Understanding Kansas: An Environmental Scan of Changing Demographics in Black and Hispanic Communities

Environmental Scan Wichita State University 3.26.25.pdf

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Kansas is changing — and fast. A new environmental scan led by Wichita State University, with leadership from the Kansas Latino Community Network (KLCN), highlights how Black and Hispanic communities are reshaping the state’s future.

In the fall of 2023, nearly a dozen Kansas Black and Hispanic community leaders from across the state came together virtually to ask a simple but powerful question: Has anyone ever looked at how race, health, education, housing, business, and civic engagement uniquely impact our communities in Kansas? The answer was no.

That’s when KLCN Executive Director Aude Negrete initiated a collaboration with Wichita State’s Sara Mata, Ph.D.(Hispanic Serving Initiatives) and Edil Torres, Ph.D. (Latinx Studies and Counseling) to design the state’s first-ever environmental scan focused on Black and Hispanic Kansans. With input from community members and statewide leaders — including the Kansas African American Affairs Commission (KAAAC) Executive Director Stacey Knoell, Kerry Gooch, Monique Garcia, and others — the group identified seven priority issues to explore:

• Race Definitions – how we identify ourselves, how the Census counts us, and why it matters.

• Health – access to care, insurance gaps, and the role of community health workers.

• Business – the barriers and breakthroughs for minority-owned businesses.

• Education – how funding (or the lack of it) shapes opportunities for our kids.

• Economic Development – jobs, workforce needs, and entrepreneurship.

• Housing – tenant rights, access to capital, and the rental crisis.

• Civic Engagement – voting data, mobilization, and building political power.

This isn’t just numbers on a page. It’s about real people in our neighborhoods — from Liberal, Garden City, and Dodge City in the southwest, to Kansas City, Topeka, and Wichita in the east.

Some of the highlights (and hard truths):

• Nearly 1 in 5 Kansans is now Black or Hispanic. Together, we make up over 31% of the state.

• The Hispanic population is the fastest-growing segment of Kansas, with some counties like Seward and Ford already majority Latino.

• Black Kansans face higher uninsured rates than White Kansans, while 20% of Hispanic Kansans have no health insurance at all.

• Minority-owned businesses often start with just $5,000 in capital, compared to six-figure starting points for White-owned firms.

• Civic engagement — voting, advocacy, and organizing — is the key to unlocking solutions in every other area.

The report makes it clear: Kansas is becoming more diverse, but systems haven’t caught up. Whether it’s fair housing enforcement, health care access, or equitable education funding, our state has work to do.

At the same time, the scan uplifts incredible stories of resilience and leadership — from the JUNTOS Center for Latino Health, to the Wichita Black Nurses Association, to entrepreneurs launching businesses in Wichita and the Flint Hills.

As the demographics of Kansas continue to shift, this scan is a reminder that our future is not something happening to us — it’s something we’re building. Con voz y voto. With voice and with vote.