The College Fix Chronicles the Fallout From AIM’s UMKC Investigation
August 31, 2026
U. Missouri suspends staffer who told undercover reporter DEI continues
Posted on August 31, 2026
By Micaiah Bilger – Assistant Editor
The University of Missouri Kansas City suspended an employee last week after the individual was caught in an undercover video saying the school continues to practice diversity, equity, and inclusion under a different name.
Accuracy in Media, a conservative investigative group, published the undercover video Tuesday, featuring two of the university’s Kansas City campus employees: Kimberly Johnson, senior program manager of student support services, and Celeste Michael, a graduate assistant in the LGBTQ Rainbow Lounge in the Office of Student Involvement.
Late Thursday, the university stated that it had suspended one of the employees in the video. It did not name which one.
However, Johnson’s LinkedIn profile was taken down sometime over the weekend, according to Corey DeAngelis, a senior advisor with Accuracy in Media.
Additionally, the campus African American Student Union identified Johnson as the individual facing consequences.
A university spokesperson declined to name the individual or comment Friday when contacted by The College Fix.
The spokesperson pointed to the university’s statement on X. “Thank you for bringing this to our attention. This employee has been suspended immediately,” the university stated late Thursday on X in response to DeAngelis.
“As of 2024, UMKC no longer has DEI offices or DEI initiatives. We are and will continue to be in full compliance with federal and state laws and directives,” the university stated.Neither Michael nor Johnson responded to The Fix when contacted by email.