Substance use recovery through ministry, a conversation with Dr. Leslie Johnson Moore of Jubilee Community Church
Dr. Leslie Johnson Moore serves as the First Lady of Jubilee Community Church in St. Louis. Dr. Johnson Moore spoke with the Confluence Collaborative about the Church’s substance use recovery ministry that has grown into a network of homes, mentorship, and wraparound care for men rebuilding their lives after addiction and homelessness. Dr. Johnson Moore also spoke about her partnership with […]
Missouri Public Health Institute’s Spring Schmidt on community based public health work
Spring Schmidt, a member of the Community Collaborative, is CEO and President of the Missouri Public Health Institute, a statewide nonprofit that supports Missouri’s 115 local public health agencies. The Confluence Collaborative talked with her about her journey to this work, the significance of public health, and the role community voice plays in MPHI’s mission. […]
Addressing the Opioid Crisis Through Data, Language Access, and Collaboration — a Q&A with Sal Valadez
Sal Valadez, a member of the Community Collaborative, sat down with the Confluence Collaborative to discuss how the Ethnic Community Opioid Response Network–Missouri (ECORN-MO) advocates for multilingual resources, disaggregated demographic data, community engagement, and public health collaboration to address the needs of communities often left out of opioid response efforts. ECORN-MO is a certified Missouri […]
Gabi Cole on Fit & Food Connection and Reinvesting in North St. Louis
Gabi Cole, a member of the Community Collaborative, is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Fit & Food Connection, an organization that supports residents of North St. Louis with free healthy groceries, physical exercise, and nutrition education. Cole spoke with the Confluence Collaborative about her work investing in North St. Louis through Fit & Food Connection and […]
‘Plants get sick!’: WashU scientists, U. City students research plants together
Rachel Penczykowski — or Dr. Rachel, as she is known by these first graders — is an associate professor of biology in WashU Arts & Sciences and an expert on infectious disease in plants.
From Classroom to Community: CAPS GIS Students Map Safer Streets
As city leaders invest millions of dollars in traffic safety improvements, WashU Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS) Geographic Information Systems (GIS) students Dash Martin and Margaret Mulligan wanted to understand a simple question: What impact are those changes actually making on the ground?
Inside the WashU partnership examining the power of Black joy in schools
Seanna Leath and the School District of University City are exploring how Black children’s joy, well-being, and racial equity can strengthen educational outcomes.
Chung receives Spencer Foundation grant to study postsecondary options in St. Louis
The WashU Brown School’s Social System Design Lab has received a $75,000 Spencer Foundation grant to study pathways from high school to careers in St. Louis.
Naseh receives grant from Missouri Foundation for Health
Mitra Naseh, an assistant professor at the WashU Brown School, has received a $612,000 grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health as co-principal investigator on a new project titled “Community-Driven Solutions for Sustainable Systems Change.”
WashU partners with St. Louis to expand CLEAN STL tornado recovery project
Washington University in St. Louis is formally partnering with St. Louis to expand environmental monitoring and public health research in city neighborhoods affected by the devastating May 16, 2025, tornado.