St. LouiS AmericAn
U.S. Rep. Bush calls McKee’s actions ‘an abomination’
State Sen. Karla May, others sidestep issue
By JoAnn Weaver The St. Louis American
State and local officials contin-
ue to weigh in on a new medical facility that bears the “Homer G. Phillips Hospital” name in North St. Louis.
State Sen. Karla May, and others dodged taking a stand on the controversial issue.
“There are other people who are leading this, and I don’t want to get in front of them,” May said. She had no further comment.
St. Louis Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed has not joined Mayor Tishaura Jones, Comptroller Darlene Green and Treasurer Adam Layne in condemning McKee’s audacity. The St. Louis American has requested a comment from Reed, and he has refused to respond for a month. Not all elected officials are as silent as Reed or as reluc-
March against violence
About 400 students took part in a Stop The Violence march from Wohl Recreation Center in the city’s Wells-Goodfellow neighborhood to Cardinal Ritter College Prep High School in the city’s Covenant Blu/Grand Center neighborhood where students made speeches in support of a nonviolent community on Wednesday, Dec. 1.
tant to comment as May and state Sen. Steve Roberts Jr., who said he had to review the issue last week and did not offer any comment to The American before this edition’s press time.
“I’ve been saying for the last year or so that the Homer G. Phillips I grew up hearing about and that so many people in our community remember because they were there, especially our elders, has a rich history, the history of it being a staple not only locally but nationwide and to reduce its legacy to a three-bed hospital is really an abomination,” Congresswoman Cori Bush said in a phone interview. Bush, along with other notable elected officials, have shown their disdain for local developer Paul McKee placing
n “Homer G. Phillips…has a rich history, the history of it being a staple not only locally but nationwide... to reduce its legacy to a threebed hospital is really an abomination.”
– U.S. Rep. Cori Bush
Interest in mobile markets gains speed
Researcher says many efforts sputter
By Karen Robinson-Jacobs
The St. Louis American
City sues state over law with ‘police officers’ bill of rights
Attorneys say several provisions are unconstitutional
By Dana Rieck
The St. Louis American
St. Louis leaders have challenged a new Missouri law that expands the rights of police officers and mandates local governments provide their legal defense in court regarding their actions while off duty. St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones’ administration filed a lawsuit Dec. 3 against the state and Attorney General Eric Schmitt. At the center of the suit’s several allegations is Senate Bill 26, which was passed in May after its introduction in December 2020. It is labeled as “relating to public safety” and grew from its original seven sections to 88 sections — many of which were not related to public safety.
“The wide range of subjects, bearing little or no relationship to ‘public safety,’ is fatal to the validity of SB 26,” the city’s attorneys argued The lawsuit also alleges the same bill is unconstitutional because of a provision requiring the city to fund the defense, representation and indemnification, even if the actions in question were done while the offi-
By Dana Rieck
With the future of the nation’s reproductive rights in the hands of a conservative-leaning
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
See BUSH, A6
The St. Louis American
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis AMerican
Paul McKee Karla May
Lewis Reed
Justice Department closes Emmett Till investigation
The Justice Department closed a federal investigation Monday that re-examined Emmett Till’s murder after failing to secure proof that an important person in the case lied, according to a senior-level law enforcement official.
In 1955, Till, a 14-year-old Black teenager from Chicago visiting family in Mississippi, was severely beaten and shot in the head after a white woman, Carolyn Bryant Donham, accused him of whistling at her.
An all-white male jury in Mississippi acquitted J.W. Milam and Roy Bryant, Donham’s husband for Till’s murder. Before their deaths, both men admitted to committing the crime to a magazine journalist. They gave a descriptive rundown of how the lynching happened.
During a recanting of her story to author Timothy B. Tyson, Donham said she lied about the situation.
“Nothing that boy did could ever justify what happened to him,” she allegedly told Tyson while expressing “sympathy” for Till’s mother.
A source knowledgeable of the case said
Donham denied she lied in her testimony to federal investigators, and Tyson’s statements were inconsistant.
Suspect charged with murder in Jacqueline Avant’s death
Aariel Maynor, 29, of Los Angeles, has been charged with the murder of Jacqueline Avant, philanthropist and wife of music executive, Clarence Avant Dec. 1 in their Beverly Hills home.
Maynor’s charges include one count each of murder, attempted murder and felon with a firearm—he reportedly shot an assault long barrel pistol at the time of the crimes—along with two counts of residental burglary. He is also charged with at shooting a security guard who was at the house. The security guard didn’t sustain injuries during the shooting.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement 81-year-old Mrs. Avant was a valued member of the community.
“Her generosity and goodwill touched so many lives,” he said. “My office is working closely with the Los Angeles and Beverly Hills police depart ments in the investigation and prosecution of this case. We must continue to work together to hold accountable the people who commit violent crimes against our community.”
Playboy names Cardi B its first creative director
Cardi B’s resume keeps getting longer and longer. Not only is she a Grammy-winning rapper, actress, mom, and wedding officiant. Now she can add Creative Director in Residence for Playboy to her repertoire.
Playboy announced the news to its Instagram account Dec. 2.
“Today is a Playboy milestone: we want to welcome our first-ever Creative Director in Residence, the icon, @iamcardib to the family,” the company said in a post.
Cardi’s introduction to her creative director duties began last weekend while celebrating the launch of Playboy’s new lifestyle brand, Big Bunny, at an Art Basel party in Miami.
She celebrated the new role in a statement posted to her Instagram.
“Introducing the FIRST EVER Creative Director In Residence at the legendary @playboy, it’s ME!!!” she captioned her post.
“Joining the @ playboy family is a dream and I know yall are going to love what we put together - I’m startin this party right . . . We’re going to have soooooo
According to Forbes, Cardi’s new role includes founding Centerfold, a new creatorled platform similar to OnlyFans, where content creators interact directly with fans. A post written by
Playboy on Medium says the new site promotes the messages of “the most revolutionary voices of our day” through “digital covers, feature stories, interviews and, of course, striking and sensual pictorials. ”
Erykah Badu stuns fans with 20-year younger fiancé
Erykah Badu has been romantically linked to some of the hottest names in hip-hop, including André 3000 (with whom she shares her 22-year-old son Seven), The D.O.C., and Jay Electronica, with whom she also shares kids and Common She shocked fans who’ve found out her fiancé is 23 years her junior. Badu shared photos Saturday, Dec. 4 of her love interest, JaRon, who classifies himself as a music producer, audio engineer, artist, songwriter, and author on his Instagram page.
“Solar Eclipse Dump. Making room for many many many more memories. Right now, Moon covers the suns eyes forcing it to use other forms of vision. (Closes Eyes) I see you with my heart. I see you with my gut,” she said. “Here’s to my GUY & Setting intentions, Breathing easy, moving in unison, finely blended family harmonics. Thank you . Thank you . Thank you. Happy to be here on this school called earth.. with you @jaronthesecret (family first).”
Sources: thejasminebrand.com,
By Dana Rieck
The St. Louis American
After an almost hour-long debate Wednesday about a coin toss, the city’s aldermen confirmed the numbers of the 14 new wards and perfected the map, meaning just one more vote is needed before it heads to St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones’ desk.
The St. Louis Board of Aldermen sought to designate numbers to each new ward, which were identified by letters during the drafting process, by flipping a coin to determine the order in which the numbers would be assigned. If the coin landed on heads, they would number the wards numerically from N to A, and if it were tails, they would number them numerically from A to N.
The ward reduction ordinance passed in 2012 stated the first election in the newly drawn wards would be held in 2023 for all wards and the aldermanic president. It stated odd-numbered wards would start with two-year terms to stay in line with the election schedule (of odd and even number wards alternating elections) set by the city’s charter in 1915. The Board president and even-numbered wards will run in the initial election for a full
four-year term.
The board’s assistant clerk Sharita Rogers flipped the coin over Zoom with Alderman Joe Vollmer, Ward 10, with her as an in-person witness. Several people said it was to have landed on heads, but the camera’s quality was lacking, making it difficult to discern what side of the coin was facing up.
That’s when the meeting came to a halt, and the debate began. Several alderpeople said while they saw the coin was on heads, they supported a second toss for transparency’s sake.
Alderwoman Sharon Tyus, Ward 1, spoke at length during the discussion. Her focus was on making the process as fair as possible, alluding to her struggles 20 years ago with redistricting.
“So, it is not ridiculous,” she said. “It’s not ridiculous to me, and I challenge each and every one of you all, that if you had your vote taken away in 2001, would you be so cavalier in saying, ‘Oh, I trust this process.’ Because I can tell you as a Black woman who had her vote taken away from her—and two-thirds of her community— illegally, that I’m not cavalier about any of this process.”
She said she did not believe the current map was a good map or a fair map for North St.
Louis, but she was prepared to vote in favor of it because the committee did the best job they
it was not supported, and the board went with the first flip’s outcome of heads.
in Latinx representation and other more specific boundary clarifications.
Vollmer and Reed answered most of her concerns by pointing back to the opinion issued by Louis City Counselor Sheena Hamilton earlier this week on the legality of the ward boundaries. She wrote the map would likely survive a legal challenge, including one under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.
The map went through several drafts in the last six weeks and keeps 85% of the city’s neighborhoods in one ward. Only two wards represent the other 15% of neighborhoods. Each ward has approximately 21,500 residents, seven of them are minority preference wards, and seven are white preference wards.
could do with what they were handed.
While Alderman Joe Vaccaro, Ward 23, made a motion to start the coin toss over with a best out of three approach,
Later on, in Wednesday’s meeting, the map was perfected following some discussion. Alderwoman Annie Rice, Ward 8, asked several questions, including how the committee factored
Rice also raised concerns about the process and map outlined in a letter to the board, in which almost 30 organizations—including the NAACP, ACLU of Missouri and Action St. Louis—submitted Nov. 30.
Vollmer is chair of the committee which drew the map and noted during the discussion three of the white majority wards cross north over the Delmar divide. The map needs one more vote by the Board of Aldermen before it can become law. That vote will be taken at 10 a.m. Friday. Once passed, it goes to the mayor’s desk for her signature. By law, the City of St. Louis Board of Aldermen must pass a map by Dec. 31. The map will go into effect after the
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
Criminal justice system needs dramatic reform
By Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.
In the civil rights movement, we were constantly reminded to keep our eyes on the prize. What’s the prize? Equality of opportunity and results, which requires equity in every facet of our lives — education, housing, homeownership, job training, employment, political access and especially in the criminal justice system.
Our criminal justice system still needs dramatic reform. Blacks make up more than 40% of the prison population, but only 13% of the nation’s population.
The geographic numerator changes — north or south — but the denominator remains the same — an unjust criminal justice system nationwide. Three current incidents illustrate: Jelani Day in Peru, Illinois; Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin; and Ahmaud Arbery in Brunswick, Georgia.
Jelani Day, a 25-year-old Black medical student at Illinois State University, was a “bright light” in his family; he and his sister were competing to become doctors. He disappeared on Aug. 24. The family and a professor reported him missing on Aug. 25. His car was found two days later in a wooded area near where his body was later discovered in Peru, miles from where he was last seen. LaSalle County law enforcement officials discovered his body on Sept. 4 “floating near the south bank of the Illinois River approximately a quarterof-a-mile east of the Illinois Route 251 Bridge.”
loaded military-style semi-automatic rifle (illegal for a person his age) “to assist the police in protecting businesses.” He killed two protesters and wounded another, but walked freely past police officers and military vehicles even as onlookers shouted that he had just shot several people.
The next day, Rittenhouse was arrested and has now been found not guilty on five felonies and a misdemeanor. A white judge, Bruce Schroeder, who has a history of controversial behavior from the bench, seemed unfair as he told the prosecution they could not refer to the victims of the shooting as victims, but that the defense could refer to them as rioters and looters, if they had such evidence. One juror was removed for making a racial joke about Jacob Blake.
Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed Black jogger, was shot and killed by three white vigilantes who were not even arrested until more than a month later after a video of the shooting went viral. Ultimately, the jury had 11 white jurors and only one Black juror in a city that’s 25% Black. Defense attorneys used preemptive challenges to remove multiple potential Black jurors. Their answers were then used to remove them from the jury. Additionally, the defense seemed to be trying to put Mr. Arbery on trial by showing pictures of him looking around in buildings under construction, claiming there had been recent robberies in the community, and the defendants were only trying to make a citizen’s arrest and hold him until the police came — like they were protecting the community.
Right-wing judges put millions’ rights, access to health care at risk
By Ben Jealous
The political and legal movement to criminalize abortion in the U.S. is on the brink of its biggest victory in 50 years.
Most at risk are those who are already among the most vulnerable in our country: Black and brown women and LGBTQ people who will be denied access to potentially life-saving health care.
On Dec. 1, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in the case of a Mississippi abortion ban. A right-wing legal group wrote that law. It was part of a long-term strategy to get the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. This 1973 ruling recognized pregnant people have a constitutional right to make decisions about whether or not to terminate a pregnancy.
America for an unborn child.”
The current governor has used similar language, saying he made a commitment to God and to voters that he would do everything in his power to make Mississippi the safest place for an unborn child.
The parents continue to be critical of the investigation because little focus was initially put on his disappearance. It occurred in the context of the vanishing and subsequent death of Gabby Petito. There are inconsistencies, a high degree of incompetence and a lack of collaboration between various law enforcement agencies surrounding the Day case. There is still no closure about what happened to Jelani Day. Racial dimensions abound in the case of Rusten Sheskey. Accompanied by two other white police officers responding to a domestic complaint by the fiancee of Jacob Blake — a Black man — Sheskey shot Blake seven times in the back, with his children looking on in the back seat. Blake, they say, refused to obey the officers, opened his car door and reached inside. Blake was left partially paralyzed by the incident. Racial violence followed in Kenosha. Officer Sheskey was not charged with a crime. As disturbances continued, a white 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse decided to take the law into his own hands. He left home in Antioch, Illinois, with his mother driving him to Kenosha. He picked up a
Fortunately, the predominately white jury did not fall for the defense’s argument. All three white vigilantes — Travis McMichael, his father, Gregory McMichael, and a neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan — were found guilty of multiple charges of felony murder.
What these cases show is a pattern — a lineage of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, George Floyd, Michael Brown, the Charleston Nine — that we cannot accept as normal. Would we see these incidents in the same way if they were reversed? Obviously not. Even in the murder of Arbery — despite the guilty verdicts — the delayed arrests, the jury selection, and other aspects of the case remain questionable.
The only solution is to engage in mass action and mass voting that will allow the truth to come out that will lead to dramatic reform in our criminal justice system.
Rev. Jesse L. Jackson is Rainbow PUSH Coalition founder and president. This column was originally published in The Washington Informer.
Accountability evident in Arbery case, not justice
By Roger Caldwell
The justice system worked in the Ahmaud Arbery case after 74 days because it was forced and pushed to do its job. There is very little to be satisfied with from the judicial system when two District Attorneys, Jackie Johnson and George Barnhill, have worked with one of the suspects daily, preventing the police from doing their job. Former District Attorney Jackie Johnson has been accused of breaking her oath, but for 74 days, the entire Glynn County prosecutors’ office was not executing their responsibilities.
Three murderers were allowed to walk around free and brag about their actions for two and a half months. The system only worked because thousands of protesters, truth-tellers and national activists forced and pushed the system to expose the truth. A video was also leaked, which forced the county to take action. In a fair system, three killers would be charged immediately. The District Attorney would not be allowed to investigate a case where they had worked with the charged individual daily. It was obvious the district attorney would not be impartial and prevented the police from doing their job.
When we think of justice in America, this case was an example of why the system is broken and flawed and must be reformed. Instead of exposing the truth, the first two District
Attorneys were fighting to protect their friends and hide the evidence.
Initially, it appeared that the dead Black man was the criminal, and the three white men had acted in self-defense, and it was not necessary to have a trial. In this case, the killers were comfortable telling the investigators they said, “Stop, you know, I’ll blow your f….ing head off!” There is something in the white men psyche they believe there is nothing wrong with killing Black men/people, because they have a badge, gun, and uniform. On Feb. 23, 2020, these three white men were hunting for a Black man.
In America, there are hundreds of cases every year where police and local citizens are not charged because they are white or a policeman and the persons they kill are Black. Many times, there is no video and there is a big cover-up. Ninety percent of the time, the legal system works for when folks, and they expect it to work one hundred percent of the time.
Many of these murders are modern-day lynchings, and the evidence is swept under the rug. Ahmaud Arbery’s death
was a case where one such incident existed. In this case, there were three white men: Travis McMichael, 35, son; Gregory McMichael, 65, father; and neighbor, William Bryan, 52. In this case, according to one district attorney, it was not necessary to create a crime scene, or do a criminal investigation, because the three men were innocent.
As pressure mounted from across the country, internationally, and the federal government, the three men were charged with murder and aggravated assault. Even though many around the country are calling this trial a victory for justice, the killers could have gotten off free with a different judge.
There was a jury with 11 white and one Black, which many in the country thought was racist, and the defense kept asking for a mistrial. The defense used reverse racism when the killers tried to claim the criminals could not get a fair trial.
It is very difficult to consider this trial a win for the justice and legal systems. This trial was a win for accountability and exposed the corruption in the judicial system. Racism is alive and well in Glynn County, and there is a need for more organizations to fight corruption — and help reform the legal and justice system — all over America.
Roger Caldwell is an NNPA reporter.
Groups that want to eliminate access to abortion like to describe themselves with terms like “pro-life” and “pro-family,” but those are deceptive. If we eliminate access to family planning and abortion services, the health of millions will be compromised. Some will die needlessly. Their families and communities will suffer. The same groups call themselves “pro-freedom,” but they are aggressively trying to restrict people’s freedom to make decisions about their own health and families.
If you want a sense of how much parents and children’s health and well-being mean to backers of the abortion ban, take a look at Mississippi. When the state’s previous governor signed the ban, he declared that he wanted to make Mississippi “the safest place in
But what kind of commitments have these politicians made to children and their parents? When the Mississippi law was signed, the state ranked 50th in the health of women, 50th in the health of children, and 50th in the health of infants. It was the worst state for infant mortality. Things haven’t changed much since then. Mississippi is also the state where Black people make up the biggest percentage of the population. During oral arguments at the Supreme Court, the attorney for the health clinic that challenged the law talked about a deadly reality: she noted that “it’s 75 times more dangerous to give birth in Mississippi than it is to have a pre-viability abortions, and those risks are disproportionately threatening the lives of women of color.” This is about political power and the corruption of our courts.
When Donald Trump ran for president, he promised conservative white evangelical leaders that he would put judges on the Supreme Court who would overturn Roe v. Wade
Letters to the editor
For 6 semesters I have had the unique opportunity to be a guest presenter as Dr. Julia Wilkins Kohrmann prepares upcoming teachers for the classroom through her adjunct work at UMSL School of Education.
I recently started following the St Louis American on Instagram and keep thinking “they need to feature Julia!!!” She recently took over a newly created role at St Joseph’s Academy and has accomplished much in just 6 short months. With over 15 years of experience in schools around the world, Dr. Julia Wilkins Kohrmann was hired as the new Director of Diversity, Culture, and Climate at St. Joseph’s Academy. Her work so far has included bringing new scholarship opportunities to students of color to be able to study abroad, creating diverse programming for students, faculty/staff, and
Don’t ever forget that Senate Republicans refused to even consider President Barack Obama’s last Supreme Court nomination for a year. They abused their power to create a Supreme Court vacancy for Trump to fill. Then these same shameless politicians took advantage of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death to rush Trump’s final nominee onto the Court a few days before the 2020 election, as voters were already casting ballots to dump Trump out of the White House. And don’t ever forget that the judges who are willing to sacrifice reproductive freedom are usually just as eager to allow states to restrict voting rights. The right-wing judges who vote to eliminate individuals’ right to privacy and health care are often the same judges creating new “rights” to protect corporations’ ability to buy elections, get away with harming workers and communities, and discriminate against some of their employees.
Like the right-wing campaign to restrict voting, the campaign to eliminate access to safe and legal abortion has built power through organizing at the state and national levels. We who believe in freedom must do the same. Among the activists and protesters who gathered outside the Supreme Court on Dec. 1 was a group of interfaith leaders who provided the moral clarity and urgency that the progressive movement needs to defend our freedom and our families more effectively.
Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way.
and
families, and working hard to build community partnerships with organizations like the Missouri Historical Society, COCA, and The Black Rep. Her position allows her to work closely with all students and employees. Recently, she helped create a conference focused on Catholic teaching and social justice topics hosted by her students, which brought together students and teachers from other high schools.
I think it’s incredible that her school is taking real steps to make change and work toward social justice. I hope you can highlight this important work by a talented woman. (Photo attached)
Melissa Pillot, Forsyth School Librarian
Editor’s note: If you have someone, or a small business you’d like us to profile, please email us at editor@stlamerican.com
Cheers for Dr. Julia Wilkins Kohrmann
Columnist Roger Caldwell
Columnist Ben Jealous
Columnist Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr.
Getting in motion for kids
Event chairs Cardina Johnson (L) and Christie Lewis, load bags of toys into cars during “Kids in Motion” in St. Louis on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021. St. Louis area lawyers identify families that are in need of toys for their children for Christmas and then distribute them to the families as they drive up. Over 1600 requests were fulfilled on this day.
SoulFisher Ministry nets $150K grant from County CSF
St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund (CSF) has awarded The SoulFisher Ministries (TSM) a $150,000 grant to support health and wellness for youth.
Over the past 11 years, CSF has invested over $400 million into local nonprofits and government agencies.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on millions of people, globally, children and youth are particularly vulnerable to its effects. Laptop and tablet computers became vital to virtual classroom success, leaving thousands of students in low-income school districts behind. Students also lost access to school meals, a key source of nutrition.
TSM’s Educate Now to Achieve Later (ENAL) After-School Program targets negative effects of the pandemic on youth in the community. Its goal is to help break the school-to-prison pipeline.
together,” Fisher said. Fisher became a mother at 15 and was convicted on a felony charge two years later. After her seventh incarceration, she transformed her life, attended college and founded SoulFisher Ministries.
Shawntelle L. Fisher, TSM founder and CEO, said ENAL “is committed to ensuring that we remain innovative and relevant in our approach to meeting the needs of our students and families. We refuse to shrink back and will continue to walk side by side with our students, their parents, and the Riverview Gardens School District as we heal
She graduated with respective Master of Social Work and Master of Divinity degrees from Washington University Brown School and Eden Theological Seminary in 2018.
TSM also serves justice-involved women through its Adult General Academic Program of Education (AGAPE) Reentry program. The program promotes restorative justice and breaks down barriers for currently and formerly incarcerated women.
The ministry also partners with youth organizations, including Girls on the Run and Circus Harmony. Girls on the Run empowers girls to build confidence and improve social, emotional, and physical health. Circus Harmony uses circus art education to build character, teach valuable life skills, and inspire social change.
To learn more about TSM programs or explore valuable resources for mental health services, please visit https:// www.thesoulfisherministries.com.
How many pastors can we have?
By Julianne Malveaux
Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton did the right thing when attending the Ahmaud Arbery trial. They demonstrated the Black community’s solidarity when one of us is lynched.
Lynching has reverberations. Each of us, every Black person, is repulsed and dismayed when we learn that armed white men, using the pretense of “citizen’s arrest,” can kill any of us. What is a citizen’s arrest, anyway? Is it simply a license to kill?
Kevin Gough, the attorney “defending” William “Roddie” Bryant, the man who both took a video of the massacre and participated in it, asked the judge, each day, to bar Jackson from the courtroom. How absurd! He said Jackson’s presence might influence the nearly all-white jury. Gough’s racism and ignorance were a constant presence in the trial. He said he didn’t want more Black pastors in the courtroom after Sharpton sat with the Arbery family.
“How many pastors does the Arbery family have?” he asked.
Gough does not understand the many ways that racism connects Black people. In the book “Lynching and Spectacle” (University of North Carolina Press, 2009), Amy Louise Wood writes, “Despite, or even because of, its relative rarity, lynching held a singular psychological force, generating a level of fear and horror that overwhelmed all other forms of violence. Even one lynching reverberated, traveling with sinister force, down city streets, and through rural farms, across roads and rivers.”
Any of us could be followed and shot on any given day. We have no shield. We can be unarmed and running. In bed and sleeping like the late Breonna Taylor, or simply walking down the street.
And some white folks see a threat because racism is baked in the cake we call America. When we watched the massacre of Arbery, we see ourselves, our sons, our daughters, our mothers. That connects us. All “Stand Your Ground” laws are an absurd attempt to allow white people to shoot Black people with impunity. Many state legislatures empower white people to embrace their racism with firearms, whether police officers or ordinary citizens. It is frightening to think that we live in a world where white fear, real or imagined, justifies a Black massacre. On the witness stand, one of the convicted murderers admitted that Ahmaud did not say a word to him, did not do a darn thing but try to get away from him. He shot him anyway!
So, some random white person follows a Black man and attacks him because he is “scared.” He should have kept his scared self in his house and called the police. But no, he was a white man with privilege, power, and a weapon. Why should he call law enforcement when he could enforce the law himself?
So how many pastors does the Arbery family have? As many as they want. Black folks around the nation and the world are praying for a just result in this trial. We are praying for a judicial ruling that the massacre of Black people is unacceptable. We are praying for an examination of this nonsense called “citizen’s arrest.” And we are praying for our leaders, our pastors, our brothers to keep the faith and keep representing. Gough does not “get” the Black community, and he doesn’t have to. But what he needs to know, when he thundered about Black pastors, is that all of us, Black people, are connected.
Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author, and dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at Cal State University-L.A.
St. Louis American staff
Photo by Bill Greenblatt / St. Louis American
Juliane Malveaux
Shawntelle L. Fisher
votes against the resolution.
“Resolution 141 is as it states just a declaration — a reiteration — of our fundamental reproductive rights as supported by the U.S. Constitution and as is constantly being debated,” Stephens said. “This resolution seeks to only reaffirm those rights, to create a stance here at the Board of Aldermen and to protect the very constitutional laws we swore on oath upon to uphold.”
Several alderpeople emphasized the need for safe and accessible reproductive health care during the discussion, particularly abortions. Rice noted Missouri has a trigger law on the books, immediately criminalizing abortion if the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
The 1973 landmark case is threatened by a pending ruling from the conservative-leaning Supreme Court in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The court heard the case recently and at the center of it is a Mississippi law banning abortion at 15 weeks, the point in a pregnancy in which the state claims fetuses can feel pain.
Under precedent, Roe v. Wade ensures the constitutional right to receive an abortion
Bush
Continued from A1
Homer G. Phillips’ name on a three-bed medical facility in North St. Louis.
“The history should be celebrated to the scale of at least that which it was,” Bush said. “And for the legacy to be done justice, if we’re going to name something after it, it must be [placed on] something for the community to be proud of.”
In previously reported stories, several elected officials have said the community is
until at least fetal viability, which occurs sometime between 21 and 24 weeks.
“We need medical care that is true to the science and values the life of the person carrying that pregnancy, as a whole separate independent person worth protecting, as well,” Rice said.
Tyus added: “I do not want to go back to the days where poor pregnant people are doing abortions by coat hangers because the rich will always find a way to have it done safely.”
The full resolution reads:
outraged not only at the size and scope of the facility that has taken the Phillips’ name, but the community not being asked for input on the decision.
“This hospital does not push the legacy of Homer G. Phillips forward, and it will not be the next place where we produce 75% of medical professionals, it won’t be that,” Bush said. “Seventy-five percent of Black doctors will not be interning and coming through this facility, which is the legacy of Homer G. Phillips. If it can’t at least do that, we should not name this place Homer G. Phillips.”
Now, therefore, be it resolved, by this Honorable Board of Aldermen of the City of St. Louis that we pause in our deliberations to declare the City of Saint Louis a sexual and reproductive health care safe zone, ensuring the people’s rights to Reproductive Freedom, and naming these rights as fundamental to the policies and practices of this body.
During the discussion, John Collins-Muhamad, Ward 21, took a different stance than other alderpeople. He said
Additionally, Bush pointed out this is a “long-standing tradition” for developers who aren’t from the community to appropriate its culture.
“If the people he is helping are the same people who are saying this is not helpful, he should listen to the community and by not listening, the idea of that, not listening when Black people are speaking, it’s like he’s saying that he knows better by not changing the name,” she said. “And that in itself is rooted in white supremacy.”
Bush spoke on how she stands with resolution 138,
while he doesn’t support the resolution, he’s not against it, but rather he wants to focus on the “real issues” and called the resolution “bland in its illustration.”
He said the city should focus on dismantling poverty, providing resources and improving access to quality education, birth control and health care.
“I think that when the emotional, the physical, the educational, as well as the financial health and opportunities for women improve, I think we
introduced at the Board of Aldermen meeting Nov. 19.
“I’m glad. I’m glad the Board of Aldermen could go ahead and fight it because I agree it is cultural appropriation and a cultural abomination,” she said. “Their constituents should have a say, and the aldermen speaking up and saying our people have reached out to us and they’re saying they don’t want this, so we’re going to do something to make it very clear that we are standing with the community and listening to their voice.”
This is exactly what
St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones speaking in front of Plan Parenthood offices in support of reproductive rights in the city’s Central West End Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021.
reduce the likelihood of facing these serious questions,” Collins-Muhamad said.
The Dobbs case comes just a few months after Texas enacted a law Sept. 1 prohibiting all abortions for a person who is more than six weeks into their pregnancy, becoming the country’s first six-week abortion ban to be enforced.
The law remains in effect as it also awaits a ruling from the Supreme Court after oral arguments challenging the law were heard Nov. 1. Legal experts expected the Supreme Court to
Alderwoman Sharon Tyus did by writing and introducing Resolution 138. Tyus is the primary sponsor of the document.
“I think the cultural appropriation of things in the African American community, especially in North St. Louis, is wrong,” she said.
A hearing is scheduled for Thursday at 2 p.m. for the health committee to review Resolution 138. Community members will have the opportunity to testify before the committee.
“If the resolution passes, then it will be moved to
rule on the Texas law before the Mississippi case, but that has not happened. As it stands, the law violates a person’s constitutional rights under Roe v. Wade. It also triggered what prochoice advocates feared would be a domino effect on abortion access in the Midwest.
On Tuesday, several community leaders gathered at Missouri’s last abortion clinic at 4251 Forest Park Ave. to fight back against the unprecedented attacks on abortion access.
Pro-Choice Missouri and Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region & Southwest Missouri put on the event and was joined by St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, County Council Chairwoman Rita Heard Days, St. Louis County Executive Sam Page and other elected leaders. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell will also participate in a virtual discussion with Planned Parenthood from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. The discussion aims to teach supporters more about reproductive health issues from the perspective of Black elected officials and leaders. People are asked to RSVP for the discussion’s zoom link at www.weareplannedparenthoodaction.org/a/ nc-action-council-meeting-wesley-bell.
the full Board of Aldermen where we will vote on it,” Tyus said. “We will then send letters to McKee and his board of directors to express our concerns about his use of the name Homer G. Phillips and request that he come before us to answer questions regarding the appropriation of the name.”
At a meeting Tuesday, community activists came together to further strategize on a petition to collect community signatures to remove Homer G. Phillips’s name from the new medical facility.
Photo by Nick Dunn / St. Louis Mayor’s office
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no cost to participants.
“I think this will help a lot of people,” she said, as workers organized black plastic crates with yellow onions and bags of green Washington State apples. “If [more] people knew, they would come.”
Putting groceries on wheels predates the pandemic locally and across the country. But as the virus shone a spotlight on holes in the nation’s food safety net, mobile markets, along with urban gardens and pop-up farmers markets, have been gaining attention from people up and down the food chain looking to address unequal access to healthy food, Low access areas formerly known as “food deserts” but many activists see them as signs of “food apartheid.”
Supporters of mobile markets note that they can help bring nutritious food to low-income residents in areas many traditional grocers have abandoned. Some operations are subsidized by health care companies in a bid to use better food to create better health outcomes.
Some programs, including the St. Louis-based Link Market, focus largely on serving seniors, who can have mobility as well as financial issues.
In contrast to drive-thru food banks, where families are handed preassembled bags of groceries, in the mobile markets consumers typically pick food items for themselves. That can cut down on waste and discarded items, as organizers at one food giveaway found when bok choy proved to be none too popular in Southern Illinois. Yet one Wisconsin-based researcher who has been studying mobile markets for more than a dozen years, said she’s seen many such well-intentioned operations come to a screeching halt. Expenses can swamp revenue in for-profit ventures, and financial backers often give up sponsoring nonprofit options after a few years, she said.
“Food on the Move” is operating with a $25,000 infusion from airplane giant Boeing. That helps cover operating expenses including bus maintenance, said Maya Summers, program manager with the St. Louis Area Foodbank.
“We were looking at different ways to expand our programming in a way that [could help eliminate] those barriers that prevented people from attending traditional … food fairs and pantries,” Summers said. “What we noticed was that there were a handful of people who didn’t have access to cars, or to transportation, that would get them through a drive-thru model. And so we look at the development of “Food on the Move” as a way to go into areas that don’t have access to pantries, grocery stores.”
The brightly painted trailer stops once a month at four metro area locations:
• Rock Road MetroLink Station; Pagedale,
• Rosati Center; 4231 N Grand Blvd. St. Louis [temporarily relocated to the Family Dollar parking lot]
• Mt. Calvary Church of God; 1420 N 49th St., East St. Louis, IL
• Victory Church DeSoto; 1000 N. Main St., DeSoto
Those stops were chosen because residents in the surrounding neighborhoods face
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cer was off duty, in situations like contracted security work.
The attorneys argue this is in direct violation of a state provision banning the use of public funds for private purposes and also unconstitutional because no funding is provided for these expanded responsibilities.
Another one of those 88 provisions outlined a “police officers’ bill of rights” relating to procedures for imposing discipline on law enforcement officers.
food insecurity at a rate of 30% or more, have poverty levels of 30% or more and face unemployment rates of 15% or more, according to the food bank. Also, they have limited access to healthy food, often because of the absence of traditional grocers.
Since April, the program has served 1,186 families, including 3,476 individuals and 1,230 children under 18. That works out to about 170 families a month. More than 78% of the participants have been Black or African American.
Short shelf life?
While Monday’s participants expressed appreciation for the drop-in food giveaway, the numbers helped by the food truck, or any food truck, are relatively small compared to the need.
More than 190,000 residents in St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Clair County, Illinois, live in neighborhoods without easy access to fresh food, according to data from the USDA.
The limited scale of mobile markets is part of what gives Lydia Zepeda pause.
Zepeda, professor emerita in the University of WisconsinMadison Consumer Science department, has been studying mobile markets since at least 2008. She’s heard many a tale of woe.
“I have sat with enough mobile markets [operators] trying to assist them, seeing how little they sell in a two-three hour period,” she said. “When you’re selling maybe $20 worth of produce, you know, basically a box or two of produce, that makes a marginal difference for maybe a few people.
“It’s very hard to make this self supporting,” she added. “So they need some sort of sponsor to really run. Some of them have been started with grant monies and served in partnerships …with a hospital or working with some sort of organization that has deep pockets willing to basically subsidize the mobile market. And that’s hard because most
The suit claims the provision creates inequality between sworn officers and other city employees, including one of its plaintiffs, Heather Taylor, a retired police officer and the senior advisor to the city’s interim public safety director.
Attorneys argue the law does that by creating two classes of employees who are subject to vastly different due process rights, in which law enforcement officers are given more due process rights during disciplinary investigations than all other employees of local municipalities and governments.
organizations are not willing to do that past two years.”
Zepeda, like many food activists, said she feels focusing primarily on increasing food access ignores the root cause of the underlying problem – poverty. A more efficient solution, she said, would be to ensure that low-income consumers have more financial resources, such as further increases to SNAP benefits and a living wage.
From mail to kale
St. Louis’ Link Market, launched in November 2017, uses a refurbished mail truck to
deliver “affordable” produce to buildings providing housing and other services to seniors, according to Serena BugettTeague, community engagement manager for The Link Market
It also sells produce from two repurposed shipping containers, called kiosks, which have been shuttered since the beginning of the pandemic.
Owner Dr. Jeremy Goss, who also is founder of The St. Louis MetroMarket, plans to launch a brick and mortar operation at The Link Market on Blumeyer early next year, according to Bugett-Teague.
In the meantime, the organi-
zation was able to make up lost kiosk sales by boosting sales to seniors, through contracts with St. Louis and St. Louis County, she said.
“We definitely reached out to community leaders, and we expanded the senior homes that we serviced,” she said, adding that the eight new stops at senior housing complexes, churches and community centers in low-income areas, will continue beyond the pandemic.
“Definitely serving the senior buildings, fixed-income senior buildings, we’re definitely going to keep doing that,” Bugett-Teague said.
“That not only came about as a
result of the pandemic, but also the needs in the community with people having transportation issues, and mobility issues. So that’s definitely going to continue into the future.”
All of the buildings are located in areas with low access to healthy food, she said.
Sometimes, Bugett-Teague has served as mobile market driver. The route can include curbside stops at which members of the public can shop. That’s when Bugett-Teague, a St. Louis native, gets an earful of how the pandemic has packed a punch.
“When we’re posted in the community, … definitely we hear all types of stories about the struggle that people will face because of COVID,” she said. “It goes all the way from losing jobs, to losing businesses all the way up to losing family members.”
Some said that after losing jobs due to COVID, they cut back on purchasing produce, which can be more expensive than some shelf-stable items.
“That’s why we do our best to offer affordable vegetables to people because we know that the healthier options can be more expensive,” she said. “That’s why we’re committed to offering those options at a lower cost.”
Karen Robinson-Jacobs is The St. Louis American / Type Investigations business reporter and a Report for America corps member.
“The Barren Mile: COVID19 and the fight against food apartheid,” is a comprehensive look at the impact of the pandemic on inequitable food access in the United States. The special project was spearheaded by Report for America and its parent company, The Ground Truth Project. Reporters from four RFA host newsrooms -- The St. Louis American (Missouri), The Atlanta News (Georgia), Black Voice News (Riverside, California) and New York Amsterdam News (New York) -spent five months speaking with scores of consumers, activists and corporate and government officials about the continuing problem. This is the third in a series of articles on the topic.
Residents in the Fairgrounds neighborhood of north St. Louis wait in line for the opening of the St. Louis FoodBank’s Food on The Move mobile market. The agency offered fresh fruits and vegetables at no cost Monday morning Dec. 6, 2021 at it’s mobile unit on a parking lot at N. Grand Blvd. and Carter Ave.
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
Christian Hospital to honor students, civic leaders
leaders and several student scholars. William F. Tate, the first African American President of
Louisiana State University, will discuss the challenges of race, injustice, and exclusion. Tate served as executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of
service in the name of justice, equity, and equality. The 2022 awardees are:
• John Bowman – President of St. Louis NAACP
• Charlotte Hammond – President and CEO of Challenge Unlimited Inc.
• Andreal Hoosman – Owner of Hoosman Haywood Realty
•
South Carolina until July 2020. He served as dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education at Washington University in St. Louis from 2002 to 2020. He received his Ph.D. in mathematics education from the University of Maryland, a Master of Arts in education from the University of Texas at Dallas, a Master of Psychiatric Epidemiology from Washington University School of Medicine, and a Bachelor of Science in economics from Northern Illinois University. Christian Hospital Foundation will recognize the 2022 Drum Major Awardees. It is the highest honor Christian Hospital Foundation bestows upon unsung heroes from our community who have given time, talents,
and
Robert Norman Vickers, Sr., father of late attorney, Eric E. Vickers, dies at 94
By Sylvester Brown, Jr.
The St. Louis American
In early 2019, I had the opportunity to interview Robert Norman Vickers, Sr., who passed away on Dec. 4, 2021, at 94. One of his three sons, the late Atty. Eric E. Vickers was a long-time supporter of my writing career and a good friend. Richard Weiss, founder of the nonprofit, Before Ferguson Beyond Ferguson, was interested in publishing an extensive piece on the civil rights attorney’s family and roots. Initially, I regarded the assignment as a chance to decipher the making of a renowned attorney/activist. Instead, I was gifted with a fascinating three-generational tale of a Black man determined to live the “American Dream” despite racism, without malice or the in-your-face activism of his well-known son.
Robert Norman Vickers, Sr., began his interview with an incident in the small town of Lerna, Illinois, population of 366 in 1927, the year he was born. Vickers recounted how townsfolk came to the aid of his grandfather, A. L. Robinson. The Robinsons were the first and only Black family in Lerna at the time, and Ku Klux Klan locals were intent on making sure they didn’t stay. According to Vickers, his grandfather, a craftsman and a blacksmith by trade, was well respected in town. When Klansmen showed up to light a cross on the family’s lawn, they were greeted by protective guntoting neighbors who issued an ominous warning:
Vickers’ father and mother, James Beverly Vickers and Thelma Robinson-Vickers, raised four of their children in Mattoon, Illinois, about 15 minutes from Lerna. Vickers, however, was raised by his grandparents, the Robinsons in Lerna.
As “the only Black kid” in the city’s schools, Vickers said he was called the “N-word” often, but he maintained that more whites stood up for him than judged him by his skin color.
He excelled in athletics and academics at Lerna High School.
“Not bragging, but I was one of the smartest kids in town,” Vickers said.
He was not only captain of the school’s basketball team, but he also graduated as class salutatorian.
“If not for ‘race,’ I would have been valedictorian,” Vickers said.
Vickers enrolled at Eastern Illinois University, in Charleston Illinois and pursued a degree in industrial arts. He graduated in 1949 and got his first job as an educator a year later, teaching shop classes at Lincoln High School in Venice, Illinois, established for black students in 1909. Seeking to reside near his job, Vickers moved to East St. Louis. It was there, in 1950, he met the love of his life, Claire Lee Bush, whom he married.
Vickers was promoted to assistant principal, Principal, and superintendent of Schools of Venice, Illinois, the first Black man to hold those positions. He retired from Venice in
“You S.O.Bs can light that cross if you want, but it’ll be the last thing you’ll ever light,’” Vickers recalled with a laugh. “Well, they got back in their cars and left, and my folks never heard from the Klan again.”
1987 after 38 years of leadership.
In the early 1950s, East St. Louis still had a diverse populace dependent on a thriving economic base. It was fueled by major industries such as aluminum factories, foundries, stockyards, and meat-packing facilities, but because of the city’s rapid decline due to deindustrialization, the Vickers decided they and their four children would relocate.
Claire Vickers had read about University City’s “open housing” movement aimed at recruiting Blacks into the area. The Vickers found a house on Dalkeith Lane and became the first Black family on the block. Somewhat reminiscent of his grandparent’s experience in Lerna, a racist neighbor tossed a burning log through the window and threw black paint on
the side of the house while the Vickers were moving in.
In a 2001 interview with the Riverfront Times, the late Eric Vickers recalled the image of his 14-year-old self, surrounded by moving boxes, standing in the dark next to his father who peered through blinds with a shotgun in his hands.
As in Lerna, Vickers said
most of his University City neighbors welcomed the family. He and Claire lived on Dalkeith Lane until she passed away at the age of 80 in 2012. According to the family, Vickers, Sr. also “passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by family.”
Robert Norman Vickers, Sr., is survived by his daughter Vikki (Vickers) Deakin, and his sister Caryl (Vickers) Taylor, 10 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and four great, great grandchildren. Services will be held on December 13. The visitation (10 to 11 a.m.) will be followed by funeral services at Austin Layne Mortuary, 7239 W Florissant Ave.
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PHSU is excited to bring its forty-four year history of producing successful medical practitioners to our St. Louis campus. The Doctor of Medicine (MD) four-year curriculum is designed to produce culturally competent, clinically prepared physicians for communities across the nation and around the world. We are thrilled to be partnered with Mercy, a world class hospital system.
Visit stlouis.psm.edu to learn more about how PHSU’s programs can put you on your future path.
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African Americans, Democrats still backing BLM movement
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire
Following a recent poll showing support for the Black Lives Matter Movement waning, conversations have commenced over the continued relevancy of the campaign.
Researchers conducted by the national polling site, Civiqs revealed that 44% of Americans support the Black Lives Matter Movement, while 43% said they oppose the campaign.
About 11% of respondents reported that they neither support nor oppose the campaign, which began in 2012 in response to a jury’s decision to acquit George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.
However, hidden in the poll’s details are subgroups that show the movement still enjoys the overall support of African
Americans and Democrats.
82% of African Americans supported the campaign, while just 7% opposed it. While 60% of Hispanic/Latinos still support the Black Lives Matter Movement, 51% of White Americans oppose it.
Just 3 percent of those who identify as Republican support the movement, and 86% oppose. Democrat respondents support the campaign by an 86% to 4% margin.
The movement’s support appeared to peak in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd as global protests joined in the cry of Black Lives Matter.
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation co-founder Patrisse Cullors resigned earlier this year following allegations she parlayed her part in the movement into a multi-milliondollar lifestyle that included purchasing several properties in
various locations.
Shortly before Cullors’ resignation, the foundation released a 2020 Impact Report claiming it had raised more than $90 million. Reportedly, 10 Black Lives Matter chapter leaders called for financial transparency and an independent investigation into spending funds. In addition, EBONY reported the claims of “financial impropriety were a source of constant concern for several parents whose children had been killed by police in controversial shootings.”
EBONY cited Tamika Palmer, whose daughter Breonna Taylor was killed by Louisville police as she slept in her home, and Samaria Rice, whose 12-year-old son Tamir was killed on a playground by a Cleveland police officer.
Each has come out publicly and denounced the Black Lives Matter foundation and accused the organization of raising
Support for the Black Lives Matter movement appeared to peak in the wake of the police murder of George Floyd as global protests ensued. A recent poll shows support has not waned among Black Americans and Democrats.
money
Matter to donate
for
to non-profit organizations in Ferguson working to empower residents in exchange for the millions of dollars they raised in using his son’s name and image. Cullors has countered all the financial purchases she has made have come from her income, including a multi-year television deal with Warner Brothers, a book deal, speaking engagements, and consulting services.
Entertainer Tyrone Evans Clarke said during protests, he participated in following Floyd’s murder, and he noticed many individuals willing to make sacrifices for the cause.
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off the blood of their children.
Michael Brown Sr., whose son Michael was walking home from a store unarmed and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, called
Black Lives
$20 million
Photo courtesy of NNPA Newswire
Witty Kids Holiday a welcome yule time event
Urban
League, Ameren partner with author
St. Louis American staff
The 3rd Annual “Witty Kids” Holiday will be held Saturday, Dec. 18 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Ferguson Community Empowerment Center at 9420 West Florissant in Ferguson.
The event returns this year as community leaders Urban League and Ameren have teamed to help ensure kids in the community have a wonderful holiday season. “Witty Kids” author Rebecca T. Clark toasted the newly formed sponsorship.
“The Urban League and Ameren sponsorships are important to me because I
wanted to collaborate and create partnerships with staples in St. Louis that have strong community outreach and emphasis empowering family & communities,” she said.
The “Witty Kids” book series encourages kids to choose the STEM path, so partnering with Ameren and other technical companies is a goal of Clark’s.
“It’s important for “Witty Kids” to partner with Ameren and technical companies because part of my message pushes STEM occupations,” Clark said.
“This year, families can come out and take a photo with Santa, pick up the “Witty Kids” book series and have them signed
by Clark. There will be a story time, a balloon designer on hand, and they’ll leave with treats and hot chocolate. This event is for all ages and an opportunity to support small businesses will be available as local vendors will set up shop.”
Cynthia Wilson, Urban League division operating officer, said the partnership between the Urban League and “Witty Kids” is important “because education is the most important investment a person can make as it is critical to reducing many inequities within our society.”
“We encourage parents to become active in their children’s learning by participating in family engagement opportunities,”
Witty Kids book series author Rebecca T. Clark (right) says she pens children’s books that give life to the imagination and exploring endless possibilities.
Photo courtesy of wittykidsclub.com
she added.
Clark is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, where she earned her B. S in Business Technology and then earned a Master of Arts in Communications from Lindenwood University.
“Anything you want to achieve you start by dreaming and exploring the imagination. We believe we are all artist and creatives of our own story.
“Witty Kids” provides children’s books that give life to the imagination and exploring endless possibilities,” Clark states on her website.
“As readers, we instantly form an image of the text we are reading. As a children’s book author, my passion is to encourage the reader to dream and visualize your own story. The motto of “Witty Kids” is ‘When imagination talks to you, get creative and go on reading adventures to explore.”’
For more information about “Witty Kids” or to register for the Urban League Ameren Witty Kids Holiday, visit www. wittykidsclub.com.
Memorialize and celebrate your loved ones in The St. Louis American! For more info contact Angelita Houston ahouston@stlamerican.com or call 314-533-8000
Putting abortion rights in historical context
Columnist Jamala Rogers
The Mississippi case now before the U.S. Supreme Court challenges Roe v. Wade in the harshest terms ever and before a conservative court with justices hostile to the current law of the land. The fact that the last two assaults on woman’s constitutional right to choose have come from Southern states only dredges up an ugly past where Black women had absolutely no power over their bodies.
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization comes on the heels of two Texas laws recently passed that further restrict a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy. One bans abortion after six weeks with no exceptions for rape or incest. It also made it a crime to send abortioninducing medication through the mail. It should come as no surprise that it is a white man bringing the lawsuit on behalf of Mississippi to bring down Roe v. Wade. Thomas Dobbs is the state health officer at the Department of Health. He’s backed up by Governor Tate Reeves, who has already publicly stated many times that “there’s no guaranteed right to an abortion” in the U.S. Constitution. Either Reeves doesn’t know the Constitution or exerts the continuum of racist rogue
governance despite the law – or both. And what is the Jackson Women’s Health Organization? It is the sole provider of abortions in the entire state. It has been a target of vandalism, incessant lawsuits and death threats. It is located in Jackson, a predominantly Black city. Mississippi’s long and brutal history of disregarding the rights and liberties of Black folks is well documented. The state is a leader in recorded lynchings in the U.S., including the most infamous and heinous
n It should come as no surprise that it is a white man bringing the lawsuit on behalf of Mississippi to bring down Roe v. Wade. Thomas Dobbs is the state health officer at the Department of Health.
murder of young Emmett Till in 1955.
According to Jill Jefferson, founder of Julian, a civil rights organization, lynchings in Mississippi have never stopped. “The evil bastards just stopped taking photographs and passing them around like baseball cards,” Jefferson said. When it came to Black folks’ struggle for voting rights and public accommodations, we
were met with vicious attacks. The schoolhouse became the battleground to preserve white supremacy and deny African Americans their fundamental human rights to education.
Mississippi mooned Brown v. Kansas Board of Education and continued its hyper segregation in education on all levels.
James Meredith risked his life to enroll in the University of Mississippi, resulting in the Ole Miss riot of 1962. It was only a few years ago Cleveland Central High School desegregated after years of wasting taxpayers’ dollars on litigation. In many other towns, white supremacy is still the order of the day regardless of the law.
Mississippi has one of the highest poverty rates in the country. Despite this and racial health disparities, the state has refused Medicaid expansion. Doing so would give more than 200,000 people health care coverage and save the state about $800,000 million in the first two years due to funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. This white, patriarchal government has never been interested in the health and well-being of all its citizens.
Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization may seem like it’s about abortion on the surface. Below that racist surface is the unrelenting challenge to equality, justice and democracy by a system of white, racist oppression that is prepared to fight to the death to preserve its legacy. Women’s bodies are just the latest battleground.
“Taking Care of You”
Health care with hope
Despite labor shortages, SLU Hospital serving community
By JoAnn Weaver
Louis American
St.
The
In March 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic hit the state of Missouri. A new hospital came to the St. Louis area five months later.
“SLU Hospital opened in September 2020 right in the middle of the pandemic,” Steven Scott, president of SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital, said. “It was done out of our unwavering commitment to the commu-
nity, to the people we serve to assure that... the opening of this hospital would not be delayed.”
Scott served as the interim president before being named president of SLU Hospital in March 2019, which was before the hospital opened its front doors.
When asked about leading SLU Hospital in the middle of the pandemic, Scott talked about some of the challenges from the past two years.
“It’s been challenging over these last 20
months to manage supply chain shortages as well as ensuring our staff remains safe during the pandemic,” he said. “We provide critical care that patients need, especially during the peak of the pandemic; we’re still managing it through the Delta variant and now the Omicron variant.”
According to Scott, COVID cases have been declining since vaccinations have increased. This is true, according to the latest
By Dr. Graham A. Colditz Siteman Cancer Center
It may be hard to believe that, after almost two years, COVID-19 is still a major issue in the U.S. and the world over. It continues to affect our health and health care and to disrupt our daily lives. And the emergence of new variants, like Omicron, can add even more uncertainty about when we’ll be able to return to more normal routines.
Yet, it’s important to remember that we’ve made a lot of progress over the past two years, even if it may not always feel that way. And earlier this fall, we passed another key milestone in our efforts to combat the coronavirus.
Children as young as 5 years old can now get a COVID-19 vaccine. And that is fantastic news.
“Vaccination is one of the best tools we have for keeping kids and families safe and healthy,” said Dr. Rachel Orscheln, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
n The vaccine prevents more than 90% of COVID19 cases in children ages 5 and up.
About 7 million children in the U.S. have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since the pandemic began, and even though serious cases are rare, they do happen. More than 8,000 children ages 5 to 11 in the U.S. have been hospitalized with COVID19, and some children have died.
On top of reducing the chances that kids will get infected and become ill, vaccination helps prevent the spread of this infection to family members and caregivers, some of whom may be vulnerable to serious disease, Orscheln said.
Vaccination also helps keep kids in the classroom, by cutting down on infections in fellow students, teachers, staff members and others.
The vaccine prevents more than 90% of COVID-19 cases in children ages 5 and up.
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon expands critical services with air medical transport
By JoAnn Weaver
The St. Louis American
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital is partnering with PHI Air Medical, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon to provide air medical transport to patients across Missouri.
“We are proud of our partnership with SSM Health Cardinal Glennon to help provide the citizens of Missouri with this critical, life-saving air medical service,” said Chris Shaffer, regional director, PHI Air Medical.
The new base will be equipped with a dedicated EC 145 rotary wing aircraft with state-ofthe-art technology and equipment. The helicopter will operate with flight and maintenance personnel from PHI Air Medical, along with a team of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon specially trained flight nurses, paramedics and other clinical staff.
“SSM Health Cardinal Glennon shares our dedication to safety and innovation, making them
n The new base will be equipped with a dedicated EC 145 rotary wing aircraft with state-of-the-art technology and equipment.
the ideal partner for us,” Shaffer said.
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon’s reach across its communities will now expand.
According to Andrew West, operations manager, Neonatal and Pediatric Transport, the hospital has had a critical care transport team for about 42 years. The team was comprised of department ambulances and a helicopter.
“Over the last few years, we acquired a helicopter that our team can more adequately transfer
See GLENNON, A15
The critical care transport team at Cardinal Glennon serves approximately 1,600 children each year. A new EC 145 helicopter will carry state-of-the-art technology and equipment and bridge access to communities in the St. Louis metropolitan area and Missouri.
Steven Scott was named president of SSM Health St. Louis University Hospital in March of 2019.
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
See COLDITZ, A15
Dr. Graham A. Colditz
Photo courtesy of SSM Health
VP Harris celebrates the first White House Day of Action on maternal health
By Alvin A. Reid and NNPA Newswire
Vice President Kamala Harris marked the inaugural Maternal Health Day of Action on Tuesday at the White House, saying “This challenge is urgent, it is important, and it will take us all.” Harris chaired a summit with lawmakers, Cabinet secretaries and called on the private and public sectors to help improve maternal health care, especially among women of color and those from rural or low-income families.
“Regardless of income level, regardless of education level, Black women, Native women, women who live in rural areas are more likely to die or be left scared, or scarred, from an experience that should be safe, and should be a joyful one. And we know a primary reason why this is true: systemic inequities,” Harris said during her remarks in the South Court auditorium.
“In the United States of America, in the 21st century, being pregnant and giving birth should not carry such great risk. Women in our nation are dying -- before, during and after childbirth.”
Harris said maternal mortality and morbidity endangers both public health and economic growth.
“Mothers are the backbone of our economy, and their children are the future of our economy,” she said.
In 1960, the United States ranked 12th among developed countries in infant mortality. Since then, with its rate largely driven by the deaths of Black babies, it now ranks 32nd out of the 35 wealthiest nations, according to a report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin.
Harris noted a Department of Health and Human Services study that reports positive impact for mothers in states where Medicaid postpartum coverage is expanded to 12 months.
SLU Hospital
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briefing from the St. Louis Pandemic Task Force.
‘Mothers are the backbone of our economy’
Currently, in most state Medicaid programs, only 60 days of postpartum coverage for women is provided. Pelvic exams and vaccinations, screening for postpartum depression, and regular checkups would be provided for an additional 10 months, covering 720,000 more people every year if coverage is expanded.
While she touted $20 million commitments from more than 20 public and private companies, a key pillar of the administration’s rollout on Tuesday is centered on
passage of President Biden’s social safety expansion package. The bill, which is stalled in the Senate, would provide $3 billion investment in maternal health aimed at diversifying the perinatal workforce and improving data collection among other initiatives.
“I’m so encouraged that we’re going to have a first ever maternal health Day of Action,” said Katy Kozhiannil, a health care policy professor at the University of Minnesota, who has researched with Harris’ staff
on maternal health and advised her former Senate staff on legislation.
“We know that racism is the unequal distribution of resources and opportunities unfairly based on race and that saps the vitality of a whole community,” she said.
“So we need to really change the systems. And that is work that will continue beyond any investment and I definitely hope we don’t just see another day where we all come together, cite the statistics that we’ve all heard many times. Moms are dying, and
every time we lose a mother, we lose a cherished family member, parent, loved one, friend, sister, and that every one more is too much.”
According to Harris, if passed in its current form, the Build Back Better Act’s maternal health provisions would also improve maternal health risk monitoring, address the social factors that contribute to poor maternal health outcomes, address substance use disorders that impact maternal health and promote increased maternal health research.
and
endangers both public health and economic growth
As a Senator, Vice President Harris introduced the Maternal CARE Act and the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, which would provide significant additional resources to address the crisis. This maternal health work by Vice President Harris and other Congressional leaders is now a key component of the Build Back Better Act, which will expand access to maternal care and make unprecedented new investments to drive down mortality and morbidity.
“The most critical thing for us to manage through the pandemic so far has been how to address not only a shortage of supplies but also labor shortages and operational fatigue and burnout of all staff members to be present for the members of the community,” he said. Although it is a global problem, nursing workforce data shows that in Missouri, shortages currently exist in certain areas of the state
Glennon
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our patients in addition to providing critical care in flight,” said West said. “We are proud
Colditz
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And as with vaccines for older teens and adults, the most common side effects are usually mild, including arm pain from the injection, fatigue, headache, chills and fever. These happen more often after the second shot and generally last just a day or two. Some rare, more serious
“It has been a significant challenge for us to recruit nursing personnel and technical personnel as well,” the hospital president said. “I think, like many other organizations, we are looking at our recruitment
of the growing role we play across our state and region.”
West noted the expanded services will assist areas with small hospitals by cutting the time it takes to get there and provide care much faster.
“The decision was made to
side effects are possible, and the safety of the vaccine in children continues to be monitored. But the current evidence shows it is overall safe and effective.
And not vaccinating children also has risks by increasing their chances of getting infected and becoming ill –something parents should consider when weighing decisions about vaccination, Orscheln continued: “By any measure available, the risk of develop-
and retention tactics; currently, we rely on agency personnel.”
Despite the labor shortages, the hospital is working to increase in-patient capacity and use advanced technologies to meet the community’s needs.
“To continue providing strong support for our team and to manage access into this chronically full hospital, we are working on a project to
seek out a vendor who could provide a safer aircraft for us, so that’s how we acquired this new service,” he said. “It allows us to take our team and their experience out into the community to not only get there faster but to access
ing infection with the novel coronavirus substantially outweighs any risk that may be associated with vaccination.”
Pediatricians, primary care doctors and other trusted health-care providers are great resources for parents looking to get more information about the COVID-19 vaccine for children. And children can get vaccinated in many different locations, from doctor’s offices to pharmacies to county health departments.
expand our in-person capacity by inserting and installing a second linear accelerator, adding an additional mammography unit and installing a new intraoperative MRI, which will allow us to have a magnetic resonance radiology machine intraoperatively in our operating rooms,” Scott said. These projects are projected to reach completion in 2022.
some of these communities that don’t have the resources in the Metropolitan area.”
The critical care transport team at Cardinal Glennon serves approximately 1,600 children each year. This new expansion will serve to bridge
By mid-November in the U.S., about 10% of 5to 11-year-olds received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. As the number of vaccinated children increases, adding to the overall vaccination tally, we increase our chances of further limiting the spread of the virus. And that can be particularly important this time of year, as we gather with family and friends for the holidays and generally take part in more
Before the pandemic, the hospital executive with more than 20 years of experience managing health care providers said his favorite part of his work was meeting patients.
“I don’t get a chance to do it as much as I would like these days because of the pandemic but I do approach patients in our waiting room, and with permission from our nurses, I check in with our in-patients to ask how their
the access to communities in not only the St. Louis metropolitan area, but in the state of Missouri.
“With the launch of air medical transport for our system, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon and PHI Air Medical will
indoor activities where the risk of infection is higher. Many children want to do their part to stop the spread of the coronavirus, protecting their families and getting back to more normal school and activity schedules, Orscheln concluded. “Vaccination is a critical strategy for accomplishing these important goals,” she said. And those would be welcome gifts as we head into
experience has been to ask about what they have liked or to see where our opportunities for improvement are,” he said. “We take all of those comments to heart.”
SLU Hospital is new to the St. Louis area, but Scott anticipates it providing health care to the community for a long time.
“I look forward to many years of continued service to the citizens of St. Louis and beyond,” he said.
continue to deliver safe, compassionate, exceptional care,” West said. “We are genuinely excited for what this means to the community as we continue to place our patients as the first priority – always.”
winter and a new year. It’s your health – and your family’s health. Take control.
Dr. Graham A. Colditz, associate director of prevention and control at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is an internationally recognized leader in cancer prevention.
Photo courtesy of The White House
Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday told lawmakers and Cabinet members maternal mortality
morbidity
during the first White House Day of Action on maternal health.
PRESENT:
PRESENT:
PRESENT:
Why do they call it “Liquid Candy?”
Nutrition Challenge:
When we’re lucky enough to have a chance to go out for dinner, there are a few ways to stay healthy with our food
Dining Out.
What Is ASize?Serving
GRAINS Keep ‘em Whole!
The Smart Way!
Holiday Hunt
Warm Up & Cool Down
Do This. Not That!
First Day of Spring!
Exercise Game
Calculate BMI
Tech-Neck
See if the restaurant will let you “share” a meal. Many meals are two, three or more times an actual serving size.
Sugared soft drinks are one of the highest contributors to childhood obesity. “An extra soft drink a day gives a child a 60% greater chance of becoming obese,” according to a recent study published in
We each need at least 3 servings per day of whole grains. But what does that mean? How can we know what foods contain whole grains?
Look at the ingredients list of a package of food you are about to eat. If the word “whole” is used, then there is most likely a whole grain ingredient. A few items that don’t use the word whole
As soon as you’ve divided your plate into the right size servings, ask your server for a to-go box. Go ahead and box up what you don’t need to eat right away. You can enjoy
In our “Super-Size” world, we can easily lose track of what an actual serving size means. When reading labels on a food or drink product, you can determine the nutrients, sodium, fiber, sugar and calories of a serving size. But be careful; just because it looks like one small bottle
Now that we are into the holiday season, create your own Neighborhood Holiday Hunt. Make a list of different holiday items you want to find, before you take a walk. Your list could include a leftover Halloween pumpkin, a fall (or Thanksgiving) decoration, Christmas wreath, Kwanzaa kinara, Hanukkah stars, etc.
Let’s make a game out of exercise!
As spring approaches, warmer weather allows us all to get more outdoor exercise. Here are some ways to become a more active person.
Healthy Kids
Healthy Kids
Healthy Kids
Healthy Kids
those leftovers for lunch the next day!
are popcorn, wheatberries, brown rice and wild rice.
> Ask the server how the different menu items are prepared. Fried, sautéed, and
lifestyle. You can do this by forming new habits. For example, if you decide to eliminate sugary drinks completely, it only takes a few weeks until this becomes what you’re used to.
Here are the steps to making a healthy permanent change. We‘ll use the sugary drink change as an example.
Lancet. The average sugared soft drink contains 10 teaspoons of sugar — and that’s just a small, 12-ounce can! How much sugar is in one of those huge, 64-ounce drink cups from the convenient store? It’s easy to cut back on the amount of sugar in your diet — replace those cans of soda with ice-cold water!
Cocoa Puffers Cereal
Holidays with
Covid
INGREDIENTS:
Getting plenty of whole grains in your diet can improve your health and reduce your chance for some chronic illnesses such as stroke, diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Visit wholegrainscouncil.com for more information.
> Start by substituting one drink per day to water.
> Avoid gravies, cheese sauces and other kinds of toppings that often just add fat and calories.
> Decide you’re going to switch from soda to water.
Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5
Melissa Douglass, MSW
Latoya Woods, DNP, APRN, FNP-C
Deborah Edwards, School Nurse
Here are a few pointers to keep your family and friends safe and healthy while enjoying the holiday season this year.
> After 3-4 weeks, this change will become a habit.
of soda — it may not be considered one serving size. For example, a 20-oz bottle contains 2.5 servings. So if the bottle states “110 calories per serving,” that means the entire bottle contains a total of 275 calories! Remember to watch those serving sizes and you’ll have better control over what you’re eating and drinking.
> Stick with water to drink. Not only will you save money, but you won’t be adding in extra calories from a sugarfilled drink.
> Every few days increase the amount of water and decrease your soda intake.
Learning Standards:
Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 3, NH 5
When you automatically reach for water instead of soda, it has now become a lifestyle change!
even simmered can all mean, “cooked in oil.” Instead, choose baked or grilled options.
March 20, 2021, is the first day of spring. With spring comes warmer weather and longer days (later sunset). Make it a habit to spend as much time playing outside as the weather allows.
It’s important that before you embark on any kind of exercise to remember two things: warm up and cool down. Start with some slow stretches and movement (like walking) to increase your heart rate a little. Warm up for a good five minutes before increasing your heart rate.
Secondly, when you are finished with any kind of strenuous (very active) exercise, take some time to cool down. You can slowly stretch your arms and
Walk briskly enough to increase your heart rate, but bring a notebook to document your findings. You can also create bingo cards with the items listed in different squares. See who gets a bingo first! Change
Instead of playing video games — play baseball, football, badminton, or some other active game.
What are other ways to stay healthy while dining out?
Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5
Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1,
your list every few days to see what new treasures you find.
legs again, and continue with reduced speed movements until your heart rate begins to slow
Where do you work? I am a family nurse practitioner for BJC Medical Group.
Where do you work? I am the founder and distance counselor for Goal Driven Counseling, LLC.
Where do you work? I am a school nurse with St. Louis Public Schools.
Where do you work? I am a school nurse at Monroe Elementary School.
• Wear a mask around young children who are not yet able to be vaccinated, and always wear masks that fit well around your nose and mouth.
Where did you go to school? I graduated from McCluer North High School. I earned an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing from Meramec College in Kirkwood and completing my bachelor’s degree at Webster University in Webster Groves.
First, locate either a deck of cards or two dice. Next you’ll need to make a list of different types of exercise: jumping jacks, sit-ups, lunges, etc. Write each exercise item on a small piece of paper or index
This time of year many of your family, friends and neighbors are putting up holiday decorations. Stay safe this holiday season by following a few simple rules:
Instead of surfing the ‘Net — go for a brisk walk around the neighborhood.
Some fun outdoor games to play include tag, kickball, basketball, Frisbee, and bicycling. Choose activities that increase your heart rate
> NEVER walk on a “frozen” pond, lake, river or any other body of water. Just because it looks frozen does not mean it is safe.
> Never use Holiday Lights with broken or frayed wiring. (And make sure there are no empty bulb sockets!)
Break into small groups and define what it means to be a bully. Share your ideas with the class. Did you have the same things listed (as the other groups) that you would consider as bullying behavior? Now back in your groups, create a newspaper ad that includes at least two of the following:
How much time do you spend each day looking down at a phone, laptop or video game?
> Keep pets and younger siblings away from tiny, poisonous or electrical decorations.
card and fold into a small square. Put these squares into a bowl. Take turns rolling the dice (or drawing a card) and selecting an exercise from the bowl. The total number on the dice or card tells you how many of the exercise you must do. Face cards (king,
Instead of watching TV — ride your bike with friends. Can you think of other ways to be more active? Going outside and staying active not only increases your heart rate and burns calories, but it also helps you build friendships!
Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 3, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5
and breathing. You want to have fun, but it’s also a great way to help keep your heart, lungs and body healthy. Make a list of your favorite 10 activities to do outdoors. Compare your list with your classmates and create a chart to see what are the most popular.
This warm-up and recovery period is important for your heart health. It also helps to reduce the amount of muscle pulls and strains.
Learning Standards: HPE1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 5
queen or jack) should all count as the number 10. Aces are “wild” and you can do as many as you want! To really challenge yourself, have one person roll the dice and the second can select the exercise. See who can complete the exercise challenge first!
Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1
Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 1
> What to do if you see someone else bullied.
Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 4, HPE 5, NH 1
Where did you go to school? I graduated from McCluer High School. I then earned a Bachelor of Nursing and a Master of Nursing Practice from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. And finally, I earned a Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Maryville University.
Where did you go to school? I graduated from Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago, IL: same as former first lady Mrs. Michelle Obama. I then earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work, and a Master of Social Work from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. I also completed two more years of supervision and exams to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Missouri.
• If you are sick or have any symptoms, do not host any gatherings – or go to others.
Where did you go to school? I graduated from Sumner High School. I then earned Associate Degree in Nursing from Forest Park College and a BS in Business Administration from Columbia College.
• Even if you are fully vaccinated you should still wear a mask when in indoor settings. Try sticking with well-ventilated, less-crowded places; outdoor is generally safer.
• Get tested if you have been exposed to Covid.
• If traveling, visit the CDC’s website for guidance, especially when flying.
What does a family nurse practitioner do? Each day I have office visits with patients to help treat new health conditions and/or man age established health conditions. I perform physical examinations on patients, order labs, read x-rays results, and more.
What does a school nurse do? I assess the concerns of students who are ill, injured or experiencing alterations in their normal health. Nurses screen daily staff, students and visitors for safety. Monroe School is a pilot school for Covid-19 test sites in partnership with the city.
What does a school nurse do? I love giving students medications, so they’re able to focus on learning. I clean and bandage wounds. I use medical equipment like a stethoscope, for ex ample, to evaluate whether or not my asthmatics are breathing well. Moreover, I teach and promote healthy habits to my students.
Why did you choose this career?
What does a Licensed Clinical Social Worker do? I use technology to help teens and young adults explore their emotions, better understand their feelings, work through relationships, and address common challenges completely online through a computer, tablet, or smart phone. Similar to a Face time call, I support and guide my clients from the comfort of their home or private location where they are comfortable
• People who are at a higher risk, like a compromised immune system, should continue to wear a mask, even if fully vaccinated.
A BMI (Body Mass Index) is a generic way to calculate where your weight falls into categories (thin, average, overweight, obese). However, it’s a good idea to remember that a BMI may not take into consideration many things such as athleticism (how athletic you are), your bone density and other factors. Discuss your BMI with your
> What to do if YOU are the bully.
Chiropractors around the country see young patients every day suffering from back, neck and head-aches resulting from the extra strain you put on your body when you look down for long periods of time.
> If you are with someone that falls through the ice, first run (or call) for help. Do not try to go out onto the ice to help your friend. You can fall through the ice too.
> If you decorate a real tree in your house, place it far away from a fireplace or electric space heater. Dried-out trees are extremely flammable!
> How bullying hurts others.
> What to do if you are bullied.
doctor if you have any questions. The formula to calculate your BMI is 703 X weight (lbs) ÷ height (in inches/squared) or search “BMI Calculator” to find an easy fill-in chart online. If your number is high, what are some ways to lower your BMI?
> If you use candles, never leave one unattended, keep it away from anything flammable, and make sure it is in a glass or fire-proof container (and out of reach of small hands or pets).
1. Most importantly — take breaks! Have a goal of a 3 minute break every 15-20 minutes. Move around, stretch your neck and relax, without looking down!
> Also — remember to look up! Icicles injure numerous people every year. If you see large icicles forming over your front steps, ask your parents to use a broom handle to knock them off to the side before they break loose from your gutters.
> Remember that some holiday plants are poisonous including holly berries and mistletoe!
Cracker-wiches
Ingredients: 8 Saltine crackers
Easy Hummus Dip
Why did you choose this career? I chose this career to help improve the health of my community.
Louis native, and was an asthmatic child who experienced frequent hospitalizations. Besides having the influence of nurses in my family, the local nurses who helped take care of me were my “angels” and always managed to nurse me back to health, thus sparking my interest.
Why did you choose this career? I chose this career because I enjoy being a support to teens and young adults in a very challenging phase of life that can be overwhelming. I enjoy teaching them how to best take care of themselves so they can live healthy and fulfilling lives.
Why did you choose this career? I love nursing because there are many opportunities in hospitals, schools, clinics and offices, insurance, legal and research. My passion is working in the schools with students, parents, staff and community partners.
• And as always, continue to wash your hands often. And if you are hosting, consider sanitizing door handles, counters, etc. regularly throughout your celebration.
What is your favorite part of the job you have?
Look through the newspaper for examples of ad layouts and design. Discuss the words “compassion,” “empathy” and “sympathy.” How do they each play into your response to bullying at your school?
> What other ice hazards are there?
Learning Standards: HPE 5, NH 1, NH 3, NH 5
Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, NH 5
2. Set your tech device in a holder to keep it at eye level, reducing the need to look down.
Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, NH 4
Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 5, HPE 7, NH 5, NH 7
“Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 314-289-5422
A couple of quick tips that will reduce that strain on your neck are:
> When walking on icecovered roadways or sidewalks, take baby steps. Walk carefully and slowly.
Learning Standards: HPE 1, HPE 2, NH 1, NH 5
Frozen Yogurt Blueberry Bites
Ingredients:
4 Tbsp Peanut butter
Ingredients:
*www.CDC.gov
Ingredients:
2 Large Strawberries
1 15-Oz Can Garbanzo beans
1 cup blueberries
Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3
1/2 Cp Vanilla Greek yogurt, 3 Tbsp Natural peanut butter, 1 Ripe banana (sliced and frozen), Splash of vanilla (optional) 6 Ice cubes
1 Garlic clove, crushed
1 Tbsp Honey (optional)
1 cup non-fat Greek Yogurt
2 Tsp Cumin, 1 Tsp Olive oil, ½ Tsp Salt Directions: Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Enjoy with baked tortilla chips or raw vegetables.
Directions: Blend all ingredients until Smooth. Makes 2 yummy smoothies!
Directions: Spread peanut butter on four of the crackers and top with sliced strawberries. Drizzle with honey and top with the other crackers to make four cracker-wiches.
Directions: Drop each blueberry into the yogurt. Using a spoon, swirl around to coat and place each blueberry on a cookie sheet topped with parchment paper. Freeze for at least an hour.
What is your favorite part of the job you have? Many chronic health conditions (diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure) are preventable, and early detection is key. Thus my favorite part of the job is partnering with patients to establish and manage a plan to help them each live a long and healthy life.
What is your favorite part of the job you have? I enjoy when a child tells you, “I want to be a nurse.” And best of all, I love the smiles, hugs and “thank-yous”.
Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3
My childhood health challenges have given me sensitivity to children suffering with illness. After being given a new lease on life, I consider it an honor to be in a position to promote health to the children of my community, in whatever capacity I serve – in turn, being their “angel.”
What is your favorite part of the job you have? I love that my job makes talking about mental health not as scary and even makes it kind of cool. I love that I get to build valuable relationships with so many people that trust me to be there for them. I love that no matter where my clients are, we can simply connect with a video call and I can not only support them through hard times, but lots of good times as well.
Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3
Learning Standards: HPE 6, NH 3
Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3
“Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 314-289-5422
“Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 314-289-5422
“Questions or comments? Contact Cathy Sewell csewell@stlamerican.com or 314-289-5422
Yonniece Rose, Registered Nurse
Banana PB Smoothie
Liquid Candy!
CCDI prepares underemployed for construction careers
The Construction Career Development Initiative,
young adults overcome barriers to success,
St. Louis American staff
Founded in 2015 in the aftermath of the death of Michael Brown and subsequent protests in Ferguson and neighboring communities, the Construction Career Development Initiative [CCDI] was established by Clayco.
The program for selected young adults in North County helps them overcome barriers to success, pair them in long-term one-on-one mentorship, offer financial support, and create opportunities for job placement in the construction industry.
Its mission is to bring diversity to the design and construction industry by mentoring and exposing minority, underrepresented and underemployed men and women to career development in construction, according to Program Director Rachel Boemer
There are four guiding principles that guide youths in the program.
PeoPle on the Move
Jones new CEO of The Little Bit Foundation
Rogers promoted at Carrollton Bank
in
n Its mission is to bring diversity to the design and construction industry by mentoring and exposing minority, underrepresented and under employed men and women to career development in construction.
Real World Experience: “We go beyond the classroom. We get students into real-world work environments for the most valuable career training,” Boemer said.
Building Awareness: Jobs in construction span a diverse range of disciplines and applications, and this phase raises awareness of the various trade apprentice programs.
Job Placement: With CCDI, training and mentorship are just the beginning. Support and direction helps students successfully find work,
continued success and retention in the construction industry.
Academic Scholarship. “We offer students opportunities to continue secondary education at universities and tech schools for degreed career pathways in construction,” Boemer said.
“Over the past six years, CCDI has grown beyond the walls of Clayco to include many partnerships in the St. Louis community with school districts, workforce development programs and general contractors and subcontractors.”
Nationwide the construction industry is growing, but as ‘Baby Boomers’ continue to retire, the gap in finding qualified workers to hire continues to increase. Society has moved away from the idea of going into a skilled trade as a successful career path, as the rise in higher education has become a more popular choice.
A CCDI goal is to help change the stigma of skilled trade careers by cultivating renewed inter-
Liberty, justice and contracting opportunities for all entrepreneurs and innovators
By Isabella Casillas Guzman
Last week, ahead of Small Business Saturday, I stopped by Lee’s Flowers on historic U Street in Washington, D.C. – the oldest Black-owned florist in the city. During my visit, I picked up a beautiful floral arrangement and joined millions of Americans who shopped small this weekend to support our local economies. Together, we contributed a record $23.3 billion to Main Street businesses across the nation, which was a more than $4 billion increase over last year’s Small Business Saturday. Every time we choose to shop small, dine small or entertain small we’re helping to power America’s greatest economic engine. Small businesses create two-thirds of net new jobs and generate more than 40% of our economic output. With their creativity and grit, they define our neighborhoods and build thriving
Isabella
communities in every corner of our nation. At the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), we’re working to nurture their economic potential to deliver an equitable and sustainable economic recovery. An equitable federal procurement strategy that prioritizes small, disadvantaged businesses will help level the playing field and rebuild our economy from the bottom up and the middle out. At the centennial of the Tulsa Race Massacre in June, President Joe Biden laid out his vision to open more doors to federal contracting with an ambitious goal: Increase the share going to small, disadvantaged businesses by 50% by 2025. In FY 2020, 1.9% of federal contracts went
to Black-owned firms while 2.1% went to Latinxowned firms and 3.2% went to AAPI-owned firms, even though they represent 9.9%, 12.8% and 8.1% of all small businesses, respectively. And SBA’s analysis found that half of all small business-eligible contracts went to businesses in just 35 congressional districts in the final year of the previous administration. We must do better.
Buying from small, disadvantaged businesses will leverage the federal government’s purchasing power to reestablish domestic supply chains and Made in America products – using market growth opportunities to strengthen our nation’s industrial base.
Achieving President Biden’s new contracting goal will be a giant leap forward and make a big difference for many small businesses and communities across the country, putting an extra $50 billion into the hands of America’s small, disad-
has been promot-
Community
joined the bank in 2012 as a home loan officer, and has helped build a Community Lending Partnership Program that’s recognized as a model for banks across the country. Rogers has helped 1,100 families with their home loans during his 10 years at Carrollton. He has also obtained more than $2.5 million in down-payment assistance to get them started on home ownership. While his title has changed, Rogers will continue doing what he likes to do – making a difference in the community by educating people, and sourcing capital for them.
Smith named Emerson Teacher of the Year
The Little Bit Foundation announced that it has named Miranda Walker Jones as chief executive officer. A native of East St. Louis, Walker Jones spent 16 years with Better Family Life (BFL), where she served as chief operations officer and vice president of Youth, Family and Clinical Services. While with BFL, she developed and led community programs that serve about 8,000 students, directed more than 140 members and successfully raised $27 million in resources for the organization. Most recently, Walker Jones served as district director for Missouri’s First Congressional District. See
Dr. Audra Smith, second grade teacher at Conway Elementary School received the 2021 Emerson Excellence in Teaching Award. Smith has more than 25 years of education experience including the last 10 years at Conway in the Ladue School District. She was also honored earlier in the year as Ladue School District Teacher of the Year. Emerson’s Excellence in Teaching Awards program, now in its 32nd year, recognizes educators from kindergarten teachers to college professors in the St. Louis metropolitan area.
Marcus Bolden, business assistance manager, came to loan servicer Justine PETERSEN in the fall of 2021. Bolden was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas and has now been a resident of St. Louis for two decades. The move to St. Louis came via a promotion within Southwestern Bell where he worked for 14 years mostly as a communications consultant for their Global Division. He has 12 years (active/reserve) of military service with the U.S. Navy as an operations specialist.
Promotion,
which was established by Clayco in 2015, helps a select group of North County
pairs them
long-term one-on-one mentorship, offers financial support, and creates opportunities for job placement in the construction industry.
Terrence Rogers
ed to president,
Lending of Carrollton Bank. Rogers
Miranda Walker Jones
Terrence Rogers
Photo courtesy of CCDI
Dr. Audra Smith
Bolden named manager at Justine PETERSEN
Marcus Bolden
Casillas Guzman
est in apprenticeship programs and vocational schools - with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion in the construction industry.
“To be able to be successful and continue the growth that is needed in the St. Louis region, we need to work together to address the gaps in education and access to opportunities for the next generation of workers,” Boemer said.
“CCDI is bringing many companies and organizations together to identify, address and overcome barriers to creating a more diverse, robust and sustainable skilled workforce in the construction industry.”
CCDI works closely with the construction instructors at North Technical High School and St. Louis Job Corps. Part of the program is designed to help enhance the classroom experience for these students interested in careers in construction. CCDI helps to facilitate guest speakers from local companies to speak to students about their companies and educate them on the opportunities available upon graduation.
The program coordinates field trip experiences to job sites, organizes hands-on demonstration activities, hosts career fairs and helps to match students with internship or job shadowing experiences. In addition to the support in the classroom, CCDI also hosts 10 monthly Saturday Academies to prepare students with softskill development, networking, and the opportunity to learn from an industry mentor.
Guzman
Continued from B1
vantaged businesses over the next five years.
SBA is rising to the President’s challenge.
We’re disaggregating federal contracting data to track equity across racial and ethnic categories and advancing reforms that will increase transparency, encourage accountability and,
CCDI supports degree-related pathways in the design and construction industry as well.
The program offers financial support with annual “Build Our Future” college scholarships for students interested in pursuing degrees in Engineering, Architecture and Construction/ Project Management. Since its inception, CCDI has awarded 34 college scholarships, assisted eight graduates with purchasing a vehicle and helped
over 120 young adults with full-time employment. Boemer said another CCDI goal is to “connect the ecosystem of resources in St. Louis to work together to help build the foundation for change that is so needed in the construction industry.”
To learn more about supporting CCDI’s mission, visit www.ccdi.org or contact Boemer at rachelboemer@ccdi. org.
most importantly, drive inclusion in the U.S. government’s small business contracting system. These reforms include an effort to make certain that “category management,” a government-wide initiative to source commonly purchased goods and services strategically, doesn’t shut out small businesses. We want to make it easier for more small businesses owned by people of color, women and veterans, to do business with the federal government.
To support these improvements, the Biden-Harris Administration is now directing over 40,000 federal contracting officers across several federal agencies to spend tens of billions of dollars more with small, disadvantaged businesses. In other words, America is about to shop small in a very big way and put equity at the heart of how we do business. We’re moving to quickly implement these changes to position small businesses for the vast opportunities ahead. With the unprecedented opportunities created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s $1.2 trillion in historic investments to upgrade America’s transportation, water, energy and broadband systems, we need to make sure all of our small businesses can get in the door to compete.
The U.S. government spends $560 billion a year on federal acquisitions of products and services. We must ensure those taxpayer dollars are being used to fortify entrepreneurship, innovation and domestic supply chains, and in the process, strengthen our democracy by creating equitable pathways to the American dream.
Isabella Casillas Guzman is the 27th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
CCDI
(Above) The Construction Career Development Initiative classroom-based programs include guest speakers from local companies who share information their firms and opportunities available upon graduation. (Below) Hands-on training through work experience at construction firms brings unique experience to CCDI students.
Photo courtesy of CCDI
St.
The Archdiocesan Athletic Association (AAA) enjoyed a historic high school football weekend, capturing two titles at respective Missouri State High School Activities Association Show-Me Bowls.
Conference members St. Mary’s and Lutheran St. Charles represented the AAA in a big way as both schools won state championships for the first time.
St. Mary’s completed its dominant season by defeating Kansas City St. Pius X 56-0 to win the Class 3 state championship. The Dragons overwhelmed the opposition during its postseason run, winning five playoff games by an average margin of 54-7. The state championship game saw the Dragons register one big play after another, on offense and defense. Senior receiver Kevin Coleman closed his spectacular career with two touchdown receptions, one of 26 yards and the other at 71.
Senior quarterback Caron Spann completed six of 10 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns. He carried the ball four times for 71 yards and scored on an electrifying 28-yard run, which will go down as one of the best in Show-Me Bowl history.
Junior Donovan McIntosh scored on a 45-yard touchdown reception and a 27-yard interception return in the second quarter. Senior linebacker Achille Kpeya Jr. had two quarterback sacks to lead the Dragons’ defensive unit, which recorded its third shutout of the season.
Lutheran St. Charles’s 33-27 Class 2 title triumph over perennial power Lamar was dramatic.
Senior running back Arlen Harris Jr. put a stamp on his stellar high school career by scoring on a two-yard run with six seconds left to bring the Cougars their first state championship. It was Harris’ 39th touchdown of the season, and the most important one of his career.
The Cougars defeated one of the state’s dynasties in high school football. Lamar sought its eighth state championship in nine years. Early in the game, which looked to be the case as Lamar went out to an early 13-0 lead.
But quarterback Aaron Coffey connected with Kaleb Mays on a 62-yard scoring pass in the second quarter and a comeback was underway.
Cyril Holloway picked up a Lamar
‘Who you rooting for, Alvin?’
“Anybody playing Notre Dame,” is an answer that always works for me. Although, between 2002 until midway through the 2004 seasons, my dislike for the Fighting Irish was put on hold. After gaining acclaim at Stanford University, Ty Willingham was named Notre Dame’s first Black coach Dec. 31, 2001. Willingham won his first eight games and would finish the 2002 season with 10 wins. He became the only Notre Dame coach to win 10 games in his first season, which Knute Rockne, Ara Parseghian or Dan Devine accomplished. USC fielded one of college football’s greatest teams that year and blasted the Irish 44–13 in the regular season finale. North Carolina State beat Notre Dame 28–6 in the Gator Bowl. Willingham lasted until the middle of 2004, posting an
Sports
InSIdE SportS
By Earl Austin Jr.
AAA rating!
St.
bring Show-Me Bowl titles home
fumble and raced 50 yards for a touchdown and Charles Young III scored on an 88-yard kickoff return in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 27-27.
Wentzville Holt Class 5 runner up
Congratulations to Wentzville Holt on its second-place finish in the Class 5 state playoffs. The Indians made a great run to the championship game, where they were edged by perennial state power Webb City 26-21. It was the 16th state championship in the illustrious history of Webb City football. Holt was competitive despite not having the services of All-State quarterback Cooper Brown, who was out with an injury suffered earlier
in the state playoffs. It was a historic run for the Indians program.
Norm Stewart Classic time
The Norm Stewart Classic, one of the most unique high school basketball events in the country, will feature 48 hours of continuous basketball from Thursday, Dec. 9 through Saturday, Dec. 12. It will also feature top boys’ and girls’ teams from throughout Missouri, along with several of
SportS EyE
With Alvin A. Reid
St. Mary’s won the Mo. Class 3 State Football Championship for the first time in school history. St. Mary’s 56-point margin of victory is the most in a state championship game, surpassing Blair Oaks’ 54-0 win over Lathrop in the 2018 Class 2 finale.
On Friday, Lift for Life will face Kansas City Central at 4 a.m., Pattonville will face Rock Bridge at 6 p.m. and Chaminade will take on Father Tolton at 8 p.m. On Saturday, Vashon will take on Columbia Hickman in a girls’ game at 6 a.m. On the boys’ side, East St. Louis will face Blair Oaks at 3 p.m., Cardinal Ritter will play Memphis East at 5 p.m. and CBC will take on Ames (Iowa) at 7 p.m.
Marcus Freeman makes me a Notre Dame fan a second time
Alvin A. Reid
overall 21-15 record before he was fired. It was easy to turn on the Notre Dame hate faucet again. The Irish were eager to hire New England Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis. He went 35-27 and received a huge contract extension Notre Dame was paying off for years after he was fired in 2009. Fast forward to 2021. Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly accepted the same position at LSU Dec. 3, and just as he did when he bolted from Cincinnati to South Bend, Indiana in 2010, he wasn’t man enough to tell his team until they found out through media reports. I never could get with Kelly after he fled his undefeated Cincinnati team before its bowl game in early 2011. His Notre Dame destination intensified my dislike for its football program. But Kelly did something I have to acknowledge favor-
ably. Earlier this season, he said during an interview that Irish defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman “was going to be the next head coach.” Kelly didn’t say Freeman would be Notre Dame’s next head coach. Maybe it was a hint that Kelly was going elsewhere, but it was obvious he has a profound respect for Freeman. Kelly wanted Freeman to join
Marcus Freeman has been named Notre Dame’s 30th football coach. He will lead the Fighting Irish in the Fiesta Bowl Jan. 1, 2022.
him as defensive coordinator at LSU. From all reports, Freeman turned Kelly down with no guarantee he would be promoted to Irish head coach. Freeman was named Notre Dame head coach last weekend. The Notre Dame negativity is now on hold. At a press conference Monday, Freeman said it was a tremendous honor to become Notre Dame’s 30th
head coach and thanked its president, Father John Jenkins, and Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick for the opportunity. When asked about recruiting, Freeman said he would be different than the departed Kelly.
“I better be the lead recruiter in every kid that we recruit, and I plan on doing it,” he said. Kelly rankled some Irish fans because he was no longer as active on the recruiting trail.
Freeman will make his head coaching debut on Jan. 1, 2022, when Notre Dame takes on Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Arizona.
Go Irish!
Hamilton and history
History could be waiting for Formula 1 superstar driver Lewis Hamilton at the finish line of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Sunday. Mercedes seven-time champion Hamilton won the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Dec. 5, leaving him tied
with Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen in championship points for the season. It set up a historic, fastest driver takeall situation. Hamilton would surpass Michael Schumacher, the retired German legend, with eight titles if he wins. This would be Verstappen’s first.
A month ago, it looked as though Hamilton’s dream of a record eighth title would have to wait until 2022.
A three-race win streak has him tied with Verstappen and momentum in his garage.
Hamilton is applying the brakes on his concern with Verstappen’s driving tactics. He called his rival “(bleeping) crazy,” after their cars swiped in Sunday’s race.
“From my understanding, I know that I can’t overtake someone and go off track and then keep the position, but I think that’s well known between all us drivers - but it doesn’t apply to one of us, I guess,” Hamilton said. I’ll be up early Sunday to see every second of this showdown.
Earl Austin Jr.
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
Photos courtesy of Notre Dame Athletics
Mary’s, Lutheran
Charles
According to Forbes, a new analysis shows the clear impact of last year’s Black Lives Matter movement on the makeup of newly chosen corporate directors.
In its annual U.S. Board Index released Tuesday, the executive search firm Spencer Stuart found that 33% of newly added independent directors named to corporate boards were Black, a threefold increase from the 11% of new directors who were Black in the year prior.
A third of newly added corporate directors were Black in 2020, up from 11% BTD Construction wins $25,000 prize from Greater St. Louis Inc.
In total, a record 47% of new directors were from racially or ethnically diverse backgrounds, compared to just 22% the year before. This year’s analysis covered proxy statements released between May 2020 and May 2021. Beyond last year’s racial reckoning, mandates by the state of California and the Nasdaq stock exchange to add diverse board members helped to draw a “line in the sand,” Julie Daum (of Spencer Stuart) says, as have efforts by institutional investors to press for more diversity. A panel of regional stakeholders voted entrepreneur Sheila Johnson and her MBE/WBE business, B.T.D. Construction,
Heat-Up board elects Sandra Moore board president-elect, announces $6 million in new revenue last year
Heat-Up St. Louis, Inc., (Cool Down St. Louis), a notprofit grassroots public education, health advocacy and utility assistance charity serving more than 40 Missouri and Illinois counties, including the City of St. Louis elected Ben Turec, as its new board president and Sandra Moore, as its board president-elect, effective immediately at the 21st annual business and board meeting recently. Moore is managing director and chief impact officer of Advantage Capital. In addition, the board re-elected
Rev. Earl E. Nance, Jr., as corporate treasurer. He is a former president of the St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition. It also elected Donna Knight, executive vice president/COO, North County Surgical Services as its vice chair.
In addition, Wesley J. Bell, St. Louis County prosecuting attorney was elected as a new board member, along with Attorney Kevin
Gunn, principal, Paladin Energy Strategies, Inc; Cenia Bosman, president and CEO, Community Action Agency of St. Louis County, Adam Layne, city treasurer, and Rev. Earnest E.G. Shields, Mayor of Pagedale, representing north St. Louis County municipalities. During the annual business meeting, Heat-Up St. Louis announced almost
$6 million in new revenue for the calendar year of 2020. This is up 48% over the previous reporting year of 2019. All public donations must be spent serving needy residents. Since its inception 21 years ago, the charity has raised more than $37 million and impacted the lives of more than one million people. It won in 2018, the Health Advocacy of the Year, award presented by The St. Louis American foundation. In 2020, the charity impacted the lives of almost 325,000 Missouri and Illinois residents in need.
or for home purchase.
Sandra Moore
Arnold Donald has been president and CEO of Carnival Corp. since 2013. He serves on the board of Carnival as well as Bank of America.
Photo courtesy of Carnival Corp.
Living It
Give Grace
“The Gift of Grace” film narrates the story of married couple Cynthia (played by
and William (played by Benjamin Jones) Moore, whose marriage is on the rocks after William gets himself in a compromising situation with April (played by Alex Jay) and questions what’s most important to him.
Christian film encourages forgiveness, second chances around marital challenges
By Danielle Brown
The St. Louis American
A film titled “The Gift of Grace” tells the story about a marriage in trouble when the husband finds himself in a compromising situation and questions what’s most important to him. It stars BlaQue Pearl, Benjamin Jones and Alex Jay. Jones said from his character’s perspective, his actions show him the grace of God as he struggles with confronting weaknesses in his marriage.
“He finds himself entangled in a relationship that caters more to his flesh rather than reconciling with his wife and confronting certain issues,” he said. “It’s one of the things he deals with, and we get all into the nuances of that.”
Pearl, who has been married before and divorced her ex-husband for infidelity, said she found similarities between her and her character’s story. The difference she sees between the two is she’s more softer in how she loves than Cynthia.
“When I’m in a relationship, I am submissive. It was only because I did not want to fail God,” she said. “My mind was always ‘God, what do you want me to do and how do I handle this?’
n Jones, Pearl, Mullen, and Williams collectively agreed the film’s message is about forgiveness and giving grace not only to others but to oneself.
So in other people’s eyes, they were probably like, ‘Oh, you’re weak.’ Cynthia would’ve jetted, and I would’ve been like, ‘How do we fix this?
Let’s go to counseling.”
She said she found healing through the role since she was able to reflect back on her past relationship.
“As an actor, sometimes the role you play is something you’ve never experienced, but fortunately for me, I looked at it like a venting mechanism,” she said. “I always tell people as an actor, you’re a minister, and when you’re ministering to other people, sometimes you’re ministering to yourself.”
Jones said she also resonated with his character who shares similarities in being a family man as he is married and has two children like his character. He noted the differences between him and the character are their experiences.
“At this point, it’s like ‘Nah, I know how to give things to God,” he said.
Additionally, Jones, Pearl, Mullen, and Williams collectively agreed the film’s message is about forgiveness and giving grace not only to others but to oneself.
“We’ve all done something we said we would never do, beat ourselves up about it, and God still had grace on us,” Pearl said. “When it comes down to it, it might be hard in the beginning because you just got wounded. But you gotta come back to the realization that the person was human and made a mistake. So you have to move on from it.”
Kyria Williams of KMW Productions LLC is the creator and producer of the fim, while Derrick Mullen of Mullen Group Productions is the director. Williams said the film is a breath of fresh air, especially due to the tumultuous times of COVID19. Mullen added the film is relatable because it gives people a reality check on some of life’s
See Film, C2
Inspired by Africa
‘Oliver Lee Jackson’ displays art and practice influenced by the diaspora
By Kenya Vaughn The St. Louis American
What a viewer sees within an Oliver Jackson creation depends on the proximity of one’s eyes as they gaze upon the canvas.
And merely giving attention to the center at eye level and walking away – the way many tend to consume visual art – is a disservice to the art.
“Seeing is everything in Oliver’s work,”
Robert L. Pincus, art critic and writer, said. “All he asks of you is to look and look carefully.” Jackson makes it impossible to look away and within his composition style is the capacity to change the viewing habits of his observers forever.
Take his “Sharpeville Series I” painting, for example. Mainly composed of squares sketched on top of muted neutral tones, the work is most
A passion for fashion
Self-taught fashion designer Kris Cole opens custom womenswear shop downtown
By Danielle Brown The St. Louis American
Kris Cole’s love and affinity for fashion began at an early age.
In the third grade, she said, after her aunt handed her sewing supplies, she transformed bed sheets and shower curtains into pencil skirts and more. She said she would also cut up her school pictures and sew them onto pieces of fabric.
Once she got older, she said she started reading books from the library and watching YouTube videos to expand her knowledge of stitching different garments. She officially launched her brand, Kris Cole the Brand, at 19 with prom dresses. Since then, she’s made those items and other womenswear pieces for all occasions, including birthdays, weddings, black-tie
Kyria Williams of KMW Productions LLC and Derrick Mullen of Mullen Group Productions
BlaQue Pearl)
Fashion, C8
See Art, C2
Kris Cole’s dream of having her own storefront has come true. Current clients and prospective customers can shop and book a consultation with her at Kris Cole Design Loft & Accessories located at 1309 Washington Avenue.
Photo courtesy of Kris Cole
Photo courtesy of the Saint Louis Art Museum
‘Sharpeville Series I’, 1970 by Oliver Lee Jackson; acrylic paints on cotton canvas; 72 x 72 inches. The painting is among the works featured as part of the ‘Oliver Lee Jackson’ exhibition on display at the Saint Louis Art Museum through February 20, 2022.
tively glance back and forth between the two focal points. The relationship between the two figures, and the space between the two, conjures up as many questions as emotions while attempting to interpret Jackson’s motives in creating the work.
“If I put this mark next to that mark, it’s intentional,” Jackson told Harry Cooper, senior curator and head of modern art at the National Gallery of Art, during a gallery talk with the esteemed artist and sculptor in conjunction with the 2019 exhibition “Oliver Lee Jackson: Recent Paintings.”
“I hope that it has the effect that it resonates – that it shifts you. Then it belongs to you. I’m just an agent in many ways. But I’m an agent with intention. I have purposes, but my purposes are not your experience. I can’t control that part of it, and I don’t intend to – that’s not important to me.”
“Sharpeville Series I” is among the 12 paintings currently hanging in galleries 249 and 257 of the Saint Louis Art Museum as part of “Oliver Lee Jackson.” The exhibition opened last week and will be on display through February 20, 2022.
“Oliver Lee Jackson” showcases work that spans five decades and represents the wide-ranging scope and depth with respect to the artist’s creative range. The exhibition is curated
by Simon Kelly, curator of modern and contemporary art, and Hannah Klemm, associate curator of modern and contemporary art, with Molly Moog, a research assistant. “Oliver Lee Jackson” is free and open to the
public.
Jackson’s said his Sharpeville Series was inspired by photographs he saw of the Sharpeville massacre, where South Africans were brutally shot down for rising up against
the system of apartheid in 1960.
He said seeing the horrific effects of institutional racism, racial terror and colonization
Black people have experienced outside of his own African American lens gave him the creative “aha moment” that inspired the series.
“I was removed enough that I could use those images without getting entangled in 400 years of personal anger – and see it more clearly,” he said. “It was a kind of cosmic poetry.”
His connection with the Diaspora extended far deeper than the pain and exploitation experienced through the residuals of colonization and broader than what he offers with the Sharpeville Series.
“[Africa gave me] a sensibility that spoke without the dichotomies made in of Western art,” he said. “They say, ‘You can’t paint marble. It should be white.’ Well, that’s academic.
The marble doesn’t care. When I went to Africa, you could paint it, use cloth, put beads on it – as long as it moved the person. The whole thing was to make it right.”
Africa’s power and influence and her art are a common thread within the creative world.
Among countless devotees was the great Pablo Picasso – who spoke of his transformational experience while visiting France’s Trocadero Museum of Ethnology, now called the Musée de l’Homme, in 1907.
“…To examine all those objects that people had created with a sacred and magical purpose, to serve as intermediaries between them and the unknown and hostile forces that surrounded them, thereby trying to overcome their fears, giving them color and shape,” Picasso said, according to French writer Max Jacob. “…I understood what the painting really meant. It is not an aesthetic process. It is a form of magic that stands between us and the hostile universe, a means of taking power, imposing a form on our terrors as well as our wishes. The day I understood that, I found my way.”
Jackson’s approach to art was also forever changed when he saw the beauty of “the makers” of Africa – and how they applied the continent’s infinite natural resources to express its boundless cultural wealth.
“It freed me up to use my sensibility in terms of the world,” Jackson said. “To combine it in a way where the feelings that I had were reflected in the sensuality of the piece – so that my feelings were clear, precise and rich.”
“Oliver Lee Jackson,” will be on view in Gallery 249 and Gallery 257 of the Saint Louis Art Museum through Feb. 20, 2022. For hours and additional information, visit www.slam. org.
challenges rather than when some films present a fairytale.
“I feel ‘The
of Grace’ does that, and it reminds people even in the midst of things we’re going through, there’s
still the grace that God gives us, but we gotta yield till it’s called,” he said.
Pearl said viewers should approach the film with an open mind and be ready to hear an important message.
“Come with an open mind, open heart and just get fed,” she said. “It’s entertaining, but at the end of the day, there’s a message that needs to be heard.
Just open yourself up and relate to it because if you look at yourself, it’s somewhere in there [in the film],” Pearl said.
“Either you need to forgive somebody else, or you need to forgive yourself.”
“The Gift of Grace” is now available for streaming on Amazon Prime and Google Play.
Photo by M. Lee Fatherree courtesy of the Saint Louis Art Museum
Composite (12.3.12)’, 2012 by Oliver Lee Jackson; intaglio print, ink, colored pencil, magic marker, applied paper, staples on paper; 29 5/8 x 41 1/2 inches.
St. Louis’s Black Newspapers
courtesy of The Missouri Historical Society Collections Newspaper clipping from the St. Louis Palladium, March 20, 1909.
By Cicely Hunter, Missouri
Historical Society
African American History Initiative
Technology has transformed the way we communicate, and social media has become a tool for entertainment and a place to discuss important topics. Today we have Instagram and Facebook. But for much of the 20th century and beyond, African Americans relied on Black newspapers as a conventional way to communicate with each other due to the lack of coverage in other newspaper outlets. This allowed Black people to be informed across rivers and railways and within Black churches, clubs, and other fraternal organizations. African Americans were dedicated to producing their own newspapers to emphasize racial pride, promote Black businesses, and recognize important and everyday people of their time. Some of the early St. Louis papers included the St. Louis Palladium National Tribune, Pythian Voice, and American Eagle, which were founded in the late 1800s before the St. Louis Argus and St. Louis American Though all these newspapers were influential for African Americans, let’s consider the St. Louis Palladium, a weekly publication founded by J. W. Wheeler in 1884. Wheeler considered himself “the Palladium man” and “one of the most conservative and fearless editors.” A 1907 article mentioned that “among the Negro race he stands for the high moral standard of his race,” adding that he “strikes at everything that
is wrong and degrading, let the chips fly where they will.” Wheeler worked with other supporters of the newspaper to assist with production. In 1905, readers of the St. Louis Palladium could find contributors like editor Kate Johnson; assistant editor Isabella Morgan; secretary Olivia Richardson; and general reporter, collector, and solicitor C. H. Tandy. Patrons of the paper at that time could retrieve a copy at several locations: 2617 Lawton Avenue, 2614 Stoddard Avenue, 319 North Jefferson Avenue, and 211 North Jefferson Avenue. Annual subscriptions were $2, while one copy could be purchased for five cents.
Black newspapers served many functions, the subject of ongoing debates within the St. Louis Palladium. Wheeler and other contributors of the paper saw it as “an Afro-American newspaper, published for the good of the race.” It was because of these conversations through the medium of newspapers that African Americans could continue to discuss racial relations. As one article detailed, “Newspapers mold sentiment for good or evil. Then the Negro inhabitant of this country should look to our people and the Negro papers to dispense news and information.” In addition, a columnist described, “All we want is a chance to show our ability, and that is what keeps most of the race question before the world today.”
When we think about the transmission of ideas, important news, and entertainment, it was Black newspapers that provided
ways to communicate information, entertain, and advise the Black community about key topics. For example, on July 16, 1904, the St. Louis Palladium republished an article called “Abandon Meeting at Fair” about discrimination at the 1904 World’s Fair. The executive committee of the National Association of Colored Women had planned to host the organization’s convention at the Fair, but Booker T. Washington’s wife vehemently disagreed. She indicated that “the exposition directors had discriminated against Colored women in the matter of securing employment on the grounds and against the race in general.”
Hallie Q. Brown, an African American elocutionist who specialized in public speaking and became the president of the National Association of Colored Women from 1920 to 1924, attempted to seek employment and asked to receive service at a restaurant at the 1904 World’s Fair and was denied both times.
Delegates voted to move the convention to St. Paul AME Church on Leffingwell and Lawson avenues.
Black newspapers remain vital to the circulation of ideas, news, and coverage of their community’s growth. While the St. Louis Palladium is no longer in print, the St. Louis American, which was founded in 1928, continues to serve as a key staple for the African American community in St. Louis. The St. Louis American is currently the single largest weekly newspaper in the entire state of Missouri.
10 Things to Do in December
By Barry Draper
The holiday season continues in December with festivals, captivating museum exhibits and wintertime celebrations. Here are 10 events happening in St. Louis this December.
Winterfest – Through January 2
Winterfest is one of St. Louis’ favorite winter traditions and this year is bigger, brighter and better than ever! Through January 2, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, celebrate the magic of the season in Downtown St. Louis with ice skating, holiday lights and music, cozy igloos, a winter market, and so much more! This year’s festivities will also feature the annual New Year’s Eve celebration and fireworks show.
Holiday in the Park at Six Flags – Through January 2
It’s the most wonderful time of year at Six Flags St. Louis. The park transforms into a winter wonderland with over a million dazzling lights, live holiday entertainment, festive décor, and seasonal treats. Take a stroll into the many magically transformed areas of the park. You can check with Santa to see if you made the nice list, wander by the petting zoo to love on one of our furry friends, and more.
U.S. Bank Wild LightsThrough December 30
Holiday Magic at the Magic House - Through December 22
Celebrate the magic of the holidays all month long at the Holiday Magic experience at The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum, sponsored by SSM Cardinal Glennon! In addition to festive decorations and special programs throughout the entire 55,000 square foot facility, families will enjoy the winter magic of the outdoors including a life-size Gingerbread Village, a Wonder Woods Maze and Snowball Carnival all free with regular museum admission!
Winter Getaway and Noon Year’s EveDecember 28 – 31
Bring your family to the Missouri History Museum for a fun-filled winter break! Enjoy live music, hands-on art activities inspired by the Museum’s special exhibits, storytelling, book giveaways, and a family-friendly Noon Year’s Eve celebration.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra - December 30
U.S. Bank Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo returns for the holiday season. Bundle up and bring your loved ones to a winter wonderland filled with one million twinkling lights. In addition to brilliant light displays, warm up with winter-themed treats, and say hello to the animals at Penguin & Puffin Coast. Guests must purchase timed tickets in advance.
Winter Wonderland in Tilles Park – Through January 2
Start a new holiday tradition or continue a favorite one at the 36th Annual Winter Wonderland in Tilles Park. Slowly meander through over a million glimmering lights fashioned into over 100 displays of festive characters and winter scenes
Holiday Lights at Grants Farm –Through January 2
The Holiday Lights Drive-Thru Experience returns and now includes the Busch Family Estate! Tune in your radio and twinkle into the night as you witness these exclusive light displays at Grant’s Farm. Reservations are required and spots are limited!
Music and the holiday spirit come alive again during the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert, “The Ghosts of Christmas Eve, The Best of TSO and More” a larger-thanlife performance complete with symphonicrock music, grandiose light displays and spectacular effects.
Winter Jewels - December 31
Escape the cold as the Butterfly House magically transforms for Winter Jewels! Enjoy a Tropical Conservatory filled with elaborate fairy gardens, home to the guardians of our jewel-toned butterflies. Discover nature’s gems in the Chrysalis Jewel Mine, make new friends in the Gnome Forest, and meet enchanted animals throughout this colorful land!
The Polar Express Train Ride at St. Louis Union Station - Through December 30
The magical story of a boy’s search for the meaning of Christmas comes to life when real trains depart St. Louis Union Station for a roundtrip journey to the North Pole. Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, passengers will relive the magic of the story The Polar Express. Once onboard, hot chocolate and cookies are served as passengers read along with the classic children’s book, The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg.
For a full list of events happening this December in St. Louis, check out our calendar of events at explorestlouis.com. Also, be sure to share your photos of your St. Louis adventure using the hashtag #ExploreStLouis.
Winter Wonderland in Tilles Park – Through January 2
Guest Columnist Barry Draper
St. Louis artist’s work depicting Mary, Jesus as Black stolen
Kelly Latimore receiving threats
St. Louis American staff
A painting by St. Louis artist Kelly Latimore depicting Mary and Jesus with brown skin was stolen Nov. 23, 2021 from a wall outside the Mary Mirror of Justice Chapel at Catholic University of America law school in Washington, D.C.
The contemporary painting
“Mama” has Mary cradling the body of the crucified Jesus in ‘Pieta’ style, which means pity or compassion. The Christ figure in the 2020 painting has a resemblance to the late George Floyd, who was killed by a former Minneapolis police office in 2020.
According to a Religion News Service report, the painting and Latimore were targeted after the Daily Signal, a website owned by the conservative Heritage Foundation, posted a critical story about it on Nov. 22. An online petition claiming to be from Catholic University of America students gathered more than 4,500 signatures.
Latimore, who is white and says he attended a white evangelical church as a youth, called threats he received “white supremacist, racist stuff.”
Included were derogatory remarks about Floyd, and objections to any depiction of
Jesus as Black. Latimore said the painting, commissioned to mourn Floyd’s death, is consistent with the “nature of the personhood of Christ.”
Latimore responded to the events on his Instagram page.
CUA officials received numerous comments that they characterized as “racist and offensive.” Latimore received death threats. And then the painting disappeared.
“Many see the male figure as George Floyd, but our Law School has always seen the figure as Jesus,” CUA President John Garvey said in a statement released Nov. 24. “The painting was put in place last February in a ceremony outside the law school’s Mary Mirror of Justice Chapel. The press began covering it this week, leading to criticism on social media and a substantial number of emails and phone calls. Some critics called the image blasphemous because they saw it as deifying or canonizing George Floyd. Some comments that we received were thoughtful and reasonable. Some were offensive and racist. Much of the criticism came from people unconnected to the University.”
Latimore responded to the events on his Instagram page.
“Many people asked whether the man in the icon was ‘George
Floyd or Jesus?’ The answer to that question is ‘yes,’” Latimore wrote.
“We bear witness to Christ present in all the crucified people of history. Looking into the eyes of mothers who are continually losing sons and daughters who are chased and unjustly murdered by the state and angry mobs.”
Latimore called the image “Christ in distressing disguise” in a statement to DailyMail. com.
“In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus asks us to find him in all people, especially those who suffer, as George Floyd did,” he said.
Last April, Latimore said in an interview on The Christian Century website he was guided by many people’s thoughts as he created “Mama.”
“In the Black community, there’s dialogue about whether continuously showing dead Black bodies is healthy. I worried about that. But several Black friends of mine told me this was needed—’God being present in the dead Black body’—as a way to respond so this doesn’t keep happening. I think ”Mama”encapsulates my favorite part of iconography, the communal aspect. It makes the artist part of the community, part of the whole,” he said.
Share the Art Museum with loved ones.
A membership to the Saint Louis Art Museum is a distinctive gift for creating memorable experiences.
Memberships include free exhibition tickets and exclusive events, plus discounts on dining, shopping and parking. Membership levels start at $65.
Visit slam.org/GiftMembership or call 314.655.5335 to purchase.
Image courtesy of Kelly Latimore
St. Louis artist Kelly Latimore’s painting, “Mama,” was stolen from a wall at Catholic University of America last week. He and the university are receiving threats.
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Great Rivers Greenway is hiring a Communications Manager. Go to www.greatriversgreenway.org/ jobs-bids and apply.
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER
Urban Strategies, Inc is seeking applicants for the Family Support Specialist Manager and a Senior Project Manager. To view the full job description for Family Support Specialist Manager visit https://tinyurl.com/5bvpuwsp and for Senior Project Manager visit https://tinyurl.com/uej8mvhf or our website www.urbanstrategiesinc.org
After entering our website, click on Who We Are and select Join Our Team to find career opportunities. USI is an Equal Opportunity employer, and this position is funded in whole or in part with Choice Neighborhood Initiative grant funds from the US Department of HUD. Deadline to apply is 12/22/21
POLICE OFFICER
ACCOUNTANT I
The St. Louis County Library is seeking qualified applicants to fill a Full-time Accountant I position. The Accountant I will perform accounting services for the Library’s Foundation and Pension Plan to ensure accurate financial information.
A Bachelor’s degree with emphasis on accounting is required. Two years of accounting experience in Government or Non-Profit entities preferred. Must have high proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word.
Salary - $41,668 plus paid benefits. Apply online at https://www.slcl.org/ content/employment. Equal Opportunity Employer.
The City of Maplewood is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Police Officer. Starting salary is $60,464 with a top pay of $83,433 (six-year step increase plan). Applications may be acquired at the Maplewood City Hall or online at www.cityofmaplewood.com Applicants must have current Missouri POST Class A certification. Submit applications to the attention of Sgt. Kerry Daniels (314-646-3621) by Friday, Dec. 17th, 2021. The City of Maplewood is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Assists in finding, registering, and vetting minority & women-owned businesses (M/WBE). High school diploma or equivalent high school certification. Three years of relevant experience.
JR63066 Maintenance Technician II (Locksmith) - Real Estate Performs maintenance lock-and-key service and/or repairs utilizing industry standard “Best” system for the properties maintained by Off-Campus Real Estate. High school diploma or equivalent high school certification or technical school diploma or equivalent.
JR62715 Program Coordinator Research - Neurology Plans and coordinates the day-to-day administrative, operational and fiscal activities of a University program and administrative core of a multicenter grant. Coordinates the Center on Biological Rhythms and Sleep including providing administrative support and the activities and communications for the North American Prodromal Synucleinopathy Consortium. High school diploma or equivalent high school certification. Two to four years of related experience preferably with grants, marketing, accounting and/or budget management responsibilities.
JR50607 - Expedited Review Specialist - Human Research Protection Office
This position is responsible for reviewing all proposed research for compliance with HIPAA and will also review expedited/exempt research including minimal risk continuing review for ethical and regulatory issues. Position will attend committee meetings to assist and educate committee members and make recommendations about privacy and risk issues. Bachelor’s degree is required and must have working knowledge of the federal regulations governing research, including the new HIPAA regulations.
JR62671 - Manager DCM, Cage Wash - Comparative Medicine
Provides direct supervision of supervisory personnel. Ensures standard operating procedures are current and accurate and that occupational safety procedures are observed. Recommends personnel actions to include hiring, training, promotion, and discipline. Manage approximately 40 direct and indirect reports. See posting online for position requirements.
JR62393 - Compliance Specialist - Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research Provides programmatic support for the University’s research conflicts of interest program. Conducts compliance reviews in accordance with the University’s policies, and federal and sponsoring agencies regulations, with minimal supervision; interprets applicable policies
ASSISTANT FITNESS SUPERVISOR
The City of Clayton is hiring an Assistant Fitness Supervisor. Apply: www.claytonmo.gov
St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices St. LouiS american
CITY OF ST. LOUIS
PUBLIC NOTICE
DRAFT SUBSTANTIAL AMENDMENT
SEALED BIDS
Bids for Roof R e p l a c e m e n t , K a n s a s C i t y DOLIR Building, K a n s a s C i t y, MO Project No. O1912-01 will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, January 6, 2022. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http:// oa.mo. gov/facilities
AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT AND PUBLIC HEARING
The City of St. Louis is soliciting comments on a Draft Substantial Amendment to its 2015–2019 Consolidated Plan for the 2019 and 2018 Annual Action Plans. The Substantial Amendment for 2019 funding proposes the reprogramming of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) funds allocated previously. The Substantial Amendment for 2018 funding proposes the reprogramming of funding for Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program (HOPWA) allocated previously.
Public Hearing Notice/Public Comment Period
The Community Development Administration (CDA) will conduct a virtual public hearing on Friday, December 17, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. The purpose of this hearing is to solicit public comments and answer questions pertaining to the 2019 Substantial Amendment as it relates to CDBG- CV Funding.
The Community Development Administration (CDA) will conduct a virtual public hearing on Friday, January 7, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. The purpose of this hearing is to solicit public comments and answer questions pertaining to the 2018 Substantial Amendment as it relates to HOPWA Funding.
Virtual Public Hearing Information can be found on the City of St. Louis Community Development Administration website at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/ government/departments/community-development/
Documents Available for Review
The Substantial Amendment to the 2015-2019 Consolidated Plan for the 2019 and 2018 Annual Action Plans will be available in draft form for review by any interested citizen on December 13, 2021 at the Central Branch of the St. Louis Public Library located at 1301 Olive Street. The Amendment will also be available for review at CDA, located at 1520 Market Street, Suite 2000. Copies of the report may be downloaded from the City of St. Louis Community Development Administration website at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/ community-development/
Written comments for the 2019 Substantial Amendment as it relates to CDBG-CV will be accepted until 4:00pm on December 17, 2021.
Written comments for 2018 Substantial Amendment as it relates to HOPWA funding will be accepted until 4:00pm on January 7, 2022.
Written Comments
The views of citizens, public agencies, and other interested parties are encouraged. Written comments or suggestions may be addressed to Mr. Justin Jackson, Executive Director, Community Development Administration, 1520 Market, Suite 2000, St. Louis, MO 63103, or via e-mail at JacksonJ@stlouis-mo.gov
Other Information
Persons with special needs or accommodations relating to handicapped accessibility or foreign language should contact Mr. Jackson via email at JacksonJ@stlouis-mo.gov or by phone at (314) 657-3835 or (314) 589-6000 (TDD). Interpreting services are available upon request for persons with hearing disabilities. Interested parties should contact the Office on the Disabled at (314) 622-3686/voice or (314) 622-3693/TTY.
CDA is an equal opportunity agency (employer). Minority participation is encouraged.
SEALED BIDS
Bids for Replace Security System
S o u t h e a s t C o r r e c t i o n a l C e n t e r , Charleston, MO, Project No. C180401 willbe received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, Thursday D e c e m b e r 30, 2021. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities
CITY OF ST. LOUIS ST. LOUIS COUNTY JOINT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS— DISPARITY STUDIES
Date of Issuance: November 23, 2021
Proposal Due: January 11, 2022 at 2:00 pm CST On November 23, 2021, the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County jointly issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide disparity studies for the City’s Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Program under Ordinance 70767 and St. Louis County’s M/WBE program. This RFP may be found at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/counselor/ index.cfm under “Procurement”, on the City’s procurement page (https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/procurement/), by emailing Nancy Walsh at walshn@stlouis-mo.gov. The deadline for questions regarding the RFP is Tuesday, January 4, 2022. The deadline for submitting sealed proposals is 2:00 pm on Tuesday, January 11, 2022. Sealed proposals must be submitted in strict compliance with the instructions in the RFP. The City reserves the right to reject all proposals. Minority and Women-Owned Businesses are encouraged to apply.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Great Rivers Greenway requests proposals from qualified consultants to complete a salary survey. Go to www.greatriversgreenway.org/ jobs-bids and submit by January 17, 2022.
Requests
and
St. LouiS american Bids & Public Notices
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
> Kiel Garage Drain Repairs
> Will be received by City of St. Louis Treasurer
UNTIL 3:00PM 1/3/2022
> For specific project information, go to > https://www.stltreasurer.org/ Request for Proposals/
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
> Kiel Garage Stairwell Repairs
> Will be received by City of St. Louis Treasurer UNTIL 3:00PM 1/3/2022
> For specific project information, go to > https://www.stltreasurer.org/ Request for Proposals/
BIDS REQUESTED
New Construction Section 3 / MBE /WBE Encouraged 40 Units Multi Family 1 Clubhouse– Fredericktown, MO For Bid Information: 636-931-4244 or zventura@vendev.cc Double Diamond Construction
1000 A Truman Blvd. Crystal City, MO 63019
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
INTRODUCTION
I.
The St. Louis Development Corporation (SLDC) is soliciting qualifications from firms qualified to provide Human Resource (HR) Consulting Services through this Request for Qualifications (RFQ). SLDC invites the submission of qualifications to establish a pool of firms with expertise and demonstrated experience in planning, organizing, and implementing human resource functions and operations.
Proposal requirements are three (3) written copies and one electronic proposal are requested in the offices of the St. Louis Development Corporation by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 28, 2021 Responses received after this time and date will not be considered. Proposals should be mailed or delivered to the attention of:
Myisa Whitlock, Deputy Chief of Staff St. Louis Development Corporation 1520 Market Street, Suite 2000 St. Louis, Missouri 63103-2630 whitlockm@stlouis-mo.gov
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
The City of Crestwood is accepting bid proposals for Mowing Services. Submittal deadline is 10:00 AM, January 4, 2022. Bid specifications can be obtained from the city website www. cityofcrestwood.org/bids.aspx Bids should be submitted to the Crestwood Community Center, 9245 Whitecliff Park Lane, Crestwood, MO 63126.
BID NOTICE
The Pattonville Fire Protection District is accepting sealed bids for Information Technology (IT) Support Services. Specifications may be obtained at the District Administrative Offices: 13900 St. Charles Rock Rd., Bridgeton, Missouri between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Specifications may also be obtained via our website www.pattonvillefd.com. All bids must be in a sealed envelope clearly marked “BID: Information Technology (IT) Support Services” and mailed or delivered to the Pattonville Fire Protection District offices no later than 3:00 p.m. Friday, December 10th, 2021. All bids are scheduled to be opened by the Board of Directors at their meeting on December 15th, 2021 at the Pattonville Fire Protection District Administrative Offices.
The Pattonville Fire Protection District reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive variations or formalities, and to negotiate changes, additions, or deletions. The District reserves the right to accept the bid which it deems to be in the District’s best interest. The District also reserves the right to extend the time to submit bids, as well as extend the time to open bids. If you should have any questions, please call (314) 739-3118.
The Pattonville Fire Protection District hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively insure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, minority business enterprises will be afforded full opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for award.
PATTONVILLE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT
Jim Usry Fire Chief
ADVERTISEMENT FOR RFP PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES
NOTICE TO BIDDERS:
Mary Ryder Home St. Louis, Missouri 30-day bid opening. For more information, please go to providentstl.org/ bids-mrh/
The City of St Louis Department of Health is seeking separate proposals for an agency providing Psychosocial Support Services.
Requests for Proposals may be obtained beginning November 19, 2021, by downloading from the City of St. Louis website at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/ government/procurement.cfm.
Contact Tanya Madden for questions: DOHGA@stlouis-mo.gov, (314) 657-1532 (email preferred).
The deadline for submitting proposals is January 18, 2022, by 4:00 P.M. via email at: DOHGA@stlouis-mov.gov
The Department of Health reserves the right to reject any or all responses with or without cause.
St.
them by contacting the SLPO office at stlphil@ sbcglobal.net. SLPO office hours are Mondays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Friday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
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!
interview with The St. Louis American. “It may not be the traditional way, but it’s my way and it gave me what I have.”
Clients have met and consulted with Cole at her own personal suite inside a building located at 1409 Washington Avenue for the past three years.
As of Nov. 6, returning clients and a new demographic of customers can now patronize with her at her storefront, Kris Cole Design Loft & Accessories, located at 1309 Washington Avenue.
Upon entry, guests are greeted by her slew of mannequins wearing her signature floor-length ball gowns
n “I’m such a visual learner. With my gift, I always say it’s God-given because I don’t use measurements. I don’t use measuring tape.”
- Kris Cole
in curve-hugging silhouettes with intricate beadwork and diamond-encrusted detailing. The dresses in hues pink, black and silver match with the rest of the store which is decorated in the same color scheme with a flower wall and accent furniture serving glam aesthetics unsurprising for a 26-year-old fashion designer. Customers can not only shop with her for custom designs, but they can also purchase ready-to-wear dresses, shoes,and accessories in-house shipped from clothing
manufacturers.
Rocking one of her own designs in a cascading gown with a sparkly high neck collar, nude long mesh sleeves and allaround handwoven jewels, Cole told a crowd of people outside of her grand opening that receiving her brick-and-mortar business was unexpected. She said she was in her office space one day and the next she had her store keys.
“I didn’t know where it came from, but it just seemed like it was made for me,” she told the
crowd. “It was on the street that I was already working on. It was on the perfect side where shade hits. It had the right amount of fitting rooms. The layout matched the whole assets of the store to fit my style, and it works for my clients.”
She thanked her family for being her biggest supporters, including her nine-year-old son Kristian Cole, who had been in a severe car accident a couple of weeks prior, leaving him with a broken leg.
“For those who don’t know, my baby has a broken leg, but you’ll never be able to tell because he keeps going, but guess where he gets it from [the crowd yelled out his mother to her question],” she said.” I’m thankful that I was able to pass that onto my child.”
During the grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony, she shouted her mother out and asked for feedback, affirming that she’s open to suggestions on how she can continue bettering her business.
She said she chose her store’s current location because she knew it being downtown would bring in a lot of foot traffic versus when she just operated out of her office space.
“I knew that once I had the foot traffic, I could produce more quantities, because when I was in my office, I didn’t carry on hand since I already had a mostly personal clientele,” she said. “Once I got to my storefront, I knew I had to make things more custom and put them on the rack so that people didn’t have to wait the production time for outfits. I already have some things designed and ready to go per size.”
She said her favorite clothing to design is evening gowns because it’s more eye-catching than traditional clothes.
“People see it and go, ‘Oh my God, how did you make that?’ versus the standard pants and a shirt,” she said. “My gowns are one-of-a-kind pieces where if I make something, people already know I designed it. It’s a signature of mine.”
She toasted to the crowd, encouraging all to chase after
their dreams.
“Let’s toast to everybody who’s out here accomplishing goals, everybody who’s out here living fearlessly, chasing dreams, striving, doing what they love to do in life, not letting minor setbacks change what’s on their mind for the future,” she said. “If there’s anybody in this crowd today whose stuck tryna figure out what’s next for them to do, stuck tryna figure out what’s for them, give it time God has a plan for you. He’s just weigh-
ing the journey out.” To book a consultation with Cole, text 314-312-1274. Follow her on Instagram at @KrisColeTheBrand and on Twitter @KrisColethatB. Add her on Facebook at Kris Cole. “Come check me out. You can come to the shop and also get that in-person experience of booking consultations,” she said. “I can show you the fabrics I have and the different outsources of companies I use to come up with your perfect look.”
Deckhand workers needed along Mississippi River
fleeting and switching services in the St Louis Harbor and immediate surrounding area-Hartford, IL Granite City, IL St. Louis, MO Herculaneum, MO and Festus, MO Ports. SCF Lewis and Clark Terminal workers provide bulk and general cargo terminal services along the Mississippi River in the St Louis and Granite City Port Area. They work to ensure the safe and efficient delivery and packaging up of good on barges, trucks and trains. Dereon Pierson started as a Deckhand and has recently earned a promotion from Deckhand to Fleetmate.
“I started six years ago, m Stepdad worked on the River for over 20 years, so I grew up around river guys, so it runs in my blood. What I like about SCF I some of the guys I work with, we have all become like a family, grew up together. What I like best about SCF is that I can chal-
lenge myself every day, be creative, understand different things and how that can help me in the long run. The job saved my life tremendously and I’d never give up what I do because it’s my passion. I love every moment of everything that I do. I’ve always wanted to be where I am right now, never really had any other dreams, than working out here on the river.” If you love the outdoors, have no fears of heights or water, can lift 75 pounds an pass a drug test, call Libby today (618) 219-0088.
Managed
By Sal F. Martinez Chief Executive Officer
Employment Connections
2021 has been a pivotal year for not just our agency, but the entire region. We all did our best to continue to navigate a global pandemic and economic shut-downs. Many of our clients, friends, and families lost loved ones, jobs, or even their homes. With some of measure of light finally visible at the end of the tunnel, I wanted to reach out to thank you for your support during this most challenging year. Even as we look forward to life returning to normal, there remains much work to be done – and I am very proud of how Employment Connection has risen to meet the needs of our community head-on.
At Employment Connection, we believe that every client has the inherent ability and desire to become self-sufficient –everything we do is designed with this belief in mind; to assist clients in overcoming the barriers they face, to help clients achieve their goals for employment. Our team at Employment Connection has worked diligently to raise the bar for service during the pandemic, to ensure that we continue to meet the evolving needs of the community. I wanted to share some of our successes with you:
Employment Connection continues to raise the bar
Work Services team continues to be major staffer for local hospitals
• We continue to manage two Cure Violence sites in the City of St. Louis. Cure Violence is a globally recognized program that seeks to reduce gun violence through public health methods. The staff at our WellsGoodfellow/ Hamilton Heights and Dutchtown offices have spent virtually every night canvassing local neighborhoods, identifying hot spots and high-risk individuals, conducting mediations, distributing public education materials, and responding to shootings. Our teams also host regular community events, enroll neighbors in our various programs classes and work tirelessly to change the prevailing narratives in long
underserved neighborhoods.
• We also recently established a new office in St. Louis County, to house the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act program for Out of School Youth. This program will provide local access to County residents to a full slate of Employment Connection programs, includ-
ing our World of Work job readiness training, job placement services, housing assistance, and more.
• Our Managed Work Services team has continued to be a major staffer for local hospitals, training workers for some of the most in-demand jobs. If you’re looking for heroic work during this pan-
Employment Connections recently established a new office in St. Louis County, to house the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act program for Out of School Youth.
demic, they can help you get started. This year alone, they have placed 224 clients into crucial hospital jobs.
• Our Housing team also worked overtime during 2021 to process a record number of requests for both eviction prevention and rapid rehousing services. We are proud to report that we have assisted over 400 families under very stressful circumstances.
It has been a huge honor and privilege for me to serve as the CEO of such a tremendous organization and I remain committed to the journey set forth by my predecessor the great Brenda Mahr. Here’s hoping that 2022 is an even better year for EC!
Construction industry needs workers, interns
By S. M. Wilson
For The St. Louis American
S. M. Wilson is a full-service construction management, design/build and general contracting firm with headquarters in St. Louis and offices in Edwardsville, IL and Cape Girardeau, MO. Founded in 1921, and celebrating its 100th year of serving the community, S. M. Wilson is dedicated to going above and beyond expectations for their clients by putting people first. The 100% employee-owned company is one of the leading construction management firms in the Midwest. Our award-winning firm prides itself on being one of the most stimulating and innovative environments in the construction industry.
S. M. Wilson has been named one of the Best Places to Work by the St. Louis Business Journal and Post-Dispatch as well as Women in the Workplace Honoree by the Women’s Foundation of Greater St.
Louis. We are committed to an inclusive work environment and where all individuals can thrive.
We also offer construction management internships: Created to promote interest, expand minds and deliver a hands-on experience, our program offers a variety of internships to graduate and undergraduate students interested in working in the construction industry. Summer internships are offered May through August, and Co-Ops are offered throughout the year to students in driving distance of the home office or local projects.
Our employees often describe our culture as “family” and our interns have said they feel like a “valued member of the team”. The company is committed to providing our interns with a meaningful and quality experience. We engage interns in fun workplace activities and support their
overall professional growth and development.
Intern perks include:
Housing:
Housing is provided for all interns asked to move to a different area from their residence.
Team building: S. M. Wilson sponsors several team events and outings.
Mentorship: All interns are assigned a primary and secondary mentor consisting of current or future firm leaders.
Goal guidance:
Part of our mentorship program, interns receive personal guidance with their future education and career paths.
For more information, visit www.smwilson.com.
Related Management continues to grow
By Related Management
Company is the owner and operator of a premier portfolio of assets valued at over $60 billion. Our operating portfolio consists of a diversified mix of properties including luxury rental buildings, retail and commercial space, luxury condominium residences, affordable, and workforce housing located throughout the United States.
As the owner and developer for the majority of the RMC portfolio, we have ensured that our buildings are the best assets in their respective submarkets. We provide a diligently maintained property management platform with dedicated professionals who consistently exceeds our residents’ and commercial tenants’ expectations. Our dedication to providing the highest and most personalized level of service is one of the hallmarks of the company and a key differentiator in the market. Related is committed to building more inclusive cities and increasing diversity, equity and inclusion within the company and the broader real estate industry.For more please visit www.Related.com
An artist’s rendering of the $28 million expansion of COCA which S.M. Wilson provid-
construction services for.
By WGU For The St.
WGU Missouri offers opportunity for career advancement in the new year
Louis American
In just a few weeks, adults across the St. Louis region will be ringing in the New Year and making resolutions to change or advance their careers. As workforce needs continue to evolve, earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree may be the answer to getting ahead. Those resolving to go to school in the New Year may be considering online schooling options. WGU Missouri, a leader in delivering high-quality online education to students interested in furthering their education, offers busy working adults with an affordable and flexible path to career-boosting education. The university is nonprofit and fully online, offering more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the high-demand
fields of IT, Business, K-12 education and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri offers a competency-based model that enables students to leverage previous education, training and work experience – instead of time spent in a classroom – to earn their degrees faster. Students complete their programs by studying on schedules that fit their lives, advancing as soon as they demonstrated they’ve mastered the subject matter. The non-traditional programs are perfect for students who need a flexible, affordable option in higher education.
The competency-based model, coupled with WGU’s flat-rate tuition of about $3,800 per six-month term, means students can complete their degrees faster and at lower cost, with the option for them to take as
WGU Missouri offers a competency-based model that enables students to leverage previous education, training and work experience. years, on average. The return
Black women are leading the way in diversity at Catholic Charities
$12,300, on average, just two years after graduating – over twice the national average. Within four years, that number grows to $21,800 for WGU grads compared to the national average of $11,500. WGU’s solely online course offerings and competency-based education model enables the university to offer flexible start dates to students instead of following traditional semesters, with new students starting the first day of every month. To help ease any financial burdens for those motivated to go back to school in 2022, WGU Missouri is offering a variety of scholarships – with values ranging from $2,500 to up to $10,000 - to new students. To learn more about the university and available scholarships, visit missouri.wgu.edu.
Special to The American
According to a Harvard 360 review from 2019, women – particularly women of color – are underrepresented in senior leadership roles, with only 29% of such positions held by women worldwide.
At Catholic Charities of St. Louis, human resources departments for its three largest agencies are led by African-American women.
Rhea Irvin is director of human resources at Cardinal
Ritter Senior Services, South St. Louis County’s largest senior independent and assisted living nonprofit community. Irvin has more than 25 years of HR experience and serves as an adjunct professor at Webster University, teaching graduate and undergraduate HR courses.
Anitra Lee-Cole is senior director of human resources at St. Patrick Center. Located in
Downtown St. Louis, St. Patrick Center assists approximately 3,700 individuals and families who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness, each year. Lee-Cole is a dual-certified HR professional with more than 13 years of related experience.
Cameshia Covington is director of human resources at Marygrove. Covington has more than 20 years of management experience overseeing operations/ personnel. Located in Florissant, Marygrove is one of the largest youth therapeutic residential
treatment programs, providing shelter, care and mental health services for children who have experienced significant trauma.
“Rhea, Anitra and Cameshia add a wealth of professionalism to their respective agencies and to our organization as a whole,” said Catholic Charities of St. Louis President Theresa E. Ruzicka. “They are also leaders in Catholic Charities’ focus on
increasing diversity, equity and inclusion, especially in developing more diverse leadership teams.”
More than 1,400 people are employed by Catholic Charities of St. Louis, a federation of eight social services agencies that impact the lives of about 100,000 people annually within the City of St. Louis and 10 counties within the Archdiocese of St. Louis. For more information, including employment opportunities, visit ccstl.org.
Rhea Irvin Anitra Lee Cole
Cameshia Covington
Interviewing can be intimidating. Now, add in preparing for an interview virtually and you’re wondering how you can still nail your interview, but you do not know where to start.
Whether it is a phone or video interview, here are a few tricks and tips to make you stand out during your next interview.
• Phone interview preparation. First, make sure all your technology is working before you think about anything else. This also applies to any future video interviews by checking if your Skype/video meeting software is good to go by testing it in advance.
• Phone technical difficulties. Make sure you have an extra device to use. If your computer connection drops, call into the conference line immediately.
• Learn about the company. You should know their values, what they’re working on.
• Have the job description. Highlight sections of core experience skills from your resume while also having written examples of where you have performed duties asked for in the job description.
• Find a quiet place. It is important to find a place with little to no background noise.
• Dial in or answer at exact time. Stay on the line for 10 minutes to allow the manager time to join. If the manager does not join the call in 10 minutes, call your recruiter immediately!
• Be prepared. Have in front of you the manager’s name, title, job description, your resume, and notepad.
• Ask Questions! You must be prepared for your interview by having questions written down in front of you. Also, have your accomplishments
LaunchCode shares tips on nailing virtual interviews
ready to be discussed with the hiring manager. Questions you might be asked
• Tell me about yourself. This should be answered only about your professional background and how it fits the job for which you are interviewing.
• Why do you want this job? Talk about how the client’s corporate mission fits with your career goals.
• What are your strengths? Based on the job description, use your skill sets
as a strength for what they are asking for.
• What are your weaknesses? This is a suitable time to be honest but also show the employer how your weakness is recognized, and you are finding ways to overcome that obstacle. Additionally, consider how you could turn a weakness into a strength.
• Why did you leave your last job? Now, this is not the time to bash on any company. Never do that! Navigate this tricky question but remain professional and honest on how you are looking for a position that benefits your career devel-
opment.
• Where do you want to be (in the future)? How will your career development fit with this position’s values and your future goals? Be honest. Good questions to ask
• Can you tell me more about the history and scope of the job that may not be written in the job description?
• Can you tell me what results you’d expect from the person in this job the first 30-60-90 days?
• What skills, experiences and work attributes are you hoping to find in the ideal can-
didate?
• What impact does it have on your group if this position goes unfilled?
• What can you tell me about the other team members and their roles and functions? How to ace a video interview
• Introduce yourself in 60 seconds or less. Do not ramble.
• Discuss internship or relevant work experience. Why are these things applicable in the field you are trying to jumpstart your career in? Think of topics that you can turn into a humble
brag. Talk about why you chose a career in tech and why you love it!
• Talk about your career goals. Your previous experience is valuable, but we also want to know where you see yourself in the future.
• Be Prepared, don’t wing it. This is your opportunity to shine, don’t let the preparation be the reason you didn’t get the job!
• Use a well-lit room to record your video. Find natural light. Position yourself behind lights so that your face is clearly visible and not backlit or dark from shadows.
• Ensure you have a quiet environment. Have your roommate take the dog out, turn off all TVs, tell your neighbors to be quiet for a few minutes, and rid the place of any distracting sounds. Test your internet connection to see if there is any trouble loading the content you want to share.
• Be aware of your body language. Keep your hands away from your face to avoid messing with your hair, scratching your nose, or overuse of hand gestures. Do not chew gum, fidget, or move around a lot while recording. Get rid of distractions.
• Dress Nicely. We recommend dressing either business professional or business casual. This means high-cut tops, a solid or subtle patterned top, no flashy jewelry, and subtle makeup (if applicable).
LaunchCode is a nonprofit offering free tech education and job placement opportunities to bring new people from all backgrounds into the tech field and reshape the way employers think about hiring. Its St. Louis office is located at 4811 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, Missouri. (314) 254-0107.
Photo courtesy of LaunchCode
While virtual interviews can be challenging, advance preparation is a key to impressing prospective employees.
St. Louis Job Fair to offer opportunities with local, national firms
St. Louis American staff
Ringing in the new year with a new job can become a reality through the JOBNEWSUSA St. Louis Job Fair from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022, at Orlando’s Event and Conference Center, 2050 Dorsett Village in Maryland Heights.
In-person interviews with recruiters and hiring managers will be available for people seeking entry-level positions or more experienced management jobs.
A limited number of interview sessions will be available for the event sponsored Bi-State Development, Clarkson Eyecare, and FedEx Ground. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged, and a reminded email will be sent a day prior to the event.
To pre-register, visit www. jobnewsusa.com and click the Saint Louis, MO., link.
Potential employers scheduled to participate include: Bethesda Health Group, Bi-State Development, Commerce Bank, Deutsche Precision, Eye Care Partners/ Clarkson Eyecare, FedEx Ground St Peters, Francis Howell School District, Friendship Village St Louis, Guardian Life, Legacy Pharmaceutical Packaging, MTC, Oats Transit, Patriot Group International, Penske North Park (Schnuck’s Warehouse), Professional Employment Group, Reckitt (Formerly RB Manufacturing), Rockit Career Consultants, Select Specialty Hospital, Spectrum-Direct Sales Division, TNT Crust, Valvoline Instant Oil Change, Witte Bros. Exchange Inc.
Many of the firms represented at the job fair, including FedEx, are committed to diversity and inclusion in respective workplaces.
“A critical aspect of any
successful diversity program is leadership. Our company leaders continue to focus on making sure that diversity remains a part of the FedEx DNA,” FedEx Chairman and CEO Frederick W. Smith, states on the company’s website.
“We believe diversity is about more than just accepting our differences. It’s about meeting the needs of our cus-
tomers by reflecting their diversity within our own organization. It’s about understanding the differences of our employees to ensure we are nurturing an inclusive environment.”
JOBNEWSUSA offers these tips for the St. Louis Job Fair or any hiring event.
• Dress professionally as if attending a job interview
• Make a good first – and lasting – impression with each recruiter
• Bring several copies of your resume or work history to the event
• Practice your personalized pitch which should summarize your skills and experience
Early pre-registration will insure that prospective employees receive notifications of any updates or changes to the event, and also information regarding other events in the area. In addition to event specifics, by pre-registering and uploading a resume, companies exhibiting at the job fair can access information, increasing employment opportunities.
Employers are dealing with worker shortages throughout the St. Louis area and nationwide. Recruiters and business that would like to take part in the Jan. 27, 2022, Job Fair can meet hundreds of potential candidates, network with employers, and increase company exposure. For more information, call (636) 489-5400. Parking and admission are free.
Photo courtesy of FedEx
Romona Hood Is FedEx’s first African American CEO. FedEx Ground St. Peters will be among dozens of companies represented at the St. Louis Job Fair on Jan. 27, 2022. Many of its facilities feature Chartered Employee Networks, which include groups of employees identifying with various cultures, traditions, ethnicities, or other characteristics and a shared interest in working together to support the company.
Remote work promotes cultural change for Black women
By Laura Onyeneho Houston Defender
Companies nationwide are having a tough time navigating the voluntary exit of millions of workers out of corporate America. Companies are trying to figure out what the best formulas are to retain workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A report from the U.S Department of Labor reveals America’s employers accelerated their hiring in October adding 531,000 jobs, the highest since July. The accelerated hiring is viewed by many economists as a sign that recovery
from the pandemic recession is underway, but women of color, unfortunately, aren’t sharing in the job market recovery, particularly Black women who are opting for remote work as a better alternative to the corporate office environment. Remote work has its downsides, such as juggling video conferencing calls, child care duties, or sitting at home with no social interaction with staff. The upside is that those who work in white-collar industries often find greater improvements in their work experience and don’t have to face various inequities in the workplace. There are numerous
work-related stressors Black women identify within the workplace. According to a study from the Journal of Black Studies, basic themes emerge that identify sexism and racism as triggers. They include:
1) Defending one’s race and lack of mentorship
2) Being hired or promoted in the workplace
3) Code-switching to overcome barriers to employment
4) Coping with discrimination (microaggressions)
5) Being isolated and/or excluded
Houston-based psychological associate Tierra Ledet worked in the state prison
system for a healthcare company in 2020. She had a goal of climbing the corporate ladder but quickly noticed a toxic work culture among her co-workers.
“There was a serious lack in communication and people just weren’t doing their jobs properly which led to putting the safety of the inmates at risk,” Ledet said. “Working for the state was stressful because they reward you based on seniority and not merit. It took a toll on my health and it was the sickest I had ever been at a job.”
Ledet left her job in July 2020 and accepted two remote positions, one as a clinical
associate for a measurement-based company and the other as a licensed psychological associate for a private practice. She described her experience as “encouraging.” She said remote work put her on a level playing field. She no longer felt the pressure to over-perform and she was her authentic self.
Nekpen Osuan Wilson is a career coach and CEO and founder of Women Werk, a women’s networking, empowerment and mentorship organization based in New York City. She said working from home has been beneficial to her family and life as a mother.
Wilson intentionally left her role at Deloitte Consulting and moved to Houston for a 100% remote role at the beginning of 2021.
Working mothers of young children have been hit hard during the pandemic. Schools became virtual, daycares shut down and mothers took on a greater share of domestic responsibilities. In Texas, child care often costs more than college tuition. Research by Child Care Aware America states that U.S. businesses lose roughly $4.4 billion a year because of lost productivity due to gaps in child care.
Maryville helping entrepreneurs of color develop a business online
Special to The American Maryville University announced the Digital Development Project, a new initiative to help St. Louis small business owners of color grow their businesses online to meet the demands of a digital-first world that has been accelerated by the pandemic. The Digital Development Project will leverage Maryville’s legacy of aiding individuals in rapidly acquiring new knowledge and skills through online learning and upskilling.
The Digital Development Project was created to address the widening digital skills gap among small business owners of color, who were disproportionately impacted by the pandemic and already face systemic barriers to accessing financing and business resources.
To identify local small business owners in sectors most impacted by the pandemic, such as retail, restaurant, and
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bonus and employee appreciation incentives will be funded by federal coronavirus funds.
Bi-State Development is also seeking qualified applicants for other positions such as hospitality and tourism, electrical systems, engineering, maintenance, supply chain services, transit security and food and beverage operations, including servers, bartenders, and line cooks.
Many of the open positions
Digital Development Project recently introduced
personal services industries, Maryville partnered with five community advocacy organizations in St. Louis, including:
1. Greater St. Louis Inc.
2. Heartland St. Louis Black Chamber of Commerce
3. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis
4. St. Louis Minority Business Development Agency Business Center
5. Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis Women’s Business Center
“Providing access and opportunity to a high-quality education for underserved populations has always been central to Maryville’s mission,” said Maryville University President Mark Lombardi, PhD. “In collaboration with our esteemed community partners, the Digital Development Project extends our impact into the small business community,
at Bi-State Development and its enterprises, which include Metro Transit, St. Louis Downtown Airport, Gateway Arch, and Riverboats at the Gateway Arch, only require a high school degree or GED with minimum experience. New entry-level parttime and seasonal hourly employees at the Gateway Arch Riverboat enterprise are eligible for a hiring incentive of $300, which will be paid out over three pay checks. New team members at the Riverboats at the Gateway Arch also receive two free tickets for a St. Louis
empowering and providing entrepreneurs of color with the digital expertise and skills they need to thrive in today’s innovation economy.”
This fall, participants will receive access to a 10-week small business-focused digital marketing training program, industry certifications, and professional advising at no cost. Additionally, experts recommended by each organization will serve as business advisors, providing guidance on e-com-
Riverfront Cruise and a buyone, get-one ticket discount to the Skyline Dinner Cruise.
All Bi-State Development employees have free access to ride MetroLink and MetroBus.
Bi-State Development is committed to providing an Equal Employment Opportunity experience for all employees, applicants, vendors, and customers with an environment free of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.
To learn more about or apply for any of these positions, please visit https://bistatedev.org/careers/.
merce, acquiring loans, business skills, and more.
The fully online program will be taught by industry experts and supplemented with virtual mentor-led sessions. In addition to receiving practical training on key technologies, participants will learn techniques to increase their businesses’ online reach and audience size.
Covering topics such as search engine optimization, brand development, and marketing automation with HubSpot, the program will ensure participants have the
foundation needed to succeed.
By the end of the program, participants will have the opportunity to build a strong understanding of e-commerce, digital marketing channels, analytics, measurement platforms, strategies, and tactics.
While the inaugural Digital Development Project will serve and support small business owners of color in the St. Louis region, Maryville is evaluating plans to roll out the program nationally following the pilot launch this fall.
“We will support and digitally reskill small businesses
owners who are based in Maryville’s native St. Louis with the introductory Digital Development Project, but the work doesn’t stop there,” said Laraine Davis, vice president for community and government relations of Maryville University. “Following launch, Maryville aims to take the program to the national stage and help small business owners of color across the nation.” To learn more about the Digital Development Project, partner organizations, and participants, visit maryville.edu/ DigitalDevelopmentProject.
New research reveals that not only has America’s largest generation – millennials –become more civically engaged since the pandemic began, but that the time is right for nonprofits and companies to help all Americans see how profoundly they can influence social change.
The new survey from Points of Light, a nonpartisan, global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes millions of people to take action that changes the world, conducted by INFLUENCE|SG, found that almost 50% of millennials believe in the power of civic engagement more now than before the pandemic, 69% are more likely to volunteer and 85% think people should help their community and the world. Millennials also believe companies should be actively involved in social issues and two-thirds visit corporate websites at least somewhat often to learn about their efforts.
Tapping into the report’s findings can help businesses and nonprofits seeking to prioritize purpose more effectively work with customers and supporters to move the needle on critical issues facing communities today. Here are the three key takeaways for businesses and nonprofits:
• Get personal: In many ways, millennials were the hardest hit by the uncertainty of the pandemic. Those with children suddenly had to teach them at home; some had parents and grandparents who were getting sick and even dying. It’s no surprise that the social issues millennials care about today have gotten personal. “What we learned from our research is that personal experience is driving the civic issues millennials care about
Why civic engagement matters for companies and nonprofits
Almost 50% of millennials believe in the power of civic engagement more now than before the pandemic, 69% are more likely to volunteer and 85% think people should help their community and the world.
and will act to support, as well as their own desire to make a positive difference in the world,” says Natalye Paquin,
president and CEO of Points of Light. “Rather than asking millennials to help you reach a goal, consider asking them
what they need and how you can work alongside each other to have the biggest impact.”
• Address what’s important: Respondents said that the top issues the country must address post-pandemic are healthcare
(29%), criminal and social justice (24%), education (21%), environment/climate (21%) and financial recovery efforts from COVID-19 (17%.) When it comes to issues of widespread importance, entities seeking to be drivers of change can and should meet the public where they are.
• Discover ways to take action: Civic action can take on many forms, from signing a petition to participating in a rally, to reaching out to one’s political representatives. Not sure where to start? Consider “the Civic Circle,” which is a framework developed by Points of Light to define the many ways people and entities can lead, lend support and take action for causes.
The nine activities outlined by the Civic Circle are: listening and learning, using one’s voice, social entrepreneurship, volunteering, public, national or military service, using one’s purchasing power to express their values, working, voting and donating.
“More than almost any other civic action, respondents today are devoting time to increasing their knowledge about social issues. In other words, they are preparing themselves to be fluent consumers of the information causes and companies intend to share,” says Paquin. “This gives companies opportunities to become vital, trusted sources of information.”
“By partnering with them on addressing the issues that matter to them most, nonprofits and businesses can play a vital role in keeping this generation’s attitudes of empathy, interest and willingness to fix society’s ills thriving,” says Paquin.
Minority recruitment major part of oil, natural gas industry future
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire
Amanda Eversole is executive vice president and chief operating officer at the American Petroleum Institute (API), and is tasked with developing and implementing a strategic plan for the natural gas and oil industry.
This includes ensuring people of color and women are a large part of the lucrative industry.
“Every day, we get up and say what we’re going to do to make sure that we are giving people opportunities to interact with this industry, and it changes people’s lives,” Eversole told NNPA Newswire.
API states that about half of new industry-related job opportunities through 2040 are projected to be filled by African Americans, Hispanic, Asians, and women.
“The default narrative that the industry is old, dirty, and predominately white male is not true anymore, and the way we prove that is not by statistics,” Eversole exclaimed.
“It is by standing up and doing the work that we’re doing and showing people by opportunities and not by talking points.”
Eversole reiterated that API possesses a strong belief that educational opportunities remain critical to successful employment.
Backing that belief are programs like the organization’s Minority Serving Institution Initiative, where API has partnered with Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) to provide students free access to the trade association’s world-class standards.
API also has joined
Discovery Education’s STEM Careers Coalition where a coalition of industry partners joined to nurture a diverse culture of STEM education in
K-12 schools nationwide. In five years, that program aims at impacting 10 million students at 5,000 schools. “There’s this common
thread of opportunity, and I had not worked with an industry like oil and natural gas where the constant focus is on improvement and optimiza-
tion,” Eversole said.
“There are career opportunities that can last an entire lifetime, and there’s a sense of intergenerational opportunities
n “The default narrative that the industry is old, dirty, and predominately white male is not true anymore.”
through education to children with STEM skillsets.
“When I talk about the opportunities we have in the industry, I step back and say, ‘How does API, which represents more than 600 members, figure out how to accelerate the journey we’re on together in America understanding and acknowledging those suffering and working through racial inequities?’ I’m proud to say that we have a lot to show for our work.”
Eversole, a graduate of the College of William & Mary and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, spent 13 years at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., before joining JP Morgan Chase and directing its philanthropic approach.
“What we want to do is help people see other people from their communities in roles that are paying almost 80 percent higher than the average wage, and some that don’t require a four-year degree like others,” she said.
“I’m three years in, and I’m so positive about the opportunities that we have going forward, and I’m looking forward to the future. There’s a commitment, a desire, and mentality on figuring out how to get it done.”
Amanda Eversole, American Petroleum Institute executive VP and COO, says half of new industry-related job opportunities through 2040 are projected to be filled by African Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and women.
Photo courtesy of NNPA
ARCHS awards $5.5 million to enhance workforce development initiatives
This fall ARCHS (Area Resources for Community & Human Services) issued $5.5 million to support intensive workforce development initiatives across the region. ARCHS provided grants to the following organizations:
• Better Family Life, Inc.
• Bridging Families to Communities & Beyond
• Employment Connection
• Fathers’ & Families Support Center
• Mission: St. Louis
• St. Louis Agency on Training
& Development (SLATE)
• Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis
ARCHS secured its funding from the Missouri Department of Social Services. ARCHS’ funded partners will provide additional leveraged/in-kind support to further advance the ARCHS’ funded programs. Services available through ARCHS’ funded programs include job readiness training, incentive rewards, subsidized employment, certifications in high demand industries, trans-
portation, uniforms, childcare, utility assistance, assistance for court referred non-custodial parents, and additional wrap around support services. In FY 2021, despite the challenges of the pandemic, ARCHS’ workforce development funded initiatives garnered employment for 492 individuals at an average hourly wage of $13.53 per hour (with pay ranges up to $19 per hour). As well, more than $1 million in child support payments was generated.
