Radio Debut

Frank Van Bree runs Urban Future, a non-profit “connector” of the Family, School and Community in impoverished urban areas. At the core of the model is the student whom they challenge to see and believe in his/her possibilities. At the apex is the family, the student’s primary educator, who is supported by representatives from the community and the school. This is some tough stuff. But Frank is doing good work. I cannot help but get involved.

I first met Frank while working on a project with Stlblues.net, a business that I was a part of. The objective was to, through Urban Futures after school program, put blues in the schools. We were successful doing this by getting several blues artists from to community to go in to the schools and do their thing. It was a huge success. I would later sell my interest in Stlblues, but Frank and I remained friends. In fact, his son plays music on my stage at The Wolf Public House.

I suppose that we were kind of destined to become friends-both having a passion for community, family, culture and diversity, a kind of custodial giving and moral capitalism platform that drives us; we have both used our businesses in a way that enhances our community perspective on all sorts of things, primarily art and culture and advocacy towards a better community.

So when Frank told me he was doing radio shows as a guest on Dr. Gina Loudons drive time show, I looked at him and said: "what is your angle?" Fastforward to today, and I am a guest on his show on Truthtalk 630 KJSL, while he fills in for Dr. Gina.

So what would I have to say? I am just a food guy with a couple neat ideas for my community. I like music, blues in particular. What in the world would I have to say?

My guess is that we will discuss lots of things but likely center our perspective on community and those fuzzy lines drawn between City and County; why there is division, what can be done to change it. We will talk about my platform; the things I do in my business to broadcast the solution for better community, my efforts to expose my community to what was needed. I will share my perspective on how a business can change a community; create storytelling and imagery that enhances the quality of life. Not through politics, mind you. Through a business development and strategy far greater than government.

This is the stuff dreams are made of. Looking forward to telling my story on how West County has more culture and more diversity, more focus on active living and advocacy towards being who we say we are, moral leadership, raw, un-conventional in your face, brakes off go get em....entrepreneurship.

Yup, we got results out here at the Ballwin City Limits, next up, lets take it on the road, down to the city, where the first order of business is to put music in our kids hands, because music is the language we all listen too.