Join Story Stitchers to learn about the work of filmmaker and dancer Jun Bae with the artist himself. His latest film is Turf Nation (2020), will premiere online at Cinequest Film Festival this year. Turfing is an Oakland-born dance form that combines roots in gang culture with elements of tutting, gliding and bone breaking; Turf Nation follows the street dancers perform on BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) trains, as they pave their own paths towards freedom and independence.
Story Stitchers is very sad to report that we have been asked to share with our readers that there was a shooting near the mural today at Hodiamont and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive and that it is best for everyone to stay away from the area until things calm down. Please visit it at a later date.
On Saturday, September 5th, 2020, Story Stitchers teamed up with the artist Katherine Bernhardt to create a 90′ fence mural at the site of one of our long-standing community partners. Planning on The Shelter Project with the Wellston Loop Community Development Corporation and Stitchers Youth Council began in March 2020 and continues with community members, leadership from Story Stitchers and the neighborhood, and Somewhere Studio, LLC a design team who has developed the shelter design pro bono, Metro St. Louis, Goser Structural Engineering, LLC, and Alberici Constructors Inc.
Katherine worked with seven Stitchers Youth Council members in Zoom over two sessions to create the ideas and imagery for the West Side neighborhood mural. Youth created sketches for her to use as inspiration. Imagery represents positive feelings, sports, Black Lives Matter, peace and non-violence, music (Marshmallow is a DJ), health and hygiene (toothbrushes and Pink Panther with a mask on), civic pride (Red Bird, fleur de lis, and the Arch) and joy (who doesn’t love ET?). It’s bright colors, playful imagery, and vibrant messaging is meant to reflect the heart and soul of the neighborhood and the positive attitude and strong resiliency of its people and bring smiles and love to the Wellston Loop and Wells-Goodfellow neighborhoods.
Cure Violence was also on site with the Story Stitchers to help everyone feel safe after a shooting involving youth occurred four blocks north of the mural site, just two nights before. Two young people lost their lives and a third was injured. Police from the 5th District drove by to wave and check on us as well.
Story Stitchers collect stories, reframe and retell them through art to promote understanding and peace in our region. The mural reflects the voices of the people living there and how they want their neighborhood to be seen—a place for families to thrive, for children to play and laugh, for people to share and care. Story Stitchers programs bring adult professional artists together with youth leaders and community partners to create a new vision and to build a new reality.
In the sunlight, with colorful spray paint cans at the ready, an experienced professional artist leading the way, and loads of
Stitchers Youth Council paints ta mural with artist Katherine Bernhardt
young talent, the amazing mural took shape. Neighborhood people and passers-by on the heavily traveled Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd, stopped to take pictures and videos and tell us how much they loved the mural and seeing the community effort, especially with youth, take shape.
Everyone is now welcome to stop by and take a selfie! It is located at the corner of Hodiamont and MLK. Google 1514 Hodiamont (the location of the Wellston Loop CDC) and you can’t miss it! Please tag @storystitchers, @KatherineBernhardt and @WellstonLoopCDC!
The Shelter Project is sponsored in part by Wellston Loop Community Development Corporation, Somewhere Studio, LLC, Wells Goodfellow Neighborhood Improvement Association, Katherine Bernhardt, Metro St. Louis, Alberici Constructors, Inc., Ryan Goser of Goser Structural Engineering, LLC, LJ Punch, MD and “The T”, Cure Violence, and Saint Louis Story Stitchers youth programs such as mural painting and community organizing for The Shelter Project are supported through grants from the City of St. Louis Youth Crime Prevention grant of 2020, Youthbridge Community Foundation Nonprofit Recovery and Resilience Fund, Missouri Foundation for Health, Incarnate Word Foundation, Regional Arts Commission, and Arts and Education Council PNC grant for Story Stitchers’ annual Pick the City UP program, and Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund.
The next phase of the project will be the actual bus shelter construction and placement.
Who’s Ready? Listen to the voices of Black youth to learn and grow your own awareness of the root causes of violence. Carry the torch forward to support at risk youth in your own community.
On September 3rd at 7:30 PM Central, Story Stitchers will release the video of our 2020 Black History Month live performance, STAND DOWN RISE UP, recorded live at the Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis. The one hour performance features the top line of Story Stitchers performing artists, Peace in the Prairie, and Stitchers Youth Council’s leading performing artists and is followed by a Q&A. STAND DOWN RISE UP was supported by the Brown School’s Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Equity. Visit storystitchers.org to learn more.
Watch the performance with Story Stitchers on Youtube.
Saint Louis Story Stitchers programs are supported locally by the City of St. Louis’ Youth at Risk Crime Prevention Grant of 2020, Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund, Steward Family Foundation, Missouri Foundation for Health, Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund, Kranzberg Arts Foundation, Incarnate Word Foundation, Missouri Humanities Council, Missouri Arts Council, Regional Arts Commission, Arts and Education Council PNC, and nationally by the Lewis Prize for Music Covid-19 Community Response Fund, Lush Corporation’s The Charity Pot, and supportive individuals like YOU!
Youth leaders delve into the world of hip hop with their guest, rap artist and political activist Cedric Redmon aka C-Sharp and then discuss the meaning behind their song, WADE. Recorded live in Zoom July 16, 2020.
Youth leaders delve into the world of hip hop with their guest, rap artist and political activist Cedric Redmon aka C-Sharp and then discuss the meaning behind their song, WADE.
Recorded live in Zoom July 16, 2020.
Pick the City UP Art Interlude: WADE.
Copyright Saint Louis Story Stitchers, 2020.
ST. LOUIS-BASED ORGANIZATION SAINT LOUIS STORY STITCHERS ARTISTS COLLECTIVE PRESENTS VOICES OF MINORITY YOUTH IN RISE UP
A week-long celebration of often unheard voices, Saint Louis Story Stitchers will present RISE UP with new youth-led podcasts and a performance celebrating the voices and rising power of Black youth.
Follow StitchCast Studio and share.
LOCATION: StitchCast Studio on storystitchers.org, Spotify and apple podcast, YouTube.
RISE UP Who’s Ready? Listen to the voices of Black youth to learn and grow your own awareness of the root causes of violence. Carry the torch forward to support at risk youth in your own community.
On September 3rd at 7:30 PM Central, Story Stitchers will release our 2020 Black History Month performance, recorded live at the Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis. Visit storystitchers.org to learn more.
Saint Louis Story Stitchers programs are supported locally by the City of St. Louis’ Youth at Risk Crime Prevention Grant of 2020, Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund, Steward Family Foundation, Missouri Foundation for Health, Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund, Kranzberg Arts Foundation, Incarnate Word Foundation, Missouri Humanities Council, Missouri Arts Council, Regional Arts Commission, Arts and Education Council PNC, and nationally by the Lewis Prize for Music Covid-19 Community Response Fund, Lush Corporation’s The Charity Pot, and supportive individuals like YOU!
Youth leaders delve into the power of words, the history of spoken word and the roots of hip hop with rap artist and Story Stitchers audio engineer and youth mentor, Ntegrity. Recorded live in Zoom Thursday, August 27, 2020.
Youth leaders delve into the power of words, the history of spoken word and the roots of hip hop with rap artist and Story Stitchers audio engineer, Ntegrity.
Recorded live in Zoom Thursday, August 27, 2020
Pick the City UP Art Interlude: But My Words
Copyright Saint Louis Story Stitchers, 2019.
ST. LOUIS-BASED ORGANIZATION SAINT LOUIS STORY STITCHERS ARTISTS COLLECTIVE PRESENTS VOICES OF MINORITY YOUTH IN RISE UP
A week-long celebration of often unheard voices, Saint Louis Story Stitchers will present RISE UP with new youth-led podcasts and a performance celebrating the voices and rising power of Black youth.
Follow StitchCast Studio and share.
• Listen to the voices of Black youth to learn and grow your own awareness of the root causes of violence.
• Carry the torch forward to support at risk youth in your own community.
LOCATION: StitchCast Studio on storystitchers.org, Spotify and apple podcast, YouTube.
Saint Louis Story Stitchers programs are supported locally by the City of St. Louis’ Youth at Risk Crime Prevention Grant of 2020, Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund, Steward Family Foundation, Missouri Foundation for Health, Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund, Kranzberg Arts Foundation, Incarnate Word Foundation, Missouri Humanities Council, Missouri Arts Council, Regional Arts Commission, Arts and Education Council PNC, and nationally by the Lewis Prize for Music Covid-19 Community Response Fund, Lush Corporation’s The Charity Pot, and supportive individuals like YOU!
Story Stitchers Co-founder and Executive Director Susan Colangelo, Program Director Emeara Burns, and Audio Engineers Ntegrity and Blue Beatz share the mission and vision of the organization and how Story Stitchers creates impact through creative youth development.
Recorded live in Zoom August 8, 2020.
Pick the City UP Art Interlude: Pick the City UP
Copyright Saint Louis Story Stitchers, 2018.
ST. LOUIS-BASED ORGANIZATION SAINT LOUIS STORY STITCHERS ARTISTS COLLECTIVE PRESENTS VOICES OF MINORITY YOUTH IN RISE UP
A week-long celebration of often unheard voices, Saint Louis Story Stitchers will present RISE UP with new youth-led podcasts and a performance celebrating the voices and rising power of Black youth.
Follow StitchCast Studio and share.
• Listen to the voices of Black youth to learn and grow your own awareness of the root causes of violence.
• Carry the torch forward to support at risk youth in your own community.
LOCATION: StitchCast Studio on storystitchers.org, Spotify and apple podcast, YouTube.
Saint Louis Story Stitchers programs are supported locally by the City of St. Louis’ Youth at Risk Crime Prevention Grant of 2020, Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund, Steward Family Foundation, Missouri Foundation for Health, Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund, Kranzberg Arts Foundation, Incarnate Word Foundation, Missouri Humanities Council, Missouri Arts Council, Regional Arts Commission, Arts and Education Council PNC, and nationally by the Lewis Prize for Music Covid-19 Community Response Fund, Lush Corporation’s The Charity Pot, and supportive individuals like YOU!
