St. Louis on the Air

Social media has put art and entertainment from all corners of the world in the literal palm of your hand. Manga and anime – Japanese comic books and cartoons – really started hitting mainstream American bookshelves and screens starting in the 1990’s, and cross-cultural exchange has resulted in the development of distinct subcultures, including “blerds” or Black nerds. Shawn “Rab” Fentress, a St. Louis born and raised content creator, is part of the popularization of Blerd culture. He has accumulated hundreds of thousands of followers online for his distinct voice-overs of anime shows, which he calls “hood dubs,” and found success in creating online content with Nappy Boy Network, founded by rapper and singer T-Pain.

St. Louis’ Asian American community celebrates recent work to bring light to the lives and contributions of early Chinese immigrants to St. Louis, including an honorary street-naming in the city and the 100th anniversary of a Chinese gravesite at Valhalla Cemetery.

This week, more than 500 federal and local first responders converged in the St. Louis region to practice for an 8.4 magnitude earthquake. The drill accounted for collapsed bridges, crumbling buildings and more than 40,000 people trapped in Busch Stadium. First responders also dropped portable roads from helicopters near the Grafton ferry dock for a river crossing. Joining the discussion was Maj. Kelly Hudson, project officer for Michigan-based National Guard Task Force 46, and Samantha Lewis, executive director of the St. Louis Area Regional Response System.

The mind-bending effects of “magic mushrooms” could help treat mental illness. A new Washington University School of Medicine study offers an explanation for how psilocybin, the active drug in magic mushrooms, distorts the brain’s networks, and why that could alleviate post-traumatic stress disorders and other illnesses. Dr. Joshua Siegel and Dr. Ginger Nicol talk about what their research participants experienced while on a trip and how their findings could accelerate the development of psilocybin-based therapies.

The Cinema St. Louis’ Annual Filmmakers Showcase (July 19-28) is dedicated to screening films that address locally relevant topics or have writers, editors, or producers who are St. Louis area natives or people with strong local ties. Emmett Williams, director of festival curation and education at Cinema St. Louis, talks about the 2024 line-up of films in the showcase. St. Louis native and actor Zion Thomas also discusses his experience starring in “Vision,” one of the film shorts in this year’s festival.

Caviar is a delicacy, but, if you think it's only made for a rich palate, you may be missing out on a surprisingly accessible experience. Sauce Magazine writer Meera Nagarajan chronicled her dive into the world of caviar for the July issue of Sauce Magazine.Together with chef John Messbarger of Lobster & Crab Company, they discuss the finer details of getting the most out of your caviar experience. And we also learn about the local impact of caviar production with the owners of Show Me Caviar, Cliff and Cara Rost.

Shangri-La Hou is one of five National Student Poets. The recent John Burroughs graduate and Lake St. Louis resident explores the natural world and how people interact in — and with — it. Hou also discusses what she’s experienced in her role as a young literary ambassador and how poetry is a powerful tool for self-expression.

Lyric Green first picked up a double bass when she was 12 years old. Now, a little over a year later, the rising Parkway Central High freshman is one of 28 young musicians strengthening their skills at Sphinx Performance Academy at the Juilliard School in New York.

Children in the foster care system with severe behavioral health issues and trauma are often treated in group homes that specialize in individualized care. In Missouri, there is space at these centers for boys — but not for girls. In his latest reporting, Kris Husted of the NPR Midwest Newsroom explores why that disparity exists. STLPR reporter Lacretia Wimbley also joins the discussion with an update on the state of Missouri’s foster care system.

State Sen. Karla May, D-St. Louis, has faced formidable political challenges before. During an episode of the Politically Speaking Hour on St. Louis on the Air, she contends that she’s the best candidate to take on GOP U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley. But before doing so she needs to counter a well-funded and well-organized campaign from Independence resident Lucas Kunce. STLPR statehouse and politics reporter Sarah Kellogg joins the show for analysis.