Who we are

Mission Statement

No Divide KC uses the arts as a vehicle for stimulating social awareness, participation and community building. No Divide KC partners with Kansas City-based artists and organizations to create artistic events that are focused on the stories of underserved and misrepresented communities in Kansas City.

Some of the local organizations we have partnered with include: The Lyric Opera of Kansas City, InterUrban Arthouse, The Kansas City Ballet School, Synergy Services, University of Kansas Medical Center, Care Beyond the Boulevard, Open the Doors Coaching, Charlotte Street Foundation, Don Bosco Centers, Kansas City Center for Inclusion and the Johnson County Library.

Our Team

Stacy Busch

Executive Director/Co-Founder

Stacy Busch (She/Her) is a queer composer and performer who utilizes her voice with electronics to build unique sound worlds. Her work is a meeting point between art pop, avant-classical and singer-songwriter.

Stacy is an award winning musician and Kansas City arts leader who was a 2022 OneBeat Virtual Fellow for Global Music Leaders, a 2020 Charlotte Street Foundation Generative Performing Artist Fellow and has been a finalist for the 2023 Pinnacle Prize. Stacy has been awarded grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, Mid America Arts Alliance, ArtsKC and many more.

Stacy@nodividekc.org

Lindsay Kinney

Associate Director

Lindsay Kinney (She/Her) is a queer advocate for social justice and basic human needs. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and has spent most of her professional career in social work. She is passionate about the arts, especially live music, and most of her favorite people are artists. She is a natural connector, builder of community relationships and understands the power of collaboration.

Lindsay loves all things outdoors and enjoys spending time amongst the trees hiking or on the water kayaking. She has lived in the Kansas City area for over 35 years and truly loves this city and how beautifully it continues to evolve. She believes in the good of humanity and knows that we are stronger together.

Lindsay@nodividekc.org

Waleska Rodríguez Kruger

Program Director

Waleska Rodriguez (she/her), a Venezuelan poet and multidisciplinary artist, holds a bachelor's degree in Hispanic Language and Literature from the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México.

With a focus on immigration, symbolism, and spirituality, she has performed spoken word in various countries and managed projects for UAMéx's Cultural Development department.

Waleska founded the Bicultural Poetry Program in 2022 to continue her life-long commitment to promoting poetry as an important tool in the emotional process.

waleska@nodividekc.org

Jaime Rovenstine

Operations Manager

Jaime Rovenstine (she/her) is a painter, poet, cultural worker, and community organizer. She earned her BFA in Fine Arts at Columbia College Chicago before relocating to Kansas City in 2009. With a background in curatorial work, corporate law, and small business ownership (RIP Monarch Coffee), she is excited to join No Divide and bring together her diverse professional experiences, along with her love of the arts and community building.

Jaime loves gardening, hiking, road trips, and gathering with family and friends. She is also the co-founder of Moms*Rage, a KC based community collective that hosts dance party fundraisers and local organizing opportunities.

Amelia “Miles” Meason

**Intern**
Amelia “Miles” Meason is a sculptor and worker currently pursuing her BFA in sculpture at the Kansas City Art Institute. Her work investigates systems of power, both structural and grassroots, and how they can be used to divide or unify groups of people. Through materials such as wood and metal, she creates structures that explore how community creates and wields power.

Emily Spradling

Co-founder

Emily Spradling (she/her) is a queer adult education instructor, co-founder of NDKC, a reader, writer, tech enthusiast, and avid consumer of the arts.

Board of Directors

Tyler Goff - man smiles at the camera in a sport coat. — Tyler Goff

**President**
Tyler Goff (he/they) is still looking for a way to transpose Banking into Bass Clef, but until then his primary focus is providing financial education and wellness solutions to individuals and organizations. He also connects folks to various community service and business opportunities through his leadership position in PRIDE, an LGBTQI+ employee resource group. A lover of the arts, he can be found tapping his foot in 4/4.

Kailee Karr

**Vice President**
Kailee Karr (they/he/she) is a comedian and writer who works by day in educational advocacy. They have toured nationwide performing stand-up comedy and co-founded Kansas City's Fountain City Comedy Festival, the city’s largest comedy event, in 2022. Kailee is passionate about using storytelling as a catalyst for social change and is enthusiastic about collaborating with No Divide to create more opportunities for queer artists in Kansas City.

Kira Johnston-Owens

Treasurer

Kira Johnston-Owens brings nearly three decades of experience in banking, financial operations, and strategic leadership. She is passionate about using strong financial stewardship to support mission-driven organizations and ensure long-term sustainability. Kira is deeply committed to No Divide KC’s work of fostering inclusion, understanding, and meaningful community connection across Kansas City.

Ryan Davis

**Board Member**
Ryan "Kadesh Flow" Davis is a Billboard charting rapper, trombonist, and producer who actively blends his jazz and hip hop backgrounds into riveting musical performances that boast personal, dexterous lyricism and bold, virtuosic trombone playing. He boasts performances supporting artists such as Janelle Monae, Tech N9ne, Dave East, The Revivalists, and numerous other prolific acts.

Quinn Jackson - man in a shirt and tie smiles widely. — Quinn Jackson

**Board Member**
Quinn Jackson (he/they) is a queer trans physician in Kansas City. He is a strong supporter of the arts and artists' capacity to shape change. He knows that marginalized communities can thrive even in hostile environments and hopes to do this small part in improving the healthcare experience for queer people in the Midwest.

Robert Gann - man in suit smiles. — Robert Gann

**Board Member**
Serving as the exhibition juror this year is curator and gallery owner Robert Gann (he/him). Gann is the proprietor and executive curator at Habitat Contemporary Gallery, a commercial art space located in the heart of the KC Crossroads Art district. Gann is also an Honors Graduate from UMKC, in the field of Art History and Museum Studies, he combines his educational and practical experience in redefining the cultural environment of Kansas City.