Saint Louis Speaks Podcast
by Mark Loehrer
Unfiltered opinion and unfettered curiosity from hosts Umar Lee and Stefene Russell makes St. Louis Speaks the best new podcast in town. St. Louis Speaks brings to ear regular guests including local politicians, musicians, media personalities on a variety of local topics.
Episodes
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Episode 68: Artist Leah Merriman of St. Louis Waxworks
Leah Merriman is a multi-media artist who may be the only encaustic painter in St. Louis — she paints with layers of wax. As she explains in the interview, it's a technique that dates back to antiquity (the word itself comes from the Greek enkaustikos; it was used in ancient Egypt for mummy...
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Episode 67: Andrew Hurley On History, Cities, and Climate Change
Dr. Andrew Hurley, professor of history at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, has written extensively about the environmental history of the St. Louis region. In this episode, he talks about his love of cities; how technology can help historians reach new audiences; and how he's helping...
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Episode 66: David Lobbig on the Environment and the Mississippi River
David Lobbig, Curator of Environmental Life at the Missouri History Museum and longtime board member at the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, talks all things Mississippi River — the Mississippian culture that once lived on its banks; how 19th-century riverboats not only impacted the river...
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Episode 65: PotBangerz- "Mama Cat" Cathy Daniels
Host Umar Lee talks by phone with "Mama Cat" a community activist and the official chef of the Ferguson movement. Mama Cat (Cathy Daniels) founded the group Pot Bangerz which has worked to feed, clothe and humanize those which society has chosen to make invisible, the unhoused. Potbangerz will be...
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Episode 64: Richard Reilly, Photographer
Host Umar Lee talks with friend of the podcast, Richard Reilly. Richard talks about a range of topics with Umar including marijuana legalization, socially engaged art projects and photography--including his recent donation to the Missouri History Museum of thousands of his images taken during...
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Episode 63: Talking About Funny Stuff with Yale Hollander
Writer, producer, comedian (and Donnybrook tweeter-in-chief) Yale Hollander sat down at Atomic Cowboy to talk to Stef Russell on the opening night of the Flyover Comedy Festival. Topics touched on: lawyers; the logistics of doing standup on the Loop Trolley; bringing comedy to other unexpected...
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Episode 62: Southards Art Studio
Host Umar Lee chats with Marissa and Brian Southards about everything from life after Ferguson to their family art studio, blending portrait photography and traditional graphic/hand drawn artwork.
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Episode 61: Francis Horton, "A Hell of A Way to Die Podcast" Co-Host
Umar Lee chats with Francis Horton of Carondelet about growing up in north county, joining the military and seeing the world! Beyond cliche, the conversation is rich in discussion of foreign policy, how the military prepares troops for interactions with people of other cultures (they don't!) and...
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Episode 60: Germaine Murray and Dana Levin Talk "Whitman: Up Close"
Stef Russell talks to Maryville University's Germaine Murray (Professor of English & Humanities) and Dana Levin (Distinguished Writer-in-Residence) as they walk us through "Whitman: Up Close," an exhibit at the May Gallery. The show, on view through October 18, is part of "Whitmania!", a...
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Episode 59: Dail Chambers and Treasure Shields Redmond on the Fannie Lou Hamer House
Artist Dail Chambers and poet Treasure Shields Redmond talk about their new project, the Fannie Lou Hamer House. Located in Belleville, it's a container for a multitude of creative people and creative projects. They also talked about their respective art practices; the importance of family and...
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Episode 58: The Griot Museum of Black History's Impact HIV/AIDS Initiative
In 1969, a St. Louis teen named Robert Rayford became the first person in America known to have died of HIV/AIDS. His story was the starting point for Impact HIV/AIDS, a longterm initiative launched last year by the Griot Museum of Black History. The project combines art, culture, history, public...
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Episode 57: Alana Flowers, The Kinloch Doc
Host Umar Lee chats with documentary filmmaker, Alana Flowers about her upcoming film "The Kinloch Doc" which will be screened August 15th at the Grandel (Hosted by Arch City Defenders).
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Episode 56: Veteran St. Louis Publisher, Charles Klotzer
Charles Klotzer, longtime free-speech activist and holocaust survivor joins host Umar lee on the St. Louis Speaks Podcast (available thru Spreaker). At 93, Klotzer has a lot to reflect on, from his family's flight out of Nazi Germany and settlement in a Jewish ghetto in Shanghai, to his storied...
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Episode 55- The Commonwealth Project
Stef Russell talks to Che Applewhaite, Catie Barr, Kale Catchings and Saul Glist, a team of four Harvard undergraduates who have traveled from Boston to spend 10 weeks in St. Louis under the auspices of The Commonwealth Project. A Harvard initiative founded by Tef Poe and Walter Johnson, it…
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Episode 54 - St Louis Take Over The World- A Positive Upbeat Message
A vision for a St Louis future
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Episode 53- Ryan Schuessler & Anne Trubek (St. Louis Anthology)
Stef Russell sat down with Belt Magazine founder Ann Trubek and St. Louis (Kirkwood) native, Ryan Lee Schuessler, editor of Belt's St. Louis Anthology for a great podcast. Stef leads listeners on a spoiler free exploration of some of the poems and short stories from the Anthology, Kinloch to…
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Episode 52 - GoT Finale Thoughts, New Masjid History, And Deontay Wilder
Umar Lee gives his thoughts on the Game of Thrones series finale, gives a little St Louis Muslim history, and talks about Deontay Wilder's sensational knockout.
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Episode 50 - Keep a School Open In Yemen, GoT, And Ramadan
Donate to the school in Yemen here and do your part to offset the negative effects of our American tax dollars and military. These children didn't ask for a war and are living through the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. https://www.gofundme.com/SaveSchoolinYemen To keep up to date with...
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Episode 49 - Steve Stenger, GoT, and Ramadan
Umar Lee briefly discusses Steve Stenger and Game of Thrones before talking about Ramadan in St Louis
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Episode 48: Historian Walter Johnson, The Centrality of St. Louis in American Social History
Guest host Stef Russell returns with a fascinating discussion with Harvard Professor Walter Johnson. The topic of the discussion is Johnson's new book (due to be released Spring 2020) which places St. Louis at the center of social upheaval and grassroots revolution in America from William Clark…
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Episode 47 - New Zealand Reaction And A History of Islamophobia
Umar Lee discusses the New Zealand mosque shootings, Islamophobia, and a history of anti-Muslim sentiment in the West
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BetterTogether For Whom? Panel Discussion of Proposed City/County Merger
Host Umar Lee talks with a panel of city residents who are hesitant to embrace the proposed BetterTogetherSTL merger of St. Louis County and St. Louis City. Panelists include Podcast regular and former city Comptroller, Virvus Jones, TEAMTIF co-founder Andrew Arkills, and ACS Data-Wonk,...
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Episode 46: Asad Dandia, Muslim Scholar
Umar Lee discusses Brooklyn, American mosque culture, Muslim history and more with young Muslim scholar Asad Dandia.
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Ep 45: Robert Parson, Candidate for Florissant Mayor
Umar Lee spoke with Florissant Councilman and Attorney Robert Parsons about his candidacy for Mayor of Florissant, St. Louis' largest municipality by population. Topics include policing, governance and the proposed St. Louis City/County merger.
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Episode 44- St. Louis Speaks: Covington Catholic, The Rams, MLK In St Louis & More
After looking at Pacquiao-Broner and the weekend in combat sports host Umar Lee gives his take on Covington Catholic, why all St Louisans should root for the Patriots, the MLK assasination and St Louis, and more.
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Episode 42 - City-County Merger Thoughts And More
Host Umar Lee discusses the Congresswoman Rashida Tleib cussing controversy, other incoming freshmen, and the St Louis City-County merger from Better Together St Louis.
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Episode 41: Drew Kupsky, St. Louis University Archivist
Producer Mark Loehrer talks with St. Louis University archivist Drew Kupsky. Kupsky shares what the SLU archive has to offer researchers and the general public. This episode was previously published on the now defunct website.
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Episode 40: St. Louis Speaks Year End Special Live at the Royale
Host Umar Lee interviews a number of 2018 year-end guests and gets predictions for 2019.
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Episode 39: University City Loop-Trolley
Host Umar Lee hits the pavement in the Ucity Loop to talk to folks about what they think of the loop trolley. Business owners, young folks, old folks, folks who don't want to talk--what do they think of Joe Edwards' latest prize. Loop trolley or loop folly?
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Episode 38 - St. Louis Speaks: St Louis County Prosecutors, True Detective, and more
Umar Lee discusses St Louis County prosecutors joining the St Louis Police Officers Association, True Detective,what keeps him going on and more
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Episode 37: Umar Lee On The Murder of His Mother And His Remarks at His Mother's Funeral
Umar Lee discusses the execution-style murder of his mother in the Meacham Park area of Kirkwood. The legacy of Karen Arnold, grief, and the pursuit of justice. Updated with the remarks spoken by Umar Lee at his mother's funeral service.
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Episode 36: Sarah Kendzior, Author & St. Louis Transplant
Umar Lee discusses St Louis, Trump, and more with author and Gaslit Nation Podcast cohost Sarah Kendzior. (Recorded 2 days before the murder of Umar's mother)
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Episode 35: MLS Special: Live At The Dam On Morganford
We're talking MLS and stadium and whether it'll be the silver bullet to save St. Louis.
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Episode 34: Umar Lee on Bassem Masri
Host Umar Lee talks about the recent passing of Ferguson protester, Palestinian activist and St. Louisan Bassem Masri. Umar returned to St. Louis this week for the funeral of Masri who passed on November 27th 2018
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Episode 33: Jamal Khashoggi, Saudi Dissidents, and St Louis
Umar Lee recalls meetings and times with Saudi dissidents in St Louis in the 1990's. Including leading critic of the Saudi monarchy now on death row.
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Episode 32: Fetzer Mills Jr: John Doar & Rural TN Politics in the Age of Trump
Producer Mark Loehrer along with guest hosts Tony and Emily visited Fetzer Mills Jr in his home in the small TN town of Ripley to talk everything from civil rights to rural politics in the age of Trump.
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Episode 30: Closing the Workhouse, Income Inequality, and Guaranteed Minimums
Umar Lee discusses Closings the Workhouse, Income Inequality, and Minimum Standards
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Episode 29: MO State Senator Jamilah Nasheed
The St Louis Speaks Podcast has featured several St Louis elected officials. We are non-partisan abd encourage an open discussion. We are interviewing Sen. Nasheed to discuss her background and life in St Louis, finding Islam, her history as an activist and protester, the current state of affairs...
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Episode 28: Umar Lee Live
Umar Lee discusses #CaneloGGG, #STL name change, Botham Jean, Julia Salazar in New York, liars, authenticity, and the recent protest of Deray McKesson during a presentation of his new book at Left Bank Books.
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Episode 26: Life in The St Louis Diaspora
Umar Lee describes what has taken him away from St Louis at various stages of his life and trials and tribulations in New York City, DC, Florida, Texas, and more. Always seeing the world as a St Louisan.
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Episode 25: Rick Erwin, City Museum Director
Host Umar Lee sits down with City Museum director Rick Erwin for a conversation about everything Saint Louis.
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Episode 24: Bryan Cather, Staff at the Scott Joplin House
Host Umar Lee sits down with staff historian at the Scott Joplin House, Brian Cather. Cather and Lee discuss a range of topics from life in Texas to adjusting to life in St. Louis as well as, of course, the legacy of Scott Joplin.
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Episode 23: Danny Wicentowski, Riverfront Times Reporter
Umar Lee walked through the Cherokee neighborhood with Riverfront Times reporter Danny Wicentwoski and talked everything from Ferguson to coverage of the Eric Greitens scandals that rocked Missouri in spring of 2018.
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Episode 21: Ezelle Sanford III & Virvus Jones: The Homer G. Philips Hospital Story
For this special episode of the podcast, host Umar Lee sat down with scholar Ezelle Sanford III, a William G. Bowen Fellow in History at Princeton who is working on his doctoral dissertation on Homer G. Phillips Hospital. Joining him for the discussion is friend of the podcast, former comptroller...
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Episode 20: Panel Discussion: "Guns And Ganja"
Umar Lee hosts a round table discussion at Rise Coffeehouse in the Grove to talk Marijuana law reform and gun control. Guests include State Senator Maria Chappelle Nadal, Alderwoman Megan Green, State Representative Shamed Dogan and St. Louis City GOP official Robert Vroman.
Topics in this show
About this show
Unfiltered opinion and unfettered curiosity from hosts Umar Lee and Stefene Russell makes St. Louis Speaks the best new podcast in town. St. Louis Speaks brings to ear regular guests including local politicians, musicians, media personalities on a variety of local topics.
Hosted by
Mark Loehrer