Artspeak Radio with Maryfrances Wagner & Dr. Regina Nouhan with J.J. McDonald

Artspeak Radio, Wednesday, April 8, 2026, 9am -10am CST, 90.1fm KKFI Kansas City Community Radio, streaming live audio www.kkfi.org Producer/host Maria Vasquez Boyd welcomes poet Maryfrances Wagner, Dr. Regina Nouhan, and J.J. McDonald with Gordon Parks Elementary School. MARYFRANCES WAGNER – The Writers Place events for 2026 A Master Class in Screenwriting, April 11, 10:30am – 12:30pm, The Writers Place 31 W. 31st KCMO The Writers Place Reading Series featuring Tony Brewer, Janet Rose, Alarie Tennille April 17, 7pm TWP Open Mic, April 27, 7pm, Quaker House 4405 Gillham Rd. KCMO The Writers Place Reading Series They Crystal Field Scholarship, May 15, 7pm, TWP TWP Reading Series; Script in Hand Reading Opportunity, May 30, TWP David Baker Poetry Workshop, June 20, 1pm – 3pm, TWP The Writers Place is located at The Nonprofit Village at 31 W. 31st St. KCMO www.thewritersplace.wildapricot.org Dr. Regina Nouhan & J.J. McDonald- INSPIRE! is an annual art exhibition and fundraiser that pays homage to the exemplary work and enduring values of our namesake, Gordon Parks. This event aims to create a platform for the community to engage and grow, providing a unique opportunity for fundraising. Through the showcase of artistic expressions, we aspire to inspire both our students and supporters, fostering a deep connection with the mission and vision of Gordon Parks Elementary. By celebrating art, community, and philanthropy, we aim to further cultivate a sense of shared purpose and commitment among our stakeholders, ensuring the continued support for the values championed by Gordon Parks. This year’s theme, Unmasked, invites our students to explore identity, truth, and the courage it takes to be seen. Through vibrant, student-created masks and mixed media artworks, our young artists reveal parts of themselves—what they share with the world and what they carry quietly within. The project honors the legacy of our namesake, Gordon Parks, who used his camera as a weapon against injustice and a mirror to the soul. Like Parks, our students are learning to tell powerful stories through visual expression—stories that unmask not just struggle, but also strength, beauty, and hope. Unmasked, April 16, 2026, at Zhou B Art Center KC, 1801 E. 18th St. KCMO [email protected]