St. Louis Public Radio, in partnership with faculty at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, has received a grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health to raise awareness of and stimulate discussion around health, education and economic inequities in our region.
Researchers from Washington University and Saint Louis University in May issued a report called For the Sake of All. The report states that racial disparities in our community affect the health and prosperity of the entire region. The report recommends actions to reduce disparities. Many of those recommendations require regional and even statewide policy changes.
Poor residents are often left out of decisions that affect their lives, but their voices are essential in crafting effective and workable solutions to the disparities that divide communities.
Policy change also requires support from the wider community as well.
St. Louis Public Radio will communicate the policy recommendations and deliberations coming out of For the Sake of All to the St. Louis area through a variety of approaches: news reporting, on both the radio and online, as well as through social media and neighborhood forums.
People receive their news from many sources: newspapers, radio, television, websites, social media and friends. Some sources are more reliable and accurate than others. As part of the grant work, team members will identify the news sources and news influencers in the north and south parts of the city of St. Louis and St. Louis County — and share with them the findings and recommendations of the research.
We hope to keep the conversation going by reaching more people and incorporating their reactions and suggestions in ongoing reports.
