Community Change Makers
Meet some of the inspiring leaders, entrepreneurs, and community change makers helping to make the St. Louis metro area a more equitable and inclusive place.
Humans of St. Louis:
Jenna Elizabeth’s Story
After the tornado, St. Louis photographer and artist Jenna Elizabeth documents tree destruction in Forest Park through art — and invites others to help.
Humans of St. Louis:
Ginelle Bess’ Story
With Grassroots Redeeming Love, Ginelle Bess is aiding the community and helping tornado victims recover and rebuild their lives.
A World of Good
Through its skills training and support programs, Forai helps immigrant and refugee women in St. Louis build better lives — for themselves and their families.
Love Your Neighbor
With long-term tornado recovery now part of its mission, LOVEtheLOU continues to work from within to help North City flourish.
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…
Fielding
Opportunity
With the Dream Big Foundation, Jorge Flores is making competitive soccer more accessible for kids in underserved communities across the St. Louis metro.
Scaling Up Startups
Jesse Winters joined T-REX because he believes in the power of tech innovation to guide the region’s evolution.
Go With the Flow
Whether she’s spinning records in the top local clubs or leading a yoga class in the studio or online, DJ and yogi Nico Marie gets St. Louis moving.
Beyond Books
Under Kristen Sorth’s leadership, St. Louis County Library has reinvented itself as a modern hub for community events and services and an indispensable resource available to all.
Leveling the Playing Field
The Gateway Region YMCA’s Adaptive Sports Complex and adaptive programming offer inclusive play for all.
Pedal Power
Pedal the Cause has raised more than $51 million for cancer research in the St. Louis area — and it isn’t slowing down.
Glittering Grace
Through outreach, advocacy, and action, Fourth City Sisters create community and make St. Louis a more vibrant, joyful, and inclusive place to call home.
Home Run
Exploring St. Louis by foot, Ricky Hughes helps locals and transplants alike connect with the city in a new way through St. Louis Run Crew.
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.
In the Key of Collaboration
With his bootcamp, Mvstercamp, St. Louis artist, producer, and songwriter Mvstermind is elevating creativity and collaboration — and the city’s music scene.
Building a Legacy
Architects Peter Tao and Helen Lee are leaving their mark on St. Louis' built environment and helping to transform the community itself.
BelongingTogether
St. Louis is an amazing region for families who have children with disabilities. There are dozens and dozens of agencies dedicated to serving people with intellectual and developmental…
Opening Doors
We Hear You makes spaces more accessible for people with disabilities — and with its Hero device, it’s literally opening doors across St. Louis and the U.S.
Building Blocks
With the Economic Mobility Program at Annie Malone Children and Family Services, Keisha Lee is empowering and elevating young men in St. Louis.
Feeding the Need
The Little Angels Foundation serves hot, home-cooked meals to refugees, immigrants, and the unhoused community in St. Louis.
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…
Bridging a Divide
In the growing Delmar Maker District and beyond, restaurants, maker and retail spaces, and nonprofits are thriving, ushering in a new era for the neighborhood.
A Different Ball Game
At True Success Basketball & Fitness Academy in St. Charles, Thurlester Robinson, Jr. uses basketball as a vehicle to teach kids lessons in teamwork, self-esteem, and leadership.
A Cut Above
At Homegrown Hair Co. in Tower Grove South, Caitlin Tyczka creates an inclusive, welcoming environment for all by offering gender-neutral hair services.
A Promising
Prescription
Educator-turned-entrepreneur Marcus Howard is raising the standard of pharmacy care with the launch of GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness in the Delmar DivINe.
A Reading
Revolution
For more than 25 years, Ready Readers has helped advance social and racial equity in St. Louis by bolstering literacy education for preschoolers in low-income communities.
Steps Ahead
Artistic powerhouses Kirven and Antonio Douthit-Boyd are broadening and elevating the dance community at the Center of Creative Arts and in the St. Louis metro.
Space for STEM
With Black Girls Do STEM, chemist Cynthia Chapple and her team are carving out an inclusive space for young Black girls to engage with science, technology, engineering and…
Full Circle
Okunsola M. Amadou is improving health outcomes for Black women with a wraparound model of care at Missouri's first equal access midwifery clinic.
Fair Play
Unlimited Play founder Natalie Mackay designs and builds inclusive playgrounds for children across the St. Louis metro — and in cities across the country.
Freedom Through Food
Urban farmer Tyrean “Heru” Lewis brings fresh produce to underserved communities and advocates for more equitable growing practices across St. Louis and the nation.
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.
Natural Wonders
St. Louisans find peace and purpose in parks and on trails throughout the region.
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.
Fit for Everyone
Team Saint Louis, an inclusive sports league, welcomes all for fitness, friendship, and fun.
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…
Tap Into Talent
Led by Chief Operating Officer Sarah Bernard, Inclusively connects employees with disabilities with compatible jobs, and helps companies adapt to employees’ needs.
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.
A Powerful Lift
As the executive director of Paralympic operations at Logan University, Kelley Humphries-Mascoll is advancing the Paralympic movement in St. Louis and beyond.
Taking Care of Business
Rebecca van Bergen’s nonprofit Nest aims to advance gender equity and economic inclusion through craft.
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.
A Healing Helpline
St. Louis Queer Support & Healing offers identity-affirming resources for the region’s LGBTQIA+ community.
Friendship, Faith and Futures
Pastors Ken and Beverly Jenkins opened community development hub R&R Marketplace in Dellwood with the aim to change lives.
A Welcoming
Space
MaTovu celebrates five years of fellowship and inclusive programming for the Jewish community in the City of St. Louis.
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.
