August 21st, 2014 Edition

Is Nick headed for emancipation from Mimi?

According to the New York Post’s Page Six, Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon for a split and “living separately” after she hired security to keep him away from other women.

Carey and Cannon, the host of “America’s Got Talent,” are said to be separating after six years of marriage. “He hasn’t been staying at their home,” one music insider told Page Six. “He’s been living out of hotels. They’re fighting a lot

Another source told us Carey has suspected Cannon of cheating. And when the comic hosted pool parties in Las Vegas earlier this year, the diva dispatched a security guard to keep watch over her husband.

“The security guard wasn’t there to keep the girls away from him,” a source told Page Six.

“It was to keep him away from the girls.” Carey also didn’t want Cannon drinking while at the Vegas gigs because she felt he “gets in trouble when he drinks.”

Will Queen Latifah get the chop from daytime TV?

Several outlets say a serious ratings slide may spell doom for The Queen Latifah Show.”

According to Page Six, Queen Latifah’s ratings are dropping in droves and her show may not make it through the year.

Sources blame the ratings dip on its time slot.

Ray J pleads not guilty in groping case

According to the New York Daily News, Ray pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges he groped a woman and resisted arrest during a

wild night out at a posh Beverly Hills Hotel. The actor-singer entered the plea through his lawyer Blair Berk, a court source told the Daily News.

The misdemeanor case is set to return to court Aug. 28, shortly before Ray J – whose real name is William Ray Norwood Jr. – appears as a cast member of VH1’s new reality show “Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood.”

Kevin Hart responds to internet backlash about proposal timing

Monday night the Internet was absolutely on fire after Kevin Hart proposed to his girlfriend of six years, Eniko Parrish, just as his ex-wife Torrei Hart’s reality show ‘Atlanta Exes’ debuted on VH1 . Hart took to his Instagram to clap back at the digital hate campaign. He responded with the following comment:

“I wish y’all could see my face when I read some of the comments that you guys leave. I just want to take a second to share some common sense. August 18 was Eniko’s actual birthday. It wasn’t the day before or the day after. I will say this one more time and never repeat myself again. I wish my ex-wife nothing but the best in life. I’ve moved on and have been doing so

for the last six years. The only thing on my mind yesterday was making sure my lady had an amazing 30th birthday. I’m happy to say that my now FIANCEE was blown away by the entire evening.”

Is Halle headed for divorce court?

According to Star Magazine, Halle Berry and Olivier Martinez seem to be on the fast track to spitsville.

Star says that the couple both 48, who are parents of son Maceo, 10 months, have been living separately for months.

“They don’t talk to each other much,” the source said,” and when they do, it’s only about their son.”

Bow Wow joins CSI spin off Shad “Bow Wow” Moss was just cast in the new “Crime Scene Investigation” spin-off “CSI: Cyber” as a 19-year old computer hacker. In the spin-off Shad’s character, a highly skilled computer hacker named Brody “Baby Face” Nelson, is given a choice by the judge to either assist with the cybercrime unit or go to for hacking. The show debuts on

Peace begets peace at protest

Change of police command transforms tone on the streets

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

When St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar was relieved of command of the Ferguson protests last Thursday afternoon, the contrast in tone and energy was as palpable as the rage that ensued when 18-year-old Michael Brown was gunned down by a Ferguson police officer the previous Saturday.

The full day of protests was a ray of sunshine when measured against the clouds and thunder from tear gas –along with the drizzle of rubber bullets that were present last Wednesday, courtesy of a police force that had clearly declared war.

With the absence of the North County “peacekeepers,” unity in the quest for justice was as inspirational and encouraging as the nationwide “hands up” protests on Michael Brown’s behalf.

They stood in simultaneous solidarity with the people crowded down West Florissant, Ferguson police headquarters (and, in the city, downtown near the Arch).

Not long after Governor Nixon made the call to turn command over to Captain Ron Johnson of the Missouri Highway Patrol, the original intention of the protest was once again thrust into the forefront.

Michael Brown’s senseless death became an afterthought

as soon as the footage showing the suburb where he was killed transformed into a war zone once darkness fell made its way around the nation – and the world.

The protest theme shifted –even though it served as further evidence of the systematically dysfunctional relationship between the area’s residents and police.

The lead story became the brutal and excessive force by police inflicted upon protesters and journalists. A collegebound, unarmed teen gunned down in front of residents of the Canfield Green Apartment Complex like an animal – and the apparent lack of progress in the direction of justice – was buried in conversations and media coverage.

“’Mike Mike’ wouldn’t want it to be like this,” 16-year-old Shaybreonna Johnson said last Wednesday. She had originally

He would have been especially proud of the turn of events that kicked off last Thursday afternoon and went

n Following Capt. Ron Johnson’s lead of marching alongside protesters, oficers immersed themselves on the scene and practiced positive engagement.

come out to protest her friend’s death but was forced to wander nomadically through the back streets of Ferguson with her two-year-old niece after police refused to let her cross West Florissant to get in her car and go home.

past midnight.

Following Capt. Ron Johnson’s lead of marching alongside protesters, officers immersed themselves on the scene and practiced positive engagement. Instead of manning barricades, they

were integrated among the people stretched down from neighboring suburb Jennings and trickling into Dellwood. Police hugged protesters. They kissed babies. They posed for photos.

“I’m so glad these ones are here,” one protester said to another. “These the nicest police I’ve ever seen.”

Protesters still headed towards West Florissant with their hands up, shouting “don’t shoot.” But this time it was actually a form of tribute to Michael Brown.

The night before the words were a literal plea to the officers who pointed militarygrade assault weapons with laser beams at protesters, journalists and people approaching roadblocks while

A boy hitched a ride on a peaceful protest crowd last Thursday. A change in command, from St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar to Captain Ron Johnson of the Missouri Highway Patrol, resulted in a de-militarization of the protest zone and people were allowed to protest with intimidation or being targeted by riot-ready police with assault rifles.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

attempting to find alternative routes to avoid the action.

Thursday was a new beginning – though there was still a bit of shellshock.

“Yeah, pigs – y’all outta here,” a young man yelled as he stomped through ta crowd of people carrying candles and in good spirits. “Y’all can’t keep us down. We still out here.” He was clearly still haunted by what had happened the night before.

The young man – who appeared to be in his teens –had also taken his shirt off and had it fashioned into a mask.

“Alright now, we don’t want to give them any excuses to bring ‘em back,” an older gentleman said to the young man in the tone of a stern uncle. “Yes, sir,” the teen said. He decided to start chanting “No Justice…No Peace” in unison with a crowd of young people who made their way in his direction.

Before he had a chance to forge ahead with them, a police officer – who had to have heard him shouting the common pejorative that references the police – stuck out his hand to give him “daps.”

The boy reciprocated the fist-bump and chanted his way down the street.

Editorial /CommEntary

Nixon must ask McCulloch to recuse himself

County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch may feel no sensitivity for this region’s African-American community, but he knows how to play Governor Jay Nixon, whom McCulloch has known since Nixon was a state senator. Faced with growing pressure from multiple individuals and groups to recuse himself from the case of Michael Brown, who was shot six times and killed by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on August 9 and left in the street for hours, McCulloch put Nixon on the hot seat instead.

Tuesday evening, McCulloch issued a press release saying he is willing to recuse himself – if the governor ordered that action. Nixon responded with his own press release reminding the county prosecutor that there already is an established process for recusing oneself from a case and McCulloch should do so if he wished. So Nixon did not ask McCulloch to recuse himself, and McCulloch did not take the initiative to recuse himself. For now it looks like – for better and, more likely, worse – this is McCulloch’s case.

No one should be surprised by McCulloch’s stance. This pro-police prosecutor has been unapologetically defending the interests of police involved in fatal shootings his office is charged with investigating for years. Nixon’s political cowardice in not forcing McCulloch’s hand when challenged is also unsurprising, though deeply dispiriting. The protest in support of Brown is headed toward its second week and does not seem to be slowing. Given Ferguson Police’s shameful handling of Brown’s corpse and McCulloch’s manipulative release of evidence, the protest movement and wider community need and deserve a victory. McCulloch being removed from the case would be a major victory that might quell unrest in this case and help to keep this crisis from culminating in a disaster.

But McCulloch played chicken with Nixon, and Nixon proved he is unwilling to expend political capital to provide critical leadership. Rather than risk some political capital with his conservative white male base and friends in law enforcement, Nixon did not rise to McCulloch’s challenge. This is true even with Attorney General Eric Holder visiting St. Louis on Wednesday. Nixon had an opportunity to request a private meeting with Holder and then emerge from it with a change in direction to ask McCulloch to stand down. Nixon missed that opportunity, bringing the possibility of real disaster a little closer.

McCulloch has already begun presenting evidence to the 12-person jury (which includes three African-Americans). The longer he remains in control of the case, the more inevitable it becomes that he will remain in control of the case. We have every reason to expect a continuing manipulation in the release and

A peaceful protestor on the streets of Ferguson tells the world what he thinks about Gov. Jay Nixon.

presentation of evidence and excessive concern for the rights and wellbeing of the police shooter rather than the shooting victim, who should be the prosecuting attorney’s special concern. If McCulloch’s work before the Grand Jury results in Wilson walking free, rather than defending himself on a homicide charge, then Ferguson and St. Louis may be headed back to the national news in the ugliest light imaginable. We don’t believe for a moment that McCulloch will listen to our concerns or the black community that we represent, but it is just possible that Nixon will want to respond to the needs of our community in his last term of office, with other ambitions yet to fulfill. On behalf of victim rights and concern for public safety, we urge Nixon to take McCulloch up on his offer and ask the county prosecutor to recuse himself from the Michael Brown case.

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues

Policing the community

One of the best examples for good community policing was demonstrated when Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ronald Johnson came to embattled Ferguson. After unarmed Michael Brown was gunned down, mostly white officers from throughout the area, armed in combat gear, fired gas and rubber bullets at protesters – and even kicked reporters out of eateries who were simply trying to file news stories.

Businesses were burned and stores were looted. But last Thursday, the war zone-like images immediately changed. Johnson, an African American who grew up in the Ferguson area, led command of the area that was rocked by four nights of clashes between protesters and police.

Quite simply, a patrol without “a strong show of force to a more peaceful one” reduced tensions, acknowledged Cedric Alexander, president of the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Executives. Johnson was someone many area residents knew.

The peace, however, ended the following day after a video tape was released that allegedly showed Brown stealing cigars. Clashes then occurred for several nights.

As much of America now knows, Ferguson’s has 53 white police officers and just three who are black. Ferguson’s population is more

than two-thirds black.

In that environment, many crime experts said they were not surprised that eventually a conflict occurred between a white officer and a black resident. Ferguson officer Darren Wilson allegedly killed Brown after a dispute that started over the 18-yearold walking in middle of the street.

Brown’s police-related death is not unique.

A recent USA Today story showed that for nearly two times a week, a white police officer killed a black person during a seven year period that ended in 2012.

As a journalist, I have lived in a lot of places over the last three decades, including a black neighborhood just a few miles from Ferguson. But before I learned my password to sign into my computer, I had an encounter with a white officer that I thought was ridiculous.

Just a few miles after I crossed the state line from Oklahoma in 1997, a ShowMe-State white cop pulled me over while I was driving with my wife and toddler daughter. The officer accused me of driving too close to lane lines on the highway.

The officer then asked me where I was going. (I thought that wasn’t any of his business.) But I relented and told the officer that I was moving to Missouri to start a job as a reporter. He immediately let me go without a ticket or warning. A couple years earlier, a white Phoenix, Ariz., cop pulled me over because I looked suspicious. (I was wearing a tie.)

He kept asking a dispatcher on his radio for descrip-

tions of suspects. Finally, he asked me what I had been doing that day. I responded I had just left a state Senate committee meeting. I was an Arizona Republic statehouse reporter. He quickly let me go.

My perception of cops, however, is not all bad.

Community policing in the 1960s and early ‘70s allowed me to have close personal ties with police in my boyhood hometown of Robbins, Ill.; a historically black suburb just south of Chicago with a black chief and officers.

I wanted a track team in my community as a teen. And a juvenile officer –James Moore, nicknamed Bumper – helped. Moore, a former 800 meters standout who was once in the Pan Am Games, drove us to daylong meets and helped us train.

Obviously, Moore and other Robbins cops weren’t my enemies.

In Robbins four decades ago, police officers were more than law enforcers. A few were mentors and leaders. I didn’t fear them. I respected them. It was a far cry from Ferguson where the residents in the neighborhood seemingly didn’t know the name of the officer who allegedly shot Brown.

“There was an obvious lack of relationship between the police and community,” said Alexander, who was to meet with Ferguson officials over the weekend to talk about ways to increase black officers on their police force.

If they had good community policing, residents would have known the Ferguson officer, he said. And he would have known them better.

The invisible Michael Browns

The fire this time is about invisibility. Our society expects the police to keep unemployed, poorly educated African-American men out of sight and out of mind. When they suddenly take center stage, illuminated by the flash and flicker of Molotov cocktails, we feign surprise.

The proximate cause of the rioting in Ferguson, Mo., is the killing of 18-yearold Michael Brown, who was stopped, a witness has said, by a white policeman for walking in the street. Officer Darren Wilson shot Brown at least six times, according to a private autopsy and, reportedly, one conducted by the county medical examiner. Two of those bullets struck him in the head.

There we have the familiar narrative: another unarmed black man unjustly killed. Brown thus joins a long, sad list – Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, etc. – that seems to have no end.

This storyline is unassailable. Anyone who thinks race is not a factor in these fatal encounters should have to cite examples of unarmed young white men being killed by trigger-happy police or selfappointed vigilantes. Names and dates, please.

But the violence in Ferguson

Letters to the editor Commentary

Obamas send condolences

The death of Michael Brown is heartbreaking, and Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to his family and his community at this very difficult time. As Attorney General Holder has indicated, the Department of Justice is investigating the situation along with local officials, and they will continue to direct resources to the case as needed. I know the events of the past few days have prompted strong passions, but as details unfold, I urge everyone in Ferguson, Missouri, and across the country, to remember this young man through reflection and understanding. We should comfort each other and talk with one another in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds. Along with our prayers, that’s what Michael and his family, and our broader American community, deserve.

President Barack Obama Washington, D.C.

Mike-Mike matters

The atrocity of the killing of Michael “Mike-Mike” Brown is pointing-up the absence of human, civil and labor rights, and the wholesale abrogation of the U. S. Constitution’s Bill of Rights, as a matter of course, in the streets of Ferguson, MO, and Anytown, U. S. A., for that. Especially is this the case when it comes to our citizens of color. Michael Brown and his family had recently, before his murder, dealt with the stress and disappointment of his having graduated from an unaccredited high school, Normandy Senior High.

The predominately AfricanAmerican community in Normandy had decried and expressed outrage over the institutionalized racist response to that crisis, and the failure of Governor Jay Nixon to help bring an anti-racist, just response to an anti-democratic and heavy-handed, white dominated, State Board of Education, which nullified the Normandy School Board and its elected officials, its teachers, their union, and its children or students.

The fact that the murder of Michael Brown has pointed-up the use of the repressive and oppressive National Defense Authorization Act to suppress, repress and oppress community

tells of a deeper, more fundamental narrative about what African Americans have done, and what has been done to them, in the decades since the urban riots of the 1960s – the fire last time.

Tempted to conclude that nothing has changed? Please note that the Missouri highway patrol commander, brought in to bring proportion and discipline to what had been a provocative local police response, is black. The attorney general who interrupted his Martha’s Vineyard vacation to order a Justice Department investigation and a third autopsy is black. And, of course, the president and commander in chief is black.

Also note that this undeniable evidence of progress on the issue of race makes no apparent difference to the young men who have been rampaging through the streets of Ferguson.

Why not? Because the tremendous gains achieved by some African Americans have not just left some others behind but made their situation more desperate and hopeless than it was 50 years ago.

When the unrest in Ferguson is over, I predict that there will be a flood of ambitious journalism seeking to assess the status of black America. Most of this analysis will be ignored because it will so contradict what many Americans see every day with their own eyes.

Millions of African-Amer-

democracy shows that we must – as the late, great Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King Junior taught – find nonviolent ways to deal with deep yet solvable problems in our communities, we must re-order our priorities and policies from protecting mad money, power, militarism and mayhem to protecting people, peace, progress and nature.

E.E.W. Clay, Via email

Hispanic community grieves with Ferguson

We, members of the Hispanic community of the metro St. Louis area, grieve for Michael Brown and for his family who have suffered such a profound loss. We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the African-American community who had one of their sons taken from them before his time, and with all those affected by this tragedy.

We call for a complete and transparent investigation into the circumstances that led to Michael’s death and, once all of the evidence is collected and examined, for justice to be served.

We ask that all of us who call St. Louis home, whatever our color or creed, take this moment to rededicate ourselves to the principles of equality, inclusion, and communal responsibility.

Whether we are speaking in Spanish, English, SerboCroatian, Chinese, Portuguese, or any of the dozens of other languages spoken in our great city, let us all speak of peace, understanding, and of our mutual obligation to each other as St. Louisans and as human beings.

Diego Abente Cata Albarracin, Rafael Arriojas, María Teresa Balogh, Andrew Behnen, Santiago Beltrán, Bruno Benitez, Dinorah Bommarito, Virginia Braxs, Angela Castro, Jomo Castro, Natalia CarrollPabón, Eydi Cavalier,i Carmen Dence, Yolanda Díaz, Eileen Franco, Lisa Gage, Ildefonso González, Anthony González, Yenilyn Hale-Gallardo, Andres Hincapie, Aparna Kalyaraman, Bernadette Márquez, Daniela Martín, Jessica Middleton, Maria Lerma Mosquera, Luisa Fernanda Otero, Celia Pastore, Laura Pérez, Imani Ray, Abraham Reze, Karlos

icans took advantage of the opportunities created by the Civil Rights Movement to climb into the middle class –and in some cases far beyond, as exemplified by President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder. Yet millions of other black Americans did not reach the middle class. This group, mired in poverty and dysfunction, finds the paths others took are blocked. They live in neighborhoods with failing schools that cannot prepare them for today’s economy. Secure, high-paying blue-collar jobs are a thing of the past. Racial bias in policing means they are much more likely to be arrested and jailed for minor nonviolent offenses, such as drug possession, than whites who commit the same crimes.

Increasingly, these African Americans who were left behind are invisible. What happens in poor black neighborhoods has less and less to do with the everyday lives of middle-class Americans, white or black. Brown had no police record. He had graduated from high school. He was about to enter a technical college. Given where he came from, it’s hard to do a whole lot better – and easy to do a whole lot worse. Now that the streets are filled with incoherent rage – and the rioting must be strongly condemned – we can see Brown’s struggle. Momentarily, at least. After the smoke clears, we will be blind once again.

Ramírez, Jorge Riopedre, Guillermo Rodríguez, Mario Rodríguez, Laura Rojas, Carito Romero, Herman Semidey Jr., Fernando Serrano, Mel Serrano, Juancarlos Solorio, Mercedes Stephenson, Alicia Sunshine, Jaime Torres, Lauren Wilmore, Cecilia Velázquez, Eileen Wolfington, Monique Zubkow via email

Columnist Eugene Robinson

Guest Columnist

Norm Parish

Photo by Wiley Price

Living while black

By Comptroller Darlene Green For The St. Louis American

I feel very deeply for the mother and the entire family of Michael Brown. No parent should have to grieve the loss of their young son at the hands of an overzealous police officer. There’s no acceptable state of mind for an armed police officer who’s sworn to protect and serve a community to ignore the universal sign of surrender by an unarmed human being – hands up in the air. I also feel for the officer whose life has forever changed; but nonetheless, I want justice for this apparent crime.

Michael Brown was left dead, lying on the ground in the middle of the street in his neighborhood while the officer responsible for shooting him was allowed to flee the scene. That image—seen around the world gives credence to the notion that black people in this country are seemingly at war with the police: driving while black; walking while black; living while black. Black teens are not the only kids that are found walking in the middle of the street who are stopped and questioned by police. White teens are stopped as well. According to a friend of mine, his teenage son who is white was stopped by a police officer in much the same way as Michael Brown—walking in the middle of the street in a suburb of St. Louis. The young white teen was questioned by the officer asking who are you, where do you live and who are your parents. Then, this young teen was given a ride home—delivered safely to his parents. Quite a contrast from what happened to Michael Brown and countless other black men and boys. Far too often in this country, a ride to the morgue follows black teen/police encounters.

On any given Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend at the Old Court House you might have heard me speaking to the community about gun violence; urging our young black men to stop killing each other, stop the violence, and to put down the guns. We have to continue to uplift our youth and help them to believe that they have a future.

I’m always working to support ways we can provide funding for youth jobs, job training and recreational opportunities. I stand with the police who want to serve and protect. I want community policing to benefit all citizens. But, as an elected public official, I call for zero tolerance for the police shooting and killing of unarmed black men and boys—period. I stand firm with the black communities around the country that say enough is enough. We cannot continue to tolerate the kind of police actions against unarmed black men and boys that cause their deaths. In public school systems, our children have to deal with zero tolerance mandates to stop violence in the schools. In many public and private work places in our country, zero tolerance mandates can be found. Today, it is time for zero tolerance for the police who shoot and kill unarmed black men and boys. I pray that Michael Brown is the last one.

I strongly believe that we cannot go forward from this terrible tragedy in Ferguson without all of us working to achieve a transformative change. Finding justice in this situation is our first order of business. In moving forward, I believe police across the country must take a hard look at their respective forces to retool and retrain them in an effort to stop the senseless killing of unarmed black men and boys. For example, as a first step, arming the police officers with body cameras and police cars with cameras must be mandated and implemented immediately. Then, there must be tough penalties presented for police who engage in this behavior to keep these incidents from happening. And finally, we must be encouraged. The black community must continue to hearten one another to engage in efforts that will uplift and support ourselves living while black

Darlene Green

All-American peaceful protester shows his support for Michael Brown.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

A protestor put her hands up in the now-famous “Don’t shoot!” sign on an empty West Florissant Avenue in the Ferguson protest zone.

HOLDER

Continued from A1 resident, took advantage of a brief opportunity to ask the attorney general if he planned to speak with Ferguson residents during his visit. He lives about a mile and half away from where all the violence has been occurring and says he is considering leaving the area.

He viewed the attorney general’s visit as a “photo opportunity” and said nobody wants to address the real issues

like Ferguson’s economic and racial disparities, he said. After meeting with students, Holder and other Department of Justice officials attended a second meeting at the college.

The Community Relations Service (CRS), a conflict resolution agency created by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, organized the meeting that included over 50 members of the Ferguson community.

CRS officials have conducted several such meetings on a regular basis since arriving on the ground in Ferguson on August 10 after the first night of protests.

The second meeting took place in an auditorium at the college; and like the first, was closed to the general public.

“The eyes of the nation and the world are watching Ferguson right now,” Holder told community leaders. “This is something that has a history to it, and the history simmers beneath the surface in more communities than just Ferguson.

The attorney general spoke for 15 minutes and then took questions from the group. He explained the statute that gives the department jurisdiction to investigate the shooting death

of Michael Brown. Brown was an unarmed black teenager shot and killed by a white Ferguson police officer on Aug. 9.

Holder stressed that while federal prosecutors will be aggressive in conducting their inquiry, the St. Louis County Police and the St. Louis County Prosecutor have a job to perform as well.

Holder next stopped at the soul food restaurant Drake’s Place Restaurant where he talked with diners, Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson, and Cool Valley Mayor Viola Murphy.

Before an investigative

briefing at local FBI headquarters, Holder said the Justice Department had assembled “very experienced” prosecutors and agents to pursue the federal civil rights inquiry.

“Our investigation is different,” Holder said in a meeting room surrounded by top local federal officials, including FBI Agent in Charge William Woods and U. S. Attorney Rich Callahan.

“We’re looking for possible violations of federal civil rights statutes,” the attorney general said.

He promised that the inquiry

would be “thorough and fair” to determine “what happened on Aug.9.”

Then Holder met at the U.S. attorney’s office in downtown St. Louis with the parents of Michael Brown. Before meeting with the attorney general Wednesday afternoon, Brown’s mother viewed her son’s body at a local morgue for the first time since the Aug. 9 shooting. During the private 20-minute meeting, the family asked about the investigative process. Holder pledged that it would be a “fair and independent” inquiry.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

FERGUSON

Continued from A1

yet to subside.

The sad fact is that there is nothing new about an unarmed black man dying at the hands of law enforcement.

Just last month the nation watched video footage of Eric Garner being choked to death by police in New York go viral.

But with Brown’s death, push came to shove. And the community that witnessed it happen still refuses to stand down in their demand for justice.

Whether it was the way he was publicly shot and left to lie in the middle of the complex entrance for four hours, police and prosecutor ignoring the community’s demand for answers;, or a lack of respect for the family, the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement was resurrected on West Florissant Avenue and Canfield.

“Out of this has come the strangest bedfellows you can imagine,” said Stefan Bradley, associate professor of AfricanAmerican studies at Saint Louis University. “Everybody has been forced into a coalition that they couldn’t have created themselves.”

The community took to the streets as a collective – from all backgrounds, ethnicities and walks of life – to say “enough!” and to show that they won’t be moved until justice is served.

There have been all sorts of sidebars – from the excessive force imposed on journalists from around the nation at the hands of the police, the violation of the rights of

AUTOPSY

Continued from A1

and Brown’s body did not have gunpowder residue on it.

“In order to be firm about that, we also need to look at the clothing,” Baden said.

“One of the things that will be important is for us to see those

protesters, and the implication that Ferguson had long forsaken the majority of its residents.

Negative spins on the coverage have been prevalent as well.

Brown’s character was brought into question, thanks to the release of surveillance footage of Brown allegedly stealing cigars by the Ferguson Police – as they were announcing the name of the officer who fatally wounded Brown.

The vast majority of peaceful protests have included a small percentage of looters

x-rays … that will show where the bullets were before the autopsy was started.”

The first autopsy was conducted by St. Louis County Medical Examiner Mary Case’s office. A third autopsy, ordered by the Justice Department, took place earlier this week. Its results have not been released.

Some witnesses at the scene said the teen had his hands up

and outside agitators – who have been erroneously all lumped together.

“There is this whole narrative of these protesters being labeled as rioters – it speaks to the whole black criminality issue,” said Justin Hansford, a professor of law at St. Louis University. “When what you have is youth with courage who stood up and amplified their voices.”

A small percentage of violent incidents get the bold face print above the fold, but the most compelling story is the resilience and unification of the masses to fight for justice

to surrender when Wilson shot him. Attorney Daryl Parks said the direction of two of bullets supports witness accounts.

“It shows a back-to-front for both of those, and it supports what the witnesses said about him trying to surrender to the officer,” Parks said. “And his head was in a downward position.”

Other than abrasions

and challenge a flawed policing system that has antagonized blacks – black men, in particular – throughout the nation for decades.

“We are not looters, we are liberators,” Rev. Al Sharpton said to those in attendance at Greater Grace. “Ferguson and Michael Brown Jr. will be a defining moment on how this country deals with police and the rights of its citizens – and to address how police behave in this country.”

Casualties of war

“The people suffering the

where the teen’s face hit the pavement, Baden said the body did not show signs of a struggle.

The independent experts concluded the first five shots were survivable and the shot that killed the teen was the last one, which struck Brown at the

most in all of this are the children –and we can’t forget them,” said Brittany Packnett, executive director of Teach For America St. Louis. “And we can’t forget them or we will be raising a generation of hopeless people.”

They’ve been forced out of school. They can’t go outside. They have watched their neighborhood become a battlefield where protesters stand against police. Some have even been caught in the crossfire while attempting to peacefully protest with their family.”

“There are lessons being

apex of his head. Attorney Benjamin Crump said the family did not want to rely on St. Louis County investigators to tell them how their son died. They wanted to know how many times their son was shot and if their child was in pain.

taught,” said Donald M. Suggs, publisher and executive editor of The St. Louis American “One of them is that it’s dangerous to be young and black and speak out. It’s as if the police reaction to these protesters is saying, ‘This is what happens when young African Americans amplify their voice.’”

And while Michael Brown’s death took the strained relationship between black men and police from the boiling point to explode before the eyes of the world, there is an opportunity in the wake of this tragedy.

The conversation around building better relationships between law enforcement and black citizens have taken center stage – as are the need to develop systems and policy for successful policing within the African-American community.

“You all ought to be thankful to the Brown family for Michael,” said Captain Ron Johnson, the Missouri Highway Patrol official charged with overseeing law enforcement operations in the midst of Ferguson’s unrest. “Michael’s going to make it better for our sons.”

Teach For America staff and alumni will partner with community volunteers to provide lunch and activities at the Ferguson Public Library, 35 N. Florissant Rd, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, while district teachers receive crisis counseling training. The Florissant Valley Branch, 195 S New Florissant Rd., is also offering free lunch and activities this week from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Crump added, “And then lastly, his mother wanted to ask a question that neither Dr. Baden nor any of the lawyers could answer. ‘What else do we need to give them to arrest the killer of my child?’”

Peaceful protestors rally around the lag in the Ferguson protest zone.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Another fire raging in North County

Bob McCulloch and victims who are ‘bums’

By Lizz Brown For The St. Louis American “Bums.”

That is what County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch called two African-American unarmed men gunned down and killed in the midst of a drug sting operation on the parking lot of a St Louis Jack in the Box restaurant. The 2000 shooting deaths of Ronald Beasley and Earl Murray by white undercover officers later came to be known as the “Jack in the Box” shootings. After Beasley and Murray were killed, many in the African-American community raised concerns about why there were 21 bullets fired at a vehicle backing away from undercover cops.

In piece entitled “AntiCommunity Policing,” the former publisher of The Riverfront Times, Ray Hartmann, described African-American concern directed at the Jack in the Box shootings as a “fire raging in North County”. According to Hartmann, African-American leadership wanted to know, among other things, why the police fired 21 shots at a “low-level drug dealer” and his passenger in broad daylight on the busy parking lot of a Jack In the Box. The community also wanted to know why shots were fired at a vehicle slowly backing away from the police.

Hartmann also described

the frustration the AfricanAmerican community had with the disinterest displayed by County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch and members of his team. For example, despite protests and requests for transparency, McCulloch and every other high-ranking county official declined to attend a news conference on the shooting. Instead his office issued a press release stating the chief of police was “not entertaining interviews.” McCulloch also initially refused to release the names of the officers involved, and he expressed no sympathy or concern about the “suspects.” The use of the word “suspects” to describe both of the men who were killed was also concerning to the African-American community because Beasley, father of three and manager at an auto repair shop, was an innocent bystander. And yet McCulloch’s office appeared be very comfortable with hurling the slanderous and inaccurate term “suspect” at Beasley. Fast forward 14 years, and we have yet another unarmed African American killed by another white police officer, along with unanswered questions, disinterest and arrogant disengagement by the same county prosecutor. And as a result, the North County African-American community finds itself confronting another

French arrested, released

Police said he

‘wasn’t listening’

By Bridjes O’Neil

Of The St. Louis American

After spending five nearly non-stop days and nights of using social media to document and communicate the fallout out from the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson to the St. Louis region and, eventually, the entire country,

“fire raging in North County.”

Earlier this week the office of state Senator Jamilah Nasheed issued a statement calling for a special prosecutor to be appointed to investigate and prosecute the killing of Michael Brown. Chief among Senator Nasheed’s reasons was the handling of the Jack in the Box shootings by Bob McCulloch and his office. It has been 14 years. Why should Bob McCulloch’s handling of the Jack in the Box shooting matter? How is it possibly relevant all these years later, and why does the African-American community insist upon comparing the killing of Brown to the Jack in the Box shooting?

Perhaps the relevance of a Mike Brown/Jack in the Box shooting comparison can best be distilled down to Bob

n Allowing a potential defendant who is a police officer to plead his murder case using any evidence admissible in front of a Grand Jury is an act of solidarity.

McCulloch’s use of a single word to describe Ronald Beasley and Earl Murray: “bums.”

Why did McCulloch do that?

Putting aside for a moment the notion of “innocent unless and until proven guilty,” one could argue from some prosecutors’ point of view the fact that Murray had a criminal record and he had cocaine on him made him a “bum.” But how did the innocent, unarmed, working, African-American father of three and passenger hitching a ride become a dead “bum”?

The argument that many in the concerned community are making is that Bob McCulloch, when comes to a choice between protecting the reputation/careers of white police officers and searching for the truth in a case of a

“police-officer-on-AfricanAmerican-crime,” will choose protecting officers at the expense of fairness, decency and truth.

There are stunning similarities in how McCulloch investigated and responded to African American concerns in the killing of Mike Brown and the Jack In the Box shooting.

Initially in both cases there was a fierce refusal to release the name of the officers involved. There was also an effort to turn Mike Brown into a “bum” by allowing the release of the video tape purportedly showing Mike Brown engaged in shoplifting.

McCulloch also defended the use of military style aggression and finally McCulloch, after initially refusing to humanize the pain of the loss suffered by the Brown family, was forced to bow to enormous public pressure and publically acknowledged the family’s pain.

While many people are making the connection between the Mike Brown killing and the Jack in the Box shooting, others articulate additional concerns.

Earlier this week, County Executive Charlie Dooley called on Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster to remove Bob McCulloch from the Mike Brown investigation. Dooley was quoted as saying “I think Mr. McCulloch’s objectivity is in question.”

Many believe that is a more than fair observation. Local attorneys while reluctant to be identified, raised the same question: Can the son of a fallen police officer be fair and impartial in the murder investigation and the prosecution of a police officer who looks like his father on behalf of an 18-year-old who doesn’t?

Some attorneys argue that a vigorous prosecution of a white police officer accused of killing an African American “bum-ified” Mike Brown will put his working relationship with the police in jeopardy. Others are asking if it is even necessary to ask the local prosecutor to put his job and his career at risk with this prosecution – why not satisfy all possible concerns by bringing in a neutral prosecutor?

Concerns about the ability of Bob McCulloch to fairly, impartially and vigorously prosecute this case have erupted into protests at the office of McCulloch. Protests have been fueled in part by McCulloch’s first act in the investigation of the killing of Mike Brown. As the first step in the prosecution and investigation of Darren Wilson, McCulloch stated that he will allow the potential defendant, officer Darren Wilson, to testify and defend himself in front of the Grand Jury. Is this an act that reveals that Bob McCulloch is impartial and is interested in a vigorous prosecution? It doesn’t look good. Allowing a potential defendant to plead his case in front of a jury is rarely done by a prosecutor who is seeking an indictment and is an awesome gift to any defendant. However, allowing a potential defendant who is a police officer the rare gift of pleading his murder case using any evidence admissible in front of a Grand Jury can only be interpreted as an act of solidarity to a police officer from the by the son of a fallen police officer. In the mind and heart of Bob McCulloch, this potential defendant is certainly no bum.

Global Grind’s Editor-inChief, Michael Skolnik, noted his concern that St. Louis city’s 21st Ward Alderman Antonio French had been quiet for too long regarding the latest developments in the municipality.

“Haven’t heard from @ AntonioFrench in over an hour,” Skolnik tweeted to his

followers last Wednesday night via Twitter. “Anyone know if he is ok? #Ferguson.”

Skolnik’s concern was quickly validated, as reports of French’s arrest began to

quickly spread on Twitter, sparking outrage in the community. French was booked on a 24-hour hold and detained at the Ferguson Police Station for “unlawful assembly,” he told local news stations Thursday morning after his release without bond.

“I guess within the law you can hold somebody without any real reason for 24 hours,” French stated.

He reports he was at a peaceful protest along with several hundred other people at QuikTrip on West Florissant Avenue. He was told by a

repeated twice before beginning to move in after issuing a final warning – an action that agitated the crowd, causing some young men to curse at officers, French reported.

“Police released smoke bombs into the crowd and people scattered thinking it was tear gas, he said. When some of the people began to return, police (dressed in riot gear) moved forward with their assault vehicles and tear gas.

“And that’s when the chaos started,” he said.

peace effort.” He told reporters that he doesn’t believe he was targeted as a leader in the community, nor does he feel like his social media posts are inciting violence. He believes a heavy-handed “unprovoked” police approach is making the situation worse.

Freelance journalist Umar Lee was documenting peaceful protesters who had gathered outside the Ferguson Police Station when he heard of French’s arrest. It was also well into the early Thursday morning hours when Lee said two police tanks pulled up with rifles aimed at the crowd. Police carrying automatic weapons and dressed in full body armor positioned themselves in front of protesters. With upright hands protesters yelled, “Don’t shoot!”

An officer on a bullhorn threatened the crowd with arrest, if they did not disperse. Lee was among the last to leave and was walking toward his car when police officers came running from across the street, he said. “They surrounded us. Cuffed us up. Locked us up.” He was charged with failure to obey a lawful order and noise violations and was bonded out five hours later.

n French was sitting in his car, when he said he was dragged out by a police officer with an assault rifle.

resident that police officers were demanding that everyone be off the street by 9 pm. Information, French said, he shared with his followers on Twitter.

“All of a sudden officers got on the bullhorn and said that this was no longer a peaceful assembly,” French said, “and that everyone should leave.”

This was a demand police

French was sitting in his car, when he said he was dragged out by a police officer with an assault rifle. His hands were upright, armed only with a cell phone. He asked why he was being arrested. He was told it was because he wasn’t listening, but French believes the police picked up the wrong people.

“You have reverends in there,” he told officers, and “young people organizing the

“I haven’t done a tour of the municipal jails in St. Louis,” Lee mentioned, “but that one was pretty bad.” He reports the jail cell was “dirty and cold.” Antonio French and Umar Lee were not the only controversial arrests made by Ferguson police that night. Reports were widely circulated on social media that Washington Post Reporter Wesley Lowery and Huffington Post Ryan J. Reilly had also been arrested earlier that day at a McDonald’s.

“Media should be free to report,” Missouri Governor Jay Nixon said at a press conference held at Christ the King Church.

French said no laws were broken that night. Protesters were simply exercising their constitutional rights.

“We have a right to peacefully protest 24 hours of the day,” he said. “Our rights don’t expire at nine o’clock.”

Follow this reporter on Twitter: @BridjesONeil. E-mail this reporter:

Antonio French in the Ferguson protest area. Photo KTVI Fox 2

Lizz Brown

There’s a ‘Ferguson’ near you

By Jesse Jackson Chicago Sun-Times

Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old African-American male in suburban Ferguson, Missouri, who had just graduated from high school and planned to start college, has joined a long line of blacks, especially black males, who have recently been gunned down, wrestled down and killed by white men and/or white police officers who claim “reasonable fear” or “selfdefense” as their defense. However, Chicago has

experienced a rash of young blacks in gangs killing each other over “territory” or in “retaliation,” so it’s not just whites killing young black males.

A photo shows Brown’s stepfather, Louis Head, holding a sign reading: “Ferguson police just executed my unarmed son!!!” Police report that Brown shoved the officer into his car, tried to take his gun and a shot was fired. Obviously, there are conflicting reports so it’s premature to come to conclusions, but a full federal investigation into what

happened is essential. I understand the community’s anger, and protests are legitimate and in

order, but Michael Brown’s family said things should not be made worse with looting and vandalism. That will only cloud

the real issues, will not bring Michael Brown back and will not facilitate justice. How could this happen in

n To allow injustice and inequality invites a Ferguson to your community.

suburban Ferguson, Missouri?

Many African Americans who grew up in St. Louis, got a good education, secured good jobs at McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) or elsewhere, and are better off economically, moved into various suburban communities in North St. Louis County — Normandy, Florissant, Bellefontaine Neighbors, Jennings, Berkeley (home of Cedric the Entertainer), Dellwood and elsewhere.

Ferguson is a suburban community of about 21,000 that has changed from a majority white to a percent African-American community. Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay represents it. I know some of the families there, including two white families.

This is a hard-working, church going and middle-toworking class community with families struggling economically to keep their heads above water. There is also a smaller but growing poor community in Ferguson. It reflects what’s happening in America generally.

When journalists and politicians speak of a dwindling middle class that’s under economic assault and a poor community that’s getting bigger, they’re talking about Ferguson. Independent of the racial demographics and dynamics of Ferguson, Missouri, there’s a “Ferguson” near you. Since President Lyndon Johnson, there has been no significant urban, suburban, small town or rural policy to rebuild America. Thus we should not be surprised that urban and rural communities, and all points in between, have significantly deteriorated during the past 46 years of neglect.

Republicans are the party of “no” and Democrats are the party of “don’t know” because it hasn’t fought for bold ideas, policies or plans to turn us in a new direction. Policies of community development are being replaced with policies of community containment. The absence of a domestic Marshall Plan is being replaced with martial law.

Here’s America today: high unemployment and low graduation rates result in guns and drugs in and jobs out; hospitals and public schools closing; gym, art, music and trade skills taken out of our public schools; inadequate investments being made in our infrastructure with roads crumbling, bridges falling down and an outdated public transportation system; a failure to address climate change; denial of capital investment for entrepreneurs; abandoned homes and vacant lots; a lack of youth recreational opportunities; a cutback in funding and a denial of equal opportunity in public jobs such as for teachers, policemen and firemen; all of which leads to hopelessness, despair and cynicism. Many are observing Ferguson and calling for quiet. But quiet isn’t enough. The absence of noise isn’t the presence of justice — and we must demand justice in Ferguson and the other “Fergusons” around America. Too many Americans have adjusted to injustice and inequality. But injustice and inequality anywhere is a threat to justice and equality everywhere. To allow injustice and inequality invites a Ferguson to your community. We must stand together, black, white, brown, red, and yellow and fight for justice and equality for all. It’s the only way to avoid more Fergusons. Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. is the founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.

Columnist Rev. Jesse Jaskson Sr.

A youth pauses during the peaceful protest last Thursday. Photo by Lawrence Bryant

What can Brown do for you?

By Bernie Hayes For The St. Louis American

What has the killing of Michael Brown done to you? Has it produced anger, indignation, disbelief, distrust or violence? Are you stronger, weaker or still a pacifist?

Bernie Hayes

Were you a part of the coalition of St. Louis-based progressive groups, churches and individuals that marched and protested, demanding justice, and shouting “no justice-no peace”? Did you carry a sign?

This coalition included The Universal African Peoples Organization, The Organization for Black Struggle, The Coalition against Police Crimes and Oppression, The Nation of Islam, St. Louis City and County NAACP, the Urban League and others, and hundreds, perhaps thousands, of individuals.

As you know, the case has attracted nationwide news coverage, and it seems as if everyone has done a story on the event. But since the initial gatherings it appears the coalition has disbanded, and the various groups are still demanding justice but operating separately. This is troubling to me. The attention has attracted national civil rights advocates, as well as everyone who wants to be seen on television or heard on the radio, and the local and national news media is more than happy to offer them a platform. Now here is where it gets really tricky. While the community is gathering in Ferguson and focusing on seeking justice for Michael Brown, some portions of the media are conspiring

with county police departments and elected officials to direct the attention away from charging Michael’s killer—to making the victim seem like the aggressor. A typical divisive tactic.

According to the account on St. Louis radio station KFTK, a woman named Josie phoned in describing the confrontation on August 9. She said the dispute began after Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson rolled down his window to tell Brown and a friend to stop walking in the street. Josie said Wilson told her that Michael Brown rushed at him full speed in the moments before the shooting. Can you imagine anyone without a weapon “rushing” an armed police officer? This to me is preposterous and absurd, but it is another example of how some people are scheming while we are sleeping.

An autopsy conducted for Michael Brown’s family found no evidence that Michael struggled with Wilson,

n Justice cannot be done if the victim is forgotten and not treated justly.

according to the pathologist in charge of the examination. What is troubling to me is the radio station, KFTK, is a station that hosts many conservative show hosts such as George Noory, Glenn Beck, and Sean Hannity. Should it be a surprise that “Josie” chose this particular station to give her story?

There are no daily AfricanAmerican talk and information radio programs anymore in St. Louis, and I wonder is this a reason the original alliance became separated? Malcolm X once said, “If you’re not careful, the newspapers will

have you hating the people who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.”

Fifty years ago, Malcom gave his “The Ballot or the Bullet” speech. He said, “So it’s time in 1964 to wake up. And when you see them coming up with that kind of conspiracy, let them know your eyes are open. And let them know something else that’s wide open too. It’s got to be the ballot or the bullet. The ballot or the bullet. If you’re afraid to use an expression like that, you should get on out of the country; you should get back in the cotton patch; you should get back in the alley.”

Justice cannot be done if the victim is forgotten and not treated justly. We must give victims a voice in the criminal justice systems. One thing is sure though—behind each case of police brutality, there is a victim, a family and their loved ones. And with each victim, there is a story of trauma, suffering and insecurity.

Anyone can be a victim of police brutality, and those not directly affected by the misconduct often do not understand how difficult the recovery can be. Yet victims play second fiddle when it comes to the criminal justice system. And the level of victims’ rights differs widely from county to county, city to city and state to state. We can’t allow Michael or his family to be the victims. Rise up and let us see what Brown can do for you. Watch the Bernie Hayes Saturday at 10pm, Friday at 9 am and Sunday at 5:30 pm on KNLC-TV Ch. 24. He can be reached by fax at (314) 837-3369 or email at: berhay@swbell.net. Follow him on Twitter: @berhay or view his blog at http:// berniehayesunderstands. blogspot.com/

A call for justice in the midst of a crisis

By Michael P. McMillan President and CEO, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “Rioting is the language of the unheard.” His words still ring true as I look at the violence and devastation that has engulfed the city of Ferguson and surrounding areas of St. Louis County. Today, we have all heard the language of the unheard coming from our televisions, radios, computers and even from outside our front doors. The shooting death of Michael Brown by a Ferguson police officer has ignited a firestorm which has engulfed a city, region, nation and world. For many years, racial profiling has been an issue that has been prevalent in American society. Racial profiling in St. Louis County has been legendary in the black community with traffic courts being filled with African Americans each week. For the past 13 years, African Americans have been more

likely to be pulled over in traffic stops than any other race in Ferguson, MO. Last year in the State of Missouri, blacks were more than one-and-a-half times more likely to be pulled over than any other race. The killing of Michael Brown was the last straw for a black community that has long been harassed by police officers. That the Ferguson Police Department allowed Michael Brown’s body to remain outside for up to four hours was just more salt in an already festering wound. The resulting rage that occurred after the fact has been magnified on the world stage because of its intensity and staying power. Although the methods that the rioters have used to express their anger are inexcusable, it is up to all of us to find a peaceful solution to this matter. By releasing the police officer’s name alongside a video of the deceased allegedly committing a “strong arm” robbery, the Ferguson Police Department continues to incite rage in the community while revealing its unrelenting unfairness and partiality. By revealing the convenience store tape, the Ferguson Police Chief gives the community the impression that he is more concerned with protecting his own (officer) than seeking true justice in the case.

The people of St. Louis County, the nation and the world are looking for justice in the killing of Michael Brown. For far too long, young black men such as Trayvon Martin of Florida, Eric Garner of New York City and Ezell Ford of Los Angeles have been killed with no justice given in return. Today in the Show-Me State, we are demanding justice for Lesley McSpadden and Michael Brown Sr., Michael Brown’s parents, and the citizens of Ferguson. It is important that police officers respect the citizens they are sworn to protect and serve. I encourage the St. Louis County and Ferguson Police to openly cooperate with the federal investigation and not try to protect their own (officer).

We are grateful to President Obama, Attorney General Eric Holder and the Justice Department for conducting a federal inquiry to ensure that a fair and impartial investigation takes place and that the constitutional rights of the demonstrators and the media are protected. In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

Michael P. McMillan

The Ferguson revolt

By Dr. Maulana Karenga

For The St. Louis American

There were numerous rumors and partially reliable reports that the country was shocked and surprised to hear of and see its police in brutal action: killing an unarmed teen, Michael Brown; attacking peaceful demonstrators and journalists; flashing and using military weapons, vehicles and tactics; and turning the small town of Ferguson, Missouri into a war zone and battlefield. But to those of us whose very life and death depend daily on avoiding, negotiating and surviving aggressive, abusive and deathdealing police behavior, Ferguson did not come as a surprise, nor did it send us scratching a self-deluding, selfie-diverting head, wondering how could this happen in America.

For if America could see itself beyond self-medicating illusions and self-congratulatory narratives of an achieved “more perfect union” and “a post-racial society,” it would see itself from the eyes and experiences of its most vulnerable and victimized. Perhaps, it would then realize that it is in urgent need of a radical restructuring, not only of police policy, procedure and practices, but also of society itself, if it is to achieve anything remotely resembling racial, legal and social justice. Certainly, it is easy for us to see why many would call or compare Ferguson to “a war zone” or “a scene from the Middle East” and describe the police as acting like “an occupying army.” Such designations and comparisons arise out of people having witnessed in horror the recent Israeli rampage and slaughter in Occupied Palestine. It also is extracted from similar practices of occupying armies, whether in Haiti, colonial Congo, Kenya and Algeria or Iraq, Afghanistan and other places.

It is within this understanding of similarities in oppression and resistance that Palestinian resistance groups and persons sent social media messages of solidarity and support and varied suggestions of how to deal with tear gas attacks by the police to the people of Ferguson.

It is important to note here, however, that although we were not surprised, we never get used to the ongoing targeting, battering and killing, and the awesome toll it takes on the lives and life of our people. Otherwise stated, we will never

get used to or accept in submissive silence the structured violence of the unwarranted and undeclared “low-intensity” war against us as a people, and especially us as black males and men by police across the country who appear and act as an occupying army. And the history of this repression is long, with an equally lengthy record of righteous resistance.

Indeed, since the Sixties, we have often defined the black community’s and the police’s relationship as that of an occupied people and territory and an occupying army. And we knew then, as we know now, that this occupying army, like all others, is marked by two defining features: a pervasive and sustained use of repressive violence and a deep and often depraved disregard for the life and rights of those under occupation. Moreover, this violence and disregard is to be seen not as the acts of a rogue cop or a department gone-wild, but as culturally-rooted, socially sanctioned, and undergirded with racist notions of human difference and human dignity and thus, of who deserves and does not deserve human rights and required respect.

And so, as early as 1965 our organization Us and other community groups created a Community Alert Patrol (CAP) which followed and monitored police activ-

n America is in urgent need of a radical restructuring, not only of police policy, procedure and practices, but also of society itself.

ity, informed those stopped and arrested of their rights, and secured pro bono lawyers to assist in this project. Likewise, the community put in place structures and processes to deal with this serious and ongoing problem of police violence under the cover and camouflage of law. There is a persistent pattern of police practices all over the country, making black mothers and fathers constantly afraid for their male children. Likewise, there’s a history of blaming the victims for their own killing and a white supremacist mentality made even more aggressive by the possession of military weapons and a sense of a socially sanctioned and legally grounded right and responsibility to suppress, humili-

With the help of a parent you can make a Tennis Ball Buddy within minutes. First, you’ll need to find an old tennis ball, try to find one without dog slobber. Have an adult slice a small, 1-inch slit across the middle of the ball, between the two white lines. This should look like a talking mouth if you squeeze the ball. Next, with either a marker (or googly eyes and some glue) create some eyes. Finally you’ll need to find a home for your buddy. A wall near your front door or above the kitchen counter works great and you can use any type of adhesive to make it stick (glue, poster stickers, strong tape, etc.). You can even use a long push pin by poking it through the Buddy’s mouth and out the back. Get a parent’s permission of course. Now your Tennis Ball Buddy can be used to keep track of keys, hold on to mail, or leave notes for other members of your family!

Speaker Amplifier

So many of us watch tv shows and movies on tiny devices. It’s nice because you can hold the screen close but sometimes the sound just isn’t loud enough, especially if you’re with a group of friends and headphones aren’t an option. Using another old tennis ball, you can amplify that sound directly toward your ear holes. Carefully cut the top quarter off of the tennis ball so that you’re still left with most of the ball but have a big enough hole to amplify the sound in your direction. Then slice a 2-inch slit (similar to the Buddy mouth) about 1/4” inch below that hole so that you can attach the amplifier around the gadget. This will also work even if the speaker is on the back of the device so long as it makes it inside of the amplifier.

ate and humble those criminalized by race and deemed unworthy of equal regard.

The revolt of black people in Ferguson against aggressive and deadly police violence comes in a month rich in the history of revolution, revolt and radical resistance. I note here the beginning of the Haitian Revolution, August 14, 1791; the Gabriel and Nana Prosser Revolt, August 30, 1800; the Nat Turner Revolt, August 21, 1831; the Watts Revolt, August 11-16, 1965; and the Ferguson Revolt, August 9, 2014. This revolution and these revolts against the Holocaust of enslavement, segregation and racism, in both its raw and re-invented forms, demonstrate the unbreakable will of the people to resist, to be free, to eventually break the back of oppression in all its forms and build a new society and world.

Thus, the sustained resistance in Ferguson is a homage to the history of which it is a part. And to maintain this struggle and keep the fervor and fire of resistance burning, several considerations and commitments are due.

Surely, we cannot listen to those who call for a peace without justice and are satisfied with justice as going through procedures, rather than producing rightful and due results. Also, we must have an agenda beyond this unjustifiable killing and gross injustice and extend the struggle to deal with police policy, procedure and practice as a whole.

It means also establishing a civilian review board to monitor and discipline police behavior, and build simultaneously community structures to monitor and hold accountable the civilian review board. Moreover, our agenda must also selfconsciously extend from concerns about legal justice to those of social justice with due consideration of how these particularly serve the needs of racial justice. This means, in turn, rebuilding the movement, moving beyond periodic anger and episodic engagement to an ongoing righteous anger at and resistance to evil and injustice wherever we find it.

And it means recapturing and renewing our expansive historical sense of ourselves as a moral and social vanguard, whose moral vision and vocabulary and unrelenting and righteous struggle became an inspiration and instructive model for other oppressed and struggling peoples of the world.

Dr. Maulana Karenga is professor and chair of Africana Studies, California State University-Long Beach; executive director of African American Cultural Center (Us) and creator of Kwanzaa.

Upcycling is the reuse of discarded items in a way to create a new product of a higher value.

Tennis Ball Buddy

Dr. Maulana Karenga

Healthy Kids Kids

Careers

Color Your World! How Healthy Are Your Lungs?

Nutrition Challenge:

Think about how colorful your meals are. Is your plate usually filled with a lot of white and brown (e.g., breaded chicken strips, mashed potatoes and a roll)? Or do you have a rainbow of fresh, healthy vegetables?

red salmon, roasted red peppers and steamed green broccoli. In general, the more colorful… the better it is for you!

Imagine a plate with grilled

One way to find out how “in shape” you are —is to see how long you can run (or hop, or skip) until you run out of breath. If it only takes a couple of minutes before you can’t breathe well, then you probably need to make some healthy positive changes in your daily activities.

Mental Health Tip — If you don’t already have one, start a journal today. This is a great way to express your feelings and think about ways to change/improve your life. You can use any kind of notebook or a computer. But journaling does not mean “blogging.” Always be cautious about revealing personal information online.

Learning Standards: HPE 2, NH 4

Try this

Make it a goal to have at least three different colors on your plate each meal.

Learning Standards: HPE 1,

Exercising regularly strengthens the muscles around your lungs. This allows you to run and play longer before you feel tired or winded and will help you feel better too!

Discuss with your classmates different kinds of activities you could do every day.

Learning Standards: HPE 1, NH 1, NH 5

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Carliss Garrett Adult Nurse Practitioner

Where do you work? Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine. Where did you go to school? I attended Riverview Gardens Sr. High School and graduated from McCluer North High School. I received an Associate of Science in Nursing from Jewish Hospital College of Nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Barnes Jewish College of Nursing and a Master of Science in Nursing from Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes Jewish College.

What does an adult nurse practitioner do? I see patients that have medical problems with their brain, spinal cord and nerves. I have also been trained to do spinal taps (lumbar punctures) where we take fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord and send it to the lab for testing.

Why did you choose this career? I chose nursing because I love helping people. It is an honor and a privilege to be able to care for people when they are not feeling well and hopefully do what I can to make them feel a little bit better.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? My favorite part of my job is that there is always something new and exciting to see and learn. In addition, I enjoy bringing a little sunshine to my patients by taking time out to listen to their concerns. Sometimes a simple smile can make a difference in a patient’s day.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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Investigate and explore over 700 exhibits and take in a ilm on one of the world’s largest domed screens in OMNIMAX® Theater. Come, play and exercise your brain! General admission is always free. slsc.org/nie5

Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World! presented by Terminix® is a multisensory experience that immerses you into the world of bugs. Harry the Chinese Praying Mantis and his bug friends will lead you through freestanding and interactive habitats in a hands-on, fun way!

Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World! presented by Terminix® is a multisensory experience that immerses you into the world of bugs. Harry the Chinese Praying Mantis and his bug friends will lead you through freestanding and interactive habitats in a hands-on, fun way!

Harry’s Big Adventure: My Bug World! presented by Terminix® is a multisensory experience that immerses you into the world of bugs. Harry the Chinese Praying Mantis and his bug friends will lead you through freestanding and interactive habitats in a hands-on, fun way!

slsc.org/hbanie2

slsc.org/hbanie1

slsc.org/hbanie4

The St. Louis American’s award winning NIE program reaches more than 7,000 teachers and students throughout the school year.

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT

Monroe Elementary School 3rd grade teacher Kristen Hutchison does a water experiment with students Aariyah Bowman, Samuel Williams, and Anyha Martin, all 9, for a STEM project. The school is in the St. Louis Public School District. Photo: Wiley Price / St. Louis American

SCIENCE CORNER

The Math Behind Product Packages!

SCIENCE STARS

FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN PHD OF MATHEMATICS:

Elbert Frank Cox

December 5, 1895, Elbert Frank Cox was born in Evansville, Indiana. His father was a school principal and his family valued education. When Cox showed that he had an ability in math and physics, he was encouraged to go to college. In 1917, Cox graduated from the University of Indiana. Cox received an A on every math exam he took there. After graduation, he taught math at Alves Street School in Henderson, Kentucky. He served in the army during World War I, and was stationed in France. When Cox returned to the US in 1919, he worked at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he was chairman of the Department of Natural Sciences. In 1922, he was awarded an Erastus Brooks Fellowship. Three years later, he earned his PhD in mathematics from Cornell University. He was the first African American in the world to earn this degree.

Have you ever been disappointed when you opened a bag of chips to find the bag was half empty? Most foods, including snack chips, are sold by weight. If you look at the front of the bag, you’ll see the exact weight of the chips. The package, however, has a much larger surface area. Many consumers are fooled by the packaging, thinking a larger package means more product. Careful readers know to compare the weight of the chips to determine the better value. Nitrogen is added to bags of chips to provide a cushion of air to protect the chips during shipping. Other items, such as rice and boxed pastas, will also have empty “space” in the packaging to protect the product, as well.

Packaging can also serve another purpose— advertising. A large, colorful package catches your eye while you are shopping and can lead to higher sales. This leads to a lot of unwanted packaging in landfills.

Carefully observe how much packaging you see in the products you use. Is the packaging necessary to keep the product safe or is it a design to create a larger surface area for the product marketing?

For More Information, Go To: http:// abcnews.go.com/GMA/ConsumerNews/productbags-boxes-full/story?id=9233043.

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

Cox married an elementary school teacher, Beulah Kaufman, in 1927. They had three sons. Cox taught mathematics at West Virginia State College where he was head of the math and physics department, before moving to Howard University where he served as chairman of the mathematics department. He retired in 1965. On November 28, 1969, Cox died. In 1975, Howard University created the Elbert F. Cox scholarship fund to recruit African American students to pursue mathematics degrees. The National Association of Mathematicians (NAM) honored Cox with the creation of the Cox-Talbot address, which is recited at NAM’s annual meetings.

Learning Standards: I can read a biography to learn about a person who has contributed in the fields of math, science, and technology.

SCIENCE EXPERIMENT Juice Box Geometry

Background Information: Juice boxes are often shaped like a rectangular prism. You can use this shape to calculate how much the box can hold, which is the volume, and how much packaging was used to create the box, which is surface area.

Materials Needed:

• Metric Ruler • Juice Boxes (five or more different brands, one per brand)

• Calculator • Lab Notebook

Procedure:

q Make a table in your lab notebook to collect information.

w Take the first juice box and record the brand name and volume in ounces (most

manufacturers will print this information on the front of the juice box).

e Use the ruler to measure the length, width, and height of the juice box in centimeters. Record the information in the table.

r Next, calculate the surface area and record the information in your table.

MATH CONNECTION

Mathematicians are good problem solvers. Put your critical thinking skills to the test and solve these word problems.

Surface area = 2 × length × height + 2 × width × height + 2 × length × width—S = 2lh + 2wh + 2lw

t Finally, calculate the volume using the following formula: volume = length x width x height—V = lwh

y Repeat procedure with all five juice boxes.

Analyze: Which brands use the least amount of packaging material? Compare the fluid ounces to calculated volume. How do they compare? Are they the same? Which brands give you the most juice per juice box?

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential procedures to complete an experiment. I can add, subtract, multiply, and divide to solve a problem. I can analyze results.

Our numeral system is Arabic in origin. These numerals developed in North Africa, but are related to Indian and eastern Arabic numerals. The Italian scholar Fibonacci irst encountered the numerals in the North African city of Bejaia. His work was crucial in making them known throughout Europe, and then worldwide.

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

Activity One —

Summarizing:

Choose a news article to summarize. Remember to include the 5 Ws and 1 H (who, what, when, where, why, and how) in your summary. Trade summaries with a classmate. When you read their summaries, underline the 5 Ws and 1 H.

Activity Two — Calculating

Carmen wants to ride the Ferris wheel, the roller coaster, and the log ride. The Ferris wheel costs 5 tickets, the roller coaster costs 7 tickets and the log ride costs 1 ticket. Carmen has 5 tickets. How many more tickets should Carmen buy? ________ Ronnie is in the orchestra. Janelle is in the band. There are 39 students in the orchestra and twice that number in the band. There are 23 boys and 13 girls in the choir. If each student only participates in one group, how many students total are there in the orchestra, the band, and the choir? _________ Orchestra students? _______ Band students? ________ Choir students?

DID YOU KNOW?

Delilah walked 2 blocks from her house to the bus stop. She rode the bus 7 blocks to the library. Later, she came home the same way. How many blocks did Delilah travel in all?

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

Averages: Estimate how many paragraphs are in each story on the front page of today’s newspaper. Count how many are in each story and then find the average number of paragraphs found in a story on the front page. Then, find the average number of paragraphs in a story on page two. What is the difference between the averages on the two pages?

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can summarize a news article and find key information in a summary. I can calculate averages and compare numbers.

The pilcrow (¶), also called the paragraph mark, paragraph sign, paraph, aline (Latin: a line, “off the line”), or blind P, is a typographical character used for individual paragraphs.

MAP CORNER

A funny thing happened on the way to the protest

The eyes of the world are trained on the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson in North St. Louis County, where a poorly handled fatal police-involved shooting, followed by a dangerously policed protest movement, has turned a sizable portion of St. Louis County near the St. Louis airport into a militarized zone, with National Guard checkpoints and a terrifying arsenal of military castoffs in the hands of unevenly trained local police officers under the command of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

And now we are moving deeper into an erratically managed prosecution led by Robert McCulloch, a pro-police prosecutor with zero credibility in the eyes of the victim’s family or the African-American community.

The basic facts are worth re-stating.

An unarmed young man named Michael Brown was shot by a uniformed police officer six times, according to an autopsy commissioned by the victim’s family, and died face-down on Canfield Drive skirting the Canfield Green Apartments in Ferguson. Witness testimony is conflicting and the forensic evidence subject to multiple interpretations, but no one disputes that the police officer shot an unarmed teenager six times, two times in the head.

The shooter, much later identified as Police Officer Darren Wilson was joined at the shooting scene by a number of other uniformed police officers who cordoned off the crime scene and then let the dead teen’s body lie within plain sight of family and friends for four hours. Video of that long afternoon makes it clear why much of the black community in Ferguson regards its local police agency as a hostile occupying force on an ordinary day. But this situation was headed for extraordinary days.

The family generated international support for their plight starting with a handmade sign displayed on the side of the road. Locally, the protest movement started with Brown’s

immediate family and friends and came to include the wider black community in the region, augmented by a diverse community of conscience.

Through social media, Michael Brown became the latest – and arguably, the most widely known, ever – symbol of the unarmed black man who is shot dead by police.

As the movement gained momentum, it attracted other protestors and opportunists, who came to Ferguson from Chicago, New York, California and other states.

Photographs of protest events show and many eyewitnesses claim that a small, Communist-identified group joined the movement and encouraged an already enflamed local youth to challenge the police. We acknowledge that many of our angry young men need no encouragement to defy the police, but the Chicago group, again documented in photos and observed by many witnesses, taught them how to make the simple airborne firebombs known as Molotov cocktails – a bizarre and quaint term that suddenly was turning up regularly in local media coverage.

Before these dangerous adventurers were identified and separated from the movement, a Molotov cocktail was cited by police as the violent missile from protestors that brought a firestorm of brutal militarized police response after the first evening of looting. No one arrested in the looting events was local, and many witnesses claim the first wave of looters was organized rather than arising spontaneously from greedy locals.

In response to the violence and looting, under the command of St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar, the police presence in Ferguson transformed into an actual, rather than symbolic, occupying force. On live television, officers from a variety of police agencies (and, reportedly, at least one private security firm) engaged in direct assaults on protestors and media, launching tear

classic: discrediting a victim after his death. Indeed, like the local police who regularly aimed guns at protestor faces, Jackson was not uncomfortable making this dirty play in the slightest. He calmly admitted that the video played no role in the shooting and death of Brown. It was a piece of evidence that might be useful in trial, but its release on the same day the shooter’s name was released – and before an autopsy was released –was instantly felt to be a deliberate provocation. Some in the protest group took the bait. The fragile peace was shattered.

Relative peace was re-established after public attention was drawn to the presence in the protest group of outsiders whose motive was to confront the police, not seek justice for Brown. Peacekeeping groups within the protest group intensified efforts to identify and exclude violent outsiders – and, this time, police.

gas and firing rubber bullets.

Gov. Jay Nixon was pressured to step in and relieve Belmar of command, establishing a unified command under the leadership of Colonel Ronald K. Replogle, commander of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Replogle has counterterrorism command experience, but Nixon put Captain Ron Johnson – a dignified African-American man from Ferguson – before the public as the face of the command. The new unified command also included the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department; previously Chief Sam Dotson had balked at letting his officers participate in Belmar’s shock-and-awe tactics.

The police officers’ union has not forgiven Dotson for bolting ranks on the mission.

With Johnson presiding over the command at least ceremonially, the protest movement took on a civil rights aura, with the public face of the police command praying with the community and discussing his black son, who faces the same challenges from authority as their sons and Michael Brown. Johnson led a daylight march that was well attended by the diverse community of conscience, and even as night descended, Belmar’s SWAT-team tactics were suspended and a community policing paradigm

resulted in the first night of peace in the protest. That peace was shattered when Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson – whose command had been trumped once by Belmar and then by Replogle (fronted by Johnson) – picked the first morning after peace to release a surveillance video of a youth he claimed to be Brown rough-handling a store clerk and stealing a box of cigars in the company of another youth he claimed to be a key eyewitness to the fatal shooting. Along with the video and other evidence, Jackson released the name of the shooter – which the family and supporters had demanded from the beginning – for the first time that morning.

The Department of Justice and others warned Jackson not to release the video publicly, and even Nixon criticized the way it was handled. Jackson said he did not even warn Johnson what was coming, though he said nothing regarding whether Replogle was informed in advance.

(The Ferguson Police Department has not responded to questions from The American.) Whether or not police command was prepared, Johnson was not, and the video release inflamed sentiment in the community.

Like the black man shot dead by police while unarmed, this ploy is a

“More than 80 people were arrested in a 30-hour period into Tuesday, far surpassing past totals given by authorities who are struggling to find a strategy to bring this seven-square mile St. Louis suburb under control,” the Wall Street Journal reported. “About one-quarter of those arrested over that time are from outside the area, from as far away as New York and San Francisco, county records showed.”

With outside elements out of the picture, the following night (Tuesday) was a safe night – until around midnight, when police responded aggressively to a bottle thrown from the protest group. A night of peace was ruined by cops responding in riot frenzy to a small group of protestors who were outnumbered by the news media flocking to the story.

The news media are in a badly compromised situation covering this story. Reporters have been hit with tear gas, threatened with high-powered rifles and arrested without cause. In the protest zone at night, when things get dangerous, news media are forced to remain in a small space. This results in the bizarre situation of a professional reporter from a major media source posting (in once instance) a picture of the line the reporter had been told to stand at –while the reporter is standing there. Meanwhile, citizen journalists walk through the crowd with cell phones, getting the story.

Next we will see what happens when the case moves to the courtroom.

As news media flocked to the St. Louis region to cover the Ferguson story, they were restricted to a small media staging area at night, when the protest zone gets dangerous. This resulted in bizarre scenes where the “protest” consisted of little more than cops with weapons and journalists with cameras facing off against each other. Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Shahid thinks beyond protest to jobs for blacks

‘Nothing says love like, We got a job for you, brother’

By Chris King Of The St.

Louis American

Brother Anthony Shahid continues to prevent far worse mayhem and perhaps bloodshed on the streets of Ferguson during the ongoing protests, according to Antonio French and other front-line leaders.

Shahid was able to gain the respect of many young black men who were spoiling for a fight –almost certainly to their death –with Ferguson and St. Louis County Police after County Police Chief Jon Belmar instituted SWAT-team tactics against peaceful protestors. French – a city alderman who

left his beloved 21st Ward in the City of St. Louis to help divert these youth from self-destruction – called Shahid a “hero.” He further mentioned, “I was really about to lose hope of being able to keep the [protesters and looters] apart. Then Anthony Shahid arrived. His presence helped redirect them.”

policing after Johnson (a black man from Ferguson) was put in charge.

n “We need to see more black police leaders.”

Shahid, who is not a young man, remains at the front lines after a change in police command (to the Missouri Highway Patrol, under the leadership of Captain Ron Johnson) and evolving police tactics. The police response moved to community

After Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson released a surveillance tape of a robbery, purportedly committed by Brown –but unrelated (Jackson said) to the events leading to Brown’s death – there was unrest on the streets again.

– Brother Anthony Shahid

This led Gov. Jay Nixon to declare a State of Emergency and order a midnight-to-5 a.m. curfew in Ferguson for two days.

The outcome of the immediate protest struggle is unclear, but Shahid is already thinking of the

mid- and long-term future of the youth he is trying to save.

“I want to go out on these streets,”

Brother Shahid said, “and tell them, ‘Come on, brother, let’s go to work – to a job,” Shahid told The American Shahid called out large area employers that award billions of dollars in contracts, such as Metropolitan Sewer District and BJC HealthCare, to be more inclusive in their workforce hiring. Shahid is looking past the dramatics of street protest to gainful employment. “We need job-training programs,” Shahid said. “We need to get these brothers off the street.”

Crisis creates possibility for change

By Amy Blouin For The St. Louis American

Like you, we at the Missouri Budget Project have been deeply moved by the events in Ferguson over the last 10 days. A young man lost his life. A family is now plagued with unimaginable grief and yet unanswered questions. And, Ferguson, St. Louis and Missouri have become the center of international news with images that are reminiscent of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. As our communities struggle to tackle the difficult issues of race and the trust in and accountability of law enforcement, we are left to question if our society has really advanced so little in the last 50 years. Is this an anomaly, or do the events of the last 10 days epitomize a structural crisis in Missouri that has created deep inequality?

David Nicklaus’ recent column in the St. Louis Post Dispatch points to a deep-routed crisis that has been fostered by decades of neglect within the public policies of the state. He points out some critical facts:

• St. Louis

• Census figures show that in

2012 the metropolitan unemployment rate for African-American men between the ages of 16 and 24 was 47 percent- nearly three times the rate for young white men in the area.

• A study called the Equality of Opportunity Project ranked us fourth from the bottom among 100 large cities on something called relative mobility, which compares the prospects for people born at the bottom and the top of the income distribution.

• In more mobile places such as San Jose or Seattle, a person born poor is twice as likely to move up the income ladder as a person born into the same circumstances in St. Louis.

• Segregated housing and underperforming schools are among the things that are highly correlated with a lack of economic mobility.

• North County was also the epicenter of the area’s foreclosure crisis, and house prices in Ferguson are down 37 percent from their peak

Shepard Pittman has been appointed to assistant principal at Hazelwood East High School. He previously worked as an Industrial Tech teacher at East High School and holds a Master’s degree from Webster University.

Thurman Young joined The Scholarship Foundation as program supervisor. He most recently worked in Default Prevention/ Financial Literacy at Fontbonne University where designed and implemented a program on default prevention that serves as a model for Missouri Department of Higher Education grantees statewide. He holds a Master’s degree in English from the University of Illinois.

Tiffany Barber joined the staff of Laumeier Sculpture Park as part of ArtTable’s Summer Mentored Internship for Diversity in the Visual Arts Profession. Tiffany is a PhD student in Visual and Cultural Studies at the University of Rochester, New York. While at Laumeier, Tiffany worked on the park’s show Mound City, which traces the presence of native cultures in contemporary society.

Melanie Gowdy joins Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (LSEM) as Outreach and Enrollment Specialists for the new Connecting Kids to Coverage program along with Lauren Hamvas. They will provide outreach and enrollment assistance to children eligible for free or low-cost health insurance. She worked as a Medicaid Specialist at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, has a B.A. in History from Truman State University and a Master of Social Work.

Timika S. Edwards is a candidate for a Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Counseling Psychology from the University of Georgia (UGA). She is the daughter of Mr. Ronald D. and Mrs. Shirley F. Williams. She graduated from McCluer Senior High School in 1997 and went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Missouri at Columbia with dean’s list honors. She is currently a member of PSI CHI National Honor Society and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Dr. Anthony Robinson is the new director of secondary education at Jennings Senior High. He will implement effective secondary professional development programs for teachers. Alongside him is Mr. Eugene Simpson, who is the newly appointed dean for Jennings Senior High School. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, a Master’s degree and a Specialist degree in administrative leadership.

On the move? Congratulations! Send your good professional news and a

Thurman Young

Tiffany Barber

Melanie Gowdy

Timika S. Edwards

Dr. Anthony Robinson

Brother Shahid works with youth energized by the Michael Brown movement.

See BEES, B6

Photo by Wiley Price

A protestor holds a lag across from a strip mall of businesses in the Ferguson protest zone.

Photo by Wiley Price

Rule changes tighten reverse mortgage eligibility

By Jason Alderman

Reverse mortgages have become increasingly popular in recent years, as cash-strapped seniors seek ways to keep pace with rising expenses –not to mention cope with the pummeling their retirement savings took during the Great Recession.

But the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) noticed that borrowers increasingly have been opting to withdraw most or all of their home equity at closing, leaving little or nothing for future needs. Consequently, by mid-2012 nearly 10 percent of reverse mortgage holders were in default and at risk of foreclosure because they couldn’t pay their taxes and insurance.

That’s why Congress authorized HUD to tighten FHA reverse mortgage requirements in order to: encourage homeowners to tap their equity more slowly; better ensure that borrowers can afford their loan’s fees and other financial obligations; and strengthen the mortgage insurance fund from which loans are drawn.

Here are the key changes:

Most reverse mortgage borrowers can now withdraw no more than 60 percent of their total loan during the first year. Previously, borrowers could tap the entire amount on day one – a recipe for future financial disaster for those with limited means.

The first-year limit may be waived for certain homeowners whose “mandatory obligations” (e.g., upfront insurance premiums, loan origination fees, delinquent federal debt, etc.) exceed the 60 percent amount; but they’ll have to pay a higher upfront mortgage insurance premium – 2.5 percent of the home’s appraised value instead of the normal 0.5 percent.

(Note: Credit card debt isn’t considered a mandatory obligation, so those with significant credit card debt may not be able to withdraw enough to pay off their debt.)

Generally, borrowers can take the money either as a lump sum at closing (with

a fixed-rate loan), or as an ongoing line of credit or monthly payments (adjustable rate loan). However, lumpsum payments are now subject to the 60 percent mandatory obligations test, so to withdraw more than that you’ll have to go the line-of-credit route, at least for the first year; after that, you can tap the remaining balance if you wish. Under previous rules, almost anyone with sizeable home equity could take out a reverse mortgage. Now, potential borrowers must undergo a detailed financial assessment to ensure they’ll be able to meet future tax and insurance obligations. Lenders are required to review the borrower’s credit history. They also

must analyze all income from earnings, pensions, IRAs, 401(k) plans or Social Security, and weigh it against the borrower’s likely living expenses, including other outstanding debts. Those who come up short (i.e., are more likely to default) may be required to set aside money from their reverse mortgage to cover future obligations –thereby lowering the amount of equity they’d be able to tap.

The new regulations also reduce the maximum amount of home equity that can be borrowed against – 10 to 15 percent less than before, on average. Generally, the older you are, the more equity you have and the lower the interest rate, the more you’ll be able to borrow. Note: The age

North County Inc. and RBC form Reinvest North County Fund

North County Inc. and the St. Louis Regional Business Council have organized the Reinvest North County Fund to provide relief to small business owners and resources for school children in Ferguson and surrounding communities. Those wishing to apply for funding should fill out the very short and simple form on NCI’s website at www. NorthStLouisCounty.com. Applications will be accepted beginning Monday, August 18.

The RBC donated $10,000 for this effort and has enlisted other inaugural donors. Further donations can be made payable to the Reinvest North County Fund at the 501(c)3 non-profit North County Regional Development Association (NCI), 350B Village Square Drive, Hazelwood, MO 63042.

Harris-Stowe Awarded $1.7 Million National Science Foundation Grant

Harris-Stowe State University will receive its second Historically Black Colleges and Universities-Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) implementation grant for $1.7 million from the National Science Foundation.

The initial NSF grant awarded six years ago for $2.5 million launched growing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activity at Harris-Stowe. This second grant will support a new project which aims to increase STEM degrees among African-Americans at HarrisStowe through faculty mentoring, undergraduate research and partnering with STEM institutions in the region.

Missouri Foundation for Health Seeks Applicants for Board of Directors

Missouri Foundation for Health is now seeking applicants for the 2015 Board of Directors. MHF is the largest nongovernmental funder of community health activities in the state.The Foundation is committed to a board that represents Missouri’s gender, racial, cultural, and ethnic diversity. All applications must be postmarked by September 5, 2014. To receive a Board application packet or to review the eligibility guidelines, visit mffh.org/Board2015 or write to: Community Advisory Council, Missouri Foundation for Health - 415 South 18th Street, Suite 400, St. Louis, MO 63103. If you have any questions please email Community Advisory Council Coordinator Kathryn Zetzer at kzetzer@ mffh.org or call (314) 345-5565.

ALDI Brings New Jobs to

O’Fallon

component of this calculation is based on the youngest party listed on the loan. Because reverse mortgages are so complicated, potential borrowers are required to consult an HUD-approved counselor before being allowed to apply. Do preliminary research at helpful sites sponsored by HUD (www.hud. gov), the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (www. cfpb.gov) and AARP (www. aarp.org). Also check with an accountant, financial planner or lawyer specializing in elder law to make sure a reverse mortgage is right for you. Jason Alderman directs Visa’s financial education programs. To Follow Jason Alderman on Twitter: www. twitter.com/PracticalMoney

ALDI will host a hiring event for its O’Fallon and St. Charles, Mo., stores on Friday, Aug. 22, 7 am—noon at Hilton Garden Inn, 2310 Technology Drive, O’Fallon, Mo, 63368. Opportunities within ALDI include Store Associate ($13/hour) and Shift Manager ($17.25/hour) positions. Applicants must be 18 years or older, have a high school diploma or GED, able to lift 45 pounds, must be available to work anytime between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m., Monday–Sunday. Retail experience preferred and drug screening and background checks are conducted. Staff working at least 20 hours a week receive full health insurance, dental coverage and 401K.

DED releases July 2014 Jobs Report

Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment grew by 13,200 jobs in July, according to seasonally adjusted data released by the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The state’s unemployment rate held at 6.5 percent.

Missouri’s nonfarm payrolls have added 53,600 jobs over the past year. Companies interested in learning more about Missouri’s resources for new and expanding businesses should visit www.ded.mo.gov

n “When I go home I get pulled over just because.

It’s about the way they look at you, the way they talk to you. Like you don’t matter.”

– Chicago Bears lineman and St. Louisan David Bass

Sports

In The CluTCh

With Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Victimized

Ferguson protesters targets of heavy-handed tactics that protect police

In the world of sports, big, strong black Americans are cheered, celebrated and worshipped. GMs, scouts and fans fawn over an athlete’s height, weight, reach, speed, strength and agility. On the streets of Ferguson, the St. Louis Metro Area and all across America, those same attributes can be a death sentence.

When Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson decided to end the life of Michael Brown Jr., he did so with an excessive amount of force. No, the full details of what happened that fateful Saturday afternoon haven’t emerged, thanks to a County investigation shrouded in secrecy. The fact

n The community is outraged by the killing of another young black man due to extremely excessive force by police officers. Top players to

remains, however, that Brown, an unarmed black teenager, was shot at least six times, including twice in the head. He didn’t have a gun, a knife or any other weapon but was slain in the middle of the street, in broad daylight. To some, the 6-foot-4, 292 pound teenager’s size and skin color offer enough of an excuse to give the officer the benefit of the doubt. The irony in this case, which has garnered global attention, has been the police response

to protesters. The community is outraged by the killing of another young black man due to extremely excessive force by police officers. Somehow, the law enforcement officials charged with maintaining public safety in Ferguson still find it appropriate to demonstrate excessive force on a nightly basis. West Florissant Ave. has become a war zone. Mine-resistant armored vehicles roam the streets. Police officers decked out in camouflage and riot gear aim automatic rifles at peaceful protesters. Sound cannons, tear gas, smoke bombs and rubber bullets are fired into massive crowds, all in the name of public safety despite the fact that it’s the public on the receiving end of these weapons of war.

By Earl Austin Jr.

The high school football season gets underway this weekend in the St. Louis metropolitan area. As we head into another exciting season, here are some of the top players to watch in 2014.

Justin Baker (Lutheran North): Senior quarterback who passed for 2,710 yards and 29 touchdowns to lead Crusaders to Class 2 state semifinals.

Harry Ballard (McCluer North): Athletic junior wide receiver who had 595 yards and five touchdowns as a sophomore.

Kevin Batt (Hazelwood Central): Tough running back who rushed for 2,116 yards and 26 touchdowns for Class 6 state semifinalist.

Terry Beckner, Jr. (East St. Louis): Ranked among the top defensive ends in the country. The 6’5” 250-pound Beckner has offers from all of the major collegiate powerhouse programs.

DeAnte Campbell (Roosevelt): Senior all-purpose performer who earned All-Public High League honors as a junior.

Roderick Campbell (Chaminade): Junior defensive back who had eight interceptions as a sophomore.

Mike Glass (Hazelwood Central): Senior quarterback who passed for 2,255 yards and 21 touchdowns to lead Hawks to Class 6 state semifinals.

Cameron Hilton (Webster Groves): Outstanding two-way performer at defensive back and wide receiver who led Statesmen to Class 5 state semifinals. Committed to Mizzou.

Jaylon James (Miller Career Academy): Dual threat quarterback who passed for 1,300 yards and rushed for 780 yards as a junior for Class 4 state quarterfinalists.

DeVondre Love (Affton): A 6’7” 290pound senior who returns as one of the top defensive lineman in the St. Louis area.

Dan Marinko (Edwardsville): Senior quarterback who passed for 2,940 yards and 29 touchdowns to lead Tigers to IHSA Class 7A semifinals.

Kentrail Morgan (O’Fallon): Junior

NFL players speak out on Michael Brown

Teams and players express solidarity with Brown and Ferguson

The shooting death of unarmed teenager Michael Brown on August 9 by police officer Darren Wilson and subsequent civil unrest has put the city of Ferguson in the eye of the national storm. It seems as if that entire country has been paying attention to the continuous protests that have been happening on West Florissant Ave. since the day Brown was killed. That includes players from the

Earl Austin Jr.

National Football League, who are preparing for the upcoming regular season, but are fully aware of what’s happening here in town. That should not be surprising, since nearly 67 percent of the NFL’s players are African-American, which ironically is about the percentage of the African-American population in Ferguson. On Monday night, the Washington Redskins made a bold statement of solidarity with

Michael Brown and the protestors in Ferguson before their nationally-televised preseason game with the Cleveland Browns. The members of the Redskins defensive backfield entered the field for pregame introductions with their hands raised and palms up, which is a nod to the “Hands up, Don’t Shoot” pose that has been the rallying cry for protestors in Ferguson. Leading the Redskins on the field was defensive back Brandon Meriweather, the veteran player who came up with the idea. In the same game, Browns’ quarterback Johnny Manziel made an obscene gesture to the Redskins players during a verbal exchange. While most of the nation concentrated on the

Of the St. Louis American

Ishmael H. Sistrunk

Police point guns at peaceful protestors in the Ferguson protest zone.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

With Earl Austin Jr.

With Earl Austin Jr.

The members of the Redskins defensive backfield entered the field for pre-game introductions with their hands raised and palms up, which is a nod to the “Hands up, Don’t Shoot” pose.

Claib’s Call

With Mike Claiborne

Fans are wondering what’s in store for the Rams

As the NFL pre season enters its third week, fans are beginning to think about how the regular season will shape up. Although some so called experts will spend a great deal of time trying to convince us otherwise, it’s just too early to tell what’s in store, as NFL teams readily admit they haven’t yet implemented game plans for most pre-season games and most starters for the regular season have not played enough downs in the pre-season to add up to a full game, yet commentators insist on making wild speculations. If there is a sport that has its fans hoodwinked by what is reported, it has to be the NFL. If you are wondering what’s in store for the Rams, here are a few observations: If they cannot block, there is no way to blame Sam Bradford or Jeff Fisher for running the ball too much in a pass oriented league. The offensive line is key this season and you have to really wonder how it will play out, as there are so many new players lacking any real experience. Line play is also in higher demand more now than ever before. Looking at the draft and where offensive tackles are placed, it’s normally before the highly touted and exposed running backs and quarterbacks. This game is about blocking and protection. If the Rams cannot excel in this area then it’s on to Blues hockey or something else that will keep our minds occupied,

as this season will once again end up being a disappointment. One can only hope the off season training programs have proved fruitful, but as it stands

now, we will have to wait until we start playing for keeps. Defensively, the Rams like to boast about their vaunted pass rush. Some have even

bought into the notion that they are reminiscent of the fabled, “Fearsome Foursome” from the team’s days in Los Angeles. At this point you have to wonder

if there’s really anything of substance behind making such a comparison, as there is not one potential Hall of Famer on this line as we speak. In an era that has seen passing at an all time high, it should only be fitting that the sack totals should be up as there are more opportunities to get to the passer. With that being said, getting to the passer these days is a must and this is a definite strong suit for the Rams. The question is who else can play on defense so this team can improve? We have seen some players play hard on bad teams. Can they be better for good teams, or should I say playoff teams, because this is what it all comes down to? Defensive coordinator Gregg Williams knows what he is doing and he just needs the parts to be better. He may have the players, but they need polish. Stay tuned as, hopefully, he will fix it one way or the other.

So, this brings us to the upcoming game three of the pre season where everyone begins to take things more seriously with respect to having a game plan and playing time of the regulars. Remember the Rams are playing against the Cleveland Browns, a team that is also trying to find their way into the mix and who have their own set of problems, especially as to who will play quarterback. It will be the smallest of sample sizes of just what the Rams have for 2014 but the same can be said

If you miss one of the NFL games this season then Keith Obermann on ESPN 2 is must watch TV. It is thoughtful in subject matter, brutally honest on issues and mildly funny if you get his humor. Make no mistake, Obermann has been around and has worn out his welcome in some places, but this landing spot seems to be ideal for him and what he is all about. He’s clearly one of the most intelligent, smartest writers and the wittiest person on TV with respect to sports and in some other areas. He may have a quirk or two that may not have everyone all in, but if you want a change of pace from the run of the mill reporting on sports or a break from Sportscenter, Keith Obermann is a suggested alternative.

Richard “Onion” Horton

It was sad for me to hear the news that local radio veteran Richard “Onion” Horton is going through the stages of dementia, a progressively debilitating disorder with no cure. Onion opened the doors for people like me to get in this business. He and Morris Henderson were the first to ask, “Why not?” when it came to media equality and other issues in sports that required a view that was not white. Horton was his own man and never regretted a word he said when it came to exposing some for what they were and righting a wrong. With that came criticism that he could handle with the best of them. Stay tuned for more from me on the great Richard Horton.

Mike Claiborne

The St. Louis Rams are hoping that irst-round-draft-pick Greg Robinson will provide some steady protection for quarterback Sam Bradford.

CLUTCH

Continued from B3

How can police officers expect to maintain peace by making residents stare into the barrels of high-powered weapons all day and night? A level of resentment already existed against law enforcement. The flexing of power certainly doesn’t help.

To be fair to the officers, there is certainly an element of danger lurking behind the peaceful protesters. Outside agitators have been present on the ground in Ferguson everyday, intent to causing conflict. They are a miniscule minority but one that poses concern for officer safety and public. That is understood. Still, it’s hard to believe that in 2014, with all the technological resources at hand, the law enforcement officials cannot identify and apprehend rogue agents without attacking thousands of innocent people.

Each time I’ve visited Ferguson in the wake of Michael Brown’s death and the ensuing looting, people have pointed out outside agitators to me, faces to be wary of. Police officers walk amongst the crowds during daylight hours. They have open dialogue with the brave peacekeepers who also risk their lives to protect the people and keep unrest at a minimum. Why are citizens and peacekeepers able to identify these individuals but the police cannot? It’s hard to believe that there’s no way to find and apprehend those behaving badly, but instead treat everyone as criminals. In hostage situations, police officers are trained to protect innocent lives at all costs. In Ferguson, their tactics are akin to gunning down hostages in order to kill the kidnappers. It doesn’t make sense. Now the National Guard has been called onto the scene. Their job? Protect the police. Yes, the group with helicopters, high powered rifles, armored vehicles and a full militaristic arsenal gets military protection while the community is left to fend for itself.

Continued from B3

running back who rushed for more than 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore.

John Moten (John Burroughs): Senior tailback who rushed for 1,683 yards and PREP

INSIDE

Continued from B3

latest shenanigans of Johnny Football, it was this quiet, yet powerful gesture made by Meriweather and his teammates before the game that got this writer’s attention. They used their gigantic platform that is the NFL to share their feelings and show support.

“We just wanted everybody to know that we support Michael and acknowledge what happens in Ferguson,” Meriweather told USA Today.

Several of the nights tear gas was deployed, the instigating factor was reported to be plastic and/or glass bottles tossed at law enforcement. Should protesters be throwing those items? Absolutely not? But do we as a society really believe the proper response by trained police personnel is

30 touchdowns. Committed to Northwestern.

Ronnell Perkins (University City): Excellent senior wide receiver who returns to lead the Lions. Committed to Missouri.

Michael Slater (Parkway Central): Senior two-way standout who is a big bruising running back and defensive

to fire weapons at everyone? Man, woman, young, old, black, white, peaceful, militant are all grouped into one and the mindset of law enforcement is ‘us against them.’

That’s the mindset that got us into this situation in the first place. There’s a strange and dire disconnect between

end. Help lead Colts to the Class 5 Show-Me Bowl.

Sutton Smith (Francis Howell): Senior running back who rushed for 1,153 yards and 17 touchdowns. Committed to Northern Illinois.

police and the people they are sworn to protect. Monday afternoon another young, black male was shot and killed by police, this time in the City of St. Louis. Police and witnesses reported the man was approaching officers with a knife drawn. There is not the same outrage as in the case of

Marquis Stewart (Miller Career Academy): Senior running back who rushed for 1,863 yards and 13 touchdowns for Class 4 state quarterfinalists.

Ryan Stokes (McCluer North): Transfer from McCluer South-Berkeley who had 1,136 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns as a junior.

Nate Strong (East St. Louis): Four-year varsity player at running back who

Brown because to their credit, St. Louis Metropolitan police were transparent and timely in their reports. In a legal sense, the shooting appears to have been justified. Still, one has to wonder why a taser wasn’t used instead of lethal force. Different killing, same narrative.

rushed for 595 yards and five touchdowns in injury-shortened junior year. Committed to Mizzou.

Calen Taylor (CBC): Senior tailback who rushed for 966 yards and 12 touchdowns for the Cadets, who advanced to the Class 6 state quarterfinals.

Force is all these officers seem to understand. Mike Brown already paid the ultimate price of this policing strategy. How many more lives must be lost before we find a better way to protect and serve.

Follow Ishmael on Twitter @IshmaelSistrunk

Jeffrey Taylor (East St. Louis): Sophomore wide receiver who had 988 yards and 11 touchdowns in a stellar freshman campaign.

Rob Thompson (Webster Groves): Senior quarterback who passed for 2,593 yards and 25 touchdowns for Class 5 state semifinalists.

“That could have been any one of us,” safety Ryan Clark told the Washington Post. “That could have been any one of our brothers, our cousins, just anyone. We do have voices, even though we don’t like to see it that way, we do have voices.”

Brown’s death was even more personal to Chicago Bears defensive end David Bass, who was a former standout player at University City High. He empathized with the people of Ferguson and their frustration, which is being played out every day for the world to see.

In a story for SI’s Monday Morning Quarterback, Bass was outspoken about his experience of being racially profiled by St. Louis police officers. In the article, Bass details incidents of racial profiling he encountered in

n “That could have been any one of us.”

– Redskins safety Ryan Clark

St. Louis as a teenager and as recently as June before leaving town for mini-camp.

“When I go home, I get pulled over just because,” Bass told MMQB, “and they’ll say, ‘we’re doing random checks’, which is against the law. Or they say there was a theft and the getaway car was like my black Durango. When they don’t know who you are, all you are is black. They don’t know that I graduated from college or that I’m in the NFL. But when they find out, they want to stop and have a conversation.” Bass was a collegiate star at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph’s, Mo.

Ironically, he was a Criminal Justice major at Missouri Western who aspired to be a crime scene investigator.

Said former NFL player Eric Allen on ESPN’s First Take, “When you look at the responsibility of a father, as I am, with four sons; this could have been any one of them.

This is a heavy situation.” David Bass, the Redskins secondary and Eric Allen are all part of the high-profile world of the National Football League. But through their statements, they seem to understand one central them. We are black men and we are all in this together.

Peaceful protestor gasping after being hit with tear gas by police.

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

CRISIS

Continued from B1

in 2007, according to Zillow.

n Segregated housing and underperforming schools are among the things that are highly correlated with a lack of economic mobility.

We don’t have all of the answers, but we do know that change is required of all of us as individuals, and within our state public policies. Over the next several years, we must evaluate the public policies in Missouri that have fostered this crisis, and work to create instead a platform of policies that provide for opportunities for all Missour-ians.

In the meantime, there are many opportunities for all of us to be engaged in helping with the immediate needs of the Ferguson Community:

A number of St. Louis area nonprofits are coordinating to provide supplies and services that are needed in Ferguson. Donations of non-perishable food items, personal care items including diapers, soap, shampoo, diapers, and hygiene products, and bottled water are needed for community members who have been

SHAHID

Continued from B1

A consistent response to the Ferguson protest movement against police brutality has been that African Americans only protest when a white person kills a black person, but Shahid has fought for decades to shape up young black men and discourage

unable to reach stores. Items can be brought to The Harvey Kornblum Jewish Food Pantry 10601 Baur Blvd. Creve Coeur, 63132, which will deliver the collected items to food pantries in the Ferguson area. Several additional nonprofit organizations, including the United Way, Salvation

them from self-destruction.

“We got to make these brothers love each other, not kill each other,” Shahid said.

“We got to make these brothers love themselves, and nothing says love like, ‘We got a job for you, brother.’”

Shahid knows that the black community, especially in the St. Louis region, has more political leverage than economic leverage. He intends to use that leverage. Using an expletive, he said, “I’m getting

Army, Catholic Charities, Urban League of Metro St. Louis, the St. Louis Area Food Bank and others will be staffing a Community Resource Drop-In Center at the Dellwood Community Center, 10266 West Florissant Avenue, from Wednesday to Sunday, August 20-24, from

ready to [mess] with these politicians that aren’t there for these brothers.”

As the Ferguson protests went viral and came to dominate national news coverage, viewers across the country and world have had a chance to see Shahid and his signature costumes and props.

Brother Shahid, as he is known in the community, has protested in Ferguson brandishing stuffed dogs, chains, a noose, a whip and

10 am to 2 pm. Respite, hot

meals, children’s activities, case management services and individual emergency assistance will be available.

Or, donate to the nonprofit of your choice.

The St. Louis Regional Business Council has organized a fund to provide relief to

wearing a black cloak and black police hat. He explained his choice of symbols.

“The dogs symbolize our doggedness as a people,” Shahid said. “The dog is man’s best friend, but they put the dogs on us.”

The chains: “I wear these chains to remind people we are still breaking the chains of slavery.”

The whip: “I carry the whip because they said, ‘If he hollers, let him go.’ They beat

small businesses affected by the unrest in Ferguson.

The Reinvest North County Fund, which received an initial $10,000 donation from the RBC, will also provide school districts in the area with “appropriate resources,” according to a statement from the group. Donations

us until we hollered. Only then would they let us go.”

The noose: “I carry the noose because of what Billie Holiday sang, ‘Strange fruit.’

They hung us from trees and left our bodies hanging there to rot on trees and intimidate other black people.’”

According to eyewitnesses, Ferguson Police left Brown’s corpse lying in plain sight on Canfield Drive for four hours in the middle of the day, surrounded by angry and

Peaceful protestors sit atop a van painted with an admonition against looting in the Ferguson protest zone.

can be made to North County Regional Development Association, 350B Village Square Drive, Hazelwood, MO 63042. Amy Blouin is executive director of the Missouri Budget Project.

grieving residents who became the protest movement’s hard core. The black cloak: “I wear black because black is always the bad guy. I am trying to turn that around.”

The police hat: “I wear the police hat because the police are killing us – and because we need to see more black police leaders.”

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

J. Cole connects with Michael Brown

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“He’s not doing interviews, so you might as well not even try to get up there,” a young woman in the crowd said.

J. Cole was not doing interviews.

Most of the time, reporters are offended when a celebrity of note comes to town and declines to speak with local media.

But Sunday afternoon, as he made his way to the spot where 18-year-old Michael Brown was killed by police –and the burned out QuikTrip that was come to be known as “ground zero” –his decision to not to address the media sparked a new level of respect. The gesture proved he’s didn’t come to town as a publicity stunt.

Rap star J. Cole with Hot 104.1 FM radio personality A-Plus Sunday afternoon in Ferguson. Cole was eager to visit the place that ‘Be Free’ his musical tribute to Michael Brown.

Black & Single

of faith

As a matter of fact, most people didn’t find out he was there until after he had already left.

The Roc Nation rapper has been called the second coming of Jay-Z,

though his career has been more of a steady stream than an explosion. He secretly flew into the St.

Nelly marches for Mike Brown

STL rap star Nelly, along with the St. Lunatics, made their way to Ferguson to pay their respects to Michael Brown Monday night in Ferguson. Wearing a t-shirt with the simple Mike Brown Hashtag,

was

by fans and residents

in

in honor of the 18-year-old teen who was killed by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson Saturday in Ferguson’s Canfield Green Apartments.

‘BAPs’ bites the dust

Lifetime Network pulls plug on STL Reality show

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St.

By Kenya Vaughn Of The

n “What are you an atheist,” she said, joking of course. He was.

“I don’t know why he couldn’t have just held his head down and pretended to pray. It was all bad.” She had managed to meet and fall in love with the one upwardly mobile African-American man who doesn’t give all the glory to God. Actually, he doesn’t give God any glory, because he doesn’t believe God exists. She is devoutly COGIC (Church of God in Christ), so it’s the strangest phenomenon. They met at a community forum, and she was struck by his eloquence when he made a point about hip-hop and misogyny. He responded so masterfully that she decided to approach him and tell him as much. They ended up talking for an hour. They were so lost in the conversation that she never looked around to realize they were the last two people in the building. He asked for her number. He called the next night, and they talked for three hours. The long phone conversations continued for a few days, and then he asked her on a date. They went out three times, and she was hooked.

“Girl, we can talk about anything. He’s a gentleman and just so filled with purpose,” she said after the second date. It wouldn’t be until their first dinner outing – after she had already caught feelings – that she would find the one nonnegotiable, deal-breaking item on her list staring her in the face. She reached out for his hands to bless the food, and he told her that he didn’t say grace.

“What are you, an atheist?” she said, joking of course. He was. The thought of it was shocking. She had never met an atheist

Nelly

flanked

who joined him

marching

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Photo by Jami Ballentine Dolby

How to place a calendar listing

1. Email your listing to calendar@stlamerican. com OR

2. Visit the calendar section on stlamerican.com and place your listing

Calendar listings are free of charge, are edited for space and run on a space-available basis.

concerts

Sat., Aug. 30, Sky Promotions presents Eco Music Festival feat. Spyro Gyra & Mindi Abair. Chesterield Amphitheater, 631 Veterans Place Dr., 63017. For more information, visit www. ecomusicfestivals.org.

Sat., Sept. 6, 2 p.m., Forest Park host LouFest 2014. OutKast, Arctic Monkeys and more. 5595 Grand Dr.,63112 For more information, call (314) 367-7275.

Sun., Aug. 31, 7 p.m., Back Spin presents The R&B Rendition starring Joe with Keke Wyatt, Donnell Jones, and Kelly Price. Chaifetz Arena, One S. Compton Ave., 63103.

Sat., Sept. 6 – 7, Forest Park host LouFest 2014. OutKast, Arctic Monkeys and more. 5595 Grand Dr.,63112 For more information, call (314) 367-7275 or visit www.loufest. com.

Sat., Sept. 13, 8 p.m., United Way of Greater St. Louis presents Concert with a Cause feat. Howard Hewett Special guest comedian Darius Bradford. Peabody Opera House, 1400 Market St., 63103. For more information, visit www.helpingpeople.org/ gala.

Thur., Sept. 25, 7 p.m., Kwame Foundation, TBeats, K&LG Enterprises present Intimate Birthday Bash feat. Chrisette Michele. Also performing will be Brianna Elise and Souls of Liberty. The Pageant, 6161 Delmar Blvd., 63112. For more information call (314) 726-6161 or visit www. ticketmaster.com.

local gigs

Fri., Aug. 22, 7 p.m., Ferguson Citywalk Concert Series feat. Anita Rosamond.

Anita Rosamond and her band play a wide range of music, from cocktail and dinner music to the fun and high energy dance music, the great dance hits of the 50s and 60s, Classic Rock and Motown, 70s and 80s Disco and Rock, not to mention 90s dance tunes, Island music, Country, Jazz Standards, and even current hits. The Anita Rosamond band loves to interact with the audience. Bring a blanket or lawn chair. Coolers are permitted. No glass. Concessions available for purchase on-site. Plaza at 501, 501 S. Florissant Rd., 63135. For more information, call (314) 524-5197.

Fri., Aug. 22, 8 p.m., Cobblestone Concept presents Do For Self with special guest Project Pat. Also performing is Gotta Be Karim, Family Affair, Indiana Rome, and Tef Poe. Tech Supreme on the music. Plush, 3224 Locust Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 5352686.

Sun., Aug. 24, 6 p.m., Ivory Perry Park host Free Live Concert Featuring The Uncensored Band. This is a unique and special event that brings people from all walks of life, race, and class together for an enjoyable family experience. 800 N. Belt, 63112. For more information, visit www.ivoryperrypark.com.

Sat., Aug. 30, 8 p.m., Just Like Music: Live feat. Antonique Smith with Nikko Smith & Cocosoul. Antonique Smith Antonique is now most famous for her role as Faith Evans in Notorious, based on the life of rapper The Notorious B.I.G. Plush – 4th Floor Penthouse, 3224 Locust Blvd., 63103.

Thur., Sept. 4, 10 p.m., Beale on Broadway presents Kim Massie and the Solid Senders. 701 S. Broadway, 63102. For more information, call (314) 621-7880.

Calendar

special events

Aug. 21 – 24, The Doctorate Group presents 3rd Annual St. Louis Greek Picnic Weekend. The Most Anticipated Greek Picnic Weekend in the region. Aug. 21, 7 p.m., African American Awareness Night – The objective of this event is to bring the St. Louis community together to inform, motivate and celebrate African American history, culture and heritage. Aug. 22, 10 p.m., Meet and Greet Kickoff Party – The objective of this event is to bring members and friends of the “Divine 9” Historically Black Greek Lettered Organizations together for an evening of socializing and fun. Aug. 23, 10 a.m., Greek Weekend “Boot Camp” – A fun illed morning exercise program for all adults looking to sweat! Aug. 23, 10 p.m., “Mount Olympus” Alumni Party – The objective of this event is to bring members and friends of the “Divine 9” BGLOs together for a time of networking, socializing and fun. Aug. 24, St. Louis Greek Picnic – The objective of this culminating event is to bring members and friends of the “Divine 9” BGLOs together to celebrate the legacy and impact of its member organizations while enjoying food, strolling competitions and the additional festivities of the Better Family Life organization’s Peacefest weekend. Additionally,

Kwame Foundation, TBeats, K&LG Enterprises present Intimate Birthday Bash featuring Chrisette Michele (left). For more information, see CONCERTS.

scholarships that have been generated for high school seniors who will be attending a Historically Black College or University will be publicly awarded at this time. Furthermore, the Greek Picnic team will be conducting simultaneously a canned food drive beneitting the St. Louis Area Food Bank. 5595 Grand Dr., 63112. Regular updates on these events can be found at www.facebook.com/ stlgreekweekend.

Sat., Aug. 23, 2 p.m., Get Sexy Movement presents Healthy Happy Hour. Want to lose weight, get healthy, and have fun? Don’t miss this event. Pole dance fitness, sexy yoga, snack & wine, and more. The Dollhouse Studios, 1428 Washington Ave., 63103. For more information, call (314) 898-8898.

Sat., Aug. 23, 6 p.m., Edward Jones presents Smarty Pants Trivia Night. Superheroes unite to ight child abuse! Includes beer, wine, soda and snacks. Prizes for best themed costume, table decorations and team name. Super silent auction, rafle items and door prizes. Proceeds beneit advocacy for abused and neglected children in foster care. 2344 McKelvey Road (near 270 and Dorsett), 63043. Register online at www.voices-stl.org/ trivia-night. To register by phone, please call Beth Jantz at 314.552.2052. Corporate sponsorships are availableplease contact Abbey Groenda at 314.552.2429 or algroenda@

voices-stl.org.

Aug. 23 – 24, 10 a.m., International Institute presents Festival of Nations. St. Louis’ favorite and best attended annual multicultural celebration will offer a blend of new performers and traditions with longtime favorites. A multiethnic celebration featuring dance, music, food, cultural and educational exhibits, folk art, demonstrations, and craft market. Tower Grove Park, 4256 Magnolia Ave., 63110.

Sat., Aug. 23, 7 p.m., Hearts & Hope presents 2nd Annual Party with a Purpose. Event includes dinner, open bar, oral and silent auction, and live music. All proceeds will be used to fund the creation of the irst Hearts & Hope Secondary School in Uganda. Crowne Plaza Riverfront at the Arch, 200 N. Fourth St., 63102. For more information, call (314) 503-7891 or visit www. heartsandhope.org/tickets.

Sat., Aug. 23, 7 p.m., Annie’s Hope presents The 3rd Annual Chocolate Affair: Chocolate and Wine Tasting. Indulge in the heart healing properties of chocolate and wine. This tasting event will feature: a diverse selection of chocolate delights from local bakeries and chocolatiers, complimentary chocolate and wine pairings, live entertainment, a photo booth, an upscale silent auction with jewelry from MSG Jewelers, reusable bag and wine glass for all guests. Ambruster Great

Sat., Aug. 23, 8 p.m., Forest Park hosts The Glo Run. 5K Run through a dream world of glowing wonders dancing to music. DJ at the inish. 5595 Grand Dr., St. Louis, MO 63112. For more information, visit www.TheGloRun.com

Sun., Aug. 24, 10 a.m., Better Family Life presents Peace Fest 2014: Back to the Basics – Faith, Family, Neighborhood. Event will have an expanded children’s playzone, music by national and local artists, STLAppreciation Softball Game: STL City Police vs STL County Police, and STL Softball Challenge: STL Children’s Hospital vs Cardinal Glennon Hospital. Forest Park Central Field. For more information, call (314) 3818200.

Sun., Aug. 24, 4 p.m., 10: The Rebirth – Young Addy Runway Fashion Experience. Fall/ Winer Collection. After being introduced in 2004 to display their fashion publicly, and showcasing in countless runway shows designing women, men, and children’s wear, Young Addy Collection will be celebrating 10 years

of fashion by debuting their Fall/Winter Line. 25 of the city’s hottest models including Men, Women, and Plus Size. Over thirty of the newest designs to end your summer with the ultimate runway experience. Copia Restaurant and Wine Garden, 1122 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, call (314) 473-8305.

Tues., Aug. 26, 7 p.m., The United Way presents United Way Online Auction. Help kickoff the United Way of Greater St. Louis 2014 Campaign by participating in the 2014 United Way Online Auction. Bid on more than 100 items and one-of-a-kind experiences starting at values of $25 and ranging all the way to priceless. Great gifts for others or a nice treat for yourself are just a mouse click away. Auction ends September 4. To participate, visit www. givebidwin.com.

Sat., Aug. 30, 10 a.m., Scott Joplin House State Historic Site hosts Saint Louis African American Artifacts Festival and Bazaar. A one day family oriented event, celebrating the rich heritage of people of African descent. The festival will cultivate awareness and appreciation of the signiicant contributions of people of African descent. The mission will be accomplished by showcasing and sharing African American artifacts, art, music, food, dance and literature with the people in the Saint Louis region. 2658 Delmar blvd., 63103. Aug. 30 – 31, Bell-Clair Fairgrounds hosts St. Louis Antique Festival. Outstanding Dealers selling a variety of items, that include but are not limited to jewelry, pottery, paintings, china, coins, and much much more. 90 quality dealers from 32 States. Route 13 and 159 Belleville, IL 62222.

Fri., Aug. 29, 9 p.m., St. Louis Urban Billboards Music Fest. An NYC based music festival headlining in Missouri, exposing top artists across the Midwest. Headlined by We The Best Music Group’s reigning platinum producer Lee on the Beats, the music fest will feature 30 ambitious unsigned Hip Hop and R&B artists competing against each other in a high-energy, concert-style showcase to win a $50,000 platinum music production deal. The winning artist of the competition series will ly out to New York City to meet with surprise industry guests from Roc Nation, EMI Music and Universal Music Group. Kranzberg Arts Center, 501 N. Grand Blvd., 63103. Aug. 30 – 31, Bell-Clair Fairgrounds hosts St. Louis

Antique Festival. Outstanding Dealers selling a variety of items, that include but are not limited to jewelry, pottery, paintings, china, coins, and much much more. 90 quality dealers from 32 States. Route 13 and 159 Belleville, IL 62222.

Mon., Sept. 1, 11 a.m., New Directions STL presents Unity in the Community Fair 2014. Free rides, face painting, balloons, clowns, for the children. A talent showcase stage featuring performances by artists who proclaim a positive message. Free basic health screenings. Vendor booth rentals and sponsorships are available. St. Louis Ave. and Grand Blvd., 63107. For more information, call (314) 282-0705 or (314) 680-5800.

Wed., Sept. 3, 6:30 p.m., Pearl Vodka presents Bubbles and Bow Ties. Party to celebrate the launch of Vital Voice’s September Design issue. Specialty cocktails by Pearl Vodka and wines from Barefoot Winery. DJ Music by Alexis Tucci. Every guest will receive a Neiman Marcus gift bag bubbling with swag. A portion of proceeds benefits the Human Rights Campaign. Don’t forget to wear your favorite bow tie. Immerse by Atlas, 846 Hanley Industrial Ct., 63144. For more information, call (314) 2561196.

comedy

Fri., Aug. 22, 8 p.m., Comedy Club Connection of St. Louis presents Huggy Lowdown & Chris Paul. 9800 Halls Ferry Rd., 63136. For more information, visit www. metrotix.com.

literary

Sat., Aug. 23, 7 p.m., St. Louis County Library hosts author Vanessa Davis author of Ray of Hope Motivational speaker and Essence bestselling novelist Vanessa Davis Griggs presents her latest inspirational novel. Natural Bridge Branch, 7606 Natural Bridge Rd., 63121. For more information, call (314) 994-3300.

Fri., Aug. 29, 7 p.m., Left Bank Books hosts author Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist. In these funny and insightful essays, Roxane Gay takes you through the journey of her evolution as a woman (Sweet Valley High) of color (The Help) while also taking readers on a ride through culture of the last few years

(Girls, Django in Chains) and commenting on the state of feminism today (abortion, Chris Brown). 399 N. Euclid Ave., 63108. For more information, visit ww.leftbank.com.

theatre

Sept. 6 (7 p.m.) and Sept. 7 (3 p.m.) 3 Purple Coats Productions and Leah Jo Becoat present an original stage play, UnDeniably Blue Alton High Auditorium. 4200 Humbert Road. Alton, Il. Adults $15. Students 17 and under $8. For more info email: threepurplecoats@yahoo.com

arts

Aug. 22 – 23, Koken Art Factory presents Venus Envy Annual Showcase Celebrating Women in the Arts. Preview Party for Aug 22nd: Early Bird Special includes Open Bar and canapés Friday night, and include entry into Saturday night. Showcase for Aug 23rd: Early Bird Special Includes: Awesome art, performances and culinary demos. 2500 Ohio Ave., 63158. For more information, visit www.venusenvy.org.

Sept. 5 – 7, Saint Louis Brewry Taproom host Art Outside. Now in its 11th year, Schlaly Art Outside is a threeday-long juried alternative art fair featuring art from over 50 artists based here in the St. Louis area. Come and show your support for local art and local beer. Art Outside is not an ordinary fair, but one that features quality art, music, and plenty of tasty food and drink from Schlaly Beer. 2100

Locust St., 63103. For more information, visit schlaly.com.

Aug. 29 – 31, Labor Day Art Fair. More than 130 juried artists represent the gamut of genres. From ceramics, drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, digital art, mixed media and iber for the walls, to much more. Rounding out the fun of discovering the perfect art “ind” is the festive environment of wine tasting, live music, a food café, plus children’s and adult’s art activities throughout the run of the show. Fair starts at 6 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. on Saturday, and 11 a.m. on Sunday. Greensfelder Recreation Complex, 550 Weidman Rd., 63011. For more information, call (314) 997-1181.

Sun., Sept. 7, 12 p.m., PXStl Site presents Pop-Up Museum: STL Style. Pop-Up Museum features a temporary exhibit “curated” by visitors, who will share their objects and stories that represent St. Louis approaches to music, fashion, architecture, and food. These objects and stories will come together to create a uniquely local experience — imagine StoryCorps meets Antiques Roadshow, St. Louis style. 3713 & 3719 Washington Blvd., 63108. For more information, visit www. pulitzerarts.org.

lectures

Mon., Aug. 25, 9 a.m., Grant Writing USA Class. If you’re ready to learn how to find and write grants you’ve come to the right place. Beginning and experienced grant writers from city, county and state agencies

Sky Promotions presents Eco Music Festival feat. Spyro Gyra & Mindi Abair. See CONCERTS for details.

as well as nonprofits, K-12, colleges and universities are encouraged to attend. You do not need to work in the same profession as the host agency. St. Louis County and Municipal Police Academy, 1266 Sutter Ave., 63133.

health

Thurs. Aug. 21, 8 p.m., Paraquad’s Rock the Warehouse Dance party featuring FatPocket and DJ JE, PQ Warehouse at 5200 Berthhold. Proceeds to support the Paraquad Health and Wellness Program. Tickets can be purchased on line at www. paraquad.org. Call 314-2894233 for more information.

Sat., Sept. 6, 8 a.m., 2014 Walk to End Alzheimer’s One-mile and 3-mile walk. Scottrade Center, 1401 Clark Ave. St. Louis, 63103. For more information, call the Alzheimer’s Association at (314) 801-0446 or email stlwalksupport@alz.org.

Sat., Sept. 6, 9 a.m., Be the Match Walk Run. Join a community transplanting hope. Help raise critical funds to help patients with blood

cancers, like leukemia and lymphoma, take the next step toward a life-saving marrow transplant. Creve Coeur Lake Park, 13725 Marine Ave., St. Louis, 63146. For more information, visit www. bethematchfoundation.org.

Through Sept. 11, 6:30 p.m., Living with the Loss of a Parent: A Special Program for Young Adults. This 6-week bereavement group, facilitated by Kathy Bearman, LCSW, includes education, information sharing, and an opportunity to connect with other young adults who have lost a parent to cancer. Cancer Support Community of Greater St. Louis, 1058 Old Des Peres Rd., 63131. For more information, call (314) 2382000.

Sat., Sept. 6, 8 a.m., 2014 Walk to End Alzheimer’s One-mile and 3-mile walk. Scottrade Center, 1401 Clark Ave. St. Louis, 63103. For more information, call the Alzheimer’s Association at (314) 801-0446 or email stlwalksupport@alz.org.

Sat., Sept. 6, Be the Match Walk Run. Join a community transplanting hope. Help raise critical funds to help patients with blood cancers, like leukemia and lymphoma, take the next step toward a life-saving marrow transplant. Creve Coeur Lake Park, 13725 Marine Ave., St. Louis, 63146. For more information, visit www.bethematchfoundation. org.

Sept. 13, CHIPS 14th Annual Run/Walk, to register, visit http://www. firstgiving.com/29319/chips14th-annual-runwalk

Sat., Sept., 13, 6 p.m., Lumiere Theatre hosts Knight of Smiles Gala. Step into a magical medieval evening at our Knight of Smiles Gala. Cocktail attire or Medieval attire is encouraged and welcomed. Guests will enjoy dinner, music, and an ultimate dance competition“Dancing for Smiles”. This is a fundraising event for the Delta

Dental Health Theatre. For more information, email info@ ddhtstl.org, or call us at (314) 241-7391.

Sat., Sept. 20, 7 p.m., Fubar hosts Rock n Art show fundraiser for St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Help raise money for St. Louis Children’s Hospital. This will be a free all age show but there will be a minimum $1 dollar donation at the door, 100% going to children’s diabetes research. 3108 Locust St., 63101. For more information, call (618) 210-4160.

spiritual

Sat., Aug. 30, 5 p.m., The Throne Room Worship Center presents Unspeakable. Unspeakable is an original stage play written by Pamela Wilson of Agape Time Ministries. Launching under her ministry Revelation Word Ministries. 9635 Lewis and Clark Blvd., 63136.

Wed., Aug. 27, 7 p.m., Webster Groves High School Little Theater presents Girlfriends & God: The Retreat. “The Retreat” centers around a collage of stories of women who use the Girlfriends and God devotionals to work through life issues. “Girlfriends & God: The Retreat” challenges the women to love and not judge through laughter, tears and friendship. The production is not just for women, but for anyone who enjoys original music, touching monologues, and humor that will allow people from all walks of life to connect to the importance of sharing their story. 100 Selma Ave., 63119. For more information, visit girlfriendsandgod.weebly.com.

film

Sept. 6 – 14, 12 p.m., 2014 St. Louis Black Film Festival. MX Theater, 618 Washington Ave., 63101. For more information, email jamesthemovieman@gmail. com

Photo by Lawrence Bryant

By Melanie Adams

A Journey to the National Civil Rights Museum

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Brown’s death because of the song he released entitled

“Be Free.” The track samples audio of Brown’s friend Dorian Johnson giving his account of the events surrounding Brown’s fatal shooting.

“Be Free” is like nothing anyone has ever heard from Cole.

A keyboard and Cole’s emotion-filled vocals served as a soundtrack for Johnson sharing how he watched his friend shot down in front of residents and guests of the apartment complex.

The lyrics don’t mention Brown, but rather the trauma and epidemic of black men falling victim to gun violence.

“Can you tell me why, every

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before, so needless to say, she never saw herself catching feeling for one.

There was a strained pause –a moment of tense silence.

“Don’t mind me…go ahead and do you,” he said.

She said her grace and expected things to be awkward, but he went on to ask her about her presentation at work. The ebb and flow of the conversation she loved so much was untethered. She thought maybe he was in her life to help him find God.

The two attempts of her strategically attempting to convert him to Christianity could best be compared to the Holy Wars.

They verbally committed to a peace treaty and have been together for more than a year. She put it off as long as she

time I step outside I see my [expletive] die,” Cole sings, reaching for the notes. “I want you to know, it ain’t no gun out there that can kill my soul.”

On Sunday, Cole step foot on the tragedy that inspired his creative effort.

He was unassuming as he listened to thoughts and perspectives of those who peacefully protested that afternoon.

He was an observer and a mourner – until an older man challenged him and judged the type of music he makes and the content.

“You saying that the music is the problem –the music is the symptom,” Cole told the man.

“When the situation changes, the music will change. Our history – guess what it is – it’s hard [expletive].”

The debate with the man eventually led to Cole offering

could, but when her two sisters and brother came to town for a family reunion, there was no way to avoid them meeting her atheist boo.

Her mother wasn’t coming to the reunion for the first time in years. She thought it was a sign from God.

When her brother offered to bless the food, she thought she was in the clear. About 98 percent of the time, her male dates have been forced to say Grace because her brother extended the courtesy. It was a way for her brother to test her male friend’s conviction to Christ. On this day, her nonbeliever boyfriend would be spared.

“Thank you, Jesus,” she probably said to herself. How ironic.

Her brother said grace, and when he lifted his head, boyfriend was already eating.

According to her, her brother and sisters sat with their mouths open. Her only solace

his perspective on the Michael Brown tragedy.

“We all have to start feeling like ‘yo’ this [expletive] got to stop’,” Cole said. “If we don’t do that from here and pivot off of this for that, then we are doing him an injustice.”

Cole hopes that the national attention that has come in the wake of Brown’s death not only changes the relationship between African American men and the police, but between African American men and each other.

“We all like ‘the white man need to go to jail. It ain’t just about that – it’s bigger than that,” Cole said.

“We want justice for this young man, but we would be doing an injustice to him if we didn’t’ come together and start looking at everybody like ‘yo’ you’re my brother –if you get killed it breaks my heart’.”

was that her mother, who moonlights as the lead singer in a gospel singing group, was out of town singing and wasn’t there to attempt to lay hands on him.

“This is a trick of the enemy,” her older sister said. “He is a tool of Satan.”

She’s so conflicted. She doesn’t’ feel the same way as her family, but doesn’t know how she can continue loving a man who operates in opposition to her belief system.

“Everything else about him is exactly what I’ve been praying for in a man,” she said. “Part of me feels like I’ve been put in his life for a divine reason.”

I was stumped. According to a host of reports, faith is the common denominator among married couples.

All I could do was tell her to pray for a healthy relationship, and prepare for the fallout.

By Teens Make History

In July, the Teens Make History program and other staff of the Missouri History Museum traveled by bus to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee. The museum is located at the Lorraine Motel, the assassination site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In this article, the teens reflect on their experiences during this trip, which was a part of their summer professional development series.

Our trip to the National Civil Rights Museum was a lifetime experience for us. It provided inspiration not only for our own work at the Missouri History Museum but also for our personal lives. It gave us motivation to follow our dreams and never let anyone stop you. Together, we took a journey through the hardships and successes of those who came before us. We will not forget it.

As museum staff, it was interesting to explore how another museum educates and displays its information. The National Civil Rights Museum is set up so that visitors follow the story of slavery, segregation, and protest, and it includes the story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination. There were several areas of the museum that really left an impact on us.

First, there was a recreated bus to show the Montgomery Bus Boycott. This bus experience was phenomenal. We could step onto the bus and move from the front to the back, and the imagery of life in the 1960s made us feel like we were really there in this historical yet terrifying moment. You can hear the bus driver screaming “Get to the back!” and you can take a picture sitting next to a sculpture of Rosa Parks. At the back of the bus, there was a volunteer who took time out to speak with some of us about her experiences living in the South and dealing with racism. Her story ended with a reminder that our generation has

to continue the legacy of those before us.

This recreated bus experience—along with the firsthand story of someone who lived through these events—was very powerful. There was another area that explored the sit-in protests. Some of us did our capstone project on this topic during the Teens Make History Academy, the eight-week workshop that we have to go through to apply for one of the paid positions in Teens Make History. It was interesting to learn more about the sit-ins, historic black colleges, and other important moments in the Civil Rights Movement.

Another major part of our trip was seeing Dr. Martin Luther King’s recreated hotel rooms in the Lorraine motel. Walking into Dr. King’s hotel room gave us a chill. Instantly, we could see that everything was set up the way that he left it. Cigarettes were still on his dresser, and food was placed on the table with a napkin on top. These details helped us to imagine just what he was doing that day. We felt as though we were there.

Finally, we walked to the area where James Earl Ray pulled the trigger on Dr. King. Until that day, we did not know much about Dr. King’s assassination, and we were not aware that Dr. King was shot from such a close distance. All of the exhibits and recreated areas of the museum really helped us to think more about segregation, racism, the Civil Rights Movement, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In general, the whole museum was lifechanging. It is amazing that such a depressing place—the assassination site of Dr. King—could be transformed into something so inspirational and powerful. The National Civil Rights Museum is there to remind everyone of where we come from, how far we have gotten, and how much farther we have yet to go. It made us wonder—would we have the same courage to stand up for what is right?

Gaskin leads with wisdom ‘beyond

21-year-old

NAACP board member lends his voice for the next generation

By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American

After finally reaching

NAACP’s John Gaskin III by phone, this reporter didn’t even get a question in before being put on hold.

“Sorry, that was the Brazilian Television Network,” Gaskin said when he got back on the line.

“I got a collect call from South America earlier this morning,” he said with a chuckle.

“That didn’t last long.”

At 21, Gaskin is one of the youngest national board members for the NAACP, following the legacy of leadership of his grandmother, St. Louis County NAACP

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of Black American Princess and Princes.

Such a declaration was sensational, but it also put so much separation between the cast of this show and the rest of black people. The title alone left the targeted viewing audience alienated instead of intrigued – particularly among those who tune in to reality television just for the drama.

his years’

branch’s head Esther Haywood. Since the Aug. 9 shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Gaskin has become a face for national media, a shoulder for local residents and a sounding board for those nationwide who want to help.

He laughs that CNN’s Wolf Blitzer calls him “his boy,” and MSNBC’s Chris Hayes has him on speed dial. But when he goes on the air, his eyes steel and his voice booms as he demands justice for Brown, who was unarmed when he was gunned down by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Brown’s death – and the dizzying sequence of events that followed – started a protest movement that continues to spread throughout the region and nation.

“As a 21-year-old black man in America, it is very disturbing to see the type of gear that these folks are in,” Gaskin told Chris Hayes, observing police using battle gear –black helmets, camo pants, M-16s and armored vehicles – to patrol the mainly peaceful protesters in Ferguson.

Certain comments and suggestions that seemed to throw shade at the average black person widened the wedge. And the lack of background information about the cast caused suspicion. They called themselves BAPs, but viewers felt they weren’t given any concrete evidence as to why they should be deemed as such – especially when most of their televised behavior was in stark contrast to what many would consider classy, regal behavior. It forged a lack of trust,

even more pronounced when Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton came to town to lead marches and rallies. Twitter filled with posts urging leaders such as Gaskin and French to front the march because they’ve been embedded in the communities during the most difficult days and nights of the protests.

However, Gaskin admits that he and other leaders have potential, but they still need much refining and guidance from their elders.

Gaskin got many head nods and plenty of Twitter respect after his initial media interviews, commenting that he spoke “eloquently” and “beyond his years.”

“Wo. John Gaskin is only 21 years old? A star is born...,” tweeted Anu K. Bhagwati, executive director of Service Women’s Action Network, a non-profit human rights organization.

Gaskin is one of several young leaders who were thrust into the spotlight.

The protest movement is propelling young leaders, Gaskin said, because that is what it’s going to take.

“If you haven’t noticed, they

which progressed into a loss of interest.

The sad thing is that there was indeed a positive narrative hidden within “BAPs” that could have been highlighted. Too bad it was overshadowed by the negativity and infighting that seemed to encompass each episode.

They spent about a minute showcasing Wilson’s Chronicle Coffee Shops and his efforts to bring black business into the city. And even then, the idea of building a franchise within the

are not going to listen to the old people,” he said. “These protesters are relentless. They aren’t going anywhere.”

Although controversial, Gaskin believes State Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal has the ears of young people because she’s “on the ground, camped out 24/7,” as does St. Louis City Alderman Antonio French. Brittany Packnett, executive director of Teach for America St. Louis, is also looked to for guidance, he said, along with others.

“Those are people that young people listen to because they’ve been there since day one,” Gaskin said. That dynamic became

black community was negated by his cast mate, Anisha Morrell, in a confessional where she essentially said she didn’t understand how people who can’t pay their bills would be willing or able to spend money on coffee.

It was the common theme of “BAPs”– positive efforts offset by negative actions.

Actually, the alternative narrative hidden within “BAPs” was breathtaking. They may or may not have been princes or princesses, but the vast majority of them were

“The biggest thing that can come out of this is mentorship,” he said. “I wouldn’t be where I am without my grandma. We have a Joshua generation that needs mentoring and finetuning. They need people like Donald Suggs (publisher and executive editor of the St. Louis American), Bill Clay Sr. and others to mentor these young people.”

For instance, on the Monday after the shooting, Gaskin and the NAACP held an event at the Murchison Tabernacle CME Church in Normandy. Beforehand, Mayor of Normandy Patrick Green asked him if he thought about security for the potentially large crowd, which did show. Green quickly stepped in to provide it.

“He’s a very sharp young man,” said Green. “He has handled a lot, but this was a little over everyone’s head. He’s doing the best he can with the power that he has.”

As far as justice, Gaskin

accomplished.

Most of the people featured had college degrees – some came from second and third generations of black college graduates – and among them were lawyers, educators and business owners. And these were relatively young people, successfully operating through the ranks within the city of St. Louis.

“BAPs” was a wasted opportunity made unsalvageable because of the focus on debatable privilege versus substantiated successes.

said he believes Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson should step down. And the City of Ferguson should fire Kevin O’Keefe, the city’s attorney who advised Jackson to release the surveillance video that incriminates Brown in stealing cigars from a local store. Jackson’s move to release the video at the same time as releasing the name of the police officer who shot Brown was clearly an attempt to assassinate Brown’s character, he said. And if St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCullough does not bring up charges against Wilson, he said, then the NAACP will be prepared to act.

“We know Bob McCullough,” he said. “The St. Louis American knows Bob McCulloch. The Post-Dispatch acts like they don’t know Bob McCulloch.” But God works in mysterious ways, he said. Only four days before the shooting, McCulloch celebrated an easy win in the primary election. The NAACP will be out on the streets registering people to vote, so they can have a voice at the table. If African-American residents hadn’t been voting at 10 percent, the community might not be “at this juncture,” he said.

“People are hurting and angry,” he said, “but let’s not be an activist on Wednesday when the primary was on Tuesday.” Follow this reporter on Twitter at @rebeccarivas.

Whoever was behind presenting the package of the show must have been so busy making sure that drama was in the driver’s seat, they forgot to include elements that compel viewers to forge a connection with a particular character. Considering the cast, the decision not to offer much back story was baffling –especially when there are several blueprints within reality television that could have been followed to make the show worth watching.

John Gaskin III, a member of the national NAACP board of directors and Esther Haywood, president of the St. Louis County NAACP. Photo by Wiley Price

~ Celebrations ~

Birthdays

Reunions

Beaumont High School class of 1969 will host its 45 year reunion on Sept. 19-20, 2014 at the Renaissance Hotel Airport and alumni picnic August 16 at Hudson Park. For more info contact LaDonne at 314-277-5095 or Pat at 314517-9632.

Beaumont Class of 1979 will

be celebrating their 35th Class Reunion September 5-7, 2014. For additional information, please contact Scarlett McWell at 314-458-7782 or send email to msscarletto@yahoo.com or Sandra Hooker at ayaina612@ sbcglobal.net.

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri District 3 would like to invite you to an Alumni Event. We are looking for anyone who worked in or was a member of Girl Scouts in St. Louis City. If you would like to participate, please contact Essie Harrison at essie. harrison@att.net or call (314) 400-4602 with your name, address, phone number, and email address.

Lincoln Sr. High School

My granddaughter Náila Samiah Kerr will be six years old on August 20. Happy Birthday with love from grandmother Rosalyn!

(East St. Louis, IL) Class of 1964 50th Class Reunion, 6 pm, Friday, September 26; 6:30 pm, Saturday, September 27, St. Louis Airport Marriott, 10700 Pear Tree Lane, St. Louis, MO 63134; 10 am, Sunday church service at Southern Mission M.B. Church, 2801 State Street, East St. Louis, IL, 62205. Contact persons: Carolyn Leggs Curry at 314.385.6305 or Ruby McSwain Akins at lottie840@yahoo.com.

Looking for all former HDC/ Head Start people to plan a reunion for fall. Please contact Denise Weatherford-Bell at msdenise38@yahoo.com. Please pass this information to others. Need all names and addresses as soon as possible.

Anniversary

Earl and Hollis Whiting celebrate six sensational years of marriage on August 23! Happy 6th Anniversary, “Mr. Magic” from your loving and loyal wife. True love is the gift to treasure forever, given by God without price tag or measure. True love is the gift we all possess, it is the key to the heart and the soul’s happiness.

Normandy Class of 1979 is looking forward to its 35th Class Reunion in the Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The committee realizes that not everyone can attend, so please come out and bring your family to the Normandy Class of 1979 picnic: Sunday, August 3, 1—6 pm at Jackson Park in Pine Lawn, Mo. Northwest High School Class of 1979 reunion dates are set for August 23-24, 2014. Please contact Duane Daniels at 314568-2057 or Howard Day at 414-698-4261 to purchase tickets and any needed further information.

The 4th Annual Riddick School and Evans Reunion will be held Sat., Aug. 30 at the corner of Evans and

Gardens Class of 1994 is planning its 20th reunion for August 22-24, 2014. Please join us via Facebook: Riverview Gardens Senior High Class of 1994. You may provide your contact information via survey monkey: https:// www.surveymonkey.com/s/ XRKC975. You may also contact the planning committee Shannon Tuggle, Leslie Norwood, Scott Wolosyk, and/or Mark Grzechowiak via email at rgclassof1994@gmail.com.

Do you have a celebration you’re proud of? If so we would like to share your good news with our readers. Whether it’s a birth, graduation, wedding, engagement announcement, anniversary, retirement or birthday, send your photos and a brief announcement (50 words or less) to us and we may include it in our paper and website – AT NO COST – as space is available Photos will not be returned. Send your announcements to: kdaniel@stlamerican. com or mail to: St. Louis American Celebrations c/o Kate Daniel 2315 Pine St. St. Louis, MO

Reunion notices are free of charge and based on space availability. We prefer that notices be emailed to us!

However, notices may also be sent by mail to: Kate Daniel, 2315 Pine St., St. Louis, MO 63103

Deadline is 10 a.m. on Friday. If you’d like your class to be featured in a reunion profile, email or mail photos to us. Our email address is: reunions@ stlamerican.com

Happy 95th Brithday to Percy Hollinshed. This energetic 95 year-old gentleman is celebrated his birthday with his young siblings and four generations of family. Perch takes daily walks and likes to play bid-whisk and spades with his neighbors. He enjoys watching baseball, basketball and football. He is also a good cook. He still bakes great apple pies from scratch. Pictured (seated): Ann Taylor, Sarah Carnes, Perch Hillinshed and Juanita White; (standing) Clea Hollinshed and Jerry Hillinshed

Photo by Carl J. Bruce

Rev. Jackson offers prayers in Canfield Green

One week after, clergy pray for Michael Brown

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

“Know that God is good all the time,” said a woman speaking through a bullhorn on the sidewalk directly across from a shrine that marked the spot that 18-year-old Michael Brown lost his life at the Canfield Green Apartments.

Representing Bethesda Temple’s Missionary and Outreach Ministry, she offered mini-sermons in between their singing.

“We will glorify his holy name,” a small representation of the group sang fervently as the rain poured down –almost in a soulful, chant-like cadence.

“It may not look like it right now, but all things work for the good of those who love the Lord,” the woman said fervently.

For many who were in the Canfield Green Apartments that morning, it appeared to most certainly not look like it.

They peeked from their front doors and stood on steps, watching as protesters and activists slowly started to convene for two different demonstrations to honor the life of the 18-year old boy who was shot down by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. One was a moment of prayer for Michael Brown and the people of Ferguson

protests and demonstrations.

One woman clapped along as the Bethesda group sang. Another said, “how you doing” as a non-resident woman and her son walked from the parking lot, getting positioned to hear The Rev. Jesse Jackson lead protesters in prayer.

A couple of them even walked down to hear Jackson uplift the hundreds of protesters who had come to hear him deliver an encouraging word in the fight for justice on Brown and his family’s behalf.

“Here we stand 50 years after the march on Selma with some unlearned lessons,” Jackson told the crowd. “Too much fear, too much hatred, too much violence and too much bloodshed. Michael lives as long as we remember him. He was robbed of the right to walk the streets where he lived. Too long we have learned to survive apart. Now we have a different lesson –let’s learn to live together.”

led by the Rev. Jesse Jackson. The other was a moment of solidarity and march for all of the young African-American men who were casualties of police violence.

It was within the hour of the one-week anniversary of Brown’s death.

A week probably felt like an eternity to the folks who have watched their corner of Ferguson become a nonstop hotbed of protests and activity. It was first the most disheartening of crime scenes, as Brown’s body lay uncovered for hours. Then gatherers from across

the county, city and nation convened. Along with them on this day were FBI agents, who swarmed the complex knocking on doors in search of witnesses to information related to Brown’s death. In this national media sensation of a story, residents’ privacy has become the unspoken collateral damage. Yet, as they sat and watched in a stance to suggest they were guarding what was left of their personal space, residents still managed to be gracefully open to their complex, playing host to

In the solitude of prayer, hands gripped tighter as people from various walks of life stood as one as Jackson’s words echoed among them.

“We choose life over death,” Jackson said. “We choose futures over funerals. In the end, if we do not faint, we will not fail.

We pray for the family of Michael Brown, and we must end the violence. There is power in non-violence –whether it’s Selma, Alabama, or India, or South Africa. You must choose prayers and love over rockets and missiles. We’ve survived apart for so long – there is power in living together.”

our community

What led to the tragic shooting of an unarmed black teenager, 18-year-old Mike Brown, on the streets of Ferguson, Missouri at high noon? What factors spawned the recent breakdown of law and order that seized the streets of North St. Louis County?

In the past few days, these questions have dominated the news cycle as well as the discussions on street corners, around kitchen tables, in barbershops and on social media.

I have listened closely to what the experts have had to say. I’ve listened as a steady stream of other voices have offered up their perspectives on the nature of crime and punishment. Some claim that St. Louis’ long history of racism and Ferguson’s, in particular, is to blame for Mike Brown’s death.

Others have gone even further and suggested that police misconduct, as expressed in the practice of racial profiling, was the cause of the tragedy.

Concerning the looting and rioting that gripped the streets of North St. Louis County in the wake of the shooting, some have claimed that a culture of hopelessness is to blame.

Some commentators are even citing violent rap music as a contributing factor to the violence.

While all of these arguments have merit, I, along with the pastors of the Episcopal Diocese of Mid-America, whom I represent, believe that racism, hopelessness and the like—as serious as these issues are—are merely symptoms of a much larger societal disease.

We are convinced that the root of our illness is spiritual in nature. As such, we see

a clear correlation between the shooting of an unarmed black teenager in St. Louis County and the rise of meth labs in Jefferson County. We see the correlation between looting and the rise of internet pornography. In other words, when I look at all of our societal ills, I also see the underlying cause—sin. To be clear, I am not implying that lawbreakers are not responsible for their actions. If due process takes place and it is found that the police officer who shot and killed Mike Brown operated outside the law, then he should be brought to justice, without regard to his occupation. Also, anyone who is found guilty of looting and rioting must pay for their crimes as well. Nonetheless, even after verdicts are passed down and the guilty go to jail, unless we as a society take the necessary steps to treat the disease rather than simply react to the symptoms, then we will remain caught in this vicious cycle of lawlessness.

So, what are the steps we must take to heal ourselves of the spiritual cancer that is eating away at our society?

We must start by putting God back into the public square. We need to invite God back into our schools, communities, police departments, homes and lives. Inasmuch as this nation professes to be “under God”, it’s time we start acting like it. I am a volunteer police chaplain for one of North County’s police departments.. The active engagement of black chaplains could go a long way in establishing a “Godconsciousness” within these departments.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson visited Canfield Green Apartment Complex, where Michael Brown died, on Sunday. Photo by Lawrence Bryant

Portraits of resistance

Another nod for the struggle. I’m sure y’all want me to get back to my regularly scheduled Partyline programming, but the truth is things haven’t been setting well with my soul as I’ve watched people continue to demonstrate and channel action out of their disgust with the Michael Brown tragedy. Hopefully my city (well … county) will see some fruits of their tireless labor sooner than later, but I feel like I must do my part by continuing to devote my space to making sure y’all see the faces of those who are going to the front line. Our own Wiley Price and Lawrence Bryant have done a masterful job of capturing the spirit of the movement through their photos. I do want to ad that demonstrators have not only been fighting for justice for Michael Brown, but they have managed to get the wheels turning as far as shedding light on the dysfunctional relationship between African Americans – black males, in particular – and the police. I tip my hat to them, and I ask that those who haven’t done so already figure out a way to lend a hand in the movement. You can march, you can volunteer – you can vote at the next election –whatever you do, just don’t let Mike Mike’s death be in vain.

Peaceful protestors re-enact Michael Brown’s alleged stance when he was shot by a Ferguson police officer on Aug. 9.

A

girl participates in an evening protest to

A peaceful protestor in Ferguson calls foul on racial profiling.

A boy prays for peace and justice in Michael Brown case on Thursday night.

In full battle gear – camo pants, black helmets, M-16 and tanks, police patrol protestors on West Florissant Avenue.

Protestors came out as families to support Michael Brown and demand justice.

A peaceful protestor in Ferguson calls for an end to racial profiling.

A young boy joins the protest in Ferguson to support Michael Brown.

Protestors express their anger over police aggressive tactics to Captain Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

A protestor on West Florissant Avenue waves an American flag as the St. Louis County Police point guns at unarmed civilians.

Captain Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol speaks with CNN reporters about protests.

Mother and father of slain teen Michael Brown, Lesley McSpadden and Michael Brown Sr. (right) stand before hundreds of supporters at Greater Grace Church on Sunday afternoon.

Left: A volunteer comes to the aid of a protestor stunned by tear gas by pouring milk over her face.

young

support for Michael Brown’s family.

These past several days have been packed with issues that have caused me to reflect upon my role in society and my individual and collective contribution in making better. Upon hearing that Robin Williams had committed suicide, I was devastated. He had been one of my favorite comedians whether it was as Mork in “Mork and Mindy”or as the voice of Lovelace in “Happy Feet.” He was hilarious! How could someone who brought so much joy and laughter to others be so unhappy?

Mental illness is a cruel disease that warps one’s reality and robs them of a normal life. Williams suffered from alcohol addiction and had been battling depression for years. To those of us not in his personal circle, he appeared normal. But behind closed doors, I wonder was he indeed showing signs of worsening disease: poor appetite, increased alcohol intake, withdrawal, etc. As adoring fans all we can do at this point is pray for his family and hope that we are recognizing the warning signals from our loved ones and that we are choosing to intervene early instead of too late.

As I watched the news the morning prior to my writing this, I pondered what I could possibly say as it related to the violence and unrest in Ferguson, Missouri. Black males being handcuffed,

As I see it

bodies sprawled against police cars, broken windows, looting, riot gear and much more were all scenes paraded over the TV screens. The perceived sentiment was anger and frustration from the protesters as well as the law enforcement and community at large. A once quiet little municipality was now the focus of national news following the death of an unarmed African American teen by a police officer.

I viewed the situation from several vastly different angles:

• dreaded fear and anxiety of black mothers regarding their sons;

• the uneasiness a spouse endures when their loved one puts on his/her police uniform for the day; the overwhelming sadness the local pastors must feel when they have to eulogize yet another child from a senseless death; and

• the complicated relationship our country has with guns and gun control.

The cynical side of me chuckled within because I realized that the looters, if prosecuted, would eventually be in the predatory system of incarceration and they would at least have access to

healthcare and mental health. Furthermore, they could participate in group therapy and finally begin to realize that they have a problem with anger management and need help with conflict resolution. Over the years, the number of patients I have cared for who have either been victims, witnesses, or perpetrators of violence have increased. I am amazed sometimes at the fluidity of responses from these individuals when describing what I would deem as horrific events. Their descriptions are vivid, raw, and sometimes emotionally unattached.

After these encounters, I am often left numb. Have we become such a violent society that murders are routine and commonplace? Where is the empathy or compassion?

A year or so ago, following the Trayvon Martin tragedy, the country was in uproar about the “stand your ground” law in Florida but today you hardly hear it discussed on the news. Twentyeight people, including children, were murdered in Sandy Hook, Connecticut on December 14, 2012 and again, the country was devastated but the outcry regarding gun control fizzled out quickly under the powerful influences of the National Rifle Association, NRA. In 2012, Chicago had over 500 murders, a great number of them young people. However, those numbers did little to

change the political discussion regarding such daily atrocities.

You may be asking yourself how is this relevant to Your Health Matters? These events matter because they are alert signs to future problems. If you cannot sleep because you are worried that your teen may be pulled over by the police, this may may cause you to eventually experience headaches and stomach pain. What if you are 10 years old and witnessed your childhood friend gunned down in your neighborhood? That child is likely to start having nightmares, flashbacks (PTSD-post traumatic stress disorder) and this will eventually cause poor school performance which then leads down the dead-end road of the penal system. No job. No healthcare. And we have already learned how economic inequality has a negative effect on the status of your health.

Research has been done on the effects of witnessing violence but not enough if you ask me. Therefore, the events in our community are larger than they appear on the surface and need to be taken seriously for multiple reasons. As I have said on numerous occasions, mental health is important and it must be cared for with the same degree of intensity as any other aspect of our health.

Yours in Service,

Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D.

Assistant Professor SLUCare Family Medicine

yourhealthmatters@stlamerican.com

Your Health Matters

A bi-monthly special supplement of the St. Louis American August 21, 2014

Your Health Matters provides up-to-date information, from an African-American perspective, about one of the most important subjects in evryone’s life – their personal health.

Donald M. Suggs, President and Publisher

Kevin Jones, Senior Vice President, COO

Dina M. Suggs, Senior Vice President

Chris King, Editorial Director

Denise Hooks Anderson, M.D., Medical Accuracy Editor

Sandra Jordan, Health Reporter

Debbie Chase, Director of Health Strategy & Outreach

Onye Hollomon, Barb Sills, Pamela Simmons, Sales

Michael Terhaar, Art/Production Manager

Angelita Jackson, Cover Design

Wiley Price, Photojournalist

the

Denise Hooks Anderson, M.D.

By Sandra Jordan

Of The St. Louis American

Noise-induced hearing loss is preventable

Have you noticed someone who is constantly adjusting the volume on their television, or you have to repeat what you say to them a few times, or suffer from tinitis – ringing in the ears?

Undetected hearing loss is one of those problems that affect communication, causes learning difficulties, isolation and depression, workplace stresses and can be a safety issue.

Although there is a correlation to age and hearing loss, it can affect all ages. Researchers for the National Institutes of Health linked Alzheimer’s disease and hearing loss.

“People who have dementia-like symptoms – dementia is often a mirror for untreated hearing loss. We will see where people will start isolating; they get very distrustful of what people are saying,” said Audiologist Rebecca Frazier, Au. D., CCC-A, F-AAA. “They oftentimes don’t remember what they don’t hear.”

Family history, long-term use of certain medications, head trauma, loud noises and chronic health conditions can also cause hearing problems.

“Diabetes and heart disease are two biggies that can create hearing problems for a lot of people” Dr. Frazier said.

Pollution and second-hand smoke are also suspected contributors to hearing loss.

Chronic exposure to loud noises is a behavior that may put young people at risk.

Adolescents may experience noise-induced hearing from long time exposure to cranking up the volume on ear buds and head phones.

“I keep saying I’m going to pass out my card to everybody I am sitting, fivesix seats away and I can hear their music plain and clear,” she said.

This type of hearing loss causes irreparable damage. A hearing test is the first step in finding whether someone has hearing loss, and Dr. Frazier said seeing a hearing professional can help prevent further damage.

The Grace Hill Murphy O’Fallon Health Center, located at 1717 Biddle Street, now offers hearing services through the Center for Hearing and Speech, a St. Louis-based charity. A grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health supported the hearing clinic. The Center also has an office in Rock Hill,

by Wiley Price

Audiologist Rebecca Frazier tests patients for hearing loss and gets them fitted for hearing aids at the Murphy O’Fallon Health Center in St. Louis.

Missouri. Dr. Frazier is the onsite audiologist. Grace Hill patients who live in 63106, 63107, 63112, 63113, 63115 and 63147 zip codes who need hearing aids can get them for free until December 31 of this year.

In addition to hearing and middle ear function, Frazier said “We also test speech understanding as well because it’s not just what you hear, do you under-

stand what you are hearing, so we do word-recognition testing,”

“We actually identify a lot of kids throughout the school year who are in the process of ear infections that their parents or teachers may not know about through our screening so they can get them treated,” Frazier said. “Ear infections can create mild to moderate hearing loss.”

If someone has hearing loss that can be rectified or improved by the use of a hearing aid, Frazier said they are smaller and some come in cool colors.

“There are some insurances that cover hearing aids,” Frazier said.

The NIH reports the average cost of a digital hearing aid costs $1,500.

See HEARING, page 12

Photo

Yogurt-marinated chicken and vegetable kebabs HealtHy Recipe

Ingredients: Serves 8

2 lbs. Boneless Chicken Breast, uncooked

10 oz Greek Style Yogurt, plain

1 Bell Pepper (green or red)

1 cup Red Onions, sliced

2 tbsp. Lemon juice

3 Garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. Ground coriander

1 tbsp. Olive Oil

4 tbsp. Ground coriander

4 tbsp. Minced Fresh Cilantro

Preparation:

•Soak 8 wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes prior to grilling to prevent burning.

• In a large zip lock bag, combine yogurt, lemon juice, ground coriander, minced garlic, minced fresh cilantro, dash of salt and pepper. Mix ingredients together in bag.

• Cut uncooked chicken breast into cubes and then add to the mixture in the bag. Make sure chicken is coated. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours.

Prepare the skewers and grill:

• Remove the marinated chicken pieces from the bag and throw out remaining marinade.

• Wipe excess marinade from chicken pieces.

• Thread skewers alternating chicken, pepper and onion pieces. Lightly season with a pinch of salt.

• Heat grill pan over medium to high heat. Add the kebabs and cover with foil. Reduce to medium heat for grilling and rotate kebabs until chicken is cooked through (12-15 minutes)

Nutrition Information: (per serving)

Calories: 197 (63 calories from fat)

Total Fats: 7g (Monounsaturated: 1.6g, Polyunsaturated: .5g; Saturated:2.9g; Trans Fat: .1)

Cholesterol: 77mg

Carbohydrates: 5g

Sugar: 3g

Dietary Fiber: 1g

Protein: 28g

Calcium: 61mg Potassium: 353mg

Sodium: 92mg

Established in 1988, Food Outreach is a volunteer-based organization focused on providing nutritious meals and nutrition counseling at no cost to low-income men, women, and children living with Cancer or HIV/AIDS. In 2013, we provided 508,681 meals to more than 2,000 people ages 6 to 91 residing in 174 Missouri and Illinois zip codes.

HealtHy Q & a

Five tips for healthy school lunches from home

Q. What advice do you have for making healthier meals for children to take to school for lunch?

A. The answer comes from NurseWise, a subsidiary of Centene Corporation.

“As a mother myself, I understand the challenge of trying to ensure my child is well-nourished and has lunches that provide the fuel and focus needed to succeed in school,” said Kim Tuck, RN, President and Chief Executive Officer of NurseWise. “As nurses and healthcare professionals, NurseWise is pleased to be able to share information with parents about the importance of food preparation, food temperatures and storage conditions – in hopes to make their day-to-day tasks a bit easier and their children’s lives healthier.”

Here are NurseWise’s five lunch tips to set your children up for a successful school year:

1. Food preparation is a key factor in ensuring the safety of the lunches you pack for your children. Eliminate the spread of germs and illness by cleaning preparation spaces daily with warm, soapy water. Pay attention to food labels in regards to refrigeration specifications. Avoid packing foods that require heating or cooking before eating. Be sure to pack your child’s food in clean storage containers. Don’t reuse disposable water bottles, because they can carry germs and are often made of materials that can become toxic when exposed to extreme temperatures.

2. Is your child’s lunch stored in a refrigerated or non-refrigerated storage bin? Ask your child’s teacher before the school year begins, so you’ll know what type of lunch container to purchase. You can purchase lunch containers with built-in cool packs or sleeves that hold cold packs. These are great options to prevent foods from reaching unsafe temperatures, which can cause spoilage and illness. Ice packs are affordable, easyto-use and nontoxic. Be certain to freeze your child’s ice pack every night, so it will stay frozen well into the day, keeping perishable food items at an appropriate temperature.

3. Fresh foods are best. Odds are

your child’s food won’t be refrigerated during the day. Accordingly, you’ll want to avoid sending items with mayonnaise, cheese and other dairy products. Certain protein food items can be affected by temperature as well. Because it can be difficult to tell what temperature your child’s food will be kept and stored at, it’s best to send as many fresh food items as you can. You can never go wrong with fresh fruit and veggies because these foods can remain unrefrigerated for long periods without spoiling or becoming toxic. Because kids will be kids and they’ll likely want a treat included, try to find healthier versions of items like potato chips, cookies and crackers which

also maintain their integrity at room temperature.

4. Miniatures work wonders. No one wants a dry sandwich. You can purchase the same individual mayonnaise, ketchup and salad dressing packets you get from fast-food restaurants. Simply search online for vendors who sell individual condiments packets to consumers. Keeping condiments in their safety-inspected, sealed packaging is a much safer alternative than hoping your child’s food and condiments don’t overheat.

5. Sanitize on the go. Purchase a miniature sanitizer for your child’s lunch

box or bag. Many stores offer kid-themed sanitizers on rubber key chain holders that can be attached to the zipper on your child’s lunch container. Teach your children the importance of sanitizing their hands before they eat and how by doing so, it will make them less likely to catch contagious germs and illnesses.

Bonus tip! Add a cute or funny note to tell them how proud you are and how much they mean to you. A loving surprise always makes the day brighter. Here’s to good grades and good fun, and a safe, healthy and happy school year.

HealtH Brief

Nursing students receive $50,000 in scholarships from Deaconess Foundation

Deaconess Foundation nursing scholarship recipients at their annual awards luncheon: (seated L-R) Brittany Ferrell, Brooklyn Bastain, Brooke Chambers, Kayla Stallworth, and Javaniesha Kincaid. Second row: Donald Suggs, president of The St. Louis American Foundation; Sarah Murphy, Alissaya Mahesak, Kathleen Mohrmann, Dakari Burrell, Radhika Chamlagai; and Deaconess Foundation CEO, Rev. Starsky

By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

Select area nursing students are getting an extra boost to undergird their college education, thanks the partnership between the Deaconess Foundation, St. Louis Scholarship Foundation and the St. Louis American Foundation. The young men and women received the irst of two scholarship awards for the upcoming school year on July 16 a special awards luncheon at the Scholarship Foundation.

Deaconess Foundation CEO Starksy Wilson, reminded the scholars of the remarkable “touch” that sparked healing in biblical accounts, and told them their profession would allow them to provide a special one-on-one with patients who are removed from their normal surroundings.

“For people who are separated from

their families and their homes and their churches, their communities, their neighborhoods – you will touch them and allow a valuable personal intervention, because that is healing,” Wilson said.

The scholarship funds, Wilson said, will give these students inancial leeway that perhaps their colleagues may not enjoy who are studying while working multiple jobs to get through school.

“So you have breathing room to engage in the student nursing associations, the student medical associations – national networks that will strengthen you, as much a complement to your coursework as your relationships with the people at the Scholarship Foundation.”

Wilson asked the students to take this time to think about where they want to engage professionally to have the greatest impact on the community.

“I will urge you to connect your

personal interventions with professional engagement,” Wilson said. “Those who are making a signiicant difference are those who are leading in associations.”

He named Deaconess Scholar Brittany Ferrell of University of Missouri – St. Louis as an example, who is president of the campus chapter of the Minority Student Nurses Association.

“We can do our work … but until I connect with other professionals in the community, until I nurture them, then I am not strengthening myself by valuing the relationship and I’m not pushing the ield to where it needs to go.”

Scholarship awards go to selected St. Louis-area college students who are pursuing careers in nursing. The awards range from $1,500 to $5,000 per semester, totaling about 50,000 per semester.

To apply for a Deaconess Foundation Nursing Scholarship, students must be

permanent residents of the St. Louis metropolitan area and pursuing nursing (RN, BSN) at an accredited, nonproit school. Academic potential, strength of character and inancial need go into award determinations.

A valid email address is required to start the application as all correspondence is via email.

Students must complete the two applications: The Deaconess Foundation Nursing Scholarship and The Scholarship Foundation Interest-Free Loan in Scholarship Central by November 15 at www. sfstl.org.

Students selected to receive the Deaconess scholarship may be eligible for an interest-free loan or other grants. For more information, visit contact The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis at 314-725-7990, email at info@sfstl.org.

Wilson.

John Armstrong HealtH Profile

Position/Where: Director of corporate philanthropy, SSM Health Care Foundations

Career Highlights:

I seek funding from St. Louis area corporations to support all the adult foundations and children’s hospitals; and leads operations; started working in nonprofit arena at the YMCA in youth sports, then operations and fundraising (North Carolina and Georgia); then fundraising at the St. Louis with United Negro College Fund; taught health education in Atlanta as first job out of college

Education:

Morehouse College – bachelor of arts in education

University of Nebraska at Omaha for graduate school with exercise physiology as a major

Personal:

Father of two daughters, ages 12 and 14 Members of Church on the Rock in St. Peters, Missouri

St. Louis Connection:

Originally from Jacksonville, Florida Job with the YMCA brought me here

Your journey to success:

My journey to success starts with my parents instilling the confidence in me to reach out and try things; and have the confidence of being in a line by yourself and not following people.My dad used to always say to me that humble people make adjustments and prideful people make excuses. So, to try something and it doesn’t work, for me to be humble enough to make an adjustment and realizing that ultimately, you control what you can control and part of that is yourself.

From a spiritual standpoint, God is your father and he is the only person that you need to be accountable to. So you can’t let a job or a person or anything dictate your actions, because ultimately, you represent what is in Christ because God is your father.

At times I didn’t understand it, but now, being an adult and a parent myself, I am thankful for that on a daily basis.

My first job out of college, I taught health education in Atlanta and they send me back to grad school. The job with the YMCA brought me here with my family. I got a divorce, and I needed a job that allowed me to be in St. Louis every night. When I was at the UNCF, I was based in St. Louis, but I was responsible for Missouri and Kansas. But, I had younger children at the time, so you never get a chance to make up those years with my children, so it was a tough choice professionally, but an easy choice as a father. That’s the way I ended up in the health care realm. I heard about another job in St. Louis through Linked In. I applied for that job and I was a finalist. The person who beat me out was the executive director of the foundation here, so that’s how I got the job.

I had to really educate myself about fundraising with the health care foundation, because with higher education there is no guarantee anybody is going to give you money, but one thing I found in education, regardless of a person’s situation, they’re always want their kids to get a higher level of education – that’s universal. Whereas with healthcare, you have to educate people that health care and health insurance are two totally different things. We fund capital projects; we fund renovation…equipment. We also raise a lot of money for things people don’t realize. For example, our emergency department: we have several patients that come, and somebody may drop them off, but they don’t have a way to get home, so we provide them with transportation. We provide bus passes to some of our mental health patients and to some of our dialysis patients so they can get back-and-forth. For some of our high-risk pregnancies that come in from more than a 50-mile radius, we provide lodging and housing for those who qualify. For our indigent care patients, we provide pharmaceutical services for them so they get their proper medicines. We help families of patients who pass away and they don’t have the funds — we help them with that. Those are some of the things we do constantly.

The things that I am most passionate about are helping people overcome educational and health care disparities.

John Armstrong

Sat. Aug. 9, 7:30 a.m., 12th Annual Prostate Cancer Survivors & Awareness Run/Walk at Harris-Stowe State University. The 100 Black Men Community Health Day will include free health screenings and education workshops. Registered participants get free access to all education workshops targeting prostate cancer, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, obesity and HIV/AIDS awareness. PSA screenings for all men age 35 and over. For more information, call 314-367-7778 or visit www.100blackmenstl.com.

Sat. Aug. 6, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Community Wellness Day, Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Center, 5701 Delmar, St. Louis. Activities include will include mammograms, clinical breast exams, pap smears, prostate cancer screenings, blood pressure, glucose screenings and body mass index. Doctors and nurse practitioner to talk about menopause and drugs used to fight breast cancer. For more information, call 314286-8179 or email Maggie.grotefendt@ cancer.org.

Sat. Aug. 16, 7 a.m., 7th Annual Strides for SIDS 5K Run/1 Mile Walk, Creve Coeur Park. Registration $30; 7 a.m. registration, 8 a.m. memorial service and dove release; 8:30 a.m. run/walk; Awards and kids’ activities begin at 9:30 a.m. For more information, visit www. sidsresources.org.

Sat., Aug. 16, 9:30 a.m., Yoga Day at the Edward Jones Dome supporting Pedal the Cause. For $40, participants get a one-hour yoga class on the field, one ticket to the Green Bay Packers game that same day, and one ticket to an Oakland Raiders game on November 30 (a $150 value). For more information, visit http://www.stlouisrams.com/tickets/ yoga.html.

Sat. Aug. 16, 7th Annual Strides for SIDS 5K run/one mile walk, Creve Coeur Park. Registration before July 31 is $25; children ages 12 and under are free. For more information, visit www. sidsresources.org

Sat., Aug. 23, 9 a.m. – Noon, Shedding Light on Alzheimer’s, a program for faith leaders, Bethesda Temple Church, 5401 Bishop Ja Johnson Lane, St. Louis, 63121. This faith leader event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. To RSVP, please call Evangelist Sylvia Alexander at 314.388.2831 by Aug. 21.

Fri, Sept. 5, 10 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., American Red Cross Blood Drive, Christian Hospital Detrick Building, 11133 Dunn Rd., 63136. Register by email to slm9123@bjc.org or use the

sponsor code “christianhospital” at www. redcrossblood.org.

Sat., Sept. 6, 8 a.m., 2014 Walk to End Alzheimer’s at Scottrade Center, 1401 Clark Ave. St. Louis, 63103. One-mile and 3-mile walk; for more information, contact the Alzheimer’s Association by calling 314-801-0446, email stlwalksupport@alz.org or online at http://bit. ly/1hNjILu.

Sat., Sept. 6, Be The Match Walk Run, Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park –Tremayne Shelter (Sailboat Cove) 13725 Marine Ave., St. Louis, 63146. For more information, visit BeTheMatchWalkRun. org or http://bit.ly/1nV7YVC

Fri. Sept. 11, March of Dimes

Signature Chefs Auction at the RitzCarton St. Louis For more information, call 314-513-9990 or visit marchofdmines.org/Missouri.

Sat. Sept. 13, 7 a.m., CHIPS Health and Wellness Center For the Health Of It 5K Run/Walk & 1 Mile Fun Walk, 2431 N. Grand, St. Louis, 63106. 8:30 start- rain or shine; trophies awarded, free health screenings begin at 9:30 am and entertainment starts at 10 am. For registration or more information, call 314-6529231 or visit www.chipsstl.org

Sat. Sept. 13, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Northwest HealthCare Celebrates 10 years of serving the community. The party includes a tour and free screenings for cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure, lung function and balance screening. Register for this free event at 314-7479355 or 1-877-747-WELL.

Mon. Sept. 15, 11 a.m., Tom Newman Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit the Lupus Foundation of America, Heartland Chapter, Old Hickory Golf Club, #1 Dye Club Drive, St. Peters, Missouri 63304. For more information, visit www.oldhickorygc.com

Fri., Sept. 19, 4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Men’s Healthy Happy Hour & Health Screenings at Christian Hospital Atrium, ground floor of Detrick Building. Fress screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, breathing and prostate. To reserve your space, call 314747-9355 for reservations.

Sat. Sept. 20, 10 a.m. – 1 30 p.m., The Empowerment Network Bruch Fundraiser and free Health Fair, New Northside Conference Center, 5939 Goodfellow, St. Louis, 63147. Health screenings include blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and PSA testing. Tickets $25 per person for the brunch. For more information, call 314-385-0998.

Behavioral

Christian Hospital offers free and confidential psychiatric and chemical dependency evaluations at the Christian Hospital Center for Mental Health. For more information, call 314-839-3171.

Christian Hospital Key Program

offers support and education to patients with chronic mental illness to prevent increased severity of symptoms and to reduce the need for inpatient re-hospitalization. Call confidentially to 314-8393171 or 1-800-447-4301.

Crime Victim Advocacy Center provides no cost support for persons affected by criminal acts. Email peggy@supportvictims.org, visit or call the 24-hour hotline 314-OK-BE-MAD (652-3673) or visit www.supportvictims.org.

Bike helmet safety

The St. Louis County Health Department provides free bicycle helmets to St. Louis County residents between ages 1 and 17 by appointment only. Proof of residency is required. For the location nearest you, visit www. tinyurl.freebikehelmets.

Breast Cancer

Gateway to Hope offers no-charge medical and reconstructive treatment for uninsured breast cancer patients in Missouri. Contact 314-569-1113.

Dental

Free Dental Hygiene Clinic - No charge dental exams, x-rays, cleanings and other dental services for children and adults provided by dental students at Missouri College. Patients needing more extensive dental work (fillings, crowns, etc.) will be referred to local dentists. For information, call 314-768-7899.

Diabetes

CHIPS Diabetes Support Group is open to anyone and meets on Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. For more information, call 314-652-9231.

SSM St. Mary’s Health Center provides free, Diabetes Support Group sessions the second Tuesday of every month from 6 – 7 p.m. to address health management issues. It’s located at Meeting Room 1 on the second floor, 6420 Clayton Rd. in St. Louis. To register, call toll free 866-SSM-DOCS (866-7763627).

Fresh Food Coop

Community Helpings Coop sells fresh fruits, vegetables and other foods at wholesale prices in locations throughout the St. Louis area and Metro-East. For

HealtH ResouRces

more information, visit www.communityhelpingscoop.com.

Health Partnerships

The Center for Community Health and Partnerships: Building Bridges for Healthy Communities works to develop and support beneficial community-academic partnerships to address the health needs of the St. Louis. For more information, email publichealth@wustl. edu; phone 314-747-9212 or visit publichealth.wustl.edu.

Information

Missouri 2-1-1 offers referral and information on a wide range of social service and helpful resources. Call 2-1-1.

Lupus

A Lupus Support Group in North St. Louis County meets the third Thursday of the month from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in Community Room #1 at Northwest Health Care, 1225 Graham Rd. in Hazelwood. RSVP to the Lupus Foundation of America at 314-644-2222 or email info@lfaheartland.org.

Medical

CHIPS Health & Wellness Center offers no cost medical, dental, psychiatric, chiropractic health care for uninsured children and adults by appointment only. $25 annual fee requested. For more information, call 314-652-9231 or visit www.chipsstl.org.

Boys & Girls Clubs Dental & Vision Clinic at Herbert Hoover Club, 2901 N. Grand, St. Louis. Open year-round for members at no additional fee by appointment only. Teeth cleaning, braces, x-rays, root canals, some extractions; vision mobile unit, comprehensive exam and glasses, if required. Make an appointment by calling 314-355-8122.

Salam Free Saturday Clinic, 10 a.m. –

2 p.m. at the Isom Community Center at Lane Tabernacle CME Church, 916 N. Newstead, St. Louis, Mo. for those who are uninsured. For more information, call 314-533-0534.

Nutrition

Food Outreach provides food, meals and nutritional education/ counseling to eligible persons living with HIV/AIDS or cancer in St. Louis. For more information, call 314-652-3663 or visit www. foodoutreach.org.

St. Louis Milk Depot - SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital is a breast milk depot for the Indiana Mother’s Milk Bank. Milk Depot staff will store and ship your milk to IMMB. For more infor-

mation, call (314) 242-5912.

Prostate Cancer

The Cancer Center of The Empowerment Network at 6000 W. Florissant in St. Louis provides information on prostate and other types of cancer, and services and support. For more information, call 314-385-0998.

Prescription Cost Help

Schnucks Pharmacies – now offers certain prescription prenatal vitamins for free and offers no-cost generic prescription antibiotics at select locations.

Wal-Mart Pharmacies – offer select prescriptions for $4 or less for a 30-day supply or $10 for a 90-day supply. View the complete list at www.walmart.com/ pharmacy.

Respiratory Health

Free lung function screening - Christian Hospital Breathing Center at Northwest HealthCare, 1225 Graham Rd. For more information, call 314-953-6040.

Free flu shots for patients being treated for an illness or injury at Downtown Urgent Care (314-436-9300), North City Urgent Care (314-932-1213), Creve Coeur Urgent Care (314-548-6550) and Eureka Urgent Care (636-549-2100). Sexual Health

St. Louis County Health Department offers free, confidential testing, counseling and treatment at the North Central Community Health Center, 4000 Jennings Station Road, St. Louis, MO 63121. For more information, call 314679-7800.

The SPOT offers private, reproductive, mental and behavioral health services at no charge to youth ages 13-24, Monday – Friday, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. at 4169 Laclede Ave. For more information, call 314-535-0413 or visit http://thespot. wustl.edu.

STI testing and treatment at North City Urgent Care and Downtown Urgent Care. For more information, call 314436-9300.

H

ealtH Briefs

Feds extended Gateway health program for uninsured adults in St. Louis City and County through 2015

There is great news for adults enrolled in the “Gateway to Better Health” Pilot Program from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The State of Missouri received another one-year extension of the program. Gateway provides primary, specialty and urgent care coverage to approximately 22,000 uninsured adults in St. Louis City and County, using a network of community providers. It is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Social Services in partnership with the St. Louis Regional Health Commission (RHC).

“As we in Missouri continue to eval-

uate long-term solutions for healthcare coverage for those in poverty, we are grateful to receive an extension of the Gateway to Better Health Demonstration Project from our Federal partners,” said Robert Fruend, Jr., Chief Executive

Oficer of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission. “We are deeply grateful to our Federal delegation, state and local partners for their strong support in ensuring that the healthcare safety net remains in place in the St. Louis region.”

The extension preserves up to $30 million in annual funding for community healthcare in St. Louis’ urban core

through December 31, 2015. Before the extension, the program was scheduled to expire on December 31, 2014.

Under the terms of the extension, Gateway will continue to cover individuals up to 100 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) for primary, specialty and urgent care.

The RHC will continue to coordinate, monitor and report on the Demonstration Project. Since the Pilot Program began in July 2012, Gateway estimates it annually paid for approximately 51,000 primary care visits, 29,000 specialty care visits, and 230,000 medications for the unin-

sured in St. Louis. The RHC said Gateway also prevents an estimated 50,000 to 70,000 unnecessary emergency department visits each year.

The RHC is continuing its efforts to support the transformation and expansion of Medicaid eligibility in Missouri up to 133 percent FPL as a long-term solution to increased access to quality healthcare services.

For more information about Gateway eligibility, please visit http://www.stlgbh. com/.

Ferguson crisis prompts Provident to offer counseling support

The tension and unrest in Ferguson in the aftermath of the shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year old unarmed youth by a Ferguson police officer, demands attention in order to stabilize the situation. Anger and frustration are running high and community members need the opportunity to express their feelings and concerns. Provident offers counseling services to individuals and families in our Ferguson Office at 409 South Florissant Road. And youth, who are under the age of 20 may obtain services with no out-ofpocket expenses, thanks to a grant from the St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund.

Provident’s diverse, professional and licensed therapists can address the anxiety, frustration and grief that individuals are experiencing after such a traumatic event. To schedule an appointment, simply call 314.533.8200.

In addition to one-on-one therapy, Provident maintains a 24/7 crisis hotline, offering immediate telephonic counseling to individuals in need. Call 314647-HELP (4357) or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

HEARING

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“Medicare does not cover hearing aids at all, so [the Center’s] financial assistance covers between 5 percent and 100 percent of the cost, based on income.”

According to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders:

• 17 percent (36 million) of American adults report some degree of hearing loss

• About 15 percent (26 million) of Americans, ages 20 to 69 have high frequency hearing loss due to exposure to loud sounds or noise

• 12.3 percent of men and 14 percent of women are affected by tinnitus

• Men are more likely to experience hearing loss than women

• Only 1 in 5 persons who could benefit from a hearing aid actually wears one

To reduce the chance of hearing loss in children and adults caused by loud noises, experts recommend identifying sources of loud noises in your environment and avoiding them or limiting your exposure; using ear plugs when using loud equipment; turning down the volume on music, games, movies and television; and seeking evaluation by a licensed audiologist or a qualified professional if there is a concern about your hearing.

The American Academy of Audiology has a campaign to help prevent noise-induced hearing loss. Find out more at TurnItToTheLeft.com.

To schedule audiology services at Grace Hill, call 314-968-4710 or visit www.gracehill.org.

Follow this reporter on Twitter @ YrHealthMatters.

Christian Hospital needs evening front desk volunteers

Christian Hospital is looking for volunteers for evening duty at the main lobby information desk on Monday through Friday from 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Candidates must be dependable, able to manage a multiline phone system, push wheelchairs if needed, walk individuals to destinations if needed and provide patient room information to visitors. Computer experience is required.

For more information, contact Lee Shields at 314-653-5032.