Inside The Refinery 002: Wichita Has the Assets. Who Will Connect Them?
Picture two Wichita neighbors with the same determination to get ahead. One knows a housing counselor, a trades instructor and a business mentor. The other does not know whom to call. The opportunities may exist for both, but the path to reach them looks very different. That is an illustrative scenario—not a story about an actual Session 002 participant. It captures the question at the center of The Refinery: what good are community assets if residents cannot readily connect with them?
On September 27, 2026, The Refinery convened its second working conversation on Community Development, Ownership & Economic Opportunity. The room brought perspectives from Wichita Habitat for Humanity, Wichita Public Schools, Stand Together Foundation, business and community leadership, and Network Kansas. The purpose was not another panel of speeches; it was a practical exchange about what exists, what could improve, and what ought to happen next.
The big question: Are we short on resources—or short on connections?
A recurring theme was that Wichita has organizations, facilities, relationships and committed residents, yet many opportunities still feel difficult to navigate. Some organizations are unaware of one another’s capabilities. Other times a referral amounts to little more than a name or phone number. Participants argued for stronger cooperation and clearer handoffs—not automatic creation of another program.
Corinthian Gillis Kelly, who works in strategic partnerships and community impact at Wichita Public Schools, summarized the spirit of that discussion: “I believe that success is a team sport.” Collaboration does not require every organization to do everything. It can mean doing one thing well and connecting people to the partner equipped for the next step.
The people behind the perspectives
Five participants brought different experiences to the same community question. This is a preview of what each perspective contributed, not an attempt to reproduce the full conversation.
Danielle Johnson — Executive Director, Wichita Habitat for Humanity
Housing, neighborhood stability, and the real meaning of a sustainable pathway to ownership.
“Everyone would have safe, decent, affordable housing.”
Corinthian Gillis Kelly — Director of Strategic Partnerships & Community Impact, Wichita Public Schools
How schools, nonprofits and local institutions can identify their strengths and make better handoffs instead of operating in silos.
“I believe that success is a team sport.”
Trey Hightower III — Community Advocate, Stand Together Foundation
Keeping residents in control of community development and organizing around problems that neighbors actually identify.
“Mine would be intentional neighborhood action networks.”
Derek Hubbard Sr. — Business Owner & Community Advocate
Skilled trades, mentorship, economic opportunity, and the trust needed to support one another.
In response to a question about what he would change, his approved edited excerpt was: “It would… be Black love.”
Samuel “Sam” Thompson — Moderator; Network Kansas / Best You Better World
Keeping different viewpoints at one table and making honest, sometimes uncomfortable dialogue constructive.
Sam moderated a candid exchange in which different perspectives were welcomed without allowing disagreement to become division. The focus remained on community relationships, useful ideas and the work that can happen beyond the table.
Reality check: three Wichita housing numbers
According to U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, 58.9% of Wichita housing units were owner-occupied in the 2020–2024 estimate. Median gross rent was $975 a month, and the median value of owner-occupied housing was $190,800. Those are CITYWIDE figures, not Black-specific ownership rates, not neighborhood-level statistics and not evidence by themselves that a particular program worked or failed.
Research context: A June 2026 report from United Way of the Plains, citing United for ALICE, said 38% of Sedgwick County households were living paycheck to paycheck in 2024. That is a countywide measure of financial strain—not a rate of homelessness and not a statistic attributed to any Refinery participant. It underscores why housing stability, steady earnings and access to dependable services must be considered together.
The useful question is what sits behind those averages. What happens to a family that earns too much for one program but not enough to comfortably buy? What is the path from unstable renting to secure housing—or from housing security to equity and family wealth? Wichita’s own 2024–2028 Consolidated Plan explicitly addresses affordable housing, community development priorities and barriers to fair housing choice.
At the table, Danielle Johnson of Wichita Habitat for Humanity offered her desired outcome: “Everyone would have safe, decent, affordable housing.” That answer puts housing in context. It affects school stability, family planning, neighborhood continuity and—when ownership is sustainable—the possibility of building an asset. Owning a home is not risk-free or affordable for every household, so stable rental housing matters too.
There are practical entry points. Wichita Habitat publishes homeownership guidelines for qualifying Sedgwick County households, generally describing an income range of 35%–80% of area median income, along with other eligibility requirements. Its application windows are not continuously open; residents should check the current program page rather than assume they can apply today.
An important twist: Wichita already has a resource navigator
The answer to fragmented referrals does not necessarily start with building another directory. United Way of the Plains operates Kansas 211, a free information-and-referral service connecting residents with housing, food, employment, education, healthcare and other services. Its 2025 statewide report identifies food pantries, homeless shelters, subsidized housing, rental assistance and tax filing assistance among the five most-requested needs.
That raises a better operational question: rather than duplicate a referral database, could neighborhood groups, schools, churches and employers improve the quality of warm introductions into systems that already exist? Kansas 211 can be reached by dialing 2-1-1, texting a ZIP code to 898-211 during service hours, or searching 211Kansas.org. A referral remains different from a documented outcome; neither the service’s existence nor a high request count proves that every need was met.
Trades, credentials and a wider definition of opportunity
Derek Hubbard Sr. challenged the assumption that a four-year degree is the only credible route to earning power. The discussion also emphasized mentorship and adults who make sure young people are seen, encouraged and introduced to real pathways. Those ideas connect to infrastructure already in Wichita.
WSU Tech reported 3,431 high-school students enrolled in fall 2025, including participation in tuition-free technical learning pathways. In March 2026, WSU Tech announced a Training & Workforce Innovation initiative that brings together registered apprenticeships, short-term learning and employer-focused training. These figures describe enrollment and programs—not guaranteed jobs, wages or completion rates.
Here is the question worth asking: do families know the right age to begin, which programs fit their interests, what transportation is needed, and who helps them follow through? Education is a community responsibility, but it only becomes a pathway when someone can find the door and walk through it.
Black-owned businesses: attention is not the same as revenue
The table also examined the difference between saying “support Black business” and building reliable demand for Black-owned companies. A social-media shout-out can introduce a business. Repeat customers, purchasing agreements, referrals, vendor readiness, access to capital and consistent service can help sustain it. Not every company needs the same intervention—and community spending alone cannot solve every structural barrier.
A good starting point is to connect residents with businesses that already exist, including through RRCBA’s ADOS Business Directory, and identify which companies are seeking customers, partnerships, procurement opportunities or technical assistance. The measurable question is not simply how many names appear on a list, but whether useful relationships and repeat transactions follow.
The disagreements that made the conversation useful
Session 002 moderator Samuel “Sam” Thompson on the importance of healthy, uncomfortable conversations. Quoted excerpt shown in approved session artwork.
A serious working table needs room for tension. The discussion raised several questions without pretending they were settled: When should a community build a new organization rather than strengthen an existing one? When does grant-readiness explain funding decisions, and when should access or gatekeeping be challenged? How can institutions contribute resources without deciding for residents? When does awareness turn into ownership or income?
These are questions to investigate, not accusations or conclusions about every local institution. They matter because good intentions can still produce duplicated work, unclear accountability and benefits that are difficult to measure.
Trey Hightower III suggested an organizing possibility: “Mine would be intentional neighborhood action networks.” The key words are intentional and action. A network needs a clearly defined issue, the right partners, community decision-making and a way to check results—not just another recurring meeting.
And Derek offered a reminder of the human side of development. Asked what he would change, he answered: “It would… be Black love.” Strengthening trust, relationships and mutual responsibility is not a substitute for policy or investment; it can help people cooperate well enough to make those investments count.
From talk to test: five ideas for follow-through
1. Start with the map we already have. Check existing directories and Kansas 211 listings; identify what is missing or outdated rather than launching a competing database.
2. Make the handoff warm. With residents’ permission, connect the person to the next organization directly and confirm whether they reached the right place. Avoid circulating personal information without consent.
3. Choose a neighborhood-sized problem. Identify one barrier, an accountable partner, a practical first action and a date for reviewing progress.
4. Build real opportunity pathways. Connect housing stability, career education, trade training and small-business participation to concrete eligibility requirements and contacts.
5. Measure the result, not the applause. Track completed introductions, successful referrals, mentorship participation and collaborations—while respecting privacy and the limits of the available data.
A small challenge for the reader
Think of one person who needs an opportunity and one trustworthy resource you know about. Verify the program’s current requirements, share the accurate contact information, and—if the person welcomes it—help make an introduction. Then ask whether the connection actually helped. It is a modest action, but it illustrates the difference between knowing a resource and making it usable.
What happens next with The Refinery?
We are building an edited library before releasing full episodes. No full Refinery episode will be released until at least five to seven sessions have been completely edited and the launch has been approved. No release dates are being announced here. In the meantime, expect useful written insights and—once their publication dates are approved—educational previews and updates.
Follow RRCBA’s official Facebook page for future Refinery updates, community discussions and the eventual release announcement. The strongest thing you can do now is join the conversation: Which existing Wichita resource deserves a better connection to the people who need it?
About the table and this report
Session 002 participants were Danielle Johnson (Wichita Habitat for Humanity), Corinthian Gillis Kelly (Wichita Public Schools), Trey Hightower III (Stand Together Foundation), Derek Hubbard Sr. (business and community advocate), and moderator Samuel “Sam” Thompson (Network Kansas / Best You Better World). Bryce Graham hosted the conversation. Participant views are individual perspectives, not blanket endorsements by their organizations. Examples identified as illustrative are not statements made by panelists. Research figures below are independent context, not statistics presented or verified by the panel.
Take a step before the episodes release
The table is only one part of the work. The community can contribute now through the existing RRCBA ecosystem. Start with the lane that fits how you want to participate.
RRCBA site membership makes it easier to participate in member groups and stay connected. The 5,000 Voices target is a participation goal, not a statistical survey. The full recorded episodes remain under a separate release hold until a library of five to seven completely edited sessions exists and release dates are approved.
Sources and starting points
The Refinery — See what is. Refine what could be. Build what should be.
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