Check Out Stacey Garcia Flores’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacey Garcia Flores

Stacey , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Kansas City, is my home. It’s where I grew up, and I have so many memories some good and some bad. I am a proud product of immigrants and as a child I always was told to speak English because we are in America, my grandmother remembers being young and getting into an argument with an older lady at the grocery store because she kept harassing my family telling us to Speak English. Moments like those shaped me into becoming an activist. I didn’t plan to become an activist it, just kind of happened.

Growing up I was a proud member of the Kansas City Marching Cobras, if you are not aware they are a non-profit drill team which keeps the youth busy with practices, tutoring sessions, homework meetings, report card checks, ultimately it is a haven for many families who want to keep their children and safe from harm’s way. They gave so many of us opportunities and hope for a better future through education and scholarship. It’s funny because when I tell people we performed for Obama, it’s almost hard for them to believe it but we did! We even got the chance to travel all over the United States, Texas, Arkansas, New York, and so many other places. We performed at NBA games, and also, we performed at events within our community. I remember that we would often dance on the corners throughout the city to raise money if our families were unable to pay, or if someone on our team needed extra help. The Kansas City Marching Cobras instilled in me the importance of community. The strength that showing up for one another can have on an entire village. When one family was going through something we all were there to support or see each other through. I will never forget the day we went to the Trayvon Martin Protest at the Country Club Plaza (you can find the video on YouTube), we marched with skittles to honor his life because as black and brown children who were his age, it could have happened to anyone of us. At this protest I realized the power that organizing can have, and how social media can be used to amplify our voices. It was crazy because back then the media black out was a thing, if you posted a video about the protest it would just be a black screen which just added more fuel to my fire because I will not be silenced. This started an era of me wanting to be involved in issues that directly or indirectly affect me or my community. A year after Trayvon Martin was killed, a close family friend was directly impacted by the death of Ryan Stokes. This time it happened to someone in my own city and it happened to a family which my family knows, it broke my heart and I just started posting and posting until it became trending all over social media. Although his family never got justice, I felt that if more people had spoken up the outcome may have been different. Fast forward a few years later we have the murder of Cameron Lamb, someone who I had personally knew through my make up artist at the time Shelice Sheppard. I wasn’t going to let his name be overlooked, I did the same thing I had been doing. I just keep posting about it and tagging people until it started to become trending. Although the officer involved was pardoned it does not erase the void his family will have to live with like many other families in Kansas City whose lives have been forever impacted. It demonstrates that we are making progress

I had the privilege of going to Kansas City Kansas Community College to get my Associates in Arts in 2019. I became the first person in my family to go to college and graduate, but that wasn’t good enough for me. I attended Roosevelt University in Chicago a school focused on social justice and graduated in 2019 with my bachelor’s degree in Criminal justice and minor in paralegal studies. I was lucky to be selected to be a McNair Scholar, and The McNair program allowed me to publish my own research project as an undergraduate. I was able to discover the importance research and data. I learned that I could have a greater impact not just in my own community but in all the other communities like mine all over the United States. Funny because I was often the only Latina in the room and would often be asked for my opinion and perspective as if I could speak for the whole collective of minorities but it also was a constant reminder that we need more individuals to continue to break those glass ceilings by entering spaces that can enact real change in the world. I continued to build on my passion for research while understanding that it doesn’t matter who you are, what position you are in, or tax bracket; you can’t argue with data. In 2023, I received my Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Government Management from Roosevelt University, and decided to return home to make a difference in my own community again. I was able to march with Mayor Lori Lightfoot in Chicago. I worked closely with city council to raise awareness to issues in my community and even met with representatives in congress. I had so many opportunities but decided that I wanted to have an impact in the neighborhood I grew up in, so I came back home.

Since returning to Kansas City, I have been able to volunteer across several organizations. I have been honored to work on the homeownership committee for Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City. I recently began volunteering with a local nonprofit, Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation. I am always eager to lend a helping hand, in any capacity in which I may be needed. I am currently interested in more opportunities to serve on boards or committees in Kansas City.

I am passionate about issues that affect myself, my family or community and I can use my platform to reach an even larger audience. I have helped behind the scenes either directly or through a third party just to be able to remain anonymous. I have always been hesitant to highlight my activism at times because I genuinely want to help and make an impact, I don’t volunteer for likes but to make a difference in my hometown. This just a small glimpse of the work that I have contributed to in my community. As far as the future, I hope to one day be able to see my name on a ballot and be chosen by the people of Kansas City.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not always been an easy road, when I first began using my platform to speak about political issues I received a lot of backlash not just from strangers online but also my close family and friends. Many people were just like Stacey why bother? nobody is going to listen or cares, blah blah blah… but I honestly just kept thinking to myself if nobody ever speaks up nothing will ever change.

Initially I would get really worked up during political discussions or debates that I held on social media, but I learned to control my emotions and when discussing politics it’s hard to not get emotional because some of the policies directly affect our own families and friends. However these debates, helped me learn that although we may have different political views and opinions, we are still neighbors. In a climate where there is much to divide us we must keep the little things in mind. The fact is that we probably shop at the same stores, eat at the same restaurant or even go to the same gym as someone who has a completely different perspective when it comes to politics but that doesn’t mean that is an opportunity to discredit or disrespect each other. We all have our opinions and they should all be heard. It’s funny because these debates really allowed me to hear in depth how/why people were choosing one side versus the other and even if I didn’t agree, I wanted to have a platform that listened to the concerns of every day citizens.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am just Stacey, a person who has a big heart and wants to make a difference in the city that raised me. I would like to say that I am proud of myself because my journey to become an activist wasn’t anything I intended or planned on happening, it just did. I have always known for talking a lot or as they say, “having a big mouth” so once I began to gain supporters, I just never stopped. I often hear about issues through my amores (my supporters) who will either send me information or may ask if I can help. While living and growing up in Kansas City, I am familiar with a lot of the resources that are available to the community, so even I don’t have the answer I will do my best to get them in contact with an organization or agency in which can assist even further. I think that’s exactly what sets me apart from others, I will go above and beyond the call of duty to get answers or to escalate a situation to ensure it gets in front of the decision makers. I am also honest, I try my best to ensure that I don’t make false promises and try to remain true to who I am just a regular Mexican-American wanting to make a difference.

I have done so many things it’s hard for me to just list them like this, especially because on some occasions the individuals had no idea I was behind the act and it’s my person preference to remain anonymous. I have previously organized protests, search parties, donation drives, and even donated to sponsor teams or snacks for some families.I have attended public meetings regarding different issues and I constantly use my social media platform to educate others on how they can get involved whether its reviewing a proposed bill and breaking it down so that everyone can understand it not just those who are college educated. I just want the information to be more accessible and easily understood. I am also a researcher, and love to be able to gather, analyze, sort, and publish data in which can be leveraged to enact change at the legislative level.

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
As an activist, we take on a lot of risks for one being targeted or singled out constantly. Anytime we are at a protest or even a community event we could be targeted for our perspectives or simply because somebody doesn’t agree with what we are saying. I have attended several protests and we are all well aware of the risks that are associated with participating. Some risks are worth taking but by no means do I condone breaking the law. Protests typically tend to be a high tension environment and I always try to make sure that everyone is staying safe and out of harm’s way, remaining calm and having a plan before organizing always makes the protest or event run a lot smoother.

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