We Live Here

Kayla Reed and Brittany Packnett Cunningham found their voices as activists during the Ferguson Uprising. They also forged a bond and strong friendship. So what happens when Brittany leaves St. Louis and Kayla stays? And how does that impact the community work they did over the years?

Ferguson showed what happens when a community comes together to protest power and obtain meaningful change from it, but power doesn’t like to retreat. What happens to people who feel elite, and untouchable, when the city around them rises up to expose and oppose them? What happens when power takes a different shape — obscuring its nature and staying in its position? In this episode, we examine a protest story decades before the Ferguson Uprising — the story of those who worked to take down the Veiled Prophet.

On Wednesday, Aug. 6, St. Louis Public Radio and NPR news co-hosted "Ferguson and Beyond: A Community Conversation 10 Years Later" at Greater St. Mark Family Church, just miles from the epicenter of protests sparked by the killing of Michael Brown, Jr. by a Ferguson police officer in August 2014. This bonus episode presents highlights from that event, with a panel and audience Q&A moderated by NPR “Morning Edition” host Michel Martin and a special performance by St. Louis spoken word artist, poet, and community arts educator Pacia Elaine Anderson.

In St. Louis, many Black families moved to St. Louis County for better school districts. But after some time, those districts started having their own issues: white flight, decaying property values and consolidations. Some families moved even further northwest, only to face neighbors trying to prevent Black history from being taught. In this episode, we explore why St. Louis schools are more segregated than they were 10 years ago — and meet the parents determined to do right by their kids.

Ferguson exposed systems that disenfranchise Black St. Louisans and fail their basic mandates to provide safety, health and community to the people who depend on them. Inspired by the Uprising and driven by experience and anger, many people found their voices and created their own new systems designed to help their community thrive. In this episode, we explore the creation of Love Bank Park, the closing of the Medium Security Institution known as the Workhouse, and the restorative justice movement.

What do you do when you get so angry, the emotion overtakes you? When injustice sparks a fire that won’t die down? For artists during the Ferguson Uprising, their craft offered them a way to make sense of Michael Brown Jr.’s killing. This special episode features songs, poems and a play from St. Louis-based artists who — 10 years later — are still reflecting on how Ferguson changed them and their art.

Many people found their power and voices in the midst of the Ferguson Uprising. Some used streaming technology as they found themselves defining their own class of media, with no editors and no rules. They brought the story of the Ferguson Uprising live to our computers and smartphones. Their dispatches from the frontlines kept viewers up to date while the national news played catch up. Their stories didn’t end in 2014, though, as many of them continued to demonstrate for causes in the St. Louis area to the present or until their deaths.

Michael Brown Jr. has become a symbol and a gateway for people to talk about racial injustice and policing. We explore how people view Brown’s legacy, what young adults today know about his story and how his memory has shaped new conversations about race and justice.

It’s been 10 years since Michael Brown was killed and the Ferguson Uprising that followed. To honor that history, We Live Here is returning for a special season with host Chad Davis and producer Danny Wicentowski. They reflect on some of the truths that Ferguson exposed, why there still is an open wound a decade later, and how community members continue to push for a better future.

As we strive to understand, include and serve our community, we look to you as an essential resource for the things that matter to you, our audience. This special series of We Live Here centers the voices, concerns, perspectives and experiences of Women. Living life in a larger body, especially as a woman, comes with scrutiny and assumptions about acceptability, worthiness and quality of life. Today we follow the story of one woman who intentionally de-weaponized and reclaimed the word fat as an adjective. Ebbi Nicole, Founder & Chief flufftivist of Fluffy GRL Movement celebrates, elevates and educates the plus-size experience through events, workshops and storytelling in brave spaces. What does Empower the Fluff mean to you? To Empower the Fluff means to fill the void and unapologetically amplify the voices of this marginalized community that still experiences socially acceptable hate (fatphobia) on micro and macro levels. A huge thank you to Ebbi Nicole for sharing your story with we live here

Today we’re joined by Ben Molina. Originally from Bolivia, Ben is passionate about elder care and his work at the Alzheimer’s association is making a difference in the Hispanic community. Ben opens up about his journey with depression, finding love and his calling in his field. He discusses the challenges of a disease that disproportionately affects Hispanics and gives us some advice on the conversations and planning that we should start to have in our own families. Ben’s superpower is Empathy! “I don’t know how I discovered it. I was always very sensitive to other people and very observant of other people. Also, my mom had a wonderful way of always encouraging us to think positive about people and situations. It’s helped me a lot in the field of social work”, says Ben. What does living Autentico mean to you? Autentico means being comfortable in my own skin regardless of the situation. If I am comfortable and honest in who I am, then you are getting the best version of me that I can be. About Ben B

Today we spend time with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis - a connection and central resource in the St. Louis region for 40 years. From the Latino Festival in O’Fallon, the Hispanic festival in Florissant, dance clubs in mid-town and cuisine from restaurants representing many different countries, St. Louis’ Latino culture is booming and is a vibrant reflection of our growing Hispanic population. The median age of Hispanic St. Louisans is 25 compared to 36 of the general population and the percentage of Latinos in the region roughly doubled. Most of the growth in the past 20 years has come in Madison, St. Clair, St. Charles and St. Louis counties. In St. Louis, Latino residents now account for more than 5% of the city’s population. The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce purposely creates a safe and open environment for people that have similar backgrounds of experiences. The Chamber has specific tools that address some of the needs of the Hispanic community in our region. The staff is b

Today we are talking to Ricardo Martinez. Born in Mexico, Ricardo is a DACA recipient who grew up in Illinois. His passion for helping Spanish speakers with financial literacy is fueled by his entrepreneurial journey and of course, his love for St. Louis. Ricardo came to the United States when he was five years old and spent most of his life in central Illinois. At heart, he would say he was a “mid-Midwesterner”. He never really understood how different he was different until later. Ricardo’s parents were immigrants and they jumped at the chance for deferred action. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, also known as DACA, enabled roughly 832,881 eligible young adults work lawfully, attend school, and plan their lives without the threat of deportation. It provides temporary relief from deportation (deferred action) and grants authorization to work for young undocumented immigrants. For Ricardo’s parents, it meant their children would have temporary, renewable permission to be in the United States. Me

Today’s guest, Suzanne Sierra is the consummate connector, storyteller and collaborator. Her evolving career path and search for purpose led her to the St. Louis Mosaic Project. She is Senior Program Manager and leads key programs with major stakeholders including corporations, universities, ethnic communities and multicultural innovation initiatives. Through her work, Suzanne goes all-out to promote regional prosperity and to transform St. Louis into the fastest growing metropolitan area for immigrants by the year 2025. Suzanne’s personal immigration story fuels her passion to create change. She is the proud daughter of immigrants from Colombia, South America, and she is bilingual. Her parents moved to the U.S. so her father could practice medicine. Her dad landed a job at a clinic in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where Suzanne and her siblings were born. Soon after, they moved to La Crosse, Wisconsin, a small town on the western edge of the state bordering Minnesota. Her story is one that reveals an identity cr

Gilberto Pinela has been investing and empowering the Latino community in St. Louis for many years. He is a trailblazer, creator, producer and talent in many bilingual programming and organizations in our region. Gilberto started his career in the US in New York in the hospitality industry, but he always dreamed of being in front of the camera. In this conversation, Gilberto shares his passion and commitment to St. Louis, the Latino community and for making room for new leadership. Mentioned in this episode: LinkedIn Dancing with the St. Louis Stars Gilberto Pinela & Carmen Guynn Performance Video - Dancing with the St. Louis Stars 2022 CORTEX En Breve Show Hispanic Chamber Puerto Rican Society Thanks for listening in - what’s your story? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know what you love about We Live Here Auténtico and the stories of our community. Or maybe you are ready to share your own story - send us an email at info@autenticopodcast.com.

Junior Lara and Gabriela founded Autentico podcast so they could talk to business owners and Latino professionals about their journeys and lessons learned with the hope to inspire each other and fill the need they saw in St. Louis. Listen to what it took to for Junior to grow from the Dominican Republic to what it means for him to see the vision now! Plus, a celebration of life of trailblazer, Minerva Lopez Montaigne. Minerva was an advocate for the Hispanic Community in St. Louis, namely, residents and business owners of Cherokee Street. She was a business owner and worked hard to keep the traditions and culture of Mexico alive and well in St. Louis.

Today we level up with Harry “Boom-Boom” who founded “Launch Latinx, a mindset and business coaching accelerator program that champions extraordinary Latino visionaries and coaches to access their potential. He writes and speaks on issues of personal and professional change. Happiness, health, inspiration, mindful living and conscious business are key to his unique programs. that blends many of his experiences in coaching, spiritual psychology, executive leadership, and social impact. What does living Autentico mean to you? The never-ending pursuit of the liberation of one’s soul. Living in full body alignment. Pursuit of a Mission far greater than oneself. To have truth and Integrity with oneself. About Harry His coaching career started when he was a third-grade professor in Tennessee back in 2012. he was assigned a coach who would come to his classroom week after week and provide him with feedback, mentorship and guidance. After seeing what coaching did for him, there was no turning back and Harr

What would you do? Arriving to a new country and having to start your life over? This is Tania’s story – It is the story of many immigrants and refugees - resilience, self-empowerment, rediscovery, family, hard work and success. Tania Interian is bilingual professional and attorney. She is the owner of Tania Interian State Farm Agency and is the co-chair of the Latino Roundtable of Southwestern Illinois. Listening to Tania’s journey will reassure you that you are on the right path – even with its challenges and struggles. As you listen to Tania’s life journey, take time to reflect on your life challenges, how you overcame and how have those moments impact you today. Thanks for listening in - what’s your story? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know what you love about We Live Here Auténtico and the stories of our community. Or maybe you are ready to share your own story - send us an email at info@autenticopodcast.com.

The folks of Fairmont City, Illinois didn’t realize how much they needed a library until they’d gotten one. It took some convincing. Thank goodness for Katie Heaton! She knew a good librarian puts their ear down, listens and really pays attention to the needs of their patrons. “You can hear the heartbeat of the community and when you hear that heartbeat, you can figure out what the needs are”, Katie says. Her goal was always to meet the needs of the people she served, whatever that need may be, from literacy to resources to broader partnerships and community services. Only 10 miles from St. Louis, Fairmont City is home for a small population of 2,381 with an average annual household income of around $50k according to 2020 census data. Why would this small town, with a poverty rate of 26.98% want to pay for something they’ve never had nor anticipated they’d really need? After all, when it came down to things of priority for this community, especially during the pandemic, a library did not top their list. Serv

Today we are taking you on a delicious culinary journey to Tacos La Jefa in the heart of Dutchtown in St. Louis! Only sold on Saturdays, their delicious Birria and Quesabirria sell out everytime. Birria is a dish you cannot rush. It is a Mexican meaty stew from the state of Jalisco. The Quesabirria is a crunchy quesadilla with melted cheese and filled with hot, tender, juicy Birria meat that has been stained red by the chiles and spices that give it a deep, red color. Preparation is an extensive process so once they run out; they run out. This story begins with the matriarch of the Amezcua family – Heriberta Amezcua – also known as La Jefa, “the boss”. Heriberta’s legacy is celebrated every day at Tacos La Jefa. Her daughter, Elizabeth, walks us through the journey of opening the restaurant, a longtime dream of her mother. Her granddaughter, Diana is the gatekeeper of the delicious Birria recipe. So listen and enjoy this loving family and the impact “the boss” had on the family and on the community. Thanks