Better Together: What Happens When We Stop Working Alone
Updated: Aug 23
Some of the most important moments in public service never make the headlines.
No ribbon cutting.
No microphone.
No cameras.
Just people helping people.
This week, I became more aware of advocates in our community who are actively working to help families stay in their homes.
That stayed with me.
Because homeownership isn’t just about having a house.
It’s stability. Family. Memories. Generational wealth. It’s having something you can call your own and, hopefully, something you can pass down.
So when people come together to help a family remain in their home, that’s partnership.
And that connects directly to the one word that described my entire week:
Awareness.
The more rooms I enter, people I meet and questions I ask, the more I understand that progress requires seeing the whole picture—not just one piece of it.
Sometimes we don’t need to create another program or another resource.
Sometimes we need to become more aware of the people, resources and possibilities already around us—and connect them.
That’s where partnership begins.
That’s WE NOT ME.
THIS WEEK IN DISTRICT 1
This was one of those weeks when community showed up in a lot of different places.
I attended the Gifted Back to School Event hosted by Introstep, where families and young people were preparing for another school year.
I celebrated Bishop Jack and Carolyn Vaughn at their 50th Anniversary Gala and iCare Fundraiser,
and I returned to my childhood church, Greater Pentecostal, for Youth Sunday.
There’s something special about returning to a place that helped shape you.
It reminds you that none of us arrived where we are completely by ourselves.
Somebody taught us.
Somebody encouraged us.
Somebody opened a door.
Somebody believed in us.
That’s partnership too.
I also attended the Groundworks NRG Town Hall on Stormwater with Jeff Miles,
the MARC Assembly Luncheon and Awards Ceremony,
and another Bell’s Crossing tour with Parks & Recreation Director Angel Ferrera.
Different rooms.
Different organizations.
Different conversations.
But underneath all of them was essentially the same question:
How do we make our community better?
We also had something worth celebrating:
The K-5 Bridge is now open!
Infrastructure doesn’t always generate the biggest headlines, but when something improves connectivity and access for families, students and residents, it matters.
Progress sometimes looks like a major development.
Sometimes it looks like a bridge finally opening.
Both count.
And then this week gave us another reminder of why strong communities and strong partnerships matter.
Severe weather moved through our area, leaving families dealing with storm damage, widespread power outages, downed trees and hazardous conditions. The impact reached our schools as well, with KCKPS closing schools as families and our community dealt with power, transportation and storm-related challenges.
That’s not just a weather story.
That’s a people story.
And this is one of those moments when WE NOT ME has to be more than something we say. It has to be something we do.
AFTER THE STORM: LET’S HELP OUR NEIGHBORS
Residents and community partners are organizing volunteers to help Northeast KCK with post-storm relief efforts, and if you’re able to lend a hand, I encourage you to get involved.
Whether it’s your time, your energy or simply sharing this opportunity with someone who can help, every contribution matters.
Click Here to sign up to volunteer with After the Storm: Northeast KCK
See a need. Lend a hand. Check on a neighbor. Share the opportunity.
Because partnership isn’t only about sitting at the same table.
Sometimes partnership looks like showing up for one another when the storm has passed and the real work of recovery begins.
And that leads directly into something new I want to introduce this week—because while we need people willing to help, we also need to hear directly from the residents experiencing these challenges.
District 1, it’s time for YOU to have the floor.
NEW THIS WEEK: YOU SAID IT
Your Voice. Your District. Our Conversation.
I’ve said from the beginning that this is WE NOT ME CONVERSATIONS.
That word—conversations—matters.
I don’t want this to become something I write every week, you read, and then we move on.
I want to hear from you too.
So beginning this week, I’m introducing rotating features designed to bring residents deeper into our conversation.
The first is called:
YOU SAID IT.
Every so often, I’m going to use this space to ask you one question about something we’re experiencing together in District 1.
And there’s probably no better week to begin than this one.
The severe weather that moved through our community didn’t affect everybody the same way.
For one family, it may have meant sitting in the dark.
For another, it was a downed tree or property damage.
For somebody else, it may have meant losing food in the refrigerator, missing work, finding childcare because school was closed, navigating hazardous roads or checking on an elderly neighbor.
And there were also residents, first responders, utility crews, public employees and neighbors stepping up to help.
All of those experiences matter.
So District 1, I want to hear from YOU:
How did this storm affect you, your family or your neighborhood—and what could help us respond even better the next time?
Tell me:
What neighborhood are you in?
What happened where you live?
What helped—or what would have helped most?
Maybe somebody deserves recognition.
Tell me that too.
This isn’t about pointing fingers.
It’s about awareness.
What worked?
Where were the gaps?
What did residents experience that decision-makers need to understand?
And what can neighborhoods, utilities, schools, nonprofits, businesses and local government learn from this experience?
Leave your response in the comments.
I’m going to be reading them.
I’ll respond when I can, and some of the things you share may help shape future conversations and future editions of WE NOT ME.
And if you know somebody in District 1 who was affected by the storm, send them this article and ask them to join us.
Because partnership isn’t only about how we celebrate together.
It’s also about how we respond when our neighbors need us most.
YOU SAID IT. I’m listening.
LEARNING THE BUDGET—AND STRETCHING MY THINKING
Another area receiving a lot of my attention right now is the budget.
I’ll be the first to tell you: the budget process can be daunting.
But leadership requires taking the time to understand what’s in front of you.
I’m asking questions.
I’m listening.
I’m learning what residents believe should be prioritized.
And I’m challenging myself to think beyond what we’ve always known.
Because a budget isn’t simply numbers on a page.
A budget is a reflection of our priorities.
Residents are asking:
Where are our resources going?
What are we prioritizing?
How will the budget affect my neighborhood?
When will I see results?
Those are fair questions.
My responsibility isn’t to pretend I know everything.
It’s to keep learning, keep asking questions and keep bringing residents’ voices into the conversation.
I’m stretching my mind in ways I’ve been waiting to stretch it.
And that’s growth.
COMMUNITY VOICES: OUR MOST IMPORTANT PARTNERS
When people ask me which partnership has the greatest impact in District 1, my answer is simple:
The residents.
Residents are the eyes and ears of this district.
You know what’s happening on your block.
You know the pothole everybody drives around.
You know the senior who could use some assistance.
You know which neighborhood business deserves more attention.
You hear the conversations happening in churches, schools, barbershops, beauty salons, businesses and around kitchen tables.
Government can provide resources and services.
But residents provide something government can’t manufacture:
Lived experience.
That’s why YOU SAID IT matters.
If residents are going to be partners instead of spectators, their experiences have to be part of the conversation.
See something? Report it.
Have an idea? Share it.
Attend the meeting.
Volunteer.
Support the local business.
Mentor somebody.
Check on your neighbor.
Partnership requires participation.
YOUTH SPOTLIGHT: YOUR STARTING POINT DOESN’T DETERMINE YOUR FINISH
Returning to Greater Pentecostal for Youth Sunday and attending the Gifted Back to School event had me thinking about our young people.
And after seeing another school week interrupted by circumstances beyond their control, there’s a message I especially want them to remember:
Your future is bigger than your current circumstances.
Don’t allow where you start—or what happens around you—to convince you that you can’t determine where you finish.
Learn.
Ask questions.
Build relationships.
Develop your skills.
Find mentors.
And remember—you don’t have to wait until you’re older to make an impact.
I want to see stronger partnerships connecting our schools, businesses, churches, nonprofits, workforce organizations and local government around youth development and economic opportunity.
Imagine a young person learning culinary arts, getting connected to a local restaurant owner, gaining real-world experience, learning marketing and financial literacy, and eventually opening a restaurant.
Now we haven’t just helped somebody find employment.
We’ve helped develop a future entrepreneur and employer.
That’s the kind of pipeline partnership can create.
FROM WYANDOTTE COUNTY TO WARNER MUSIC—AND BACK HOME
I also had the opportunity this week to meet Erica Coulter Senior Vice President of A&R of Warner Records a Wyandotte County native.
What stood out wasn’t simply where her career has taken her.
It was that she’s ready to come home and help.
That’s important.
Think about how many people started right here in Wyandotte County, went into the world, developed expertise, built relationships and gained experiences that could benefit the next generation back home.
We should be intentional about reconnecting those people to this community.
Not because everybody has to move back.
But everybody can reach back.
Sometimes opportunity isn’t about creating something completely new.
Sometimes it’s about reconnecting people who were already part of our story.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
This week, I want to recognize the Environmental Services team of the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas.
There is a lot of work happening behind the scenes to keep our community functioning, clean and healthy.
And weeks when severe weather impacts our community are another reminder of how much we depend on public employees and essential workers whose names most residents may never know.
They simply show up.
They do their jobs.
They serve the community.
That’s worth acknowledging.
Because a great community partner doesn’t just show up when the cameras are there.
They listen.
They communicate.
They follow through.
And most importantly, they care about the outcome—not just the recognition.
Thank you for the work you do.
THIS WEEK’S ECONOMIC SNAPSHOT
Restaurant & Food Service
Food is one of the easiest places to see the connection between community and economics.
According to U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Wyandotte County recorded approximately $460.5 million in accommodation and food-services sales in 2022.
That’s nearly half a billion dollars in economic activity.
Now let’s ask a bigger question:
How much more of that economic activity can we keep circulating in our own community?
Industry: Restaurant & Food Service
Estimated Local Market Size: Approximately $460.5 million in 2022 accommodation and food-services sales
Annual Industry Sales: Approximately $460.5 million, based on the latest available county figure
Dollars Estimated to Leave Wyandotte County: A reliable county-level public figure isn’t currently available, and I don’t want to give you a number we can’t substantiate.
Local Businesses Serving This Industry: Numerous establishments participate in Wyandotte County’s broader food-service and hospitality economy.
Potential Jobs Supported by Retaining More Spending: There is significant opportunity, but a responsible jobs estimate requires industry-specific employment and economic multiplier data.
We do know the industry already supports thousands of jobs locally. Recent Wyandotte County economic-development data reported approximately 6,695 Accommodation & Food Services jobs in 2025.
Using $460.5 million as a baseline, consider the scale:
10% = approximately $46.1 million
20% = approximately $92.1 million
That’s not a claim that those dollars are currently leaving Wyandotte County. It’s a way of illustrating what 10–20% of an industry this size represents.
Imagine more dollars flowing through locally owned restaurants, employees, suppliers and entrepreneurs.
To make that happen, we need an ecosystem:
Local ownership.
Local suppliers.
Workforce development.
Entrepreneurship.
Access to capital.
Strong neighborhoods.
And—you guessed it—
Partnerships.
THE WE NOT ME CHALLENGE
Support one locally owned restaurant this week.
Eat there.
Take a picture.
Leave a positive review.
Tag the business.
Tell somebody about your experience.
Bring somebody with you next time.
Because when you eat locally, you’re not just buying a meal.
You’re supporting somebody’s employees.
Somebody’s family.
Somebody’s dream.
And potentially somebody’s next expansion.
LOOKING AHEAD: CONNECTING WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE
District 1 has tremendous potential.
We have residents who care.
Businesses willing to invest.
Churches serving neighborhoods.
Nonprofits solving problems.
Educators developing young people.
Community leaders bringing people together.
And Wyandotte County natives around the country who still care deeply about home.
Our challenge isn’t always finding another resource.
Sometimes it’s connecting the people and resources we already have.
Everybody doesn’t have to do everything.
But everybody should know what they can do—and who they can do it with.
That’s what I’m looking forward to continuing:
Learning.
Connecting.
And turning conversations into action.
THE WE NOT ME REFLECTION
Collaboration has taught me something important:
It requires humility.
Sometimes leadership means being willing to say:
“I don’t know, but I’m willing to learn.”
I’ve also learned that people don’t have to agree on everything to work together on something important.
We can disagree about five things and still discover one thing we care deeply about together.
Maybe it’s helping families recover after a storm.
Maybe it’s safer neighborhoods.
Maybe it’s better opportunities for young people.
Maybe it’s helping families stay in their homes.
Maybe it’s supporting local businesses.
Maybe it’s improving our parks.
Maybe it’s simply checking on the person who lives next door when their lights go out.
Start there.
Because the goal isn’t always agreement.
The goal is progress.
This week reminded me that we’re stronger when we stop trying to do everything alone and start recognizing the power of working together.
Partnership isn’t just a word.
It’s a practice.
And sometimes it takes a storm—literally or figuratively—to remind us how much we need one another.
When we truly live WE NOT ME, the possibilities for District 1 become bigger than anything one commissioner, one organization, one business, one church—or one resident—could accomplish alone.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Before you leave this week’s conversation, don’t just read it.
Participate in it.
Go back to our first YOU SAID IT question:
How did this storm affect you, your family or your neighborhood—and what could help us respond even better next time?
Leave your answer in the comments.
Then share this article with one District 1 resident who has something to add to the conversation.
One comment can reveal something we didn’t know.
One story can help us see a problem differently.
One connection can lead to a solution.
That’s awareness.
That’s partnership.
That’s WE NOT ME.
And next week, we’re going to talk about something that has to happen before any of this works:
Listening.
Because sometimes the most powerful thing a leader can do isn’t speak.
It’s hear what somebody else has to say.
Next Week: Listening—the most overlooked leadership skill there is.
Leadership isn’t about me.
It’s about WE.
— Commissioner Jermaine Howard
STAY CONNECTED
Comments