Meet Me

About half of the school-aged kids in St. Louis don’t attend the city’s public school district. St. Louis parents face an overwhelming number of school options: magnet, neighborhood, gifted, charter, parochial, private or homeschool. Host Luis Antonio Perez walks to school with a family in Ellisville, then sits down with three parents. Each chose different educational paths for their kids: moving to a school district in St. Louis County, sticking with public schools in the city and homeschooling. In a candid conversation they talk about why they love their choices, what they wish they had from the other options, and how people react when they find out. And, STLPR education reporter Hiba Ahmad also explains how a new proposal to close 14 schools next year might affect students and families. Sign up for the Meet Me newsletter at STLPR.org/newsletters Follow us on Instagram @MeetMeSTL Credits: This episode was written, hosted, produced and mixed by Luis Antonio Perez, with story editing by Alex Heuer and Brian Heffernan and additional editorial support from Hiba Ahmad. The executive producer of “Meet Me” is Brian Heffernan. Paola Rodriguez is our engagement producer with editorial support from Lara Hamdan. Podcast art by Cristina Fletes-Mach. Our theme music is by Kudda & Friends. Special thanks to Rukiya Anthony, Frances Landis and Chelsea Raiche. Grant support comes from the James S. McDonnell Foundation. Support this work at stlpr.org/donate

Missouri Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a referendum challenging the Trump-backed 2025 Missouri First map belongs on the November ballot. This means voters will get a chance to weigh in on the state’s new congressional map but also that congressional districts drawn in 2022 will be in effect for the November election. In this episode of “Meet Me” host Luis Antonio Perez sits with STLPR politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum to catch up on the latest news and the significance of this historic decision.

Missouri’s Trump-backed congressional map is one court ruling away from being locked in for the 2026 midterms. Host Luis Antonio Perez talks with voters about a confusing congressional primary election, then sits down with STLPR politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum to unpack the redistricting drama and the upcoming final court battle. Along the way, they revisit why the plot of the ‘90s film “Air Bud” is key to understanding the legal arguments over voting rights and representation in Missouri.

St. Louis city leaders voted to spend $255 million from a legal settlement tied to the departure of the Rams football team. Host Luis Antonio Perez revisits the glory days of the St. Louis Rams’ Super Bowl runs and the disappointment of team owner Stan Kroenke moving the team to Los Angeles. He also sits with two St. Louis residents — Brendalyn King and Eli Front — who live in different parts of the city. Brendalyn lives in the city’s historically disinvested north side that was also impacted by an EF3 tornado last year, and Eli lives downtown, where conversations about regional economic development are often centered.They discuss what it’s like to live in their respective neighborhoods, what they think would help their communities flourish, and issues that they see that money can’t fix.

At the start of every decade the Census redraws America's lines of representation. But in 2025, at President Trump's urging, several states — including Missouri — moved to redraw their congressional maps mid-decade. The result is a high-drama scramble that could reshape who controls the U.S. House. In this episode, host Luis Antonio Perez sits down with St. Louis Public Radio politics correspondent Jason Rosenbaum to break down the "what, how, and why" of Missouri's new 2025 map and how the movie “Air Bud” explains part of this saga. With August primaries already underway, we trace where things stand and what's still left to play out.