These are the people, companies pushing DEI forward in St. Louis

Michelle Li, the co-founder of The Very Asian Foundation and a co-anchor at 5 On Your Side and Annie J Mbale, Mosaic Program Manager among those individuals

The St. Louis Business Journal's 2025 Champions for Diversity & Inclusion Awards, which celebrate individuals, nonprofits and for-profit companies that promote diversity in areas such as race, sexual orientation and disability, include 14 honorees this year.

The focus of this annual program, which was renamed from Diverse Business Leaders four years ago, is to highlight those who, through their work, are truly championing the cause of making St. Louis a more inclusive place to live, work and play.

The 2025 honorees represent some of the region's largest private and public companies, including FleishmanHillard, Enterprise Bank & Trust and Thompson Coburn. There are 10 individual winners this year, two nonprofits and two for-profit companies.

You'll learn more about their work to make the region a more inclusive place to live and work in our special awards section, publishing Sept. 12. A luncheon to celebrate this year's winners will take place Thursday, Sept. 4.

Honorees are chosen through an independent editorial review, with selections based entirely on their merits, achievements and contributions to their organizations and local community. Commercial interests with the St. Louis Business Journal are not considered. Review panels may be comprised entirely of St. Louis Business Journal leadership or in combination with outside judges determined by the news department. The St. Louis Business Journal editorial leadership has final say and approval for all awards and honorees.