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Articles by Layla Halilbasic
St. Louis-area women challenge stigma around sex work in new TLC show
Tammy Thompson knows what it’s like to love a job and still not be able to make it work. As a registered veterinary technician, she cared deeply about animals and the people who brought them in. But long hours, low pay, a high-risk pregnancy and a childcare crisis during the pandemic forced the self-described nurturer to reconsider whether the career she loved could support her family.
Acclaimed chef Lona Luo brings Lona’s Lil Eats to Kirkwood — and honors her hill tribe roots
When Lona Luo was growing up in a small village in Xishuangbanna, a region in southwestern China, she never imagined she’d run two restaurants nearly 8,000 miles away in St. Louis. She certainly never imagined the food she learned to make over an open fire — with ingredients her family raised and harvested — would later earn her three James Beard semifinalist honors. She didn’t even like cooking. But Luo still opened a second location of Lona’s Lil Eats in Kirkwood on Monday.
Atima Omara makes the case for Black women’s leadership in new book
Political strategist and author Atima Omara embraces “instigator” as a badge of positive change. In her new book, “The Instigators: How Black Women Have Been Essential to American Democracy (And What We Can Learn from Them),” Omara argues that Black women who challenge injustice should be celebrated as “instigators.” She challenges readers to rethink what the label means. Omara said the book’s title is intentional.
St. Louis Palestinian dance troupe supports autism advocacy in the West Bank
When Hanan Hamed started St. Louis’ Canaan Wellspring Palestinian dance troupe, she saw a chance to preserve Palestinian culture through music and movement. As a mother to an autistic son, she also saw an opportunity to use dance to support autistic children and their families in the West Bank. The troupe’s Saturday performance of “Jafra” will support those children and their families.
Metro-east is now home to one of few Samoan language courses in the U.S. Original
Samoan Language Educator Viliamu “William” Fanene poses for portraits at the St. Louis Public Radio Station on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. Fanene teaches Gagana Samoa at the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. When Megan Kraus walked into Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s new Samoan language class, instructor Viliamu Fanene couldn’t quite figure out why she was there. Most students, he assumed, had Samoan relatives, spouses or some other personal connection to the language.
Southern Illinois is now home to one of few university-based Samoan language courses in the U.S.
When Megan Kraus walked into Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s new Samoan language class, instructor Viliamu Fanene couldn’t quite figure out why she was there. Most students, he assumed, had Samoan relatives, spouses or some other personal connection to the language. Kraus had none. As it turned out, she simply wanted to learn about a culture she’d never encountered before. Students like Kraus changed the way Fanene teaches.
Why young St. Louis shoppers opt for vintage over fast fashion
St. Louisans can browse racks of pre-owned denim, leather jackets, vintage accessories and other items in search of something they can’t find elsewhere on any given day. Once associated with bargain hunting, thrifting is a core element in Gen Z’s shopping habits. Zoe Pietrzak, a frequent shopper at thrift stores who's a junior at Washington University, rarely shops at traditional retailers now.
St. Louis wants teens home for the summer. Experts say enforcement is only half the battle
Ruby Reeves may live in the suburb of Webster Groves, but the 17-year-old feels the sting of St. Louis’ juvenile curfew, a policy she says alienates teenagers rather than helps them. “You create a hard line, people will find a way to get around it. I think that all the curfew is doing is creating a further barrier for teenagers to exist,” she said. “I don't think it'll effectively curb dangerous behavior.
Kako je Loryn Nalić odala počast bosanskoj tradiciji do nagrade James Beard
Read this story in English. Kada je prošlog mjeseca na dodjeli James Beard nagrada začula prve glasove svog imena, Loryn Nalić kaže da je sve oko nje jednostavno nestalo. „Čula sam samo prvo slovo svog imena i potpuno se izgubila“, prisjetila se kroz osmijeh. „Kada sam došla sebi, moj djever me držao za glavu objema rukama.
How St. Louis chef Loryn Nalic honored Bosnian traditions on her way to a James Beard Award
When Loryn Nalic heard the first syllable of her name announced at the James Beard Awards last month, everything else faded away. “I heard ‘L-,’ and I just blacked out,” she said. “By the time I came to, [my brother-in-law] had my whole head in his hands, and he pulled on me…I just started jumping up and down, screaming like a child.” Moments later, six members of her family joined her onstage to accept one of the U.S.'s highest culinary honors: Best Chef: Midwest.
U St. Louisu, SAD protiv Bosne je utakmica između dva „domaća“ tima
Read this story in English. Dok se Sjedinjene Američke Države i Bosna i Hercegovina pripremaju za međusobni susret u osmini finala FIFA Svjetskog prvenstva u srijedu u San Franciscu, neki stanovnici St. Louisa navijat će za obje reprezentacije. Elvir Kafedžić, osnivač omladinskog fudbalskog kluba St. Louis Dragons i Bosanac Amerikanac, kaže da je ova utakmica prilika za slavljenje dvostrukog identiteta.
In St. Louis, U.S. vs. Bosnia is a match between two ‘home’ teams
Pročitajte ovu priču na bosanskom jeziku. As the U.S. and Bosnia and Herzegovina prepare to face off in a FIFA World Cup Round of 32 knockout game on Wednesday in San Francisco, some in St. Louis will support both countries. Elvir Kafedžić, founder of the St. Louis Dragons youth soccer club and a Bosnian American, said this match is an opportunity to celebrate dual identities. “It's just a really, really rare sporting moment where heritage and home meet on the same field,” Kafedžić said.
A cave-in collapsed part of downtown St. Louis nearly two weeks ago. Here’s what’s going on now
Nearly two weeks after a 30-foot-wide collapse opened beneath Interstate 44 in downtown St. Louis, crews are almost finished with stabilization. The effort must be complete before officials can determine exactly what caused the cave-in. The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, among other agencies, has been working to secure the area and develop a repair plan.
Power your summer playlist with these new tracks by St. Louis musicians
Sometimes, St. Louis’ music scene is one big, happy family. Yaquis music director Skylar Townsend, singer-songwriter Ryan Koenig and STLPR’s Brian Heffernan knew that while exploring their favorite recent releases from St. Louis artists. This month’s selections showcase how tight-knit the music scene is in St. Louis.
How a live dating show is uniting queer communities in St. Louis and beyond
St. Louisan Lindsey Goodhart felt something was missing during her time at Missouri State University. As a queer woman attending college in the Bible Belt of southwest Missouri, she struggled to find spaces where queer people could gather and connect. What began as a note in her phone labeled “lesbian game show” eventually became “Closet Space,” a live blind dating show that doubles as a community-building event.
Edwardsville author unearths the stories of the women who shaped Route 66
Transcripts for St. Louis Public Radio produced programming are available upon request for individuals with hearing impairments. To request a transcript for “St. Louis on the Air”, let us know the episode date and topic and contact Alex Heuer at aheuer@stlpr.org. The “Politically Speaking Hour” makes government and politics understandable and accessible at this crucial point in history.
Bosanska i Panamska zajednica u St. Louisu slave kulturu uoči SP nakon remija 1:1
Read this story in English. Subotnja utakmica Bosne i Hercegovine protiv Paname nije bila obična utakmica za Milu Mujdžić i njenog sina Nermina Hajrizija. Mujdžić je tokom 1990-ih došla u područje St. Louisa iz Bosne, bježeći od genocida. Iako St. Louis od tada smatra svojim domom, subotnja utakmica djelovala je kao prava domaća utakmica. „Ovo je moj dom i slavim sa svojim komšijama, sa svojom zajednicom“, rekla je Mujdžić.
St. Louis’ Bosnian and Panamanian communities celebrate cultures in 1-1 World Cup lead-up
Pročitajte ovu priču na bosanskom jeziku. Saturday’s Bosnia and Herzegovina match against Panama wasn’t a regular game for Mila Mujdzic and her son Nermin Hajrizi. Mujdzic came to the St. Louis area from Bosnia in the 1990s fleeing the Bosnian genocide. While she’s called St. Louis home since then, Saturday's match also felt like a home game. “This is my home, and I'm celebrating with our neighbors, with our community,” Mujdzic said.
Svjetsko prvenstvo: Prijateljska utakmica budi uzbuđenje među Bosancima u St. Louisu
Read this story in English. Za mnogu bosansku djecu, prva igračka koju dobiju je fudbalska lopta. „Pošto se s igrom upoznaju u veoma ranom uzrastu, često razviju duboku ljubav prema fudbalu, a kako odrastaju, ta ljubav se nerijetko pretvori u cjeloživotnu strast prema sportu“, rekao je Elvir Kafedžić, pomoćni trener St. Louis City 2 i osnivač omladinskog kluba St. Louis Dragons.
World Cup warmup game sparks excitement for St. Louis Bosnians
Pročitajte ovu priču na bosanskom jeziku. For many Bosnian children, their first gift is a soccer ball. “Because they’re introduced to the game at such a young age, they often develop a deep love for the game, and as they grow older, that love frequently evolves into a lifelong passion for the sport,” said Elvir Kafedžić, St. Louis City 2 assistant coach and founder of St. Louis Dragons youth club.
St. Louis math teacher competes on ‘Jeopardy!’, secures a runaway victory
Nerinx Hall High School math teacher Stephanie Perkins’ students didn’t believe her when she said she’d have to miss school for an appointment she couldn’t reschedule. According to a schoolwide rumor among students, she was simply extending her spring break and off to Disneyland. Perkins was in Los Angeles. But she wasn’t there to see Mickey Mouse. She was there to compete on “Jeopardy!” Stephanie Perkins takes her place for the show at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California.
‘Gifted’ docuseries shows how family of St. Louis organ donor turns tragedy into hope
Maissa Abdallah loved laughing, dancing around rooms, swimming and giving to others. Even after she took her life on Aug. 10, 2024, she gave the ultimate gift: Her donated organs saved four people and inspired a story in “Gifted: The Docuseries”, which premiered April 1. The project takes viewers on a journey through the impact of organ donation. Abdallah’s mother, Kim Cupp, remembers her daughter as joyful and deeply caring. Maissa Abdallah, featured as a “donor hero” in the “Gifted” docuseries.
Public art exhibit in Chesterfield promotes peace with Holocaust survivor portraits and stories
During the COVID-19 pandemic, as masked visitors kept their distance while moving through his outdoor exhibition, German-Italian photographer and UNESCO Artist for Peace Luigi Toscano watched a heated argument unfold over whether the Holocaust happened. Then, one of the people captured in Toscano’s portraits stepped forward: a survivor. “He (the survivor) said, ‘You say that is not true. Okay, I will show you something,’” Toscano recalled.
How to coexist with Canada geese during nesting season
Nancy Schnell’s life was forever changed in 2001, when a student walked into her Ferguson-Florissant biology classroom and laid a newspaper on her desk that announced a slaughter of local Canada geese. They asked her, “What are we going to do about this?” That moment — along with growing concern from St. Louis residents — led Schnell to found GeesePeace St. Louis, a nonprofit dedicated to the humane management of Canada geese populations.
St. Louis musicians shine in NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest
More than 40 St. Louis-area musicians submitted original, desk-side entries to NPR’s 2026 Tiny Desk Contest. The winner of the annual competition for unsigned artists will perform a Tiny Desk Concert at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., receive industry mentorship and headline a 10-city tour.
A Regional College’s Enrollment Bet Worked. Or Did It?
A few years ago, in search of a financial lifeline, Webster University went all in on an ambitious plan: recruiting more international students to its main campus in St. Louis than ever before. In 2021, 116 international undergraduate and graduate students studied at the university’s St. Louis campus. By 2024, the number had shot up to 2,646. Almost overnight, they’d come to make up almost half the enrollment. Nearly all of the increase came from two countries.
Protecting Undocumented Meatpacking Workers
Missouri’s food economy runs on undocumented labor. Turning a blind eye won’t work anymore. In meatpacking plants across Missouri, hundreds of workers clock in before dawn, keeping one of the state’s most essential industries up and running. Many of them are Latino immigrants, some undocumented, who have become the invisible backbone of Missouri’s $93.7 billion agriculture economy. They’re the ones who process the pork and clean the poultry that end up on our dinner tables.
A Witch Hunt Won’t Feed America
Missouri’s food economy runs on undocumented labor. Turning a blind eye won’t work anymore. In meatpacking plants across Missouri, hundreds of workers clock in before dawn, keeping one of the state’s most essential industries up and running. Many of them are Latino immigrants, some undocumented, who have become the invisible backbone of Missouri’s $93.7 billion agriculture economy. They’re the ones who process the pork and clean the poultry that end up on our dinner tables.
Bosnian Immigrants Battle Mental Health, but Keep Growing Anyway
Note: Admir is a pseudonym used to protect the individual's identity. He requested anonymity due to the personal nature of his experiences and the stigma surrounding mental health in his culture and community. For nearly eight years, Admir spent most of his life in motion – behind the wheel of an 18-wheeler, miles away from home, navigating this country’s interstates and his own mental strain. Trucking was a practical choice: it paid for college and helped support his family.
Floods Are Getting Stronger - but so Are the People
Melissa Otey’s holistic wellness studio, Issa Lifestyle STL, was more than a business: it was a decade-long labor of love and a sanctuary she built for her Florissant community. From yoga, meditation, breathwork, sound and art therapy, and lifestyle coaching, the studio embodied her vision. It even included her own art gallery and a learning space for her children. It was truly everything she had ever hoped to create.
Community-Driven Support Helps Refugees Thrive
Ali’s name has been changed to protect his identity and ensure the safety of his family, who remain in Afghanistan. The name of the Colorado nonprofit featured in this story has also been withheld out of concern for the potential danger to the refugee clients it serves. Ali knew it was time to flee on August 15, 2021. The day the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, he and his family became a vulnerable minority overnight.
Disillusionment Isn’t the End, but the Beginning of Change
The Fulcrum is committed to nurturing the next generation of journalists. To learn about the many NextGen initiatives we are leading, click HERE. We asked Layla Halilbasic, an incoming junior at Webster University in St. Louis and a cohort member with the Fulcrum Fellowship, to share their thoughts on what democracy means to her and her perspective on its current health. Here’s her insight on the topic. I come from people who escaped genocide in a war-torn former Yugoslavia.
Beckah Reed Leaves Lasting Legacy for Dancers
The sun beamed as a soft rain fell on the Fourth of July in 1974. At a graveyard in Boulder, Colorado, as the glistening droplets hit the light, they landed on the face of 19-year-old Beckah Reed, who was fully immersed in tai chi. For her, the practice and place were perfect for solitude: peaceful, quiet and private, her gentle movement flowing with the rhythm of the world around her. But in that stillness, something shifted – a clear and certain voice pierced the calm.
The Queen Of Kumon
After 32 years of shaping young minds and tutoring students at Kumon Math and Reading Center of Kirkwood, owner and director Ann Quigley is passing the torch. Quigley, 63, began her education journey as a middle and high school teacher. During her 12 years of teaching in public schools, she realized she wanted to get out of the traditional school setting, but remain connected to children and education.
Local Artists Showcase Watercolor Works At The Old Orchard Gallery
Kirkwood’s Shayla Berkley and Susie Morice of Webster Groves were quite the artists in their teens. But as many artists often do, both took a hiatus from painting for decades. With the help of the “Wet/Wild/Watercolor Wednesday” painting group and the guidance of nationally recognized watercolor artist and longtime Webster Groves resident Marilynne Bradley, the two have rekindled their passion and picked up their paint brushes again.
Kirkwood Resident Creates “Fall Harvest Princess”
Teri Nicely expressed a profound love for her garden, the earth and her community by creating an 8-foot “Fall Harvest Princess” in the front yard of her home at the corner of East Argonne Drive and Gilbert Street in Kirkwood. Nicely, 63, constructed the scarecrow-like statue using spray paint, hula skirts, bark from birch trees, dead tree branches, and corn stalks and husks.
German Students Back Home After 3-Week Visit To Kirkwood High
Seventeen German exchange students who arrived at Kirkwood High School earlier this fall have a few observations about their host country.
Grace The Dream Bus
Owen Whitworth Ragland’s musical journey started at age 3 with piano lessons from his dad. By the time he was 7, he was deemed a piano prodigy. He was producing music and playing for local artists at 14. By the time he was 19, the 2019 Webster Groves High School graduate had a residency at The Dark Room in downtown St. Louis, playing his original pieces with a quintet. He was writing and touring for artists across the country, too.
Volunteers Build “Tiny Homes” For Military Veterans
Members of Kirkwood American Legion Memorial Post 156 are helping get their veteran brothers and sisters off the streets and within the walls of tiny homes through the Veterans Community Project. The goal of the project is simple — providing veterans a home with dignity and honorable services that make each of them a successful member of the community again. The Kansas-City-based nonprofit Veterans Community Project initially expanded to the St. Louis metro area in 2021.
“Our Little Worlds”
Bringing home an award from the St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase wasn’t exactly what Davy Stoces (they/them) was expecting less than two months after graduating from Webster University in May 2024. The animator defied their own expectations and won Best Animated Film for “Our Little Worlds” on July 28. “Our Little Worlds,” an almost four-minute animation, delves into the reality of depression and isolation through its contrasting, colorful imagery.
From Singapore to the States: Webster student navigates mental health, social challenges
Conservatory student Beverly Joy Goh’s journey at Webster has been rockier than anticipated. Born in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Goh moved to Singapore when she was only 9 years old. Coming to the United States flipped her life upside down. Aside from cultural differences, the way people in St. Louis treated and acted toward Goh was jarring to her. Even now, she is still adapting to culture shock after living in the U.S. for eight months.
Drag artist Maxi Glamour runs as first non-binary committee member for City of St. Louis
Maxi Glamour, a non-binary Webster student, is campaigning to serve as the first committeeperson for St. Louis City’s 3rd Ward. Glamour, who believes in St. Louis’ “unparalleled potential,” decided to run for office in hopes for the city to better understand the people in their community. The drag queen hopes to decriminalize sex work and the use of psilocybin (psychedelic drugs), as well as divest military spending and implement policies that promote ecological sustainability.
Webster alum pursues music aspirations post-graduation
How does Ian Buschmann spend his days? He’s playing saxophone for four St. Louis bands. And leading one of them. Buschmann graduated from Webster in 2020 and received his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies/Performance. He said studying jazz performance at Webster influenced his appreciation for arranging music and music composition. The biggest gift his Webster education gave him was his new approach to music. Buschmann learned to not push out a product that hasn’t been fine-tuned and perfected.
Webster alumna amplifies Black women’s voices through film
Sharee Silerio asked God to make her melanin-rich skin lighter after moving into a predominantly white neighborhood in Florissant. As a young Black girl, the event triggered some of the earliest forms of racism she’d come across. “Crispy.” “Burnt.” “Raccoon.” “You’re ugly because you’re Black,” her white classmates told her. Silerio found her voice by turning to film and television to escape. Now, the Webster graduate uses film to champion other Black women’s and girl’s voices and stories.
Activist Starsky kicks off ninth annual Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Conference - Webster Journal
Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson stressed the importance for young people to change the future at the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Conference. Wilson emphasized the power that current generations have to positively and effectively influence the future. He believes in the “brilliance of young Black students and students in general.” “Trust students,” he said.
Webster film students learn, produce TV show with Nine PBS
An entire world of technology surrounds just one person while everyone else stares, completely locked in. Danger in the form of sharp, iron hot objects around every corner. Each person in the room is ready to run and work at a moment’s notice. This is what Webster students are experiencing while producing Nine PBS’s “Teaching in Room 9.” Webster students get real-life film and television production experiences as they work on the television program in class.
Gorloks rank in top 25 of Coaches' Poll for third consecutive week
Webster’s women’s basketball jumped three spots—to No. 22—in the latest WBCA NCAA Division III Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, the highest in program history. This is the first time the Gorloks have ever been ranked in the top 25 of the Coaches’ Poll for the third consecutive week. Head women’s basketball coach Jordan Olufson believes the team’s success this season can be credited to the players’ motivation and internal drives.
Webster student works to have career in expressive art therapy
Webster University Psychology student Emerald DuBose plans to help others through the arts. DuBose is completing her Expressive Art Therapy certificate at Webster. Expressive art therapy is a form of therapy that allows for self-discovery and expression through different mediums like writing, music, visual arts, drama, cooking, pottery and dance. People typically work with a trained therapist who guides them through the process and helps them understand their reactions to their experiences.
Students walkout, disrupt St. Louis County Council meeting demanding cease-fire
Students held up signs that read “Resistance is Not Terrorism” and “Ceasefire Now” while marching. Chants of “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” echoed off the walls of the St. Louis County Council meeting on Tuesday. Students from Webster, Washington University and University of Missouri—St. Louis demanded the St. Louis County Council to approve a cease-fire resolution in the Israel-Hamas war.
Commuter council comes to a halt
Waking up to a blaring alarm, you jump in your car, attempting to beat traffic and make it to your 9 a.m. class. Afterward, you search for somewhere on campus to sit and do homework, before driving home and preparing to do it over again tomorrow. This is what a day looks like for your average commuting student. For the most part, Webster is a commuter school, with the most recent figures available to The Journal indicating a majority of undergraduate students commute to class.
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