When Rockhurst students want to know what is happening around Kansas City, many turn to Instagram. There is one account that seems to show up again and again: @kansascitydiscovery. Widely followed and known among the Rockhurst student body and local young adults, the account offers a social media-based form of news, sharing information from food and drink suggestions to current events happening in local neighborhoods.
The account is run by Steven Wright and Meyana Duncan, who utilize a range of sourcing methods to gather and share accurate and timely content.
“We are connected with other news sources, we use scanners and work with some law enforcement agencies for crime updates. If we don’t know about it first, the community will inform us,” said Wright.
With content sometimes covering incidents near Rockhurst’s campus, the page has become particularly relevant for students looking to stay informed on local developments.
Though traditional editorial outlets like The Sentinel at Rockhurst remain vital for in-depth reporting, @kansascitydiscovery provides a different kind of access.
“Some of the content on KC Discovery might not need an entire article to explain what is going on, such as a car crash, for example. However, it is still important information,” said The Sentinel Editor-in-Chief Alex Zoellner. “The Sentinel leans more often into hard news stories. Also, social media allows the community to interact in the comment sections.”
The account’s Instagram feed reflects that strategy. Posts often include brief, informative updates about local legislation, road incidents, missing persons and community alerts, frequently accompanied by user-submitted videos and community comments that add context and firsthand perspectives. Despite the immediacy, the account’s owners emphasize the importance of credibility.
“The most important thing is to always verify your story,” said Wright.
Launched in 2020, the account was not originally specific to events in Kansas City. It was initially created to inform followers about the rallies organized in protest of George Floyd’s death, as well as any updates related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As the protests subsided, I wondered what else I could use this platform for. It then occurred to me that I could leverage it to promote our city, showcasing both its positive and negative aspects,” said Wright.
The account has since amassed over 180,000 followers on Facebook and nearly 50,000 on Instagram. Now operating as a small business, the founders generate revenue through advertising and plan to continue expanding the platform.
The founders have a clear vision to continue pursuing growth on all of their platforms and eventually become one of Kansas City’s primary sources of information.
