EDITOR:
Whenever people ask me where I live, I love to tell them about our community. I tell them how we are like a small town next to the big city. It’s growing, but it still feels quaint enough that we can know our neighbors. We go to the local diner for coffee and a chat. We wave to the police because we know them.
And yet, for all of its small town feel, Platte County is one of the fastest growing counties in Missouri. Its population has risen from approximately 60,000 people in 1990 to 114,000 in 2025, rising almost 20% year over year. That is almost doubled in 30 years.
Platte County has one of the lowest poverty rates in the metro, the best educated population and highest average income at over $89k per capita. We are 78% white, 9% black, 5% multi-racial and 8% Hispanic. Platte County continues to grow in diversity, but is still among the least diverse communities in the Kansas City Metro.
This lack of diversity shows up in daily life, in our schools and in our local politics. It shows up in subtle as well as outrageously obvious ways. In fact, I was witness to an incredibly open, sustained and racist attack on a local Hispanic candidate via social media.
It was shocking. It was not subtle in any way. It was being led by prominent members of the community. It was atrocious, gross and far beneath what you would expect from our community and its leaders. It wasn’t the first time.
I was double amazed because the FIFA games are coming. The FIFA games are coming with large numbers of foreign visitors, spending their money here and helping our economy grow. We should be putting our best foot forward and showing them a warm Midwestern welcome, not showing the world our asses, trying to out do one another for the title of most racist resident of Platte County.
Platte County is going to grow. It is going to grow in diversity. We should be preparing for the future, not holding on to a discredited idea. We should be making Platte County THE place to live where everyone is welcome, not trying to make it 1852 again.
I urge our community leaders to condemn this behavior, reject racism and lead us to be the best versions of ourselves. In the 250th year of our Great Experiment, let us live up to our great American motto: E Pluribus Unum – Out of Many, One.
--Kat Henry
Platte County
