A group of young people watch a child play with a hula hoop during a Communities Creating Opportunity Juneteenth celebration on Friday, June 19, 2020, in Kansas City, Mo. The event was filled with games, events, food and pop-up businesses focusing on black culture from around the city.
A fan takes in the performance of the band Animal Collective at The Truman on Monday, July 25, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. The band is known for long songs and experimental work in pop music.
Mi’Keilee McClain, 9, puts on her glasses to watch the eclipse on Monday, April 8, 2024, in Sturgeon, Mo. Central Missouri saw the eclipse peak at 94% totality.
Boy Scouts 116 assistant troop master John Steiner III holds a candle during the vigil of Hermann police Sgt. Mason Griffith on Tuesday, March 14, 2024, in Hermann, Mo. The vigil for Sgt. Griffith marked the one year memorial of his death on duty, where he passed away after a standoff with an armed gunman at a local convenience store.
Glaive rests in between songs during his set on Friday, Oct. 22, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo.
Alex Pering listens to Crystal Quade, the Democrat candidate for governor, give her concession speech on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2024, at Teamsters Hall in Springfield, Mo. Quade ran against Republican Mike Kehoe and vowed to continue to fight against "extremists" in Jefferson City.
From left, former President Trump supporters Victoria Ellis, Ellie Gattermeir, Mattie Chambers, and Rayden Duncan of the Camden County Republican Club show their support on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024, alongside Highway 54, in Camdenton, Mo. Ellis said that if Trump does not get elected, “things will go higher in prices and not back down how they should be.”
Mom to be Jill Garrison poses for a maternity shoot with her first child Clara Mae on Sunday, June 18, 2022, in Liberty, Mo. The Garrison’s welcomed their second daughter, Annabel Kay, on July 14, 2022.
Glenda Stock, left, locks hands with Vovanti Jones, right, to test her strength while her husband, David Stock, center, watches on Feb. 16 at Rusk Rehabilitation Hospital in Columbia. Jones is a doctor who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Inmates at the Genesee County jail listen to political candidates pitch themselves from the 8th Congressional District and Senate races on Thursday, July 11, 2024, in Flint, Mich. The I.G.N.I.T.E program’s goal is to reduce recidivism rates “by providing inmates with valuable job training, they are equipped with skills they can use upon release to gain meaningful employment and reduce their likelihood of reoffending.”
Dismal Niche's Matthew Crook poses for a portrait on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2023, at Hitt Records, in Columbia, Mo. Crook is nominated for a 2023 Progress Award, given to community members who make the city a great place to live. Per Missourian reporter Kristina Abovyan, Crook and Ben Chlapek founded Dismal Niche in 2013 as a record and cassette tape label. Today Dismal Niche is the nonprofit behind the annual Columbia Experimental Musical Festival, which celebrated its eighth and final year this month.
JMJ Jackson breakdances in Jabberwocky Studio’s dance circle after the True/False Film Fest’s annual March March on Friday, March 1, 2024, in Columbia, Mo. Jabberwocky Studio’s goal is to use art to enhance equity and inclusion in the community.
Andie Monk, 4, shows off her headband to Sunnie Shedd while her Mom, Allie Teagarden, gets ready for her That's What She Said show on Saturday, April 12, 2025, in Columbia, Mo. "The 'ie' is just like my name, just like Sunnie's.," Teagarden said.
Tolton Catholic High School sophomore Amelia Ottinger walks back to her team and family emotionally after the state cheerleading competition on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, in Cape Girardeau, Mo. In the days after the competition, the team considered contesting their second place finish, arguing they had a statistically better routine than the first-place winners, Kelly High School. They ultimately accepted their original placement.
Karen Tighe shows off her improvised congressional campaign shirt in support of State Senator Kristen McDonald-Rivet on Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024, in Saginaw, Mich. The shirt was formerly from the state senate campaign and has a portion of a sticker from McDonald-Rivet's congressional campaign.
Boonville High School Pirates mascot Ahnna Humphrey, 9, center, watches Megan Black, right, hug Boonville freshman Brooklyn Franklin before the game on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, at Boonville High School, in Boonville, Mo. Humphrey runs around the cheerleaders and dance team with a pirate flag in hand after every touchdown.
Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham poses for a photo with Jack Yamada while Denzel Pickens shoots a free throw Saturday morning on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at Champs Chicken in Columbia, Mo. Yamada says his dream after he graduates college is to cover the WNBA as a reporter. “You see players like Sophie and Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Plum. They got me into it,” Yamada said.
Kian Wascher, 3, covers his ears during a "rally for reproductive freedom" on Sunday, June 23, 2024, at the Midland County Courthouse, in Midland, Mich. Kian was with his Mom, as they held a pro-choice sign and listened to speakers on the 2nd anniversay of the Dobbs decision.
Zuhnia Kozbar holds a Palestinian flag while listening to speakers after a walkout and demonstration calling for a ceasefire in Gaza on Monday, April 29, 2024 at MU Campus in Columbia. The flag contains an emblem of the Al-Aqsa mosque and reads “Palestine is all Jerusalem” in Arabic.
A child climbs the ladder inside of a playground during a Greak Lakes Loons baseball game on Sunday, July 7, 2024 in Midland, Mich. The Loons had a previous game delayed due to weather, forcing a doubleheader. Kids all day would to go to the playground for respite from the game and the sun.
