29 March 2015

Ferguson & St. Louis Area Panel Discussion

This panel discussion brings together community members from across St. Louis and WUSTL to engage in a conversation that explores the important viewpoints, real challenges, and hard realities faced by residents of North St. Louis City and County. As a result, we hope to identify areas where communities’ genuine needs intersect with the University’s genuine interests, providing opportunities for the WUSTL community to both listen and reach out in meaningful and authentic ways.

Panelists are:
  • Umar Lee, Activist, Freelance Writer, and Novelist
  • Daffney Moore, Economic Development Directory, City of Berkeley
  • Scott Ogilvie, Alderman for Ward 24, City of St. Louis
  • Dr. Rance Thomas, PhD, President, North County Churches Uniting for Racial Harmony and Justice
 • Melvin White, President, Beloved Streets of America, Inc.

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. All community members with an interest in the public realm, community development, social justice and related issues are invited to come and share your voice in this collaborative, interactive process. Along with tasty appetizers, we'll have large maps and other paper on which everyone will be invited to draw and express their own thoughts and ideas!

This event is the concluding public discussion of this series of events which included a screening of the documentary film "Spanish Lake" and a bus tour of North St. Louis City and County.


Series Description:

The Sam Fox School presents FOCUS: Ferguson & the St. Louis Metropolitan Region, a series of events that will address the complex economic, political, and racial landscape of North St. Louis City and County.

The events following Michael Brown’s shooting death on August 9, 2014, revealed deep divisions within the St. Louis area. The name “Ferguson” has become shorthand for the many problems and conflicts endemic to urban and suburban communities, not only in the St. Louis region but also across our country.

The FOCUS series will draw on a range of these questions and issues, investigating the intersecting—and often compounding—roles played by social and economic inequities, racial disparities, white flight, public safety, and housing and economic development. At the same time, the series will grapple with legitimate, thoughtful ways for citizens to effect positive change, with an emphasis on learning how to listen to, understand, and address conflicting voices.


Public panel discussion & dialogue on #Ferguson #STL urban & economic development

Shortcut link to event: http://on.fb.me/1BBzL3j 

#WashUVoices

16 March 2015

FOCUS: Ferguson & the St. Louis Metro Region

We will be showing the film "Spanish Lake" on Tuesday, March 17 at 7:30 PM in Steinberg Auditorium, Sam Fox School, Washington University in St. Louis.


                   "HOW FERGUSON BECAME FERGUSON."
                                –– Village Voice

The screening is free and open to the public. We will be providing complimentary popcorn and candy. The screening is the first in a series of events addressing current issues of concern in north St. Louis city and county.

Like Ferguson, Spanish Lake is a community in north St. Louis County which has undergone rapid racial, economic and demographic change in recent decades. The forces driving the societal changes in Spanish Lake parallel many of those in Ferguson. The most significant between them: Ferguson is incorporated as an independent municipality while Spanish Lake remains a part of unincorporated St. Louis County.

The film makes clear the important financial, governmental and policy factors driving these rapid changes.

One of the films greatest strengths is that we get to hear from individuals on the ground who made different decisions which resulted in the changes we see in the community. We hear people speaking from various viewpoints: White residents who remained or fled, new Black residents, Realtors, landlords and other community stakeholders. The Spanish Lake's history, intersection with the City of St. Louis, Federal and local housing policies along with other social and economic forces are dramatically and poignantly portrayed.

For a period of time following Michael Brown's shooting, St. Louis area theaters withdrew the film from distribution for fear that it might increase anger and frustration in the local community. In this sense, the film was censored from its planned local distribution.



You can find the Facebook event page here.

Please feel free to share this invitation to others who might be interested in attending.


13 March 2015

MCM Symposium in St. Louis

Mid-Century Modern Symposium in STLMO      April 14 - 16, 2015

As part of this symposium, John Guenther and Andrew Raimist will be leading bus tours of significant works of St. Louis Mid-Century Modern Architecture.

A few of the historic MCM buildings we'll be visiting on our bus tour.
This symposium will reveal the results of the “scratch test” done on the mysterious staining on the Gateway Arch as well as programs on mid-century modern preservation, materials, restoration, engineering,  modernism at risk, and the Gateway Arch and its evolving programmatic requirements; just a sampling of programs that all offer AIA HSW credits.





Flyer for the Mid-Century Modern Materials and Preservation Sympsium.

Among the speakers are Gunny Harboe, FAIA of Chicago; Bob Moore of NPS; Ann Dilcher of Quinn Evans Architects; Steve Kelley, FAIA; David Bright of Knoll, Inc. This is a remarkable conference, limited to 200 registrants. Tuesday night reception at Pointe 440 View (formerly known as the Pet Building), all ensuring a wonderful symposium.

To learn more and register, click HERE.