When Trina Williams was seven years old, she had a plan to be a schoolteacher for 20 years and then resign, which is exactly what she did. She couldn’t have seen how extensive her influence would be on fitness for Black plus size women through her brand Thick Chick Fitness. Her willingness to learn, face […]
Sherrill Jackson is polite, soft-spoken, and persistent. She has accomplished a great deal in her mission to improve health equity since her early years as a nurse in training at Homer G. Phillips Hospital in the 1960s, particularly for women’s health. She created mammogram screening programs at two Federally Qualified Health Centers in St. Louis […]
Ferguson resident Shavanna S. remembers being in school and working, trying to survive and not sure how to make an impact, she explains during the social uprising in 2014. A decade later, Shavanna has created and co-hosts a podcast for the voiceless (Da Hood Talks) and a nonprofit organization to help community members navigate social […]
Men who need a safe space to recover from alcohol and drug addiction at no cost can find it at The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center at 3949 Forest Park Ave. in St. Louis. The 180-day residential program includes housing, food, counseling, and life skills coaching. Program beneficiaries must be 21- to 65-year-old males, pass […]
Kalen M. has a modest appearance, a kind voice, and an impish snicker. She spent over a decade routinely driving 80 miles to and from Farmington Correctional Center: seven years as a visiting Zen Buddhist priest and five years as a prison chaplain. Kalen often heard about the difficulties the men had upon release and […]
Joan F. was born in St. Louis, but summers with family in the deep south taught her how to strike up a conversation with just about anyone. This skill—along with her kind eyes and big smile—have been essential to her work helping underserved and marginalized communities in St. Louis. From the early years of the […]
At 75 years old, Rae M. is an avid runner, having completed 101 marathons in all 50 states and closing in on 100 half marathons. She found her calling at age 53 — teaching older adults how to move and stay healthy. However, Rae doesn’t hesitate to slow down when she sees neighbors in need. […]
The first things you notice about Chaka Aza Amahle are her tall stature, her large, vibrant glasses and her eclectic, self-designed jewelry. Talk to her for a bit, and you’ll discover she has a passion for taking care of women, and a desire to be outside. For the past eight years, those two things have […]
According to data from the 2020 U.S. census, the City of Pine Lawn, Mo., in north St. Louis County has over 2,700 residents, a median income of just over $23,000, and the median age is 24.5 years. For the past seven years as mayor, Terry Epps has worked to undo Pine Lawn’s history of local […]
One out of every four children will have or need glasses by the time they enter kindergarten, according to a 2018 report by the American Optometric Association. The non-profit Eye Thrive helps children in underserved areas who need glasses have them as early as possible through free vision services, including a mobile clinic where kids […]
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