Brant Jester is from Ozark, Missouri, holds a bachelors and masters degree in music from Missouri State University and University of Missouri Kansas-City. He remains busy as a jazz pianist, piano instructor, adjudicator and accompanist across the greater Kansas City area. He is the former pianist of the Missouri Jazz...
Matt (Your Sound Companion) loves music across genre, space, time and culture. When he's not riding around town on his sick 12-speed bike, he's enjoying a refreshing beverage at any one of KC's fine drinking establishments or relaxing at home with his new lava lamp. He enjoys eating at new...
I’ve been DJ’n and collecting rare records for 12 years. I have approximately 16,000 records in my collection and I specialize in 7 inch 45 RPM records. I have regular residencies at Voltaire and Mean Mule Distilling Co. Music has always been a welcomed reprieve from the riggers of life...
Taki Manolakos is an economist with over 15 years of experience and also a community organizer.
Sirisha Naidu is associate professor of economics and affiliate faculty in the Department of Race, Ethnic and Gender Studies at University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). She is committed to making economics accessible to all through workshops, popular press and media.
Mará Rose Williams is The Star’s Assistant Managing Editor for Race & Equity Issues. She previously was a member of the Star’s Editorial Board and an award-winning columnist. She has written on all things education for The Star since 1998, including issues of inequity in education, teen suicide, universal pre-K,...
Eamon, a 2023 addition to the program, is an international education professional with a background studying and living in the MIddle East. At the University of Montana, he studied the history of the Middle East and the Arabic language. After graduating, he taught English for a year in Lutheran schools...
