***RUSH***

BOB: And I’m Bob Garfield. More than 2 months after 18-year old Michael  Brown was shot by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, protests continue to occupy its streets and that of nearby St. Louis.  So far, in what’s been dubbed “Ferguson October,” thousands of trade unionists marched, hundreds picketed Walmarts to mark the August shooting of another unarmed black man, and activists for issues ranging from better pay for fast food workers to the plight of the Palestinians took their stands in Ferguson. Cornel West was among dozens arrested on what’s been called “Moral Monday.” He said that’s why he came.

WEST: We’re here because we love the young folk, and we wanna bear witness, we want them to know that there’s some older generations, some brothers and sisters of all colors, who are willing to put their bodies on the line so that justice can roll down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream

As a grand jury continues to hear conflicting eyewitness accounts of the shooting of Michael Brown, Ferguson has become both a magnet, and a metaphor.

Ferguson is symbolic of the explosion of race relations in this country

“Ferguson today is a metaphor for abandoned urban America

 “Representative Jon Lewis said ... Ferguson has made it crystal clear to the African-American community and others that we’ve got to go to the polls,”

It’s also exposed the racial divide that had slumbered beneath the surface in St. Louis,  resulting in ugly clashes between black protestors and white baseball fans at a Cardinals’ game.

clip Pull up your pants “Pull up your pants, Pull up your pants” USA chant

Chant “USA, USA, USA, AFRICA, AFRICA, AFRICA”

"We gave you your freedom - We’re the ones who gave you your freedom”

clip if they were working we wouldn’t have this “recordist: wow, there you have it, racism at its finest. if you were working we wouldn’t have this problem.”

BROOKE: For a decade, Kenya Vaughn has reported for the St. Louis American, an historic African-American newspaper. Since the protests began in August, the paper has ratcheted up from a weekly ...to an up-to-the-minute Ferguson news   hub and Vaughn, who usually writes light features, is now producing vivid coverage from the street.  Streets that she knows , very, very, well.

VAUGHN One municipality over from Ferguson is Jennings and that's where my grandparents lived for 40 years and that's where I currently live. and that's actually about a mile from Ferguson. What they call the ground zero of the burned out QuickTrip was where I got my gas every Monday and Thursday

BROOKE: How have your ties to the place affected your reporting

VAUGHN The struggle for me personally is to have a certain level of integrity and objectivity. As I report. Because I remember as a young person we knew certain rules and certain things to do to make sure we didn't rouse suspicions - something as simple as don't look at the police car. Keep your hands on your wheel. Make sure your plates are up-to-date. Turn your music down. I mean you get a drill, especially you first start driving. I felt targeted. My family members. People in my neighborhood we've all felt like we've been targeted in some capacity from law enforcement. I was an entertainment mostly by trade. I did soft news. And feel good features like so-and-so is turning 108 years old.

BROOKE: [Laughs]

VAUGHN So you go from that to seeing people getting tear-gassed. Kinda become a front line journalist. No one could have prepared for what happened, but it was just so empowering to see these young people stand-up for something they believed in and refuse to sit-down. If these young kids and this community can get the world's attention then the least I can do is tell story.

BROOKE: So it became everybody's beat at the paper?

VAUGHN Everybody's beat.

BROOKE: After the protests in August Ferguson quickly became, as I mentioned, quickly became shorthand for police brutality, urban poverty, racial inequality -- a symbol for the rest of the world. But what does that mean to you?

VAUGHN These situations that have been thrust to the forefront because of Ferguson we've been reporting for years and years and years so it was affirmation for us. As we tell these stories, to say 'Ok, so this is what we were talking about.' But the thing is the dysfunctional relationship between especially the Ferguson police and the Ferguson African-American community has spilled over into the African-American community and the white community in Ferguson the relationship which was cordial has deteriorated. White people are afraid the black people are -- there attention in protesting is to take over Ferguson and run them out which is not the case. And then the black people feel like they're still not being heard because nothing has happened as far as due process and moving forward with the case.

BROOKE: So just to be clear, no arrests. No trial dates set.

VAUGHN Well, the grand jury is meeting but no one has any answers.

BROOKE: What's your principal aim in reporting this story?

VAUGHN I just want to show people what I see. That these young people are out there every night, in the elements committed to doing whatever they can - use what they have which is basically their voices to show people that they want justice for Michael Brown.

BROOKE: So when a reporter from out of town tries to report this story, what should they keep in mind.

VAUGHN They should keep in mind that there's the potential for someone to be condesending when speaking with someone that they've made assumptions about based on what they look like or where they live. Canfield Green is a low end housing complex. While you see the tattoos, you see the gold teeth, you may see multicolored hair - but these people are the ones who put this story on the forefront. They captured the world's attention and I say they should with that same grace just like they would any other subject for a story.

BROOKE: Thru you're reporting I met people who seemed to be the soul of the movement who I didn't know. Tell me about Percy Green.

VAUGHN Percy Green is a activist icon around St. Louis, he has been on the front line for my entire life. EVen if he's by himself. If it's chaining himself to a building or whatever it talkes to get people to say this is unfair. And when I saw him at the protest. He had this big grin on his face. The look on his face was like 'well done babies, well done.' I know he probably felt like 'oh my gosh - all of that was not for naught.

BROOKE: So when you look at what's happening in the community Ferguson can change?

VAUGHN If South Africa can liberate itself from Apartheid. Then Ferguson can liberate itself form the division and the racial tension. If this becomes a platform for conversation. Uncomfortable conversations, but moving out of that discomfort comes transformation.

BROOKE: It's been 60 days of daily protests. What's it going to take.

VAUGHN Well what it will take is for the Police Department of Ferguson to say, 'Ok let's talk.' THere has been no transparency in the case of Michael Brown. And that's all everyone has asked for from day 1.

BROOKE: And you think the national press coverage can help.

VAUGHN Well yeah. Because it puts pressure on them. If someone is say, 'why aren't you telling us this, why aren't you telling this.' If I'm saying this at the St. Louis American is one thing. BUt if you have the Washington Post and The New York Times saying 'why aren't you telling us what's going on?' Then the message becomes impossible to ignore. Even though they still have been doing it. But...

BROOKE: So we're speaking on Thursday. What's your next story?

VAUGHN:There's this woman, this elderly name Margaret Morrow and she comes every night. I've seen her there for the better part of 2 months and she's there's to protest but she's also there to kind of love up on the protestors to make sure they're rage of them doesn't get the better of them. She hugs them when they get angry. She talks to the police. She almost like the Mother Teresa of Ferguson if you will. Like a matronly presence to keep people centered. That's the next Ferguson story I want to do.

BROOKE: Kenya that you very much.

VAUGHN Oh you're welcome. Any time.

BROOKE: Kenya Vaughn is a reporter for the St. Louis American and historic American-American newspaper in St. Louis.