July August 2015 by DELUX Magazine

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#BLACKLIVESMATTER The Movement Continues By: Drew Williamson

he fight for justice and proper treatment of all persons by law enforcement has been an unremitting struggle people have dealt with for years. From Baltimore to LA, police profiling, brutality, and harassment is an unfortunate part of life for many Americans. With protests, petitions and campaigns to end the injustices within our justice system happening everyday you have to ask yourself, when will we have our change? However the clash has come to somewhat of a stalemate; in the words of Heath Ledgers Joker: what happens when an immovable object (the police) collides with an unstoppable force (we the people) ? American people are desperate for an answer to this most puzzling of questions and here it is: stay unstoppable. In a democratic republic we elect officials on our behalf to represent our ideals, hopes and beliefs on a larger scale. It is time we took the necessary steps into making our elected officials the megaphones to voice our needs and hold them accountable for all the campaign promises they have made. The rioting in Baltimore was a heinous act out of desperation, anger and grief. Violence is never the answer, burning buildings down will not resolve anything but at least, after all these years, the people of Baltimore have finally received the attention they deserved. Still don’t understand the reason for their rioting? Let’s use this analogy: You’re on a ship, it has a hole in it and you wind up on a deserted island. You scream, no one comes for you, you wrote SOS in the sand and still no one has come for you. Finally you decide to set that ship on fire to get a planes attention for help, when people finally show up they get upset over the fact you burned the boat rather than why you did in

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the first place. The issue with America looking in at the crisis in Baltimore is that everyone’s primary concern is the fact that they burned down their neighborhoods rather than why they did. However, let’s not forget or dismiss the people of Baltimore’s continued attempts at a peaceful protest despite their years of mistreatment and abuse in their OWN neighborhoods. Not to mention the harassment they dealt with from outsiders, primarily white, who instigated and assaulted the protestors first. The most recent protest (and most beautiful may I add) took place in San Fransisco’s financial district. Topless female demonstrators took to the streets to advocate the police related deaths of black women. A powerful and moving site to behold as topless women, not just black, honored the names of women such as Rekia Boyd who have been recent victims of police brutality. An incredible victory in the struggle for justice was recently in Cleveland, where the police departments racially charged police tactics have been under serious scrutiny. Cleveland PD has agreed to abide by strict and some exacting standards; Some of which are the most demanding in the nation. These standards cover how and when Cleveland Police officers can use force, and Cleveland PD will also be accepting strict oversight to ensure that these new rules are followed without any neglect. The only thing we can do is stay unstoppable, keep asking the hard hitting questions, question everything, keep protesting, read, keep yourself educated and never stop fighting. The fight for justice is only a small battle in the war for peace. We must be unrelenting in our demands and we

can never give up. And just as the poem Invictus invokes, No matter how strait the gate how charged with punishments the scroll we are the masters of our fate we are the captains of our soul. We must stay awake and never stop working toward a day when a black mother doesn’t have to be concerned about the people in charge of protecting her son, being the ones who killed him. The day when Mexican-American women don’t have to worry about their husbands be wrongly detained or arrested as an illegal immigrant. The day Muslim fathers no longer have to fret over the fact that their daughters may be harassed or profiled for their Hijab. The war for peace and love starts with the fight for justice. It begins with holding those who in charge of our safety accountable for their actions and our pain. No longer will we be the silenced majority, and no longer can we afford to be for the expense of our silence is a life. No longer can we allow media discourse shaped by generals, corporate executives and government officials tell us what is and isn’t news. No longer can we allow them to tell us what’s fact and what’s fiction. For it is the deafening silence of mainstream media that that weakens our regimes of peace. As Amy Goodman, award winning journalist and founder of Democracy Now! says in her book The Exception to the Rulers, “If you are opposed to war, you are not a fringe minority. You are not a silent majority. You are part of the silenced majority. Silenced by mainstream media.” Simply put, you are stronger than they’d like you to believe. The fight for justice will go on as long as this country allows and defends law enforcement to act recklessly and irrationally with the lives of those they have sworn to protect.

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Keith N Griffin II

PUBLISHER/CO-FOUNDER @DeluxMagazine Lawrence Bryant Co-Founder @lbfoto1 Michael Winfield Co-Founder @brklynstl Kyle A Griffin Co-Founder

Brian Shields Co-Founder EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nikki Smith Nik@DeluxMag.com Managing Editor Leneia O’Hara Leneia@DeluxMag.com

Fashion Editor Letitia McPherson-Young Letitia@DeluxMag.com Entertainment Editor DeWarren Smith Music@DeluxMag.com

44 regular featured

Stuff 08 12 People Who Inspire Home 22 34 COVER: SHARON REED Hair 25 38 Fashion Travel 30 58 Cocktails: The Repo-Man Advice 32 57 Profile: Gary Gunter Wedding 60 67 DELUX Scene Art + Culture 64 72 Profile: Jermain Todd

Writers Orrin Carter DeWarren Smith Hannah Sundermeyer April Whittington, LE Tiffany Shawn Kendra Pete Diane Jackson Sylvia Woods Oliver Sparton Kristen Mosley Drew Williamson Jessica Williams Seven L. Maxwell Graphic Design Studio 76 Arthur Smith Sylvia Woods Photographers Lawrence Bryant McArthur Smith Allen B. Thompson Keith N Griffin II Omar O’Hara Sales | Ads@deluxmag.com Keith A. Willis Sr

DELUX MAGAZINE No. 39 July/August 2015 · Year 6· PUBLISHER Keith Griffin II GRAPHIC DESIGN G5IVE MEDIA GROUP SUBSCRIPTIONS $19.99/YR. Mail Subsciption Cards and Payment to 4818 Wasghinron Blvd St. Louis Mo 63108 DISTRIBUTOR Papers Unlimited MO IPAD APP Available in itunes store WEBSITE www.deluxmag.com ADVERTISING Email Ads@deluxmag.com SUBMISSIONS Email submissions@deluxmag.com PRESS RELEASES Email PR@deluxmag.com

s ’ t a h “W n...” Going O Mother, mother There’s too many of you crying Brother, brother, brother There’s far too many of you dying You know we’ve got to find a way To bring some lovin’ here today - Ya

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Father, father We don’t need to escalate You see, war is not the answer For only love can conquer hate You know we’ve got to find a way To bring some lovin’ here today

Picket lines and picket signs Don’t punish me with brutality Talk to me, so you can see Oh, what’s going on What’s going on

elcome! Thanks for grabbing the new edition of DELUX Magazine. Once again our world has been shook by horrible actions in South Carolina-- I pray and hope that one of these future issues can go to print with out heavy hearts. Our condolences to the families of State Sen. Clementa Pinckney, 41, pastor of the Emanuel African Methodist Church, Cynthia Hurd, 54; Tywanza Sanders, 26; Sharonda Singleton, 45; Myra Thompson, 59; Ethel Lance, 70; Susie Jackson, 87; the Rev. Daniel Simmons Sr., 74; and DePayne Doctor, 49. . . . But all is not lost-- in this edition you will find individuals that bring hope and inspiration back to our communities, a list of educational instituions that represent the diversity we need for change. Also, a sad farewell to our georgeous + talented news anchor Sharon Reed, and an indepth explaination of “Who Is The Ferguson Commision” Plus, we are celebrating our new Editor In Chief, Nikki Smith...I’m totally stoked to see how DELUX will continue to grow + mature through her leadership + creativity... Also, much love to Lenia O’hara for creating such a strong platform for us to stand on and contine our growth -we appreciate all you do! Wish I had more space to mention the whole team individually -- you all make me proud.

With Special Guests... Kimberly Locke

Nikko Smith

Elliott Yamin

Featuring American Idol Winner

Ruben Studdard

Now sit back, kick your feet up with a glass of Avion Anejo neat, of course & enjoy your perfect DELUX world. Cheers!!!

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In a thought-provoking and intrapersonal way, former NFL player, Brandon Williams, provides a playbook to help athletes at all levels create a lifestyle that builds financial freedom. For many years, Brandon watched other professional athletes go bankrupt, lose endorsement deals and, unfortunately, create serious economic and legal hardships for themselves. Ironically, Williams could relate to these players all too well, as he faced similar struggles after his career. Although prime-time professional athletes can make millions of dollars throughout their careers, a high percentage find financial ruin shortly after their playing days have ended.

WHAT’S TRENDING AT DELUX: PHARELLS NEW CREATION When Pharrell Williams hasn’t been producing the entire new Snoop Dogg album, he’s been executive producing a new film, titled Dope, which is featuring the sort of roll out typical of the music industry. The poster offers the tagline, “It’s hard out here for a geek,” playing on the the Hustle & Flow line, “it’s hard out here for a pimp,” and features a number of connections to the music community, including stars Shameik Moore, Zoe Kravitz, A$AP Rocky, Tyga, and Vince Staples. Diddy served as a co-executive producer on the project.

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Dope will hit theaters on June 19, while the Pharrell Williamsproduced Snoop Dogg album, Bush, will be out on May 12. Looks like this summer will be a wild one for Pharrell.

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Ferguson Commission – For the People By The People Establishing racial and economic equality in the St. Louis Region

ix months ago, when racial tension was at an all-time high and after the August 9 shooting death of 18 year old Michael Brown, who was black by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, who is white, Governor Nixon announced members of the Ferguson Commission. Some of the appointees were selected by the governor from a pool of more than 300 people who applied. The commission includes 11 men and 6 women; 10 are Black and 7 are White.

its aftermath. “

Nixon asked the commission to address the “social and economic conditions” highlighted by months of protests surrounding the killing of Michael Brown. Sworn in were 16 members: a mix of lawyers, CEO’s, former and current police officials and educators along with one 20 year old protestor. Nixon said the group would have three goals: to study the underlying causes of the unrest, to tap into expertise needed to address those concerns, and to make specific recommendations for “making the St. Louis region a stronger, fairer place for everyone to live.” The commission has full authority to conduct hearings, consult experts, assess facts and develop specific policy recommendations to create greater equality and opportunity for all.

Revered Traci deVon Blackmon The Reverend Traci Blackmon’s life assignment is to advance God’s agenda in the earth through servant leadership that encourages and empowers people to live their faith. Revered Blackmon believes, “in the inherent good of all people and, although there are many systemic and structural challenges that must be addressed, commitment, collaboration, and authentic conversation will lead us toward the Ferguson that some residents experience and other residents only imagine.”

Who is in the Commission? Reverend Starsky Wilson, Co-Chair Rev. Wilson is president & CEO of Deaconess Foundation, a faith-based grant making organization devoted to making child well-being a civic priority in the St. Louis region. Reverend Starsky promises “Effective investigation, assessment and response to the multiple structural challenges that led to and have been exposed by the August 9th shooting and

Rich McClure, Co-Chair McClure is an active leader in civic causes. He has extensive experience working with communities, as well as state and local governments on complex issues. McClure was also chief of staff for former Missouri Governor John Ashcroft. McClure is “Passionate about addressing these very complex and serious issues, working with a diverse and committed Commission.”

Daniel Isom, Ph.D. Dr. Isom served as the E. Desmond Lee Professor of Policing and the Community for the nationally recognized Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, a position he took after retiring as chief of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department in January 2013. Dr. Isom would like, “Seize this opportunity to make St. Louis a better place for everyone to live and achieve their dreams.” Scott Negwer Negwer has served as president of Fergusonbased Negwer Materials since 1995. The company

has been in operation since 1924. Negwer is an active member at Atonement Lutheran Church and served on several civic organizations in Ferguson and North County. Negwer is, “Passionate about education. He is passionate about enabling those who are disadvantaged to succeed, and he is passionate about the well-being of North County.” Bethany A. Johnson-Javois, MSW Johnson-Javois possesses over 15 years of broadbased experience working and volunteering in the non-profit sector for organizations that positively impact the quality of life for disadvantaged populations. She feels, “It’s time to address the systemic inequities in our municipalities, in our region and in our great state. She wants to support the Governor’s effort and join with other leaders in developing workable and sustainable solutions to begin the healing process. Gabriel E. Gore, J.D. Gore is a partner with St. Louis-based law firm Dowd Bennett. He practices in the areas of complex civil litigation and white collar defense. He has represented and counseled clients in a wide range of complex civil litigation matters. Gores hope is, ““That the end result of the events that have led to the recent social unrest in our community will be that we grow stronger and more connected as a community.” Brittany N. Packnett Packnett is the daughter of educators and currently serves as Executive Director for Teach For America in St. Louis. She first joined Teach for America as a 2007 corps member in Washington, D.C., where she taught third grade at King Elementary in Southeast Washington D.C. Packnett recognizes, “Both the

economic and moral imperative of ensuring that Ferguson, North County and this entire region receive the kind of sustainable, long-term solutions that ensure tragedies like this no longer occur.”

Rose A. Windmiller Rose Windmiller is Assistant Vice Chancellor, Government & Community Relations at Washington University. She is responsible for the University’s state and local public policy agenda, and represents the University’s interests in Jefferson City, the City of St. Louis, and St. Louis County. Windmiller is, “Deeply aware of the issues affecting many parts of our region. The question we must face is this: are we actively engaged with members of our community who are, by virtue of visible and invisible barriers.” Rasheen Aldridge Jr. Aldridge is a community organizer and activist. Born and raised in St. Louis, Aldridge is currently enrolled at Forest Park Community College. He serves as director of an organization called Young Activist United St. Louis and sits as student co-chair on the Missouri Jobs with Justice. Aldridge, “Wants to be part of the Ferguson Commission so he can provide concerns and issues of the young people who feel like their voices and lives don’t matter in this world, which all lives matters.” Grayling Tobias, Ed.D. Dr. Tobias is a life-long resident of St. Louis and devoted educator who has served as the superintendent of the Hazelwood School District since 2012. He is actively involved in the community, currently serving on the boards of North County Incorporated, the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce and the TEAM food Pantry. Tobias feels that, “This situation is more than just about North St. Louis County, it is about improving relations between all races, creeds ethnic and social economic backgrounds.” Becky James Hatter James-Hatter serves as president and chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri, serving St. Louis City, as well as St. Louis, St. Charles, Jefferson and Cape Girardeau counties. Hatter believes the commission can, “Face our region’s toughest challenges, build more trusting relationships and ensure greater opportunities for our children, teens and young adults.” Felicia Pulliam, J.D. A native of St. Louis, Pulliam joined the FOCUS team in January 2012 as development director. Felicia is responsible for organizational fund development, support, and events. Pulliam’s goal as a member of the Ferguson Commission, “Is to expand access to those positive amenities and experiences to every one of my neighbors.” Sargent Kevin Ahlbrand Ahlbrand has 31 years of experience in law enforcement, and currently is a detective sergeant with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and deputy commander of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis. Ahlbrand looks forward to, “Being part of the process to identify issues and seek solutions which will build trust and bring our communities and law enforcement closer together. Patrick Sly Sly manages the Emerson Charitable Trust and the company’s community relations activities, a position he was appointed to in 2012. He is also a member of the boards of directors of the St. Louis Regional Chamber and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. Sly wants to be part of the Ferguson Commission, “To help support and heal the community, and to represent Emerson, which is committed to supporting our home town. T.R. Carr, Jr., Ph.D Dr. Carr is professor and former chair of the Department of Public Administration and Policy Analysis at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a Senior Research Fellow with the Institute for Urban Research at SIUE. He also served three terms as Mayor of Hazelwood, Mo., from April 2000 to May 2009. Dr. Carr believes, “Our challenge is to build trust between the public, law enforcement and local government.”

Byron M. Watson He served with the St. Louis County Police Department from 1981 to 2008, when he retired as a sergeant. A certified field training officer and DARE instructor with 33 years’ experience as a police officer, he is currently an officer with the St. Louis Community College campus police. Watson hopes “To bring more of a balance and give insight to on what it’s like to live in both worlds. Moving Forward In the month of April, 2015, community and law enforcement leaders came together with members of the Ferguson Commission Thursday to endorse a baseline model for improved law enforcement training standards in Missouri. The model calls for an additional 24 hours each per three-year period in the areas of tactical training and use of force, anti-bias and officer wellness training for a total of 120 additional hours of police training. The commission “urges all law enforcement agencies to implement these new baseline training models with expediency. This model addresses only three of the nine focus areas identified by our working group thus far. The Ferguson Commission has much more to explore, including issues of accountability and oversight, before we are truly making progress toward justice and equity for all in our region.” Training Model Specifics: Tactical Training and Use of Force – The National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) made a recommendation that tactical teams train for 16 hours per month in order to be mission capable. Additional tactical training will add to the safety of officers and citizens alike. Some areas of improvement include: specific threat assessment in cases of dealing with people with behavioral health or mental health illness, verbal commands, time and space, calling for assistance, tactical tools (Taser, Baton, etc.) Anti-Bias Learning – The International Association of Chief of Police (IACP) policy model on unbiased policing states, “Maintenance of public trust and confidence in the police is critical to effective policing and is achieved largely through fair and equitable treatment of the public. All officers will receive basic and in-service training and, where deemed necessary, remedial training as defined by the training authority on subjects related to police ethics, cultural diversity, police-citizen interaction, standards of conduct, conducting motor vehicle stops, and related topics suitable for preventing incidents of biased policing. Some areas of improvement include: Implicit bias, stereotypes, Schemas, implications for hiring, policy and supervision. Officer Wellness – According to the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) study, “Intervention is necessary to help officers deal with this difficult and stressful occupation. We want to educate police officers on how to survive 25 years of police work. They need to learn how to relax, how to think differently about things they experience as a cop. Some areas of improvement include: Diet, exercise, post traumatic growth, coping techniques and skills, family relationships and opportunities for family counseling. Additionally, there is some speculation that the Ferguson Commission is taking credit for reform, primarily Senate Bill 5, sponsored by Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, which prevents municipalities from using unfair traffic ticketing practices for the sole purpose of increasing local revenue. Under Senate Bill 5, a municipality may only fund up to 10 percent of its budget with traffic fines. The reduction would be phased in over two years. Additionally, the bill has provisions that create penalties if political subdivisions do not remit money over the threshold: 1) people in the city will get the opportunity to vote on municipal disincorporation; and 2) the excess revenue will be distributed to local schools, enforced by the Department of Revenue. The charge of the Ferguson Commission is to help chart a new path toward healing and positive change for the residents of the St. Louis Region. The commission members have the responsibility and the opportunity to hear from people from diverse backgrounds and all walks of life and to form concrete recommendations for making this region a stronger, fairer place for everyone. Nixon expects the group to issue a complete report no later than September 15, 2015.

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Seeing that level, of engagement for our kids, that’s what, wakes me up in the morning. If we as adults can unlock this potential for our students and give them this space to create, and then get out of the way, they can change the world way faster than we can.”

Rhonda Broussard, the founder of St. Louis Language Immersion Schools, has been a lifelong educator, and says that watching students learn and really uncover their own questions and their own action is what inspires her most on a daily basis. Having taught French in public schools in New York City, Connecticut, California, and St. Louis along with raising her own children bilingually, Broussard is the ideal advocate for immersion school programs and the benefits of incorporating foreign language into a child’s early growth and development. Broussard has earned National Board Certification,

the most prestigious teaching credential in the United States as well as completing her undergraduate studies in French and Secondary Education at Washington University in St. Louis and a Master of Arts degree in French Studies from New York University’s Institute of French Studies. Children start their mornings in the immersion schools with their teacher greeting them in French, Spanish or Mandarin Chinese. While a typical schedule is followed for the children, including the standard classroom subjects as well as specials such as library, art, and P.E., the chosen foreign language is incorporated for all activities DELUX MAGAZINE

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throughout the day. According to Broussard, students who start speaking another language in elementary school then develop a truly natural fluency in both English and their chosen language.

skills transfer into their work in general. They tend to be more resilient and more creative problem solvers because they have been making meaning from language works and context throughout their academic career” Said Broussard.

“Students may be in first grade in a unit of study around how people use art to express emotions. And so if that’s the question they are answering, within that unit of study they are going to be learning the elements of a story, and they’ll be learning all the art vocabulary, exposure to authors and dancers, painters, musicians, who will come in and display their particular art” Said Broussard.

The school’s fifth graders are assigned projects in which they must think about something they have deep personal passion for, and then they identify a problem and a need within that passion area. They then think about what they can do as an 11 year old to address it. Keep in mind this process is tackled in a foreign language.

Broussard says this process gets you inspired as a learner first before you are given information and answers. Students can ask their own questions about the work and not simply be solving what the teacher’s questions were. Students are give the time to explore a topic on their own as well as provocation from their teacher, who enables them to see what they can create. Students in the immersion programs are able to speak on academic impacts and social impacts, because they have done research in two languages and are really comfortable presenting that information back out. Students become more agile speakers and understand early on that there is more than one way that you can say something. This means there are multiple viewpoints that are developing when children are exposed to a different language and the obstacles that go along with it.

“I am hopeful for the world when I hear them because they are tackling some really big questions and when you listen to them talk through the process they articulate what struggles they had in their research and work and fears they had to overcome” Said Broussard. The immersion schools are intentionally diverse. With students from all different ethnic groups, all types of family compositions, and socioeconomic diversity, both children and parents are making relationships with people that they may not have had the opportunity to meet before. “[As a result] our adult community has grown much more sensitive and welcoming to people from all walks of life and have made closer ties to our current students and everyone who has been touched by the St. Louis Language Immersion Schools” Said Broussard.

“Students in the classroom know that if a teacher phrases something and they are not understanding that they can ask for help or try multiple times. We see those non-cognitive

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INSPIRE DIONNE FERGUSON Words By: Nikki Smith

Photo by: Arthur Smith

Former Peace Corps Volunteer, Dionne Ferguson is certainly an exceptional woman of service. It was during her Peace Corps tenure in Southern Africa that she was inspired to start a youth development organization that would mentor and inspire young people much like those she had the pleasure of encountering in Southern Africa. “The Peace Corps was assisting rural communities with drilling water wells and the young people of the community would come by and watch us and were genuinely interested in what we were doing. There are so many children like that here in our own community. They have dreams, hope, and ambition but sometimes don’t have the support and encouragement they need to become whatever it is that they want to become”. In 2004, Ms. Ferguson and a board of directors filled with family and friends, began Good Journey Development Foundation, a not for profit organization driven to assist young people across the St. Louis area find out who they are, what they are purposed to do, and helping them to achieve whatever goals they have set for themselves. Since its founding, Good Journey has grown from an organization with a single program in partnership with the Department of Recreation in St. Louis City, to a fully operational youth development agency with multiple programs that focus on life skills, expression through art, leadership, and even workshops and seminars for adults who are interested in being trained to work with young people. At the heart of Good Journey is the idea of allowing youth participants to have a life changing experience through an exchange from a different culture. This past summer the organization took six young people, ages 11-15, to South Africa. “Our Community, Our World is the title of this community-based program that assists participants in understanding the importance of community building and to begin to see themselves as community builders.” Once in South Africa, participants were encouraged to engulf themselves in the culture and explore different foods, dances, and traditions. They were even given the opportunity to hold deep and enlightening conversations with South African students and discuss not only their differences, but also learned they their experiences had many of the same similarities—such as the violence against people of color in their respective communities; causing them to come to a welldeserved mutual respect for one another. The youth of Good Journey also learned more about apartheid and was afforded the opportunity to visit Robben Island, the prison at which the great Nelson Mandela spent more than 18 years of his life. When asked what was next for Good Journey Development Foundation, Ms. Ferguson bore a huge smile as she discussed working with the Resilience Coalition; an organization sponsored by the Department of Mental Health in response to the events in Ferguson and those like it across the area. “The Resilience Coalition gives our young people the opportunity to learn about toxic stress as a result of experiencing racism and discriminatory practices and its effects on the people in our community. The young people in our organization will be trained to become ‘youth mental first aid providers’”. Good Journey is now accepting up to 30 young people, ages 9-14, for the Summer Leadership Academy to be held this summer, June 1st- July 23rd at the Fire Fighters Institute for Racial Equality. They also have plans to take another group back to South Africa in July 2016. If you are interested in getting someone you know involved with Good Journey Development Foundation and/or interested in joining their Board of Directors, visit them online at www.GoodJourney.org. This dynamic organization is promoting leadership, community building, and selfexpression through the lives of young people across the St. Louis Metropolitan Area and it is no wonder that they have received such esteemed praise from the community; but all of this could not have been done without the fearless guidance and exceptional ambition of its founder, Ms. Dionne Ferguson.

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KEITHEN STALLINGS

Words by: Dianne Jackson

Photo by: Allen Thompson

At Monsanto Company, diversity is an integral part of its corporate culture. The global agricultural corporation is committed to attracting and retaining talented employees from a wide range of backgrounds. That’s where Keithen Stallings comes in.

assignments and team-based projects that closely align with their field of study. Students benefit by having access to training, networking, and professional guidance given by Keithen and his colleagues.

Keithen does diversity outreach by forming partnerships with the Council of 1890 Land Grant Universities—a network of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) dedicated to providing educational opportunities for students through innovative scientific research and community-minded extension programs.

“My goal is to instill in the youth what it takes to be successful, [to help them understand] the virtue of hard work and most importantly to give back to the next person so that they can be successful as well, Keithen said. “I want them to look at the big picture and know that it’s not all about you. It’s about the next person. It’s about the footprint that you leave when you depart this earth.”

Monsanto offers highly-competitive paid 10-12 week summer internships and six-month coops in the fall and spring semester. In addition, Monsanto has recently launched scholarship and apprenticeship programs for diverse students enrolled in STEM related programs.

The most rewarding part of Keithen’s job is meeting new people and building relationships as he travels in the Fall and Spring to different colleges and universities around the country. The most challenging part is being away from his beautiful wife, Daphne, and their 5-year-old son, Kellen.

In his current role, Keithen manages the relationships with 21 1890 HBCUs in order to help Monsanto build a more diverse pipeline of talent.

Keithen was born and raised in East St. Louis, and now resides on the south side of St. Louis city. He counts his mother, Jean, as his greatest role model. She raised Keithen and his two brothers (one older and one younger) as a single parent.

“I love seeing our future leaders transition from being college students to young professionals. I keep tabs on them throughout their careers. I enjoy seeing them becoming leaders in their industry and going out into the community to do great work”. From their first day working at Monsanto, students hit the ground running and become contributing members of a high performing team with meaningful responsibilities, which allows them to have a realistic look at how Monsanto works. Candidates have the ability to make an immediate impact to Monsanto’s bottom line by applying their coursework to a variety of individual work

Keithen holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from Illinois State University. After Keithen obtained his degree, he felt that it was important to return back to his own community in order to “expose other kids to the fact that there’s something more out there”. He has remained active in and around the St. Louis and East St. Louis area ever since. In 2013, Keithen received the St. Louis American Salute to Young Leaders Award. Some of his past community work includes serving on the board at Harris-Stowe Child Development Center’s

Parental Board, volunteering with the United Way, Community Cuts for Kids, KidSmart Backpack Giveaway, Urban League Turkey Giveaway, and SLU Campus Kitchen. He also served as a mentor for at-risk high school students for the Urban League School to Business Program. Keithen created the St. Louis Employment Network, an online community that assists people with their search for employment. He has served as Chairman of the Retention Committee with NAAHR, the core leadership team with African-Americans at Monsanto, and mentors minority college students with MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences). Keithen is currently a member and sits on the board of directors of the 100 Black Men of Metropolitan St. Louis. “There is so much work that needs to be done in the community. There are very few people doing a lot of work,” Keithen said. “I take pride in [volunteering]. My son sees me doing it. I get involved in as much as possible.” Just as he strives to improve himself physically— he works out daily and is a vegetarian— Keithen continues to improve himself professionally. He was nominated to become a part of the Consortium for Leadership Development (CLD), which is an association of high-profile corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and educators who have joined forces to create a training program for high-potential individuals and emerging business leaders. The program offers training modules, skill building forums and targeted leadership symposiums to cultivate the next generation of leaders. Keithen has successfully completed the program and will graduate on June 13th, 2015. DELUX MAGAZINE

18 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

INSPIRE

DELUX.COM OR IPAD APP FOR MORE WITH TAMARA KELLY

TAMARA KELLY By: Nikki Smith

photo: Arthur Smith

Creative, ambitious, and determined are all words that accurately describe Tamara Kelly, an entrepreneur that has triumphed over hardships and excelled beyond her wildest dreams. Her brilliant smile cannot be missed if you just happen to be acquainted with her social media and follow her inspirational updates on how overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges. Her influence goes beyond a 140 character post as she serves in various capacities of entrepreneurship including executive director of a non-profit organization, president of a publishing company, and mentor to other entrepreneurs. She is truly phenomenal. After resigning as a teacher in St. Louis Public School District, Tamara set out to chase her dreams of focusing on dance full time as a performer and instructor. Her love for the art moved her to start TruPrz Ministries, a nonprofit in the St. Louis area that provides children and adults of all ethnicities an equal opportunity to receive individualized and group instruction in education through the arts; while increasing an awareness of the arts in education, utilizing theatre and dance as a creative outlet. With a strong background in theatre and dance, Tamara began TruPrz with a goal of equipping and empowering young people and adults with the tools and encouragement necessary to maximize their self-confidence, self-esteem, and emotional maturity.

Since starting TruPrz Ministries, she has since launched a TLK Publishing LLC—which began so that she could self-publish her book “My Journey to Wholeness” but has since grown as an outlet to assist other rising authors. “My Journey to Wholeness” documents Tamara’s trials and triumphs while chancing her dreams of entrepreneurship, and her healing process, which serves as an encouragement to readers to stay motivated and to acquire and maintain selflove. If being a performer, dance instructor and self- published author wasn’t enough, Tamara has also launch Tamara Kelly LLC –a brand under which she serves as a mentor and speaker to other entrepreneurs. “Entrepreneurship is important because it allows you to have ownership over your destiny—something you can commit to and it will truly be yours. You already have everything inside of you to be successful; I just assist you with learning how to enhance it.” Her message to the world “Don’t give up on you—the more you stay consistent, the more it’s going to come together. If you tap out you’ll never know what your true potential could have been.” Inspirational words from a truly inspirational woman.

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DELUX POET’S SOCIETY

FORMERLY KNOWN AS POETIC SLANG: THE INTRODUCTION OF

Salena Burch Her smile is infectious and it was impossible to not notice her grace as she sat across from me in the busy and bustling Bread Co. Just the mere fact that she decided to keep the appointment spoke to her dedication and strength; she was just in a car accident with an 18 wheeler a few days before. Thankfully, she only suffered minor injuries and pain in her legs, and she still managed to walk to the Tower Grove Bread Co. to meet with me. Her voice needed to be heard and her story shared with the world. They say the best storytellers are poets; those who can intricately craft similes and metaphors into a beautiful cadence that has the power to move the audience in such a way, the only way that they can respond is to shout “say that” accompanied with a passionate snap of their fingers. Salena is a storyteller all her own. As a young writer, Salena wrote short stories as a healing mechanism. Carefully crafting stories of love gained, lost, and never to be found again. A frequent visitor of Legacy Books and Café’s poetry night on Fridays, a friend encouraged her to get up on stage during an open mic session. “I was so nervous. My writing wasn’t like the other poets who had graced the stage. And I had never performed before.” Much to her surprise, the audience embraced her unique storytelling style and that performance became the first of many. In choosing a stage name for herself, she decided to go with “Poetic Slang”; which was originally her Twitter name. “The traditional poetry that you read in school is so structured. That was me. I talked in slang and that’s how I connected with my audience. And thus became the name Poetic Slang”. From the Legacy stage, Salena went on to seek higher heights. She tried out for the Slam team, a group of poets that represent the city and compete in national competitions across the country. “My first slam competition was Southern Fried in New Orleans, LA. It was around this

time that I began to transition from talking about love, to talking about other things that were becoming more important to me. I started to identify with being an activist and feminist. So had I had to speak about those things; what it meant to be a Black woman in America today, regardless if it went over well in competitions or not. As a writer, your writing grows with you, and that’s when I began my period of growth.” From there, Salena became a staple in the Urb Arts Poetry Slam Team, created by Urb Arts Founder MK Stallings—a renowned poet and St. Louis community activist. Most recently, she had the pleasure of representing St. Louis in the Women of the World Slam competition held in Albuqerque, New Mexico. During the competition she battled a diverse group of female poets from across the country and placed 26th. Overall, the Urb Arts Slam Team currently is ranked 6th in the nation. After the completion, Salena decided to transition from her stage name of “Poetic Slang” to using her full name. “I feel as though I’m growing and coming into my own. My goal has always been to use my writing as a means to help women feel empowered and comfortable within themselves. Black women should understand how powerful they are. And also, all of my favorite poets, such as Cheeraz Gormon, use their real names”. With a smile, Salena shares her upcoming projects such as her book of short stories, poetry book, and CD “Griot Behavior.” With a gracious smile and hug, we depart. Noticing the pain in her legs from the car accident, I offer her a ride home. “No thank you, sometimes I have to remind my body that I own it”, as she walks away gracefully. Her strength is impeccable and her poetry is captivating,; it is my pleasure to introduce to the world, Salena Burch.

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Stunning Central West End town home, perfectly situated midway between SLU and BJC. Main level features an open and spacious floor plan with guest halfbath, updated lighting and multiple closets. Living room has soaring 10â&#x20AC;&#x2122; ceilings, bay windows with plantation shutters (that stay) and a gas fireplace. Connected is a dining area, currently set up as an office. Gorgeous, stateof-the-art kitchen with granite counter-tops, stainless appliances, breakfast bar and custom cabinets; breakfast room attached. Enjoy the luxury of two master bedroom suites on the upper level, each with stylishly updated bathrooms. Main level laundry closet, central air, detached garage, grassy backyard with privacy fencing. Access to pool/clubhouse. Near public transportation and major highways, with shopping and entertainment within walking distance. Gorgeous, private and serene residential street that sets you apart. Simplify and upgrade your life in this beautiful town home. Offered for sale by Kathy Bresnahan I Broker/Realtor I Keller Williams Realty St Louis 314-677-6176 I kathybresnahan@kw.com I www.livelovestlouis.com Photos provided by Reed Radcliffe I Triple R Photography

We were curious, could the things you buy help fight cancer?

With the Fifth Third Bank Stand Up To Cancer MasterCard, you can make every purchase have a purpose and help fund breakthrough cancer research. Learn more at 53.com/SU2CCreditCard. 速

Fifth Third Bank. Member FDIC. Lending subject to credit review and approval. Stand Up To Cancer is a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. MasterCard is a registered trademark of MasterCard International Incorporated. DELUX MAGAZINE 23

Brass-tastic!! BRASS-TASTIC ACCESSORIES ARE THE KEY TO MAKE ANY OUTFIT POP! SEE WHAT THE LATEST TRENDS OF THE SUMMER ARE. curated and written by Londen Underwood, Style Contributor

Top to bottom, left to right: 1. Beaded Necklace: Nakamol 2. Log Hug Me Earrings: Betsy Johnson 3. Gold & Black Choker: House of Cromwell Jewelry 4. Brass Bangles: Juliet Jewelry 5. Brass Cuff: Maiyet 6. Rinestone Earrings: zappos.com

r o f s l r u CGirls!!! the By: Hannah Sundermeyer

eeping your natural curls bouncy and of full life can also be a 24-7 job. But since we know most of our on-the-go readers don’t have that kind of time to devote to hair care, Delux has created a list of some of our favorite products to add to your beauty arsenal and still keep a ravishing head of ringlets through rain or shine. If you’re searching for sculpted curls without the dreaded clump that comes along with most hair tamers seek out products with a natural olive or avocado oil base. Not only is it easier on your hair than chemicals but also the oils promote an organic sheen and shine. Miss Jessie’s Original Curly Meringue, is a simple and inexpensive product to experiment with. In order to keep your curls looking extra healthy try and schedule a deep condition- whether in your own shower or the salon- at least once or twice a month. Moisturized curls will hold their shape better and it’s a quick fix for any battles with frizz. Make sure to keep in mind that depending on your hair’s natural texture- fine, medium, or coarse- some products may have better results than others. For those with thicker hair, lean more towards heavier gels while those with thinner; finer curls should keep an eye out for lotions and sprays. Don’t forget when using product make sure to only pump a pea size amount- no one wants crunchy, stressed out curls. A little bit goes a long way!

These products are great for wash and go, but can also partner with any twist/braid outs: Kinky-Curly Original Curling Custard Spiral Solutions Curl Enhancing Jelly Curls in a Bottle: Hair Styling Solution Cream and Coco Gooseberry Aloe Pudding Jane Carter’s Solution Curl Defining Cream Blended Beauty’s “Happy Nappy Styles” Boing! by Oyin Handmade

DELUX MAGAZINE

Blend The Trends Jump into blend your trends! Summer is here and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to spice up your looks with a blend of refreshing colors. With the use of these pastel colors, you can guarantee to be fabulous and fashion forward. The colors for summer 2015 are strawberry ice, aquamarine, custard, toasted almond, glacier gray, scuba blue, and the ever so classic tangerine. Not sure where to start incorporating these colors in your wardrobe? We are here to help you get a jumpstart. curated and written by Londen Underwood, Style Contributor

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Beauty &

Braids By Jessica WIlliams

SUMMER IS THE PERFECT SEASON TO EXPLORE SOME BRAIDING CREATIVITY WHILE ALSO GIVING IT A REST FROM THE FLAT IRONS, CURLERS, AND STYLING PRODUCTS. ALTHOUGH THE TECHNIQUE OF BRAIDING IS NOT NEW TO OUR CULTURE, WE LATELY HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING AN EVOLUTION OF STYLES AND DESIGNS THAT ARE PERFECT FOR SUMMER TIME DISPLAY! HERE IS A LIST OF SOME OF THE MOST POPULAR BRAID DESIGNS IN 2015. HAVANA TWISTS/MARLEY TWISTS

Havana Twists are braids involving Havana hair extensions. They are relatively light weight- perfect for swimming and pool parties. Hanava hair is known for having a courser texture but fuller in body. Marley Twists, which are similar to Havana Twists, use Marley hair extensions. These twists are thinner and smoother than the Havana Twists, but more body can be added by using more hair.

MICRO/MINI BRAIDS

Micro braids are dozens of small, delicate braids that are tightly woven from your hair. This hair is perfect for the summer because it takes minimal effort to care for and the braids also last a long time. You could get them done at the beginning of summer and keep them in until the end. Once the braids are done, your hair can be put into various styles up or down.

BOX BRAIDS

Box Braids, while having been around for a while, are a recent trendy style many are wearing. Depending on your hair length and thickness, you can get different sizes of braids for your Box Braids. These braids are also perfect for the warm weather because they are low-maintenance and convenient. FRENCH BRAIDS/DUTCH French Braids have three sections of hair joined together around the crown of the head and braided down to the nape of the neck. This braid is one of the simplest styles to do to your hair and can offer a lot of variety when you need something on-thego. Dutch Braids are a popular variation of French Braids. These braids tend to be looser and more relaxed looking than French Braids.

CORNROWS

Cornrows are similar the Micro Braids in the way that they are small and tight braids. However, Cornrows are woven tight against the scalp and can be used to create geometric patterns and designs on the scalp. And of course you can add accessories to your braids to make them the extra bit stylish. Braids can bring variety to your personal style, as well as give you versatility in your different everyday looks. Braids are a part of our culture that should be embraced, especially during the summer.

DELUX MAGAZINE

28 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

STYLE BASICS 101: HOW TO MATCH YOUR SUIT, SHIRT, AND TIE

By CHRISTOPHER DISCIPIO

NE OF THE MOST BASIC -- but oft overlooked -- aspects of menswear is how to properly match a suit, shirt, and tie. Sure, the first step to lookin’ sharp is making sure it fits right. But even a suit with a second skin type of feel can’t erase the visual damage done by a poorly matched outfit. The guide below covers six general rules and provides matching examples for four of the most common suit colors (navy, light gray, charcoal, and patterned) so you’ll always be covered. THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF MATCHING 1. Match your tie to your shirt. Your jacket may come off eventually, but your shirt is in it for the long hall. 2. The fool-proof shirt and tie combo. Pick a tie that’s darker than your shirt if you’re looking for the safest route. Above all else, match your tie to your clothing, not your clothing to your tie. 3. Keep it classic. Nothing should be too overbearing or look purposefully out of place. 4. When in doubt... pick a neutral, solid-colored dress shirt. There’s nothing easier than any suit and tie with a white button-down. 5. When matching patterns, never pair like sizes together. No small checkered gingham shirt with a small checkered gingham tie. It clashes. Hard. 6. Try and keep proportions. The width of your collar should compliment the width of your tie, and the width of your tie should match the width of your lapel (and the ends of your collar should meet your lapels as closely as possible).

BEST CITY FOR YOUR PAYCHECK By BY GIANNI JACCOMA

When it comes to spending your hard-earned dollars, some states offer significantly more purchasing power than others -- aka the one reason it’s better to live in North Dakota than Hawaii. But what about the actual cities within those states? Forbes, a publication famously all about the Benjamins, used recent data collected by Glassdoor to find the top 25 cities where your paycheck goes the furthest. Comparing each major city’s median home value with its median salary resulted in small-to-medium-sized municipalities rising to the top, while big dogs like New York and Los Angeles were once again left begging for change. Detroit took home first prize, thanks to its median salary of $45,000 and median home value of $114,000 -- although buying property in Detroit’s admittedly more of a long-term play. Memphis, meanwhile, grabbed second place with a slightly lower median salary ($42,000) and home value ($102,000), and Pittsburgh ended up in third place with a median salary slightly higher than Memphis ($43,000) but a significantly more expensive home value ($124,500). Here’s the full top 25: 25. Hartford, CT 24. Milwaukee, WI 23. Minneapolis - St. Paul, MN 22. Raleigh, NC 21. Jacksonville, FL 20. Chicago, IL 19. Tampa, FL 18. San Antonio, TX 17. Buffalo, NY

16. Charlotte, NC 15. Columbus, OH 14. Oklahoma City, OK 13. Louisville, KY 12. Birmingham, AL 11. Dallas, TX 10. Atlanta, GA 9. Cincinnati, OH 8. Houston, TX

7. Kansas City, MO 6. St Louis, MO 5. Indianapolis, IN 4. Cleveland, OH 3. Pittsburgh, PA 2. Memphis, TN 1. Detroit, MI

St. Tropez

ST TROPEZ INVITES YOU TO STAY LONGER

I don’t know about you, but a two week holiday never seems long enough. No sooner have you relaxed into holiday mode, it’s time to pack up and go home again. Just as you begin to unwind, find your way around and discover all the wonderful things there are to do in an area such as Saint Tropez, you need to print off that boarding pass and head to the airport. But it doesn’t have to be this way. St Tropez House offers a number of first class villas which are available for a prolonged stay, allowing you to total switch off from the pressures of everyday life and ‘vivre a la francaise’.

HERE ARE OUR TOP 5 REASONS TO RENT A LUXURY VILLA FOR LONGER THIS YEAR: Discover the Region Saint Tropez is situated in the Var region of the department known as Provence Alpes Cote d’Azur, in south eastern France. The region is blessed with incredible scenery, landscapes and towns and staying in the area for a prolonged amount of time means that you will be able to visit more of the area. Discover the coastal resorts of Cannes, Nice and Monaco, all within an easy drive from our portfolio of properties to rent in Saint Tropez, or go even further afield to places like Aix-en-Provence, Avignon and the Camargue, all easy stop offs if you have the time to explore. Learn the Lingo France is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful countries in the world, and its language, equally as seductive. Try out your French with locals while you get to know the town of Saint Tropez, and if you are really inspired, book into a language school for intensive training. There are a number of excellent language schools in the area. Soak up the Good Weather The Cote d’Azur is famed for its fabulous weather, with an average year seeing more than 300 days of sunshine. Whilst everyone must be careful not to burn, more and more medical experts are coming out to support claims that a good dose of Vitamin D is excellent for your health. Beautiful sunny weather also means that you are more inclined to be outside, taking part in activities such as swimming, walking, sailing, tennis – and with Saint Tropez’s first class leisure facilities, there will be plenty of exercise to be had. Invite Family and Friends Many of our luxury villas available for long term are large enough to accommodate big parties, so why not invite family and friends to join you for part of your extended holiday? Our working lives tend to be so hectic that there is often little time to relax with those you love. A long holiday will allow you to do just that – with space for the children to run around meaning everyone can relax. Indulge in Culture Take a quick look at any of the cultural activities held in Saint Tropez and the surrounding towns and villages over the summer and you will be spoiled for choice: music festivals, theatre shows, art weeks to name but a few. There never seems enough time to fit everything in. This summer, taking advantage of our St Tropez House monthly stay offers you will be able to have time for whatever your heart desires. Or at least some of it!

30 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

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DELUX MAGAZINE

Healthy versus Unhealthy Relationships By: Karen Banks, M.Ed., PLPC, Therapist & Owner of Trinity Wellness, LLC

Many of us think we could write a book about all the lessons we have learned in our â&#x20AC;&#x153;failedâ&#x20AC;? attempts at healthy relationships. Relationships, and life, are comprised of attempts to get things right and if we are smart, we learn and grow from those attempts. There is myriad information about healthy relationships available through groups, classes, books, conferences, therapy, and that one friend who has all the answers, but how should one go about choosing the best source for solid information? One of the leading relationship experts, Dr. John Gottman, followed couples for 30 years in an effort to narrow down what makes some couples work and not others. He is now able to predict, with 90% accuracy, which couples are headed for divorce! While this article cannot begin to cover in depth all of his information, here are a few comparisons and suggestions to help you on your way to a healthy relationship.

The Gottman Institute is a wealth of knowledge and I encourage all couple to start there for relationship help. I hope you have read something here that will be helpful to you without making any quick decisions or judgements about your relationship. Situations can change and people can change over time and with the proper tools. Please remember that this, nor any other publication, is intended to be medical or therapeutic advice. If you need more support, reach out via email at info@trinitywellnessstl.com, visit my blog at http://trinitywellstl.blogspot.com , and follow me on Twitter @TrinityWellSTL for more mental health and wellness tips. Karen Banks, M.Ed., PLPC Trinity Wellness, LLC Counseling and Coaching for individuals, couples, adolescents, and families. Website: www.trinitywellnessstl.com Blog: http://trinitywellstl.blogspot.com Follow us on Twitter @TrinityWellSTL: https://twitter.com/TrinityWellSTL (314) 569-9990 32 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

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34 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

Words by: Jason Johnson Photography Lawrence Bryant Shot on Location at the FOX Theater Wardrobe Stylist: Letitia Young Make-Up: Drake Tyler

n o r a h S Reed

o t e y b d o o d n i G g K n i a y f a o S One DELUX MAGAZINE

In a world of Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook and literally hundreds of streaming options, sexy 24 hour cable networks and uqbiquitous blogs who really cares about the local news anymore? Yet somehow there are still millions of Americans who actually tune in every night to the overly dramatic lead in music of local news to find out what is happening four blocks from their house. And you want to know why? Why do people still chose, trust and consume local news more than any other outlet? Because of women like Sharon Reed. I’ll say up front that I’m biased. Not because Sharon is beautiful (she is), or because she, was my local news anchor in Cleveland for years (she was) or because she is an incredible cook (which is also true). I’m biased because Sharon Reed has been a friend, a mentor and a perfect example of what local news needs to stay vibrant in a world of crazy competition and flashing lights from everything from your cell phone to your laptop. I met Sharon at WOIO, the CBS affiliate in Cleveland back in 2008. The local beloved Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones, had died unexpectedly from a stroke, and as a political scientist at a local college I was asked to come to the anchor desk and talk about the tragedy. At that point all I knew about Sharon Reed was that she was the only anchor in Cleveland that made the guys in my barbershop change over from Sportscenter. I assumed she was a star, unapproachable and detached. Couldn’t be further from the truth. After my first segment she said “You’re really talented” which I thought was polite anchor-speak for “You didn’t pick your nose on camera thank you”. But she meant it. Sharon pushed for me to come on air more, she convinced the station to get me press credentials, send me to the Republican and Democratic conventions and on top of that she got me paid. It was Sharon that encouraged me to go for CNN, MSNBC and Fox appearances, it was Sharon that showed me what the full range of media can be and it was Sharon that re-inspired me, a media cynic, to believe again in local news. You see, Sharon Reed is the best of new school and old school local journalism wrapped in shiny package that everybody can appreciate. Sharon has that old school love for the news, whether it’s a local politician getting caught with a male prostitute or city council building a new park or local football team struggling through the bye-week. She’s going to bury herself in the local community, make those stories pop, so that whether you’re in St. Louis, Atlanta or anywhere else you realize that your stories, your news are just as important as anything happening in Hollywood, Washington D.C. or New York City. But don’t let the smile and the dulcet Midwestern voice fool you. Sharon Reed knows that the game done changed in local news just like the NBA. Gone are the days of Magic and Jordan where you spend your whole career in one city. Sharon’s more like LeBron James, she takes the magic with her no matter where she goes, which is why folks in Philly, Cleveland, St. Louis and now Atlanta know that she’ll always bring her A-game. Every place she leaves is still talking about her, and in this business that’s the greatest compliment of all. Now let’s be clear, a simple Google Search will show you that Sharon Reed has had her share of drama, at various stations, but that’s part of her charm. You don’t just want to watch your anchors, you want to get to know them, be all up in their business sometimes, but still know that they have your community’s back. How often is a local newsanchor plucking lottery balls on Friday, giving out local Youth Awards on Saturday, all over the local gossip blogs on Sunday and still brining you the news with integrity a smile and a laugh on Monday night? That’s Sharon Reed. While St. Louis bids farewell to a talent they only knew for so long Atlanta is going to be lucky to have Sharon Reed coming to them live every night. There are not enough anchors anymore who just want to do good work and give their all to the local community, not with an eye for cable or Hollywood but with their gaze firmly planted on mainstreet. Sharon Reed is too young to be the last of a dying breed, but we best appreciate her for as long as we can.

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Y E N SYD

Model: Sydney “Stink” Lead Wardrobe Stylist: Letitia Young IG @Titia_The_Stylist Wardrobe Assistant: Lindsey Owens @midwestdiamond314 Hair Stylist: Steve Lacey, @lacystevenc Make-Up Artist, Willena Vaughn @phenomenalphaces Photographer, LB Photography @lbphotography1

38 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

Dress: Autumn Gay Hat: Hats by Dianne, Dianne Isbell Shoes: Bronx Diba Jewelry: Yoro Designs

DELUX MAGAZINE

Dress & Belt: Amera Mustafa Shoes: Bronx Diba Jewelry: Yoro Designs

40 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

Cardigan/Jacket: Autumn Gay Bustier: Morgan Mason Pants: Shermonda Green Shoes: Bronx Diba Crown, Necklace, Sceptor & Earrings: Vauje`

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Dress: Jessica Meyer Jewelry: Yoro Designs Shoes: Bronx Diba 42 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

ydney, AKA “Stink,” was once an aspiring model. With her tenacious go-get-it attitude, she has made those aspirations a reality. We were lucky enough to catch up with her for a fantastic fashion shoot and a few questions. Our favorite reality TV princess has started to make waves in the fashion industry, crafting a name for herself in the fashion circles with her appearance at New York Fashion Week. Shantel Jackson did Sydney a huge solid by finding supermodel and iconic fashion legend Coco Mitchell to teach her some walking basics before Fashion Week. “Lead with your legs,” Miss Coco coaches Sydney. “Models make money because they have to work at making it look easy.” “This is challenging,” Stink says. “I never knew walking could be so hard.” Sydney graced NYFW with her debut walking for the Charles + Ron Fall ‘15 Wired Bloom collection. The collection was dominated of black, purples, and greens with a bold floral with feminine silhouettes. The traditional Maltese ganutell – a Maltese art form where intricate Copper, Silver and Gold wires become handcrafted flowers – were the muse of this collection. Sydney joined the ranks of Hana Nitsche, Daniela Aciu & Jennifer Daniel walking in this show. “Eva the Diva is my favorite model,” Sydney tells us. Sydney’s performance would have made Eva proud. Wired Bloom was a success; critically and visually. Sydney tells Distract TV, “They let me have the dress that I wore!” Sydney also walked for Dom Streater, the winner of Project Runway Season 12. Sydney was the first model to hit the runway for the “Royals” show from Dom Streater. Streater has been described as, “A magician with bright prints,” and hails from Philly. Sydney has grown into a delightful young woman, and she was a pleasure to work with for our Delux team during the shoot. We asked Sydney how she defines fashion, and she says, “Be yourself. Do you. You can still be fashionable and be different.”

Tweet from Charles + Ron: #NellyVille #stink making her runway debut at the #charlesandron show #NYFW

words by: Leneia O’Hara

DELUX MAGAZINE

44 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

DELUX 2015 EDUCATION GUIDE

early CHILDHOOD TO

HIGHER EDUCATION Our annual guide to early childhood schools and institutions of higher learning will help you chart an educational future for your family. The comprehensive guide, which includes everything from enrollment numbers to tuition costsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;is presented in easy-to-use chart form, with a few feature editorials of the best of St. louis options.

DELUX MAGAZINE

CITY GARDEN MONTESSORI City Garden Montessori has both a tuition-free, charter elementary school and a sliding scale fee-based preschool program. City Garden is a neighborhood school, serving children and families in the Botanical Heights, Forest Park Southeast, Shaw, Southwest Garden and Tiffany neighborhoods in the City of St. Louis. The preschool was founded in 1995 by Trish Curtis, and the elementary charter school was founded in 2008 by a set of parents who live in these neighborhoods and saw the need for more excellent, diverse community schools.

City Garden was intentionally designed as a neighborhood school situated to serve this particular set of neighborhoods, in order to create a truly integrated school community where families live side by side. City Garden creates well-rounded students, specifically “compassionate and critically thinking young people who will make a difference in the world and who will work for social justice.” The school started as a small preschool in the Forest Park Southeast Neighborhood and expanded to K-6th starting during fall 2008, adding on a grade level each year. In 2012, the school moved to its permanent home on Tower Grove Avenue, and added a junior high program. City Garden now serves 270 students, grades preschool through eighth grade. Following the ideals of Dr. Maria Montessori, the curriculum of the school is hands-on and individualized, 46 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

so students are able to learn interactively and enjoy their school day. It also has a focus on “children’s natural wonder at the world harnessed into an ecological sensitivity and a capacity for scientific observation.” City Garden provides a multi-cultural understanding and respectful environment for the children and their families. To apply to the school, it is recommended that you tour the school and schedule an observation to see inside a classroom. The preschool and before and after school programs are tuition based. City Garden is able to offer financial aid to those in their catchment zone. Acceptance is based on a lottery and there is usually only one lottery per school year. The school uses the Montessori approach for their curriculum and believe that in order to succeed in school, it is important to have solid Montessori experience in the first three years of school. Therefore, applications are not accepted for children older than second grade. Applications for the 2015-16 school year are currently available, though there is a wait list. Acceptance for the 2016-17 school year will start in February 2016. For more information, check out citygardenschool.org, or call 314-664-7646, for more enrollment information.

CITY GARDEN MONTESSORI 1618 Tower Grove Ave, St. Louis 63110 314-664-7646 | citygardenschool.org

2015 SCHOOL DIRECTORY

This year DELUX Magazine decided to publish a directory of Educational options for its readers. We reached out to schools from kindergarden through college in an attempt to provide you with a rich, diverse, non-biased education resource. We strove to be as inclusive as possible and we recieved a great response. Unfortunately the space was limited but we were able to put together a pretty efficiant guide for our first year! All information was self reported and researched for additional facts. If we missed you feel free to email info@deluxmag.com and we will add you to the digital version and get you set for next year! Enjoy!

Central West End

2013

K-1 (growing to K-8)

BREHM PREPARATORY SCHOOL 950 S. Brehm Lane Carbondale, IL 62901 618-457-0371 | www.brehm.org

Southern Illinois

1982

6-12

CHESTERFIELD DAY SCHOOL 1100 White Rd, Chesterfield, MO 63017 (314) 469-6622 chesterfielddayschool.org

Chesterfield

1962

CITY ACADEMY 4175 N. Kingshighway Blvd St. Louis, MO 63115

North St. Louis

CITY GARDEN MONTESSORI 1618 Tower Grove Ave, St. Louis 63110 314-664-7646 | citygardenschool.org

SCHOLARSHIPS OR SLIDING SCALE

THE BIOME -- A YLC STEAM SCHOOL 4471 Olive St. St. Louis, MO 63108 314-531-0982 | www.thebiomeschool.org

TUITION

2015

PreK-6th Grade

STUDENT TEACHER RATIO

North St. Louis City

CIRRICULUM

PREK -6TH GRADE

% OF MINORITY STUDENTS

1999

ENROLLMENT

GRADE LEVELS

FOUNDED

ASA CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 8390 Latty Ave, Hazelwood, MO 63042 314-524-4272 | asachristianacademy.org

AREA

GRADE SCHOOL

100%

CHRISTIAN VALUES

8:1 UP TO 16:1

$1860 TO $5818

YES

773

100

Traditional with focus on STEAM and 1:1 Chromebook classrooms

1:15

FREE

YES

80 (growing to 220)

50%

charter school offering Project Based learning in a STEAM curriculum

16:1

10%

Private Boarding School for children with Learning Differences

4:1

$73,100

1.5 years5th Grade

150

35%

Montessori

8:1

$4,400-$16,520

YES

1999

age 4 through 6th grade

174

98%

Independent Schools of St. Louis

8:1

$20,000

YES

South St. Louis City

1995

Preschool - 8th Grade

270

52%

Montessori

15:1

elementary: no tuition, preschool: sliding scale

YES

CONFLUENCE ACADEMY OLD NORTH 3017 North 13th St St. Louis, MO 63107 314-241-1110 | confluenceacademy.org

Old North St. Louis City

2003

K-8

974

100%

Traditional

15:1

N/A

CONFLUENCE ACADEMY SOUTH CITY 3112 Meramec St St. Louis, MO 63118 314-481-4700 | confluenceacademy.org

South St. Louis City

2006

K-8

962

100%

Traditional

15:1

N/A

CONFLUENCE PREPARATORY ACADEMY 310 N. 15th St St. Louis, MO 63103 314-588-1088 | ConfluenceAcademy.org

Downtown St. Louis City

2008

High School (9th-12th)

620

100%

Traditional with Career Pathway Options

22:1

N/A

CORNERSTONE ACADEMY 74 Kearney St. St. Louis, MO 63125 (314) 845-8788 cornerstonek8@gmail.com

South County

1998

K-8

100

<10

Non-traditional

16:1

$4,300

YES

CROSSROADS COLLEGE PREP SCHOOL 500 DeBaliviere Ave St. Louis, MO 63112 (314) 367-8085 crossroadscollegeprep.org

Central West End

1974

7-12th Grade

200

38%

Liberal Arts, College Prep

9:1

$21,500 (grades 7-8), $22,200 (grades 9-12)

YES

ELITE ACADEMY 310 N. 15th St St. Louis, MO 63103 314-588-8554 | confluenceacademy.org

Downtown St. Louis City

2015

7th - 8th (Jr. High)

110

100%

Traditional

15:1

N/A

ASPIRE ACADEMY 5421 Thekla Avenue St. Louis, MO 63120 314-383-8900

Hazelwood

DELUX MAGAZINE

St. louis MONTESSORI

ST. LOUIS MONTESSORI 2507-2525 January Ave St. Louis MO 63110 314-282-5712 | stlouismontessori.org

In the fall of 2015, St. Louis Montessori School, in collaboration with The Chinese School at St. Louis Language Immersion, will embark on a journey to bring the Mandarin-Chinese Language to our students. We are transitioning our school into a Language Immersion Children’s House Program.

Mandarin language and learn about important elements of Chinese culture. The Mandarin curriculum is specifically designed to teach your child common Mandarin vocabulary such as family names, foods, parts of the body, and items in nature – setting them up for future success with the language.

Many parents would appreciate an international education and diversity for their children. You have many options to expose your child to a foreign language. One key question you should ask yourself as you decide between schools

The application process into our language immersion programs follows the same steps as our regular Montessori programs. Please read the requirements in the sections outlined below.

is this: what is my goal for my child’s language acquisition – and how does it match with the schools I can choose from? St. Louis Montessori is extremely proud to offer our students a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to master a second language while obtaining a solid Montessori education. Our Mandarin Immersion program will provide English speaking children a chance to acquire a second language naturally – with the goal of becoming bilingual by their kindergarten year – and thus enjoy the life-long benefits of early bilingualism. As the only Montessori school in the city of St. Louis to offer a language immersion program, we have established a unique approach to deliver a topquality immersion experience. At St. Louis Montessori, we help our students acquire the essential knowledge, thinking skills, and strength of character required to flourish as joyous children today, and as successful adults tomorrow. Our unique program emphasizes the relationship between the academically challenging material presented in the classroom, and the range of experiences children have in their lives outside of the classroom. With the wealth of knowledge they gain with us, students are able to understand and delight in both the wondrous world around them and their promising personal identity within. THE EXPERIENCE Children will have the opportunity to learn Mandarin through stimulating, age-appropriate, hands-on activities. Using this creative approach, children enhance their skills in a second language in the same natural way they learned their first language. Through active involvement and playful activities, children hear and speak the

We welcome you to call us at 314-282-5712 if you have questions or would like further information. 1 ) Call us—314-282-5712 to schedule a school tour and interview with your child (Mondays at 6:30) 2 ) Schedule a school observation (Monday-Friday from 10:00-10:30) 3 ) Enroll your child. If we jointly decide that St. Louis Montessori is a good fit for your child, and we have an immediate opening, you can set a start date. After enrolling your child, we will provide you with our parent handbook, and other items required for enrollment. (immunization record, medical exam, income eligibility form, emergency contacts, etc., many of which are required by law) that we collect before we admit your child into our school. Welcome to St. Louis Montessori! We look forward to seeing you and your child soon! Broaden your child’s horizon. Enroll today and start your child on a bilingual journey! Class size is limited. To learn more about this unique learning opportunity, or to enroll your child, please contact is today: 314-282-5712 or contact@ stlouismontessori.org Learning a new language offer challenges! If you have questions about the program, and your child’s fit, please email Carri-Lauren E. Griffin, Executive Director, at carrig@stlouismontessori.org

SCHOLARSHIPS OR SLIDING SCALE

TUITION

STUDENT TEACHER RATIO

CIRRICULUM

% OF MINORITY STUDENTS

ENROLLMENT

GRADE LEVELS

FOUNDED

AREA

GRADE SCHOOL FORSYTH SCHOOL 6235 Wydown Blvd, St. Louis MO 63105 314-726-4542 | forsythonline.com

Clayton

1961

PreK-6th Grade

389

28%

N/A

8:1

$17,442

YES

THE FREEDOM SCHOOL 1483 82nd Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63132 314-432-7396

University City

1997

PreK-6th Grade

389

28%

Instructional Consultation Teams

18:1

$500-$5000

YES

GRACE CHAPEL LUTHERAN 10015 Lance Dr, St. Louis, MO 63137 314-867-6564 | gracechapelstl.org

Bellefontaine Neighbors

1955

PreK- 8th Grade

200

65%

Luthern ChurchMissouri Synod

20:1

$4,100

DNR

GRAND CENTER ARTS ACADEMY 711 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63103 314-533-1791 grandcenterartsacademy.org

Mid-town, Grand Center

2010

6TH12TH Grade

775

72%

Traditional with a focus on the Arts and STEAM

18:1

N/A

160

85%

Young Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leadership Network

13:1

N/A

HAWTHORN LEADERSHIP SCHOOL FOR GIRLS 1901 N. Kingshighway St. Louis 63113 314-361-5323 | hawthornschool.org

City of St. Louis

2015

Now enrolling for 6th and 7th grades; will be a 6th - 12th grade school

IMMANUEL LTHERAN DAY SCHOOL 9733 Olive blvd St. Louis, MO 63132 314-993-5004 | immanueldayschool.org

Mid- St. Louis County

1844

PreK-8th Grade

169

50%

Lutheran

14:1

$4,500

DNR

KIPP INSPIRE ACADEMY 1212 N. 22nd St. St. Louis, MO 63106 www.kippstl.org

St. Louis

2009

5-8

350

98%

College Prep

25:1

N/A

KIPP VICTORY ACADEMY 955 Arcade Ave. St. Louis, MO 63112 www.kippstl.org | 314-454-9255

St. Louis

2014

K-2

350

98%

College Prep

25:1

N/A

KIPP TRIUMPH ACADEMY 955 Arcade Ave. St. Louis, MO 63112 www.kippstl.org | 314-454-9255

St. Louis

2015

5 (Growing to 5-8)

110

98%

College Prep

25:1

N/A

KIPP WISDOM ACADEMY 2647 Ohio Ave. St. Louis, MO 63118 www.kippstl.org

South City

2015

K-1 (Growing to K-4)

220

98%

College Prep

25:1

N/A

LOYOLA ACADEMY OF ST. LOUIS 3851 Washington Blvd, St. Louis 63108 314-531-9091 | loyolaacademy.org

Grad Center

1999

6th Grade-8th Grade

100%

Jesuit Catholic

7:1

$14,000

DNR

NEW CITY SCHOOL 5209 Waterman Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108 314-361-6411 | newcityschool.org

Central West End

1969

Age 3-6th Grade

357

35%

Multiple Intelligence School

9:1

$16,800

DNR

SOUTH CITY COMMUNITY SCHOOL 4926 Reber Place St. Louis, MO 63139 314.667.4311 | sccommunityschool.org

South City (Tower Grove)

2010

PreK - 7th

143

30%

Charlotte Mason (hands-on, experiential, teacher-directed)

8:1 up to 16:1 depending on grade

$1860 up to $5815 depending on grade / class

YES

ST LOUIS LANGUAGE IMMERSION SCHOOLS Spanish | French | Chinese | International Middle School 4011 Papin St, St. Louis, MO 63110 (314) 533-0975 ext: 1103

St Louis Metro Area

2009

K-7

1,000

+50%

Langauge Immersion | International Baccalaureate

12:1

YES

ST. LOUIS MONTESSORI 2507-2525 January Ave St. Louis MO 63110 314-282-5712 | stlouismontessori.org

The Hill

2014

Preschool

10%

Montessori / Language Immersion

10:1

$8,300

SLIDING SCALE

St. Louis Language Immersion School SLLIS: NOW IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD Saint Louis Language Immersion Schools is a network of tuition free, public, charter schools which offer immersion programs in Spanish, French, and Mandarin. The French School (K-5), The Chinese School (K-4), and The International School (a middle school) are now located at 3740 Marine Ave. The Spanish School (K-5) is located at 4011 PapinStreet. SLLIS offers busing to both locations for any child within St Louis City. SLLIS is accepting application for the 2015-2016 school year for Kindergarten, 1st, and 6th grades. For more information, including tours, please visit our website www. sllis.org or call the Enrollment Team at (314) 533-0975 ext 1103. In the three years our students have taken the MAP assessment, our results have followed trends noted in other language immersion and IB schools across the country. Our students continue to achieve double-digit growth in proficiency in Communications Arts and notable annual growth in Mathematics. At best, most urban public schools see annual growth ranging from 1-5% annually. From school year 2012-13 to 2013-14, our Annual Performance Report (APR) grew from a 75% to an 81%. Our bi-lingual students are beginning to outperform their 50 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

ST LOUIS LANGUAGE IMMERSION SCHOOLS Spanish | French | Chinese | International Middle School 4011 Papin St, St. Louis, MO 63110 (314) 533-0975 ext: 1103

peers in single language schools and we anticipate this J-curve trend to continue in the results of our 6th grade MAP scores from Spring 2015. Our overall academic growth contributed to the renewal of our charter by the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education in January 2014. . As a network, St. Louis Language Immersion Schools is a Schools That Can Member and a participant in the founding cohort of the Charter Network Accelerator. The Spanish, The French, and The Chinese School are authorized IB World Schools, an internationally applauded distinction. Additionally, Our Spanish School has been honored by the Embassy of Spain for its curriculum and student language performance. Join us for a tour to experience the language, culture, and highly esteemed academics!

THE COLLEGE SCHOOL 7825 Big Bend Blvd Webster Groves, MO 63119 314-962-9355 | thecollegeschool.org

Webster Mid-County

1963

Pk-8th (ages 3-14)

260

Experiential, Adventure Education, Reggio Emilia

9:1 Preschool /12:1 K-8th

$13,800Preschool/ $16,500 - K-8th

Yes

THE SOULARD SCHOOL 1110 Victor St. St. Louis, MO 63104 314-865-2799 | soulardschool.org

Soulard/St. Louis City

2005

PreK - 5th grade

125

20%

Independent

10:1

$8,955

SLIDING SCALE

STORMAN ACADEMY 10014 Diamond Dr St. Louis, MO 63137 314-395-0167 | stormanacademy.org

North County

1981

PreK-8th Grade

99%

Indespendent

7:1

$5,000

YES

TOWER GROVE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 4257 Magnolia Ave, St. Louis, MO 63110 314-776-6473 | towergrovechristian.org

Shaw

1978

PreK-12th Grade

100

50%

Christian

12:1

$4,100

DNR

16%

10:1

$16,317

YES

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL 1850 De La Salle Dr, St. Louis, MO 63141 314-985-6100 | cbchs.org

Town & Country

1850

965

94%

19%

12:1

$12,125

YES

METRO HIGH SCHOOL 4015 McPherson Ave, St. Louis 63108 314-534-3894 | gracechapelstl.org

Central West End

1972

334

Public School

60%

18:1

N/A

PARKWAY NORTH 711 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63103 314-533-1791 grandcenterartsacademy.org

Creve Coeur

1971

1,380

Public School

47%

17:1

N/A

AVERAGE ROOM & BOARD

FINANCIAL AID OR SCHOLARSHIPS

85%

TUITION

STUDENT TEACHER RATIO

515

IN-STATE TUITION per CREDIT HOUR

St. Louis

1923

1348

19%

21%

$595

$8,566

YES

LINDENWOOD UNIVERSITY 636-949-2000 | lindenwood.edu

St. Charles, Belleville, O’fallon, Wildwood, Florissant, St. Louis

1827

7,502

57%

22%

$428

$7,790

YES

MISSOURI BAPTIST 314-434-1115 | mobap.edu

Creve Coeur

1964

1,983

29%

14%

$21,670

$8,640

yes

ST LOUIS UNIVERSITY 314-977-222 | slu.edu

St. Louis

1818

8,687

50%

36%

$1,260

$9,868

YES

WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY 314-935-6000 | wustl.edu

St. Louis

1853

6,556

70%

30%

$1,838

$13,977

YES

WEBSTER UNIVERSITY 314-968-6900 | webster.edu

St. Louis

1915

2,957

25%

18%

$23,700

$10,290

YES

Delux Education Guide: 1. Due to space limitation trade schools, seminaries and public grade/HIGH schools were omitted 2. Infotmation was self reported or researched through St. Louis Magazine March 2014 Edition or web research

(annualized)

GRADUATE PROGRAMS AVAILABLE

AVERAGE ACT SCORE

% OF STUDENTS LIVING ON CAMPUS

ENROLLMENT

FONTBONNE UNIVERSITY 314-862-3456 | fontbonne.edu

COLLEGES

AREA

EST.

% OF MINORITY STUDENTS

AVERAGE ACT SCORE

% OF MINORITY STUDENTS

ENROLLMENT

1910

ACEPTANCE RATE

EST.

Creve Coeur

AREA

CHAMINADE COLLEGE PREPARATORY SCHOOL St. Louis, MO 63131 314-993-4400 | chamindae-stl.org

HIGH SCHOOL

DELUX MAGAZINE

HAWTHORN LEADERSHIP SCHOOL FOR GIRLS 1901 N. Kingshighway St. Louis 63113 314-361-5323 | hawthornschool.org

hawthorn leadership school for girls This August will mark the opening of St. Louis’ very first all-girls public charter school. With a focus on STEM education (science, technology, engineering, and math), Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls will provide middle and high school girls living in St. Louis City the opportunity to receive a tuition-free single-sex education. “We want young women in St. Louis not only to have the skills and knowledge to excel in math and science fields, but also the confidence to build a better future for themselves and their communities,” says Hawthorn founder and Executive Director, Mary Stillman. The school is located at 1901 N. Kingshighway and is currently enrolling for sixth and seventh grades for the upcoming school year. Enrollment to Hawthorn is tuition free and open to all girls residing in the City of St. Louis. Hawthorn will open with 80 girls per grade in 6th and 7th grades, and will be fully enrolled with 500 students in grades 6-12 by 2020. “In every Hawthorn classroom, the leader will be a girl. In the lab, on the sports field, and in classroom projects and discussions, all the leaders will be girls. Hawthorn girls will be ready to take on leadership roles in their families, the community and the workforce,” said Hawthorn principal Dr. Robyn Wiens, who before joining Hawthorn successfully held teaching and administrative positions in St. Louis, Seattle and Boston. “When you combine Hawthorn’s small class sizes, extended day and school year, and extracurricular activities, our girls will have the confidence and tools to succeed in the classroom and beyond. Our hope is to create a strong sisterhood of confident young women who are college bound.” The school will offer a wide variety of subjects, including an extensive humanities program that will cover topics within the fields of history, social studies, and language, all being taught using a hands-on learning model. Hawthorn will also have exceptional classes within the math and science fields. Women are typically

52 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

underrepresented in STEM fields, demonstrating a great need to get young women passionate about STEM subjects at a young age. Research shows girls often begin to show less confidence in STEM subjects around middle school, but graduates of all-girls schools are six times more likely to consider majoring in math, science and technology than graduates of coed schools. At Hawthorn, every middle school student will study engineering, technology and math lab work, in addition to the interdisciplinary courses in humanities, foreign language, and music/art. Students will also enjoy a wide range of extracurricular activities, sports, and internship options to cultivate their interests and talents. Hawthorn also prides itself on being college preparatory and academically rigorous. The school is an affiliate of the Young Women’s Leadership Network (“YWLN”), which supports five highly successful all-girls’ public schools in New York City and ten affiliate schools around the country. The Hawthorn curriculum will be based off of the highly successful YWLN model and includes leadership and health/wellness components, after school and summer programming, required uniforms, and a Daily Advisory in which a small group of girls meets each day with a faculty advisor. Hawthorn will also have a full-time social worker, college counselor, and faculty advisors to team with parents and students to help ensure the girls’ success. Notably, Washington University is the school’s charter sponsor and partner in supporting its curriculum and providing mentors and transformative extracurricular opportunities for Hawthorn students. Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls is currently enrolling for 6th and 7th grade and open to all girls who currently reside within St. Louis City limits. It is tuitionfree and centrally located on N. Kingshighway Blvd. As this article goes to print, there are still spaces available. For more information, contact the school at 314361-5323 or info@hawthornschool.org. You can also visit their website at www.hawthornschool.org.

KIPP - KNOWLEDGE IS POWER PROGRAM

KIPP St. Louis Public Schools 1310 Papin Street Suite 203 St. Louis, MO 63103 314-896-0123

The lights were bright with a spotlight on the speaker and scholars. Parents and proud family members could be seen throughout the auditorium on Washington University’s campus, that was filled to capacity. Near the stage, students anxiously awaited the announcement of the ‘KIPPster of the Year’ scholarship award, during the 8th grade promotion ceremony. “This scholar consistently shows grit, determination and is persistent when it comes to mastering new skills, even if they are challenging,” exclaimed Molly Joyce, Director of High School Placement at KIPP Inspire Academy. “She has made huge gains since coming to KIPP in 5th grade and is a remarkable role model,” Joyce continued. The student to receive this $500 scholarship was Habakkuk Cooper Thompson.

KIPP, an acronym for Knowledge is Power Program, is a national network of tuition-free, college-preparatory public charter schools with a track record of preparing students in underserved communities for success in college. In 2009, the first KIPP school to open in St. Louis was KIPP Inspire Academy (1212 N. 22nd St. 63106).

Although this was a day of positive achievement for Habakkuk, this was not always her situation. Before coming to KIPP, she struggled academically and her confidence took a hit because of this. At KIPP she was able to overcome these challenges through a longer school day which meant she had more time to learn. Also, a combination of academic and character development that is unique to KIPP was the perfect fit for her.

In July 2015, KIPP Triumph Academy Middle School and KIPP Wisdom Academy Elementary School will open their doors, making KIPP’s high performing education more accessible to almost 1,000 students in the city. KIPP has plans to open a total of six schools in the next five years and has a partnership with the St. Louis Public Schools.

After showcasing extreme success with many of their students, KIPP opened its second school, KIPP Victory Academy (955 Arcade Ave. 63112) which is home to over 300 kindergarten- second grade scholars. Hanging from the walls of the school are college flags and memorabilia, to get students excited and teach them that college starts in kindergarten!

“KIPP is proving what’s possible for all children in our city no matter their zip code or past academic achievement,” explains Kelly Garrett, KIPP St. Louis Executive Director.

Washington University in St. Louis serves as the sponsor for all KIPP St. Louis schools. They help KIPP develop curriculum, provide tutoring and oversee the schools to make sure they are meeting student achievement goals in addition to operational standards.

This was the case for Habakkuk, who put in a lot of hard work, allowed her teachers to coach her and trusted her parents who were determined to give her the best possible education. By 7th grade Habakkuk was testing well above grade level and her self-assurance grew. “KIPP has taught me with hard work I can accomplish anything,” said Habakkuk. She is now entering her sophomore year at the Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience and is a part of the KIPP Through College Program, which provides guidance to all KIPP alumni.

KIPP St. Louis aims to bring the opportunity for quality education to students living in areas without access to high-performing schools. Ninety-eight percent of their students are African-American or Hispanic/Latino, 94 percent qualify for free and reduced-price meals, and 11 percent qualify for special education services. KIPP currently has spaces available in fifth and first grade. There are no fees or tests to get into KIPP and free transportation is available. Parents can apply online at www.kippstl.org/enroll or call 314-896-0123 for more information. DELUX MAGAZINE

Confluence Charter Schools Provide a Quality K-12 Education for Students Across St. Louis City For over a decade, Confluence Charter schools have provided a quality K-12 education at campuses throughout the City of St. Louis. An emphasis on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) is helping Confluence produce the employees and leaders of tomorrow. Parents are initially drawn to Confluence because of the free tuition, free transportation, and convenient locations. They stay because of the caring and certified teachers, small class sizes, and open-door policy for parents to come in and be involved. “I chose Confluence for my child because it is local and provides a great education,” said the parent of a Confluence Academy Old North student. “Now I tell other parents how Confluence has helped my child excel in math and reading.” The first elementary campus Confluence opened was in Old North St. Louis in 2003 at 3017 N. 13th Street near Crown Candy. This location now serves more than 900 students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. The South City campus opened in 2006 and has two buildings, one at 4235 Compton Avenue for Kindergarten through second grade students, and one at 3112 Meramec Street for third through eighth grade students. This campus serves close to 1,000 students every year. Each Confluence campus provides a research-based curriculum that is focused on preparing students for college and beyond. Every campus also offers an extended school day and extended school year for enhanced learning time. “Confluence’s greatest strength is having teachers who really care about the students’ best interests,” said the parent of student who currently attends Confluence Preparatory Academy. “Having teachers that care about my child’s well-being makes me proud to be a member of the Confluence family.” Confluence Preparatory Academy (CPA) is a public charter high school located in the heart of downtown St. Louis. CPA offers a college preparatory curriculum and is the only charter high school in Missouri offering Career Pathways. This program gives students a head start toward their careers by providing hands-on training in Business Management, Biomedicine, early childhood education and more. CPA offers several extracurricular activities including athletics and clubs, and every classroom is equipped with student laptops. Another Confluence school, Grand Center Arts Academy (GCAA), provides the highest level of academic and artistic education for the most talented students in the St. Louis community. GCAA is the first charter school of its kind in the region, offering both a rigorous curriculum and world-class training in instrumental and vocal music, theatre, visual arts and dance. GCAA serves more than 775 students in grades six through twelve. High school students are required to pick an Art Pathway to focus on during their ninth through twelfth grade journey including: Theater; Dance; Visual Arts; Musical Theater; Instrumental Music; or Choral Music. Upon selection of a pathway, the students’ electives are pre-assigned and solely focus on his or her art form of choice. To learn more about one of the Confluence Charter School campuses, or to enroll, please visit www.ConfluenceAcademy.org or call 314-588-1088.

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At City Garden, donors help teachers create a loving, diverse environment focused on guiding each child to high outcomes through individualized Montessori education. Each child and family is supported so that academic opportunities create indelible learning experiences and joyful, life-long learners who are growing into community leaders. City Garden’s Guiding Values • Outstanding Montessori Education • Racial Equity and Social Justice • Community and Connection • Radical Hospitality

Organizational Priorities • Academic Excellence for All • Accessible Early Childhood Education • Comprehensive Support Services • Safety, Health & Well-Being

1618 Tower Grove Ave • St. Louis, MO 63110 • 314-664-7646 • citygardenschool.org DELUX MAGAZINE

Lunc h Hours

Mondayâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Friday 11am-2pm 2617 Washington Avenue Saint Louis, Missouri 63103

Dinner Service Wednesday 5pm -10pm Thursday 5pm -12am Friday 5pm -1:30am Saturday 5pm -1:30am

Live M usic

Wed-Friday 7pm-9pm Find us on facebook Follow us on twitter @theRusticGoat

314. 371 . 4031 www.RusticGoat.com

becoming a dentist. According to him he said, if it wasn’t for me not getting the right grades needed to pass Inorganic chemistry it would have been a different story for me. While attending Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL, his passion of becoming a dentist quickly faded while working as a mixer at several parties. It was then that he said he began to fall in love with music. As a VP and GM Gary’s duties are overseeing all departments within the radio station including but not limited to Sales, Programming and Marketing/ Promotions. However, through his strategic organizing, craft, and brilliance as a businessman, he has developed a method for increasing the stations’ brand, revenue and audience share across several platforms within the station. Whether if it’s his time at Radio One Baltimore as General Sales Manager over four media outlets , which includes WWIN-FM/AM, WERQ-FM and WOLB-AM , his direction and leadership over several Sales Account Executives that generated over 16 million dollars annually, developing record breaking NTR (Non-Traditional Revenue) revenue numbers as Sales Account Executive for Clear Channel Radio Chicago, or developing a top level sales team that produced over 10 million dollars in ad revenue for the station annually as the Local Sales Manager in Detroit, at FM98 WJLB.

GARY GUNTER Words by Oliver Sparton

Photo by: Lawrence Bryant

Over 25 years of management experience in broadcasting media & sales, $30 million or more in revenue generated for various stations and markets, and an immaculate creative method in executing his style and brand wherever he goes, Gary Gunter is not only considered as one of the most inspirational people in radio and broadcasting today, he’s considered as one of the hardest working businessman in radio period. As Vice President and General Manager of Radio One, Gary Gunter vision is plain and simple; it’s to make every action, plan, and impact better than the last one. Gary first love wasn’t always radio and broadcasting. He had dreams of

For much of his early days in radio, he credits one of the most Influential African Americans in Radio Kernie Anderson, who passed away late last year, for a lot of his success. He says, “He provided ways for me to keep learning and perfecting my love for media and radio, and allow me to stay under his guidance way past my allotted time to establish myself and network amongst people in the organization. Gary’s devotion and caring nature carries way beyond the office. Growing up in a single family household instilled those values along with strength, in which he displays with the love and devotion to his daughter Gabrielle. He also brings that warmth and kindred spirit to the office as well. He says, “I want my employees to feel happy to come to work. I want myself as well as my staff to have a positive impact on everything and everything around them.”Gary stands as a testament and prime example of work and dedication does pay off in the long run. When asked what he wants to be remembered for whenever he decides to end his successful journey in this business, he says, “I want people to remember me as a great person and someone who gave people a lot chances, whether if it was sharing their voice over the airwaves or helping staff and our listeners grow.” Mr. Gunter advice for anyone looking to get into the radio and broadcasting business is to follow your heart and don’t take no for an answer. You may have people doubt you but your decisions and reassurance with yourself will take you way further than anyone else could ever imagine.

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The repo-man

Tequila Avion is love. The obsession to produce the world’s smoothest tequila begins high in the hills of Jalisco, 7000 feet above sea level, where the finest handpicked Blue Weber Agave slow roasts in brick ovens to bring out an unparalleled blend of natural flavors and aromas. But before it’s bottled, Tequila Avión is loved a little longer. Ten times longer than other tequilas to be exact. The proprietary Ultra Slow Filtration process filters Tequila Avión into the smoothest Silver, Reposado and Añejo varietals in the world. The result is a flavor profile and smoothness loved by everyone who tastes, including the judges at the 2011 San Francisco World Spirits Competition who honored Avion with Double Gold distinction. Whether you sip it, mix it or enjoy it straight up, Tequila Avion loves everything and everyone. Tell A Friend

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Just The Basics!

The difference between Red and White

by: Lori “ShotBerry” Butler, CSW, WSET level II and Champage location specialist

id you know that a red grape can always make a white wine but a white grape can never make a red wine! It kind of makes you stop and scratch your head… how does that happen? The process of making wine all starts with the grape, specifically with the pulp, ‘cause that’s where all the delicious juice resides. But, the skin of the grape is what holds the secret to the color of wine. Think of the grape skin like our skin, look at all of the variations of skin colors as you go about your day. There are so many shades of skin complexions. When the process of making wine begins, sometimes the skins are kept on and sometimes the skins are pressed off. For example, we all love a good Champagne from the Champagne region of France. Who doesn’t love Dom Perignon! Believe it or not, the main grapes of that region are Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, these are both red! The next main grape is Chardonnay and of course that is white. These three grapes are blended together to make a lovey sparkling white Champagne. All of the skins are pressed off prior to the fermentation process which turns the pulp to magic!

In a red or black grape, the color compounds are called anthocyanins they give wine its shades of red. Just like in our skin there is a pigment called melanin which gives us our shades, or in my case freckles. There is also something called tannins in grape skins. This is very important as it gives red wine structure and is a protective agent which helps keep the juice and color intact. Tannins are also the element in red wine that give you that sense of dryness on your tongue or astringency like when you drink black tea. Contributing to the different red hues in wine are the color and thickness of the grape skin. For example, a glass of Pinot Noir will be much lighter than a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. The skins of the Pinot Noir grape are thin and delicate compared to that of a thick skinned Cabernet. Pinot Noir also has lower tannins than Cab. A little trick when shopping for a Pinot Noir is to think about the grape’s thin skin and how it doesn’t like the sun as much as a Cab. Cooler climates like Oregon or Sonoma Coast in California are perfect places for making great Pinot Noirs. A Cabernet on the other hand thrives in

sunny Napa Valley. The fermentation process of a red wines begins by crushing the grape to get the juice out but leaves the skins on to extract color and structure for wine. Sometimes the crushed, thin skinned Pinot Noir grapes are soaked for a few days prior to fermentation in order to get as much color extracted as possible before the conversion to wine begins. In white wine like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc the skins again are important for color and taste. When making white wine, the skins are removed from the grape taking with them the tannins before fermentation. This helps explain why white wines taste a bit different than red. You will notice more acidity in whites which makes your mouth water. And acidity also helps to protect the wine’s structure so acid levels can be quite high. Very rarely does a winemaker decide to keep the skins on when producing the delicate flavors and aromas of a white wine. When they do, it is called an orange wine.

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Photographer Allen B. @AllenBwithAg Our Wedding IG is @AgWeddingphotos

KNOTS. 60 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

DELUX MAGAZINE’S

Wedding Guide

Photographer Allen B. @AllenBwithAg Our Wedding IG is @AgWeddingphotos

Wanna add your business to The DELUX Wedding Directory? Contact us today. Place your brand in front of DELUX readers all year!!! email Ads@deluxmag.com

Wedding Planners Photographers AR EVENT PLANNING 1113 Wooden Dr., Florissant, 773-457-1852 www. mydivineevents.com

AG PHOTOGRAPHY 7 North Oaks Plaza, Saint Louis, 314-669-4657 www.Agphotosonline.com.com

Make Up Artist

Cakes/Caterers

DIVINE EVENTS 11425 Dorsett Rd #202, Maryland Heights, 314-805-3587 www.mydivineevents.com

LB PHOTOGRAPHY Saint Louis, 314445-9718 www.lbfoto1.com

TARA LOWERY 1430 Washington Ave 105, St Louis, 314-805-3587 www.Taralowerymakeup.com

ICED IMPRESSIONS 1111 Arsenal Ave, Saint Louis, (314) 219-9272 www.facebook.com /IcedImpressions

STYLE COUTURE EVENTS 5335 Highway N, Cottleville, 314-479-3204 www.stylecoutureevents.com

MCARTHUR PHOTOGRAPHY, Saint Louis, 843-324-5432 www.mcarthurphotography25.com

NETTIE KELLY 3840 Washington Ave Studio 218, Saint Louis, 314-498-6299 www.nkmakeupstudio.com

SweetArt 2203 South 39th Street, St. Louis, 314-771-4278 www.sweetartstl.com

KAYDIS EVENT PLANNING, Saint Louis, 314-458-6425 www.kaydis.com

LANCE THURMAN 2609 S. Kingshighway, Saint Louis, 314-368-3599 www.lancethurman.com

Florists

La Patisserie Chouquette 1626 Tower Grove St Louis 314-805-3587 www.simonefaure.com

6 DEGREES EVENT PLANNING, Maryland Heights, 314-229-8007 www.6devents.com

SUTBERRY PHOTOGRAPHY Saint Louis/ Illinois 618-406-0041 www.sutberryphotographyblog.com

The Rebel Florist 1414 Park Ave St. Louis, 314-962-3232 www.therebelflorist.com

Sugaree Baking Company 1242 Tamm Avenue St. Louis, 314-645-5496 www.sugareebaking.com

Bella Daydream Events St. Louis, 314-537-1739 www.bella-daydreams.com

iDEX PHOTOGRAPHY, Saint Louis/ Illinois 618-407-3288 www.dexine.me

Artistry Florist & Event Design 2734 LaSalle Street, St. Louis 314-772-1301 www.artistryflorist.com

La Bonne Bouchee 12344 Olive Blvd Creve Coeur 314-576-6606 www.labonnebouchee.com

Simcha’s Events 55 Chaminade Drive St. Louis, 314-458-5463 www.simchasevents.com

JOSEPH CAMPBELL Saint Louis/Kansas City/ Mid-Missouri Area 314-805-3587 www.josephncampbell.com

Wildflowers 1013 Ohio Avenue St. Louis, 314-772-9900 www.wildflowersstl.com

Sarah’s Cake Shop 10 Clarkson Wilson Centre - Chesterfield, 314-728-1140 www.sarahscakeshopstl.com

Cosmopolitan Events 18132 Big Bend Boulevard St. Louis 314-249-9107 www.cosmopolitanevents.com

CEDRIC SCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY 3840 Washington Av 218, Saint Louis , 314363-6303 cedricscottphotography.com

The Special Events Florist Call for Consult. Saint Louis, 314-845-3362 thespecialeventflorist.com

The Sweet Divine 1801 S 9th St St. Louis, 636-942-2900 www.thesweetdivine.com

UnVeiled Beauty 314-718-4272 MisoClassyMua@gmail.com www.StyleSeat.com/TracyCollins

CAKES BY NETTE 1130 N Florissant, Ferguson, 314-562-7193 www.cakebynettecom

DELUX MAGAZINE

BLACK WOMEN ON THE MOVE:

Dia Simms

ften referred to as the “right hand woman” to Sean “Diddy” Combs, Dia Simms is a woman all her own. Even in the grace of her smile, you can’t help but notice that she means business. This savvy advertising executive has worked her way up from a coffee barista, to landing an interview with Diddy in which it only took him 6 minutes to be captivated by her wit and ambition and offer her a job as his personal assistant. Rising through the ranks within the company, while maintaining her primary role as wife and mother, she is the definition of grit and hard work. Dia Simms began working for Mr. Combs in 2005 and quickly rose from her role as his assistant to Chief of Staff. Over the years she has held numerous roles as part of the Combs executive team including general manager of advertising and marketing firm, The Blue Flame Agency and most recently executive vice president, Combs Wine & Spirits. As of February of this year, she has been promoted to President of Combs Wines & Spirits, overseeing Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka, luxury tequila DeLeon and will lead the spirits innovation business for the company. Combs Wine & Spirits is a privately owned, premium spirits and wine business founded and created by Sean Combs in 2013. Based in New York, the company is a joint venture partner with Diageo on DeLeon Tequila. When asked what helped propel her into success in just 10 short years, she attributed it to being a student of one of the greatest in the game. “Diddy is a phenomenal teacher. He has the ability to bring out the best in you and really pushes to move you from just being

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Written by: Nikki Smith

good, to being great.” Dia was also influenced by a former manager during her time at Clear Channel, Christine Rodrick, who encouraged her to not only work hard, but to also be a great leader amongst her peers. Along with her role as a business executive, Dia is also actively involved in the community. Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship is an international non-profit organization started by Steve Mariotti, a friend of hers that provides entrepreneurship training and education programs to young people from low-income urban communities. Through the organization’s patented entrepreneurship education, NFTE helps young people build entrepreneurial creativity and skills. Since 1987, NFTE has reached more than 500,000 young people, and currently has programs in 18 states and 10 countries. “I believe that entrepreneurship is the best strategy to combat unemployment and I am honored to be a part of such a phenomenal organization the work that they are doing in the lives of our young people.” To other women and any young person who is looking to achieve the same success as she has and more, Dia gives this advice; “In whatever you do, always produce and represent excellence; chose to be an extraordinary asset to your job/ organization instead of someone who’s expendable. And for the women, never feel like you have to compromise family for career. If you dream big enough, stay committed to that dream, and work hard enough to see it realized, you won’t have to sacrifice one for the other. I am living proof of that.”

When my students succeed, I succeed. At KIPP St. Louis our passionate teachers are empowered to make a difference in our studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives, just when they need it the most.

ENROLL NOW for 5th Grade!

www.kippstl.org 314.896.0123

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64 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com

Rise Up Festival C

Written by: Syliva Woods Photography by: Steve Truesdell

rt festivals grant us permission to see and interpret the world in many ways. It allows us to tour the mind of the artist - an invitation into his or her world; to see their perception of the universe in which we live. Art encompasses a wide variety of media, and affects everyone who sees it in one way or another. Are you looking to mingle, network and socialize with other artists and art lovers from around the globe? Looking for an outdoor activity everyone can enjoy? Bring the entire family out and be a part of the annual Art Fair in St. Louis.! The streets will be swarming with like-minded people on the same mission as you; to embrace the arts and the beautiful world it lures us into. Two long awaited art extravaganzas start this fantastic Fall season off just right and we are ready for it! Rise Up Festival The 2015 Rise up Festival – Celebrating Revitalization is happening on Friday, August 21, 2015, from 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (music and food until 11:00 p.m.) on Washington Avenue between 16th and 17th streets directly in front of the Cultural Festivals office at 1627 Washington Avenue. The Rise Up Festival Art Show will feature 30 artists from the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, a culinary component - vendors from many of the city’s top restaurants and live music across three stages from The Dirty Muggs, Bottoms Up Blues Gang and Jeremiah Johnson Band. Get your groove on and feed your musical appetite! Categories include: Ceramics, Digital Art, Drawing and Pastels, Fiber, Glass, Jewelry, Metalwork, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, Wood. The Art Show will be managed by Cultural Festivals, producers of the Saint Louis Art Fair. The Saint Louis Art Fair Attracts more than 100,000 people each September, is regularly ranked one of the top festivals in the country. This threeday outdoor festival, which is produced by Cultural Festivals, showcases some of the most talented artists from around the country and beyond. The fair will take place in the heart of Clayton September 11th, 12th and the 13th. The fair’s main focus is a juried

exhibition of quality fine art and craft with the artists present in their booths. The Art Fair Sourcebook named the Saint Louis Art Fair No. 4 in the nation for fine arts fairs. Don’t miss your chance to experience this outstanding display of art and culture right across the river. Now in its 22nd year, the annual Saint Louis Art Fair continues to offer a wide variety of art and events that visitors of all ages will enjoy. This fair is definitely ‘Where The Cool Kids Hang Out!” The Saint Louis Art Fair 2015 independent artist lineup boasts a whopping 14 categories featuring ceramic artists (figures, tiles and tableware made from clay), drawing and pastels, emerging artists, fiber artists (fabric or yarn), glass artist, jewelry artist, metal work artist, mixed media artist (a work that uses more than one medium), painting artists, photography artists, printmaking artists, sculpture artists(three-dimensional) and wood artists. In other words, the Saint Louis Art fair is artistry paradise. From dramatic vases and suspended metal sculptures to wall art and ear candy! Children can also let their creative juices flow with face painting activities, finger art, crafts and by exploring the Creative Castle, an area for young artists to make crafts and so much more! In addition, for your shopping pleasure, saxophonists align the streets blowing soothing jazz while you peruse the scene. Art work displayed at the Saint Louis Art fair isn’t something you’ll find at your local department store. If you’re the stand out in the crowd type, you’ll fit right in here! Each piece is uniquely crafted by the artist. *Rule of Thumb* When you buy from an independent artist, you are buying more than just a painting, a piece of jewelry, a photography or a sculpture - - you are buying hundreds of hours of experimentation and thousands of failures. You are buying days, weeks, months and sometimes years of frustration and moments of pure joy. The Art Fair collaborates with over 20 local not-for-profit organizations giving them the opportunity to generate earned income and access to over 130,000 potential patrons. Sponsors for the Saint Louis Art Fair help to make it a success and are far and wide; Edward Jones, St. Louis Bread Co., Majic 100.3, Graybar Electric, Wells Fargo, Commerce Bank and Enterprise Rent-A-Car

to name a few. In 2014, the Saint Louis Art Fair won the Grand Pinnacle Award in their category at International Festivals & Events Association Conference in Kansas City. This is a very prestigious award as many events are considered around the world. Looking to volunteer? Cultural Festivals employs over 1,000 volunteers in a wide variety of leadership roles. The organization’s goal is to enrich the community by bringing together people of all backgrounds to celebrate and share art experiences. Cultural Festivals is a not-for-profit organization. All support goes directly toward presentation of the annual Saint Louis Art Fair and its cultural outreach programs and services presented throughout the year. Donations to Cultural Festivals are tax-deductible as a charitable contribution. Cultural Festivals was founded in 1994 by a group of passionate art enthusiasts who wanted to breathe life into the cultural landscape of St. Louis. The organization began under the official name, “The Saint Louis Art Fair” and aimed to showcase high-end visual art and stimulating live performances. For more information, visit the website www.culturalfestivals.com, email info@ culturalfestivals.com, write/call Cultural Festivals, 225 South Meramec Ave. Suite 105. St. Louis, MO 63105 314-863-0278, FB page Cultural Festivals, Twitter #culturalfest Photos by : Cassie Ray and David Kloeckener

4 Fun Art Facts: Did you know… (1) Pablo Picasso was considered a suspect in the theft of Mona Lisa in 1911. He was arrested and questioned, but later cleared and released. (2) English artist Andy Brown, created a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II by stitching together 1,000 used tea bags. (3) Vincent van Gogh painted “Starry Night” while he was in an insane asylum. (4) Photographer Patrick Hall films people’s reactions as they get tasered with a handheld stun gun.

DELUX MAGAZINE

Written by: Kendra Pete Photo: Google Wire Services

The Power of Meditation

et’s talk “stress”-a word well known by Americans and every other “nine-tofiver” that gets stuck in rush hour traffic for that matter. It’s everywhere and hard to escape, so it is expected for the average American to burnout every now and then, right? Whether it’s your boss breathing down your neck or your precious offspring heavily beating on the drum set your cousin Joey got them last Christmas, your chances of being consumed by stress are a lot more likely than completely evading it. So, how does one escape this stress monster and live freely in a world filled with all sorts of stress inducers? Simple-meditate. Now, about a decade ago, the theory of simply inhaling and exhaling while “removing oneself from thoughts” seemed so foolish and overlooked. Yet, as time progressed, more and more individuals realized the power of escaping all forms of distractions in order to simply “be” including some of your favorite celebrities such as Sir Paul Mcartney, Miguel, Katy Perry, Eva Mendes, Russell Simmons and Oprah Winfrey. Mind you, all of the Mr. Miyagi talk goes over my head at times, but my curiosity got the best of me, so I decided to research the meaning and power of meditation and monitoring one’s breathing cycle in

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order to have a better perspective of this revolutionary method of relaxation. One definition for “meditation” is the practice of “silencing” the mind in order to increase relaxation resulting in reduced stress levels, lowered blood pressure (scientifically proven), more focused thoughts and many other positive changes in health. The word derives from two Latin words: “meditari” which means to think, to dwell upon or to exercise the mind and “mederi” which means to heal. Avid “yogis” (people who practice yoga) will be the first to share how meditation brings much mental and emotional clarity as well as an overall sense of rejuvenation throughout the body. Traditional yoga practices will show that meditation actually happens in stages though the average American does not realize. The American Psychological Association’s annual “Stress in America” survey released about two months ago showed a recent decline in American stress levels going from Americans rating stress as a 6.2 on a scale from 1 to 10 (ten meaning highly stressful) back in 2007 to a 4.9 in 2015.

Maybe this is due to all of the “conscious breathing” taking place these days, who knows? However, one thing is for sure, meditation has become more than a fad and has transformed into something more like a lifestyle that aims toward internal peace and mental awareness. So, grab a friend (and a yoga mat), find a quiet corner in the house and begin meditating because life is too short to sweat the small stuff. By simply paying attention to the rhythm of your breathing for approximately 30 minutes each day, you can alter your lifestyle, transform your thought processes and create a “mini getaway” right in the comforts of your own home.

hot 104.1: Minority Business Exchange On June 25, 2015, the second installment of Hot 104.1 and First Bank Minority Business Exchange series was held at The EI Institute. This round they were talking about “The Business Of Making Music.” The event was filled with networking with music industry professionals including label reps from Universal and Atlantic Records and a panel that discussed the ends and outs of the music industry. “The Small Business Bank of Choice,” First Bank was on hand to talk about the financial side of the music industry and what steps you need to take to get and keep your money right.

photos by Mena Darre

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Espionage 6.0 Rustic Goat Eatery The Espionage Event series has been consistent with delivering an upscale, safe and entertaining party for the young professionals of Saint Louis. Espionage 6.0 continued with that consistency. The crowd was well dressed and came with one thing in mind, to have a great time. Jasmun Morehead (Mena Dare Photography) and our event blogger Rachel Nevil (That darn Rachel) did an excellent job of capturing the moments at the events through photography and after event reports. We put this particular event together to celebrate some of the recent graduates in the Saint Louis area. The event was set up to be a platform for whatever reason an individual might have to celebrate. Needless to say it was a success and the crowd left feeling happy and eager for the next event. photos by Mena Darre

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inspireSTL Emerging Excellence Ceremony On June 4, 2015, inspireSTL celebrated the graduation of its inaugural Class of 2015 scholars, and the induction of the newest Class of 2020 scholars during the Emerging Excellence ceremony. The celebration included a dance performance by Afriky Lolo, a spoken word performance from poet Corey Black, and an address by Rebeccah Bennett of Emerging Wisdom, LLC. Families, stakeholders, supporters, and other key members of the St. Louis community attended the ceremony to celebrate this momentous occasion. Most of the 2015 inspireSTL scholars are first generation college graduates, all have been accepted to college, and they have secured over $1.5 million in scholarship awards. inspireSTL scholars continue to break through barriers, and emerge into their excellence. photos by InspireSTL

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people who inspire breve wine gallery The inspirational men and women who are chosen each year for the prestigious “People Who Inspire” award embody this quote. As a publication of the upper echelon, DELUX Magazine is proud to be a platform of recognition for young, ambitious, and driven working professionals across the metro area. These honorees have not only excelled in their individual career paths, but have also served as true inspiration for others to achieve the same success. After receiving this admired award, these individuals are featured in DELUX Magazine with their stories being told to thousands of engaged DELUX readers, digital subscribers, and social media fans. Powered by Fifth Third Bank + Tequilia Avion

photos by Omar O’Hara - Red Razor

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[Who Got Next?]

Words by: Seven L. Maxwell Photo by Aaron Banks

GOT WOOD? Jermain Todd

MWANZI 3412 lemp ave. st. louis, mo 63118 tel / 3142004123 ex.9 fax / 3145589177 www.mwanzi.com

WHEN CREATIVE CRAFTSMAN, JERMAIN TODD CREATED THE FIRST COFFEE TABLE IN THE SPACE AT MWANZI CO. WHERE HE STILL OPERATES FIVE YEARS LATER, HE HAD NO IDEA HOW FAR HIS CRAFT WOULD CARRY HIM. AFTER FEELING THE EFFECTS OF A FAILING HOUSING MARKET, TODD’S COMMERCIAL CLIENTS AND FABRICATORS—TO WHOM HE WOULD DISTRIBUTE BAMBOO PLYWOOD—DIMINISHED DRASTICALLY, LEADING HIM TO EXPLORE ALTERNATIVE AVENUES THAT WOULD SOON ALLOW HIM TO BECOME ONE OF THE CITY’S CREATIVE COLLECTIVES AS HE CULTIVATED HIS CRAFT.

It was the instability of the housing market that allowed Todd to re-evaluate his focus and step out on faith to build Mwanzi—Swahili for Bamboo. After studying countless YouTube videos, books, and after correcting many mistakes, Todd evolved into one of the most recognized craftsmen in the country—but it didn’t come without its challenges. He first had to face his fears and focus on the future he’d planned for his family. “When you go through hardships in your life, fear is something you put on yourself. I’d been going through some stuff so it wasn’t that hard for me to take that step because I had no other choice. I had to do it.” He continued, “You go out there, and you give it your best shot because you have nothing to lose. That was the situation I was in. I had no other choice. I had a baby. I was recently married. My wife was still in college, so I had to make it happen. Fear was certainly there, but if I allowed that to stop me, I would’ve stayed in that hole, and what kind of life is that?

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“Fear. If I allowed it to keep me down, I don’t know where I would be today. I may have stayed in that rut. I thank God today. I do exactly what I want to do, and I’m so happy with the course that my life has taken.” Although he learned a lot about business while obtaining his business marketing degree, Todd tapped into his true self and decided to build a brand based around his innate interest to creatively construct raw materials into eco-friendly, functional furniture that keeps people marveling at these modern-day masterpieces. “I want to make a good living off of the work that I do everyday. While I’m doing that, it’s important for me—because I work with wood—that I’m environmentally conscious of how I use wood and sources of wood that I use,” Todd stated. “Also, an extension of that would be the finishes that I use are low VOC or zero VOC, so there are no hazardous, unhealthy off-gassing in the pieces that I make for people.”

Today, his client list has expanded from a residential client base to commercial clientele from all over the world. Local venues that house his products include: The Libertine, The Wheelhouse, Side Project Brewing Company, The Old Bakery Brewing Company, Urban Chestnut, the Kitchen Sink (an upcoming venue), and Rance John. However, his work has caught the eye of international clients to fly him out to complete their commercial projects with custom pieces handcrafted by Mwanzi Co. Inspired by the world around him, Jermain Todd sees art in everything and it shows through each of the unique pieces in his growing collection. He carefully crafts each order, etching out each detail by hand. With a goal of ensuring that he brings his clients’ ideas to life, this self-taught woodworking design strategist has created his own lane with wood and steel, and he’s looking forward to sharing his work with the world, one piece at a time. Find out more about Jermain Todd and Mwanzi Co. at ww.mwanzi.com.

DELUX MAGAZINE

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74 JULY | AUGUST 2015 www.DeluxMag.com