Evergy, the utility powering businesses and residents in the bi-state region of Kansas City, recently featured our founder and CEO, Angela Hurt, as part of its community spotlight about diverse businesses that work to make Kansas City a more inclusive community for all. Below is the full post, available on the company's LinkedIn page.
Angela Hurt was just one in a small group of girls to play on the baseball team with guys in the small Kansas town she grew up in. She took a lot from the experience, but the largest takeaway from her experience was that she felt no challenge would ever be too large.
Angi, CEO of Veracity Consulting, Inc., a consulting firm based in Kansas City, met her greatest challenge in guarding her LGBT+ identity.
“For years I hid behind it, afraid of judgment or that it would cause discrimination—whether intentional or through unconscious bias,” she said.
That changed when a client and friend told Angi, “You know everything about me, my family and more; yet I don’t know anything about you.” Angi worked to open up more and embrace her authentic self.
“It was time for me and Veracity, to have a voice and show our support for my LGBT+ community,” Angi said. “It was scary and a bit unsettling but I am so thankful I took the stance.”
Veracity’s work and deeper mission were reaffirmed in that moment and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company became focused on emphasizing its business strategy, organizational goals and workforce readiness. The only constant in their business is change and they are experts in it.
The first word that comes to mind for Angi when she thinks of being a business owner as an LGBT+ Native American woman is pride. When she started Veracity in 2006, she learned of some daunting stats about female-owned businesses and, “LGBT-owned businesses weren’t even spoken about, and as of 2016, only 909 businesses are certified as LGBT Business Enterprises,” she said. “When it comes to entrepreneurship and success, we can be our own worst enemy: self-doubt, fear and risk can consume your mind. Remember that if I can overcome the obstacles I’ve faced, you can too.”
And now, we want to say, "Thank you!" to our friends at Evergy for all you do to support Kansas City businesses and entrepreneurs. It's an honor to work with companies and partners in our community like them who value diversity, accessibility, safety and acceptance. After all, those are foundational to inclusion and community, and the elements that make #KansasCity a great place to live, work and play.