Straight From The Heart

E27 - Ajamu Webster on Black Wealth and Owning Our Own

Ajamu Webster is back in Kansas City, and he brought a challenge with him. He spent 42 years here as a structural engineer and community organizer before moving to Ghana, and he sits down with Kim Davis to talk about the thing he's been building for more than a decade: WeDevelopment Federal Credit Union, a Black-owned, community-owned financial institution at 3123 Prospect. It earned its charter in 2022, opened its doors, and already has more than 1,000 members. Here's the part most people miss. When you join, you don't become a customer. You become an owner, with a share and a vote. Ajamu walks Kim through why that matters, and he starts way back in 1787, when Richard Allen and Absalom Jones pooled resources in Philadelphia and planted what grew into the first Black insurance companies and banks. By 1940 there were 132 Black-owned banks in this country. None of this is new, he says. It was just forgotten. They get honest about wealth, too. Home ownership gets all the attention, but Ajamu makes the case that Black commerce is the engine we keep skipping over: the loans, the mortgages, and the small-business capital that keep dollars circulating close to home instead of leaving the neighborhood. He breaks down the real difference between a bank and a credit union, explains why WeDevelopment can never pack up and leave Kansas City the way Liberty Bank or the old Douglass bank did, and shows how the credit union is already stepping into the space payday lenders used to own. There's big news in this one. Kim announces that the Heartland Black Chamber has voted to make its own deposit into WeDevelopment and to bring its members in as owners. You're watching the partnership take shape in real time. If you've ever said we need to build our own, this is the conversation that tells you it's already built. What's left is walking through the door. Membership starts at $5. Live, work, or worship in the field of membership, or simply carry a heart for the community, and you're in. ——— 🎙 Straight From The Heart is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube 🎧 Listen Now: here (https://straightfromtheheart.transistor.fm/ [https://straightfromtheheart.transistor.fm/]) 🔗 Connect with us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartlandblackchamber/ [https://www.instagram.com/heartlandblackchamber/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartlandblackchamber/ [https://www.facebook.com/heartlandblackchamber/] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heartland-black-chamber-a3bb7b1b7/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heartland-black-chamber-a3bb7b1b7/]

E26 - A $100K Career, No Degree and No Debt

Harold Fears is back, and this time the plan he laid out on Episode 12 isn't a plan anymore. It's running. Harold sits down with Kim Davis to share what's happening at Ares CDL Institute right now. He's already working inside the Topeka Correctional Facility and Lansing with eight students who'll walk out with a real CDL in hand. He says it's the first program in the country that lets people actually drive and earn their license while they're still incarcerated, not just study for the permit. Four weeks of training, and within a year, a graduate can be making close to $100,000. This conversation goes deeper than trucking, though. Harold and Kim get into what a second chance really takes: housing that will actually rent to someone coming home, employers like FedEx who hire on skill instead of stigma, and his partnership with Stacy Landis at Property Plus Construction to build housing for returning citizens. It's also an honest look at building a business with no safety net. Harold talks about knocking on doors, sending emails at 3 a.m., and fighting to get licensed across the Kansas-Missouri line while most of his students come from the Missouri side. If you've ever felt like a one-man band trying to grow something that matters, you'll hear yourself in this one. And he isn't stopping at training. Harold wants to build a trucking company staffed entirely by people coming home, plus an "Aries Promise" that helps strong drivers become truck owners. Ownership, not just a job. Big love to Mary Ricketts of Turning Point, who Harold credits as the mentor and connector who showed up when Aries was still finding its footing. 🎙 Straight From The Heart is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube 🎧 Listen Now: here [https://straightfromtheheart.transistor.fm/] 🔗 Connect with us: * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/heartlandblackchamber/] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/heartlandblackchamber/] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heartland-black-chamber-a3bb7b1b7/]

E25 - The System Isn’t Broken : It’s Working Exactly as Designed

In this episode of Straight From the Heart, host Kim Davis sits down with Eric Murray, entrepreneur and candidate for the U.S. Senate in Kansas, for a conversation about leadership and the future of Kansas communities. He grew up in Wyandotte County, built businesses, and advocated for community investment. Eric shares the experiences that shaped his vision for public service. Together, they explore the challenges facing small businesses, including access to capital and infrastructure, and the growing wealth gap affecting communities across Kansas and beyond. This conversation is about empowering entrepreneurs and ensuring that future generations have a seat at the table where decisions are made. This episode offers valuable insights into the connection between policy and community impact. Support Erik Murray: https://www.erikforkansas.com/ [https://www.erikforkansas.com/] 🎙 Straight From The Heart is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube 🎧 Listen Now: here [https://straightfromtheheart.transistor.fm/] 🔗 Connect with us: * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/heartlandblackchamber/] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/heartlandblackchamber/] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heartland-black-chamber-a3bb7b1b7/]

E24 - Cancer Didn’t Win: God Kept Me Here

On this episode of Straight From The Heart, we sit down with Patricia Stouffer, better known as Patti Cakes a breast cancer survivor and creator of Three Ts and a Nana. Patty shares her journey through an aggressive breast cancer diagnosis and the emotional, physical battles of treatment. She also shares the unwavering faith that carried her through the darkest moments. This conversation is about healing and recognizing God’s presence even in life’s hardest seasons. Patti also opens up about the inspiration behind her upcoming play Three Ts and a Nana, a heartfelt comedy celebrating friendship and faith. If you’ve ever questioned your strength or needed a reminder that joy can still exist in the middle of pain, this episode is for you. Connect with people: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/pattikakesproductions/] Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586411117668] Website [https://www.pattikakes.com/] 🎙 Straight From The Heart is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube 🎧 Listen Now: here [https://straightfromtheheart.transistor.fm/] 🔗 Connect with us: * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/heartlandblackchamber/] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/heartlandblackchamber/] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heartland-black-chamber-a3bb7b1b7/]

E23 - Epstein Made Headlines : But This Happens Every Day

In this episode of Straight From the Heart, we continue our discussion of Epstein, shifting the focus from headlines to home. Joined by Brandy Williams of MOCSA, we talk about what sexual abuse really looks like beyond high-profile cases and into our everyday lives. We’re really talking about how abuse doesn’t just happen in extreme or obvious situations; it can happen in places people trust the most. And a lot of the time, it’s hidden in plain sight because it’s tied to power and relationships people are supposed to feel safe in. But this isn’t just about becoming aware of it. It’s about really understanding how deeply it affects survivors, and realizing that as a community, we all have a responsibility to speak up and do something when something doesn’t feel right. We dive into the realities many people don’t talk about: why abuse is often never reported and what it takes to create safe spaces where people feel heard and protected. Connect with Brandy Williams: LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandy-williams-lcsw-msw-9668211b2/] 🎙 Straight From The Heart is now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube 🎧 Listen Now: here [https://straightfromtheheart.transistor.fm/] 🔗 Connect with us: * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/heartlandblackchamber/] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/heartlandblackchamber/] * LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/heartland-black-chamber-a3bb7b1b7/]