We believe personal stories have the power to inspire connectivity and evoke compassion for each other.
who we are
Humans of St. Louis (HOSTL) gives over 140,000 social media followers an intimate look into the lives and struggles of the people of St. Louis, one photo and story at a time.
HOSTL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that shares first-person stories and photographic portraits, featuring people and places throughout St. Louis. It is the second most followed “Humans of” site in the U.S. after Humans of New York.
Stories highlight areas of economic growth, philanthropy, and small businesses. They also address race, racial equity, gender equality, LGBTQ rights, community, family, youth, aging, health, disease, education, discrimination, homelessness, poverty, cultural awareness, and more. The project is intentionally grounded in social work, public health, and documentary photography.
Special thanks to Brandon Stanton, the creator of Humans of New York, who allows the Humans of movement to flourish!
Read more here about HOSTL’s start and our commitment to the STL region.
HOSTL AS A 501(c)(3)
HOSTL’s mission is to leverage storytelling through interviews and photography that highlight local needs, issues, and experiences from people in the St. Louis region and to share these photostories with a broader audience to promote civic engagement and social good. We’re committed to fostering a respectful online community where storytelling is the platform for discussion about topics such as life, love, St. Louis, current events, economic development, health, and social justice.
We have a small budget and team, but try to make a large social impact. We plan to grow our storytelling team, expand our board, and open up more opportunities for viewers to get involved offline and in person.
We sustain ourselves with the help of donations, grants, print purchases, paid storytelling partnerships, volunteers, and, very soon, our first self-published book.
We collaborate with other non-profits, small businesses, schools, and organizations to present, consult, and teach the Humans of St. Louis storytelling style while sharing the art of interviewing and documentary photography.
“STL ain’t perfect but it’ll always be home, and these pictures and stories make me feel a bit closer to home even if I’m 8,000 miles away.” - Fiona R.