Many of my close friends will tell you I talk about my hometown Kansas City, Mo., too much. When we watch a movie or show in which one of the actors is from there, I am quick to point it out. I could talk for hours about Kansas City’s history or its best barbecue restaurant. Though it may annoy them, I have so much to say about it because it is a city I know better than any other and one of my favorite places in the world.

In the last year my hometown came into the spotlight three times – once for the summer’s Major League Baseball All-Star Game and twice for tragedy. Last December, the Chiefs’ linebacker Jovan Belcher shot his girlfriend and then himself on the grounds of our football stadium. And Tuesday night a fatal explosion leveled a restaurant, sending 15 people to the hospital and killing at least one other.

I am extremely proud of my city and how it handled itself in the public eye in all three of these instances. Our leaders have acted with wisdom and discretion, and my fellow Kansas Citians have always shown one another and the delicate situations much respect.

I love my city. While I don’t foresee living there in the next five years, I know I want to end up there eventually. I have a deep appreciation and respect for the place where I grew up – but not everyone does.

Since coming to Milwaukee, I cannot count the number of times I’ve heard KC written off as being “in the middle of nowhere,” a “cowtown full of hicks,” “home of the worst professional sports teams in the country” or “just flat prairie.” A lot of people also assume I grew up in Kansas, which brings to mind images of miles of corn, grass and cows. That’s not even an accurate portrayal of what Kansas really looks like. Okay, some of Kansas looks like that, but the Flint Hills make up some of the most beautiful land I have seen in America.

It’s very difficult for some people to fathom that there are actually two Kansas Cities, one in Missouri and one in Kansas, and that they actually are one continuous metropolitan area. If you take a few seconds to look at a map, it’s not that complicated.

People don’t realize my city is just slightly smaller than Milwaukee. The two are actually pretty similar in terms of the entertainment they offer. Yes, KC has a downtown. We also have an arts district that is reminiscent of the Third Ward. We have a zoo, which is on the grounds of one of the largest municipal parks in the nation. Our football and baseball stadiums may not house the top teams, but they are some of the best places to watch an NFL or MLB game.

Apart from modern entertainment, KC has a rich cultural history. We are home to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, a distinct jazz culture and the starting points of the Santa Fe, California and Oregon trails. Kansas City is home to more fountains than any other city except Rome and some of the best barbecue in the world (sorry, Texas, but it’s true).

The stereotypes that KC is subjected to remind me a lot of the things I hear people say about Milwaukee. I’ve come to appreciate the culture and history of this city beyond the “cold, beer and cheese” that everyone talks about. Being able to explore my own hometown made me more excited to discover Milwaukee and more willing to look past and combat the negative stereotypes the city has accrued over the years.

I was lucky enough to be in town for the All-Star Game this summer, and I loved seeing and hearing how surprised first-time visitors to KC were at the vibrancy of my hometown. I heard someone say, “I didn’t realize this was actually a city” so many times this summer. I am proud to say that I grew up in Kansas City, and my experience defending the “cityhood” of my hometown has helped me learn not to judge a place before I experience it for myself. I encourage you to do the same.