Each year, 314 Day gets bigger in the St. Louis region. The regional holiday got its start among Black St. Louisans as a way to celebrate, represent and show love to their city — even when there’s much to critique and improve.
There’s a lot to celebrate and several options of where to party this year. Local businesses have set up shop with their best 314-themed offerings. Venues across the region are hosting St. Louis-centric events throughout the weekend. At the same time, 2025 brings a lot of serious matters to the fore. The mayoral primaries saw low voter turnout. People are calling attention to public safety, a lack of community spaces in the city, how homeless people are treated and efforts in Jefferson City for state control of St. Louis’ police department.
On this special 314 Day episode of St. Louis on the Air, hip-hop artist and community advocate Kayla “KVtheWriter” Thompson, “Overarching” podcast host and Realtor David Lemon, and host of “Voice of the Streets” Dsmoovee Shabazz share what they love about St. Louis, what worries or frustrates them the most about the region and their ideas of how to make their hometown a better place to work and live. The trio also react to other St. Louisans’ takes that were captured at For the Culture STL’s sixth annual 314 Day Photoshoot under the Gateway Arch, including reflections from 314 Day Foundation co-founder Tatum Polk and For the Culture STL’s founder Ohun Ashe.
What do you love about St. Louis?
David Lemon: “I think there’s a genuineness about St. Louisans. We have this chip on our shoulders like, ‘Man, I don’t care what outsiders think of us.’ We know the real St. Louis is a great place.”
Glenn Buford: “I love the people. I’ve lived in different parts of St. Louis all my life, and different parts have different types of people.”
Tee Parks: “With each generation we are trying to find a way to always stay innovative when it comes to community building, fellowshipping and making sure our city is safe, seen and celebrated.”
What worries or frustrates you about your hometown?
Tatum Polk: “The narrative of St. Louis is probably the most disappointing … that we are a violent, uneducated city and very segregated. I think given the right opportunity, we can debunk all those rumors.”
Georgia Soliz: “The youth are not being led correctly. People can say what they want about the youth, but let’s take some responsibility and some accountability as older people and say, ‘What do we do to push them in the right direction?’”
Dsmoovee Shabazz: “Gun violence is always the biggest thing when it comes to St. Louis. We’ve decreased it, but the trajectory to gun violence is so disappointing. Everybody has a gun, and it’s dangerous because [not] everybody have the mentality to have a gun and [they] don’t know what to use it for.”
How can St. Louis be a better place to work and live?
Kayla “KVTheWriter” Thompson: “People need more awareness and more education [on voting]. We need to educate the youth on polling places, candidates, issues [by] getting out in the community and talking about it. We don’t pay attention to these local elections as much as the larger elections, but we need to. Especially now.”
Ohun Ashe: “Listen to community. We have so many organizations — which is what makes St Louis special — that are already doing the work. Believe in the people.”
Bunita Marble: “2025 needs to be the year we fix these craters [in the streets]. My car fell in a crater yesterday. It was not cool. My husband was on the phone [with me] and was like, ‘Was that a pothole?’ How’d he know what a pothole sounds like?”
For more on what’s on St. Louis’ mind and heart, including favorite eateries, music venues and cultural amenities, listen to St. Louis on the Air on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or click the play button below.
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is produced by Miya Norfleet, Emily Woodbury, Danny Wicentowski, Elaine Cha and Alex Heuer. Jada Jones is our production assistant. The audio engineer is Aaron Doerr.
