Communities Forward

Today’s podcast episode is part 2 of our interview with Opal Jones, President and Chief Executive Officer of DOORWAYS, an interfaith non-profit organization in St. Louis, Missouri that provides housing and related supportive services to people living with HIV/AIDS.  DOORWAYS assists over 3,200 individuals annually in 132 counties in Missouri and Illinois.  As the lead executive, Opal oversees this $10 million organization that includes five housing programs and a licensed 24-hour residential care facility.

In today’s episode Opal discusses the misperceptions those living with HIV/AIDS face, how communities can support them and their families, and why housing is one of the best tools for addressing their needs.

Today’s podcast interview is part 1 of a 2-part interview with Opal Jones, President and Chief Executive Officer of DOORWAYS, an interfaith non-profit organization in St. Louis, Missouri that provides housing and related supportive services to people living with HIV/AIDS.  DOORWAYS assists over 3,200 individuals annually in 132 counties in Missouri and Illinois.  As the lead executive, Opal oversees this $10 million organization that includes five housing programs and a licensed 24-hour residential care facility.

In today’s episode Opal discusses the path she has traveled to become leader of Doorways, as well as discusses the purpose of Doorways and how that plays out in practical ways in St. Louis.

Today's episode is part 2 of a 2-part interview with Michael D Francis and Michael "Bare Hands" Beran, creators of "Bare Hands Rescue", a live action show which is currently available for viewing on multiple platforms, including Animal Planet and Discovery+. In "Bare Hands Rescue", Mr. Beran and his staff of experienced technicians, spend their days rescuing and removing wildlife from people's homes and businesses. The interview explores both men's connections to St. Louis, how they both are working to bring opportunities in film and industry to the region, and what it's like to see their project come to fruition after years of hard work and sacrifice.

Today's episode is part 1 of a 2-part interview with Michael D Francis and Michael "Bare Hands" Beran, creators of "Bare Hands Rescue", a live action show which is currently available for viewing on multiple platforms, including Animal Planet and Discovery+. In "Bare Hands Rescue", Mr. Beran and his staff of experienced technicians, spend their days rescuing and removing wildlife from people's homes and businesses. The interview explores both men's connections to St. Louis, how they both are working to bring opportunities in film and industry to the region, and what it's like to see their project come to fruition after years of hard work and sacrifice.

Today’s episode is part 2 of our interview with Alisha Sonnier and Jami Cox of the Black Tea podcast. BlackTea is an audio and visual media organization founded in St. Louis, MO by two young Black women that aims to raise political, social, and cultural awareness while engaging communities in a conversational and entertaining way. During this second interview, Alisha and Jami continue to discuss their journey to make an impact in their communities by serving in multiple volunteer capacities. Later they turn the tables and briefly interview Terrell about his journey as a leader.

BlackTea is an audio and visual media organization founded in St. Louis, MO by two young Black women that aims to raise political, social, and cultural awareness while engaging communities in a conversational and entertaining way. The masterminds behind BlackTea are 20-somethings Alisha Sonnier and Jami Cox (Shout out to Jami! She is a member of the Rise Young Professionals board and a member of Rise's board of directors). During part 1 of a 2-part interview, Alisha and Jami detail the history of BlackTea's creation, as well as their personal journeys to impact the communities they work in.

Today's podcast is part 2 of our interview with Jenny Connelly-Bowen of Community Builders Network of Metro St. Louis. In this second part, she talks about the formation of CBN, her hopes for how the organization will continue to impact the region, and what she has learned in becoming a leader.

On this week's episode, we talk with Jenny Connelly-Bowen, executive director of Community Builders Network of Metro St. Louis. This interview is part one of a two part interview in which she discusses her background and transition from an unrelated career to leadership within one of the region's most impactful organizations dedicated to community engagement. 

On today's podcast, we interview Phillip Sangokoya of BRAND of St. Louis (Business Resource Association for Networking & Development). Phillip discusses BRAND, the impact of growing up with immigrant parents, his passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion training, and what has helped him as he has grown into his leadership potential.

The second part of our interview with Sal Martinez. Enjoy