Rooted Before the Storm

Black Excellence Inc. is stepping into a new chapter as a research and convening institution serving the Kansas City region.

This page is an early marker of that direction while the full site is being built.

A Research and Convening Institution

Survey. Report. Present.

BX follows four economic mobility sectors: design and architecture, technology and urban tech, logistics and transportation, and social entrepreneurship and health. The research spans six corridors on both sides of the state line, from Quindaro and Brush Creek to East Crossroads, Downtown KCK, Overland Park, and Lee's Summit.

Findings go back to the residents who generated them before they reach funders or policymakers.

How People Get Engaged with Us

  • BX shares corridor-level findings, from baseline surveys to the Proximity dashboard, with partners who want a shared, evidence-based view of the region. If you're already working in one of the six corridors, this data can ground what you're building.

  • Whether you're shaping programming, writing a grant, or making the case for investment in a corridor, BX's research can add a data layer your organization doesn't have the capacity to build on its own.

  • Higher Ground and Back to the Center bring residents, professionals, and partners into the same room. If your organization runs a program that fits a corridor's needs, these convenings are a direct way to reach the people you're trying to serve.

  • BX partners with organizations that already have boots on the ground in a corridor, pairing their reach with the data and research support they need to move that work forward.

Research and Papers