Michael Thomas
Photographer
As an accomplished photojournalist, Michael Thomas often finds himself engaged in some of the area’s most important and polarizing stories. His work has appeared in both national and international publications, on television shows and with various big-name companies. What drives Michael is having the unique opportunity to connect with many different people as he documents their stories, especially those that often are overlooked. Favorite spot in St. Louis: University City Loop. Learn more at miketphotog.com.
miketphotog 
miketphotog 
Contributions
Harnessing Talent
Entrepreneur and talent recruiter Anjie Sanford has launched a new program through BioSTL that offers minority college students internships at…
Making Moves
Danielle Deavens and Doug Spencer, Bold Xchange founders, and Craig and Mowgli Rivard, owners of Little Fox, share why they…
Manufacturing the Future
Southwestern Illinois College leads the way in educating the next generation of manufacturing workers, helping to realize the vision of…
Creating Space
At Heydays HQ, Keisha Mabry Haymore provides the space and support for women and founders of color to create, collaborate…
The Path Forward
Doug and Bill Mitchell’s startup ScholarPath helps graduating high school students figure out what’s next.
A Promising
Prescription
Educator-turned-entrepreneur Marcus Howard is raising the standard of pharmacy care with the launch of GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness in the…
Bold Moves
Through Bold Xchange, co-founders Danielle Deavens and Doug Spencer aim to improve equity in entrepreneurship by helping large companies support…
Stitching Vibes
Abbey Eilermann and her team at the Daily Disco bring fresh eyes and unique designs to the vintage art of…
A Reading
Revolution
For more than 25 years, Ready Readers has helped advance social and racial equity in St. Louis by bolstering literacy…
2022 Year In Review
Take a look back at this year's STLMade stories.
Tastes of Home
Nearly 30 years ago, Shayn Prapaisilp’s parents introduced Thai food to St. Louis. Now Prapaisilp is leading the family business…
Open Arms
Moji Sidiqi leads the International Institute of St. Louis’ Afghan Support Program in helping refugees adjust to their new home.
More Than A Market
Lacy Cagle leads City Greens Market in the Grove to be a hub for community, education and local produce.
Cooking Up
Propel Kitchens is building health and wealth within the historically under-resourced community of the St. Louis Promise Zone by providing…
Sew Crafty
First through a youth academy and now with a new online portal, Olivia Rae Davis wants to get more people…
Notes of Community
Soul artist turned community facilitator Brian Owens helps lift up young creatives in St. Louis.
Life-Saving Science
Dr. Sarah George and other researchers at Saint Louis University School of Medicine’s Center for Vaccine Development are leading national…
The Future of Farming
Creve Coeur-based Climate LLC is helping transform the possibilities, profits and precision of farming in the digital age.
Hive Mind – Part Two
A team of local scientists work together on how to improve produce yields in urban orchards and community gardens.
Hive Mind – Part One
With the goal of helping community gardens produce more fresh food, scientists from six different St. Louis institutions are collaborating…
Space for STEM
With Black Girls Do STEM, chemist Cynthia Chapple and her team are carving out an inclusive space for young Black…
Raising the Bar
With ethically sourced cacao and local raw honey, Cam and Haley Loyet’s Honeymoon Chocolates makes bean-to-bar craft chocolate in its…
Rewriting the Narrative
At EyeSeeMe Bookstore in University City, Jeffrey and Pamela Blair are fulfilling their calling to provide people with positive stories…
Drawing Outside the Lines
Steenz Stewart has blazed their own trail in the comics industry to become one of the few Black cartoonists at…
A Wider Net
St. Louis’ storied soccer tradition will take a leap forward in 2023 with an MLS team of its own, St.…
2021 Year In Review
Take a look back at this year's STLMade stories.
Off to the Races
St. Louis welcomes the NASCAR Cup Series to the region at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, thanks to…
Giving Lessons
With the support of her local Buy Nothing group, Briana Morales guides her students in East St. Louis through social-emotional…
Flavor Full
Charlene Lopez Young and Darren Young are bringing Filipino flavors to the region with their barbecue and smoked meats business,…
Natural Wonders
St. Louisans find peace and purpose in parks and on trails throughout the region.
Flipping the Script
Akeem Shannon is on a gravity-defying entrepreneurial rise with his creation, Flipstik.
Building Bridges
Natissia Small, Ed.D., reduces barriers for St. Louis youth to pursue and succeed in higher education.
Tap Into Talent
Led by Chief Operating Officer Sarah Bernard, Inclusively connects employees with disabilities with compatible jobs, and helps companies adapt to…
Exploring the Final Frontiers
At Impossible Sensing in St. Louis, Pablo Sobron leads a team of scientists and engineers in building sensors to explore…
Plant-Based
Possibilities
Trezel Brown's CC's Vegan Spot has become a destination for local vegans and is converting more folks to try plant-based…
Making Art at the MAC
Brandace Cloud's art collective is bringing people together in Staunton, Illinois.
Ready, Set, Launch
Je'Nell McCrary transitioned from radio to tech thanks to skills she gained through LaunchCode's CoderGirl program.
Preserving the Past, Shaping the Future
Michael Allen pushes back against the traditional view of preservation, and wants St. Louisans to embrace and appreciate all parts…
Empowering
Parents
The Navigate STL Schools dashboard and programs are helping parents make informed decisions for their children's education.
Mapping Out The Future
St. Louis is positioned to become an international hub for the geospatial industry.
Mapping Inequities
Kemba Noel-London used geospatial data in her doctoral research to discover disparities in access to youth sports throughout the St.…
Flying High
Entrepreneur Bronwyn Morgan brings drones and geospatial tech together with her company, XEO Air.
Defining
Geospatial
Leaders in the region explain geospatial technology and the many ways it's being used in St. Louis.
Bridging the Gap
The Foodshed.io app links small family farms to grocery stores so consumers can buy more local produce and farmers can…
Brewing Community
St. Louis brewers find new ways to connect with beer lovers and continue their businesses during the pandemic.
Changing the Conversation
Local start-up We Stories is teaching the next generation to be anti-racist.
Opening Doors
Dwayne Smith's first job was with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and now, through education, he seeks to build up the…
Traduciendo el Apoyo
Lourdes Bailón y Gabriela Ramírez-Arellano crearon STLJuntos, una paginaweb y de Facebook que se ha convertido en un recurso esencial…
Translating Support
Lourdes Bailón and Gabriela Ramírez-Arellano created STLJuntos, a Facebook page and website that has become an essential resource for Spanish-speaking…
Friends in Knead
At Knead Bakehouse + Provisions, AJ and Kirsten Brown Rise to Meet Changing Needs During the Pandemic.
Personal Growth
Home gardens flourish in quarantine, providing floral beauty, nutritious food and positive mental health benefits.
Serving Families in Need
When what's "normal" changes overnight, faith leaders come together to support children facing food insecurity.
Data for the Greater Good
Saint Louis University professor Enbal Shacham, Ph.D., uses geospatial techniques to track the spread of the coronavirus.
Streaming With Faith
Places of worship use technology to connect with those looking for guidance in a time of uncertainty.
Download, Dine, Donate
Washington University graduate Andrew Glantz is giving back to the St. Louis community with his app, GiftAMeal.
Hope and Heart
Valeda Keys turns strength into action as she helps St. Louis women recover from breast cancer.
Home(Town) Brew
Here in one of the nation's top beer cities, St. Louis brewers are shaping the industry's future.
Pump Up the Volume
Through their Tunespeak platform, St. Louis musicians Tom and Rick Pernikoff are connecting international performers with ardent fans.
Funny Business
St. Louis is nurturing comedy careers, thanks to new talent and major events like Zach Gzehoviak’s Flyover Comedy Festival.
Feeding St. Louis
Local food assistance organizations are gaining national recognition for their commitment to education and action.
A Global Community
As the St. Louis region recruits top international talent to its companies, Susan Gobbo is building a support system for…
Road Trip
Brothers Nick and Irfan Sinanovic are innovating the trucking industry through their rapidly growing, St. Louis-based company Vega Transport.
Call of the Wild
For Kari Musgrave, honing her veterinary skills at the world-class Saint Louis Zoo is a dream come true.
Rising Stars
Women business owners in St. Louis are drawing more funding and attention than ever before while giving other women a…
Urban Oasis
Theo Smith thought he’d become an urban planner, but Kennedy Forest in Forest Park beckoned.
Home Run
St. Louis scores again and again as one of the nation’s best baseball cities.
All That Jazz
Lauren Parks and Jas Gary Pearson have turned the childhood home of music legend Miles Davis into a community catalyst.
Innovation Destination
OPO Startups founder Randy Schilling boosts Main Street St. Charles by connecting local tech, retail and service communities.
Appetite for Action
De Nichols and the FoodSpark team bring social change to the potluck table.
Finding the Spirit
SLU professors Pauline Lee and Rachel Lindsey are exploring what religion in unexpected places means to St. Louis’s future.
Niche of Time
John Clark and Masterclock keep the world in sync.
Keys to the Community
Kayia Baker and Pianos for People are changing lives one note at a time.
Family Matters
Angie Smart is an accomplished violinist with the St. Louis Symphony – a career her son Theo Bockhorst might want,…
Bass-ic Instinct
Tonina’s passion for the low notes is creating a hum in St. Louis.
Cooking with Love
Through food, ‘MamaCat’ Cathy Daniels nurtures and respects St. Louis’s unhoused residents.
