A St. Louis-based podcast that keeps it real about race and class .. .for people somewhere on the woke spectrum.

[WLHA 004]: We Live Here Auténtico! | Legacy, Community and Birria. For Tacos La Jefa…It's in the Sauce

Today we are taking you on a delicious culinary journey to Tacos La Jefa in the heart of Dutchtown in St. Louis! Only sold on Saturdays, their delicious Birria and Quesabirria sell out EVERYTIME.

Birria is a dish you cannot rush. It is a Mexican meaty stew from the state of Jalisco. The Quesabirria is a crunchy quesadilla with melted cheese and filled with hot, tender, juicy Birria meat that has been stained red by the chiles and spices that give it a deep, red color. Preparation is an extensive process so once they run out; they run out.

This story begins with the matriarch of the Amezcua family – Heriberta Amezcua – also known as La Jefa, “the boss”. Heriberta’s legacy is celebrated every day at Tacos La Jefa. Her daughter, Elizabeth, walks us through the journey of opening the restaurant, a longtime dream of her mother. Her granddaughter, Diana is the gatekeeper of the delicious Birria recipe. So listen and enjoy this loving family and the impact “the boss” had on the family and on the community.

[WLHA 004]: We Live Here Auténtico! | Legacy, Community and Birria. For Tacos La Jefa…It's in the Sauce
Today we are taking you on a delicious culinary journey to Tacos La Jefa in the heart of Dutchtown in St. Louis! Only sold on Saturdays, their delicious Birria and Quesabirria sell out EVERYTIME.
Birria is a dish you cannot rush. It is a Mexican meaty stew from the state of Jalisco. The Quesabirria is a crunchy quesadilla with melted cheese and filled with hot, tender, juicy Birria meat that has been stained red by the chiles and spices that give it a deep, red color. Preparation is an extensive process so once they run out; they run out.
This story begins with the matriarch of the Amezcua family – Heriberta Amezcua – also known as La Jefa, “the boss”. Heriberta’s legacy is celebrated every day at Tacos La Jefa. Her daughter, Elizabeth, walks us through the journey of opening the restaurant, a longtime dream of her mother.  Her granddaughter, Diana is the gatekeeper of the delicious Birria recipe. So listen and enjoy this loving family and the impact “the boss” had on the family and on the community.

What is a Wet Taco? Discover its Journey to Dutchtown and the Woman Who's Dream Brought Them to Us.

We Live Here Auténtico! | Legacy, Community and Birria. For Tacos La Jefa...It's in the Sauce

As we strive to understand, include and serve our community, we look to you as an essential resource for the things that matter to you, our audience.  This special series of We Live Here centers the voices, concerns, perspectives and experiences of Women.

Living life in a larger body, especially as a woman, comes with scrutiny and assumptions about acceptability, worthiness and quality of life.

Ebbi Nicole, Founder &amp; Chief FLUFFtivist of Fluffy GRL Movement celebrates, elevates and educates the plus-size experience through events, workshops and storytelling in brave spaces.

Today we follow the story of one woman who intentionally de-weaponized and reclaimed the word FAT as an adjective.

What does Empower the Fluff mean to you?

<blockquote>
To Empower the Fluff means to fill the void and unapologetically amplify the voices of this marginalized community that still experiences socially acceptable hate (fatphobia) on micro and macro levels.
</blockquote>

A huge thank you to Ebbi Nicole for sharing your story with we live here. For more from Ebbi and the FlffyGRL movement,  be sure to give a listen to her new podcast Ebbi &amp; Flow wherever you get your podcasts! FlffyGRL is a local movement that seeks to celebrate body diversity and build a community for plus-sized women. Learn more at [empowerthefluff.com](empowerthefluff.com).

Thank you so much for checking out this episode of “We Live Here Women”. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. It will help us to keep delivering more ways to “WE”!

As we strive to understand, include and serve our community, we look to you as an essential resource for the things that matter to you, our audience.  This special series of We Live Here centers the voices, concerns, perspectives and experiences of Women.
Living life in a larger body, especially as a woman, comes with scrutiny and assumptions about acceptability, worthiness and quality of life.
Ebbi Nicole, Founder & Chief FLUFFtivist of Fluffy GRL Movement celebrates, elevates and educates the plus-size experience through events, workshops and storytelling in brave spaces.
Today we follow the story of one woman who intentionally de-weaponized and reclaimed the word FAT as an adjective.
What does Empower the Fluff mean to you?
To Empower the Fluff means to fill the void and unapologetically amplify the voices of this marginalized community that still experiences socially acceptable hate (fatphobia) on micro and macro levels.
A huge thank you to Ebbi Nicole for sharing your story with we live here. For more from Ebbi and the FlffyGRL movement,  be sure to give a listen to her new podcast Ebbi & Flow wherever you get your podcasts! FlffyGRL is a local movement that seeks to celebrate body diversity and build a community for plus-sized women. Learn more at [empowerthefluff.com](empowerthefluff.com).
Thank you so much for checking out this episode of “We Live Here Women”. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. It will help us to keep delivering more ways to “WE”!

Living life in a larger body, especially as a woman, comes with scrutiny and assumptions about acceptability, worthiness and quality of life.  Today we follow the story of one woman who intentionally de-weaponized and reclaimed the word FAT as an adjective.

We Live Here Women | Ebbi Nicole | Empower The Fluff

[WLHA 013]: We Live Here Auténtico! | Ben Molina | Bolivian Born... Made in STL

Today we’re joined by Ben Molina. Originally from Bolivia, Ben is passionate about elder care and his work at the Alzheimer’s association is making a difference in the Hispanic community.

Ben opens up about his journey with depression, finding love and his calling in his field.  He discusses the challenges of a disease that disproportionately affects Hispanics and gives us some advice on the conversations and planning that we should start to have in our own families.

Ben’s superpower is Empathy! “I don't know how I discovered it. I was always very sensitive to other people and very observant of other people. Also, my mom had a wonderful way of always encouraging us to think positive about people and situations. It's helped me a lot in the field of social work”, says Ben.

What does living Autentico mean to you?

Autentico means being comfortable in my own skin regardless of the situation. If I am comfortable and honest in who I am, then you are getting the best version of me that I can be.

About Ben

Ben Molina is a Bolivian-born St. Louis City resident. He’s been living in St. Louis for 8 years. Ben has a master’s degree in social work from Washington University and currently serves as Program Manager for the Alzheimer's Association, Greater Missouri Chapter. Ben is also on the Board for Social Work Leaders in Healthcare.

Mentioned in this episode:

What is Alzheimer’s. 

<a href="https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers</a>

Hispanic Americans and Alzheimer’s



Latinos &amp; Alzheimer’s Disease:  New numbers behind the crisis

<a href="https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/sites/default/files/Latinos-and-AD_USC_UsA2-Impact-Report.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/sites/default/files/Latinos-and-AD_USC_UsA2-Impact-Report.pdf</a>

Links to power of attorneys/ financial:  <a href="https://missourilawyershelp.org/legal-topics/durable-power-of-attorney-for-health/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://missourilawyershelp.org/legal-topics/durable-power-of-attorney-for-health/</a>

Poder Notarial Duradero para el Cuidado de Salud y Directiva de Cuidado Médico

<a href="https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Durable-Power-of-Attorney-Full-Booklet-4-25-17-Spanish.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Durable-Power-of-Attorney-Full-Booklet-4-25-17-Spanish.pdf</a>

Connections:

Connect with Ben Molina

Linkedin <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennmolina" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennmolina</a>

Music Guide:

SEGMENT 1

Good as Hell-Lizzo

Good As Hell (Clean Version) (Audio) - Lizzo <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QskZIrbRt7c" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QskZIrbRt7c</a>   

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoAm4om0wTs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoAm4om0wTs</a>

Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande - Rain On Me

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoAm4om0wTs" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoAm4om0wTs</a>

SEGMENT 2

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tgspkNRIcc&amp;ab_channel=KaceyMusgravesVEVO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tgspkNRIcc&amp;ab_channel=KaceyMusgravesVEVO</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0X03zR0rQk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0X03zR0rQk</a>  

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpwSV1QBd8M&amp;list=OLAK5uy_m4wNZ2nJPQ9ACIaRbcxcsMxZM6oC6MsSk&amp;index=5&amp;ab_channel=NLaFourcadeVEVO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpwSV1QBd8M&amp;list=OLAK5uy_m4wNZ2nJPQ9ACIaRbcxcsMxZM6oC6MsSk&amp;index=5&amp;ab_channel=NLaFourcadeVEVO</a>

SEGMENT 3

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Msl2fl3h59I" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Msl2fl3h59I</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSfH2AuhXfw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSfH2AuhXfw</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83S-KtvGM2M&amp;ab_channel=CeliaCruzVEVO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83S-KtvGM2M&amp;ab_channel=CeliaCruzVEVO</a>

[WLHA 013]: We Live Here Auténtico! | Ben Molina | Bolivian Born... Made in STL
Today we’re joined by Ben Molina. Originally from Bolivia, Ben is passionate about elder care and his work at the Alzheimer’s association is making a difference in the Hispanic community.
Ben opens up about his journey with depression, finding love and his calling in his field.  He discusses the challenges of a disease that disproportionately affects Hispanics and gives us some advice on the conversations and planning that we should start to have in our own families.
Ben’s superpower is Empathy! “I don't know how I discovered it. I was always very sensitive to other people and very observant of other people. Also, my mom had a wonderful way of always encouraging us to think positive about people and situations. It's helped me a lot in the field of social work”, says Ben.
What does living Autentico mean to you?
Autentico means being comfortable in my own skin regardless of the situation. If I am comfortable and honest in who I am, then you are getting the best version of me that I can be.
About Ben
Ben Molina is a Bolivian-born St. Louis City resident. He’s been living in St. Louis for 8 years. Ben has a master’s degree in social work from Washington University and currently serves as Program Manager for the Alzheimer's Association, Greater Missouri Chapter. Ben is also on the Board for Social Work Leaders in Healthcare.
Mentioned in this episode:
What is Alzheimer’s. 
https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-alzheimers
Hispanic Americans and Alzheimer’s


Latinos & Alzheimer’s Disease:  New numbers behind the crisis
https://www.usagainstalzheimers.org/sites/default/files/Latinos-and-AD_USC_UsA2-Impact-Report.pdf
Links to power of attorneys/ financial:  https://missourilawyershelp.org/legal-topics/durable-power-of-attorney-for-health/
Poder Notarial Duradero para el Cuidado de Salud y Directiva de Cuidado Médico
https://missourilawyershelp.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Durable-Power-of-Attorney-Full-Booklet-4-25-17-Spanish.pdf
Connections:
Connect with Ben Molina
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/bennmolina
Music Guide:
SEGMENT 1
Good as Hell-Lizzo
Good As Hell (Clean Version) (Audio) - Lizzo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QskZIrbRt7c   
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoAm4om0wTs
Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande - Rain On Me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoAm4om0wTs
SEGMENT 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tgspkNRIcc&ab_channel=KaceyMusgravesVEVO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0X03zR0rQk  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpwSV1QBd8M&list=OLAK5uy_m4wNZ2nJPQ9ACIaRbcxcsMxZM6oC6MsSk&index=5&ab_channel=NLaFourcadeVEVO
SEGMENT 3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Msl2fl3h59I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSfH2AuhXfw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83S-KtvGM2M&ab_channel=CeliaCruzVEVO

Today we’re joined by Ben Molina. Originally from Bolivia, Ben is passionate about elder care and his work at the Alzheimer’s association is making a difference in the Hispanic community.

We Live Here Auténtico! | Ben Molina | Bolivian Born...Made in STL

[WLHA 012]: We Live Here Auténtico! | The Hispanic Chamber | Connection and Community Central

Today we spend time with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis - a connection and central resource in the St. Louis region for 40 years.

From the Latino Festival in O’Fallon, the Hispanic festival in Florissant, dance clubs in mid-town and cuisine from restaurants representing many different countries, St. Louis’ Latino culture is booming and is a vibrant reflection of our growing Hispanic population.

<a href="https://news.stlpublicradio.org/culture-history/2021-11-16/the-st-louis-region-is-already-home-for-many-latinos-and-more-are-moving-here" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The median age of Hispanic St. Louisans is 25 compared to 36 of the general population and the percentage of Latinos in the region roughly doubled. Most of the growth in the past 20 years has come in Madison, St. Clair, St. Charles and St. Louis counties.  In St. Louis, Latino residents now account for more than 5% of the city’s population.</a>

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce purposely creates a safe and open environment for people that have similar backgrounds of experiences. The Chamber has specific tools that address some of the needs of the Hispanic community in our region. The staff is bilingual in Spanish and English, so they can help entrepreneurs in their preferred language. 

Like other chambers, the Hispanic Chamber does not only serve Latino businesses, it serves everyone.

Happy 40th Anniversary!!

Mentioned in this episode:

Leave a voice message. <a href="https://anchor.fm/autentico--podcast/message" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://anchor.fm/autentico--podcast/message</a>

HCC website:  <a href="http://www.hccstl.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.hccstl.com</a>

FB:  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HCCSTL" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/HCCSTL</a>

Insta:  @hccmetrostl

LinkedIn:  <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/metrohccstl/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/metrohccstl/</a>

Eduardo Platon:  <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eduardoplaton/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/eduardoplaton/</a>

Sisi Beltran:  <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sisibeltran/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/sisibeltran/</a>

Build  a bear:

<a href="https://www.buildabear.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.buildabear.com/</a>

Wash U:  <a href="https://wustl.edu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://wustl.edu/</a>

Hispanic Festival: <a href="https://www.hispanicfestivalstl.com/about" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.hispanicfestivalstl.com/about</a>

Mural:  <a href="https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/hispanic-heritage-month-hispanic-artists-create-mural-st-louis-show-representation-offer-hope/63-53f8c3d1-c56f-4770-afd4-ee71e4065c5c" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/hispanic-heritage-month-hispanic-artists-create-mural-st-louis-show-representation-offer-hope/63-53f8c3d1-c56f-4770-afd4-ee71e4065c5c</a>

Latinx Arts Network:  <a href="https://www.latinxstl.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.latinxstl.com/</a>

<a href="https://instagram.com/latinxartsstl?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://instagram.com/latinxartsstl?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=</a>

Esmeralda Aharon:  <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/aharones/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/aharones/</a>

Luisa Otera-Prado. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/luferotero/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/luferotero/</a>

Carol Lara. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-lara/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-lara/</a>

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/carollaraphotography/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/carollaraphotography/</a>

Ricardo Martinez. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-martinez-3609a0168/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-martinez-3609a0168/</a>

Fernanda Estrada <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernanda-estrada-799a61138/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernanda-estrada-799a61138/</a>

Brian Muñoz:  <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisismunoz/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisismunoz/</a>

Ricardo Garza:  <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-garza-/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-garza-/</a>

Club Atletico:  <a href="https://www.gobluebirds.com/news" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.gobluebirds.com/news</a>

Karlos Ramirez:  <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlos-ramirez-8a872b8/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlos-ramirez-8a872b8/</a>

Midwest BankCentre: <a href="https://www.midwestbankcentre.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.midwestbankcentre.com/</a>

Asian American Chamber of Commerce:  <a href="https://aaccstl.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://aaccstl.org/</a>

Heartland St Louis Black Chamber:  <a href="https://hbcstl.com/about-the-chamber/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://hbcstl.com/about-the-chamber/</a>

Afghan Chamber of Commerce STL:  <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/afghan-chamber-of-commerce-stl/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/company/afghan-chamber-of-commerce-stl/</a>

Brian’s article referenced:

<a href="https://news.stlpublicradio.org/culture-history/2021-11-16/the-st-louis-region-is-already-home-for-many-latinos-and-more-are-moving-here" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://news.stlpublicradio.org/culture-history/2021-11-16/the-st-louis-region-is-already-home-for-many-latinos-and-more-are-moving-here</a>

Thank you so much for checking out this episode of “We Live Here Autentico”. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. It will help us to keep delivering more ways to “WE” for you each week!

[WLHA 012]: We Live Here Auténtico! | The Hispanic Chamber | Connection and Community Central
Today we spend time with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis - a connection and central resource in the St. Louis region for 40 years.
From the Latino Festival in O’Fallon, the Hispanic festival in Florissant, dance clubs in mid-town and cuisine from restaurants representing many different countries, St. Louis’ Latino culture is booming and is a vibrant reflection of our growing Hispanic population.
The median age of Hispanic St. Louisans is 25 compared to 36 of the general population and the percentage of Latinos in the region roughly doubled. Most of the growth in the past 20 years has come in Madison, St. Clair, St. Charles and St. Louis counties.  In St. Louis, Latino residents now account for more than 5% of the city’s population.
The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce purposely creates a safe and open environment for people that have similar backgrounds of experiences. The Chamber has specific tools that address some of the needs of the Hispanic community in our region. The staff is bilingual in Spanish and English, so they can help entrepreneurs in their preferred language. 
Like other chambers, the Hispanic Chamber does not only serve Latino businesses, it serves everyone.
Happy 40th Anniversary!!
Mentioned in this episode:
Leave a voice message. https://anchor.fm/autentico--podcast/message
HCC website:  www.hccstl.com
FB:  https://www.facebook.com/HCCSTL
Insta:  @hccmetrostl
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/metrohccstl/
Eduardo Platon:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/eduardoplaton/
Sisi Beltran:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sisibeltran/
Build  a bear:
https://www.buildabear.com/
Wash U:  https://wustl.edu/
Hispanic Festival: https://www.hispanicfestivalstl.com/about
Mural:  https://www.ksdk.com/article/news/local/hispanic-heritage-month-hispanic-artists-create-mural-st-louis-show-representation-offer-hope/63-53f8c3d1-c56f-4770-afd4-ee71e4065c5c
Latinx Arts Network:  https://www.latinxstl.com/
https://instagram.com/latinxartsstl?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
Esmeralda Aharon:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/aharones/
Luisa Otera-Prado. https://www.linkedin.com/in/luferotero/
Carol Lara. https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-lara/
https://www.instagram.com/carollaraphotography/
Ricardo Martinez. https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-martinez-3609a0168/
Fernanda Estrada https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernanda-estrada-799a61138/
Brian Muñoz:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/thisismunoz/
Ricardo Garza:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-garza-/
Club Atletico:  https://www.gobluebirds.com/news
Karlos Ramirez:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/karlos-ramirez-8a872b8/
Midwest BankCentre: https://www.midwestbankcentre.com/
Asian American Chamber of Commerce:  https://aaccstl.org/
Heartland St Louis Black Chamber:  https://hbcstl.com/about-the-chamber/
Afghan Chamber of Commerce STL:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/afghan-chamber-of-commerce-stl/
Brian’s article referenced:
https://news.stlpublicradio.org/culture-history/2021-11-16/the-st-louis-region-is-already-home-for-many-latinos-and-more-are-moving-here
Thank you so much for checking out this episode of “We Live Here Autentico”. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. It will help us to keep delivering more ways to “WE” for you each week!

Today we spend time with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis - a connection and central resource in the St. Louis region for 40 years.

We Live Here Auténtico! | The Hispanic Chamber | Community and Connection Central

[WLHA 011]: We Live Here Auténtico! | Ricardo Martinez | DACA Dreams Realized

Today we are talking to Ricardo Martinez. Born in Mexico, Ricardo is a DACA recipient who grew up in Illinois. His passion for helping Spanish speakers with financial literacy is fueled by his entrepreneurial journey and of course, his love for St. Louis.

Ricardo came to the United States when he was five years old and spent most of his life in central Illinois. At heart, he would say he was a “mid-Midwesterner”.  He never really understood how different he was different until later.

Ricardo’s parents were immigrants and they jumped at the chance for deferred action. <a href="https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca-overview" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals</a>, also known as DACA, enabled roughly 832,881 eligible young adults work lawfully, attend school, and plan their lives without the threat of deportation.  It provides temporary relief from deportation (deferred action) and grants authorization to work for young undocumented immigrants.

For Ricardo’s parents, it meant their children would have temporary, renewable permission to be in the United States.  Meanwhile, they had to learn how to make things work without documentation of their own.  Every two years they essentially lived day-to-day without knowing, for sure, if DACA would continue or not. For Ricardo, DACA granted the opportunity to keep moving forward.

According to the <a href="https://www.migrationpolicy.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Migration Policy Institute</a>, more than 1.3 million U.S. residents were eligible for DACA as originally implemented and it is estimated that the average DACA recipient arrived in the United States in 1999 at the age of 7. More than one-third of DACA recipients (37 percent) arrived before the age of 5.

Ricardo’s background, culture and journey are an integral part of what led him to help the Hispanic community.

Ricardo founded <a href="http://www.juntosadelante.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">JuntosAdelante.com</a>, a personal finance website dedicated to helping Spanish speakers understand the American personal finance system.

He then founded <a href="https://www.centralja.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CentralJA</a>, a digital marketing agency focused on helping Spanish speaking business pivot their business online.

What does living Auténtico mean to you?

Living Auténtico means understanding who you are and being able to share that with everyone. It means understanding and being able to embrace that you can be yourself, learn who you are and keep building on that. You do not have to be what everyone refers you to be.

Mentioned in this episode:

<a href="https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/research/deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-daca-overview" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">DACA Source</a>, <a href="https://www.launchcode.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Launch code</a>

Connections:

Connect with Ricardo Martinez

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricardo-martinez-3609a0168/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Linkedin</a>, <a href="https://www.centralja.net/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Central JA</a>, <a href="https://www.juntosadelante.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Juntos Adelante</a>

Music Guide:

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLJf9qJHR3E" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Little Lion Man - Mumford and Sons</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paCoXyutn9k&amp;list=RD-vwMNko3o7o&amp;index=8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Natalia Lafourcade - Para Qué Sufrir</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRZwC5W663w" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Day Trip - Desmond Cheese</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUk73pUe9i4" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Calle 13 - El Aguante</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtkNfC5Oymw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Everything I Am · Kanye West</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkFJE8ZdeG8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Calle 13 - Latinoamérica</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_zZmsFZDaM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Calle 13 - La Vuelta al Mundo</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkFJE8ZdeG8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Calle 13 - Latinoamérica</a>

Thank you so much for LISTENING to this episode of <a href="http://welivehere.show" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">“We Live Here Autentico”.</a> If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. It will help us to keep delivering more ways to “WE” for you each week!

[WLHA 011]: We Live Here Auténtico! | Ricardo Martinez | DACA Dreams Realized
Today we are talking to Ricardo Martinez. Born in Mexico, Ricardo is a DACA recipient who grew up in Illinois. His passion for helping Spanish speakers with financial literacy is fueled by his entrepreneurial journey and of course, his love for St. Louis.
Ricardo came to the United States when he was five years old and spent most of his life in central Illinois. At heart, he would say he was a “mid-Midwesterner”.  He never really understood how different he was different until later.
Ricardo’s parents were immigrants and they jumped at the chance for deferred action. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, also known as DACA, enabled roughly 832,881 eligible young adults work lawfully, attend school, and plan their lives without the threat of deportation.  It provides temporary relief from deportation (deferred action) and grants authorization to work for young undocumented immigrants.
For Ricardo’s parents, it meant their children would have temporary, renewable permission to be in the United States.  Meanwhile, they had to learn how to make things work without documentation of their own.  Every two years they essentially lived day-to-day without knowing, for sure, if DACA would continue or not. For Ricardo, DACA granted the opportunity to keep moving forward.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, more than 1.3 million U.S. residents were eligible for DACA as originally implemented and it is estimated that the average DACA recipient arrived in the United States in 1999 at the age of 7. More than one-third of DACA recipients (37 percent) arrived before the age of 5.
Ricardo’s background, culture and journey are an integral part of what led him to help the Hispanic community.
Ricardo founded JuntosAdelante.com, a personal finance website dedicated to helping Spanish speakers understand the American personal finance system.
He then founded CentralJA, a digital marketing agency focused on helping Spanish speaking business pivot their business online.
What does living Auténtico mean to you?
Living Auténtico means understanding who you are and being able to share that with everyone. It means understanding and being able to embrace that you can be yourself, learn who you are and keep building on that. You do not have to be what everyone refers you to be.
Mentioned in this episode:
DACA Source, Launch code
Connections:
Connect with Ricardo Martinez
Linkedin, Central JA, Juntos Adelante
Music Guide:
Little Lion Man - Mumford and Sons
Natalia Lafourcade - Para Qué Sufrir
Day Trip - Desmond Cheese
Calle 13 - El Aguante
Everything I Am · Kanye West
Calle 13 - Latinoamérica
Calle 13 - La Vuelta al Mundo
Calle 13 - Latinoamérica
Thank you so much for LISTENING to this episode of “We Live Here Autentico”. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. It will help us to keep delivering more ways to “WE” for you each week!

For Ricardo’s immigrant parents, DACA meant their children would have temporary, renewable permission to be in the United States.  Meanwhile, they had to learn how to make things work without documentation of their own.  Every two years they lived day-to-day without knowing, for sure, if DACA would continue or not. For Ricardo, DACA granted the opportunity to keep moving forward. 

We Live Here Auténtico! | Ricardo Martinez | DACA Dreams Realized

[WLHA 010]: We Live Here Auténtico! | Suzanne Sierra| The Consummate Connector, Storyteller, Collaborator

Today’s guest, Suzanne Sierra is the consummate connector, storyteller and collaborator. Her evolving career path and search for purpose led her to the St. Louis Mosaic Project.  She is Senior Program Manager and leads key programs with major stakeholders including corporations, universities, ethnic communities and multicultural innovation initiatives. Through her work, Suzanne goes all-out to promote regional prosperity and to transform St. Louis into the fastest growing metropolitan area for immigrants by the year 2025.

Suzanne’s personal immigration story fuels her passion to create change.  She is the proud daughter of immigrants from Colombia, South America, and she is bilingual.  Her parents moved to the U.S. so her father could practice medicine. Her dad landed a job at a clinic in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where Suzanne and her siblings were born.  Soon after, they moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin, a small town on the western edge of the state bordering Minnesota.

Her story is one that reveals an identity crisis. She grew up in what she likes to call a “lily white” community where she was immediately pegged as different.  Though it pains her to share today, she was embarrassed of her parents as kids would make fun of their heavy accent.  There was a meanness that prompted her not to speak Spanish, ironically her first language.  When traveling to Columbia each year for the holidays, she felt out of place and self-conscious about speaking Spanish. She was the “gringa” and found it difficult to find where she fit in.

Suzanne brings compassion and empathy to her work in the community because she has the lived experience of being and feeling “other”.  She understands the immigrant story and brings her experiences, language and knowledge to the table.

In this episode you’ll discover:

·        Why there is a need for a grassroots approach and focus on language access in our community

·        How we lose people when they need services and don't know that they're available

·        The necessity of access to information

·        The importance of providing information to foreign born people in their native language

Connections:

Connect with Suzanne Sierra

Website:  <a href="https://www.sierrapublicrelations.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sierrapublicrelations.com a small, St. Louis-based PR Firm delivering boutique communication services, in English and Spanish.</a>

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/suzannesierrasewell/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Linkedin</a> @suzannesierrasewell

<a href="https://twitter.com/sierrapr" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a>: @sierrapr

Thank you so much for listening to this episode of “We Live Here Autentico”. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. It will help us to keep delivering more ways to “WE” for you each week!

[WLHA 010]: We Live Here Auténtico! | Suzanne Sierra| The Consummate Connector, Storyteller, Collaborator
Today’s guest, Suzanne Sierra is the consummate connector, storyteller and collaborator. Her evolving career path and search for purpose led her to the St. Louis Mosaic Project.  She is Senior Program Manager and leads key programs with major stakeholders including corporations, universities, ethnic communities and multicultural innovation initiatives. Through her work, Suzanne goes all-out to promote regional prosperity and to transform St. Louis into the fastest growing metropolitan area for immigrants by the year 2025.
Suzanne’s personal immigration story fuels her passion to create change.  She is the proud daughter of immigrants from Colombia, South America, and she is bilingual.  Her parents moved to the U.S. so her father could practice medicine. Her dad landed a job at a clinic in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where Suzanne and her siblings were born.  Soon after, they moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin, a small town on the western edge of the state bordering Minnesota.
Her story is one that reveals an identity crisis. She grew up in what she likes to call a “lily white” community where she was immediately pegged as different.  Though it pains her to share today, she was embarrassed of her parents as kids would make fun of their heavy accent.  There was a meanness that prompted her not to speak Spanish, ironically her first language.  When traveling to Columbia each year for the holidays, she felt out of place and self-conscious about speaking Spanish. She was the “gringa” and found it difficult to find where she fit in.
Suzanne brings compassion and empathy to her work in the community because she has the lived experience of being and feeling “other”.  She understands the immigrant story and brings her experiences, language and knowledge to the table.
In this episode you’ll discover:
·        Why there is a need for a grassroots approach and focus on language access in our community
·        How we lose people when they need services and don't know that they're available
·        The necessity of access to information
·        The importance of providing information to foreign born people in their native language
Connections:
Connect with Suzanne Sierra
Website:  Sierrapublicrelations.com a small, St. Louis-based PR Firm delivering boutique communication services, in English and Spanish.
Linkedin @suzannesierrasewell
Twitter: @sierrapr
Thank you so much for listening to this episode of “We Live Here Autentico”. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute and leave a quick rating and review of the show on Apple Podcasts by clicking on the link below. It will help us to keep delivering more ways to “WE” for you each week!

In this episode of We Live Here Auténtico!, get to know THE ultimate connector, storyteller and collaborator, Suzanne Sierra. Suzanne struggled to find her purpose. Now she helps people find their voice and tell their story.

We Live Here Auténtico! | Suzanne Sierra| The Consummate Connector, Storyteller, Collaborator

Gilberto Pinela has been investing and empowering the Latino community in St. Louis for many years. He is a trailblazer, creator, producer and talent in many bilingual programming and organizations in our region.

Gilberto started his career in the US in New York in the hospitality industry, but he always dreamed of being in front of the camera.

In this conversation, Gilberto shares his passion and commitment to St. Louis, the Latino community and for making room for new leadership.

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilberto-pinela-ma-22452618" title="LinkedIn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upomzwIvyAQ" title="Dancing with the Stars" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Dancing with the St. Louis Stars</a> 
Gilberto Pinela &amp; Carmen Guynn Performance Video - Dancing with the St. Louis Stars 2022

<a href="http://www.cortexstl.org" title="CORTEX" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CORTEX</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/SAINTLOUISTV/search?query=en%20breve" title="En Breve" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">En Breve</a> Show

<a href="https://www.hccstl.com/" title="Hispanic Chamber" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hispanic Chamber</a>

<a href="https://www.sprstlouis.com/" title="Puerto Rican Society" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Puerto Rican Society</a>

Thanks for listening in - what’s your story? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know what you love about We Live Here Auténtico and the stories of our community. Or maybe you are ready to share your own story - send us an email at <a href="mailto:info@autenticopodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">info@autenticopodcast.com</a>

Gilberto Pinela has been investing and empowering the Latino community in St. Louis for many years. He is a trailblazer, creator, producer and talent in many bilingual programming and organizations in our region.
Gilberto started his career in the US in New York in the hospitality industry, but he always dreamed of being in front of the camera.
In this conversation, Gilberto shares his passion and commitment to St. Louis, the Latino community and for making room for new leadership.
LinkedIn
Dancing with the St. Louis Stars
CORTEX
En Breve Show
Hispanic Chamber
Puerto Rican Society
Thanks for listening in - what’s your story?  We’d love to hear from you.  Let us know what you love about We Live Here Auténtico and the stories of our community.  Or maybe you are ready to share your own story - send us an email at info@autenticopodcast.com

Break the box and rebuild it if you have to! Trailblazing TV Star Gilberto Pinela never wanted to be the person that everybody wanted to come to as 'the resident Latina" or 'the media person'. He's all about giving the opportunity for new generations to come.

We Live Here Auténtico! | Gilberto Pinela | A Star Lighting the Way for More Representation, Opportunity, Communication and Access

Junior Lara and Gabriela founded Autentico podcast so they could talk to business owners and Latino professionals about their journeys and lessons learned with the hope to inspire each other and fill the need they saw in St. Louis. Listen to what it took to for Junior to grow from the Dominican Republic to what it means for him to see the vision now! Plus, a celebration of life of trailblazer, Minerva Lopez Montaigne. Minerva was an advocate for the Hispanic Community in St. Louis, namely, residents and business owners of Cherokee Street. She was a business owner and worked hard to keep the traditions and culture of Mexico alive and well in St. Louis.

Junior Lara and Gabriela founded Autentico podcast so they could talk to business owners and Latino professionals about their journeys and lessons learned with the hope to inspire each other and fill the need they saw in St. Louis. Listen to what it took to for Junior to grow from the Dominican Republic to what it means for him to see the vision now! Plus, a celebration of life of trailblazer, Minerva Lopez Montaigne. Minerva was an advocate for the Hispanic Community in St. Louis, namely, residents and business owners of Cherokee Street.  She was a business owner and worked hard to keep the traditions and culture of Mexico alive and well in St. Louis.

Gabriela and Alejandro take us back to our roots with the incredible Junior Lara. In 2018, Junior and Gabriela started Auténtico Podcast, now in its partnership form with St. Louis Public Radio as We Live Here Auténtico!

We Live Here Auténtico! | Junior Lara | Auténtico Podcast Originator and the Work for Future Generations

[WLHA 007] We Live Here Auténtico! | Harry 'Boom-Boom' Lopez | Coaching Latino Leaders to Level Up In Life

Today we level up with Harry “BOOM BOOM” who founded “Launch Latinx, a mindset and business coaching accelerator program that champions extraordinary Latino visionaries and coaches to access their potential.

He writes and speaks on issues of personal and professional change.  Happiness, health, inspiration, mindful living and conscious business are key to his unique programs. that blends many of his experiences in coaching, spiritual psychology, executive leadership, and social impact.

What does living Autentico mean to you?

<blockquote>
The never-ending pursuit of the liberation of one's soul. Living in full body alignment. Pursuit of a Mission far greater than oneself. To have truth and Integrity with oneself.
</blockquote>

About Harry

His coaching career started when he was a third-grade professor in Tennessee back in 2012. he was assigned a coach who would come to his classroom week after week and provide him with feedback, mentorship and guidance. After seeing what coaching did for him, there was no turning back and Harry realized he wanted to have a similar impact in the lives of others.

Harry received his bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and his Master’s in Education from Lipscomb University and is a graduate of the Social Impact Strategy Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice.

In this episode of We Live Here Autentico, we spend time with transformational coach and leader in the consciousness industry, Harry Lopez, championing extraordinary Latinx visionaries, coaches &amp; legends to their limitless potential. There is powerful science behind the consciousness movement and there’s no one better to learn from than transformational coach Harry “Boom Boom” Lopez.

<blockquote>
You’re going to learn how to activate your voice, power and love to take action toward your goals.

We’re diving into the consciousness movement and how that work can help us.
</blockquote>

In this episode you’ll discover:

<ul>
<li>What it means to have a coach</li>
<li>The importance of navigating your career path</li>
<li>How self-doubt and self-limiting thoughts (i.e. generational trauma or society expectations) leads to victimization and suffering</li>
<li>Why vision trumps everything and is the only thing that will pull you out of the weeds when you want to stay in bed</li>
<li>How to know and believe that you're good enough and you're worthy</li>
<li>How to tap into your personal trauma and transform</li>
<li>The science of mushrooms as medicine</li>
<li>How intersecting and overlapping identities offer superpowers for powerful living</li>
</ul>

Mentioned in this episode:

Janie Flores, founder

<a href="https://www.buenavidamedia.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Buena Vida Media</a>

<a href="http://www.buenavidamedia.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.buenavidamedia.com/</a>

Instagram: @buenavidamedia

Instagram: @janiefloreslive

Twitter: @juanis111

<a href="https://www.vanderbilt.edu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Vanderbilt University</a>

<a href="https://www.vanderbilt.edu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.vanderbilt.edu/</a>

<a href="https://www.lipscomb.edu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lipscomb University</a>

<a href="https://www.lipscomb.edu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.lipscomb.edu/</a>

<a href="https://platform.onlinelearning.upenn.edu/offering/executive-program-in-social-impact-strategy-a0Q2E00000LR87fUAD" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Social Impact Strategy Program</a> /<a href="https://catalog.upenn.edu/graduate/social-policy-practice/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice</a>

<a href="https://coachingfederation.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">International Coaching Federation</a>

<a href="https://www.teachforamerica.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Teach For America</a>

<a href="https://www.broward.edu/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Broward College</a>

<a href="https://us.fulbrightonline.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Fulbright Scholarship</a>

Connections:

Connect with Harry Lopez

<a href="http://www.launchlatinx.co/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Launch Latinx provides opportunities and support to Latinx leaders and talent build high-profitable businesses and revolutionary movements from</a>

<a href="http://www.launchlatinx.co" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.launchlatinx.co</a>

Instagram: @theharrylopez

Instagram: @launchlatinx

Linkedin <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/halopez/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linkedin.com/in/halopez/</a>

Twitter: @lopezcoaching

Twitter: @theharrylopez

[WLHA 007] We Live Here Auténtico! | Harry 'Boom-Boom' Lopez | Coaching Latino Leaders to Level Up In Life
Today we level up with Harry “BOOM BOOM” who founded “Launch Latinx, a mindset and business coaching accelerator program that champions extraordinary Latino visionaries and coaches to access their potential.
He writes and speaks on issues of personal and professional change.  Happiness, health, inspiration, mindful living and conscious business are key to his unique programs. that blends many of his experiences in coaching, spiritual psychology, executive leadership, and social impact.
What does living Autentico mean to you?
The never-ending pursuit of the liberation of one's soul. Living in full body alignment. Pursuit of a Mission far greater than oneself. To have truth and Integrity with oneself.
About Harry
His coaching career started when he was a third-grade professor in Tennessee back in 2012. he was assigned a coach who would come to his classroom week after week and provide him with feedback, mentorship and guidance. After seeing what coaching did for him, there was no turning back and Harry realized he wanted to have a similar impact in the lives of others.
Harry received his bachelor’s degree from Vanderbilt University and his Master’s in Education from Lipscomb University and is a graduate of the Social Impact Strategy Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice.
In this episode of We Live Here Autentico, we spend time with transformational coach and leader in the consciousness industry, Harry Lopez, championing extraordinary Latinx visionaries, coaches & legends to their limitless potential. There is powerful science behind the consciousness movement and there’s no one better to learn from than transformational coach Harry “Boom Boom” Lopez.
You’re going to learn how to activate your voice, power and love to take action toward your goals.
We’re diving into the consciousness movement and how that work can help us.
In this episode you’ll discover:
What it means to have a coach


The importance of navigating your career path


How self-doubt and self-limiting thoughts (i.e. generational trauma or society expectations) leads to victimization and suffering


Why vision trumps everything and is the only thing that will pull you out of the weeds when you want to stay in bed


How to know and believe that you're good enough and you're worthy


How to tap into your personal trauma and transform


The science of mushrooms as medicine


How intersecting and overlapping identities offer superpowers for powerful living



Mentioned in this episode:
Janie Flores, founder
Buena Vida Media
www.buenavidamedia.com/
Instagram: @buenavidamedia
Instagram: @janiefloreslive
Twitter: @juanis111
Vanderbilt University
https://www.vanderbilt.edu/
Lipscomb University
https://www.lipscomb.edu/
Social Impact Strategy Program /University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice
International Coaching Federation
Teach For America
Broward College
Fulbright Scholarship
Connections:
Connect with Harry Lopez
Launch Latinx provides opportunities and support to Latinx leaders and talent build high-profitable businesses and revolutionary movements from
www.launchlatinx.co
Instagram: @theharrylopez
Instagram: @launchlatinx
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/halopez/
Twitter: @lopezcoaching
Twitter: @theharrylopez

There is powerful science behind the consciousness movement and there’s no one better to learn from than transformational coach Harry “Boom Boom” Lopez.

We Live Here Auténtico! | Harry 'Boom-Boom' Lopez | Coaching Latino Leaders to Level Up In Life

What would you do? Arriving to a new country and having to start your life over?

This is Tania’s story – It is the story of many immigrants and refugees - resilience, self-empowerment, rediscovery, family, hard work and success.

Tania Interian is bilingual professional and attorney.  She is the owner of Tania Interian State Farm Agency and is the co-chair of the Latino Roundtable of Southwestern Illinois.  Listening to Tania’s journey will reassure you that you are on the right path – even with its challenges and struggles

As you listen to Tania’s life journey, take time to reflect on your life challenges, how you overcame and how have those moments impact you today.

What would you do? Arriving to a new country and having to start your life over?
This is Tania’s story – It is the story of many immigrants and refugees - resilience, self-empowerment, rediscovery, family, hard work and success.
Tania Interian is bilingual professional and attorney.  She is the owner of Tania Interian State Farm Agency and is the co-chair of the Latino Roundtable of Southwestern Illinois.  Listening to Tania’s journey will reassure you that you are on the right path – even with its challenges and struggles
As you listen to Tania’s life journey, take time to reflect on your life challenges, how you overcame and how have those moments impact you today.

Mexican-born Tania Interian Used Her Struggle, Passion for People and Native Language to Educate and Open Doors for Community

We Live Here Auténtico! | Tania Interian | Opening Doors Fully, Bilingually and Authentically for Community

The folks of Fairmont City, Illinois didn’t realize how much they needed a library until they’d gotten one. It took some convincing. Thank goodness for Katie Heaton! She knew a good librarian puts their ear down, listens and really pays attention to the needs of their patrons. “You can hear the heartbeat of the community and when you hear that heartbeat, you can figure out what the needs are”, Katie says. Her goal was always to meet the needs of the people she served, whatever that need may be, from literacy to resources to broader partnerships and community services. 

Only 10 miles from St. Louis, Fairmont City is home for a small population of 2,381 with an average annual household income of around $50k according to 2020 census data. Why would this small town, with a poverty rate of 26.98% want to pay for something they’ve never had nor anticipated they’d really need? After all, when it came down to things of priority for this community, especially during the pandemic, a library did not top their list. Service providers and aid organizations reported food as first, then utility, rent, funeral assistance and mortgage assistance in that order. One bill that families consistently paid for, sometimes before they’d buy food was the phone bill. During COVID their smart-phones, tablets, computers, smart-TVs and streaming services were their connection to their jobs, teachers and medical providers.

Fairmont City probably couldn’t imagine life without their library now and Katie is still excited to rise to the challenge every day. Libraries are gateways to knowledge and culture. They play a fundamental role in society. They are a place for personal growth and reinvention as well as a place for help to navigate this world in the information age. Libraries are a gathering place for civic and cultural engagement and a trusted place for preserving culture. For Katie Heaton and her Fairmont City library patrons, it is so much more. 

Need a boost to your ideas around positive community change and personal impact? This episode with Katie Heaton is a great place to start. Hear how a keen ear and concerned heart for helping people truly makes a difference.

The folks of Fairmont City, Illinois didn’t realize how much they needed a library until they’d gotten one.  It took some convincing. Thank goodness for Katie Heaton!  She knew a good librarian puts their ear down, listens and really pays attention to the needs of their patrons.  “You can hear the heartbeat of the community and when you hear that heartbeat, you can figure out what the needs are”, Katie says. Her goal was always to meet the needs of the people she served, whatever that need may be, from literacy to resources to broader partnerships and community services. 
Only 10 miles from St. Louis, Fairmont City is home for a small population of 2,381 with an average annual household income of around $50k according to 2020 census data.  Why would this small town, with a poverty rate of 26.98% want to pay for something they’ve never had nor anticipated they’d really need? After all, when it came down to things of priority for this community, especially during the pandemic, a library did not top their list.  Service providers and aid organizations reported food as first, then utility, rent, funeral assistance and mortgage assistance in that order.  One bill that families consistently paid for, sometimes before they’d buy food was the phone bill.  During COVID their smart-phones, tablets, computers, smart-TVs and streaming services were their connection to their jobs, teachers and medical providers.
Fairmont City probably couldn’t imagine life without their library now and Katie is still excited to rise to the challenge every day.  Libraries are gateways to knowledge and culture. They play a fundamental role in society. They are a place for personal growth and reinvention as well as a place for help to navigate this world in the information age.  Libraries are a gathering place for civic and cultural engagement and a trusted place for preserving culture.  For Katie Heaton and her Fairmont City library patrons, it is so much more.  
Need a boost to your ideas around positive community change and personal impact? This episode with Katie Heaton is a great place to start.  Hear how a keen ear and concerned heart for helping people truly makes a difference.

How Can I Help You ?| Literacy, Service and the Love of A Librarian Centered on Fairmont City

We Live Here Auténtico! | How Can I Help You? | Literacy, Service and a Librarian's Love Centers a City

Latin TV writer, Emilia Serrano is no stranger to uncomfortable scenarios. She knows what it’s like to feel like a fish out of water and to struggle with internal identity crises as a first-generation daughter of immigrant parents.

As a teenager, Emilia and her family moved from Union City, California to Troy, Missouri. The small, mid-western town was as unfamiliar to her as she was to it. She had only known the predominantly Spanish-speaking community of her youth. In California, she wasn’t diverse either. She grew up constantly surrounded only by Latinos and her family. It was a culture shock for her.

Those experiences shaped her so profoundly that they became inspirational gold for America’s BIG Screen. Along the way, she would use those experiences as story points for humor or something that someone else could relate to and she's taken her stories all the way to Hollywood!

“Sometimes all the crappy things and all your trauma can actually make you money down on paper”, she quips. “It was oftentimes such a struggle and culturally challenging, but then that's exactly what helps me write stories now.”

Her time in America's Heartland and the nurturing influence of her community and family honed her skill as a “Son”-solid storyteller in her own right. Her dad (a mechanic) and her mom (a mariachi-singer) guided her to fight through tough battles and to find her voice. She is proud of her Mexican American culture and her authentic stories reflect her passion to see more inclusive onscreen characters who reflect the real people in her life and culture.

And she’s winning!

Emilia Serrano is co-executive producer of major network television shows like, Promised Land, Mixed*Ish and High School Musical - The Series. Emilia’s creativity and skills have attracted the attention of major production houses. She recently sold exclusive content to Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and for actress, producer and director, America Ferrera.

In this episode:

- What is code switching?

- What inspires Emilia’s writing for the Silver Screen

- Where she gets her captivating storytelling ability and learned how use her voice to command attention

- The routine she employs when writing a feature

- How our stories and experiences, as well as our traumas and challenges, shape who we are and the ways we navigate life

- Ways Ranchera Music is much like Mariachi Music

- Her mantra, “Stick to Your Truth”, and ways it gives her power

- Challenges of leading positive change and shaping Latinx identity in the entertainment industry

- How the wide popularity and consumption of Latino media translates to actual Latino representation (or not)

- How representation in media contributes to visibility, identity, belief

- Mistakes that Hollywood continues to make

- Why she only works on Brown and Black shows

- How to minimize stereo types, advance dialog and develop a layered story

- What makes a good story?

- What’s next for Emilia’s big hits

Learn more:

IG: @mexemilia

<a href="http://Emiliaserrano.com" title="Emilia Serrano" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Emiliaserrano.com</a>

Latin TV writer, Emilia Serrano is no stranger to uncomfortable scenarios.  She knows what it’s like to feel like a fish out of water and to struggle with internal identity crises as a first-generation daughter of immigrant parents.
As a teenager, Emilia and her family moved from Union City, California to Troy, Missouri. The small, mid-western town was as unfamiliar to her as she was to it.  She had only known the predominantly Spanish-speaking community of her youth. In California, she wasn’t diverse either. She grew up constantly surrounded only by Latinos and her family. It was a culture shock for her.
Those experiences shaped her so profoundly that they became inspirational gold for America’s BIG Screen.  Along the way, she would use those experiences as story points for humor or something that someone else could relate to and she's taken her stories all the way to Hollywood!
“Sometimes all the crappy things and all your trauma can actually make you money down on paper”, she quips. “It was oftentimes such a struggle and culturally challenging, but then that's exactly what helps me write stories now.”
Her time in America's Heartland and the nurturing influence of her community and family honed her skill as a “Son”-solid storyteller in her own right. Her dad (a mechanic) and her mom (a mariachi-singer) guided her to fight through tough battles and to find her voice. She is proud of her Mexican American culture and her authentic stories reflect her passion to see more inclusive onscreen characters who reflect the real people in her life and culture.
And she’s winning!
Emilia Serrano is co-executive producer of major network television shows like, Promised Land, Mixed*Ish and High School Musical - The Series.  Emilia’s creativity and skills have attracted the attention of major production houses.  She recently sold exclusive content to  Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and for actress, producer and director, America Ferrera.
In this episode:
-  What is code switching?
-  What inspires Emilia’s writing for the Silver Screen
-  Where she gets her captivating storytelling ability and learned how use her voice to command attention
-  The routine she employs when writing a feature
-  How our stories and experiences, as well as our traumas and challenges, shape who we are and the ways we navigate life
-  Ways Ranchera Music is much like Mariachi Music
-  Her mantra, “Stick to Your Truth”, and ways it gives her power
-  Challenges of leading positive change and shaping Latinx identity in the entertainment industry
-  How the wide popularity and consumption of Latino media translates to actual Latino representation (or not)
-  How representation in media contributes to visibility, identity, belief
-  Mistakes that Hollywood continues to make
-  Why she only works on Brown and Black shows
-  How to minimize stereo types, advance dialog and develop a layered story
-  What makes a good story?
-  What’s next for Emilia’s big hits
Learn more:
IG: @mexemilia
Emiliaserrano.com

“Sometimes all the crappy things and all your trauma can actually make you money”, Emilia Serrano

We Live Here Auténtico! | Emilia Serrano's Auténtica Unlocks Hollywood Gold

Whether you love St. Louis or you need a reminder of its greatness, join Carlos Restrepo and explore our region through his eyes/experiences. 

From Medellin Colombia to St. Louis, Missouri, Carlos knew at a young age he would be living in St. Louis someday, through the pages of a picture book, he first saw the landscapes of our region. He shares with you his reaction while living here and how he ended up in Marshall, Missouri.

Colombian-born, Carlos Glynias Restrepo, is a bilingual marketing and communications professional, with a career background specializing in international business, journalism, digital marketing, and public relations. A native from Colombia, Restrepo’s experiences as a Spanish-speaking immigrant have strengthened and widened the communication tools at his disposal, helping him understand the complex issues of navigating multiple cultures when delivering a message, whether electronically, in print, video or audio. Restrepo holds a bachelor’s degree in global journalism from Webster University, a master’s degree in international business from Saint Louis University, and is a proud graduate of the class of 2017 of the Hispanic Leadership Institute.

Whether you love St. Louis or you need a reminder of its greatness, join Carlos Restrepo and explore our region through his eyes/experiences. 
From Medellin Colombia to St. Louis, Missouri, Carlos knew at a young age he would be living in St. Louis someday, through the pages of a picture book, he first saw the landscapes of our region. He shares with you his reaction while living here and how he ended up in Marshall, Missouri.
Colombian-born, Carlos Glynias Restrepo, is a bilingual marketing and communications professional, with a career background specializing in international business, journalism, digital marketing, and public relations. A native from Colombia, Restrepo’s experiences as a Spanish-speaking immigrant have strengthened and widened the communication tools at his disposal, helping him understand the complex issues of navigating multiple cultures when delivering a message, whether electronically, in print, video or audio. Restrepo holds a bachelor’s degree in global journalism from Webster University, a master’s degree in international business from Saint Louis University, and is a proud graduate of the class of 2017 of the Hispanic Leadership Institute.

Immigration | Acclimation | Love | Work | Family | Carlos Glynias Restrepo

We Live Here Auténtico! | Carlos Glynias Restrepo | From Medellin to STL with Love...

When we advocate for one community, we uplift the voices of other communities.

Kendall Martinez-Wright is an Afro-Puerto Rican transgender woman advocating for transgender rights in the Missouri Legislature. Amidst nationwide transphobic legislation in 2021, Kendall ran a historic campaign for Missouri's Fifth District. She has a long career in advocacy, politics and legislative work. The campaign's website was admitted to the Library of Congress, as she became the first Afro-Puerto Rican transgender woman to run for Missouri’s House of Representatives.

In this episode you’ll discover:

<ul>
<li>What challenges Kendall faced around identity, “Am I being Latina enough?”</li>
<li>What drives her advocacy to bring a more just environment to the LGBTQIA+ community in Missouri</li>
<li>More about Kendall’s historic campaign, her interest in getting involved in politics and what drove her to end her quest for the capitol seat</li>
</ul>

You can find Kendall on twitter at @KendallKaniMW

When we advocate for one community, we uplift the voices of other communities.
Kendall Martinez-Wright is an Afro-Puerto Rican transgender woman advocating for transgender rights in the Missouri Legislature. Amidst nationwide transphobic legislation in 2021, Kendall ran a historic campaign for Missouri's Fifth District. She has a long career in advocacy, politics and legislative work. The campaign's website was admitted to the Library of Congress, as she became the first Afro-Puerto Rican transgender woman to run for Missouri’s House of Representatives.
In this episode you’ll discover:
What challenges Kendall faced around identity,  “Am I being Latina enough?”


What drives her advocacy to bring a more just environment to the LGBTQIA+ community in Missouri


More about Kendall’s historic campaign, her interest in getting involved in politics and what drove her to end her quest for the capitol seat



You can find Kendall on twitter at @KendallKaniMW

Identity | Advocacy | Representation | Kendall Martinez-Wright, an Afro-Puerto Rican transgender woman and the fight of her life.

We Live Here Auténtico! | Kendall Martinez-Wright | Trans, Triumphant and Trying...

For years, Black people have been working on the ground and behind the scenes to create a better world for the next generation. We have seen a number of great activists over the years who challenged the status quo and promoted a more equitable society. I sat down with Ben Jealous, President of People for the American Way, a progressive advocacy organization created to fight extremism and restore democracy. In this episode we hear from Ben about the changing landscape of activism work, his excitement for events to engage with communities, and the legacy he wants to leave behind.

For years, Black people have been working on the ground and behind the scenes to create a better world for the next generation. We have seen a number of great activists over the years who challenged the status quo and promoted a more equitable society. I sat down with Ben Jealous, President of People for the American Way, a progressive advocacy organization created to fight extremism and restore democracy. In this episode we hear from Ben about the changing landscape of activism work, his excitement for events to engage with communities, and the legacy he wants to leave behind.

For years, Black people have been working on the ground and behind the scenes to create a better world for the next generation. We have seen a number of great activists over the years who challenged the status quo and promoted a more equitable society. I sat down with Ben Jealous, President of People for the American Way, a proressgive advocacy organization created to fight extremism and restore democracy. In this episode we hear from Ben about the changing landscape of activism work, his excitement for events to engage with communities, and the legacy he wants to leave behind.

BONUS: A Conversation with Ben Jealous

Seldom are Black journalists allowed the opportunity to tell their own stories. In this episode local Black journalists share personal experiences about reporting on stories while living with the very same realities of the communities they serve.

Seldom are Black journalists allowed the opportunity to tell their own stories. In this episode local Black journalists share personal experiences about reporting on stories while living with the very same realities of the communities they serve.

Seldom are Black journalists allowed the opportunity to tell their own stories. In this episode local Black journalists share personal experiences about reporting on stories while living with the very same realities of the communities they serve. 

Through Our Eyes: Black Journalists Covering Race, Identity & Culture 

The COVID-19 pandemic flipped the education system on its head. Teachers had to find new ways to engage with students virtually. Students had to learn how to navigate chrome books, laptops, and other devices in order to complete their studies. Everything changed and a lot was uncovered such as the lack of resources in minority school districts. In this episode we hear from a young school board member working to change the educational landscape in her hometown, a professor with years of experience with a new outlook on education, and community members share their thoughts on the state of education.

The COVID-19 pandemic flipped the education system on its head. Teachers had to find new ways to engage with students virtually. Students had to learn how to navigate chrome books, laptops, and other devices in order to complete their studies. Everything changed and a lot was uncovered such as the lack of resources in minority school districts. In this episode we hear from a young school board member working to change the educational landscape in her hometown, a professor with years of experience with a new outlook on education, and community members share their thoughts on the state of education.

The State of Education

This time around we’re going to do things a little differently. We partnered with Dr. Kira Banks and the Raising Equity podcast on this episode to discuss movement and mental health. Dr. Banks and I wanted to understand more deeply how people are coping with the feeling of loss, the loss of normalcy, loved ones, jobs, and more. In this episode we hear from a yoga instructor and math teacher about how he combined his passion for yoga with education and then Dr. Banks and I sit down with a local Black therapist who talks about how he shaped the mission of his private practice.

This time around we’re going to do things a little differently. We partnered with Dr. Kira Banks and the Raising Equity podcast on this episode to discuss movement and mental health. Dr. Banks and I wanted to understand more deeply how people are coping with the feeling of loss, the loss of normalcy, loved ones, jobs, and more. In this episode we hear from a yoga instructor and math teacher about how he combined his passion for yoga with education and then Dr. Banks and I sit down with a local Black therapist who talks about how he shaped the mission of his private practice.

Movement & Mental Health 

I wanted to hear from Black women in our region about what the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) act means to them and discuss their own personal journey with hair. In this episode we visit Frizz Fest 2021, hear from a beauty salon owner about the importance of individuality, and an African American history professor breaks down the history of Black hair.

I wanted to hear from Black women in our region about what the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) act means to them and discuss their own personal journey with hair. In this episode we visit Frizz Fest 2021, hear from a beauty salon owner about the importance of individuality, and an African American history professor breaks down the history of Black hair.

Embracing Your Crown 

This is the second of a two-part tribute to the late Dr. Jonathan Cedric Smith, whose commitment to cultural memory we shared in our most recent episode. In this episode, we’re handing over the mic to family, friends, and community members who were impacted by Jonathan’s passion for social justice and will be carrying forth the legacy of love that he left them.

This is the second of a two-part tribute to the late Dr. Jonathan Cedric Smith, whose commitment to cultural memory we shared in our most recent episode. In this episode, we’re handing over the mic to family, friends, and community members who were impacted by Jonathan’s passion for social justice and will be carrying forth the legacy of love that he left them.

Legacy of Love

This episode is the first of a two-part tribute to a man whose passion for social justice and cultural memory impacted hundreds of people in the St. Louis region: Dr. Jonathan Cedric Smith, who died this year on Juneteenth. Among many community roles, he served on the board of St. Louis Public Radio. Last year, Lauren and Jia Lian had the opportunity to interview Dr. Smith about his perspective as Co-Chair of the Slavery, History, Memory, and Reconciliation Project. To introduce you to this project and Dr. Smith’s role in it, we speak with Marissanne Lewis-Thompson, afternoon newscaster and general assignment reporter at St. Louis Public Radio. Then, we travel back in time to share Jonathan’s own words about what the Slavery, History, Memory, and Reconciliation Project meant to him. Finally, historian Dr. Kelly Schmidt will explain how Jonathan’s care for descendant communities shaped the project and his youngest brother, Jacques, will share how Jonathan’s passion for cultural memory, ancestry, and history began.

This episode is the first of a two-part tribute to a man whose passion for social justice and cultural memory impacted hundreds of people in the St. Louis region: Dr. Jonathan Cedric Smith, who died this year on Juneteenth. Among many community roles, he served on the board of St. Louis Public Radio. Last year, Lauren and Jia Lian had the opportunity to interview Dr. Smith about his perspective as Co-Chair of the Slavery, History, Memory, and Reconciliation Project. To introduce you to this project and Dr. Smith’s role in it, we speak with Marissanne Lewis-Thompson, afternoon newscaster and general assignment reporter at St. Louis Public Radio. Then, we travel back in time to share Jonathan’s own words about what the Slavery, History, Memory, and Reconciliation Project meant to him. Finally, historian Dr. Kelly Schmidt will explain how Jonathan’s care for descendant communities shaped the project and his youngest brother, Jacques, will share how Jonathan’s passion for cultural memory, ancestry, and history began.

Speak Their Names

Jia and Lauren sit down in the studio for the first time since March 2020 to discuss reporting during the pandemic and how life has been for the past year. As they discuss personal trials and tribulations the We Live Here team is also excited about the new listener survey. Whether you are a long time listener, contributor, or community member we want your input. What do you enjoy, what can we do better, and what does We Live Here mean to you? Check out our new listener survey by visiting our website at welivehere.show/survey or check us out on social @weliveherestl on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Jia and Lauren sit down in the studio for the first time since March 2020 to discuss reporting during the pandemic and how life has been for the past year. As they discuss personal trials and tribulations the We Live Here team is also excited about the new listener survey. Whether you are a long time listener, contributor, or community member we want your input. What do you enjoy, what can we do better, and what does We Live Here mean to you? Check out our new listener survey by visiting our website at welivehere.show/survey or check us out on social @weliveherestl on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

We Live Here: Wrap Up

Throughout this season, we’ve shared stories of those living in unhealthy environments, how those environments came to be, and what we can do to create a better environment for the future. But in order to complete this series on the environment, we had to discuss land, the people who originated from that land and the movements to restore and give back to Indigenous people. In this episode, we hear from a PhD student working on a research project to combat Indigenous people's invisibility in the St. Louis region and a Director providing a space for students to learn about American Indian history and culture.

Throughout this season, we’ve shared stories of those living in unhealthy environments, how those environments came to be, and what we can do to create a better environment for the future. But in order to complete this series on the environment, we had to discuss land, the people who originated from that land and the movements to restore and give back to Indigenous people. In this episode, we hear from a PhD student working on a research project to combat Indigenous people's invisibility in the St. Louis region and a Director providing a space for students to learn about American Indian history and culture.

Indigenous Protectors of the Land

Throughout this season we have introduced you to small urban farmers, people working on the ground to change their environment, politicians working to pass environmental legislation, and more. But there are also many environmental scholars working to provide a space for Black environmentalists to thrive. That’s why we are introducing you to Dr. Dorceta Taylor, an author and professor at the Yale School for the Environment. In this episode, we hear about Dr. Taylor’s work in environmental studies, the contributions Black folks have made to the environmental justice movement, and the power community leaders have to transform the environments where they live.

Throughout this season we have introduced you to small urban farmers, people working on the ground to change their environment, politicians working to pass environmental legislation, and more. But there are also many environmental scholars working to provide a space for Black environmentalists to thrive. That’s why we are introducing you to Dr. Dorceta Taylor, an author and professor at the Yale School for the Environment. In this episode, we hear about Dr. Taylor’s work in environmental studies, the contributions Black folks have made to the environmental justice movement, and the power community leaders have to transform the environments where they live.

Throughout this season we have introduced you to small urban farmers, people working on the ground to change their environment, politicians working to pass environmental legislation, and more. But there are also many environmental scholars working to provide a space for Black environmentalists to thrive. That’s why we are introducing you to Dr. Dorceta Taylor, an author and professor at the Yale School for the Environment. In this episode, we hear about Dr. Taylor’s work in environmental studies, the contributions Black folks have made to the environmental justice movement, and the power community leaders have to transform the environments where they live. 

Bonus: A Conversation with Dr. Dorceta Taylor

We wanted to share a follow-up conversation with Myisha Johnson, one of the three working members of State Street Tenant Resistance and the founder of Community First Plus, a new housing and environmental justice organization. She’s been connecting the dots between health problems and pollution from facilities like Kinder Morgan for over a decade. In this episode, we hear how Myisha felt when residents like her were asked to sign onto an administrative complaint to the EPA about the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Then, attorneys Sarah Rubenstein and Bob Menees of Great Rivers Environmental Law Center will share about what happened when they filed the administrative complaint to the EPA on behalf of the Missouri and St. Louis City NAACP and Dutchtown South Community Corporation. 

--

This is Part II of a two-part series on how tenants are organizing to hold problem landlords accountable, and what happens when large companies and the state need to be held accountable too. If you haven’t listened to Part I: Tenant Rights and Resistance, listen to it now!

We wanted to share a follow-up conversation with Myisha Johnson, one of the three working members of State Street Tenant Resistance and the founder of Community First Plus, a new housing and environmental justice organization. She’s been connecting the dots between health problems and pollution from facilities like Kinder Morgan for over a decade. In this episode, we hear how Myisha felt when residents like her were asked to sign onto an administrative complaint to the EPA about the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Then, attorneys Sarah Rubenstein and Bob Menees of Great Rivers Environmental Law Center will share about what happened when they filed the administrative complaint to the EPA on behalf of the Missouri and St. Louis City NAACP and Dutchtown South Community Corporation. 
--
This is Part II of a two-part series on how tenants are organizing to hold problem landlords accountable, and what happens when large companies and the state need to be held accountable too. If you haven’t listened to Part I: Tenant Rights and Resistance, listen to it now!

We wanted to share a follow-up conversation with Myisha Johnson, one of the three working members of State Street Tenant Resistance and the founder of Community First Plus, a new housing and environmental justice organization. She’s been connecting the dots between health problems and pollution from facilities like Kinder Morgan for over a decade. In this episode, we hear how Myisha felt when residents like her were asked to sign onto an administrative complaint to the EPA about the Missouri Department of Natural Resources. Then, attorneys Sarah Rubenstein and Bob Menees of Great Rivers Environmental Law Center will share about what happened when they filed the administrative complaint to the EPA on behalf of the Missouri and St. Louis City NAACP and Dutchtown South Community Corporation.   --  This is Part II of a two-part series on how tenants are organizing to hold problem landlords accountable, and what happens when large companies and the state need to be held accountable too. If you haven’t listened to Part I: Tenant Rights and Resistance, listen to it now! 

Part II: Civil Rights & Cumulative Impacts

The pandemic triggered a major housing crisis, resulting in millions of renters and unhoused people across the country becoming at risk for being evicted or displaced. Meanwhile, those living in apartments with mold or pests have been stuck with environmental conditions that exacerbate asthma and COVID-19. Locally, tenants and housing advocates are pushing back by advocating for eviction moratoriums, holding landlords accountable, and working to create a tenants bill of rights. In this episode, we hear from the three working members of State Street Tenants Resistance about what motivates them to advocate for a tenants bill of rights, and the Community Empowerment Organizer of a local community development corporation will explain how to hold problem landlords accountable and what’s at stake when large companies and the state need to be held accountable, too.

The pandemic triggered a major housing crisis, resulting in millions of renters and unhoused people across the country becoming at risk for being evicted or displaced. Meanwhile, those living in apartments with mold or pests have been stuck with environmental conditions that exacerbate asthma and COVID-19. Locally, tenants and housing advocates are pushing back by advocating for eviction moratoriums, holding landlords accountable, and working to create a tenants bill of rights. In this episode, we hear from the three working members of State Street Tenants Resistance about what motivates them to advocate for a tenants bill of rights, and the Community Empowerment Organizer of a local community development corporation will explain how to hold problem landlords accountable and what’s at stake when large companies and the state need to be held accountable, too.

The pandemic triggered a major housing crisis, resulting in millions of renters and unhoused people across the country becoming at risk for being evicted or displaced. Meanwhile, those living in apartments with mold or pests have been stuck with environmental conditions that exacerbate asthma and COVID-19. Locally, tenants and housing advocates are pushing back by advocating for eviction moratoriums, holding landlords accountable, and working to create a tenants bill of rights. In this episode, we hear from the three working members of State Street Tenants Resistance about what motivates them to advocate for a tenants bill of rights, and the Community Empowerment Organizer of a local community development corporation will explain how to hold problem landlords accountable and what’s at stake when large companies and the state need to be held accountable, too. 

Part I: Tenant Rights & Resistance

Democratic Representative Cori Bush made history when she became the first Black Congresswoman for Missouri, unseating the Clay political dynasty. She brought her background as a nurse, activist, organizer, single mom and pastor to her new role and has jumped headfirst into advocating for issues ranging from reparations for Black Americans to taxing billionaires to Medicare for All. She teamed up with Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey and Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth to introduce a bill that would bring together federal agencies and create a mapping tool to help allocate environmental funding from the Biden administration. Just last week, she also joined forces with New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to introduce a $1 trillion dollar bill to fund environmental justice projects for the next four years. In this episode, we’ll hear from Senator Tammy Duckworth and Congresswoman Cori Bush about three major environmental justice bills: the Environmental Justice for All Act, the Environmental Justice Mapping and Data Collection Act, and the Green New Deal for Cities Act.

—

This episode was a collaboration with Jason Rosenbaum, St. Louis Public Radio political correspondent and co-host of the Politically Speaking podcast. You can listen to the Politically Speaking episodes with Senator Duckworth and Congresswoman Bush at stlpr.org or anywhere you get podcasts.

Democratic Representative Cori Bush made history when she became the first Black Congresswoman for Missouri, unseating the Clay political dynasty. She brought her background as a nurse, activist, organizer, single mom and pastor to her new role and has jumped headfirst into advocating for issues ranging from reparations for Black Americans to taxing billionaires to Medicare for All. She teamed up with Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey and Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth to introduce a bill that would bring together federal agencies and create a mapping tool to help allocate environmental funding from the Biden administration. Just last week, she also joined forces with New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to introduce a $1 trillion dollar bill to fund environmental justice projects for the next four years. In this episode, we’ll hear from Senator Tammy Duckworth and Congresswoman Cori Bush about three major environmental justice bills: the Environmental Justice for All Act, the Environmental Justice Mapping and Data Collection Act, and the Green New Deal for Cities Act.
—

This episode was a collaboration with Jason Rosenbaum, St. Louis Public Radio political correspondent and co-host of the Politically Speaking podcast. You can listen to the Politically Speaking episodes with Senator Duckworth and Congresswoman Bush at stlpr.org or anywhere you get podcasts.

Democratic Representative Cori Bush made history when she became the first Black Congresswoman for Missouri, unseating the Clay political dynasty. She brought her background as a nurse, activist, organizer, single mom and pastor to her new role and has jumped headfirst into advocating for issues ranging from reparations for Black Americans to taxing billionaires to Medicare for All. She teamed up with Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey and Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth to introduce a bill that would bring together federal agencies and create a mapping tool to help allocate environmental funding from the Biden administration. Just last week, she also joined forces with New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to introduce a $1 trillion dollar bill to fund environmental justice projects for the next four years. In this episode, we’ll hear from Senator Tammy Duckworth and Congresswoman Cori Bush about three major environmental justice bills: the Environmental Justice for All Act, the Environmental Justice Mapping and Data Collection Act, and the Green New Deal for Cities Act.

Legislating to Save Lives

We wanted to share the stories of the people who are at the heart of the environmental justice movement: urban farmers. In St. Louis, urban farmers have made great strides and continue to educate the next generation about the importance of growing their own food. In this bonus episode, we visit an urban farm, then hear from a food justice director advocating for a healthier environment and the founder of a nonprofit that provides equitable access to food, education, and employment.

We wanted to share the stories of the people who are at the heart of the environmental justice movement: urban farmers. In St. Louis, urban farmers have made great strides and continue to educate the next generation about the importance of growing their own food. In this bonus episode, we visit an urban farm, then hear from a food justice director advocating for a healthier environment and the founder of a nonprofit that provides equitable access to food, education, and employment.

Bonus: Urban Farmers

The We Live Here team balances deep dives into systemic issues with inspiring stories about people working to make a difference in their own communities. So when a listener reached out and introduced us to the work of Jeffrey “JD” Dixon, an activist organizing cleanups and coalitions in East St. Louis, a predominantly Black city in Illinois, we knew that we’d have to drive across the river to share his story. In this episode, we’ll learn about JD’s demand for legislative reform, hear from a political science professor about the legacy of industrial suburbs, and talk to a reporter about how JD is one of many Black residents in the Metro East area of Illinois who are pushing back against environmental racism.

The We Live Here team balances deep dives into systemic issues with inspiring stories about people working to make a difference in their own communities. So when a listener reached out and introduced us to the work of Jeffrey “JD” Dixon, an activist organizing cleanups and coalitions in East St. Louis, a predominantly Black city in Illinois, we knew that we’d have to drive across the river to share his story. In this episode, we’ll learn about JD’s demand for legislative reform, hear from a political science professor about the legacy of industrial suburbs, and talk to a reporter about how JD is one of many Black residents in the Metro East area of Illinois who are pushing back against environmental racism.

Boots to the Streets

We wanted to know how environmental issues affect babies and birthing people during childbirth, one of the most delicate life processes. In the U.S., Black babies are two times more likely to die before their first birthday than white babies, and Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications then white women. So in this episode, we hear from a documentary filmmaker about humanizing Black birthing people, a neonatal hospitalist about the effects the environment has on newborns and mothers and an executive director of an Equal Access Midwifery Clinic about supporting people of color through the birthing process.

We wanted to know how environmental issues affect babies and birthing people during childbirth, one of the most delicate life processes. In the U.S., Black babies are two times more likely to die before their first birthday than white babies, and Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications then white women. So in this episode, we hear from a documentary filmmaker about humanizing Black birthing people, a neonatal hospitalist about the effects the environment has on newborns and mothers and an executive director of an Equal Access Midwifery Clinic about supporting people of color through the birthing process.

To Live and Thrive

St. Louis is consistently listed as one of the worst “Asthma Capitals” in the country by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. During the pandemic, environmental issues such as dust from demolitions and housing conditions make it even harder for people to breathe. In this episode, we hear from a chronic disease epidemiologist and health education coordinator about an initiative to create healthier homes, an educator who collects racial and ethnic data to help us understand environmental issues in our region, and a reverend putting matters into his own hands to help his community live in a healthier environment.

St. Louis is consistently listed as one of the worst “Asthma Capitals” in the country by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. During the pandemic, environmental issues such as dust from demolitions and housing conditions make it even harder for people to breathe. In this episode, we hear from a chronic disease epidemiologist and health education coordinator about an initiative to create healthier homes, an educator who collects racial and ethnic data to help us understand environmental issues in our region, and a reverend putting matters into his own hands to help his community live in a healthier environment.

Who Deserves Quality Air?

In St. Louis, there are many stories about how environmental racism impacts everyday people and their health, housing, and daily lives. So in this season, we’ll use the Washington University Interdisciplinary Environmental Law Clinic’s 2019 report on Environmental Racism in St. Louis to guide us through conversations about the top environmental issues facing the most vulnerable communities in St. Louis. In this episode, we look back at how St. Louis’ history of systemic racism has impacted the living environments of low-income and Black residents, how the report featured stories of everyday people, and what type of environment the report’s recommendations could create for the next generation.

In St. Louis, there are many stories about how environmental racism impacts everyday people and their health, housing, and daily lives. So in this season, we’ll use the Washington University Interdisciplinary Environmental Law Clinic’s 2019 report on Environmental Racism in St. Louis to guide us through conversations about the top environmental issues facing the most vulnerable communities in St. Louis. In this episode, we look back at how St. Louis’ history of systemic racism has impacted the living environments of low-income and Black residents, how the report featured stories of everyday people, and what type of environment the report’s recommendations could create for the next generation.

In St. Louis, there are many stories about how environmental racism impacts everyday people and their health, housing, and daily lives. So in this season, we’ll use the Washington University Interdisciplinary Environmental Law Clinic’s 2019 report on Environmental Racism in St. Louis to guide us through conversations about the top environmental issues facing the most vulnerable communities in St. Louis. In this episode, we look back at how St. Louis’ history of systemic racism has impacted the living environments of low-income and Black residents, how the report featured stories of everyday people, and what type of environment the report’s recommendations could create for the next generation. 

Environmental Racism in St. Louis Report

In this episode, we introduce you to two Black artists who teamed up to heal and educate their community through an urban farm in predominantly Black North St. Louis City. They share their vision for building an education garden with accessible raised beds, and growing flowers and healing herbs alongside chickens and bees. Then we learn about how they encountered a major obstacle that put their dreams on hold...

In this episode, we introduce you to two Black artists who teamed up to heal and educate their community through an urban farm in predominantly Black North St. Louis City. They share their vision for building an education garden with accessible raised beds, and growing flowers and healing herbs alongside chickens and bees. Then we learn about how they encountered a major obstacle that put their dreams on hold...

In this episode, we introduce you to two Black artists who teamed up to heal and educate their community through an urban farm in predominantly Black North St. Louis City. They share their vision for building an education garden with accessible raised beds, and growing flowers and healing herbs alongside chickens and bees. Then we learn about how they encountered a major obstacle that put their dreams on hold... 

Farm Dreams & Toxic Dust

In the last two seasons of the show, we have covered the COVID-19 pandemic and the current uprising for Black lives, both of which continue to shape society today. The pandemic and the uprising also raised two major questions, which we’ll be addressing in our new season on environmental racism: How do we achieve a healthy life? And what kind of world do we want to leave for the next generation? These are profound questions for a region that boasts some of the most prestigious hospitals in the nation and is home to residents with some of the worst health outcomes. So in this season, we’ll trace the connection between systemic racism, housing conditions, and health outcomes. But we’ll also highlight the organizers, tenants rights advocates, and urban farmers who are working to improve conditions in their communities. The first episode of the environmental racism season drops on Friday, February 12th, anywhere you get podcasts.

In the last two seasons of the show, we have covered the COVID-19 pandemic and the current uprising for Black lives, both of which continue to shape society today. The pandemic and the uprising also raised two major questions, which we’ll be addressing in our new season on environmental racism: How do we achieve a healthy life? And what kind of world do we want to leave for the next generation? These are profound questions for a region that boasts some of the most prestigious hospitals in the nation and is home to residents with some of the worst health outcomes. So in this season, we’ll trace the connection between systemic racism, housing conditions, and health outcomes. But we’ll also highlight the organizers, tenants rights advocates, and urban farmers who are working to improve conditions in their communities. The first episode of the environmental racism season drops on Friday, February 12th, anywhere you get podcasts.

Trailer: Environmental Racism

This year, we produced a season that put a racial equity lens on the COVID-19 pandemic and a season about the current uprising for Black lives. As a collective, we have faced this season's challenges head first and continue to press on by producing meaningful and impactful stories, which is why we wanted to know what other journalists in our region experienced during this time. In this episode, we’ll hear from a correspondent for Kaiser Health News about the importance of telling the stories of everyday people during this time and a reporter from the St. Louis American will share what it’s like to work on a year-long fellowship to produce stories about COVID-19 affecting the Black community.

This year, we produced a season that put a racial equity lens on the COVID-19 pandemic and a season about the current uprising for Black lives. As a collective, we have faced this season's challenges head first and continue to press on by producing meaningful and impactful stories, which is why we wanted to know what other journalists in our region experienced during this time. In this episode, we’ll hear from a correspondent for Kaiser Health News about the importance of telling the stories of everyday people during this time and a reporter from the St. Louis American will share what it’s like to work on a year-long fellowship to produce stories about COVID-19 affecting the Black community.

Uprising: Storytelling through COVID

Over the past months, we’ve seen civil unrest across the country in a renewed uprising for Black lives and the fight to hold police accountable. But we should not forget the painters, poets, musicians, and more who have decided that through their art they can motivate people to move into action. In this episode, we’ll hear from a young man who found beauty in destruction and created a group for local Black artists, the founder of ART House will share about how she is building a place for artists of color to thrive in their own community, and the founder of UrbArts will teach us about art’s ability to uncover systemic racism and how we can create a marketplace to support Black artists in a more meaningful way.

Over the past months, we’ve seen civil unrest across the country in a renewed uprising for Black lives and the fight to hold police accountable. But we should not forget the painters, poets, musicians, and more who have decided that through their art they can motivate people to move into action. In this episode, we’ll hear from a young man who found beauty in destruction and created a group for local Black artists, the founder of ART House will share about how she is building a place for artists of color to thrive in their own community, and the founder of UrbArts will teach us about art’s ability to uncover systemic racism and how we can create a marketplace to support Black artists in a more meaningful way.

Uprising: Artivism 

The call to defund the police has gained steam as activists and advocates bring attention to police budgets that they believe could be better allocated to education, healthcare, and social services. At the heart of this call is the question of whether or not police increase public safety. Growing numbers of people are joining a movement to abolish the current system of policing and imagine new structures for responding to mental health crises, domestic violence, and social problems created by poverty and racism. In this episode, we talk to the co-chairs of St. Louis’ Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression about police accountability and the tension between efforts to reform and desire to abolish the current system of policing.

The call to defund the police has gained steam as activists and advocates bring attention to police budgets that they believe could be better allocated to education, healthcare, and social services. At the heart of this call is the question of whether or not police increase public safety. Growing numbers of people are joining a movement to abolish the current system of policing and imagine new structures for responding to mental health crises, domestic violence, and social problems created by poverty and racism. In this episode, we talk to the co-chairs of St. Louis’ Coalition Against Police Crimes and Repression about police accountability and the tension between efforts to reform and desire to abolish the current system of policing.

Uprising: Police Accountability 

Many schools have started hybrid in-person and online learning, even as coronavirus cases keep rising and students continue to experience disparities in accessing technology, meeting their daily needs, and learning at home. So in this episode, we’ll hear from a first generation college student who has been helping her community navigate the education system and an executive director of a local education-based nonprofit will share what parents and families face when navigating the St. Louis Public Schools system and how that impacts students’ experiences with higher education. And then, we’ll zoom all the way out to examine why St. Louis’ educational landscape remains uneven and segregated over six decades after the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. 

This episode was produced with the help of Lindy Drew, Lead Storyteller and Co-Founder of Humans of St. Louis, which is a paid content partner of Navigate STL Schools and Forward through Ferguson. 
 
As always, We Live Here’s coverage remains independent.

Many schools have started hybrid in-person and online learning, even as coronavirus cases keep rising and students continue to experience disparities in accessing technology, meeting their daily needs, and learning at home. So in this episode, we’ll hear from a first generation college student who has been helping her community navigate the education system and an executive director of a local education-based nonprofit will share what parents and families face when navigating the St. Louis Public Schools system and how that impacts students’ experiences with higher education. And then, we’ll zoom all the way out to examine why St. Louis’ educational landscape remains uneven and segregated over six decades after the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. 
This episode was produced with the help of Lindy Drew, Lead Storyteller and Co-Founder of Humans of St. Louis, which is a paid content partner of Navigate STL Schools and Forward through Ferguson. 

As always, We Live Here’s coverage remains independent.

Many schools have started hybrid in-person and online learning, even as coronavirus cases keep rising and students continue to experience disparities in accessing technology, meeting their daily needs, and learning at home. So in this episode, we’ll hear from a first generation college student who has been helping her community navigate the education system and an executive director of a local education-based nonprofit will share what parents and families face when navigating the St. Louis Public Schools system and how that impacts students’ experiences with higher education. And then, we’ll zoom all the way out to examine why St. Louis’ educational landscape remains uneven and segregated over six decades after the Brown vs. Board of Education decision.   This episode was produced with the help of Lindy Drew, Lead Storyteller and Co-Founder of Humans of St. Louis, which is a paid content partner of Navigate STL Schools and Forward through Ferguson. As always, We Live Here’s coverage remains independent. 

Uprising: Navigating Educational Inequities 

Back in early March, we were collecting stories from first generation college students about their experiences on campus. Since then, COVID-19 hit college campuses across the country and we’re seeing a rising number of cases since students have returned for in-person classes. 

So in this episode, we hear from a first generation college student about navigating post-grad life during a pandemic, a health reporter will share what it’s like to report about the virus at a university, and a student activist will tell us about how they are fighting to uplift the demands of Black students on campus.

Back in early March, we were collecting stories from first generation college students about their experiences on campus. Since then, COVID-19 hit college campuses across the country and we’re seeing a rising number of cases since students have returned for in-person classes. 
So in this episode, we hear from a first generation college student about navigating post-grad life during a pandemic, a health reporter will share what it’s like to report about the virus at a university, and a student activist will tell us about how they are fighting to uplift the demands of Black students on campus.

Back in early March, we were collecting stories from first generation college students about their experiences on campus. Since then, COVID-19 hit college campuses across the country and we’re seeing a rising number of cases since students have returned for in-person classes.  So in this episode, we hear from a first generation college student about navigating post-grad life during a pandemic, a health reporter will share what it’s like to report about the virus at a university, and a student activist will tell us about how they are fighting to uplift the demands of Black students on campus. 

Uprising: Movements on Campus

Back in 2014, after the police killings of Michael Brown Jr. in North St. Louis County and VonDerrit Myers Jr. in South St. Louis City, the St. Louis University Clock Tower became a site for Occupy SLU: six days of teach-ins, community conversation, and an occupation by community activists and students, which resulted in the creation of 13 Clock Tower Accords to advance racial equity at the school. This year, after a grand jury in Kentucky declined to indict three Louisville police officers for shooting and killing Breonna Taylor, students gathered at the Clock Tower again to hold a vigil for Breonna Taylor and make new demands to change culture and policies at St. Louis University. On this bonus episode, we’ll hear from three students who organized direct actions and a new list of demands to advance racial equity at St. Louis University.

Back in 2014, after the police killings of Michael Brown Jr. in North St. Louis County and VonDerrit Myers Jr. in South St. Louis City, the St. Louis University Clock Tower became a site for Occupy SLU: six days of teach-ins, community conversation, and an occupation by community activists and students, which resulted in the creation of 13 Clock Tower Accords to advance racial equity at the school. This year, after a grand jury in Kentucky declined to indict three Louisville police officers for shooting and killing Breonna Taylor, students gathered at the Clock Tower again to hold a vigil for Breonna Taylor and make new demands to change culture and policies at St. Louis University. On this bonus episode, we’ll hear from three students who organized direct actions and a new list of demands to advance racial equity at St. Louis University.

Back in 2014, after the police killings of Michael Brown Jr. in North St. Louis County and VonDerrit Myers Jr. in South St. Louis City, the St. Louis University Clock Tower became a site for Occupy SLU, six days of teach-ins, community conversation, and an occupation by community activists and students, which resulted in the creation of 13 Clock Tower Accords to advance racial equity at the school. This year, after a grand jury in Kentucky declined to indict three Louisville police officers for shooting and killing Breonna Taylor, students gathered at the Clock Tower again to hold a vigil in memory of Breonna Taylor and make new demands to change culture and policies at St. Louis University. On this bonus episode, we’ll hear from three students who organized direct actions and a new list of demands to advance racial equity at St. Louis University.

Bonus: Back to the Clock Tower

The uprising for Black lives has amplified the names of Black people who have been killed by police and in racist attacks. But the names of people who are Black and trans are lesser known due to transphobia and a lack of understanding from media and society. In St. Louis, organizers have been uplifting the name of Kiwi Herring, a Black trans woman who was known by her loved ones as a playful nurturer, adored by neighborhood kids and her own children, who she taught to value education and hard work. In this episode we’ll hear more from organizers who are supporting people who are Black and trans, using art to promote social change, and staying inspired through the uprising.

The uprising for Black lives has amplified the names of Black people who have been killed by police and in racist attacks. But the names of people who are Black and trans are lesser known due to transphobia and a lack of understanding from media and society. In St. Louis, organizers have been uplifting the name of Kiwi Herring, a Black trans woman who was known by her loved ones as a playful nurturer, adored by neighborhood kids and her own children, who she taught to value education and hard work. In this episode we’ll hear more from organizers who are supporting people who are Black and trans, using art to promote social change, and staying inspired through the uprising.

Uprising: Black Trans People Lead

The uprising for Black lives has disrupted the social and economic status quo through protests, highway shutdowns and occupations. It has also been an opportunity for activists and organizers to build power and engage people politically. But the pandemic, changes to the postal service, and the increasingly polarized political climate will impact the upcoming general election in major ways. So in this episode, we hear from a state representative who helped to come up with new absentee and mail-in balloting guidelines and two ministers who are part of multi-racial and multi-faith coalitions that engage voters and increase voter turnout.

The uprising for Black lives has disrupted the social and economic status quo through protests, highway shutdowns and occupations. It has also been an opportunity for activists and organizers to build power and engage people politically. But the pandemic, changes to the postal service, and the increasingly polarized political climate will impact the upcoming general election in major ways. So in this episode, we hear from a state representative who helped to come up with new absentee and mail-in balloting guidelines and two ministers who are part of multi-racial and multi-faith coalitions that engage voters and increase voter turnout.

The uprising for Black lives has disrupted the social and economic status quo through protests, highway shutdowns and occupations. It has also been an opportunity for activists and organizers to build power and engage people politically. But the pandemic, changes to the postal service, and the increasingly polarized political climate will impact the upcoming general election in major ways. So in this episode, we hear from a state representative who helped to come up with new absentee and mail-in balloting guidelines and two ministers who are part of multi-racial and multi-faith coalitions that engage voters and increase voter turnout. 

Uprising: Elections

In less than a year, the coronavirus has changed life as we know it-- from job losses to evictions and even the loss of loved ones. As we enter the fall and back-to-school season, we wanted to know: what does education look like in the midst of a pandemic and how can we keep students, educators, and workers safe? So in this episode, we hear from two teachers: one who will share what it’s like to teach through a pandemic and another who has been organizing teachers to advocate for safer policies and practices in the St. Louis Public School system. We’ll also talk to a student advocate and financial aid advisor from a local nonprofit scholarship organization about how COVID-19 is affecting college students and what it means to put a racial equity lens on the student loan crisis.

In less than a year, the coronavirus has changed life as we know it-- from job losses to evictions and even the loss of loved ones. As we enter the fall and back-to-school season, we wanted to know: what does education look like in the midst of a pandemic and how can we keep students, educators, and workers safe? So in this episode, we hear from two teachers: one who will share what it’s like to teach through a pandemic and another who has been organizing teachers to advocate for safer policies and practices in the St. Louis Public School system. We’ll also talk to a student advocate and financial aid advisor from a local nonprofit scholarship organization about how COVID-19 is affecting college students and what it means to put a racial equity lens on the student loan crisis.

In less than a year, the coronavirus has changed life as we know it-- from job losses to evictions and even the loss of loved ones. As we enter the fall and back-to-school season, we wanted to know: what does education look like in the midst of a pandemic and how can we keep students, educators, and workers safe? So in this episode, we hear from two teachers: one who will share what it’s like to teach through a pandemic and another who has been organizing teachers to advocate for safer policies and practices in the St. Louis Public School system. We’ll also talk to a student advocate and financial aid advisor from a local nonprofit scholarship organization about how COVID-19 is affecting college students and what it means to put a racial equity lens on the student loan crisis. 

Uprising: Education

This is a bonus episode about the making of Black at Mizzou: Confronting Race on Campus, an audio documentary that was recently released by American Public Media. It provides a window into the community of Black students at the University of Missouri-Columbia and the impact of the Concerned Student 1950 movement. In this episode, we hear about the process of hosting and producing the documentary from someone that you already know, but are about to get a whole lot more familiar with: Lauren Brown, co-host and producer for We Live Here. 

Black at Mizzou: Confronting Race on Campus from APM Reports is out now-- on the Educate podcast from American Public Media-- everywhere you get podcasts. You can also find it online at apmreports.org.

This is a bonus episode about the making of Black at Mizzou: Confronting Race on Campus, an audio documentary that was recently released by American Public Media. It provides a window into the community of Black students at the University of Missouri-Columbia and the impact of the Concerned Student 1950 movement. In this episode, we hear about the process of hosting and producing the documentary from someone that you already know, but are about to get a whole lot more familiar with: Lauren Brown, co-host and producer for We Live Here. 
Black at Mizzou: Confronting Race on Campus from APM Reports is out now-- on the Educate podcast from American Public Media-- everywhere you get podcasts. You can also find it online at apmreports.org.

This is a bonus episode about the making of Black at Mizzou: Confronting Race on Campus, an audio documentary that was recently released by American Public Media. It provides a window into the community of Black students at the University of Missouri-Columbia and the impact of the Concerned Student 1950 movement. In this episode, we hear about the process of hosting and producing the documentary from someone that you already know, but are about to get a whole lot more familiar with: Lauren Brown, co-host and producer for We Live Here.   Black at Mizzou: Confronting Race on Campus from APM Reports is out now-- on the Educate podcast from American Public Media-- everywhere you get podcasts. You can also find it online at apmreports.org.

Bonus: Making of Black at Mizzou

As layoffs and furloughs continue through the coronavirus-induced recession and eviction moratoriums are being lifted, the U.S. is facing a major housing crisis. In St. Louis, people have been holding rallies and occupying City Hall to call for a moratorium on evictions for tenants and unhoused people alike, and framing this demand as a racial equity issue. So in this episode, we trace the story of two tent encampments: one occupied by people who are unhoused under an overpass and one occupied by activists and advocates at St. Louis City Hall. We also hear from the executive director and community engagement specialist of a fair housing enforcement agency about what racial equity means during a housing crisis.

As layoffs and furloughs continue through the coronavirus-induced recession and eviction moratoriums are being lifted, the U.S. is facing a major housing crisis. In St. Louis, people have been holding rallies and occupying City Hall to call for a moratorium on evictions for tenants and unhoused people alike, and framing this demand as a racial equity issue. So in this episode, we trace the story of two tent encampments: one occupied by people who are unhoused under an overpass and one occupied by activists and advocates at St. Louis City Hall. We also hear from the executive director and community engagement specialist of a fair housing enforcement agency about what racial equity means during a housing crisis.

Uprising: Housing Crisis

Fighting for Black lives isn’t new and some say that this uprising isn’t new either. It’s a familiar fight that Black people have been fighting for centuries. The difference is that now this fight is happening as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, especially within the African-American community. The pandemic, state violence, and racist attacks all have devastating physical consequences, but there is also a mental toll. In this episode, we hear from a Black healing practitioner and two Black psychologists about how the pandemic and the uprising are impacting the mental health of African-Americans and how Black people can maintain and promote their mental wellness during these stressful times.

Fighting for Black lives isn’t new and some say that this uprising isn’t new either. It’s a familiar fight that Black people have been fighting for centuries. The difference is that now this fight is happening as COVID-19 cases continue to rise, especially within the African-American community. The pandemic, state violence, and racist attacks all have devastating physical consequences, but there is also a mental toll. In this episode, we hear from a Black healing practitioner and two Black psychologists about how the pandemic and the uprising are impacting the mental health of African-Americans and how Black people can maintain and promote their mental wellness during these stressful times.

Uprising: Black Mental Health

Even though we are currently in a pandemic, the recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Nina Pop, and more have led people to take to the streets. Protests and marches around the world have sparked a renewed uprising for Black lives and when looting and vandalism began to impact large chain stores and small Black businesses alike. Many began asking how can they support small Black businesses during this time and people began following campaigns such as #BuyBlack, #BankBlack, and #BlackoutDay2020 to uplift Black business and communities that have been devalued and poverty-stricken for years. In this episode we hear from two small Black business owners about what’s like to own a small business during this time and we ask an economic development specialist and a scholar of race and structural inequality about what’s at stake if we continue to devalue Black businesses in the midst of an uprising for Black lives and beyond.

Even though we are currently in a pandemic, the recent killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Nina Pop, and more have led people to take to the streets. Protests and marches around the world have sparked a renewed uprising for Black lives and when looting and vandalism began to impact large chain stores and small Black businesses alike. Many began asking how can they support small Black businesses during this time and people began following campaigns such as #BuyBlack, #BankBlack, and #BlackoutDay2020 to uplift Black business and communities that have been devalued and poverty-stricken for years. In this episode we hear from two small Black business owners about what’s like to own a small business during this time and we ask an economic development specialist and a scholar of race and structural inequality about what’s at stake if we continue to devalue Black businesses in the midst of an uprising for Black lives and beyond.

Uprising: Valuing Black Businesses 

We wanted to give you an inside look into our next season on how people are rising up for Black lives around the world because for every moment captured on the news, there are a series of decisions that led us here to a time when record numbers of people are discontent with the status quo. What decisions will lead us to a more racially equitable future that truly values Black lives? We want to hear from you-- so send us a message on Twitter or Instagram at WE LIVE HERE S-T-L or call ‪314-396-2953‬ and leave a message about why you’re rising up for Black lives and what you hope will happen next.

We wanted to give you an inside look into our next season on how people are rising up for Black lives around the world because for every moment captured on the news, there are a series of decisions that led us here to a time when record numbers of people are discontent with the status quo. What decisions will lead us to a more racially equitable future that truly values Black lives? We want to hear from you-- so send us a message on Twitter or Instagram at WE LIVE HERE S-T-L or call ‪314-396-2953‬ and leave a message about why you’re rising up for Black lives and what you hope will happen next.

We wanted to give you an inside look into our next season on how people are rising up for Black lives around the world because for every moment captured on the news, there are a series of decisions that led us here to a time when record numbers of people are discontent with the status quo. What decisions will lead us to a more racially equitable future that truly values Black lives? We want to hear from you-- so send us a message on Twitter or Instagram at WE LIVE HERE S-T-L or call ‪314-396-2953‬ and leave a message about why you’re rising up for Black lives and what you hope will happen next.

Uprising Teaser

The pandemic has upended the lives of countless people across the world, but for refugees who fled their countries of origin to escape persecution based on race, religion, nationality, or ideology, COVID-19 makes it even harder to navigate healthcare, employment, education, and daily life. New restrictions on refugee resettlement and immigration add yet another layer of concern for people seeking a new life in the U.S. In this episode, we hear from a refugee who is a college student about what it’s like to learn and live through COVID-19 and we ask a social worker and an immigration attorney about what social support and legal services are needed by refugees through the pandemic and beyond.

The pandemic has upended the lives of countless people across the world, but for refugees who fled their countries of origin to escape persecution based on race, religion, nationality, or ideology, COVID-19 makes it even harder to navigate healthcare, employment, education, and daily life. New restrictions on refugee resettlement and immigration add yet another layer of concern for people seeking a new life in the U.S. In this episode, we hear from a refugee who is a college student about what it’s like to learn and live through COVID-19 and we ask a social worker and an immigration attorney about what social support and legal services are needed by refugees through the pandemic and beyond.

COVID-19: Refugees

Masks, social distancing, and diligent hand washing have become the new norm in the era of COVID-19. But for many, following CDC guidelines to prevent the spread is nearly impossible. That’s the case for people in jails, prisons, and detention facilities which are now understood to be major hotspots for the virus. And that’s why advocates, public health officials, and public defenders are calling for decarceration-- reducing the number of people held in jails, prisons, and detention facilities-- as a strategy to flatten the curve and prevent massive outbreaks among people who are already vulnerable to the virus. In this episode, we hear from decarceration advocates, the Director of the Missouri Public Defender system, and the Director of Public Safety for the City of St. Louis about what can be done to reduce the number of people held in jails, prisons, and detention facilities, what’s at stake for public health and public safety if no changes are made, and how courts and jails have shifted their operations during the pandemic.

Masks, social distancing, and diligent hand washing have become the new norm in the era of COVID-19. But for many, following CDC guidelines to prevent the spread is nearly impossible. That’s the case for people in jails, prisons, and detention facilities which are now understood to be major hotspots for the virus. And that’s why advocates, public health officials, and public defenders are calling for decarceration-- reducing the number of people held in jails, prisons, and detention facilities-- as a strategy to flatten the curve and prevent massive outbreaks among people who are already vulnerable to the virus. In this episode, we hear from decarceration advocates, the Director of the Missouri Public Defender system, and the Director of Public Safety for the City of St. Louis about what can be done to reduce the number of people held in jails, prisons, and detention facilities, what’s at stake for public health and public safety if no changes are made, and how courts and jails have shifted their operations during the pandemic.

Masks, social distancing, and diligent hand washing have become the new norm in the era of COVID-19. But for many, following CDC guidelines to prevent the spread is nearly impossible. That’s the case for people in jails, prisons, and detention facilities which are now understood to be major hotspots for the virus. And that’s why advocates, public health officials, and public defenders are calling for decarceration-- reducing the number of people held in jails, prisons, and detention facilities-- as a strategy to flatten the curve and prevent massive outbreaks among people who are already vulnerable to the virus. In this episode, we hear from decarceration advocates, the Director of the Missouri Public Defender system, and the Director of Public Safety for the City of St. Louis about what can be done to reduce the number of people held in jails, prisons, and detention facilities, what’s at stake for public health and public safety if no changes are made, and how courts and jails have shifted their operations during the pandemic. 

COVID-19: Decarceration

The Ferguson uprising catalyzed conversations and sparked action around racial equity in the St. Louis region. In the following years we’ve seen the growth of new research, movements, and programs that center the experiences of Black people. The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on African Americans across the nation and in St. Louis raises a crucial question about how to work toward racial equity during a pandemic. In this episode, we talk to three Black leaders who’ve been centering racial equity in their work and learn their perspectives on investment, community health, and regional response during the pandemic.

The Ferguson uprising catalyzed conversations and sparked action around racial equity in the St. Louis region. In the following years we’ve seen the growth of new research, movements, and programs that center the experiences of Black people. The disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on African Americans across the nation and in St. Louis raises a crucial question about how to work toward racial equity during a pandemic. In this episode, we talk to three Black leaders who’ve been centering racial equity in their work and learn their perspectives on investment, community health, and regional response during the pandemic.

COVID-19: Leading Equity

Food insecurity has long been a problem facing people across the country and for many children, not knowing where their next meal is coming from or only eating food that lacks nutrition devastates their ability to focus, learn, and stay healthy. More recently in St. Louis black-led efforts like STL Lunch and the Hands Up United Books and Breakfast program have recognized that food access is a racial equity issue and the need that arises especially when school is out of session for summer. Now with COVID-19 closing schools until the next school year, food insecurity for children has become even more pressing than before. In this episode, we talk to a parent, a school board member, and a community advocate about the struggle to ensure that students in North St. Louis County are educated and fed during the pandemic.

Food insecurity has long been a problem facing people across the country and for many children, not knowing where their next meal is coming from or only eating food that lacks nutrition devastates their ability to focus, learn, and stay healthy. More recently in St. Louis black-led efforts like STL Lunch and the Hands Up United Books and Breakfast program have recognized that food access is a racial equity issue and the need that arises especially when school is out of session for summer. Now with COVID-19 closing schools until the next school year, food insecurity for children has become even more pressing than before. In this episode, we talk to a parent, a school board member, and a community advocate about the struggle to ensure that students in North St. Louis County are educated and fed during the pandemic.

Food insecurity has long been a problem facing people across the country and for many children, not knowing where their next meal is coming from or only eating food that lacks nutrition devastates their ability to focus, learn, and stay healthy. More recently in St. Louis black-led efforts like STL Lunch and the Hands Up United Books and Breakfast program have recognized that food access is a racial equity issue and the need that arises especially when school is out of session for summer. Now with COVID-19 closing schools until the next school year, food insecurity for children has become even more pressing than before. In this episode, we talk to a parent, a school board member, and a community advocate about the struggle to ensure that students in North St. Louis County are educated and fed during the pandemic. 

COVID-19: Food Insecurity 

The response to COVID-19 has varied across the country and across the globe. By now the especially devastating toll on black Americans has been well documented with death rates disturbingly and disproportionately higher than whites.The city of St. Louis made national headlines when its first 12 recorded deaths from COVID-19 were black. The peak of the first wave of cases expected to hit around the same day this episode is being released, which is why we wanted to better understand how the outbreak is touching the lives of black St. Louisans. In this episode a doctor, a mayor, and a nurse share their stories about how COVID-19 is affecting black residents in the St. Louis region and how they're working to make sure everyone in our town can stand a chance against the deadly virus.

The response to COVID-19 has varied across the country and across the globe. By now the especially devastating toll on black Americans has been well documented with death rates disturbingly and disproportionately higher than whites.The city of St. Louis made national headlines when its first 12 recorded deaths from COVID-19 were black. The peak of the first wave of cases expected to hit around the same day this episode is being released, which is why we wanted to better understand how the outbreak is touching the lives of black St. Louisans. In this episode a doctor, a mayor, and a nurse share their stories about how COVID-19 is affecting black residents in the St. Louis region and how they're working to make sure everyone in our town can stand a chance against the deadly virus.

COVID-19: Legacies of Structural Racism

If you’ve been tuning into our recent episodes, you’ll know that a couple of weeks ago, we did an episode about anti-Asian xenophobia. We collected so many revealing and inspiring interviews for that episode that we couldn’t use them all. We decided that a special conversation we had with two Vietnamese American doctors which has continued to stick with us through this time is befitting especially since the St. Louis region is still expecting some very difficult weeks ahead. In this episode, we wanted to take some time to share two interconnected and inspiring stories about healing and community in the face of xenophobia and an invisible enemy.

If you’ve been tuning into our recent episodes, you’ll know that a couple of weeks ago, we did an episode about anti-Asian xenophobia. We collected so many revealing and inspiring interviews for that episode that we couldn’t use them all. We decided that a special conversation we had with two Vietnamese American doctors which has continued to stick with us through this time is befitting especially since the St. Louis region is still expecting some very difficult weeks ahead. In this episode, we wanted to take some time to share two interconnected and inspiring stories about healing and community in the face of xenophobia and an invisible enemy.

COVID-19: On the Frontlines

States across the country have announced shelter-in-place orders but for many that is not an option. The challenge for St. Louis and elsewhere is how to curb the spread of the coronavirus among people who are unhoused. This virus has highlighted how the same inequities in St. Louis are found in towns across the U.S. which is why we are partnering with our public radio friends at America Amplified to help explore how the spread of the coronavirus is affecting those who are unhoused in St. Louis and beyond.

States across the country have announced shelter-in-place orders but for many that is not an option. The challenge for St. Louis and elsewhere is how to curb the spread of the coronavirus among people who are unhoused. This virus has highlighted how the same inequities in St. Louis are found in towns across the U.S. which is why we are partnering with our public radio friends at America Amplified to help explore how the spread of the coronavirus is affecting those who are unhoused in St. Louis and beyond.

COVID-19: Unhoused

By now, there are reports about Chinatowns across the country that are hurting for business because of anti-Asian xenophobia. We wanted to understand how anti-Asian xenophobia has impacted Asian Americans and Asian American-owned small businesses here in St. Louis. In this episode, we hear from a Taiwanese American therapist, a Chinese American organizer, and two Asian American small business owners about how the rise of anti-Asian xenophobia has affected their lives.

By now, there are reports about Chinatowns across the country that are hurting for business because of anti-Asian xenophobia. We wanted to understand how anti-Asian xenophobia has impacted Asian Americans and Asian American-owned small businesses here in St. Louis. In this episode, we hear from a Taiwanese American therapist, a Chinese American organizer, and two Asian American small business owners about how the rise of anti-Asian xenophobia has affected their lives.

COVID-19: Xenophobia

Schools are closed across the country and some are done for the rest of the academic year. The shift to online learning for many schools can also reveal the deep economic and racial inequities that characterize schools in our hometown and yours. We wanted to understand how this sudden change could affect long-standing racial and economic disparities in education outcomes. In our first first episode about the COVID-19 crisis, we will hear what the director of a local education nonprofit and a teacher are doing to keep kids from falling behind. 

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Schools are closed across the country and some are done for the rest of the academic year. The shift to online learning for many schools can also reveal the deep economic and racial inequities that characterize schools in our hometown and yours. We wanted to understand how this sudden change could affect long-standing racial and economic disparities in education outcomes. In our first first episode about the COVID-19 crisis, we will hear what the director of a local education nonprofit and a teacher are doing to keep kids from falling behind.

 Schools are closed across the country and some are done for the rest of the academic year. The shift to online learning for many schools can also reveal the deep economic and racial inequities that characterize schools in our hometown and yours. We wanted to understand how this sudden change could affect long-standing racial and economic disparities in education outcomes. In our first first episode about the COVID-19 crisis, we will hear what the director of a local education nonprofit and a teacher are doing to keep kids from falling behind. 