Feb 05, 2021
Joshua McKenzie tells us about his experience as a University student attending Maryville University of St. Louis and the opportunities available in his city. An Interview with Joshua McKenzie What are some of the biggest challenges you face as a student living in St. Louis? I would definitely say one of the biggest challenges I…
Feb 05, 2021
In 2020, amidst an unprecedented year of national crisis and racial reckoning, business and civic leaders in the St. Louis metro began the hard work of devising a coordinated approach to increasing inclusive economic growth in the region. After decades of economic underperformance, population stagnation and racial division, the city and metropolis is choosing to…
Feb 05, 2021
For the past 163 years, Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU), a Historically Black University, has served the St. Louis community by catering to the needs of underserved populations within the region and ensuring a workforce that has the skills necessary to meet the demands of employers. In a climate of scarcity, we have renewed our commitment to…
Feb 04, 2021
Recently, five of our region’s civic and economic development organizations came together to form a new entity, Greater St. Louis, Inc., dedicated to economic growth and prosperity throughout the bi-state metropolis. This merger was undertaken because, as a major American city, we share the challenges that other communities face and wanted to serve as a…
Jan 29, 2021
New Urban Champions is an initiative created to showcase the most successful, but less frequently told stories of collaboration, growth, and problem-solving happening in cities that deserve a greater share of the spotlight. New Urban Champions brings cities together to showcase successes, problem-solve challenges, and collaborate on potential solutions. Our aim is to build a “cohort” of New Urban Champions and create a…
Jan 28, 2021
The Community Allies Honoring Stories and Integrating Curriculum™ change management approach places youth and communities at the center of our regional decision-making. It enlists every school, business, and government in our region to do its part to replenish the sustainable resources that have been systematically depleted from black and brown communities in particular. It comes from my…
Jan 27, 2021
There is little question that we are living through a trying time right now in America. Even before the pandemic hit, further exacerbating the economic divide between economically advantaged and disadvantaged Americans, the disparities were already well-documented. This was particularly true in St. Louis, which Bruce Katz, a venerated economic strategist, describes as “possibly the…
Jan 27, 2021
Building Wealth and Equity Through Homeownership for Low to Moderate-Income Artists of All Disciplines. In 2017, the St. Louis City Planning Commission adopted the Gravois-Jefferson Historic Neighborhoods Plan. Within this comprehensive visioning for the growth and development of this neighborhood was a call for affordable, for-sale housing for artists. The St. Louis Art Place Initiative…
Jan 27, 2021
The St. Louis region is full of character, culture, arts, and opportunity. Some might call it a hidden gem or an unknown treasure; those are things that came to my mind after I moved here two and a half years ago. St. Louis truly does have all of the culture, entertainment, and amenities that a…
Jan 26, 2021
By Michael P. McMillan. In a research article entitled Measuring Inclusion in America’s Cities, St. Louis, in 2016, ranked 248th out of 274 cities on overall inclusion, 224th on economic inclusion, and 248th on racial inclusion. From 2013 to 2016, St. Louis’s economic health rank increased from 260th to 254th. Over the same time period, the city…
Jan 26, 2021
Often when asked to write articles, typically, it is because of what has been seen in my bio; yet my work is not about me. I am a conduit to work for the community. If anything, I want my voice to serve as a reminder that conversations regarding community reform that don’t include the stakeholders…
Jan 26, 2021
Recent studies have illuminated vital health disparities that exist within minority populations around the U.S. This issue is also true for the city of St. Louis, MO. St. Louis’s minority communities have been disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted diseases, heart disease, high blood pressure, mental health challenges, and other communicable diseases. These issues have been exacerbated by the…
