origin STORY | BUILDING WHAT WAS MISSING
Hella Good Deeds was born from a simple but powerful realization: our community existed, but the infrastructure to sustain it did not.
For generations, Asian Americans across Kansas City and the Midwest have built lives, businesses, families, and communities here. Yet many of us grew up without spaces where we could fully celebrate our cultures, see our stories reflected, or connect across generations and identities. We often gathered during moments of celebration or crisis in silos, but lacked the lasting community infrastructure needed to create belonging year-round.
That reality became especially clear in March 2021 following the Atlanta spa shootings, which catapulted the Stop Asian Hate movement into mainstream media. In response, three community organizers came together to hold a vigil in Kansas City to honor the lives lost and stand in solidarity with more than 500 community members, civic leaders, and allies. This event showed the strength, resilience, and potential of our community.
The question became: What would it look like to build something lasting?
Hella Good Deeds was founded to answer that question.
Today, we are building systems of belonging that connect culture, community, leadership, entrepreneurship, storytelling, and wellness. Our mission is for Asian communities to thrive—not only today, but for generations to come.
We believe Kansas City has the opportunity to become one of the most vibrant centers of Asian culture, community, and leadership in the Midwest.