StitchCast Studio
WE MATTER
Episode VIII Part II
Youth leaders discuss current events including the pandemic, Black Lives Matter protests, looting, the Confederate flag, and the rising hope for societal change for people of color in the second half of this two part discussion.
Pick the City UP Art Interlude: Perception Isn’t Always Reality
KP Dennis
Copyright Saint Louis Story Stitchers, 2016
Saint Louis Story Stitchers Youth Council member Michaela was interviewed by KSDK reporter Robert Townshend on July 1st, 2020 about the high number of children shot in St. Louis in 2020.
Michaela said, “When you own a gun, you’re supposed to store it away properly.”
Since Jan. 1, at least 60 under the age of 17 have been shot — 12 of them, fatally, according to data collected by 5 On Your Side. In all of 2019, 14 children were shot and killed.
“It’s a very big concern. This should not be our reality. This should not be something people become normalized to,” Michaela said.
Unloading and locking your gun can help to keep children safe. Free gun locks are available year-round at St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and at City Hall.
#DROP THE GUN #KEEP THE PEACE
Episode VIII Part I
We Matter
Youth leaders discuss current events including the pandemic, police brutality, Black Lives Matter protests, and the rising hope for societal change for people of color in part one of this two part discussion. Recorded live in Zoom June 11, 2020.
Pick the City UP Art Interlude: Worthless
Copyright Saint Louis Story Stitchers, 2018
Back Story VI: This Is Why
Streaming Thursday, June 25th at 7:30 PM
On facebook, Youtube Vimeo and storystitchers.org
Stitchers Youth Council members Emeara and Elijah talk about Elijah’s raps, survival in the city, and personal growth. Recorded performance of This Is Why is included in the stream and will premiere on Youtube along with a lyric video.
This Is Why
Lyrics
Stitchers Youth Council
Branden and Elijah
CHORUS
Branden
I came to thrive; I’ll tell you why
Knew it was mines soon as I arrived
I get knocked down, I don’t pout I don’t cry
I step up, get knocked down, I pop up like surprise
Up like surprise, I’m up, they surprised
I get knocked down, I pop up like surprise
I’ll tell you why, we not alike
You’re trying to live
I’m trying to thrive
(Repeat)
Verse I
Elijah
Yo, we making the bread
Keeping our families fed
Keeping our sons off the streets
So they don’t end up dead
Tryna make it to college
Cuz they cannot go to the feds
Cuz they tryna go for our heads
Cuz they got a price on our heads
I’m talking about lifetime imprisonment
Or a right time to be militant
They don’t fight crime they are diligent
On smiting mine and pillaging
So we getting that education
We elevatin
No procrastinatin
Or hesitation
We boss Nation
Heard across the Nation
Tryna save us it dogs from incarceration
Yeah
Ima have all of you feeling me
Yeah
Ima have all of you seeing me
Yeah
I do all of this willingly
Yeah
Look at how they are treating me
Yeah
Just cuz I’m black they are beating me, yeah
Cuz they don’t see what I see in me, yeah
This is why I cannot see defeat,
This is why I cannot leave the streets
CHORUS
(Repeat)
Verse I
Branden
I’m trying to show you I’m more than just gifted
I’m more than my issues, more than statistics
I’m more than the chasing of money and women
I’m more than the bundles of graves that they digging
I’m more than potential that’s lost in the system
I’m more than a criminal, more than a victim
There’s more to my image, immortalize this
That there’s more to the morals of stories you hearing
(Hold up)
Aye, how many fears must I face in a day
How many friends can be taken away
How many planned to spend life in a cage
How many wish they got that but in graves
How many wish they got that but in chains
How many wish they enacted a change
(Yea)
How many wish they enacted a change
CHORUS
Copyright Saint Louis Story Stitchers, 2019.
Josh is featured in tonight’s Story Stitchers Stream Team publication—
Back Story V: Josh and Art, Stitchers Youth Council members Emeara and Joshua talk about Josh’s art and the role it plays in Story Stitchers productions. His art is featured on three StitchCast Studio covers. Back Story V will stream on Thursday, June 18, 2020 at 7:30 PM to Saint Louis Story Stitchers Youtube, facebook, Vimeo, and storystitchers.org.
Saint Louis Story Stitchers is honored to announce that it is the recipient of a $25,000 grant from The Lewis Prize for Music’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund! New funding for Saint Louis Story Stitchers will support holistic music education programs during COVID-19.
The Lewis Prize for Music — a creative arts philanthropy — is proud to announce the recipients of the COVID-19 Community Response Fund. A total of $1.25 million will be awarded to 32 Creative Youth Development (CYD) organizations across the U.S. that have adapted and responded to the pressing needs of the young people they serve amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Lewis Prize for Music invests in youth music organizations and their leaders to facilitate positive change through access to music education. Each of the COVID-19 Community Response Fund recipients embody this goal; they do extraordinary work providing young people with opportunities to learn, perform and create music while also serving their immediate and unique needs around food, transportation, mental health, and academics.
From all the youth at Saint Louis Story Stitchers— We are very honored to receive The Lewis Prize for Music’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund grant. This grant has reassured us that our hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed. This has empowered us to find new innovative ways to use our talents and gifts to continue to uplift our communities here in the St. Louis region. — Emeara Burns, Steward Family Foundation Program Director at Saint Louis Story Stitchers
From Flint, Michigan to Montgomery, Alabama, to Oakland, California, the recipients cultivate leadership opportunities and safe spaces for the young people they support. Many of the recipients have budgets of less than $100,000 per year, and two-thirds are led by people of color. Through their community-driven and youth-focused approach, they have become safe havens for the young people they serve during COVID-19. Learn about the recipients: https://www.thelewisprize.org/
Episode VI
The Lift vs The Crunch
In this discussion about the lifting of the quarantine, youth leaders explore fact, fiction, and fears of life in the new reality with their guest, Jamie KP Dennis, director of Save Our Sons at the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and a co-founder of Saint Louis Story Stitchers. Recorded live on May 29, 2020 in Zoom in St. Louis, Missouri.
Pick the City UP Art Interlude: To The Prairie by KP Dennis and Ntegrity
Copyright Saint Louis Story Stitchers, 2019
Back Story IV: Cali on StitchCast Studio will stream tonight at 7:30 PM to storystitchers.org, facebook, Youtube, and Vimeo.
Saint Louis Story Stitchers Stream Team share the never before heard back stories to works of art produced by members of the Artists Collective.
Thursday, June 11th at 7:30 PM, Story Stitchers artists Emeara and Cali will discuss Cali’s role at Story Stitchers and in the development of StitchCast Studio youth-led podcast project. Check out some of Cali’s dance moves , too!
To learn more about StitchCast Studio, which is featured on apple podcasts and other podcast platforms, please visit: storystitchers.org/stitchcast-studio/
#wearorange brings awareness to National Gun Violence Awareness Day each year.
Orange is the color hunters wear to say, “Don’t shoot! I’m human.”
In recognition of this movement, Saint Louis Story Stitchers are featured artists in Moms Demand Action’s presentation across the state of Missouri.
Saturday, June 6th at 2:00 PM
We will also stream the Story Stitchers presentation at 5:00 PM to our own platforms.
Hope you will catch the stream and #wearorange!
Saint Louis Story Stitchers is a member of the family that makes up the Gun Violence Initiative at Washington University’s Institute for Public Health. Today the Gun Violence Initiative celebrates 5 years and we congratulate all of our friends there for their work as we look forward to continuing this important partnership.
Check out their video to learn what we’ve been up to!
You will hear some Story Stitchers music included in the video!
