MANSFIEL — If you’ve ever felt like the money game is impossible to win, you’re not alone.
For many Americans, financial security always seems just out of reach — not because they aren’t working hard, but because the system itself can feel stacked against them.
That uneasy truth is at the heart of the Kaleidoscope Community Conversations season finale, coming Thursday, Nov. 6, to the Renaissance Theatre.
The evening features Ohio-born investigative journalist Mya Frazier, whose work in The New York Times Magazine, Harper’s, and Bloomberg Businessweek pulls back the curtain on how money really moves in America — and how ordinary people often get caught between the gears.
Frazier has written about the shadowy world of credit scoring, debt collection, eviction, and the “extended-stay” hotels where millions of working families now live.
Her stories reveal the hidden rules that decide who gets ahead, who falls behind, and why so many of us feel like we’re running just to stay in place.
“She’s one of the smartest people in the country when it comes to how money works — and doesn’t work — for regular people,” said Jay Allred, CEO of Richland Source, who has previously hosted Kaleidoscope events and will be in the audience for this one.
“She’s also a Midwesterner through and through, and I liked her the second I met her. I know our audience will too.”
On stage, Frazier will be joined by Matthew Benko-Scruggs, the new CEO of the North End Community Improvement Collaborative, who will guide the evening’s conversation.
Allred described him as “having the humble nature, curious mindset and sense of humor this gig demands.”
Investigative Journalist, Mya Frazier
NECIC CEO Matthew Benko-Scruggs
A real talk about money — not a get-rich seminar
This isn’t about cryptocurrency or quick fixes. It’s a conversation about fairness, opportunity, and what it really takes to build a future that works for everyone.
“We’ll pull back the curtain on how the credit system really works and how it can keep people stuck, no matter how hard they try,” Allred said. “You’ll walk away with new ways to think about what it means to build something better together.”
The finale also carries forward the energy of October’s Kaleidoscope event with Dr. Lerone Martin of Stanford University, whose call to “refuse to live our lives in monologue” still echoes with audiences.
One attendee from that evening wrote, “I am so grateful I attended tonight! Every single thing Dr. Martin said impacted me in meaningful ways… I am going to work harder to live in dialogue.”
Another added, “We need to find peaceful ways to settle our differences as a human race and have difficult and respectful conversations to find understanding.”
That spirit — open, honest, and grounded in curiosity — is what organizers hope to spark again as Mansfield gathers to talk about money.
Accessible, welcoming, and community-driven
Like every Kaleidoscope event, this one was designed to be affordable and inclusive. Tickets are pay-what-you-can, so everyone has a seat at the table.
Since launching in 2023, Kaleidoscope has brought some of the sharpest minds in the country to Mansfield to explore topics from poverty and economic development to aging and the Black experience in America.
Each night leaves something behind — a spark of empathy, a shift in perspective, or simply the reminder that real change begins with real conversation.
“Kaleidoscope evenings remind us that Mansfield can be a place where hard conversations happen with respect and curiosity,” Allred said.
Event Details
Kaleidoscope Community Conversations: Season Finale featuring Mya Frazier
📅 Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025
📍 Renaissance Theatre, Mansfield
🎟️ Tickets: Pay-what-you-can (available online)
🎤 Host: Matthew Benko-Scruggs, CEO, North End Community Improvement Collaborative
💬 Topic: How money and the credit system shape opportunity in America
Kaleidoscope is made possible by the generous support of The Richland County Foundation in collaboration with Richland Source, The Renaissance Theater, The Mansfield Richland County Public Library and Derr Consulting.
Knox Community Hospital proudly supports the vibrant pulse of our community by sponsoring the Life & Culture section on Knox Pages, celebrating the stories and experiences that make our region unique.