Everyone at 88.1 KDHX is wishing DJ Wilson a speedy recovery from his illness.
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Alderwoman Heather Navarro was elected this July to fill the seat left open following Lyda Krewson's victory in the river city's mayoral election last spring.
Navarro, a licensed attorney, is also the Executive Director of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, an organization that seeks to "educate, organize, and advocate in defense of Missouri's people and their environment."
Here's a look at how the conversation went:
0:00-6:30 - Introduction. "I don't know if anything can prepare you" for serving on the Board of Aldermen (BoA).
6:30-12:30 - Joining the BoA during a tumultuous time. "My role as a white person is to say 'Black Lives Matter'" and support the board's Black Caucus.
12:30-24:45 - Prop P. Navarro is glad the decision is ultimately in the hands of the voters.
24:45-25:45 - City-County merger.
25:45-28:45 - Public Education.
28:45-31:30 - Shrinking the BoA. Navarro serves on the legislative committee, the body who will decide how the new lines are drawn.
31:30-37:45 - What encourages Navarro? Passing a resolution calling on the city to get their power from 100% Renewable Energy certainly gives this environmentalist hope.
37:45-45:00 - Tax Abatements and wrapping up. "I have two dream jobs right now!"
You can catch guest host Hank Thompson on the air Sunday nights at 6pm on 88.7 WSIE.
Hank Thompson is back in the host's chair this week as DJ Wilson tackles some health issues. Check out Thompson's usual show, "Voices," Sundays at 6pm on 88.7 WSIE.
James Clark is the VP of Community Outreach for Better Family Life, a 31-year-old St. Louis-based organization looking "To establish social, cultural, artistic, youth, economic, housing, and educational programs that help promote positive and innovative changes in the lives of individuals and their families."
Clark navigates what he calls the "thick web of violence in our city," treating families' front porches as the front line in the struggle to end violence in St. Louis.
This community outreach professional keeps his phone on 24/7 and shares some of the stories that keep him up at night and the strategies that get him up and moving each morning.
One of those strategies is Peace Fest, coming up on Saturday Oct 28th 11am-8pm in Forest Park's Aviation Field.
Here's a look at how the conversation went:
0-11:15 - Why Better Family Life? "There's no problem that a strong black family can't handle," says Thompson.
11:15-19:45 - Showing youth a better trajectory. There aren't brick-and-mortar or policy solutions to violence in our city streets.
19:45-25:15 - The neighborhood alliance model. Outreach workers go door to door within a specific "handprint" (don't say footprint) performing family assessments.
25:45-36:00 - Protests of police violence vs responses to street violence in our city. "They just came by and shot us," cried a young man to Clark during a late-night phone call.
36:00-47:30 - What can well-meaning white people do? Don't get stuck in "analysis paralysis," we know that poverty is the root of the problem.
48:00-55:53 - Peace Fest, "Packing Forest Park with peace loving people."
This week's guest host, according to DJ Wilson, "has the best voice in radio." Hank Thompson usually hosts the weekly show "Voices," Sunday evenings at 6pm on 88.7 WSIE, but this week he's also recording at the KDHX studios with guest Virvus Jones.
Jones, a frequent guest on Collateral Damage, and Thompson have known each other for years. This week's podcast is a front row seat for a lively conversation between two wise men who have been living and breathing St Louis history, politics, and activism for decades.
Here's a very rough look at how the conversation goes:
1:30-15:45 - What's up in St Louis... Jones: Police may say they own downtown streets, but they don't own the streets up in Walnut Park.
16:00-23:00 - How did we get here? A history of politics, voting rights, urban renewal (aka "black removal" according to Jones), and blight.
23:00-27:00 - Do single parent households have a role to play in the state of unrest? Thompson: "You've got to have standards," Jones: "You've got to have money!"
27:00-30:30 - What can change? Thompson: You paint a bleak picture, what can change? Jones: Stop the incremental BS.
30:30-41:15 - Prop P sales tax and more on newly appoint Director of Public Safety, Judge Jimmie Edwards. Jones references this piece in the St Louis American.
41:15-52:45 - Thompson: "I want to get something out of this though..." Jones offers some thoughts including initiatives implemented by his daughter (city Treasurer Tishaura Jones). PLUS: a great debate about the recent town hall with Mayor Krewson and Representative Bruce Franks.