April 6th, 2023 edition

LouiS AmericAn

Playing ‘The Race Card’

Journalist Michele Norris speaks at SLU

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

The St. Louis American

St. Louis University welcomed journalist Michele Norris to its campus Tuesday night. Norris, shared thoughts on her “Race Card Project.”

A contributing columnist and consultant at the Washington Post, Norris is founder of “The Race Card Project,” which has collected post card narratives, from all 50 states and 96 countries.

As the discussion began, Norris asked the audience to provide their definition of the word, “race card.” After noting the negative connotations, she added her own interpretation.

See NORRIS, A6

Journalist Michele Norris gives a lecture on “The Race Card Project: Eavesdropping on America’s Conversation on Race” on April 4, 2023.

Dr. Banton honored as heroic health pioneer

By Alvin A. Reid

The St. Louis American

Alisha Sonnier, alderwoman-elect of St. Louis’ 7th Ward, receives a victory hug from her 19-year-old brother Izaya Alexander after the race was called in her favor during an Election Night watch party at Meyers Okohson Political Consulting.

In the annals of St. Louis African American history, the name Dr. William C. Banton is often overlooked.

The late Dr. Banton, the first director of the St. Louis County Department of Public Health who is credited with “modernizing the office,” was honored Monday in celebration of National Public Health Week with members of his family in attendance

“We wanted to take this time to honor and remember our first Black director of the Department of Public Health, Dr. Banton,” said Dr. Kanika Cunningham, director of the St. Louis County Department of Public Health.

See BANTON, A6

Manhattan DA in international spotlight

Progressives win big

comprise the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, and other elected officials at a pivotal time in St. Louis history. Megan Green ran unopposed and will now begin her first full term after winning the November race to fill the term of former BOA President Lewis Reed, who resigned before pleading guilty to corruption charges. Voter turnout was 18.05%, and most of the evening’s aldermanic

races had clear victors. However, there were a few close contests. SLPS School Board member Alisha Sonnier will be changing her role as an elected official. Sonnier won the 7th Ward contest over J.P. Mitchom with 1,465 votes (60.6%). Mitchom was far behind with 930 votes (38.4%).

“The 7th ward has chosen a new era of leadership,” said the newly elected alder-

A7

Photo by Ashley Winters / St. Louis American

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Alvin Bragg

Offset publicly outs his former label QC

Offset is unhappy with his former label Quality Control and he’s letting everyone on Twitter know. In a series of deleted tweets he accused QC of blocking him from dropping solo music.

“Never thought life be this [expletive] up,” he wrote while honoring Takeoff with the hashtag #LLTake. “I can’t drop music also.”

He didn’t mention the label by name, but he did state that Black people were holding him back, which could lead us to assume he’s referring to the Black-ownedand-operated Atlanta-based company.

ference with the upcoming release of Offset’s new music and continued instance of being credited as the owner of Offset’s new solo sound recordings is groundless and unjustified,” Offset’s lawyer said in a recent court filing.

Wayans family patriarch dies

Last August, Offset sued the label and alleged it ignored a deal that was negotiated in January 2021. Offset says he paid a generous amount for his solo artist rights, but QC didn’t acknowledge the deal and was attempting to declare ownership over his solo music catalog including his single “5431.”

“[Quality Control’s] wrongful inter-

feel

y’all lifting me already. If there’s

a heaven I know you sitting in VIP sippin’ the best wine jesus can make…”

Howell Wayans, the Wayans family’s patriarch, has died at age 86. His son Marlon Wayans shared the news on Saturday, April 1, 2023. “Legend,” Marlon wrote in an Instagram post. “Thank you Pop for being an example of a Man to all your boys. I pray all young black boys can grow up to be a Man like you. Baby boy loves you. And if ever I need you I know exactly where to find you… in my Bible that now sits by bed.” The cause of death wasn’t revealed.

Howell Wayans had 10 children with Elvira Alethia. Several are comedians including Marlon, Keenan Ivory, Damon, Shawn, and Kim Wayans.

In his tribute, Marlon also asked his father to kiss his late mother who died in July 2020.

“Rest well. Kiss Ma for me. Tell her her babies miss her. I got two angels. I

Mother of Flo Rida’s son seeks legal counsel after son’s fall from window

Flo Rida’s 6-year-old son is in intensive care after falling from a fifth-floor apartment window last month in New Jersey.

The incident happened on March 4 and his mother Alexis Adams has filed a civil lawsuit against the building’s owners and management.

Flor Rida’s son, Zohar Dillard is hospitalized with multiple pelvic fractures, left metatar sal fractures, internal bleed ing, collapsed lungs and a grade-three liver laceration.

Dillard has hydrocephalus, a rare neurological disor der that previously sent him to undergo brain surgery.

Adams claims in the lawsuit that the windows “posed a hazardous condition” and were installed using “incorrect sized guards,” causing

her son to fall “to the concrete pavement below.” She also alleges she contacted the landlord several times asking for window guards to be installed, but never received a response.

“As a single mom to a special-needs child, this feels like a nightmare. My heart is broken into a million pieces,” Adams said in a statement to News12 New Jersey. “I am devastated, angry and struggling to come to terms with the fact that my only child has suffered severe injuries due to willful negligence of our landlord and others involved in failing to take necessary safety measures.”

Flo Rida, born Tramar Lacel Dillard, spoke on the situation on social media, “Great day, thank you to everyone who reached out with their concerns and prayers for my son,” according to TMZ. “He is getting the best medical care and miraculously survived a tragic fall. I ask for your continued prayers as he undergoes rehabilitation but I would appreciate that this remains a private matter.”

Adams is seeking “damages, together with interest, attorney’s fees, costs of suit, payment of all medical bills, and any other relief the court deems just,” per NJ.com.

Sources: Page Six,

Rap-Up, Huffington Post

Flo Rida

Howell Wayans

Offset

A Brand name

New nonprofit connects people with needed services

Sylvester Brown Jr.

The St. Louis American

What makes people do what they do? Why do

serve others, start new ventures or create nonprofits in a region filled with nonprofits?

For Nikki Greene the answer is simple: “Love.”

Her remedy is “Love is the Brand,” a nonprofit she incorporated last year to offer “wraparound” referral services and emergency funding for individuals caught in the hopeless spiral involved with getting immediate help for a variety of maladies and conditions.

For the past 10 years, Greene worked in the nonprofit arena with agencies including Doorways (a residential assistance program with a focus on HIV positive individuals) and Peter & Paul Community Services (an ecumenical agency that provides housing and supportive services primarily for the homeless).

ness.” Greene said.

“There were life skills issues, mental health and substance abuse issues that piled up on each other. It wasn’t easy getting them quick and direct assistance.”

Homelessness is an ongoing problem in the region. A “pointin-time” study conducted in 2018 by the St. Louis County & City Continuums of Care found that on a single night, 1,050 county and city residents experienced some level of homelessness, including 172 families with children.

Greene said she always finds herself “passing the buck,” sending people places with the hope that they’d get the services they needed without really knowing if she was successful.

n “I want to help people pull themselves out of that low selfesteem and lack of information trap that holds many of them back.”

- Nikki Greene

Serving as a caseworker, Greene’ helped put individuals in contact with various agencies to address their needs. The complexities, barriers, and dead ends involved with her work proved frustrating, especially during the pandemic.

“I work with homeless individuals who had all sorts of issues that led to their homeless-

“For example,” Greene explained, “I may have found funding for mental health issues, but there are many homeless people who don’t have a mental health diagnosis. So, I found myself sending clients to multiple organizations but oftentimes they got lost in the shuffle.”

Greene, a single mother, said Love is the Brand is based on her real-life experiences.

“I’ve been there. I’ve been in situations where people will tell you what to do but don’t tell you how to do it. Then they make you feel bad or stupid for what

To start fund-raising for Love is the Brand, Nikki Greene kicked off a “Karaoke FunRaiser” where locals compete throughout March and April. Funds raised from the contests will go toward her first “Community Love Block Party” on May 27.

you didn’t know,” she explained.

“I want to help people pull themselves out of that low self-esteem and lack of information trap that holds many of them back.”

As a caseworker, Greene noted how relatively small things could upend people’s lives.

“I’ve seen people whose lives have been ruined over small things. They may need a couple hundred bucks to pay a utility bill; they may need to buy a new tire to get to a job interview or buy some groceries until payday,” Greene said, adding: But because they don’t have mental health or HIV issues, they can’t get immediate assistance.”

Greene wants to include what she calls a “Flex-Funding Program” within her nonprofit.

“If you need to fix a flat tire, get bus fare to go back and

forth to work or have food in the house for your kids…I want to have an emergency fund for those specific needs,” Greene said. “You can be a struggling single woman or single dad…I want an organization that serves everyone.”

Greene is also a karaoke fanatic. She’s a mainstay at karaoke nights hosted by the Original Crusoe’s at 3152 Osceola Street.

“I love karaoke,” Greene confessed. “To me, it represents freedom and who you are. I especially love the diversity at Caruso’s. You can be older, younger, Black or white…it doesn’t matter. We’re free to be whoever we are. Through karaoke we share a sense of community.”

To start fund-raising for Love is the Brand, Greene kicked off a “Karaoke Fun-Raiser” where

locals compete throughout March and April. Funds raised from the contests will go toward her first “Community Love Block Party” on May 27. The block-long festival will feature live music, DJs, bands, the karaoke contest winners, games, silent auctions, raffles and a Bounce house, face-painting, and a magician for kids. Crusoe’s will provide the food and there will be vendors on hand to offering information on homelessness, housing, mental health services, HIV awareness and other vital educational, employment and health services.

To Learn more about “Love is the Brand” visit: https://www. loveisthebrand.org/ or contact Greene at 314-866-3227.

Photo Courtesy of Love is the Brand

Editorial/Commentary

Guest Editorial

Parents, teachers must rise up against assault rifles

By Janice Ellis

Parents and teachers Parents have the right to drop off or send their children to safe schools.

Teachers have the right to educate them in safe classrooms.

Their rights are just as important as the rights of gun owners, if not more so. So where is the outcry for the rights of parents and teachers?

Here we are dealing with the aftermath of another school shooting where children, unsuspecting teachers and other school personnel have been violently murdered or maimed by a military-style weapon.

How long will we remember those lost in the St. Louis school shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School, or the Nashville school shooting? Will it last only until another dramatic headline replaces it and captures our attention?

During the last five years, there have been 157 school shootings — including 51 last year. Sadly, there have been 13 already this year with 23 people killed or injured.

We hear the mixture of common refrains from legislators and citizens alike.

From one side we hear: Something must be done to pass legislation to ban assault military-style weapons. They have no place in the hands of civilians. Congress must do something.

We also hear a call for better regulations of gun sales, better background checks, monitoring and sharing of data when it comes to gun ownership.

vices, or refuse to regulate gun sales controls and monitoring to minimize access by the mentally ill or criminally inclined.

They also refused to pass any meaningful gun control measures.

For those who are suffering the most, who constantly remain in harm’s way, the solution is also in their hands.

The roles and responsibilities of parents and teachers are pivotal and indispensable when it comes to the quality of lives of children, the types of adults they become, what is passed down to future generations to advance the health and well-being of society.

Parents and teachers unite to get assault weapons banned. You have the numbers. You have the power.

What would members of Congress and state legislatures do if teachers decided to walk out of classrooms in mass until legislation is passed to stop the sale of assault weapon? Demand that buy-back programs be put in place to get these guns off the streets?

From the other side we hear: Banning assault weapons is an infringement on our 2nd Amendment rights. That military-style weapons are not the problem, but mental health issues are instead. Or criminals are the problem. Nothing can be done.

In the meantime, no meaningful solutions seem to be on the horizon.

When more and more children are dying from school shootings, how can we as a society find that acceptable? Since 1970, there have been over 1900 school shootings, with more than 600 deaths, 1800 injured, with the highest number of shootings occurring in 2018.

A majority of Americans support banning assault weapons.

From 1994 to 2004, when a ban on assault weapons was enforced, there were far fewer mass shootings. Since the ban expired, there has been a notable increase, with the greatest increase in recent years.

The data is clear.

There are many reasons that this is true. The proliferation of guns in the population is the major one. America has more guns circulating than there are people.

We tend to want to have our cake and eat it, too.

Legislators in Congress and across the states — while claiming that mass gun violence is a mental health issue or criminal issue — still refuse to provide sufficient mental health resources and ser-

What if demands that screening programs be put in place to minimize the sale of guns, of any kind, to people suffering from mentally illness or those with criminal backgrounds? That there be universal sharing of gun data across jurisdictions? Imagine the power if concerned parents joined teachers in putting pressure on state and Congressional legislators to get these measures passed. Concerned parents, along with Parent and Teachers Associations (PTAs) can bombard their legislators with letters, telephone calls and other means available to them to demand that something be done. Abating and stopping mass gun violence is a complicated issue. While there may not be a solution to get rid of all mass gun violence, it certainly can be significantly reduced.

The United States has more mass gun shootings in schools than all other industrialized nations in the world combined. What a tragedy. It is inexcusable.

If current elected officials do not have the will or courage to stop children and teachers from being sitting targets of a sane or deranged mass shooter, then it is time for parents and teachers to stand and take matters into their own hands.

Demand that your legislators pass and implements measures to address all the aspects of the mass gun violence epidemic in this country, or vote them out of office.

Parents and teachers must become prepared to mount a sustained effort until a change comes. The 2024 elections provide great opportunities. But you can start today.

Together, teachers and concerned parents have tremendous power.

It is past time to mobilize it.

Janice Ellis has lived and worked in Missouri for more than three decades, analyzing educational, political, social, and economic issues across race, ethnicity, age and socio-economic status

Where are we in this?

America is in a transition period. That is not debatable, but whether we’re experiencing the death throes of a worn out, depleted white hegemony masquerading as a faux democracy or the birth pangs of an emerging multicultural, multiethnic, pluralistic society struggling to be born is unclear. In fact, both things could be true at the same time; after all, the emergence of the butterfly requires the extinction of the caterpillar.

In the chaos of this moment, white Americans are quite naturally obsessing about what it all means to them; and we, Black people in America, are doing what we have been conditioned to do, we’re also obsessing about what it all means to white people.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, when I was a young political Padawan, political Jedi Masters would tell stories about another time, in order to teach important principles required for the road we were about to travel.

There was one question about an iconic St. Louis mayor, who was also an apex level politician (a requirement in those times), who would pose the question whenever he was asked to consider supporting a proposition or proposal. “Where am I in all of this?” This thought occurred to me when a young brother raised the question, “What does this current social and political chaos mean to us?”

legal status, which has real value to you and cannot be disputed. And who white MAGA America thinks is an American has nothing to do with your citizenship. But it does raise a question, if we’re not included in the definition of Americans, who then are we?

The 100 years’ war we fought against Jim Crow had nothing to do with becoming an American. It was the assertion of our rights as citizens per the Constitution. We have spent two centuries trying to persuade America to recognize Black people as authentically American. Like many abuse victims, we have contorted ourselves into unrecognizable shapes hoping to win the approval of an abuser. As long as we feel the need to be American, our humanity will always be captive to the most malevolent forces in society.

When I look at who’s included in the definition of American, I’ll admit to serious political reservations, not to mention a lot of moral trepidation about having to claim any kinship. There is however an identity that we have a claim to that does not require us to explain what MAGA America is, and what it is to us. Rather than aspiring to being American, we should claim our organic membership in a larger global community, the African Diaspora.

Columnist Mike Jones

What Black Americans share with white Americans is the awareness that we’ve never lived in a multi-ethnic America where white Americans were not the overwhelming majority. Our social identities and political strategies have been historically based upon being a 10-12% minority in a society with an 85% plus white majority. We, Black Americans in the United States, are having our social identity and the cultural context of what it means to be Black in America redefined because of these seismic demographic, cultural, political, and global economic changes of the last 50 years.

There are those among us who are always distressed about not being considered an American. We conflate being an American with citizenship, because in common parlance they’re used interchangeably. Malcolm X had some real insight for us on this issue. “Sitting at the table doesn’t make you a diner, unless you eat some of what’s on that plate. Being here in America doesn’t make you an American. Being born here in America doesn’t make you an American.”

Malcolm’s observation, while true, is no cause for alarm because it’s your citizenship that has the value. If you are Black (or anybody for that matter), born in the United States or to parents who are citizens of the United States, you are a United States citizen and are entitled to all the rights and privileges thereof. Your citizenship is not subject to debate, period full stop. Citizenship is a formal

It’s estimated that 12 million people were forcibly taken from the African continent, 10 million survived the Middle Passage and made it to the Americas, 400,000 to what would become the United States.

The 32 million people in America who identify as Black Americans, like most of the 450 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean, are all descendants of those 10 million that survived the Middle Passage. I would suggest that if we are to struggle with being fully integrated into a community, it should be with the descendants of the people our ancestors came over here with.

How you behave in the world is a function of who you understand yourself to be in the world. I believe this to be true for individuals and for a people. If we embrace the idea that we are the progeny of the African Diaspora then everything changes. We’d no longer be fixated on the acceptance of white America for validation.

America no longer being a white majority country creates no existential angst for us. Our looking for love in all the wrong places has robbed us of an understanding and appreciation for who we are and what we represent in the world that has nothing to do with white America. America may always be where we live, I don’t believe America will ever be our home.

There’s nothing you should ever need or want from MAGA America. Before we discuss our place in this radically different emerging America, I suggest we seriously consider discussing who we are and who we choose to be first.

By Ben Jealous

This week in 1968, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated leading a bold effort to teach America an urgent lesson: Racism is not just the boot on the neck of people of color, it is also the great wedge that divides Americans. And everyone who gets divided loses.

On Dec. 4, 1967, King announced a multiracial “Poor People’s Campaign” that would march on Washington, DC, that summer.

The idea gained traction as groups of poor Whites, Asian Americans, Latinos, and Indigenous People joined the campaign being organized by King and Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

In promoting it, King would decry the “idle industries of Appalachia” in the same breath as the “empty stomachs of Mississippi.” The reality, King made clear, is the economic value of poor Whites’ labor had been depressed since the days of slavery by the forced labor and continuing oppression of Black people. The divided get conquered.

was gunned down not long after as he ran for President on a similar platform. Even before King and Kennedy, Harry Moore and his wife were blown up in their home on Christmas 1951 by the Klan. The Florida NAACP leader was organizing the Progressive Voters League seeking to unite Floridians across racial lines and had just led an effort that registered 1 million new voters. Even Malcolm X was assassinated after he returned from Mecca and said unity across racial lines was possible.

Columnist Ben Jealous

Four months to the day after he announced his Poor People’s Campaign-55 years ago this week – King was assassinated on a balcony at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, where he had traveled to stand with striking sanitation workers fighting for decent working conditions.

King was murdered fighting to unite working people across racial lines.

He wasn’t alone. Robert F. Kennedy

Killing those who would unite us is an American tradition older than our nation itself. The first revolt by American colonists was in Gloucester, Virginia, more than 100 years before the Declaration of Independence. Indentured Europeans and enslaved Africans organized to rise up against cruel Virginia plantation owners. The organizers were hanged.

Two years to the day after King announced the Poor People’s Campaign, Black Panther Fred Hampton was leading a “Rainbow Coalition” of Blacks, Hispanics, Asian Americans, and poor Whites in Chicago when he was murdered -- premeditated and carried out with military precision-by local police.

As in 1968, it’s true today that there are almost twice as many Whites trapped in poverty as Blacks. The fact that the nation’s news media render the White poor invisible doesn’t change the facts Ben Jealous is executive director of the Sierra Club,

Guest Columnist Janice Ellis

Flahertys make a pitch for reading, literacy

On the eve of his 2023 pitching debut for the St. Louis Cardinals, Jack Flaherty and his mother, Eileen, visited the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis Herbert Hoover Club location at 2901 Grand to donate books in partnership with the EyeSeeMe Bookstore and share reading with club members.

Flaherty must read batters as he faces them on the mound, and it’s a skill he also utilized through books as a child. His favorites included the Magic Tree House series and sports books penned by columnist Mike Lupica.

“I’m fortunate that both my boys loved to read,” said Eileen Flaherty.

“Literacy is important for all ages. It can take you to different places, different worlds.

She also thanked EyeSeeMe for helping select the proper books for young club members.

“Their knowledge of what books kids are reading is so helpful. Cool stuff changes over time. They know what is happening. It’s really cool,” she said.

Flint Fowler, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis president said, “We appreciate the

gracious donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs. Club members always enjoy visits from Eileen and Jack.”

“We’re happy she has continued thinking of the Boys & Girls Clubs.”

EyeSeeMe is located at 6951 Olive in University City. Its owners, Pamela and Jeffrey Blair, say the bookstore was created to help bridge the cultural divide, so that African American children can benefit from exposure to literature that respectfully mirrors themselves, their culture, and their families.

EyeSeeMe also provides:

• Book Fairs - Research has shown that the number one predictor to academic success is related to the number of books in the home.

• African American Reading MentorsWhen children are presented with literature that looks like them and are read to and encouraged to read by people that look like them, they are significantly more likely to become excited about reading.

• Literacy and African History Presentations - EyeSeeMe assists with Teacher Professional Development and Parent Organizations on the importance of African American History and positive Black Images.

No matter what age, don’t be scammed

By E. Faye Williams

The one thing I will not accept or acknowledge is that age has rendered me incompetent.

I do admit that, like the other body parts among the aging, circumstances affecting individuals exist which affect their cognitive acuity. Now, unlike the thoughts of many, age has not rendered all elders mentally deficient. I consider any manifestation or act against my personhood that supports that thought as character assassination. The fact that elders are frequently targeted by unprincipled and unscrupulous scam artists is well known. Incalculable amounts of money and personal property are swindled from elders each year. Right-thinking individuals condemn these acts and wonder how people can live with themselves after such contemptible behavior. It should be emphasized that although acts against the elders are, seemingly, more well-publicized, young people fall victim to scam artists as well. I can only guess that fact is omitted because it flies in the face of the belief that the young, like Superman, possess invulnerability commensurate with their youth.

I was recently the target of a scam. I did not lose any money or property, but I was inconvenienced by having to adjust personal financial accounts and the loss of the time it took to resolve those issues. From the perspective of a non-professional, I want to remind my readers of the pitfalls of conducting personal/financial business in the ever-changing and wide-open digital environment.

Rather than begin my thoughts in the digital landscape, I want to address the mind — our own minds — their strengths and the hazards they open for us. Our greatest strength rests in attention to detail, emotional self-control, the acknowledgment that we live in an environment where scamming has become more of a norm, and, most importantly, the recognition that the scam can happen to us.

I have noticed an increasing number of tempting online offers (scams) that come from those presenting themselves as reputable businesses. These offers include logos and images we associate with legitimacy and present no immediate reason for caution.

For all electronic communication, I have learned to look first at the correspondence’s originating address. If the address suggests a source other than that which is represented, I immediately delete it. Moving further, except for fine detail, some images look so authentic that the casual observer can be, and is often, fooled.

Scammers cast wide nets. I cannot count the number of times I have been asked to reconcile accounts with banks or businesses I have no connection with. You might be asked to verify an existing account number. You may be encouraged to renew an “expired” subscription. Scammers depend upon extracting bits and pieces to help them complete a puzzle.

Key to scams is the emotional “hook.” Common to the “questionable” correspondence I have received are appeals to fear, greed, and the loss of opportunity. I am sure there are more “hooks,” but those stand out. The scammer relies on catching you off-guard and receiving an immediate emotional response.

Commonalities exist among humans. Many are delinquent with debts or other obligations and fearful of the consequence. Some cannot resist the idea of getting something for nothing. Others cannot pass up “a deal” that is available for only a short period of time — deals too good to miss. You can experience these “hooks” separately or in tandem, and their messages will be so general as to fool many.

Key to our emotional and financial security is the understanding that real privacy is a thing of the past — we must acknowledge potential vulnerability. The scammer relies on their target’s lack of awareness, overconfidence, and self-indulged arrogance to succeed. Be aware of schemes.

E. Faye Williams is Dick Gregory Society president and National Congress of Black Women president and CEO.

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty visited Herbert Hoover Boys and Girls Club with his mother, Eileen, on Friday March 31, 2023 to donate books and read stories with club members.

Photo by Mena Darre’ / BGCSTL

St. Louis American staff

E. Faye Williams

Banton

Continued from A1

“It has been 50 years since he designed and implemented a new, modern health department. He was a trailblazer who was known for his warm humor and his dedication to public health.”

Dr. Banton joined the County’s Health and Hospital Departments in 1973 and served until 1979.

According to his oral history published by Washington University, Banton was born in 1922 in Washington, D.C. He earned his medical degree from Howard University in 1946 and then interned

Norris

Continued from A1

“It means shut up. It’s an elegant way of saying ‘please stop talking. You’re making me uncomfortable.’ So, I use the term to stoke a conversation instead,” she said.

Norris explained how she took a negative and turned it into a vehicle that encourages people to think and talk about their legacies with race as the core, starter question. Even so, she added, the initial responses surprised her.

“Since I am a woman of color,” Norris said, “I thought most responses would come from people of color, but I was wrong.”

In the almost 13 years she’s been doing the project, Norris said that people who are members of the “majority culture” and people from “parts of the diaspora” have been part of the conversation.

This includes Muslims, Asian, Latinos, disabled and even individuals with red hair. They talk about the stereotypes and false expectations of them based on how they look, locations of their births and their differences from the majority culture. Before engaging the

at Homer G. Phillips Hospital. He completed his residency at the former Robert Koch Hospital in St. Louis County. He received a Master’s Degree in public health from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public health in 1970. He served in the U.S. Air Force in World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam War. In 1973 he was promoted to Brigadier General and was the first Black person to rise to that rank. He retired from the reserves in 1979.

Banton served as Health Commissioner for the City of St. Louis from 1970-1972 and successfully advocated for the creation of the Missouri Department of Health

audience with her project, Norris detailed how she started. It began after publishing her memoir, The Grace of Silence, where she wrote about her family’s complex racial legacy.

In Birmingham, Alabama, for example, she spoke of how her father kept secret how he was shot in the leg by white, Birmingham policemen for simply trying to exercise his right to vote.

“While the wound was superficial, the experience was not and the story remained submerged for decades,” Norris detailed.

“He didn’t even tell my mother. But my mother also had a secret. She never spoke about the years she worked as an itinerant Aunt Jemima, traveling to small towns conducting pancake mix demonstrations, dressed in a hoop skirt and apron with a bandanna on her head.”

She said her parents, who were postal workers, “kept those stories to themselves because they wanted their children to soar. They didn’t want to weigh down our pockets with tales of woe.”

Norris said that although her parents armed their children with “ambition instead of anxiety,” she came to realize that she was also shaped by the

while serving as president of the Missouri Public Health Association.

In 1985 and was appointed as a medical consultant to the agency.

Banton also taught on the faculties of both

“weight of their silence.”

Norris embraced her family’s complex legacies. But the revelations led her to consider another core question:

“How well do we really know the people who raised us?”

That internal inquiry led to powerful external action.

Norris detailed how she printed 200 postcards in 2010 then issued a call to action. She asked people to think about the word “race” and then distill their thoughts, memories, emotions, experiences and perspectives down to one sentence with six words.

Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis University School of Medicine.

In 1987 he was elected president of the St. Louis Metropolitan Medical Society, the first African

The Race Card Project possesses an archive of more than 500,000 personal narratives from people in all 50 states and more than 96 countries.

In a 2020 interview with one of her sponsors, Capital One, Norris described her intent.

n “It means shut up. It’s an elegant way of saying ‘please stop talking. You’re making me uncomfortable.”

– Michele Norris, founder of the Race Card Project on the typical meaning of the two words

Norris described how about 30% of those initial postcards came back. Overwhelmed by the responses, she printed additional cards and received even bigger responses. Norris then embarked on a 35-city book tour leaving cards behind for people to fill out and send back.

Now, 13 years later,

County Executive Dr. Sam Page, Dr. Kanika Cunningham, County Public Health Director (with proclamation), Dr. Mila Banton, Dr. William Banton’s wife, and family members honored the late Dr. Banton during a ceremony on Monday.

American to hold the position in the society’s 150-year-long history.

“It is impossible to list the plethora of contributions Dr. Banton made to the medical community,”

County Executive Dr. Sam

until Sept. 12th.”

Norris then shared a card from someone who wrote: “My father was racist. I am not!”

“As a journalist, I wanted to share some of these stories. I thought the world would benefit from seeing people speak their truth, and saying things out loud that we don’t normally hear people say out loud,” Norris explained. “We invited people to look at these cards on our website, then we created a form for people to submit cards digitally.”

She also shared some of the responses she’s received with the SLU audience.

“Asian Americans, we the ultimate invisibles.”

“Must we forget our confederate ancestors?”

“Hated for being a white cop.”

“The invisible Arab

“He wants you to know that he has evolved,” Norris said. “It’s only six words but there’s some sort of higher short story involved. He evolved but did his dad? What was the relationship or the holidays like?”

Putting a card on screen where a young girl asked: “Did my grandpa attend lynchings?” Norris expounded on the relevance of those six words and how people use them to try to figure “something out” about themselves.

There was an interesting exchange between Norris and a young attendee, perhaps a student. A card on screen showed a young lady, in water, back turned to the camera with the words, “Feeling uncomfortable in my own skin” imposed on the card.

At first glance, the woman seems attractive and confident but the young man noted that this was not her “everyday” and it may be her attempt to “code switch” from a more chaotic life. The card elicited a robust conversation that night about what’s behind a person’s words and drove home the point that you can’t judge

Page said. “He was known for his genuine concern for patients, and St. Louis County is grateful for the foundation he built in creating what is now our Department of Public Health.”

Before joining St. Louis County, Dr. Banton led the city’s tuberculosis program in 1964, where he set up the first mobile screening unit. Dr. Banton passed away on December 31, 2016. He is survived by his wife, Milagros T. Roman, MD, whom he met during her own residency at the former Homer G. Phillips Hospital.

a life by a picture. Norris showed another card that read: “Married, male, 65, gray, overweight, invisible.” She noted how in the beginning of her project she received numerous cards from people of color expressing similar feelings of invisibility. But, she added, around 2014, she started receiving cards from white men who felt America was looking past them and toward other races and ethnicities.

“That was very interesting to me,” Norris confessed. “It meant that there are feelings out there that we (as a society) aren’t catching.” Norris said the Race Card Project adds to the richness of America’s soil. The project, she added, is coming to life through conversations in schools, dinner tables and workplaces. Even if people don’t share their personal stories, “they can listen and learn so much just by visiting the website.”

“In a small, but significant way,” Norris said in her Capital One interview, “these sixword stories are contributing in vast ways to the discussion on race and equality.”

Photo courtesy of St. Louis County

Alderman

Continued from A1 woman.

In her new position as an alderwoman, Sonnier’s to-do list consists of bettering the education at SLPS and fighting to keep St. Louis City Police Department from being taken over by the state, women’s health rights and bridging the gap between community and police.

“I’m here to advocate for you to make sure you only get what you need to survive but to also thrive,” said Sonnier.

“My campaign slogan is ‘All Not Some,’ and I mean that. I speak on behalf of the 7th ward, I don’t speak for them.

Shameem Hubbard won the 10th Ward seat over Emmett Coleman by garnering 1,163 votes (53.2%). Coleman received 1,021 votes, making Hubbard’s margin of victory a scant 42 votes.

On Monday, Hubbard told the St. Louis American in an email she had scrubbed plans for a public results watch gathering because “My race has been contentiously plagued by lies and hate. Dog whistles have been blown. I decided to cancel my victory party for the safety of

Bragg

Continued from A1

Bragg alleges, and a grand jury agreed, that Trump “repeatedly made false statements on New York business records” and “caused others to make false statements.”

This is the foundation of 34 criminal charges related to falsifying business records. This includes several relating to allegedly making hush money payments to X-rated actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

my supporters.” In the 14th Ward Rasheen Aldridge topped Ebony Washington by just 76 votes. Aldridge, who will be leaving the state legislature, tallied 903 votes (51.6%) to Washington’s 827 (47.2%.) There were also 21 write-in votes in the race.

Aldridge vows to “fight for the change our communities deserve.”

His goals include equitable community drive development, improving public safety, and investing in city services.

“Residents share in the benefits from changes to our neighborhoods. We can improve public safety by being smarter on crime and addressing its root causes,” he said during his campaign.

Washington tried to capitalize on Aldridge’s reported absences from legislative votes in Jefferson City, but Aldridge prevailed in the close contest.

The closely watched race in the 9th Ward that saw incumbent Tina Pihl against newcomer Michael Browning turned into a lopsided victory for Browning. His 1,771 votes (63.1%) easily topped Pihl’s 1,021 (36.4%).

Browning, who was celebrating at the same

Why did Donald Trump repeatedly make these false statements?” Bragg said. “The evidence will show he did so to cover up crimes relating to the 2016 election.”

Bragg, 49, was elected in November 2021, and sworn in at the start of 2022. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and later a law degree from Harvard Law School.

He previously served as an assistant attorney general at the New York State Attorney General’s Office and as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

He grew up in the Harlem neighborhood in the 1980s, when the city was gripped by escalating crime rates and a crack cocaine epidemic.

Bragg said during his campaign that, as a child, he was held at gunpoint by police. The experience shaped his thoughts on crime.

This is not the first

event as Sonnier, said after his win, “This is proof that hard work can change our city.”

“I don’t want to see this state fall into further darkness. We have a chance to make St. Louis a city that cares about its people. We have work to do. So, let’s get started.”

Pamela Boyd won the 13th Ward contest over Norma Walker, with neither candidate receiving 1,000 votes. Boyd claimed 978 votes (54%) and Walker received 827 (45.7%.)

History was made in the 6th Ward where Daniela Velazquez became the first Latino and Puerto Rican member of the Board of Aldermen. She vanquished longtime politician Jennifer Florida 2,108 (65.1%) to 1,112 (34.3%).

“I know we got people here from the ward, from other places, we got people from the Latino community, international community, family and friends,” Velazquez said. “Thank you to everybody who made this happen from counseling my anxiety to knocking on doors to having one of my first conversations about running and doing this.”

Mike Gras was the first Latino to join the Board of Aldermen.

time that Bragg has legally sparred with Trump. While serving the New York Attorney General’s Office, Bragg helped bring civil lawsuits against the Trump Foundation. In 2018, while Trump was president, the foundation was charged with misusing funds for Trump’s personal or political benefit. The foundation agreed to close under court supervision, and in 2019, a court ordered Trump to personally pay $2 million to settle the suit.

Historic indictment unsealed

Judge Juan Merchan, a former prosecutor with 16 years on the bench, unsealed Indictment No. 71543-23, after Trump’s team reviewed them.

In the 11th Ward

Laura Keys easily clipped Carla Wright 781 (69%) to 335 (29.7%) in another race where the candidates did not top 1,000 votes.

Longtime Alderman

Sharon Tyus will return to the board after topping Tashara Earl in the 12th Ward. Tyus garnered 1,074 votes (55.3%) to Earl’s 858 (44.2%).

Other BOA results:

1st Ward

Anne Schweitzer – 1,611

Tony Kirchner – 1,472

2nd Ward

Thomas Oldenburg - 2,199

Phill Menendez - 1,437

3rd Ward

Shane Cohn – 823

Write-in Votes – 53

4th Ward

Brett Narayan – 2,230

Joseph Vaccaro – 1,842

5th Ward

Joseph Vollmer – 2,172

Helen Petty – 1,575

8th Ward

Cara Spencer – 1,795

Kenneth Ortmann – 517

I’m excited for this new Board of Aldermen,” Megan Green told St. Louis Public Radio on Tuesday night.

“I think we have a great crop of folks that have

Specifically, the indictment alleges that Trump conspired with others to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election, a contest in which Trump defeated Clinton.

Prosecutors alleged that Trump took part in an unlawful scheme that included an illegal $130,000 payment he ordered to suppress information that would hurt his presidential campaign.

Trump allegedly violated state and local election laws, making the charges a felony.

The charges potentially carry a four-year prison sentence, which could mean that Trump, the current GOP 2024 presidential frontrunner, has entered a race that could end with him either in the White House or in prison.

a similar vision for the direction of our city and will work together to get some things done.”

Propositions pass in city, County

Proposition C and the proposition to levy a 3% tax on cannabis sales glided to respective victories on Tuesday in St. Louis.

More than 60% of voters voted to approve Prop C, which will create a nine-member charter commission that would meet every 10 years.

The commission will review the city’s foundational document and draft any proposed changes that would then go back to the voters. Members of the charter commission would be nominated by the mayor from a pool of applicants recommended by the Board of Aldermen.

The nominees would require approval by the board. Three would reside south of Arsenal, three in an area roughly north of Page Boulevard and three in the central corridor.

“The St. Louis City Charter, designed for the horse-and-buggy era, is well overdue for a comprehensive review,” Mayor Tishaura Jones said in statement.

“The passage of Prop C by the voters establishes a

White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Tuesday in a press briefing that President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris would not be sharing their respective opinions.

“I think the American people should feel reassured that when there is an ongoing case like this one that we’re just not commenting,” she said.

“No one is above the law,” Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a California Democrat running for Senate, wrote on Twitter. “Now do the rest of his crimes.”

“Take responsibility, hold yourself accountable, and go away,” said New York Congressman Jamaal Bowman.

Many Black New Yorkers were outside the

transparent, resident-driven process to recommend changes to bring city government into the 21st century. In the days following the certification of election results, the City will open applications for this new commission. I encourage St. Louisans from all different backgrounds to apply to serve.

More than 62% voted for the proposal, simply labeled Proposition on the ballot, to tax recreational marijuana. St. Louis County approved a similar 3% sales tax.

“With the passage of this measure, we can work together to support the communities left behind by the burgeoning marijuana industry.” Said Jones “I was proud to work with the Board of Aldermen to decriminalize marijuana in 2021 prior to the full statewide vote on legalization last year, and I am ready to continue working alongside the new board to use this funding to address historic wrongs in our communities and strengthen neighborhoods across our city.”

Prop C passed with more than 65% of the vote in St. Louis County.

Ashley Winters, Danielle Brown, Sylvester Brown, and Alvin A. Reid contributed to this report

courtroom as Trump was arraigned.

Rig Madden, 48, and a combat veteran told The Root,, “I’m here to rub it in MAGAs face.”

“I am here for the historic event of [Donald Trump] being held accountable for his actions,” said Madden.

“The first Presidency in U.S. history to be indicted, not even the treasonous Andrew Jackson got indicted.”

Trump also had a few Black supporters on the scene.

“I just think a man of his character ought to be respected,” said Linda Harrison.

“I just want him to know that a few people, African American at that, are here to support him. That we believe in him.”

The American was founded at the right time, in the right place

By Julius Hunter

Isn’t it marvelous how the St. Louis American has grown and prospered over our lifetimes??

Every week as I read this great newspaper’s pages, I am particularly thankful that I got to personally know and learn from one of the newspaper’s dynamic founding fathers: the legendary Judge, Nathan B. Young, Jr.

Quite frankly, as a proud student of history, I had to reacquaint myself with the names of Judge Young’s cohorts who got the “American” up and running way back in 1928. We should all learn the full names that go along with the surnames: Procope, Turpin, Phillips, Clarke, Kent, Watts, Harris, and Curtis. These pioneers are responsible for the startup of the great and classy newspaper you’re reading right now. And my friend, Judge Young, drew up the incorporation documents that launched The American.

figured out something else: the then seven-year-old St. Louis Argus newspaper could not begin to handle the heavy flow of news that nearly 40,000 African American St. Louisans wanted, suspected... and needed to know way back then.

What the St. Louis American founders knew for sure was that the City’s African Americans wanted -- or needed -- some answers on why Black unemployment was nearly double that of whites.

A new Blackowned newspaper in 1928 St. Louis needed to come to grips with why the so-called “Great Migration” was pouring Blacks into town in record numbers as they fled the South nearly one hundred years ago. And how should St. Louis, with its Jim Crow laws and abysmal approach to Black-hiring, handle the mighty flood of African Americans arriving in St. Louis homeless and jobless?

I think I’ve figured out what the founders of the St. Louis American came to realize 95 years ago: The major local newspapers were not about to tell the Black community what was really going on in the real world. If controversial news was published at all back then, you better believe it was heavily filtered, censored and biased. Whitewashed.

And trying to get inside the heads of Judge Young and the founders, I

And WHAM!! The year after the St. Louis American was born, the Great Depression hit everybody. Black Americans hardest.

A new Black-owned newspaper needed to figure out if there were more talented and ambitious African Americans like Young and attorney Homer G. Phillips that would need a new newspaper’s strong editorial backing to tackle growing economic problems.

across the Mississippi River in East St. Louis in 1917. The newspaper founders had more than a good notion that as many as 150 Black East St. Louisans were murdered that year in race rioting and lynchings! Right in St. Louis’ backyard!!!! The founders could see by just venturing across the Eads Bridge that as many as 6,000 Black E. St. Louisans were left homeless by

Anniversary

puts property damage from the E. St. Louis race riots at a startling $9 million in today’s dollars. In 1928, most Black St. Louisans were not mobile enough... nor aware enough... to see what a new newspaper’s reporters and editors could see and then dare print on its young pages. And surely the St. Louis American founders had to wonder aloud among

The St. Louis American Foundation is now accepting award nominations from the public and Health Care Institutions. The nomination can be a self­nomination or for another party for the following awards:

• 2023 Lifetime Achiever in Health Care

• 2023 Stellar Performer in Health Care

• 2023 Excellence in Health Care Awards

Please fill out this form and attach any additional information (resume, narrative about the nominee, etc.) and send it to:

St. Louis American Foundation Attn: Health Care Awards 2315 Pine Street

St. Louis, MO 63103

Email: raven@stlamerican.com (The form is also on stlamerican.com)

Nominee's Name:

Position:

Phone Number:

Your Name:

Title/Company:

eral times in his infamously, incomparably cluttered basement den. How’d I get the invitation?

I copied the Old Judge’s style he exhibited in founding this newspaper. I invited myself. He graciously accepted the reverse invitation.

Surrounded by piles of yellowed documents and clippings and watercolor and oil paintings he created, I sat for several spellbinding sessions in the “catacomb” in the 5100 block of Northland. (Fortunately for us all, much of the priceless “clutter” has been cataloged and preserved by St. Louis University.)

Judge Young clued me in on some inside scoops. He shared with me his theories on why his friend Homer G. Phillips, was gunned down and murdered while waiting for a streetcar at Delmar and Aubert.

And while printing up details of the E. St. Louis race riots... the St. Louis American staff began piecing together the stories of brutal, bloody race riots just a decade earlier than the St. Louis American first went to press. How many Black St. Louisans had ever heard about or read about what came to be called the Red Summer of 1919?

That was just three years after the promising Attorney Phillips co-founded this newspaper you’re reading right now! No convictions ever for the murder, but Judge Young had his informed theories. And as I sat spellbound on other visits, Judge Young colorfully rattled off the true, behind-thescenes stories of the legendary real-life characters, “Stagger Lee” and “Frankie and Johnny.”

Then one day after the Judge brushed off a pile of papers covering his rinky-tinky upright piano in that hallowed basement, he had a surprise for my then teenage daughter, Jennifer. With a flair he showed her how to correctly play the “left hand stride” that makes Ragtime music unique.

For the KKK and other racists, Black lives had begun to matter too much in Washington, D.C. Knoxville, Tennessee; Longview, Texas; Phillips County, Arkansas; Omaha, and Chicago. Lynchings, murders, pillaging and plundering of Black lives, unfortunately, became the St. Louis American’s first headlines, feature stories and editorials.

Birthday congratulations should end on a lighter, happier note, shouldn’t they? So, here’s the scoop on how I had the rare honor of sitting with Judge Nathan B. Young, Jr.. sev-

Just as the energetic lawyer was instrumental in getting the St. Louis American off the ground 95-years ago, he was just as enthusiastic about lighting a spark to get a young musician’s interest in Ragtime fired up. An inspired Jennifer can now play fourteen Scott Joplin pieces by heart. With fond personal memories of a founder’s reflections...

HAPPY 95th BIRTHDAY, ST. LOUIS AMERICAN!!!

themselves if St. Louis was

Guest Columnist Julius Hunter

Aldergeddon is Over: a New Political Machine Rises

One of the most monumental days in the history of St. Louis politics has come and gone: Aldergeddon is officially over. The shake-up at the Board of Aldermen included not only the election for every single ward seat, but saw further a reduction in the number of wards by half. There is no doubt that the next decade in St. Louis will be different than any we’ve seen before, but as a reminder, odd-numbered wards will begin with two-year terms and new alderpersons for even-numbered wards will get to enjoy full four-year terms. The newly-redistricted 1st Ward will be represented by incumbent Alderwoman Anne Schweitzer, who withstood a stream of hateful invective from her opponent, deputy sheriff Tony Kirchner, but was steadfast in maintaining her values. Kirchner was backed by his superiors, City Sheriff Vernon Betts and his Chief of Staff, Steve Roberts, Sr. Of note, all of the Betts-backed candidates lost on Tuesday. Nevertheless, we are glad to see Schweitzer’s leadership remain on the Board during this critical time for our city. Further we applaud her for taking the high road. In the 2nd Ward, incumbent Alderman Tom Oldenburg overwhelmed his opponent and fellow cop Phill Menendez. The new dynamics on the Board will undoubtedly pressure Oldenburg to work more collaboratively with his newly-elected people-centered colleagues. No word on whether Oldenburg will resign from his bank vice president role, which might create a conflict of interest for him - or worse.

Third Ward candidate and incumbent Alderman Shane Cohn ran unopposed, as did Board President Megan Green While Cohn enjoyed the comfort of being unchallenged, President Green

spent the majority of her time canvassing and fundraising throughout the various races in the city. Importantly, eight of her ten endorsed candidates won. We commend President Green for her tireless commitment to building a progressive majority for the Board, even during her downtime.

In our first “Battle of Incumbents,” 4th Ward voters had to choose between two popular incumbent aldermen - Bret Narayan and Joe Vaccaro - but it was Narayan who pulled out a victory with a 55% win. Vaccaro was spotted outside of the Buder library branch on South Hampton Monday, electioneering despite signs of a floundering campaign. As early as Tuesday night, Vaccaro was behaving like a sore loser by actively fear-mongering in neighborhood Facebook groups, stating that he was afraid that his neighborhood would be neglected. However, we see Narayan’s success as rooted in his ability to deliver both city services and policy initiativeswhere the historical lack of both has led to a persistent divestment of neighborhoods across the city. St. Louis voters are choosing leaders capable of doing both well.

Our second “Battle of Incumbents” was in the 13th Ward between Alderwomen Pamela Boyd and Norma Walker Compared to the other races recapped in this column, this aldermanic race was quiet and fairly uneventful. Boyd will maintain her seat on the Board, but it’s still unclear if she will retain her same political allegiances. Similarly to Oldenburg, Boyd’s allies have dwindled and she will likely feel pressure to collaborate with the new people-centered agenda.

Considering how long re-elected incumbent Alderman Joe Vollmer has held office, 5th Ward political newcomer Helen

Petty got closer than anyone else to dethroning him. Vollmer will have only two years to show 5th Ward voters that he can work with the new reality on the Board. Also Petty indicated in her speech Tuesday night that she would consider another run. Petty also acknowledged the transphobic and anti-Black attacks by Vollmer supporters that she faced as a result of her uncompromising progressive values. We deeply respect Petty’s hard work and strong leadership and hope that she continues to be an engaged leader in her community.

Next door in the 6th Ward, another political newcomer, Daniela Velázquez, handily defeated former alderwoman Jennifer Florida Veláquez counted on both corporate support and the backing of Alderwoman Annie Rice and President Green, while Florida resorted to misrepresenting herself, her values, and her supporters to voters. Despite Florida’s shenanigans, Veláquez easily secured her 65-35 victory

Sonnier addressed these allegations on Tuesday night and challenged the way identity politics were brought into her race.

Acknowledging her late mentor, former state representative Cora Faith Walker, and referencing the death of Michael Brown, Sonnier reiterated her commitment to constituents in the packed room with a confident and unflinching speech. “Seeing the results from other wards shows me that St. Louis is ready to be bold, to be defiant in the face of a state government that wants to hurt you, to elect people who don’t represent corporations or institutions or developers but who indisputably represent the people,” Sonnier said. “Our city has chosen people power over fear, and our ward has chosen all of us over some of us.”

The 7th Ward race was a landslide 61 - 39 win for St. Louis Public Schools Board of Education member Alisha Sonnier over private school staffer Jon-Pierre Mitchom for the aldermanic seat. Although Mitchom eventually attempted to co-opt Sonnier’s campaign platform in his own campaign literature, it was Sonnier’s authentic message of holistic public safety, equitable development, and supporting children and families that resonated overwhelmingly with 7th Ward voters. Mitchom lost voters after accepting an endorsement from noted homophobe Cedric “C-Sharp” Redmon who used ageist, sexist terms toward Sonnier and falsely accused her of being against Black men.

did not stick. Most of the candidates who chose a positive message and did not go negative against their opponents won, including Schweitzer and Sonnier. Clark-Hubbard has been a strong advocate on the Board with her support for reproductive justice initiatives, police accountability, and a guaranteed basic income program - not to mention strong and reliable service for her constituents.

Our hopes for an aldermanic courtroom saga have been dashed by incumbent Alderwoman Laura Keys’ crushing victory in Ward 11 over perennial candidate Carla “Rainwater” Wright

The results of the 8th Ward were unsurprising - incumbent Alderwoman Cara Spencer crushed former alderman Ken Ortmann with a 77-22 victory Unfortunately, Spencer likely will spend the next year running for a higher citywide office (we’ve heard rumors about either Mayor or Treasurer).

The “Joe Manchin” of the Board of Aldermen, Spencer has required a lot of ego-stroking from her colleagues since her 2021 loss to Mayor Tishaura Jones. Our hope is that Spencer sees the decisive victories of the people-centered campaigns and that she will prioritize the needs of her constituents in the newly-doubled 8th Ward over her own political ambitions and selfishness. We see a first step being Spencer’s resignation from her vice president role at St. Louis Bank with a commitment to being a full-time alderperson.

Probably the most surprising results of the night were from the 9th Ward, where we felt former neighborhood association vice president Michael Browning would defeat incumbent Alderwoman Tina Pihl - but we didn’t foresee the large margin by which he would win. Browning’s victory saw one of the largest margins in the city, despite not having Pihl’s incumbent advantage. Ultimately Browning garnered 63% of voter support to Pihl’s 36%. Pihl’s sudden alignment with a “Blue Lives Matter” agenda - coupled with a desperate election day comparison to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.helped cost Pihl’s bid for re-election to represent the Grove, Forest Park Southeast, and parts of the Central West End.

This race saw one of the more contentious, including mudslinging by the incumbent toward Browning’s staffer. But Browning’s grassroots organizing and ground game convinced most of the voters. Their appreciation for a leader who meets them where they are came through loud and clear on election day.

Incumbent Alderwoman Shameem Clark-Hubbard will resume her place on the Board, after a seven-point victory over her opponent Emmett Coleman Coleman engaged in cheap, mean-spirited personal attacks against Clark-Hubbard that simply

After the March primary, Keys filed a lawsuit to disqualify Wright from the April general election based on Wright’s residency. But, because her lawyer didn’t file a motion asking for immediate help, Keys was unable to bring her legal complaint before the court prior to Election Day. Ultimately, this victory was won in the voting booths - not the courtroom. Similarly, Ward 14 was decided by voters and not a judge but it was perhaps the nastiest race of all.

Although absentee results seemed to suggest another Hubbard family con, State Representative Rasheen Aldridge pulled out a solid 52-48 victory over Ebony Washington. Throughout the race, Washington’s campaign engaged in voter intimidation and harassed canvassers from Action St. Louis who were knocking on doors in support of Aldridge. In the last few days of the campaign, volunteers for Washington sent voters a series of homophobic text messages. This Hubbards’ hitting of a new low wasn’t enough to counter Aldridge’s public service experience and grassroots efforts in a campaign led by veteran campaigner Marquis Govan Washington’s defeat signifies the likely end of the Hubbard political family dynasty while affirming Aldridge’s role as a dynasty slayer. Her place on the April general election ballot also meant a huge setback for the Bosley political family after outgoing Alderman Brandon Bosley lost his bid for re-election in March.

We were most disappointed by the results from the 12th Ward, where Baden neighborhood association president Tashara Earl challenged the most senior alderperson on the Board, Sharon Tyus. Earl lost by around 300 votes, but we know that her candidacy pushed Tyus to work for her re-election.

We couldn’t tell you the last time Tyus knocked on doors or showed up at a neighborhood meeting outside of her own -- but she started showing up during this campaign cycle. Earl was able to consolidate votes cast for her primary opponents, but at the end of the day, she came up short. Unfortunately, Earl’s former campaign manager, State Representative KimberlyAnn Collins, turned on her and volunteered for Tyus, which makes us wonder how successful Earl could have been if she had not been undermined.

That said, Tyus will have four years to show voters that she is willing to put her contrarian, obstructionist ways behind her for the greater benefit of her constituents. The Board’s

Black Caucus will look much different, and the young aldermen joining the Caucus will not be bullied by Tyus into supporting her positions. Earl, on the other hand, will also have four years - to keep Tyus accountable and continue her leadership in the community.

The new Board will be sworn in on April 18, 2023. Almost every member of the “Progressive Wave” who won did so on a platform of affordable housing, re-imagining public safety, and improved city services. Since this new group of alderpersons does not carry the same amount of political baggage or start with the same drama as its predecessors, we expect many constructive things from them.

The question of whether St. Louis wants progressive leadership has been decisively answered yes by the voters.

The Kelley Group’s influence has certainly waned in these aldermanic races. Show Me Victories tends to focus on digital and TV/radio advertisements with very little canvassing and deep voter engagement. Again we say - show us the victories. It was their partnership with outgoing Alderman Jack Coatar’s “Leadership Counts” PAC that first showed us the weakness of their approach. Coatar’s PAC supported the losing campaigns of Kirchner, Vaccaro, Mitchom, Pihl, and Washington - and that can’t be ignored.

However, MeyersOkohson Political Consulting (also known as “MOPC”) led three (out of four) successful campaigns - Narayan, Sonnier, and Browning. Led by veteran campaigner and political strategist Rosetta Okohson, MOPC has become an undisputable force in city politics, especially with their emphasis on grassroots organizing and GOTV efforts. Okohson’s voter-centered, people-powered machine is in stark contrast to Kelley’s lazy and disconnected approach to politics.

• • •

St. Louis wasn’t the only Midwestern city to experience a radical shift in its politics. Our northern neighbors in Chicago voted to elect former union organizer and Cook County commissioner Brandon Johnson as mayor, joining in a progressive wave across the Midwest that included the victory of liberal Janet Protosiewicz to the Wisconsin Supreme Court that will almost certainly lead to the reversal of the state’s abortion ban and end the rise of gerrymandered legislative maps. Johnson’s support stemmed from the Chicago Teacher’s Union, while his opponent education privatizer Paul Vallas was backed by the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police. But in the end, similar to St. Louis, the pro-police “tough on crime” messaging failed to connect with enough voters and Johnson prevailed with 51% of Chicagoans’ overall votes. We are excited for our city and our metropolitan area. Hopefully, brighter days lie ahead with a future that brings greater benefits for all.

‘Taking Care of You’

Black nurses must react to racism in health care

‘We have to do it ourselves’

Oakland nurse Naseema McElroy battled the hospital that employed her over its care of Black mothers, and she filed a lawsuit saying it led to her dismissal. The hospital settled the litigation and McElroy continues to speak on behalf of Black patients.

Photo courtesy of Kola Shobo Photography

By Alexa Spencer Word in Black

Being a Black nurse in America sometimes means caring for patients while protecting them from racism at the same time.

This was the case for Naseema McElroy, a California-based labor and delivery nurse who demanded better care for Black moms and was fired shortly after.

“Nobody’s going to change [the medical system] for us,” McElroy, 41, told Word In Black.

“We have to do it ourselves.”

McElroy was present in March 2018 when a friend came in to give birth at the Oakland hospital where she worked.

Had they missed one another, McElroy wouldn’t have been able to save the mom from an unmedicated emergency C-section that could’ve been fatal.

The mother intended to have a vaginal birth after a previous Cesarean section (also known as a VBAC), but after being given an epidural during labor, a midwife called for an emergency C-section.

At that point, things moved dangerously fast, according to McElroy.

She watched her friend be dragged onto a gurney because her legs were numb from the pain medicine and then rolled into the operating room.

By Dr. Graham A. Colditz Siteman Cancer Center

A scientific paper recently looked at the links between the time of year and how physically active we are, finding that spring is a season when many people are most active. Summer does very well, too, of course. But in some studies, spring took the top spot outright.

It’s pretty easy to see why - there’s just something special about spring.

After a long, gray winter in the Midwest, the later sunsets and warmer weather can lift the spirits and give a boost to our motivation.

Getting out for walks, heading to the park with the family or trying a new dance class, being active can feel as much a part of spring as new blossoms on the trees. On top of feeling great, it’s wonderful for our mental and physical health, too, even if it’s just 10 minutes here and 10 minutes there. Plus, the burst of springtime wellness doesn’t stop with physical activity.

n Being active can feel as much a part of spring as new blossoms on the trees.

As farmers’ markets begin to pop up again – and more fresh, colorful and affordable produce start to hit the grocery stores, it’s also easier to expand our healthy snack and meal options. Winter can be a time when we favor comfort foods, which can warm us up on cold days but may not be the healthiest choices. Springtime can help us put the focus back on healthier foods, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The burst of colors and types of produce we see in spring always makes me think of dishes inspired by the Mediterranean diet. While there are certainly many approaches to healthy eating, the Mediterranean diet seems

Prostate cancer on the rise for Black men

Where you live plays role in cancer rate

By JoAnn Weaver For The St. Louis American

Black men are 70% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than white men, according to a report from the American Cancer Society. This is one of the largest disparities in cancer incidence and mortality.

1 in 6 Black men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime.

Dr. Arnold Bullock, an Alan A. & Edith L. Wolff Distinguished Professor in Urology at Washington University, says mortality rates for prostate cancer depend on where you live in the St. Louis region.

“It’s amazing how different the prostate cancer numbers are based on what zip codes of major metropolitan cities across the country that you’re living in. There is a big difference in

n 1 in 6 Black men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. Black men are 70% more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than white men.

mortality rate or death rate based on your zip code,” Dr. Bullock said.

According to Dr. Bullock, if you live in the 63136 Zip code, one has a “fivefold greater chance” or prostate cancer death compared to an individual who lives in the 63110 Zip code. He goes on to explain why this is happening.

“In North County, there’s a higher percentage of African Americans, and African Americans have the highest

See CANCER, A11

Dr. Arnold Bullock, 2015 St. Louis American Foundation Salute to Excellence in Healthcare Lifetime Achiever, serves as an Alan A. & Edith L. Wolff Distinguished Professor in Urology at Washington University. Dr. Bullock says community outreach is a key in reducing the mortality rate for Black men with prostate cancer.

Photo courtesy of Kola Shobo Photography See NURSES, A11

See COLDITZ, A11

Dr. Graham A. Colditz

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Cancer

Continued from A10

rate of prostate cancer in the world, so in general, Blacks get prostate cancer diagnosed at two times the rate of whites, but that still doesn’t account for the higher mortality rate,” he said.

“The mortality rate is based on what stage of diagnosis, so unfortunately, there’s less screening for prostate cancer in the Black population than in the white population.”

The persistent problem in preventing or catching prostate cancer early enough to treat it in time, is screenings, according to experts like Dr. Bullock.

“If you have a population that’s more likely to get prostate cancer for unknown reasons anyway, and then you screen that population less, you’re going to end up with higher stage disease at the time of diagnosis, and the higher the stage or better stated, the more likely your cancer is already spread at the time of diagnosis, the more likely you die,” he explained.

From a historical standpoint, before prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screenings were available, two thirds of prostate cancer had spread by the time African Americans were diagnosed in the ‘50’s. By the ‘80s, one third of white Americans had cancer spread by the time they were diagnosed with the disease. However, these rates dropped in the mid-‘90s.

Nurses

Continued from A10

The mom’s catheter slipped out in the process, stopping the flow of medication.

“There wasn’t any communication. So, that was a safety issue,” McElroy says. “You had two shifts of nurses, respiratory therapists, and doctors in the room.”

As a primary nurse, McElroy says the team was supposed to keep her up to speed on what was happening — and why — but they didn’t. So, she did what she felt was her only option to stop the surgery.

“I literally had to roll my body across her to stop them from cutting her open unmedicated,” she recalls. “I had to literally yell and call a hard stop and was like, ‘no, you are not about to cut her.’”

A week later, McElroy addressed her concerns about the situation to the head of obstetrics, who was also a Black woman, but was disregarded.

Black pregnant women all over the country fear hospital experiences like this — or worse, dying because no one saved them.

In 2018, Black women were dying from pregnancy-related complications at two-

Colditz

Continued from A10

to hit a sweet spot with many people. Much more a way of eating than a strict diet, it’s flavorful, relatively easy to follow and has well-known health benefits. It’s been shown to help with weight control and to lower the risk of dementia, heart disease, stroke and a number of

‘Taking

Care of You’

“By the mid-‘90s with PSA screenings, that rate had dropped down to less than 8% of Blacks and less than 2% of Whites had cancer spread at the time of diagnosis, so your chances of being diagnosed with localized cancer, curable cancer is based on your screening,” Dr. Bullock said. “In 2012, the US Preventive Task Force suggested that screenings did more harm than good, which makes no sense, but this is the same task force that suggested that women don’t need mammograms at such an early age.”

According to the urologist, these recommendations have a direct impact on people’s lives. “Between 2012 and

2018, the percentage of Blacks who were screened for cancer dropped dramatically, and you would say, well it should have dropped in the whites, but just because the recommendation changed in some populations, that doesn’t mean the practice of the doctors changed, so in more well-to-do areas they continue to screen and in less well-to-do areas they quit screening,” he said.

When asked what’s being done to combat the lack of prostate cancer screenings, Dr. Bullock talked about the community outreach being done by him, his colleagues, and local health groups.

“We, including Dr.

Lannis Hall who is a radiation oncologist, the members of the prostate Cancer Coalition, the Siteman Cancer Center and many other groups including the Empowerment Network and the Prostate Cancer Support Group, try to go into the community, churches and men’s groups to educate community on the fact that prostate cancer is a deadly disease” he said.

“Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, only behind lung cancer, and we can change that number through screening, but we must keep pushing this subject in community events like today.”

and-a-half times the rate of white women. That remains the same today.

According to a 2022 study by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, Black women are 53% more likely to die in a hospital during childbirth, no matter their income level or type of insurance.

Systemic racism is the major cause behind these disparities.

After being dismissed, undertreated, violated, and ignored, Black mothers are leaving hospitals traumatized — if they make it out alive.

But sometimes, those who witness the neglect of Black women in hospitals

cancers. Coming from food traditions of southern Italy and Greece, Mediterranean-inspired meals tend to emphasize fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and nuts –plus olive oil and other healthy fats. Any meats in the Mediterranean diet focus on fish and chicken, rather than red and processed meat, and are generally kept to smaller portions. A quick search

are impacted, too.

Just a few weeks after supporting her friend, McElroy said she had to advocate for another pregnant woman whose pain was dismissed during labor. After witnessing both patients escape potentially fatal complications, she broke down mentally.

“I’m in the parking lot on my way to work every day crying like ‘this can’t be life,’” she says.

Her job referred her to a therapist who told her she needed to take time off because she was traumatized. But that never happened. Her employer denied her time off, so she called out sick.

online can help you find many helpful tips and recipes. Of course, making any changes to how we eat can take some effort. But spring can make exploring new approaches like the Mediterranean diet easier than other times of year. And if going Mediterranean doesn’t feel right for you, that’s OK, too. There’s no need to follow any specific type of diet. The real focus should

Arnold Bullock, M.D., talks with patient Joseph Griffin while showing a model of the prostate. Bullock says the unfortunate result of a higher mortality rate for Black men with prostate cancer is a lower rate of screening.

Pfizer, talked about the new drug that could be a game changer in treating prostate cancer. “For reasons that we do not understand, there is a clear increase in terms of prostate cancer, diagnosis and also its incidents, certainly over the past decade there has been incredible amount of work that has led to better ways to diagnose the disease and also to treat the disease,” said Dr. Aida Habtezion, Chief Medical Officer, and head of Worldwide Medical and Safety at Pfizer According to data from the CDC, cases of advanced prostate cancer are on the rise for the first time in 20 years.

Pfizer and their questionable solution

Pfizer recently released a study on the combination of Talzenna/Xtandi to treat prostate cancer at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Genitourinary (GU) Cancers Symposium.

Data from the Pfizer study showed a 37% reduction in risk of disease progression or death in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with TALZENNA plus XTANDI, their proposed treatment.

Dr. Aida Habtezion, Chief Medical Officer and head of Worldwide Medical and Safety at

Racism in Nursing, 92% of Black nurses reported experiencing racism on the job.

The nurses went on to report that racist acts came from different parties — 70% from leaders, 66% from peers, and 68% from patients.

Of the nurses who challenged racism in the workplace, 64% said their efforts didn’t result in any change.

Like McElroy, over half of the nurses reported that racism in the workplace negatively affected their well-being.

She says she then received a notice that she was terminated for “being absent.”

McElroy chose to take a stand by filing a lawsuit. The process wasn’t easy. She says that her mental health was questioned, and she had a hard time finding witnesses to support her claims.

“When I was reaching out to people to validate my story, they would ghost because they were scared of losing their job,” she says.

The battle came to an end in 2020 when she won a settlement

In a survey conducted by the National Commission to Address

simply be on eating more healthy plant-based foods. Coming out of the grey, winter months, it’s also important to remember sunscreen and sun-safe clothing as we get outside more often. While the spring sun can feel really nice, it can still damage the skin and increase the risk of cancer, including melanoma. Other tips to stay safe and healthy during spring activities include wearing layers, so

The American Nurses Association (ANA) has been on a mission to address racism since it formed the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd.

Cheryl A. Peterson, vice president of the ANA Nursing Programs and a leader of the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing, helped conduct the national survey on racism.

“We did a listening session where we heard the very painful words of nurses of color who talked about their experiences, both from their colleagues and systemically as employees, and then also from patients,” she told Word In Black.

The commission

you can adjust to big variations in spring temperatures, and bringing a water bottle - and maybe a snack and a friend - depending on where and how far you’re going. Next to not smoking, there’s really nothing that improves health and wellness more than the combination of healthy eating and physical activity. So, let’s all get out and enjoy springtime - and the healthy behaviors it

“We know that African ancestry also is a risk. factor for prostate cancer and the development of more late stage aggressive cancers,” Dr. Habtezion said. “I think as I mentioned why this disparity exists is we can think about access barriers because, regardless of race, if they could be diagnosed early, the outcome could be similar among the different ethnic groups.” When asked about demographics and how many Black men participated in the study, a representative from Pfizer followed up by email to say “Unfortunately, that information is not publicly available. Other than confirm that there were Black participants in both arms of the study, I am afraid there is no further details we can provide at this time.”

was created as a collaboration between ANA, the National Black Nurses Association, the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, and the National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Association.

One of its goals is to “develop strategies to actively address racism within nursing education, practice, policy, and research, including addressing issues of leadership and the use of power.”

The group plans to launch another commission focusing on funding programs and strategies addressing racism at the direct care level between nurses and patients.

“So, how are we talking about racism among nurses and trying to really address bias and really make improvements,” Peterson says.

Overall, as a registered nurse herself, she agrees that racism in nursing is an issue that must be addressed collectively by nurses.

“The reality is we’ve got racism in nursing, and it is doing harm to nurses of color, and it’s doing harm to the patients that we care for, and it’s doing harm in the communities in which we serve.”

inspires. It’s your health. Take control.

Dr. Graham A. Colditz, associate director of prevention and control at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is an internationally recognized leader in cancer prevention and the creator of the free prevention tool YourDiseaseRisk.com

Photo courtesy of Washington University

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

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

Ninth-grade students

JaVaughn Lewis, Thor Gardner, Matthew Williams, and William Cobbins, in Ms. Cheryl M. Christian’s class at Jennings Senior High School, are working in groups cooperatively gathering data on how to determine mass and volume using a graduated cylinder / triple beam scale for the Density of Water Lab.

SCIENCE CORNER

Infinite Possibilities

Infinite Possibilities is a math conference that is held to encourage women to pursue careers in the STEM fields. The conference was created by a trio of minority women with a doctorate degree and a career in math: Leona Harris, Tanya Moore, and Nagambal Shah. The first conference was held in April of 2005, at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia, and had over 150 attendees. The conference was funded by Toyota Motor Corporation, National Security Agency, National Science Foundation and the US Army. The committee felt strongly about encouraging women from minority races to pursue degrees in STEM. In 2002,

In this experiment, you will see how to make a bone bend.

Materials Needed:

A Large Jar with a Lid A Cooked Chicken Bone (save a drumstick after a family meal) Vinegar

Procedure:

q Rinse off the chicken bone to remove any excess meat or grease. (Note how strong the chicken bone is, just like our bones. This is due to calcium.)

Try this math game with your friends and family. It’s a great way to have fun together while you sharpen your math facts.

Materials Needed:

• Deck of Cards • Paper and Pencil (optional: calculator to check answers)

How the game is played:

less than 1% of the doctoral degrees in the mathematical sciences were awarded to African-American, Hispanic/Latina, and American Indian women. According to the Infinite Possibilities website, “Highlights of conference activities include: Professional development workshop series; Panel discussion on graduate studies in mathematics; Research talks given by professionals; Student poster sessions, Special activities for high school students; Roundtable discussions on experiences with mathematics.”

To learn more, visit: https://mathinstitutes.org/

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

w Place the bone in the jar and cover it with vinegar. Place the lid on the jar.

e Observe the bone for 3 days. What changes do you notice?

r After 3 days, remove the chicken from the jar and rinse it off. Are you able to bend it? How is this possible?

Learning Standards: I can complete an experiment, draw conclusions, and analyze results.

Family Math Night (Close Call)

v After players/teams have made their selections, they place their cards face-up in front of them, arranging them so other players can see which two numbers they have created.

African-American Biostatician Tanya Moore

Tanya Moore grew up in Berkeley, California, and had a rough childhood. Her father was an alcoholic and died of lung cancer. Her mother raised three daughters alone. The family had a history of drug and alcohol abuse, mental illness, and domestic violence. Moore says that many teachers were surprised by her abilities and often discouraged her from taking challenging courses. She graduated from Berkeley High School in 1991.

Next, Moore went to Spelman College where she earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1995. From there, she went to Johns Hopkins University where she earned a master’s degree in mathematical science. While at Johns Hopkins, Moore stated that she was often judged unfairly due to her race. “People told me I would only pass qualifying exams because I was an African-American woman and the school wanted to make their quota. I’d walk into a room and people would tell me I was in the wrong classroom. Sometimes a professor would say, ‘Wow, you did better than we expected.’” In 2002, she earned a Ph.D. in biostatistics from UC Berkeley.

Moore is vice-president of mission advancement at Goodwill of San Francisco. She also worked for the City of Berkeley Public Health Department where she was in charge of the Chronic Disease Prevention Program. She focused on reducing the rates of high-blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and diabetes in the AfricanAmerican community. In 2010, she created the 2020 Vision Projects to close the achievement ga between white, black, and Latino students in Berkeley, California. In 2008, she appeared in Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine as one of 80 women who are considered trailblazers. As part of this honor, Moore attended a three-day conference called, “Women Rule in New York.”

Learning Standards: I can read about a person who has made contributions to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. I can make text-to-text and text-toself connections.

Enjoy these activities that help you get to know your St. Louis American newspaper.

Activities —

Analyzing the Classifieds:

z You can play as individuals or as teams.

x Remove 10s and face cards from the deck. Shuffle the deck and deal each player six cards.

c Each player/team selects four of their cards and creates two 2-digit numbers from them. The goal is to add these two numbers together to get as close to 100 as possible, without going over. (For example, a player may choose to use the cards 4, 6, 8, and 1, creating the problem 16 + 84 =

DID YOU KNOW?

Facts About Stem Jobs:

b The player/team with the numbers closest to 100, without going over, wins a point. In the case of a tie, a point is awarded to each team.

n Shuffle the cards before dealing another round.

m Play continues for 10 rounds. The player with the most points after the last round wins the game.

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

It is estimated that there will be 3.5 million STEM job openings by 2025.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the annual average wage for all the STEM occupations is $100,900.

After you have analyzed how the classified section is organized, see how quickly you can find each of these items: a house with a yard, a job that requires no experience, an invitation to bid.

Write about a Scientist: When you think of scientists, do you think of men and women? Do you envision people of different races? Technological advances have been made by a diverse group of people. Use the newspaper to study how a news article is written. Next, write a news article about a scientist you have studied who has made contributions with his or her work in the STEM fields.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can write for a specific purpose and audience.

Photo by Ms. Cheryl M. Christian

An honor to now write for The American

By Robert Townsend

Several weeks ago, a co-worker of mine at KSDK “5 On Your Side first chatted with me about something I have often thought about during my journalism career.

“Hey Robert, a couple of managers and I have been talking about you and the skills and talents you bring to the station and to the community. We

discussed the possibility of you expanding your talents as a journalist, as a writer, as a member of the community and so what do you think about the idea of writing a column for the St. Louis American?”

I immediately was honored, humbled and thrilled about it!

The little boy inside me started dancing and jumping up and down. The journalist in me

said this would be a chance to finally birth “Roto.” That’s one of the nicknames I call myself.

Several years ago, a former news manager of mine actually dubbed me “Roto on the Go.” It was an cool compliment, a pat on the back, a push to keep dashing into the community and digging for more exclusive, insightful, thoughtful, solid stories for the station.

Harris-Stowe State University

Personal Care Closet Drive

Scan the QR code or visit bit ly/HSSUCareCloset to shop the Amazon Wishlist to help stock the HSSU Personal Care Closet with toiletries for students in need

I really liked the sound of it, and now it’s become a powerful voice inside me that I take along my journalistic journey every day.

After weeks of reflecting on the myriad of advantages of writing a column for the St. Louis American including: a chance to broaden my connections in our community, expand my news audience, help strengthen the partnership between KSDK TV “5 On Your Side and the St. Louis American, educate, enlighten and touch more people through my articles, explore countless topics, inspire students and aspiring journalists to follow their dreams, make my family and loved ones proud and many more, I decided to say yes!

their monumental achievement of establishing “Freedom’s Journal,” the first African American owned and operated newspaper in the united states.

Many people today may not know this, but the newspaper was published weekly in New York City from March 16, 1827 to March 28, 1829.

The year it was founded was the same year that slavery was abolished in New York state by a group of Black men in New York City.

Moreover, I flashed back to two powerful trailblazers who paved the way for me to even put words to paper and now create my own column..

Historians also tell us after publishing for six months, Cornish resigned, and Russwurm became the unique newspaper’s sole editor. Stop and think about that. That was 196 years ago!

Columnist Robert Townsend

They are my heroes: Jamaican-born “John Brown Russwurm,” Bowdoin College’s first African American graduate and only the third African American graduate from an American college.

Russwurm’s co-founder, Samuel Eli Cornish, was born in Sussex County, Delaware, and was a graduate of the free African school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He also founded the first Black presbyterian church in Manhattan in 1822. I am shining light on

The two journalistic giants made history on many fronts.

Of course, my heart explodes with joy at the awesome opportunity to share with you what I call “my introductory article” to my “Roto on the Go” column for the St. Louis American.

This month marks the 95th anniversary of the St. Louis American’s commitment to “serving, empowering and advocating for equity in St. Louis.” We, as African Americans as people, as a community, should applaud, cherish, and salute the countless writers, photographers, editors, and many others, past and present, who despite the odds, persevered and made it happen. Today, the strong, ded-

icated soldiers are still telling the important, necessary stories. Stories, that often times, can only truly be told by African Americans. Now, an ever-curious little boy -----who grew up in the walnut park neighborhood in north St. Louis, fell in love with reading, writing letters, book reports, scrolling imaginary words in the air, always had a yearning for learning and talking to people----has been blessed by god to go for his dream to become a successful broadcast journalist, speaker, mentor, soon to be author and now a columnist for the St. Louis American Just writing that line humbles me and brings a huge smile to my face.

Thank you Bryce Moore, my KSDK “5 On Your Side” co-worker and my bosses at the television station for believing in me, connecting with my dreams and pushing me.

Thank you again Mr. Russwurm and Mr. Cornish for blazing the trails for me and scores of other journalists.

“Roto” carries you both in spirit, as I go.” Finally, thank you to my hometown fans for following me for years on tv, and now, thank you for picking up the American each week and embracing this new columnist.

Please, send me your ideas, comments and suggestions. We have endless local, national and international topics to explore each month.

Robert Townsend is an award-winning journalist and reporter with KSDK TV.

Join Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc

Omicron Theta Omega Chapter and Central Baptist Church in the

Guest

APRIL 6 – 12, 2023

Women entrepreneurs make pitches at WASHU Marketplace

More than 50 businesses featured

Ashley Atkins, Founder of Three Olives & Co. selling at WASHU’S Women & Diverse-Owned Business Marketplace on March 30, 2023.

By Isaiah Peters

The St. Louis American

Washington University in St. Louis closed out Women’s History Month with a bang.The WashU Supplier Diversity and Institutional Equity Office featured more than 50 women entrepreneurs during its Women & Diverse-Owned Business Marketplace on March 30, 2023, at the Eric P. Newman Education Center.

“In the vendor community, we are creating bonds, learning and helping each other grow,” Tommy Wong Select’s founder Mellarie Thomas said.

“Now I’m actually mentoring a

couple of young ladies interested in business.”

Students, faculty, and community members supported the array of STL women business owners from fields including literature, health, music, real estate, horticulture, and physical therapy.

“We’re making sure diverse businesses, whether women-owned, LGBTQIA-owned, and so forth have visibility,” WashU Supplier Diversity Director Janelle Turner said.

Turner recently helped establish Coffee Stamp, a Latino-owned small business, on the WashU Brown school campus.

U.S. women-employer firms grew by 17% between 2012 and 2019. While women business owners constituted about 41% (11 million) of American businesses without paid employees, they made up 20% (1 million) of employer-based businesses, according to the National Women’s Business Council 2022 Report

“Connection is so important,” Turner said.

“Think about how you can make purchasing decisions differently and support the community.”

As of 2019, Black women owned 3% of businesses with at least one employ-

See WOMEN, B2

Harris announces American investment in African women

Initiatives total more than $1 billion

By Megan Sayles

Vice President Kamala Harris rolled out several investments and initiatives to promote economic, political and social empowerment for women in Africa on March 29, 2023 just days after she began her tour of Africa. Together, the initiatives total over $1 billion, and they expand on efforts, like the Digital Transformation with Africa Initiative, that the BidenHarris Administration launched last year during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit.

Harris also reaffirmed her commitment to working with the private sector, philanthropic foundations and multilateral organizations to increase women’s participation in the digital economy.

“Women around the world must be able to fully participate in economic, political and social life, and they must be able to participate equally, including in leadership roles,” said Harris to an audience in Accra, Ghana.

“It is a key to maximizing global

growth and opportunity.”

In 2022, nearly 260 million more men than women used the internet, a gap that has increased by 20 million over the last three years, according to a

PeoPle on the Move

Adriann Adams-Gulley named VP and CFO

Adriann Adams-Gulley has been promoted to vice-president and chief financial officer at Parents as Teachers National Center; an international nonprofit headquartered in Missouri. She previously served as controller. She will ensure the fiscal stability and accountability of the organization and provide senior level direction to the finance, IT, and human resources functions. She is an East St. Louis, IL. native, and is married to Martin Gulley, and they have two adult sons.

Jerina D. Phillips, member of St. Louis-based law firm Lewis Rice, was selected for the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) 2023 Fellows Program. Designed for mid-career attorneys who have demonstrated leadership skills, are engaged in their community, and have proven their commitment to diversity and inclusion, the Fellows program offers professional development opportunities, leadership training and networking with class meetings, regional sessions, virtual learning and more. Comprised of more than 400 corporate chief legal officers and law firm managing partners, LCLD is dedicated to building a more open and diverse legal profession.

Sharonica Hardin-Bartley receives state award

Sharonica HardinBartley

The Missouri Association of School Administrators awarded Superintendent of the School District of University City, Sharonica Hardin-Bartley, the 2023 Robert L. Pearce Award. Dr. Hardin-Bartley has served as superintendent of the school district of University City since July 2016. She was previously the assistant superintendent for human resources and leadership development for the Ritenour School District. Dr. Hardin-Bartley earned an M.A. in education administration from Saint Louis University and a Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Marcus Howard named CEO Phillips selected for 2023 fellows program

GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness, which deems itself as a radically inclusive, culturally responsive pharmacy focused on providing quality patient-centered care to St. Louis residents, has named its founder Marcus Howard as CEO. Howard is a St. Louis native and Metro High School graduate. The flagship location of his pioneering pharmacy is located on the ground floor of the Delmar DivINe, and is committed to revolutionizing the way we approach, talk about, and treat healthcare in St. Louis.

Promotion, board appointment, new hire, award... please submit your People on the Move item (including photo) to kjones@stlamerican.com

Adriann AdamsGulley

White House press release. In Africa, the gap is even more stark with 66 percent of women not using the

Marcus Howard

Vice President Kamala Harris waves to the crowd on March 28, 2023, as she arrives to address youth gathered on Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana.

Jerina Phillips

Photo by Isaiah Peters / St. Louis American

Photo by Misper Apawu / Pool

internet, according to the press release.

“Expanding access to the internet drives growth and creates opportunity for innovation,” said Harris.

“Once people are online, they have greater access to education, great-

er access to information and greater access to financial services, which is why the United States will double down on our efforts to mobilize billions of dollars in public and private capital from the United States, the continent of Africa and around the world in order to expand internet access for the benefit of all people here on the continent.”

Closing gender digital divide

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation created the $60 million-Women in the Digital Economy Fund to help reduce the gender digital divide. By 2026, USAID will dedicate $50 million and

the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will dedicate $10 million to the fund, half of which will be spent in Africa.

The fund will draw on evidence-based solutions that better women’s financial security and resilience, and it will finance programs that increase digital access and affordability, provide digital literacy education, foster online safety and invest in gender-disaggregated research.

Harris also secured $400 million from entities in the private and philanthropic sectors to support the administration’s efforts to close the gender digital divide.

The investments included an additional $40 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the digital empowerment of women in Africa and South Asia, $100 million from Delphos International for projects that close the gender digital divide, $5 million from the Visa Foundation to increase women’s participation in the digital economy and $5 million from CARE to promote digital gender equality across Africa.

Promoting women’s economic security

Several companies responded to Harris’ call

for the broader economic development of women in Africa.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation used $500 million to create the Coalition for African Entrepreneurs, which will support 50,000 young women business owners by 2033, while Kuramo Capital Management plans to deploy $140 million in capital to women-led and owned private equity and venture capital funds across sub-Saharan Africa.

Vista Bank Group will invest $100 million to expand women-led enterprises in 25 African countries by 2025, and CARE will underwrite $7.3 million to improve women’s economic security in Africa, of which $6.8 million will be used to support thousands of cocoa producers and to empower 50,000 women farmers.

The Standard Bank Group also donated $25 million to the African Women Impact Fund Initiative (AWIF), which provides resources to women fund managers in Africa who finance highimpact projects and close capital gaps for women entrepreneurs across Africa.

Advancing gender equality

The Biden-Harris

Administration also committed $47 million to support women’s economic participation, environmental stewardship, and health and protection from gender-based violence in Africa.

USAID will use $2 million from the Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund (GEEA) to team up with agriculturalprocessing and apparel firms in Kenya through the Imarisha Women’s Initiative to promote women’s access to leadership and management positions in trade industries.

The agency will also invest $1 million from the GEAA fund to prepare women in Africa to work in the energy sector and to help them afford efficient appliances.

To tackle genderbased violence in Africa, USAID committed $780,000 from the GEAA Fund to finance the Resilient, Inclusive and Sustainable Environments (RISE) grants challenge, which will create local committees in Zambia that help women strengthen their leadership and conflict management skills to address these issues in the fisheries industry.

Megan Sayles is a Report for America Corps member.

Women

Continued from B1

ee other than the owner, despite being 14% of the American population. In comparison, Asian women constitute 6% of the US women population yet comprise 14% of women-owned businesses with at least one employee, according to the NWBC report.

After working with the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis to build her business plan, Britany Stamps previewed her LLC NakedTones, a bra insert, at the Marketplace.

“I saw a gap in inclusivity and color ranges,” Stamps said. “I had everything completed, but I held onto it because I was scared. But it is time; I’m ready.”

Stamps’ NakedTones officially launches on April 7.

“I want to excite people,” Stamps said.

“We have alternatives other than crappy strapless bras. We have shade ranges where you don’t have to feel like you only have this band-aid color; we can be free.”

A health scare and the need to change a family member’s diet led Mellarie Thomas to launch Tommy Wong Select in May 2022. Thomas operates the seasonings and sauces business full-time, while her husband, Tyree Thomas, works part-time.

“My last job was IT,

and I wasn’t utilizing all my talents,” Thomas said.

“So, my husband and son encouraged me. Before I quit my previous job, we started this business. It’s Tyree’s sauce recipe. His mom had high blood pressure, so he started creating a healthier recipe.”

Thomas said they debuted the business at her alma mater Cardinal Ritter. Their 2023 aspiration is to get their products, such as ‘Sara-cha-cha’ and ‘Hold up it’s hot,’ into local chain grocers.

Thomas said St. Louis small business owners are communal, sharing information and exposure opportunities. Her business cards feature her and Tyree wearing another local Black woman entrepreneur’s @CoaliesCorner’s customized crochet headpieces.

Always captivated by gardening and crafting, Ashley Atkins pursued her dream of launching a jewelry brand called Three Olives & Co. She opened for business in 2020 with the concept of making earrings from dried flowers.

“I believe in restoration no matter where you are, so even with this dead flower, there is a restored beauty,” Atkins said. “My parents always were creative and supported me experimenting with jewelry.”

Atkins, an expectant mother with three children, said during her previous pregnancies, her husband stepped up to support her business.

“My husband, a profes-

sional wrestler, would do events for me too,” Atkins said.

“One day, he did amazing; he is very friendly, putting on the earrings and later women at other events would tell me, ‘I bought a pair from your husband!’”

For her next chapter, she said she hopes to expand into working with precious metals and opening a brick-and-mortar boutique.

“When I’m creating, I’m fulfilling my purpose,” Atkins said. “I feel pride when I see how beautiful people feel wearing a pair of my earrings.”

Another business owner referred Thomas to a digital marketplace called West Tenth. West Tenth is a business app that functions as a marketplace and focuses on providing platforms for women to start and grow home-based businesses.

The app is still fresh in the region, according to Thomas, and she refers business owners, and prospective ones, to visit the site.

“I’m working with Amazon Black Business Accelerator,” Thomas said. “They give us a mentor as part of a free program and start you out with a $500 grant.”

“This [marketplace] is a direct example of how we are in, for and with St. Louis,” Associate Director of Operations at the Academy for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Trish Gomez said.

Ashley Atkins, an expectant mother with three children and founder of Three Olives & Co., said during her previous pregnancies, her husband stepped up to support her business.

Photo by Isaiah Peters / St. Louis American

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

Women’s Final Four a wonderful display of talent

It was a tremendous weekend of hoops at the NCAA Women’s Final Four in Dallas. Great players, great teams, and great coaches have elevated women’s basketball over generations and this year’s tournament set records for television viewership.

We witnessed a generational program in South Carolina enter the Final Four with a 42-game winning streak, led by All-American post player Aliyah Boston and Hall of Fame

coach Dawn Staley.

We witnessed the amazing talent of Iowa’s Caitlin Clark, who led her home state school to a major upset over South Carolina and a berth in the national championship game. With her Steph Curry-like shooting range and “Pistol” Pete Maravich flash, she continues to push the envelope of what the ladies can do with the basketball.

We also witnessed history when LSU won its first national championship. The Tigers were led by its supremely talented and unapologetically bold star forward Angel Reese, a coaching legend in Kim Mulkey, and point guard Alexis Morris, one of college basketball’s great redemption stories.

It was appointment television, and the young ladies did not disappoint as they gave us tremendous play off the court along with plenty of extra-curricular spice on Twitter.

The season’s biggest game featured a team scoring 102 points while making 11 of 17 three-point shots. That’s 65%!

Credit LSU’s Morris,

Clark during the second half of the NCAA Women’s Final Four championship basketball game Sunday, April 2, 2023, in Dallas. LSU won 102-85 to win the championship.

who correctly predicted that if Iowa packed the lane and let LSU shoot three-pointers like they did against South Carolina, it would be at their own peril. Jasmine Carson came off the bench to make all five of her three-pointers and scored 21 points in the first half.

Hopefully, folks will stay tuned because the game is evolving. Ladies are dunking in games, pulling up for 30-foot three-pointers and woofing at each other at a moment’s notice.

All-Star Weekend in St. Louis

Several of the state’s top basketball players will take the court during the John Albert High School

All-Star Game. The five-game event, presented by MoBetta Sports, is Saturday at Harris-Stowe State University. Here is the schedule.

Eighth-Grade All-Star Game, 2 p.m.

East vs. West, 3:15 p.m.

Girls Public vs. Private, 4:30 p.m. Ball is Wife vs. Mo Betta, 5:45 p.m.

YLie vs. All Things Retro, 7 p.m.

The East vs. West contest will pit all-stars from the St. Louis side of the river against a group of top players from metro east Illinois. The Ball is Wife vs. Mo Betta Game features an excellent group

of seniors, which include Jayden Nicholson of Vashon, Jorden Williams of Whitfield, Tyler King of Parkway West, Justin Duff of DeSmet and Stephen Okoro of Principia.

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

Cape Girardeau Central, Desmond White of the Skills Factory of Atlanta and Rico Coleman of Charleston.

Rob Martin is headed to SEMO

Culver-Stockton tabs Dorian Hobbs Jr as head coach

Former CBC basketball standout Rob Martin gave a commitment to attend Southeast Missouri State last week. Martin spent his freshman season at Indiana State before entering the transfer portal. Martin was the St. Louis American Player of the Year in 2022 after leading the Cadets to the Class 6 state championship. The 5’10” Martin figures to step into a prime role for the Redhawks, who won the Ohio Valley Conference tournament.

Congratulations to St. Louisan Dorian Hobbs Jr. who was named as the head men’s basketball coach at Culver-Stockton College. At 30 years old, Hobbs is now one of the youngest head coaches in the collegiate ranks. A Parkway North High product, Hobbs was a former standout player and assistant coach at Culver Stockton. Hobbs graduated from Culver-Stockton in 2015 where he helped them to a pair of berths in the NAIA National Tournament. He spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Culver-Stockton and the past two seasons at Millikin University (IL).

Flaherty found way to win first start of season

Jack Flaherty overcame his own wildness and a windchill temperature in the 30s to land his first victory of the season, a 4-1 win over the powerful Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday April 1. Flaherty played a perfect April Fool’s Day prank on the Blue Jays, who had posted 19 hits in a 10-9 win over the Cardinals on Opening Day.

The Redbirds’ starter walked seven batters in just five innings but did not surrender a run. While the 96 pitches he threw during the outing is too many, he registered a key double play or strikeout when most needed. You won’t see many pitching lines like this during the 2023 Major League Baseball season: five innings, 0 hits, seven walks, four strikeouts, and one hit batter. Flaherty sat down

Toronto in order just once, the fifth and final inning he pitched. The seven walks are the most he has recorded in any of his starts for St. Louis. Through the up-anddown performance, Flaherty remained calm and didn’t display the frustration that has sometimes accompanied him to the pitcher’s mound.

“Getting frustrated is not going to do anything for anybody, and that’s something that I’ve had to learn and figure out -- getting frustrated and showing emotion is not going do anything for me or the team, but it’s going do something for the hitter,” Flaherty told reporters following the game.

“It’s about finding some peace and being able to execute.”

As for his performance, Flaherty said throwing that many pitches in that few innings is not sustainable

if he is to regain the form that made him one of baseball’s most feared young pitchers just two seasons ago.

“That’s not something that’s going to work over the long run. But I was able to get away with it today by making pitches when I needed them. I made pitches in decent spots, but it isn’t ideal,” he said.

Flaherty’s next start

In the main event, it will be YLie vs. All Things Retro in a battle of top St. Louis area players against players from around the state of Missouri. All Things Retro will feature players such as Kennard Davis Jr. of Vashon, Macalaeb Rich of East St. Louis, Jordan Pickett of Belleville East, Kobi Williams of Westminster and Javaris Moye of Kirkwood. The YLie team features top players such as Kael Combs of Nixa, Cameron Williams of St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Jack Flaherty delivers a pitch to the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on Saturday, April 1, 2023.

should come Easter Weekend at Milwaukee or during the following series at Colorado.

The Reid Roundup Along with St. Louis Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty Hunter Greene of the Cincinnati Reds. Josiah Gray of the Washington Nationals and Tristin McKenzie of the Cleveland Indians

are MLB’s leading African American starting pitchers. Greene was awful in his Opening Day start, surrendering five hits and three runs in just 3.1 innings. The Pirates beat the Cubs 5-4. Gray was worse in his start against the Atlanta Braves. He was pounded for three home runs and five runs in total in just five innings. The Braves won 7-1. McKenzie began the season on the injured list with a muscle strain in his pitching arm. It could be May before he pitches…South Carolina coach Dawn Staley congratulated Iowa for its upset win over the No. 1 and undefeated Gamecocks last Friday in a NCAA Women’s Final Four semifinal. Then she sounded very much like the late John Thompson defending the play of his 1980s Georgetown Hoyas. “We’re not bar fighters. We’re not thugs. We’re not monkeys. We’re not street fighters,”

Staley said. “This team exemplifies how you need to approach basketball on the court and off the court. And I do think that that’s sometimes brought into the game, and it hurts. Don’t judge us by the color of our skin. Judge us by how we approach the game.”… Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson announced on social media last week that he had requested a trade from the team on March 2. Jackson wants a fully guaranteed contract like Deshaun Watson’s $50 million annual salary in Cleveland. The Ravens placed the unrestricted franchise tag on Jackson, meaning he can negotiate with other teams and the Ravens could match the offer. The Ravens have no interest in paying the often-injury Jackson that kind of dough. The only team rumored to be interested in Jackson via a trade is the Indianapolis Colts.

Earl Austin Jr.

Photo courtesy of the AP

LSU’s Angel Reese does a Steph Curry 2022 NBA Finals imitation in front of Iowa’s Caitlin

Photo by Bill Greenblatt / St. Louis American

Alvin A. Reid

Byron Allen’s $10B McDonald’s lawsuit set for May trial

Courtesy of the Chicago Crusader

A $10 billion discrimination lawsuit against McDonald’s, filed by business mogul Byron Allen, will go to trial in May after the fast-food giant tried but failed three times to have the case dismissed.

The latest denial occurred September 23

when Judge Fernando Olguin of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California ruled that McDonald’s failed to meet a relatively high bar for proving Allen’s Entertainment Studios made no reasonable claim of discrimination. McDonald’s filed two earlier motions to dismiss the case, but those were

also denied. The case will now go to trial on May 30, 2023.

In 2021, Allen, who owns Allen Media Group and has an estimated worth of $500 million, filed a $10 billion lawsuit against McDonald’s, saying it has refused to advertise on his networks

Byron Allen

Entertainment Studios Networks and Weather Group, which include The Weather Channel and Comedy TV. While McDonald’s has an annual advertising budget of $1.6 billion, Allen claimed that the company only spends $5 million of that total on African

American media. He also said that McDonald’s had created an “African American tier” with a smaller budget, a tier in which he believes his TV networks have been categorized.

“This is about economic inclusion of African Americanowned businesses in the U.S. economy,” Allen said in a statement.

“McDonald’s takes billions from African American consumers and gives almost nothing back. The biggest trade deficit in America is the trade deficit between white corporate America and Black America, and McDonald’s is guilty of perpetuating this disparity.”

Spire volunteers building greenhouse with Jennings schools

Spire employees are building a greenhouse for the Jennings School District and making other garden improvements such as rebuilding raised beds and preparing beds for soil and planting at the high school. The volunteer effort is part of Spire’s annual Day for Good initiative, giving employees eight hours annually to support an organization or cause of their choice.

The greenhouse build is just the start of a new project between Spire and the Jennings School District aimed at healthy lifestyle choices, including gardening. The company is also creating a program to provide additional support to the school district.

“This is an opportunity to provide a hands-on learning space for students, which we hope will lead to healthy eat-

ing and cooking,” said Justin Lopinot, director of employee communications and community impact. “We are thrilled

Garden, students will assist with garden improvements at the high school.

“We want to take this tremendous opportunity to say thank you to Spire for its support to the St Louis community. Although this is one of many district projects that Spire supports, this is a major accomplishment for the Jennings community,” said Dr. Paula D. Knight, Superintendent of Schools, Jennings School District. “We know school gardens can make lasting differences in the lives of children. The lessons taught through these outdoor learning laboratories transcend gardening to impact children, their families and entire communities for years to come.”

Midwest BankCentre to open new concept branch

Midwest BankCentre, the second-largest privately held community bank in the St. Louis region, will open its first-ever Innovation Centre, a new concept, fullservice, cash-less bank branch featuring an Interactive Teller Machine (ITM), this coming summer in the $13 million R&R Marketplace in Dellwood in North St. Louis County. In addition, Midwest BankCentre and the nonprofit Refuge and Restoration, the owners and operators of the Marketplace, have also closed on a financing structure including $5.75 million in loans provided by Midwest BankCentre.

R&R Marketplace is an effort to transform an abandoned strip mall into a community focal point. Refuge & Restoration –the brainchild of Pastors Ken and Beverly Jenkins –broke ground on the project at 10148 W.

Florissant Avenue in October 2021. In addition to the Midwest BankCentre Dellwood Innovation Centre branch, The Marketplace will include an early childhood learning center, behavioral

health and addiction center, workforce and career development center, a state of the art office space and co-working facility, a medical school, and a restaurant are among the many amenities that will be onsite. The Refuge and Restoration Church location as well as the Multiplex will be part of phase two of the development. Ashley O’Neal, senior vice president and retail market manager, is a Florissant native and will oversee the retail team’s sales and service, including consumer and business banking.

Ashley O’Neal

about this opportunity to support local students and to help them make positive changes and lead a healthy lifestyle.”

The group will break up into teams to have simultaneous projects underway at Jennings High School and at Gary Gore Community

Center where the Jennings Community Garden is located. While the greenhouse is being built at the Jennings Community

Living It

No bones about it

Velma Austin stars in Black Rep staging of Tony Award-winning ‘Skeleton Crew’

By Kenya Vaughn

The St. Louis American

Every time she readies to grace the stage, veteran actress Velma Austin whispers a prayer to herself.

“First, I ask to let the words flow out of my mouth as if they are my own,” she said with a laugh.

Her eyes quickly transitioned to convey a deep intensity as she shared the second request of her preshow prayer ritual.

“And then the next thing I ask is, ‘Please Lord, let me be able to touch someone tonight,’” Austin said. “It’s in this that I take my craft very seriously. Maybe I can give someone a laugh to

A regal Reign

HER Eminent Reign’s majestic display at Angard Hotel

By Ashley Winters

The St. Louis American

Myrina Otey-Myton, better known as ‘Renaissance,’ closed Women’s History Month with a royal salute to Black women.

Otey-Myton’s art exhibit HER Eminent Reign at the Angard Hotel in Midtown, featured art photography, spoken word, and a Neo Soul performance.

“This project tells the stories about Black women from that past that have been forgotten,” said the visual arts project creator.

She says the storytelling campaign is designed to empower women, to encourage women to think about the legacy they want to leave behind for future generations.

This Women’s History Month OteyMyton honored Kendake Amanirenas,

lift their spirits. Or somebody is moved to a good cry that they needed – but were unable to let out.”

The Jamaican-born, Chicago based actress embodies the character of Faye in the St. Louis Black Repertory Company’s current production of Dominique Morisseau’s Tony Awardwinning play Skeleton Crew. The play runs through April 16 at COCA’s Berges Theatre as part of the Black Rep’s 46th season. All who see her will agree that it is safe to assume that her prayer will be answered for the duration of the play’s run. The power and familiarity of Morisseau’s words make them easy for Austin to remember and articulate. And

the performance of Austin –who has a 20-plus year history with The Black Rep – makes the story impossible to forget.

“The greatest thing is to have these Black writers – these black women writers- give you something that you can lift off of the page,” Austin said. “I mean, you just can’t go wrong with that. Doing plays that are written for us and by us is a whole different ballgame. It makes you want to honor the piece.”

With Geovonday Jones making his Black Rep mainstage directorial debut, the play also stars Olajuwon Davis as Dez, Carmia Imani as Shanita and Brian

See Crew, C6

Photo By Ashley Winters

BeBe (center) performs at HER Eminent Reign on the last day of 2023 Womens’ History Month at The Angard Hotel.

a queen and warrior of the Kingdom of Kush, Pharaoh Hatshepsut, the first female ruler to reign in Egypt, and Kendake Amanitore, who controlled a prosperous monarchy.

In June, HER Eminent Reign will be featured at St. Louis Lambert International Airport in Terminal II.. The exhibit will consist of the campaign’s art photography over the past three years. The exhibition runs from June until December 2023.

“I still can’t believe it,” said the photographer. “People traveling will see all 10 of my photographs telling the stories of these forgotten women.”

Otey-Myton said researching her subjects was challenging, and her work led her to the Progressive Emporium and Education Center, a bookstore and culture center in north city. There, she

Asking “Why?”

By Danielle Brown St. Louis American

Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective’s new script for “The Why of My City” follows Wanda, a young Black woman who comes back to St. Louis after graduating high school. Upon returning she becomes interested in exploring new opportunities. However, a well-known gangster named Zoot Suit tries to persuade her to work for him. Fortunately Wanda’s community comes together in saving her from making a life-changing mistake. Historic St. Louisans Scott Joplin, Madam C.J. Walker, James “Cool Papa” Bell, and Tina Turner rally around her to save her from Zoot Suit’s dangerous plans.

n “It resonates throughout St.

Black communities. Through performance art we hope to bring all these things to the forefront.”

- Bobby Norfolk

According to a release, “The Why of My City” is “a multi-year signature program that captures and documents pieces of Black history through written word and art while training the next generation to become active, engaged citizens.” The Collective’s goal is for programs “to become a force multiplier, rippling into families, schools, and neighborhoods, offering solutions to common urban problems.”

The Collective commissioned playwright Mario Farwell to write a new script focused on St. Louis’ Black neighborhoods and historic figures. Farwell said he wants the audiences to take away that St. Louis can be what you make it.

“If you put energy and effort into making something good out of St. Louis you could have a good effect. There’s a lot of opportunities in St. Louis. You just have to work at making them happen for you. I didn’t want to have a didactic, this is what happened, that happened,” Farwell said.

“I wanted a more entertaining piece of theater that people come out and watch. I also wanted to have some historical knowledge they take from the play and how these characters relate to the difficul-

Collective, C6

Photo by Phil Hamer

The Black Rep’s production of Dominique Morisseau’s ‘Skeleton Crew’ is currently on stage at COCA’s Catherine B. Berges Theatre. The play continues through April 16.

Louis’

Photo courtesy of St. Louis Story Stitchers St. Louis Story Stitchers commissioned playwright Mario Farwell to write a new script focused on St. Louis’ Black neighborhoods and historic figures.

St. Alphonsus ‘rocked’ during its Friday Fish Fry

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

Hundreds of fish fry fundraisers, most at Catholic churches, are held on Fridays during Lent, and St. Alphonsus “The Rock” Church is no exception.

Staging these events over five Fridays does not take a loaves and fishes type miracle. They come together through volunteerism, philanthropy, community support, and faith.

On each of the Fridays in St. Alphonsus’ kitchen and gymnasium, Teresa Hudson and Janice Englander “stood on the line for the entire day preparing more than 600 orders,” said Shelia Williams, the fish fry co-chair.

“That’s after spending a half-day Thursday filling 400 carry-out bags, preparing 500 slices of cake for the dinners.”

Church member Jeri Bell uses vacation days on Fish Fry Fridays, so she can be present to give her

special touch to an average of 140 call-in orders.

“Her ‘regulars’ expect nothing less. These ladies are just the beginning,” said Williams.

Of course, what is a fish fry without fish? What’s a fried fish dinner without spaghetti?

This is where Jan Reed is ready to serve. On Fridays, she rests after working a night shift on her job and fries fish throughout the day, supplying the needed quantities for in-house and carry-out diners.

Vanessa Branch is the event’s spaghetti chef.

“She has honed her recipe over a number of years, getting rave reviews and garnering many ‘extra spaghetti’ orders. Through illness and the loss of her husband she has been faithful in providing this essential service,” Williams said.

Jeffrey McDonald is one of the volunteers that makes the Friday events successful. He helped found the Glenn Miller Foundation in honor of a

deceased friend who was an essential volunteer working to prepare the fish for each Fish Fry. The Foundation has provided additional volunteers to help in the kitchen and on the beverage table every Wednesday (fish prep) and Friday. Williams called Dot Valle, “our dessert guru.” She provides bread pudding and fruit cobblers on

• Certified event planner recognized for seamless organizing and spotting even the smallest details

• Highly experienced consulting services cover countless details including: table arrangements, seating charts, budgeting, etiquette, logistics, crisis management, and so much more!

• Creates a “day of” master timeline to ensure the seamless flow of each special moment

• Presents premium preferred vendor list while coordinating and overseeing communication flow

• Day of coordination specializes in overseeing details others often miss

• Managing a productive rehearsal ceremony and timeline

Events

most Fridays.

Father Steve Benden does not leave it up to church members and volunteers kitchen. He pitches in anywhere he is needed, including meal deliveries on large orders, mopping floors, emptying trash, and scrubbing pots. Williams the fish fry Friday would not be possible without Carol Powell, the event’s chair.

“Pulling all this together is no small feat. Carol has successfully chaired the Fish Fry fundraiser for several years. Her leadership and organizational skills are undeniable,” Williams said.

“Each year she must refine the process, recruit/ assign volunteers, order/ purchase/inventory all necessary food and material items, and execute every

Friday. She does all this with energy, intelligence, passion, and firm decision-making that bring coherence and momentum to the St. Alphonsus Fish Fry. “I am blessed to have the opportunity to stand beside her as she manages an always full plate.”

Photo by Alvin A. Reid / St. Louis American

Sheila Williams (front), Teresa Hudson, Father Steve Benden, Janice Englander, and Jeri Bell are part

successful recipe that makes the St. Alphonsus Church Friday Fish Fry a community treasure.

ARTS LEAD (AA LEAD)

The ARPA for the Arts Lead (AA Lead) is a newly created position that is responsible for the central coordination and project management of all American Rescue Plan ACT (ARPA) grant funding that is received by the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis (RAC) to support the recovery of the St. Louis arts and culture sector. This is a full-time position that includes a comprehensive benefits package and is funded through March 31, 2027, using ARPA dollars allocated by the City of St. Louis to RAC. For more information, please visit the job posting on the website, https://racstl. org/career-opportunities/ Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter online by April 9, 2023.

BUILDING DEPARTMENT MANAGER

The City of Jennings is accepting applications for a Building Department Manager. Duties include administrative & professional work in planning, organizing, directing, facilitating, and supervising of the building department, including code enforcement; new construction of residential and commercial structures; building plan review; environmental, public health, and safety programs for all buildings. Bachelor’s degree in planning or related field or seven years equivalency in the field. ICC certified. Starting annual salary $61,340 (GS25). More detail description and applications available at Jennings City Hall, 2120 Hord Ave. or at www.cityofjennings.org. NO RESUMES ACCEPTED WITHOUT A COMPLETED APPLICATION.

Completed applications may be mailed, emailed to jobs@cityofjennings.org or faxed to 314-388-3999. Applications accepted until the position is filled.

To Advertise your Job Opportunity in the newspaper ad online please email Angelita Houston at

REVENUE OPTIMIZATION ANALYST

In the role of Revenue Optimization Analyst, you will impact revenue outcomes by focusing on the refinement of data, processes, and systems. You will cultivate the sales pipeline database, analyze revenue-generating activity for actionable insights, and visualize your findings for all levels of the organization.

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

SYSTEM OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

In the role of Systems Operations Coordinator, you will be part of a team that supports the critical software applications leveraged by our Business Development department. You will work closely with business development personnel, analysts, and teams within our information services department.

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

INFRASTRUCTURE ARCHITECT

In the role of Infrastructure Architect you will be part of the Infrastructure team. The Architect will utilize advanced analytic skills and experience in principals of design to define standards, solutions, and tools for systems and architecture. Completes design, specifications and hands-on implementation, as well as guidance for other IS teams to deliver applications and content to people.

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

Will actively participate in various tasks, initiatives, and projects in the Insurance Underwriting department while engaging across multiple internal departments. Responsible for handling various duties to assist and support Insurance Underwriting primary liaison and management. Act as a supporting liaison between Insurance Underwriting and other departments. To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/careers-page/

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY O’FALLON FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT

The O’Fallon Fire Protection District is currently seeking qualified applicants to establish a hiring pool for the position of Firefighter/EMT-P. Application packets can be picked up at the O’Fallon Fire Protection District Administration Office located at 111 Laura K Drive, 2nd Floor, O’Fallon, MO 63366 beginning April 10, 2023 through April 14, 2023 between the hours of at 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. CST. Packets may be obtained electronically by going to our website ofallonfire. org and downloading the application packet beginning April 10, 2023 or by contacting the office at 636-272-3493. Application Packets can be returned beginning April 17, 2023 through April 21, 2023 between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. Packets can be returned in person or via US Mail. NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED VIA EMAIL. The O’Fallon Fire Protection District is not responsible for any correspondence or mail that is lost or misdirected, or received after 2:00 p.m. on April 21, 2023.

FAMILY COURT OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY CONTRACT JUVENILE DEFENSE ATTORNEY

The Family Court of St. Louis County is seeking an attorney to perform full time legal work as a juvenile defense counsel in delinquency cases. This is a contractual position with a monthly retainer of $5,000 per month. The position is subject to annual renewal and continued availability of funding.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Graduation from an accredited law school, possession of a current license to practice law in the State of Missouri, at least two (2) years of trial experience preferably in juvenile, family or criminal law with additional years of trial experience or any equivalent experience being preferable. Applicants are not prohibited from engaging in the practice of law outside the terms of the contract where no conflict of interest exists. However, juvenile defense cases must take priority over all other cases including but not limited to dockets and case settings. Any office space and/or other accommodations provided by the Family Court shall not be used for any purpose other than to perform services under the terms of the contract entered into by the parties.

To apply, candidates should send a cover letter and resume to SLCCourtJobs@courts.mo.gov, or mail to Human Resources, Saint Louis County Circuit Court, 105 South Central Avenue, Clayton, MO 63105. Applications must be received by 5 PM, Friday, April 21, 2023

Note: Any selected individual will be required to submit to a drug screen and background check prior to hire. EOE. Please contact the Human Resources Department at 314 615-4471 (voice) or RelayMO711 or 800 735-2966 if you need any accommodations in the application process, or if you would like this posting in an alternative form.

St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices

SAINT LOUIS ZOO LANTERN FESTIVAL RFP 2023

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for Saint Louis Zoo Lantern Festival RFP 2023. Bid documents are available as of 4/5/23 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor.

WILDCARE PARK TREE MAINTENANCE RFP 2023

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for WildCare Park Tree Maintenance RFP 2023. Bid documents are available as of 4/5/23 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor.

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Color Art Construction is a general contractor seeking construction services for Hypoint South Renovation at the Missouri University of Science and Technology located at 4000 Enterprise Dr, Rolla, MO 65401. Project includes demo, masonry, metal fabrication, wood/ plastic/ composites, thermal/moisture protection, openings, finishes, basic mechanical, fire protection, plumbing, HVAC, air distribution, temperature control, electrical, and communications. Bid details will be posted on Building Connected. Bids due Monday 4/10/2023 at 12:00pm. Please email bids or questions to: bidrequestsCAC@color-art.com

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District Requests for Quotes, Bids and Proposals are posted online for public download. Please navigate to www.msdprojectclear.org

> Doing Business With Us

> View Bid Opportunities

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

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC), hereby requests proposals from firms wishing to manage and monitor SLDC’s Construction Plan Room. For a copy of the RFP please visit our website at http:/stlouis-mo.gov/sldc by selecting the RFP/RFQ link for a complete copy of the RFP, or contact: Stacey Fowler

Sr. Vice President Minority & Small Business Empowerment

St. Louis Development Corporation 1520 Market Street, Suite 2000

St. Louis, MO 63103

Main: (314) 657-3700

Fax: (314) 613-7011

fowlers@slouis-mo.gov

Proposals are due no later than 2:00 pm Central Daylight Time on Monday, April 24, 2023

ONE, TWO AND THREE BEDROOM WAIT LIST OPENING

Notice is hereby given that Kendelwood Place Apartments located in Black Jack, Missouri, in accordance with regulations outlined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and in accordance with the Tenant Selection Plan for the above project will reopen the ONE, TWO and THREE BEDROOM waiting list for all individuals from April 17, 2023 through April 21. 2023. Applications will be available to the public and accepted each business day during this open period from 10:00AM to 3:00PM at Kendelwood Place Leasing Office, 12404 Centerbrook Drive, Black Jack, Missouri 63033.

Persons may call 314-355-2465 or email (dennis@proequity.com) to request an application be emailed to them in lieu of coming to the office to apply in person. In addition to the approved Tenant Selection Plan Criteria, eligibility is based on annual income limits which vary by household size and location. Federal fiscal year 2023-2024 income limits may be found at www.hud.gov or posted at Kendelwood Place Apartments. The Tenant Selection Plan may also be viewed at Kendelwood Place Apartments during regular business hours. Kendelwood Place Apartments does not discriminate because of race, color, sex, religion, familial status, disability, handicap, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity in the leasing, rental or other disposition of housing. There is no application fee. Picture ID and social security card is required to complete your application. Applications will not be accepted after April 21, 2023 at 3:00PM

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Normandy Schools Collaborative is issuing a Request for Proposals for Landscaping Services for 2023. Proposals due April 17, mandatory pre-bid meeting on April 5. See https://www.normandysc.org/departments/businessoperations/request-for-qualificationsbids for details.

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Install Fire Alarm & Suppression Systems, Langsford House Youth Center, Project No. H2203-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, April 25, 2023. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replace Five Basic Sites with Five Premium Yurts and Replace 22 Electric Sites with 22 Premium Sites - Campground #2 at Table Rock State Park, Project Nos. X2215-01 and X2216-01, respectively, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, April 27, 2023. informationProject available at: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Alberici Constructors, Kwame Building Group and the Saint Louis Zoo seek bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for a project at the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park. The project consists of mass excavation, grading and site utilities. To request bid documents, please send an E-mail to stlzoobids@alberici.com

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Paric Corporation is seeking proposals for the following project: BADEN SCHOOL APARTMENTS located at 8724 Halls Ferry Rd. St. Louis, MO

PARIC Corporation is soliciting bids ONLY for the DEMOLITION, ELEVATORS, FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS, PLUMBING, HVAC and ELECTRICAL for THE BADEN SCHOOL APARTMENTS located on 8724 Halls Ferry Rd. St Louis, MO. The project consists of the renovation of the historic building into 50 Apartments. Access to documents is available from our Smartbid link. If you do not received a bid invitation please send your company information to tlalexaner@paric.com

A PREBID meeting will be held on 4/12/23 at 11:00am at the project site

BIDS WILL BE DUE ON MAY 4, 2023 @ 2:00pm

Send all questions to Andrew Kalicak (AKalicak@paric.com) or Michael Skalski (MSkalski@paric.com)

Job will have prevailing wage requirements

Goals for Construction Business Enterprise

• 21% African American • 11% Women • .5% Asian American • .5% Native American • 2% Hispanic 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 PROPOSALS

Tower Grove Park, 4257 Northeast Drive, St. Louis, MO 63110 is requesting proposals for general construction for new basketball courts. RFP responses are due 4/25/23 by 2:00 p.m. Project information, registration, and questions through Katie Aholt (katie@navigatebuildingsolutions.com or 636-359-8538).

Tower Grove Park hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant of this advertisement, businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, ancestry or national origin in consideration for an award. Federal Land and Water Conservation Funds are being used in this project, and all relevant federal, state and local requirements apply.Purchasing Department in writing to Bids@stpetersmo.net under the subject line “23-137 - Covenant Park Playground Surfacing Repair” before noon local time, April 6, 2023.

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Elevator Replacement at Western Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center, Project No. C2224-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, April 18, 2023, via MissouriBUYS.

Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Renovate Interior & Exterior at Moberly Readiness Center, Project No. T2208-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, April 20, 2023, via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

SOLICITING BID

Reinhardt Construction

LLC is Soliciting Bids from MBE/WBE/DBE/ Veteran/SDVE for the following:

CP222931 University of Missouri Teaching Hospital – 6E Progressive Care Unit

Contact: Mike Murray ; mikem@ reinhardtconstructionllc. com

Phone: 573-682-5505

LAWN MAINTENANCE SERVICES BEAUTIFICATION OF VACANT PROPERTIES PROGRAM

The Land Reutilization Authority (LRA) is issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) from private lawn care contractors for the removal of debris, brush, and vegetation and ongoing maintenance of vacant LRA properties and lots in identified blocks within the City of St. Louis, in both North and Southeast City. These priority demonstration areas represent blocks that have LRA parcel stewardship at 50% of total parcels.

$6.5M of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) allocated to SLDC, passed through the St. Louis City Community Development Administration, will provide funding for this program and service providers. The RFQ will be available for download on SLDC’s website at https:// www.stlouis-mo.gov/SLDC on Friday, March 31, 2023. Responses are due by 4:00 pm, Monday, April 17, 2023. SLDC is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.

CITY OF PASADENA HILLS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS CIVIL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR CDBG STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

THE CITY OF BEL-RIDGE IS SOLICITING QUALIFICATIONS TO PERFORM ARCHITECTURAL/ ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR THE STREET IMPROVEMENTS AT MAYBELLE DRIVE. SUBMISSIONS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN APRIL 20TH, 2023 AT 12 PM AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: 8920 NATURAL BRIDGE ROAD, ST. LOUIS, MO. 63121.

The City of Pasadena Hills, Missouri is requesting proposals for the provision of Lawn and Maintenance Services, which includes: Mowing, Street Cleaning- Leaf Removal, Landscaping, Weeding & Feeding Services for a term of five (5) years . Service is to begin during the week of May 1, 2023. Sealed bid proposals should be submitted no later than April 17, 2023 at 3 p.m. at 3915 Roland Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63121

Specifications of the bidding process can be obtained on the City of Pasadena Hills website. www.pasadenahillsmo.us

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Sealed bids for the CRS RehabilitationAssumption Valley project, St. Louis County Project No. CR-1886, will be received electronically thru the County’s Vendor Self Service portal at https://stlouiscountymovendors.munisselfservice. com/Vendors/default.aspx, until 2:00 PM on April 12, 2023

Plans and specifications will be available on March 13, 2023 from the St. Louis County Web Site (www.stlouiscountymo.gov) or by contacting Cross Rhodes Print & Technologies, 2731 South Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63118

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE:

Advertised herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, imitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial\status, or national origin, or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination.

“We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.”

Call Angelita Houston at 314-289-5430 or email ahouston@stlamerican.com to place your ads today!

INVITATION TO BID FERGUSONFLORISSANT SCHOOL DISTRICT FLOORING REPLACEMENT/ ASPHALT PAVING/ PATCHING AND SEALING/ STRIPING PIPING AND INSULATION INSTALLATION TO NEW CHILLER AT MCH

Sealed bids are being requested from the Ferguson Florissant School District and will be received and publicly opened on various dates at the Operation and Maintenance dept. located at 8855 Dunn Rd. (REAR) Hazelwood, MO 63042. Please obtain bid documents for exact dates. Pre bid meetings will be held at various locations and dates. Please obtain bid documents for exact dates and locations of pre bid meetings. Bid specs must be obtained at http://new.fergflor.k12.mo.us/ facilities-rfq. Contact Matt Furfaro @ mfurfaro@fergflor.org for further information/questions.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR RFP ANIMAL SHELTER OPERATIONS AND ADOPTION SERVICES

The City of St. Louis Department of Health seeks proposals for its Animal Shelter Operations and Adoption Services. Requests for Proposals may be obtained beginning March 3, 2023, by downloading from the City of St. Louis website at www.stlouis-mo. gov/health. The deadline for submitting proposals is April 7, 2023, by 5:00 P.M., to Justen Hauser, 1520 Market Street, Suite 4051, St. Louis, MO 63103, hauserj@stlouis-mo.gov, and must be received in electronic and hard copy following the guidelines within the RFP. Late or incomplete proposals will not be reviewed.

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replace Highway PP Bridge at Katy Trail State Park, Project No. X2227-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, April 18, 2023, via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

people’s fortitude, iron will and resilience by any means necessary.

“She wanted to show how we survived – that we are survivors,” Austin said.

McKinley as Reggie.

Austin’s Faye is the glue that bonds coworkers operating as chosen family while grappling with the fragility of looming uncertain futures. She is the makeshift matriarch within a team of automobile assembly plant workers in Detroit. Push has come to shove for them – and many others –amid the 2008 economic crisis. The “good jobs” at plants and mills that sustained a robust portion of the Black middle class for generations are now anything but a sure thing. With the industry on the brink of collapse, Skeleton Crew explores the realities of clocking in while knowing that the next clock out could possibly be their last.

“We show people a glimpse of themselves –every character on that stage is a part of who we are,” Austin said.

According to Austin, Morisseau uses the tribulations of her hometown to demonstrate Black

“When it all collapses, who gets the brunt of it? We do. And who survives? We do. This play shows how it fell apart – how Black people got the brunt of it – and did our best to hold ourselves together.

“We don’t take the weight and just bury ourselves,” Austin said.

Faye is the personification of survival. Through Austin’s portrayal of her, audiences will identify many of the layers that coincide with survival mechanisms Black people rely on to make it through the worst of times.

“I really wanted people to see who Faye is – and that she’s not just this big tough woman up there,” Austin said. “I wanted them to actually see her. She had to live hard, but it didn’t harden her heart. It made her tough, but she wasn’t emotionally stifled.”

Even in her darkest moments, audiences can find the best of Black women within Faye. She laughs to keep from cry-

ing. She loves harder in response to loss and disappointment – and makes the best of a tough situation. She accepts responsibility for the sum of her choices and works to regroup in real time. She sacrifices for the generation coming behind her. She assumes the position as the backbone of her circle without complaint – and they are better for it.

“I want people to see hardworking people who loved and cared about each other – regardless of what their issues are,” Austin said of Skeleton Crew “And that as Black people, it doesn’t matter what hits us – like a ton of bricks. Somehow, we manage to move the bricks to the side – or balance them on our backs – and keep on walking. That is how we are built.”

The Black Rep’s presentation of Dominique Morisseau’s Skeleton Crew continues through April 16 at COCA’s Catherine B. Berges Theatre, 6800 Washington Ave, 63130. For tickets and/or additional information, visit www.theblackrep.org or call (314) 534-3807.

Continued from C1

ties of life in St. Louis, and the upshot of really taking control of your life.”

Susan Colangelo, Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective president & CEO, said Farwell penned a masterful script.

“I think he did a very good job of pulling all disparate parts together into one cohesive storyline that’s fun and has some lessons in it, while bringing historic figures to life,” Colangelo said.

In conjunction with “The Why of My City,”

Story Stitchers is producing StitchCast Studio Special Edition podcast recordings about Black historic sites in St. Louis.

The Divided City organization is providing additional support, and the recordings will be released in the coming months.

Bobby Norfolk, threetime Emmy-winner and Story Stitchers artist-in-residence, called the new script “long overdue.”

“It resonates throughout St. Louis’ Black communities,” Norfolk said. “Through performance art we hope to bring all these things to the forefront.”

Auditions and interviews for The Why of My City are at 6 p.m. May 10 at

The Center, 3701 Grandel Square, 1A, St. Louis, MO 63019. Casting Call and Auditions are at noon May 13, and call backs are at 6 p.m. Register for auditions with the director, Gregory S. Carr, at https://storystitchers.dm.networkforgood.com/forms/the-why -of-my-city-casting-call. The Why of My City takes stage June 15-16 at 7 p.m., at .ZACK Theatre located at 3224 Locust Street. Tickets are $10 and available at

For more information about The Why of My City program, visit https://storystitchers.org/the-why-ofmy-city/.

Budding Artists (ages 6 - 9)

Monday - Friday | 10am - 2pm

Young Artists (ages 10 - 13)

Monday - Friday | 10am - 2pm

Teen Intensives (ages 14 - 18)

Monday - Friday | 3pm - 5:30pm

Continued from C1

found what she needed to adequately tell the empowering stories of these women.

“This is an art history project, I’m mixing art and history. I have to do right by telling their story,” said Otey-Myton.

The photographer soon started to regain some hope after visiting the culture center.

Kendake Amanirenas:

Queen and warrior who led an army against Rome, where she lost an eye in battle. However, that didn’t stop her. The queen’s army captured the head of Augustus Caesar and buried it under her temple symbolically demonstrating that her people were “walking on Rome.”

Pharaoh Hatshepsut: She was the first female

ruler of Egypt with full authority as a pharaoh. During her monarchy, she built grand statues that became the centerpieces of the Valley of Kings, the burial location of Egypt’s pharaohs.

Kendake Amanitore:

The granddaughter of Kendake Amanirenas, she led one of civilization’s wealthiest kingdoms. “A true boss lady,” said OteyMyton, she maintained her wealth for her kingdom by exporting gold, exotic animals, textiles, and jewelry. She was so powerful that she ordered the death of her husband by suicide so that her son could become ruler of the kingdom.

Otey-Myton started her campaign when she was a student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2019. She served as president of the Black Student Business Association, and she recalls a panel discussion during Women’s History Month that year.

The panel discussion

“morphed into a visual arts project showcasing its first event online during the pandemic,” Otey-Myton said. From there, she decided to recreate images of the women she was researching. She wanted to do more than have a panel discussion, she wanted to create an experience and leave an impression on those who came to her shows.

“I hope people after seeing this want to go and learn more,” said the photographer.

She hopes that after folks view her artwork they realize the power they have within themselves comes from their ancestors.

To learn more about the exhibit visit HER Eminent Reign

Ashley Winters is a Report for America reporter for the St. Louis American.

Crew

Continued from C1

Photo by Phil Hamer

Skeleton Crew explores the realities of clocking in while knowing that the next clock out could possibly be their last.

How does owning a home build wealth?

Most people want to own a home. They want safety, security, good schools for their children, a place to raise families, a home to call their own and to pass on to future generations.

But, beyond all the reasons why we become a homeowner, buying a home also lays the foundation for building wealth and financial security. In fact, it’s one of the most effective wealth-building tools available to individuals and families.

· Buying a home is an automatic savings account. Each time you make a house payment, you are saving money. Month after month, year over year, you start to see that savings account increase as you pay down your loan balance, allowing those payments to work for you and your financial freedom. When you

make a rent payment, on the other hand, all that money goes into someone else’s pocket.

• A fixed rate mortgage provides stable monthly payments. Rent payments can increase at any time. By owning, you can anticipate and budget for your living expenses and enjoy more flexibility in your financial decisions.

• Homes build equity over time as you pay down your mortgage. This equity can be used to finance other expenses – like home renovations, paying down high-interest debt, or funding a college education – using a home equity loan or home equity line of credit.

• Your home can serve as a valuable asset. If a home’s value rises above the

price you paid for it, you could sell it and use the difference for retirement savings, to start a business, or buy a larger home investment and build additional wealth.

• A home loan can help you build credit. Having some debt and making regular payments on it helps build and improve your credit history. A good credit score helps you get the best pricing and terms on future loans further enabling you the opportunity to make your money work for you.

Despite the surge in U.S. homeownership over the past two years, the National Association of Realtors reported that the homeownership rate for Black Americans (43.4%) is lower than it was in 2010 (44.2%), and nearly 30% less than White Americans (72.1%). While there are many

reasons for this gap, one thing is clear: more than half of our Black community is missing out on building wealth by paying rent each month.

At Midwest BankCentre, we want to close this gap and help more people achieve the dream of homeownership. We understand how difficult the process of buying a home can be. So, we take the leap into homeownership and break it down into smaller, more manageable steps, and walk you through it, communicating with you every step of the way. We take a personal approach, getting to know you and your situation, and finding a solution that works best for you. To get you there, we offer:

• Personalized solutions. We get to know

D4

Four tips to grow cash flow for your small business

(StatePoint) As every small business owner soon learns, growing sources of revenue and cash flow are key to survival, particularly during a venture’s first few years. While this is easier said than done, small businesses can focus on attracting new customers, building partnerships and scaling up sustainably to improve cash flow.

To get you started, Wells Fargo is sharing actionable tips for entrepreneurs, along with information about how to leverage helpful resources:

1. Create an action plan: Don’t just make a business plan, put it into action. Tech tools can help. For example, the Silver Lining Action Plan, a data-driven software service from the American Small Business Growth Program, provides wide-ranging support and structure so you can develop behaviors and drive actions that lead to long-term, sustainable growth. The program also offers the opportunity to build capital, lending money to business owners based on their behavior in the program, not their credit history. With Wells Fargo philanthropic funding, the program is expanding and is now available in Spanish.

“Having access to a trusted expert in business and financial planning can be a game-changer for any small business owner to get their initial footing and grow for the long-term,” said Jenny Flores, head of small business growth philanthropy at Wells Fargo. “We are very intentional about funding non-profit organizations that can help guide small business owners through goal setting and improving their profitability.”

2. Expand your network: Expanding your network can be a powerful path to attracting new customers, contracts and cash flow. In addition to joining your local chamber of commerce, consider opportunities like Wells Fargo’s Connect to More program, which through the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, places women entrepreneurs from across the country into “circles” that receive virtual and in-person peer and professional

coaching over 12 weeks, plus the support of a growing network of fellow business leaders. Since its inception, the program has empowered more than 1,200 entrepreneurs in 47 states to grow their business through a wider network of engagement.

3. Scaling up: From streamlining operations to adjusting the business model, there are many moving parts to scaling up a business. Look into programs that can help you develop a growth mindset and provide you with an empowering ecosystem of support needed to make it happen.

The Latino Business Action Network’s Business Scaling Program, a

nine-week online and in-person hybrid program at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, teaches participants about funding and capital options and pairs them with mentors who will challenge and support them. Corporate funders like Wells Fargo make it possible for the program to offer significant scholarships to admitted participants.

4. Get certified: If you’re a diverse business owner, consider getting certified with a third party, such as the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce or Disability:In. Doing so can open up lucrative opportunities. For example, Wells Fargo, which is com-

mitted to working with diverse suppliers, spent over $330 million with certified women-owned businesses in 2021 alone.

For more small business ideas that will help you take action and increase your opportunities for business success, visit https://smallbusinessresources.wf.com.

“As a bank that serves millions of small business customers, we know that success is hard to come by without support,” said Flores. “That’s why we’re always trying to connect entrepreneurs to valuable resources and contacts. It’s important to find the right expertise for where you are on running or growing your company.”

Homeownership

Continued from A1

you and your goals and help you reach them. Everyone’s situation is different, and we want to help ensure you receive the best solution for you by listening, asking questions, and tailoring solutions based on your needs. This is a lifelong relationship, with your today and future goals in mind. You have a personal advisor for years to come.

• Down payment assistance. Many banks require large sums for down payments. We work with you to make it affordable by offering 100% financing options and down payment assistance programs.

• Quick local service. Our loan officers will call you back the same day. They will take the time to meet you where you want to be. Whether this is on the phone, via text, orsitting down with you, they

are here to listen and advise.

• Competitive rates with fixed terms. Many people are paying more in rent each month than they would pay for a mortgage payment. With a competitive rate and terms, you may find owning a home is more affordable than rent.

• Ways to boost your credit score. If you’re not quite ready to buy, our loan officers can suggest ways to establish or improve your credit score to help you get the terms and rates you want in the future.

We know how important owning a home is to you and your family, now and for future generations, and now is a great time to get pre-approved for a home loan. Give us a call today for a no-obligation

conversation with a mortgage specialist. Bring all your questions and doubts, and we will listen, learn and decide how best to help you achieve your dream of homeownership.

When you DREAM BIG, we all RISE TOGETHER. Midwest BankCentre is one of St. Louis’s largest and oldest community banks. A values-led bank, we invest in people and their potential – not just credit scores. An investment in you and your home is an investment in the entire community.

All deposit and loan documents, contracts, and all other disclosures/notices are provided in English only. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

Alisa Vaughn Sam Karengi

Money Smart Month is for all

Money Smart Month highlights the importance of personal financial education for all members of our community. Stifel Bank & Trust is proud to be a member and leading supporter of the St. Louis Regional Financial Empowerment Coalition, supporting financial education and growth in April and throughout the year.

For many, Spring can signify a season of change. Spring can be an ideal time to review your financial position and priorities for the coming season and coming year. Financial priorities may include:

1. Filing your taxes – The filing deadline to submit 2022 tax returns (or an extension) and pay tax owed is Tuesday, April 18, 2023, for most taxpayers.

2. Creating a family budget –Budgeting for an event, a month, or a more extended period can be crucial to your financial wellness. Be sure to involve the family members who play a role in the money coming in and out of your

household. Review your goals and adjust your budget to pay for current needs while considering saving for the future.

3. Reviewing your credit reportRequest and review your credit report at least once a year to ensure no errors exist. You may access your credit report for free annually from the credit bureaus at www.annualcreditreport.com. If errors are found, report them immediately. Accurate credit history is key to the credit scores that determine approvals for home lending, insurance, credit cards, and the interest charged on many types of debt.

cial institutions partners. Courses cover budgeting and saving, building credit, getting out of debt, home buying, planning for retirement, estate planning, insurance, paying for college, raising “money smart” kids, and small business development.

4. Brushing up on financial education - Consider attending one of the many FREE virtual personal financial education classes, which are part of Money Smart Month. These classes and events focus on financial education and are taught by St. Louis’ nonprofit and finan-

One of the most significant changes to consider in your or your family’s financial future can be taking new steps on your career path. If you are interested in building a challenging, rewarding career with one of St. Louis’ most diverse and creative teams, Stifel’s banking and trust services divisions have a variety of opportunities that may be a fit for you (or someone you know). We’ve highlighted a few exciting opportunities below:

Treasury Management New Account Representative – responsible for providing information and support in response to inquiries from clients and various

business units to aide in the delivery of treasury products and services.

Commercial Loan Coordinator I – responsible for partnering with commercial lending teams to process a loan from the time of application to closing. This position will balance service and compliance needs while gathering proper documentation, managing multiple loan files in process, and coordinating with the closing and funding department.

Please visit our website, www.stifel. com/careers, to apply, and for additional opportunities not listed above. We’re looking for professionals who are ready to do what it takes to help our clients and fellow employees achieve their goals.

Please visit Daulton Hillemann’s site, https://www.stifelmortgage.com/ DaultonHillemann.html, send him an email hillemannd@stifelbank.com, or call (314) 317-6926 for additional information. NMSL#1296887.

How much house can you afford?

By Crystal Avery-Morris Community Development Officer Commerce Bank

Purchasing a home is an exciting time, but it can also be a daunting task. Mortgage rates, available inventory, inflation and local conditions are all factors that impact housing prices. Economic volatility fluctuations have made homeownership out of reach for many people. And understanding how much you can afford may be the most critical question when house hunting. It impacts your price range as well as both your monthly and long-term costs as a homeowner.

To get a general idea of your budget as a homeowner, start with your monthly income. A good rule of thumb is to allocate no more than about a third of your monthly earnings on housing costs.

It’s always a good idea to set aside savings for routine maintenance and

unexpected costs if something breaks down. And, of course, there are recurring costs including utilities, Homeowners Association fees when applicable, origination and inspection fees, homeowner’s insurance, property taxes, private mortgage insurance (PMI) and more.

Lenders don’t just look at your income; they also take into consideration the liabilities you have. First and foremost is your credit score. They’ll want to make sure you’re good at managing your debt, so having a higher score may help you qualify for a lower interest rate and potentially a larger loan amount. If your credit score isn’t where you want it to be yet, consider spending time increasing it before you apply for a mortgage.

Lenders also look at your credit history and your debt. Your debt-to-income ratio compares how much you owe each month to how much you earn. When it comes to your assets, not every type

counts: Lenders are more interested in liquid assets, such as money in a savings, Roth IRA, stocks or money market account.

A conventional loan is made through a private lender, such as a bank, credit union or mortgage company. These types of loans generally require a minimum of a 3% down payment and sometimes offer a lower interest rate, but you may need a higher credit score to qualify.

A 20% down payment is widely considered the ideal amount for most loan types and lenders, but it’s not a requirement. Benefits of being able to put at least 20% down include better interest rates, lower monthly payments and avoidance of PMI payments. There are many options available to help home buyers, including down payment assistance.

Down payment assistance programs and grants are just some of the options available when you’re looking for a new

home. A Federal Housing Administration loan, Veterans Administration loan or United States Department of Agriculture loan can all be good places to start looking. Commerce Bank’s Neighborhood Connection loan products provide affordable financing options to low- and moderate-income borrowers in St. Louis and Kansas City, and our Neighborhood Connection Budget Booster loan helps individuals consolidate debt to improve their credit, finance home improvements or help the next generation maintain a home they’ve inherited.

Purchasing a home is an exciting time and may be one of the largest purchases you’ll make. Everyone’s financial situation is unique, and there’s no onesize-fits-all solution when it comes to how much you can afford. Talking to a Commerce mortgage banker can help guide you through the process and take the guesswork out of it.

Five tax-efficient strategies to include in a holistic financial plan

(State Point) As consumers focus on filing taxes and spending returns, a new study reveals a need for increased awareness around tax-efficient financial strategies. Lincoln Financial Group’s Consumer Sentiment Tracker reports that only 2% of Americans can correctly identify financial solutions with tax advantages, despite one in three saying they prioritize investments that would help them pay less in taxes either now or in the future.

“Lincoln’s research shows consumers are under-educated about tax strategy and tax-efficient investments, revealing a disconnect between aspirations and actions,” said David Berkowitz, president, Lincoln Financial Network, the wealth management arm of Lincoln Financial Group, which provides advice and guidance through its network of independent financial professionals. “Consulting a financial professional and learning more about products and solutions can grow one’s confidence in their financial decisions.”

until the money is withdrawn, so interest can be earned on the money that would have otherwise been paid in taxes. Being in a lower tax bracket during retirement means potentially paying less in taxes overall on the same amount of money. A financial professional can help determine which type of annuity might best fit your specific needs.

n A good rule of thumb is to save at least 10% to 15% of your pay, but if that feels out of reach, start wherever possible.

3. Prepare for unexpected longterm care costs. The greatest changes to income and lifestyle may result from an unexpected long-term health care event. Different solutions can help provide a cushion, and many of these benefits are income tax-free. Understanding the various policies is the first step in helping ensure you’ll receive needed care without passing a financial burden on to family or loved ones.

While not intended to be legal or tax advice, Lincoln Financial Group recommends considering the following five tax-efficient strategies as part of a holistic financial plan:

1. Contribute to a workplace retirement account. Pretax contributions to an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan will reduce total taxable income and allow savings to grow tax deferred. A good rule of thumb is to save at least 10% to 15% of your pay, but if that feels out of reach, start wherever possible and increase contributions a little each year to see big changes in total savings over time. Remember to save up to the employer match, if one is offered.

2. Explore the value of lifetime income. At a time when people are living longer and face greater risks to their savings, an annuity can provide protected guaranteed monthly income that can last a lifetime. Taxes on the gains aren’t paid

4. Diversify a portfolio with life insurance. Adding cash value life insurance to a larger financial plan can help protect savings and provide an income tax-free death benefit for your beneficiaries, as well as tax-deferred growth opportunities. It can also offer advantages that help meet goals at every stage of life, including funding a child’s education costs; strengthening retirement savings; creating additional cash flow; and protecting wealth for future generations. Keep in mind that if loans or withdrawals are taken from the policy, it will reduce the value of the death benefit and other payouts, as well as have potential tax consequences.

5. Work with a financial professional. According to Lincoln’s study, just 1 in 5 U.S. adults feels very confident about making financial decisions to minimize exposure to taxes, yet 47% say they are more concerned about the impact of taxes on their retirement savings due to the current market. A financial professional can help tailor a holistic plan to your needs, as well as provide education about various insurance and retirement solutions.