What started as a side project for these two students studying social work and public health at Washington University quickly turned into something bigger. Armed with a camera and a notepad, they hit the streets of St. Louis.
After months of talking to strangers and gathering stories, they launched Humans of St. Louis (HOSTL). With about 20 stories in their pocket and struggling to establish their identity, they created business cards and a social media page to give their project meaning. Gradually, they began publishing these photos and stories on social media—at first, four stories a day, then two, then one.

Lindy Drew could have been a photojournalist in another life, but this bold launch of HOSTL took precedence. Inspired by Humans of New York, she was approached by a fellow graduate student, Caroline Fish, who had the idea of starting HOSTL.
The energy between them was electric. If anything could shake you out of a daze, these two co-founders did just that in May 2014. The two hit the streets in between classes and soon found it compelling and addicting just talking to strangers on the street.
During a recent interview with KMOV, Drew opened up about her path as a co-founder of HOSTL. From relocating to St. Louis in 2013 to launching the storytelling page and witnessing its growing popularity, she reflected on key milestones along the way.
Born and raised in Arizona, Drew worked as a photojournalist for years. After receiving her Bachelor of Science in Biology at the University of Arizona and studying at the International Center of Photography in New York City, Drew traveled and worked through Latin America as a photojournalist.
In Chile, she co-founded OJOS nuevos, a kids-with-cameras program, teaching young girls documentary photography with digital cameras. In Costa Rica, she was a staff photographer for The Tico Times. She spent three years in South and Central America teaching English and working as a photojournalist.
Passionate about discovering the world beyond the United States and immersing herself in Latino culture, she embraced the challenge of navigating a completely different environment. “I traveled extensively, became bilingual, and grew as a documentary photographer specializing in portraiture,” she said.
Eventually, she returned to Phoenix, Arizona, and worked at Casa de Sueños, the Dream House, reunifying unaccompanied undocumented minors with their families in the States.
“The kids came from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. After spending two years doing this, I became frustrated with the immigration system and decided to pursue social work,” said Drew. That decision changed her life and led her to St. Louis, where she chose to get her master’s degree in social work and public health.

HOSTL—a project that continues to reshape narratives and build connections across the city—is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to sharing the stories and photos of St. Louisans.
“We highlight topics such as community, family, youth, aging, health, housing, education, race, discrimination, poverty, and cultural awareness,” says Drew.
“The HOSTL team is curious and creative,” she added. “For those who chose not to go to certain places or talk to certain people in St. Louis, now there is a way to connect to their very personal and nuanced stories. And that’s powerful in a city with so many divides.”
St. Louis has often been portrayed with statistics that paint a bleak picture—a crime rate four times higher than the national average, the highest murder rate in 2019, and so-called risky neighborhoods (Travelsafe-Abroad, Oct. 19, 2023).
But Drew and her team have challenged these narratives. Walking on foot or bicycling with a camera throughout St. Louis, the HOSTL storytellers have aimed to showcase the warmth and vibrancy of its communities, proving that many of these stereotypes are misleading.
In 2022, the HOSTL team self-published a 554-page book featuring a compilation of over 400 color photos and intimate interviews. The stories were carefully selected from thousands of interviews shared online, along with never-before-seen material.
HOSTL believes that “personal stories have the power to inspire connection, demystify diversity, and evoke compassion for one another.” The platform was built to allow people to see, hear, and get to know each other—directly from those in St. Louis.
This project shines a spotlight on the humanity we all have within us despite our stereotypes, assumptions, and preconceptions. HOSTL values the process of producing and publishing genuine stories and quality portraits to promote productive discussion, civic engagement, and community development.
For those of us studying journalism, public relations, and communication, this highlights the transformative power of storytelling—shaping public perception, inviting challenging conversations, and leveraging social media to inspire engagement, foster growth, and drive meaningful change.
Building a brand from the ground up while championing mission-driven communications showcases how resilience and a strong sense of purpose can pave the way for a visionary career. Lindy Drew’s impactful work with HOSTL highlights how a small yet powerful storytelling platform has effectively raised awareness around critical social work and public health issues, amplifying voices and promoting change within communities.
It has deeply moved audiences, sparking both emotional connections and curiosity about the city’s people, while also serving as a powerful example of the essential skills every communicator should master.

Today, with 145,000 social media followers, over 10 years of storytelling, and 4,500+ shared stories, HOSTL has grown into the most-followed “Humans of” page after Humans of New York. If you’re captivated by the stories of St. Louisans, explore their journeys by following their Facebook or Instagram posts or picking up a copy of the HOSTL book – perfect for yourself or as a meaningful gift!