Wednesday, June 25
Restore KC: Featuring D. Rashaan Gilmore, founder and CEO of BlaqOut
1:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Free Virtual Program on the Museum’s Facebook & YouTube channel
Click here to view
June is PRIDE month and with that in mind, the June episode of Restore KC will feature D. Rashaan Gilmore, founder and CEO of BlaqOut KC, a grassroots nonprofit and movement organization working to improve healthcare access and create a safe space for Kansas City’s Black LGBTQ+ community.
For three years, Gilmore hosted and moderated “Flatland,” the successful live monthly broadcast television show airing on Kansas City PBS, for which he won two EMMY® Awards. Gilmore is also the recipient of the 2020 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – AIDS United Award for Health Equity.
This program is also being sponsored in conjunction with the Museum of Kansas City’s newest exhibit, “Arrive As A Star. Leave As A Star.” – Illuminating 50 Years of Melinda Ryder in Kansas City on view thru February 2026. Through a stunning collection of costumes, images, and memorabilia, this exhibition showcases the legendary career of Bruce Winter, who has performed for 50 years in Kansas City as the iconic Melinda Ryder.
Curated by Bruce Winter and Kirk Nelson, this exhibition features items on display from the Museum’s GLAMA Collection (Gay and Lesbian Archive of Mid-America), on loan from Bruce Winter and Kirk Nelson, and on loan from GLAMA at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Each object reflects the artistic and cultural significance of Winter’s work and narrates stories of Winter’s dedication to the theatrical art of female impersonation, his tireless advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, and his impactful philanthropy.
