Speak Up St. Louis

KYJUAN is a rapper from the legendary Hip-Hop group the St. Lunatics! Hailing from U-City, KYJUAN and his brother Murphy Lee made it HUGE in the music industry, and put St. Louis on the map for hip-hop internationally. On the podcast, Kyjuan tells the legendary story of how  he met Nelly and the Lunatics were formed, recording early songs at Saints roller rink, what is was like to blow up on Count...

Katie Finch is the Director of AmeriCorps at Mission St. Louis, and oversees 150 AmeriCorps service members across 30 nonprofits in our region. As a result, Katie has her finger on the pulse of the St. Louis nonprofit ecosystem. In this episode, Katie joins us to discuss the AmeriCorps program: it's purpose, history, and impact on the St. Louis region. She also tells the story of her journey...

Jeffrey Blair (and his wife Pamela)  are the owners and founders of EyeSeeMe African American Children's Bookstore. While raising children of their own, they sought to change a key problem with their education: the absence of books that reflected their own history and cultural heritage. Jeffrey and Pamela began curating books that featured African American children as main characters, so they...

Senator Brian Williams represents the St. Louis region's 14th District in the Missouri Senate. Brian joins the show to discuss his entrance into politics, what drives him as a lawmaker, how he creates legislative impact despite being in a super-minority, navigating the dynamics of Jefferson City, and what St. Louis can do to move forward as a region. Senator Williams is a brilliant political...

Dr. Art McCoy is a trailblazer, educator, entrepreneur, evangelist, and leader passionately empowering people. He is the former Superintendent of Ferguson/Florissant and Jennings School District, and is currently the Champion of Workforce Development at STL.Works. On this episode, Dr. McCoy describes his journey from becoming the youngest teacher in the state of Missouri, to a Superintendent, CEO,...

Julia Ho is the Founder of Solidarity Economy St. Louis. She has been living and organizing in St. Louis since 2011 and has been heavily involved in dozens of campaigns, coalitions, and organizations in the region. On this episode, Julia Ho and youth organizer JD Carranza explain what the Solidarity Economy movement is, how it's being cultivated in St. Louis, the journey of the activist and c...

Javyn Solomon is a St. Louis based Artist and Designer. He is the founder of LouTopia, an art experience that envisions a more creative, sustainable, & mindful version of St. Louis. He is also the Vice President of AIGA St. Louis, & co-founder of STL By Design podcast. In this Episode we discuss Javyn's journey as an artist, the philosophy of action and activism that fuels his artisti...

Speak Up St. Louis turns 50! Join us on this special 50th Episode featuring Shavanna Spratt. Shavanna is a Mother, Doula, Ferguson resident, and host of Da Hood Talks, a great podcast highlighting community voices in St. Louis. Shavanna is very active in the Ferguson community, and has dedicated her life to empowering community voices. In this Episode, we discuss Ferguson (and St. Louis) since Mic...

David Kirkman is a independent filmmaker from St. Louis, and the founder of Woke Nation. Raised in Ferguson, David has become a force to be reckoned internationally. He is best known for legendary Black Sci-Fi movies including Hardware, Icon, and Static Shock. In this episode, David discusses his origins as a filmmaker in North County, the genre of Afrofuturism, the relationship between music and...

David Stavron is the Co-Founder and General Manager of Morning Glory Diner on Cherokee Street. He is an artist, fabricator, businessman, musician, and 13 year veteran of the Merchant Marines. In this very fun and engrossing episode, Dave talks about growing up on the Southside, his adventures as a Sailer, building the MetroMarket bus, the mission/genesis of the Morning Glory Diner, surviving the p...

JerMarco Britton is a musician, advocate for the arts, and founder of Soul Shed STL. Soul Shed is a bi-weekly jam session and musical university that develops the  local community of musicians through training in performance, business and wellness. In this episode, JerMarco explains his musical roots, ecstatic experiences on stage, beating performance anxiety, and the spiritual elements of music,...

Janett Lewis is the Founder and Executive Director of Rustic Roots Sanctuary, a community based organic farm and healing sanctuary in Spanish Lake. In this episode, she explains her journey from Stone Mountain Georgia, to becoming a powerhouse real estate broker, to discovering Spanish Lake and founding Rustic Roots, and what it means to manifest a vision. This conversation took place onsite at Ru...

Kelly McGowan is the founder of EVOLVE, a community-driven platform that activates equitable food systems and built environments to support the wellbeing of all St. Louisans. In this episode, Kelly discusses growing up on the West Side, her journey towards founding EVOLVE, and the state of Public Health in St. Louis. We also touch on many other topics including food justice, local politics, commun...

Drew Jameson is the owner of Jamo Presents, and one of St. Louis's premier concert and event promoters. Drew is a key player in our local music ecosystem, and is behind some of the most exciting concert venues in the City, including The Foundry, Tower Grove Park, and the Lot on Laclede's Landing. In this episode we discuss Drew's journey into the business via Lucas School House and...

Matthew R. Kerns is the Executive Director of St. Lou Fringe Festival, and Director of Emerging Leaders at Focus St. Louis. Matthew is a performing artist, member of the LGBTQIA+ community, and advocate for Diversity and Inclusion in St. Louis. St. Lou Fringe is a free and uncensored performing arts festival held in Grand Center, showcasing theatre, dance, storytelling, spoken word, burlesque, acr...

Jaer Jones is a middle school teacher, proud U-City native, and author of the My Invisible Father, a new novel about a St. Louis teenager navigating adolescence without his Father. In this episode, Jaer tells his life story. From U-City, to discovering his passions for writing, basketball, Hip-Hop, and working with children, to the discipline and creative process behind his new book. Jaer Jones is...

Randy and Jeff Vines are the owners of STL Style House, a renowned St. Louis apparel line and clothing shop on Cherokee Street. Identical twins and St. Louis dynamos, Jeff and Randy are unapologetically proud of St. Louis. More then just clothing designers, they are passionate urbanists, historic preservationists, and big time STL enthusiasts and promoters. What don't we discuss in this conve...

Deneen Busby is a former St. Louis radio talk show host, and current Director of Marketing and Communications for Care STL Health. In this episode, Deneen talks about her journey in the local radio business, her experience as a talk show host on Magic, transitioning into Public Health, how CoVid impacted the STL community, and so much more. This is a FUN, relaxed interview. We just hang out togeth...

LeLe Williams is the founder of AllenGossipBlu StreetWear, and creator of the St. Louis vs. Errrbody T-Shirts. The St. Louis vs. Errbody T-Shirts are taking STL by storm. LeLe explains why this is more then just a slogan on a T-Shirt, it's a movement towards unity, pride for our city, and helping to reduce the violence in our streets. LeLe has a beautiful heart, soul, and message. We loved ta...

Andrew Weil is an archaeologist, historic preservationist, and advocate for St. Louis's built environment. He is the Executive Director of the Landmarks Association of St. Louis, founded in 1959 to preserve, promote, and enhance St. Louis's architectural heritage. In today's episode, Andrew discusses the history of St. Louis architecture, the delicate balance between demolition and...

Eric “Prospect” White is a prolific DJ, Rapper, and Poet from the Southside of St. Louis. In addition to being one of the City's best homegrown hip-hop artists, Prospect is also an Outreach Worker for Cure Violence, putting him on the front lines of combatting the gun violence epidemic in the City. In this episode, Prospect breaks down his origins as a Rapper and DJ, discusses his work on the...

Fatimah Muhammad has been a resident of Hyde Park for over 20 years. She and her family purchased a 120 year old LRA property, completed a total rehab, and have called it home for 23+ years. Her mission is to help revitalize the Hyde Park neighborhood– By Hand to commit to do the work, by By Heart with compassion, and By Eye to see clearly and remain focused. She is a servant of her community and...

Richard Reilly is an activist, photographer and Energy Programs Manager at the Earthways Center of Sustainability.  He is a St. Louis Renaissance Man.  With expertise in the fields of Construction, Art, Sustainability, and Activism, Richard has a truly multi-disciplined perspective on the world, and on St. Louis. In this episode, Richard artfully weaves together his life's story using the thr...

Roy Anderson is a 50 year veteran of the local radio business in St. Louis. He grew up in North St. Louis, and began working at radio stations as a teenager. When it comes to broadcasting, Roy has seen it all! In this episode, Roy tells his story of growing up in North City, making his way into broadcasting, the legendary stations and radio personalities in STL, how the game has changed, and some...