Filmmaker Josalynn Smith’s debut feature, Ride or Die, kicks off Cinema St. Louis’ 25 th annual Filmmakers Showcase on Friday evening. Produced by Jamie Foxx’s company Foxxhole, Ride or Die premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival. Smith grew up in St. Louis and graduated from Columbia University’s Film MFA program and has been based…
Bonnie Blake, whose legal name is John Chaney, passed away this month at the age of 96. Blake has owned nearly every building along the 7100 block of South Broadway over the course of her life. The last building she parted with housed her antique store and several apartments, including one she long occupied. She…
Black Pride STL is marking 30 years of uplifting and advocating for the Black LGBTQ+ community, but the milestone comes with urgency. That’s why they’re launching the $30 for 30 Campaign, a call for supporters to give $30 in honor of 30 years. Every dollar helps sustain programs rooted in justice, joy, and safety. It…
Stepping into a new chapter with Out In STL feels like coming home — but with a louder soundtrack and a much bigger dinner table and I’m thrilled to introduce myself. I am Tai Davis, a proud creative, culinary enthusiast, and champion of vibrant, authentic voices. As a new member of the Out In STL…
When my father died, I didn’t know how to feel. We weren’t close. We hadn’t spoken in years. There was no big dramatic fallout just a slow, quiet fade. Phone calls that stopped coming. Texts were never answered. Time stretched the distance wider until we were strangers who shared a last name. Then came the…
Long before Keith Boykin stood in the East Room of the White House helping orchestrate the first-ever meeting between a sitting U.S. president and LGBT leaders, he was just a kid growing up in St. Louis. It’s easy to forget that icons often start right next door. Boykin, who lived here until high school before…
Downtown Alton has become a magnetic refuge for visual artists seeking community, inspiration, and creative rebirth. Since the pandemic, artists have been moving to Alton in droves—finding not only affordability, but an invigorating environment where art and culture are thriving. Long known for its legendary music scene, the city is now exploding with visual arts…
WerQFest is back, and it’s bigger than ever. With R&B star and breakout Broadway talent Avery Wilson headlining, and a stacked lineup of local artists, this year’s festival is shaping up to be one for the books. Avery isn’t just known for his powerhouse vocals that have landed him on stages around the world he…
On April 13, Jesse “Grim” Woods walked to the corner store in his Dutchtown neighborhood and was shot and killed. Homicide Detectives have now identified suspects. Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call the Homicide Division directly at 314-444-5371. Anyone with a tip who wants to remain anonymous and is interested…
Missouri History Museum’s groundbreaking exhibit, Gateway to Pride, the first-ever full-scale exhibit on St. Louis’s fascinating and powerfully relevant LGBTQIA+ history, will celebrate it’s closing this weekend, July 5th and 6th, with a range of celebratory activities. The exhibit has drawn over 100,000 visitors since it opened and has been featured in USA Today. Event…
