NPR Next Generation Radio

Jeff Perkins’ lifelong love for music inspired the Kansas City native to teach himself how to DJ in 2020. That same year, he moved to St. Louis, where he used music to connect with others and build community.

The Naichuk family was forced to flee after Russia attacked their hometown. Now, Olha and Mikhailo juggle multiple jobs in the St. Louis region while raising their three kids and dreaming of their native Ukraine.

For Maplewood resident Andrew Ring, food has always been more than just physical sustenance: It’s also comfort. After leaving St. Louis to become a travel nurse, he realized that more than the Gateway City's gooey cheese and iconic sweets was calling him back home.

Thirty years after fleeing her home country because of the Bosnian war, Elvira Ahmetspahic is sharing a Taste of Bosnia with her Mehlville restaurant.

Gabe Montesanti moved to St. Louis to further her education as a writer, but little did she know she would find so much more in the world of roller derby.

Amanzi Umoya has lived in many places, but never felt at home in any of them. That changed when they accepted a contra dance invitation.

A historic St. Louis church-turned-skatepark caught on fire in June, leaving just a shell of a building and charred rubble. Skateboarders like Avian Duke no longer have a physical home, but he said the heart of the skating community remains.

Breaking through traditional standards and styles of dance and body image, Auralie Wilde finds home wherever her body is.

Kevin Haller, an information technology professional turned artist, hopes to portray his history and connection with nature through his paintings of the American West.

Through a food truck named for his mother’s hometown in Japan, Kurt Bellon channels nostalgia and culture by sharing food with the St. Louis community.