November 14th, 2024 edition by The St. Louis American

St. LouiS AmericAn

A grand Canyon

By Sylvester Brown, Jr.

St. Louis American

“Where is the poetry… In the screams In the cries

In the begging I don’t need to see the poetry I just have to put the gun down.”

The author of that prose, “Everyday Elegy,” is Katerina Canyon, the executive director of the Peace Economy Project (PEC).

The St. Louis nonprofit is dedicated to researching military spending and educating about the hazards of an unchecked military-industrial complex and the need for “a more stable, peacebased economy.” Canyon, 55, is a lifelong poet who admits that she’s been fortunate to have acquired a position that allows her to address her concerns passionately and creatively.

As a child growing up in the Los Angeles area, Canyon was introduced to poetry by her mother,

Katerina Canyon, Peace Economy Project executive director, was on the front line of a recent demonstration demanding a ceasefire in Gaza. Canyon says she also uses her poetry as protest.

out-of-state

Harris-Stowe has ‘Sanction of Notice’ removed

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

It has been an eventful year for Harris-Stowe State University. Harris-Stowe State University has recently celebrated the opening of its Center of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE).

It received a historic $1 million posthumous endowment from alum Anne E. Price, a former assistant superintendent for elementary schools and Banneker Elementary School principal in the St. Louis Public Schools district. In August, the school’s renovated AT&T Library and Technology Resource Center reopened as a “modern

hub for academic and professional growth, providing state-of-the-art resources for students, faculty, and staff.”

In March, HSSU secured accreditation by the Missouri State Board of Education, based on a recommen-

Racist texts rip across Missouri, nation

‘This is terrorism’

By Annelise Hanshaw Missouri Independent

Racist text messages received this week primarily by Black students nationwide — including in Missouri — are under investigation by federal authorities. The FBI said in a statement issued Thursday it “is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter.”

Locally, groups have condemned the attacks, and college campuses are looking into the source of the messages.

The texts, which tell recipients they were “selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation,” have been posted on forums online as far back as Wednesday afternoon. Students have reported receiving texts at several universities around the state. Thursday morning, the 17-year-old son of St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones received the viral message, which the mayor’s father posted online Nimrod Chapel Jr., president of the

By Alvin A. Reid

Louis American

St.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones spoke with Gov. elect Mike Kehoe last week following his election on Nov. 5. The conversation was reportedly casual, but she let him know emphatically that she and the city of St. Louis would continue to protect local control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

As 2024 draws closer to its final month, Jones and Police Chief Robert Tracy have statistical facts on their side that show crime is decreasing in the city.

Earlier today, Mayor Jones and Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe spoke on the phone after Kehoe’s election as Missouri’s next governor. After their call, during a press conference announcing his transition, Kehoe discussed his desire to pursue a state takeover of SLMPD. Mayor Jones

See CRIME, A6

Hundreds of first responders traveled down Chouteau Avenue in St. Louis’ Midtown neighborhood as Ferguson Police officer Travis Brown, not pictured, is transported to an

rehabilitation clinic in Atlanta on Tuesday. Brown was injured during a protest marking the 10th anniversary of Michael Brown Jr.’s killing.

Photo courtesy of Katerina Canyon

Nimrod Chapel Jr.

Photo by Brian Munoz / St. Louis Public Radio

Quincy Jones quietly laid to rest

A very private funeral was held for music giant Quincy Jones exactly one week after his passing at age 91. His family issued a statement to The Associated Press, saying that the “intimate ceremony included Jones’ seven children, his brother, two sisters, and immediate family members.”

The family did not disclose where the ceremony took place – or the cemetery where he was laid to rest- except for to say that the service was held in Los Angeles.

ter, Yale University will offer a class titled “Beyoncé Makes History: Black Radical Tradition History, Culture, Theory & Politics Through Music.”

The aim, according to its course description, is to use her work as a lens through which to examine Black intellectual thought and activism.

The statement said that they are “enormously grateful for the outpouring of condolences and tributes from his friends and fans from around the world.” It also revealed that a larger celebration of life event would be announced at a later date.

Beyoncé 101 coming to Yale

Starting this upcoming spring semes-

Following Beyoncé’s innovations and influence from her self-titled 2013 album to her latest, “Cowboy Carter,” students will analyze her albums, performance politics and concert films.

The class will explore scholarly works and cultural texts across Black feminist theory, philosophy and anthropology, as well as art history, performance studies and musicology, the course description states. The class will be taught by writer and Black studies scholar ne Brooks.

Original ‘Candyman’ star Tony Todd passes at 69

Tony Todd, a veteran actor with a

career that spanned more than four decades and includes nearly 250 film and television credits, passed away on Wednesday, November 6. He was 69 years old.

While representatives for Todd confirmed the death to Deadline.com, no cause of death was given for the actor- who passed away at his Los Angeles home.

Todd is perhaps best known as the title character in the 1992 horror film “Candyman.” His other notable performances include a standout role in Oliver Stone’s Academy Award-winning war drama “Platoon,” the “Final Destination” franchise and the 1990 remake of “Night of the Living

Is Denzel bowing out of his career?

Speaking to Australia’s “Today” while on the press tour for “Gladiator II,” Academy Award winner Denzel Washington revealed that director Ryan Coogler is writing him a role

in “Black Panther 3.” He also claimed that the movie will be one of the final films for the iconic stage and screen star. “For me it’s about the filmmakers. Especially at this point in my career, I am only interested in working with the best,” Washington said during the interview. “I don’t know how many more films I’m going to make.”

After confessing that it probably would “not be that many,” Washington offered a play-by-play of what he says will be his acting career’s final chapters.

“I played Othello at 22. I am about to play Othello at 70,” he continued, referring to the Shakespeare production co-starring Jake Gyllenhaal that opens on Broadway in February 2025. “After that, I am playing Hannibal. After that, I’ve been talking to Steve McQueen about a film. After that, Ryan Coogler is writing a part for me in the next ‘Black Panther.’ After that, I’m going to do the film ‘Othello,’ After that, I’m going to do King Lear. After that, I’m going to retire.”

Sources: The Associated Press, Deadline.com, NBC.com, Variety.com

- Tuskegee University

President Mark Brown on a deadly shooting that marred the school’s 100th anniversary celebration

Kwame Charitable Foundation celebrates its 2nd Annual Gala

Kathy Osborn receives inaugural honor

By Alvin A. Reid

St. Louis American

As Tony Thompson, the founder and CEO of Kwame Building Group, built his firm into a national leader in construction management, he was planning to establish a foundation that would have an educational impact on the communities it served.

The Kwame Charitable Foundation welcomed more than 250 guests to its second annual gala on November 8, 2024, at the Four Seasons Hotel. Thompson honored Kathy Osborn, founder and former executive director of the Regional Business Council, with the inaugural Betty and Jack Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award.

The award, which is named for his late parents, was presented to Osborn for her “tireless efforts to increase opportunities and improve the lives of countless women and minorities.”

The choice did not come without controversy, according to Thompson. He acknowledged that he received criticism for a white recipient receiving the inaugural award.

“There are very few individuals in this region who have so effectively used their knowledge, experience, influence and power, to strategically help Black and brown people,” Thompson said.

“Kathy Osborn’s efforts

to increase opportunities and improve the lives of women and minorities, over the past 30 years, has been groundbreaking. This award, named after my parents, is befitting her.”

While accepting the award, Osborn said that the enduring impact of Mr. and Mrs. Thompson’s lives “still resonates today, through their relationships, advocacy for others, as well as through their descendants.”

Osborn’s award was not the only “breaking news” of the evening.

Lydia Huston, Kwame Foundation executive director, announced that in spring 2025, the Foundation will take a more direct approach to fulfilling its mission by launching a new scholarship and grant process for individuals or organizations to apply directly to Kwame Charitable Foundation.

The new model will start modestly and allow the organization greater engagement and personal interaction with recipients.

For the past 21 years, scholarship support was awarded through the specific colleges and universities where the foundation has endowments.

Tony Thompson presented the inaugural ‘Betty and Jack Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award’ to Kathy Osborn, founder and former executive director of the Regional Business Council, during the 2nd Annual Kwame Charitable Foundation Gala at the Four Seasons Hotel on Nov. 8, 2024.

In 2003, Thompson and his wife, Kim, sought to help first-generation college students whose academic success was hindered by limited resources. They established the Kwame Foundation, and it now has established endowed scholarships at nearly 30 institutions. It also supports organizations that enhance the educational landscape within this region and the United States. According to its website, the Foundation “strives to change the trajectory of the lives of motivated young adults”

College exposure, which includes and annual HBCU campus tour to several universities, and endowed scholarships are avenues “by which we remove barriers that can impede success.”

“We look towards a future that is more hopeful for scholars who deserve of the opportunity to reach their full potential,” according to the Thompsons – and that now includes a new model to attain the goal. The fundraiser included a jazz cocktail reception, recognizing Presenting Sponsor, the Regional Business Council. The evening’s celebration concluded with an afterparty, led by DJ Sam Hood from Foxy 106.9FM.

Photos courtesy

Kwame Charitable Foundation

Photos courtesy of Kwame Charitable Foundation

Lydia Huston, Kwame Charitable Foundation executive director, announced the Foundation will launch a new model for scholarships and grants in Spring 2025

I lied to my son because I love him

By John Celestand

I lied to my son. As the Nov. 5, 2024, election result cementing Donald Trump as our next President again wasn’t enough of a punch to the face, a conversation with my 11-year son the following day was the gut punch that dropped me to the canvas.

After returning home from school, flabbergasted as to how the country could elect a man like Trump President for a second time, my son asked me, “Do you think Donald Trump will try to make us slaves again?”

The velocity at which I attempted to answer his question was somewhere close to the speed of light. Yet before I could even get out my answer, he doubled down. “Are my friends going to be deported?”

I stumbled through my words to assure him that Trump could not make us slaves again. I also assured him that his friends would not be deported.

In my act of assurance, I lied to my son.

The audacity of me to not at first even give some thought to Trump potentially enslaving Black folks. How could I feign so much certainty given what I’ve seen him do to this country since 2016, even before he became the President?

He once called for the termination of the Constitution and has recently threatened to eradicate the Department of Education. I never thought he’d be able to empower an angry mob to storm the U.S. Capitol building, smash windows, climb walls, and look for members of Congress to maul. I never thought a convicted felon, found guilty of sexual abuse, could be elected President.

Who was I to underestimate what Trump could now do?

I lied to my son. I lied about the safety of his friends. I feigned confidence that everything would be OK. An 11-year-old deserves that lie, don’t they? Why should they walk around in terror, wondering when their friends, their friend’s parents, or their teammates may be whisked away?

As Black folks in this country, we may be on an island all by ourselves. Maybe I should tell him that Black people only make up about 14% of the population, and Black folks alone can’t effect major change when it comes to voting. We will need other groups like white men, white women, and Hispanic men to assist us in our quest for a decent, fair, and equitable America.

Where were you, white women?

By Dawn Montgomery

Political yard signs can symbolize intentions and allegiance. But this year, they’ve also symbolized betrayal. During this general election, Black women were led to believe that more White women would stand with us.

Exit polls, however, told a different story. Despite overwhelming displays of support, more White women still chose to vote for the convicted felon, reality TV star, and rapist. White women answered the call but left us hanging at the polls. I live in DeKalb County, Georgia, and the abundance of Harris-Walz yard signs could’ve fooled me. But I’ve seen this before, back when Stacey Abrams ran for governor. White women showed up, put up signs, attended rallies, knocked on doors, and worked at phonebanks.

Yet, when it came time to vote, they let us down—not once but twice. I’ve been here for over 15 years, and if there’s one thing I know, it’s that political signs are symbols without weight.

I’ve seen Black Lives Matter signs and black squares posted on Instagram to “prove” support for Black people, but we now know that was a lie, too. Will those same people who claimed Black lives mattered now take down their HarrisWalz signs and show their true selves?

Navigating these truths is a daily struggle for me—professionally and socially. White women often misuse their privilege, supporting us only when it’s convenient. Seeing overqualified Black women sabotaged or abandoned by White women at critical moments is a constant emotional challenge. It’s exhausting to live with this reality, especially when solidarity seems like something they pick up and discard at will.

The audacity of me to assure my son, who, here in Maryland, lives in the second most diverse city in the country, that his friends need not worry. The boldness in me to confidently assure him that in a place as diverse as Montgomery County, Maryland, his friends, classmates, and teammates — all from different walks of life, religions, and countries — would undoubtedly be safe.

I lied to my son.

But I had to, didn’t I? I needed to protect the innocence of a sixth grader who plays basketball in his Kenyan friend’s driveway a few times a week. I had to guarantee him that his other friend from Ethiopia, whom he had gone to elementary school with, was going to be OK. Who was I to tell him the truth?

In fact, why couldn’t Donald Trump make us slaves again?

Maybe I should tell him that with the results of this week’s election, all signs point to Black folks not getting enough support from those groups anytime soon. White men, white Women, and Latino Men voted for Trump at 59%, 52%, and 54% clips, respectively.

I made the right decision by lying to my son. I don’t think there is a need to expose him to the fact that most of the country didn’t vote for Trump strictly due to policy. They voted for Trump to obstruct the browning of a changing America. It’s that simple.

I lied to my son because I love him. America will tell him the truth eventually because it doesn’t.

John Celestand is the program director of the Knight x LMA BloomLab, a $3.2 million initiative that supports the advancement and sustainability of local Black-owned news publications.

In every election, I’ve talked with White women. Most aren’t the primary earners in their families and vote along party lines, aligning with the preferences of their fathers and husbands. These conversations reveal a reluctance to break from tradition, even when their votes affect women and certainly when their votes impact the lives of people who look like me.

On social media, I’m seeing White women posting pictures of blue bracelets to “prove” they didn’t vote for Trump. These bracelets are hollow symbols, empty gestures that mean nothing to me. An accessory to claim distance from Trump’s legacy is superficial comfort, while the choice to not stand with us in the voting booth is far more profound.

One clever campaign ad from HarrisWalz that spoke directly to White women. “Your Vote, Your Choice” emphasized that their vote was private—independent of their household situation. Another was from Olivia Howell Dreizen, the “Vote Without Fear” campaign, which empowered women to consider the greater impact of their choices. But many still couldn’t choose the roadmap to freedom—even when it was handed to them.

White women, I want to believe you care, but actions speak louder than yard signs, bracelets, or Instagram posts. Show up in our communities, advocate in your workplaces, and stand up to dismantle the structures that uphold white supremacy. Only through real action will we know where you stand. If you choose not to act, we see you— and we know exactly where you stand. Good luck these next four years.

Dawn Montgomery is NNPA/Black Press USA national correspondent

In the end, ignorance and racism won

By Sylvester Brown, Jr.

I’ve been hoodwinked, bamboozled, led astray! I abandoned my own mantra: “Never underestimate the power of racism and ignorance.”

I let myself become optimistic about the presidential election. I fell for the hype, the hoopla and accepted the notion that Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign might beat political, racist foolishness and somehow equate to real progressive, universal “change” in this country.

Silly me.

All the signs that betrayed this false narrative were there. An old, befuddled white man was not universally shamed for referring to a distinguished, accomplished Black woman as “stupid” and a “low IQ” candidate.

Speaking of gender; I was also certain his running mate, Sen. JD Vance’s age-old sexist trope, describing women as “childless cat ladies” would repel most women’ who had already lost their rights to bodily autonomy because of Trump’s hand-picked supreme court justices.

Nope, 53% of white women voted for him.

I let myself believe that people of color would reject Donald Trump’s racist assertions that Haitian immigrants were eating dogs, cats and the pets of Springfield, Ohio residents.

in 2020.

Because Trump won, some Democrats and the media are assuming he did something right.

I’m exhausted with all the “sane-splaining” of Harris’ so-called “failed” campaign. It was not her record as a prosecutor, senator, or vice president. It wasn’t her inability to connect with the middle class, nor was it her running mate, Minn. Gov. Tim Walz. Thise making those claims are loathe to dissect the very real reasons she lost to Trump: Ignorance and racism.

How did more than 74 million people go to the polls and vote for a convicted felon, a tax cheat, a verified conman, a serial liar, alleged sexual predator and leader of a violent insurrection? Sorry to be so blunt, but those of you who knew those things to be true and voted for him anyway…well, that’s a serious indictment on your intellect.

Columnist Sylvester Brown Jr.

Surely, voters of diverse backgrounds would not accept the fearmongering of a presidential candidate who baselessly claimed that millions of “illegals” from Mexico, Venezuela, the Congo were pouring into our country raping, stealing, murdering and pillaging at unprecedented rates.

There’s no way legalized voting immigrants would back someone who promised reckless mass deportation of people who look like them.

I was incorrect; 45% of self-identified Hispanic voters picked Trump, up from 32% in 2020.

Despite asking his defense secretary if he could shoot Black protestors then later promising to pardon convicted white insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol at his urging, Trump won an estimated 20% of the Black vote, doubling his take

I know of no polls that accurately details the number of racists in America. But let’s be honest; something in the psyches of millions of voters resonates with Trump.

Race and stupidity.

I know that is politically uncool to say, but I’m no politician and the future consequences are too dire to be silent about what has happened and will continue happening in my country.

We have reverted to a time when antiquated racist feelings and uninformed sentiments influence who gets to lead America. This, while media pundits are loathe to discuss it openly.

As a proud African American and a 67-year-old graduate of this country’s ‘Negro experiment,’ I should have known better. I should have instinctively recalled the calamitous, backwards history and the deadly ramifications of whites who felt marginalized, threatened and powerless.

But alas, I allowed myself to be influenced by “hope” and the woefully naïve notion that, deep, deep down “real Americans”-despite their politics-believed in the Constitution and our supposed “tried and true” principles of democracy, fair play and justice for all. But, in the end, ignorance and racism won out.

Guest Columnist Dawn Montgomery

Guest Columnist John Celestand

The St. Louis Area Foodbank and its partners distribute between 40 million and 50 million pounds of food annually to neighbors in need across Missouri and Illinois. Through Mobile Markets, FARMs food distributions, and the Food on the Move program, it delivers food to residents who do not have a means of transportation.

Ameren kicks off Thanks for Giving Challenge

STL Foodbank

St. Louis American

Ameren has launched its 2024 Thanks for Giving Community Challenge Grant to help feed families across Missouri and Illinois.

Ameren is matching donations made to the St. Louis Area Foodbank, up to $200,000. The goal is to raise $500,000 in foodbank donations, which is equivalent to approximately 1.5 million meals.

“Our continued partnership with the St. Louis Area Foodbank helps provide nutritious food for individuals, families, and communities in 26 counties in Missouri and Illinois,” said Gwen Mizell, senior vice president and chief sustainability, diversity and philanthropy officer at Ameren.

“People in our communities can’t flourish if they’re worried about meeting basic needs, like feeding their families. Through AmerenCares, we

are supporting nonprofits that help meet those critical needs, like food, health care and housing.”

One in seven area residents in the bistate region need food assistance, including one in six children.

Through monetary donations, the Foodbank can purchase food items at significantly reduced costs, allowing a donation of just $100 to feed one family for a whole month. Ameren will match donations made between now and Nov. 30, or until donations reach $200,000, whichever comes first.

“With the holidays just around the corner, we believe that our mission of ‘nourishing people, empowering communities, and transforming systems’ is more important than ever,” said Meredith Knopp, president and CEO of the St. Louis Area Foodbank.

“Meals are an important part of holiday traditions, and they bring friends and families together.”

To donate, visit www.stlfoodbank.org/thanks4giving

By Elinor Tatum

Eight years ago, I wrote an editorial after the 2016 election put Donald Trump in the White House for the first time. My daughter Willa had just turned six years old. In 2016 I was at Clinton Headquarters but this year, I asked my daughter, now 14 and a freshman in high school, if she wanted me to be home to watch the returns with her. With no hesitation, she said “Yes Mommy, come home now. I just was phone banking to PA and now I am discussing the election with my friends.”

As I made my way home, I thought to myself, “it has finally clicked for her, this election means something.” It seemed like she had paid little attention over the last few months and had not been very engaged in the election, but it was different last night.

First, we watched from the living room as the polls began to close and the numbers began to trickle in. State after state started being called for Trump, the numbers were mounting. At about 9:30 p.m. we moved to her room, and we continued to watch until about midnight where she simply said once again, eight years later, “I have to turn this off. MOMMY, I’m scared.”

I wrote these words eight years ago.

“Children across this country are scared. They are afraid for their futures and for the futures of their parents. One little girl at my daughter’s school asked her father this morning if this means that they will have to leave America. Another asked if we will be OK? Parents hugged and cried, “What is this world coming to? How did we get here? How did hate win?”

We had not yet endured four years of his blatant disregard for truth, or law. His disrespect for this country and his fellow elected officials. Jan. 6, 2021, had not yet happened and he had not yet been convicted of a felony. And now, after a brutal, misogynistic, racist campaign against a Black woman, Kamala Harris, he has won again. And with this win, he also takes the Senate, and most likely the House.

We don’t know what the next four years will hold, but our future hangs again on the precipice, as does the future of our great country. From immigration to health care, to abortion rights to environmental protections, to voting rights, we will see a different America.

On the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty in New York’s harbor is a poem by Emma Lazarus penned in 1883. The last five lines of the poem, “The New Colossus” say it all. That was America’s promise: Immigration, both forced and freewilled, built America. Nonetheless there was a promise.

“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore, Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!’”

Elinor R. Tatum is publisher and editor-in-chief of the New York Amsterdam News

Elinor Tatum

Photo courtesy of STL Area Foodbank

an activist and artist. Her mom gave her a book of poems and short stories by Edger Allen Poe, the macabre author of infamous works such as “The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Raven and The Oval Portrait.”

One of her favorites was Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart,” which focused on a killer who murders an old man but continues to hear his loud beating heart after death. The repetitive sound increases the killer’s guilt and eventually drives him to confess to his crime.

Not exactly material for the average 5-year-old but Canyon said, even at that age, she was captivated by Poe’s wit, humor and deductive writing style.

“A lot of his poems and short stories had riddles in them and I really enjoyed figuring that out, as a kid.”

Canyon’s mother, who was an activist in the movement to integrate California’s segregated schools, was a major motivator in her life. She vividly recalls a poster her mother designed depicting a diverse group of children boarding a school bus. The banner read: “Integrate Now!”

After Canyon was eventually allowed to enroll in a previously segregated magnet school her mother advised her: “Remember you’re just as good as they are.”

Poetry, Canyon said, also helped her cope with her parents’ trials and tribulations such as drug abuse, poverty and the fight for civil rights.

“Both my parents were highly educated, but there was a lot of frustration for them as far as being seen the way they were, “ Canyon explained. “My mother, especially, always felt like she had to fight for me to be in spaces.’’

Before a presidential watch party fell silent as election returns filtered in, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. members stepped during a watch party at Sports & Social in downtown St. Louis. AKAs say that the election loss of their sorority

sister Vice President Kamala Harris will not deter AKA social justice committees from focusing on upcoming local races and ballot measures so voters can be well informed during elections next year and in 2026.

As an example, Canyon recalled family trips to her mother’s birthplace, Louisiana, and how her father warned them to move aside if a white person approached them on the sidewalk.

“And that was in the early 70s,” she added. She found her way to the city by way of St. Louis University where she continued her studies in English, international studies and creative writing, with a minor in Russian language. Canyon said she held

“a variety of jobs” … in tech, law firms, and major non-profits but, “despite the apparent success and stability these roles provided,” she said, “I always felt unfulfilled, as though I was not truly making a difference.”

When she learned about PEC, Canyon was instinctively drawn to its mission. She volunteered as a writer, social media, and international affairs intern and, later, as a board member. From the start, she set her sights on someday becoming its director.

That day came in January of this year.

Canyon describes herself as a human rights activist and “an experienced strategist with a bias for action.” When asked about inaction towards peace currently in the Middle East and Ukraine, she was not deterred.

“For me, the action is to educate. Even though I advocate for change, my goal is to educate the future leaders of this country, of the world. I don’t see it as a change that’s going to happen tomor-

row. I see it as a change that’s going to happen incrementally through a generation of leaders we’re raising today.”

Now, Canyon asserts, is the right time to stress PEC’s mission to transition from a military economy to a more stable, peace-based economy.

“Right now, is the perfect time to address this because it’s never been as obvious as it is right now as to why we need a peace economy,” she stressed. “It’s never been a better time to ask ourselves ‘what happens when we invest in the weaponization of-not only America-but countries we consider our allies as well?’”

What Canyon does find reassuring are the

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issued the following statement in response:

As of Nov. 12, St. Louis has seen 127 homicides. That number is down from 142 as of Nov. 4, 2023, 170 at that time in 2022, 168 at that time in 2021, and 220 at this time in 2020.

In addition, the monthly National Incident Based Reporting System report for October shows meaningful decreases compared to October 2023 across all major crime categories:

• Crimes against a person: -15%

• Crime against property: -31%

• Crime against society: -7%

• All other offenses: -17%

“Every year since I’ve been in office, St. Louis has seen a significant reduction in crime and homicides, and a state takeover threatens that progress,” said Jones.

“I’ve repeatedly made it very clear that a state takeover does not make cities safer. If a state-controlled police department was the model for law enforcement, then Kansas City would be the safest place on Earth.”

Jones explained that Kansas City saw a surge in deaths in homicides in 2023 (the most ever recorded in that city), while St. Louis achieved a 10-year low.

“I’ll continue to work with Chief Tracy, the Office of Violence

voices and actions of young people on college campuses throughout the nation calling for divestment from military industrial complexes like Boeing and advocating for a more peaceful economy.

“When you hear that language; when you hear young people talking about these things on social media it’s heartening,” she explained, adding: “Because even though they may not have gotten it from us, that message is getting across because of our youth.”

Sylvester Brown Jr. is the Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow.

Learn more about the Peace Economy Project, its mission and activities, here: tps://peaceeconomyproject.org/wordpress/

Prevention, Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore, and our community partners to reduce crime in St. Louis and advocate fiercely against state control,” said Jones. The “downtown is crime ridden” mantra is also dispelled in the monthly report. It showed that downtown saw “an even greater decrease” in October 2024 compared to October 2023 than all neighborhoods in the city. The statistical category ‘Crimes against a person’ was down 45.3%, and ‘crimes against property’ was down 32.7%.

Not all the news was good, as crimes against society were up 25%, due to an increase in drug and weapons law violations with no specific victim, while all other offenses were up 10%.

“Commanders consistently review crime statistics and monitor new trends to ensure resources are being strategically deployed,” said Tracy.

“From patrol officers to our detectives and civilian employees, everyone plays a key role in our shared goal to put a dent in violent crime.”

Jones praised Tracy, the police department, Gore and community partners “for the fantastic work they are doing to hold criminals accountable and prevent crime before it happens.”

“This is progress, not perfection,” she said.

“But it is encouraging to see these tangible results, which show we are on the right course and making St. Louis safer.”

Photo by Eric Schmid / St. Louis Public Radio

Stepping up

dation of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE).

The accreditation authorized the College of Education to continue recommending candidates for educator certification, and the schools graduation rate and overall student GPA’s are rising.

This week, the school announced the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) removed the Sanction of Notice and notified HSSU of its “Accredited” status.

This decision follows HSSU’s “successful efforts to meet and exceed the standards required by the HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation, confirming the University is no longer at risk of being out of compliance.”

Following the Sanction of Notice, HSSU President Latonia Collins Smith said the university already had mechanisms in place to assure accreditation would not be lost.

“A series of strategic measures have been implemented since the last evaluation,” Collins Smith said.

“These encompass the establishment of robust policies and procedures, timely audit submissions, mandatory training and professional development, key administrative appointments, infrastructure enhancements, comprehensive program reviews, and dedicated resource allocation in alignment with the overarching strategic plan.”

She said this week the HBCU “has worked diligently to implement measures ensuring its continued commitment to academic excellence, transparency, and institutional integrity. HLC’s recent decision reflects the University’s progress and adherence to accreditation standards.

Notable Highlights: Culture of Student

Texts

Continued from A1

Missouri State Conference of the NAACP, called for law enforcement and schools to take action.

“This is terrorism plain and simple. It points to a well-organized and resourced group that has decided to target Americans on our home soil based on the color of our skin,” he said in a statement after Missouri State University students reported receiving the texts.

“The schools that were targeted and law enforcement need to take these reports seriously and act quickly to prevent the escalation to physical violence.”

The University of Missouri-Columbia is also aware of students on its campus receiving the messages.

We are actively investigating the matter and working to identify the source of these messages,” said Christopher Ave, the university’s spokesman.

“We are also aware that similar texts have been reported at universities nationwide. Based on the information currently available, there is no indication of a credible threat to the safety of members of the MU community.”

Attorneys general in other states, such as Louisiana and North Carolina, have launched state investigations. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has not spoken publicly about the issue. It was reported by Missouri Independent on Wednesday that Bailey is a finalist to be U.S. Attorney General in the Trump administration.

especially for the scholars whose lives are touched every day by this dynamic institution.

“This decision “A series of strategic measures have been implemented since the last evaluation,” Collins Smith said.

Dr. Dimetri Horner, provost and vice president of academic affairs, said the decision “reaffirms Harris-Stowe’s outstanding work,”

“Our campus community is working tirelessly to build robust structures that not only meet accreditation standards, but also advances our mission of supporting student success.”

as she spoke during the opening of celebration of the school’s Center of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (CIE). This week, HSSU learned the Higher Learning Commission

removed the Sanction of Notice and notified HSSU of its “Accredited” status.

Achievement: HSSU has established specific, measurable goals to measure student success and has demonstrated ongoing review of the goals.

Culture of Academic Accomplishment: The University has demonstrated efforts to improve assessment of

student learning with improved systematic data collection and analysis.

Culture of Service Excellence: HarrisStowe’s resource base has been strengthened such that it supports the Institution’s education program and student needs.

Fiscal Responsibility: The institution filled several staff vacancies and has demonstrated the ability to develop a functioning, resourced budget and finance team.

“The Higher Learning Commission decision underscores the dedication and hard work of everyone at Harris-Stowe to build a culture of success by manifesting an environment of continuous improvement. To ensure our scholars receive the highest quality education,” said Smith.

This milestone reflects our commitment to a culture of service excellence

Dr. Stacy Gee Hollins, HLC accreditation liaison, academic affairs interim associate provost and A-B School of Business dean, said HSSU “is proud to have met the standards of our accrediting body, reflecting our commitment to academic excellence and student success.”

“This achievement is an impactful step forward for HSSU, signaling a renewed chapter of growth, trust, and accountability in service to its students and the St. Louis community.”

Harris-Stowe State University President Latonia Collins Smith was filled with “Hornet Pride,”

(HLC)

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

‘Taking

Care of You’

Economic hardship hinders Missourians’ health

MFH study shows correlation

By JoAnn Weaver St. Louis American

Missourians favored a ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage and require some firms to provide paid sick leave on Nov. 5, 2024, just after the Missouri Foundation for Health released a survey showing how economic hardship impacts the health of many BIPOC Missourians.

Dealing mentally with election outcome

By Jennifer Porter Gore

More than a week has passed since

Kamala Harris, the nation’s first Black woman vice president, was defeated soundly by Donald Trump for the presidency and many Black Americans are still mourning the emotionally devastating outcome.

Since Harris replaced President Joe Biden in July as the prospective nominee and then won support for nomination, mental health experts say the Black community has had to deal with unhealthy, complex levels of stress and anxiety.

Cautious but growing optimism among Black people over Harris’ unprecedented run competed against what was at stake for the nation in the 2024 election.

There was concern that racism would hurt her at the ballot box and worry about what a second Trump term would mean for them if she failed.

n “I’ve had a wide range of people who I’ve spoken to and a lot of them can’t believe that Donald Trump actually won.”

– Kiki Ramsey

“Voters [had] a chance to make their voice heard on raising the minimum wage and earned paid sick leave, which directly address the struggles we see across Missouri,” said Sheldon Weisgrau, vice president of health policy and advocacy at Missouri Foundation for Health.

MFH’s third Speak Up MO report underscores how economic stability is essential to the health and well-being of communities across the state.

“We’ve learned that when families feel economically stable, their health improves, stress reduces, and communities become stronger.”

The findings reveal that while many residents remain hopeful about their local economy, the rising costs of essentials and scarcity of high-paying jobs lead to economic strain.

“It’s clear that Missourians are looking for solutions that ensure everyone

See STUDY, A9

Now that Trump is headed back to the White House, the emotions are complex. There is sadness over Harris’s crushing defeat, frustration and anger about racism, and more anxiety over how Trump will wield nearly unchecked power.

“I’ve had a wide range of people who I’ve spoken to and a lot of them can’t believe that Donald Trump actually won,” says Kiki Ramsey, a positive psychologist and executive coach in Atlanta.

“One of my clients specifically said she’ll go to her grave believing that

See GORE, A9

First Ladies step up, show out, give life

By Lannis Hall For The

St. Louis American

The Fourth Annual First Ladies of St. Louis Health Equity Seminar was a powerful gathering driven by our mission to uplift the health and well-being of communities in North St. Louis City and St. Louis County.

Led by the First Ladies—32 devoted wives of pastors—this initiative is rooted in neighborhoods facing substantial health disparities. Since its inception in 2021, in response to the devastating loss of lives from COVID19 and the tragic passing of our beloved First Lady Rachel Hankerson, the seminar has focused on bridging the gap in health care access, encouraging early diagnosis, and supporting preventive care for our community members.

The First Ladies’ flagship event, the Health Equity Seminar, is free and made possible by Siteman Cancer Center, The American Cancer Society, The Program

to Eliminate Cancer Disparities, The St. Louis Chapter of the Links, Inc., BJC HealthCare, Christian Hospital, and Barnes-Jewish St. Peters Hospital. Through this event, we provide essential screenings for heart health and cancer screenings—such as lipid profiles, glucose, BMI, blood pressure, and prostate, breast, and colon cancer screenings. Every participant receives a personal consultation from a health professional, who reviews their results and provides health guidance. Recognizing food insecurity as a major concern for our guests, we were able to provide free Schnucks’ Gift cards for the first 200 attendees.

This year, thanks to the incredible partnerships with 27 vendors and sponsors, we achieved over 800 free screenings and vaccinations. The First Ladies of St. Louis hosted over 600 in-person attendees and 580 virtual participants who received See LADIES, A9

The Fourth Annual First Ladies of St. Louis

was held Nov. 2, 2024 at Greater Grace Church in Ferguson. More than 800 free lipid profiles, and glucose, BMI, blood pressure, and prostate, breast, and colon cancer screenings were provided. Participants, which topped 600, also received a consultation from a health professional.

doctor introduces a newborn baby to a sibling as a Missouri family grows. A Missouri Foundation for Health study shows that a family’s health and healthcare access can depend on its economic status and its degree of financial vulnerability.

Photo courtesy of Missouri Foundation of Health

Lannis Hall

Jennifer Porter Gore

Photo courtesy of First Ladies of St. Louis

Health Equity Seminar

can meet basic needs and build a stable future,”

Weisgrau said.”

1,719 state residents participated in the survey, including 345 BIPOC individuals. Researchers conducted eight focus groups among BIPOC Missouri residents in Nov. 2023.

Overall, 28% of Missourians believe they were “just getting by financially.”

“I have 10 children, my husband has a decent job, but we live paycheck to paycheck,” a St. Louis female participant said.

“It wasn’t always so bad. It’s just getting really hard to buy food and things. We don’t live extravagantly [so] I’m just trying to figure out why that is.”

18% of participants believe there are not enough jobs for people who want them, but twothirds (66%) believe not having enough jobs is a “good challenge.”

According to the report, 26% of African American Missourians believe they were “just getting by financially,” and 15% believe they were “really struggling financially.”

“Prices are going up — food and utilities, and it makes it hard for people,” a St. Louis African American participant said.

“Jobs, they aren’t pay-

Ladies

‘Taking

Report findings on financial vulnerability

Speak up report

While most Missourians (59%) report feeling comfortable financially, only one-quarter say they are managing to save. This financial vulnerability is especially pronounced among people of color.

31% of African Americans and 35% of BIPOC Missourians say are “just getting by financially,” while 26% of whites report the same financial vulnerability.

ing enough [and] everything else is going up and you are not really making enough money is how I look at it.”

The survey found that while over half of Missourians (59%) feel financially comfortable, few are saving money, which leaves them vulnerable to unexpected financial hardship. Nearly a quarter reported being unable to afford food at

Continued from A8 critical insights from nationally recognized speakers on topics like the Women’s Health Crisis in Missouri, cardiovascular health with a focus on diabetes, and cancer risk awareness.

The Health Equity Seminar is not the only part of the First Ladies’ year-round commitment to community wellness. Currently, we are engaged in the Fall Stepping Challenge, a friendly yet impactful month-long initiative organized by the St. Louis Chapter of The Links, Inc. Thirty-two church teams and their lead First Ladies, commit to a daily stepping goal. Participants choose step goals ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 steps, with progress tracked and encouraged across the phone-based platform. In just 3½ weeks, all participants have collectively walked over 70 million steps! By fostering consistent daily activity, we aim to create a long-lasting culture of wellness within our community.

Together, we strive to make health a shared commitment and look forward to partnering with more churches and First Ladies across St. Louis. Through these efforts, we hope to dismantle health disparities, empower our communities, and build a healthier future.

Lannis Hall MD, MPH is a board certified radiation oncologist.

Gore

Continued from A8

Kamala didn’t win because of racism and misogyny. These were her exact words.”

Ramsey and others say Black people should pay attention to their mental health, prioritize self-care, and take positive steps to cope with the 2024 election results.

“Someone I know was saying they had a spot to get a massage,” says Dr. Damon Tweedy, a psychiatrist and professor at Duke University.

“If that’s really going to help your well-being then do it. Don’t just neglect all those things because of

Black guy versus going to the doctor with my mom who is a white woman; they treated her different,” a St. Louis female participant said. “They sometimes treated her better.” While crime rates have consistently lowered in the St. Louis region, a participant commented on how crime affects their community.

“Violence is just out of hand; it’s crazy,” a St. Louis female participant said. “People have just, excuse me, but they’ve lost their minds. I’ll say it again, it’s sad, everybody is on the edge, ready to jump off.”

15% of African Americans in Missouri say they are “really struggling financially,” while the general concensus sits at 10%.

SOURCE: Missouri Foundation for Health

least once in the past year.

“Your financial security is probably one of the number one drivers of mental health issues,” a participant from Springfield said. “[When] you are financially secure, [there’s] less stress, less frustration.”

Nearly 10% of Missourians have faced eviction in the past year, according to the data. Renters, independents who

Kaiser Health News

are female or under 50, those living in St. Louis city and Black people were the most likely to face eviction.

One-third of Missourians say they are worse off than they were a year ago while 42% say their financial situation is about the same.

The demographic groups most likely to say they are worse off are individuals who identify as

Republican, unemployed, ages 40-49, have children, are uninsured or are not registered to vote, according to the data. Other factors such as health inequality and violence were mentioned in focus group responses.

Participants commented on the racism they witnessed in the healthcare system. “I watched sometimes how doctors treated [my father] because he was a

Additionally, when Missourians were asked if they have been unable to afford food to meet the nutrition and dietary needs of their family in the past year, one-quarter of participants responded yes. According to the data, groups who were most likely unable to afford food include unemployed individuals, renters, uninsured, independent women, disabled individuals, non-college-educated women, single-person households, and independents ages 18-49. This report is the latest in a series from the Speak Up MO public opinion poll. Previous findings highlighted Missourians’ views on their communities and their challenges in finding affordable health care.

GOP targeting widely popular ‘Obamacare’

In 2024, enrollment in ACA marketplaces reached historic highs, with over 45 million nationwide now enrolled in ACA-related coverage—a 46% increase since 2021 and more than three times the enrollment since the ACA’s early years in 2014.

The program, known as Obamacare, has become an essential fixture in the U.S. healthcare system.

“For decades, when it came to federal programs, we could depend on to keep Americans covered, three were always top of mind—Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, but now it’s crystal clear that we need to add a fourth—the Affordable Care Act.,” HHS Secretary

Xavier Becerra said earlier this year.

Becerra praised the recent wave of enrollment, adding, “A record-breaking number of Americans have signed up for affordable health care coverage through the Affordable Care Act’s Marketplace, and now they and their families have the

what happened.” The country was stressed about the election long before Election Day.

In October, an American Psychological Association survey found that 77% of respondents reported that their concerns over the nation’s future was “a significant source of stress in their lives,” and the most common. The 2024 election came in third, at around 70%. Meanwhile, a 2018 APA report notes that higher stress among minority and low-income populations “can lead to health disparities and affect life expectancy.” That’s why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared racism “a serious public health

threat.”

Polls show Harris’s groundbreaking campaign had energized Black voters. Hopes in the Black community grew along with the size of her rallies and polls showing she had pulled even with Trump just days before the vote.

Ramsey said her 7-yearold daughter, who doesn’t pay attention to politics, paid attention to Harris: “She [was] definitely interested, as a Black girl, seeing a Black woman” run for president, That hope may have made Harris’s defeat that much harder to deal with.

Tweedy, associate professor of psychiatry at Duke University School of Medicine, noted that his students and others

n “For decades, when it came to federal programs, we could depend on to keep Americans covered, three were always top of mind—Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security, but now it’s crystal clear that we need to add a fourth—the Affordable Care Act.”

– HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra

peace of mind that comes with coverage.”

The record enrollment has primarily been driven by enhanced subsidies, which were first enacted under the Biden administration in 2021 as part of the American Rescue Plan. The subsidies limit insurance costs to no more than 8.5% of a household’s income for many middle-income Americans, making coverage accessible for those previously unable to afford it.

However, the enhanced subsidies are only guaranteed through the end of 2025, and with Republicans newly in control of the Senate and likely the House, the potential loss of these financial aids could spell trouble for millions of Americans who depend on the ACA.

he’d spoken with after the election were disappointed because they hoped Harris would win. That’s a significant shift from what he encountered as a Duke medical school student 25 years ago.

“Back then, I saw medical students, and these are my classmates, who would have been very much pleased with what happened,” says Tweedy.

Although Harris’ loss was a bitter pill to swallow, Ramsey noticed clients, colleagues, and friends being more gracious to one another.

“You may not agree with me, but at the end of the day, I think that if we’re all human beings, we understand that there’s a time and place for every-

“These historic enrollment numbers are a testament to the need for comprehensive, quality, affordable health insurance,” said Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

“Not only is demand for Marketplace insurance coverage at an all-time high, but the Marketplaces are delivering on the Affordable Care Act’s promise to provide the peace of mind that comes with having health insurance to millions of Americans.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested at a campaign stop that significant reforms to the ACA could be forthcoming. “The ACA is so deeply ingrained, we need massive reform to make this work, and we’ve got a lot of ideas on how to do that,” Johnson asserted.

Ironically, the states with the highest ACA enrollment rates in 2024 were conservative strongholds supporting President-elect Trump, including Florida with 4.2 million enrollees, Texas with 3.5 million, and Georgia with 1.3 million. These five states—Florida, Texas, California, Georgia, and North Carolina—accounted for 55% of total ACA enrollment. Each state uses the federal Healthcare.gov enrollment platform and has yet to expand Medicaid under the ACA, making the ACA subsidies particularly vital for affordable healthcare access.

thing, and everybody has to process this, this in their own way,” she says. Ramsey and Tweedy are urging people to practice evidence-based approaches to keep the negative effects of stress at bay. These include avoiding hard-to-manage stressors, seeking support from friends or family members, ignoring temptations to binge on junk food, or becoming a couch potato. A nutritious diet can help one’s health and maintain the energy needed to exercise and manage stress. Keeping up with the news is important, but so is the headspace and time to heal from disappointment. If you’re still feeling blue, angry, or

dismayed for two weeks or longer, both Ramsey and Tweedy say it’s time to seek professional help. “You still have to balance,” Tweedy says. “Is doomscrolling on Twitter or Instagram really helping my mental well-being? Is there anything I’m doing that’s going to help me take action to actually make something better?” If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, are thinking about suicide, or worried about someone else who needs emotional support, call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. Help is available 24/7. TTY users can dial 711 then 988 to get help. Jennifer Porter Gore is Word in Black health reporter

Chiquita BrooksLaSure

The St. Louis American’s award winning NIE program provides newspapers and resources to more than 8,000 teachers and students each week throughout the school year, at no charge.

Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 618-910-9551

Riverlands, helps students identify different birds on the Little Creek Nature Area grounds through the use of a bird field guide, careful listening skills and by learning how to properly use binoculars.

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT SCIENCE STARS

African-American Neurosurgeon Dr. Keith Lanier Black

SCIENCE CORNER

Brain tumors are a mass of cells that have grown abnormally. These tumors can put pressure on different parts of the brain and can affect the way your body functions. Although the exact cause of brain tumors is not known, research has shown that they are caused from either genetics (passed down from family members), or environment. Some tumors are cancerous, which means they can travel to other parts of the body. Some tumors are not cancerous. These are called benign tumors. Doctors can treat tumors with surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.

Doctors use CT scans or MRI imaging to diagnose tumors. They look at the location, types of cells involved, and how quickly it

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Have you ever wondered why some foods taste better than others? Do you know how the brain affects the ability to distinguish between flavors?

Materials Needed:

grows. They use the information to categorize the tumors. There are three categories. Low grade/high grade: low grade tumors are slow growing, and high grade tumors are fast growing. Localized/invasive: localized tumors are in one area and are usually easier to remove, invasive have spread to other areas and are more difficult to remove. Primary/ secondary: primary tumors start in the brain, secondary tumors start elsewhere in the body and spread to the brain.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting details. I can make text-to-text connections.

Taste Testing Without Smell!

w Ask your volunteer to close their eyes and hold their nose.

e Give the volunteer the potato and then the apple.

r Can they identify the food?

• A small piece of sliced potato •

• A small piece of sliced apple

• Volunteer Procedure:

q Be sure the apple and potato slices are the same shape and size.

CONNECTION

Put your brain to work and develop your critical thinking skills with these word problems.

z In a given school, there are 280 boys and 230 girls.

a)What is the ratio of the number of girls to the number of boys?

b)What is the ratio of the number of boys to the total number

DID YOU KNOW?

Analyze: How do smell and sight affect your brain’s ability to tell the difference between foods?

Brain Builders!

of pupils in the school?

x If Tim and his family had lunch at $30.50 and he gave a 15% tip, how much did they spend?

c If a car can travel 26 miles per gallon of gasoline, how many gallons of gasoline would be needed to travel 150 miles? ____

v If gas costs $2.79 per gallon, how much would it cost to fill a car that holds 18

Keith Black was born in 1957 in Tuskegee, Alabama. His mom was a school teacher and his father was a school principal. They taught their children that education was very important and that they could achieve their goals with hard work. Black enjoyed biology as a young child and dissected a frog. To encourage his interest in biology, Black’s father bought a cow heart for him to dissect. At age 10, Black’s family moved to Ohio. As a teen, he joined a program at Case Western Reserve Hospital to learn laboratory skills. These skills allowed him to get a part time job at Cleveland’s St. Luke’s Hospital as a teenager. While there, he learned how to perform transplant surgeries and heart valve replacements on laboratory dogs. Black noticed that patients with heart valve replacements had damage to their blood cells. He wrote a research paper about this at age 17. This paper won the Westinghouse Science Award.

After graduating from Shaker Heights High School, Black attended the University of Michigan. He was chosen to be part of an accelerated program that allowed him to earn his undergraduate and medical degree in only six years. Black developed a strong interest in the brain and began to study neurosurgery (surgery of the nervous system) at age 24. In 1987, Black moved to UCLA to teach neurosurgery. In 1994, he patented a method to deliver chemotherapy directly to a brain tumor. He also created vaccines to boost the immune system of patients.

In 2007, Black opened a brain tumor research center named the Cochran Center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He is the director of the Neurosurgical Institute there, as well. Black preforms an average of 200 brain surgeries per year, which is twice the average of other neurosurgeons. He has even successfully performed surgeries on patients who were told their brain tumor was inoperable. In 2009, he published his autobiography titled, “Brain Surgeon.”

Learning Standards: I can read about a person who has made contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions for an experiment. I can draw conclusions and analyze results. Enjoy these activities that help you get to know your St. Louis American newspaper. Activities — First

gallons? ______

b The exchange rate for U.S. dollars to euros is 1 to 0.95 euros. How many euros are $150 U.S. dollars worth?

Learning Standards: I can add, subtract, multiply, and divide to solve a problem.

MAP CORNER

Right to Assembly. That is the right of people to peacefully gather together. Use the newspaper to find examples of events in your city. Categorize these events as: political, religious, sports, education, or community.

Estimations: A family member wants a new television and thinks a reasonable price is less than $300. Using the advertisements, locate three televisions (include brand, price, size, etc.) Compare the prices. Is $300 a reasonable estimate?

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can classify information. I can make text-to-self connections.

the St. Louis American’s Summer Science Academy, Jonah Eckels, education coordinator at the Audubon Center at

Photo by Cathy Sewell

Brain Tumors

Princess Stormm’s reign reaches 15 years

STL radio personality trendsetter

By Ashley Winters

The St. Louis American

The “Princess of St. Louis,” or Princess Stormm to most, is celebrating 15 years in the radio industry this past October. The cool and sassy radio personality is the assistant director for Hot 104.1 and 96.3 R&B for the Lou. Her dynamic career includes memorable interviews ranging from A-list celebrities to emerging fashion entrepreneurs, allowing her to share diverse stories and voices with her St. Louis audience.

Stormm is a trendsetter, entertainment influencer, and media maverick, who is also making an impact in fash-

‘The

ion. Her unique fashion style matches her notable personality, but her heart beats for those in need in her community, so partnering with the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank and other local organizations will always spark her passion to help.

“This milestone has given me the incredible opportunity to connect with listeners and shape the entertainment landscape in our community,” Stormm said. The University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL) graduate grew up in the Ville neighborhood and describes her beloved city as “The best place in the world.” She comes from a big family, so holiday gatherings feature at least

100 people in the house. Her mom, the “chief” in the family, taught the radio personality the importance of hard work, responsibility, and making a difference in her community. Sometimes, that mission comes with a lot of pressure but Stormm said she wouldn’t change any of it.

“Being the chief’s daughter, I had to be on point, but I’m grateful for everything she taught me,” Stormm said.

While attending UMSL, Stormm didn’t have plans to go into radio. She comes from a family of educators and wanted to be an early childhood teacher. However, after teaching in a classroom of nearly 30 students, she soon realized it was not for

See STORMM, A9

Jennings jumping with good economic news

By Alvin A. Reid

The St. Louis American

The City of Jennings has broken ground for its’ new community center, “a long-awaited project that marks a significant investment in the community’s future,” according to Mayor Gary Johnson.

The community center project another economic development advancement for the north St. Louis County community of 13,000 residents.

Region 7 of the Environmental Protection Agency announced in March that Jennings is one of 10 communities nationwide that is part of the Building Blocks for Sustainable Communities Program. EPA will assist with redevelopment of the West Florissant Business Corridor

In addition, the non-profit A Caring Plus announced in June it is building 31 affordable single-family homes in the 4th Ward of Jennings.

Center stage

City officials, local leaders, and community members gathered at the future community center site at 2315 Ada Wortley Avenue, off Jennings Station Road, to celebrate the beginning of construction last week.

“The new community center is a reflection of our commitment to enhancing quality of life in Jennings,” said Johnson.

Gladney named WashU interim vice chancellor

Apryle M. Gladney has been appointed interim vice chancellor and chief human resources officer at Washington University in St. Louis.

Apryle M. Gladney

Gladney will oversee the university’s human resources and institutional equity teams. Gladney succeeds Scot Bemis, who retired from the university earlier this month.

Gladney, who has worked at WashU for nearly 25 years, has held multiple HR-related positions. Most recently, she was the associate vice chancellor for HR and oversaw the employee relations and recruitment teams.

Lewis new director of SIU-E Black Studies

Timothy E. Lewis

Timothy E. Lewis, PhD, has been named director of Black Studies at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. A scholar of “identity politics,” Lewis has published articles examining aspects of Blackness or the Black experience. His work has been recognized by the Northeastern Political Science Association, The National Conference of Black Political Scientists, and the American Political Science Association.

“Black Studies is important from a general knowledge standpoint, because for the majority of the ‘American experiment,’ Black people have existed either outside of citizenship or in a status of second-class citizenship,” said Lewis.

Banner named STL County DHS director

Ambur Banner has been appointed Saint Louis County Department of Human Services director.

Banner will oversee programming including workforce development, the Weinman Shelter, community development, and other initiatives serving youth, older residents and veterans. She had been serving as deputy director and acting director of the Department of Human Services, where she led initiatives that furthered the department’s mission.

Dr. Thomas McKinney joins Affinia Healthcare

Thomas McKinney

Dr. Thomas McKinney has joined Affinia Healthcare to serve as a pediatrician at the Lemp health center. McKinney received his bachelor’s degree from Illinois Wesleyan University and attended medical school at Washington University School of Medicine. A native of Chicago, McKinney says his professional mission of providing important services to a community in need aligns with Affinia Healthcare’s mission.

A Caring Plus is building 31 affordable single-family homes in the 4th Ward of Jennings. The north St. Louis County municipality has also broken ground for its new community center and is collaborating with Region 7 of the Environmental Protection Agency to improve the West Florissant Business Corridor.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Princess Stormm serves as assistant director for Hot 104.1and 96.3 R&B, while also hosting one of the region’s top-rated

Photo courtesy of Hot 104.1

Ambur Banner

Jennings

Continued from B1

According to a Jennings release, the community center will provide residents with opportunities for recreation, fitness, and skill development.

“It offers state-ofthe-art amenities that meet the diverse needs of Jennings residents and visitors,” said Johnson.

Navigate Building Solutions is serving as project manager and Aspire Construction Servies is overseeing construction as the general contractor.

Both firms bring experience in community-centered projects and “are dedicated to delivering a facility that aligns with Jennings’ goals for growth and revitalization,” states a Jennings release

Construction of the Jennings Community Center is expected to be completed by December 2025, opening new doors for community engagement and programming.

Stormm

Continued from B1

her. After talking with her college advisor Stormm developed an interest in radio and earned an internship her junior year at Hot 104.1, working weekends and the night shift. From there, the flame was lit.

“I would bring my homework to the radio station and what made it so cool is I was able to apply what I was learning in class to my internship,” Stormm said.

Some 15 years have passed, but Stormm is

Building

Blocks

The EPA Region 7

Building Blocks program includes technical assistance from EPA staff and EPA-hired consultants who are collaborating with the community to develop, process and identify next steps for the community to improve the West Florissant Business Corridor.

EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister said The Building Blocks program “has been instrumental in transforming over 200 communities across our nation to improve public health, protect the environment, expand economic opportunity, and improve the overall quality of life of community members.”

“I am looking forward to seeing the outcome of our work with Jennings.”

Jennings Economic Development Coordinator Anni Dineen said many residents share their memories of the corridor’s past business and social importance.

“[It] was a pillar of the community, and a place where residents could get

still going hard for her city, trying to meet the needs of the listeners, creating trends, and trying to make her community better. Being in her position at such a young age, Stormm has dealt with a lot of drama overseeing two radio stations, while managing the stress that comes with trying to put out the best music, coordinating contests and prize giveaways. Thankfully, Stormm is not afraid to ask for help and believes in being a team player. She loves collaborating with her team to create fresh ideas. Her mantra for her team is ‘be that person in

A Caring Plus is building 31 affordable single-family homes in the 4th Ward of Jennings including these in the 5400 block of Hodiamont.

everything they needed,” said Dineen.

“This opportunity will equip us to restore the thriving aspects of the corridor in an equitable and sustainable way.”

Jennings officials plan to use the technical assistance project to transform the West Florissant Business Corridor into a safe, walkable, and thriving business district.

The city will convene local, regional, state, and federal organizations to coordinate efforts to address commercial vacancies in Jennings and rebuild the corridor to work best for residents and business owners.

radio that you always wish you had.’

Promoting local talent is one of her priorities and teaching local artists the business side of the music industry so they can get their music in rotation on the radio is something Stormm is proud of. She coaches them on production or registering their music.

The local hour ‘Hottest Around The Arch’ took a major hit during the Covid-19 pandemic but Stormm led the fight to get that segment back on the radio. “Getting Hottest Around The Arch” back means a lot

Plus 31 new homes

A Caring Plus is building 31 affordable single-family homes in the 4th Ward of Jennings. The non-profit started phase one in 2012 building homes in support of seniors in the St. Louis region.

“This is a commitment we have for seniors and families in need,” A Caring Plus Executive Director Alice Logan told the St. Louis American.

“The 4th Ward has been neglected and blighted. Adding the 31 single-family homes will revitalize that area of Jennings.”

In December 2016,

to me,” she said. “It’s opening up the floodgates for local artists to have their music heard.”

Stormm takes her passion for helping others a step further by using her platform to improve the lives of the communities she serves. Stormm implements mental health awareness segments at both stations, sharing resources to raise awareness about issues like prostate cancer, and diaper insecurity. Partnering with St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, she spearheaded a campaign that brought in over 67,000 donated diapers for families in need

the development project opened a new 44-unit senior citizen housing center in the city’s disenfranchised 4th Ward. Lewis McKinney, a certified minority-owned business enterprise developer and founder of A Caring Plus told the St. Louis American in an interview in 2016.

“We built the building because we wanted to provide support for the need in the community, which is residential housing – safe, affordable, and decent housing for seniors in this community,” he said.

The three-story living space includes rooms for recreation, and wellness

last year. Jerrica Franks, outreach manager at St. Louis Area Diaper Bank said partnering with Stormm helped the organization increase donations because it allowed them to reach more families.

“It’s been amazing having her advocate for us,” Franks said. “Her segments on the radio allow us to reach more people in the community.”

Her community involvement goes even deeper because Stormm serves as the president of Will’s Way Inc., a nonprofit focused on empowering youth through edu-

activities, a library, a fitness center, computer facilities, a coffee room, and a community lounge.

Back then McKinney knew he wanted to revitalize the communities of Jennings for all families.

A Caring Plus has partnered with Missouri Housing Development Corporation (MHDC,) St. Louis Equity Funds, and Castle Law Housing Authority of St. Louis County. Area Property Manager Jacquline Roberson hopes the project will bring more diversity to the community of Jennings.

“This development project will help bring more momentum to the county,” she said.

“As a resident of Jennings, I’ve seen the good, bad, and the ugly.”

A Caring Plus has an agreement with MHDC to lease the new homes for 15 years, after the 15 years the current renter has the option to purchase the property at a low-cost price.

Report for America reporter Ashley Winters contributed to this report.

cation and healthy living. Stormm is also the creator of St. Louis Women United, a brunch series that empowers and inspires women. Stormm created Stormm Styles, a fashion blog that helps multicultural fashionistas highlight their inner swag, and she is the CEO of A Princess Within, a mentoring program for young ladies.

“I’m not perfect, but I know the work I’m doing is coming from a good place,” she said. Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis American.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

n “It was very, very awesome.”

– Klay Thompson on his return to Golden State as a member of the Dallas Mavericks

A big weekend of high school football begins Friday when district championship trophies will be handed out around the state of Missouri.

On the Illinois side, four Metro East teams have reached the state quarterfinals with a berth in the Final Four on the line.

A pair of teams having under-the-radar great seasons are Gateway STEM and Cahokia. Gateway STEM is 10-0 heading into its Class 4 District 2 championship game against visiting Pacific. Maqel Campbell, a junior, has scored 11 touchdowns for the Jaguars. Cahokia is 9-2 heading into its IHSA state quarterfinal matchup against visiting Normal Community.

Junior receiver Omar Mims Jr. has nearly 1,000 yards of total offense and 14 touchdowns for the Comanches.

InSIdE SportS

Earl Austin Jr.

With

Playoff push

Gateway STEM stakes claim for district title

Rams 48-14 victory over Chaminade.

Quarterback Kyren Eleby of SLUH passed for 238 yards and three touchdowns in the Jr. Bills 48-40 victory over Ritenour.

Running back Jy’Ren Green of Fort Zumwalt West rushed for 145 yards on 22 carries and touchdowns in the Jaguars 35-31 victory over Fort Zumwalt North Quarterback Jack Behl of Lafayette passed for 372 yards and four touchdowns in the Lancers 49-7 victory over Eureka.

Quarterback Carson Boyd of Cardinal Ritter rushed for 93 yards and a

touchdown and passed for 326 yards and three touchdowns in the Lions 38-0 victory over St. Mary’s.

Linebacker Quincy Byas of DeSmet had nine tackles and two quarterback sacks in the Spartans’ 48-31 victory over Pattonville.

Quarterback Mikey Gerdine of Lift for Life passed for 255 yards and two touchdowns in the Hawks 42-2 victory over Borgia.

Running back Correyontae Midgett of Cahokia rushed for 148 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns in the Comanches 40-20 victory over Waterloo.

Missouri District Championship Games (All Games on Friday at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted)

Class 6

District 1: Jackson at Seckman

District 2: Kirkwood at CBC, Friday, 6 p.m.

District 3: SLUH at DeSmet

District 4: Rock Bridge at Troy

Class 5

District 1: Cape Girardeau Central at Cardinal Ritter

District 2: Lafayette at Washington

District 3: MICDS at Hazelwood East, Friday,

SportS EyE

With Alvin A.

Reid

6 p.m.

St. Mary’s cornerback Michael Hollis (23) chases down Cardinal Ritter wide receiver Alonzo Smith (3) during action Friday night Nov. 8, 2024. The Lions of Cardinal Ritter went on to defeat the Dragons of St. Mary’s 38-0.

District 4: Fort Zumwalt West at North Point

Class 4

District 1: Perryville at Festus

District 2: Pacific at Gateway STEM

District 3: Miller Career Academy at Lutheran North, Friday, 6 p.m.

District 4: Orchard Farm at Parkway North

Class 3

District 2: Lift for Life at John Burroughs, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Class 2

District 2: Bowling Green at Hermann

Illinois State Quarterfinals Games

Class 6A East St. Louis at Chatham-Glenwood, Saturday, 2 p.m.

Class 4A

Normal Community at Cahokia, Saturday, 2 p.m. Mt. Zion at Breese Central, Saturday, 5 p.m.

Class 1A

Casey Westfield at Althoff, Saturday, 2 p.m.

Earl’s World

I am a happy alum of Lindenwood University after watching the Lions’ football team upset SEMO 24-12 last weekend in St. Charles. SEMO came into the game with an 8-1 record and ranked No. 6 in the country in the FCS rankings. The Lions are in their third year as a Division I program under the direction of head coach Jed Stugart…Former Pattonville High standout Kellen Thames is enjoying an excellent start of the season for the Saint Louis U. Billikens. The 6’6” sophomore forward scored 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds in respective games against Santa Clara and Avila. He is the son of former Jennings High and Mizzou standout Kelly Thames…Former Incarnate Word Academy girls’ basketball standout Zoe Best scored 25 points, grabbed seven rebounds and made four 3-pointers in SEMO’s 75-70 loss at Dayton… Former Chaminade College Prep basketball standout BJ Ward scored 22 points and hit six of seven of his 3-point attempts in SEMO’s close loss to Vanderbilt. He opened the season with 17 points at Bradley.

Dick Allen deserving of Hall of Fame recognition

Another election is nearing. I’m preparing for more disappointment.

The late Dick Allen, my all-time favorite player, should be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Classic Era Committee on Dec. 8, 2024. The results of balloting will be announced on January 21, 2025.

Allen fell one vote short in 2014 and died in 2020. While most voters never met Allen, they have heard the tales of his brash attitude toward media members, dependency, and injury. But his numbers dictate that he should be in the Hall of Fame. His personal foibles are the kind overlooked for white players by those that cast HOF ballots. Frank Thomas is a Hall of Fame member and his career OPS+ of 156 is identical to Allen’s. That mark is slightly higher than ones posted by Hank Aaron, Joe DiMaggio and Willie Mays – all first bal-

lot Hall of Famers. Harold Baines could not hold a candle to Allen’s achievements, yet Tony La Russa personally saw to it that the Today’s Game Era Committee enshrined him. Allen overcame racism in the minor leagues, especially in Little Rock, Arkansas in the late 1950s, only to be greeted with more during his career in Philadelphia. Yet, he kept producing great seasons, including winning the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1964. He escaped Philadelphi in a trade that sent him to St. Louis. My dad and I were at Opening Day (which was at night.) He received a standing ovation, and then ridicule as the season progressed and he dealt with injuries by frequenting Fairmont Park and Cahokia Downs for thoroughbred racing.

Allen was inexplicably traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers after hitting .279

with 34 home runs and 101 RBIs for the Cardinals. He played in just 122 games, meaning his at-bat output was one of the highest in Major League Baseball history.

After a season in L.A., he was traded again. The Dodgers added a washedup Frank Robinson to its lineup, and Allen was dealt to the Chicago White Sox for pitcher Tommy John. He garnered the

The St. Louis Cardinals posted a baseball card image of Dick Allen on its website on Nov. 4, 2024. He hated “Richie,” and demanded to be called Dick in 1964.

American League MVP that year with 37 homers, 113 RBIs and 99 walks, which all led the league. Allen led MLB that season in on-base percentage, slugging and OPS.

“I really wish I could have started my career here and ended it here,” Allen said of Chicago in a 2014 interview. “It’s the greatest sports town in the world.” Allen was also instru-

mental in saving the White Sox for Chicago. After closing last in attendance the previous two seasons, Allen’s arrival and a second-place finish in the American League fans returned in droves.

A rumored move to Phoenix was quashed and the White Sox remain the ‘Southsiders” to this day.

Allen was a seven-time All-Star, with selections in 1965–1967, 1970 (with St. Louis), and 1972–1974. In ’74 he again led the American League in home runs. Again, his fate rests in the votes of the Veteran’s Committee. Hopefully, my doubt will turn to glee. I’m not betting on it, though.

The Reid Roundup

Former Pittsburgh Pirates star Dave Parker who is battling Parkinson’s Disease, should also be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2025. Injuries and drug abuse plagued Parker during the middle of his career but he was an MLB

great at its beginning and end…Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott should opt for hamstring surgery and leave the mess of a 2024 season at owner Jerry Jones’ doorstep…Suspended for conduct detrimental to the team two weeks ago, St. Louisan Ezekiel Elliott returned to action in the Cowboys’ backfield against the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday and promptly fumbled inside the five-yard-line…Theo Wease Jr. had four catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns, including a spectacular TD catch to tie the game, in Missouri’s 30-23 win over Oklahoma. Luther Burden III had five catches for 55 yards. Burden’s season total of 45 receptions tops 41 by Wease, Wease leads the team with 552 receiving yards compared to Burden’s 505. Burden has four TDS, and Wease now has three...In 2023, Burden had 1,197 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

Earl Austin Jr.

Alvin A. Reid

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Black-owned firms BAM, KAI honored by AGC of Missouri

BAM Contracting LLC and KAI were among the business honored by the Associated General Contractors of Missouri during its Keystone Awards ceremony on Nov. 7, 2024, Nov. 7 at River City Casino & Hotel in St. Louis.

BAM was honored as Specialty Contractor of the Year in the Structural & Finish Carpentry Category.

KAI was honored for its work on the Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building Link Bridge at Washington University’s School of Medicine.

The Keystone Awards are presented yearly to contractors who overcome significant challenges to achieve problem-solving solutions over the course of a project.

BAM, an MBE contractor, has a diverse workforce which performs carpentry on residential, commercial, educational and municipal projects, according to Brian A. Murphy, who became the sole owner of the company

in 2009. The AGC of Missouri general contractors have now awarded the structural and finish carpentry SCOTY to BAM Contracting eight consecutive years (20172024).

“We specialize in carpentry, and create practical solutions to meet project needs, desires and budgets,” said Murphy on the firm’s website.

“Our projects include the new Busch Stadium and Forest Park Projects (Lindell Pavilion, Boathouse and Probstein Learning Center and Clubhouse) among many others.

KAI CEO Michael B. Kennedy called the honor, “a credit to all the team members who worked on the project and were committed to overcoming its unique challenges.

“KAI is honored to be recognized alongside so many friends in the industry.”

“The Keystone Awards represent the best of our best,” said Leonard

Toenjes, CAE, AGCMO president.

“Projects are not judged by their beauty or size, but rather by the contractors’ ability to overcome chal-

lenges, problem-solve, encourage teamwork, and foster enhanced communications. We also honor outstanding safety, diversity and inclusion,

and meeting or exceeding schedule and budget expectations.

“Because the Construction Keystone Awards are judged by an

independent and rotating panel of experts, these coveted awards have come to represent the gold standard for our industry.”

SLU wins Higher Education Excellence Diversity Award

Saint Louis University received the 2024 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from Insight Into Diversity magazine, the oldest and largest diversity-focused publication in higher education.

“I am thrilled and honored for SLU to receive the prestigious HEED Award and that our dedicated efforts have been recognized nationally,” said Rochelle D. Smith, chief diversity officer and vice president of the Division of Diversity and Innovative Community Engagement (DICE) at SLU.

“This recognition reflects the commitment of the DICE team, SLU students, faculty, and staff and their unwavering commitment to

fostering an inclusive environment where every voice is valued. We are making a meaningful impact and setting a standard for DEIB.”

Insight Into Diversity noted

SLU’s recruitment and retention of students and employees — and best practices for both — as well as leadership support for many other aspects of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB).

This is the second time SLU has been named as a HEED Award recipient. In 2016, SLU became the first Jesuit university and the first private institution of higher education in the state of Missouri and the St. Louis metro region to be selected for the HEED award.

Photo courtesy of BAM Contracting

BAM Contracting, a minority owned firm, performs carpentry on residential, commercial, educational and municipal projects. Brian A. Murphy became sole owner of the company in 2009, and the firm prides itself on its diverse workforce.

Rochelle D. Smith

Living It

A wonderful milestone for Salute to Women

Urban League gala celebrated 20 years of uplifting ladies who make a difference

By Zaria Mac The St. Louis American

Guests and honorees literally and figuratively stopped traffic as they arrived for the 20th Anniversary of Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Salute to Women in Leadership Gala. Cars lined up for blocks in both directions of Washington Avenue and the surrounding streets of the Marriott St. Louis Grand Saturday night. When they emerged from their vehicles, heads turned as they walked to the hotel showing off their best Hollywood glamour attire– which was the theme for this year’s festivities – and filled the massive hotel’s largest ballroom to capacity.

n “When I created this event twenty years ago, it was to uplift and recognize women who are leading and making a difference.”

- Michael McMillan, President & CEO of The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis

They were adorned in shining jewels and elegant gowns and ready to celebrate women in the community who have dedicated their time and resources to help make St. Louis a more equitable place.

“When I created this event twenty years ago, it was to uplift and recognize women who are leading and making a difference,” Michael McMillan said. “And setting the stage and example for all of us on who and what we should be.” McMillan created his Salute to Women in Leadership gala years before he became the President & CEO of The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. When he was tapped to lead the organization in 2013, he brought the immensely popular event with him. He also elevated the St. Louis Urban League’s status to the standard for excellence among affiliates across

“Tallahassee has always been a part of who I am.”

- T-Pain on having a Tallahassee street named in his honor

Dancing with the ancestors

Judith Jamison, who served as a principal dancer and artistic director for the famed Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, passed away on November 9 at the age of 81.

Ailey icon Judith Jamison passes at 81

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

the country. Under his leadership, In his welcome speech, he pointed out that The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis has accrued a historic milestone of $50M worth of assets for the benefit of the community.

“We have eighty members on the board of directors here in St. Louis,” McMillan said. “They are the secret sauce that helps us be the best versions of ourselves each and every day.”

The awards portion of the program – which was hosted by veteran broadcast media personality and KTVI Fox 2 anchor Shirley Washington – began with recognition of this year’s honor-

ees. They included Laura Ellenhorn, General Counsel for the Edwards Jones Foundation and President for the Edward Jones Disaster Relief Fund; Pat Holterman-Hommes, President and CEO of Youth in Need; Chonda Jordan Nwamu, the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary for the Ameren Corporation; Madisin Rian, a well-known model who made history as the first Black model to represent Giorgio Armani Beauty; Carlita Vasser, CEO of At Home Care; Dr. Cheryl Watkins,

See Urban League, C3

Mural of Tina Turner unveiled in her former neighborhood

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

Singer, businesswoman, reality television star and former Ikette Robbie Montgomery knew Tina Turner better than most. In fact, before Ike Turner bestowed the name upon his musical muse and future wife, Montgomery – and the rest of her community – knew her as Annie Mae Bullock.

Montgomery declared Tina Turner would have loved the mural that now stands in the late music superstar’s memory thanks to community-based tourism and arts organization 4TheVille.

“She would have really appreciated this,” Montgomery said at the unveiling ceremony on November 1st. She turned her head from the podium to take the grandness of it. “She thought St. Louis was simply the best.”

The two-story mural by William Burton Jr. and his son William Burton III was more than a year in the making. In scale, the collage of Tina Turner at various stages in her life and career resembles one of the jumbotrons she danced across during her stadium performances all over the world. The only exception

See Turner, C3

When Judith Jamison became artistic director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1989, it was during a time of great loss for the company.

“Alvin had just died, so it felt terrible,” Jamison told The American in 2011. “But you go on. He said it best when he said, ‘Dance came from the people, and we must deliver it back to the people.’” Jamison spent nearly a quarter-century in the role. Her tenure as lead creative visionary made her more famous than her 15 years as the company founder and namesake’s muse and principal dancer. Her leadership, grit, commitment and sheer will to ensure the endurance of AADT was transformational.

n “I wanted to ensure his voice continued to be heard,” Judith Jamison told The American.

“Because if Alvin (Ailey) hadn’t started this, none of us would be here.”’

More than 35 years after Jamison inherited the position of dance deliverer from her mentor, friend and teacher, she joined him as an ancestor. Jamison passed away on Saturday, November 9 at a New York City hospital after a brief illness. She was 81 years old. Jamison picked up the torch of an institution that was thriving creatively, but on the brink of financial disaster. She had left AADT to star in the Broadway hit “Sophisticated Ladies” along with the likes of Gregory Hines and Phyllis Hyman. She also established herself as an in-demand choreographer. When Ailey died, she had just started her own troupe The Jamison Project the year before. She disbanded her own company to assume her position at AADT. “I wanted to ensure his voice continued to be heard,” Jamison told The American. “Because if Alvin hadn’t started this, none of us would be here.”’ By the time she passed the torch to Robert Battle in 2011, AADT was a thriving force within the arena of dance –as it still is today. In 2005, the company opened the Joan Weill Centre for Dance in Manhattan. The building is one of the largest buildings in the nation that is specifically used for dance. And Jamison solidified herself as one of the most divine priestesses of dance. Just as with founder Ailey, Jamison will

See Jamison, C3

Photo courtesy of AlvinAiley.com

Photo by Taylor Marrie

Emmy Award-winning actress Lynn Whitfield was the epitome of grace as she accepted her Lifetime Achievement Award at the 20th Annual Salute to Women in Leadership presented by The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Saturday night at The Marriott St. Louis Grand Hotel.

Photos by Taylor Marrie

Robbie Montgomery, artist William Burton Jr. and Sumner alum Vera Carter Smith stand in front of the Mural honoring music star and Sumner graduate Tina Turner in The Ville on November 1.

HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS

Tues., Nov. 26 – Dec. 22, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival presents Christmas Carol: The Remix, .ZACK Theatre. 3224 Locust Street. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit stlshakes.org.

Fri., Nov. 29, 7:30 p.m., Mariah Carey’s Christmas Time, Enterprise Center. Visit www.tickemaster.com for more information.

Nov. 30 – Dec. 23, Saint Louis Ballet presents Gen Horiuchi’s The Nutcracker. Touhill Performing Arts Center. For more information, visit www. touhill.org.

Sat., Dec. 7, 12 noon, Frizzmas Holiday Extravaganza, Cortex Innovation Community, 4302 Forest Park Ave. St. Louis, MO 63108. For more information, visit frizzybynature.com.

Sun., Dec. 8, 3 p.m., UMSL Music presents Jazz for the Holidays, Touhill Performing Arts Center. For more information, visit www.touhill.org.

Wed., Dec. 11, 7 p.m. (VIP cocktail Christmas party at 5:30 p.m.), The Mildred Thimes Foundation presents It’s A Holly Jazzy Christmas starring Denise Thimes with special guests Kim Fuller, Robert Nelson and Antonio Fargas, The Sheldon Concert Hall, 3648 Washington. For tickets, visit www.metrotix.com.

Fri., Dec. 13, 7 p.m. St. Louis Symphony’s IN Unison Chorus presents A Gospel Christmas

STL Sites & Sounds

Louis and Saint Louis Dance Theatre present Ellington and Strayhorn’s Nutcracker, Skip Viragh Center for the Arts, 425 S. Lindbergh, 63131. For more information, visit www.

CONCERTS

Fri., Nov. 15, 7 p.m., AG Touring & Mammoth present the Rod Wave Last Lap Tour, Enterprise Center. For more information, visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Sat., Nov. 16, Derrick Sr. presents The F.L.A.M. (Fight Like A Mother) Benefit Concert Series with Glenn Jones, Shantay Savage, Tracie Spencer, Tony Terry and Shanice Wilson. The attire is all black with a pink twist. The Ambassador, 9800 New Halls Ferry. Tickets are available at https://www.eventbrite.com/

Tues., Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m., Don Toliver – Psycho Tour Chaifetz Arena. For more information, visit www.livenation. com or www.chaifetzarena.com

SPECIAL EVENTS

Through Sun., Nov. 17, Cinema St. Louis presents The 33rd Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival (SLIFF), various locations. For more information and a full schedule of films and related programming, visit www. cinemastlouis.org.

Sun., Nov. 17, 3 p.m. The Black Rep’s Phoenix Rising Initiative presents Meet The

County Library Foundation and The Novel Neighbor host Al Roker, who will discuss his new book “Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By,” St. Louis County Library – Clark Family Branch, 1640 South Lindbergh. For tickets and additional information, visit https://foundation.slcl.org/

Sun., Nov. 24, 12 noon, The Beauty Konnect presents Bridging the Gap Beauty Career Fair, Machinist Hall District 9, 12365 St. Charles Rock Road. For more information, email: thebeautykonnect@ gmail.com.

Wed., Nov. 27, 5:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. doors), Guns’n Hoses

COMEDY

Fri., Nov. 14 – Sun., Nov. 16, Flyover Comedy Festival featuring Joyelle Nicole Johnson, Anointed Greens Presents: Unsung Black Sheroes, DC Ervin and more. Various locations including Stifel Theatre. For more information, schedule and full lineup visit www.flyovercomedyfest.com.

Sat., Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m., Eddie Griffin Live, The Factory STL, 17105 N. Outer 40 Rd. Chesterfield, MO. For more information, visit TheFactorySTL.com.

Fri., Nov. 29 – Sat., Nov. 30, welcomes St. Louis’ Lavell Crawford, Helium Comedy Club, 1151 St Louis Galleria Street, St Louis MO 63117. For more information,

is.heliumcomedy.com.

Thurs., Dec. 5, The Follow Instructions Tour starring Funny Marco. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar. For more information, visit thepageant.com.

Sun., Dec. 15, 7 p.m. Class Klowns featuring Jovan Bibbs, Willie Lynch Jr. and Smokey Suarez, St. Charles Funny Bone, 1520 S. Fifth Street, Suite 108, 63303. For more information, visit www.stlouisfunnybone. com.

ST. LOUIS MUSIC SPOTLIGHT

Fri., Nov. 15, 7 p.m. (6 p.m. doors), The Coleman Hughes Project featuring Adrianne Le Belle Coeur, 1117 S. Main Street, St. Charles, MO. For tickets, visit https://tchpfaf.ticketbud.com/nov2024

Wed., Nov. 27, 7:30 p.m. (6 p.m. doors), Women Who Rocked The 90s with MeLan Kameyo, Emily Wallace, Dawn Weber and Anita Jackson, City Winery St. Louis, 3730 Foundry Way, 63110. For more information, visit citywinery.com.

Sat., Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m., Tim Cunningham, The Blue Strawberry Showroom and Lounge, 364 N. Boyle, St. Louis MO 63108. For more information, visit www.bluestrawberrystl.com.

Fri., Nov. 15, 12 noon, Kemper Unplugged presents Creative Music with George Sams and Friends, also featuring K. Curtis Lyle Damon Smith and Gary Sykes. Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis MO 63130. For more information, visit www.kemperartmuseum. wustl.edu.

Mural

is that the mural is much closer to a place she once called home.

“Tina lived right over here on Aldine,” Montgomery said. “I don’t know the address, but she was right over there. I’m sure she would appreciate this so much.”

The mural is located on a building located at 4157 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, in the historically black neighborhood known as The Ville.

“I’ll make sure that her family knows about this – the ones that are left,” Montgomery said. “I see they have the Club imperial up there. That was one of the few clubs that hired Black acts back in those days. The building is still standing on Goodfellow and West Florissant.”

Jamison

be forever tethered to the rich legacy of the world’s most famous contemporary dance company – an institution that demonstrates shared humanity through celebrating the Black experience interpreted through dance.

Jamison, AADT and Ailey helped redefine the commercial dance aesthetic and make space for artistry among women and men who exist beyond the mold of Eurocentric classical dancers.

Black beauty in motion

She was born on May

ing of Turner as a senior at Sumner High School. She referred to herself as Ann Bullock in the year book, where the graduate of Sumner’s class of 1958 proclaimed she would be an entertainer. In the shadow of the Burtons’ interpretation of her senior class photo the famed his torically black high school – which will celebrate its 150th Anniversary next year.

continuing that legacy,” Garrett added. “We are going to continue to strive for excellence at our Sumner High School.”

Sumner had a hand in the life and career of mural artist William Burton Jr. He graduated from Central VPA High School, but the teacher who most influenced him is a proud Sumner Bulldog who represents the class of 1969.

Watkins said that she incorporated the same standard for excellence and purpose-driven mindset she received from her teachers at Sumner.

“I couldn’t play with them,” Watkins said. “They had too much to give.”

President and CEO of the YWCA Metro St. Louis.

Three outstanding women within the Urban League organization were honored: Urban League Vice President Michelle Merriweather, Dr. Lachrisa Crenshaw, who serves as the Urban League’s Executive Director of the Youth and Family Center, and the Director of Schools and Institutional Partnerships and Chief Financial Officer Donna Joseph.

The awards portion of the program concluded with the presentation of Lifetime Achievement Awards to Noemi Neidorff and Emmy Award winning actress Lynn Whitfield. Neidorff escaped the Hungarian revolution and found music to be a refuge. She began playing music by ear at the age of four before being classically trained at the Manhattan School of Music. She is involved in numerous organizations including the St. Louis Symphony Volunteer Association, and the National Society of Arts and Letters. She has been awarded with the St. Louis “Woman of Achievement” award in 2009 and Grand Center’s “Visionary Award” in 2011. In her acceptance speech, she dedicated the award to her late husband Michael Neidorff.

The biggest role of fellow Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Lynn Whitfield’s career has a St. Louis connection. She won an Emmy – and several other awards – for her portrayal of our city’s own Josephine Baker in the critically acclaimed HBO biopic “The Josephine Baker Story.”

A Tina Turner mural dedication in The Ville was celebrated on

2024 on Martin Luther King Dr.

who currently serves as principal of Sumner, lives on the same street where the Bullocks resided in the 1950s.

“I had great inspiration driving down Dr. Martin Luther King every morn-

10, 1943 in Philadelphia. At the age of six, Jamison began studying at the famed Judimar School of Dance. By the time she was eight, she was dancing en pointe, studying and tap and immersing herself in The Dunham Technique – which was created by longtime East St. Louis resident and dance icon Katherine Dunham.

After graduating from Judimar, Jamison went on to attend Fisk University. After three semesters she returned home to attend Philadelphia Dance Academy (now known as University of the Arts). While there she studied dance with James Jamieson, Nadia Chilkovsky, and Yuri Gottschalk.

While participating in a masterclass in 1964, Jamison caught the eye

In her remarks, she told the audience she seeks projects that reflect the complexities of Black life and advocates for representation in storytelling.

“If I take it upon myself to channel a Black woman’s truth through me, it’s service,” Whitfield said.

She also stressed the importance of living in the moment.

“I think we all need to be in the present right now. We can’t think about last week, we can’t think about last month, we can’t think about the possible horrors that may be upon us,” Whitfield said, alluding to last week’s presidential election. “We have to think about today.”

She ended her speech by reciting Today is Ours, Let’s Live It by Ruby Dee. “The past is gone,” Whitfield said. “Don’t rue it because our work is here.”

The night concluded with the music of Grammy winner Regina Belle and Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Kenny Lattimore. They sounded amazing as they gifted the audience with some of the most popular tunes from their respective catalogs – including Belle’s “If I Could,” and Lattimore’s “For You.” They pleasantly surprised the crowd with a duet performance of “A Whole New World (Aladdin’s Theme).” The song from the hit 1992 Disney animated film earned Belle and Peabo Bryson a Grammy Award for “Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.”

They sang into the night while guests clapped and sang along – basking in an unforgettable night that honored women who make St. Louis, and the world, a better place.

her legacy, Sumner pride was a recurring theme in the remarks and the celebration.

of Agnes de Mille. She invited Jamison to come to New York City to perform in a new work that she was choreographing for American Ballet Theatre, The Four Marys After auditioning for Donald McKayle, he told his friend Ailey about her – who offered her a position in AADT in 1965.

Standing at 5’10 with chocolate skin and a tiny afro slicked back to give her glorious cheekbones center stage, Ailey and Jamison worked in concert to show that Black is beautiful – and that Black beauty in motion is transcendental.

Never was this truer than with the physically and emotionally intense work “Cry,” Jamison’s signature piece as an Ailey dancer. He choreographed this sixteen-minute dance

“We have a wonderful legacy of greatness at Sumner High School and our arts program is

as a birthday present for his mother, Lula Cooper, in 1971. He later dedicated it to “Black women everywhere, especially our mothers.”

Jamison became a dancer that others aspired to be – Black, white or other –thanks to her commanding presence on stage in “Cry” and solos within Ailey’s masterpiece “Revelations.”

“That ballet came from his guts and blood,” Jamison said of Revelations. “It’s about our human condition and universally understood, because everyone understands trials, tribulations, turmoil and triumph.”

The ballet is a staple of the AADT repertoire nearly 65 years after its original premiere.

In addition to her pioneering work as a danc-

Sumner alum Jacqueline Watkins taught science and home economics at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School. She was front and center as her “VAP baby” was recognized for co-creating Turner’s mural with his son.

“We always run into each other at some event somewhere,” Burton said. “She always turns up at some of my biggest milestones in my life and my career. She’s always there.”

er and artistic director, Jamison was also triumphant in the capacity of keeping Ailey’s legacy alive in future generations.

Among them is St. Louis native Antonio Douthit-Boyd and his husband Kirven DouthitBoyd.

“He has always been on the mark when it comes to discipline, commitment and the way he commands the stage,” Jamison said of Antonio in 2011, when he was a principal dancer for AADT. He’s constantly growing, and you know from his work at home that he’s giving back – which is equally important.”

Antonio is now Artistic Director of Dance at COCA – a position he has held for nearly 10 years. Kirven is Artistic Director of Saint Louis Dance Theatre (formerly Big

Burton proved Watkins right. Even though he and his son poured into creating the mural for more days than he could count, he was moved beyond words at the community’s reaction to it – and filled with joy about having someone who poured into him so generously on hand to see it.

“It’s amazing for her to actually witness me from an adolescent to a grown man working within my gift,” Burton said. “It is a blessing and an honor because a lot of educators don’t get that opportunity.”

Muddy Dance Company), where he became the company’s first Black artistic director in 2022.

“I find comfort in the profound legacy she leaves behind—a legacy that inspires us to embrace our own artistry and strength,” Kirven Douthit-Boyd said.

“Her passion and grace touched so many lives and I am filled with pride to stand in her shadow.”

Antonio and Kirven are just two examples of how the footprint of Jamison’s work through AADT stretches across the globe.

“No one could fill Alvin Ailey’s shoes – but what I’ve done for the past 22 years is stand on his shoulders,” Jamison said. “That’s what we’ve all done – and will continue to do.”

Photo by Taylor Marrie | St. Louis American

Nov. 1st,

MULTIPLE OPENINGS

JR77870 Clinical Research Coordinator I (Clinic) - Oncology

We are seeking a dedicated Clinical Research Coordinator (CRC) to join our team and support the management of oncology clinical trials. The CRC will be responsible for screening and enrolling patients, coordinating study requirements, and ensuring compliance with protocol guidelines. Key duties include overseeing patient study visits, gathering clinical data, addressing protocol issues, and collaborating with treating teams, investigators, and sponsors. This role requires exceptional attention to detail, communication skills, and a commitment to patient safety and ethical integrity. Join us to make a meaningful impact in oncology research!

JR84192 Senior Grants Specialist (Hybrid) - Center for Genome Sciences

The Edison Family Center for Genome Sciences & Systems Biology is home to an interdisciplinary, multi-departmental, multi-generational team of faculty investigators from multiple schools across Washington University. The Senior Grant Specialist, working both in office and remotely, will manage pre-award activities, perform post-award activities, and provide research administration duties including personnel, payroll, budgeting, and operations management for faculty and post-doctoral Principal Investigators (PIs). This position reports to the Center’s Director Research/Business Administration. Required Qualifications include a Bachelor’s degree (or combination of education and/or experience may substitute) and 3 years of relevant experience.

JR84401 - Ultrasound Sonographer OB/GYN

Wash U Dept. of OB/Gyn has open ultrasound sonographer positions in our Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine/Ultrasound and our Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. The Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine/Ultrasound is hiring full time Ultrasound Sonographers to work Monday-Friday (no call, no weekends/evenings/holidays) from 7:45 am-4:15 pm. This Ultrasound Team consists of 16 sonographers, 1 Genetic Counselor and 3 front desk team members. We have 8 locations within MO/ IL. This Sonographer will work primarily on the Wash U Campus, but will need to be flexible to cover other locations as business needs present. We have a positive, team-oriented work environment where everyone works together to provide quality patient care and the team feels supported by one another. We are looking for someone who is friendly with patients, reliable, flexible and a team player Salary range for this position is based on direct OB/GYN, MFM scanning experience. Wash U offers amazing benefits, professional development, time off for work/ life balance and wellness resources. As a Sonographer on our team, you will have a unique learning experience scanning both inpatient and outpatient high risk patients, multiples and working side by side with our physicians, residents, fellows and Fetal Care team.

JR84777 -Vascular Lab Tech (Sign-on Bonus) – Surgery

As a Vascular Lab Technologist on our Surgery team the ideal candidate will play a vital role in providing high-quality non-invasive vascular studies and assisting physicians in diagnosing vascular diseases. They will perform high-quality non-invasive vascular studies, assist physicians with diagnostic procedures, and operate state-ofthe-art equipment in BJH inpatient and multi-site clinic outpatient settings. As part of an IAC-accredited lab, will collaborate with a motivated sonography team and support the diagnosis of vascular diseases, ensuring exceptional patient care.

This full-time position is 5 days per week, with 5 regular 8-hour shifts. The typical shift hours are either 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM or 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. In addition to regular working hours, call coverage is an essential component of this role, ensuring that necessary studies are conducted during on-call periods. Please note that the department is closed on weekends, and studies are performed on an as-needed basis during on-call hours. Registered Vascular Technologist or Registered Vascular Specialist is the minimum requirement to apply.

Bonus of $20,000, paid out over 2-years (quarterly payments).

For a full description of these positions and other career opportunities, please visit https://jobs.wustl.edu/ to apply. Click search jobs and enter the job ID number. We seek people from diverse backgrounds to join us in a supportive environment that

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Design & Install Domestic Water Plant, Project No.

U2409-01

St. James Veterans

Home will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, December 10, 2024. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

PUBLIC NOTICE AFFIDAVIT OF OWNERSHIP OF CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH

I Ralph C. Moore Jr a native of the original peoples of North America present Minnesota Court Rule 220. Birth Certificates. I am familiar with the facts recited, stating the party named in said birth certificate is the same party as one of the owners named in said certificate of title; and that thereafter the Registrar of Titles shall treat said registered owner as having attained the age of the majority at a date 18 years after the date of birth shown by said certificate. Task Force comment – 1991 Adoption. This rule is derived from 4th Dist. R. 11.05.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Requests for Quotes, Bids and Proposals are posted online for public download. Please navigate to www.msdprojectclear.org > Doing Business With Us > View Bid Opportunities

Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Software Developers (mltple opngs) (Job Code SD-24)Master’s deg in C.Sci, Info Systms/Technlgy, Engg/IT Mngmnt, Sci, any Engg or relatd flds reqd. DevOps Engineers (mltple opngs) (Job Code DVOP-24)Bach’s deg in C.Sci, Info Systms/Technlgy, Engg/IT Mngmnt, Sci, any Engg or relatd flds reqd. Systems Engineers (mltple opngs) (Job Code SYSE-24)Master’s deg in C.Sci, Info Systems/Technlgy, Engg/ IT Mngmt, Sci, any Engg, or any flds reqd. For all jobs - Travel &/or relocn to unantcptd locns in US reqd. Work loc: Chesterfield, MO & unantcptd locns in US. Apply - Attn. HR (enter job code), Devoir Software Solutions LLC, 700 Crown Industrial Ct, #E, Chesterfield, MO 63005. EOE

WE PUBLISH EVERY THURSDAY IN NEWSPAPER & ONLINE

STATEMENTS OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR CONSULTANT

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking a highly qualified consultant to conduct database and asset management services, including Geographic Information System (GIS) analyses and metrics, mapping, financial projections and analyses, data hosting services, staff training, documentation, and technical integration of GRG’s various database software platforms. Statements of qualifications are due November 25, 2024. Go to https://greatriversgreenway. org/vendors/ for details.

OUTREACH

INVITATION

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is holding an outreach for the following project:

SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital Bid Package 05 – Remainder of Work

An outreach meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 20 at 2:00 PM at McCarthy’s jobsite office located at 920 South Spring Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110. Certified MBE/WBE/ DBE subcontractors are encouraged to attend the Outreach to learn more about the project and forthcoming bid dates.

Please RSVP by emailing Jennifer Simpson at jsimpson@mccarthy.com

McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. is proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

PUBLIC NOTICES

NORMANDY SCHOOLS COLLABORATIVE PUBLIC NOTICE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION

The terms of current Normandy Schools Collaborative (NSC) Joint Executive Governing Board (JEGB) members Harlan Hodge and Erica Edwards are set to expire on June 30, 2025, and an election will be held to fill their positions. The public will vote for candidates on the April 8, 2025, ballot, and the newly elected members will join the Board in April 2025. Two positions will serve for a three-year term.

The public will vote for candidates for the JEGB on the April 8, 2025, ballot. Per state statute § 162.083, RSMo, the filing period for the April election begins Tuesday, December 10, 2024, and closes on Tuesday, December 31, 2024. Candidates must be residents of the Normandy Schools Collaborative geographic footprint. Per the Missouri School Board Association, school board candidates must meet the following requirements:

• A U.S. citizen.

• A resident taxpayer of a district or voters of the district in urban districts.

• A resident of Missouri for at least one year.

• At least 24 years old.

Candidates must file in person at the St. Louis County Board of Elections, 725 Northwest Plaza Drive, St. Ann, Mo. 63074, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. No filing will take place at the district office.

If you have any questions regarding candidate filing, please contact the JEGB Secretary, Cecelia Rigsby, at 314-493-0400, by email to crigsby@normandysc.org or the St. Louis County Board of Elections at 314-615-1851.Information is also available at www.normandysc.org

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Hankins Construction is requesting proposals for UMSL JC Penney North Renovation. The project will consist of a renovation of two floors in building A and two floors in building B. Building A renovation will consist of a demolition of existing finishes, ceilings, lighting, mechanical, and electrical systems and a small amount of wall area to renovate the space into faculty offices. Building B renovation will consist of most of the existing interior walls, finishes, ceilings, lighting, mechanical and electrical systems to renovate the space into classrooms, labs and other education spaces for the College of Optometry.

For a copy of the plans or specifications please email Nicole at bids@hankinsmidwest.com

This project has a 20% combined goal for WBE, MBE, and DBE. Thers is a 3% goal for SDVE.

This project is NOT tax exempt.

Proposals must be emailed no later than 11/22/2024 at 11:00AM.

Project Address: 5 Arnold B Grohman Dr. St. Louis, MO 63121

Please send all bids/questions to bids@hankinsmidwest.com

Electronic bids submitted through the Bid Express Online Portal will be received by the Board of Public Service until 1:45 PM, CT, on December 17, 2024, then publicly opened and read. Proposals must be submitted electronically using the “Bid Express Online Portal” at https://www.bidexpress.com/ businesses/20618/home.

Plans, Specifications, and the Agreement may be examined online through Bid Express at https://www.bidexpress.com/ businesses/20618/home?agency=true and may be downloaded for free.

A mandatory pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held on November 26, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. The pre-bid conference will be held in Room 325 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103. NOTE: Contractors that attended the pre-bid meeting for SP-121 (Letting 8780) are eligible to bid without attending this meeting.

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State, and Federal laws (including MBE/WBE policies).

All bidders must regard Federal Executive Order 11246, “Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Ensure Equal Employment Opportunity”, the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Specifications” set forth within and referenced at www.stl-bps. org (Announcements).

BIDS REQUESTED NEW CONSTRUCTION

MBE / WBE Encouraged 60 Units Multi Family –ST. LOUIS, MO For Bid Information: 573-204-3097 or nleoni@sbcglobal.net or zventura@vendev.cc

Double Diamond Construction 2201 Walton Road, Ste. B Jackson, MO 63755

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis Economic Development Partnership requests proposals from qualified service providers to perform a comprehensive economic development and land use baseline assessment to understand the impact of Lambert Airport’s Master Plan and St. Louis County’s 2050 Plan, particularly on those communities adjacent to Lambert Airport. A copy of the RFP is available at https:// stlpartnership.com/rfp-rfq/. Proposals must be received no later than 3 PM CT on Friday, December 6, 2024.

BIDS REQUESTED NEW CONSTRUCTION

Section 3 / MBE /WBE Encouraged 40 Units Multi Family –PERRYVILLE, MO For Bid Information: 573-204-3097 or nleoni@sbcglobal.net or zventura@vendev.cc

Double Diamond Construction 2201 Walton Road, Ste. B Jackson, MO 63755

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

The Industrial Development Authority of the County of St. Louis, Missouri (the “IDA”) solicits proposals from qualified firms to serve as a financial advisor for the IDA’s operations. A copy of the complete RFQ is available at https:// stlpartnership.com/rfp-rfq/

To be considered, proposals must be received no later than 3PM CT on Friday, December 13, 2024.

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer PUBLIC NOTICE MBE/WBE/SDVE/VBE

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Great Rivers Greenway is issuing a request for qualifications for bronze fabrication & installation services. Go to https:// greatriversgreenway. org/vendors/ for details and submit by December 3, 2024.

K&S Associates, Inc. is soliciting MBE/WBE/ SDVE/DBE/VBE for the following project for the Month of November 2024 – UMSL – COLLEGE OF OPTOMETRY –JC PENNY NORTH RENOVATION. Plans and Specs can be viewed by visiting www.ksgcstl. com or please call us at 314-647-3535 EXT.102 for more details. Please submit bids to estimating@ksgcstl.com

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE:

Advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, imitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial\ status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination. “We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.” Call Angelita Houston at 314-289-5430 or email ahouston@stlamerican.com to place your ads today!

8am-4:30pm.

Pastors share messages of hope inspiration after election

‘No matter who is in White Huse, God is in control’

St. Louis American

Ministers throughout St. Louis and the nation reflecting last Sunday on the outcome of the Nov. 5 presidential election.

Many were speaking to heartbroken, angry or frustrated parishioners in the election’s aftermath.

Using Genesis 45:1-7 as the frame of his sermon, Rev. Freddy Clark of Shalom Church City of Peace, told his congregation “God has a grand overarching plan and often uses crises to reveal His power and purpose.

“Joseph’s journey, symbolized by his coat of many colors representing all of humanity, illustrates that God’s grace can elevate someone from hardship (the pit) to triumph (the palace).

Even in times of misinformation, we must discern truth as God values truth tellers and has assignments for each of us. Ultimately, God’s authority transcends politics, and His presence is with us in every challenge, working to show us grace and make a difference. Trusting in God’s process allows His purpose to unfold in our lives.

Pastor Brent Roam of One Family Church in University City, a non-denominational congregation, opened his sermon with “We’re in a divided time.”

He reminded people that this isn’t the first time as a country or as Christians “we’ve been in a divided time.”

“Quite frankly, we almost always have been, that’s why there are so many denominations of the church now.

Roam said unity in the church is important, but added ““unity does not mean uniformity; disagreement does not have to lead to division.”

In Alexandria, Virginia, Alfred Street Baptist Church offered a virtual gathering, “Prayer and Support for PostElection Wellbeing,” from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Nov. 6 Just a few minutes after the event, the livestream had already garnered more than 362 likes and 5,600 views.

“We’re going to come together to lift up prayers, offer support and create a safe space for those who need to sit with their feelings,” said Rev. LaTasha L. Morgan, counseling ministry leader.

She reminded the audience that God was in control, the out-

come was not a surprise to Him, and they have been in difficult circumstances before.

“The first thing that came to mind when the first member called this morning was Psalm 46: ‘God is our refuge

and strength, a very present help in trouble,’” said Rev. Derrick A. Aldridge, pastor of Second Chance Church in Flint, Michigan

“I’m encouraged by that entire Psalm, so I will suggest they read it and that we stay focused on the fact that no mat-

ter what happens, we still have to live in this world together in peace and harmony.”

Bishop Ralph L. Dennis, head of pastors at Kingdom of Fellowship Ministries in Columbia, Maryland, said Harris’ loss to Trump leaves parishioners “exactly where I believed we would be” and that they should look to the heavens for comfort.

“Our hope and future must never be in an earthly system and the flesh of men,” said Dennis.

Baltimore pastor Kevin Slayton said it’s important to remember that all politics are local, and that Marylanders still have things to celebrate from the election.

“We can all shout at the outcome of electing the first African

The Rev. Freddy Clark, pastor of Shalom Church City of Peace, told his congregation on Nov. 10, 2024 “God’s authority transcends politics.”

Photo courtesy of Shalom Church

American woman from the state of Maryland to serve in the U.S. Senate,” Slayton said. “There is always something to give thanks for.”

Rev. Dante K. Miles, pastor of Koinonia Baptist Church, said he’d talked with his congregation leading into election night and they fasted and prayed through the evening.

Their prayers, he added, were “not for a particular candidate or party but that God’s will would be done.”

In conversations with some parishioners, “I could feel their grief and tried comforting them,” Miles said. But “in the same way people are angry when they lose a loved one, nobody at that initial moment wants to hear about God,” he said.

Miles said they’ve been going over the Articles of Faith, “but I’m going to focus on what we believe about civil government and tie the election to it and then tomorrow for our group prayer time. If someone brings it up, we will lift the winners, the losers and the country.

In closing her sermon at Shalom, Clark said, “It does not matter who is in the White House, God is still in control.”

This report was written by Robin Britt, Alvin A. Reid and Robin Whitener of the St. Louis American, and Dorothy Boulware of Word in Black