{{Short description|American community relations executive}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Use American English|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = DePrice Taylor | image = DePrice Taylor received the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award.jpg | caption = Taylor received the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award in 2025. | occupation = Community relations executive, civic leader | employer = Kansas City Current | known_for = Community development and youth sports advocacy | birth_place = Detroit, Michigan, U.S. }} '''DePrice Taylor''' is an American community relations executive and civic leader in Kansas City, Missouri.<ref name="Startland"/> She is the executive director of Community Relations for the Kansas City Current,<ref name="KCTV5"/><ref name="TheOrg"/> a professional team in the National Women's Soccer League, and is a commissioner on the Kansas City Board of Parks and Recreation.<ref name="KCParks"/> She was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan,<ref name="VoyageKC"/><ref name="Startland"/> and her career focuses on youth development with a background in social work.<ref name="Startland"/> She received the 2025 ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award, presented locally by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, which recognizes women for professional excellence and community service.<ref name="StartlandATHENA"/><ref name="BizATHENA"/>

==Early life and education== Taylor was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, while it was rated "the second most dangerous city in the country",<ref name="Startland"/><ref name="KCTV5"/> and which she calls "the city of the flyest, most player people to ever live".<ref name="VoyageKC"/> She described sports as a "safe haven" during her youth,<ref name="Startland"/> and her grandmother was a significant influence who instilled the value of community service.<ref name="VoyageKC"/><ref name="Startland"/> Taylor became the first in her family to attend college.<ref name="KCTV5"/>

Taylor earned a Division I basketball scholarship to Bowling Green State University but lost it due to her attitude and environment at age 17.<ref name="VoyageKC"/> She said, "My life has really been possible because of the power of second chances". After transferring to Barton Community College, she followed her coach Lane Lord to Pittsburg State University, where she resolved to take advantage of the opportunity.<ref name="KCTV5"/> She earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work in 2010 and a Master of Science in Health, Human Performance, and Recreation in 2012 from Pittsburg State.<ref name="PittStateAlumni"/><ref name="KCParks"/>

==Career== Taylor's career has focused on youth development and community engagement. She is an alumna of the Chamber's Centurions Leadership Program and serves on the boards of the Win for KC Advisory Board, Black Excellence KC, and the Pittsburg State Alumni Association.<ref name="WinForKC"/><ref name="KCParks"/><ref name="PittStateAlumni"/> She has described her professional goal of returning to the community the confidence that role models gave her, noting that she struggled as a youth to develop her own vulnerable and unique personality through adversity.<ref name="VoyageKC"/> ''Startland News'' summarized that she "plays with an open hand".<ref name="Startland"/>

By 2016, she was the area director for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Kansas City.<ref name="PRN2016"/> She was then the director of community engagement for Kanbe's Markets, a non-profit dedicated to eliminating food deserts in Kansas City.<ref name="VoyageKC"/> She is a commissioner on the Kansas City Board of Parks and Recreation, appointed by Mayor Quinton Lucas.<ref name="KCParks"/>

Taylor joined the Kansas City Current as director of community relations in early 2022 and was promoted to executive director of community relations by 2023.<ref name="TheOrg"/> She leads the team's collaboration with community organizations, including the Boys & Girls Clubs, Big Brothers Big Sisters Kansas City, and Girls on the Run.<ref name="Startland"/> She leads initiatives such as a program to build mini-soccer pitches in underserved neighborhoods in partnership with the U.S. Soccer Foundation.<ref name="USSoccer"/><ref name="KCTV5"/> She named Kobe Bryant as her favorite basketball player, endorsing his quote: "Everything negative—the challenges, the pressure—is an opportunity to rise."<ref name="VoyageKC"/>

==Reception== Taylor's work has been recognized with several honors. In 2023, she was named a NextGen Leader by the ''Kansas City Business Journal'',<ref name="KCParks"/> a Community Builder to Watch by ''Startland News'',<ref name="Startland"/> and received the Dr. Kenneth K. Bateman Outstanding Alumni Award from Pittsburg State University.<ref name="PittStateMag"/><ref name="PittStateAward"/> In 2024, the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce named her its MVP.<ref name="PittStateMagFall25"/> In March 2024, KCTV featured her in its ''Impactful Women of KC'' series.<ref name="KCTV5"/> She received the 2025 ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award, presented locally by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, which recognizes women for professional excellence and community service.<ref name="StartlandATHENA"/><ref name="BizATHENA"/>

==See also== * Alvin Brooks, KC activist and founder of the Ad Hoc Group Against Crime * Jessie Jefferson, KC community organizer and neighborhood advocate * Samuel U. Rodgers, physician and founder of the Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center

==References== {{reflist|refs= <ref name="Startland">{{cite web |last=Kabbes |first=Johnny |url=https://www.startlandnews.com/2023/06/community-builders-to-watch-deprice-taylor/ |title=Community Builders to Watch: DePrice Taylor Plays with an Open Hand, Sports-Infused Empathy |website=Startland News |date=June 1, 2023 |access-date=September 23, 2025}}</ref> <ref name="TheOrg">{{cite web |url=https://theorg.com/org/kansas-city-current/org-chart/deprice-taylor |title=Deprice Taylor - Executive Director, Community Relations at KC Current |website=The Org |access-date=September 23, 2025}}</ref> <ref name="KCTV5">{{cite web |url=https://www.kctv5.com/2024/03/15/impactful-women-kc-deprice-taylor-kansas-city-current/ |title=Impactful Women of KC: DePrice Taylor and the Kansas City Current |website=KCTV5 |date=March 15, 2024 |access-date=September 23, 2025}}</ref> <ref name="KCParks">{{cite web |url=https://kcparks.org/board-of-parks-recreation-commissioners/ |title=Board of Parks & Recreation Commissioners |website=KC Parks & Recreation |access-date=September 23, 2025}}</ref> <ref name="VoyageKC">{{cite web |url=https://voyagekc.com/interview/daily-inspiration-meet-deprice-taylor/ |title=Daily Inspiration: Meet DePrice Taylor |website=VoyageKC Magazine |date=May 31, 2022 |access-date=September 23, 2025}}</ref> <ref name="PittStateAlumni">{{cite web |url=https://www.pittstate.edu/alumni/board-of-directors.html |title=Alumni Association Board of Directors |website=Pittsburg State University |access-date=September 23, 2025}}</ref> <ref name="PRN2016">{{cite web |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aarons-modernizes-kansas-city-keystone-club-300220214.html |title=Aaron's Modernizes Kansas City Keystone Club |website=PR Newswire |date=February 15, 2016 |access-date=September 23, 2025}}</ref> <ref name="USSoccer">{{cite web |url=https://ussoccerfoundation.org/press/three-new-mini-pitches-now-open-for-play-across-kansas-city/ |title=U.S. Soccer Foundation, Partners Unveil Three New Mini-Pitches Now Open for Play Across Kansas City |website=U.S. Soccer Foundation |date=October 26, 2022 |access-date=September 23, 2025}}</ref> <ref name="PittStateMag">{{cite web |url=https://www.pittstate.edu/magazine/_files/magazine-archive/pdf/2024-spring-magazine.pdf |title=Celebrating a century of Gorillas |website=Pittsburg State University Magazine |date=Spring 2024 |access-date=September 23, 2025 |page=35}}</ref> <ref name="PittStateAward">{{cite web |url=https://events.pittstate.edu/event/alumni-association-fall-awards-reception |title=Alumni Association Fall Awards Reception |website=Pittsburg State University |access-date=September 23, 2025}}</ref> <ref name="PittStateMagFall25">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pittstate.edu/magazine/_files/magazine-archive/pdf/2025-fall-magazine.pdf |title=Class Notes |magazine=Pittsburg State University Magazine |date=Fall 2025 |access-date=September 23, 2025 |page=42 |quote=DePrice Taylor (BS, MS '12) received the 2024 MVP of the Year Award from the Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce and was honored at the annual awards banquet.}}</ref> <ref name="WinForKC">{{cite web |url=https://www.sportkc.org/win-for-kc/about-win/win-for-kc-leadership |title=WIN for KC Advisory Board |website=Kansas City Sports Commission |access-date=September 23, 2025}}</ref> <ref name="StartlandATHENA">{{cite web |last=Chifalu |first=Nikki Overfelt |url=https://www.startlandnews.com/2025/10/athena-kansas-city/ |title=ATHENA honorees: Lifting up the next generation elevates us all; give them a reason to dream |website=Startland News |date=October 1, 2025 |access-date=October 9, 2025}}</ref> <ref name="BizATHENA">{{cite news |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2025/08/29/2025-athena-award-winners-kc.html |title=Meet the 2025 ATHENA Award winners in Kansas City |work=Kansas City Business Journal |date=August 29, 2025 |access-date=October 9, 2025}}</ref> }}

{{Kansas City Current}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taylor, DePrice}} Category:Living people Category:21st-century American women Category:American social workers Category:Pittsburg State University alumni Category:People from Detroit Category:People from Kansas City, Missouri Category:Kansas City Current non-playing staff Category:Year of birth missing (living people)