We Keep Us Safe: The Movement

Who Tells Our Story? Mili Mansaray on Media, Truth, and Community 

In this episode of We Keep Us Safe: The Movement, we sit down with Mili Mansaray, Senior Editor at The Kansas City Defender, for a powerful conversation on storytelling, media, and the importance of controlling our own narratives. 

Too often, the stories told about Black communities are shaped by people who don’t live our experiences. In this episode, Mili breaks down what it means to build media that is rooted in truth, accountability, and community. 

We talk about: 

• Her personal journey into journalism and storytelling 
• The mission and impact of the Kansas City Defender 
• What mainstream media gets wrong about Black communities 
• The power of independent Black media 
• Why telling our own stories is essential to building community power 

This is more than a conversation about media — it’s about truth, representation, and what it really means when we say we keep us safe. 

Tap in and be part of the movement.

This episode features Elisa Garcia, organizer with Kansas City DSA and lead organizer for the KC ICE-Free Campaign. We sit down to talk about organizing, resisting detention and deportation systems, and what building real community safety looks like when everyday people step up and take action.

If you care about abolition, immigrant justice, and grassroots organizing in Kansas City, you don’t want to miss this conversation.