STLPR launches ‘Meet Me’ initiative exploring St. Louis divides

St. Louis Public Radio is launching a new project about connecting across divides to find a way forward in a moment when division seems to dictate so much.

Meet Me will connect with audiences through a monthly radio program and podcast, newsletter, social media initiative and events to build understanding about the divides that shape life in the St. Louis region and to demonstrate how neighbors can break down walls and build community.

Meet Me was funded in part by a grant of more than $820,000 from The James S. McDonnell Foundation (JSMF), the largest foundation grant in St. Louis Public Radio's (STLPR) history. Funding will be distributed over four years to support the initiative on air, online, and in the community.

The testing ground: St. Louis, Missouri

It doesn't take much to find a divide in St. Louis. The region has a notorious reputation for drawing invisible lines around politics, high schools - even pizza.

Meet Me will explore all of the contemporary and historical divides that define our region - from city-county governance to cultural fault lines - and invite residents to engage with one another in conversations focused on understanding perspectives rather than winning a debate.

"What I admire most about St. Louisans is their ability to tell great stories and their honesty about the state of affairs in the region," Meet Me Host and Lead Producer Luis Antonio Perez said. "I'm hoping we can leverage those gifts to bring us closer to each other and find a way forward together."

Connecting at the crossroads

Meet Me will introduce audiences to residents navigating the forces that shape our region and creates space for conversations that don't always make it into the daily news cycle.

Through a bi-monthly newsletter, social media storytelling and in-person events, the project will highlight voices and perspectives from our neighbors throughout the region. The project will also help listeners gather skills to feel more confident and empowered to talk across divides in their own lives.

"In a time where divisiveness is growing by the day, it can seem impossible to emulate what would be considered a constructive conversation," Engagement Producer Paola Rodriguez said. "Our hope is to lessen that pain by planting seeds of understanding. Maybe - with lots of care and cultivation - we can see the region we all call home come together."

How to listen

Meet Me will debut on STLPR's flagship talk show, St. Louis on the Air, on Thursday, January 29 at noon. You can subscribe to the Meet Me podcast at stlpr.org/meetme, on YouTube @STLPR, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Meet Me begins with a fresh look at one of St. Louis' original divides: the 1876 decision to separate the city of St. Louis from St. Louis County known as "The Great Divorce." In Episode 1, Luis unpacks how the 150-year-old breakup happened and visits a family whose home sits directly on the border.

The journey begins. Hear the season trailer of Meet Me.

How to participate:

• Sign up for the Meet Me newsletter to get inside scoop on upcoming episodes and shape our future coverage.
• Subscribe at stlpr.org/meetme or wherever you get your podcasts.
• Follow Meet Me on instagram @meetmestl

• Record a message for Luis or Paola via the St. Louis Public Radio mobile app (available for free in the Google Play Store or Apple App Store); or send a voicemail to 314-516-4373.