Hi! My name is Mckenzie Heffron, a 15-year-old photographer with a lot of faith in humanity. Being from Kansas City, it is a given that I have a lot of pride in my city. Seeing the Plaza lights, strolling through the main hall of Union Station and taking the Street Car through neighborhoods provokes this sense of community that brings me joy. To me, the places that make Kansas City what it is could not happen without the people that wake up and work there every day. That’s why I started this photo-blog: to photograph the people behind iconic KC locations and get their stories.

This month I went to the City Market, a place I frequently visited as a kid. I talked to a wide range of people, from a teenage girl to an old-timer who had worked at the market since his childhood. There were musicians, immigrants, security officers, and the children of vendors helping their parents in the family business. There was a smile on every vendor’s face. With a clear sky and a bag of fresh tomatoes, I had to smile back at their friendliness.

Gallery • 7 Photos

My sister gets in the car to head to the City Market Sept. 15. On the way, my mother tells me about her summer trips to the market as a child.