December 7th, 2023 Edition

STL Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore will run in 2024

‘Politics won’t scare me away’

By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American

What a difference a day makes.

On Tuesday, Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore held a press conference detailing his first six months in the office after replacing the departed Kim Gardner, who quit on May 16, 2023. He was asked if he would run for a full four-year term, and said he was still contemplating whether he wanted to seek a public office through an election campaign.

From the day of his appointment until Wednesday he was asked if he would seek the office. He said he was too focused on getting the CAO running efficiently again.

Overnight, he concluded he would run.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore announced on Wednesday he will run for the office in 2024. Gore was appointed to replace departed former Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner after she first resigned and then quit on May 16, 2023.

Holiday

wonder

be going home with a toy that he picked out during the Affinia Health Care

facility Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023.

Artificial Intelligence could be threat to Black voters

By Sylvester Brown Jr.

St. Louis American

Many Americans, especially those current on social media trends - are familiar with artificial intelligence (AI).

The term refers to the simulation or emulation of human intelligence. AI today is used across various industries including movies, music, journalism, healthcare, and finance. With the use of computer-enhanced learning it can create content, predict financial outcomes, help develop new drugs, diagnose diseases, replicate images of actors, and create songs that sound like real musical artists.

Just ask artists, Drake or The Weeknd. Recently an anonymous TikTok-er used AI to create a catchy song with a beat,

Yes, Black couples face fertility issues too

n “For democracies, AI has to be in service of the public interest.”

– Vice President, Kamala Harris

lyrics and voices that fooled many online users into believing the artists had released a new pop song. The rapid rise of AI technology has been greeted with enthusiasm, indifference or, in some cases, great alarm. With

Harris-Stowe education department faces crisis

Its dean leaves abruptly

By Sylvester Brown Jr. St. Louis American

In 1993, Harris-Stowe State College expanded beyond offering educational majors, which were its standard since the 19th Century, and was awarded status as a state university. The institution officially became Harris Stowe State University in 2005.

The future of the school’s Department of Education, one that has helped create thousands of Black educators for more than 100 years, is clouded because it failed to meet Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) standards for training new teachers.

In addition, HarrisStowe was placed “on notice” by the state’s Higher Learning Commission last year for being at risk of falling out of compliance with accreditation requirements. Its current issue is failure to submit the number of education majors who enrolled and completed the program in 2023. The university is the only educator preparation program out of 43 statewide - and one of only three in the country - to receive letters of noncompliance.

Harris-Stowe State University’s accreditation status will be reviewed during the Missouri State Board of Education’s

See HARRIS-STOWE, A6

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA

Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white person and move to the rear of a Montgomery, Alabama bus on Dec. 1, 1955.

68 years after her arrest and the landmark moment in the civil rights movement, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell of Alabama, along with Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Steven Horsford of Nevada and Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, held a press conference on Capitol Hill to rally support for H.R. 308, the Rosa Parks Day Act.

Among its 31 co-sponsors is Congresswoman Cori Bush of St. Louis.

The proposed legislation aims to designate December 1 as a federal holiday in honor of Parks, recognizing her pivotal See PARKS, A7

Rosa Parks

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Latonia Collins Smith Marrix Seymore

Tyrus Caves (3), is happy to

Winter Wonderland for Children at its north county

Jeannie Mai suggests Jeezy was unfaithful in marriage, will have to pay up

The Real-Talk star allegedly believes ex-husband Jeezy should face a “significant financial penalty” for reported infidelity during their marriage.

“Wife further shows that the Court should enforce Paragraph 8 of the Prenuptial Agreement regarding infidelity which provides, in pertinent part, that if either party engages in sexual relations, an emotional relationship, or is emotionally or sexually suggestive in communication with a third party via all forms of electronic communications, including but not limited to texting, sexting, Facetiming, social media and/ or Direct Messages, shall result in a significant financial penalty upon the adulterous party …” the legal document Mai’s legal team filed reads.

Neither the filing nor Mai’s public comments have mentioned any potential person for the alleged extramarital affair.

Jeezy filed for divorce on September 14, declaring their union “was irretrievably broken.”

Jeezy said he did his best to “save” their marriage without success.

SZA to release ‘SOS’ deluxe ‘LANA’

The St. Louis native SZA is slated to release new music with a deluxe edition of SOS titled LANA this month.

“The deluxe is like a whole other album called ‘Lana.’ It’s seven to ten songs,” SZA said in September.

The deluxe edition follows her most commercially successful 2022 release and of any artist from St. Louis in recent years.

“It was gonna be [‘SOS’] outtakes and some new songs, but it’s become more than I expected. It was going to

be soft because I had made all my screaming points, and I just wanted to glide and not think [too much] and get out of my head.”

Is Ashanti, Nelly’s ‘Belle of the Ball,’ expecting?

Maybe it was just on-stage humorous antics between and Ashanti during the host’s 11th Black and White Ball at the Four Seasons St. Louis on Sunday Dec. 3 or maybe the couple is expecting a child.

As Nelly and Ashanti gave thanks to all who attended the illustrious bash, Ashanti placed her hands on her stomach with a wry smile on her face. Nelly then placed his

hands on hers as if to signal somebody might be pregnant. They then shared a genuine laugh.

A good time was had by all at the Black and White Ball, which featured a bevy of Nelly’s entertainment friends, and many of St. Louis’ leading ladies and gentlemen – including reporter

Ashley Winters and photographer

Taylor Marrie of the St. Louis American. It’s quite possible the couple was just having fun with the par-

After calling it quits eight years ago, Nelly and Ashanti’s romance rekindled earlier this year. Now, we’ll wait a bit longer to find out if the couple was kidding around or they’re having a kid.

Sources:The Shade Room, Uproxx

WRAP UP these

holiday SAVINGS

Food City continues its fight against ‘food apartheid’

St. Louis American

The Serving Our Communities Foundation [SOCF] has awarded $436,000 in grants to St. Louis-based food nonprofits and businesses through its Food City initiative. Grant winners were announced November 30, 2023, at City Winery and 18 Rails at City Foundry.

Grants range from $1,000 to $150,000 and include other benefits.

“The entire purpose of Food City’s inaugural campaign has been to identify the greatest needs and most workable solutions and then to allow those learnings to inform the future of our work,” said Darren Jackson, SOCF chief operations officer said.

“What we’re learning is that these organizers, farmers, and entrepreneurs are the solution to ending food apartheid, increasing access to opportunity within the food economy, expanding healthful food options across every zip code, and building a future of food for all.

“The first thing we’re doing is expanding our initial funding.”

Jackson explained that the original deadline for applications had been extended through October 16.

“We’ve talked to a lot of entrepreneurs and organizers who have

good ideas but weren’t going to apply because they felt they wouldn’t be competitive and [we extended] the deadline because these are exactly the folks we want to meet and support,” Jackson said.

Major Grants, totaling $350,000, were awarded to “emerging leaders which demonstrate extraordinary potential for scalability and community impact.”

Community Builder: George Washington Carver Farms by Ujima$150,000

Growth: Pop Pop Hurray, Tony Davis$75,000 + $25,000 In-Kind Production Support

Innovation: Propel Kitchens, Kisha Lee$50,000

Promise: Show Me The World Project, Sylvester Chisom & Samantha Lurie - $50,000

Food Equity: New Roots Urban Farm, Mina Aria - $20,000

Climate & Sustainability: Known & Grown STL, Rae Miller$5,000

Research & Development Grants of $10,000 were awarded “to advance research and development for rising consumer packaged goods stars” businesses.

STL Toasted, Matthew Fuller Mighty Cricket, Sarah Schlafly Taste of Jack’s, Jordan Franks Matching Funds up

to $10,000 from Food City went to “powerful community organizations to advance their work and catalyze new connections.

Coahoma Orchards, Dail Chambers Central Baptist Church St. Louis, Natasha Nedrick Growing Food Growing People, Inc., Leah Burnett Habuyta, Orly Peters Welcome Neighbor STL, Jessica Bueler Microgrants of $1,000 went to “promising food businesses and nonprofits which will co-produce Community Gatherings in 2024, with each event fully funded by Food City.

Bo.Co Boba Tea, Lily Clark The Table STL, Kristopher Nelson

Sylvester Chisom’s presentation on Pitch Day helped him and Smanatha Lurie’s Show Me

The World Project secure a $50,000 grant from the Serving Our Communities Foundation Food City Initiative. Show Me

The World’s mission is to provide youth from under-resourced communities equitable access to transformative educational experiences at home and abroad.

City Greens Market, Lacy Cagle Patty’s Cheesecake, Pat Upchurch IncrediRolls N Sweets, Cortney Carter Yemanja Brazil, Raul Raul

A focus on impact In July, the Foundation announced four grants totaling $150,000 as part of a community engagement and research campaign designed to inform the future of their work.

Jan Marson, SOCF founder, said the volume and quality of applicants combined with results of their community survey “demonstrated viable, scalable solutions, ultimately inspiring their group to nearly triple their

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initial commitment.”

“Our survey results (so far) are telling a cyclical story: people need and want fresh, healthy food in their neighborhoods. They want to work in the industry but don’t necessarily see a viable career path,” she said.

“Diverse entrepreneurs and organizers have great ideas they want to sow and budding businesses they want to nurture in their own communities, but they lack access to capital and face significant labor challenges. Hearing from so many visionary builders, it became obvious that these are solutions we need to fund now.

“Not next year, now. So, we decided to support nearly every finalist in some capacity.”

Keisha Mabry Haymore, Food City community manager, said the agency’s outreach team began hosting monthly gatherings on Nov. 10 that are aimed at exploring the offerings and opportunities offered by Food City and SOCF.

Food City’s stated long-term goal is to “help create a more inclusive, sustainable food ecosystem in the St. Louis Metro Area.”

Food City’s community survey can still be completed through December 31, 2023. Please visit foodcitystl.org

giving meets

The St. Louis Community Foundation offers: • Donor advised, scholarship, and other charitable fund options • Personalized charitable giving insight and experience • More than 100 years of service

Our team is here to help you reach your philanthropic potential . Discover how your giving can support the nonprofits you love, better our region, and change lives.

Photo by Tyler Small, courtesy of Food City

Editorial/Commentary

Missourians cannot turn a blind eye to this deeply rooted injustice any longer. It is incumbent upon us, as residents of this great state, to stand united in demanding an end to the death penalty.

A call to end the death penalty

By Nimrod Chapel Jr.

Missouri, a state deeply entwined in the fabric of America’s history, stands at a crossroads— one that demands reflection on a legacy marred by racial violence and an unyielding commitment to capital punishment.

As the rest of the nation moves away from this immoral and archaic practice, Missouri persists as a stark outlier, executing individuals year after year. In 2023 alone, four lives were extinguished, underscoring the urgency for Missourians to stand together and demand an end to the death penalty.

Last week, The Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) released a report “ “Compromised Justice: How A Legacy of Racial Violence Informs Missouri’s Death Penalty Today” which documents how racial bias and violence affected the past use of the death penalty in Missouri and how that history continues to influence the current administration of capital punishment in the state.

The roots of Missouri’s death penalty system are embedded in a history stained with racial discrimination and normalized racialized violence. From the very inception of capital punishment laws, the color of a defendant’s skin played a major role in determining guilt and punishment. Even as the state ostensibly transitioned to race-neutral legislation, the statistics reveal a harrowing truth—enslaved individuals were disproportionately sentenced to death, marking the beginning of a pattern that persists to this day.

tion of the death penalty echo the historical injustices that plagued Missouri. Shockingly, Black defendants who kill white victims are five times more likely to face capital punishment than white defendants who kill Black or white people.

This alarming trend is further exacerbated when the victim is a white female, where defendants are nearly 14 times more likely to be executed than in cases involving Black male victims. These statistics are not merely numbers; they mirror a historical continuum of discrimination and bias that has persisted for centuries.

The tragic tale of Ernest Johnson, executed in 2021 despite evidence of intellectual disability, serves as a modern-day reminder of Missouri’s compromised justice system. Calls for clemency, including those from former Governor Bob Holden, went unheeded, exposing a failure in the state’s commitment to fairness and justice. Missourians cannot turn a blind eye to this deeply rooted injustice any longer. It is incumbent upon us, as residents of this great state, to stand united in demanding an end to the death penalty. Our history, tainted by racial violence and discrimination, should not dictate our present or future. Let us be the catalyst for change, urging our legislators to reconsider the morality and efficacy of capital punishment.

An ‘intellectually bankrupt’ Court of Appeals

By Marc H. Morial

“Why does it matter if the Voting Rights Act is enforceable by private plaintiffs? If the panel’s conclusion is upheld by the Supreme Court, then Section 2 effectively becomes a light switch. A Republican president — say, Donald Trump — could simply instruct the Justice Department to stop bringing Section 2 lawsuits at all. With no private alternative, that would deal an immense and perhaps irrecoverable blow to voting-rights enforcement in this country.”

— Matt Ford

Minutes after the Supreme Court struck down Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act in 2013, with the majority insisting states didn’t need to be prevented from passing discriminatory voting laws, then-Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott called for reinstatement of a discriminatory voting law.

Hours after a federal appeals court on Nov. 20 opened the door for states, counties, and municipalities to deny Americans the right to vote on account of race or color, North Dakota moved to weaken voting rights for Native American tribes.

plaintiffs have triumphed over discriminatory laws under liberal presidents, conservative presidents, presidents who have defended and advanced voting rights, and presidents who have sought to restrict voting rights.

The Biden administration’s positive record of defending voting rights should not delude anyone into believing that the Fifteenth Amendment would be in safe hands under President Biden’s potential successors. Indeed, suppression of Black votes was a key tactic in Donald Trump’s 2020 reelection strategy, and it’s unlikely that defending the Voting Rights Act would be a priority should he achieve a second term.

“Radical theories that would previously have been laughed out of court have been taken increasingly seriously by an increasingly radical judiciary,” the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program Director Wendy Weiser told the New York Times.

The judges of the Eight Circuit Court of Appeals are fully aware of this. They have knowingly, deliberately and maliciously reduced a constitutionally guaranteed right to the level of a mere whim.

Missouri’s historical narrative is fraught with racial violence, with the state boasting the first documented lynching in U.S. history in 1836. The grim reality of racial terror lynchings persisted through the 19th and 20th centuries, culminating in a staggering 60 Black Missourians lynched—a number second only to states in the Deep South. Public executions, serving as a macabre form of racial violence, continued in Missouri long after other states abandoned the practice, perpetuating a cycle of fear and intimidation against Black communities.

Today, the disparities in the applica-

In the face of this compromised justice system, we must rise above our differences in the pursuit of a more equitable and compassionate society. Missouri can break free from its dark legacy, but it requires the collective voice of its people to resonate louder than the echoes of its troubled past. Together, let us advocate for a Missouri that values life, fairness, and justice for all. We can turn away from Missouri’s culture of death and start by calling your prosecutor and asking them to not seek the death penalty in 2024.

Nimrod Chapel Jr. is board chair of Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty. He is president of the Missouri State NAACP Conference and life member and president of the Jefferson City NAACP.

If the decision U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is allowed to stand, no one but the federal government can stop North Dakota, or any party, from violating Americans’ voting rights on account of race or color. The individual whose rights are being violated may not seek justice under the law. Entire communities whose rights are being violated may not seek justice under the law. Civil rights and social justice groups may not seek justice under the law.

A legal right that almost no one is permitted to claim is no right at all. And that is exactly the point.

It’s hard to overstate how intellectually bankrupt the decision is. Most challenges seeking to enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act are brought by private plaintiffs, not the federal government. For nearly six decades, the nation’s courts have recognized the right of private plaintiffs to sue under Section 2. Private

While the lines may have grown more and more blurred since Donald Trump stunned the nation by declaring white supremacists, “very fine people,” most Americans recoil from overt racial discrimination. Even the Eight Circuit judges likely would hesitate to overturn the Voting Rights Act outright.

Yet they effectively have done so, in ruling that almost no one has the right to seek justice under its authority.

The decision almost certainly will be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Ruling on a case brought by private plaintiffs under Section 2 of the Voting Rights. At the court’s conservative majority in June struck down Alabama’s racially-gerrymandered congressional districts. We look forward to the court holding itself to the standard it set in that case when it rules on this one.

Marc Morial is National Urban League president and CEO

As I See It - A Forum for Community Issues Give a child a book for Christmas

By Julianne Malveaux

They don’t call it “Black Friday” because they love Black people; they call it Black Friday because many businesses are pushed into the black (from the red ink of losses to the black ink of profits) on that day or into the holiday season. In just the three days from Black Friday until Sunday, Nov. 26, online sales jumped by more than 7%, according to one of the credit card companies that tracks spending from credit receipts.

If your email inbox is anything like mine, you are barraged with ads and promotions offering 25%, 50% and even 75% off.

Booksellers mark books down when they need to make room for new inventory. But there is a big difference between giving someone a jacket and giving them a book, especially if the book is a gift for a young person. Too many children don’t have books or access to them, and the gift of a book can transform a child’s life. You can open a world for a youngster with a book that shows her other countries and offers him different ways of thinking (thus the scientific fiction genre and Afrofuturism many young Black folks are getting into).

But Mahogany Books (www.mahagonybooks.com), founded in 2007 as an online platform, now has two brick-andmortar locations and thrives.

One recent list of independent Blackowned bookstores counts 89 that you can patronize in person or online. Included is the EyeSeeMe Children’s Bookstore in University City, Missouri Independent Black-owned bookstores are now more critical than ever. As of April 2023, 28 states have passed laws preventing teaching “critical race theory,” which can sometimes be broadly construed to include the simple teaching of African American history.

Guest Columnist By Julianne Malveaux

Vanesse Lloyd-Sgambati, founder of the African American Children’s Book Fair, which will be held in Philadelphia on Feb. 3, 2024, ends her voicemail message with “buy a book” because she is passionate about the power that literacy has to enhance a young life. If you are playing Santa Claus laden with gifts, make sure at least one is a book. And if your funds aren’t challenged, bring at least one book to your cherished child and gift another child or two with a book. COVID-19 and the ease and speed of online ordering have challenged the vitality of independent Black bookstores.

Several initiatives have been introduced, with some implementing and regulating teaching, library content, and more. One disgruntled racist parent can cause a book to be removed from a library or banned from a syllabus.

The American Library Association keeps track of the more than 1600 books that were challenged in 2022, with the 13 most frequently challenged including Toni Morrison’s “The Bluest Eye.” Rabid parents want to keep these books out of the curriculum and ban them from libraries. That’s why every home needs a library, and every child needs to have their own books.

The culture wars are here, and with the 2024 election, they will likely start sizzling. There’s a big battle that groups including the American Library Association, the National Education Association, and National Urban League are taking on through the Freedom to Learn Campaign (www.freedomtolearn.net). This cause is good trouble! At the same time, we can provide education child by child. Buy a child a book for Christmas! Julianne Malveaux is an economist and dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at California State University, Los Angeles.

Guest Columnist Nimrod Chapel

Columnist Marc H. Morial

Legend Singers Christmas Concert Dec. 3 in Ferguson

St. Louis American

The Legend Singers Chorale Ensemble will present its annual Christmas concert at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at the First Baptist Church of Ferguson, 333 North Florissant Road.

Under the direction of Dwayne A. Buggs, this year’s holiday celebration has the theme “The Glory, The Wonder, The Miracle.” Doris L. Wilson, who was director from 1996 to 2019, is still active with the chorus as its director emeritus.

Kenneth Brown Billups founded the Legend Singers Chorale Group in 1940 and served as its first director. Its 18 members were enrolled in the National Youth Act Music Project, a Works Progress Administration program.

The mission of The Legend Singers includes preservation of the music and per-

formance practices of African Americans; performing music by non-African American composers who have been influenced by African American music forms and performance practices; and development of outreach programs that educate and introduce the community to the tradition of excellence in artistic performance of African American choral music.

Buggs, a Cullen, Louisiana native, holds a Master of Music degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. He dedicated almost four decades to education, primarily as vocal music director, choral director, and curriculum coordinator for K-12 fine and practical arts in the Normandy and Ferguson-Florissant districts.

He was also artistic director and dean of arts at the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School during the last five years of his career.

Two wrongs and no right

By E. Faye Williams

“I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving.”

I heard that frequently in the days leading up to that holiday weekend. Let’s not get things confused. We should be aware of how this country was brutally taken from Indigenous Peoples. It’s okay to say, “I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving.”

However, don’t be confused about our need to give thanks for something every day. We can’t forget the past we have witnessed. But we can be the ones willing to pray and ask God to help us make the changes we need for a better world for all of us today.

Amid all the things going on around us today, let us remember the song, “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”

No matter which side you are on in the Israeli/Hamas War, don’t be confused. Two wrongs don’t make one right. All the hate-filled rhetoric is not helping to resolve the matter.

If you are an African American, it’s likely your parents and grandparents sang this song many days and nights. They knew and they believed everything would be all right. It is an African American spiritual that brought our ancestors through some difficult days and nights.

When you get discouraged it’s good to fall back to “the olden days” for the strength to carry on. While we’ve witnessed the horrors and the meanness of the “eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” theory, but after all the devastation of man’s inhumanity, we have begun to see what to many may be the end of the tunnel for some, as some of the hostages who spent 49 days in captivity and some of the young people who were imprisoned come out alive.

There’s a lot of work ahead of them to be done, and we must pledge to do our part in what we can do to prevent their harboring hate as they heal.

Let us pray that the negotiations for release of others will go well. With a combined total of nearly 20,000 people dead between Israel and Hamas, let us pray that both sides will see there are no winners in their war against humanity on either side.

Sadly, on Friday, Dec. 1 it was reported Israeli airstrikes hit houses and buildings in the Gaza Strip just minutes after a week-long truce expired. The Associated Press quoted health authorities saying dozens of Palestinians were killed. Leaflets were also dropped over Gaza City and other areas, urging civilians to flee.

Militants in Gaza resumed firing rockets into Israel, and fighting broke out between Israel and Hezbollah militants operating along its northern border with Lebanon.

There were about 140 hostages still held captive by Hamas and other militants, after more than 100 were freed during the truce.

On Nov. 30, the final day of the truce, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked Israeli officials to do more to protect Palestinian civilians. Neither the civilian Israelis nor the civilian Palestinians deserved what has happened to them. We know that our criticism on both sides is justified. There are no clean hands in this tragedy. We can’t bring back those who paid the ultimate price, but we can resolve to treat each other better as we move forward.

We can refuse to be a part of the hate we are hearing spewed throughout this crisis and try to be that calming voice and that blessed donor who shares what we have with those in need.

E. Faye Williams is president of the Dick Gregory Society

Now in its 83rd season, the Legend Singers Chorale Ensemble returns to Ferguson Baptist Church for its annual Christmas concert at 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16. Founded by the late Kenneth Phillips in 1940, the Legend Singers mission includes preservation of music and performance practices of African Americans.

Photo by Tim Lloyd / St. Louis Public Radio

E. Faye Williams

Black voters

for an international framework to regulate AI.”

the 2024 elections starting soon, many in political arenas are concerned that AI will be used to control or influence how people vote. Others warn that the new high-tech tool will be used to suppress Black votes.

During the Nov. 1, 2023 “AI Safety Summit” in London, England, Vice President Kamala Harris promoted President Biden’s Executive Order on the “Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.”

During her speech at the London Embassy, Harris warned against AI-enabled disinformation and misinformation tools that cannot discern between fact and fiction.

“For democracies, AI has to be in service of the public interest,” Harris stressed. “We see the ways AI poses a threat to Americans every day, certainly in politics and we are laying the foundation

Harris-Stowe

Continued from A1

Continued from A1 February meeting. If shown to still be in noncompliance, it risks losing its accreditation with the state.

Dr. Latonia Collins, HSSU president, released a statement in response to DESE’s notice of noncompliance. The “deviation” was traced back “to an oversight by the College of Education administration, who failed to submit a requisite report by the October 20, 2023 deadline.”

Collins Smith’s response seems to reveal a curious absence of responsibility. The state requires the appointment of an

A Brookings Institute report lauded Biden’s executive order defining it as a “promising starting point for a top-down approach to these new technologies.” However, the report ended with an ominous warning about next year’s elections…and not just for Black voters: “Anti-democratic actors and autocrats will seek every opportunity to shake confidence in democracy, targeting the systems that ensure free and fair elections and good governance.”

An article titled: Artificial Intelligence Could Impact Black Voting During 2024 Elections: Black Leaders Call for Safeguards Against,” written by Barrington M. Salmon (TriceEdneyWire.com) audaciously warns that AI could become the modern-day tool once used by segregationists to once again deny African Americans their right to vote.

Just as racists used “the courts, local and state

“Appropriate Official”not a college board or an administration - to be responsible for the educator preparation program.

This “official,” according to state standards, could be anyone at the level of “vice president, dean, or director” designated by the college or university president. So, who is the designated person at Harris Stowe State University? It could have been Dr. Marrix Seymore, who was appointed dean of the University’s College of Education at the beginning of this year. His duties included managing administrative functions of colleges of education, long-term planning and policy setting and, according to Harris Stowe’s press release,

laws, literacy tests, poll taxes, fraud, brute force, violence and intimidation by the Ku Klux Klan to impede and prevent Black people from exercising their constitutional right,” Salmon wrote, adding: “in the 21st century, voter suppression has gone high-tech with the same characters still plotting to control who votes, when and how.”

To emphasize his thesis, Salmon detailed recent Congressional testimonies of Melanie Campbell, president & CEO of the National Coalition on

leading “all functions of planning, directing, and executing programs provided by the College.”

Additionally, Seymore was tasked with assisting the “Office of Academic Affairs,” recruiting faculty and staff, overseeing, and evaluating “the academic proficiency of students pursuing education degrees.”

When the St. Louis American requested an interview with Seymore in regard to the missed deadline, a university spokesperson said in an email “Dr. Marrix Seymore is no longer with Harris-Stowe.”

A “national search has been launched for a new Dean of the College of Education,” according to Harris-Stowe.

Seymore was not specifically mentioned in Collins Smith’s statement. The university also did not explain when he left the university or why he is no longer employed there.

Collins Smith said in

Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) and Damon T. Hewitt, president, and executive director of The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, to demonstrate how AI has and will poison the “electoral ecosystem.”

Campbell, according to Salmon, spoke about the urgent need to create federal safeguards and legislation to “protect against the technology’s misuse as it relates to elections, democracy, and voter education, while fighting back against the increasing threats surrounding tar-

the release the university has began a “proactive plan” to address the situation.

“The university swiftly devised a proactive plan, underscoring its unwavering commitment to promptly identify, address, and prevent future instances of non-compliance,” Collins Smith said.

“This strategic initiative reflects the institution’s dedication to upholding the highest standards in educator preparation.”

Collins Smith insists Harris-Stowe State University will not lose its accreditation. In fact, even without Seymore, she said the university is ready for DESE’s review next year.

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

“These encompass the establishment of robust policies and procedures, timely audit submissions, mandatory training and

Melanie Campbell, president & CEO of the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP), called on the federal government to “protect against [AI] technology’s misuse as it relates to elections, democracy, and voter education.”

geted misinformation and disinformation.”

Both Campbell and Hewitt expressed concerns about how AI-generated misinformation targeting Blacks will grow worse leading up to the 2024 presidential election.

Salmon quoted Hewitt’s Congressional argument where he stated that voting rights and technology are inextricably linked.

“Voters of color already face disproportionate barriers to the ballot box that makes it more difficult and more costly for them to vote without factoring in

professional development, key administrative appointments, infrastructure enhancements, comprehensive program reviews, and dedicated resource allocation in alignment with the overarching strategic plan.”

Harris-Stowe, a 166-year-old institution, has faced challenges in its recent past.

Collins Smith, who served as interim president before being officially named to the position, is HSSU’s third leader in just over three years.

Harris Stowe has yet to fully recover from setbacks incurred during the COVID-19 epidemic. Reportedly, enrollment has fallen by one-third; down from 1,630 students in 2019 to 1,084 in 2023.

The University has a graduation rate of 20% in six years, which is among the lowest in the country.

Additionally, Harris Stowe grapples with a decline in education majors, dropping

the large and growing cost of targeted disinformation on our communities,” Hewitt said.

The gist of Campbell and Hewitt’s testimonies revolved around the idea that AI could be used to exacerbate already fragile conditions for Black voters. They referenced a lawsuit against just two perpetrators during the 2020 elections who had sent 85,000 disinformation robocalls targeting Black voters in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

“The spread of misinformation and disinformation online to influence elections and disenfranchise voters, often specifically Black voters, is already commonplace,” Hewitt argued. “Communities of color who already sacrifice so much to cast a ballot and make our democracy work are increasingly subjected to new downsides of technological innovation without reaping the rewards.”

Sylvester Brown Jr. is the St. Louis American Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow

from 303 in 2015 to 126 in 2022.

Still, according to Collins Smith’s statement, the educational institution has made “notable achievements,” including “significant faculty appointments and recent triumphs in biological and geospatial sciences, as well as business and entrepreneurship.” Harris Stowe, the president added, “remains steadfast in its foundational role as a college dedicated to the training of educators.

“Despite these challenges,” Collins Smith said, “Harris-Stowe State University proudly maintains its accreditation, underscoring its resilience and commitment to overcoming obstacles in the pursuit of academic excellence.”

Sylvester Brown Jr. is the St. Louis American Deaconess Foundation Community Advocacy Fellow

Photo courtesy of NCBCP

Gore

Continued from A1

“What has changed is the unique opportunity to serve alongside the men and women who have come back to the Circuit Attorney’s Office to join me. Doing the work needed to have a positive impact on this community,” he told reporters.

Gore said holding a public office was never on his “to-do list,” but his time on the job helped him determine that this is the right time and situation.

“We see how things play out in politics. I’ve never shirked an opportunity to serve, an opportunity to have an impact. Even politics won’t scare me away from that,” he said.

While murder and other offenses are down in the city, Gore said he could effectively take on “the violent crime plaguing our community.”

Gore will run as a Democrat, and his campaign will be run by MO Political Consulting. The firm directed Mayor Tishaura Jones’ successful campaign for mayor in 2020-21.

Gore launches the campaign with a solid sixmonth performance behind him.

His office charged 2,650 cases during his six months in office, a 45% increase compared to

Parks

Continued from A1

role in the Civil Rights Movement.

Parks’ act of defiance ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott and became a catalyst for the broader struggle for civil rights. Sewell, representing the

Gardner’s final tumultuous six months as Circuit Attorney.

“We hired 24 attorneys, with 12 of them being former assistant circuit attorneys and five of them being experienced prosecutors from other jurisdictions,” Gore’s update stated.

14 support staff members have been added

district where Parks’ arrest occurred, emphasized the significance of recognizing this momentous occasion.

As Rep. Sewell’s first bill in the 118th Congress, the Rosa Parks Day Act (H.R. 308) is of particular significance to the congresswoman and CBC members.

“Rosa Parks’ bravery on that December day

including victim advocates and paralegals to address a backlog of discovery.

There is currently a backlog of 250 homicides and about 6,700 cases pending in the warrant office left by Gardner. Of the 250 homicide cases, 53 have been disposed.

Criminal defense attorney David Mueller

changed the course of history, and it is only fitting that we honor her legacy with a federal holiday,” Sewell stated.

“It’s time for our nation to officially recognize the contributions of a woman and a Black woman to the fight for equality.”

Currently, the United States lacks a federal holiday dedicated explicitly

announced he would seek the Democratic nomination while Gardner was still in office. Also, Gardner could choose to run again.

Gore was the first African American partner at the law firm Dowd Bennett, a position he left to become the circuit attorney.

According to his

to honoring a woman or a Black woman.

The Rosa Parks Day Act seeks to rectify this by amending Section 6103(a) of Title 5, United States Code, to include “Rosa Parks Day” as a legal public holiday, placing it alongside other significant national observances.

The bill’s proponents argue that recognizing

biography on the law firm’s website, Gore tried over 20 cases, including cases involving breach of contract, product liability, misappropriation of trade secrets, securities fraud, breach of trust, employment and property damage claims.

Before joining Dowd Bennett, he served as a law clerk

Rosa Parks’ arrest as a federal holiday would pay tribute to her courage and serve as a broader symbol of the ongoing struggle for equality and justice.

“This is not just about Black history. It’s about American history,” said Sewell.

Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore speaks with supporters after he announced on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023 he will run for the office in 2024.

“I know that all of us, this whole nation, have benefited from the courage and bravery of this one woman,” Sewell said.

Horsford said instituting a Rosa Parks Day is important “because of the rise in efforts to erase and rewrite history – Black history.”

“That is why it’s important for us to reclaim our history, to honor our history, to promote our history,” he said.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

to the Honorable John R. Gibson of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals; an assistant U.S. attorney; an assistant special counsel for the Waco investigation; an associate at Williams & Connolly LLP; and a partner at Bryan Cave LLP.

St. Louis honored for addressing health disparities

St. Louis American

St. Louis is one of just seven American cities out of 75 to be awarded a gold medal by CityHealth, an initiative of the de Beaumont Foundation and Kaiser Permanente.

The award comes in recognition “for the city’s commitment to implementing policies that address critical health disparities and enhance residents’ access to healthy options that allow their communities to thrive,” according to CityHealth, which evaluated the collective implementation and quality of 12 evidence-based policies.

“We must wrap our arms around our communities and create opportunities for everyone to thrive, regardless of their skin color, zip code, or any identity they hold. By using data-driven solutions to address public health issues, we can build a

sustainable future where everyone can succeed,” said Mayor Tishaura O. Jones of St. Louis

St. Louis received a bronze medal during last year’s assessment

“Working alongside city leaders and partners, our goal is to empower local stakeholders to transform health outcomes across the country,” said CityHealth Co-Executive Director Catherine Patterson, MPP.

“The CityHealth model serves as a framework to equip leaders, policymakers and residents with tools to drive meaningful health improvements in their cities to help them lead healthier lives today and in the future.”

CityHealth annually recognizes cities nationwide by awarding gold, silver, bronze, or no medals across various policy categories. The policies are designed to ensure that all residents have access to secure housing, physical

and mental well-being, and a flourishing environment.

“We are thrilled to see more than half of the largest cities across the country increasingly adopting health-oriented policies aimed at addressing pressing challenges that are faced by communities,” said CityHealth Co-Executive Director Katrina Forrest, JD.

“Our local leaders are operating at the intersection of complex and convergent issues; everything from homelessness and housing affordability to food insecurity. This growth is encouraging as it clearly shows that local leaders are seeing the critical role they play in promoting health equity through policy.”

For complete results, including individual medals by policy area, please visit: cityhealth. org/2023-assessment/

Confluence Academies:

20 years of achievement and impact

Special to The American

This school year, Confluence Academies celebrates a 20-year journey of helping pre-K-12 students in the City of St. Louis and their communities achieve more. Starting as a single school educating a few hundred students and supporting their families in St. Louis’ Old North neighborhood, Confluence has grown to five campuses throughout the city, educating nearly 2,600 students. Over two decades, Confluence schools have built a reputation for driving achievement by focusing on the whole student while supporting their families and communities.

Today, Confluence students learn at Old North Academy, South City Academy, Aspire Academy, Confluence Preparatory Academy, and Grand Center Arts Academy. Aspire serves students in PreK-2nd grade. Old North serves students in PreK-8th grade. South City serves students in grades PreK-8th grade. Confluence Preparatory serves students in grades 9th-12th, and Grand Center Arts serves students in grades 6th-12th. Confluence schools include a focus on reading, math, science, technology, the arts, and extra-curricular activities nurturing a well-rounded school experience for its students. Beyond traditional academics, Confluence’s curriculum brings awareness to important social issues

facing its students as well.

“Part of Confluence’s dramatic growth in our first 20 years is our commitment to developing the whole child by fostering critical thinking, creativity, and empathy, while also working to strengthen the communities our students live in,” said Dr. Candice Carter-Oliver, Confluence Academies CEO. “This approach prepares students academically of course, but it also better equips them to contribute positively in a changing, sometimes difficult, society. In the communities we serve, it enables us to form partnerships to address critical needs, recognizing that achievement in the classroom is greatly affected by what happens outside the classroom.”

The partnerships Confluence form enable it to add more services, experiences, and overall

value to the students, families, and communities its schools serve. In the wider community, they enable Confluence to support students and their families through needed programs like a school-based health clinic which improves health and wellness by increasing access to primary medical and behavioral health care, while helping improve student attendance and academic achievement.

Within Confluence schools, these partnerships enable many resources and programs that enrich students and families. Confluence and Saint Louis Public Schools recently created Educators for Gun Safety, designed to address the alarming number of gun-related deaths and injuries among students in our city. Other collaborations with U.S. Representative

Cori Bush and the Library of Congress enabled Confluence to secure new library books, while organizations like Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. help to foster a love for reading through the Ivy Readers program, enhancing student engagement with literature and learning. Preparing students for real-world challenges through diverse and contemporary learning experiences is a major focus of Confluence’s approach to partnerships. For example, Confluence partners with The Sophia Project to focus on educating tweens and teens about the digital world. Other programs offer unique culinary experiences with a competition style cook-off, where middle school students compete in the kitchen, which not only enhances their cooking talents but also promotes teamwork and

As each of us gets older, what we need for our healthcare changes— sometimes more than once. That’s why Humana has providers like Oak Street Health in our network that specialize in geriatric care. We connect you with doctors who take time to get to know you, offering care that evolves alongside you and a dedicated team who prioritizes your whole health. Specialized primary care for adults 65+ A professional care team that takes the time to listen Care beyond

creativity. Other students benefit from the Podcast Club, which enables them to develop skills in communication, technology, storytelling, and creativity. Partnerships with major organizations like Boeing and St. Louis Community College give Confluence high school students access to the Boeing PreEmployment Training Program, providing them with practical skills and exposure to career opportunities in engineering and technology. The collaborations with leading regional arts organizations also give students access to a diverse range of successful artists, enhancing their creativity and helping to generate breathtaking student art, dance, and theater.

These are just a few examples of the partnerships that have powered Confluence’s growth as schools of choice for so many families in the City of St. Louis. “The achievements of our students and the positive impact they have on their communities are powerful examples of the dedication, talent and creativity of Confluence Academies teachers and staff,” Dr. Carter-Oliver said. “Over two decades, this team has built an extraordinary network of schools. The growing skill of our students and the strengths of our communities are the result. As far as we’ve come in 20 years, we all know there is so much more to do.”

North City 3451 Union Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63115 Florissant 472 N. Highway 67 Florissant, MO 63031

Jennings 8033 W. Florissant Ave. Jennings, MO 63136

Other Providers are available in our network. Provider may also contract with other plan sponsors. Important! At Humana, it is important you are treated fairly. Humana Inc. and its subsidiaries comply with applicable Federal Civil Rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, ancestry, marital status or religion. ATTENTION: If you do not speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-855-360-4575 (TTY: 711) Español (Spanish): ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingü.stica. Llame al 1-800-706-6167 (TTY: 711)

Photos courtesy of Confluence Academy

Above: Dean Christopher Miller reviews schoolwork with a Confluence Preparatory Academy scholar.

Left: Confluence Academies’ students celebrate International Day of the Girl with The Sophia Project at the Sun Theater.

Yes, Black couples face fertility issues too

‘Our community avoids this conversation’

By Anissa Durham Word in Black

Long-held stereotypes, medical bias, and stigma have convinced society that Black people don’t deal with infertility. Unfortunately, this type of medical misinformation has also convinced healthcare providers and Black couples. But their assumptions are far from the truth.

A new report by CCRM, a leading fertility clinic network spearheaded by Dr. Stephanie Marshall Thompson, found that Black men and women are not immune to fertility issues. Dr. Thompson, a reproductive

endocrinology and infertility specialist, surveyed 1,000 Black individuals about their experience for the Black Fertility Matters survey, conducted after the launch of the Black Fertility Matters Fund in May.

The report cites the long-held belief that Black women are fertile, the misconception that Black people have lots of babies and a historical lack of education as factors that have prevented folks from getting accurate information and access to care.

Of the more than two dozen

questions respondents were asked; Thompson says she wasn’t surprised by the responses. With 18 years of experience, she says the goal was to validate what she has seen with her patients.

The report finds that nearly 55% of respondents think there are stigmas surrounding Black individuals and infertility. The most selected answer was that Black individuals are less likely to seek fertility treatment.

Thompson says the belief that Black women are fertile is rooted in slavery. Those stigmas persist

A healthy boost to winter comfort foods

By Dr. Graham A. Colditz Siteman Cancer Center

n Comfort foods aren’t the healthiest of choices. They can be high in unhealthy fats, calories, and refined grains, and have few nutritious vegetables.

It’s the time of year when we’re drawn to comfort foods. As the days get shorter and hats and coats take center stage in the closet, many of us seek out dishes that warm us up. While comfort foods vary, they commonly include casseroles, soups, stews, and noodle dishes, among others. They’re often familiar foods we may have grown up with or been introduced to at pivotal times in our lives. During the colder months, they can feel as much a part of the season as spiced apple cider and hot chocolate. At the same time, many comfort foods aren’t the healthiest of choices. They can be high in unhealthy fats, calories, and refined grains, and have few nutritious vegetables. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have them, but it may be healthiest to keep some dishes on the occasional list, rather than the regular menu. When we do enjoy some of our favorites, though, one way to give them a health boost while also keeping their familiar flavors is to use whole-grain noodles in place of standard refinedgrain noodles. This can work well in stroganoffs, many casseroles, macaroni and cheese, lasagna, noodle soups, stirfries with noodles, and pasta dishes. While Americans are eating slightly more whole grains than before, most of us still fall short of recommendations

Wash U brings ‘long COVID’ care to underserved communities

By Marta Wegorzewska Washington University

In 2020, overwhelmed hospitals and excessive fatalities defined a world grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic. Simultaneously, a new challenge emerged: A growing population struggled to recover fully from COVID-19.

Patients coined the term “long COVID” to describe their prolonged health challenges that can linger months after initial coronavirus infection. Eventually, long-COVID clinics and programs focused on treating patients with long COVID, opened around the country, including at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Physicians and researchers at the

Receives $4.5 federal million grant

School of Medicine are working with community partners to identify needs and better deliver services to medically vulnerable and underserved communities in the St. Louis metropolitan region and rural Missouri.

The Washington University healthcare team was awarded a five-year grant totaling $4.5 million from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Eight other teams around the country also were awarded the grant.

“Under-resourced communities in St. Louis and rural Missouri have been disproportionately affected by

See COVID, A11

Tanya Dotson (left) and Amy DeFranco, DPT, a Washington University physical therapist who provided Dotson with care early in her recovery from long COVID, embrace during a meeting on the medical campus in November that included community partners, patients, physicians, and other care providers. The group met to kick off a collaboration led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and aimed at advancing long-COVID care in medically vulnerable and underserved communities in the St. Louis metropolitan region and rural Missouri.

A new report dispels stereotypes about the fertility of Black people. Docs say chronic illness and misinformation add to fertility issues. 55% of respondents think there are stigmas surrounding Black individuals and infertility.

Photo courtesy of Word in Black

Dr. Graham A. Colditz

Photo by Matt Miller

Fertility

Continued from A10

in health care settings, when Black women are dismissed for struggling with fertility issues or physicians assume it’ll be easy to get pregnant.

“I think as a community we don’t talk about infertility. We don’t talk about attempts to get pregnant and miscarriage,” Thompson says. “It goes back to this narrative that Black women are supposed to be fertile … we’re supposed to be strong;

COVID

Continued from A10

COVID-19 and have not always been able to access the care they need and deserve for long COVID,” said Abby L. Cheng, MD, a Washington University physical medicine and rehabilitation physician and lead principal investigator on the grant.

“A community-wide partnership, involving patients, trusted community organizations, primary care teams, medical subspecialists. and experts from other health-care disciplines, aims to increase available resources for these underserved populations. Community partners include: the St. Louis Integrated Health Network, St. Louis Regional Health Commission and four St. Louis Federal Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). The latter are outpatient clinics that qualify for reimbursement under Medicare and Medicaid and offer comprehensive, high-quality primary care and preventive services regardless of patients’ ability to pay.

Washington University’s long-COVID clinic opened in October 2020. Given the overwhelming need and multifaceted nature of the illness, a multidisciplinary group of clinicians across the School of Medicine care for long-COVID patients.

The clinic, overseen by the school’s Division of Infectious Diseases, evaluates and refers patients to various services, including the Living Well Center, a lifestyle-medicine-based center within the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

This initiative aims to increase and improve long-COVID care in St. Louis and in Missouri rural communities. It will support primary care physicians in the region as they diagnose and manage long-COVID-related symptoms in their patients, in part by improving communication and the referral process between primary care teams and specialists at Washington University. The expectation is that such collaborations will reduce wait times and boost access to care.

“Our community

Colditz

Continued from A10

that at least half of the grains we eat each day be whole grains. Switching out the types of noodles we use can be an uncomplicated way to work toward that goal. And there can be real benefits to doing so.

we’re not supposed to face adversity. We’re supposed to be superwoman.” What people don’t realize is just how difficult it is for most women to get pregnant, Thompson says. A woman’s peak reproductive years are between the late teens and late 20s, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists And it’s not just women who struggle with fertility issues. Of the men surveyed, nearly 20% struggle with infertility. Common causes of male infertility include

low sperm production, abnormal sperm function, or blockages that prevent

Dr. Stephanie Marshall Thompson, a reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist, led the recent Black Fertility Matters survey which found that Black men and women are not immune to fertility issues.

the delivery of sperm, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The narrative of Black male masculinity deems them to be virile and promiscuous — stereotypes that are rooted in slavery. Generational traumas have impacted the way Black men view their masculinity and ability to have children.

With so much misinformation found online, Thompson says turning to reputable websites is key.

CCRM asked respondents where respondents go for information.

The top answers were WebMD, HealthLine,

and What to Expect, all of which Thompson cites as reputable sources.

The Black community is disproportionately impacted by chronic illness that makes it even more difficult to get pregnant, Thompson says. This is why it’s important to acknowledge the experiences of Black men and women in their fertility journey.

“We don’t need to suffer in silence. We don’t need to suffer alone,” Thompson says. “We need to be seeking support systems.”

partners have taught us that equipping primary care teams — teams that already take care of underserved patients on a daily basis — with practical clinical tools and long-COVID-treatment option updates is a more effective, equitable strategy than solely increasing patient access to our single clinic,” explained Cheng, an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. She added that many patients prefer to receive care within their trusted “medical home,” such as at an FQHC, rather than to navigate the university’s system if it is unfamiliar to them.

The narratives longCOVID patients often share have a common theme: the persistent struggle to obtain care — like that of a north St. Louis resident who, unable to work remotely, contracted COVID-19 early in the pandemic, Cheng recalled. The patient developed long COVID, which included

Whole grains are filled with fiber and many other important nutrients that get removed to make refined grains such as white flour and white rice. Studies show that eating more whole grains can lower the risk of weight gain, diabetes, heart disease and cancer – and may even help us live longer. You can usually find whole-grain noodles right

n A north St. Louis resident who, unable to work remotely, contracted COVID-19 early in the pandemic, Cheng recalled. The patient developed long COVID, which included breathing issues, brain fog and fatigue. The illness led to the loss of her job and, consequently, the loss of her health insurance.

breathing issues, brain fog and fatigue. The illness led to the loss of her job and, consequently, the loss of her health insurance.

“We cannot help patients with their medical needs if we don’t address the social piece first,” said Cheng, who also has a master’s degree in population health sciences.

The funding will support two case managers to help patients access social resources and manage complex paperwork, including health insurance and financial assistance forms, which can be daunting even when not experiencing debilitating symptoms.

in the pasta aisle, and they come in an increasing number of varieties and shapes that fit perfectly into many traditional recipes. While these noodles are most commonly made from whole wheat, others are made from brown rice, quinoa, and other grains. Some whole-grain noodles can have a mild, nutty taste. So, experiment to see which you like best in

Stigma and skepticism surrounding long COVID also have hindered patient care. The Washington University team will partner with the Missouri Primary Care Association to disseminate knowledge, raise awareness and improve communication and collaboration in areas that can be harder to reach, including rural Missouri communities with limited wireless and broadband access.

“Long COVID is real and ubiquitous,” said Cheng. “We have heard varying degrees of awareness regarding what long

which recipes, and you can start slowly. Try using half whole-grain noodles and half regular noodles first. Then increase the amount of whole grain over time. Winter can be remarkably busy, between work, school, family, and the holidays. However, it’s important that we continue to look after our own health and well-being even as our schedules fill

COVID can look like, what causes it and how to treat it. Because primary care physicians understand patients from their whole medical perspective, they are in a key position to recognize long-COVID symptoms. They are also extremely busy. We want to support primary care teams with the tools that they tell us they need to provide best practice longCOVID care.”

The team is collaborating with Mirna Becevic, PhD, an assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine in Columbia, Missouri.

Becevic works with a network of hundreds of primary care physicians through a virtual teleconference platform, the Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO).

The multidisciplinary clinical group at Washington University will develop and deliver long-COVID educational sessions to this already

up. This can mean getting enough sleep, taking time to relax, going out for regular walks or other exercise, and trying to keep up with healthy eating. Adding whole grains to some of our recipes can be one quick and easy way to work toward that. Enjoy the holidays –and have a healthy and happy New Year. It’s your health. Take

established physician network. Such sessions aim to spread awareness of current best practices and to encourage primary care clinicians, who care for rural and underserved patients in St. Louis and elsewhere in Missouri, to discuss challenging patient cases. Other Washington University co-principal investigators on the grant include behavioral scientist Amy McQueen, PhD, and infectious diseases physician Jonas Marschall, MD, professors of medicine. A multidisciplinary group of long-COVID clinicians is supporting the project, including key players Gayathri Krishnan, MD, an assistant professor of medicine and director of the long-COVID clinic, and Devyani Hunt, MD, a professor of orthopedic surgery and medical director of the Living Well Center. Marta Wegorzewska, Washington University senior science writer

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

Photo by Matt Miller

Theresa C. Notestine, DPT, a clinical practice manager and physical therapist at Washington University, listens as Tanya Dotson shares her struggles with long COVID during a meeting in November on the Medical Campus. The gathering was aimed at building a collaboration to advance medical care for long COVID patients in underserved areas of metropolitan St. Louis and rural Missouri.

Nutrition Challenge:

When is the last time you tried a new food?

have some of the best nutritional content.

Try New Foods— Adventure! Get Moving! Walk!

Break into small groups and come up with a list of five fruits or vegetables that you have never tasted. Compare your list with those of the other groups. Now as a class, pick three of these that you would like to try. Research to see which

Write a letter to a few local grocery stores to see if one of them would be willing to donate the new, “adventure” foods for your class to try. (Or perhaps your class could create another way to

Exercise Challenge:

Walk! Walking is one of the best forms of exercise and most of us can do it. While always keeping safety in mind, seek out opportunities to walk each day. Your goal should be to walk for at

As the weather starts to turn colder, flu season can hit area schools. To avoid passing/or getting someone else’s germs, remember to:

> Sneeze into a tissue and immediately throw it away.

purchase these new foods.) If a store does donate to your class, be sure to take a picture of your class tasting the new food and send it to the store’s manager along with a thank-you letter. Adding variety to your diet helps you eat healthier. Give it a try!

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

least 30 minutes, 5 days per week.

Learning Standards: HPE 1, NH 1, NH 5

> If caught without a tissue, sneeze into your elbow (while turning away from your friends). Do not sneeze into your hands!

> Wash your hands frequently throughout the day and avoid touching your face: eyes, nose, and mouth.

Learning Standards: HPE 3, NH 1, NH 7

doing vital signs, head to toe assessments, helping to feed and bathe the infants, testing on infants, monitoring for complications on mom and baby, and tons of post-delivery education.

Why did you choose this career? As a young girl, I volunteered at the Faith House, a home for children whose parents were addicted to drugs. And by doing that, I discovered my passion to care for and nurture people. I just naturally always wanted to help, so I knew I would do something in the field of healthcare.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? My favorite part about my job is welcoming new life into the world and helping families adjust to the new little being in their lives!

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

Jerica Vaught, RN, BSN

Sneezing Season!

The St.

Fifth-grade students Samayia Jones and Da’Mariah Anderson in Ms. Stovall’s class at Gateway MST Elementary School, are investigating energy transformations using circuits.

Cell phones are constantly changing and evolving, offering many new features and designs. These advances also bring about responsibility and expectation. Remember the following rules and guidelines when using your cell phone.

z Silence is Golden—When you are in public, your phone should ALWAYS be on silent.

x To Talk or Not to Talk—If you receive a phone call, it is not polite to answer your phone in a public place or in the company of others. You need to excuse yourself to a private location.

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

Background Information:

In this experiment, you will explore the properties of static electricity.

Materials Needed: • Balloon • Unflavored Gelatin Powder • Paper Plate• Wool Scarf or Sweater

Process:

q Pour unflavored gelatin powder on a paper plate.

w Blow up a balloon, and tie it shut.

e Rub something made of wool against the balloon for 10 seconds. The balloon is now charged.

MATH CONNECTION

Use your math skills to compare these three cell phone plans and complete the chart.

Plan A = $30/month. The first 200 texts are free. Each additional text is 10 cents.

cTasteful Texting

Be sure your texts are respectful. Do not text anything you would be embarrassed or ashamed to share with everyone faceto-face.

v Say Cheese—when taking pictures, you must ask the person their permission before

taking his or her picture. It is not acceptable to take a picture of a person without their consent or permission. Do not share or post photos that may embarrass someone. If in doubt, ask first.

b App Allure—When downloading apps, be sure you are mindful of the cost and the amount of data that it consumes. Also, be sure you have your parents’ permission before you download anything to your phone.

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

r Hold the area that is charged (the part that you rubbed) above the plate of gelatin. What happens? Slowly raise the balloon. What happens?

t Next, alter the experiment. Try using flavored gelatin that is sweetened and gelatin with artificial sweetener. Try replacing gelatin with salt. Try rubbing the balloon with a different material, like polyester or silk. Change one item in the experiment, create a hypothesis for how it will change the results, and repeat the experiment.

Learning Standards: I can follow sequential directions to complete an experiment. I can analyze results.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER, INVENTOR, AND BUSINESS EXECUTIVE: Jesse Russell

Jesse E. Russell was born in Nolensville, Tennessee, on April 26, 1948. He grew up in inner-city Nashville with his parents and ten siblings. Russell was an honor student and earned his bachelor’s degree from Tennessee State University in electrical engineering in 1972. He was the first African American to be hired by AT&T Bell Laboratories directly from a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). In 1973, he earned his master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University.

While at Bell Laboratories, Russell worked in the cellular and wireless communication field, introducing digital cellular technology in the US. He holds three patents for cell phone technology systems. He served as vice president of Advanced Communications Technologies for AT&T from 1996 to 2000. Then, he became the president and CEO of incNETWORKS, Inc. — a company which develops wireless voice, video, and data communications equipment.

Russell is considered to be an inventor, engineer, and business executive. He has worked in numerous professional organizations, presented at conferences, and received many awards. Eta Kappa Nuand named him the Outstanding Young Electrical and Computer Engineer Award. In 1992, he was named U.S. Black Engineer of the Year. He is a member of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc, Eta Kappa Nu, and the National Academy of Engineering.

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

Use the newspaper to complete the following activities.

Activity One — Figurative

Language: The sports section is a great place to find examples of figurative language. Use the sports section to find examples of idioms, similes, metaphors, and hyperbole.

Plan B = $40/month. The first 1,000 texts are free. Each additional text is 10 cents.

Plan C = $65/month. The first 2,500 texts are free. Each additional text is 10 cents.

Analyze: Based on the results and your family’s use of texting, which plan would be best for you? Why?

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

DID YOU KNOW?

This special Newspaper In Education initiative is made possible, and delivered to classrooms, through The

Activity Two — Fractions to Decimals: Use the newspaper to find examples of numbers that can be written as fractions, for example ½ dozen eggs, ¾ cup of sugar. Change these fractions to a decimal, ex: ½ = .5, ¾ = .75.

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can identify figurative language. I can convert fractions to decimals.

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

Photo by Ms. Stovall

Fun with Electric Gelatin

Business

Helping women ‘get unstuck’

A conversation with Leslie Gill of Rung for Women

Leslie Gill was named president of the nonprofit Rung for Women in summer of 2020.

By Chris King For The St. Louis American

Leslie Gill left her CEO role at Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center in 2017 to become president – and the first and then-only employee – of Rung for Women, a non-profit devoted to empowering women in the workplace.

Today Rung has 40 employees, including its own farmer, on about five acres in the Fox Park neighborhood, with a campus that is about 65,000 square feet. Rung has worked with close to 500 women since it started in 2021, according to Gill, and they

intend to keep growing those numbers.

“Our focus is not necessarily to stop the bleeding for people who are in crisis,” she said. “There are lots of great organizations who focus on that population. Our focus is to help build and strengthen the middle class.”

The American spoke to her about Rung for Women, her own remarkable career, and our region.

St. Louis American: What’s new with Rung for Women, and what’s next?

Leslie Gill: We welcomed our first class in March of 2021, and just as of

September 11 we have started our fifth class. We are focused on helping women move into careers where historically women have been under-represented. These are careers that don’t require a bachelor’s degree and that won’t be obsolete or automated in the next five to 10 years, and careers that will pay a thriving wage and have growth potential. Those sectors are technology, advanced manufacturing and geospatial, based on the Greater STL 2030 Jobs Report.

We focus not just on career acceleration and training and exposure to new job sectors, but also on wellness. Research

See GILL, B2

Pushing the gas pedal

By Lori Lee and Steven N. Larkin NNPA Newswire

In Detroit in 1998, Rainbow PUSH launched its Automotive Project to work with automotive manufacturing companies to ensure African Americans and people of color have access to opportunities in the industry.

The Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr. founded the initiative and many leaders of global automotive returned to Detroit Nov. 14-15 for the 24th Annual Automotive Project Summit. Jackson’s health left him unable to attend. However, his presence was felt as it has been for almost a quarter of a century as the driving force behind the call for automotive industry inclusion and diversity at all levels.

This year’s theme was “Affirming Diversity in the EV Sector,” a concept that is critical to the future sustainability of the industry. Over 300 auto executives, entrepreneurs, suppliers, dealers, manufacturers, consumers, and government officials attended.

A highlight of the summit is the annual release of the Rainbow PUSH Diversity Scorecard, which assesses See RAINBOW PUSH, B2

PeoPle on the Move

Collier inducted into MO Sports Hall of Fame

St. Louis native Khalia Collier was recently inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Collier, who graduated with a B.S. in communications studies from Missouri Baptist University, is being honored for her success and impact as a sports executive in St. Louis. She is the owner of St. Louis Surge, a professional women’s basketball team, a venture she began a decade ago at just 23 years old. In her time as Surge owner, the team has won two national championships in the Global Women’s Basketball Association. In 2020, Collier was named VP of community relations for St. Louis City SC, the newest Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion team.

Dr. Draper joins Affinia Healthcare

Dr. Iesha Draper has joined Affinia Healthcare as a staff pediatrician at the new location in Ferguson, Missouri. Dr. Draper is a graduate of Riverview Gardens High School, and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She earned her doctorate in osteopathic medicine at A.T. Still University School of Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri, and completed her residency at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital/St. Louis University.

Clarke

Fennell named AD at Maryville

Maryville University announced the promotion of Brittany Clarke Fennell to the role of athletic director, effective 2024. Fennell has been an integral part of Maryville’s athletics program, serving as associate athletic director and senior woman administrator since July 2016. Fennell’s contributions extend beyond the Maryville campus. She has been an active member of the NCAA Division II regional women’s golf committee and has participated in several conference committees.

Wilson promoted to VP at Urban Strategies

Erika Wilson has been named vice president of marketing communications at Urban Strategies, Inc. (USI). As a senior level executive, Wilson is responsible for the oversight of the marketing and communications strategy including the development and implementation of campaigns, overseeing service launches, communicating company values to stakeholders, generating interest to position the organization for future growth and more. Wilson holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations and journalism from Indiana State University and a master’s degree in management from Fontbonne University.

Khalia Collier

Iesha Draper

Photo by Elizabeth Wiseman / St. Louis Public Radio

Photo by Bill Sanders

Brittany Clarke Fennell

Yvette Hunsicker, Honda Motor Company corporate social responsibility, inclusion, and diversity vice president, was honored as an Emerging Leader during the 24th Rainbow Push Automotive Project Summit in Detroit. John Graves (left), Automotive Project chair, and former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. presented her with the award.

Erika Wilson

Rainbow PUSH

Continued from B1

employment, advertising, marketing, procurement, philanthropy, and African American automobile dealership ownership.

When compared to scores when the rating system debuted in 2012, manufacturers are demonstrating improvement in all categories.

Toyota, Stellantis, GM, and Nissan scored “green” in almost every category. Further, no company has scored red for the past two years.

The Rev. Dr. Frederick D. Haynes III, Rainbow Push Coalition chair, and John Graves, Automotive Project chair, continue engaging corporate executives to expand opportunities for Black America.

“We must be headlights, not taillights in the automotive industry. Each auto company must serve as headlights, leading the industry from the front. In doing so, they will become the guiding light for economic parity,” Haynes said, paraphrasing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“Rainbow PUSH and the automotive industry have worked collectively to achieve advances in diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Diversity Equity and Inclusion Office was non-existent when we began our journey. Currently all auto companies have heads of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“Rev. Jesse Jackson challenged the auto industry to submit confidential surveys that were utilized to create a diversity scorecard, as a result, companies have implemented intentional programs.”

Ford CEO Jim Farley, General Motors CEO Mary Barra, and Toyota CEO Ted Ogawa were recognized for “being at the forefront of leading automakers to improve their relationship with the Global Autom.”

The two-day conference included panel discussions that promoted conversations regarding ways companies are working to increase opportunities for minorities, and new ways that African American suppliers can be more a part of the industry.

Kim Adams House, head of multicultural marketing and advertising for Stallantis; Meliza Humphrey, senior marketing manager for Acura; and Tarshena Armstrong, GM director of diversity marketing and development, discussed the impact electric vehicles (EV) could have on Black suppliers.

Several African Americans doing outstanding work in the auto industry are honored during the conference.

Emerging Leaders recipient was Yvette Hunsicker, Honda Motor Company corporate social responsibility, inclusion, and diversity vice president.

Living Legend recipients were Jimmie Comer, Comer Holdings LLS founder, and Andra Rush, The Rush Group founder.

Automotive Pioneer recipients were Dave Bing, founder of the Bing Group automotive supply corporation and former Detroit mayor, and attorney Elliot Hall, retired vice president of Dealer Development for Ford Motor Corporation.

“For me, being honored as an Emerging Leader was a great acknowledgement of the growth that we’ve seen since then, and it speaks to the future we will have when we continue to raise diverse experiences in the automotive industry,” said Hunsicker

Senior vice presidents Bob Young of Toyota Motor North America, Mike Lapham of Honda, and Jeffrey Morrison of GM discussed during a luncheon session the improvements their respective companies are implementing in supplier diversity and inclusion.

Haynes announced that $500,000 in scholarships will be awarded by the automotive industry. Companies contributing to the scholarship fund are CVS, Toyota, General Motors, Nissan, Stallantis, Ford Motor Company, Hyundai Motor North America, American Honda, Volkswagen, Hyundai Motor America, Kia America, and Subaru.

More information about the Rainbow PUSH Automotive Project and the Diversity Scorecard can be found at Automotive Project.org.

Gill

Continued from B1 shows that when there is an area of life that is out of whack, everything is out of whack. For women who were suffering with mental health issues or physical health issues, it was hard to decouple that from being professionally productive.

St. Louis American: Who started this, and who’s paying for it?

Leslie Gill: We were started as a resell clothing boutique about 10 years ago, and our founder, Ali Hogan, had this vision to create a space where women could come and really invest in themselves. Almost 10 years later, her vision has come to fruition. Her grandfather was Jack Taylor, so she’s obviously from a very committed and generous family, and Ali sees this as her personal legacy. Now we’re working towards sustaining ourselves.

St. Louis American: If someone reads this story and wants to get involved, what does she do?

Leslie Gill: In terms of eligibility, the minimum age is 25, high school diploma or GED, intrinsically motivated to want to change your life and able to get to our campus in South City. Our average age is 37, so we are trending slightly older. That was what I anticipated, because women get to a point in life where they want to do something different, they want to get unstuck, and Rung is the space where they can do that.

We do a fall and a spring cohort. Our first class had just over 900 applicants for about 100 slots. Our class that just started on September 11 had 500 applicants for

60 slots. We never say no, we might say not now, but we are not turning people away.

St. Louis American: If someone’s reading this story and says, “Well, I’m not gonna try to compete with all these other people,” what can a woman do without coming to Rung to make themselves more likely to advance?

Leslie Gill: Men will go for the job, even if they don’t meet all the criteria. Women won’t go for the job because they don’t think they meet the criteria; they just talk themselves out of it. Don’t talk yourself out of it – go for it.

St. Louis American: What’s been your learning curve like going from Annie Malone to Rung?

Leslie Gill: When I started talking to Ali about the job, it was at a time in my career when I was incredibly frustrated, because we were starting to see the next generation of kids coming into care because of abuse and neglect. So, we were seeing kids of kids who had been at Annie Malone, and that was criminal. So, when I was approached about the role, I felt like I could really make a difference and help shift the trajectory in terms of generational poverty. About 70% of our members are women of color, and they are mostly coming from St. Louis city and North County. It also was deeply personal for me. I had been through a divorce. I was a single mom. I could look at generations of women in my family – if they had had a Rung community to really help them think about career and growth, how different my life could have been. Financially, for me, it was a lateral move. I was making the same money.

The St. Louis Area Diaper Bank and its St. Louis Alliance for Period Supplies program recently partnered with Rung for Women to provide period supplies to its 100 members and the St. Louis community. Leslie Gill, Rung president (left) was joined by Muriel Smith, Diaper Bank executive director, when the partnership was announced in 2021.

Photo courtesy of Rung for Women

n “As players, we are indebted to the [Negro Leagues] pioneers who came before us.”

– CC Sabathia, team captain for exhibition game in May honoring Negro League All Stars

InSIdE SportS

By Earl Austin Jr.

Doing the bump!

Cardinal Ritter rips Republic to win state championship

Cardinal Ritter College Prep’s football team was like a fast-moving train throughout the 2023 season as it rolled through its competition.

Despite the effort of a solid Republic team, the Lions roared to a 38-25 victory to win the Missouri Class 5 state championship on Friday night at Faurot Field on the campus of the University of Missouri-Columbia.

It was the second consecutive state championship for the Lions, but what’s more significant is that this year’s title came in Class 5. After claiming the Class 3 state title last year, Ritter was bumped up two classes to Class 5 due to the state’s “success multiplier formula.” The Lions became the first football program in the state’s history to win a state title after being bumped two classes.

Cardinal Ritter also ran its impressive winning streak to 28 games, going 14-0 in successive seasons. Its last loss came in the Class 3 state semifinals against Kansas City St. Pius X in 2021.

It took the Lions only five plays to display their speed advantage as quarterback Antwon McKay Jr. hooked up with junior wide receiver Dejerrian Miller on a 49-yard touchdown strike. With the subsequent two-point conversion, the Lions took a quick 8-0 lead.

Republic, which was making its first Show-Me Bowl appearance, stayed competitive throughout the contest with its-ball control offense. But the Lions

maintained control with their quick-strike offense, which matched Republic each time it threatened.

Ritter’s biggest standouts shined on the state’s biggest stage. Miller caught four passes for 74 yards and two touchdowns. The elite 6’3” wide receiver finished a remarkable season with 25 touchdowns. Running back Jamarion Paker, who has already committed to Arkansas, rushed for 123 yards, and scored two touchdowns. McKay, a Western Illinois commit, tossed a pair of touchdown passes.

Friday night’s state championship also continued Cardinal Ritter’s recent run of dominance. Cardinal Ritter’s girls have won three consecutive

state championships in track and field. The Lions’ head track coach is Tiffany Spain, who is the wife of Lions football coach Brennan Spain. Ritter’s basketball program has won state championships in three of the past four seasons under the direction of head coach Ryan Johnson.

Girls basketball season underway

The high school girls’ basketball season is off and running in the St. Louis area. Here are a few top players to watch as the season unfolds.

Zoe Best (Incarnate Word Academy): A 5’10” senior forward who has already signed with

D’Myjah Bolds (O’Fallon): A 6’3” senior forward who has already signed with Western Michigan.

Nevaeh Caffey (Incarnate Word Academy): A 5’10” junior point guard who helped the Red Knights to the Class 6 state championship.

Chantrel Clayton (Vashon): A 5’8” senior point guard who led the Wolverines to the Class 4 state title.

Talesha Gilmore (Collinsville): A 6’1” junior forward who is already averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds a

SportS EyE

With Alvin A. Reid

game.

Zha Harris (Lift for Life): A 5’4” sophomore point guard who led the Hawks in scoring as a freshman.

Amaya Manuel (Lift for Life): A talented 5’7” freshman point guard who is currently averaging 17 points a game.

Zoe Newland (Pattonville): A talented 5’7” senior guard who has already signed with Drury University.

Kyoko Proctor (Alton): A 5’6” junior point guard who has already committed to SIUE.

Jarius Powers (Alton):

A 6’0” junior forward who averaged a double-double as a sophomore.

Dasia Scott (Principia): A 6’2” freshman forward who is already averaging 28 points a game.

Hannah Wallace (Cardinal Ritter): A 6’0” senior guard who has signed with Saint Louis University.

Ai’Naya Williams (Cardinal Ritter): A 6’2” senior forward who has already signed with SEMO.

Monet Witherspoon (John Burroughs): A 5’8” senior guard who is an excellent two-way performer.

Prep football season deserves early ‘Auld Lang Syne’

Congratulations to Cardinal Ritter for topping Republic 38-25 on Dec. 1 to win the Missouri Class 5 football championship.

The region, including East St. Louis, fielded several teams that reached state championship games and dozens of players who excelled on the field and in the classroom.

However, I’m relieved the prep football season is over.

It was an embarrassing way to close a season that will be remembered as much for its chaos as its competition.

It began with reported gunfire at games, games being cancelled or halted early, and fan restrictions to ward off possible violence. It ended with the state title game at Faurot Field in Columbia between CBC and Liberty North ending with 3:15 left in the fourth quarter after a reported scuffle between players.

Missouri State High School Activities Association officials recognized the palpable threat of the contest getting out of control and with Liberty holding a 38-7 lead, the contest was cut short.

The season kicked off with Pattonville hosting Ritenour on August 25. During the game, fans fled after hearing what was feared to be gunshots. The game was stopped and did not resume. The madness continued a week later with the Sept. 1 game between host St. Mary’s and Hazelwood East ending early in the fourth quarter after reported gunshots in the vicinity.

Players and coaches laid prostrate on the field as hundreds of people stampeded for exits. The game was not resumed, and Hazelwood was declared the winner because it held a 14-6 lead.

Earlier on Sept. 1, SLPS decided to postpone the Vashon vs. Cardinal Ritter game at STEM High School following fights at Vashon.

“Threats were made, and at this time district

nomena. On August 25, one person was killed, and several others were wounded by gunfire in Choctaw, Oklahoma during a game between Choctaw and Del City.

Gunfire during a Sept. 1 game in Baton Rouge, La., left a 16-year-old student dead and a woman wounded.

Football can bring such joy to teams and communities. Unfortunately, in 2023 it brought much fear and violence.

The Reid HBCU Roundup

leaders feel the safest course of action is to postpone the game,” SLPS said in a release.

Restrictions were put on attendance for Alton’s Sept. 1 football game following a rash of fights at the school the previous day. Throughout the St. Louis region, other high schools adopted similar policies that limited fans at

games to students, parents, and participants. The saddest incident of the season happened in October when a parent disgruntled that his son was not receiving enough playing time opened fire on youth football coach Shaquille Latimore during practice at Sherman Park. St. Louis was not alone in dealing with the phe-

Howard University will make its first Celebration Bowl appearance when the Bison take on the Florida A&M Rattlers at 11 a.m. Dec. 16 in Atlanta. The game between the SWAC and MEAC champions is broadcast on ESPN… There was much fanfare when Grambling State University hired former NFL head coach Hue Jackson before the 2021 season. Jakson lasted just two seasons before being fired last week

after winning only eight games during his tenure… Grambling is considering hiring NFL Hall of Fame member Ed Reed to replace Jackson. Reed was hired as BethuneCookman head coach in December 2022. After a scathing rebuke of the school’s administration and HBCU leaders went viral online two weeks later he was dismissed before coaching a game… HBCU basketball teams have netted some big wins over Power 5 teams. Jackson State guard Chase Adams hit the game-winning jump shot with three seconds left as JSU beat host Missouri 73-72 on Nov. 19… Tai’Reon Joseph scored 27 points and blocked Mississippi State’s final shot as Southern closed on a 12-0 run to stun the No. 21 Bulldogs 60-59 on Dec. 2…Norfolk State last played in-state rival Virginia Commonwealth in 1998 and sought a rematch for 25 years. The underdog Falcons soared over the host Rams 63-60 to post the first-ever win over VCU.

Earl Austin Jr.

SEMO.

Alvin A. Reid

Mayor Tishaura Jones congratulated Cardinal Ritter players and coaches on Tuesday following the team’s state title win over Republic on Dec. 1. Nick Watkins holds the 5A championship trophy as coach Brennan Spain displays a proclamation from the mayor, who is at his left.

Cardinal Ritter junior running back Jamarion Parker (3) stiff arms Republic’s Cameron Allen on his way to a touchdown during the Lions’ 38-25 victory. Parker rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns in the Missouri Class 5 state championship win on Dec. 1, 2023.

Photo by Owen Ziliak / Columbia Missourian

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Anthem hiring for 250 positions in downtown St. Louis

Anthem, the leading health insurer in Missouri, recently announced its plan to bolster its St. Louis team with 250 new jobs. The move marks Anthem’s ongoing commitment to the City of St. Louis.

The additional workforce will be stationed at the company’s longstanding headquarters on Chestnut in downtown St. Louis, marking a positive development for the city’s employment landscape. This expansion signals Anthem’s continued commitment to the region, where it has anchored its state headquarters since the 1970s. Stephanie Vojicic,

president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Missouri, announced the hiring plans at a press event last Thursday morning attended by St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and others.

The specialty pharmacy benefit manager for Anthem is staffing up to service patients across the country. The company is in the process of hiring full-time, longterm positions including pharmacists, nurses, pharmacy technicians, benefits specialists and customer care agents.

“It’s a great day here in the City of St. Louis, especially here in our downtown,” Mayor

St. Louis, Vojicic emphasized the company’s dedication to being an active

participant in the area’s revitalization.

“It’s very easy to

engage and to remain here,” she said. “We think it’s our duty to be part of the revitalization and stay here, especially when there are so many great things going on.”

“Specialty pharmacies are going to be the wave of the future as more and more complex drugs come on the market,” Kathy Osborn, president and CEO of the Regional Business Council said. For the past 85 years, Anthem has provided Missourians broad access to affordable health care. The insurer provides health benefits for nearly 40 percent of City of St. Louis residents.

Cortex secures $7M from state to accelerate tech workforce training

In partnership with the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Cortex has secured a $7M investment from the State of Missouri to address urgent talent shortages in the state’s tech sector

while also providing pathways into tech careers for all Missourians.

The investment into Missouri’s Tech First Initiative, powered by Cortex will provide free comprehensive training,

education, and industry-recognized certification opportunities to a broad spectrum of Missourians, fostering careers in the technology sector.

“St. Louis alone currently has more than

7,000 open cybersecurity positions, and only 11% of the Metro area’s current tech workforce is Black or Hispanic,” said Sen. Brian Williams (D-14, MO). “This project will help move the needle on

both these deficiencies, providing women and minorities tuition-free training and the industry-recognized credentials needed to fill high paying, in-demand jobs. Equity must be a strategy for suc-

SLU receives grant to bolster teacher ranks in underserved school districts

Saint Louis University’s School of Education received a $5.96 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to address teacher shortages in underserved communities.

Through an inventive pilot program, SLU will enroll up to 80 professionals with associate degrees who are already working in school settings in a two-year program, where they will receive a full teaching degree upon completion.

“Our intention is to provide a teaching certification program for those who are already in schools,” said Molly Schaller, Ph.D., associate dean for the School of Education at Saint Louis University.

“The landscape has changed a lot in teacher education. There’s a struggle to have licensed teachers in schools and there’s a struggle for paraprofessionals to earn a living wage.

“This program supports those professionals already working in schools, and it supports school districts

to be able to invest and develop their own teachers. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”

Through the federal Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant, SLU will partner with St. Louis Public Schools, Kansas City Public Schools, Confluence Public Charter System and Kipp School

District to enroll teaching assistants, para-teachers and other education professionals currently working in those school districts. The pilot program plans to enroll its first group of participants in Summer 2024 and the SEED Grant will fully cover tuition costs for those participating. The two-year program will be completed asynchronously online, in parallel to professionals’ current education-related jobs. Each future teacher enrolled in the pilot program will also receive in-person coaching and will be frequently supported by instructional coaches and teacher mentors.

Tishaura Jones said. As Anthem reinforces its presence in Downtown

Living It

“Six months ago, I could not fathom that I would be here.”

- Jamie Foxx discussing his illness after receiving the Critics’ Choice Association Vanguard Award Dec. 4

Don’t call it a comeback:

Nelly’s 11th Black & White Ball shines

By Ashley Winters

The St. Louis American

The entertainment world helped kickoff the holidays in St.Louis as Nelly’s 11th Annual Black & White Ball on Sunday night at the Four Seasons Hotel downtown returned.

The Black & White Ball took a bit of a hiatus, but don’t call it a comeback because everyone was dressed to the nines. Nelly wore a black and white Tom Ford suit jacket with Dolce & Gabbana black tuxedo pants and a black tuxedo shirt. His superstar R&B singer girlfriend Ashanti shocked the crowd in a custom-made high-slit black velvet flower studded dress.

n “Some of these kids are in their darkest moments, but I know if I visit, it can change their mood to something positive.”

- Nelly

Nelly’s annual event partners with the Make-a-Wish Foundation to help raise awareness and donate extravagant gifts for young children in need of a wish to come true. The event also raised money for scholarships to Harris-Stowe State University. Both national and local

Brava to Beyonce’s ‘Renaissance’concert film

By Dwight Brown NNPA film critic

Mother, wife, CEO, and performer. Beyoncé knows who she is. Now the rest of the world will too. Just like her Beehive, a fan club that she showers with love and devotion: “My heart is full. My soul is full.”

The Destiny’s Child lead singer has some news. She’s grown as a solo artist. From a vocalist who can dance her ass off, to a leader who can knit together a

Beyoncé released her concert movie, ‘Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé’ on Thanksgiving weekend and it grossed more than $21 million at the box office.

family of musicians, dancers, designers, and stage crew members and produce an astonishingly beautiful concert tour. One that cataloged 56 dates in 39 cities grossing $579M. Eighth highest grossing concert tour—ever. Highest grossing Black tour—ever. Furthermore, she’s written, co-directed (James B. Merryman, Mark Ritchie) and stars in this doc/ concert film.

celebrities from the music, sports, and entertainment industry graced the ‘Black Carpet’. Ron Isley, Monica, Jermaine Dupri, Bow Wow, and local rap artist Big Voss Vette. Former St. Louis Cardinals players Ozzie Smith and Jon Jayand Jim Edmonds and Issac Keys from the hit HBO show Power.

Nelly says it’s a beautiful feeling to bring the Black & White Ball back to St. Louis, to bring all St. Louisans together. The rapper is inspired by the phenomenal work of the foundation. The St. Louis rap star isn’t doing this for the accolades or cameras. He says when he comes back home, one of his stops is the Children’s Hospital. He purposely doesn’t include a news crew because his visits are genuine,

and about bringing a smile to the kids face.

“A lot of the time, people don’t even know I’m in the hospital. We just pop up,” said Nelly. “Some of these kids are in their darkest

Joy to the world

Grammy-winner Samara Joy returns with holiday show at The Factory

By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American

A year ago, the St. Louis region was blessed to have one of the most incredible young voices ushering in the holiday spirit. And luckily for us, she will be back next week at The Factory at The District doing the exact same thing –although much has changed with respect to her career trajectory in that short span.

Samara Joy: A Joyful Holiday will play Chesterfield’s The Factory at The District at 7 p.m. (6 p.m. doors) on Tuesday, December 12.

gamation of some of the most distinct voices in jazz – the rich tone of Sarah Vaughan, the clarity of Ella Fitzgerald and the phrasing of Nancy Wilson – and yet somehow still all her own.

See Joy, C8 See Film, C8

Even though it had just been announced that she had received two Grammy nominations two weeks before she played Powell Symphony Hall with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and backed by The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra as part of its holiday programming, Samara Joy was far from a household name. The then 21-year-old was an internet sensation thanks to some viral TikTok clips. Even though the snippets were mostly raw footage, they perfectly highlighted her velvety tone that is amal-

See Nelly, C8

All photos by Taylor McIntosh I St. Louis American

Nelly’s 11th Annual Black and White was a star studded event. Pictured above: Celebrity manager Anthony Wilson, singers Monica and Ashanti, Nelly, rapper Bow Wow and producer Polow da Don.

Kandy Johnson-Isley and Ron Isley

Kirk and Rasheeda Frost

Orlando and Carla Pace

STL Sites &Sounds

$25.00 - $65.00

Psalm Theatrics :A

Syncopated Christmas A Holiday Jazz Revue

12/9/2023 2:00pm

12/9/2023 7:00pm New Awakening UMC 8000 Natural Bridge Rd

St. Louis, MO

$15.00

Sir Eddie C & Friends

12/9/2023 9:00pm 3524 Washington Ave

St. Louis, MO

$0.00 - $16.00

Soul Holiday- Mo

Egeston All-Stars & the St. John’s Gospel Choir

12/10/2023 5:00pm 3224 Locust St

St. Louis, MO $25.00

Welshly Arms

12/10/2023 8:00pm Blueberry Hill Duck Room 6504 Delmar Blvd

St. Louis, MO

$18.00

Christmas with Kendrick Smith (saxophone)

12/13/2023 10:00am

This concert is a part of the Sheldon Coffee Concerts Series

Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries

3648 Washington Blvd St. Louis, MO $23

Kenny G: The Miracles Holiday and Hits Tour 2023

12/13/2023 7:30 pm The Factory 17105 North Outer 40

Road St. Louis, MO

$49.50 to $99.50

Preservation Hall Jazz Band: Creole Christmas 12/13/2023 8:00 pm

Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries

3648 Washington Blvd St. Louis, MO $61

Gary’s Fine Dining Presents: Najee 12/13/2023 8:00pm

Sheldon Concert Hall and Art Galleries

3648 Washington Blvd St. Louis, MO

For more information, please call 314.533.9900

ART ACTIVITIES, EXHIBITS AND MUSEUMS

The Color Purple Movie Private Screening

12/9/2023 12:30 pm Chase Park Plaza 212 Kingshighway Blvd.

Marko Polo Registration opens two weeks prior to the event. Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis 3750 Washington Blvd St. Louis, MO

FAIRS, FESTIVALS AND MARKETS

Winterfest

12/8/2023 4:00pm

12/9/2023 12:00pm 12/10/2023 12:00pm 500 Chestnut St. St. Louis, MO 63101 Free

St. Louis, MO 63108

Please contact Diamond Diva Empowerment Foundation to send donations and RSVP Soultry Rhythm & Paint with Rhoda G 12/10/2023 6:00pm 20 Patterson Plaza Florissant, MO $75.00

Family Sunday

12/10/2023 1:00pm Saint Louis Art Museum One Fine Arts Drive St. Louis, MO Free

Laumeier Holiday Pop-Up Shop

12/9/2023 10:00am Share Laumeier

Sculpture Park 12580 Rott Road St. Louis, MO

Play Date: Space & Perspective 12/9/2023 10:00am Hands-on art making, and performances that get everybody moving with guest artists. Performer:

Mercy Holiday Celebration at Lindenwood 12/12/2023 7:30pm SLSO

Lindenwood University’s J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts 2300 W Clay St, St Charles, MO 63301 St. Louis, MO $27 and up

COMMUNITY

SLATE’s Holly Jolly Holiday Hiring Fair 12/8/2023 9:00am SLATE Job Center St. Louis, MO 1520 Market St #3050, St. Louis, MO 63103

Frost Money Presents - Christmas Toy Drive Extravaganza 8 12/8/2023 7:00pm Pop’s Concert Venue 300 Monsanto Ave Sauget, IL $20.00

City Plan Commission 12/14/2023 7:00pm

From Pearl Harbor to St. Louis: The story of Isaac Parker

By Andrew Schleicher, Soldiers Memorial Military Museum

The military tries to bring home every American who dies in war, but over 81,500 from World War II and more recent conflicts are still listed as missing in action (MIA). Some were impossible to recover. Others died in ways that rendered their remains difficult to identify. It’s the job of the Defense POW/MIAAccounting Agency to “provide the fullest possible accounting” for all missing personnel, each of whom has a history and a family that might never receive closure. Both can be hard to find.

For decades, Isaac Ezekiel Parker, a young Black man with ties to St. Louis, was among those listed as missing. He died 82 years ago when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. Parker left behind little record of himself, but what we do know reveals much about the US Navy’s history.

A resident of Woodson, Arkansas, Parker enlisted in the Navy in July 1941 at age 17. We don’t know why he enlisted at this time, but we can speculate based on the experiences of other Black men, many of whom sought jobs in the military in the 1930s and early 1940s. The Great Depression had made other jobs scarce, and the military provided training, lodging, and wages that were hard to come by elsewhere.

Parker was assigned to battleship USS Oklahoma as a mess attendant, third class, but this was probably not by choice. At the time, racism was widespread in the Navy. Black service members were restricted to menial jobs like laborers or mess attendants regardless of their skills. Mess attendants’ duties included polishing officers’ shoes, cleaning, and cooking and serving food.

As diplomatic relations with Japan worsened, the Oklahoma was one of several warships sent to reinforce Pearl Harbor in case of attack, but no one knew where or when Japan might strike. On December 7, the battleships in Pearl Harbor were Japan’s primary target. Two-thirds of the 2,335 American service members killed were on the USS Arizona and USS Oklahoma. A bomb hit the Arizona’s gunpowder magazine, causing a catastrophic explosion. The Oklahoma capsized after suffering nine torpedo hits.

Hundreds of sailors were trapped below the main deck and drowned. Others jumped overboard into the harbor’s fiery waters. Rallying under cries of “Remember Pearl Harbor,” America declared war on Japan the next day and on Germany three days later. The Navy quickly began salvage efforts. The Arizona was too damaged to be recovered, and all who died onboard are considered buried at sea. Though the Oklahoma was severely damaged and had to be scrapped, salvage crews were able to right the ship and recover the remains of more than 400 crew members, which were transferred to the Army’s Central Identification Laboratory in Hawaii. However, only 35 individuals could be identified. Parker was not among them, and he was declared MIA but presumed dead. All unidentified remains from the Oklahoma were buried as unknowns at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu. While Parker had never been to St. Louis himself, his family moved here around 1945, which is why Soldiers Memorial Military Museum’s St. Louis in Service exhibit includes his story and why an empty grave was placed in his memory at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. In the 1990s, the discovery that remains could be identified through mater-

nal mitochondrial DNA offered the possibility of closure to families like Parker’s. However, the military resisted testing due to its difficulty, as well as the symbolism surrounding unknowns. After tremendous public pressure, especially from Vietnam War veterans and their families, the military established the Defense POW/MIAAccounting Agency in 2015. It was independent researcher and Pearl Harbor survivor Ray Emory, though, who pushed for the identification of unknowns from the December 7 attack. In 2003, Emory’s research convinced the military to disinter a casket containing 95 sets of remains, which he claimed were from the Oklahoma DNA testing proved him right. Emory continued his efforts, leading the agency to launch the USS Oklahoma Project in 2015 with the goal of identifying all unknowns from that ship.

Isaac Parker’s remains were finally identified in September 2020 and were reinterred at Jefferson Barracks on June 8, 2021. In attendance were his family, a St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter, and strangers who wished to honor his service.

Commemorate Pearl Harbor Day with a visit to Soldiers Memorial (mohistory.org/memorial) to honor Isaac Parker and other St. Louisans who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Winter Celebrations at the Art Museum

WINTER CELEBRATIONS

Saturday, December 9 and Sunday, December 10 10 am-4 pm Saint Louis Art Museum FREE

Celebrate the holiday season at the Saint Louis Art Museum on Saturday, December 9, and Sunday, December 10, at Winter Celebrations, a festival of free performances and art activities inspired by traditions from around the world. Winter Celebrations is an annual event that invites families and visitors of all ages to come together to enjoy art and community.

Family members of all ages can participate in hands-on art-making on both festival days of Winter Celebrations. Make one or both art projects in the Create Lab inspired by the art museum’s collection — a personalized mitten artwork or a winter snow globe scene.

There are several performances over the course of the weekend that are not to be missed! Join us on Saturday for a performance by Dances of India at 10:30 am and Confluence Chamber Orchestra for a 2:30 pm performance followed by an instrument petting zoo. In addition to dance and music performances on Saturday, make sure to catch the artist demonstrations and storytelling performances.

Join us on Sunday for performances by Bailame STLAcademy, DJ Reggie and the Hip Hop Mamas, Saint Louis Story Stitchers Artists Collective, and more! At 3 pm, enjoy a dynamic performance by Afriky Lolo, a West African dance company that is committed to bringing West African dance and culture to the St. Louis community through teaching and performing.

The Saint Louis Art Museum is pleased to host Bobby Norfolk, a native St. Louisan, three-time Emmy Award winner, and one of the most popular and dynamic story-educators in America today! Norfolk will be telling winter tales, a multicultural celebration of the winter solstice, at 1 pm on Sunday December 10.

Other highlights throughout the weekend include a live ice sculpting demonstration Sunday at 11 am and a festive photo booth throughout the weekend from 10

SAVE THE DATES:

2023 Kwanzaa Celebration: Ubuntu – I am Connected Saturday, December 30, 2023, 10 am–2 pm

Enjoy a day of culture, performance, and tradition during one of the region’s largest Kwanzaa celebrations. Celebrated at the Museum for more than 20 years, the free annual Kwanzaa Celebration is presented in partnership with St. Louis Metropolitan Alumnae Chapter, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Although the event is free, tickets are required for the auditorium performance. Tickets will be available on-site only at the Museum on December 30 starting at 10 am. Limit of 6 tickets per person.

2024 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration

Boldly Embracing a Legacy of Greatness Sunday, January 14, 2024 2–3:30 pm The Farrell Auditorium Free; tickets required

The annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration will highlight the richness of the Black experience in America. The event will feature a speaker and an original theatrical work inspired by photographs by Moneta Sleet Jr. in the Museum’s collection. Although the event is free, advance tickets are recommended. These programs are supported by the Dana Brown Endowed Fund for Education and Community Programs.

am to 4 pm. For more information about Winter Celebrations and to see the full schedule of events, visit slam.org. Winter Celebrations is supported by the Dana Brown Endowed Fund for Education and Community Programs.

Courtesy of The Soldiers Memorial Military Museum Collections

Isaac E. Parker, 1941

By Hamil R. Harris

The Washington Informer

A’ngela Winbush began singing in church in her native town St. Louis and she kept singing gospel music at Howard University after her graduation from Northwest High School.

It was at Howard that she met gospel icon Richard Smallwood, founder of the institution’s renowned gospel choir. She sang with the collegiate choir and performed as a soloist before launching her pop/soul recording career.

Last week, she again sang for Smallwood, and it was a familiar tune - the Happy Birthday song.

Winbush was among the guests that included several gospel legends that presented a musical tribute to Smallwood for his 75th birthday at First Baptist Church of Highland Park on Nov. 30.

It was fitting that the Howard University Gospel Choir kicked off the program because decades ago Smallwood was one of the founders of the group that launched so many careers and ushered in generations of singers – including Winbush.

Religion

It’s a Small world

WHUR Radio announcer Jacquie Gales Webb and gospel singer and preacher Jerome Bell went much further than hosting the program. The duo, historians of the classical gospel genre, saturated the event with elegance and style.

“Praise the Lord and happy birthday Richard Smallwood,” said WHUR radio announcer Jacquie Gales Webb, who spoke of how the artist changed the gospel genre.

She explained that before Smallwood, so many gospel groups were relegated to the choir loft, in robes and with album covers where they stood on a hill looking toward Heaven.

Then came Smallwood. Whether it was the Smallwood Singers or his group Vision, the singer and musical director became one of the most popular artists “on the planet,” Webb said.

The night was truly dedicated to Smallwood, as artists such as Phillip Carter, Robert Person, Mike McCoy, and Patrick Lundy sang his tunes and the Ministers of Music, Sean Tillery, Jimmy Russell, and Damian Sneed unleashed a storm of songs for the crowd to

enjoy.

The Rev. Cheryl J. Sanders of Howard University School of Divinity and senior pastor of Third Street Church of God, read a proclamation from the prestigious institution.

“A diamond is treasured for its many facets,” the statement read. “The many facets of your life in ministry…your spoken and written eloquence… your ear for the melodies and harmonies and hymns to transport audiences, your studies at Howard University sharpened your

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artistic proficiency and your logical precision of your entire body of work.”

Rev. George Holmes read a statement from President Joe Biden and presented Smallwood with a gold medal. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a proclamation designating Dec. 1 as Richard Smallwood Day.

During a video presentation, many national artists joined with the audience in singing “Happy Birthday” to Smallwood, including Faith Evans, John P. Kee, Tramaine Hawkins and Dottie Jones.

Joyce Garrett, minister of Music at Alfred Street Baptist Church, said she has “been in awe of [Smallwood’s] talents since the 1970s when the Howard University Gospel Choir recorded its first album.”

Garrett talked about Smallwood’s deep roots in Washington D.C. because his father was the visionary behind and first pastor of Union Temple Baptist Church.

“As soon as Richard Smallwood recorded a new song, I would teach it to my students at Eastern

High School.” The concert concluded with all the groups and audience singing Smallwood’s famous “Total Praise,” which has become an anthem in many churches across the country. Before that selection, Smallwood sat in front of the stage and said that people from the Washington, D.C., area have been his most devoted supporters.

Alvin A. Reid of the St. Louis American contributed to this report

Photo by Hamil R. Harris /The Washington Informer

legendary Richard Smallwood on Nov. 30 in

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT AND CAMP RANGER

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri is now recruiting for two full-time positions: Executive Assistant to the CEO and Camp Ranger. For more info and to apply, visit www.girlscoutsem.org. We are a proud Equal Opportunity Employer, and we encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.

SENIOR CENTER COORDINATOR/ ADMIN. ASSISTANT

SLDC IS EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is eagerly seeking candidates to join our team as we endeavor to bring economic justice to St. Louis City residents and communities that were disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

There are multiple 2-4-year limited term positions available, term of employment will vary for each position.

These positions will assist in the administration and implementation of various Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) Programs targeted for households, small businesses and communities adversely impacted by the pandemic.

Mission: St. Louis is looking for a Home Repair Project Coordinator, to coordinate and perform minor home repairs for the Energy Efficiency, Accessibility, and Weatherization Program, which serves senior citizens in the city of St. Louis. Applicants should possess at least 3 years home repair or construction experience. If interested, submit cover letter & resume to todd.martin@missionstl.org.

should send a complete resume and 3 references to: aitvcda@gmail. com.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Launched in 2021, the mission of the Gateway Early Childhood Alliance is to create and sustain an early childhood system that ensures Black and Brown children and families have access to high-quality early childhood care and education. The Gateway Early Childhood Alliance is seeking an Executive Director to replace their Founding Executive Director.

This position is responsible for catalyzing a regional coordination nonprofit that drives early education (ECE) quality and access in St. Louis seeking to provide the most benefit to underrepresented, marginalized, and highest need communities.

For a full job description and to APPLY, visit: https://tinyurl.com/24dyx35z

MANAGER - INSURANCE OPERATIONS

In the role of Insurance Operations Manager you will be part of one of the fastest growing lines of business at Safety National. You will work closely with our team of Public Entity Underwriters and your contributions of helping this team grow will be felt throughout Safety National.

To apply, please visit: https://www.safetynational.com/careerspage/

SOFTWARE DEVELOPER

Vintech Solutions Inc has openings for the position Software Developer with Master’s degree in Computer/ Digital Science, Engineering any, Technology, Mgmt Info Sys/Security or related to design, develop, implement, maintain and test business functions and web applications using a variety of languages, tools, methodologies and technologies. Develop, create and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customizesoftware for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. Work location is Olivette,MO with required travel to client locations throughout the USA. Please mail resumes to 9715 Olive Blvd, Floor 2, Olivette, MO 63132 (or) e-mail legal@vintech.com

City Seniors, Inc., an equal opportunity employer, is accepting applications for Senior Center Coordinator/ Admin. Assistant. Strong activity and planning skills a must. Call 314.352.0141 to apply in person. www. stlouiscityseniors.com Position may be funded through CDBG ad CDA.

RECREATION SUPERVISORRENTAL SERVICES

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for the position of Recreation Supervisor - Rental Services

$54,338 - 58,321.

To apply go to https://richmondheights. applicantpro.com/jobs/

CASE MANAGER

Criminal Justice Ministry seeks Case Managers for our successful Release to Rent Reentry Housing program. Assist returning citizens to become independent. We encourage those with experience in the justice system to apply. See www.cjmstlouis.org. Send resume and cover letter to apply@cjmstlouis.org.

All positions will be funded in whole or in part through an allocation of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) from the US Department of the Treasury and the City of St. Louis’ Community Development Administration.

To see the full job description of positions available and to apply online go to: http://www.stlouis-mo.gov/sldc/ and click on “Careers at SLDC.” SLDC is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.

Interviews will begin immediately.

Mission: St. Louis is an EOE. This position(s) may be financed (in part) or (wholly) through an allocation of State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds from the City of St. Louis Community Development Administration.

DAYCARE TEACHERS NEEDED No experience

Necessary, will train 314-478-0277

Washington University in St. Louis offers rewarding opportunities in

fields at all levels, with positions in engineering,

search, administration, technology, security and

JR73427 Maintenance Technician II - Real Estate

Performs maintenance services and /or repairs in two or more areas of skill including but not limited to plumbing, machine servicing and electrical repairs or installations for the properties maintained by Quadrangle Housing Company. The maintenance Technician II will complete these repairs and preventive maintenance as required for the general upkeep of the properties of Quadrangle Housing Company. The ideal candidate will meet the following required qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent high school certification or technical school diploma or equivalent. Required/ Licensure/Certification/Registration: Certain departments, based on job duties, may require Missouri Class E Driver’s license and Missouri Class B CDL required within six months of employment.

LPN Nursing Openings

Washington University currently has several LPN openings in highly sought after outpatient clinical departments. We offer competitive wages and outstanding employee benefits. LPNs with clinic or hospital experience; Epic charting experience are highly preferred.

• Orthopedic Surgery in Central West End and Progress West Clinic Locations

• Urologic Surgery Clinic

• Outpatient Dialysis in Forest Park or North County Locations (Dialysis Experience Required)

• Facial Plastic Surgery Clinic

• Gastroenterology Clinic

Resumes accepted: tracey.faulkner@wustl.edu

Staff Therapist or Clinical Social Worker (Part Time)

The Division of Child Psychiatry at Washington University is seeking to hire two part-time Staff Therapists for itsAdolescent Intensive Outpatient Program (AIOP). The position will involve a combination of direct clinical interventions and group care to adolescents and/or their caregivers and the therapists will collaborate closely with a multidisciplinary team to implement novel models of care delivery and measure outcomes.

• Equivalent of a master’s degree in social work.

• REQUIRED LICENSURE/CERTIFICATION/REGISTRATION

• AAMFT,ASLPC, LCSW, LPC, CPC, LMFT or licensed Psychologist in the state of Missouri

Resumes accepted: tracey.faulkner@wustl.edu

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS FOR FUTURE BID OPPORTUNITY

PARIC Corporation will be seeking proposals for the following project: CRUNDEN-MARTIN EAST & WEST – CORE & SHELL

PARIC Corporation will be soliciting bids for the CRUNDEN-MARTIN EAST & WEST CORE & SHELL located on the 700 Block of South 2nd Street in St. Louis, MO. Project consists of the historic renovation of a 510,000 SF, 6-story multi-structure building and a 43,000 SF, 6-story building with a skywalk connecting the two buildings. The project site is approximately 3 acres. The use of the buildings is composed of commercial spaces and lightindustrial spaces. Demolition/remediation work and sitework will start Late March/April of 2024. Invitations to bid will be sent out on 12/11/2023 for access to the bid documents. If you do not received a bid invitation please send your company information to tlalexander@paric.com

A Pre-Bid Site Walk and Outreach meeting will be held on 12/19/2023 at 9:00am at the project site on 760 2nd Street, St. Louis, MO

BIDS WILL BE DUE ON JANUARY 18, 2024 @ 2:00pm

Send all questions to Cory Hoke choke@paric.com

Goals for Construction Business Enterprise

• 21% for African American-owned business enterprises,

• 2% for Hispanic American-owned business enterprises,

• 0.5% for Asian American-owned business enterprises,

• 0.5% for Native American-owned business enterprises,

• 11% for Women-owned business enterprises.

Goals for Construction Workforce

• 25% for Minority

• 20% for Apprentice

• 7% for Women

• 23% for City of St. Louis Residence

PARIC CORPORATION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

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

Visit our Website

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Alberici Constructors, Kwame Building Group and the Saint Louis Zoo seek bids from qualified firms to submit proposals for a project at the Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Park. The project consists of subcontractor scopes of work related to construction of giraffe and rhinoceros barns. To request bid documents, please send an E-mail to stlzoobids@alberici.com.

REQUEST FOR BIDS

Great Rivers Greenway is requesting bids for office cleaning services. Go to www. greatriversgreenway. org/jobs-bids and submit by January 11, 2024.

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Replace Fire Alarm Systems - Core Building & Housing Units at Mt. Vernon Treatment Center, Project No. H2312-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, January 4, 2024 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

The School District of Jennings encourages qualified persons interested in running for a position on the Board of Education to file to be a candidate in the April 2, 2024 election.

Interested persons may file at the St. Louis County Board of Elections office located at 725 Northwest Plaza Drive, St. Ann, MO 63074.

Candidates can file between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday from December 5 through December 26, 2023. (On the last day of candidate filing only, candidate filing ends at 5:00 p.m.)

First day filers will select a number by random drawing to determine placement on the ballot. After the first day, candidates will be placed on the ballot in the order of their filing. Board of Election offices will be closed on December 7 and 25, 2023. The office may be closed due to inclement weather.

There are two positions available with three-year terms. These positions are currently held by Ms. Yolonda Fortson and Mr. Gary Johnson.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Americas Center is seeking bids to rehab Submersible Pumps SE2 and SE3 in the Dome at Americas Center. Interested bidders must attend a mandatory pre-bid meeting and walk through which will be held in Dome at The Americas Center on Tuesday December 19th, 2023, at 11am. Please enter our building at The Broadway Central entrance, located center of building off Broadway between Cole St. and Convention Plaza Dr, St. Louis, MO. 63101. The facility reserves the right to reject any or all bids. EOE.

CITY OF ST. LOUIS BOARD OF PUBLIC SERVICE

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS for PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR LOUISIANA CALM STREETS, PHASE II, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, FEDERAL PROJECT NO. TAP-9901(695). Statements of Qualifications due by 5:00 PM CT, December 20, 2023 through the Bid Express online portal at https://www.bidexpress.com/ businesses/20618/home?agency=true. RFQ may be obtained from BPS website https://www. stlouis-mo.gov/government/ departments/public-service/, under BPS RFQ and RFP Announcement, or email Board of Public Service at bryanth@ stlouis-mo.gov 14% DBE participation goal.

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

will receive separate sealed bids for CONTRACT NO. F 24 801, South County Sim Lab Renovation, until 2:00 p.m. local time Tuesday, December 19, 2023. Bids will open and be read aloud at the office of the Director of Engineering and Design, 5464 Highland Park Drive, St. Louis, MO 63110-1314.

Drawings, Specifications, bid forms and other related contract information may be obtained at ePlan or from the Manager’s office, at the above address or by calling (314) 644-9770. Thy will also be at The Builders Association and at the Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council. Electronic bid sets are available and may be printed by the plan holders in https://stlcc.bonfirehub.com/.

PREBID MEETING: Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at 11:00 am, at the South County Campus Room 217. A walk-through of the project will follow the meeting.

Questions regarding this project should be directed to Brandon Strauserbstrauser1@stlcc.edu, 314-951-9873.

The College has the proposed minority goals MBE 15% and WBE 12%. Also proposed for Contractors to participate in a registered Apprenticeship Program approved through the United States Department of Labor. Individuals with special needs as addressed by the ADA may contact: 314-984-7673

An Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer

Advertisement Date: December 4, 2023

LETTING NO. 8768

PEDESTRIAN STREET LIGHTS, WATERMAN BLVD. BETWEEN BELT AVE. AND CLARA AVE. PROJECT NO. R2023-43-058

Electronic bids submitted through the Bid Express Online Portal will be received by the Board of Public Service until 1:45 PM, CT, on January 9, 2024, then publicly opened and read. Proposals must be submitted electronically using “Bid Express Online Portal” at https://www.bidexpress. com/businesses/20618/home. The bidder must pay $40 to submit a bid through the Bid Express service. Monthly subscriptions are available.

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

An optional pre-bid conference for all contractors bidding on this project will be held on Waterman Blvd. at Clara Ave. on December 12, 2023 at 10:00 AM St. Louis time. All bidders are strongly encouraged to attend the pre-bid meeting. Attendance at the pre-bid meeting is considered an important element of a Contractor’s Good Faith Effort to maximize the utilization of M/WBE if M/WBE participation goals cannot be met.

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

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

REQUEST FOR BIDS

SEALED BIDS

SEALED BIDS

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

and used solely for programs that provide services to St. Louis city residents. Agencies may submit only one application per grant cycle.

The SLPO is excited to announce the launch of its online grants management platform, Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM), through Foundant Technologies. The SLPO grant portal is https:// www.grantinterface.com/Home/ Logon?urlkey=stlphilanthropic. Applications and required attachments must be submitted electronically via GLM on or before 6:00 p.m. on February 2, 2024. Applications will not be accepted through delivery or email. A PDF of the application questions is available on the SLPO’s main website at www.stlphilanthropic.org and the Capacity Building website at https://slpocapacitybuilding.org. Please note this is a listing of the questions only and not the application to be completed.

On Wednesday, December 13th at 10:00 a.m., the SLPO Board will host a grantwriting workshop, “Leveling Up: Grantwriting Designed to Take Your Organization to the Next Level”, aimed at assisting agencies in their preparation of the 2024 Responsive Grants application. Agencies interested in submitting an application are strongly encouraged to attend the workshop to learn more about the platform and the application and process changes. Please register in advance at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/ register/tZMof-mqpj4vHdF3NZ EzvOCrPzqnCdEWjTwy or on the SLPO main or capacity building websites listed above.

The SLPO Board is pleased and excited to partner again with Mosaic Beginnings to provide the grantwriting workshop for area nonprofit organizations. Mosaic Beginnings is a management consulting firm with a diverse team of consultants with over 100 years of combined experience committed to increasing organizational capacity for organizations, helping them achieve and, often, exceed their goals. Capacity building workshops sponsored by the SLPO are available at no cost to agencies. In addition to grantwriting, workshops in the areas of Leadership and Change Management will be offered in the Spring of 2024.

INVITATION TO BID

The Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit is currently soliciting proposals for Landscaping Services under the direction of the Circuit Court in the Carnahan Courthouse, 1114 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63101; Civil Court Building, 10 N. Tucker Blvd., St. Louis, Missouri 63101; Juvenile Family Courts Building, 920 N. Vandeventer, St. Louis, Missouri 63108; Juvenile Detention Center, 3847 Enright Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63108; and Juvenile Annex, 3827 Enright Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63108.

The Request for Proposal is available on the Court’s website http://www. stlcitycircuitcourt.com, click on General Information, then Request for Proposals.

Proposals must be received no later than 10 a.m. on January 23, 2024.

Great Rivers Greenway requesting bids for chair anchoring and hanging mechanism modification. Go to www. greatriversgreenway. org/jobs-bids and submit by December 20, 2023. Visit our Website stlamerican.com

Bids for Campsite Renovation and Update Dr. EdmondeBabler State Park, Wildwood, MO, Project No. X2312-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 1/11/24. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http:// oa.mo.gov/ facilities

Bids for Statewide Job Order Contract, Project No. IDIQMCA-4005, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, December 19, 2023, via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. Project information available at: http://oa.mo.gov/ facilities

The STL Partnership CDC issues a Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) for legal services firms to review U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) closing files under the SBA 504 loan program and to issue opinion letters regarding the same. The firm must provide staff that have SBA designated closing counsel classification. The CDC will accept submissions on a rolling basis; however, the initial review of qualifications will begin after 3 PM CT on Thursday, December 21, 2023. A copy of the complete RFQ is available at https://stlpartnership.com/ rfp-rfq/.

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer

The Industrial Development Authority of the County of St. Louis, Missouri (“the IDA”) issues a Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”) for legal services firms to serve as issuer’s counsel for revenue bonds on an as needed basis. The issuer’s counsel will draft various corporate resolutions and review various financing documents. The IDA will accept submissions on a rolling basis; however, the initial review of qualifications will begin after 3 PM CT on Thursday, December 21, 2023. A copy of the complete RFQ is available at https:// stlpartnership.com/rfp-rfq/. St. Louis Economic Development Partnership Equal Opportunity Employer

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE:

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

“I’m not sure people truly know what they just saw,” said fellow jazz singer Denise Thimes after the Powell Hall performance ended. Thimes was visibly in awe as she made her way to the lobby after joining in the standing ovation for Joy and JALC.

“How old is she? 21? That young lady is already a star, but can you imagine what she’ll sound like after she has had a chance to live the experiences she is singing about? The world is going to be talking about her real soon – you just mark my words.”

Even with all her enthusiasm, not even Thimes could have predicted how quickly her words proved prophetic.

Six weeks later, Joy won the highly coveted “Best New Artist” Grammy Award – becoming only the second Black woman jazz artist to do so in the category’s 63-year

history. To be recognized in a category that has been recently reserved for rap and pop artists was not lost on her.

“To be here for just being myself - who I was born as, I’m just so thankful,” Joy said during her acceptance speech. She also won Best Jazz Vocal Album, beating out St. Louis’ own Marcus Baylor of The Baylor Project and Cecile McLorin Salvant – a musical hero of Joy’s. Her name and talent served as a reminder that jazz will never die, and that good music coupled with remarkable talent have the power to transcend trends.

When she returned to St. Louis in the spring of this year, there was not a seat to be had for her soldout Jazz St. Louis run.

And on Tuesday she will be back in town with some special guests for Samara Joy: A Joyful Holiday. The show is presented by Presented by Jazz Cruises & Jazz St. Louis.

She will be joined on stage by her musical and literal bloodline, The

McClendon family. The special guest artists that will be featured during the show are also a family affair. The region’s own music veteran Brian Owens and his father Thomas Owens – billed as “Duets with Dad” are also a part of the program. Social media sensations, the pair became internet famous when a video of them singing a cover of the Sam Cooke classic “A Change Is Gonna Come” went viral on YouTube. Since its release, the video has been viewed nearly 100 million times worldwide – and still garnering more than 50,000 views per day.

Samara Joy: A Joyful Holiday will take place at 7 p.m. (6 p.m. doors) at The Factory at The District (17105 North Outer 40 Road) in Chesterfield on Tuesday, December 12. The Factory at The District is a cashless facility. For more information, visit www. thefactorystl.com or call (314) 423-8500.

Gospel Christmas

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Nelly

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moments, but I know if I visit, it can change their mood to something positive.”

Nelly granted a wish on stage to 4-year-old Messiah Rice who wanted to go to Disney World. Brittany Rice, Messiah’s mom, says the annual Black & White Ball helps create awareness to the sometimes uphill battles many families are face when caring for a child suffering from a serious illness. Nelly also surprised three Harris-Stowe State University students with Apple Macbook Airs and full-ride scholarships.

Kamair Warner said the Make-a-Wish Foundation allowed her and her three kids who suffer from sickle cell disease to get much-needed care.

“Having Nelly’s support shows that we are also important, we feel small in a big world and we think that our problems are just our problems,” she said. Warner added that the ball shows her that she is not fighting alone. Two of her young children also want to go to Disney World and her oldest would like to

travel to Hawaii.

Make-a-Wish Foundation has close to 600 children every year in the Missouri and Kansas regions who qualify for a wish from the organization. Stephanie HamptonBoeglin Chief Operating Officer for Make-a-Wish Missouri and Kansas said, “Partnering with Nelly and other celebrities tells those families that they are seen and heard, the celebrities want to be a light for them during their darkest times,” said HamptonBoeglin.

Murphy Lee of the St. Lunatics was also in the building in an all-black swanky suit, with a black turban that covered his locs “It’s always important to give back,” said Lee. He also mentioned his excitement being on stage performing with his former rap group. The ball brought Lee, Nelly, City, and Kyjuan on stage. Lee rapped his top single along with music mogul Jermaine Dupri “Wat Da Hook Gon Be.”

Dinner party guests enjoyed a video montage of Hall of Fame shortstop Smith, who was honored as the event’s first ‘Black & White Ball Legend awardee.’ Nelly told guests when he was younger he tried to mimic

the former baseball player’s signature backflip. After dinner the tables were cleared and the party began! Wyclef Jean kicked off the mini concert performing his hits “Ready Or Not,” “911,” and “We Trying To Stay Alive.” The legendary artist even showed off his guitar skills by playing the instrument behind his back. Nelly then graced the stage performing Hot inHerre, then the rest of the St. Lunatics joined him performing “Air Force Ones,” and “Batter Up.” Nelly took this year’s event to a whole new level, Ashanti joined him on stage and the two were not shy about showcasing their love; they performed their only single “Body On Me.” It was a full-on concert because in the blink of an eye R&B singer Monica made her appearance on the stage and the crowd went crazy singing along with her to her top songs “So Gone,” and “Don’t Take It Personal.”

A night of giving back and partying with some of the hottest celebrities was a double win.

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

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For those who couldn’t get (afford) tix to the tour, here it is. Best seat in the house. Front row when you’d want it. Views from afar when you need perspective. Even in midair when she rides a silver horse figure up into the rafters (cinematographers Dax Binn and Kenneth Wales).

Most of the well-known songs from her career are sung, danced to and choreographed to a T. Favorites from her recent Grammy-winning album Renaissance, including the chart-topping hit “Break My Soul” and the powerful “Cuff It,” are performed and echoed by audiences that numbered up to 70,000 in one stadium.

The song interpretations are astutely and artistically clipped together from several concerts. As one routine is in full display, magically the singers and dancers’ costumes change color. Same song, same vocals pulled together

from different venues.

Unfortunately, the editors’ judicious snipping doesn’t include the film’s length. At 2h 49m, forward momentum ebbs and flows. Axing 30 minutes of footage would have made everything more consistently mesmerizing and rhythmic.

Delving into Beyonce’s personal life becomes quite intimate. Mom, kids, husband, and her much loved but deceased Uncle Johnny, a gay man who introduced her to house music and made her costumes, are all part of this portrait. Sometimes she’s profound: “I created a space where everyone is free.” Sometimes not so much: “A diva is a female hustler.” Hearing her

philosophy about her life, time, artistry, and psyche is good for the most part but overall, it bloats the footage. Though the Beehive may beg to differ. The clear highpoint is the dazzling performances. Hard to name another singer/dancer who can top what she does, bring that energy on tour and be even better in concert than she is on record. Second billing must go to the eye-catching lighting design, glittery costumes, and astounding scenery. This is a show of shows. Add in guest performances, by Megan Thee Stallion, Kendrick Lamar and Diana Ross, and the star quotient is heavenly. By the film’s end, minus a couple of lapses, Queen B has pulled you in. She’s self-assured, loving, sensitive, thoughtful, imaginative, determined, and ready for the next phase in her life. Joy. Joy is what Beyoncé brings to this very entertaining and tender documentary. A contagious sense of optimism and acceptance for everyone. Moviegoers who weren’t ardent fans before, will be now. Brava.

Photo by Taylor McIntosh I St. Louis American

Hip-Hop Star Nelly and his R&B singer girlfriend Ashanti at the 11th Annual Black & White Ball. Sunday December 3. 2023 at the Four Seasons Hotel downtown St. Louis