Education & Community Episodes

Did you know that the first code talkers were utilized near the end of World War I? Drawing on nearly thirty years of research—in U.S. military and Native American archives, surviving accounts from code talkers and their commanding officers, family records, newspaper accounts, and fieldwork in descendant communities—the author explores the origins, use, and legacy of the code talkers. William C. Meadows is a Professor of Anthropology and Native American Studies at Missouri State University in Sp...

“Samarpan” is an artistic rendition of the Indian freedom struggle against British colonial rule. This dance drama has been conceptualized, written, and directed by American-based artist - Mr. Prasanna Kasthuri, the Artistic Director of Soorya Performing Arts in St. Louis. The World Premiere of Samarpan is on Saturday, August 13th, 2022, at Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center. Tickets are available at the Touhill Performing Arts Center. Covid precautions and protocols for the performance. ...

Immortalized by the writing of its most famous resident, Sam Clemens aka Mark Twain, Hannibal is known around the world as much for its history as for the characters it birthed. Enjoy a guided walk through that history in America’s Hometown. You might take the opportunity to trace the paths of the childhood adventures that Mark Twain shared through the stories of Tom and Huck. Or use Hannibal: A Walk through History to carve out your own adventure! Local author and tour director Dea Hoover deft...

"A New Home" is an informative documentary that tells the story of the Bosnian refugees who fled to St. Louis in the early ’90s. It examines their impact on our community and offers a retrospective overview of the war and resulting genocide. The St. Louis area is home to more displaced Bosnians than any other city in the world — perhaps more than 75,000. This 30-year diaspora has benefited the metro area in a multiplicity of ways. “A New Home” is director Joseph Puleo’s much-anticipated follow-...

Not far from where Dred and Harriet Scott submitted the freedom suit which ultimately became a historic Supreme Court case, stands a new memorial commemorating all freedom suits filed by slaves in St. Louis between 1812 and 1865. Freedom's Home, the name given to the sculpture by the artist Preston Jackson, is the hard work of many specifically The Honorable Judge David C. Mason. Saint Louis In Tune discussed the upcoming unveiling of the sculpture with Judge Mason and sculptor Preston Jackson a...

The media industry is no exception when it comes to desiring a skilled and diverse workforce yet like numerous other companies, finding content creators, filmmakers, and crew members of different backgrounds, ethnicities, races, ages, identities, and neurodivergence can be quite challenging. To help meet this demand, Continuity, a St. Louis based non-profit, created one-day workshops to teach people the basic skills and networking they need to start working in the media industry. Its mission is ...

Representatives Sarah Unsicker (91st District) and Jo Doll (83rd District) discuss the conclusion of the recent 2022 session of the Missouri House of Representatives. They give some insights into being a representative and some of the bills that did/did not make it through the legislature. This is Season 5! For more episodes, go to stlintune.com

After seeing the flight of an aircraft at an early age, Chauncey Spencer never looked back. He helped bring about the formation of the pilot group that would become the Tuskegee Airmen. In 1939, his father and another pilot, Dale White, were part of a pilot training program in Chicago. At that time, black pilots were denied the opportunity to fly for the military. Spencer and White flew on a 10-city tour intended to show Americans the skills of black pilots. They met with then-Senator Harry Trum...

There is an incredibly serious divide in St. Louis City and County between those who have digital access and the technical knowledge to use it — and those who do not. And, while the digital divide is not new, the global pandemic only widened this existing divide and intensified its impact. Dave Liepholtz, Executive Director of the Center for Civic Research and Innovation, an initiative of the St. Louis Community Foundation, and Hart Nelson-COO, St. Louis Community College/Vice Chancellor for Wo...

Join the St. Louis Christmas Carols Association to sing the national anthem or just come cheer on the St. Louis Cardinals vs. the Dodgers at their "Christmas in July" themed game on July 14! Elizabeth Hogan, Executive Director discusses how you can be involved. For the last 111 years, the St. Louis Christmas Carols Association has been caroling to spread cheer and goodwill throughout the St. Louis community. Their collections help fund the important work of children's agencies in the area! With...

Letisha Wexstten was born without arms and with one leg shorter than the other. She learned how to do everything with her feet and had to overcome the challenges of ableism (discrimination in favor of able-bodied people) and those who said she wouldn't be able to live a normal life. Having struggled herself in the job market, she set out to create a platform to help disabled candidates connect with employers. Her personality, ambition, and motivation to become the best person that she could e...

Nearly half of households in St. Louis City and County are impacted by at least one aspect of the digital divide. The St. Louis Digital Divide is best understood by examining and addressing five key components any of which can prevent an individual or family from adequate connectivity. The components are 1) coverage; 2) quality; 3) service affordability; 4) device affordability; and, 5) digital literacy and mentoring. Amelia Bond, CEO of The St. Louis Community Foundation, and Kristen Sorth, Di...

John Sweeney (aka Jiggly Boy) is a keynote speaker and has captured the imagination of some of the most respected companies in the world. This isn't because: he owned the nation’s oldest comedy theatre; nor a quote from his first book appeared on millions of Starbucks coffee cups; nor he danced shirtless on national television earning him “Fan of the Year” accolades from the Today Show. He and his team at the Brave New Outpost harness transformational laughter to help professionals activate ...

Jonas Salk: A Life is a captivating biography of the virologist and researcher who was thrust into the limelight and shunned by the scientific community. Charlotte Jacobs does a magnificent job in describing his brilliance, how he pushed himself in research, and the impact it all had on his family and the rest of his life. Why is his work still important today? Why didn't he receive the Nobel Prize for his work? We discuss Salk and her book which was one of the 100 notable books of 2015 by edito...

The Gateway Outdoor Expo is back on April 1 and 2! This FREE event will showcase new outdoor gear, services, and resources. There will be interactive demos and experiential attractions in a festive and family-friendly environment. The Gateway Outdoor Expo will be held at America’s Center with over 200 exhibit booths and 10,000 attendees expected. Activities featured include: running, biking, hiking, camping, rock climbing, and paddling, as well as adventure travel, health and wellness, and more...

Animal House is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and re-homing neglected and abandoned cats in our community. We are committed to maintaining an adoption center that provides a safe, healthy, and enriching environment, and our goal is a solid and lasting adoption for every cat and kitten in our care. Animal House Cat Rescue & Adoption Center is excited to announce the return of Cat Clips: A Competition in Cuteness! Celebrating its 3rd year, Cat Clips, a c...

John O'Leary was not always inspired to speak; in fact, he had less than one percent chance to survive as a nine-year-old child. What changed? Were the changes immediate? What inspires him now? A must-listen episode of Saint Louis In Tune! [00:55] Return to Civility [01:50] Background & Introduction [03:10] The Story Begins [05:25] The Remarkable Community in St. Louis [06:40] Reflecting and Listening-We need more of this [10:02] Embracing the mistakes one makes in life [16:42] Loving you...

Dr. Richard Rosenfeld, Curators’ Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri-St. Louis specializes in social sources of violent crime, crime control policy, and crime trends. He discusses the Ferguson Effect, gun violence, crime, policing, his current research on the Cure Violence program, and some thoughts on deterring crime. [01:18] Background [02:16] The Ferguson Effect [04:26] Further Research Crime and Justice Center Research [06:39] Influence of changes in policing, ...

Taylor Louderman is no stranger to theatre, film, and television. Currently starring on The Kenan Show and a 2018 Tony Nominee for Best Actress in a Musical, she will be one of the judges for the 12th Annual St. Louis Teen Talent Competition. Taylor offers sound advice for those who are getting into the industry and discusses her current projects to keep the arts thriving. [00:32] Introduction [02:00] First Role [04:46] The Triple Threat [05:24] As a judge what do you look for in a contestan...

For over 100 years the International Institute of St. Louis has been helping immigrants and refugees. President and CEO Arrey Obenson sat down again with Saint Louis In Tune to give us an update on the status of Afghan Immigrants and what changes have taken place. How can you help? Find out more at the links provided below. [01:00] Background [07:09] Collaborative Effort for New Arrivals Housing Food Language Health [12:35] Setting up the Afghan Immigrants for Success E...

The Doe Network is a 100% volunteer organization devoted to assisting investigating agencies in bringing closure to national and international cold cases concerning Missing & Unidentified Persons. Their mission is to give the nameless back their names and return the missing to their families. This is accomplished in three ways: by providing exposure to these cases on their website, by providing credible potential matches between missing and unidentified persons to investigating agencies, and ...

Art McCoy discusses STL.works workforce development collaborative ecosystem of more than 100 industry partners, including employers, nonprofits, educators, and a robust web portal. It is a singular focus that provides access to employment, education, training, and support services and creates a pipeline for talent, resulting in a more diversified workforce. [01:30] Background [02:23] Workforce Development [05:38] Regional Business Council (RBC) collaboration Diversity and Inclusion in the wo...

On September 11, 2001, Kimberly Rex lost her father, Vincent Litto who was a senior vice-president at Cantor Fitzgerald. He worked on the 104th floor of Tower 1. Kimberly recently had two opinion pieces published: "When people say 'Never Forget' 9/11, this is what I hear" for CNN, and "My father was killed on 9/11. I still struggle to understand how he just disappeared" for the Washington Post. She graciously talked to Saint Louis In Tune and reflected on the loss and memories of her father and ...

Amelia Bond, the President and CEO of St. Louis Community Foundation, speaks about the work her organization does in the community, including tackling challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic and promoting philanthropy. She highlights their upcoming event, 'GiveSTL Day' which is a 24-hour online giving day taking place on May 6th, with a thousand nonprofits participating. The organization aims to surpass their previous $4.5 million fundraising record. In addition, Bond describes how the foundation ...