“What’s happening in our country is wrong and we need to come together. I don’t know what it looks like or how we do it, but I’m ready.”

And with a tap of his finger, Dayton Moore sent this heartfelt text message to a small group of friends.

It was June 5, 2020. The country was reeling not only from the effects of a pandemic, which effectively shut down much of the world, but also from the killing of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man, by a police officer. Protests and riots broke out in cities across the country and even across continents. 

This was a far cry from the picture of unity we saw as citizens rallied around heroic essential workers and loved ones mourning the loss of friends and family due to COVID-19. No, this was the opposite. In a virtual moment, the unity that seemed to stretch from sea to shining sea erupted in an explosion of anger, hatred and division. A surprise to some, an age-old story to others. 

It was undeniable—something had to be done. There was no going around it, over it or under it. There was no ignoring or avoiding it. The only way was through: So that small group of friends decided to take action toward racial healing and reconciliation in Kansas City. 

They began with a meeting and a prayer, engaging in important and ongoing conversations, learning more about our own city’s history, listening to one another and honoring others’ experiences. Then they moved to translating that knowledge into strategy for action. That small group has steadily grown into the movement now known as Unite KC.

It Starts with Us

We at Unite KC don’t pretend to have all the answers, but we do know that no one truly wins when racism and its effects divide a society. In essence, it’s not a fight of Black versus White. It is a fight of good versus evil. And we allhave to come together to fight evil and work toward unity.

Kansas City has a history of racial division. Part of Unite KC’s purpose is to stop allowing the legacy of racially restrictive covenants to dictate our present. We are replacing the restrictive covenants with a covenant of reconciliation that declares what we really believe: every person possesses inherent, God-given value and should be treated as such. Every person should have the opportunity to thrive; and right now, we have to fight for the Black community to receive the same opportunities to thrive as the White community. 

We realize racial reconciliation requires heart transformation. While we can’t change hearts, we can purposefully endeavor to see the hearts of those around us more clearly. We can build relationships with people we never would have met aside from Unite KC. We can allow our own hearts to be changed as we gain perspective and choose to empathize with those around us. No matter our color, it starts with us.

Crossing Dividing Lines to Connect

Our strategy is simple: Do One Good Thing. You’ll hear us say this a million times, and we try to make it easy for everyone to jump in and join us.

We’ve identified 11 domains, corresponding to various industries in the KC metro area. Since June 5, 2020, we have partnered with some of the passionate leaders within these industries to pinpoint areas of racial disparity and identify solutions to address the inequalities.

Did you know there are already many organizations in Kansas City doing good things? We are crossing traditionally dividing lines to link together a network of people and organizations to support the good work already being done in our city. Unite KC is a connector, providing financial, material and volunteer resources.

A Community in Action

This is where YOU come in. Pick One Good Thing and get started! That could range from lending your expertise by joining one of our domains to volunteering to mentor a youth to sponsoring a nonprofit’s programming.

When you do, not only will the city benefit from the service you provided, the city will also benefit from your deepened investment in its welfare and the connections grown through your involvement.

We need you… to get involved and lend your time, talent and treasure to unite our city; to jump in and serve with your family… It doesn’t matter what side of Troost you live on or how long you’ve lived in Kansas City. It takes all of us doing One Good Thing. That’s how we’ll unite KC.

We know it won’t always be convenient. Actually, we can pretty much guarantee it will require sacrifice. It won’t always be comfortable, especially if your volunteer opportunity brings you to a side of town that requires you to use your GPS. However, we also know forming lasting relationships, providing opportunities for everyone to flourish and being a part of creating a city where unity and peace reign will be well worth it.

When we all commit to do One Good Thing, maybe we can’t change the whole world, but we can certainly change ours. Maybe that’s enough.