April 14th, 2022 edition by The St. Louis American

The St. LouiS AmericAn

Legacy Institute prepares youths for a changing world

“COVID showed me the importance of doing things differently.” – Terran Rome, Executive Director of Legacy Institute

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

The St. Louis American

For years now, Terran Rome has grappled with a consistent fear.

“Man, our people are last on every important list.” That fear went into overdrive in 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic struck the globe.

“We’re already behind and this is really going to hurt us more,” Rome said.

It took almost a year, but Rome was able to craft a program that he feels will prepare young people for a very challenging but opportunity-filled future. It’s called Legacy Institute, a Saturday mentoring program primarily for boys and young men (ages five to 24). For 10 weeks youth attend classes from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m, where they are exposed to a litany

Larry Thompson, 9, (left) a student at St. Ann Elementary watches the move of Ryen Day, 10, from Mary Institute Country Day School Saturday, April 9, 2022. Behind them are Terran Rome, executive director of the Legacy Institute and board member Dr. Darryl Bradley

St. Louis will miss positive contributions of Michael Neidorff

Served Black community ‘specifically, unapologetically’

By Alvin A. Reid

The St. Louis American

n As his firm grew into a Fortune 50 company, so did his commitment to groups and organizations that served primarily Black and minority populations far from corporate boardrooms and offices.

Michael Neidorff became Centene Corp., CEO in 1996 and immediately demonstrated his commitment to philanthropy and community service. His visionary leadership and hard work led the company from a $40 million single health care plan to a global health care company with revenues of $125 billion that serves 25 million members and has nearly 75,000 employees. As his firm grew into a Fortune 50 company, so did his commitment to groups and organizations that served primarily Black and minority populations far from corporate boardrooms and offices. He was especially generous to and supportive of The St. Louis American and the St. Louis American Foundation, as well as advisor to their leadership. Neidorff passed away on April 7, 2022, after a lengthy illness, and his positive impact on underserved communities and charitable causes throughout the region will be difficult, if not impossible, to replace.

Michael McMillan, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis president and CEO, said Neidorff being a member of the National Urban League board of directors helped St. Louis land the organization’s 2017 Annual Conference. However,

By Alvin A. Reid

The St. Louis American

A sometimes-tearful Ketanji Brown Jackson, fresh off her victorious battle to win Senate confirmation as the first Black woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, told the world on Friday April 8, 2022, “We’ve made it. All of us. All of us.”

Speaking on the South Lawn of the White House flanked by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Jackson said triumphantly, “Our children are telling me that they see now more than ever that here in America, anything is possible.”

“I am feeling up to the task, primarily because I know that I am not alone. I am standing on the shoulders of my own role models. Generations of Americans who never had anything close to this kind of opportunity, but who got up every day and went to work believing in the promise of America.” Harris beamed as she declared, “Today is indeed a wonderful day.” She added, “This will answer fundamental questions about who we are and what kind of country we live in. You will inspire generations of leaders. They will watch your confirmation hearings and read your decisions in the years to come.”

Some Republicans’ bitter, distasteful questioning did not stop Jackson from a bi-partisan 53-47 confirmation vote, and Biden said her triumph “is going to let so much sunshine on so many young women, so many young Black women.”

“We’re going to look back and see this as a moment of real change in American history,” he said.

St. Louis’ first Black woman mayor, Tishaura O. Jones, was among the first to congratulate Jackson after she won confirmation.

“This is a remarkable moment for our

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire

Marc Morial, National Urban League president and CEO, said that factions of state and federal lawmakers, working in concert with shady political operatives and violent extremists, are dangerously close to dismantling American democracy and establishing autocratic rule.

The organization’s 2022 State of Black America report, released on Monday, outlines “the conspiracy and the urgent case for a national mobilization to protect and defend our most sacred constitutional right,” Morial noted in the report titled, “Under Siege: The Plot to Destroy Democracy.”

“The anti-democracy wave that began to rise after record-high Black voting rates in 2008 and crested with the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in Shelby County v. Holder to gut the Voting Rights Act has now broken against ‘The Big Lie,’ the relentless campaign to invalidate the 2020 elec-

LEAGUE, A6

Photo by Brian Munoz / St. Louis Public Radio

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson spoke of her journey to being confirmed as the first Black woman Supreme Court justice at the White House on Friday, April 8, 2022.

Black Maternal Health Week opened Monday nationwide, including a ceremony at Jamaa Birth Village in Ferguson.

team features two tremendous point

in Saniah Tyler of Incarnate Word and JaNyla Bush of Whitfield.

Photo by Nyah Marshall / HUNS

Award-winning Jacksons are headed to Broadway for “The Piano Lesson”

The husband and wife team of Academy Award winner Samuel L. Jackson and Tony Award nominee LaTanya Richardson Jackson, are taking their act to Broadway, according to a release. Samuel Jackson will star in August Wilson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning, Tony-nominated drama, The Piano Lesson, which is being revived for the first time since its Broadway debut in 1990.

LaTanya Richardson Jackson will make her Broadway directorial debut, becoming the first woman to direct an August Wilson play on Broadway.

“August Wilson dedicated his life and devoted his talent to dramatizing our stories and our experience. In doing so, he forever changed what it means to be Black in America. His plays built empathy, created community, and showed us the power of representation.

The Piano Lesson is one of his most enduring, profound and consequential masterpieces, and I am reveling in this opportunity to present it to Broadway audiences for the first time since its premiere,” she said in a statement.

Samuel Jackson is familiar with the play, if

not the role. He originated the role of Boy Willie at the Yale Repertory Theatre in 1987, and will now play the role of Doaker Charles. John David Washington will be this production’s Boy Willie, and Danielle Brooks will play Berniece.

Set in the mid-1930s Hill District in Pittsburgh, the play is centered on a brother and sister who must revisit history in an effort to move forward. The two siblings fight over the fate of a family piano with the faces of ancestors carved into it.

Performances begin on Monday, Sept. 19, at the St. James Theatre.

The Kidd Creole guilty in fatal stabbing of a homeless man

NBC News reports The Kidd Creole of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, whose legal name is Nathaniel Glover, was found guilty of first degree manslaughter on April 6 by a Manhattan jury for stabbing a homeless man.

According to a report in The Guardian

Glover had “a run in” with a 55-year-old homeless man named John Jolly on August 1, 2017. Glover believed the man was attempting to solicit him for sex. Glover stabbed Jolly, who later died in hospital.

Prosecutors alleged that Glover’s motives were homophobic. Glover’s lawyers said he stabbed Jolly in self defense and that Jolly’s

medical history did not support the allegation that he had died of a stab wound. They claimed that a combination of alcohol and hospital-administered sedatives contributed to Jolly’s death.

Glover will be sentenced on May 4 and faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. He had previously been working as a handyman and security guard in Manhattan. Glover has been incarcerated for three-and-a-half years and shared his thoughts about what happened in an exclusive phone interview with The Source

“What would be ideal for me would be for the total truth to come out,” Glover says. “Now I’m fighting the image that they portrayed me as a person who’s intolerant of people with alternative lifestyles and that’s not true.”

The Real ends this summer after eight seasons

Daytime talk show

“The Real,” concludes this summer after eight seasons.

Comedian and co-host Loni Love confirmed the shocking

news via her verified Twitter account.

“With the news of The Real ending I had to console a lot of crew and fans this weekend.. I’ve been in this business a long time and understand it but it still warms my heart that so many have reached out to me.. we still have new episodes til June 3rd!!! #TheReal,” Love tweeted.

The syndicated series premiered in 2013 and was acquired by Fox-owned stations across major markets in 2014. Similar in concept to “The View,” The Real featured multicultural women’s voices with a target audience of young adults. The original four hosts included Tamera Mowry-Housley, Tamar Braxton, Love, and Jeannie Mai Warner Bros. reportedly decided to end the show after Fox stations turned down renewing another season. Braxton left the show in 2016 to focus on her solo career. Actor and comedian Amanjoined the show in 2020 but left after five months citing she didn’t have the freedom to discuss currents from her preferred perspective. MowryHousley left in July 2020 expressing “all good things come to an end.” Actress and reality tv star Garcelle Beauvis replaced her that same month.

Sources:

Kim Gardner unlikely to lose law license over claims stemming from Eric Greitens probe

By Rebecca Rivas Missouri Independent

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner will likely face a reprimand, but not lose her license to practice law, as a result of alleged misconduct during the investigation of former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens.

In an agreement between Gardner and the Chief Disciplinary Counsel

Alan Pratzel unveiled Monday during a hearing in St. Louis County, Gardner admitted to unintentionally failing to produce documents to a judge for review and failing to correct misstatements from her contracted investigator.

Gardner’s attorney, Michael Downing, said Gardner understood the “seriousness” of the reprimand.

Pratzel presented the agreement to the threeperson panel with Missouri’s attorney disciplinary system during Monday’s hearing.

At the conclusion of Monday’s hearing Pratzel did not recommend disciplinary action against Gardner.

“The evidence does not support a conclusion that these documents were deliberately withheld from production,” the agreement states.

Further, there was no finding that

panel on Monday on the proposed agreement. Made up of two lawyers and one non-lawyer, the panel will make a recommendation within 30 days to the Missouri Supreme Court, which will have the final say on whether Gardner committed professional misconduct.

Both Downing and Pratzel said they could not comment on the agreement until after the Supreme Court’s decision.

At the heart of the agreement is five pages of a document of bullet-pointed thoughts that Gardner made after interviewing a woman who had an extramarital affair with Greitens in 2015, Gardner told the panel.

Pratzel stated that her notes should have been added to a “privilege log” –or a list of documents that Gardner’s team believed weren’t required by law to be given to Greitens’ attorneys. The judge wanted to review the list to ensure the documents were privileged.

Gardner told the panel she and her team did not intentionally leave the document off the log, and that she didn’t know the document still existed in its original form.

Gardner has previously said the person in charge of compiling the privilege log for the judge during the 2018 Greitens investigation was her

joining her team. She has said she took his advice on what to include on the log and believed that Dierker and Greitens’ attorneys had agreed on what should be included.

In the agreement presented Monday, Gardner also admitted to having some responsibility over supervising former FBI agent William Tisaby to assist in the Greitens probe, Pratzel said. Last month, Tisaby pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanor count of

corrected the record when Tisaby failed to acknowledge in court that he received documentation from Gardner about the Greitens’ case before interviewing Greitens’ accuser – the basis of Tisaby’s misdemeanor plea. Gardner had emailed her bulletpoint notes to Tisaby before he interviewed K.S. on Jan. 29, 2019 on video — a recording that was given to the defense. Although Tisaby had told Gardner

the interview, he took 11 pages of handwritten notes on top of that print out.

The presiding officer on the panel is Keith Cutler, a trial attorney with his family’s law firm James W. Tippin & Associates in Kansas City. He and his wife, Dana, were previously judges on the Atlanta-based TV Show “Couples Court with the Cutlers.”

Also on the panel is Elizabeth McCarter, a partner at Behr McCarter & Potter, P.C. in St. Louis County, and Sheryl Butler, a non-practicing lawyer from St. Louis.

The panel will now make a written decision on whether to accept the agreement or recommend discipline to the Missouri Supreme Court. However, this is likely not the end of the proceedings. After the panel’s written decision, both parties have 30 days to accept or reject it. At that point, the panel’s decision and the parties’ responses will be filed with the Supreme Court. From there, the Supreme Court could make a decision based on the filings, or it could schedule the case to be briefed and argued.

Regardless, the ultimate decision regarding discipline lies with the

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner attends her disciplinary hearing at the St. Louis County Courthouse on April 11, 2022. Pool photo via T.L. Witt

Guest Editorial

Women can be the force policing needs in America

By Carmen Best

In recent weeks, like so many, I have been glued to my TV and social media monitoring the war in Ukraine. I know we have all been impressed by the courage and perseverance of the Ukrainian people and their leaders.

I have been especially touched by the sacrifices and strength of the women of Ukraine. From the First Lady supporting and echoing the leadership of President Zelensky, to the women members of Parliament, to the mothers leading their families to safety, or the most heartbreaking but remarkable, the women who have sent their children to safe locations while they remain, to report, to help, and to fight for their country and for western democracy.

From the stories I have seen in these startling weeks — I can only think that YES, WOMEN CAN.

These stories, and my story — the women I’ve met, the women who have mentored me, the experiences I’ve personally had, as well as the friends I cherish, and the women I am lucky to count as my daughters — they all tell me we need more women leaders, in policing, in the public sector, and in government.

In good times, in bad times, in peace and in war, women step up and keep families together. Ever since we won the right to do so, we stand up and lead our communities. This has made me consider more in-depth the role and promise of women in policing. It brought me to think back to one of my first calls as an officer. I can still remember the look on the woman’s face — she had called the police to report a delayed burglary. I hadn’t thought about it as I approached the door, but she was clearly expecting to see a male officer, likely a white one, when she answered the door. Instead, she got me. A petite, young, Black woman.

their participation in our institutions also make them better.

In my career as a police officer, repeatedly, I experienced discrimination — both inside the department and outside from the public we served. In calls like that woman’s or hearing the talk from men in the academy that there was no way the women were going to be able to handle the physical requirements of the exam — or just the basic day-to-day comments any person of color or a woman hears that are meant to “put us in our place.”

As with anything, time and the perspective that come with age made me realize in so many of these instances, the person wasn’t intent on being a bad person. And, had I reacted strongly, I would have done little to change their mind or make them rethink their perspective.

I think that’s part of what our greatest challenge is right now as a country. For some reason, we do not give people the benefit of the doubt. We do not assume people are wellintentioned, even we if vehemently disagree with their perspective.

Rather than calling people out for every perceived transgression — we need to buckle down and make positive change, together.

Society changes. Things get better. MLK’s arc continues to bend toward justice.

n Rather than calling people out for every perceived transgression — we need to buckle down and make positive change, together.

The field of policing is one ripe for this change. Currently, there is a campaign, the 30×30 campaign — a commitment by police departments to try innovative things to have 30% of their sworn personnel be women by 2030. Right now, nationally, on average, about 15% of sworn officers are women. It is a lofty goal, but it is an important one. In examining social science research and thinking of my individual experiences and those of my friends and family – I see evidence of it everywhere:

In policing: Women are less likely to use force, and departments with more women are more likely to have formal policies about engaging community and being transparent.

Who speaks for the world?

By Lawrence S. Wittner

Russia’s brutal war upon the nation of Ukraine should remind us that, for thousands of years, great powers have used their military might to launch military assaults upon smaller, weaker societies. Since World War II alone, these acts of aggression have included France’s colonial wars in Indochina and Algeria, Britain’s military intervention in the Middle East and Africa, the Soviet Union’s military conquest of Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Afghanistan, China’s invasions of Tibet and Vietnam, and America’s wars in Indochina, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Today, great power crimes against humanity, often driven by imperial arrogance and ambition, remain a plague upon the world.

Centuries ago, farsighted thinkers began suggesting that wars of aggression could be prevented by establishing a federation of nations to safeguard the peace. Writers such as Dante Alighieri, Immanuel Kant, Alfred Tennyson, and H.G. Wells, promoted the idea of moving beyond individual nation-states to create a government representing all of humanity.

By the 20th century, even officials of national governments began to take this idea seriously, particularly after the vast slaughter of World Wars I and II exposed the terrible consequences of international conflict and great power imperialism. The result was the formation of the League of Nations and, when this international confederation proved too weak to cope with the world crisis of the 1930s and early 1940s, the United Nations.

primary goal of saving future generations from “the scourge of war,” the United Nations moved the world closer to a peaceful, governed planet. The signers of its Charter agreed to “refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.” Its General Assembly provided a forum for discussion of global issues by all nations, large and small. Its Committee on Decolonization supervised the end of colonialism across vast swathes of the globe.

In addition, the United Nations smoothed the path for political settlements of numerous small wars, issued the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, established an International Criminal Court, and developed sig-

n Today, great power crimes against humanity, often driven by imperial arrogance and ambition, remain a plague upon the world.

nificant programs for economic development, world health, social justice and environmental sustainability.

Even so, despite these concessions to civilized norms, the great powers were not willing to give up their traditional dominance of world affairs. Structurally, this was expressed through the UN Security Council, with five imperial powers being granted permanent membership and veto power. Behaviorally, it was expressed by their powerful armies, by their wars of aggression against smaller nations, by their development of nuclear weapons, and by their insistence upon their right to retain and use them. Again and again, their rulers showed that they really did think that they had the right to run the world.

I didn’t react to her obvious surprise — I was a new officer there to do a job. In retrospect, had I chosen to “teach her a thing or two,” I’m almost certain it wouldn’t have made a difference, and it likely would have made things worse. She was reacting to what she saw as an abnormal situation. There were a handful of female officers in Seattle at the time, and even fewer Black women or women of color. This was likely one of her few interactions with the police, so it probably was surprising to see me on her doorstep.

Roughly 25 years later, I do not think that same woman would have been surprised to see me become the Chief of Police for the Seattle Police Department.

Our society has changed over the last couple of decades since I showed up to the call at her home. Women, African Americans, people of color — and especially women of color — spent those almost three decades doing the work and showing that not only did they deserve to be in those roles, so often, but

In medicine: Patients with women doctors report feeling more heard – and they are less likely to return to the hospital or die after discharge.

In law: Women outperform men in the courtroom.

You see it repeatedly — and when you think about your life you can start to think of reasons why. For so long, we’ve been expected to manage the family, the house, and in recent history a job, too. We must navigate interpersonal issues at work to ensure we aren’t perceived as incompetent.

It’s not that men can’t do these things — I know plenty who can. It’s that women are expected to do these things if they want to succeed. It is time for our organizations, particularly policing, to take advantage of these learned behaviors and skills. Women can be the change that policing needs – I have seen it with my own eyes. I have lived it.

Carmen Best is the former chief of the Seattle Police Department. She was the first Black woman to lead that police force.

Launched in 1945 with the

Are the people of the world condemned to live forever under the heels of the great powers? Or is it still possible to take another step along the road to a peaceful, humane planet? At the moment, the United Nations is the major governmental structure that transcends the desires of a particular nation’s rulers and acts in support of all humanity. When it comes to peace, climate change, world health, women’s rights, refugee resettlement, the eradication of poverty, and a host of other issues, the United Nations invariably defends the interests of the entire world. Given this vital role on a planet still riven by the belligerence of rogue nations, hasn’t the time arrived to strengthen it? Some of the ways to strengthen the United Nations have been evident for years. One of the most obvious is to remove the permanent membership and the veto power of the great powers in the UN Security Council. There is no logical reason for them to have these privileges. Furthermore, they have often abused them. Another is to create a UN Parliamentary Assembly, with elected delegates from throughout the world. Such an assembly would enhance the world organization’s democratic and participatory character by adding an entity chosen by people, rather than by governments. Yet another is to give the United Nations power to levy taxes to cover its expenses. A UN tax on currency speculation (the “Tobin tax”), for example, would end the organization’s impoverishment, free it from the need to beg for emergency funds from the great powers, and enable it to adequately fund vital global programs. These kinds of UN reforms are based on the principle that no single country or small group of countries adequately represents the world and its multiplicity of peoples. The world can – and should – speak for itself.

Dr. Lawrence Wittner is professor of history emeritus at SUNY/Albany. This commentary originally appeared in the Winston-Salem Chronicle

Job retraining necessary in Black community

By Sonny Messiah Jiles

Automation is touching our lives daily and letting us function more efficiently.

Household conveniences now include vacuum robots and smart home push buttons or voice commands for lights, TVs, security, and even refrigerators.

“Powerful new technologies are increasing productivity, improving lives, and reshaping our world. But what happens to our jobs?” That statement and question are from a study by the consulting firm McKinsey & Company concluding that one in three U.S. workers could give up some of their tasks or entire jobs to robots or other artificial intelligence by 2030.

An excerpt from the study states, “The shift could be on a scale not seen since the transition of the labor force out of agriculture in the early 1900s in the United States and Europe….”

According to another study by MIT and Boston University titled “Robots and Jobs: Evidence from U.S. Labor Markets,” the displacement effect on the workforce will impact manual labor workers who are low and middleincome.

This study hits close to home, indicating that Texas and the Rust Belt are among the areas expected to be impacted.

Obviously, we need to stop and focus on offsetting the impact of automation and create new jobs.

When you consider that 75 million to 375 million workers may need to switch JOBS and learn new skills, according to the McKinsey study, we as a nation need to pause for the cause and realize how many jobs — especially Black and Brown jobs — will be lost.

History has proven that technology can create jobs that don’t even exist today and alter existing jobs that won’t disappear completely but are changing drastically.

Some believe the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic spurred the quicker transition of automation and deepened its reach into our world. But the automation of our world was already underway.

To my surprise, the job categories showing the highest percentage of projected growth according to the McKinsey study include healthcare providers; professionals such as engineers, scientists,

accountants, and analysts; IT professionals and other technology specialists; managers and executives whose work cannot easily be replaced by machines; and educators, especially in emerging economies with young populations

Also growing are “creatives,” a small but growing category of artists, performers, and entertainers who will be in demand as rising incomes create more demand for leisure and recreation; builders and related professions, particularly in the scenario that involves higher investments in infrastructure and buildings; and manual and service jobs in unpredictable environments, such as home health aides and gardeners.

To acquire these high-paying jobs, you must be technically trained. The reality is there will be many who will be displaced in the workforce, especially in the Black and Brown communities. And remember, there will be new jobs that don’t even exist today that we can explore.

Knowing the job categories where opportunities exist allows us to prepare for the future or retrain for the present. Sonny Messiah Jiles is Houston based Defender Network CEO and publisher.

Guest Columnist Carmen Best

Guest Columnist Lawrence Wittner

Photo courtesy of Schnuck Markets, Inc.

Schnucks and many of its customers helped celebrate Black History Month by “rounding up” at the cash register and raising $140,000 for the urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Save Our Sons Program. From left, Schron Jackson, Schnucks director of community engagement and customer care; Bill Bradley, Schnucks chief marketing and communications officer; Todd Schnuck, Schnucks chairman and CEO; Michael McMillan, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis president and CEO; Tydrell Stevens, Urban League Save Our Sons Program director and Gabriel Gibson, Schnucks teammate and graduate of the Save Our Sons Program

Schnucks supports Urban League Save Our Sons program

St. Louis American staff

Schnuck Markets, Inc.’s “Round Up at the Register” campaign during Black History Month raised $150,000 for the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Save Our Sons program. Customers donated $140,000 added $10,000 to round up to $150,000.

“We are very fortunate to have Schnuck Markets as our longtime partner,” said Michael P. McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.

“The generosity of the customers, the Schnuck Markets team, and the Schnuck family, is greatly appreciated and as a result we will be able to continue to empower men and women in our community to live their very best lives.”

The ULSTL’s Save Our Sons program seeks to help economically disadvantaged African American

men living in the St. Louis region find jobs and have the opportunity to earn livable wages. This program completes these objectives by assisting the participants in obtaining post-secondary education and job training and teaching the imperative career life skills and work ethic necessary to become successful employees in today’s workforce.

“Our customers once again showed their generosity and willingness to support the Urban League and the great work they do empowering African Americans and others throughout our region in securing economic self-reliance, social equality, and civil rights,” said Schnucks Chairman and CEO Todd Schnuck.

“We thank our shoppers for rounding up and joining us on our mission to nourish people’s lives by helping develop the workforce in our cities and neighborhoods through the organization’s Save Our Sons initiative.”

ESL 89 Blocks Earth Day Clean-Up on April 23

In celebration of Earth Day, the City of East St. Louis and Empire 13 will host an 89 Blocks Action Clean-Up event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 23 beginning at 1764 State Street. The event is open to the public.

The event will address the effects of systemic environmental racism by hosting a cleanup of State Street from 89th to 11th Street. In addition, Community LifeLine and several other local churches, community, and grassroots organizations from across the region join in the effort.

“I’m very grateful to Empire 13, Community Lifeline, and the consortium of organizations coming together to help us with this citywide cleanup covering all of State Street. In this way, the City of East St. Louis and the community are truly coming together to show what the power of the people can accomplish needed change for our earth and community,” said Mayor Robert Eastern III.

The cleanup is part of Empire 13’s Boots to the Streets Campaign, which addresses issues related to discrimination in Black communities.

Love in our current pandemic world

By Kelly Jackson

Forever is a long time.

There is no truer phrase when you apply it to so many of life’s relationships. It really hits close to home to so many people who are ‘Boo’d up.’ You know, people in relationships: new couples, long-term relationships and those who are married. For some, forever may not be long enough. For other, it’s a painful eternity. We are moving toward summer and all its beauty. We will soon be in the season of love, including weddings and all the wonderful trimmings that go along with them. I have been to more weddings than I can remember, and a bridesmaid for about eight of my close friends. I have also been a bride myself. Yes, I am a hopeless romantic with no apologies. I am in love with love. Aren’t we all to a certain point?

My parents were married for more than 50 years. They mirrored a splendid example of a couple who weathered good and tough times, shared their personal and professional accomplishments, raised five children, enjoyed their grandchildren, and were travel companions.

But, in the end, the wedding vow that eventually dissolved their marriage was “in sickness and in health” with the death of my mom.

Back to the forever thing. Every human being wants to find love and be loved. Hollywood has made billions of dollars on small and big screens from ‘rom-coms’ and television sitcoms where characters are on that endless journey to find “the one.”

A few of note: “Living Single,” “Sex and the City,” and, I cannot leave out the current Netflix hit “Bridgerton.”

Then there are what I call the unrealistic dating shows including “The Bachelor,” The Bachelorette,” and the wildly popular Netflix show “Love is Blind.”

We also can’t forget the beautiful love songs through the decades sung by Luther Van Dross, Whitney Houston, D’Angelo, and more. There are too many to mention. The lyrics shared love and heartache.

In real life, it is finding love that is the challenging part. COVID-19 has not made it any easier. Pre-pandemic you either relied on friends, family or dating apps to find a mate. When we were in full pandemic mode, those dating apps really took off. People couldn’t go anywhere, so Zoom dates were all the rage. Then, when people eventually started venturing out, they often found themselves initially not asking a date what they do for a living. Instead, it was “are you vaxxed and boosted?”

I reached out to one of the top dating companies in the world, Match.com, to get their take on dating in our 21st century. Full disclosure, I have had many friends find love on Match.com, and several have gotten married. Have some of you found yourselves a little rusty getting back out there?

Rachel DeAlto, Match chief dating expert, has some insight.

“There is definitely a bit of re-entry trepidation for those who have become used to dating only virtually! The good news is it’s a bit like riding a bike and getting back out there can help us realize we are still capable of dating in the real world,” she wrote in an e-mail.

As we all get older, I would like to think we have a better sense of ourselves. I have friends who are perfectly fine not having a mate and have etched out a life happily single. I also have friends who will always have a mate. While well meaning, try to refrain from asking when they are going to start dating...again.

However, if you are ready to take the leap, DeAlto beautifully sums it up.

“Define what you want, not who you want. Many singles have a very clear idea of the person they are looking to date, and it can interfere with the right person becoming your person,” she wrote.

“How do you want to feel in your relationship? What do you want your life to look like together? The “who” can look very different when we are seeking something meaningful versus a certain appearance.”

So, if you are looking for your person, buy yourself some flowers, enjoy the journey. It will be a beautiful ride.

Kelly Jackson

Legacy

Continued from A1

of subjects including chess, Black history, politics, journalism, technology and Credit 101.

The name, “Legacy” serves an acronym: “L: Leaving, E: Economic, G: Generational, A: And C: Collaborative information to our Y: Youth.”

As a kid, Rone joined Herbert Hoover Boys Club (now …” Boys & Girls Club”) on Grand Blvd., not far from his home on Sullivan and Vandeventer Avenue. There, he learned important lessons such as individual leadership skills, team sports and how to compete athletically. Rone was

involved from the age of 8 to 15 and feels that the organization helped him pave his own path to success.

After a stint in the armed services, Rone went into the music, entertainment, and event-hosting industry. In the early 1990s Rone said he pioneered the first African American comedy show and later, the first rap concert at the University of Missouri-St. Louis featuring comedians Dion Cole, Cheryl Underwood, Lavell Crawford and Corey Holcomb. He went on to produce the Missouri Sisterto-Sister Expo and host music concerts and events featuring artists and celebrities such as Chico DeBarge, Jessie Powell, Malik Yoba, Blair Underwood, and the late Susan L. Taylor

of Essence magazine. In 2000, Rone entered the real estate world as an investor before starting the “Fresh Start” real estate agency that he’s operated for more than five years.

Rone’s personal success was marred by the troubling fact that many of his old Herbert Hoover Boy’s Club mates were no longer around.

“I lost a lot of friends to gun violence. A lot of my boys didn’t make it,” Rone recalled sadly.

“I realized that once we grew up there weren’t a lot of things we could do mentally. And I was no better. I was just lucky enough to get through college and keep moving.”

The pandemic forced Rone to come up with something that might counter the epidemic

of hopelessness, poverty and prison that far too many young black men encounter.

“COVID got me thinking, ‘God, our people can’t afford to get further behind. Where will our babies go?’ Rone explained. “It showed me the importance of doing things differently and better. Without COVID, I don’t think I would have increased my efforts to get this program up and running.”

For almost a year, Rone said he floated the idea of an all-encompassing weekend program for youth to people he knew professionally with no takers. It was a frustrating endeavor until Rone met with Anthony “Tony” Thompson president, CEO, and founder of Kwame Building Group Inc.

“Tony was already doing things in the community. He saw that my plan made sense. So, since he doesn’t have as much time as I do to implement things, we decided to collaborate, and it was put in my hands to make it happen.”

Every Saturday, Legacy Institute students meet at Confluence Academy near the main library downtown and partake in subjects designed to prepare them for future obstacles and opportunities.

Some essential subjects, Rone stressed, aren’t taught in regular school settings.

“I always wondered why they don’t teach us about credit literacy in school, especially before kids go to college,” Rone pondered. “And what about chess? I learned how to play chess when I was 8 years old, and the game always stuck with me. Chess made me think and learn different moves to make to win the game.”

On its website, Legacy lists several of its academic programs with brief descriptions. For example, there’s “Banking” designed to help students understand the economic, financial, technological, and ethical aspects of banking.

“Black History” courses help students “gain a sense of deeper meaning and self-worth.”

The “Civics and Politics” classes provide “a practical knowledge and understanding of government” and its connection to citizens. Coding courses are designed to help students understand the complex world of computer coding while “Credit 101” covers issues like establishing, building credit, and maintaining a good credit score.

These are just five of the more than 20 introductory courses that also include tech-

Urban League

Continued from A1

nology, debate, engineering, entrepreneurship, food and nutrition, real estate, journalism, music/entertainment management and production and more.

Harkening back to his Herbert Hoover experience, where many kids were lost after aging out of the club, Rone noted that Legacy students aren’t abandoned after 10-weeks of tutoring. Graduating students, he said, become “alumni” members who are counseled, tracked, and directed to scholarship, internship, financial aid and other educational or career-building opportunities. All the courses, Rone added, are designed to help youth expand the legacy of “Blackness.”

“We must leave our youth in a better position than we were in. It’s hard to create a legacy if you don’t know you have a legacy,” Roe said. “We must create a legacy that makes sense for them so they can move it forward. If we guide them properly, if we coach them properly, if we re-tune and refigure things properly, they will get it properly.”

COVID, Rone said, motivated him to finally address concerns that had been gnawing at his consciousness throughout his successful career.

“COVID will cost us, no doubt. But it also gives us the opportunity to recreate ourselves and be more efficient in what we need to do next and not what we can’t do.

“We’re determined to let our kids know that they don’t have to be a part of the system…they can run the system.”

Sylvester Brown Jr. is The St. Louis American’s inaugural Deaconess Fellow. tion,” Morial wrote.

Using data and analysis from research partner, The Brennan Center for Justice, the Urban League noted that this year’s edition of The State of Black America exposes the four main tactics employed in the plot: gerrymandering, voter suppression, misinformation, and intimidation.

“Politicians have used these tactics for generations, to exclude voters of color and to give their parties an edge,” Morial said.

“But never before has the nation seen such an insidious and coordinated campaign to obliterate the very principle of ‘one person, one vote’ from the political process.

‘It is an astonishing reversal of a two-century moral arc that has bent, if slowly and unevenly, toward universal suffrage,” he said.

In acknowledgement of Georgia’s status as “ground zero” in the assault on democracy, the Urban League released the report at an event at Clark Atlanta University featuring students from Atlanta’s four HBCUs, Urban League affiliate presidents from around the country, and other national civil rights leaders.

The release coincided with the 2022 launch of “Reclaim Your Vote,” the National Urban League’s civic engagement campaign, celebrated with a voter mobilization rally on the university’s Promenade.

A news release noted that, for the first time, The State of Black America includes a companion poll, the Pulse of Black America. Conducted by Benenson Strategy Group, the poll found that an overwhelming majority Black

Americans believe strongly in the power of their vote to make a difference when it comes to social and racial justice, police violence, and economic opportunity.

“But almost as many agree that elected officials are not doing enough to protect voting rights and are in fact doing more to limit voting rights than to protect them,” the authors stated.

They said the 2022 Equality Index, the National Urban League’s semi-annual calculation of the social and economic status of African Americans relative to whites, is 73.9 percent, slightly up from the revised 2020 Index of 73.7% Rooted in the Three-Fifths Compromise of 1787, which counted enslaved African Americans as “three-fifths” of a person, the Index would be 100 percent under full equality, the authors wrote.

Officials said because of a lag in data collection, the 2022 Equality Index does not capture the full effect of the COVID-19 pandemic or the resulting economic recession, but does capture changes during the pandemic for homeownership, unemployment rates, and school enrollment.

“For these metrics, the 2022 Equality Index illustrates how precarious social and economic gains are for Black Americans,” said economist Rhonda Vonshay Sharpe of the Women’s Institute for Science, Equity, and Race, who analyzed the Index for the report.

“It is also evidence of how vulnerable Black Americans are to economic and public health crises. The Equality Index is an aggregate analysis of centuries of structural racism that can be a starting point for crafting policy to dismantle anti-Black racism in America.”

Legacy

Continued from A1 of subjects including chess, Black history, politics, journalism, technology and Credit 101.

The name, “Legacy” serves an acronym: “L: Leaving, E: Economic, G: Generational, A: And C: Collaborative information to our Y: Youth.”

As a kid, Rome joined Herbert Hoover Boys Club (now …” Boys & Girls Club”) on Grand Blvd., not far from his home on Sullivan and Vandeventer Avenue. There, he learned important lessons such as individual leadership skills, team sports and how to compete athletically. Rome was

involved from the age of 8 to 15 and feels that the organization helped him pave his own path to success.

After a stint in the armed services, Rome went into the music, entertainment, and event-hosting industry. In the early 1990s Rome said he pioneered the first African American comedy show and later, the first rap concert at the University of Missouri-St. Louis featuring comedians Dion Cole, Cheryl Underwood, Lavell Crawford and Corey Holcomb. He went on to produce the Missouri Sisterto-Sister Expo and host music concerts and events featuring artists and celebrities such as Chico DeBarge, Jessie Powell, Malik Yoba, Blair Underwood, and the late Susan L. Taylor

of Essence magazine. In 2000, Rome entered the real estate world as an investor before starting the “Fresh Start” real estate agency that he’s operated for more than five years.

Rome's personal success was marred by the troubling fact that many of his old Herbert Hoover Boy’s Club mates were no longer around.

“I lost a lot of friends to gun violence. A lot of my boys didn’t make it,” Rome recalled sadly.

“I realized that once we grew up there weren’t a lot of things we could do mentally. And I was no better. I was just lucky enough to get through college and keep moving.”

The pandemic forced Rome to come up with something that might counter the epidemic

of hopelessness, poverty and prison that far too many young black men encounter.

“COVID got me thinking, ‘God, our people can’t afford to get further behind. Where will our babies go?’ Rome explained. “It showed me the importance of doing things differently and better. Without COVID, I don’t think I would have increased my efforts to get this program up and running.”

For almost a year, Rome said he floated the idea of an all-en-compassing weekend program for youth to people he knew professionally with no takers. It was a frustrating endeavor until Rome met with Anthony “Tony” Thompson president, CEO, and founder of Kwame Building Group Inc.

Every Saturday, Legacy Institute students meet at Confluence Academy near the main library downtown and partake in subjects designed to prepare them for future obstacles and opportunities.

Some essential subjects, Rome stressed, aren’t taught in regular school settings.

“I always wondered why they don’t teach us about credit literacy in school, especially before kids go to college,” Rome pondered. “And what about chess? I learned how to play chess when I was 8 years old, and the game always stuck with me. Chess made me think and learn different moves to make to win the game.”

These are just five of the more than 20 introductory courses that also include tech-

Urban League

Continued from A1

tion,” Morial wrote.

“Politicians have used these tactics for generations, to exclude voters of color and to give their parties an edge,” Morial said.

“But never before has the nation seen such an insidious and coordinated campaign to obliterate the very principle of ‘one person, one vote’ from the political process.

‘It is an astonishing reversal of a two-century moral arc that has bent, if slowly and unevenly, toward universal suffrage,” he said.

nology, debate, engineering, entrepreneurship, food and nutrition, real estate, journalism, music/entertainment management and production and more.

Harkening back to his Herbert Hoover experience, where many kids were lost after aging out of the club, Rome noted that Legacy students aren’t abandoned after 10-weeks of tutoring. Graduating students, he said, become “alumni” members who are counseled, tracked, and directed to scholarship, internship, financial aid and other educational or career-building opportunities. All the courses, Rome added, are designed to help youth expand the legacy of “Blackness.”

“We must leave our youth in a better position than we were in. It’s hard to create a legacy if you don’t know you have a legacy,” Rome said.

“We must create a legacy that makes sense for them so they can move it forward. If we guide them properly, if we coach them properly, if we re-tune and refigure things properly, they will get it properly.”

COVID, Rome said, motivat-ed him to finally address con-cerns that had been gnawing at his consciousness throughout his successful career.

“COVID will cost us, no doubt. But it also gives us the opportunity to recreate ourselves and be more efficient in what we need to do next and not what we can’t do.

“We’re determined to let our kids know that they don’t have to be a part of the sys-tem… they can run the system.”

Sylvester Brown Jr. is The St. Louis American’s inaugural Deaconess Fellow.

Americans believe strongly in the power of their vote to make a difference when it comes to social and racial justice, police violence, and economic opportunity.

“But almost as many agree that elected officials are not doing enough to protect voting rights and are in fact doing more to limit voting rights than to protect them,” the authors stated.

it was Neidorff’s personal dedication that made the national gathering a reality and tremendous success.

“When we were working to bring the national conference to St. Louis, Mr. Neidorff and Centene stepped up immediately with $1 million,” McMillan said.

“In every major initiative I had the pleasure of leading over my nine years leading this organization, Michael Neidorff played a significant role. He did things specifically and unapologetically for the Black community.

“When you think of the changes in the landscape of the region he had over the last two decades, it’s difficult to imagine where we would be as a city without him.”

National Urban League

President and CEO Marc H. Morial said in statement, “The Urban League family was stunned and saddened to learn of the passing of our brother, Michael Neidorff. The loss of his leadership, his fellowship, and his mentorship leaves a void that cannot be filled.”

“Mr. Neidorff assumed the chairmanship of the National Urban League Board of Trustees in 2014, having served on the Board since 2010. He brought a wealth of experience, wisdom, and professionalism to the role, guiding our organization through the crucial years of recovery following the Great Recession.

Brown

Continued from A1

Continued from A1 country,” she said in a statement.

World list.

The late Michael F. Neidorff, who retired as chair, president, and CEO of Centene earlier this year, played a prominent role in St. Louis being awarded the 2017 National Urban League Annual Conference. On March 3, 2017, Neidorff helped announce the gathering with (seated from right) Michael McMillan, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis president and CEO, David Steward, World Wide Technology founder and chair, and Marc Morial, National Urban League president and CEO in attendance. Neidorff passed away after a lengthy illness on Thursday, April 7, 2022.

Regional Alliance stated in a Neidorff obituary.

Fortune ranked Centene as the No. 2 company nationally for diversity and inclusion. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch named him Citizen of the Year for his leadership in creating a $30 million investment in Ferguson following the racial unrest after the death of Michael Brown is summer of 2014.

“That investment brought much needed opportunity and hope to the region, anchoring small businesses in the community,” the Charlotte Alliance said.

“Justice Jackson is one of the most qualified nominees for the high court in our history, with vast experience in federal courts, private practice, and especially notable as a federal public defender.”

State Rep. LaKeySha Bosley, (D-St. Lous) called the nomination and confirmation “remarkably historic.”

“With the appointment of Justice Jackson to the Supreme Court, young Black women will see themselves represented in the highest court in the land and know their voices are included in the ever-unfolding story of our nation.

“He will be remembered as a compassionate and dedicated leader who was deeply invested in the National Urban League’s mission of empowering communities and changing lives. Our community is forever changed because of his influence, and he will never be forgotten.”

McMillan said Neidorff was key in construction of the Urban League Empowerment Center in Ferguson, Missouri, and the purchase of the former Sears Building on Kingshighway, “which means so much to the Black community,” and its transformation

“He was the driving force behind the new National Urban League Empowerment Center, our new headquarters under construction in Harlem, and it will stand as his legacy.

“They will know that they too — through virtue of their hard work, determination, and indomitable spirit — can reach heights once withheld from them. Those qualities are the epitome of what it means to be an American, and Justice Jackson has embodied them throughout the confirmation process. To hear the cracking sound of yet another glass ceiling breaking is music to my ears.”

Missouri Legislative Black Caucus Chair Ashley Bland Manlove, (D-Kansas City) said Jackson’s confirmation is important because “all too often disregards the voices of Black women.

“Our nation is fortunate to have a woman serving in America’s highest court with her deep and broad knowledge of the law, her decades

into the local branch’s new headquarters.

“I met with him when we were in the Ferguson center campaign. He asked, ‘how much do you need to complete the campaign?’ I told him

$650,000 and he said, ‘done, build the building.’”

Neidorff was named Centene CEO in 1996 and under his direction it grew from a single health plan company valued at $40 million to a $125 billion health care enterprise that serves more than 25 million members worldwide.

With nearly 76,000 employees Centene is ranked No. 24 in the Fortune 500, 57 in the Fortune 500 Global list, and No. 7 on the 2019 Fortune Change the

of experience as a litigator, as well as her strength and resolve amidst heinous attempts to assassinate her character during the confirmation process.

Justice Jackson’s confirmation further illustrates America’s capacity to live up to its promise and serves as another milestone in the continuing struggle for social equality still waged by so many Black Americans.”

Like Manlove, state Rep.

St. Louis, Inc. CEO Jason Hall said in a statement

“Michael was a leader who not only grew Centene into one of the world’s leading companies but was incredibly generous to the St. Louis community.

“He was a true champion for people with disabilities and worked tirelessly to improve our metro and the lives of the people who live here. On behalf of St. Louis’ business community, we extend our sincere condolences to the Neidorff family.”

Sarah London, Centene CEO, said in a statement, “Today, the company he built provides healthcare for nearly one in 15 vulnerable

Rasheen Aldridge, (D-St. Louis) reminded the nation of the contempt some GOP senators, including Missouri’s Josh Hawley, held toward Jackson.

“Like most Americans, I was beside myself with shock and outrage while watching Justice Jackson endure hour after hour of character assassination from Senators acting in bad faith with political vendettas,” he said in a statement.

Americans, and his life’s work has transformed the delivery of care in our country. Moreover, Michael’s philanthropic impact on organizations such as the National Urban League will provide lasting blessings across America for years to come.”

Neidorff was also a stalwart in support of diversity and inclusion at Centene and throughout the St. louis business community.

“Neidorff made diversity and inclusion a central focus of his leadership, building an international corporation where women, people of color, LGBTQ, veterans, and people with disabilities all have opportunities to lead and excel,” the Charlotte (North Carolina)

Neidorff was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Junior Achievement of Greater St. Louis. And served on many philanthropic boards including the Greater St. Louis Boy Scouts of America and Concordance Academy. Raised in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Neidorff was a graduate of Trinity University and St. Francis College. In 2021, Trinity University named its business school, the Michael Neidorff School of Business.

He leaves his wife Noémi Neidorff, a son Peter Neidorff and late daughter Monica Neidorff. He was a brother to Susan Neidorff Reinglass and Robert Neidorff.

“It wasn’t just financial commitment. He offered time, talent, whatever you needed, Michael Neidorff was there,” said McMillan.

Memorial donations in his name may be sent to the Siteman Cancer Center, the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis, or a charity of your choice.

“However, I rest assured knowing the joy she and so many of her supporters feel today as she ascends to the bench far eclipses the pain she must have endured. Justice Jackson has overcome so many obstacles to inspire so many Black women and girls who can now see themselves represented by someone who occupies the rarified air of the Supreme Court. I am ecstatic to see what she accomplishes moving forward.”

Jackson remarked that she had been flooded with thousands of congratulatory letters, many from children.

“They speak directly to the hope and promise of America,” she asserted. “[Children] also tell me that I am a role model, which I take both as an opportunity and as a huge responsibility.”

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Gardner endures ethics probe; white firefighters union ignites conflict with City

Earlier this week, the Missouri Office of Chief Disciplinary Counsel - the disciplinary authority for attorneys in the state - held a trial against Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner examining an ethics complaint filed by disgraced former governor Eric Greitens

After months of negotiations with the OCDC, Gardner agreed to an amended ethics complaint against her that referenced her failure to include several documents in a “privilege log,” a spreadsheet an attorney shares with opposing counsel that describes a confidential document without disclosing privileged information.

“Privilege” in court can refer to the confidentiality between an attorney and their client, or an attorney’s work-product.

Although Greitens’ defense team was not legally entitled to the documents referenced in the privilege log, Gardner was recommended to be reprimanded for not providing the identity of those two documents in the log that was given to Greitens’ attorneys.

While prosecutors have been shown to withhold important, innocence-proving evidence from defendants on a regular basis - an issue that even

Gardner’s office has struggled with - that scenario does not accurately describe the legal ethics conflict between Gardner and Greitens. Rather, Greitens’ complaint transparently was political retaliation against Gardner for ultimately forcing Greitens out of the Governor’s Mansion in May 2018. The basis of Greitens’ bar complaint differs from the average criminal defendant’s complaint for one glaring reason: Greitens’ complained that Gardner didn’t produce her own notes (typically protected by work-product rule and not shared with defendants), which may well have referenced the exploitative photo of his mistress that he and his attorneys publicly declared as nonexistent. While the victim seemingly did not have a copy of the photo that Greitens used to blackmail and exploit her (anyone remember Scott Faughn carrying a bag of $50,000 in cash to attorney Al Watkins as part of this scheme?), Greitens’ ex-wife, law professor Sheena Greitens, recently disclosed in a sworn affidavit to a Cole County family court judge that the photo existed and that Eric had threatened her to not disclose that fact.

For Gardner’s ethics complaint, the recommendation of a reprimand will be delivered to the Missouri Supreme Court, which holds the final authority to accept or reject the recommendation.

Another complaint filed by Republican State Representative Paul Curtman was dismissed by the OCDC. Meanwhile, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 73 has found itself at odds with the City of St. Louis and the Public Safety Director Dan Isom’s office, after its leadership accused Isom personally of holding up promotions within the fire department. Although a backlog has existed since 2013 - during the administration of then-mayor Francis G. Slay, Local 73 - which backed Alderwoman Cara Spencer during the 2021 mayoral race - now insinuates political retaliation by Mayor Tishaura O. Jones’ office for the 8-plus year delay. Per usual, the truth is less conspiratorial.

St. Louis City Fire Department Captain Percy Green III, a 22-year veteran of STLFD and chairman of Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality (F.I.R.E.), said that the

push for promotions for captain and battalion chiefs from a 2013 list violates a settlement agreement that sought to address internal discrimination against Black and women candidates.

Missing from Local 73’s narrative is F.I.R.E.’s successful lawsuit against the City following the 2012 exam, and as part of a 2017 settlement, the City agreed that future exams for Fire Department promotions would meet a series of benchmarks that ensured a fair process for all candidates, did not discriminate against Black and women candidates, and promoted transparency during the examination process. Twenty-five candidates were promoted at the end of 2013, based on the 2012 exam. Green says those 25 positions were vacant for nearly 2 years before they were filled.

However, no new promotional exams have been administered since 2012.

The City agreed that all future fire department promotional exams with the new test criteria would begin in 2018 and be held every 3 years after that. To start the promotional exam process, then-Director of Personnel Richard Frank was required under the agreement

to issue a request for proposal (RFP) to locate an exam administrator. He then was supposed to send a copy of that RFP to both Local 73 and F.I.R.E. Frank issued the RFP after the 2018 deadline passed - but to make matters worse, Frank didn’t send the RFP to the two firefighters’ unions.

F.I.R.E. learned that the RFP was issued but was not shared with them or Local 73, and Green said he called out Frank for circumventing the settlement terms. Frank not only stopped the exam process

for that year, but never moved forward after that point to restart the promotions through his retirement on December 1, 2021.

“When it comes to promotions, F.I.R.E. is not against giving another promotional exam. We just wanted the Personnel Director to follow the settlement agreement,” Green told the EYE.

Promoting candidates from an 8 ½-year old list should be problematic for everyone, and Isom has expressed his concerns in doing so, too. But Local 73 has advocated for promoting from the 2013 list until a new exam is given - even going so far as to tell the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the 2017 settlement agreement says so. Except, Frank never moved forward with additional promotions as required under that agreement and he even retained the power to cancel the 2013 list after 6 months, Green said. The most noteworthy point missing from Local 73’s publicity campaign: two white mayors have held office since the 2013 list was issued, and both

Kim

By Jamala Rogers For the St. Louis American

rights. It represents a win for the “Big Lie” campaign

The vanishing act of voting rights

The state of Wisconsin is the latest to smack down voting rights, the effort fueled by its GOP. A recent decision by the conservative controlled U.S. Supreme Court to block Wisconsin’s redistricting map is another bad omen for voting

as Republicans steamroll an anti-democracy, anti-Black, anti-women, and anti-family agenda across the country. The conservative courts, all the way up to the High Court, are in cahoots with Republicans dismantling the coveted 1965

By James T. Ingram

For the St. Louis American

My favorite movie of alltime is “The Godfather.”

We find former Illinois House Speaker and “Godfather of Illinois politics” Michael Madigan under indictment on federal racketeering and bribery

Voting Rights Act. The hard-fought legislative act was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 to protect and preserve voting rights for all, most notably African Americans. This was monumental after many brutal and bloody years of struggle for civil rights in the South. With the passage of the landmark Voting Rights Act (VRA), Black people no longer had to jump through obvious and ridiculous obstacles to voting. The ploys included reciting the U.S. Constitution or guessing how many jellybeans were in a jar. Despite the VRA’s passage, African Americans continue to face a tortuous path on their way to the ballot box.

efforts in states where they can wreak the most havoc. The multi-tiered strategy included the January 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. It also includes gerrymandering, voter suppression, and removing qualified election officials and replacing them with flunkies. The marketing strategy has been successful. Two-thirds of Republicans still believe Trump is the legitimate president.

“The Big Lie” is alive and well.

The defeat of former President Trump in 2020 increased the velocity of GOP

charges as the 50th anniversary of the cinematic classic is being celebrated.

After a reign of nearly 40 years, Madigan’s epic fall from grace reads like a storyline from “The Godfather,” “Goodfellas,” or “American Gangster.” It is replete with criminal enterprises, “rats,” “buffers,” and “consiglieres.” The only thing missing someone getting “whacked.”

The Voting Rights Act is dying a slow death by a thousand cuts. Key sections in it contained safeguards for voter discrimination and suppression. For example, if there was gerrymandering that prohibited full voting participation of Black folks, it was easier to bring those

The 22-count federal grand jury indictment accuses Madigan of leading a criminal enterprise, referred to as the “Madigan Enterprise,” for nearly a decade. Its alleged purpose was to enhance the political power and financial well-being of Madigan, who is referred to as

cases before federal courts for resolution.

There was also a provision to hold certain rogue states more accountable because they had a history of voting restriction trickery. Before states like Mississippi, Texas, and Florida could change their voting laws, they would be subjected to the “pre-clearance” provision of the VRA. That meant their schemes would have to be presented to the Department of Justice for approval.

This national strategy was illustrated by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law before the 2012 elections. It created a “Map of Shame” to expose voter suppression acts by state. It was not an image that championed full participation of all this nation’s citizens.

Ten years later, the attacks on voting rights are more overt. More than 360 bills that shackle voter participation have

been introduced throughout the country. Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Montana, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Wisconsin are trying to defend themselves from the Republic wrath. The Democratic Party seems unable to mount an aggressive campaign to win the battle of public opinion, even if the courts are stacked against them. Democrats don’t have a plan, except to cut deals with treacherous Republicans to save their own district. We who believe in freedom cannot wait on the Democratic Party to lead this fight. We must develop a comprehensive electoral strategy with clear and uncompromising demands. Voting rights will be a crucial battleground going forward because, like abortion rights, it is a right that conservatives are hell bent on annihilating.

“Public Official A” in the 106page indictment. More specifically Madigan, 79, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, using interstate facilities in aid of bribery, wire fraud and attempted extortion.

It describes the “Madigan Enterprise” as generating income for Speaker Madigan, his political allies, and associates by soliciting benefits through shakedowns of businesses and other private parties. Much of this was done, according to the indictment, by co-defendant, personal friend, and “buffer” Michael F. McClain. He allegedly conducted illegal activities at the behest of Madigan. McClain is charged with four counts of

racketeering conspiracy and individual counts of using interstate facilities in the aid of bribery and wire fraud.

Some of McClain’s alleged illegal activities include arranging monetary payments from various businesses, including utility company Commonwealth Edison, to Madigan associates for loyalty to Madigan. Little to no legitimate work was allegedly expected in return. This is commonly referred to as “ghost jobs.”

Given Madigan’s reported aversion to conducting business by phone he, ironically, entered a plea of “not guilty” through his attorney Gil Soffer during a brief phone hearing. McClain did the same through his attorney Patrick Cotter.

However, the list of “rats,” (those cooperating with investigators,) is extensive and may

complicate things for Madigan and McClain. They include former Chicago Alderman Daniel Solis, who secretly recorded several personal conversations with Madigan, as well as former ComEd Vice President Fidel Marquez, who has already entered a guilty plea for his role. Given these potential revelations and testimony, then BadaBing, Bada-Boom! Madigan and “The Enterprise” may be forced to take “an offer that they can’t refuse” by the United States government. We shall see. But the chances of the former speaker beating prison time are slim and none. Slim may have already left town.

Email: jtingram_1960@ yahoo.com Twitter@ JamesTIngram

Columnist James T. Ingram

Columnist Jamala Rogers

St. Charles County park named for historic Black landowner

St. Louis American staff

St. Charles County has named its newest park near Wentzville after an African American landowner who purchased the property in 1871. The 199-acre plot of land is at 2949 West Meyer Road and is scheduled to open this summer.

The park now carries the name of Benjamin Oglesby, who was born a slave in 1825 in Bedford, Va., and brought to Missouri in 1837 at the age of 12 by his owner, Marshall Bird. He worked on a farm near present-day I-70 and Highway W in the Foristell/Wentzville area.

In 1864, the 39-year-old Oglesby fled captivity of Bird and enlisted in the Union Army in St. Charles. His wife and children remained in captivity while he went through basic training in St. Louis to eventually fight for their freedom. Oglesby was assigned to the 56th United States Colored Infantry and was honorably discharged in 1866.

His regiment would see action in 1864 at Indian Bay on

April 13, at Muffleton Lodge on June 29, they were in charge of operations in Arkansas July 1-31. They then saw action at Wallace’s Ferry and Big Creek on July 26, 1864. Their expeditions took them from Helena up the White River from August 29 till September 3.

Another expedition would take them from Helena to Friar’s Point, Mississippi, on February 19-22, 1865. They then had post and garrison duty at Helena, Arkansas till February of 1865.

After the war ended, they had duty at Helena and other points in Arkansas until September 1866. The entire regiment was finally completely mustered out on September 15, 1866.

After the Civil War, according to the 1870 census, Oglesby, his wife, Martha and their six children – Medora, Samuel, Oskar, Bell, Albert, and Charlie – worked on a farm in Hickory Grove Township in Warren County. In 1871, he purchased 146 acres of land in Foristell. He financed the prop-

erty through a $2,000 Deed of Trust and paid off the property six years later.

Oglesby farmed the land at 2949 West Meyer Drive for 30 years. His wife died in 1900, and he died in 1901. He is buried in Smith Chapel Cemetery, a mile from his farm. The Oglesby children owned the property through the mid-1900s.

“As St. Charles County continues to expand westward, this park is in an ideal location,” County Executive Steve Ehlmann said.

“The park will offer shelters, natural surface and paved trails, and a playground when it opens this summer. If the Council approves, it will be a fitting tribute to the Oglesby family name and the history of St. Charles County.”

Nominations being accepted for Salute to Young Leaders awards

May 26 event to be held in person

By K. Michael Jones The St. Louis American

After a one year hiatus due to the pandemic, The St. Louis American Foundation is proud to announce that this year’s Salute to Young Leaders Networking Awards Reception will return to an in-person event, at the Four Seasons St. Louis, May 26th. The Foundation has also announced that Midwest BankCentre will serve as the

presenting sponsor of the 11th annual event.

The St. Louis American Foundation is requesting readers’ assistance in nominating individuals they feel deserve to be recognized as a Young Leader. We’re looking for a broad base of nominations of young African Americans (under age 40) with diverse vocations, from throughout the St. Louis region. Nominees must be under 40 years of age as of May 1, 2022.

The final 20 selected awardees will be honored at the St. Louis American Foundation’s 11th annual Salute to Young Leaders Networking Awards Reception presented by Midwest BankCentre, Thursday,

May 26 at the Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis. They will also be featured in the commemorative special section of The St. Louis American newspaper and on stlamerican.com.

Exceptional young leaders are critical to an improved community. They are: committed, compassionate and generous individuals who are already making a positive impact in our community. These outstanding young professionals are performing at a high level professionally and/or are involved in community work. Please visit stlamerican. com to nominate a Young Leader. The deadline for nominations is Thursday, April 28th by 5pm.

June 20 - July 15, Monday-Friday, 7:45 am -12 pm

In-person instruction at the University of Missouri–St. Louis North Campus Application due by Friday, May 13, 2022 Students must be enrolled in

or email precollegiate@umsl.edu

“Taking Care of You”

Black Maternal Health Week targets birth disparities

Okunsola M. Amadou, a Fulani-American midwife, is the founder and CEO of Jamaa Birth Village. The agency made an announcement regarding its plans to expand and build Missouri’s first Black-owned birth center in Ferguson, Missouri Monday, April 11, 2022. In addition, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones presented a proclamation to Jamaa Birth Village in honor of Black Maternal Health Week which is April 11–17th.

Jamaa Birth Village receives praise

By Alvin A. Reid

The St. Louis American

Black Maternal Health Week opened Monday nationwide, including a ceremony at Jamaa Birth Village in Ferguson and praise for its founder and CEO Okunsola M. Amadou.

The Black Mamas Matter Alliance created Black Maternal Health Week in 2017, and this year’s national theme is “Building for Liberation: Centering Black Mamas, Black Families and Black Systems of Care.”

“It is such a divine moment to see history be made here in Ferguson. To see the city of St. Louis, St. Louis County and surrounding

n “Before Jamaa Birth Village was here, we only had five Black practicing doulas in the St. Louis (area.) Now we have over 200.”

– Founder and CEO Okunsola M. Amadou

municipalities come together in support of Black Maternal Health,” Amadou said.

“Before Jamaa Birth Village was here, we

only had five Black practicing doulas in the St. Louis (area.) Now we have over 200.”

According to the Jamaa website, a doula is “a professional pregnancy and labor support person and expert at uplifting and honoring women through the process of labor and birth, while supporting them into the transition of the immediate postpartum and rites of passage of motherhood.”

“Doulas are not healthcare providers and do not provide clinical services. They are trained to provide cultural, physical, and emotional supportive care and education.”

Dr. Matifadza Hlatshwayo Davis, St. Louis

Republicans roll on with Medicaid expansion attack

Dismiss will of state voters

By Rudi Keller Missouri Independent

A constitutional amendment asking Missourians to let lawmakers decide year-to-year whether the state will offer Medicaid to working-age adults moved closer to passage on Wednesday. By an 8-5 vote, the Senate Appropriations Committee sent the House-passed proposal to the full Senate for debate. Only Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, voted with Democrats to oppose the measure, which is seen by critics as an effort to roll back voter-approved Medicaid expansion. If approved in the Senate, the measure would appear on the August or November election ballot. Since Oct. 1, just over 100,000 people have enrolled in the program that provides medical coverage for people with incomes less than 138% of the federal

n If approved in the Senate, the measure would appear on the August or November election ballot.

poverty limit. In the budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1, the cost of expansion is pegged at $2.5 billion.

The House-passed budget plan does not use any general revenue to pay the cost. Instead, it taps extra federal funds being sent to Missouri because it expanded eligibility to pay a part of the state’s 10% match.

The amendment debated Wednesday is intended to give future lawmakers options when the state hits tough economic times, committee Chairman Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby, said after the vote.

“I have always had the concern that at some point in time, in the future, we will be pitting other general revenue-source expenditures against the expanded medicaid because there was no other funding

See MEDICAID, A13

Don’t

By Eva Dicocco, MD

n Having prediabetes can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or other diabetes-related conditions.

More than a third of American adults, or roughly 96 million people, live with prediabetes. Within this group, 8 in 10 are unaware that they already have prediabetes. This is of essential importance to the Black community because a 2020 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study found that African American adults are 60 percent more likely than non-Hispanic white adults to be diagnosed with diabetes by a physician. In addition, non-Hispanic Blacks were twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to die from diabetes. Prediabetes is a serious, yet frequently undiagnosed health condition in which blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not quite high enough to be considered diabetes. This is often caused by family history, excess weight, unhealthy diet, and a sedentary lifestyle. Having prediabetes can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, or other diabetes-related conditions. Without symptoms, prediabetes can go undiagnosed for years, creating a health “timebomb.” Without treatment and preventive measures, about 70 percent of those with prediabetes will eventually develop diabetes, according to the National Institute of Health

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted people’s routines and fostered unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles, which can lead to prediabetes. In fact, an American Psychological Association shows that 42% of U.S. adults gained an average of 29 pounds since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, eating habits have changed, with research showing that COVID-19-related

While she represents a metropolitan district, state Sen. Karla May says the latest Republican effort to stop Medicaid expansion would also hurt rural Missourians who have limited access to health care providers.

Photo courtesy of Missouri.net

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Eva Dicocco, MD

St. Louis American staff and NNPA

One-in-three adults in the United States are saddled with medical debt, which now counts as the largest source of debt in collections – more than credit cards, utilities, and auto loans combined.

According to a White House fact sheet, Black and Hispanic households are more likely to hold medical debt than white households.

The White House said this should help provide more families the opportunities to thrive.

“Together, these actions will help hold medical providers and debt collectors accountable for harmful practices, reduce the role that medical debt plays in determining whether Americans can access credit – which will open up new opportunities for people with medical debt to buy a home or get a small business loan, help over half a million of low-income American veterans get their medical debt forgiven; and, inform consumers of their rights,” the administration said in a release.

The White House said medical debt isn’t just a financial issue. It can have negative health effects.

“Getting sick or taking care of loved ones should not mean financial hardship for American families,” administration officials stated.

“That is why the Administration is taking new action to ease the burden of medical debt and protect consumers from predatory collection policies.”

The White House said the

Jamaa

Continued from A12

Department of Health director, called Amadou “a Black woman who found herself at the intersection of Black maternal health and the fear that comes with it.”

“I was a Black infectious diseases physician, [and was] pregnant at the beginning of this pandemic. I was the only Black woman that worked for my department at the time. There was no one advocating for me.” Davis thanked Amadou

“Taking

Care of You”

Biden administration to tackle medical debt Black, brown households owe more

planned actions build upon President Joe Biden’s April 5th Executive Order on strengthening access to affordable, quality health care coverage, which directed federal agencies to take action to reduce the burden of medical debt. Vice President Kamala Harris announced Tuesday reforms in four areas that will lessen the burden of medical debt, protect consumers, and open up new opportunities for Americans looking to buy a

“for saving the lives of so many Black women who are 3-4 times more likely to die at childbirth. We fight with you.”

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] Black women are three times more likely to die from pregnancyrelated issues than white women due to multiple disparities.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones called the statistic “unacceptable.”

“Racism in our health care system and lack of access to quality care are the leading contributing factors. No

home or start a small business,” the White House stated.

The actions include holding providers and collectors accountable.

“Providers have a responsibility to offer non-predatory payment plans or financial assistance to all eligible patients,” the White House noted.

“While many do, far too many eligible patients report not receiving help. Worse, lawsuits against patients over med-

matter the color of your skin, all of us can agree we all want a better future for our babies and our children, and that starts with a healthy pregnancy.”

NBC News reported Tuesday that Vice President Kamala Harris will host a Cabinet meeting this week to discuss Black maternal health. The administration, which is in its second year of supporting the effort, also has dedicated $3 billion to help fund programs, including rural maternal health coverage and implicit bias training, to address the disparities.

ical bills are on the rise. And when hospitals sell outstanding bills to third party debt collectors, patients can be subjected to persistent and aggressive collections practices.”

The administration noted that the federal government pays roughly $1.5 trillion a year into the health care system to provide patients with quality care and services.

Providers receiving that funding should make it easy for eligible patients to receive

Biden said in a proclamation released Monday Black Maternal Health Week is needed “to raise awareness of the state of Black maternal health in the United States by understanding the consequences of systemic discrimination, recognizing the scope of this problem and the need for urgent solutions.”

“[It also is] amplifying the voices and experiences of Black women, families, and communities, and committing to building a work in which Black women do not have to fear for their safety, their well-being, their dignity, or their lives, before, during,

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra’s agency is evaluating how providers’ billing practices impact access and affordability of care and the accrual of medical debt.

the financial assistance they are entitled to and should not directly or indirectly subject patients to illegal and harassing debt collection practices, the White House stated.

Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra plans to direct the agency to evaluate how providers’ billing practices impact access and affordability of care and the accrual of medical debt.

Officials said HHS will request data from more than

and after pregnancy.”

As for the disparities, Amadou said, “we are the solution.”

Jones said “erasing these biases and disparities in our healthcare system makes all of St. Louis healthier in the long run. I want everyone to thrive across racial lines and receiving quality healthcare is part of that mission.”

“Black women historically have had to work twice as hard to get half as much, and healthcare is no exception.

Organizations like Jamaa provide families and their children the expertise and resources they need to live

2,000 providers on medical bill collection practices, lawsuits against patients, financial assistance, financial product offerings, and 3rd party contracting or debt buying practices.

The Department will, for the first time, weigh that information in their grantmaking decisions, publish topline data and policy recommendations for the public, and share potential violations with the relevant enforcement agencies of jurisdiction.

Separately, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will investigate credit reporting companies and debt collectors that violate patients’ and families’ rights and hold violators accountable.

The White House added that the administration also plans to improve government underwriting practices as the latest research found that owing medical debt is not a reliable predictor of overall financial health.

They said an analysis of 5 million anonymized credit records found that consumers who owed medical debt paid their bills at the same rate as those who did not. Including paid-off medical debt causes credit scores to underestimate creditworthiness by as much as 22 points.

“As a result, the inclusion of medical debt on credit reports and in credit scores and loan underwriting can hold American’s back from financial opportunities while failing to improve the accuracy and predictiveness of lending programs,” the White House said in the release.

their healthiest lives.”

BMHW said on its website the goals of Black Maternal Health Week are to; Deepen the national conversation about Black maternal health in the US; Amplify community-driven policy, research, and care solutions; Center the voices of Black mothers, women, families, and stakeholders; Provide a national platform for Blackled entities and efforts on maternal health, birth, and reproductive justice; and Enhance community organizing on Black maternal health.

Continued from A12 with earnings up to $18,754 a year, or about 32 hours a week at the current minimum wage.

mechanism included,” he said.

In August 2020, Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment requiring the state to offer Medicaid coverage to adults between the ages of 19 to 64.

A single person is eligible Medicaid

Dicocco

Continued from A12 stressors caused emotional overeating for many. Perhaps most importantly, 41 percent of adults missed routine doctor visits since the start of the pandemic, missing critical diabetes screening opportunities.

The good news? Even with a family history of diabetes, lifestyle changes can help prevent diabetes. While there is no

For a household of three, the limit is $31,781 per year, or what a person working full time would earn at $15.29 per hour.

Prior to passage, only very low-income adults with children were eligible for coverage and no working-age adults without children could enroll.

one-size-fits-all solution, prevention should start small and focus on realistic changes tailored for individual lifestyles.

Bodyweight: Controlling weight is critical to reducing risk. According to the NIH, overweight adults who lose 5-7 percent of their total body weight reduce chances of diabetes by 58 percent.

Increase Activity: Increase physical activity with simple activities like walking, swimming, dancing, or lifting

Making the coverage optional for the state budget would break faith with the voters who passed the expansion program, said state Sen. Lauren Arthur, D-Kansas City.

“It seems pretty clear this is an attempt to undo what the voters did on Medicaid expansion,” she said. “It is disrespectful to the people who

weights. Aim for about 30 minute per day. Incorporate exercise into everyday activities such as cleaning, vacuuming, mowing the lawn, or gardening.

Eat Healthy: Simple diet changes can make a significant impact. Start by incorporating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, low-fat dairy products, fish, lean meat, and healthy fats into meals. To build healthy habits for the whole family, try grocery shopping together, getting kids involved in cooking, and eating

have spent hours on line trying to enroll.”

That view was echoed by Sen. Karla May, D-St. Louis, who said ending Medicaid expansion would hurt rural Missourians who have limited access to health care providers.

“We should not be in a hurry to deliver this piece of legislation to the floor whatsoever,” May said.

An attempt to block the expansion program last year by withholding funds was overturned in July by the Missouri Supreme Court.

healthy meals around the table.

Early Detection: In reality, early detection saves lives. The US Preventive Services Task Force now recommends screening for prediabetes and Type 2 diabetes in adults ages 35 to 70 who are overweight or obese. Talk with your doctor about your risk.

Making these lifestyle changes is not easy, especially on your own. Research shows that patients at risk for developing diabetes are more

Opponents argued that lawmakers had the option to refuse to pay for the expanded population’s care because of a constitutional provision that bars initiatives that appropriate funds.

The high court, however, ruled that the amendment only set eligibility standards and did not directly appropriate money and therefore was constitutional.

successful in improving their health when they participate in a program that provides education and support.

Research spearheaded by the NIH substantiates that the diabetes prevention program can help individuals at risk for diabetes avoid or delay the condition by losing a modest amount of weight through manageable lifestyle changes.

Participants in the NIH study who followed what they learned reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58 percent. The program had

Missouri is sitting on a record general revenue surplus that could reach $3 billion or more in the coming fiscal year. The state treasury is so flush with cash that the Missouri House is considering a bill to provide $1 billion in tax rebates

lasting effects, with participants continuing to delay diabetes by 34 percent in the 10 years following the program. You have the power to change your chances of developing diabetes by knowing your risk factors, living a healthy lifestyle, and working with your doctor. While adopting healthy habits can be challenging, you don’t have to do it alone. Dr. Eva Dicocco is an adult and family medicine physician with Kaiser Permanente in Baltimore.

Photo courtesy of aidshealth.org

PRESENT:

Nutrition Challenge:

Here are a few Easter holiday eating tips.

When we’re lucky enough to have a chance to go out for dinner, there are a few ways to stay healthy with our food

Smart Holiday Eating!

Dining Out.

What Is ASize?Serving

GRAINS Keep ‘em Whole!

The Smart Way!

Easter Egg Treasure Hunt

Warm Up & Cool Down

Do This. Not That!

Exercise Game

First Day of Spring!

Safety In Numbers

Tech-Neck

We each need at least 3 servings per day of whole grains. But what does that mean? How can we know what foods contain whole grains?

See if the restaurant will let you “share” a meal. Many meals are two, three or more times an actual serving size.

> Ask your parent (or the “cook” for your Easter dinner) if you can help, and if you can prepare a healthy dish.

> Eat a healthy snack such as an apple or granola bar while waiting for the big meal. This reduces the temptation of overeating on all of the rich holiday foods.

Look at the ingredients list of a package of food you are about to eat. If the word “whole” is used, then there is most likely a whole grain ingredient. A few items that don’t use the word whole

As soon as you’ve divided your plate into the right size servings, ask your server for a to-go box. Go ahead and box up what you don’t need to eat right away. You can enjoy

In our “Super-Size” world, we can easily lose track of what an actual serving size means. When reading labels on a food or drink product, you can determine the nutrients, sodium, fiber, sugar and calories of a serving size. But be careful; just because it looks like one small bottle

Healthy Kids

those leftovers for lunch the next day!

are popcorn, wheatberries, brown rice and wild rice.

> Ask the server how the different menu items are prepared. Fried, sautéed, and

lifestyle. You can do this by forming new habits. For example, if you decide to eliminate sugary drinks completely, it only takes a few weeks until this becomes what you’re used to.

Getting plenty of whole grains in your diet can improve your health and reduce your chance for some chronic illnesses such as stroke, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Visit wholegrainscouncil.com for more information.

Cocoa Puffers Cereal

> Decide you’re going to switch from soda to water.

INGREDIENTS:

> Start by substituting one drink per day to water.

> Avoid gravies, cheese sauces and other kinds of toppings that often just add fat and calories.

just a very small slice, taking your time to really savor the yumminess.

Melissa Douglass, MSW

Weekly Newspaper in Education Program

Latoya Woods, DNP, APRN, FNP-C

Deborah Edwards, School Nurse

> Focus on fresh fruits and vegetables and baked meats, avoid the super-cheesy and starchy side dishes.

Here are the steps to making a healthy permanent change. We‘ll use the sugary drink change as an example.

Let’s make a game out of exercise!

As spring approaches, warmer weather allows us all to get more outdoor exercise. Here are some ways to become a more active person.

First, locate either a deck of cards or two dice.

It’s important that before you embark on any kind of exercise to remember two things: warm up and cool down. Start with some slow stretches and movement (like walking) to increase your heart rate a little. Warm up for a good five minutes before increasing your heart rate.

Ask your parents if you can create a fun, fitnessfilled egg hunt. This is how it’s done.

March 20, 2021, is the first day of spring. With spring comes warmer weather and longer days (later sunset). Make it a habit to spend as much time playing outside as the weather allows.

> Every few days increase the amount of water and decrease your soda intake.

> After 3-4 weeks, this change will become a habit.

of soda — it may not be considered one serving size. For example, a 20-oz bottle contains 2.5 servings. So if the bottle states “110 calories per serving,” that means the entire bottle contains a total of 275 calories! Remember to watch those serving sizes and you’ll have better control over what you’re eating and drinking.

> Stick with water to drink. Not only will you save money, but you won’t be adding in extra calories from a sugarfilled drink.

Easter Candy Temptations — As a class, discuss ways to not overeat when there is candy all around you. Can you share with guests? Perhaps allow yourself one treat per day? What else can you do?

Learning Standards: HPE

> If you want a dessert, try

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 3, NH 5

even simmered can all mean, “cooked in oil.” Instead, choose baked or grilled options.

1. First think of 10 different fun exercises you can ask your family/friends to do. (These could include jumping jacks, push-ups, etc.)

2. On the first clue write, “This egg hunt is different than the ones you’ve done before. First do 10 jumping jacks then look by the back door.” Hand this clue to the participants.

Secondly, when you are finished with any kind of strenuous (very active) exercise, take some time to cool down. You can slowly stretch your arms and

Instead of playing video games — play baseball, football, badminton, or some other active game.

Some fun outdoor games to play include tag, kickball, basketball, Frisbee, and bicycling. Choose activities that increase your heart rate

Instead of surfing the ‘Net — go for a brisk walk around the neighborhood.

3. Near the back door you’ll have an egg filled with a similar kind of rhyme and fitness challenge. Continue this rhyme/challenge pattern until you have filled and hidden 10 eggs.

Next you’ll need to make a list of different types of exercise: jumping jacks, sit-ups, lunges, etc. Write each exercise item on a small piece of paper or index

> NEVER walk on a “frozen” pond, lake, river or any other body of water. Just because it looks frozen does not mean it is safe.

Break into small groups and define what it means to be a bully. Share your ideas with the class. Did you have the same things listed (as the other groups) that you would consider as bullying behavior? Now back in your groups, create a newspaper ad that includes at least two of the following:

How much time do you spend each day looking down at a phone, laptop or video game?

When you automatically reach for water instead of soda, it has now become a lifestyle change!

> What are other ways to stay healthy while dining out?

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5

Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5

Remind your participants to leave each egg in its hidden location for the next person to find. Visit http://www.rhymezone.com for help.

card and fold into a small square. Put these squares into a bowl. Take turns rolling the dice (or drawing a card) and selecting an exercise from the bowl. The total number on the dice or card tells you how many of the exercise you must do. Face cards (king,

Instead of watching TV — ride your bike with friends.

legs again, and continue with reduced speed movements until your heart rate begins to slow down.

4. The last egg should say something like, “Congratulations! You made it to the end. Now you get to choose a prize, my egg-hunting friend!”

and breathing. You want to have fun, but it’s also a great way to help keep your heart, lungs and body healthy.

Make a list of your favorite 10 activities to do outdoors. Compare your list with your classmates and create a chart to see what are the most popular.

Can you think of other ways to be more active? Going outside and staying active not only increases your heart rate and burns calories, but it also helps you build friendships!

This warm-up and recovery period is important for your heart health. It also helps to reduce the amount of muscle pulls and strains.

Learning Standards: HPE1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5

Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 5

queen or jack) should all count as the number 10. Aces are “wild” and you can do as many as you want! To really challenge yourself, have one person roll the dice and the second can select the exercise. See who can complete the exercise challenge first!

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1

5. Have a basket filled with small little prizes (tattoos, fruit, balloons, stickers, etc.). The first to arrive gets to select their prize first, and so on.

Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1

> What to do if you see someone else bullied.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 4, HPE 5, NH 1

Where do you work? I am a family nurse practitioner for BJC Medical Group.

Where do you work? I am a school nurse at Monroe Elementary School.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Sumner High School. I then earned Associate Degree in Nursing from Forest Park College and a BS in Business Administration from Columbia College.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from McCluer High School. I then earned a Bachelor of Nursing and a Master of Nursing Practice from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. And finally, I earned a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Maryville University.

Anytime you are walking to the store, school or anywhere, take a friend along! Not only can it be more fun, it is safer to be with a group of friends than walking alone. Also, avoid

A BMI (Body Mass Index) is a generic way to calculate where your weight falls into categories (thin, average, overweight, obese). However, it’s a good idea to remember that a BMI may not take into consideration many things such as athleticism (how athletic you are), your bone density and other factors. Discuss your BMI with your

Chiropractors around the country see young patients every day suffering from back, neck and head-aches resulting from the extra strain you put on your body when you look down for long periods of time.

> If you are with someone that falls through the ice, first run (or call) for help. Do not try to go out onto the ice to help your friend. You can fall through the ice too.

> How bullying hurts others.

doctor if you have any questions. The formula to calculate your BMI is 703 X weight (lbs) ÷ height (in inches/squared) or search “BMI Calculator” to find an easy fill-in chart online. If your number is high, what are some ways to lower your

Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, NH 5 Calculate

> What to do if you are bullied.

shortcuts that include dark, empty alleys, parking lots or buildings. Instead, choose a route that is filled with other people that are also out walking.

> What to do if YOU are the

> Also — remember to look up! Icicles injure numerous people every year. If you see large icicles forming over your front steps, ask your parents to use a broom handle to knock them off to the side before they break loose from your gutters.

Cracker-wiches

1. Most importantly — take breaks! Have a goal of a 3 minute break every 15-20 minutes. Move around, stretch your neck and relax, without looking down!

Frozen Yogurt Blueberry Bites

Ingredients: 1/2 Cp

> When walking on icecovered roadways or sidewalks, take baby steps. Walk carefully and slowly.

A couple of quick tips that will reduce that strain on your neck are:

Look through the newspaper for examples of ad layouts and design. Discuss the words “compassion,” “empathy” and “sympathy.” How do they each play into your response to bullying at your school?

Learning Standards: HPE 2,

Ingredients:

Ingredients: 8 Saltine crackers 4 Tbsp Peanut butter 2 Large Strawberries

1 15-Oz Can Garbanzo beans

1 cup blueberries

Where do you work? I am a school nurse with St. Louis Public Schools.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from McCluer North High School. I earned an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing from Meramec College in Kirkwood and completing my bachelor’s degree at Webster University in Webster Groves.

Where do you work? I am the founder and distance counselor for Goal Driven Counseling, LLC. Where did you go to school? I graduated from Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago, IL: same as former first lady Mrs. Michelle Obama. I then earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work, and a Master of Social Work from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. I also completed two more years of supervision and exams to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Missouri.

I am an associate professor at Saint Louis University Valentine School of Nursing. Where did you go to school? I graduated from B.L. Moor High School in Crawford, Mississippi. I then earned an Associate of Science in Nursing from Mississippi University for Women, Columbus, Mississippi, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Mississippi University for Women, Tupelo, Mississippi, a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and a PhD in Nursing from Saint Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri.

What does a family nurse practitioner do? Each day I have office visits with patients to help treat new health conditions and/or manage established health conditions. I perform physical examinations on patients, order labs, read x-rays results, and more.

What does a school nurse do? I love giving students medications, so they’re able to focus on learning. I clean and bandage wounds. I use medical equipment like a stethoscope, for example, to evaluate whether or not my asthmatics are breathing well. Moreover, I teach and promote healthy habits to my students.

What does a Licensed Clinical Social Worker do? I use technology to help teens and young adults explore their emotions, better understand their feelings, work through relationships, and address common challenges completely online through a computer, tablet, or smart phone. Similar to a Facetime call, I support and guide my clients from the comfort of their home or private location where they are comfortable

What does a school of nursing associate professor do on the job? I teach nursing courses, write papers to be published, and conduct research to improve blood pressure self-management for African Americans. I also advise and mentor nursing students.

Why did you choose this career? I chose this career to help improve the health of my community.

What does a school nurse do? I assess the concerns of students who are ill, injured or experiencing alterations in their normal health. Nurses screen daily staff, students and visitors for safety. Monroe School is a pilot school for Covid-19 test sites in partnership with the city. Why did you choose this career? I love nursing because there are many opportunities in hospitals, schools, clinics and offices, insurance, legal and research. My passion is working in the schools with students, parents, staff and community partners.

Why did you choose this career? I am a St. Louis native, and was an asthmatic child who experienced frequent hospitalizations. Besides having the influence of nurses in my family, the local nurses who helped take care of me were my “angels” and always managed to nurse me back to health, thus sparking my interest.

Why did you choose this career? I chose this career because I enjoy being a support to teens and young adults in a very challenging phase of life that can be overwhelming. I enjoy teaching them how to best take care of themselves so they can live healthy and fulfilling lives.

Why did you choose this career? I have always been fascinated with the human body, how diseases develop, and how diseases are treated. I initially wanted to be a medical doctor, but quickly realized that nursing was a better fit for me and the lifestyle I wanted to live. I wanted a career with a lot of flexibility and with opportunities to work in different areas. I knew that I loved helping people with health conditions and I loved teaching as well. A career as a nursing professor was the perfect fit.

What is your favorite part of the job you have?

5, HPE 7, NH 5, NH 7 Ice can be dangerous for several different reasons.

2. Set your tech device in a holder to keep it at eye level, reducing the need to look down.

What other ice hazards are

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 4

Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, NH 1, NH 5

1 Garlic clove, crushed

yogurt, 3 Tbsp Natural peanut butter, 1 Ripe banana (sliced and frozen), Splash of vanilla (optional) 6 Ice cubes

1 Tbsp Honey (optional)

1 cup non-fat Greek Yogurt

2 Tsp Cumin, 1 Tsp Olive oil, ½ Tsp Salt Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Enjoy with baked tortilla chips or raw vegetables.

Directions: Blend all ingredients until Smooth. Makes 2 yummy smoothies!

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

Directions: Spread peanut butter on four of the crackers and top with sliced strawberries. Drizzle with honey and top with the other crackers to make four cracker-wiches.

Directions: Drop each blueberry into the yogurt. Using a spoon, swirl around to coat and place each blueberry on a cookie sheet topped with parchment paper. Freeze for at least an hour.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? Many chronic health conditions (diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure) are preventable, and early detection is key. Thus my favorite part of the job is partnering with patients to establish and manage a plan to help them each live a long and healthy life.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? I enjoy when a child tells you, “I want to be a nurse.” And best of all, I love the smiles, hugs and “thank-yous”.

“Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 314-289-5422 Easy Hummus Dip Ingredients:

What is your favorite part of the job you have? I love to educate students on various nursing topics and observe them applying what they have learned, in hospital or community clinical sites. I also love helping people understand and better manage their blood pressure.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? I love that my job makes talking about mental health not as scary and even makes it kind of cool. I love that I get to build valuable relationships with so many people that trust me to be there for them. I love that no matter where my clients are, we can simply connect with a video call and I can not only support them through hard times, but lots of good times as well.

My childhood health challenges have given me sensitivity to children suffering with illness. After being given a new lease on life, I consider it an honor to be in a position to promote health to the children of my community, in whatever capacity I serve – in turn, being their “angel.”

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

Learning Standards: HPE 6, NH 3

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

“Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 314-289-5422

Yonniece Rose, Registered Nurse

Banana PB Smoothie

Vanilla Greek

Devita T. Stallings, PhD, RN

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

CLASSOOM SPOTLIGHT

Students in Rhonda Stovall’s 3rd grade class are conducting a novel science engineering activity relating to The Three Little Pigs. Gateway Academy students Maritza Murillo-Conejo and Aaliyah Hubbard are creating a structure that would be stable for the pigs. Gateway Academy is in the Saint Louis Public Schools District.

by Rhonda Stovall.

Teachers, if you are using the St. Louis American’s NIE program and would like to nominate your class for a Classroom Spotlight, please email: nie@stlamerican.com.

SCIENCE STARS

AFRICAN-AMERICAN BOEING ELECTRICAL ENGINEER : Stacia Graham

SCIENCE CORNER The Basics of Electricity !

Imagine a typical day. Your alarm clock goes off, you turn on a light switch to provide light, your parents cook your breakfast as you get ready for school. How many electrical appliances do you use in a day? It is estimated that the average person uses more than one dozen electrical appliances a day. Have you ever wondered about electricity? Electricity is a form of energy and it can come from coal, oil, hydropower, nuclear power, natural gas, geothermal energy, solar power, as well as wind power. Electricity travels over lines or wires attached to towers. Electricity moves through transformers that adjust the level of strength of the

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Materials Needed:

• 2 Lemons • 2 Paper Clips • 3 Pieces of Wire • 5

Alligator Clip Wires • A Small Digital Clock to Power Up Procedure:

q Attach one of the paperclips to a wire.

w Then attach a penny to a second wire.

e Attach another penny to one end of the third wire, and a paperclip to the other end.

r Squeeze and roll two lemons to loosen the pulp inside.

t Make two small cuts in the skins of both lemons an inch or so apart.

y Put the paper clip that is attached to the wire and the penny into the center of a cut lemon.

electricity. Once the electricity arrives at its destination, it has the strength to power the electrical devices being used.

Although energy provides us with many conveniences each day, there are some dangers involved. Electrical outlets can cause shock. Electrical appliances should never be used by water. Water conducts electricity and can cause electric shock. You should always unplug an appliance before working on it. It is best to ask an adult for help before using an electrical appliance.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting details.

u Stick the penny into a hole in the other lemon.

i Put the other paper clip into the second hole of the lemon with the penny.

o Then put the last penny into the last open hole.

1) Connect the free ends of the wires to the terminals of the digital clock. Watch how the lemons make enough electricity to turn the clock on.

Note: If you’ve hooked everything up and the clock isn’t running, try switching the wires. Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions to complete an experiment. I can analyze my results.

Stacia Graham was born in California but moved to Georgia during elementary school. She was always interested in science while growing up and had the opportunity to participate in various summer camps that focused on learning more about STEM. And the summer before her freshman year at Tennessee State University, she participated in a summer program held on its campus that allowed her to experience what majoring in engineering might be like. That summer confirmed that engineering was to be the path that she would take. Graham then went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Graham is currently the F-15 USAF Sustainment Avionics Hardware Program Manager for The Boeing Company. In this position, she has the opportunity to work with a wide variety of people within both Boeing and the United States Air Force. Her primary focus each day is to manage avionics modifications happening on bases across the United States, as well as in the United Kingdom. These aircraft modifications support the men and women in the United States Air Force in completing their missions.

Graham states that, “My career at Boeing has allowed me to travel across the US and overseas, seeing some of the greatest technology in the world.” She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Gamma Omega Chapter, and is the Target 1 Co-Chairman. She is also part of the National Society of Black Engineers, and the Society of Women Engineers. She has received awards at both the Women of Color in Technology conference and the Black Engineer of the Year conference.

Learning Standards: I can read a biography about a person who has made contributions in the field of science, technology, or mathematics.

MAP CORNER

Use the newspaper to complete these activities to sharpen your MAP skills.

All electrical devices come with a wattage rating, which estimates how many watts each uses in a given hour when turned on. To convert to kilowatt hours, you need to divide the wattage rating by 1000, because 1 kilowatt equals 1000 watts. For instance, a

Use the formula to complete the following chart.

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

Activity One — Get the Job Done: Look at the help wanted ads in the newspaper to see how they are written. Read some of the ads aloud and create a chart to show what the abbreviations mean. Next, make a list of classroom jobs that need to be done and write a newspaper ad for someone to fill one of these jobs.

Activity Two — Newspaper Information: A newspaper has so much information. Discuss how one can use a print or digital newspaper to find a job, a place to live, a car, entertainment and more. Use the newspaper as a reference to find information such as where the president is, the television lineup for this evening or the sports scores from yesterday. Create a list of questions that could be answered from the information presented in the newspaper.

Learning Standards: Use the newspaper to locate information. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information.

Photo

The Brooklyn Bridge was the first bridge to be lit using electricity.

The University of Missouri–St. Louis Bridge Program is a unique, comprehensive college preparation service for students and families in the St. Louis community.

This award-winning program helps high school students successfully transition to college – and our Summer Academy is your first step!

Enroll in the Summer Academy session today!

June 20-July 15, Monday-Friday, 7:45 am-12 pm

In-person instruction at the University of Missouri–St. Louis North Campus Application due by Friday, May 13, 2022

Students must be enrolled in grades 9 or 10 at a St. Louis metropolitan area high school, enrolled in or completed algebra, and have a cumulative

To apply, visit umsl.edu/precollegiate. For

precollegiate@umsl.edu

Food for thought

Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation serves youths throughout East St. Louis and the region with many activities including introduction to gardening a plant science. The new Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture and Nutrition Innovation Center will offer programs in STEAM+Ag, food

St. Louis American staff

The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture and Nutrition Innovation Center (JJK FAN) celebrated its kickoff on Monday with a mission to provide youth and community programs in STEAM+Ag, food production, nutrition, and physical activity in East St. Louis and beyond.

The JJK FAN Center is a public-private partnership between the Jackie JoynerKersee Foundation, Donald Danforth Plant Science

Center and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Illinois Extension.

The JJK Foundation recently acquired a 12,000 ft office facility through a donation from Landsdowne Up, and it will house the JJK Foundation and JJK Winning in Life staff, the University of Illinois Extension Illinois Nutrition Education Program, and Danforth Center’s JJK FAN Center staff.

The five-phase build-out will include indoor and outdoor urban agriculture demonstration sites and will offer youth and community members training and certification programs related to growing food, ag innovation, and nutrition for improving health and performance.

“Education and opening endless opportunities for youth in STEAM-Ag in East St. Louis is at the core of this collaboration. Even though we’re three individual organizations, we synchronize and work as one,” said Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympic gold medalist and JJK Foundation founder.

As a youth Joyner-Kersee said out-of-classroom educational experiences helped her navigate as an Olympic athlete and community leader.

“Jackie Joyner-Kersee has spent her entire career demonstrating what you can achieve when you refuse to let others put limits on you,” said Robert J. Jones, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign chancellor.

“Illinois is proud to be a partner in the formation of the JJK FAN Innovation Center, which will create many new opportunities for young people in the East St. Louis community to lead their own lives of impact and inspiration.”

The JJK FAN vision is to become a nationally recognized innovation center that empowers youth and communities to grow through urban agriculture, food innovation, entrepreneurialism, and career readiness, according to Dr. Kris CallisDuehl, the Sally and Derick Driemeyer director of education research and outreach at the Danforth Center.

The Danforth Center is proud to be part of this collaboration to support the agency of East St. Louis students to elevate their community through increased STEAM+Ag career pathways, food access, leadership, and entrepreneurship.”

Photo courtesy of Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation

Spire has good things in store for Patrick Henry School

Opens in-school resource market

By Alvin A. Reid

The St. Louis American

Like at many urban schools in the nation, Patrick Henry Elementary School educators and staff have learned the impact of housing insecurities on students.

Deborah Rogers, Patrick Henry principal, said more than 30% of her students “do not have a stable place to call home.”

“Often, our families come to us in crisisthey are out of a job, out of their home, or out of the most basic necessities - and we do not always have the resources for them.”

To help clear this educational obstacle, Spire recently opened an in-school resource market that offers fresh and non-perishable foods, clothing, hygiene supplies and toiletry items at no cost to students and their families.

“The Spire Resource Market meets a need for our families in crisis by providing access to vital items we cannot normally provide as a school,” Rogers said.

n Spire recently opened an in-school resource market and donated a freezer, shelving, and other materials.

portation, and necessary records to enroll in a new school. The trauma, poor physical and mental health, hunger, and fatigue many experience continue to challenge these children when they get to school,” the report stated.

The need for in-school stores is acute and Spire teamed with the not-for-profit Diamond Diva Empowerment Foundation [DDEF] and Korey Johnson Foundation [KJF] on the project.

According to the 2021 Children’s Defense Fund “State of America’s Children report, in 2019, [before the pandemic struck America] more than half of individuals in families who were unhoused were Black. Also, Black youth were 83 percent more likely than youth of other races to be unhoused. “Access to school for unhoused children is complicated by economic mobility and the lack of school supplies and clothes, funds for trans-

Spire donated a freezer, shelving, and other materials. The other organizations’ donations included hygiene and toiletry products, food, clothing, and other items needed to fill the shelves in time for a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“We are always aiming to bridge the gap when and where resources are needed,” said Eddie Ross, DDEF director of operations.

“So, when we received the call about the resources needed at Patrick Henry Elementary School, our commitment to this cause was instant. We are committed to rebuilding our communi-

See SPIRE, B2

New Arch Grants head seeks to help Black founders ‘thrive’ in STL

Gabe Angieri succeeds Emily Lohse-Busch

By Karen Robinson-Jacobs

The St. Louis American

Three months after launching a national search for a new executive director, St. Louisbased Arch Grants has tapped Gabe Angieri, the nonprofit’s director of development for the past five years, to fill the top post.

He succeeds Emily Lohse-Busch, who stepped down earlier this year from the organization that provides grants for start-ups.

Angieri’s “passion for the organization and its mission were responsible for unprecedented support and growth from key donors and influencers throughout the St. Louis region,” the organization said in a statement.

His “accomplishments to date, leadership and vision for Arch Grants were clear differentiators,” from the other candidates considered in the “comprehensive and rigorous national search,” the statement said.

Angieri talked Tuesday about his long-term vision for Arch Grants and for the region.

“I think St. Louis has an opportunity to differentiate ourselves from other markets in the U.S. by being a place where Black and brown founders can really thrive,” he said. “There’s a long way to go in that effort. The challenges that Gabe

Dr. Gralon Johnson Covenant new CPO

Dr. Gralon A. Johnson

Covenant House Missouri announced Dr. Gralon A. Johnson as chief program officer. In this role, Dr. Johnson will co-chair the development and implementation of the organization’s next strategic plan; ensure transformational, high quality programs are provided to youth on their journey from homelessness to hope; and work in partnership with the executive leadership team and board of directors to advance the organization and positive impact in the community.

Johnson named assisted living administrator

Cardinal Ritter Senior Services (CRSS) recently named Tasanya Johnson as its new administrator for its Mary, Queen and Mother Center. Her responsibilities include planning, directing, implementing, and evaluating all nursing home activities to ensure the highest quality care for all its residents. Johnson has nearly 20 years of health care experience. Prior to joining CRSS, she served as the senior executive director for a local skilled nursing and rehabilitation center.

Scott named to board of Tower Grove Park

The Board of Commissioners of Tower Grove Park has elected Steven M. Scott, president of SSM Health Saint Louis University Hospital, to a three-year term. His addition brings the number of commissioners to 19, with varied backgrounds in business, finance, the arts, architecture, law, and human services. Currently celebrating its sesquicentennial year, Tower Grove Park is led by an independent board of commissioners that was created by Henry Shaw when he donated the Park to St. Louis in 1872. Tower Grove Park is one of the nation’s eight National Historic Landmark parks. Opened in 1872, the Park is at the center of some of the most socio-economically diverse and densely populated neighborhoods in the region.

Apryll Kiekow joins Robinhood

Apryll Kiekow will join Robinhood as an anti-money laundering investigator. In her new role, Kiekow will investigate potential stock market manipulation. Robinhood, a Silicon Valleybased financial services company, has been adding talent around the country to work remotely. Previously, Kiekow worked for TD Ameritrade as an anti-money laundering investigator, the Missouri Department of Revenue as a special agent, and Casino Queen as a surveillance supervisor. She earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Missouri Valley College.

on the Move

to kjones@stlamerican.com Steven M. Scott

(including

Deborah Rogers, Patrick Henry Elementary School principal, cuts the ribbon on a new Spire in-school resource market that offers fresh and non-perishable foods, clothing, hygiene supplies and toiletry items at no cost to students and their families.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

has

Photo courtesy of Arch Grants

Tasanya Johnson

Apryll Kiekow

Join Hands Peace Warriors recently gathered at a statue honoring Dred and Harriet Scott outside the Old Courthouse in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. The trip included discussion of the Scott case and the impact it made on society.

First Bank lends help to ESL’s ‘Hands’

Patrons of Creve Coeur-based First Bank helped generate nearly $4,000 that was donated to an East St. Louis-based nonprofit that helps students stay in school, obtain a high school diploma, go to college, and create a pathway out of poverty.

First Bank donated $3,575 to Join Hands ESL, whose mission is to “empower the people of East St. Louis to walk in solidarity with those we serve, showing love and compassion to those in need, affirming and reflecting the beauty and potential of each individual.”

Spire

Continued from B1

The initiative centered on ITM transactions at the bank’s East St. Louis Branch, at 350 Riverpark Dr. For every transaction made through February at a bank ITM [similar to an ATM], First Bank committed to make a donation to Join Hands ESL. It also gave the organization $3,500 in 2020.

First Bank has 79 locations, including 36 in the greater St. Louis area in Missouri and Illinois.

– Karen Robinson-Jacobs

plied all students with backpacks filled with supplies to start the school year off.

tion, and scanner housed there.

Staff will host community meetings in the location and meet with parents individually too.

“This partnership shows how the community can impact anything it gets involved in,” said Korey Johnson. “It shows children that people who don’t even know them, care.”

Spire’s partnership with St. Louis City Public Schools is ongoing, with the natural gas utility hosting backpack giveaways and recently launching a mentoring program for young students.

It also has a previous relationship with Patrick Henry, which began when Spire sup-

Angieri

Continued from B1 ties, and this collaboration is a prime example of the partnerships required to ignite change.”

face our region are clear. Arch Grants won’t be able to address this alone, but I think we can be one of the most impactful agents in the startup community in bringing and keeping top entrepreneurial talent from traditionally underrepresented communities in the startup space in St. Louis, helping them thrive.”

Angieri, 36, noted that last year, banking giant Bank of America committed to spend $1 million over four years to support Black and Latinx lead startups in St. Louis.

“I think most exciting about that funding relationship and funding partnership is Bank of America’s interest in helping Arch Grants really develop a pipeline of support and resourc-

“Spire has a genuine interest in advancing the communities we serve,” said Rex Thompson, Spire employee engagement specialist and market organizer.

“No member of our community should have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from, or how they are going to access hygiene products or clean clothes, especially children. We are excited to roll up our sleeves and partner with several amazing organizations to support the needs of the families at Patrick Henry.”

The market is in a converted classroom, and the space also has other purposes.

Parents and families can use school resources including computer centers, a printer sta-

es for Black and Latinx-lead startups,” he added.

Angieri spoke of the need for a “continuum” of funding options, adding that he hopes to begin “later this year, providing micro grants to very early stage companies to get them prepared for a startup competition.”

He joined Arch Grants in 2016 and most recently served as director of development and strategy, a post in which he helped drive organizational growth through fundraising and strategic partnerships, the nonprofit said.

Angieri earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and a master’s in Nonprofit Management at Washington University in St. Louis.

Since 2012, Arch Grants has funded more than 200 early-stage businesses through its annual Startup Competition

Rogers also thanked her substitute team of teachers and staff for helping make the store a reality.

“They took over just about every lunch duty, classroom duty, office duty, and door duty that we have so that everyone could help prepare this room in time for the ribbon cutting,” she said.

“They also helped with the physical setup of the room and covered classes during the ceremony. We thank all our partners who have made this space a reality. It truly serves a need in our community and school.”

As of Dec. 31, Arch Grants’ portfolio companies have gone on to create over 2,600 jobs in the St. Louis region, generate $517 million in revenue and attract more than $620 million in follow-on capital.

Applications for Arch Grants’ 2022 Startup Competition are open through Friday, April 15. The nonprofit plans to fund up to 25 startups with $75,000 each in non-equity grants in exchange for a one-year commitment to maintain its headquarters in St. Louis. It also has launched a “growth grants” program that provides grants to growing companies that commit to remain in St. Louis for at least two year. Arch Grants hopes to hand out “at least $500,000 in growth grants funding this year,” Angieri said. Earlier this year, St. Louis couple John and Alison Ferring announced plans to commit to five years’ worth of funding to continue Arch Grant’s Donald M. Suggs Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award. Suggs is publisher and executive editor of The St. Louis American. The Ferrings pledged an additional $500,000 over the next 5 years to continue the entrepreneurship award, in honor of Dr. Suggs’ civic leadership and community involvement. The grants are designed for Black-led companies that are deemed to be best-in-class.

The new pledge is above a previous commitment the Ferrings made.

Karen Robinson-Jacobs is The St. Louis American / Type Investigations business reporter and a Report for America corps member.

Photo courtesy of Join Hands ESL

Sports

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

St. Louis American Girls ‘Fab Five’

Harris, Tyler share basketball ‘Player of the Year’ honor

The clock has run out on the high school girls’ basketball season, and it is time to recognize the 2022 St. Louis American “Fab Five” Girls All-Star Team. This year’s team includes much individual brilliance, and a lot of winning basketball.

The All-Star team features two tremendous point guards in Saniah Tyler of Incarnate Word Academy and JaNyla Bush of Whitfield. A pair of talented wing players, Sydney Harris of Edwardsville and Raychel Jones of Vashon, and an excellent forward in Eliza Maupin of Webster Groves round out the squad.

JaNyla Bush (Whitfield): The flashy 5’5” sophomore point guard led the Warriors to a berth in the Class 5 state championship game. She is a smooth ball handler who can break down defenders off the dribble and knock down 3-pointers. She averaged 13.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.2 steals while making 57 3-pointers to lead Whitfield to a 24-4 record.

Sydney Harris (Edwardsville): The 6’0” senior guard is a St. Louis American Co-Player of the Year. She led the Tigers to another tremendous season, which ended in the Supersectionals of the Illinois Class 4A state tournament. She was one of the state’s top perimeter shooters as she made 41 percent from 3-point range while making 97 triples. She averaged 23.8 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting 50 percent from the field for the 29-5 Tigers.

Raychel Jones (Vashon): After helping the Wolverines to a Final Four berth in the Class 4 state tournament last season, the 5’11” guard returned to enjoy a terrific junior season. She stuffed the stat sheet in leading Vashon to the Public High League championship. She finished the season averaging 24.4 points and 16 rebounds while shooting 60 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range. She also registered several triple-doubles during the season.

Eliza Maupin (Webster Groves): The 6’3” senior forward led the Statesmen to its second consecutive Final Four berth and a third-place finish in the Class 5 state tournament. She could dominate the game at both ends of the floor with her scoring, rebounding and shot blocking ability. She averaged 15.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists while shooting 60 percent from

the field and blocking 28 shots in leading Webster Groves to a 25-6 record. She will attend Kansas State next season on a basketball scholarship.

Saniah Tyler (Incarnate Word): The 5’7” senior point guard is a St. Louis American Co-Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. She was the catalyst for a Red Knights team that finished 29-0 and won another Class 6 state championship. Nicknamed “Big Game” for her ability to produce in the biggest moments, she scored 24 points in the victory over Springfield Kickapoo in the state championship game, which was her high school swan

song. The Kentucky recruit averaged 12.2 pints, three assists and two steals a game.

St. Louis American “Fab Five”

Second Team

Chantrel Clayton - 5’7’ Cardinal Ritter (Soph.)

Shannon Dowell - 5’10” O’Fallon (Jr.)

Shakara McCline - 5’6” East St. Louis (Jr.)

Trinnitti Matthews - 5’11” Francis Howell Central (Sr.)

Monet Witherspoon - 5’6” John Burroughs (Soph.)

RIP Boris Powell

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of St. Louis Boris Powell, the former professional boxer from St. Louis who died last week at the age of 57. The former heavyweight title contender was diagnosed with ALS in October of 2020. A graduate of Vashon High School, Powell enjoyed a successful professional career, where he had a record 30 wins and two losses with 17 knockouts. He turned professional in 1991 and won his first 23 fights. On September 12, 1997, Powell defeated Richard Mason to win the vacant World Boxing Organization’s NABO Heavyweight championship. He also spent time in the ring sparring with several great champions in the heavyweight division including Mike Tyson, George Foreman, and Evander Holyfield.

Jackie Robinson Day a reminder of MLB’s shortcomings

Jackie Robinson Day is April 15, and, in its annual tradition, Major League Baseball will pat itself on the back for allowing a Black man to don a uniform.

Robinson took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers 75 years ago on April 15, 1947. While there was constant growth of Black participation in baseball from that day until the early 1990s, today’s game sees a glaring absence of African Americans. This isn’t just on the field. It’s in managerial and coaching offices, front offices, and the stands. It’s a low tide for player inclusion in Major League Baseball and all the platitudes and self-serving speeches headed our way on Friday will not change the situation. USA TODAY and the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) choose April 15 to release respective reports on the number of Black players on MLB Opening Day rosters.

Black players made up just 7.6% of 2021 Opening Day rosters in MLB, down

from 18.7% in 1981, according to SABR.

The 2022 numbers weren’t available for this edition. Unless there are two dozen or more Black players out there that I’m not aware of the analysis will conclude that too few African Americans are in the Majors. The baseball talking heads and beat writers will say “it’s bad,” and then refuse to acknowledge that racism still plays a role.

Alvin A. Reid

You’ll hear lack of equipment, lack of playing fields, lack of Black interest compared to football and basketball, lack of this and lack of that. What you will not hear is that too many owners, general managers, and fans could care less about the number of Black players. They will praise Jackie Robinson, call him a great man, then joyfully cheer for a franchise that has one, two, even no Black players.

FORBES reported last week that the Philadelphia Phillies did not have a Black player on its 25-man season opening roster for the first time since 1959, 12 years after Robinson broke the so-called “color barrier.” It will also be the first Phillies team without a starting Black player since 1984. All players and on-field staff will wear Robinson’s No. 42 in Dodgers blue on April 15, and an MLB video celebrating “Jackie’s legacy as a

Jackie Robinson Day is April 15 and all players and on-field staff will wear Robinson’s No. 42 in Dodgers blue.

never use just his first name. It now seems acceptable when it is disrespectful. Few people in baseball ever met Robinson. Yet they feel they can call him by his first name only.

You can’t have a self-serving event without a self-serving logo and MLB will display a 75th Anniversary patch “that shows an unmistakable illustration of Jackie Robinson and his impending swing in minimal form.”

Don’t get me wrong; Robinson deserves all honors for being a first and being one of baseball’s greatest all-time players. But all the Robinson acknowledgments do not earn MLB a free pass for its past – and current – attitude about race, players, and staff.

The Reid Roundup

Hall of Fame and trailblazing player, social justice advocate, civil rights icon and pioneer in business and broadcasting” will part of pregame festivities. The St. Louis Cardinals will be sporting theirs in a road game at Milwaukee.

Note the use of “Jackie” by broadcasters on April 15. I

Kansas point guard Dajuan Harris, who hails from Columbia, Missouri, has relatives in the Kirkwood area and several traveled to New Orleans to watch the KU win the national championship…Harris’ Columbia Rock Bridge team defeated North Carolina guard Caleb

Love’s CBC squad 63-59 in the Missouri Class 5 championship on March 16, 2019, in Springfield…The late Frank Robinson became MLB’s first Black manager on April 8, 1975 for the Cleveland Indians. Forty-seven years later, MLB has just two current Black managers, Houston’s Dusty Baker, and the L.A. Dodgers Dave Roberts…A revised edition of the United States Football League kicks off this week and two of its eight head coaches are Black. Former Houston, Texas A&M

which saw him average 26.9 points, 8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists….At 51-31, Tatum’s Boston Celtics finished first in the NBA Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference. Boston opens the playoffs on April 17 and will likely face the Brooklyn

Earl Austin Jr.

Saniah Tyler

Photo National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Photo courtesy of Just Women’s Sports Sydney Harris

Photo courtesy of Edwardsville High JaNyla Bush

Eliza Maupin Raychel Jones

Maryville continues growth, ads esports venue and more

Maryville University has announced a partnership to redevelop Woods Mill Center, into a complex which will include expanded sports venues as well as esports competitions.

“Maryville is one of the top five fastest-growing universities in the country and our commitment to state-ofthe-art athletic and academic facilities requires an innovative approach to expansion. In partnership with KEAT and Keeley we’ll be able to achieve our vision for an active living and learning complex,” said Mark Lombardi, PhD, President of Maryville.

“Our four-time national champion esports teams are known around the world for

their domination in the sport. The arena will provide local fans an opportunity to watch esports competitions as well as for our basketball, wrestling and volleyball teams.”

Much like Maryville’s successful partnership with the Chesterfield Hockey Association on the Maryville University Hockey Center, this partnership demonstrates how such facilities drive economic development and provide opportunities for the region’s youth to feel a part of a bigger athletic entity. Maryville believes the Woods Mill Redevelopment Project will create similar synergies for the community.

The vision for the project

contemplates a dynamic mixed use development featuring a multipurpose education, athletics and esports venue seating up to 3,000 people. A separate residence hall will house 400 students and provide 6,000 square feet for retail space. Approximately 1,300 parking spaces, most within a structured garage, will support the parking needs of both state-ofthe-art facilities. Multiple commercial retail spaces, outdoor plazas, and bike and pedestrian pathways are programmed into the design. In keeping with the goals of Town and Country, the team is actively working with city officials to improve neighborhood traffic flow while enhancing infrastructure.

WWT, Edward Jones again named to Fortune’s

For

a great place to work, 32 percent

higher than the average U.S.based company. Developing a strong workplace culture plays a central role in WWT’s commitment to helping customers, partners and the communities it serves achieve long-term goals and success. This recognition further acknowledges WWT’s continued efforts to invest in

their employees and foster an inclusive work environment for all.

WWT and Edward Jones (#35) represent the St. Louisbased companies recognized on this year’s list. WWT is proud to call St. Louis home for the past 30+ years and, as a partner to hundreds of technology com-

panies – including tech giants like Cisco, Dell, VMware, Microsoft and more – through its Advanced Technology Center, the company has made world-class technology services and solutions available to customers 24/7 creating “Silicon Valley in St. Louis.” In addition to offering a

great work environment for its own employees while also doubling in size roughly every five years – and still growing –WWT also offers its customers a unique staffing solution to address their own talent needs. With the rapid growth of digital technologies and the Great Resignation, this resource has been invaluable to WWT’s customers. The Strategic Resourcing service is one of WWT’s most efficient lines of business and has experienced 38% year-over-year growth. Being a great place to work has taken on a new meaning for WWT.

Cortex, tech nonprofit to train people of color and women for cybersecurity jobs

By Andrea Y. Henderson

St. Louis Public Radio

The Cortex Innovation Community and Per Scholas, a technology training nonprofit, are collaborating to help create technology career opportunities for people of color and women with a 15-week cybersecurity program

The free course, which will begin June 17, aims to prepare 20 participants for positions such as cybersecurity analyst, junior desktop technicians and technical support engineers. People of color and women are underrepresented in the technology field because they have trouble getting hired and often cannot afford training programs, Per Scholas St. Louis managing director Charlie Mackey Jr. said.

“Historically, underrepresented peoples aren’t working in the tech fields, because they’re like, ‘Well, I have to go to the West Coast, or it’s not available here,’” Mackey said. “By coming here, we can not only help bridge that gap, but also reframe it to where you can get that tech-

nology training right here, and then find a job here.” Participants in the training program will learn how to set up computer networks and firewalls, troubleshoot IP addresses, identify network issues and defend against cyber threats. The program will also cover effective communication, customer service skills and how to document and submit technology

requests tickets. Mackey said business owners often say it’s hard to find qualified applicants for tech jobs. He said in St. Louis, there are nearly 6,000 open technology positions.

With the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency in St. Louis and other technology companies moving to the region, there will be a demand for tech

workers. Ensuring that there is a diverse pool of applicants could help boost the presence of people of color and women. After completing the course, participants will be connected with potential employers by the cybersecurity program. Program directors will work with the trainees for two years to try to match them with careers.

Maryville University has announced a partnership to redevelop Woods Mill Center, into a complex which will include expanded sports venues.

Living It

Black Rep to present ‘Sweat’ at Inge Theater Festival in Kansas

St. Louis American Staff

When The Black Rep heads to Kansas to stage their acclaimed production of Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat as part of the 39th William Inge Theater Festival next weekend, they will have a hand in theater history. The performance is part of a tribute to Nottage, who will become the first Black woman to receive the festival’s Distinguished Achievement in American Theater Award.

“I believe audiences will be deeply moved by Nottage’s work – which champions the everyman, the working class, and marginalized,” said Hannah Joyce, William Inge Center for the Arts Producing Artistic Director. “She writes the

Lynn Nottage tapped as first Black woman Distinguished Achievement honoree

struggle and humanity of her characters with enormous compassion and respect.” Nottage will attend the festival – which takes

place from April 21-23 – and accept the award in person. She’ll join writers such as Wendy Wasserstein, August Wilson, Neil Simon, Paula Vogel, Stephen Sondheim, David Henry Hwang, and Arthur Miller – among many other theatre luminaries – who have traveled to Independence, Kansas to accept the award.

Sweat served as the opening production of The Black Rep’s 45th season last fall. And just as with their original staging, Founder and Producing Director Ron Himes will direct the William Inge Theater Festival performance.

“Lynn Nottage tensely captures the root of our current political and racial tension in society

You gotta have “Heart”

Nonbinary Black comic artist Steenz Stewart releases book May 3

By Danielle Brown The St. Louis American

For as long as they can remember, Steenz Stewart says they always had a fascination with art. They recall their mother telling them their response was ‘becoming an artist’ whenever people asked what they wanted to be when they grew up.

Since art is a broad field, Stewart wasn’t sure which medium made the most sense for them and their artistry. Their indecisiveness remained until they graduated college in 2011. They developed an interest in illustration and started working with a local comic book store to expand their skills. They also collaborated with other creators.

John Pate expresses vulnerability about grief, self-doubt, anxiety on debut EP

By Danielle Brown The St. Louis American

Promising rapper and Berkeley native John

Pate candidly told The St. Louis American in a recent interview the road to creating his debut EP, “Separation SZN,” consisted of many ups and downs. For starters, recordings were unusable at least twice: once due to equipment issues and another due to low-quality sound, a byproduct of his decision to wear a noisy windbreaker in the recording booth.

Not to mention the financial stress the project placed on him, as he also worked to pay his everyday bills.

He said as he inched closer and closer to the finish line more challenges were sent his way, making him question if it was meant for him to release the EP.

“I got over those humps and started aligning myself with the right people,” Pate said. “I believe in it [the EP] more than ever now.”

Last month he released the five-track EP. The idea was to distance himself from some issues in order to reach the next level.

“Anxiety, grief, and self-doubt, were all the things I felt I needed to separate myself from in order to get to where I want to be,” Pate said.

John Pate released his debut EP, “Separation SZN,” last month detailing his struggles with self-doubt, grief and anxiety.

Photo Courtesy of Triiilxgy

“Anybody interested in hearing it [“Separation SZN”] can expect to hear vulnerable introspective music.”

“Intro” sets the tone for the content he covers throughout the project. It is about him distancing his old, damaged self in order to morph into a better version of himself.

After leaving the bookstore to work at a library, they formed a friendship with comic writer Ivy Noelle Weir. The two published a collaborative book titled “Archival Quality,” illustrating the adventure of Celeste “Cel” Walden, a librarian working at a surreptitious museum. She analyzes how she can shield herself from an abnormal event that occurs inside the ancient building.

Subsequently, the two submitted the book to Portland-based Oni Press, which jumpstarted Stewart’s career.

Stewart’s love for character development and telling stories has positioned them as one of many at the helm of “Heart of the City,” a nationally syndicated comic strip created by Mark Tatulli in 1998. They have been designing the comic since April 2020. The pictorial follows a precocious young girl living in Philadelphia that aspires to be a worldwide superstar.

“It’s a cool opportunity to take the original characters and make them into something more similar to my art rather than mimic Tatulli’s style,” Stewart said.

With Andrews McMeel Syndication owning “Heart of the City’s” s IP, different artists have the authority to take over its reins. Stewart, a nonbinary Black artist, represents a slim percentage of that demographic.

Considering the years the comic industry has been around, Stewart thinks it’s essential for there to be more which starts with the people in charge that make it accessible.

Photo by Phil Hamer

The Black Rep’s mainstage production of ‘Sweat,’ which opened their 45th season in September 2021.

Vision Lab: Your invitation to help curate the future of the Missouri History Museum

By Dr.

It’s not hard for museums to get dusty, both literally and figuratively. It’s easy to pick some objects, slap on labels, and hope that the public comes to pay tribute—maybe even learning a little in the process. That’s not how we do things at the Missouri Historical Society. We recognize that public buy-in and loyalty don’t happen automatically. We have to work for it by actively listening to the needs of our visitors and delivering on that feedback.

Transforming visitor responses into exhibits and programming that build community around engaging, relevant, and inclusive topics is exactly what the Missouri History Museum’s newest exhibit, Vision Lab, seeks to do. Visitors like you can help MHS staff curate our upcoming exhibits through interactive games, voting stations, and feedback prompts located throughout Vision Lab. We’ll even be showcasing some of that feedback and giving you a glimpse behind the scenes at how we develop exhibits.

“A core component of the Missouri Historical Society’s vision for the future is to build community by reflecting it,” says Dr. Frances Levine, MHS president. “Vision Lab is a physical space that embodies that commitment. It’s also a great opportunity for us to have very direct conversations with a broad cross-section of visitors—to ask them not only what they want to see in the future, but also what they’d like to know about us and how we do our work.”

The information, preferences, and commentary you provide in Vision Lab takes a straight path from the Lab to curators, public historians, and other interested parties here at MHS—and we’re using it to make real decisions about the Museum’s future. Staff members have been hard at work determining the best (and most fun) ways to get your input about some of the biggest projects we have coming up, and Vision Lab couldn’t have opened at a more opportune time. The 2020s will see some of the biggest renovations in the Museum’s history.

The new World’s Fair Gallery, opening next year, will re-examine the complexity of the Fair. Vision Lab visitors can take photos of their

favorite and least favorite objects and stories in the current World’s Fair exhibit and share them with us.

In 2025 the Museum will open Gallery STL, a 12,000-square-foot exhibition space that will take a deeper look at how St. Louis came to be the city we know today. A decade-by-decade walkthrough of the city’s history will invite visitors to learn about the city’s biggest headline-making events as well as the everyday experiences of past St. Louisans. Two rotating spaces built into Gallery STL will broaden St. Louis’s story and ensure that there is always a reason to visit the Museum again. Every year one of these spaces, Future Lab, will examine a different issue facing the city, selected by Vision Lab visitors.

The upcoming Collected exhibit (anticipated opening 2025) will showcase MHS’s artifacts like never before, including a smaller exhibit space that will feature a new display each year. Vision Lab visitors can use interactives to determine which topics they’re most interested in seeing in this rotating space.

Vision Lab represents another industry-leading effort by MHS to bring to life the rich history of the St. Louis region. In the past, we’ve seen museums build prototype rooms, gather visitor feedback in earnest, and create dedicated workshop spaces within galleries. But a whole exhibit space dedicated to inviting public curation?

That’s a first. As Dr. Levine says, “Vision Lab is a one-of-a-kind exhibit asking visitors to join the conversation about future exhibits and programs.

. . . It’s the story of our city and community that we share at our three locations, so it’s natural to ask for community assistance in curating how that story is shared in the future.”

But it won’t work without you! So tell us: Would you rather see exhibit content focused on segregation or education in St. Louis? See items from the archives or from our textile collection? Whatever your preferences, you can make your voice heard at Vision Lab.

Vision Lab will be open until May 2025 and is located within the Seeking St. Louis: Reflections gallery on the Museum’s second level. Participation in Vision Lab is free and open to all ages.

Presented By

Enjoy these Spring festivals in St. Louis!

By Jennifer Poindexter Explore St. Louis

From April through the beginning of summer, you’ll find special events in St. Louis that include fairs and festivals for culture and music lovers, craft beer enthusiasts and much more. Here are some of the fairs and festivals to check out this spring with family and friends.

St. Louis Earth Day Festival – Muny Grounds in Forest Park (April 23 and 24, 2022)

The Earth Day Festival is an opportunity to learn more about sustainable products and services offered by local businesses and organizations. This festival also offers local musical acts and performance art, several hands-on educational activities and diverse cuisines.

St. Louis Microfest – Upper Muny Parking Lot in Forest Park (May 7, 2022)

Join beer-lovers from everywhere in a tasting of over 100 international and craft beers at the annual St. Louis Microfest. The festival includes live music, a silent auction, sips from 75 breweries, food and frothy fun!

Cherokee Cinco de Mayo –Cherokee Street (May 7, 2022)

What started a decade ago as a few booths has blossomed into one of the city’s biggest and happiest festivals. Sample delicious food from Cherokee’s Mexican and South American eateries, dance to live music and more.

Laumeier Art Fair – Laumeier Sculpture Park (May 6 to 8, 2022)

The annual Laumeier Art Fair not only features up to 150 juried artists from across the country, it is also host to local food and beverage vendors, hands-on activities for kids and live music. Event proceeds support Laumeier’s dedication to creativity, community connections and the restorative benefits of art and nature.

112th Annual May Day Parade – Downtown St. Louis (May 15, 2022)

The Annie Malone May Day Parade is the oldest and second largest African American parade in the country, and it is the largest fundraiser that benefits the Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center.

Taste of Maplewood (May 20 and 21, 2022)

The festival is a celebration of Maplewood and Richmond Heights’ most renowned restaurants, beloved boutiques and unique specialty stores. In its 10th year, the event’s vibe is distinct and unmistakable, radiating the culture and character of the businesses in the area. In addition to food and libations, visitors will enjoy live entertainment on two stages and much more!

Schlafly Art Outside Festival – Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood

(May 27 to 29, 2022)

An alternative juried and invitational art fair dedicated to showcasing local works, Art Outside is not an ordinary fair, but one that features quality and affordable art, music and plenty of tasty food and drinks from Schlafly Beer. St. Louis African Arts Festival – World’s Fair Pavilion in Forest Park (May 28 to 30, 2022)

This African Arts Festival includes an African marketplace, African arts and crafts, health village, jewelry, clothing, oils, African films, authentic foods, children’s activities and cultural demonstrations.

Shakespeare in the Park: Much ADO ABOUT NOTHING (June 1 to 26) For its 22nd season in Forest Park, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis presents Much Ado About Nothing, one of Shakespeare’s most popular and enduring comedies. The central characters, Beatrice and Benedick, are thorny, intelligent, witty and hopelessly bad at love. A battle royale ensues in a hilarious attempt to resist their overpowering mutual attraction that makes Much Ado such a timeless story of romance, suspicion and restoration. And as always, it’s free.

Central West End Cocktail Party (June 11, 2022) Join the Central West End for its 5th annual Cocktail Party. The CWE is home to what many have claimed as the first cocktail party on record — held in 1917 by Mrs. Julius S. Walsh Jr. in her home at 4510 Lindell Boulevard. Each year, the CWE pays tribute to this very important anniversary and celebrates the neighborhood history in style!

The Muny 104 (June 13 to August 18, 2022) The Muny’s 104th full seven-show season includes two Muny premieres, the fulfillment of 2020 promises and the return of a 2021 favorite that was cut short. This season, audiences can enjoy Chicago (June 13 to 19), Camelot (June 22 to 28), Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s Mary Poppins (July 5 to 13), Sweeney Todd (July 16 to 22), Legally Blonde (July 25 to 31), The Color Purple (August 3 to 9) and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (August 12 to 18).

PrideFest – Downtown St. Louis (June 25 and 26, 2022) After a two-year hiatus, PrideFest is back with national and local entertainment, unique vendors, delicious food options and fun activities for all.

With so many festivals returning, it’s time to get out and enjoy all that St. Louis has to offer. Make sure to share your photos with us using #ExploreStLouis and you could be featured on our social page.

For more activities in the St. Louis region, visit explorestlouis.com.

Photo courtesy of Earthday365.org

St. Louis Earth Day

Victoria Eudy, Missouri Historical Society

Photo courtesy of the Missouri Historical Society.

Vision Lab at the Missouri History Museum.

Father Clements historic life recounted

Chicago Defender staff

Father George Clements lived a life that is a story worth telling. That is precisely what his sons have done. In the autobiography, “Just Don’t Ignore Me,” Father Clements gets the chance to tell his story as only he could. Clements trusted his sons to

publish this book but only after his death. While he is sorely missed, the time has come to get an insight into his no-holds-barred account of his life as a Black priest inside the Catholic church.

Religion

Father Clements, who died Nov. 29, 2019, was only the second African American to be ordained priest in the Archdiocese of Chicago. It is no surprise that his life would then be filled with stories to share. His experience

with racial tensions was expected due to the time that he began as a priest in 1957.

Clements felt the pressure both within the Catholic church as well as in the community of Chicago. He pushed beyond the four walls of the church as he championed civil rights. His service as the priest of Holy Angels church in Chicago covered more than 20 years but the impact he made continues.

This new book will give people a chance to see inside and get a closer look at the life Clements was called to live. This is his story of how he broke barriers and changed lives in the process. Clements fought back against racism in the Catholic church and his community as he marched with Martin Luther King Jr and developed close relationships with many other civil rights leaders.

Shortly before his death, Clements face an allegation that he sexually abused a boy in 1974. The allegation was never proven. He went up against gangs in Chicago with the help of his lifelong

friend Michael Pfleger, as they sought to take on a fight against criminal elements within their community. Clements continued the fight to help others as he championed initiatives to help those who needed it most. During all of that, he made the decision to adopt four teenage boys, making him the first Catholic priest in the U.S. to have adopted a child.

Clements was loved and cherished by many in the community including close family friend and mentee, Wilma J. Turner.

“Just Don’t Ignore Me, is an authentic and compelling account of his life as a Black priest in the Catholic Church,” she told the Chicago Defender.

“He was a humanitarian and a civil rights activist who writes with compassion and sometimes humor as in this statement he shared, ‘Love your enemies, it drives them nuts.’ This autobiography needs to be in the hands of every believer as an example of how to fulfill the mission Christ set forth for His followers on earth.”

By Marion J. Miller

Moses said to God, ‘Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, The God of your fathers has sent me to you, and they ask me, what is his name? Then what shall I tell them?’

God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I am has sent me to you.’”

Exodus 3:13-14

The legacy of the Black American experience is often overlooked. But some of the country’s most influential musicians, politicians, writers, and

Civil Rights leaders can be found in about every state in the form of storytelling. Words have meaning and sharing important stories can truly have influence and even change the world. For instance, millions never met him, but their lives have been shaped by the persistent “faith story” of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It is through telling our stories that the need for justice is heard. Stories of gun violence, oppression and discrimination remind us that there is work to be done in our communities

and in our nation. It is through telling our stories that we energize people to work hard to make sure every person is safe, has enough food to eat, clean water to drink and a good education. It is through telling our stories that we encourage one another in our grief, illness, and struggles. Only when telling our story from its roots will it get wings and fly. Everyone has a story. This story starts at birth and ends at death. Our story that begins at birth is referred to as a biography. And our story that ends at death is called an obituary. If a biographer were to observe you, what in your roots would stand out about you? What details would catch their attention? What part of your story would give wings and fly as they write? Would it be a story of

faith, meaning the time spent living for Jesus Christ? Or would it be a story of wasted time, always pursuing vain pursuits?

Exodus Chapter 3 talks about Moses’ faith story. He played a role in the redemption of Israel. In dissecting Moses’ faith story, we learn how to be an effective leader. We also learn that when Moses needed help, he depended on God’s grace. Finally, we learn how to overcome the sin in our lives. Moses’ faith story matter, just as our faith story matters!

Life is so short. It all passes so quickly. There is a quote that says, “Life really is but a breath.” Do you know that as each day passes, your faith story is being written? Right now, even as you read this column, your faith story

is quietly unfolding. The minutes of our lives slip by and become hours, the hours become days, and then faster than we ever thought possible, we find ourselves looking back at a lifetime. I am not telling you this because I talk about Jesus for a living. I am telling you, because as a Christian, it is important we tell our “faith story.” So, it all has to do with the survival of the church, and us being able to do three things: 1. Tell God’s story; 2. Tell our own story; and 3. Tell where the two stories intersect. In invite you to tell your “faith story” every opportunity you get, because it really does matter.

“What’s your story?”

Rev. Marion J. Miller is the senior pastor of Wesley United Methodist Church in Jeffersonville, Indiana

Guest Columnist

Marion

Miller

Father George Clements

LOGISTICS ANALYST

Logistics Analyst. Bachelor’s in Economics.

Resume: ITF LLC dba ITF GROUP LLC., 11990 Missouri Bottom Rd., Hazelwood, MO 63042

CONTRACT SPECIALIST

Contract Specialist. Bachelor’s in Legal Studies.

Resume: ITF LLC

dba ITF GROUP LLC., 11990 Missouri Bottom Rd., Hazelwood, MO 63042

LPT CLAIMS MANAGER

Responsible for handling assigned claims from initial assignment to closure as well as provide assistance in various administrative functions associated with the LPT WC LOB.

To apply, please visit: https:// www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/careers-page/

CITY OF CLAYTON

HIRING FOR FULLTIME

POSITIONS

The City of Clayton is hiring for full-time positions. Apply at https://bit.ly/3pGDCgY. EOE

CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS SPECIALIST

Customer Accounts Specialist. Bachelor’s in Business and Financial Management.

Resume: ITF Logistics Group LLC., 11990 Missouri Bottom Rd., Hazelwood, MO 63042

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

https://jobs.ourcareerpages.com/job/708282?source=TarltonCorporation&jobFeedCode=TarltonCorporation&returnURL=http://tarltoncorp. com/Home.aspx

21st JUDICIAL CIRCUIT OF MISSOURI

DEPARTMENT: Public Administrator

SERVANT LEADER INTERN

General: The Public Administrator (PA) is charged with the duties of administering decedent estates, conservatorship estates, and serving as guardian for those matters assigned to the office by the Probate Division. The PA supervises a staff of eight persons including deputy public administrators.

Qualifications: Candidates should possess a Juris Doctorate and be licensed to practice law in the State of Missouri with 3-5 years experience working in probate and possess an excellent working knowledge of probate law and practice. In addition to probate issues, the PA will face challenges related to property interests in marketable securities, real property, contracts, insurance, and other issues. The PA must also be able to navigate through elder law issues such as Medicaid program eligibility, disability law, and special needs trusts. Candidates must be at least 21 years of age and are required to be bonded.

Duties: The PA must supervise staff including the management of payroll and benefits, in conjunction with the Circuit Court. Each position in the office has a job description and performance criteria for individual review and evaluation of the staff.

The administration of decedent and conservatorship estates can require a great deal of time marshalling assets. The PA may spend many hours making an inventory of safe deposit boxes, collecting bank deposits, sifting through personal papers, and making inquiries regarding additional assets. The PA should retain the services of contract agents when possible to assist in the processing of personal property.

The PA must make reasonable efforts to assure that tax returns have been filed and tax obligations paid. This may require additional inquiry with the Internal Revenue Service and the assistance of competent tax preparers. The PA is ultimately responsible for proper payment of all expenses of administration, claims and distributions to heirs. The PA will work with members of the Probate Division, attorneys, bankers, real estate agents, social workers, Department of Mental Health employees, physicians, and other mental health providers.

Notice and How to apply: Interested parties should send their cover letter and resume to the following address or via email addressed to: St. Louis County Family Court, ATTN: Human Resources, 105 S. Central Avenue, Clayton, Missouri, 63105, or to SLCCourtJobs@courts.mo.gov on or before May 5, 2022. At the recommendation of the probate judge a vote will be made by the court en banc and forwarded to the Saint Louis County Council for confirmation. The current appointment will be made for the current partial term which expires December 31, 2024. Subsequent appointments may be renewed by the court en banc for a 4 year term thereafter. EOE. Please contact the Human Resources Department at 615-4471 (voice) or RelayMo 711 or 800-735-2966 if you need any accommodations in the application process, or if you would like this posting in an alternative form.

Deaconess Foundation will sponsor a network of Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® programs this summer. The seven-week program provides summer enrichment for children and families. College-age young adults and recent college graduates play a key role as facilitators in the CDF Freedom Schools program in the position of Servant Leader Intern (SLI).

The Servant Leader Intern’s primary responsibility is to supervise and maintain the safety of children. The Servant Leader Intern will facilitate daily literacy activities; manage classroom spaces; establish and maintain a supportive, structured environment; serve as Harambe leader, afternoon activities facilitator, and field trip chaperone. Starting salary range is $15.00 to $18.00 per hour.

To apply for this position, submit cover letter, resume and references, all as one document, at: https://deaconess.org/joinus

STAFF ATTORNEY

(LAW CLERK –FULL TIME & PART TIME)

Description Primary responsibilities for this position include conducting a variety of legal research and writing legal memoranda, judgments, and opinions for judges and court administrators.

Minimum Qualifications

Applicants must have graduated from an accredited law school and be licensed in the state of Missouri. Applicants with judicial clerkship experience are preferred.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND HOW TO APPLY: Applicants interested in applying for this position should visit our website at www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ stlouis. We only accept On-line applications.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY: The policy of the Civil Service Commission of St. Louis County is to support fair and equitable employment opportunities for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veterans’ status or political affiliation. Call the Division of Personnel at (314) 615-5429 for more information on this policy. St. Louis County Division of Personnel, 7th Floor Clayton, MO 63105 (314) 615-5429 Relay MO 711 or 800-735-2966

An Equal Opportunity Employer Fax: (314) 615-7703 www.stlouiscountymo.gov

EXCESS WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CLAIMS MANAGER

Responsible for handling assigned claims from initial assignment to closure, as well as provide assistance in various administrative functions associated with the Excess WC LOB.

To apply, please visit: https://www. safetynational.com/ careers-page/

SENIOR CONSTRUCTION UNDERWRITER

Responsible for underwriting and servicing of large deductible construction accounts for the assigned territory; underwriting accountability includes new business production, renewal retention, account servicing and broker/insured relationships that lead to underwriting profitability and revenue growth within the assigned underwriting territory.

To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/

COMPLEX LITIGATION MANAGER

Responsible for the oversight and guidance of higher exposure, complex claims in litigation, including Automobile Liability, General Liability, Employers Liability, Public Entity, Professional Liability, Cyber, Excess, Umbrella and Construction Liability.

To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational. com/careers-page/

PROGRAM MANAGER

Lead level professional position which contributes to the accomplishment of project/ program practices and objectives that will achieve business goals and objectives. Supervises and Directs team within Program Management. Manages, leads and mentors others within Program Management. Demonstrates and mentors advanced working knowledge and concepts of Information Technology.

To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/ careers-page/

Washington University in St. Louis offers rewarding opportunities in various fields at all levels, with positions in engineering, nursing and health care, research, administration, technology, security and more.

Medical Assistant Apprenticeship- JR64741

How would you like to be a Medical Assistant, but don’t have time or the funds to go to school? We have a solution! Once you pass our entrance requirements and are hired through Washington University, you can complete our Apprenticeship program in just 12 weeks. Upon completing, and passing the credentialing exam, along with being a continued employee for 1 year, you will receive recognition as a Certified Medical Assistant. Class times will be during working hours (4 hours a week), and there will be no tuition costs to you.

Senior HR Partner - School of Law JR65888

The Senior Human Resources Partner will support the achievement of the vision, mission and strategic goals of the Law School by helping to attract, retain and manage our most valued assets; our employees. They will play a vital role in the operations of the Law School, providing guidance on human resources policies, best practices and processes to the school administration, managers, as well as to employees. This individual will be a Departmental HR Partner in the Work Day system. The ideal candidate will have the following: Bachelor’s degree plus five years of work experience in human resources (Generalist). Experience in interpreting and applying human resources-related policies, and state and federal employment laws. Experience using HR management systems and employee recruitment applications.

Administrative Coordinator, Executive Recruitment JR65598 This position provides support and coordination of executive search daily activities as well operational support to general office management. The Coordinator will post jobs, conduct internet research and candidate sourcing, communicate with internal clients and candidates, develop project documents, leverage technology to organize and report data, and process expenses. Focus is on exceptional customer service and high quality work products. Communication is to and from executive levels including Deans, Chairs, Executive Vice Chancellors and others in university leadership positions and requires effective verbal skills and effective well-written documents and email correspondence. High school diploma or equivalent high school certifications and five years of related experience or a bachelor degree and one year of related experience is required.

JR65769 LPN – Pediatrics Allergy & Immunology Office

Join the WashU team delivering care within an office setting with M-F office hours. Preferred qualifications: Current or recent hospital or clinic LPN experience; Epic Electronic Medical Record experience. Location: Center for Advanced Medicine

JR65090 RN Dialysis Nurse –Outpatient Dialysis Center

$5,000 Sign-on Bonus Available! Seeking RNs with a passion for dialysis and our kidney disease patient population. Work 3 (12) hour days and enjoy our generous employee benefits. Location: St. Louis Central West End

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 encourages boldness, inclusion and creativity. EO/AA/VET/Disability Employer

SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER

Loyola Academy of St. Louis, a Jesuit-sponsored middle-school for boys, seeks a dynamic person to serve as the Social Studies teacher for the 2022-2023 school year. Loyola Academy is committed to breaking the cycle of poverty by providing a rigorous education, extra-curricular programming, and an emphasis on personal and spiritual development to sixty students. The ideal candidate possesses content knowledge in World and American History, has teaching experience with pre-secondary students, organizes tasks well, and brings a willingness to creatively explore concepts of history and culture with students. Please submit a letter of interest and resume to Mrs. Ashley Chapman, Principal, at achapman@loyolaacademy.org by 4/24/2022. No phone inquiries, please. For additional information about the school, please visit our website www.loyolaacademy.org

PUBLIC SAFETY SPECIALIST

The St. Louis County Library is seeking qualified applicants to fill a Full-time Public Safety Specialist position. The Public Safety Specialist will work in a public library setting, ensuring a welcoming, safe and secure environment for employees, patrons, and the protection of library assets.

A High School diploma or GED required. A Bachelor’s degree or 60 hours college credit preferred. Three-five years of experience in security, social services, or related experience working directly with the public. Requires good interpersonal skills and excellent organization and communication skills. Salary - $45,240 plus paid benefits. Apply online at https://www.slcl. org/content/employment. Equal Opportunity Employer.

NORTH NEWSTEAD ASSOCIATION

DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE/ PROPERTY MANAGER- JOB DESCRIPTION

Essential Functions:

• Serving as a liaison between the organization, elected officials, City employees and departments, organization’s tenants and various other programs and services that are available to residents

• Assisting in planning, development, and implementation of community and/or human development training and engagement activities

• Assisting in the management of the organization’s portfolio of properties

• Coordinating property management, construction, and development schedules or client follow up schedules

Application Process: To apply for this position, please submit your resume and cover letter to Sal Martinez at martinezs@employmentstl.org or mail to 4601 Pope Ave., St. Louis, MO 63115 Attn: Sal Martinez, Board Vice-Chair. Resumes and cover letters must be received by April 17, 2022 at 11:59 pm. North Newstead Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Is soliciting “Request for Qualifications” for Construction Management Services. A single firm will be selected for Construction Management Services as Owners Agent for possible future bond issue project s: The Request for Qualifications will be available on the District Website on April 18th 2022 @ www.webster.k12.mo.us front page and can be accessed under RFP/RFQ icon at bottom of page. Responses to the RFQ will be received by the WGSD Construction Project Manager on Thursday May 9th 2022 at 1:00 p.m. at the WG Service Center 3232 South Brentwood Blvd, Webster Groves, MO, 63119. The owner reserves the right to reject all proposals

THE CITY OF JENNINGS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

The City of Jennings is accepting applications for Deputy Building Commissioner; Finance Director; Code Enforcement Inspectors, Correctional Officers, Seasonal Parks Crew Laborer; Court Clerk, Recreation Department Administrative Assistant, Public Works Laborer; Building Department Administrative Assistant II; Permit Clerk; Accounting Clerk; P/T Accounting Clerk; P/T Assistant to the City Clerk; P/T Bus Driver; P/T Public Works Laborers; P/T Site Monitor; P/T Concession Stand workers; P/T Umpire; P/T Scorekeeper; P/T Economic Development Assistant. Please see the full job descriptions online at www.cityofjennings.org Applications are available at the Jennings City Hall or on the website at www.cityofjennings.org

The City of Jennings is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

WORKERS NEEDED FOR PUBLIC WORKS

City of Pine Lawn needs 4-6 persons with drivers license to operate commercial vehicles, and have some experience operating commercial lawn/heavy equipment/and experience with all aspects of facility maintenance. Work is available for full-time/part-time/seasonal employment.

Work is primarily outdoors including mowing/ trimming City owned/code violation properties/ parks and performing other duties as assigned. Workers will initially report to City of Pine Lawn Mayor/Administrator.

Applications for immediate hire are available at City Hall (6250 Steve Marre Ave.-Pine Lawn, Mo. 63121) or on line at www.pinelawn.org. Mail completed applications to either vstevenson@pinelawn.org or tepps@pinelawn.org Interviews held Mon-Fri, April 11-22, 2022 by appointment to discuss job details and salary. ITB

DIRECTOR OF PERSONNEL

The City of St. Louis is seeking a new Director of Personnel. Qualifications include a Master’s degree in a related field, five years of human resources experience, at least two years of public sector human resources experience at a senior level, experience negotiating collective bargaining agreements and/or Memoranda of Understanding for represented employees and working with employee-defined benefit pension systems, including negotiating employee benefit contracts. View the full description and apply online at https://bit.ly/STLcityjob

INVITATION TO BID

Harris-Stowe State University (HSSU) is requesting proposals for the construction services required for the New Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Building Renovation. Proposals must be emailed no later than 2:00 pm on Wednesday May 4, 2022, to Corey Freeman at freemanc@hssu. edu. Responses to the RFP will be opened and read at a virtual bid opening on Wednesday May 4, 2022, at 2:15 pm. The link to the virtual bid opening will be sent at the time of bid submission.

A pre-bid conference and walk-through will be held on Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at 2:00 pm at the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Building located at 3205 Olive Street St. Louis, MO 63103. Masks will be required for entry into the facility and at the pre-bid conference and walk-through. Social Distancing will also be required in the facility.

A copy of the Request for Proposals and Bidding Documents can be obtained by contacting Corey Freeman at email address: freemanc@hssu.edu, faxing: (314) 340-3322 or calling (314)-340-3325.

Should you need any further assistance, please email Ryan Wilson with NAVIGATE Building Solutions at ryan@navigatebuildingsolutions.com

The University reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive all informalities in proposals.

WEBSTER GROVES SCHOOL DISTRICT

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices

INVITATION TO BID FERGUSON-FLORISSANT SCHOOL DISTRICT

(1) ASPHALT OVERLAY/PATCHING & SEALING/STRIPING OF PARKING LOTS

(2) ASBESTOS AIR MONITORING

(3) LIGHTING (MATERIALS ONLY)

(4) LIGHTING (LABOR ONLY)

Sealed bids for the above project are being requested from the FFSD and will be received and publicly opened on Friday APRIL 22ND @ (1:15pm CST FOR Asphalt overlay/patching & Sealing/Striping of parking lots) (1:30 pm CST FOR Interior Lighting Materials only & Interior Lighting Labor only) & (2:00pm CST FOR Asbestos Air Monitoring) at the Operation and Maintenance Dept. located at 8855 Dunn Rd. (REAR) Hazelwood, MO 63042. Pre Bid Meetings will be held MONDAY April 18th, 2022 @ 8:00 am at Cross Keys Middle School, 14205 Cougar Dr. Florissant MO 63033 for Asphalt overlay Bid and @ 10:00 am @ Ferguson Middle 701 January Ave. Ferguson, MO 63135 for Interior Lighting Labor Only). Bid specs must be obtained at http://new.fergflor.k12.mo.us/facilities-rfq Contact Matt Furfaro at mfurfaro@fergflor.org for further information/questions.

BID NOTICE

Kairos Academies (Agreement Number 115-931) is accepting bids for fixed price food service management companies for the close of the 2021-2022 school year and going forward. Bids are due by May 9, 2022 at 12:01 PM. There will be a mandatory walkthrough for all bidders on April 22 at 2:30 PM. For questions and bid specifications please contact Ben Huebner at (314) 252-0602 Ext: 4 or FSMC@ KAIROSACADEMIES.ORG Kairos Academies reserves the right to reject any and all bids. Kairos Academies is an equal employment and educational opportunity institution.

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Paric Corporation is seeking proposals for the following project: THE BRIDGE APARTMENTS

Following up to our advertisement in February, PARIC Corporation is soliciting bids for the SITE, CORE AND SHELL ONLY for THE BRIDGE APARTMENTS. This is a five story structure located on Delmar Ave scheduled for an August 2022 tentative construction start. Access to documents is available from our Smartbid link, if you have not received a bid invitation send your company information to tlalexaner@paric.com

The Core and Shell consisting of Site & Civil Drawings, Structural Foundation Drawings and Structural Steel.

The last day for questions is currently APRIL/20/22.

BIDS WILL BE DUE ON MAY 11, 2022

Send all questions to Cory Paschen CPaschen@paric.com

Goals for Construction Business Enterprise

• 21% African American

• 11% Women

• 3% Other – Hispanic, Asian American, Native American

Goals for Workforce (field) participation

• 25% Minority

• 7% Women

• 20% Apprentice

• 23% City of St Louis Resident

All bids should be delivered to Paric via e-mail (bids@paric.com) or fax (636-561-9501).

PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

RFQ for a Phase I Environmental Assessment (ESA) at 9953 Lewis and Clark Blvd, STL, 63136.

RFQ DUE DATE: 2 P.M 5/2/22

SEND BIDS:

TO: Reanglea Roddy, City Clerk, Email: rroddy@molineacres.org

CC: Michele Deshay, Mayor, mdeshay@molineacres.org

CC: Dennis DeShay, Public Works, ddeshay@molineacres.org

CC: Tina Zimmerman, Project Administrator, tmzmarket@icloud.com FMI-Call Tina Zimmerman at 314-440-3650.

TO ADVERTISE EMAIL YOUR AD TO ANGELITA HOUSTON AT ahouston@stlamerican.com

SOLICITING BIDS

Sisters of Lavender Rose is soliciting bids from food service vendors. Bids are for service in the Saint Louis Area (i.e., Hazelwood, Ferguson Florissant). We are looking for providers to serve CACFP compliant meals for suppers and snacks. The days of operation are as follows: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; with additional meals for Saturday and Sunday to be served on Fridays as well. The contract will be for one year with the possibility of renewal. All contracts are subject to review by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. To obtain a bid packet contact; Sisters of Lavender Rose; Telephone: (618) 531-7440 sistersoflavenderrose@gmail.com Upon contact Sisters of Lavender Rose will provide a physical address to pick up the bid packet. The deadline for bid submission WIll be Tuesday, April 28, 2022 at 11:59p. A public bid opening will take place at 7220 N. Lindbergh on Friday, April 29, 2022 at 10:30a.

SEARS LEHMANN JR. WILDLIFE RESERVE VENDORS OF RECORDTREE MAINTENANCE & FENCING SERVICES RFP 2022

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for Sears Lehmann Jr. Wildlife Reserve Vendors of Record for the aforementioned services. Bid documents are available as of 4/13/22 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Chiller R e p

James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center and Change In Scope RebidAnnex Building 2nd Floor Renovation, M

, Project Nos. O201101 and R2115-01, respectively, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 5/5/2022 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. For specific project information, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

SEALED

BIDS

Bids for Install Solar Array, Building Corrosion Control Facility, Project No. T2034-01, and Chiller Plant ImprovementsBuilding #29, Project No. T2120-01, at Missouri National Guard Springfield AVCRAD will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 5/5/2022 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. For specific project information, go to: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices St. LouiS american

FERGUSONFLORISSANT SCHOOL DISTRICT

Is soliciting “Request for Proposal” responses for food service management services and will be received until 2:00 PM (CST) on April 15, 2022. Mandatory pre-bid meeting on 3/29/2022 @ 2:00 pm. RFP and information must be obtained from the district website at www.fergflor.org/Community/Bids and Vendors.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

> Proposal for Parking Facilities Garage Repair Design Services

> Proposals will be received by City of St. Louis Treasurer UNTIL 3:00PM 4/25/2022

> For specific project information, go

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

RFQ 2022-102

MOLINE ACRES COMMUNITY CENTER PROJECT, 2454 CHAMBERS

Environmental Review in accordance with HUD CDBG Compliant Procedures and Documents per Part 58, subpart E of 24 CFR Part 58.36. RFQ DUE DATE: 2 P.M 4/28/22 DUE TO COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOL, ELECTRONIC BIDS ONLY WILL BE ACCEPTED:

TO: Reanglea Roddy, City Clerk, Email: rroddy@molineacres.org

CC: Michele Deshay, Mayor, mdeshay@molineacres.org

CC: Dennis DeShay, Public Works, ddeshay@molineacres.org

CC: Tina Zimmerman, Project Administrator, tmzmarket@icloud.com

FMI-Call Tina Zimmerman at 314-440-3650.

INVITATION TO BID

FERGUSON-FLORISSANT SCHOOL DISTRICT

COOL VALLEY & CROSS

KEYS HVAC UPGRADE

Sealed bids for the above project are being requested from the Ferguson Florissant School District and will be received and publicly opened on Thursday, April 28, 2022 @ 2:00 pm CST at the Operation and Maintenance Dept. located at 8855 Dunn Rd. (REAR) Hazelwood, MO 63042. Bid specs must be obtained at http://new.fergflor.k12.mo.us/ facilities-rfq. Contact Matt Furfaro at mfurfaro@fergflor. org for further information/ questions.

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 Non-Capital Bids (commodities and services) or >Visit Planroom (capital construction bids)

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

LETTING #8744

At St. Louis Lambert International Airport Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 301 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, then publicly opened and read in room 325. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps.org (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

Bidders shall comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws (including DBE policies). Mandatory prebid meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, at 10:00 A.M. via Zoom:

Meeting URL: https://cmtengr.zoom.us/j/86916851826? pwd=YXl3RVNzSjY2azlhb2lQMWRMMDNvQT09 [ cmtengr.zoom.us]

Meeting ID: 869 1685 1826 Passcode: 527909

kbK1BRFqu [cmtengr.zoom.us]

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 (Virtual Plan Room).

PRE-BID MEETINGS FOR SOGRO APARTMENTS

Pre-Bid Meetings for SoGro Apartments

Two Pre-Bid Meeting opportunities have been scheduled for the SoGro Apartments project. All interested contractors are encouraged to attend one of these pre-bid meetings. Please consider one of the following:

April 20, 2022 at 3:30 PM

St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church - Parish Hall

4924 Bancroft Ave.

St. Louis, MO 63109

*at the corner of S. Kingshighway Blvd. & Bancroft Ave.

April 26

St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church - Parish Hall

4924 Bancroft Ave.

St. Louis, MO 63109, 2022 at 3:30 PM

*at the corner of S. Kingshighway Blvd. & Bancroft Ave.

PARKING IN THE REAR OF THE BUILDING

ENTER AT THE REAR OF THE BUILDING

This project consists of complete ground-up construction of a (3) separate, 4-story apartment buildings with a total of 179 units. Construction includes a new Clubhouse, Pool and Amenity Deck, Management and Business Offices, Sky Lounges/Decks, Police Sub Station, and full site development.

Building Trade Work required for this job includes, but is not limited to Building & Site Concrete, Concrete Topping, Masonry, Structural Steel and Erection, Rough Carpentry, Structural Wood Materials, Damproofing and Waterproofing, Thermal Insulation, Weather Barriers, Siding, TPO Membrane Roofing, Fiber Cement Siding, Flashing and Sheet Metal, Gutters and Downspouts, Fireproofing, Penetration Firestopping, Joint Sealants, Metal Doors, Frames and Hardware, Flush Wood Doors, Overhead Doors, Entrances and Storefronts, Vinyl Windows, Drywall, Flooring, Painting, Toilet Compartments, Toilet, Bath and Laundry Accessories, Fire Safety Specialties, Postal Specialties, Wire Storage Shelving, Awnings, Parking Control Equipment, Residential Appliances, Stone Countertops, Elevators, Pool, Fire Protection, Plumbing, HVAC, Electrical, Electronic Safety and Security, Earthwork, Soil Treatment, Asphalt Paving and Pavement markings, Fences and Gates, Landscaping and Irrigation, and Site Water, Sanitary and Storm Utilities.

The SoGro Apartments project will comply with the Diversity Goals as governed by Ordinance 71094 of the City of St. Louis. Ordinance 71094 outlines Enterprise (Contract Spend) requirements.

Workforce Participation Goals are also included below.

Enterprise (Contract Spend)

African American - 21%

Hispanic - 2%

Asian American - .5%

Native American - .5% Women - 11%

Workforce Participation (Boots on the Ground)

Successful Contractors will be required to participate in the St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) program (GPTS) for documenting compliance with the Workforce and Prevailing Wage Ordinances.

This project also requires prevailing wages, based upon the current Missouri Division of Labor Standards – General Wage Order No. 28.

Project bid documents, as well as samples of Subcontract documents and insurance requirements can be viewed at IMPACT Strategies, Southern Illinois Builders Association, The Asian American Chamber of Commerce, The Congress of Racial Equality - North Central region, Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, Employment Connection, The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, MO-KAN plan Room and Mcgraw Hill Dodge. Documents are also available for view/download from GradeBeam.com and the following direct link: https://buildwithimpact.exavault.com/share/view/2wxh1-fnan5q4s

The lead Estimator on this project is Andrew Martiszus. Amartiszus@buildwithimpact. com

Subcontractor bids are due to IMPACT Strategies, Inc. by 2:00 PM on May 4, 2022. Bids should be emailed to Emily Yost. eyost@buildwithimpact.com

Please contact Emily Yost with any questions. Eyost@buildwithimpact.com. O (618)293-2545 | (C) (618)409-1424

today,” said Himes. “Are we only looking out for ourselves or are we responsible for each other?”

The featured ensemble for the performance includes Velma Austin, Wali Jamal Abdullah, Amy Loui, Don McClendon, Brian McKinley, Franklin Killian, Blake Anthony Edwards, Gregory Almanza and Kelly Howe. Christina Yancy will serve as an understudy for Ms. Austin.

Sweat provides insight on the experience of laborers as well as their circle of friends and family in the midst of coming to grips with paradigm shifts within the workforce. The changing dynamic creates a ripple effect that impacts their entire lives.

“Storytelling is really at the center of shaping our cultural narrative,” Nottage said during an interview with Agnes Gund of Arts for Justice in November of 2021. “And I speak as a playwright to conjure stories that can help people understand on a deeper level who their neighbors are, who their adversaries are – or even who their own family is.” The play also explores how split-second lapses in judgement can result in life-altering consequences.

“Our job [as playwrights] is really to build empathy and provide this tiny little window into the world of another person,” Nottage told Gund. “Once we are able to inhabit the space of another, we are able to access our empathy. And once we begin doing that, we can really move towards healing.”

In addition to her upcoming historic honor at the 39th William Inge Theater Festival, Nottage also has the historic distinction of being the only woman two-time recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama among many other honors – including being named a MacArthur fellow for the 2007 cohort. The fellowship

is commonly referred to as the “genius grant.”

“There’s no finer playwright in our country than Lynn Nottage to represent true excellence in the American theatre,” Joyce said. “The William Inge Center for the Arts is long overdue in the presentation of this recognition.”

For more information about The Black Rep’s presentation of Sweat as part of this year’s

Comic

Continued from C1

“I want everyone to have an opportunity to get through the door,” Stewart said. “Editors and employees at the top-level of publications need to widen their horizons for who they pick when hiring people to do comics.”

The best advice they give youth interested in following in their footsteps is to start creating work now instead of waiting until they think they’re ready.

“If you want until you think you’re ready, I don’t think

SZN

Continued from C1

“I mention my mom [briefly] who I lost a couple years ago,” Pate said. “I mention the anxiety about how sometimes I need to breathe. Sometimes I get so worked up and overwhelmed especially with doing what I’m doing now [releasing my first project]. I’ve rapped before and know how to rap, but putting together my first original body of work comes with anxiety, jitters, and nervousness.”

He said track two “Cold Feet Interlude” spotlights him elaborating more on his anxiety and the self-doubt he experiences with sleeping on his talent in rapping.

“It’s about having so many people believe in me and tell me ‘you can be the next such and such,’ but I am not seeing that in myself all the time,” Pate said. “Cold Feet Interlude” is about me feeling out of place trying to rap especially in this day and age where everything is more about “turnin up,” partying or twerking. My EP is the opposite of that. It’s about me not having the confidence I would like to have because I’m

you’ll ever be ready for it,” Stewart said. “You have to put it out there, put your heart behind it, and just do it cause the time is of the essence.”

Focusing on building a community rather than just networking is another valuable lesson Stewart said youth could learn.

“You should cultivate your own community because we’re all trying to get to the same goal,” they said. “I have a group of peers who always create comics and graphic novels. We’re all trying to get better at our craft, and we help each other because we want each other to get better at our craft.

“It’s nice to have that assistance if you need help with

unsure and don’t know where this [rapping] is going to go. I don’t know if people are going to be receptive to my project.”

Throughout his life leading up to his EP, Pate said he’s mourned the losses of innumerable lives who’ve passed on.

Track three “What’s Grief,” provides greater insight on the impact death has had over him these last few years.

“My biggest losses were my mother, my grandma and twins I had on the way,” Pate said. “I’ve lost some of the people closest to me throughout this journey. Their deaths made me want to distance myself because I didn’t want to feel the pain anymore. Once you realize what it feels like to lose loved ones, it can cause you to distance yourself from ones you have left living. I felt those things and didn’t want to express them because as a man or a Black man it could make me look weak.”

Although his first three tracks fall into the rhythm of detaching himself from harmful patterns and triggers, “Growing Pains” follows a different note.

He said “Growing Pains” is the other side of “Separation SZN” where he proudly boasts about how he’s cut from a different cloth from his competition.

“I’m separating myself from

something like, ‘I’m putting out a pitch. I’m not exactly sure how this sounds; can you look at it for me?’ Or, if someone recommends someone for a job, all of that happens because you have built a community around you to facilitate those types of events. I think it’s good for creators to understand that those communities should be built, and they start with us.” Their book “Heart Takes the Stage: A Heart of the City Collection (Volume 1)” releases on May 3 at Barnes and Noble, Target, and Amazon. It will also sell at Betty’s Books in Webster Groves, where Stewart will have a 6 p.m. book signing on release day.

the pack,” Pate said. “I’m about to show you won’t find another like me. There’s nobody in this city like me or that can flow the way I do.”

The 15-minute “Lotus’ Outro” featuring Pate’s friend Toronto rapper Lotus James, who also mixed and mastered the EP uses a format similar to how J. Cole closed out “2014 Forest Hills Drive,” and how Kanye West concluded “College Dropout.”

Pate said the outro is James giving him a pep talk around everything he discussed on the project. Then it transitions to Pate thanking and shouting out everyone who played a role in him releasing his first full body of work. Listen for a nod to your favorite St. Louis American reporter.

“I wanted to thank all of the people I could think of that helped me along the way in some capacity and just tell my story for people to gain a better understanding of what I’ve been through,” Pate said. Pate said he wants his EP to be something people can go back to and listen to when they’re having bad days.

“My music can help them get through that moment,” Pate said.

Photo courtesy of The Black Rep

Playwright Lynn Nottage will become the first Black woman to accept the Distinguished Achievement in the American Theater Award at the 39th William Inge Theater Festival in Independence, Kansas.

The St. Louis American Foundation’s 22nd Annual

LIFETIME ACHIEVER IN HEALTH CARE

Vetta Sanders Thompson, Ph.D.

E. Desmond Lee Professor of Racial and Ethnic Diversity and Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

Brown School, Washington University in St. Louis Co-Director, Center for Community Health Partnership & Research

Institute for Public Health at Washington University Associate Member, Siteman Cancer Center

Thursday, April 14, 2022 and

ST. LOUIS COUNTY CHILDREN’S SERVICE FUND

DR. JOHN M. ANDERSON EXCELLENCE IN MENTAL HEALTH AWARD

Yolanda Rodgers-Garvin

Students In-Transition and Foster Care

Liaison, Ferguson-Florissant School District

HEALTH CARE ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR

2022 EXCELLENCE IN HEALTH CARE AWARDS

STELLAR PERFORMER IN HEALTH CARE

Tifani Sanford, M.D.

Director of Clinical Services

Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers North Campus

Ketra Collins RN, Gateway Regional Hospital

Marilyn Peaston Case Worker, City of St. Louis Health Resource Center

Angela Klocke BS, MPH, MSN, RN, Washington University School of Medicine and BJC Christian

Wilma Schmitz, MA Regional Liaison & Trainer, Missouri Connections for Health - CLAIM

Dr. Michelle Grimes Chief Nursing Officer, CareSTL Health

Ursula Wright, FNP Vice President, Clinical Care Redesign, Mercy

Dwight E. McLeod, DDS, MS Dean, Faculty Teacher, A.T. Still University-Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health

To learn more and get involved visit bjc.org/opportunity Everyone deserves

BJC HealthCare is working alongside community partners to improve physical, mental, and financial well-being across our region, beginning with the City of St. Louis and North St. Louis County. BJC’s efforts include making local investments, supporting Black owned businesses, and hiring locally. BJC is also working to improve infant and maternal health, increase access to healthy food and physical activity opportunities, and support schools as sources of learning and wellness.

Grateful to be back in person, to honor these deserving health care professionals

The St. Louis American Foundation shares the goal of all who seek to ensure adequate, affordable health care for all –underserved communities, in particular. As an integral part of its mission, the St. Louis American Foundation has hosted the Salute to Excellence in Health Care for 22 years honoring outstanding individual performance in health care for the African-American community in St. Louis. While the last two years were virtual due to the pandemic, we are proud to honor our awardees in person this year.

The last two years have been extremely trying on all of us, especially those in the health care community who have had to deal with so many challenges in the way they provide care for others, including staff shortages, extra hours and shifts, a shortage medical supplies, lack of available hospital beds and the unknown long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While this community event is a longstanding tradition for the Foundation, we believe this year’s celebration of our health care heroes and the work they do is more important than

ever. This is a perfect example of why we seek to encourage more young people to pursue growing opportunities in the health care field.

We want to return to a detailed report released by the St. Louis Regional Health Commission highlighted the failure of our health care safety net to provide for the region’s medically underserved. In

and passionate health care leaders have demonstrated an unwavering devotion to the community and share the moral conviction that they cannot afford to stand idle while so many suffer from many preventable illnesses.

Our 2022 Salute to Excellence in Health Care awardees exemplify these values. Their productive careers demon-

n Please learn more about this year’s awardees on the following pages. But we encourage you to also visit stlamerican.com and watch their individual videos, so that you can experience their dedication and passion to serve, more vividly.

the midst of irrefutable data documenting the system’s operational inefficiencies, perennial underfunding and missed opportunities for collaboration of safety net organizations, the report also identified an oasis of community health organizations and devoted health care providers who are striving to dismantle the systemic and nearly insurmountable barriers to health care for the indigent and underserved. These tremendously committed

strate what’s right with health care in St. Louis. They understand that every patient should be treated with dignity and respect and deserves the highest quality of health care possible. Also common among them is a shared belief that community-based programs can have a profound impact on eliminating racial health disparities. They help inspire our youth to themselves pursue careers in science and health care and offer a compelling

view on how a dysfunctional health care system can be reformed.

Since the inaugural Salute to Excellence in Health Care in 2001, we at the St. Louis American Foundation are proud to have honored more than 230 outstanding African-American health care providers at this annual event. We’ve celebrated the longstanding careers of lifetime achievers, while lauding and highlighting the current work being done by our Excellence in Health Care awardees.

We’re also looking toward the future and the likelihood that there will continue to be a shortage of nurses into the next decade, in St. Louis and throughout the nation. We are extremely proud of a collaboration we started 10 years ago with the Deaconess Foundation and the Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, that provides $125,000 worth of scholarships, every year, for local nursing students. As future caregivers, their work is vital to our community, and we look forward to recognizing some of them as awardees at future Salute to Excellence in Health Care events.

The St. Louis American Foundation’s 22th annual

Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards Luncheon

HONOREES:

Lifetime Achiever in Health Care

Vetta Sanders Thompson, Ph.D.

Stellar Performer in Health Care

Tifani Sanford, M.D.

Dr. John M. Anderson Excellence in Mental Health Award

Yolanda Rodgers-Garvin

Health Care Advocacy Organization of the Year Award PrepareSTL

2022 Excellence in Health Care Awardees

Ketra Collins, RN

Angela Klocke, MPH, MSN, RN

Michelle Grimes, M.D.

Dwight E. McLeod, DDS, MS

Marilyn Peaston

WIlma Saunders Schmitz

Ursula Wright, FNP

PRESENTING SPONSORs

Media Sponsor

WSIE The Sound

Dr. John M. Anderson Excellence in Mental Health Award Sponsored by St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund

2022 Excellence in Health Care Awardee Ketra Collins

Collins blessed to be able to give back to church, community

What is your current health care position(s)? What are your responsibilities in this position?

My passion for using my health care education and training includes my leadership role at my church, Shalom Church, City of Peace. Being the health ministry leader/facilitator and under the leadership of my pastor and working with the many health care professionals at the church, I help to coordinate church and community health and wellness events. Through the church we have many partnerships with a diverse group of health care organizations, school districts, fire districts, and privately owned health care businesses. My current health care positions include being a staff nurse at Gateway Regional Medical Center where I currently work in Surgical Services. I prepare patients for surgery and then prepare them for discharge if it is a same day surgical process. I also work as a PACU nurse where I help recover patients immediately after they have surgical procedures.

How do you feel you are able to make a difference in this position?

I feel incredibly blessed to be able to provide free health care screenings and services to my church and the community at large. Being one of the leaders and coordinators of one the largest health fairs in the district helps me feel that it makes a difference to bring resources, screenings, and valuable information to some people who might not have access or seek health care resources. By providing these services and events, many people have been given resources such as free eyeglasses, kidney and heart screenings, mammograms, PSA screenings, mental health resources, and many more health and wellness services. During this time of the pandemic, through the Church and Community resources, we have provided COVID19 testing, education and vaccination clinics routinely and frequently at the Church.

Why did you decide to get into the health care field?

I decided to get into the health care field very early in life. It was my responsibility to care for and help my two younger siblings. It was while performing those responsibilities that I realized I loved caring for and helping others. I have a great love for my family and friends and knew that I wanted to be a nurse and work in the health care

field. While really enjoying my church and faith influenced growth in my spiritual self, my community health and parish nursing service became a great love of mine.

Are there any mentors that helped you along the way? Please name them and explain how they helped you.

My mother, Anna Grace Stewart, was my first mentor and positive influence in my life. Although, she was a high school dropout and victim of an abusive background, she was one of the most intelligent, caring, generous, and motivating people that I ever knew. She was such a cheerleader and encourager of my educational and professional accomplishments. The pastor of my church, Dr. F. James Clark really has been the motivation, mentor, and developer of my service to God through my health care background to make a difference in the lives of people in the church and community. All of my loving family and friends have motivated me professionally and privately in all aspects of my life.

COVID-19 has affected health care workers perhaps more than any other occupation. How has it disrupted your work and how have you adjusted?

COVID-19 has affected health care workers in so many ways including how we perform our professional responsibilities and our own personal health. As a health care professional, you have to deal with COVID-19 concerns at work, at home, at church, and everywhere in the community. While working in the hospital environment, there is so much to consider while caring for patients. We have to wear so much protective PPE’s and make sure that the patients as well as we workers are protected from COVID-19. Emotionally it is straining to deal with regulations and other confinements while trying to provide the best care to our patients. At church, we had to cancel many health care services and events or restructure how service and resources are provided. This has caused a disruption but also the opportunity to step up and provide Covid-19 programs and resources in the church and community. We adjusted by implementing safe protocols for worship, events and also providing the best resources available. I am proud to be a part of the team and to work with or civil organizations and health care organizations to provide these services.

Ketra Collins, RN

2022 Excellence in Health Care Awardee Angela Klocke

Klocke is a true advocate for patients and their families

What is your current health care position(s)? What are your responsibilities in this position?

RN case manager (Retired Fall 2021). CM coordination includes: Working with patients in a critical care area, utilizing nursing knowledge and organizational skills to coordinate all aspects of patient care. I also serve as an advocate for the patient and their families and work collaboratively with all medical and hospital services and patient’s families, to achieve the best possible health outcome for the patient.

I am also RN clinical care coordinator, SYNCHRONY Project; Strengthening Young Children by Optimizing Nature/Nurture In Infancy; Department of Pediatric Psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine. This is a comprehensive approach to unmet mental health needs of preschool children in foster care. Regarding nursing coordination, I am responsible for triage of need for incoming families, case coordination and family support, documentation and maintenance of family goals and treatment plans. I also support our ACE, Autism Center of Excellence, team at Washington University in the Department of Pediatric Psychiatry, by working with families to address health disparities for African-American children with autism.

How do you feel you are able to make a difference in this position?

I believe that by helping to remove barriers to health care, providing access to health care, and improving health literacy, I can advocate for the patients and their families. I worked with the patient’s strengths and challenges, so they could better understand their health information and make positive change, by incentivizing them to invest in their health.

Why did you decide to get into the healthcare field?

Nursing was not on my radar in the beginning. I was studying psychology while an undergraduate. I worked crises intervention while in school and I worked part-time on a closed adolescent psychiatric unit and enjoyed working in that setting. During my shift, one of the patients had a seizure. The nurses immediately called the Emergency Department (ED) and began to attend to the patient. The ED staff arrived, stabilized the patient and took him off the floor. It was the most exciting work I had ever seen

and immediately went to talk with my advisor to change my degree to nursing. I was told that I would have to apply to the School of Nursing and start my education from the beginning. I decided to apply to the associate degree nursing program, graduated in one year and was immedicably hired on in the ED. While working my shift, we received a pediatric gunshot wound victim. We stabilized the child and transferred her to a pediatric facility. It was, again, the most exciting work I had ever done and I immediately applied for and received a transfer to St. Louis Children’s Hospital’s Emergency Department.

How long have you been in the health care field?

Forty years, all in emergency nursing and research

Are there any mentors that helped you along the way? Please name them and explain how they helped you.

Dr. David Jaffee; Emergency Medicine; who challenged me in the very beginning, to develop prevention strategies for children in the community.

He made a call to Dr. Barbara Barlow, Pediatric Trauma Surgery, at Harlem General Hospital at Columbia University, In New York City. She took me under her wing and awarded me my first research funding, out of her own pocket.

Helen Sandkuhl RN, who was my Emergency Department Nurse Manager, at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. I was a new RN with no experience, working in the community, outside of a hospital setting.

Wilma Wells, from the Danforth Foundation, who awarded me my first major funding, simply on the word of a Principal at an elementary school, who received a playground.

Margret O’Neil, Professor and my Advisor at St. Louis University, School of Public Health.

Dr. John Constantino, and the team in the Social Developmental Studies Lab at Washington University, including Teddi Gray, Anna Abbacchi, Molly McGrath, Robert Fitzgerald and Yi Zhang.

Is there anything you’d like to share with our readers about yourself or your personal life?

My mother was a proud graduate of Sumner High School and she and my father were strong advocates for education. All of my siblings have college degrees. I have two sons, Christopher and Jonathan, who also have college degrees. I am a proud grandmother. I orchestrated and helped physically build, 16 community built playgrounds in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County. I also helped to install smoke detectors with St. Louis City EMS/Fire in areas that had pediatric fatality due to fire.

Tell us where you went to high school and college.

Collinsville High School. Lewis and Clark Community College, associate degree in nursing; SIUE, bachelor of fine arts and sciences, communication; John Hopkins School of Public Health, Center of Injury Control, certificate of completion in principles and practice of injury prevention; SLU School of Public Health, masters of public health; Goldfarb School of Nursing, BS in nursing; Webster University, MSN.

Angela Klocke, MPH, MSN, RN

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

2022 Excellence in Health Care Awardee Dr. Michelle Grimes

Grimes believes ‘social determinants in health care’ are key to patient outcomes

What is your current health care position(s)?

I am the chief nursing Officer for CareSTL Health and I am a family nurse practitioner.

What are your responsibilities in this position?

I currently manage the oversight and budget of the organization’s nursing staff as they support the organization’s providers and provide nursing care to patients across five sites. I have overall authority for providing leadership, direction, and administration of direct patient care activities, case management, nutritional services, nursing practice, and nursing education and development across the organization. I am responsible for driving, supporting and modeling a culture focused on employee engagement, quality, patient safety, fiscal responsibility, and the overall patient experience. My role allows me to see from the provider side and the administrator side…giving me the best of both worlds.

How do you feel you are able to make a difference in this position?

Being open, honest, understanding and transparent. Being a voice for not just staff but the patients we care for. Treating the patients as we would want to be treated and looking at the bigger picture when it comes to patient care. We can’t look just at the patient and their disease process, we also have to look at the social determinants of health if there are any and address them as well. My personal fulfillment comes from being highly visible and innovative while promoting core values to direct quality care, excellence in service, accountability, integrity and QI while making a significant impact that is meaningful to all.

Why did you decide to get into the health care field?

My mother was a developmental aide and I watched her go to work daily, caring for the mentally challenged and knew I wanted to follow in her footsteps. I have always been a caregiver and wanted to help in some way and health care is how I chose to pursue that dream and bring it to reality.

How long have you been in the health care field?

I have been in health care all of my life it feels like. I started when I was 21 as an LPN. I am 62 now and worked my way up to my current doctorate of nursing practice degree in advanced clinical

leadership and a family nurse nractitioner and CNO role.

Are there any mentors that helped you along the way? Please name them and explain how they helped you.

I had one very strong mentor and that was my mother. I have encountered through my journey in health care many mentors whether it be a patient, a teacher, co-worker or friend that influenced me one way or another. I also had many support systems in which include my husband and children along with other family members and friends who, without out their support and sacrifices, I would not have made it this far.

COVID-19 has affected health care workers perhaps more than any other occupation. How has it disrupted your work and how have you adjusted?

As a nurse, I could have never imagined how the profession would be thrust into the spotlight during a year of

multiple public health crises. There has also been a personal toll on nurses and other health care professionals working in health care but COIVD was/is different. The providing of health care has changed forever during COVID-19, and nursing has been able to adapt and will need to continue to adapt as needed and necessary. One of the most prevalent changes was the rapid need to shift to from in-person visits to technology-mediated health care, like virtual primary care visits. This pushed both nursing and providers into the world of the unknown, requiring nurses to make sure that they possess not only the technical skillsets needed to manage these new methods of providing care, but also the ability to use communication skills essential to evaluate and support patients through different media platforms such as video conferencing/telehealth and telephone.

The contributions of our nurses, along with other health care professionals and key workers, was very pronounced as we

put together one of the largest campaigns to vaccinate our community as well as throughout the state and should definitely be acknowledged.

Is there anything you’d like to share with our readers about yourself or your personal life?

I love health care and caring for the whole patient. I am very focused when listening and caring for my patients or anyone that seeks me for care or medical advice. I am passionate about just helping others and being a good servant in whatever I do. I am a devoted wife, mother and grandmother that loves her family and loves to travel.

Tell us where you went to high school and college.

Northwest High School, Forest Part Community College (ADN), UMSL ( BSN/MSN) Fontbonne University (MBA), Chamberlain College of Nursing (DNP).

Dr. Michelle Grimes

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Dwight

E. McLeod, DDS, MS

Dean, A.T. Still University-Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health

St. Louis American Foundation’s 22nd Annual Salute to Excellence in Health Care award recipient

A.T. Still University-Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health students, faculty, and staff and Affinia Healthcare, partners at the St. Louis Dental Center, congratulate Dr. McLeod for his commitment to:

• Educating tomorrow’s community- and service-minded dentists

• Providing exemplary, comprehensive oral healthcare to the patients he serves

• Addressing disparities in oral healthcare for vulnerable populations

• Increasing patient access to oral healthcare services

• Excellence in healthcare, dental education, and dentistry.

atsu.edu/congrats-mcleod

2022 Excellence in Health Care Awardee Dwight E. McLeod

McLeod pushes for more diversity in oral health field

What is your current health care position(s)?

Currently, I serve as dean of A.T. Still University-Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-MOSDOH), vice chair of the Missouri Coalition for Oral Health Board, and member of the board of directors for the Jamaica Consulate (Chicago) Medical Needs Committee and Midwest Jamaica Diaspora Committee.

What are your responsibilities in this position?

My responsibilities in this position are numerous. I have been given the honor and privilege of leading one of the nation’s most unique and innovative dental institutions. I am obligated to many constituents, among them being ATSU leadership, Kirksville and St. Louis communities, state of Missouri stakeholders and affiliates, our St. Louis Dental Center partners of Affinia Healthcare and its patients, and ATSUMOSDOH’s students and employees. My roles include creating access to oral health care, providing opportunities for outreach programs which promote the dental profession and oral health literacy, serving communities in need, establishing partnerships and affiliates, protecting the financial resources of the institutions and maintaining financial solvency, ensuring excellence in dental education, protecting ATSU-MOSDOH’ s reputation and integrity, graduating competent healthcare providers, adhering to the mission and strategic plan, conducting quality assurance reviews and devising metrics for assessment outcomes, maintaining full accreditation status from the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation, and much more.

How do you feel you are able to make a difference in this position?

As the first Jamaican and Black dental dean of ATSU-MOSDOH, the first Black dean for one of ATSU’s seven colleges/schools, and to the best of my knowledge, the first Black dean of a predominantly majority dental school where the dean is not an alumnus nor has any other previous affiliations. I feel I am able to make a difference in my position because I love my job as dean, and I strongly support the mission, vision, and goals of the institution. I am supported in my role by dedicated administrators, faculty, and staff who champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and importantly, health equity. I advocate for change and support opportunities that will serve our

community, better the dental profession, create excellent essential educational experiences for our students, and allow greater access to oral healthcare for our underserved patients, especially our most marginalized and vulnerable patient populations which include children and individuals with intellectual and developmental disorders. Using my position, I will continue to champion greater access to the dental profession for historically underrepresented groups and disadvantaged groups from rural communities so they may graduate as proud leaders and competent dental professionals who will return to their communities and make a difference in reducing the disparities in access to oral healthcare.

Are there any mentors that helped you along the way? Please name them and explain how they helped you.

I have had several mentors along the way. My mother was one of my strongest mentors as she created the opportunity for me to live in the United States and pursue my educational goals of becoming a periodontist. My wife is my most influential mentor. She has believed in me since we met and has encouraged and

supported me throughout my personal life and professional career.

During my periodontal residency at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, I received guidance from Dr. Benny Hawkins (graduate periodontal program director), Dr. James Spivey (faculty member), and Dr. Phillip Lainson (department chair).

As a dental faculty member, I received support and knowledgement from the individuals I worked with over the years. Dr. Patrick Ferrillo and Dr. Ann M. Boyle, both deans at SUISchool of Dental Medicine, have guided me throughout my academic career. Dr. Ferrillo hired me as an assistant professor in periodontics and worked in collaboration with my department chair, Dr. John Hatton, to promote me to section head of periodontics and chair of the Department of Applied Dental Medicine. Dr. Boyle instilled in me the confidence and belief that I have the skill set to become a dental dean. Since we first met, Dr. Alphonso Trottman (faculty member) had the premonition that one day I would be a dental dean, and he provided encouragement over the years.

Is there anything you’d like to share with our readers about yourself or your personal life?

I am committed to advocating and creating access to oral health care for disadvantaged and underserved populations, whether here in the U.S. or abroad. I founded the Jamaica Dental Mission in 2000, which has provided volunteer dental services to almost 20,000 underserved children and adults in one urban and two rural communities in Jamaica for 20 years. I am married with four children.

Tell us where you went to high school and college.

I graduated from Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and I obtained my BA from Saint Leo College (now Saint Leo University) in St. Leo, Florida. I earned my doctor of dental surgery degree from Howard University College of Dentistry, a general practice residency certificate from the Washington VA Medical Center in Washington, D.C., and a certificate and master of science degree from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry.

Dwight E. McLeod, DDS, MS

2022 Excellence in Health Care Awardee Marilyn Peaston

Peaston feels ‘listening to patients’ has been a key to getting them the proper services

What is your current health care position(s)? What are your responsibilities in this position?

Although I am retired now, I worked as a case manager for the Health Resource Center (HRC), which is a free clinic, for 18 Years. My responsibilities were performed jointly with the social service students known as WHISTLE consisted of the following: Addressing the social services needs of patients such as referrals to organizations for food, clothing, and rent/mortgage assistance. Basically, I attempted to resolve any issues they might have which deterred them from following through on the treatment plan their doctor prescribe.

I contacted all the specialty clinic patients (SLU site, diabetes, nurse practitioner clinic, dermatology, physical therapy, physician assistant clinic, and asthma/allergy) to ensure that they remember their appointment and to resolve issues that might stop them from making appointments.

I read the follow up patient visit from TB shots given to them during their clinic visit and made referrals to our clinic partner IHN (Integrated Health Network) to secure health insurance for patients without this entity. I also identified/ strengthened clinic collaborations with area community-based organizations which further provided resources for patients.

How do you feel you are able to make a difference in this position?

I feel I made a difference because I was successful in resolving many conflicts with patients with displaced issues to effectively communicate their conditions to doctors and nurses. I managed to assist patients in developing transportation plans to get to their scheduled appointments. I actively listened to patients which most times was key to getting services for them and their families

Why did you decide to get into the health care field?

I decided to get into the health care field because I wanted to address the growing health disparities in the community. Originally, I was a part of the community organization BREM which hosted the clinic in the community and when the chance became available for me to join the clinic, I jumped at the opportunity.

Are there any mentors that helped you

of the St. Louis County Health Department.

along the way? Please name them and explain how they helped you.

Yes, I surely had mentors – Dr. Michael Railey who worked tirelessly with students from St. Louis University as a professor and was the founder of the diabetes clinic at HRC. Although he several responsibilities at St. Louis University, he volunteered frequently at many local community health fairs and sought to provide services for patients to manage their health conditions. This man gave me energy to work effectively with difficult patients. He always demonstrated a compassion for patients and infused this behavior in me whenever I encountered an interesting situation.

The other mentor was Dr. John Morley who was one of the founders of HRC as well as a professor at St. Louis University. He remained with the clinic after it was created to ensure that the

students addressed the health issues presented during their visits. I witnessed his sincerity and determination and this behavior was bestowed in all the students at HRC. He encouraged me to assist in creation this behavior in the students.

COVID-19 has affected health care workers perhaps more than any other occupation. How has it disrupted your work and how have you adjusted?

The COVID 19 pandemic was a major disruption in continuing the health services to the community. To address this situation, HRC closed for approximately six months, which allowed the staff to install plastic shields at the front desk, remove seats in the waiting room to allow social distancing of 6ft, and build a greater supply of masks, gloves, while also giving mask to patients through the Urban League.

Is there anything you’d like to share with our readers about yourself or your personal life?

I am the proud wife of the late recording artist David Peaston. My son is Daniel Peaston who resides in Florida and I have a granddaughter, Dalayna.

Tell us where you went to high school and college.

I attended Charles Sumner High School and graduated as a member of the National Honor Society, a very proud member of the Sumner Acapella Choir, and an alumni member of the Legend Singers under the late great Dr. Kenneth Brown Billups. I graduated from St. Louis University with a B.A. degree in urban studies and a master’s degree in public policy.

Nebu Jolenchery, Director of Communicable Diseases Response with the St. Louis County Health Department, and case worker Marilyn Peaston (right) in the foyer

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

2022 Excellence in Health Care Awardee Wilma Saunders Schmitz

Schmitz credits long list of mentors for her success, longevity in health care

What is your current health care position(s)? What are your responsibilities in this position?

I’m the regional liaison and trainer for Missouri’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program, known as Missouri CLAIM. Missouri CLAIM is funded through federal and state to provide unbiased Medicare information. In addition, I work with community volunteer counselors and partners to assist people with Medicare to understand their health insurance options. The St. Louis Region has a large population of people with Medicare and some with Medicaid. Medicare can be very confusing, and our certified counselor educates people and their families on their Medicare options.

I am also the president of Family Care Health Centers’ board of directors. Family Care Health Centers is a Federally Qualified Health Center in South St. Louis. I have been on the board for 20 years. Family Care Health Centers has two locations providing comprehensive health care for the underinsured and underserved. The board of directors provides governance regarding policies and operations of the health center. During my tenure with Family Care, we have started a Family Practice Residency with St. Louis University School of Medicine, started a pharmacy for our patients, behavioral medicine practice, and recently began offering chiropractic and acupuncture services as an alternative to pain medication.

I am also involved in the Missouri Primary Care Association, representing the Community Health Centers governance. I serve on several national committees with the National Association of Community Health Centers, including By-Laws, Healthy Aging, Nominations, and Innovation Advisory Council. I was a member of the Missouri Foundation for Health’s Community Advisory Council 2016-2021.

How do you feel you are able to make a difference in this position?

Missouri CLAIM-Medicare is complex and can be costly if a person isn’t aware of their options. I have an opportunity to work with the CLAIM counselors to assist the person or their family with empathy to answer questions and provide unbiased guidance.

I learned about Family Care Health Centers when my sister lost her health insurance when she had a brain tumor removed and had a stroke. She received quality primary care and could afford

discounted medications through Family Care’s Pharmacy. One medication was over $300 per month.

How long have you been in the health care field?

I have worked in the social services field, specializing in working with older adults and their families for 42 years. In addition, I owned a geriatric care management business, Aging Concerns, for 20 years.

Are there any mentors that helped you along the way? Please name them and explain how they helped you. I am blessed to have a village of elders, family, and friends.

My father, William (Bill) Saunders (deceased), and mother Margaret Saunders were my first mentors that taught me we are to serve others. My dad volunteered with Annie Malone for 30 plus years. My mother served as a community volunteer and girl scout leader. My sisters Janet Cunningham (deceased), and Karen Saunders (deceased) encouraged me to be an advocate. My sister Marion Stevens (deceased) was my best

friend and coach. Dr. Robert Massie, developing strategies to provide best practices when leading a board of directors. Annette House is my “Jimmy the Cricket”; she keeps me focused. Delta Sigma Theata, Inc. sorors taught me Grace. My church family. I was taught how to conduct meetings and governance practices by the members of Second Presbyterian and Presbyter of GiddingsLovejoy and Synod of Mid-America. My college advisor, Frank Siano (deceased), taught me to network. Dr. Arlene Taich was my advisor at Lindenwood College. She allowed me to be the first non-traditional student in Lindenwood’s history to deliver the student commencement address. Carol Beahan enlisted me to help with the first flu shot campaign. Zella Harrington taught me how to smile and work through tough times. Joe Pierle taught me how to enact with public officials and advocate for health care. My husband, Steve Schmitz, and children Christopher and Nikole provided support when I would be asked to serve on a board of directors. Art Holliday and Jennifer Blome gave me a chance to provide information for older adults and their

families on the KSDK morning news show for eight years.

COVID-19 has affected health care workers perhaps more than any other occupation. How has it disrupted your work, and how have you adjusted?

CLAIM’s community volunteers had to adapt to working with people with Medicare by counseling by phone.

CLAIM’s training team switched from in-person training to using virtual platforms.

Is there anything you’d like to share with our readers about yourself or your personal life?

I have been married to Stephen Schmitz for 43 years; we have two children, Christopher (his Ruth) and Nikole (her fianceTony), and four grandchildren. I enjoy gardening and model railroading.

Tell us where you went to high school and college.

Normandy High School. SIU Edwardsville BS in education; Lindenwood University, MA gerontology.

WIlma Saunders Schmitz

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

2022 Excellence in Health Care Awardee Ursula Wright

Wright uses data, science, technology to better serve her patients, clinicians

What is your current health care position(s)?

I serve as vice president of CaRedesign and Optimization in Mercy’s Office of Clinical Excellence. I also serve as a nurse practitioner at Mercy Go Health Urgent Care.

What are your responsibilities in this position?

My responsibilities include ensuring that we provide the highest quality of care and exceptional patient experience to all that we serve while maintaining joy of practice for clinicians. This includes designing, implementing, and maintaining evidence-based, and data driven clinical standards that include efficient processes, tools within Mercy’s electronic health record and automated workflows to benefit both patients and caregivers. In my role as a nurse practitioner, I assess, diagnose, and treat patients in an urgent care setting, both of which bring me tremendous joy.

How do you feel you are able to make a difference in this position?

I come to work each day driven by the opportunity to develop tools and processes that make it easier for clinicians to provide the best possible care to the patients we serve. I am confident that when we leverage scientific evidence, data, technology platforms and automation to help clinicians with the complexity of health care delivery, we touch many lives.

How long have you been in the health care field?

More than 20 years.

Why did you decide to get into the health care field?

I decided to become a nurse because I spent my childhood watching and listening to my mother, my first and enduring mentor, tell her stories of how she was able to assist people at their most vulnerable moments, as a nurse. I knew that I wanted to be just like her and do the same.

Are there any mentors that helped you along the way? Please name them and explain how they helped you.

Katie Mueller helped me to see that I could provide value beyond direct patient care and guided me to becoming an early clinical informaticist with appreciation for how information and technology can enhance patient care .

Donna Frazier demonstrated what it

Ursula Wright, FNP

meant to be a true servant nurse leader and cultivated my deep appreciation for clinical process improvement, Lean and Six Sigma.

Dr. Seth Barbanell and Vance Moore provided sponsorship, guidance, and advocacy that allowed me to develop and apply leadership skills to innovate and transform processes.

COVID-19 has affected health care workers perhaps more than any other occupation. How has it disrupted your work and how have you adjusted?

COVID-19 has been most disruptive to the focus, pace, and emotional impact of my work more so than the actual work that I do. Clinical process design and

improvement have been in high demand as we faced new challenges with COVID19, so our team has been applying our expertise to processes focused on the care of patients with COVID-19. We have completed design and implementation at record speeds in collaboration with clinical experts and technology teams to respond to the needs of Mercy patients, care teams and the communities we serve.

COVID-19 has also provided opportunities for me to assist in other areas of passion including health equity with a focus on irradicating health disparities and dedicate more time to working alongside clinical teams in direct patient care.

Is there anything you’d like to share

with our readers about yourself or your personal life?

I am an avid Bible reader. My most treasured possession in life is my personal relationship with God and all that I able to accomplish is to his credit.

I am blessed with a loving husband who provides unwavering support and a son who has chosen to pursue a career in health care to help others.

Tell us where you went to high school and college.

Webster Groves High School. St. Louis Community College, Webster University, Lindenwood University, Maryville University.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

We believe quality healthcare should be both local and personal —because every community, and every individual, is unique. To fulfill our purpose of transforming the health of our communities, one person at a time, we rely on a dedicated team of employees whose diverse perspectives and experiences mirror those of the members we serve.

T TIFANI S ANFORD, MD

peoplesfamilystl.org

Health Advocacy Award

PrepareSTL is Health Advocacy Organization of the Year

By JoAnn Weaver

For The St. Louis American

Health is the number one priority for PrepareSTL.

For its quality work and community health campaigns, PrepareSTL will be honored as the Health Advocacy Organization of the Year during the 22nd Salute to Excellence in Health Care on April 14 at the Frontenac Hilton.

Rebeccah Bennett, PrepareSTL managing director, responded to COVID-19’s impact on the African American community by creating opportunities for people of color in St. Louis to recover and heal.

“They got together for the purpose of helping African Americans and foreign-born people of color in these times of COVID to be able to survive and be able to move through the negative impacts that a public health crisis can bring,” Bennett said in a virtual interview.

PrepareSTL hosted its Living Well Summit in July and reflected on the arduous health path the region had traveled since the pandemic began.

“We are out here today, just so we can enjoy having survived the last 17 months,” Bennett said in a video displayed on the PrepareSTL website.

“Black folks don’t need a reason to celebrate and neither does any other group of people, so we are out here as a part of our Living Well Summit just so we can enjoy.”

In 2020, the St. Louis Regional Health Commission (RHC) was awarded a $1 million grant from Missouri Foundation for Health for the second phase of the PrepareSTL campaign.

In its first phase, Prepare STL provided information and resources to people disproportionately impacted by COVID19. This included low-to-moderate income African Americans and people of color living in St. Louis city and county. Its goal was to slow the spread of the new coronavirus and address its adverse social and economic impacts.

RHC works in partnership with the City of St. Louis Department of Health, the St. Louis County Department of Public Health, St. Louis Integrated Health Network, Alive and Well Communities, St. Louis Mental Health Board (MHB),

Helping community battle COVID

Under the guidance of Managing Director Rebeccah Bennett, the PrepareSTL team has not wavered in helping keep underserved communities safe from COVID-19 and is adding 300 staff members for its Community Health Champion (CHC) Peer-to-Peer Outreach Program.

Vector Communications and Emerging Wisdom.

“Black women have played a major role in developing and implementing this campaign, and we will continue to cultivate and celebrate the leadership of Black women and all community leaders involved with the campaign,” said Angela Fleming Brown, Regional Health Commission (RHC) CEO.

PrepareSTL partnered with “The T,” a community trauma center founded by surgeon and community activist Dr. LJ Punch, to assemble and distribute more than 50,000 personal protective equipment (PPE) kits.

PrepareSTL organized nearly 200 volunteers to distribute the kits and information in more than 1,000 places across the city and county. The effort focused on Black neighborhoods, immigrant communities and senior populations.

“PrepareSTL has created an incredible infrastructure for communications, com-

munity outreach, and economic development, which have all been rooted in racial and health equity,” said Courtney Stewart, vice president of Strategic Communications at Missouri Foundation for Health.

PrepareSTL holds an abundance of programs and events annually to inform the community on how to monitor and sustain their health. The COVID-19 pandemic challenged this function, tasking the organization with how to effectively combat rising case numbers and COVID19 related death rates.

As the pandemic progressed, the St. Louis region recently experienced a drastic decrease in COVID-19 numbers, according to the St. Louis Pandemic Task Force. However, this organization is doing its part to ensure Black residents are safe and remain vigilant in the fight against the threat.

PrepareSTL and the COVID19 Regional Response Team plant

to hire 300 people to engage Black residents and other communities of color about COVID-19 vaccines so they can make an informed choice.

The hirings are part of the Community Health Champion (CHC) Peer-to-Peer Outreach Program, and it is based on the premise that one of the most effective forms of communication is word-ofmouth. Especially when it’s peer-to-peer and involves people who are trusted.

The program’s goal is to conduct 600 community conversations with 6,000 people in St. Louis, St. Louis County, and East St. Louis, Illinois.

Tickets for the 22nd Annual Salute to Excellence in Healthcare Awards Luncheon on Thursday, April 14 at the Frontenac Hilton are $800 per table of 8 for VIP/Corporate seating or $100 each, and $75 each or $600 per table of 8 for general seating. To order tickets, call 314-533-8000 or visit www.stlamerican. com

Photo courtesy of PrepareSTL

Congratulations YOLANDA RODGERS-GARVIN

Students-In-Transition & Foster Care Coordinator

For Receiving the

St. Louis County

Children's Service Fund

Dr. John M. Anderson

Excellence in Mental Health Award

Thank you for your continued commitment to students and our school community.

Excellence in Mental Health

Yolanda Rodgers-Garvin Mental Health Care awardee

Has passion for helping others

By Alvin A. Reid

The

St. Louis American

Yolanda Rodgers-Garvin has more than 25 years of experience serving children and families in the St. Louis area, and she instills a thought in the minds of students and parents.

“Where you are today does not determine your tomorrow,” she said.

Rodgers-Garvin, who holds a master’s degree in social work from St. Louis University, and a master’s degree in media communications from Webster University, has been the Homeless and Foster Care Coordinator for the Ferguson-Florissant School District since 2014.

She will be honored as the St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund Dr. John Anderson Excellence in Mental Health Care Award recipient during the 22nd Annual Salute to Excellence in Healthcare on April 14 at the Frontenac Hilton.

“I’m really overwhelmed and really flattered,” Rodgers-Garvin said of the recognition.

“I looked up the past recipients and said ‘wow.’ It really is a true honor.”

Emily Koenig, St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund executive director, said Rodgers-Garvin shares unmatched energy and enthusiasm with students and staff.

“You can see the brightness, the light she brings. You can see how much she cares,” Koening said.

“She is so deserving of this award for her longtime commitment to serving students and families. Her work is indicative of the passion and commitment our schools have shown throughout the pandemic.”

Before moving to her role with Ferguson-Florissant, she worked at Lutheran Family and Children’s Services of Missouri as a social worker, where she provided client-center services, and then as a public relations marketing coordinator at the Lutheran Family and Children Services of Missouri Foundation.

Rodgers-Garvin said her passion for helping others, especially children, began when her brother passed away from encephalitis when she was 16 years old. From that experience, “I realized the

importance of nurturing the social-emotional aspects of mental health in youth.”

In her current position, she supports students displaced from permanent housing and students in foster care whose placements have been disrupted. She focuses on providing services that mitigate the impact of trauma, grief, loss, and inequity stemming from the consequences of instability.

Through her effort, the FergusonFlorissant district became the first in Missouri to launch a relationship with Purposity, a national not-for-profit organization that provides an app to help people and organizations address the unmet needs of children.

“It connects with the school district and helps us serve students,” Rodgers-

Garvin said.

The district can post its needs for students and families, and community members or organizations can supply them, she said.

“They can have them shipped through Amazon directly to the district,” she said.

Students have been provided with items ranging from clothing and shoes to air mattresses and child car seats.

Rodgers-Garvin also recently created and heads the McKinney-Vento Summer Enrichment program to prevent summer learning loss, provide case management services that include addressing mental health needs, and provide referrals “to close the gap for students who would not receive support during the summer.”

She has also been a presenter at the

Yolanda RodgersGarvin has been the Homeless and Foster Care Coordinator for the FergusonFlorissant School District since 2014.

National Association of the Education of Homeless Children and Youth and collaborates with colleges to create personalized tours for homeless youth who may otherwise not be able to access career and college readiness services.

“I’ve always considered myself more of a ‘worker bee’ person. That’s why I am so thrilled with this honor,” she said.

Stellar Performer in Health Care

‘The community motivates me to serve them’

Dr. Tifani Sanford managed COVID-19 response team through the pandmedic

By JoAnn Weaver

The St. Louis American

Dr. Tifani I. Sanford graduated from the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. She completed a family medicine residency at SIU School of Medicine and its affiliated hospitals in Springfield.

Sanford is the daughter of Mark Sanford and Kathleen Foster, both of St. Louis. She is a graduate of Metro High School and Xavier University.

“I chose to work in health care, along with others, to make a difference, especially in my community,” Sanford said. “There weren’t many Black doctors around in the community that I saw and the ones that I did see you know I was inspired by them.”

Sanford talked about how influential Black physicians were in her upbringing.

“I looked up to them and I wanted to be them, and I wanted to make the difference they made,” Sanford said. “I wanted to always help and give back to my own community in a way that would benefit them.”

Sanford started working for Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers in 2015 as a clinical projects manager. She has worked for the federally qualified health center off and on since she was 14.

“This was really a time that allowed me to grow because it was a career path job opportunity that let me learn a lot in different areas of health care that are not taught in medical school,” she said. “I learned about the different types of health insurance, different health insurance policy measures, how they look at the health center and what they look for their patients to receive.”

The wide-ranging duties in this role included supervising the following departments in the health center: community health workers, quality improvement/clinical measures team, community engagement, outreach team, The Right Time Contraceptive Grant, Breast Health Grant Departments, Hypertension Clinic, and the COVID-19 Testing and Vaccine Clinic.

“From the outreach point, I learned a lot about what the community needs and [could] see the different resources that

Photo by Wiley Price

Dr. Tifani Sanford started working for Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers in 2015 as a clinical projects manager. In June of 2020, Sanford was assigned to manage the COVID-19 Response Team. She manages testing accommodations, vaccine distribution, and getting patients their results promptly.

were needed and how we could provide them,” she said. “And then I was over grant positions where I was over budgets and learned how to forecast what was needed to complete a project and maintain a budget.”

In June of 2020, Sanford was assigned

to manage the COVID-19 Response Team. She manages testing accommodations, vaccine distribution, and getting patients their results promptly.

“At that time, it had been the biggest project I was ever assigned to work and what was interesting about it was that I

had to hire my workers,” she said. “I was excited to take it because it was something new and something I knew I could do.”

Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers created a drive-through, COVID19 testing site at its north county location.

“We were out there and were doing good work and more importantly the community thought we were doing good work,” she said. “Not only were we testing at the North County site, but you could call us, and we would come to you because we were mobile.”

When it comes to her success, Sanford credits her team for their hard work in addition to how the community motivates her to make a difference.

“I was very impressed with them because they got out there and really served the community. You can only be as good as your team will support and the community motivates me to serve them,” she said.

The people who work around Sanford have expressed how she genuinely cares for each patient she and her team touch.

“She goes the extra mile of even spending weekends to notify patients of their COVID-19 status. Dr. Tifani Sanford has enthusiastically served the community and continues to this day without fear or reservation. This information does not capture the day-to-day contributions she brings to the table,” Carl Green, Director of Marketing and Communications of the Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers, said.

To date, Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers has vaccinated thousands of St. Louis Metropolitan residents with at least one dose, according to a statement.

Testing is available at the North County site on Mondays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Wednesday from 9 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Tickets for the 22nd Annual Salute to Excellence in Health Care Awards Luncheon on Thursday, April 14 at the Frontenac Hilton are $800 per table of 8 for VIP/Corporate seating or $100 each, and $75 each or $600 per table of 8 for general seating. To order tickets, call (314) 533-8000 or visit www.stlamerican.com.

Vetta L. Sanders Thompson is 2022 Lifetime Achiever in Healthcare

Lifetime Achiever in Health Care

By Sylvester Brown, Jr.

When asked about the news that she’d been selected to receive The St. Louis American’s 2022 Lifetime Achiever in Healthcare award, Vetta L. Sanders Thompson said she was “definitely honored but overwhelmed.”

“I thought they could have picked someone more deserving,” Sanders Thompson explained, adding, “Hopefully, before I’m done, I’ll feel like I actually earned it.”

Sanders Thompson’s resume does indeed underscore a lifetime of stellar achievement. Recently, she was re-elected to the board of the Missouri Foundation for Health and was also named vice chairperson. Sanders Thompson is the E. Desmond Lee Professor and Associate Dean of Racial and Ethnic Studies at the Brown School at Washington University.

She is a licensed clinical psychologist and noted researcher in the areas of racial identity, experiences of discrimination and is an associate member of the Siteman Cancer Center where she is working to eliminate cancer disparities.

Sanders Thompson’s research focuses on the health and well-being of diverse communities, particularly the local African American population. Her stated personal goal is to “empower members of the community to improve their health and well-being through education and opportunities for action.”

The coronavirus pandemic has given Sanders Thompson the opportunities to use her skills, passions, and abilities to engage with and inspire those in her profession as well as address racial inequities and health disparities.

“COVID has magnified the issues I’ve been talking about for a very long time,” Sanders Thompson said. “It exposed the inequities in every aspect of our lives that are important to our well-being and ability to live a good life and enjoy our families.”

Some of those inequities are related to poverty and wealth, she said.

“Let’s start with who was able to stay

home and who had to go to the workplace and be potentially exposed to the virus,” she added. “The wealthiest were able to work from home, to be socially distant in a comfortable way. Whereas people who work hourly and were paid some of the lowest wages had to come in and were exposed over and over again. Then they had to go back home to their families where they might not be able to be socially distant and protect themselves from the virus. So, you’re talking about people from the most vulnerable areas of our communities. It’s the workers and their families.”

The pandemic also exposed the lack of infrastructure in the medical system, Sanders Thompson stressed. “It took a while to develop the communication strategies to help people understand the virus, its emergence and how to protect themselves and their families. And then it took a while to get the resources into the communities.”

All in all, though, Sanders Thompson, a Birmingham Alabama native, said the health professionals in St. Louis laudably rose to the challenge of serving marginalized communities, be it the African American or immigrant communities in

the region. She also serves as the co-director of the Institute for Public Health Center for Community Health, Partnership and Research which provides information and resources to health care providers, elected officials, and the public in general.

“I was fortunate enough to work with an institution that worked with governments to help them better understand the infection and positivity rates and to understand the social factors that influ-

See THOMPSON, page 25

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Vetta Sanders Thompson is the E. Desmond Lee Professor and Associate Dean of Racial and Ethnic Studies at the Brown School at Washington University.

Salute to Excellence In Health Care

Thompson

Continued from page 21

enced those statistics. I have to say that they [public health officials] did a good job getting resources, testing sites and vaccination campaigns into the community which included North County. It was slow but, as we all know, when you’re doing everything from scratch, it’s going to be slow.”

As someone who’s dedicated to empowering people so they can address and improve their own health and well-being, combatting COVID misinformation proved challenging for Sanders Thompson. She took a deep breath before broaching the topic.

“It’s complicated and it angers me but that’s only going to take you so far,” she said. “I understand how misinformation is easily transmitted. I understand how members of the community can be easily swayed by it…it fits narratives that are out there anyway. The challenge is countering those narratives.

“Fortunately, I work with a lot of different people, and we used outlets where people have a voice and can be heard. We hosted Zoom meetings and webinars and had researchers explain the virus, masking, social distancing and worked with people to help them understand what they can do to protect their physical and men-

tal health. We rewrote complex material that was online and put it in more plain language and shared all that with churches and social and community organizations that people trust.”

Sanders Thompson believes the pandemic has opened the eyes of people in the medical profession regarding

long-held biases and racial inequities. Lately, she said, she and her colleagues are receiving numerous requests to share their knowledge and expertise with medical school students.

“I’ve had more requests than ever to do training for medical students, residents, and fellows in this area,” she

said. “They’re starting to build this into the curriculum, but it takes time to get enough people trained and out there to make a difference so I’m hoping to sustain that.”

She warns that doctors shouldn’t be singled out for enhanced diversity or sensitivity training. Everyone, including nurses, EMT and emergency room workers and hospital administrators needs to rethink America’s “health structure,” she said.

The health care system is “incentivized by high incomes, high levels of insurance…that’s where you pull in patients who have the money that allows them to operate and engage the types of clinical services and research that people need. We do not incentivize care and services to the poor and underserved. At some point, we must think about changing the structure of what we incentivize.”

Sanders Thompson didn’t speak of her accomplishments in singular vernacular. She constantly used words like “we” or “us,” to emphasize that her achievements are the results of others in her field. The 2022 Lifetime Achiever stressed that she shares her award with colleagues who, like her, work tirelessly to address the needs of the underserved.

“I don’t want to take credit for anything because it’s definitely been a group effort.”

Sylvester Brown Jr. is The St. Louis American’s inaugural Deaconess Fellow.

Vetta Sanders-Thompson, (rear, center) with her parents (front, left) and her four sisters.

Photo courtesy of Vetta Sanders-Thompson