A special Kansas City kickball tournament offers a chance for blind and visually impaired students to play — using beeping balls and bases. Plus: A former Hallmark artist has a new graphic novel that shows how being a "Mexikid" can be universal.

Kids with visual impairments often don’t get picked for sports teams. But what if there was a game that levels the playing field — that gives them a chance to enjoy all the benefits of playing a team sport with their peers? KCUR’s Brandon Azim tells us how a community has come together to sponsor games they’re calling "Beep Kickball."

Retired Hallmark artist Pedro Martín’s graphic memoir “Mexikid” is raking in the honors, including the Newbery Honor Award for children’s books and the Eisner Award for American comic books. He and Anne Kniggendorf, of the Kansas City Public Library, talked about the book’s overwhelmingly positive response and what makes the story feel so universal.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

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