Mayor Quinton Lucas: All of Kansas City will miss Alice Kitchen’s care | Opinion

Readers of The Kansas City Star are used to seeing the name of Alice Kitchen. She described herself many ways: former director of social work and community services for Children’s Mercy Hospital, cradle Catholic, former Catholic nun, Kansas City Housing Authority board member, activist and women’s rights proponent. She was a tireless friend to every person who crossed her path, and I was proud to call her one back. She died last week, and Kansas City is a poorer place for it. On Saturday, Mayor Quinton Lucas released the statement below about Alice’s impact on the city.

- Derek Donovan, Deputy opinion editor

“This week, Kansas City lost the embodiment of selfless service and persistent advocacy in our community with the death of Alice Kitchen at 83.

“In recent years, Alice may be known best for her strong work for gender equity, but her efforts include almost any issue that could help people in our community succeed: gun violence reduction; low-barrier shelter for the unhoused; and human rights here in Kansas City and anywhere in the world. She held us accountable as elected officials and community leaders, nudging us respectfully, but regularly in areas we needed to do better. She was usually right.

“Alice cared little for titles, the trappings of positions, or apparently, even pay for her efforts. She cared a lot about those who’ve known struggle and for whom we could make life better.

“While her legacy will inspire us to continue to lift up our institutions and those around us, her passing saddens many of us who knew the strong-willed child of Brookside who went on to change our community and our world. I’ll miss her stopping me at City Hall. I’ll miss her emails at any hour. We’ll all miss her experience.

“My condolences to all those who knew her and loved her.”