Author Archives: Laura Kinsell-Baer

Good evening Ferguson Commission, welcome to the Shaw neighborhood. Shaw, being the location of one of three incidents that gave rise to the establishment of this Commission, is uniquely situated to address your charge: “to help chart a new path toward healing and positive change for the residents of the St. Louis region.” On viewing the racialized media images of the shootings and hearing the reactions of pundits, politicians, and activists, one might well come… Read More

By Lawrence Johnson, President Shaw Neighborhood Improvement Association With the shooting of Vonderitt Myers Jr. in Shaw coming on the heels of the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson and Kajieme Powell in Riverview, many people were left feeling, “here we go again, the same old, same old.” In a sense that’s true. With the growing social/economic divides, prevailing racism, and escalating fear in our society, such tragic shootings are likely to continue. Read More

SNIA is happy to announce the following recipients of the 2014 Shaw Helping Hands Grants. ARTS@SMOS: supporting parent-led & volunteer faculty, creative arts programming for K-8 students at St. Margaret of Scotland School Cornerstone Center for Early Learning: diaper service for enrolled preschoolers Isaiah 58 Ministries: health education and examinations to uninsured/underinsured women in the neighborhood The Micah Program at SLU: sponsorship of a Halloween Party for neighborhood youth at Mullanphy Elementary School Mental Health… Read More

From guest blogger Dmitriy Kabargin: Operation Blitz this past weekend was a great event. It was my second year participating and it was very exciting to see many neighbors come out. Events like this are very rewarding: you get to know and bond with your neighbors, get free exercise and you can see results of your work in beautiful clean alleys every day when you drive home. Like last… Read More

Every year, the Shaw Neighborhood Improvement Association awards small grants to nonprofit organizations working to improve the quality of life in the Shaw Neighborhood. Helping Hands grants are made possible by proceeds from the Historic Shaw Art Fair. Helping Hands grants have been awarded in the past to organizations that address gaps in art, education, environmental issues, youth programs and development, and… Read More

The Shaw Neighborhood Improvement Association is seeking proposals and bids for the resurfacing of the Shaw Dog Park. Proposals must be submitted by June 16th to snia@shawstlouis.org. For any technical questions, please contact Mary Walbridge at rxmom@sbcglobal.net Download the RFP… Read More

Posted by 2013-2014 SNIA President, Lawrence Johnson “The only constant is change.” This observation aptly describes the Shaw Neighborhood. Once, Shaw reached from Chouteau Ave. on the north to Magnolia Ave. on the south and from S. Grand Blvd. on the east to “the hill” on the west. After WWII, many of our historic homes were subdivided into boarding houses and apartments. And in 1947, city planning proposed razing parts of Shaw. Read More

-From guest blogger Mary Lisa St. Margaret of Scotland School celebrated Youth Art Month in March with an all-school project led by volunteers of the Art@SMOS program.  Pre-K through 8th grade students learned about site specific environmental art ahead of turning to their school’s exterior walls and fences.  Using trash collected from home and lots of paint, students created flowers from water bottles, yogurt containers, plastic bags and milk jugs.  Over spring break the parent… Read More

I wrote this bucket list last July and here’s the update! Italicized items were achieved, bolded items have yet to happen. Who wants to make these dreams a reality with me, particularly #18 or #29? Find me on NextDoor, let’s hang out! 1. Enjoy being able to get to Tower Grove Park without a car. 2. Check out the Tower Grove Farmer’s Market. Read More

It’s a wonderful and exciting time in the Shaw Neighborhood! We’re about to embark on our 21st Historic Shaw Art Fair filled with excellent art, food, entertainment & fun… The Shaw Neighborhood began the year by joining with Botanical Heights, Tiffany, Forest Park Southeast and Southwest Garden in a collaborative response to the Kresge Arts Initiative. While not being awarded a grant, the joint effort strengthened our relations with the… Read More