Hot Literati in Wichita, Kansas

hello beautiful people of the Hot Literati Universe.

For those of you that don't already know this, I was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas. Which I was also recently told is the birthplace of Mr. Beast. I come home often, because the people are kind and humble and the sky feels so big in Kansas.

I think of myself as a sort of nomad these days, wandering around a lot, a little lost but mostly happy.

Wichita has changed a lot since I was a little girl, in really beautiful ways. And lately I've been thinking about spaces, how the physical space is always the same, but the businesses and families change, and something else unnameable.

Vorshay's Cocktail Lounge

I had a very short-lived rebellious phase as a teenager and moved to the east coast when I was eighteen, so I'm not very familiar with Wichita's Bar and Nightlife Scene, but they have karaoke on Tuesday's. I think about Karaoke at least six times a day. I love karaoke, so my father and I arrived at Vorshay's on Tuesday. It's a long room inside that sort of feels like it can be anything. Apparently in the 1920s it was a silent film theather.

In New York last weekend, outside of Jean's, someone told me she loved this silent actress from Wichita. Louise Brooks.

I sang The Climb, and cheered on the small crowd as they sang George Jones and I Never Promised You a Rose Garden. The bartenders were kind, making drinks with long-handled spoons and snacking on starbursts. One of them blew a tube of bubbles as I sang. Bubbles have been one of those childlike things that keep showing up in my life when I feel like giving up. You have to train yourself not to give up.

I queued up Rhinestone Cowboy, and sang from my stool, thinking of the children in the Bronx who I played a song for a couple of weeks ago, who didn't want to stand up when it came time to read their poems. You should stand behind your work, even when it's intimidating.

I kept holding the mic over for my Dad to sing a few lines, until one of the bartenders passed him his own mic. We had a nice time.

Wichita Chamber's Sunrise Scrambler

On Wednesday morning, I attended with Wichita Chamber's Sunrise Scrambler event. I met a lot of people and had two cups of coffee, and took notes as Bethany Weddle, Lead Software Engineer at SpectrumWare gave a presentation on how to use AI. I doodled my notes, I always take notes by hand, and met a lot of great people after, including a very inspiring salesman.

I've been thinking about sales lately. How it's actually just trying to communicate the value of something you have to someone else. And how it takes bravery and the risk of being rejected.

Kansas Leadership Center

The next day, I was shown around at the Kansas Leadership Center. It's a gorgeous, open air space, with a massive conference room that anyone can use for things. Then, I had lunch at Niche, Wichita's culinary school-- a delicious salad with sour cherries and pickled shallots, and something great called a "joy fry."

We said grace before our meal.

Left on Read Bookstore

After, we went to Left on Read, which is Kansas' only Black-owned bookstores. The lovely owner, Dr. Tasha, explained that they stock a wide-range of Black literature and will order anything for someone who doesn't find something on the shelves.

Greater Grounds Coffee

Next, we went to Greater Grounds Coffee, further up Douglas. I had one american and took a phone call about an event I'm planning this summer in New York. You can tell a place is great when you walk in and you get that Gilmore Girls' feeling like everybody knows everybody. There was a piano. Apparently Tobey Mac was in and just played a few songs with his band. I'd like to play the piano.

I love Kansas. I want more Kansans to be in Hot Literati haha <3

At the end of this week, I went door to door passing out flyers about Hot Literati. Partially to spread awareness, but moreso because I love meeting people and walking around. And it's spring. And it's good to make eye contact, and put a face with a name, and to smile.

I was thinking about that salesman. You gotta walk around and stand behind whatever it is that you're doing. It just takes a little bravery.

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