BlackHistory
Outdoor
Enthusiast
With Ope Outdoors, Juno Musonda is spreading love for the Midwest’s parks and natural attractions through merchandise, park cleanups and…
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Creating Space
At Heydays HQ, Keisha Mabry Haymore provides the space and support for women and founders of color to create, collaborate…
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Bold Moves
Through Bold Xchange, co-founders Danielle Deavens and Doug Spencer aim to improve equity in entrepreneurship by helping large companies support…
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A Broad Canvas
At Onyx Dagger in Lafayette Square, Valencia Miller combines fine art with tattoo art, supporting local painters in St. Louis…
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Hair Care
Rebundle’s CEO Ciara Imani May is revolutionizing the hair extension industry with the first U.S.-made, plant-based hair braiding brand.
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Cooking Up
Propel Kitchens is building health and wealth within the historically under-resourced community of the St. Louis Promise Zone by providing…
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Sew Crafty
First through a youth academy and now with a new online portal, Olivia Rae Davis wants to get more people…
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Raised on Glazed
Syeeda Aziz-Morris is carrying on the family tradition of donut-making at Pharaoh's Donuts in Downtown and the Central West End.
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Notes of Community
Soul artist turned community facilitator Brian Owens helps lift up young creatives in St. Louis.
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Freedom Through Food
Urban farmer Tyrean “Heru” Lewis brings fresh produce to underserved communities and advocates for more equitable growing practices across St.…
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A Powerful Lift
As the executive director of Paralympic operations at Logan University, Kelley Humphries-Mascoll is advancing the Paralympic movement in St. Louis…
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Space for STEM
With Black Girls Do STEM, chemist Cynthia Chapple and her team are carving out an inclusive space for young Black…
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More Than Skin Deep
Tiffany Wesley creates health and wellness products with the greater aim of cultivating community through her worker-owned co-op, Pure Vibes.
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Branching Out
Forest ReLeaf’s Rebecca Hankins is leading the way in getting trees to the communities that need them.
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Rewriting the Narrative
At EyeSeeMe Bookstore in University City, Jeffrey and Pamela Blair are fulfilling their calling to provide people with positive stories…
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Drawing Outside the Lines
Steenz Stewart has blazed their own trail in the comics industry to become one of the few Black cartoonists at…
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A Wider Net
St. Louis’ storied soccer tradition will take a leap forward in 2023 with an MLS team of its own, St.…
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Empowering
Women
In Fox Park, nonprofit Rung for Women helps women take their personal and professional lives to the next level.
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Homegrown
Market
Local farmers and entrepreneurs build their businesses and a strong community through the support of St. Louisans at the Tower…
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Flavor Full
Charlene Lopez Young and Darren Young are bringing Filipino flavors to the region with their barbecue and smoked meats business,…
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Natural Wonders
St. Louisans find peace and purpose in parks and on trails throughout the region.
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Flipping the Script
Akeem Shannon is on a gravity-defying entrepreneurial rise with his creation, Flipstik.
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Building Bridges
Natissia Small, Ed.D., reduces barriers for St. Louis youth to pursue and succeed in higher education.
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Time for a Revolution
Saint Louis Story Stitchers brings young people together to express themselves through art and create social change.
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Building the Future
Dream Builders 4 Equity aims not only to transform Hyde Park in the next five years, but also to serve…
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The Courage to Dream
Dream Builders 4 Equity empowers young St. Louisans to achieve their goals.
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Dreaming Big
Michael Woods and Neal Richardson knew a new approach was needed for real estate investment to make lasting change in…
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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…
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Health and Healing
Naturopathic physician Jamila Owens-Todd extends her mission of healing further into the community through her ownership of the Golden Grocer…
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Ready, Set, Launch
Je'Nell McCrary transitioned from radio to tech thanks to skills she gained through LaunchCode's CoderGirl program.
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What’s Possible
Marian Middle School students find inspiration for their future in the history-making election of the first Black female vice president, Kamala…
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Bringing Love to the Table
Shana Alicia Poole-Jones started her Grab and Go Table to give food and supplies to folks in need, and keeps…
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In Full Bloom
At Oliver’s Coffee + Flower Bar in Maplewood, Olivia Ridgel's focus on creativity and inclusion have blossomed into a magical,…
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Mapping Inequities
Kemba Noel-London used geospatial data in her doctoral research to discover disparities in access to youth sports throughout the St.…
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Flying High
Entrepreneur Bronwyn Morgan brings drones and geospatial tech together with her company, XEO Air.
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Community Game Changer
Entrepreneur Julian Keaton aims to foster community engagement and move St. Louis forward through “Dimensions,” a new interactive geolocation mobile…
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Bridging the Gap
The Foodshed.io app links small family farms to grocery stores so consumers can buy more local produce and farmers can…
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Full Circle
Okunsola M. Amadou is improving health outcomes for Black women with a wraparound model of care at Missouri's first equal…
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Shaping the Soundtrack of St. Louis
Hometown hip hop legend DJ Kut reflects on the role he's played in the region's music scene.
![DJ Kut](jpg/11a9663-1-992x992.jpg)
Empowering the Community
For 20 years, Diversity Gallery owner Leslie Christian Wilson has connected with St. Louisans through art, jewelry and natural hair.
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Changing the Conversation
Local start-up We Stories is teaching the next generation to be anti-racist.
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Opening Doors
Dwayne Smith's first job was with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, and now, through education, he seeks to build up the…
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Fresh From the Vine
Tony White’s locally grown tomatoes are the not-so-secret ingredients in many St. Louis chefs’ acclaimed dishes.
![tony white holding box of fruit](jpg/041-tony_farm_rj_3k9a0591-992x992.jpg)
Urban Oasis
Theo Smith thought he’d become an urban planner, but Kennedy Forest in Forest Park beckoned.
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Sweet Dreams
La Patisserie Chouquette co-owner and executive pastry chef Simone Faure has become the maven of macarons in St. Louis.
![baker](jpg/baker-992x853.jpg)
All That Jazz
Lauren Parks and Jas Gary Pearson have turned the childhood home of music legend Miles Davis into a community catalyst.
![Lauren Parks and Jas Gary Pearson outside the childhood home of Miles Davis](jpg/026-miles_davis_mbt_201-992x992.jpg)
Education for All
Through EdHub STL, Sherita Love helps educators shake up their classrooms and eliminate barriers for students.
![Sherita Love Stands](jpg/013_edhubstl_51351-992x992.jpg)
Planting Seeds
Angi Taylor found meaningful work in St. Louis’s growing agriculture industry.
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Keys to the Community
Kayia Baker and Pianos for People are changing lives one note at a time.
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Game On
With dozens of studios, courses and events, St. Louis is becoming the nation’s next video game development hot spot.
![Graphite Lab employees](jpg/003_gamedevelopers_newhero-v2-992x992.jpg)
Art in Motion
Through the Justice Fleet, Amber Johnson empowers people to heal.
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Cooking with Love
Through food, ‘MamaCat’ Cathy Daniels nurtures and respects St. Louis’s unhoused residents.
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