• Three Anniversaries in Six Days
• 500K Career Journeys (And Counting)
• News You Can Use
• Cool Events
• Opportunities Await

As graduation season brings both excitement and uncertainty, we’re reminded through our client work how important it is to meet people at milestone moments with tools that are practical, accessible, and genuinely useful.

That’s exactly what The DeBruce Foundation’s Graduation Toolkit is designed to do: help graduates move from uncertainty into greater clarity about their skills, interests, and next steps. The Toolkit reflects a core communications principle we focus on with clients — translating big ideas into resources people can actually use, at the moment they need them most.

This spring also marked a major milestone: more than 500,000 uses of the Agile Work Profiler©, The DeBruce Foundation’s free career assessment tool. As the first step in the Graduation Toolkit — and a resource valuable far beyond graduation — the assessment helps people better understand their strengths and explore a wider range of possibilities for work, education, and life.

Arts, Entertainment, & Culture

• The Best Dressed Stars at the 2026 Met Gala
• Meet your World Cup neighbors: Open Doors! reveals 20+ business, artist activations
• FØØD by Swedish Chef Coming Soon to Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Tech & Science

• Private security demand surges ahead of World Cup in Kansas City
• Mizzou breaks ground on Radioisotope Science Center to strengthen nation’s supply of critical isotopes 

Agriculture, Environment, Energy, & Climate

• Peter Raven Dies at 89; Botanist Warned of Perils of Climate Change

• Saint Louis Zoo launches public fundraising push for 2 major projects

Education, Workforce, & Economic Development

• How a St. Louis nonprofit is trying to boost Black children’s literacy rates through representation
• The DeBruce Foundation Releases Toolkit to Help Graduates Consider More Career Pathways
• Empowering Careers Podcast Episode 9 – Helping Students See What’s Possible
  
• DeBruce Foundation Reaches 500,000 Milestone with Career Literacy Tool
• Chicago nonprofit IFF marks 20 years in St. Louis with 242 loans totaling $188M
• SLDC’s new president discusses downtown investment and key priorities for addressing challenges
• Missouri Senate advances major ‘Innovation District’ bill that could reshape downtown development
• Midtown data center wins key approval from St. Louis Board of Public Service
• The Simple Fix Small-Town Schools Are Using to Keep Teens Out of Dead-End Jobs

Entrepreneurship

• “Share Your Voice:” GreenLight Fund Kansas City Looks to Community for Direction
• Mallouk-backed Urban Markets Initiative invests millions in low-income KC neighborhoods

Health & Wellbeing

• The St. Louis Symphony made room. They filled it beautifully. 
• Pediatrics group issues new guidance on recess for the first time in 13 years  

Sports

• Patrick Mahomes Leaves Heartfelt Note for Wife Brittany After She Wins Major Women’s Sports Award
• Task force begins work on Truman Sports Complex after Royals announcement
• Private security demand surges ahead of World Cup in Kansas City
• Muppets Joining First-Ever FIFA World Cup Final Halftime Show 

Leadership

• Legal Services gala marks 70 years of advocacy
• UMKC Champions Spotlight – Leigh Anne Taylor Knight 
• Harris-Stowe’s first female president charts path from social work to leading HBCU
• Brittany Mahomes awarded by United WE at CPKC Stadium
• Mathis promoted to partner at Greater St. Louis Inc.
• The 314 Podcast: Julian Nicks on St. Louis’ Tornado Recovery
• IFF has helped St. Louis nonprofits for 20 years—and it’s doubling down on that commitment 

Potpourri

• Memorial Union Stands as a Symbol of Tradition and Remembrance
• Heart of Missouri CASA credits strong community support at headquarters groundbreaking 

5/8/2026–3/31/2027 — The Literary Garden: The Cultivation of Plants and Gardens in Narratives (St. Louis, MO) 

This free exhibition at the Missouri Botanical Garden explores how different cultures represent plants and gardens through novels, poems, comics, herbals, and other literary works. Featuring books, images, objects, and botanical specimens from Garden collections, the exhibition examines how plants shape stories, knowledge, fiction, and fantasy across cultures and generations. Learn more.

 

6/4–6/5/26 — Agilities© Coach Training with The DeBruce Foundation (Kansas City, MO)

This 2-day, in-person training will allow you the opportunity to see first-hand the resources The DeBruce Foundation has to offer for all individuals, youth to retirement. You will learn how to implement and facilitate these resources to make a difference in the lives of those you serve. Learn more.

 

6/11–7/11/26 — FIFA World Cup Fan Festival 2026™ (Kansas City, MO)

The free FIFA Fan Festival™ at the National WWI Museum and Memorial brings fans together for live FIFA World Cup 2026™ match broadcasts, concerts, global food and drinks, and community celebration in the heart of downtown Kansas City. The festival features major live performances from The Chainsmokers, Flo Rida, and All-American Rejects, plus activities and entertainment throughout the tournament. General admission is free but requires advance registration and a digital pass, with entry available on a first-come, first-served basis due to limited capacity. Learn more.

 

6/18/26 – Joyful Juneteenth: An Evening of Performances (St. Louis, MO)

Celebrate Juneteenth on the Edward and Imo Family Plaza with an evening performances highlighting the beauty of Black American culture, hosted by DJ Quinn of 96.3 R&B. Enjoy spoken-word performances by Tracy “T-Spirit” Stanton; the award-winning, soul-stirring Shalom Church (City of Peace) Mass Choir led by Dello Thedford; and an exciting step performance by Gentleman of Vision. Learn more. 

 

6/20/26 – Capital Pride Parade (Washington, DC) 

The iconic Capital Pride Parade is emblematic of the historic Pride movement. This beloved tradition honors our history and acknowledges the evolution of the LGBTQ+ neighborhoods in Washington, DC, while respecting the origins and importance of taking to the streets for equality. Learn more.

 

6/22/26 — Discover Film, Together – Raiders of the Lost Ark (Columbia, MO) 

Ragtag Cinema’s “Discover Film, Together” series invites kids and their families to foster a lifelong love of moviegoing. Beloved classics and new favorites share the screen in this unique, curated collection of all-ages cinema. Screenings are introduced by curators, staff, and special guests to spark the curiosity of Ragtag’s next generation of film-lovers, and include a slightly relaxed no-talking policy for kids. The next feature is Raiders of the Lost Ark. Learn more. 

 

7/11/26 — Annual Green Living Festival (St. Louis) 

Missouri’s annual The Green Living Festival at the Botanical Garden invites families, friends, and coworkers to learn practical ways to live more sustainably. Hosted by the Garden’s EarthWays Center, the event features hands-on activities and expert guidance on creating greener lifestyles, workplaces and communities while promoting a healthier environment. Learn more.

 

7/22/26 — The Greater Missouri Women of the Year Awards (Columbia, MO)

Join previous Women of the Year honorees as they bring together champions to support its robust, one-of-a-kind leadership development program – Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge. The Women of the Year luncheon will inspire attendees and organization leaders as they learn more about the honorees and their commitment to advancing opportunities for all women. Learn more.