In America’s ever-changing landscape of discrimination, the challenges for artists of color often feel insurmountable. Fighting underrepresentation and limited platforms is an uphill battle, and Midwestern cities like Springfield, Missouri are no different. For writers like Rex Ybañez, a yearning for community has driven artistic action, and as Rex creates spaces where being heard is…

Affordable housing and poverty are among the top issues for voters this November. As these crises plague the polls, residents of Springfield, Missouri face the same national dilemma. The City of Springfield Impacting Poverty Commission reports that 20% of citizens in Greene County live in poverty, and Habitat for Humanity estimates roughly 2,500 are houseless. Groups…