Cheryl Baehr
Writer
Contributions
60+ Valentine’s Day Gifts, Treats, and Date Ideas in St. Louis
Shop local for Valentine’s Day gifts and plan the ultimate St. Louis dates for your friends or someone special.
75+ St. Louis Spots to Shop for Holiday Gifts
This holiday season, shop local while supporting shops and makers in the St. Louis community.
20+ Must-Try Sweets and Treats in St. Louis
From cookies, cakes, and pastries to donuts, ice cream, and confections, these St. Louis bakeries, coffee shops, and restaurants serve up the sweets.
Game Changing
Mona Jawad and Ayesha Kazi founded ASL Aspire to bring a game-based approach to teaching American Sign Language for STEM concepts through interactive lessons.
Put Down Roots
Michael and Tara Gallina’s Take Root Hospitality serves seasonally inspired and regionally sourced eats at three lauded spots in the St. Louis area, including Vicia.
Success in the Making
Through its St. Louis Internship Program, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, along with partner companies and institutions, are investing in students and the future…
Fit for a Kid
With Lion+Owl, St. Louis entrepreneur Jeff Bender is bringing thoughtfully designed inclusive clothing to kids here and across the country.
Engineering a Better Tomorrow
At LUZCO Technologies in Maplewood, founder and CEO Lusnail Haberberger has built a successful engineering consulting firm with a focus on recruiting a diverse team.
On the Right Track
Race car driver and Kirkwood native Spike Kohlbecker’s career is picking up speed as he cruises into his third season with Toyota Gazoo Racing North America.
Connecting Care
With Rezilient Health, founders Danish Nagda and Jeff Gamble are hoping to improve health care experiences and outcomes for patients in the St. Louis metro and across the…
Set Up for Success
At the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Jonathan Lidgus and his team help students with disabilities thrive in college and land successful careers.
One to Watch
Angel Recci has a vision to elevate Spanish-language television, music, and live entertainment in the St. Louis area — and piece by piece, he’s making it a reality.
Off the Charts
Ricardo Recci Gonzalez is making St. Louis a more welcoming place by growing the Hispanic music scene — one concert and broadcast at a time.
Foundational
Fathers
A new St. Louis-based program, Dads to Doulas, seeks to empower Black men in all aspects of fatherhood — both to enrich their parenting journeys and to advocate…
Chain Reaction
When Rick Shang moved to St. Louis in 2014 to pursue his PhD in Philosophy, Neuroscience, and Psychology at Washington University in St. Louis, he never imagined he’d…
Words on the Street
With PSA, Shannon Levin and Marina Peng elevate and amplify St. Louis artists with unexpected and accessible art installations around town.
In Perfect Harmony
For nearly three decades, BandTogether has united LGBTQ+ musicians of all ages and skill levels to share beautiful music and performance with the St. Louis community.
Empowering
Entrepreneurs
By supporting first-time entrepreneurs from underrepresented communities, Cortex’s Square One programs, led by Ben Molina and Gabriela Ramirez-Arellano, is bringing inclusive economic growth to the St. Louis metro.
Opera for All – Part Two
With its first-of-its-kind New Works Collective, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis brings representation and previously unsung stories to the stage.
Opera for All – Part One
A national and international jewel, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis brings world-class opera to the metro in welcoming and accessible ways.
Prep Work
With Top Tutors For Us, founder Angelica Harris is helping Black high school students build academic skills and improve college admissions test scores in St. Louis and across…
Shared Language
Based in the Bevo neighborhood, Immigrant Home English Learning Program connects foreign-born residents with volunteer tutors to learn English — and often, to forge lifelong bonds.
Second Nature
From her studio in the Marine Villa neighborhood, acclaimed artist Lauren Marx draws inspiration from the native flora and fauna of North America.
Sunflower Power
At Edison Agrosciences, sunflowers could hold the key to producing the first sustainable natural rubber made in the U.S.
A Healing Helpline
St. Louis Queer Support & Healing offers identity-affirming resources for the region’s LGBTQIA+ community.
A Coffee Culture
At Brew Tulum, Laura McNamara and Alberto Juarez bring a deep-dive into Mexican coffee culture to the Delmar Maker District.
One of a Kind
From the depths of the caves to its 10-story slide, City Museum continues to find new ways to delight and surprise visitors from around the world.
Making Moves
Danielle Deavens and Doug Spencer, Bold Xchange founders, and Craig and Mowgli Rivard, owners of Little Fox, share why they moved to St. Louis to grow their businesses.
Impeccable Taste
Craig and Mowgli Rivard are making a mark in Fox Park with their Brooklyn-inspired, modern neighborhood restaurant, Little Fox.
The Path Forward
Doug and Bill Mitchell’s startup ScholarPath helps graduating high school students figure out what’s next.
Bold Moves
Through Bold Xchange, co-founders Danielle Deavens and Doug Spencer aim to improve equity in entrepreneurship by helping large companies support smaller Black-owned businesses.
Stitching Vibes
Abbey Eilermann and her team at the Daily Disco bring fresh eyes and unique designs to the vintage art of chainstitching.
Taking Care of Business
Rebecca van Bergen’s nonprofit Nest aims to advance gender equity and economic inclusion through craft.
Planting Roots
Noboleis Vineyards and Root Food + Wine draw St. Louisans to the natural beauty of Augusta.
Open Arms
Moji Sidiqi leads the International Institute of St. Louis’ Afghan Support Program in helping refugees adjust to their new home.
Float On
From the Boathouse to the Mississippi, Big Muddy Adventures offers St. Louisans a chance to connect with the region's waterways.
Hive Mind – Part Two
A team of local scientists work together on how to improve produce yields in urban orchards and community gardens.
Hive Mind – Part One
With the goal of helping community gardens produce more fresh food, scientists from six different St. Louis institutions are collaborating to research pollination in urban orchards.
Making Art History
Newly at the helm of the St. Louis Art Museum, Min Jung Kim brings a fresh perspective to the institution’s role in the metro.
Historical
Perspective
With unique bus and walking tours throughout the metro area, Amanda Clark helps people see St. Louis differently.
Rewriting the Narrative
At EyeSeeMe Bookstore in University City, Jeffrey and Pamela Blair are fulfilling their calling to provide people with positive stories of African Americans.
Nothing Little About It
From rural China to Fox Park, Lona Luo has come a long way in her journey to become one of St. Louis’ most beloved and recognized chefs.
Rethink and Refill
At her sustainable lifestyle shop, Dharma + Dwell in Webster Groves, Jordan Blackhurst helps consumers make more environmentally friendly choices.
Tastes of St. Louis
Bringing together more than a dozen kitchens with varied cuisines, City Foundry STL’s Food Hall draws St. Louisans to Midtown.
Upping the Game
With Stonemaier Games, Jamey Stegmaier turned his favorite hobby into a St. Louis-based company that publishes beautifully designed board games with fans around the globe.
Advocating for Inclusion
With the Starkloff Disability Institute, Colleen Starkloff works to make the world a place where people of all abilities feel empowered and valued.
Off to the Races
St. Louis welcomes the NASCAR Cup Series to the region at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, thanks to the decade-long efforts of track owner and CEO…
Giving Lessons
With the support of her local Buy Nothing group, Briana Morales guides her students in East St. Louis through social-emotional learning as well as their academic education.
Flavor Full
Charlene Lopez Young and Darren Young are bringing Filipino flavors to the region with their barbecue and smoked meats business, The Fattened Caf.
Security Solution
Led by CEO Ron Indeck, Olivette-based Q-Net Security is protecting government organizations and businesses across the nation from online threats with its impenetrable hardware device.
Ice Cream Queen
Opening her fifth location in six years, Clementine’s Creamery owner Tamara Keefe takes pride in the growing national buzz around her superb desserts.
Building the Future
Dream Builders 4 Equity aims not only to transform Hyde Park in the next five years, but also to serve as a model for closing the racial wealth…
The Courage to Dream
Dream Builders 4 Equity empowers young St. Louisans to achieve their goals.
Dreaming Big
Michael Woods and Neal Richardson knew a new approach was needed for real estate investment to make lasting change in disinvested neighborhoods. They created Dream Builders 4 Equity…
Plant-Based
Possibilities
Trezel Brown's CC's Vegan Spot has become a destination for local vegans and is converting more folks to try plant-based dishes.
A Conscious Cup of Joe
Inspired by the coffee they grew up drinking in their native Honduras, Patrick and Spencer Clapp are elevating the St. Louis coffee scene with Coffeestamp's ethically sourced beans.
Solving Challenges
Biotech startup PercayAI and Washington University are collaborating to find treatments for COVID-19, through the work of people like computational biologist Allyson Mayer.
A Hearty Dish
Welcome Neighbor STL's drive-thru supper clubs are a lifeline for refugees.
Empowering
Parents
The Navigate STL Schools dashboard and programs are helping parents make informed decisions for their children's education.
Smooth Moves
Angela Zeng didn’t listen to critics who told her to start her line of superfood drinks, Karviva Beverages, elsewhere; after launching it from St. Louis four years ago,…
Bridging the Gap
The Foodshed.io app links small family farms to grocery stores so consumers can buy more local produce and farmers can do what they do best: grow food.
Changing the Conversation
Local start-up We Stories is teaching the next generation to be anti-racist.
Kitchen Collaboration – Part 2
Gibron Jones starts a new model for healthy food in St. Louis.
Traduciendo el Apoyo
Lourdes Bailón y Gabriela Ramírez-Arellano crearon STLJuntos, una paginaweb y de Facebook que se ha convertido en un recurso esencial para los hispanohablantes de St. Louis.
Translating Support
Lourdes Bailón and Gabriela Ramírez-Arellano created STLJuntos, a Facebook page and website that has become an essential resource for Spanish-speaking St. Louisans.
Kitchen
Collaboration
In the COVID-19 crisis, Gibron Jones adapts his planned food incubator and co-op space to serve thousands of meals each week with the help of Niche Food Group…
Serving Families in Need
When what's "normal" changes overnight, faith leaders come together to support children facing food insecurity.
Streaming With Faith
Places of worship use technology to connect with those looking for guidance in a time of uncertainty.
Designing with Purpose
David Cervantes is bringing together local volunteers to make personal protection equipment for health care providers.
