On Jan. 1 at the Quindaro Ruins Overlook, KCK mayor Tyrone Garner will hold a Gateway to Freedom event, along with other leaders from churches, community groups, academia and the Unified Government.

The Quindaro Ruins Overlook is at 3507 N. 27th Street, and the event starts at 11:30 a.m.

The event carries on the annual tradition of the late Marvin Robinson II, who championed the preservation of the Quindaro Townsite and later served in the Kansas Legislature. Robinson passed away in October 2024.

The mayor will use the event to proclaim the importance of Kansas City, Kan. and the Quindaro site as key to the legacy of striving for freedom in the past as well as today.

Non-perishable food donations will be taken for a local food bank. The organizers requested specifically black-eyed peas, cabbage, yams, and collard greens.