From left, Misha Marshall, Richard Weiss and Leyla Fern King.
The 63106 ZIP code houses some of St. Louis’ most vulnerable residents. Located just north of downtown, it includes the largely African American St. Louis neighborhoods of Old North, Carr Square, Columbus Square and Jeff VanDerLou. A Washington University study famously found an 18-year difference in the life expectancy of its residents compared to the largely white, affluent denizens of Clayton’s 63105 ZIP code.
Richard Weiss wasn’t content to keep the story in the realm of statistics. Throughout the pandemic, he’s led a team of freelance journalists as they delve deeply into the lives of 63106 residents. Sponsored by Weiss’ nonprofit racial equity storytelling collaborative Before Ferguson Beyond Ferguson with support from the Pulitzer Center, the 63106 Project has published stories in publications from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to the Riverfront Times (and even, yes, St. Louis Public Radio).