St. Louis on the Air

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Steelville archeologist balances attachment to hometown with Trail of Tears history Jul 19, 2024

Show notes

Of all U.S. states, Missouri has more miles of the Cherokee Trail of Tears. A new episode of the film series “My Ozarks” tells the story of Erin Whitson, an archaeologist who researches her hometown’s connections to the brutal history of Cherokee removal. Whitson talks about her intentional approach to uncovering that history in Steelville, Missouri. Sharon Benoit, a member of Cherokee Keetoowah Tribe of Oklahoma, also joins the conversation to explain why she worked with Whitson, and what makes preserving her ancestors' history so important.

Shawn ‘Rab’ Fentress finds success in being an unabashed ‘Blerd’ — and encourages others to do the same Jul 19, 2024

Show notes

Social media has put art and entertainment from all corners of the world in the literal palm of your hand. Manga and anime – Japanese comic books and cartoons – really started hitting mainstream American bookshelves and screens starting in the 1990’s, and cross-cultural exchange has resulted in the development of distinct subcultures, including “blerds” or Black nerds. Shawn “Rab” Fentress, a St. Louis born and raised content creator, is part of the popularization of Blerd culture. He has accumulated hundreds of thousands of followers online for his distinct voice-overs of anime shows, which he calls “hood dubs,” and found success in creating online content with Nappy Boy Network, founded by rapper and singer T-Pain.

Honorary street name ‘On Leong Way’ brings awareness to St. Louis’ Chinese heritage Jul 18, 2024

Show notes

St. Louis’ Asian American community celebrates recent work to bring light to the lives and contributions of early Chinese immigrants to St. Louis, including an honorary street-naming in the city and the 100th anniversary of a Chinese gravesite at Valhalla Cemetery.

How St. Louis prepared for major disasters this week with drills in streets, skies and waterways Jul 18, 2024

Show notes

This week, more than 500 federal and local first responders converged in the St. Louis region to practice for an 8.4 magnitude earthquake. The drill accounted for collapsed bridges, crumbling buildings and more than 40,000 people trapped in Busch Stadium. First responders also dropped portable roads from helicopters near the Grafton ferry dock for a river crossing. Joining the discussion was Maj. Kelly Hudson, project officer for Michigan-based National Guard Task Force 46, and Samantha Lewis, executive director of the St. Louis Area Regional Response System.

Magic mushrooms ‘bend’ the mind. Could they also treat mental illness? Jul 17, 2024

Show notes

The mind-bending effects of “magic mushrooms” could help treat mental illness. A new Washington University School of Medicine study offers an explanation for how psilocybin, the active drug in magic mushrooms, distorts the brain’s networks, and why that could alleviate post-traumatic stress disorders and other illnesses. Dr. Joshua Siegel and Dr. Ginger Nicol talk about what their research participants experienced while on a trip and how their findings could accelerate the development of psilocybin-based therapies.

Cinema St. Louis festival showcases regional talent behind the lens and on-screen Jul 17, 2024

Show notes

The Cinema St. Louis’ Annual Filmmakers Showcase (July 19-28) is dedicated to screening films that address locally relevant topics or have writers, editors, or producers who are St. Louis area natives or people with strong local ties. Emmett Williams, director of festival curation and education at Cinema St. Louis, talks about the 2024 line-up of films in the showcase. St. Louis native and actor Zion Thomas also discusses his experience starring in “Vision,” one of the film shorts in this year’s festival.

How chefs are making caviar an accessible delicacy in St. Louis’ food scene Jul 16, 2024

Show notes

Caviar is a delicacy, but, if you think it's only made for a rich palate, you may be missing out on a surprisingly accessible experience. Sauce Magazine writer Meera Nagarajan chronicled her dive into the world of caviar for the July issue of Sauce Magazine.Together with chef John Messbarger of Lobster & Crab Company, they discuss the finer details of getting the most out of your caviar experience. And we also learn about the local impact of caviar production with the owners of Show Me Caviar, Cliff and Cara Rost.

Meet Shangri-La Hou, the Midwest region’s National Student Poet Jul 16, 2024

Show notes

Shangri-La Hou is one of five National Student Poets. The recent John Burroughs graduate and Lake St. Louis resident explores the natural world and how people interact in — and with — it. Hou also discusses what she’s experienced in her role as a young literary ambassador and how poetry is a powerful tool for self-expression.

13-year-old St. Louisan packs her bags — and bass — to study at Juilliard Jul 15, 2024

Show notes

Lyric Green first picked up a double bass when she was 12 years old. Now, a little over a year later, the rising Parkway Central High freshman is one of 28 young musicians strengthening their skills at Sphinx Performance Academy at the Juilliard School in New York.

Lack of beds at Missouri group foster homes leaves at-risk girls without specialized care Jul 15, 2024

Show notes

Children in the foster care system with severe behavioral health issues and trauma are often treated in group homes that specialize in individualized care. In Missouri, there is space at these centers for boys — but not for girls. In his latest reporting, Kris Husted of the NPR Midwest Newsroom explores why that disparity exists. STLPR reporter Lacretia Wimbley also joins the discussion with an update on the state of Missouri’s foster care system.

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