A Whole Different Vibration

MARCH 15, 2021 A Whole Different Vibration by Fatimah Muhammad with Joey Saunders   Entrepreneurialism is in my blood, passed down by my parents and grandparents. My fascination with bees, on the other hand, came about suddenly, almost like I’ve heard poets describe the moment inspiration strikes only, instead of scribbling down rhymes, I found…

Read More

Justice Is My Favorite Word

FEBRUARY 26, 2021 Justice Is My Favorite Word by Councilwoman and Inaugural Chisholm’s Chair Fellow Nicole Greer with Joey Saunders   Justice is my favorite word, but I want it to be more. I want to see it leap from the pages of books, protest signs and my dreams for the future until justice is…

Read More

Our Dreams Hold Hands

JANUARY 29, 2021 Our Dreams Hold Hands by Tiffany Wesley with Joey Saunders   I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the interconnectedness of dreams. How our ancestors’ dreams reach out and hold onto, a grandmother’s, a father’s, his daughter’s. I feel so grateful as my dream — starting my business, Pure Vibes, and seeing…

Read More

Go Ask Alice

NOVEMBER 17, 2020 Go Ask Alice By Alice Moore with Joey Saunders Alice Moore is an Elevate ESTL Power Builder in East St. Louis, IL. Photos by Joey Saunders. So many things have happened for me because I wasn’t afraid to journey. That might sound funny to folks who know that me and my neighbors…

Read More

My World Has Changed Its Face

OCTOBER 21, 2020 My World Has Changed Its Face By Dr. Jodi with Joey Saunders Dr. Jodi Jordan is a Power Builder in St. Louis, MO. Photos were taken at her early childhood center by Joey Saunders. Sister Carmen probably loved many things, but two stick out in my memory: The Wiz and affirming her…

Read More

‘Let’s Rise Together!’ Why I Stand with Rise 189’s Call for Education Justice

OCTOBER 20, 2020 ‘Let’s Rise Together!’ Why I Stand with Rise 189’s Call for Education Justice By Shontay Ford Shontay Ford is a power-builder in WEPOWER’s East St. Louis Education Power-Building Academy, a seven-month community-based leadership and policy change program for residents of the area. Photo by Kristen Trudo. I’ve lived throughout East St. Louis…

Read More

‘I choose growth’: My story of transforming an abandoned lot into a thriving urban farm, offering fresh food and jobs for my community.

Photo of Tyrean Lewis smiling into the camera.

JUNE 17, 2020 ‘I choose growth’: My story of transforming an abandoned lot into a thriving urban farm, offering fresh food and jobs for my community. By Tyrean ‘Heru’ Lewis I’ve always had problems with fighting in school. The first time I got suspended for fighting in middle school, my mama told me, “You gonna…

Read More

Learning to Sing

Smiling Black family in front of their home

One afternoon in grade school my teacher made up a new rule: each student must finish reading a section aloud from their book before leaving the classroom that day. I couldn’t make it through a page. I was stuttering so badly. Then to add to my embarrassment, I caused my classmates to miss their bus.

Read More