Join us at St. Louis Public Radio on January 17th for an evening of true, personal stories about how reflecting in on ourselves can show us a whole new world of vibrant color. Hosted by the amazing Ken Haller. Doors at 6:30pm. Show starts at 7:00pm.
Stories by:
Erin Tyree is an informal science educator whose life is inspired by the quote, “It is our responsibilities, not ourselves, that we should take seriously.” Work responsibilities have included: Blowing up pumpkins, explaining the Higgs Boson with tennis balls, building hovercrafts, retelling the stories of her favorite celestial divas, and leading countless missions to Mars (plus plenty of less dramatic cubicle work). When not at work, she enjoys putting her physics degree to work by launching projectiles with her almost-four-year-old son or talking nerdy with her computer scientist husband. A Michigan native, Lake Huron is her happy place.
Charles Jacobson has an abiding interest in philosophy and the arts, and lives across the river from St. Louis in Alton, Illinois with a cat who doesn't like him. He has had a career in the barge and towboat industry, and his stories and poems are published in over fifteen publications, including radio.
Kamala Puram and her husband moved to Minneapolis, MN from India in 1980 to get their MBAs from University of Minnesota. Kamala has over 25 years of IT experience and held senior executive roles at H.B. Fuller, Northwest Airlines, and Pentair. After her cancer diagnosis in 2009, she decided to transition into a non-profit career to make a difference in the world. She joined as an ED at SEWA-AIFW, a Minnesota-based non-profit organization. In 2014 after receiving the Bush Fellowship, she decided to start a non-profit, AshaUSA that focuses on promoting health and harmony in the SA community.
Kamala and her husband have two accomplished sons, and they moved to St. Louis in 2019 to be close to their grandkids. Kamala continues to be active in her community, starting a senior group for the Indian community to create an opportunity for them to mingle and socialize. She is on the board at APDA, St. Louis Chapter, and runs a support group for Asian Indian families impacted by Parkinson’s.
Mary Ann Perkins grew up in St. Louis County and then lived overseas–in Germany, Lebanon and Thailand–for most of the next two decades. While abroad she had two children, survived a war, left the Mormon church, completed two master’s degrees, got divorced and built a career as a United Nations editor. After returning to the United States in 2021, she founded a peer-support group for people who have lost their faith. The group meets Mondays at 7 p.m. at the Ethical Society of St. Louis. Mary Ann loves distance running, standup comedy, and poetry.
Chris Cyr is a nationally touring stand-up comedian based out of St. Louis, Missouri. He’s a regular feature and headliner at clubs, theaters, and independent shows around the country. Chris has been a contestant on NPR’s “Ask Me Another” (he lost) and was an expert commentator in a History Channel documentary (about zombies). He has performed at venues across the United States and Canada, ranging from comedy festivals, to clubs, and theaters.
By combining his love for storytelling with a keen wit and unique writing style, Chris takes audiences on a journey that’s sometimes cerebral, sometimes ridiculous, and always ends in laughter. His album, “Adult Child of Child Parents” was recently released on a national label, and is available on Amazon, iTunes, and wherever you listen to comedy.