• Tuesday, October 7, 2025
  • At WashU and online

The COVID-19 pandemic devastated communities throughout the U.S. and worldwide. Many of the voices most affected remain unheard. A new book, “Novel Virus, Old Divides: How COVID-19 Touched Every Piece of Life in St. Louis,” presents the stories of 54 St. Louis residents during the pandemic. Visual storytelling of their experiences offers insight into community resilience, health gaps, and the human impact of public health policy.

This event brought together the team that documented, with this book, COVID-19’s impact on St. Louis. The event featured the book’s creators, as well as community leaders, in a conversation about lessons learned from the pandemic. This event was in the Charles F. Knight Center, on Washington University’s Danforth Campus, and also was available via Zoom.

To read our story about the book project and the event, see here: Telling the story of COVID-19 in St. Louis
If interested in acquiring a copy of the book, see here.

Event Program

Welcome and opening remarks

Matthew Kreuter, MPH, PhD
Kahn Family Professor of Public Health and co-director of the Health Communications Collaborative Innovation Research Network at the School of Public Health

Comments

Matifadza (Mati) Hlatshwayo Davis, MD, MPH
Former director of St. Louis Department of Health; served during COVID-19 pandemic

Panel discussion

Moderated by Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH
Margaret C. Ryan Dean of the School of Public Health
Eugene S. and Constance Kahn Distinguished Professor in Public Health
Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Initiatives
Washington University in St Louis

Featured panelists

Matthew Kreuter
Co-author, professor of public health

Mikayla Johnson, MPH
Co-author, publication lead; research project coordinator at the Health Communication Research Laboratory at WashU Public Health

Penina Acayo Laker, MFA
Co-author, designer of book; associate professor, communication design, Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts

Closing comments

Gene Kahn
Emeritus trustee, member of WashU Public Health National Council