Celebrating Women’s Stories

Designs on St. Louis

Natashna Anderson has only been in St. Louis for three years, but she’s never felt more at home than she does now. 

Bright Outlook

Chelsey Farris has built a reputation for deftly integrating color, pattern, and shape to distill complex messages and spark emotion.

Calling Cards

Cheree Berry Paper & Design is beloved by clients across the U.S. for its one-of-a-kind invitations and stationery — and it’s all crafted at its St. Louis headquarters.

Mind Over Matter

Dr. Hong Chen, associate professor of biomedical engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering and neurosurgery at WashU Medicine

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.

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.

Leading the Pack

For more than 50 years, the Endangered Wolf Center in Eureka has been a national leader in saving Mexican gray wolves and American red wolves from extinction by…

True Colors

Michelle Robinson has found success with her vegan, cruelty-free, and vibrant nail-care company, DEMIblue Natural Nails, and entrepreneurial support from St. Louis investors and innovators.

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.

The Heart of the Arts

For four decades, the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis has invested more than $115 million to shape and support the region’s vibrant arts community.

Composing the Future

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra President and CEO Marie-Hélène Bernard reflects on the debut and future of the institution at its expanded and renovated home at Powell Hall at…

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.

Following in the Footsteps

Run by the Premachandra family, Dances of India, one of the oldest classical Indian dance companies in the U.S., combines movement and storytelling to wow St. Louis audiences.

Love Your Neighbor

With long-term tornado recovery now part of its mission, LOVEtheLOU continues to work from within to help North City flourish.

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.

Fill Your Cup

With a focus on ethical sourcing and high-quality beans, Goshen Coffee Roasters in Edwardsville, Illinois, helmed by the Beard and Hughey families, serves up delicious coffee here and…

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…

Authenticity in the City

At Amaizing Arepa Bar in Downtown St. Louis, Mayra and Maria Pacheco share delicious Venezuelan cuisine, with hopes to expand across the metro.

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.

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. 

Getting Up to Kode

With roots in St. Louis, Karlie Kloss’ Kode With Klossy nonprofit celebrates 10 years of working to close the gender equity gap in tech.

Caring for the Caregivers

The St. Louis Early Childhood Tornado Response Team is raising money, collecting donations, supporting families, and helping childcare providers rebuild after a devastating tornado.

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.

Breaking the Ice

Based out of Maryland Heights, the St. Louis Blues’ Girls Development Program offers an accessible and affordable entry point into hockey for young girls.

Destination
Dessert

After a corporate career that took her across the globe, Monica Lee returned home to open Spoonful Desserts, which offers up Korean desserts, drinks, and a palpable sense…

Business Class

In April 2024, Shu Schiller, Ph.D., assumed her role as Dean of the College of Business Administration at the University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL), a position that tasks her…

Rooted in Style

Coming out of law school roughly three decades ago, Kimberly Franks could never have imagined that she would one day be running a sustainably focused boutique and lifestyle…

Ready to Roll

Arch Rival, St. Louis’ oldest roller derby league, celebrates 20 years of skating, competition, and belonging.

Belonging
Together

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…

Seeding Solutions

As part of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, plant biologist Katie Murphy addresses global challenges through the meticulous study of plants and shares her life and work…

Good to Grow

With her line of self-watering planters, Posie Pots founder Kay Wells uses 3D printing technology to make good plant care easier.

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.

Centered on Art

The Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles creates community through unique exhibitions, artist development, education and outreach, and more.

Sweet Spot

With a passion for showstopping painted cakes and from-scratch baked goods, Lia Holter of Made. by Lia is ushering in a new generation of investment in her native…

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.

Fashion Forward

For 10 years, the Saint Louis Fashion Fund has helped grow and evolve the city’s fashion industry — and thanks to co-founder Susan Sherman, its future looks just…

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.

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.

Paths Forward

Great Rivers Greenway is working to connect the region, one project and pathway at a time.

A Latte of Love

With three successful cafes opened in four years, Latte Lounge owner and entrepreneur Nyshaun Harvey is bringing coffee and community to the St. Louis metro. And that’s only…

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.

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.

The Heart of Things

SentiAR's hands-free headset enables surgeons and physicians to see 3D, mixed-reality, real-time images of patients’ hearts.

A Visionary Idea

Saint Louis University scientist Jenna Gorlewicz’s team is building Inclusio, a groundbreaking digital tool to translate graphic information into accessible formats for people with blindness or low vision.

From Ranch to Rajma

Maaji’s Street Kitchen in St. Ann offers wholesome homestyle Northern Indian Cuisine cooked lovingly by chef, owner, and resident, Heena Chopra.

A Cornerstone of Culture

Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis celebrates 20 years of art and growth in the Grand Center Arts District.

Feeding the Need

The Little Angels Foundation serves hot, home-cooked meals to refugees, immigrants, and the unhoused community in St. Louis.

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.

A World of Possibilities

Founded at Vashon High School, Show Me the World Project provides transformative education in entrepreneurship, leadership, and STEM to students in under-resourced communities in St. Louis.

All Around Art

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.

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.

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…

Edible Education

Serving seasonal eats, Fresh Gatherings Cafe + Farm is a unique culinary teaching lab on the Saint Louis University campus — and serves as a model for colleges…

Mother of Invention

With Bask & Bloom Essentials, Candera Thompson has created hair-care products that empower women and help with postpartum hair health.

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.

Friendship, Faith and Futures

Pastors Ken and Beverly Jenkins opened community development hub R&R Marketplace in Dellwood with the aim to change lives.

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.

A New Leaf

From her home office in Wildwood, TeaVoila founder Souzan Gerami is revolutionizing an industry with plant-based, compostable to-go tea cups.

Microcinema
Magic

Arkadin Cinema & Bar opens up worlds in the Bevo neighborhood, where owners Sarah Baraba and Keith Watson share a love of film and add to a growing…

A Welcoming
Space

MaTovu celebrates five years of fellowship and inclusive programming for the Jewish community in the City of St. Louis.

Mapping
Tomorrow

Through her nonprofit workforce development organization, Gateway Global, Zekita Armstrong Asuquo is training under-resourced high school students for entry-level jobs in the geospatial field.

Singing Her Own Tune

Girl Conductor founder Maria A. Ellis uses a unique blend of gospel, R&B, and hip-hop to make music education more approachable and accessible for young people.

A Coffee Culture

At Brew Tulum, Laura McNamara and Alberto Juarez bring a deep-dive into Mexican coffee culture to the Delmar Maker District.

Harnessing Talent

Entrepreneur and talent recruiter Anjie Sanford has launched a new program through BioSTL that offers minority college students internships at St. Louis bioscience companies and helps them thrive…

Shining Bright

Sisters Amanda Helman and Susan Logsdon founded Golden Gems to uplift, inspire and help people feel seen. Their products are now found in their three St. Louis-area locations…

Impeccable Taste

Craig and Mowgli Rivard are making a mark in Fox Park with their Brooklyn-inspired, modern neighborhood restaurant, Little Fox.

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.

Free Spirits

St. Louis’ Switchgrass Spirits is carving its own path with its grain-to-glass whiskey and brandy.

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.

Just Dance

Jenny Hill’s Yes Honey Studio uses the art of dance to help people celebrate moving their bodies.

A Broad Canvas

At Onyx Dagger in Lafayette Square, Valencia Miller combines fine art with tattoo art, supporting local painters in St. Louis by displaying their work while blazing her own…

Sustaining Style

With May’s Place, Katie May highlights the merits of shopping vintage – both for you and for the planet.

Hair Care

Rebundle’s CEO Ciara Imani May is revolutionizing the hair extension industry with the first U.S.-made, plant-based hair braiding brand.

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.

More Than A Market

Lacy Cagle leads City Greens Market in the Grove to be a hub for community, education and local produce.

Cooking Up

Propel Kitchens is building health and wealth within the historically under-resourced community of the St. Louis Promise Zone by providing its members with hands-on training in food preparation…

Fine Print

At Central Print, Marie Oberkirsch passes on the art of traditional letterpress printmaking to future generations, while using the craft to build community with her neighbors in Old…

Sew Crafty

First through a youth academy and now with a new online portal, Olivia Rae Davis wants to get more people into sewing.

Raised on Glazed

Syeeda Aziz-Morris is carrying on the family tradition of donut-making at Pharaoh's Donuts in Downtown and the Central West End.

Pumped Up

Babyation founders Samantha Rudolph and Jared Miller have redesigned the breast pump to meet the needs of parents today.

Life-Saving Science

Dr. Sarah George and other researchers at Saint Louis University School of Medicine’s Center for Vaccine Development are leading national efforts to find treatments for a wide range…

Nerds with Heart

In St. Peters, PokéNerds store owners Brian and Valeria Trull have built a community for Pokémon fans, who are in turn helping the Trulls support Ukrainians.

Beyond the Bag

Through her luxury handbag line Lux & Nyx, Lisa Hu seeks to empower women through functional, sustainable bags that marry style and substance.

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.

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.

Hive Mind – Part Two

A team of local scientists work together on how to improve produce yields in urban orchards and community gardens.

Snacking for Change

With Airly crackers, a team from Brentwood-based Post Holdings has created a tasty way for people to combat climate change.

A Mindful Movement

With Generation Mindful, Suzanne Tucker is striving to create a more emotionally healthy world.

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.

Empowering
Women

In Fox Park, nonprofit Rung for Women helps women take their personal and professional lives to the next level.

Rethink and Refill

At her sustainable lifestyle shop, Dharma + Dwell in Webster Groves, Jordan Blackhurst helps consumers make more environmentally friendly choices.

Screening Startup

With Geneoscopy, Erica Barnell is looking to change the game of colon cancer screening and ultimately, save lives.

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.

Homegrown
Market

Local farmers and entrepreneurs build their businesses and a strong community through the support of St. Louisans at the Tower Grove Farmers Market.

Small Park, Big Impact

Through Pocketparks, Samantha Lee Smugala is bringing art, activation and opportunity to transform vacant lots into community gathering spaces.

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.

Natural Wonders

St. Louisans find peace and purpose in parks and on trails throughout the region.

Organic Growth

In Wright City, Maria Marshall leads certified organic Marshall Family Farms in practicing regenerative agriculture, raising heritage poultry and producing heirloom crops.

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 Bridges

Natissia Small, Ed.D., reduces barriers for St. Louis youth to pursue and succeed in higher education.

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.

Transforming Tea

Lisa Govro, through her company Big Heart Tea Co., is not only revolutionizing how tea tastes, but ensuring it’s ethically sourced every step of the way.

The Power of Plants

Mónica Carlsen, a Venezuelan immigrant and plant biologist with the Missouri Botanical Garden, is inspiring the next generation of budding scientists through internships and educational collaborations with local…

Making Art at the MAC

Brandace Cloud's art collective is bringing people together in Staunton, Illinois.

Ready, Set, Launch

Je'Nell McCrary transitioned from radio to tech thanks to skills she gained through LaunchCode's CoderGirl program.

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.

What’s Possible

Marian Middle School students find inspiration for their future in the history-making election of the first Black female vice president, Kamala Harris.

Empowering
Parents

The Navigate STL Schools dashboard and programs are helping parents make informed decisions for their children's education.

Mapping Inequities

Kemba Noel-London used geospatial data in her doctoral research to discover disparities in access to youth sports throughout the St. Louis region.

Flying High

Entrepreneur Bronwyn Morgan brings drones and geospatial tech together with her company, XEO Air.

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.

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.

Empowering the Community

For 20 years, Diversity Gallery owner Leslie Christian Wilson has connected with St. Louisans through art, jewelry and natural hair.

Changing the Conversation

Local start-up We Stories is teaching the next generation to be anti-racist.

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.

Period Positive

Even during a pandemic, the St. Louis Alliance for Period Supplies is getting essential period products to people in need.

Learning Through Play

Therapists who work with children on the autism spectrum shift their delivery methods to support families during the pandemic.

Growing Together

EarthDance Organic Farm School Hosts Pay-What-You-Can Drive-Thru Farm Stand in Ferguson.

Data for the Greater Good

Saint Louis University professor Enbal Shacham, Ph.D., uses geospatial techniques to track the spread of the coronavirus.

Creating Through Crisis

Mee Jey, an immigrant artist from India, tells community stories through her art in St. Louis and abroad.

A World of Knowledge

Attorney Nalini Mahadevan is helping St. Louis corporations attract and retain top international talent for the region's growing industries.

‘Round and ‘Round

For 50 years, Mathew and Niah Foggy have built community while circling the roller rink at Skate King.

Hope and Heart

Valeda Keys turns strength into action as she helps St. Louis women recover from breast cancer.

A Global Community

As the St. Louis region recruits top international talent to its companies, Susan Gobbo is building a support system for the families that follow.

Spilling the Beans

Estie Cruz-Curoe’s Cuban-style black beans at del Carmen Foods are filling a delicious niche in the St. Louis food scene.

Call of the Wild

For Kari Musgrave, honing her veterinary skills at the world-class Saint Louis Zoo is a dream come true.

Healing Through Art

Paige Walden-Johnson uses CommUNITY Arts STL’s creative outlets to help first responders and their families process trauma.

The Business of Basketball

Khalia Collier has transformed the St. Louis Surge into both a competitive team and an economic driver.

Making
Connections

Through Human Spaces, Lisa Rokusek is exploring how people can learn from each other with empathy and purpose.

Sweet Dreams

La Patisserie Chouquette co-owner and executive pastry chef Simone Faure has become the maven of macarons in St. Louis.

Education for All

Through EdHub STL, Sherita Love helps educators shake up their classrooms and eliminate barriers for students.

Planting Seeds

Angi Taylor found meaningful work in St. Louis’s growing agriculture industry.

Bass-ic Instinct

Tonina’s passion for the low notes is creating a hum in St. Louis.

Cooking with Love

Through food, ‘MamaCat’ Cathy Daniels nurtures and respects St. Louis’s unhoused residents.