Tangazo

Lewis Reed, according to his bio on the City of St Louis website, "has spent over two decades serving the people of St. Louis in elected office, civic and charitable involvement. He is currently the President of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen and serves as the head of the legislative branch of city government. Reed is the first African-American ever to be elected to this position.

"In his time in office," the city website continues, "Lewis has championed many causes including funding recreation centers, creating a one million dollar annual recurring youth crime prevention fund, founding Bike St. Louis and the rebirth of Washington Avenue. He is responsible for passing legislation addressing crime prevention, creating opportunities for at-risk youth, environmental sustainability, as well as neighborhood and economic development. President Reed also passed legislation to establish the first dog park in the City of St. Louis."

Here's a look at how the conversation went:

Part 1: "If you're going to be in public office/public service... understand people aren't going to carry you on their shoulders down the street and parade you." Reed got into office to find solutions to systemic problems, not to get people to like him. (0:00-19:15)

Part 2: Public Safety. Reed is a big supporter of the city's new police chief and director of public safety; he hopes that body cameras are just one part of a holistic suite of solutions that help give citizens opportunities to avoid choosing to commit crimes in the first place. (19:15-26:15)

Part 3: A seed, planted in the correct environment, will take root and begin to grow, young Reed was told by his mother. Nancy Reagan's "Say no to drugs" campaign, Lewis argues, failed because she "didn't give the kids anything to say 'Yes' to." What are the right yes seeds to plant in North St Louis? (26:15-34:00)

Part 4: Reed's vision for St Louis... "development with a neighborhood, and not to a neighborhood." (34:00-47:45)

Dhati Kennedy's beats provide the rhythms behind Tangazo. Andy Heaslet is the show's engineer.

Listen to more of Hank's interviews on KDHX from his time filling in for DJ Wilson on Collateral Damage; check out episodes 122-134.

On his campaign website, DeMarco Davidson writes, "I have been blessed to teach & serve in schools and after-school programs, worked for non-profits, organized political campaigns, challenged City & County ballot issues, mentored youth, served behind the scenes in the church & the streets during Ferguson, assisted in creating alternatives to homelessness, and I have been mentored by many of the great leaders of St. Louis. I am not a politician, but I know politics."

Part 1: "Not being a voice for the voiceless - nnmm mmmm. Removing any barriers, any boundaries, any issues that are muting or silencing the voices of the people. To me, that's what being a public servant is." Who is DeMarco Davidson and why is he running for Congress? (0:00-12:15)

Part 2: "'No Child Left Behind,' to me, is the educational equivalent of the crack epidemic. That's how bad that was." To fix education in the 1st Congressional District, Davidson says "We need an entire taskforce" because there are so many interconnected issues making it nearly impossible for kids to learn. (12:15-27:25)

Part 3: "This seat belongs to St Louis, not 'St Lacy'." The roadmap and organization that leads to victory for Davidson. (27:25-35:45)

Part 4: "We've never had anyone come out here!" DeMarco wants to represent everyone living in the 1st Congressional District and he's busy getting to know the people. (35:45-46:25)

*This week's episode is dedicated to the memory of the late attorney/activist, Eric Vickers.*

Dhati Kennedy provided the beats behind Tangazo. Andy Heaslet is the show's engineer.

Listen to more of Hank's interviews on KDHX from his time filling in for DJ Wilson on Collateral Damage; check out episodes 122-134.

The Universal African Peoples Organization (UAPO) was founded as an extension of three major legacies: Those of Marcus Garvey, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the principles identified during Missouri's first and second Statewide Black Peoples Conventions held in St. Louis, Missouri in 1984 and 1986.

Zaki Baruti is the President General of The UAPO, "a progressive business, political, humanitarian, educational and expansive society; founded and advanced by people desiring to work for the general uplifting of people of African descent throughout the world."

Here's a look at how the conversation went:

Part 1: "I was in a state of shock when nobody stood up." How Baruti came to lead the UAPO and become one of the first black men to run for statewide office in Missouri. (0:00-13:45)

Part 2: "A lot of people didn't think Obama could win... we've got to put those things in context when we don't have faith in our own selves." Lessons from the campaign trail for Baruti and the UAPO. (13:45-23:00)

Part 3: "Zaki and I have not always sat horses..." Unpacking Baruti's write-in campaign for St Louis County Executive in the months following the murder of Mike Brown in Ferguson. (23:00-48:45)

Dhati Kennedy provided the beats behind Tangazo. Andy Heaslet is the show's engineer.

Listen to more of Hank's interviews on KDHX from his time filling in for DJ Wilson on Collateral Damage; check out episodes 122-134.

Joe Roddy Jr grew up the son of an Irish political powerbroker in the city of St Louis, but he's spent the last 30 years making a name for himself as the pragmatic Alderman for the 17th Ward, overseeing some of the city's most robust development during his tenure.

Here's a look at how the conversation went:

Part 1: "When you actually vote on something... suddenly you begin thinking about right and wrong..." Alderman Roddy talks about his father, who he described as the "Last of the Irish Politicians" and how he came to shape himself as a pragmatic mid-town politician. (0:00-15:45)

Part 2: "Being biggest isn't always the best." The leader of the 17th ward discusses his views on development, population decline, and how his point of view differs from those of progressive and protest leaders. (15:45-29:40)

Part 3: "Anything that we can do to provide a more equal distribution of tax dollars." Roddy likes the sound of everyone paying their fair share to improve the health of the St Louis region overall: City/County merger, airport privatization, and the contraction of the Board of Aldermen. (29:40-42:20)

Dhati Kennedy provided the beats behind Tangazo. Andy Heaslet is the show's engineer.

Listen to more of Hank's interviews on KDHX from his time filling in for DJ Wilson on Collateral Damage. Check out episodes 122-134.

Eugene Redmond is a poet, professor, educator, and legendary luminarie who has told the story of East St Louis for decades.

Laninya Cason served as an associate judge on the Twentieth Judicial Circuit Court in Illinois from 2003 to 2015.

Dhati Kennedy's family fled the East St Louis Race War, crossing the Mississippi aboard a homemade raft. Kennedy is a percussionist, activist, and educator. His voice and beats serve as the soundtrack to Tangazo.

Your host, Hank Thompson, has spent more than 35 years on the air in the St Louis region, covering sports, politics, race, and religion, discussing current events and ensuring that the area's history is shared with the next generation.

Here's a look at how the conversation went:

Part 1: "Race War", not "Race Riots." Get to know the guests and learn about circumstances that lead to this horrible period in our region's history. (0:00-16:00)

Part 2: Phoenix rising. Out of the ashes of this race war, new communities and artists emerged. (16:15-27:30)

Part 3: "Black people have been called lazy ever since we stopped working for free." To understand the Race War, you've got to understand how and why African-Americans migrated north in the decades following the Civil War. (27:45-36:00)

Part 4: More than talk, "I just want some action." 100 years after these riots and 150 years after the end of slavery, these scars still shape our society - what's next? (36:00-47:00)

Helpful tip: According to Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, "A kwansaba is seven lines of seven words, with each word containing not more than seven letters."

Andy Heaslet is the show's engineer.