RACE: Listen. Learn. Live. | Young game-changers impacting their community

The intoxicating hums of each melody and the soft booms of each beat create an outlet for 14-year-old Tonie Kamkwalala Jr. He can skillfully play 14 different instruments but his heart leans towards the drums and saxophone.

"Those are the foundation of a good band," he said.

However, his journey hasn't always been easy.

"Many times, I've been put down in a lower spot than I should have been because of my race even though I was better than the other person," he added.

Thankfully, they found a safe haven for Black musicians in East St. Louis. That sanctuary belongs to 30-year-old Rosalind Rogers, the founder of the Inner Ear Youth Orchestra.

Roger provides accessible music education for inner-city youth. She teaches roughly 100 children from ages three to 18 annually.

"I target specifically urban youth because I was one and I was one without the resources necessary to put me in an advantageous place in the classical music world," she said. 

So, from selling her own violin to build funding to fostering fruitful partnerships to provide a place to play.

"These kids have had an opportunity to play before the mayor. Before the governor, the Senate, and state officials. They've been able to go to places," Rogers added describing how she helps her students. 

It's not just about hitting the right note. It's teaching them anything is possible.

Two young authors have five published children's books under their belts. The pages reflect on topics Aja Owens and Adrienne Draper felt they needed to read as children.

As they got older, the women from Jennings reflected on the children's books they used to read. And even the ones with illustrations lacked people of color.

So, Owens and Draper started creating their own stories. Collectively, they've now published five children's books that reflect families and children of color.

"It's not just African American characters," Draper said. "It's Hispanic characters, it's Asian characters. We just want to make sure that, it's the same as what you see in your schools, in the community, in life."

Draper is an educator with the Pattonville School District and Owens is a community activist who is running for mayor of Jennings.

But the plan is for more books with the hope of passing their passion on to more kids.

"Learn to love words," Owens said. "Just value who you are."

One nonprofit organization with roots in St. Louis is supporting the next generation of change-makers. 

Better Love Yourself is a nonprofit organization that awards first-year college students with a trunk full of tools to build a strong future with its Collegiate Trunk Tour program.

Reflecting on a program that changed their lives years ago, former Better Lover Yourself trunk recipients, Mahlik Good and Dr. Taylor Osuji said the program made their transition to college smooth. 

Good received his trunk in 2018.  

“By having guidance, I didn’t feel like I was alone," he said. 

Osuji agreed when she thinks back to 2011, the year she received her trunk through the Better Love Yourself program. 

“We were on the right path moving forward,” she said.

Stuffed full of dorm room necessities, the trunks given to students hold everything from cleaning supplies to food to bedding. 

Better Love Yourself has programs in seven major cities and has given away more than 2500 trunks so far. The work is rooted in the heartfelt history of founder Terisa Griffin.

This renowned singer and songwriter performed alongside the likes of Patti LaBelle and Isaac Hayes. But, she said, her crowning achievement is creating Better Love Yourself.

“In Monroe, Louisiana, my dad was a minister," Griffin said. "The ladies -- the mothers of the church -- put together a trunk for me. It has my comforter and some other things in it that I really hadn’t even thought about. But I still have my trunk today."

The trunks are just the beginning for the student.

The Dutchtown Melvin Theater was a dumping ground eyesore for years until activists saw its potential to help the community.

They restored the building so in return they could restore dignity in what felt like a hopeless place.

“That's something that we value at Restoration House, is that everyone truly matters. Every life has a purpose,” Restoration House Director of Operations and Co-Founder Lilly Blake said.

Blake said they help young people from ages 18 to 27 pick themselves up and start over.

“We have a lot of people who might come at risk of homelessness, which might mean maybe they never know if they might be able to make the rent or not," she said. "We actually do have young people who are street homeless. And one thing that is like an overarching concept that we see is the lack of support.”

Tiana Willis known as ‘TT’ said she knows firsthand how lack of support can destroy a person.

She lost her mom in 2018.

She said she was at the point of giving up but then a helping hand at Restoration House changed her life.

To hear their voices and more, download our streaming app 5+ to watch the full special.  5 On Your Side is always streaming on 5+. Download for free on Roku or Amazon Fire TV.