration
1967
The farmland was transferred to the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
1968
Stewardship of the wetlands transferred from Haskell to Baker University
* Haskell began in 1884 as the United States Indian Industrial Training School, a boarding school for Indigenous children. It became Haskell Institute in 1887, Haskell Indian Junior College in 1967 and Haskell Indian Nations University in 1993.
1982
Biology professor Ivan Boyd began restoring the converted farmland to native prairie
More Than Glitz & Glamour
Dorothy and the Dolls are redefining Lawrence’s drag scene, leading the charge by setting trends and performing jaw-dropping stunts
Last fall, something magical happened outside a downtown Lawrence venue. A line filled with young people from all backgrounds—dressed to the nines and braving the rain—wrapped around an entire block. You might have thought a big-name performer had come to town, but the crowd was lining up to see a local drag troupe.
Ten years ago in Lawrence, finding just one recurring drag show was a challenge. Today, several occur each week, largely thanks to Dorothy and the Dolls. This small yet incredibly ambitious group of drag performers hails from diverse backgrounds. They stay attuned to nationwide trends in drag, delivering jaw-dropping physical stunts while providing what the local queer community desperately seeks—a fun and safe space to simply be themselves.
Dorothy and the Dolls performers are KYKY Mo-Dean (Ky Reid), Chay D. Boots (Jarron Lewis), Jeni Tonic (Andrew Ralston), Johnny Diablo (Mattie Karlin), Lambyyy Boots (Liam Housworth), Ema Eagle (Clayton Capra), Kitten (Kaden Nix), and their DJ, Chance Romance (Chance Penner). For the sake of
clarity, this story refers to them by their drag names and preferred pronouns when in drag.
The Dolls got its start more than a year ago at a weekly drag event hosted by MsAmanda Love at the Jazzhaus, then added weekly queer dance nights at the Replay Lounge. Dance nights at the Replay quickly turned into drag nights and moved to the Bottleneck once the crowds outgrew the space.
“It’s crazy that I started only two years ago,” Lambyyy says. “After I started, it felt like new performers came out of nowhere. The influx of new art forms all hit in a 4-month span, which drew attention [to the drag scene].”
“Drag is becoming more mainstream in the middle of the country. We’re very fortunate Lawrence is a progressive space that was willing to hop onto this trend.”
Ema Eagle
“What happens on the coast tends to trickle into the Midwest, and I think we’re seeing that effect [in Lawrence],” says Ema, who writes scripts for the group’s more theatrical performances. “Drag is becoming more mainstream in the middle of the country. We’re very fortunate Lawrence is a progressive space that was willing to hop onto this trend.”
It didn’t take long before the troupe was teeming with talented performers. “It’s the
ABOVE Dorothy and the Dolls include (clockwise, from top left) Kitten, Chay D. Boots, Lambyyy Boots, Jeni Tonic, Jello Tin Shot (guest performer), KYKY Mo-Dean, Chance Romance, Johnny Diablo, Ema Eagle and Carma Lea.
perfect storm,” Ema continues. “We regularly have more shows, and we have more quality. As we keep going, we keep getting better.”
Exploring the Genre
The Dolls meet weekly to plan shows and study new trends in drag and pop culture. They are close-knit and dedicated to supporting performers from Lawrence and the surrounding communities.
Diablo’s Inferno, one of the group’s regular events, dedicates an entire night to drag kings. “When I first entered the drag scene, I didn’t see anyone like me—I didn’t fit into the box of what was expected of a drag queen,” says event organizer Johnny Diablo. “I wanted to get more ‘alt drag’ and ‘masc drag’ on the stage. These performers can’t get better if they don’t have more chances to get on stage.”
Another regular event, Hole: An Open Show, consistently attracts a large turnout. “Hole brings in all new performers,” Lambyyy says. “It’s our biggest opportunity when looking to cast future shows.”
A Long Time Coming
Dorothy and the Dolls is best known for artist tribute shows. The crowd I spotted in line last fall—all dressed in pink—was waiting to see a sold-out Chappell Roan tribute show. What makes the Dolls’ performances so special is their ability to hit on trends. At this show, for example, the group brought to life Chappell Roan’s album The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by adding pop-punk covers to the setlist. The evening was dubbed Punk Pony Club. “What Lawrence has always done best is twist themes,” Lambyyy says. “I think that’s
what Dorothy and the Dolls also does best—we take an idea and push it a different way.”
Having a dedicated show night at a trusted venue has been key to the group’s success. Once Chance Romance was given a weekly Wednesday night set at the Replay Lounge, the Dolls were able to prove they could draw large crowds. “There’s room on the market to do more shows and uplift the local community,” Kitten says. “It’s been a long time coming.”
Standing and Screaming
The Dolls, who always set their sights a little higher, are working toward a tour and connecting with more communities to promote safe spaces for drag. “I would like to see us become a model for cities of similar size,” KYKY says. She explains that she wishes to see drag taken more seriously as an art form: “I think we deserve to be on the biggest stage with everyone else.”
These times call for that kind of ambition. Although the queer community has always faced an uphill political battle, the group agrees the best way to fight is with queer joy. “When I’m deciding what I want to do, where I want to go, or where to put my efforts, I’m trying to create a space that I wish was available to me when I was in my early 20s,” Chance says. “It’s important to keep it fresh, to keep it present, and to have authentic joy in what you’re doing, and then to put that on display and share it with other people.”
Lambyyy agrees, adding that—in the current climate—she feels even more inspired. “It drives me to stand and scream into a mic … to stand up for my community.”
ABOVE The Dolls perform to a sold-out Chappell Roan tribute show at The Bottleneck.
OPPOSITE After finding success in Lawrence, the Dolls are working toward a tour and connecting with more communities.
Upcoming Shows
Dorothy and the Dolls typically holds five monthly events:
• Hole: An Open Show, structured like an open mic night and open to all types of performers (who sign up in advance)
• Boob Tube, shows that mimic popular television programs
• Sore Loser, a competition-style drag event
• KYKY’s Kiki, with themed costumes and performances
• Diablos’Inferno, giving drag kings and nonbinary performers a chance in the spotlight
ABOVE
IA Tale of Two Cities
From reservations to riverboats, the Bismarck-Mandan area of North Dakota is the perfect place to enjoy America’s diversity
’m sitting in a meticulously reconstructed earth lodge of the Mandan people, a Native American tribe that lived in what is now North Dakota. This earth lodge is part of the On-A-Slant Indian Village, one of nine Mandan villages dating to the 16th century. Located near the confluence of the Heart River with the Missouri River, the village was home to an estimated 1,000 to 1,500 people. The community thrived for more than 200 years before a smallpox outbreak decimated their population.
On-A-Slant, located in Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, offers interpretive displays, a small but excellent museum and free guided tours. I left with a better understanding of the history of the Three Affiliated Tribes—Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara—and a deeper respect for the peoples’ resilience and culture.
But history is messy. Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park is also the site of several reconstructed military buildings, including the Custer House. Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer lived in this house when he notoriously rode off with the 7th Calvary to force noncompliant Indians to return to their assigned reservations. His mission was to eradicate encampments and destroy resistance. If his success required the slaughter of women and children, then he’d slaughter women and children.
I remember learning about Custer’s Last Stand in school and being taught about the brave soldiers who were massacred—I didn’t learn anything about what Native Americans had experienced before this pivotal battle. The history that many of us were taught is incomplete and often less significant than what is missing. Travel is a way to understand a more complete picture.
Bismarck-Mandan Area
Bismarck and Mandan sit on opposite sides of the Missouri River. Their names speak to a shared history: Bismarck, named for Otto
von Bismarck, the first chancellor of the German Empire, in an effort to attract German investment in the Northern Pacific Railway; and Mandan, named for the Native Americans of this region.
Start your visit at the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum. I found it to be engaging, comprehensive and dynamic. You can easily spend a whole day there, moving peripatetically through history, starting with the dinosaurs. Kids love the dioramas (OK, I did too). It takes creativity to make ecosystems exciting.
There are five large gallery spaces, each with a different focus. In the Early Peoples gallery, visitors can listen to the spoken languages of different tribes. I’d never appreciated the diversity of tribal languages. It was one of many “Aha!” moments.
The museum’s exhibits continually evolve alongside advancements in science and history. It’s worth a few visits to take it all in.
Next, make your way to the North Dakota State Capitol. Completed in 1934, this boxy Art-Deco-meets-prairie-high-rise is different from almost every other capitol I’ve seen. Take a free tour to appreciate it. The observation deck is the best view of the entire Bismarck-Mandan region.
You can also visit the Camp Hancock State Historic Site in downtown Bismarck. This museum was first built in 1872 as a military post. The Bread of Life Church, located on the site, grabbed my attention. It is the oldest church in Bismarck and features exceptional architectural detail and restored stained glass windows.
North Dakota’s Gateway to Science, in a stunning new building with a fabulous view of the river and bridge, embraces a handson approach with exhibits I’d never seen before. It’s great for multigenerational learning. The North Dakota State Railroad Museum northwest of Mandan is also a gem for anyone who loves trains—especially kids.
ABOVE A view of Bismarck and Mandan (left), as separated by the Missouri River. Earth lodges (right) have been reconstructed on the site of the On-A-Slant Indian Village.
Bismarck
More Stuff for Kids
Dakota Zoo is a great place to run around, see animals and ride the mini-train. The Super Slide Amusement Park is just next door in Sertoma Park. It features a Ferris wheel, a carousel, go-carts, minigolf and North Dakota’s only roller coaster. (With no gate admission, you can pick and choose what you like best. It’s open seven days a week, May–September.)
At Raging Rivers Water Park, thrilling water slides cater to teens while a lazy river and aqua play area are perfect for younger kids. For a quieter experience, McDowell Dam Recreation Area offers great opportunities to swim, fish, kayak, hike and paddleboard. Enjoy the sandy beach and free entry.
Arts & Culture
This area has a vibrant art scene. Enjoy a stroll along Bismarck’s Art Alley 5.5, an outdoor mural gallery between Broadway and Main Street on 5th. This gallery, created by local and regional artists, depicts images from North Dakota’s culture and heritage.
Bismarck Art & Galleries on Front Avenue features watercolors, oils, pottery, jewelry and sculpture, also by local and regional artists. Gallery 522 on 3rd Street is an artist cooperative with reasonable prices. The Capital Gallery on 4th Street is more upscale, with abstract and traditional art by nationally recognized artists, mostly from the Northern Plains.
Lewis and Clark
North Dakota is rich with stories about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. To immerse yourself in their history, drive 45 minutes north to visit the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Washburn, North Dakota. This historical site has exhibits, interactive displays and films that cover explorers’ challenges and discoveries. Visitors
can also go to Fort Mandan, a furnished replica of the fort Lewis and Clark built to survive the winter of 1804–1805.
For a more relaxing tour through history, ride the Lewis and Clark Riverboat. This classic double-decker riverboat carries 105 passengers and operates Memorial Day through Labor Day, offering a variety of themed cruises, including a Sunset Cruise (Wednesday–Sunday). Relax on the riverboat after a day of exploring with reasonably priced bottles of wine (sold onboard). I shared a bottle with friends as we lounged on the upper deck—the sunset was lovely.
Restaurants
BBQ and steak places are popular, but you’ll also find diverse ethnic, vegetarian and vegan options. Bismarck and Mandan are contained enough that you won’t have a long drive, and anything downtown is walkable.
Cultural Experiences
The MHA Nation (the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, also called the Three Affiliated Tribes) host powwows May–August and rodeos throughout the summer all around central North Dakota. Check dates and plan around them. In New Town, North Dakota (about two and a half hours northwest of the Bismarck-Mandan area), you can book a tipi or an earth lodge for an overnight stay. Email mha.tourism@mhanationa.com for more information. Other reservations also host powwows and events, including Standing Rock Indian Reservation. Located about one and a half hours south of the Bismarck-Mandan area, it extends more than 2.3 million acres in both North and South Dakota.
History is complex and requires multiple perspectives, but travel is a better teacher than any textbook. Visiting new places gives families the chance to learn with one another. So go—see, learn and share.
Story by Marsha Henry Goff Photography by Nick Krug
Although my great-great-grandmother, Mary Hammond Sly, died decades before I was born, I feel I know her very well—perhaps better than her family and friends did. Mary kept a journal every day of her adult life. Unfortunately, my great-aunt, who thought Mary’s thoughts were too personal for others to read, burned all of these journals—except for one. My grandmother gave me Mary’s one surviving journal.
Mary was candid in her journal entries and seemed confident that no one would read them during her lifetime. The journal in my possession, which she kept from 1894 to 1900, chronicles her life in Seneca, Kansas, where she, her husband John, and their children lived in 1857. I regret that her journals from the Civil War were lost, but I am fortunate to have letters she sent to her sister in New York during that period. Through these treasured pages, Mary’s fearless voice bridges the centuries—her words connect me not only to my family’s history but also to life as a Kansas woman in the 1800s.
Politics as Usual
Although women were not allowed to vote, Mary was keenly interested in politics. She wrote extensively about the Lecompton Constitution, a proslavery proposal that would have admitted Kansas into the nation as a slave state. It was endorsed by President James Buchanan, who sought to admit Kansas into the Union as quickly as possible—regardless of whether it became a free state or a slave state—but voters soundly rejected the constitution in January 1858. Then on May 4, 1858, Buchanan signed the English Bill, which promised Kansans four million acres of public land grants in exchange for resubmitting and accepting the Lecompton Constitution; otherwise, statehood would be delayed until Kansas reached a population of nearly 93,000.
Many people viewed this bill as a bribe and a threat. On May 8, 1858, Mary furiously wrote to her sister: “Everything seems to go off right since the rejection of the Lecompton Constitution, except for the fiendish revenge manifested by Buchanan’s late proclamation to sell all the surveyed lands in the territory. The people are forming mob laws for their protection—in some places, not here. James Buchanan, unless he repents, will die an unenviable death, unwept, unmourned, and perhaps unhung.” Kansans again rejected the Lecompton Constitution in August 1858.
LEFT The journal belonging to author Marsha Henry Goff’s great-greatgrandmother kept a candid account of life in Seneca, Kansas, during the late 1800s.
Mary was a staunch advocate for women’s suffrage. On October 31, 1894, she wrote about a church member who came to their door “soliciting a chicken pie towards feeding the people on election day, Nov. 6th.” However, before the election, a conflict arose between Mary and the church preacher, leading to my favorite line in her journal: “If our preacher is too conscientious to vote for Woman Suffrage, the church may furnish its own chicken pie.”
During the 1896 presidential election, the Sly family threw their support to the Democratic-Populist candidate William Jennings Bryan and were sorely disappointed when he was defeated by the Republican candidate William McKinley. Mary disparaged McKinley as a “gold bug” (a common name for McKinley and his supporters due to their preference for the gold standard) and wrote of his inauguration, “It is a dull gray day in keeping with the times.”
Health of the Matter
Aside from politics, Mary also wrote at length about medical topics. Her interest in the subject likely was sparked by the fact that of her eight brothers, four were dentists and four were physicians. All four physicians were killed in the Civil War.
In April 1898, Mary wrote about Emma Smith Williams, her daughter’s friend who developed breast cancer and was desperate for a cure. “She that was Emma Smith is down from Beaty [Nebraska] to consult the doctors about a cancer on her left breast.” According to Mary’s journal, Emma’s prognosis was grim, and she sought help from a frontier healer—a charlatan of the type who sold alcohol-based cure-alls. In a journal entry dated April 10, 1898, Mary shared her contempt of such healers: “Ruth [Mary’s daughter] went with Emma Smith to Kansas City to see Carson the Magnetic Healer, but to no purpose. He is a humbug. Emma went home Thursday. I think the cancer incurable.”
Several months later, Emma, still seeking a cure, sought help from a cancer specialist in Wichita. She endured what was then a radical and experimental surgery—a mastectomy. On February 21, 1899, Mary wrote, “Emma showed me where her cancer was taken off, the left breast all gone.”
Aside from her family friend’s diagnosis, Mary chronicled her first experience with a dental anesthetic as well as Seneca’s
ABOVE Also in Goff’s possession is a plate owned by Mary. Attached to the bottom is a note written by Goff’s grandmother that reads “Grandma Sly’s plate. She started housekeeping in 1850 and had this plate at that time.”
smallpox epidemic. When the town physician’s family quarantined after his son fell ill with smallpox, Mary described the doctor as “a caged lion.”
Global Concerns
Mary didn’t confine herself to reporting on local events. Many of her entries in 1898 were about the Spanish-American War, in which she showed a surprising interest for someone living so far from the conflict. After President McKinley delivered his war message in early April 1898, Mary wrote about her suspicions of his political motivations in an April 12 entry: “McKinley’s war message handed to Congress. Another subterfuge to screen ‘Gold Bugs.’”
On April 30, she recorded news of the war, noting, “Dewey met and conquered the Spanish Fleet off Manila.” On June 4, she wrote about this defeat, known as Dewey Day, which commemorates Commodore George Dewey’s victory at the Battle of Manila Bay in the Philippines and brought the United States closer to winning the war. “I suppose all have tried to feel patriotic. I feel more like weeping than rejoicing. The brave and great are being sacrificed to the merciless demands of greed and tyranny.”
When the war ended months later and the soldiers returned, Mary wrote on September 14, “The soldier boys came in on the 10:00 train last night. They were given a loud reception but I slept through it all.”
Among her many writings in my possession is Mary’s last note. The barely legible scrawl of a woman going blind says in part, referencing Psalm 119:97, “Can I never see to write or read again? Oh sad is my fate. ‘How love I thy law.’”
Mary Hammond Sly died on July 14, 1907, after a long, eventful life. Although she died long before my birth, she speaks to me through her writings that were faithfully preserved by Ruth Sly Moriarty, my great-grandmother, and Ruth Moriarty Henry, my paternal grandmother. I am forever grateful.
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ABOVE Goff shows off Mary’s writings beside her great-great grandmother’s 175-year-old Ansonia clock, which still keeps time on Goff’s mantle.
Story by Amber Fraley
Rock RockYour Your
Photography by Jason Dailey
THESE LAWRENCE RESIDENTS FIND JOY IN MOVEMENT AND COMMUNITY OUTSIDE THE WALLS OF A GYM
Your Your
SKATEBOARDING
Dean Shiney (left) and Julian Pope are currently focused on learning how to fall, which is just as important as learning how to ride. Julian’s dad, Rob Pope, explains that skaters who brace for a fall by putting out their hands can break their arms or sprain their wrists. They must unlearn this natural instinct. “You gotta fall on your kneepads,” Julian says.
body body
Movement is an essential part of being human, especially when it comes to staying fit over the course of a lifetime. But we are not moving our bodies enough. Only 24% of U.S. adults meet the physical activity guidelines, according to research data from the Center for Disease Control’s National Center for Health Statistics.
So how much do we need to move our bodies? Adults should be striving for at least 30 daily minutes of moderate physical activity, explains the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Thankfully, exercise doesn’t have to be shoe-horned into a gym membership or following the same repetitive sets at home. Exercise can be about reclaiming the joy of moving your body. And there are a million ways to move your body—no matter your age or level of ability, there’s a style of movement for everyone.
These three Lawrence residents demonstrate the different ways they move their bodies. Whether bending or rolling—or striking a ball—you can find inspiration in their tips and celebrate what your body can do when it gets moving.
Off the Rails
Dean Shiney, age 11, and Julian Pope, age 9, aren’t in the same grade. They don’t even go to the same school. But they are best buds, and the glue that binds their friendship is skateboarding.
I met them at Centennial Park for our interview, where they immediately race toward the half-pipe, stopping only to don their helmets and knee pads before scrambling up the 11-foot vertical ramp. They launch themselves over the deck’s edge, riding the momentum, gliding back and forth on the half-pipe.
I ask Dean how old he was the first time he got on a skateboard. He says it might have been 5 or 6, but his mom, Georgia Shiney, cuts in, “What? You were like two the first time you got on a skateboard!”
Makes sense—the Shineys own River Rat Skate Shop on North Second Street. Dean’s dad, Justin, taught him how to ride.
“My dad taught me how to push,” Dean says. “Then I learned how to balance. At first it was kind of hard—the hardest part being able to get off. My foot was always on the tail, and I’d fall backwards.”
The next skill Dean mastered was kick turns, which is when a rider pivots his board while in motion to change direction. Both boys ride in a regular stance, which means they place their left foot on the board and push with their right foot (as opposed to “goofy footing,” which is leading with your right foot). Julian and Dean prefer popsicle-style boards from Skeleton Key. Neither is great at ollies, or jumps, they say, but they’re working on it.
Although skateboarding may be a competitive sport, you’re only competing with yourself, Rob Pope, Julian’s dad, says.
“That’s why I love it so much,” Georgia adds. “Everyone’s just trying to do their best.”
Dean loves that skateboarding gives him an opportunity to make friends with all kinds of people. “To me, skating is like a big family,” he says. “It’s like, ‘Hey, you skate? That’s cool! We should skate sometime.’ And then you make another friend.”
stRength and RestoratiOn
After the birth of her second child, Diane Church decided to make a change. “My body had gone through a lot,” Church says. “I was only 33 … I was too young to feel so old. That’s when I sought out a yoga class.”
Church started taking classes in 2003, but it wasn’t until 2017 that she began to consider teaching. She was only given the confidence to move forward after one of her teachers suggested it, figuring it would help her grow as a yogi.
For seven years, Church studied to become a teacher of Iyengar yoga—a style of yoga that emphasizes precision, timing and alignment and uses props to support positioning. Today, she teaches at the Yoga Center of Lawrence on Massachusetts Street.
Many of her students are seniors, so Church’s classes focus on strengthening and restorative poses that help with senior issues such as arthritic knees, hunched shoulders and the compacting effects that gravity can have on the body. Church likes that yoga focuses on different layers of the body—skin, muscles, bones, breathing—so that movement and meditation become one.
“That ability to concentrate on your own body can almost take you out of your day-to-day troubles,” she says. “You’re not worried about balancing your checkbook when you’re concentrating on what your big toe is doing. It separates you from the outside world so you can focus on your inside world.”
In fact, Church adapted a saying from one of her instructors: Yoga isn’t a workout, it’s a work-in. “The Iyengar method really stresses inversions, or going upside down,” she says. “That can release stress on the organs because they’re pulled down all day.”
Doing upside-down yoga movements, she explains, moves against gravity, takes stress off the spine and increases blood flow to the brain, each of which has a calming effect.
“It’s exciting to go upside down,” she adds. “You see the world in a different way—literally.”
On and Off the Court
Ann Anderson fell in love with tennis at the tender age of 3. Growing up in Topeka—across the street from Hughes Tennis Court—she recalls watching people play from her living room.
“I would sit with my elbows on the back of our couch and watch the beautiful movement—it was almost like a ballet,” Anderson says. “I would beg my mom … I told her, ‘I want to do that.’”
Although Anderson’s mother told her she wasn’t old enough to cross the street by herself, one day she changed her mind. “She cut off one of her old Jack Kramer wooden rackets, which was probably as
Mountain pose (or Tadasana in Sanskrit) can help seniors improve posture and strengthen their balance. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, then press your feet into the ground, roll your shoulders back, lift your chest and lengthen your spine. Fully straightening your legs while in this pose provides the most benefit, instructor Diane Church says. “Your spine can lift, you can stand up straight, and you can open up the body cavity for the internal organs to get more space.”
TENNIS
When coaching kids, the best way to get them to move a certain way is by using their imaginations. Try telling them “There are sleeping dragons all over the court. Let’s step over them so we don’t wake them up.” This will teach them slow movement so they stay light on their toes, which is important in tennis. “Kids are learning to listen. They’re learning to interact with an adult who isn’t their parent,” instructor Ann Anderson says.
tall as me, and put electrical tape around the end. Then she sent me out the door while she watched me [cross the street],” she says. “I went over there thinking I was all that and started bugging people.”
Anderson was only 4, and it was rare for an adult to play tennis with her. But some of the adults would give the precocious child tennis balls to play with, while most left her to her own devices. She spent countless hours hitting the balls against a concrete wall. But even more important—she watched.
“Everything about tennis is fluid—you move your feet and your eyes and your racket—it’s a coordination of all aspects of the body,” Anderson says. “As a kid, I always liked to be moving. I’m 73 now, and I’ve never stopped.”
Eventually, she grew up and got a job working at Wood Valley Racquet Club in Topeka, where she played a lot of tennis. One of her favorite memories from that time in her life was in 1976, when former professional tennis player Björn Bjorg came to play an exhibition game at the Municipal Auditorium in Topeka to benefit the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. While in town, Bjorg’s manager called Wood Valley and asked if someone could warm up with him. Without thinking, Anderson quickly volunteered. Thankfully, someone else took over for her almost immediately, as she was no match for one of tennis’s greatest players.
“I got to play tennis with Björn Bjorg for a whole two minutes,”
she chuckles. He went on to win Wimbledon for the first time in his career just one month later.
Over the years, no matter where she lived, Anderson played tennis. She has served as a volunteer tennis coach for kids in historically underserved neighborhoods in Los Angeles and San Diego. These experiences left such a lasting impression on her that, when she moved back to Kansas, she found herself teaching a kids’ tennis class at her old stomping grounds. She did such a good job with the class that the Wood Valley class director suggested she earn her tennis teaching certificate in Kansas City.
Although she was by far the oldest student, she passed the class. “I studied harder than I did for any class at KU,” she says. She has been teaching tennis ever since.
Since 2016, she’s been teaching at the Jayhawk Tennis Center on Rock Chalk Lane, where she works with both the youngest and the oldest players. “At Jayhawk Tennis Center, we like to make moving fun,” she says. “Every coach has a goal. For me, the goal is fun.”
Coach Ann, as she’s affectionately known, works with her younger students on basic concepts. Her advice to kids who say it’s just too hard? “Let’s make it easier.”
Anderson prefers to work with students who need extra help and encouragement. “It’s joyful to get people to believe they can do something a little outside their norm,” she says.
Cottin’s Hardware Farmers’ Market
Ongoing–September 25 | cottinshardware.com
Gathering of local food vendors in the parking lot of Cottin’s Hardware on Thursdays, 4–6:30 p.m.
Final Fridays
Recurring monthly on the last Friday explorelawrence.com
Downtown Lawrence, the Warehouse Arts District and other places throughout the city participate in a festival that offers a variety of free arts and culture exhibits and events, 5–9 p.m.
Lawrence 1970s Project
Various dates | watkinsmuseum.org
The Watkins Museum of History hosts an exhibit focusing on the political protests, cultural changes and economic changes that transformed Lawrence during the 1970s.
Lawrence Farmers’ Market
Ongoing–November 29 lawrencefarmersmarket.org
The state’s oldest continually operating farmers’ market welcomes visitors on Saturdays, 7:30–11:30 a.m.
A Bold B.L.A.C.K. Lawrence Open Mic
June 6 | spencerart.ku.edu
B.L.A.C.K. Lawrence hosts a monthly open mic night at the Spencer Museum in connection with the Bold Women exhibit.
Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville
June 6–22 (various dates) | theatrelawrence.com
Theatre Lawrence presents a feel-good jukebox musical featuring music and lyrics by Jimmy Buffett.
Lawrence PRIDE Street Party
June 7 | lawrencekspride.com
A downtown parade and evening street party to celebrate and honor the contributions and presence of the community’s LGBTQ+ communities. Parade starts at 11 a.m.
St. John’s Mexican Fiesta
June 7 | stjohnsfiesta.com
An annual celebration of music, food and dancing to honor Lawrence’s Mexican-American community and raise scholarships for Lawrence students, 4–10 p.m.
summer 2025
Nerd Nite
June 11 | lawrence.nerdnite.com
A monthly lecture event of intellectually stimulating presentations on a wide range of topics.
Creative Connections with the Land
June 12 | klt.org
The Kansas Land Trust’s annual fundraiser offers an evening of food, presentations and jazz and classical piano by local musician Ven Bergdall.
Bingo Loco
June 13 | thegranada.com
The Granada hosts an evening of bingo, lip-sync battles, dance-offs and prizes.
Contra Dance
June 14 | lawrencecontra.wordpress.com
Lawrence Barn Dance Association hosts an evening of contra dance at Woodlawn Elementary School, with music from The Tater Bugs. Beginners’ lessons start at 7 p.m.; dancing starts at 7:30 p.m.
Juneteenth
June 14 | lawrenceksjuneteenth.org
A community gathering in South Park to honor the history and contributions of Lawrence’s Black residents features vendors, presentations and musical celebrations. Parade starts at 11 a.m.
Midsummer Night on Mass
June 20 | msnonmass.com
Downtown businesses hold special sidewalk sales and discounts for an evening of shopping and strolling, 4–10 p.m.
Panther Burn
June 21 | lied.ku.edu
The Lied Center presents a free stage play about fleeing racial injustice in the pursuit of equal rights.
Free State Festival
June 26–29 | freestatefestival.org
Produced by the Lawrence Arts Center, this annual event brings independent films, live music, comedy and art to venues across Lawrence.
Jay and Silent Bob’s Aural Sects
June 27 | libertyhall.net
Comedy duo Jay and Silent Bob, from the cultclassic film Clerks, take the stage at Liberty Hall.
Split Lip Rayfield
June 27–29 | kawriverroots.com
Kaw River Roots presents a free, indoor-outdoor three-day music festival in downtown Lawrence. This year’s show features Split Lip Rayfield, who celebrate 30 years, as well as musical guests Johnny Mullenax, Front Porch and more.
Nerd Nite
July 9 | lawrence.nerdnite.com
A monthly lecture event of intellectually stimulating presentations on a wide range of topics.
Contra Dance
July 12 | lawrencecontra.wordpress.com
Lawrence Barn Dance Association hosts an evening of contra dance at Woodlawn Elementary School, with music from The Land Band. Beginners’ lessons start at 7 p.m.; dancing starts at 7:30 p.m.
Douglas County Fair
July 28–August 2 | dgcountyfair.com
This county tradition is for all ages—come during the day for animal showings, pie contests and more, and stay through the evening for concerts, carnival rides and a demolition derby.
Tunes and Brews
August 2 | lawrenceopera.org
Lawrence Opera Theatre presents its annual “Tunes and Brews” concert at 23rd Street Brewery.
Blue Monday
August 8 | lawrenceopera.org
Lawrence Opera Theatre presents a one-act jazz opera by George Gershwin at Cider Gallery.
Sandbar Block Party
August 8–9 | downtownlawrence.com
The Sandbar hosts a two-day party with music and food on the block of Eighth Street between Massachusetts Street and New Hampshire Street.
Wonder of Wonders
August 14 | lawrenceopera.org
An evening of opera scenes and arias at Theatre Lawrence featuring Bizet’s comedic opera Doctor Miracle
events
summer 2025
Miracle of Miracles
August 16 | lawrenceopera.org
A musical theater cabaret at Theatre Lawrence featuring Bizet’s comedic opera Doctor Miracle
Civil War on the Border
August 22–24 | watkinsmuseum.org
The Watkins Museum of History hosts its annual series of lectures, tours and other events to commemorate the 1863 attack on Lawrence by Confederate guerrilla forces and to explore the lasting impact of the Civil War on the city’s history and identity.
Lettuce with support from Balthvs August 22 | libertyhall.net
Grammy Award–nominated funk band Lettuce performs at Liberty Hall.
KU Football Season Opener
August 23 | kuathletics.com
The University of Kansas Jayhawks football team opens its 2025 season at home against Fresno State at the newly renovated David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
Kansas Picking and Fiddling Championships
August 24 | fidpick.org
South Park hosts a celebration of folk and roots music, 12–5 p.m.
Best of Lawrence Winners Bash
September 3 | bestoflawrence.com
Celebrating the winners of the community-wide online voting in more than 200 categories and the businesses, people, groups and events that define Lawrence.
The Hawk
September 6 | trailhawks.com
The Lawrence Trail Hawks running club hosts its annual showcase race at Clinton Lake with 50mile, 75-mile, and 100-mile race routes.
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