January 14th, 2021 edition

St. LouiS AmericAn

in

7 schools slated to close after delayed SLPS Board vote

Board tables Sumner decision until March

By Sophie Hurwitz

Of the St. Louis American

At a St. Louis Public Schools Board of Education meeting Tuesday night, a motion was passed to close seven schools out of an initial list of 11 proposed by Superintendent Kelvin Adams as part of a consolidation plan. The seven schools now slated for closure are Clay, Dunbar, Farragut and Ford elementaries;

Fanning Middle School; Cleveland Naval Jr. ROTC, and Northwest High School. Carnahan High is to be converted to a middle school, and Cleveland’s ROTC program will be moved to another school.

These changes will go into effect at the end of this school year. They were based on analysis by an outside consulting group, Emerging Wisdom, as well as analysis of enrollment data and build-

ing capacities and conditions by Adams’ team. The vote was initially slated for mid-December, but was postponed due to community outcry. Since then, Adams said, he has participated in “some 20 meetings with nonprofits, alumni organizations, other organizations, and elected officials.” This “opportunity to pause,” he added, “was incredibly important.”

The issue, as Adams put it, is “school saturation:” too many school buildings, and not enough students. SLPS has closed 47 district schools and 15 charter schools since 2003. The district currently operates 68 buildings, many of which house fewer than 200 students.

Calls for Sen. Hawley to resign echo throughout

MO after Capitol riots

for the resignation of Senator Josh

By Dana Rieck Of the St. Louis American

It’s been a week since rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol and U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., continues to face public criticism for his support of the rioters and his objection to Joe Biden’s Electoral College win.

U.S. Courthouse at 111 S.

for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Hawley was the first senator to object to Biden’s Electoral College win Jan. 6 and was captured in a photograph acknowledging the protesters with his fist in the air before they stormed the Capitol building that afternoon.

Hawley wrote Jan. 7 on Twitter he lost a book deal with publishers Simon & Schuster due to his vote and public support of the

protesters, calling the publisher’s move “Orwellian.” In that same tweet, he blamed the left for censoring his right to free speech.

“Let me be clear, this is not just a contract dispute,” Hawley wrote in the tweet about his

See Hawley, A6

St. Louis County police dispatcher uses racial slur on radio, ‘relieved of duty’ pending investigation

By Dana Rieck

An

deputy chief of police, listed as Lt. Col. Kenneth Gregory on the agency’s website,

would oversee the investigation.

Local media outlets reported the dispatcher used the n-word to refer to a north St. Louis County precinct officer.

This comes months after Barton fired a contract instructor for the St. Louis County and Municipal Police Academy for allegedly uttering racial slurs during a class on Oct. 20.

“We are tired of hearing remarks from our

This plan, Adams said, will redirect money toward better extracurriculars and AP classes, and make it so that multiple schools no longer have to share the same school nurses and counselors.

Three schools which were part of Adams’ first proposal were, after debate by the Board, at least temporarily, removed from the list of schools to be closed.

Hickey and Moore elementary schools were taken off the list entirely.

Sumner High, which has received a particularly high level of public support since the plan to close it was introduced, has been granted a onemonth reprieve.

U.S. House votes to impeach Trump ahead of Biden inauguration

By Dana Rieck Of

The St. Louis American

Members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday to impeach President Donald Trump on one count of “incitement of insurrection” after Vice President Mike Pence refused to activate the 25th Amendment to remove the president from power.

Activating the 25th Amendment would have declared Trump incapable of executing the duties of his office and would allow Pence to immediately exercise powers as acting president.

n “What does it mean when they boo the Black congresswoman denouncing white supremacy?”

- U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo.

Ten Republican representatives voted to impeach Trump along with all 222 Democratic representatives. Voting against the resolution were 197 Republican representatives. Four representatives did not vote — there are currently two vacancies in the House. Several media outlets reported Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., indicated he would not reconvene the Senate early in order to take up the impeachment articles, meaning Trump would not be impeached before his term expires Wednesday, Jan. 20.

U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., spoke during the House’s debate before the vote on impeachment.

“If we fail to remove a white supremacist president who incited a white supremacist insurrection, it’s communities like Missouri’s 1st District that suffer the most,” she said.

“The 117th Congress must understand that we have a mandate to legislate in defense of Black lives. The first step in that process is to root out white supremacy, starting with impeaching the white supremacist in chief.”

Her 30-second speech ended with “booing” from several people.

“What does it mean when they boo the Black congresswoman denouncing white supremacy?” Bush wrote on Twitter shortly after. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., voted against impeaching Trump. A

Impeach, A7

Of The St. Louis American

Kelvin Adams

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Eugene Martin and Michael Meredith on Tuesday Jan. 12, stand in support of members of the American Federation of Government Employees Locals 96 and 2192 and other labor groups in front of the Thomas Eagleton

10th Street. The unions are calling

Hawley

Iyanla Vanzant is fixing her OWN life

Life coach Iyanla Vanzant apparently has had enough of giving free advice to counter messy energy.

Black Enterprise reports her OWN network series, “Iyanla Fix My Life,” is coming to an end after seven seasons. She told journalist Danielle Young, “One thing that eight years of Fix My Life has taught me is how mean and nasty and unkind people can be. I don’t want that energy in my life anymore. I don’t want people calling me names and talking about me. I’m just very sensitive to energy. I don’t deserve it and I don’t want it. So now, if you want a piece of me, you’ve got to come to me, and you got to pay for it.”

pandemic, [and] as a result of the shutdown. We’re dealing with some very compelling issues.”

The carbs are worth it on Netflix’s series ‘Bridgerton’

The Griot reported Vanzant’s decision to leave the show last October. “This is my last season. This is my legacy season, I’m out. We out. 2020,” Vanzant said during a virtual press conference. “This season we deal with the massive breakdowns that have occurred in families and relationships as a result of the

Okay, Black queens, Netflix must have had you in mind when they teamed up with your girl Shonda Rhimes – U.S. TV’s Black “royalty,” creator of “Scandal” and “How to Get Away With Murder,” to produce the series “Bridgerton, ”cre ated by Chris Van Dusen. It has every thing one wants to imagine for a romantic period-piece binge: a colorblind society, black royalty, upper crust snootiness, colorful costumes, glorious social gatherings, drama, and tantalizing sips of gos sip from who knows where. And, cougars, you and your cubs can only prowl as close as your screens allow, when you see that Zimbabwean

born, U.K. carb-overload eye candy, actor Regé-Jean Page, who plays Simon Bassett, the duke of Hastings. And thank you to the director, editor and camera people who brought us all those steamy camera angles! And apparently 63 million viewers agree, as “Bridgerton” became Netflix’s fifth largest original series launch. Now folks want to nominate Page to be the next “James Bond,” and while viewers are clamoring, there’s no official word yet from Netflix for a season 2.

Lil Nas X’s

‘Old Town Road’ breaks records

The road ahead is paved with platiLil Nas X, whose 2018 debut single, “Old Town Road” has officially become the highest certified song in the history of the Recording Industry Association of America, going 14 times platinum(selling 14 million units), and the fastest one to do so. He tweeted, “OLD TOWN ROAD IS OFFICIALLY 14 TIMES PLATINUM! MOST PLATINUMS FOR ANY SONG EVER! LETS GOOO!” Featured artist on the remix Billy Ray Cyrus, posted on Twitter, “Incredible. I’m speechless. #OTR is now 14x platinum

and the most certified song in music history. Thank YOU!”

Issa Rae is among the TV Academy

exec committee

Congratulations to “Insecure” creator and star, Issa Rae, who, along with five new chair members, were selected for the TV Academy Executive Committee for the 2021 season, according to The Hollywood Reporter as reported in Black Enterprise. The Academy is the governing body for Emmy Awards. “We are thrilled to be able to leverage the collective expertise of this talented group of Television innovators as we navigate this extraordinary time in the history of our industry,” said TV Academy President Frank Scherma. “Their leadership provides invaluable insight that will allow the Academy to play an integral role in shaping the evolution of the medium.” Rae, an advocate for black representation in the industry, has received multiple Emmy nominations for her work on “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and the HBO comedy series “Insecure.”

Sources: Black Enterprise, Essence, The Griot, The Hollywood Reporter, Insider, Smart News

Iyanla Vanzant

Issa Rae

St. Louis Board of Election finalizes ward ballots

By Dana Rieck

Of The St. Louis American

tion filing deadline has

This year, per the city’s ordinance, the odd-numbered wards are up for election.

Wards 4 and 12 are also holding elections after the death of 4th Ward Alderman Sam Moore on Feb. 25 and the resignation of Alderman Larry Arnowitz on March 3. Arnowtiz, in late August, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of mail fraud related to his illegal use of campaign funds for his personal use and expenses. While an election to fill those vacancies was held June 23, city ordinance states the individuals elected can serve only until the next general municipal election, in this case, on April 6. The odd-numbered wards may have an election again in 2023, if the city’s ward reduction plan goes into effect and then again in their normal election year of 2025, according to Benjamin Borgmeyer, Board of Elections Democratic director. However, the ward reduction plan is unclear at this time. Because of the passages of Prop D, primary ballots will be nonpartisan. Voters will be asked to choose as many candidates as they approve of in each race, regardless of party affiliation. The two candidates with the most votes will then face off in the general election, also regardless of party affiliation. The primary election will be held March 2; the general elec-

tion is scheduled for April 6. Aldermen serve for four-year terms, but can stand for reelection.

Below is a list of all aldermanic candidates running in the nonpartisan primary March 2. An (I) next to a candidate’s name indicates they are the incumbent.

Ward 1:

Yolanda Brown — committeewoman for Ward 1. Sharon Tyus (I) — was first elected in 2013 and won the general election in April 2017. Loren G. Watt — a retired video production specialist and Emmy- winning producer for STL TV.

Ward 3: Herdosia K. Bentum — endorsed by the Green Party. Brandon M. Frazier-Bosley (I) — won his first term in the general election in April 2017.

Ward 4:

Leroy Carter — ran unsuccessfully to represent Ward 4 in the March 2019 Democratic primary.

Dwinderlin Evans (I) — won the special general election on June 23. Edward Mcfowland — ran unsuccessfully to represent Ward 4 in the March 2019 Democratic primary.

Ward 5: Tammika Hubbard (I) — first elected in a special election in 2011 and won a new term in the general election in April 2017.

James A. Page, Jr. — treasurer of Metro St. Louis Coalition for Inclusion and Equity and St. Louis chapter lead of Organizing for Action.

Ward 7:

John J. Coatar (I) — first elected in a 2015 special election and won a new term in the April 2017 election.

Shedrick R. Kelley — works in finance at Wells Fargo Advisors.

Ward 9:

Daniel R. Guenther (I) — elected to his first term in April 2017. Kenneth A. Ortmann — former alderman for Ward 9. He was first elected in 1999 and lost his re-election campaign to Guenther in the Democratic primary election in March 2017.

Ward 11:

Sarah W. Martin (I) — run-

ning unopposed and won her first term in the general election in April 2017.

Ward 12:

Vicky L. Grass (I) — won in the special general election on June 23.

Joseph L. Rusch — Owner of EPIC STL, a marketing and special event management company.

William (Bill) Z. Stephens — a St. Louis Public Library employee.

Ward 13:

Elizabeth M. Murphy (I) — first elected in a 2014 special election and won a new term in the general election in April 2017.

Anne M. Schweitzer — works at Public Eye Inc., a St. Louis public affairs firm.

Ward 15:

Megan Ellyia Green (I) — won her first term in 2014 and ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary for state Senate in August 2020.

Alexander J. Gremp — an attorney at the Law Office of Van-Lear P. Eckert in Belleville.

Jennifer A. Florida — alderwoman for Ward 15 from 2001 through July 2014, when she was appointed to serve as the city’s recorder of deeds. She unsuccessfully ran for a full term as recorder in a special 2014 election and lost her bid in March 2017 to take back her seat as alderwoman.

Ward 17:

Donald E. De Vivo — a Green Party candidate who unsuccessfully ran for St. Louis treasurer in the November 2020 general election.

Kaleena Menke — filed for candidacy Jan. 4.

Tina T. Pihl — co-chair of the anti-displacement work group, a part of the Vacancy Collaborative and board member of the National Conference for Community & Justice of Metropolitan St. Louis.

Michelle Sherod — ran unsuccessfully in the Democratic primary for Missouri Senate District 5 and was a former aide to former U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill.

Ward 19:

Marlene Davis (I) — first elected in 2007, she won a new term in the April 2017 election. Cleo Willis Sr. — a minister and human rights activist.

Ward 21:

Tavon T. Brooks — CEO of SmoothLight Productions, an event planning company.

John M. Collins-Muhammad (I) — won a first term April 2017 election.

Laura M. Keys — owner of St. Louis Fingerprints.

Barbara A. Lane — retired housing specialist for the Hyde Park Housing Corp. and volunteer for St. Vincent de Paul food pantry.

Melinda L. Long — former alderwoman for the 21st Ward. Ticharwa Z. Masimba — most recently economic development director for the Black Power Blueprint.

Ward 23:

Joseph A. Vaccaro, Jr. (I) — first elected in 2009, he won a new term in the April 2017 election.

Ward 25:

Shane P. Cohn (I) — first elected in 2009, he won a new term in the April 2017 election.

Ward 27:

Pamela R. Boyd (I) — won her first term in the April 2017 election.

Willie C. Carter — former member of the Missouri House of Representatives, representing District 76. He ran unsuccessfully for re-election in the August 2020 Democratic primary.

Mary Ann Jackson — has lived in the ward since 1986 and frequently volunteers with the ward’s food pantries and clean-up efforts.

This is the America that Black people know

Photo by Ahmed Gaber/REUTERS

Organizing made the victories in Georgia possible

By Ben Jealous For The St. Louis American

In recent days, we’ve seen the dying gasps of the Trump administration turn into tragic violence in Washington, D.C. There is much to say about that, and serious reckoning ahead when it comes to the causes and the solutions.

But in spite of the anger and sadness, here is my plea to you today: Don’t let the chaos created by Donald Trump and his supporters distract you from appreciating something beautiful — the victories of Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in Georgia’s Senate runoff races and the organizing that made those victories possible.

The stakes in these races were as big as they get. It would take both wins to get control of the U.S. Senate away from Mitch McConnell, who was ready to use his powerabusing ways to block any meaningful progress during the Biden-Harris administration.

I can tell you that many people in the world of politics did not really expect Democrats to pull it off, even after Biden and Harris won the state. They thought beating Trump was a fluke. They still couldn’t imagine Georgia going blue.

That’s because they weren’t paying attention.

one more time. And they went even further, identifying and registering and mobilizing new voters.

And it worked.

Democrats — and Black voters especially — went back to the polls more than Republicans did. Turnout in the runoff elections was higher in precincts carried by Biden in November than in precincts carried by Trump.

That doesn’t just happen. It takes hard work — and not just a few weeks’ worth of frenzied activity just before an election. Building the ability to shift power like Georgia Democrats have just done for their state — and for the rest of us — takes long-term vision and long-term commitment.

I’ve been following and learning from Stacey Abrams since we met more than 25 years ago at a training for student organizers. Abrams has been committed to making positive change in Georgia — and making good trouble, as the late John Lewis would say — ever since.

coalition in Georgia. Our Latinos Vote project produced four radio ads featuring legendary organizer Dolores Huerta and comedian Cristela Alonzo — both People For board members — and ran those ads in every market with a sizable Latino population. We produced digital ads that were viewed more than 500,000 times in Georgia by undecided voters or voters who had not yet decided to vote.

Separately, People For also encouraged civic participation through its nonpartisan Defend the Black Vote project, which produced radio ads featuring Georgia’s Rev. Timothy McDonald, and reached 400,000 Black voters with text messages providing information on when, where, and how to vote.

By U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo.

Editor’s note:

Cori Bush, Missouri’s first Black congresswoman, has already attracted national media attention as an outspoken activist for social change. Thanks to her and her staff, The St. Louis American is able to share this commentary, which appeared in TheWashington Post on Sunday, Jan 10 2020.

My skin burned for 22 hours after I was pepper-sprayed.

The memory of that burn stung with a new kind of pain on Wednesday as I, now a newly sworn-in member of Congress watched in horror and disbelief as an insurrectionist mob overran the Capitol.

Back in July, we had been protesting at the police station in Florissant, Missouri., where a police officer had recently run over a Black man with his car. The police had been beating protesters for weeks. They tear-gassed us to the point of suffocation for painting “Black Lives Matter” on a road, arrested us for putting our fists in the air and beat those who they’d taken into custody. That night was no different from any other night. The officers rushed out of the station in riot gear, slapping their batons against their shields, holding shotguns loaded with rubber bullets and chanting commands. They chased us into the middle of the street, forcing us to backpedal blindly in the dark. The police were pushing with such force that people began falling to the ground all around me, finding themselves swarmed by officers who began hitting them with batons. I reached in to try to pull a woman away to safety. They sprayed us with Mace It wasn’t your average Mace, either. I used every trick in the book to try to make the pain stop — milk, water, dish detergent. But my skin did not stop burning for 22 hours.

On Wednesday, as I sat in the House gallery listening to my colleagues debate the certification of the Electoral College

votes, something prompted me to get up and leave. I left the chamber and quickly went to check on what was happening outside. The doors were locked, but as I stood on the second floor of the Capitol and looked out through windows in the doors, I could see Trump flags and Confederate flags gradually moving closer. I froze in disbelief. The next minute, my staffer was rushing me back to my office.

Once I was in my office and we secured the door, I felt a different kind of burn — this time inside. Watching on TV, we saw white supremacists stroll past Capitol Police, untouched and unscathed. Just minutes after we had locked our door, the mob entered the House Rotunda. The rioters broke windows, sat in the House speaker’s office and invaded the Senate floor.

There was no way to avoid the comparison or to duck the obvious answer: Would this have happened if the rioters

n Many have said that what transpired on Wednesday was not America. They are wrong. This is the America that Black people know.

were there to fight for Black lives rather than white supremacy? We’ve been tear-gassed for much less, beaten for much less and shot at for much less. We’ve been assaulted by law enforcement for much less.

But it’s clear to me that top law enforcement leaders on Capitol Hill had little interest in preventing this attempted insurrection. Videos have emerged of police taking selfies with protesters, walking them down the stairs and even opening gates for them.

The front line of officers were not in riot gear, they were not wearing gas masks, they were not holding guns loaded with rubber bullets. And, above all else, there were no police dogs.

We faced police dogs when we fought for justice for Mike

Brown in Ferguson in 2014

There were police dogs at protests for Black lives this year, from the East Coast to the West. The president himself tweeted in May that the “most vicious dogs” awaited protesters standing up for Black lives at the White House.

But there were no police dogs awaiting the white supremacists who gathered outside the Capitol. It was no coincidence that this tool of racial control was absent Wednesday, as rioters carried the flag of the slave-catcher’s Confederacy — and its modern manifestation, the Trump flag — through the House Rotunda.

Many have said that what transpired on Wednesday was not America. They are wrong. This is the America that Black people know. To declare that this is not America is to deny the reality that Republican members of the U.S. House and Senate incited this coup by treasonously working to overturn the results of the presidential election. It’s to deny the fact that one of my senators, Josh Hawley, went out of his way to salute the white supremacists before their attempted coup. It’s to deny that he appropriated the sign of Black power, the raised fist into a white-supremacist salute — a fist he has never raised at a march for Black lives because he has never shown up to one. It’s to deny that what my Republican colleagues call “fraud” actually refers to the valid votes of Black, Brown and indigenous voters across this country who, in the midst of a pandemic that disproportionately kills us, overcame voter suppression in all of its forms to deliver an election victory for Joe Biden and Kamala D. Harris.

This is America, and it will continue to be America, until white supremacy is dismantled. Justice starts at removing each and every representative who incited this insurrection. I’ve unveiled my first piece of legislation that would do just that. We cannot denounce white supremacy and allow its endorsers to continue serving in our government.

Cori Bush, a Democrat, represents Missouri’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. This piece was published first in The Washington Post.

I had faith that Warnock and Ossoff were going to win, because I saw how focused and determined Georgia’s progressive organizers were. Trump and his supporters spread lies about the presidential election being stolen and tried to generate chaos in the streets and the courts. But the people responsible for the Biden-Harris victory didn’t get distracted. They focused all their energies on getting voters to turn out

Abrams deserves every bit of attention and praise she has gotten. She always makes sure to recognize that progress in Georgia has been the collaborative effort of many organizers and many organizations working to bring Black people, Latino people, AsianAmericans, low-income people and allies into greater political participation.

I’m proud that the group I now lead, People For the American Way, was able to be part of that change-making

Letters to the editor

A study in contrasts

On Jan. 5, two Democrats, the Rev.Raphael Warnock, a Black man, and Jon Ossoff, a Jewish man, won special elections for Georgia’s senate seats. Much of the credit for their victories belongs to Stacey Abrams.

In 2018, as the Democratic candidate for governor of Georgia, Abrams lost to Republican Brian Kemp by 55,000 votes. Many believe that there had been widespread voter suppression. So what did Stacey Abrams do? She spent two years organizing a massive drive which resulted in the registration of 800,000 voters.

Many of these voters submitted legal ballots in the 2020 election, which resulted in Vice President Joe Biden’s victory in Georgia on Nov. 5. Two months later ... voters cast ballots in the special election for both Georgia senators. A majority voted for Warnock and Ossoff.

On Jan. 6, Donald Trump … incited a riot at the US Capitol. The rallying cry was that the election had been stolen from Trump. The protesters attempted to disrupt the final step in the election of the president. A study in contrasts. One makes us proud and the other ashamed.

Susan Glassman

St. Louis

An assault on our way of life

The events of Jan. 6, in the nation’s capital represent the culmination of a widespread revolutionary assault on the American way of life.

The assault has been directed at all three branches of government: the executive branches

of the 50 state governments, which are responsible for election security; the several state and federal judiciaries where disputes are handled; and the supreme legislative power of the federal government, the Congress of the United States. Kimball Shinkoskey Woods Cross, Utah

Hawley unfit for office

Hooray for Congressperson Cori Bush! She is 100% correct to seek expulsion of Congressional Republicans

Maybe the most encouraging thing about the extraordinary turnout in Georgia is that it was achieved despite years of voter suppression strategies designed to make it harder for some people to vote. Progress is usually met with backlash. So, we can expect that progressive victories in battleground states this year will spark another round of attempted voter suppression. Pro-democracy activists in those states can take heart— and take notes—from the successful progressive organizing in Georgia.

Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and People For the American Way Foundation. Jealous has decades of experience as a leader, coalition builder, campaigner for social justice and seasoned nonprofit executive. In 2008, he was chosen as the youngest-ever president and CEO of the NAACP.

who incited violence and insurrection. She is a bright star for Missouri. Josh Hawley, on the other hand, is a dark stain on our great state, for his part in the Jan. 6 insurrection. He has shown himself to be unfit for office. The people of

Wulff

teve

S

Pro-Trump protesters storm the Capitol Building, January 6.

Guest Columnist Ben Jealous

Guest Columnist Cori Bush

$900 Billion Federal Stimulus: What’s

By Charlene Crowell

For The St. Louis American

Although a new year has begun, many American consumers and small businesses continue to feel a financial hangover from the challenges of 2020. As the global pandemic reveals a still-soaring American infection rate, the nation has also surpassed 350,000 related deaths, added more workers to the ranks of unemployed, and growing debts place millions more in financial crisis.

To make matters worse, a $900 billion federal stimulus package passed on December 22 by Congress did not receive a presidential signature until Dec. 27, thereby delaying access to additional federal aid for a nation in need.

The delayed aid, a fraction of the $2.3 trillion aid package passed in March 2020, and the $2.4 trillion HEROES Act that House Democrats passed last June, will tackle greater needs with fewer revenues spread over a wide range of categories affecting consumers, education, small businesses, public health, transportation and more.

For consumers, there are three main types of direct assistance through the new funding bill.

First, for an estimated 14 million former workers who’ve exhausted their respective state unemployment benefits in 2020, $286 billion will extend and expand unemployment assistance through March 2021. These federal payments will

In it, What’s Not, What Remains

also include non-traditional employees like those who are self-employed or classified as gig workers. Unemployed workers who by March 14 exhaust their full state unemployment benefits will continue to receive this federal assistance until April 5.

Second, for consumers, a one-time, direct payment of $600 will go to workers whose tax status as either a single person or head of household in their 2019 tax returns showed an adjusted gross income of $75,000 or less. For joint filers earning that same year an adjusted gross income of $150,000 or less, the single payment increases to $1,200. Further, households meeting these income guidelines and who also have children under the age of 17, will receive an additional $600 per child. Those earning adjusted gross amounts above $75,000 but less than $87,000 will receive reduced stimulus checks, discounted by $5 for every $100 earned above the guidelines. Paper checks and debit cards will be delivered by mail over the next few weeks.

Third, other consumer-directed assistance includes an additional $25 billion in federal rental assistance to be administered by state and local officials for consumers who have fallen behind on their monthly payments. These funds are also approved to help pay future rent, utility bills, and prevent their shut-off. It is estimated that up to 17 million struggling renters who are disproportionately Black and Latino already owe an estimated $70 billion in back rent. For these consumers, the threat of eviction is imminent. However, the bill only extends the current eviction moratorium through Jan. 31 and provides no relief or assistance for struggling homeowners.

By comparison, the bill’s combined $324 billion that reflects direct consumer benefits, allots $82 billion to stretch across K-12 schools and higher education. The vast majority of this money — $54.3 billion — is dedicated to elementary and secondary school schools, while relief for all higher education totals $22.7 billion. The higher education money includes $1.7 billion for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), tribal colleges and minority-serving Institutions. Funds to relieve the nation’s burdensome $1.7 trillion student loan debt were not included, nor was an extension of the pause on student loan payments that has helped millions of consumers over the course of the crisis.

Meanwhile, just as with earlier packages, small busi-

ness relief was a centerpiece in the new bill and includes $284 billion in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and $20 billion in Economic Injury Disaster Loan Advance program. From its inception last March, flaws in the PPP structure and implementation prevented tens of thousands of Black and Latino business owners from accessing relief.

Now, a report released jointly by UCLA’s Center for Neighborhood Knowledge and its Latino Policy and Initiatives, shares how the first version of the Paycheck Protection Program shortchanged Black and Latino neighborhoods on a per capita basis compared to predominantly white areas.

For example, PPP supported far fewer jobs per resident in Black and Latino neighborhoods (5.8 and 4.9 jobs per 100

residents respectively) than in white neighborhoods (8.1 jobs per 100 residents), according to the UCLA report. Latino and Black neighborhoods also received fewer PPP dollars per resident than white and Asian neighborhoods. Latino and Black neighborhoods received $367 and $445 per resident respectively, compared to $666 and $670 received by businesses in white and Asian neighborhoods.

In response to the backlash surrounding the earlier iterations, significant structural improvements were made to PPP this time around.

Hopefully, these changes will ensure that the PPP better serves Black and Latino business owners.

“This bill is welcome relief for the millions of small businesses that are days or

weeks away from closing permanently,”

U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, said in a statement,. Cardin is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

“In addition to tackling the root of the problem, this bill targets small business aid to the hardest-hit, most vulnerable small businesses — including Black, Native, Hispanic, Asian, and women-owned businesses — as well as small businesses that have been most affected by COVID-19.”

Despite the consumer relief provisions and PPP reforms, additional relief is still needed to help families get through this crisis.

“Congress finally presents us with a relief package that is sorely needed,” said Ashley Harrington, federal advocacy director at the Center for Responsible Lending. “But it is not expansive enough to bring necessary relief and stability to our nation especially for Black and Brown communities that are experiencing the worst health and financial impacts of this unrelenting global pandemic.”

“The Biden-Harris Administration must extend the pause on student loan payments,” continued Harrington, “and must keep its promise to provide substantial, acrossthe-board debt cancellation to prevent further financial devastation for economically marginalized borrowers and communities. Congress must commit to immediately providing robust relief monies, especially to those who have no choice but to put their lives at risk as essential workers in order to survive.”

Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. Contact her at Charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.

Charlene Crowell

book deal cancellation. “It’s a direct assault on the First Amendment. Only approved speech can now be published. This is the Left looking to cancel everyone they don’t approve of. I will fight this cancel culture with everything I have.

We’ll see you in court.”

Hawley on Monday briefly appeared on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show. Carlson said Hawley was one of the “most despised people in America” right now and asked him about the book contract cancellation.

Hawley talked about his perception that “the Left” is attacking the First Amendment, but did not address the violence that occurred in the Capitol.

In addition to the book deal, one of Hawley’s major financial backers, Joplin businessman David Humphreys, denounced him on Jan. 7, according to a Missouri Independent report.

The news organization reported Humphreys had donated $2.875 million in support of Hawley’s political bid.

Hawley was first elected to the Senate in November 2018, defeating Democratic incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill.

Danforth regrets backing Hawley

Former Sen. John C. Danforth, R-Mo., told Tony Messenger of the St. Louis

Post-Dispatch that he regrets supporting Hawley and working hard to get him elected. Danforth went on to say it was “the worst mistake he ever made” in his life.

Danforth represented Missouri in the Senate from 1976 to 1995.

Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., also released a statement on Twitter

regarding the riot at the Capitol, but did not mention Hawley.

“My view is that there is not sufficient evidence to sustain objections,” Blunt wrote. “The states and the voters of each state elect the president. As such, Congress has a constitutional obligation to accept the election results.”

Blunt was first elected to the

Senate in 2010.

St. Louis Treasurer and may-

oral candidate Tishaura Jones also joined the conversation Friday, calling on Hawley to resign.

Protests in St. Louis

Several hundred protesters closed a block of South Broadway in downtown St. Louis Saturday afternoon in front of the Old Courthouse, demanding Hawley resign.

The peaceful protesters painted “Resign Hawley” in yellow paint, while people took a megaphone to air their grievances against Hawley and the government. Chants filled the air intermittently, including “Resign Hawley, you don’t even live here,” “No Hawley,

no KKK, no fascist USA” and “Who’s flag? Our flag.”

Hawley has previously been criticized for not living in Missouri — he and his family live in Vienna, Virginia, a suburb just outside of Washington D.C.

A November 2020 Kansas City Star investigation revealed he used his sister’s Missouri address to vote in the last election and does not own a home in Missouri. Hawley, however, claimed he is building a house in Ozark.

Political activist and local drag star Maxi Glamour opened up the protest with a speech. “Here in Missouri we are stuck with a senator who wishes to defy democracy, being one of the biggest enablers of Trump’s coup,” Glamour said. “Sen. Josh Hawley is a wart on the body of America and needs to

Demonstrators hold signs in front of the Old Courthouse after painting “Resign Hawley” on the street, in St. Louis on Saturday, January 9, 2021. About 200 demonstrators assembled to demand the resignation of Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo) after his actions and comments made earlier in the week, with some thinking they fueled the assault on the U.S. Capitol.

Photo Bill Greenblatt/UPI

be removed.”

Two other public events calling for Hawley’s resignation took place. The first was a protest held by the American Federation of Government Employees Locals 96 and 2192 outside Hawley’s district office at 111 South 10th St. in St. Louis. They were joined by several advocacy groups including St. Louis County NAACP, St. Louis Central Labor Council, St. Louis Jobs with Justice, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists - St. Louis Chapter, RESIST St. Louis and others.

On Wednesday, residents gathered outside Hawley’s offices in Columbia, Springfield, Kansas City and St. Louis “to mourn for American democracy” and deliver letters calling on Hawley to resign.

Impeach

“It has barely been a week since those horrible events, and the impeachment process has moved at lightning speed,” she wrote in a statement. “A consequential vote of this nature, something that has happened rarely in our nation’s history, should only be taken after the appropriate investigations and a complete airing of the facts so our vote can be fully informed. This is a necessary step for impeachment that has been bypassed.”

Bush introduced her first piece of legislation Monday, a resolution to expel House members who “sought to overturn the 2020 presidential election [and] violated their oath of office to uphold the Constitution or the rules of the House of Representatives.”

If resolved, the House Committee on Ethics would investigate and issue a report on offending members.

The call for expulsion falls under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment.

SLPS

Continued from A1

The case of Sumner is to be discussed further, as alumni groups and institutions such as nearby Harris-Stowe State University rally around it. Sumner, which was founded in 1875, is generally recognized as the first AfricanAmerican high school west of the Mississippi. Due to that specific historical value, Corey Bradford, president of HarrisStowe, said to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he wants to renew the university’s relationship with the school. Despite the school’s storied past, though, it is like the other schools on the list in that enrollment is much lower than it once was decades ago.

This year, fewer than 200 students are enrolled at Sumner. Per a statistic cited repeatedly by Adams during the board meeting, Sumner is not the only school facing this problem: 34% of the students zoned for the 11 schools discussed actually attended those schools, most opting for charter, school-choice or private-school options.

About 21,000 students are enrolled in SLPS in pre-K through 12th grade in the 202021 school year, down from a peak of more than 115,000 in the late 1960s. The version of the closure amendment that passed Tuesday came with restrictions. It requested that the St. Louis Board of Aldermen pass a resolution declaring a moratorium on any new school construction within the city limits until a comprehensive plan for the district is established.

This rule would, in particular, affect charters, as many of these schools have been built

Bush’s resolution also calls on the House to formally condemn the “targeted and malicious efforts to disenfranchise Black, Brown and indigenous voters.”

The legislation is cosponsored by 47 House members.

“Today, as my first legislative action, I introduced a resolution calling for the removal of the members of Congress who have, for months, tried to steal this election and invalidate the votes of millions of people …,” Bush wrote in a statement Monday.

Wagner released a statement Jan. 4 confirming she would not object to the Electoral College certification. Wagner’s 2nd Congressional District primarily consists of the suburbs south and west of St. Louis, including Arnold, Town and Country, Wildwood, Chesterfield and Oakville. The district includes portions of St. Louis, Jefferson and St. Charles counties

During the riots Jan. 6, Wagner called on Trump to take action.

“The violent riots we are seeing right now are despicable and have no place in our nation. The president needs

quickly and frequently in the district in recent years, now comprising about a third of student enrollment.

Other cities have previously taken similar measures: Huntington Park, California, for example, declared a oneyear moratorium on charter school construction in 2016. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, made the same move this year.

There are currently 35 charter schools enrolling SLPS students, managed by 16 groups. These schools enroll about one third of public school students in St. Louis.

Like traditional public schools, they are publicly funded, but they are managed by outside groups and can draw students from anywhere in the district. Critics assert that this means that they weaken the student population of neighborhood schools.

The amendment also included an item requesting “movement to develop a city-wide plan for schools with the next mayor that must be in place by the fall of 2021.”

This plan would have to address the decades-long disinvestment issues that contributed to the conditions for school closures in the first place.

Board member Donna Jones, who visited every school up for closure, said that the city’s government must do more for their schools.

“I was so disappointed in many of the buildings … they were clean, but filled with old, cracked furniture that needed to be replaced back in 1960. It’s criminal the way they have ... allocated money away from our school system. If my children were still young, I would be so ashamed that I would not want them to go to these schools.” Jones called on the next mayor, who will be elected in April, to focus more on the school system.

to take decisive action immediately to stop this seditious behavior,” she wrote on Twitter Wednesday afternoon. “These riots are nothing more than an attempt to disrupt our democratic process. While I am safe, I am praying for all those in harm’s way.”

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo, released several statements on Twitter, regarding the law enforcement sacrifices in last week’s riot at the capitol, including the death of U.S. Capitol Police Officer Howard Liebengood. Blunt also said he did not believe there was evidence to support objections to the Electoral College vote certification.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., remained silent over the weekend regarding the riots and subsequent certification of the Electoral College votes after he faced intense public scrutiny for objecting to the certification and supporting the rioters. He spoke briefly to Tucker Carlson on Fox News on Monday, only addressing what he sees as the left’s attack on the First Amendment.

community leaders such as ‘we are appalled, shocked and surprised’ when it comes to race relations and the use of racial slurs within St. Louis County and its justice department,” NAACP President John Bowman wrote in a statement. “The cries and calls for justice, equity and acknowledgement of underrepresented parties in these areas continue to go unacknowledged.”

The Ethical Society of Police echoed those sentiments. The Society is an association of more than 300 police officers, park rangers and civilians that advocates for racial and gender equity in law enforcement.

Black officers speak out

On Monday, the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, Inc., along with 12 other criminal justice organizations from across the nation, expressed their solidarity with ESOP in the call for reforms to address systemic racism and discrimination in the St. Louis County Police Department.

Board member Adam Layne agreed. “Anytime an election comes up, anytime something big is happening in the city of St. Louis .. education is put on the back burner, as if we don’t have any schools in St. Louis.”

Some of the buildings slated for closure may be retained by the district, according to a news release. Others may be leased or put on the market for sale. No staff layoffs are anticipated. Dorothy Rohde-Collins, president of the Board of Education, agreed that this moment comes from disinvestment in the district. “But if we do not close schools, our children are going to suffer. We are not going to be able to provide them with the things that they deserve.”

“We are disgusted with the racist comments made by one of their dispatchers,” ESOP leadership wrote in a statement. “Swift and immediate action is an appropriate step, however, more is needed. There have been several racist incidents to occur and will continue to

occur until leadership is willing to make a true change. “ In mid December, ESOP publicly called on Barton and other police officials to address the inequitable treatment and discrimination against minority officers on the force. The letter came as ESOP waited for Barton to address concerns they presented to her approximately six months prior.

Barton has not responded to the letter as of Monday,

n “We are disgusted with the racist comments made by one of their dispatchers.”

— Ethical Society of Police

ESOP’s general counsel

William E. Dailey Jr. confirmed.

Barton has led the department as chief since May 1, when she became the first woman in the role in St. Louis County. Her appointment came with some controversy, not centered on her gender but rather her race, as it appeared that several qualified Black candidates were passed up for the position.

One of those candidates, Lt. Col. Troy Doyle, filed a complaint in July with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging that he had been passed

over for St. Louis County police chief because he is Black. This complaint is the first step before an individual files a race discrimination lawsuit.

Doyle claimed St. Louis County Executive Sam Page influenced the police board to pass him over for police chief because Doyle is Black due to pressure from Page’s campaign donors.

Before the August primary, however, County Counselor Beth Ordwick said Doyle’s attorney Jerome Dobson tried to extort a $3.5 million settlement for Doyle by offering to withhold the discrimination claim if Page settled. In July, St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell asked federal investigators to investigate Dobson’s conduct.

Doyle commented on Saturday’s event via Twitter.

“How can we ever expect to gain community trust when we continue to have incidents such as this,” he wrote. “I feel sorry for the many officers who had to endure this pain and the disrespect that this language brings to our community. Immediate termination is recommended!”

Two other St. Louis County police lieutenants filed a lawsuit against the department in November alleging they were denied opportunities to advance their careers because they are Black. Those men, Lt. Ray Rice and Lt. James Morgan, are members of ESOP.

That lawsuit is still working its way through the court. Dobson is also representing Morgan and Rice.

URBAN LEAGUE PROVIDES 1,000 COATS FOR KIDS

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis is partnering with The Children’s Place and Teamster National Black Caucus to provide more than $150,000 in coats, boots, clothes, and other winter wear for children in our Head Start Centers. The distribution will be through each of our Head Start/Early Head Start locations throughout the metropolitan area. We want to thank The Children’s Place for their support of The Urban League of Metropolitan Saint Louis, Inc. and the families we serve. For more information about our programs, visit us at www.ulstl.com.

BJC HealthCare ramps up diversity commitment

By Ruth E. Thaler-Carter

For The St. Louis American

A new position has given greater authority for ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the Barnes-Jewish health care system of about 15 hospitals, medical groups and shared services. As of this past November, Steven Player, Pharm.D, has moved from executive director of diversity, inclusion and community engagement for Barnes-Jewish Hospital to vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion for BJC HealthCare.

Player previously oversaw diversity and inclusion education, extensive language services, and ensuring that “BJC’s exceptional

Taps Steven Player for elevated role

care is equitable for all,” according to a statement from BJC. The hospital’s leadership established the vice president position to “advance BJC’s mission to provide equitable, culturally aware care for all patients and ensure a diverse, culturally competent workforce,” the statement said.

“If I’m being honest, I don’t think the new title changes what I do,” Player said. “It puts me at the executive level and allows me to work over the entire BJC portfolio, but I’ve been working at eliminating discrepancies throughout my career. It seems

daunting, but I’m willing and my team is excited.”

While Player held the director role since 2014, he has worked in that arena since 2006 with the establishment of the Center for Diversity and Cultural Competencies, now called the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for BJC.

“The center was a seedling that has grown into a service for the entire system,” he said.

Player has an upbeat perspective:

“We’re no different from any health care system or employer (in that) a lack of representation of minorities

is an opportunity for us to increase equity and inclusion,” he said. “We want to provide exceptional care and be more than equal to ensure delivering on our brand promise. It goes beyond race to gender, age, language services and more. Historically, these efforts have been focused academically at the medical center. Now we are making conscious efforts toward being perfect” throughout the entire system.

Player sees his area’s role as ensuring that staff — at all levels — and patients receive equitable service and treatment throughout BJC. Recent concerns include obtaining personal protective equip-

See PLAYER, A10

is assisting people who have lost jobs or have had a hard time finding one as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

SLATE offers hope to unemployed workers impacted by COVID

For The St. Louis American

The St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE) recognizes and understands the unprecedented challenges the coronavirus pandemic has caused for workers and their families in our community.

Businesses across a variety of sectors have struggled these last several months to successfully operate under enormously difficult economic conditions and public health restrictions. As a result, thousands of our friends and neighbors have found themselves displaced from the workforce and in need of new employment.

opportunities, while helping employers diversify their workforce and positioning youth with skills and focus for the future.

n “We are applying the equity lens and working with human resources and our talent development team to create meaningful career paths, close any gaps, ensure full engagement and develop inclusive leadership.”

SLATE also knows that COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted persons of color and individuals living in low-income communities, compounding existing barriers that stand between them and access to employment, job skills, and other services. Even our youth have remained extremely vulnerable as they have tried to navigate these difficult times.

The City of St. Louis is proud of the way in which the team at SLATE quickly adjusted and responded to these realities. Under unprecedented circumstances, the agency continues to fulfill its mission of connecting job seekers, regardless of race, age, ability, socioeconomic status, employment history, zip code or career interest, to training programs and employment

“It’s been a busy year for all of us here at SLATE as we’ve worked tirelessly to help those impacted by the pandemic. But in a way, we’re uniquely positioned to meet this moment because our shared purpose and vision is to provide people with the tools and resources they need to re-enter the workforce,” said Howard Hayes, executive director of SLATE.

Since the coronavirus first hit St. Louis in March 2020, SLATE team members have used a new call center to connect with more than 12,000 people regarding employment and skills training, and provided assistance to those filling out online applications, crafting a resume, and conducting job searches.

Nearly 700 people have also requested SLATE orientations about our programs and services, which have transitioned to mostly virtual platforms to protect the health and safety of our clients, our staff and the public. Additionally, SLATE has doubled its efforts in partnering with local institutions to offer an expansive variety of career fairs, educational training, and support to St. Louisans, from single mothers, to teenagers, to peo-

By Sophie Hurwtiz Of The St. Louis American

For the first time in its 54-year history, the St. Louis Community College campus at Forest Park is able to offer on-site childcare, thanks to a $4 million CARES Act grant.

n The school’s Florissant Valley campus already operates a nationally-recognized Child Development Laboratory Center, charging students $5 a day to provide child care.

In Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s announcement of the grant Jan. 6, he noted that attending college is “often a full-time job.” With the grant, STLCC will repurpose existing space in the physical education building into a 15,000-squarefoot child care center. That center, Parson said, will be able to serve up to 60 children at any given time. In fall 2020, more than 15,000 students attended St. Louis Community College, with 5,000 being full-time students. The school’s

Florissant Valley campus already operates a nationally-recognized Child Development Laboratory Center, charging students $5 a day to provide child care. Programs and services at the Forest Park campus child care center will be modeled after those offered at Florissant Valley.

In addition, the Forest Park center will allow students in the College’s Child and Family Development Program to gain hands-on experience in the classroom. Students in that program are working toward an associates degree, which will prepare them to work with children under the age of 8. Jeff L. Pittman, chancellor of St. Louis Community College, said he hoped that this center will help give

See GRANT, A10

Carter is director of Washington University’s OB-GYN clinical research division

Dr. Ebony Boyce Carter has been named director of the Division of Clinical Research in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

Carter is a physician-scientist known for her research involving community-based interventions to promote health equity for pregnant women and their babies,

“Ebony is an outstanding physician-scientist, gifted clinician, and dedicated teacher who possesses the expertise to grow our reproductive health clinical research to benefit all women,” said Dineo Khabele, MD, the Mitchell and Elaine Yanow Professor and head of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Carter has extensive experience in the design and implementation of obstetric clinical trials. Her research on innovative prenatal care models to improve outcomes for pregnant women with diabetes is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute for Child Health and Human Development, and the American Diabetes Association. Carter is the principal investigator of a recently funded $3 million grant through the National Institute of Mental Health on behalf of the Elevating Voices, Addressing Depression, Toxic Stress and Equity in Group Prenatal Care Women’s Collaborative — a community coalition led by Black mothers, clinicians, federally qualified community health centers, hospitals, academic centers and community organizations, and coordinated by the St. Louis Integrated Health Network.

A job seeker works with a staffer from the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment. The agency

Steven Player

Photo provided by the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment

Lambert airport earns Airport Health Accreditation

St. Louis American Staff

St. Louis Lambert International Airport is among member airports of the Airports Council International trade group that recently earned Airport Health Accreditation for its efforts to provide a safer airport experience.

The health accreditation process is voluntary, initiated by the airport and is open to all Council member airports of all sizes in all regions. As travel restrictions were lifted at airports around the world due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Council states on its website that many health-related measures were implemented to

Player

Continued from A9

ment that works for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and can’t read lips when staff wear face masks, and providing language services to the St. Louis Bosnian community (the largest in the world outside Bosnia itself); the system provided translation services for 100 languages in 2020.

While there have been no major issues recently, “we investigate every concern,” Player said. “Sometimes it is a matter of awareness.” The current focus is to be proactive and head off potential problems by building an equitable culture, rather than simply react on a one-time basis if a concern does arise.

The system is a recognized leader in serving the LBGTQ community and provides train-

protect passengers and workers. Those measures include cleaning and disinfection, physical distancing (where feasible and practical), staff protection, physical layout, passenger communications and passenger facilities.

The Council said all passenger areas and processes are considered in the certification process, including terminal access, check-in areas, security screening, boarding gates, lounges, retail, food and beverages, gate equipment such as boarding bridges, escalators and elevators, border control areas and facilities (in collaboration with authorities), baggage claim area and arrivals

ing in diversity, equity and inclusion to every employee “as soon as they hit the door,” Player said.

“It all starts with data and the ways we look at data to ensure we’re providing what is needed throughout the system. We are applying the equity lens and working with human resources and our talent development team to create meaningful career paths, close any gaps, ensure full engagement and develop inclusive leadership.”

Player is “big on creating opportunities.” He has developed connections with area high school students to let them know about BJC as both a care provider and a career path. He also alerts people to higher-level employment opportunities to ensure the system welcomes and supports diverse candidates in moving into leadership roles. He is guided by asking, “What can we do to close gaps

exit.

“We believe this accreditation shows STL is dedicated to doing the utmost to keep our passengers safe during this period of COVID-19,” said Rhonda Hamm-Niebruegge, director of St. Louis Lambert International Airport.

“Each day is a new challenge in keeping our own standards at their highest to ensure our passengers’ health and safety,” she said.

The standards are from ACI’s Aviation Business Restart and Recovery guidelines and recommendations made by the International Civil Aviation Organization’s Recovery Task Force.

in care for the minority community?” and “Do our employees feel they have the opportunity for inclusion in both care and their careers?”

Tools include training in recognizing unconscious bias; teaching leaders and other employees about community health disparities through neighborhood tours, originally in real time and currently virtually; and holding an annual diversity celebration that includes community participation.

“We have an entire catalog of resources” for employees to consult as well, Player said.

The result is progress toward a comprehensive approach.

“We are becoming ‘one BJC’ in adhering to our values,” Player said. “Diversity, equity and inclusion are part of our fabric. As some of our leaders have been hearing in the community, this is not your mother’s or grandmother’s BJC.”

SLATE

Continued from A9

ple with learning disabilities. We’re proud that we’ve been able to help previously unemployed individuals find work in health care, construction, IT, and many other fields. As Missouri’s labor market continues to rebound and show signs of improvement, we

Continued from A9

believe that our efforts locally have helped keep the city’s unemployment rate lower than the state’s. Though we must acknowledge there are still many workforce-related challenges that lie ahead, SLATE stands prepared to build on the successes of our pandemic response with the singular mission of putting more St. Louisans back to work.

“We have mentors and

St. Louis Lambert International Airport is among member airports of the Airports Council International trade group that recently earned Airport Health Accreditation for its efforts to provide a safer airport experience.

Steven Player, Pharm.D, has moved from executive director of diversity, inclusion and community engagement for Barnes-Jewish Hospital to vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion for BJC HealthCare.

assistance to get you on the right track. We want to provide you with the support, resources, job leads, case management, and job development you need to be connected directly to employment, as well as training,” said Cassandra Wiliams, deputy executive director with SLATE.

To learn more about how SLATE, call 314 589-8000.

“Child care is a retention and completion issue for our Grant

students the incentive to stay in the program long enough to complete their degrees.

students,” Pittman said. “Many have to make the decision between remaining enrolled in college to make progress toward completing a degree, or staying at home with a child or children.”

During the first round of CARES Act grant distribution in April 2020, STLCC received

4,363,632 to assist students to cover the cost of expenses incurred as a result of the coronavirus, as well as another $4.3 million for institutional purposes. These funds were distributed primarily through scholarship, such as the “Take A Class On Us” program, which allowed 6,000 students to take a community college class for free. CARES stands for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, This month’s grant is part of a program focusing on on-campus child care across Missouri.

“The addition of a child care center to the Forest Park campus will provide a much-needed resource for our students with children,” said Julie Fickas, campus president and chief academic officer, STLCC-Forest Park. “This will open up the door of opportunity to many who would like to enroll in classes, but who have not had accessible child care.”

According to an STLCC news release, it will be 12-18 months before the Forest Park campus child care center begins welcoming families.

More details about child care and classes at STLCC can be found at stlcc.edu.

According to ACI, “This accreditation program is designed to help reassure the traveling public that airport

facilities remain safe and that precautions are being taken to reduce any risk to their health.” ACI is headquartered in

Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and has offices in Washington, D.C.

Photo provided by the St. Louis Business Journal

Sam Hutchinson, St. Louis contractor dies at age 77

For The St. Louis American

“Sam was the true original, genuine, minority construction contractor in the St. Louis region,” Brian Hutchinson, no relation, said of Sam Hutchinson, Interface Construction Corporation founder and chairman.

“Sam taught me business ethics and how to reach back and help others. He helped me take my company, Competitive Performance Specifications, from a local mechanical contractor to a regional and then national construction management consulting firm.”

Sam Hutchinson, 77, died in his sleep on Friday, January 8, 2021.

Hutchinson began his professional career as an engineer at Shell Oil Research in Wood River, Illinois. As an African American in 1970’s corporate America, Hutchinson found few opportunities for significant advancement. Thus, in 1978, he took his savings and founded Interface Construction Corporation.

Today, Interface is an awardwinning, full-service general contracting and construction management firm.

As a contractor who happened to be Black, Hutchinson marched to the beat of his own drummer. He ran his business on his own terms and with excellence and integrity. It is no surprise that he would often recite one of his favorite phrases, from the poem Invictus, “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”

After founding Interface, Hutchinson went on to gain many professional and personal accolades, continuously breaking barriers for Black Americans in construction, engineering, and business. He served on several national Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) committees on diversity and he was a six-time member of its execu-

Growing up, his children, Gerard and Graquel, remember him as every dad. “He used to wake me up in the middle of the night sometimes to check out the stars in the sky and to talk philosophy,” his daughter, Graquel Schaeffer, said. “It made me want to become an educator.”

Schaeffer added that her father was among the loudest spectators encouraging them, as well as all of their friends, during hundreds of sporting events and performances. He never missed an event.

Hutchinson was also a surrogate father and mentor to numerous friends, nieces and cousins. He will always be remembered and appreciated for his sage advice.

Hutchinson graduated from Charles H. Sumner High School where he was later inducted into its Hall of Fame. He continued his education at Harris Junior College, and then earned a B.S. in industrial engineering from St. Louis University.

leaves behind numerous cousins, colleagues and friends, particularly his “brother” Ted and “brother-in-law” Michael. Sam was preceded in death by his grandson Shaun and his parents.

The family will hold a private memorial service and burial on Saturday, Jan. 16 with a Celebration of Life and jazz concert at Jazz at the Bistro post COVID-19. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Elmer Godwin Endowed Scholarship for undergraduate minority engineering students at Rutgers University. Elmer was Sam’s father-in-law. To donate online, click Give to Rutgers and specify Elmer Godwin Endowed Scholarship at https://securelb.imodules. com/s/896/giving19/interior.asp x?sid=896&gid=1&pgid=2138 &cid=3975&bledit=1&dids=83 1.&appealcode=WFOUND

tive board. AGC is the nation’s leading construction industry trade association.

One of Hutchinson’s proudest accomplishments was serving as 2009 AGC National Treasurer, only the second minority to be a national officer in the organization’s 91-year history. Hutchinson also served as chairman of AGC’s Building Division, the first Black American to hold this position, where he promoted the growth of construction charter schools as a way to attract more young people of diverse races and backgrounds to the industry.

“Sam brought to national AGC an awareness of the real barriers that minority contractors face every day in business,” said 2010 National AGC President Ted Aadland. “He cochaired a task force with minor-

ity and women owned business associations and helped pioneer methods to remove those barriers. His work on the national AGC’s Stemple plan provided mentorship to underutilized contractors across the country.”

When Interface was located in Wood River, Hutchinson was president of the Southern Illinois Builders Association, a local AGC chapter. He also served on the board of education for the Construction Careers Charter School.

Outside of construction, Hutchinson served for several years on the board of directors of the holding company for A.G. Edwards & Sons, where he was also chairman of the firm’s nominating committee. He also served on several nonprofit and advisory boards.

He particularly enjoyed

mentoring budding entrepreneurs at the Chaifetz Center for Entrepreneurship at St. Louis University, his alma mater.

“There were no limits to what Sam was willing to do to help students, staff and faculty,” said Jennifer Ehlen, former Center director. “He was such an inspiration to all of us.”

While Hutchinson excelled in business, he had a passion for life, family and friends. In 1991, he married the love of his life, Laurna Godwin. An avid hunter, skier and fisherman, some of Hutchinson’s favorite places were Wyoming and Oregon. He always brought home enough antelope or elk to dazzle his family, friends, employees and clients with his famous chili. Hutchinson was also a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

In addition to his wife, Laurna, and his children Gerard and Graquel (husband Chris), survivors include grandsons Alex and James, sister-in-law Mignon and nieces Jocelyn, Leesa, Jordan and Sienna. He

If you prefer to send a check, please mail to: Rutgers University Foundation, PO Box 193, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903-0193. Make the donation payable to Rutgers University Foundation and in the memo, note Elmer Godwin Endowed Scholarship.

Photo provided by the Hutchinson family Sam Hutchinson was founder and chairman of Interface Construction Corporation.

“Taking Care of You”

Christina Fuhrman contracted a C. diff infection in

um causing diarrhea and colitis, is a superbug

and

Superbugs increasingly attack kids

Children’s hospitals partly to blame

By Laura Ungar Kaiser Health News

COLUMBIA, Mo. — A memory haunts

Christina Fuhrman: the image of her toddler Pearl lying pale and listless in a hospital bed, tethered to an IV to keep her hydrated as she struggled against a superbug infection.

“She survived by the grace of God,”

Corona

By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American

Fuhrman said of the illness that struck her oldest child in this central Missouri city almost five years ago. “She could’ve gone septic fast. Her condition was near critical.”

Pearl was fighting Clostridium difficile, or C. diff, a type of antibiotic-resistant bacteria known as a superbug. A growing body of research shows that overuse and misuse of antibiotics in children’s hospitals —

which health experts and patients say should know better — helps fuel these dangerous bacteria that attack adults and, increasingly, children. Doctors worry that the covid pandemic will only lead to more overprescribing.

A study published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases in January found that 1

See SUPERBUGS, A13

By Sylvester Brown Jr. Of The St. Louis American

Since the spread of the coronavirus began in early 2020, many in the health care professionals have expressed sentiments of burnout, fatigue and increased anxiety about their physical or mental health. Dr. Moyosore Onifade is not among that group.

An internal medicine physician with BJC Health and a primary care physician at the St. Louis Primary Care Center in north St. Louis County, Onifade has a different, more upbeat take on her profession during the pandemic.

“It’s made me more determined about my career. For many of us in the health care community, it’s made us think differently about taking care of our patients.” Onifade compares herself, colleagues and peers with other first responders.

“A fireman knows that sometimes he’s going to run into a burning house. Policemen know they may be in the line of fire. Health care workers know that they may be taking care of people who’ve been in the line of fire. We take care of them and, like a policeman or fireman, rarely do we worry about our own safety.”

Onifade uses the word “community” often. Whether she’s talking about health care workers, patients or locations, she speaks in terms of people sharing spaces or having common characteristics. She said the “health care community,” for instance, are heroes.

“We stood up to COVID. We know the danger, but we recognize what we do … and that is to serve, try to heal and do no harm. Despite the challenges, people did what needed to be done.”

Onifade said she’s “extremely proud” of how health care workers unified to confront

vaccines make their way to health centers

Public health centers in the St. Louis area are finally getting word that their first dose of COVID-19 vaccines are on their way for health care workers, while hospitals are already giving their second doses of vaccine. Health care facilities in Missouri wanting to become a COVID vaccinator had to complete an application through the state’s Show-Me-Vax program.

Two of the health centers said their vaccines would come from the City of St. Louis. However, we have no word from the City of St. Louis or the Department of Health and Senior Services on any progress in that matter. Late last week, CareSTL Health and Affinia Healthcare received notice that COVID vaccines are heading their way.

Affinia Healthcare received their notice on Jan 8.

“As soon as the COVID-19 vaccine is received, Affinia Healthcare will begin vaccination of our front-line staff, followed by vaccination of other health care workers, patients and the community at large, according to federal

See VACCINES, A13

Public health centers in the St. Louis area are finally getting word that their first dose of COVID-19 vaccines are on their way for health care workers, while hospitals are already giving their second doses of vaccine.

2012,

her daughter Pearl contracted one in 2015. C. diff, a bacteri-

fueled by the overuse of antibiotics.

Dr. Moyosore Onifade

Matthew Matlock/For Kaiser Health News

“Taking

Superbugs

Continued from A12

in 4 children given antibiotics in U.S. children’s hospitals are prescribed the drugs inappropriately — the wrong types, or for too long, or when they’re not necessary.

Dr. Jason Newland, a pediatrics professor at Washington University who co-authored the study, said that’s likely an underestimate because the research involved 32 children’s hospitals already working together on proper antibiotic use. Newland said the nation’s 250-plus children’s hospitals need to do better.

“It’s irresponsible,” Fuhrman added. Coupled with parents begging for antibiotics in pediatricians’ offices, it’s “just creating a monster.”

Using antibiotics when they’re not needed is a long-standing problem, and the pandemic “has thrown a little bit of gas on the fire,” said Dr. Mark Schleiss, a pediatrics professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Although fears of COVID19 mean fewer parents are taking their children to doctors’ offices and some have skipped routine visits for their kids, children are still getting antibiotics through telemedicine visits that don’t allow for in-person exams. And research shows more than 5,000 children infected with the coronavirus were hospitalized between late May and late

Vaccines

Continued from A12 and state distribution guidelines” said Dr. Melissa Tepe, vice president and chief medical officer at Affinia Healthcare and a member of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force.

“Our capacity to vaccinate people will largely depend on the amount of vaccine received.”

At CareSTL Health, Chief Executive Officer Angela Clabon said, “We expect to receive 975 vaccines and will distribute them at our admin location, 5471 Dr. Martin Luther King Drive.

Dr. Hari Nallapaneni, the chief medical officer, will be present for the administration of the vaccines to essential workers beginning Monday, Jan. 18.

“We are receiving Pfizer vaccines,” Nallapaneni said.

Dwayne Butler, president and CEO of Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers said, “Currently, none of our PHC front line heroes have received the COVID-19 vaccine. And, while we await our opportunity to receive the desperately needed protection the vaccine promises, we will continue to serve our community’s health without pause or hesitation. We are hopeful that the vaccine will be available to our heroes within the next week or so, but we have received no promises. We continue to urgently request the vaccine and anxiously await our turn.”

St. Louis County Department

Onifade

Continued from A12

a pandemic that no one initially knew much about.

“The sharing of knowledge, the determination to learn and do whatever was necessary to protect the interest of our community, that has been a tremendous experience for me.” Onifade is also one of the founders and chief innovation officer of MyPHTS (Practical Health Technology Solutions) Care Management. She explained it as a software-based system that gathers health details in addition to social and economic information like the lack of transportation or insurance or belief systems that may hamper medical treatment.

September. If symptoms point toward a bacterial infection on top of the coronavirus, Schleiss said, doctors sometimes prescribe antibiotics, which don’t work on viruses, until tests rule out bacteria.

At the same time, Newland said, the demands of caring for covid patients take time away from what are known as “stewardship” programs aimed at measuring and improving how antibiotics are prescribed. Often such efforts involve continuing education courses for health care professionals on how to use antibiotics safely, but the pandemic has made those more difficult to host.

“There’s no doubt: We’ve seen some extra use of antibiotics,” Newland said. “The impact of the pandemic on antibiotic use will be significant.”

Habits drive superbug growth

Antibiotic resistance occurs through random mutation and natural selection. Those bacteria most susceptible to an antibiotic die quickly, but surviving germs can pass on resistant features, then spread. The process is driven by prescribing habits that lead to high levels of antibiotic use.

A March study in the journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology found that the rates of antibiotic use on patients at 51 children’s hospitals ranged from 22% to 52%. Some of those medications treated actual bacterial infections, but others were given in

hopes of preventing infections or when doctors didn’t know what was causing a problem.

“I hear a lot about antibiotic use for the ‘just in case’ scenarios,” said Dr. Joshua Watson, director of the antimicrobial stewardship program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio. “We underestimate the downsides.”

Newland said each specialty in medicine has its own culture around antibiotic use. Many surgeons, for example, routinely use antibiotics to prevent infection after operations.

A monster unleashed

n “There’s no doubt: We’ve seen some extra use of antibiotics. The impact of the pandemic on antibiotic use will be significant.”

Outside of hospitals, doctors have long been criticized for prescribing antibiotics too often for ailments such as ear infections, which can sometimes go away on their own or can be caused by viruses that antibiotics won’t counter.

— Dr. Jason Newland, pediatrics professor, Washington University

very population served by these hospitals. Numerous studies, including one published in the Journal of Pediatrics in March, cite the rise among kids of C. diff, which causes gastrointestinal problems. A 2017 study in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society found that cases of a certain type of multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae rose 700% in American children in just eight years. And a steady stream of research points to the stubborn prevalence in kids of the better-known MRSA, or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Superbug infections can be extremely difficult — and sometimes impossible — to treat. Doctors often must turn to strong medicines with side effects or give drugs intravenously.

Dr. Shannon Ross, an associate professor of pediatrics and microbiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, said not all doctors have been taught how to use antibiotics correctly.

“Many of us don’t realize we’re doing it,” she said of overuse. “It’s sort of not knowing what you’re doing until someone tells you.”

All this drives the growth of numerous superbugs in the

of Public Health began vaccinating its workers this week after receiving 975 doses last week. The first group, 180 county health care employees who met the state’s definition of Tier 1A were the first to be vaccinated.

“Those 180 public health workers represent 65% of the 275 Health Department employees who are eligible based on the state’s 1a tier of health care workers,” County Executive Dr. Sam Page said in his Monday morning news briefing. In addition to County Health Department employee vaccinations, St. Louis County vaccinated the first of non-DPH employees who qualify as health care workers in the 1A tier as defined by the state. These are health care workers not affiliated with one of our hospital systems, which are taking the lead in vaccinating those who have a hospital affiliation.

After vaccinating 100 people a day, by Friday, Page said he anticipates them scheduling 320 1A individuals.

“In addition to nurses, doctors not connected to health care providers, other examples of providers that would be eligible to sign up for the vaccine include school nurses, dentists, behavioral health and substance abuse providers, optometrists and physical therapists,” Page said. People in those categories may request information on getting on the county’s list may email dphcovidvaccine@stlouisco.com.

There is no word yet on when vaccines will be available for the general public.

“That tool has been quite effective,” Onifade said. “With it, before they (patients) come into the room, I’ve already gathered those salient points, that knowledge and data. I know those things that are a priority to (the patient).

COVID-19 has spurred other transformations in health care, Onifade added, like how doctors now approach patients with the larger population in mind.

“You can’t just focus on the individual in front of you.

Now, you have to almost do detective work. If someone has a fever or cough, I want to know ‘where do you live, who do you live with, do they have chronic conditions? What kind of precautions are being taken at your workplace to assure your safety? How is this affecting your mental health or the mental health of those around

“It’s getting more and more worrisome,” Ross said. “We have had patients we have not been able to treat because we’ve had no antibiotics available” that could kill the germs.

Doctors say the world is nearing a “post-antibiotic era,” when antibiotics no longer work and common infections can kill.

Superbugs spawned by antibiotic overuse put everyone at risk.

Like her daughter, Fuhrman also suffered through a C. diff infection, getting sick after taking antibiotics following a root canal in 2012. While killing harmful germs, antibiotics can also destroy those that protect against infection. Fuhrman cycled in and out of the hospital for months. When she finally got better, she tried to avoid using antibiotics and never gave them to her daughter.

That’s because antibiotics affect your microbiome by wiping out bad germs and the good germs that protect your body against infections.

Pearl’s first symptoms of C. diff arose about three years later, at around 20 months old. Fuhrman noticed her daughter was having lots of bowel movements. The mom eventually found pus and blood in her daughter’s stools. One day, Pearl was so pale and weak that Fuhrman took her to the emergency room. She was discharged, then spiked a fever and returned to the hospital.

Doctors treated Pearl with Flagyl, a broad-spectrum antibiotic. But two days after the last dose, she went downhill. The infection had returned. She recovered only after going to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, for a fecal microbiota transplantation, in which she received healthy donor stool from her dad through a colonoscopy.

St. Louis County Department of Public Health began vaccinating its workers this week after receiving 975 doses last week. The first group, 180 county health care employees who met the state’s definition of Tier 1A were the first to be vaccinated.

n “You have to broaden the circle of questions and be ready to help people in the many different ways that COVID has impacted them.”

— Dr. Moyosore

Onifade

you?’

“You have to broaden the circle of questions and be ready to help people in the many different ways that COVID has impacted them.”

Onifade was born in Nigeria but moved at age 7 to Orangeburg, South Carolina.

“That’s where I grew up and where the foundation for my worldview was formed. It’s a place that is very similar to North County, with working class people and a predominately African American population,” Onifade explained.

Onifade said being raised around “teachers and academics” has influenced how she interacts with her patients.

“I tend to be a pretty direct person. Much of the way I practice medicine is trying to educate my patients about their conditions in a way that’s relatable and actionable. In that sense, whether it’s high blood pressure or COVID, my patients know I’m going to tell it like it is in ways that will allow them to take specific action.”

Onifade is acutely aware

Since her family’s ordeal, Fuhrman has been trying to raise awareness of superbugs and antibiotic overuse. She serves on the board of the Peggy Lillis Foundation, a C. diff education and advocacy organization, and has testified before a presidential advisory committee in Washington, D.C., about superbugs and antibiotic stewardship.

In March, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began requiring all hospitals to document that they have antibiotic stewardship programs.| One approach, Schleiss said, is to restrict antibiotics by “saving our most magic bullets for the most desperate situations.” Another is to stop antibiotics at, say, 72 hours, after reassessing whether patients need them. Meanwhile, doctors are calling for more research into antibiotic use in children.

Fuhrman said hospitals must do all they can to stop superbug infections. The stakes are enormous, she said, pointing toward Pearl, now a 7-year-old first grader who likes to wear a pink hair bow and paint her tiny fingernails a rainbow of pastel colors.

“Antibiotics are great, but they have to be used wisely,” Fuhrman said. “The problem of superbugs is here. It’s in our backyard now, and it’s just getting worse.”

Laura Ungar, Midwest editor/correspondent, covers health issues for Kaiser Health News, a reporting partner of The St. Louis American.

Free COVID-19 testing and flu shots

St. Louis American Staff

JEFFERSON CITY — State Sen. Steven Roberts, D-St. Louis, announced that he will host free COVID-19 testing and free flu shots at the Victor Roberts Building from 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 26.

Senator Roberts has organized the event in conjunction with Affinia Healthcare and the St. Louis Department of Health.

“We started organizing these free COVID-19 testing events early on in the pandemic, and we’re committed to continue providing this service to the community,” Roberts said in a news release.

“As we move forward with the vaccination process, we will continue to work to ensure this testing site remains available and helps protect St. Louisans and their families.”

The testing site will be in the parking lot of the Victor Roberts Building at 1408 N. Kingshighway Blvd. in St. Louis. Walk-ins are welcome, and there is no need for a prior appointment or evidence of symptoms.

For more information, contact Roberts’ office, 573-751-4415.

that many of her patients have concerns about the coronavirus vaccination. Again, in response, she relies on relatable facts.

“One of the fears expressed by people is ‘they came about this (vaccines) so quickly.’

So, the first thing I tell them is that the coronavirus is well known and well-studied throughout the medical community for years. The fortunate thing about having that past knowledge is it enabled us to respond quickly.”

It’s important, Onifade stressed, that people not be afraid of the vaccinations:

“The chance of it protecting you from COVID is above 95 percent. The vaccine stimulates your immune system to recognize a protein on the surface of the COVID (cell) so your body recognizes the invasion early and can quickly destroy

it. You can’t get COVID from the vaccine.”

For Onifade, there’s more to the typical “doctor/patient” relationship.

“I’ve always treated my patients like a parent, sibling or friend,” she said. “So, it’s been really great seeing how people really do rally around one another during challenging times like this.”

Another perk, she added is the response from the “patient community.”

“I’ve been struck with how caring our patients have been. I find more and more in this time period, that many of my patients are asking ‘how are you holding up?’

“For me, that’s been a tremendous joy.” Sylvester Brown Jr. is The St. Louis American’s inaugural Deaconess Fellow.

NEWSPAPER IN EDUCATION

PRESENT:

Healthy Kids

Healthcare Careers

A Closer Look at Ingredients

Start Small!

You get home from school and you’re hungry. You grab the closest snack you can find. But do you really know what’s in the food you’re about to eat? Take a look at the Ingredients Listing found on all food labels. Two key things to remember are: What comes first? — Ingredients are listed by the amount of that item the food contains. In other words, if the first ingredient is sugar (or corn syrup, fructose, etc.) you know that food contains a lot of “empty” calories. This means that the food probably won’t provide many nutrients, just a lot of calories.

It is often said that the hardest part about exercising is getting started!

So, start small. For example, if you want to be able to run 5 miles, you can’t just go out and run that far on your very first try. First, start by walking farther and faster each day.

Monday, January 18, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Why not celebrate by not just enjoying a day off school, but deciding to use the day to make a difference for your community?

Research online and in the newspaper for events taking place on Monday

Cocoa Puffers Cereal

INGREDIENTS: Whole Grain Corn, Sugar, Corn Meal, Corn Syrup, Canola and/or Rice Bran Oil, Cocoa Processed with Alkali, Color Added, Salt, Fructose, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Trisodium Phosphate, BHT Added to Preserve Freshness. Vitamins and Minerals: Tricalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Zinc and Iron (mineral nutrients), Vitamin C (sodium ascorbate), A B Vitamin (niacinamide), Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin B1 (thiamin mononi- trate), Vitamin A (palmitate), A B Vitamin (folic acid), Vitamin B12, Vitamin D3 MAY CONTAIN WHEAT INGREDIENTS.

Weekly Newspaper in Education Program

Keep it short! You want the list to be short: not many ingredients. Generally the shorter the ingredient list the more natural the food, and healthier for you. Avoid foods that contain a lot of chemicals and preservatives in the ingredients list.

Discussion: Why aren’t there ingredients lists on fresh fruits and vegetables?

Learning Standards: HPE 2, HPE 4, HPE 5, NH 1, NH 2, NH 3, NH 5

When you can walk briskly for thirty minutes, slowly add in some running along the way.

Try walking 10 minutes and then run for three and walk for 10 again. When you can do that pretty easily, switch it to walking for five minutes and running for five. Finally, you’ll

that reflect the ideals and causes that were so important to Dr. King. Are there any community/ neighborhood projects that would appreciate your contribution? Can you think of your own project?

Learning Standards: HPE 2, NH 5

switch to walking for three, running for 10, and eventually you can run the entire 30 minutes! Remember that this could take a few months to accomplish, and always ask your doctor if it’s a good idea to do the kind of exercise you’re choosing.

Learning Standards:

Fruit Pizzas

Ingredients: 1/2 c non-fat plain Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp natural peanut butter, creamy or crunchy, 1 tbsp honey, Rice cakes

Toppings: any of your favorite fruits; granola Directions: In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, peanut butter, and honey until smooth. Spread over rice cakes. Top with sliced fruit, granola as desired.

Where do you work? I am a director of nursing and nursing supervisor for Healthcare Management System. I also work at St. Louis Children’s Hospital on the Behavioral Health Unit.

Where did you go to school? I graduated from Sumner High School. I then earned an LPN from St. Louis College of Health Careers, an ASN from Deaconess College of Nursing, a BSN from Webster University, an MSN from Maryville University, and I’m currently completing my PNP from Maryville University.

What does a director of nursing/nursing supervisor do? I go to the homes of children with special needs and interact with them to see how they are progressing with the skilled nursing services that are being provided in their homes. Some children require nursing to attend school.

Why did you choose this career? I chose to become a nurse because I love caring for children. I enjoy helping them become and stay healthy. My oldest daughter was born very sick. I watched as the nurses in the neonatal intensive care unit nursed her back to health and I knew then, this was something I was meant to do.

What is your favorite part of the job you have? The best part of my job is seeing my healthy patients years later and they still recognize me as the nurse that helped them when they were sick. I can honestly take a trip to Wal-Mart right now and run into a kid I used to service and they will say, “Hi nurse.” I love it.

Learning Standards: HPE6, NH3

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

Chiquetta Spinks, MSN, RN

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

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

Area science students work independently with tablets to expand their science lessons at home, using the unique resource of the electronic version of the STEM page for ideas.

CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT SCIENCE STARS

African-American Computer Scientist Marlon West

SCIENCE CORNER

A N I M AT I O N

Animation is the process of creating a video or moving picture from a series of images. It is created by an animator. Animators create video game graphics, television program animation, online simulations, and virtual reality games. There are three main ways to create animation: 1. Draw frames by hand, 2. Stop motion—a moveable model is changed for each image to create a moving scene, 3. Computer graphics—3D software is used to create animated characters and settings. Animation can be created by individuals and there are many well-known animation studios, such as DreamWorks, Pixar, Cartoon Network, Disney, and Warner Brothers. Animation is usually filmed at 12-24 moving frames per second.

expensive to pay the animator for all of the time involved. Older Disney movies were created by hand drawn animation. Stop motion uses moveable models or clay. The animator takes a picture of each scene and uses computer software (such as Movie Maker) to make the scenes move and animate. The original “Rudolph” movie uses clay animation. Modern computer animation uses 3D software to control the characters and settings. Movies such as “Toy Story” use this animation.

Learning Standards: I can read nonfiction text for main idea and supporting details. I can make text-to-text and text-to-world connections.

Hand drawn animation takes a lot of time to create and is

SCIENCE INVESTIGATION

In this activity, you will use logic to form and test a hypothesis to solve the problem.

Materials Needed: 12 toothpicks

Process:

q Create three triangles of the same size using only 7 toothpicks. How many tries did it take before you were successful? What helped you solve the challenge?

w Next, use 10 toothpicks to create 6 triangles of the same size.

MATH CONNECTION

Toothpick Challenge

e Finally, use 12 toothpicks to create your own challenge for a friend to solve. Evaluate: What was difficult about this challenge? What method helped you solve the problem?

Learning Standards: I can follow directions to complete an experiment. I can analyze results and draw conclusions. I can make text-to-world connections.

Movie Math

q If the movie starts at 7:15 p.m. and you need to leave the house 45 minutes in advance, what time do you need to leave? _________

w You purchase 2 adult tickets at $14.00 each and 3 children’s tickets at $6.50 each, how much money do you spend on tickets? _________

e The concession stand sells a small popcorn for $5.00 and a medium for $6.50. Small drinks are $4.50 each and medium drinks are $5.50 each. Which is the better deal: to buy two small drinks and two small popcorns OR to buy one medium popcorn and 2 medium drinks? Why? _________

DID YOU KNOW?

Marlon West grew up in St. Louis and he loved drawing. After he graduated from University City High School in 1981, he attended Columbia College, in Chicago, where he earned a Bachelor of Art degree in film and video animation, in 1985. Upon graduation, West began creating educational videos for Encyclopedia Britannica. In 1989, he moved to Los Angeles where he created music videos and television commercials— including Michael Jackson’s commercial for California Raisins. In 1993, he was hired by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The first film that he worked on animating was Lion King.

West assisted in animating many more films for Disney including Pocahontas, Mulan, Princess and the Frog, Tarzan, Chicken Little, Hercules, and Frozen. He was the head of effects animator for the movie “Moana.” West enjoys researching the background of the characters and bringing their traditions to life. West wants the animations to be accurate and to honor the culture. He wants the story lines to encourage and inspire audiences. The biggest challenge in Moana was all of the ocean scenes. It took a lot of physics to get the depth of the water to look realistic.

West visited St. Louis where he completed numerous interviews and spoke at Webster University. He was awarded the SLIFF (St. Louis International Film Festival) Cinema St. Louis Award. For more information about computer animation, visit: http:// thekidshouldseethis.com/ post/17452504790. Learning Standards: I can read about a person who has made contributions in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. I can make text-to-text connections.

r The movie starts at 7:15 and the running time is 113 minutes. What time does it end? _________

Challenge question: 500 tickets are sold for a Sunday movie matinee. Tickets are $7.50 for adults and $4.00 per child. The theater collected $3,312.50 in ticket sales. How many adult tickets were sold? 375, 200, 125, or 500

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

MAP CORNER

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

Activities — Computer Usage:

Use the newspaper to find examples of ways that people use computers to communicate—websites, blogs, email, social media. How do computers help people communicate with each other?

Research a Sports Star: Read an article in the sports section. Choose a sports star to research. Enter their name in a search engine. How many hits did you get? How can you tell which sites are reliable?

Learning Standards: I can use the newspaper to locate information. I can evaluate information and draw conclusions. I can make text-to-world connections.

People’s Family of Corporations

Provided healthy meals to more than 40,000 during the pandemic

When schools were ordered to close to slow the spread of COVID-19, school districts and charter schools worried that children, many of whom depend on the school lunch program to get a daily meal, would go hungry.

Dwayne A. Butler, CEO of People’s Family of Corporations, had the same concern. Mr. Butler felt that the COVID-19 situation would be an overall hardship for families. Therefore, even though we were in an obvious pandemic, People’s overall mission did not change. Instead, the group welcomed the opportunity to serve a regular meal to the children and families of the St. Louis Community.

Since April 2020, People’s Family of Corporations (People’s Community Action Corporation, Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers, and Amanda Luckett Murphy Hopewell Center), under the direction of Mark Sanford, Executive Vice President Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers, and Executive Director People’s Community Action Corporation, have provided healthy, wholesome meals, for more than 13,000 families, consisting of more than 40,000 household members.

Over 1,900 People’s Volunteers spent more than 12,500 hours completing this mission-based task.

People’s has vowed to currently continue the Food Drive-Thru twice each month.

ceLebrATing The DreAm

Honoring the Rev.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

During the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Day march on Jan. 21, 2019, a participant gave legs to a King poster during the march from the Old Courthouse downtown to Leonard Baptist Church, 1100 N. Compton Ave. Observances honoring King, who was born on Jan. 15, 1929, will be different this year. In response to the coronavirus pandemic, speeches, programs, awards ceremonies and other activities will be held virtually, by Zoom, YouTube and other digital means. See Calendar of Events on Page B6.

U.S. Sen. Raphael G. Warnock — a birthday gift for Martin Luther King

By Bernie Hayes

For The St. Louis American

As we celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., it is a wonderful birthday gift for him to celebrate the legacy of Ebenezer Baptist Church, the church which he led for so many years. Added to that gift is to realize one of his congregation’s disciples is now the first African American U.S. senator from the state of Georgia. How proud do you think he would be? Let us look at the past of this historic place

After Bosley and Harmon, city hasn’t had Black mayor in 20 years

By Dana Rieck Of The St. Louis American

When the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed on April 4, 1968, St. Louis Mayor Alfonso Cervantes was serving his first term as the city’s Democratic leader. While racial unrest, protests and riots broke out through the country, Cervantes — who was white — is credited with helping to keep the peace in the city by frequently meeting with Black leaders, while also working to add Black people to city government positions and commissions. Cervantes also walked in the 20-block long interracial march honoring King’s life in 1968, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Even so, it would be another two-and-a-half decades before St. Louis would elect its first Black mayor, Freeman Bosley Jr., on April 20, 1993, after Bosely’s father had

Seeking signs of hope for a post-pandemic world

By Sylvester Brown Jr. Of The St. Louis American

“Where do we go from here?”

The question raised in the title of The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s book is as apropos today as it was when it was released a year before his assassintion in 1967. Perhaps more so. Although the coronavirus is still with us, vaccines to combat it provide a hopeful glimmer of a post-COVID world. Yet, in its wake, African Americans will be left with the disproportionate health, economic, social and deadly ruins exacerbated by the global pandemic. In 1965, when African Americans were battling the multi-

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Alphonso Cervantes Freeman Bosley Jr. Clarence Harmon

‘Embracing

Christian Hospital’s Annual King luncheon to be held online Jan. 15

By Kenya Vaughn

Of The St. Louis American

In a few short years, Christian Hospital’s annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. luncheon has become one of the premiere events as the region celebrates the life and legacy of the civil rights icon. With each installment, the banquet hall in the Detrick Atrium Building is filled to capacity as the event honors those working to fulfill King’s dream and young people on the path to creating the Beloved Community he often spoke of. “Christian Hospital was my first employer when I relocated to St. Louis as a young critical care nurse 32 years ago,” said 2019 keynote speaker Rev. Traci Blackmon. “Christian

Hospital was a socially conscious, community-oriented health provider back then, and it remains one today.”

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the 4th Annual “Embracing the Dream” event will be a virtual experience, but inspiring nonetheless when it takes place at 12 noon on Jan. 15.

n Following the conversation, Drum Major Award recipients will be recognized for devoting their time, talents, treasure and service in the name of justice, equity, and equality.

“Today in St. Louis” co-anchor and veteran KSDK-TV personality Rene Knott will serve as master of ceremonies for the program that recognizes four unsung local heroes and student scholars. There will also be a performance from singer-songwriter Brian Owens as well as a conversation about rising above the challenges of race, injustice and exclusion, including commentary from Bryant McBride and Willie O’Ree.

the Dream’ goes virtual

Wade Rakes, Centene regional vice president, chief diversity and inclusion officer, as he addressed the 2019 Drum Major Award honorees.

“This program is the perfect opportunity to stress the continued importance and relevance of his mission by advancing initiatives that focus on addressing the holistic and diverse needs of every individual, community development opportunities to provide for the less fortunate to improve all of our lives.”

Drum Major Scholarships will also be awarded to student scholars from FergusonFlorissant, Hazelwood, Jennings, Normandy, Ritenour, and Riverview Gardens school districts; Incarnate Word Academy, Cardinal Ritter College Preparatory, Trinity Catholic and Lutheran North high schools and St. Louis Community College.

McBride is the first African American class president at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He earned a master’s degree in public administration from

Harvard University.

Bryant worked as an analyst before becoming the highestranking African American executive in the history of the National Hockey League. He is the producer of ‘WILLIE,’ a sports documentary film on the pioneering hockey player Willie O’Ree.

Willie Eldon O’Ree is the first Black player to play in a National Hockey League game. He debuted with the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum on Jan. 18, 1958. He now serves as the director of youth development for the NHL/USA Hockey Diversity Task Force. In 2018, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Following the conversation, Drum Major Award recipients will be recognized for devoting their time, talents, treasure and service in the name of justice, equity, and equality. The 2021 Drum Major Award recipients are: Adrian Bracy, CEO of YWCA Metro St. Louis; Chris Krehmeyer, president/CEO of Beyond Housing; Elizabeth Perkins, Campus president, St. Louis Community CollegeFlorissant Valley, and Keith Williamson, president, Centene Charitable Foundation at Centene Corporation.

“These individuals have taken on Dr. King’s charge to confront injustice, change minds and change hearts and transform our world,” said

“When it becomes an expectation that every child in this community can live in a safe environment, pursue a quality education, have access to quality health care and seize the same economic opportunities and pursue the same dreams, then and only then will we be able to say our work is done,” Rakes said in his remarks at the 2019 ceremony.

“We all recognize that the work of Dr. King continues. There is still much to be done, but today we take a moment to recognize those who serve that mission Dr. King laid out so many years ago.”

Christian Hospital’s 4th Annual “Embracing the Dream” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration will take place virtually at 12 noon on Friday, Jan. 15. For more information or to register for the event, visit https://www. christianhospital.org/MLKCelebration.

STILL DRIVEN BY HIS MESSAGE

While we take today to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his leadership, we remember that his mission of racial equality and justice is something that should be strived for every day.

It’s one of the reasons Enterprise has launched our ROAD Forward Initiative. This five-year, $55 million commitment was created to help narrow social equity gaps in the key areas of early childhood development, youth health and wellness, and career and college preparation.

It’s through the ROAD Forward that we keep Dr. King’s progress part of our daily mission.

Photo by Wiley Price/St. Louis American

The Rev. Traci Blackmon, executive minister of Justice and Witness at United Church of Christ and pastor at Christ The King United Church of Christ, delivered the keynote address at the Christian Hospital Foundation’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Luncheon on Friday, Jan 18, 2019.

Mayor

Continued from B1

unsuccessfully run for mayor in 1985.

“The voters in this city created one of the most electric moments we have ever seen,” Bosley wrote in The St. Louis American in 2013.

Bosley did not win re-election four years later, likely due to his dealings with an investigation of allegations that people in his administration were stealing money from a program to keep youth off the streets.

The city’s only other Black mayor, Clarence Harmon, was elected in 1997 for one four-

Dream

Continued from B1

ple epidemics of poverty, mass unemployment and segregation, King advocated a $50 billion federal plan, similar to the GI Bill, aimed at helping poor people rebuild and invest in their own communities. In a Playboy magazine Interview by writer Alex Haley, King argued such a plan would encourage Black people to stay and build in their own neighborhoods. Flash forward 55 years later, and Black people are not only besieged by what King described as the “triple evils of poverty, racism and militarism,” but added to that calamitous concoction is the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus on Black lives along with the ongoing threat of police brutality.

As hundreds of thousands of people across the nation gather to honor King’s memory is it also time to revisit his other dream of rebuilding Black America?

“Most definitely,” said Jessie Davis, owner of St. Louis-

year term. So, as St. Louis heads into an election to choose its 47th mayor this April, it’s been 20 years since a Black person — or any person of color — has held the office.

This time around, three of four primary candidates are Black: St. Louis Treasurer Tishaura O. Jones, Aldermanic President Lewis Reed and Andrew Jones Jr. Alderwoman Cara Spencer, who is white, is the fourth candidate.

Reed became the first Black alderman elected in Ward 6, which covers parts of Midtown, Downtown and the near south side of St. Louis, in 1999. He became the first Black aldermanic president in the city

based JK’s Trucking, a freight company, and Davis Recycling, a scrap yard and recycling business. A couple years ago, Davis floated a proposal among a few aldermen and the mayor to create a program for young people and newly released prisoners.

The idea was to use city funds to train employees for jobs, clean up their own neighborhoods and, in the process, learn recycling and trucking.

Although he received no useful follow-up from politicians, Davis said he still believes the idea not only has merit but it’s past time for implementation.

A program like the one King proposed aimed at funding do-for-self efforts in metropolitan areas would be helpful, especially after the pandemic subsides.

“Local and federal funding would provide an opportunity to do grassroots projects like the one I offered. I’m not some guy from Chesterfield or west county,” Davis stressed. “I’m from this community and I’m trying to help.”

Miki Jones is president of AMJ Investment Group. Her company, in partnership with the city, Kwame Building Group and 21stt Ward Ald.

when he was elected to that position in 2007.

“Well, it means a lot to me to be running in this race and I understand that the challenges are still real, right?” Reed said. “And some of the people that have spent their working careers holding back African Americans are still involved yet today. … I think that kind of thinking is the type of thinking we don’t need anywhere around politics in the city of St. Louis — or anywhere.”

And while Spencer is white, she said she represents Ward 20, a racially diverse and majority Black part of the city — which she finds to be a great honor and a humbling experience. Ward 20 covers the area

west of Interstate 55 from about Cherokee Street to South Grand Avenue down to Gasconade Street.

“It’s about listening and about serving people and I think that as we talk about who’s going to be our next mayor some of the most important qualities that leader needs to have is an unwavering desire to listen and hear concerns from across the city, from all residents,” she said. “And to be able to work hard for the best interests to move our city forward.”

A self-described moderate and businessman, Andrew Jones Jr. hopes Black voters begin to embrace their diversity and continue to exemplify Black excellence for younger

n In 1965, when African Americans were battling the multiple epidemics of poverty, mass unemployment and segregation, Martin Luther King advocated a $50 billion federal plan, similar to the GI Bill, aimed at helping poor people rebuild and invest in their own communities.

John Collins-Muhammad, recently announced an $81 million plan, “The City District,” aimed at revitalizing 10 blocks in the O’Fallon Park Neighborhood in north St. Louis.

When asked about King’s 1965 plan, Jones answered with a quote from King:

“’Oh America, how often have you taken necessities from the masses to give luxuries to the classes…’”

A federal plan like King’s, she said, could bring muchneeded opportunities to Black neighborhoods like O’Fallon Park.

“It’s a historical community full of potential deserving opportunity for economic growth. It would provide the

generations.

“We are following in the steps of some great people and I think that if nothing else is taken into consideration, we are capable of doing everything and being out front and being part of the components of this system and maximizing it,” he said. “And first and foremost, I want to see our children … taught in school that we have outstanding examples of Black excellence and we need to keep striving.”

Tishaura Jones said running for mayor means a lot to her because she was born and raised in St. Louis and she has watched neighborhoods experience economic downturns.

“I often think of the shift in MLK’s movement, just before

help be intentional about closing the wealth gap created by this country,” said Jones, who is also a candidate for mayor in the upcoming primary election.

In a 1967 Southern Leadership Conference speech titled, “Where do we go from here,” King outlined the possibilities inherent in his vision.

necessary financial resources for our community.”

King’s plan was based on federal support. In theory, however, federal funds would be managed and distributed through local governments.

St. Louis Treasurer, Tishaura O. Jones has demonstrated how city funds can impact disadvantaged lives. Using parking revenue, Jones launched the Office of Financial Empowerment’s College Kids Program which has helped more than 16,000 public school students set up college savings accounts.

“We need to help Black people meet their basic needs through universal basic income, health care, and stronger housing support. We also need to

Renovating deteriorating buildings, developing low-income housing and allowing “tenants the opportunity to own their own homes,” creating inner-city jobs, businesses and financial institutions were all topics in the speech.

Before those things can flourish, King said, we “must first honestly recognize where we are now.”

To Miki Jones, King’s words were a call for accountability

“The City District is about taking direct responsibility for the economic development of the next generation of our city. I believe in a sense of collective responsibility among Black people of all ages and education levels.”

Mike Jones former senior staffer in St. Louis and St. Louis County government, believes the aftereffects of COVID-19 call for drastic fed-

his death, which was about economic mobility,” she said.

“Changing civil rights to silver rights and making sure that everyone has an opportunity to not just survive but to thrive.”

She pointed to one of her favorite King quotes as inspiration for her public office.

“We all too often have socialism for the rich and rugged free market capitalism for the poor,” King said in a speech at the Minister’s Leadership Training Conference in Miami on Feb. 23, 1968. The primary mayoral election will be held March 2 and the general election will be held April 6.

eral action. But, he said, there’s another prerequisite before adopting anything like King’s dream The coronavirus has left us with depression level damage. So, post-COVID, we’re going to need the equivalent of a Marshall Plan (the postWorld War II plan to stimulate economic growth in Europe). But, before we rush in with a solution, we should have a conversation.”

The “conversation” Jones proposes should be based on an honest assessment of the social and economic conditions Black people face now, since King’s death:

“We need to first have a discussion about what it is we’re trying to rebuild,” Jones said.

“The Black economic base during Jim Crow was a function of us not having access to the general market. Well, what happens to that model when we have access to the general market?

“King’s idea is excellent, but the real question is what does that look like in 2021?”

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

Virtual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Celebration

Finding the strength

“Strength to Love” is a collection of sermons by the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. that explains his convictions in terms of the conditions and problems of contemporary society.

One of the major contentions in this work, which was published in1963, is that God intended humans to be toughminded but soft-hearted. By this, King meant that people should use reason and sort out truth from fiction.

Dictators have long used soft-mindedness among people to gain power, and King believed soft-mindedness is responsible for racism. King also believed people should practice love and compassion.

King saw nonviolence as the exercise of both soft-heartedness and tough-mindedness. He wrote that Jesus preached that people should forgive others, and that the church should remind people of the virtues of kindness and forgiveness.

“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”

Following are excerpts from the book.

“One of the great tragedies of life is that men seldom bridge the gulf between practice and profession, between doing and saying. A persistent schizophrenia leaves so many of us tragically divided against ourselves. On the one hand, we proudly profess certain sublime and noble principles, but on the other hand, we sadly practise the very antithesis of these principles. How often are our lives characterised by a high blood pressure of creeds and an anaemia of deeds! We talk eloquently about our com-

mitment to the principles of Christianity, and yet our lives are saturated with the practices of paganism. We proclaim our devotion to democracy, but we sadly practise the very opposite of the democratic creed. We talk passionately about peace, and at the same time we assiduously prepare for war. We make our fervent pleas for the high road of justice, and then we tread unflinchingly the low road of injustice. This strange dichotomy, this agonising gulf between the ought and the is represents the tragic theme of man’s earthly pilgrimage.”

“One day we will learn that the heart can never be totally right when the head is totally wrong”

“The hope of a secure and livable world lies with disciplined nonconformists who are dedicated to justice, peace and brotherhood.”

“Too unconcerned to love and too passionless to hate, too detached to be selfish and too lifeless to be unselfish, too indifferent to experience joy and too cold to express sorrow,

they are neither dead nor alive; they merely exist.”

“Courage faces fear and thereby masters it”

“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction. So when Jesus says “Love your enemies,” he is setting forth a profound and ultimately inescapable admonition. Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies–or else? The chain reaction of evil–hate begetting hate, wars producing wars–must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.”

“This faith transforms the whirlwind of despair into a warm and reviving breeze of hope. The words of a motto which a generation ago were

commonly found on the wall in the homes of devout persons need to be etched on our hearts: Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. There was no one there.”

“Science investigates, religion interprets. Science gives man knowledge which is power, religion gives man wisdom which is control. Science deals mainly with facts, religion deals with values. The two are not rivals. They are complementary. Science keeps religion from sinking into the valley of crippling irrationalism and paralysing obscurantism. Religion prevents science from falling into the marsh of obsolete materialism and moral nihilism.”

“On the parable of the Good Samaritan: “I imagine that the first question the priest and Levite asked was: ‘If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?’ But by the very nature of his concern, the good Samaritan reversed the question: ‘If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”

“What is more tragic than to see a person who has risen to the disciplined heights of tough-mindedness but has at the same time sunk to the passionless depths of hard-heartedness?”

“The Christians who engaged in infamous persecutions and shameful inquisitions were not evil men but misguided men. The churchmen who felt they had an edict from God to withstand the progress of science, whether in the form of a Copernican revolution or a Darwinian theory of natural selection, were not mischievous men but misinformed men.”

Warnock

Continued from B1

of worship.

Ebenezer was founded in 1886, nine years after Reconstruction ended, according to the church’s website.

On March 14, 1894, the Rev. Adam Daniel Williams was called to serve as pastor at Ebenezer. Williams promoted Black businesses, urged his congregation to become homeowners, and “get a piece of the turf.” He led them in the battle for adequate public accommodations for Black people, despite Jim Crow segregation laws.

The Rev. Martin Luther King Sr., known as “Daddy King,” served as assistant pastor to Williams from 1927 to 1930. King Sr. became pastor of Ebenezer in 1931, after the death of Williams.

In 1960 King’s his oldest son, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. joined his father as copastor, giving Ebenezer international stature. He remained in that position until he was assas-

sinated in 1968. Today, Ebenezer Baptist, with a congregation of more than 6,000, and continues to serve the Atlanta community in the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site. The congregation’s leader is the Rev Dr. Raphael G. Warnock, is also U.S. senator-elect for the state of George. He has been senior pastor since2005. Warnock is the fifth minister to lead the Ebenezer congregation. Are the elections of Warnock and of Kamala Harris as vice president of the United States to be seen as a representation of Black power?

Were the elections of Warnock and Kamala Harris also an objective and vision of Kwame Ture, the civil rights leader known to many Americans as Stokely Carmichael, who coined the term ‘’Black power?”?

Ture’s advocacy of PanAfricanism was an important chapter in the evolution of the civil rights movement and should also be remembered on King’s birthday. What do you think?

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

2021 Martin Luther King Jr. CeLebration aCtivities

Fri., Jan. 15, 12 noon, Christian Hospital 4th Annual “Embracing the Dream” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. KSDKTV’s Rene Knott will serve as master of ceremonies. The event will feature a courageous conversation about rising above the challenges of race, injustice and exclusion, including commentary from Bryant McBride and Willie O’Ree. Bryant McBride is the first African American class president at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Willie Eldon O’Ree is the first Black hockey player to play in a National Hockey League game. This year’s event will take place virtually and will also include the presentation of Drum Major awards, which are bestowed upon unsung local heroes who have given their time, talents, treasure and service in the name of justice, equity and equality.

The 2021 Drum Major Award recipients are: Adrian Bracy — CEO of YWCA Metro St. Louis; Chris Krehmeyer — president/CEO of Beyond Housing; Elizabeth Perkins — Campus president, St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, and Keith Williamson — president, Centene Charitable Foundation at Centene Corporation. Drum Major Scholarships will be awarded to student scholars from Ferguson-Florissant, Hazelwood, Jennings, Normandy, Ritenour,and Riverview Gardens school districts; Incarnate Word Academy, Cardinal Ritter College Preparatory, Trinity Catholic and Lutheran North high schools and St. Louis Community College. For more information, visit https://www. christianhospital.org/MLKCelebration

Sat., Jan. 16 – Mon., Jan. 18, Jack & Jill of America, Inc. - St. Louis Chapter will host its 2021 JJOA MLK Day of Service Weekend. On Jan. 18, the chapter will host two virtual community panel discussions — “‘I Have a Dream’ Children’s Chat & Story Time” and Tween/Teen “Beyond the Dream” Virtual Town Hall and Call to Action. Both will be focused on the impact & legacy of King with the theme of, “Then and Now — Education, Socio-Economic and Health Inequality of African-American Youth.” The event will culminate with a city-wide on-line campaign and drive-by donation drive and mobile food market where the members of the public will join JJSTL in fighting hunger and disparities in the St. Louis African American community. For more information, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ dr-martin-luther-king-jr-dayof-service-beyond-the-dreamtickets-127881491985#:~:text= %2D%20St.,Louis%20Area or http://Jackandjillstl.org

Sun., Jan. 17 – Mon., Jan. 18, The Missouri Historical Society is hosting a series of free, virtual program in honor of MLK Day and commemorating the 60th anniversary of King’s visit to the United Hebrew Temple on Skinker Boulevard, which today serves as the Society’s Library & Research Center. The virtual program series includes gospel yoga, youth activism workshops and a special virtual event featuring a first-hand account from a St. Louisan who was in the audience the day of King’s 1960 speech at the United Hebrew Temple. For registration and a full listing of scheduled programming, visit https://mohistory.org/events

Michele Norris, former NPR host and special correspondent, founding director of The Race Card Project and Washington Post opinions contributor, will deliver the keynote address for the 2021 University of Missouri-St. Louis Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Observance.

Mon., Jan. 18, 8:30 a.m., Saint Louis Zoo’s MLK Day Camp: Animal Super Heroes, For kids in grades 1-5. This is a virtual program that is limited to 20 participants. Cost is $30 for Zoo members and $33 for the general public. Jan.18, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. For more information and registration, visit stlzoo.org. Additional information will be included in the Zoom website link that will be sent after registration.

Mon., Jan. 18, 10 a.m.

Saint Louis Art Museum Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Celebration, “Inspired by a Movement.”

Join the Saint Louis Art Museum for a unique, virtual edition of the annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Celebration. Inspired by depictions of King and the Civil Rights Movement by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer, Moneta Sleet Jr., local Black performing artists respond to Sleet’s photographs through music, dance, and theatrical presentations. This program is supported by the

The event will also feature a special performance led by Brian Owens, founder and executive director of L.I.F.E. Arts Inc. and the E. Desmond Lee Fine Arts Collaborative Community Music Artist in Residence. The event will take place virtually. For more information and log in, visit umsl. edu/go/MLK2021

Dana Brown Endowed Fund for Education and Community Programs. For more information, visit https://www.slam. org/adults/martin-luther-kingprogram/

Mon., Jan. 18, 11 a.m., University of Missouri-St. Louis Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Observance. Michele Norris, former NPR host and special correspondent, founding director of The Race Card Project and Washington Post opinions contributor, will deliver the keynote address.

Mon., Jan. 18, 4 pm., Washington University 2021 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Lecture with keynote address by Professor Dorothy Roberts. She is the 14th Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor and George A. Weiss University Professor of Law & Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania. She has joint appointments in the Departments of Africana Studies and Sociology and the Law School, where she is the inaugural Raymond Pace and Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander Professor of Civil Rights. She is also the founding director of the Penn Program on Race, Science and Society. The Celebration lecture will take place via Zoom. Registration is not required to attend the lecture. To join, please use the following link: https://wustl-hipaa.zoom. us/j/93294673076

Tues., Jan. 19, 6 p.m., St. Louis Community College — Florissant Valley and the North County Churches Uniting for Racial Harmony and Justice are proud to present the 2021 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Virtual celebration. The event’s keynote speaker will be Rudolph Nickens, Diversity, equity,

See Events, B7

Honoring Dr. King’s memory

By Mike Jones

For The St. Louis American

As we approach the eve of the MLK Birthday holiday these words from “A Tale of Two Cities,” Charles Dickens’ epic novel about the French Revolution came to mind: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times … it was a season of light, it was a season of darkness.”

On Jan. 5, the people of Georgia elected a Black preacher and the son Jewish immigrants to the United States Senate, giving President-elect Joe Biden a fighting chance to restore a modicum of humanity and sanity to American government — a season of light.

Jan. 6 should have gone down in history as the day the election of Kamala Harris, as the first woman and first woman of color, would be certified by the Congress. An extension of the season of light. But that was not to be the case. Jan. 6 will forever be the day a racist mob of white terrorists, encouraged by the president of the United States, invaded and occupied at their leisure the Capitol Building, forcing members of Congress into hiding — a season of darkness. This is the context surrounding this year’s MLK ceremonies. And it will be the context when we once again misunderstand the historical Martin Luther King. With that in mind, I’ve decided to liberally reproduce what I wrote last year at this time, because many of this year’s celebrations will probably look much like last year and every year before that.

I’ll begin with the disservice we do Dr. King’s memory and historical record every January as we insist America recognize him, and by extension us, as worthy of inclusion in the pantheon of American heroes. But is the Dr. King we memorialize every January, the Dr. King of history, or more importantly, is the history we’re memorializing worthy of the man?

The Dr. King we celebrate is an homage to the myth of America. The Dr. King of history, properly understood, is evidence of, and testament

What if there were essay contests for middle and high school students in January on the importance and meaning of

to, the indomitable spirit and will of Black people in their struggle against America’s endemic white racism. America, with our complicity, has made Dr. King’s life and story about one moment in time, August 1963, that improvised closing of his speech at the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington. That improvised closing doesn’t require repeating, but his forgotten opening that stated the reason for the March for Jobs and Justice should be permanently imprinted on our minds and hearts.

He said, “Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation … But 100 years later, the Negro still is not free …” He continued, “In a sense, we’ve come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence they were signing a promissory

note to which every American was to fall heir … It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned.”

Here’s what I wrote on the eve of the holiday last year, “So what would MLK birthday celebrations look and sound like if the beginning of his speech was the focus and not the end?

What if there were essay contests for middle and high school students in January on the importance and meaning of the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” for today’s America? What if there were panels on American foreign policy with his speech at Riverside Baptist Church as the predicate for the discussion?

And if we truly wanted to honor and remember his life, what if we engage in a community conversation about the neoliberal American socioeconomic order, in light of the fact he was assassinated in Memphis supporting striking garbage workers while he was organizing the Poor People’s

March on Washington?

What would the MLK holiday ceremonies look and sound like if we understood his growth and political evolution over the arch of his too-short life?

Let’s remember what he said to Harry Belafonte, shortly before his assassination: “I have come upon something that disturbs me deeply. I’ve come to believe we’re integrating into a burning house. I’m afraid America may be losing what moral vision she had. Until we assure the underclass has justice and opportunity, we will continue to perpetuate the anger and violence that tears at the soul of this nation.”

What would it look like if we understood the multiple purposes that history serves, including providing context for the present that we’re experiencing?

What if?

Let us never forget that the elevation of Black individuals to the highest offices in the land, is not the same thing as elevating Black people.

Events

Continued from B6

inclusion and sustainability partner at Evolution. For more information, visit stlcc.edu/go/ mlk

Tues., Jan. 26, 12 noon, Maryville University Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. This year’s keynote address will be delivered by Dr. Joy DeGruy, nationally and internationally renowned researcher, educator, author and presenter. The celebration will be a virtual event. For more information, email at inclusivemu@maryville.edu

Tues., Jan. 26, 4 p.m., University of Missouri, Columbia, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. The 2021 theme is “Infinite Hope: The Power and Possibilities of Dr. Martin

Luther King, Jr.’s Vision.” The keynote address will be provided by Ambassador Andrew Young. A congressman, mayor, humanitarian, ordained minister, international businessman and sports enthusiast, Young has been serving and shaping our country for almost 50 years. The event will take place via Zoom. For more information, visit https://diversity.missouri. edu/our-work/mu-celebratesmartin-luther-king-jr/

Thurs., Jan. 28, 2:30 p.m., Saint Louis University will present its annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute along with Loyola University Maryland and the University of San Francisco. Rev. Dr. Starsky D. Wilson, former president of the Deaconess Foundation and newly appointed CEO of The Children’s Defense Fund, will deliver the keynote address for the virtual event. For more information, visit https://www.slu.edu/ news/2020/december/mlkmemorial-tribute.php

Guest Columnist Mike Jones

the “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” for today’s America?

WGU Missouri to award $75,000 in scholarships in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., WGU Missouri is making it easier for Missourians who are interested in furthering their education to accomplish their goals.

The nonprofit, fully online university has announced it will award $75,000 in scholarships to those who have always dreamed of completing their college degrees and advancing their careers but faced challenges along the way that prevented them from moving forward.

The “I Have a Dream” scholarships are open to new students enrolling in any of WGU Missouri’s 60-plus undergraduate and graduate degree programs in information technology, business, teacher education and health professions, including nursing. Each scholarship is valued

at up to $4,000 and will be credited to students’ accounts at a rate of $1,000 per six-month term, renewable for up to four terms. The scholarship will be applied to WGU’s flat-rate tuition of about $3,500 per sixmonth term.

“As we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we are inspired by Dr. King’s powerful vision for the future and his endless devotion to fighting the injustices of racial and economic inequality,” said Dr. Angie Besendorfer, Chancellor of WGU Missouri.

“Dr. King worked tirelessly during his lifetime to strive for a more equitable society, and his words and actions continue to challenge us today. In that spirit, we are proud to offer this scholarship in his honor in hopes that those who have consistently faced challenges that prevented them from moving forward with their education plans can be inspired to go back

to school and accomplish their goals.”

WGU Missouri is committed to providing equal opportunities in higher education for working adults who are interested in furthering their education. The university offers an industryleading, competency-based structure that allows students to leverage previous education, training and work experience to graduate faster.

The university’s “I Have A Dream” scholarships will be awarded based on the students’ academic record, previous college experience, readiness for online study, current competency, as well as other considerations. Applications will be accepted through June 30, 2021.

For more information about WGU Missouri and the “I Have A Dream” scholarship, visit missouri.wgu.edu/dream.

COMMUNITY CELEBRATION

Commemorating King in St. Louis

Sunday, January 17 • 3pm

Just over 60 years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at the United Hebrew Temple, now the Missouri Historical Society’s Library & Research Center.

To commemorate this event, join us via Zoom as Reverend Dr. Anthony Witherspoon, Reverend Gabrielle Kennedy, and other religious leaders reflect on the legacy of this renowned civil rights leader.

Youth Activism Workshop for Ages 6–12

Monday, January 18 • 10:30am

Kids will explore the broader context of the civil rights movement through a variety of primary sources and evaluate how activists communicate their messages through images and words.

Youth Activism Workshop for Ages 12–18

Monday, January 18 • 1pm

Youth will analyze primary sources to gain a greater understanding

the civil rights movement, then use their own experiences to

elaborate, and interpret their concepts of

STLCC-Florissant Valley, North County Churches to present virtual King celebration

By Danielle Brown Of The St. Louis American

The celebration of the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King will continue on Tuesday, Jan. 19, the day after the official holiday, with a program sponsored by St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley and North County Churches Uniting for Racial Harmony and Justice.

The program, which will be presented virtually from 6-7:30 p.m., on STLCC’s YouTube Channel, will offer speeches and present awards recognizing those who have distinguished themselves by service to the community.

Rudy Nickens, diversity, equity, inclusion and sustainability partner at Evolution, is scheduled to be the keynote speaker. The theme of his speech is “Intelligence Plus Character: The Goal of True Education.” Evolution is a coaching, consulting and investment firm.

Drawing upon almost four decades of experience in a range of areas related to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workforce, Nickens has cultivated a wealth of knowledge.

Many of his views relate with those of King in how he finds commonalities in everyone and builds relationships across all identities. Nickens said being chosen to deliver the keynote address is special and holds a lot of significance in why he works for diversity.

“I can’t think of a time when this wasn’t important to me,” Nickens said. “In the talk that I gave for the community college’s MLK program, I shared a moment about how, when I was 8 years old, I got to go to

my first rally with my family to Washington, D.C., to hear Dr. King speak.”

“I saw the effect on Black folks, poor, working-class Black folks coming together, standing up together. It was life-altering. I’ve spent my whole life trying to make that reality continue and to do what I can to have that moment that changed my life as a boy.”

Nickens understands the historical importance of why, since 1986, the nation has recognized Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday. King was born on Jan.15, 1929. He was assassinated on April 4, 1968, when he was 39 years old.

“It’s as much about the community as it’s about him individually,”

Nickens said. “I think one of the things that I thought about in him was he was not about a singular movement.

“Although people talk about his commitment to racial justice, which was important, he also worked to build movements that were inclusive of other struggles.”

Nickens’ resume is extensive. In addition to being a facilitator, educator and entrepreneur, he has also established an impressive career in business management and community development. Prior to his current role, he was the

director of equal opportunity and diversity with the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Azariah Estes, a first-year general transfer student will be the student emcee; Aquita Lowe, a second-year general transfer student, and Zoe Wallace, a first-year general transfer student will serve as student speakers.

Viewers will also hear speeches from winners of the North County churches group’s Oratorical Contest and will be able to join in singing along with an instrumental rendition of James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” played by pianist Paul Higdon, professor of music

Additionally, viewers will learn Christian Hospital is being honored with the 2021 Dr. Rance Thomas Excellence in Community Partnership Award.

“Christian Hospital and President Rick Stevens are incredible partners with St. Louis Community College through diverse avenues,” according to Elizabeth Gassel Perkins, campus president and chief academic officer at STLCC-Florissant Valley.

“... Christian Hospital partners with our nursing and health sciences programs to offer valuable training to future healthcare professionals, she said. “Beyond the incredible partnership they share with STLCC, they strive to improve the health and welfare of everyone in the region by providing stellar patient care, educational opportunities and participating in outreach activities to all north St. Louis County residents.”

More information about this event is available at stlcc.edu.

Keynote Event

Thursday, February 11, 7:00 p.m. Frankie Freeman Inspirational Address: Walter Mosley, “Blood Grove: An Easy Rawlins Mystery”

In conversation with suspense author Rachel Howzell Hall Suspense writing legend Walter Mosley presents the crowning achievement in the iconic Easy Rawlins detective series: a crackling, moody, and thrilling novel of vast scope and intimate insight, and a soulful call for justice by any means necessary. FACEBOOK

Thursday, January 28, 7:00 p.m.

Virtual Author Event: Catherine E. McKinley, “The African Lookbook: A Visual History of 100 Years of African Women”

In conversation with renowned photographer Dario Calmese. All ages. FACEBOOK

Tuesday, February 2, 7:00 p.m.

Virtual Author Event: Vivian Gibson, “The Last Children of Mill Creek” All ages. FACEBOOK

Thursday, February 4, 7:00 p.m.

The Black Rep presents “Freedom Songs” All ages. FACEBOOK

Saturday, February 13, 1:00 p.m.

Poetry Workshop with Pacia Anderson

All ages. Registration required. ZOOM

Friday, February 19, 7:00 p.m.

Set the Night to Music

Join us for an online performance featuring the saxophone melodies of Rhoda G. All ages. Registration required. ZOOM

Saturday, February 20, 1:00 p.m.

Draw Your Own Black Hero

Local artist Cbabi Bayoc will teach you how to draw your own Black hero. All ages. Registration required ZOOM

Thursday, February 25, 7:00 p.m.

The Black Rep presents “The Incredible Jungle Journey of Fenda Maria” All ages. FACEBOOK

Saturday, February 27, 1:00 p.m.

Gift of Gospel

Join us for an inspirational afternoon of gospel music. Performers include Gregg Haynes and the Happy Guitar, singers Frank and Stephanie Thompson and saxophonist Angelo Shaw. All ages. Registration required. ZOOM

Rudy Nickens

Highlighted Events

James Clark will receive the Frankie Freeman Inspirational Award during the program featuring the keynote address. Mr. Clark is the Vice President of Public Safety and Community Response, for the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.

Local Black Performing Artists Pay Tribute to Dr. King

The Saint Louis Art Museum invites you to view the Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Celebration: Inspired by a Movement. This virtual version of the annual event will feature local Black performing artists Heather Beal, Anita Jackson, and Joel P. E. King. Each artist created an original work in response to Moneta Sleet’s photographs from the Museum’s collection. Sleet, a Black Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist, is best known for his documentation of the Civil Rights Movement.

Heather Beal will perform an original dance, titled “Singing in the Rain,” in response to Sleet’s photograph showing Dr. and Mrs. King singing during the march from Selma to Montgomery in the pouring rain. Beal is a certified Dunham Technique instructor and was a principal dancer with the Katherine Dunham Museum Children’s Workshop Performance Company from the age of six into young adulthood. She has also performed in many productions at The Black Rep and several productions at the Muny. She is best known for her work “#triggerwarning” and “Black AF,” a dance critique of police brutality against Black folx in America.

Singer Anita Jackson will

perform her original composition, “None Will Give Us Freedom,” in response to Sleet’s photograph depicting an uphill road full of people marching from Selma to Montgomery. Jackson, a native of St. Louis, is a graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. She has recorded and performed nationally as a background vocalist for artists Bette Midler, Patti Austin, Mariah Carey, Erykah Badu and Cissy and Whitney Houston. Locally she has performed with Jazz St. Louis, the Ethical Society of St. Louis, the Heman Park Starlight Concert Series and Sheldon Concert Hall, to name a few.

Joel P. E. King will perform “To Be There,” a short theatrical piece he wrote that is inspired by Sleet’s touching photograph of Coretta Scott King and her daughter Bernice at Dr. King’s funeral.

Joel P. E. King is a native of East St. Louis and graduated from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). King has numerous theatrical, musical, opera and film credits, including “A Raisin in the Sun,” “Ain’t Misbehavin,” “The Color Purple,” “The Sam Cooke Story” and “Complacency of Silence,” for which he received

a nomination for a Kevin Kline Award for outstanding supporting actor in a musical. He also toured with the gospel show “A House Divided” with Tyler Perry. Kathryn Bentley, who is serving as the moderator of the Inspired by a Movement program, is a community artist and an associate professor of theater at SIUE as well as the director of the

The videos will be available to view on-demand starting Monday, January 18, and will be available throughout 2021. To learn more, visit slam.org/ mlkfreedomcelebration.

university’s Black Studies program. The program will conclude with remarks from Marcus A. Creighton, member and past president of the Epsilon Lambda chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Heather Beal

Anita Jackson Joel P. E. King

St. Louis County Democrats honor King with day of service

For The St. Louis American

To support our neighbors hardest hit by the coronavirus, St. Louis County Democrats are organizing a day, and in some cases a week, of service, kicking off on Monday, Jan. 18.

A number of townships throughout St. Louis County will take part in food and coat drives. These actions are in conjunction with President-elect Joe Biden’s national call for service on the holiday. For a full list of events and locations may be found at www.stldems.org

“COVID-19 has taken a toll on folks all across St. Louis County and food pantries are being visited by folks that have never visited them before,” said Annie Marshall, Jefferson Township committeewoman.

their efforts in helping us meet the immediate need for nutritious, shelf-stable food during this time of increased food insecurity,” said Kristen Wild, executive director of Operation Food Search.

“One in four people are hungry and children are suffering the most.”

One of the partners for this call to action is St. Louis-based Operation Food Search. “We are grateful to the St. Louis County Democrats for

“Food drives bring in quality meal-maker items that are in high demand now for so many individuals and families in the St. Louis region. We appreciate this support now more than ever,” Wild said. If you live in St. Louis County and you want to find out more about any actions being planned in your Township, visit www. stldems.org

The St Louis County Democratic Central Committee is the governing body of the St Louis County Democratic Party. The Central Committee is composed of one man and one woman elected by voters from each of the 28 townships 011421in St Louis County. Visit the website at www.stldems. org or the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/stldems to learn more.

Missouri driver examination stations closed Jan. 18

The Missouri State Highway Patrol would like to remind the public that driver examination stations throughout the state will be closed on Monday, Jan. 18, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Normal operations

will resume on Tuesday, January 19, 2021. Follow the Missouri State Highway Patrol on Twitter @MSHPTrooperGHQ

A speech that changed the nation, touched the world

Dr. Martin Luther, King, Jr., delivered his most famous speech on the steps at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity. But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free.

One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.

So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition. In a sense we have come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.

This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked “insufficient funds.” But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bank-

rupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we have come to cash this check — a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God’s children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro’s legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights.

The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining

our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. we must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march

ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, “When will you be satisfied?” we can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas

where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be selfevident: that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor’s lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain,

and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, “My country, ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.” And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring. When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”

THE 4TH ANNUAL

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. VIRTUAL CELEBRATION

EMBRACING THE DREAM

January 15, 2021 | 12 - 1 p.m.

Visit Christianhospital.org/MLK-Celebration for details.

Christian Hospital will recognize and celebrate the 2021 Drum Major Awardees, which is the highest honor Christian Hospital Foundation bestows upon unsung individuals who have given their time, talents, treasures, and service in the name of justice, equity, and equality.

The 2021 Awardees are:

Adrian Bracy President, CEO YWCA

Chris Krehmeyer President/CEO, Beyond Housing

Elizabeth Perkins Campus President, St. Louis Community College, Florissant Valley

Keith Williamson President, Centene Charitable Foundation at Centene Corporation

MASTER OF CEREMONIES:

Rene Knot, co-anchor on Today in St. Louis, KSDK-TV

PRESENTING SPONSOR:

Guests will enjoy great music from local artists and commentary from Bryant McBride, the highest-ranking African American executive in the history of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Living It Pressure cooker

BlackTea podcasters discuss

By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American

It’s probably surprising to absolutely no one who knows her that the road that led to “Candyland” victory for St. Louis native Deva Williamson started with cake. For the internationally renowned cake stylist, photographer and columnist, cake has become both a career and a creative outlet for her for the past seven years. But the start of her relationship with the dessert — which eventually landed her top prize on the Food Network dessert-making competition — was unlikely, and inspirational.

DJ Tab says Diamond “Yvette” Smith is the St. Louis Megan Thee Stallion

By Danielle Brown Of The St. Louis American

It’s common in the music and entertainment industry for stars to differentiate their artistry from their personal lives. Many rely on distinctive stage names and polarizing alter egos to spotlight their art form.

When you look at up-and-coming rapper, Diamond Smith, known by the moniker, “Yvette,” you’ll notice the apparent differences between her two personalities.

“Yvette the artist is different from Diamond Smith the person,” said Trumaine “DJ Tab,” Barnett-Epps, owner of Iconic Music Group, and Yvette’s manager.

“I love it because so many artists wanna be famous so bad that they wanna stay in artist mode 24/7. You can’t be an artist 24/7; it will drive you crazy. She knows how to turn it on and off.” By nature, Yvette the artist describes Diamond the person as an introvert who enjoys staying at home with her dog, watching “Law & Order,” and eating snacks. She struggles with social anxiety and being around crowds of people. While her rap persona is the opposite, Yvette exudes an audacious and straightforward attitude allowing her to talk to any and everybody with no problem.

“Yvette’s ready for any and everything, she’s fearless,” Smith said. “Her only competition is herself. She’s destined for greatness and she knows that she’s going to win.”

In 2014, Smith, 23, started making cover videos of her rapping over the beats of popu-

“When I was in a homeless shelter, some people had come by with a cake and they gave it to me — and that made me feel really special,” Williamson said in an interview with The St. Louis American. “And I was like, ‘well I want to give people cake, because I want to give people that special feeling.’”

When Williamson was 14, her mother was involved in a serious car accident that left her unable to care for the family. Williamson spent the next few years in children’s homes. When she aged out of the system, she didn’t have the support she needed. So she became homeless.

Sometimes she was fortunate to get into a

shelter. When she was not so lucky, she ended up on the streets. “ I’m not sad or bitter,” Williamson said. “In some ways it has helped me drive into my art more and focus — and be grateful for what I do have and what I can give to people.”

These days, the married mother of three is one of the top cake photographers in the world. She started decorating cakes on a dare. Williamson’s mother-in-law took a decorating class and it was not her jam. She told Williamson, “I’d like to see what you can do

lar songs at the time. Her cover for Dej Loaf’s breakout single “Try Me,” sent the internet into a frenzy leading her to become a viral sensation.

“I honestly didn’t expect it to take it off how it did, because humbly speaking, I come from a background where I didn’t have everything,” Smith said. “Seeing people actually like me for me is an indescribable feeling.”

Throughout her childhood and teenage years, Smith found herself frequently in trouble in school. Her father was in prison and she was left in the care of her grandmother and a strict mother.

Rebellious, she got into fights, resulting in her being bounced from school to school. She eventually was sent to attend ACE Learning Centers, an alternative education center designed to help students get academically and behaviorally back on track. Ultimately, she was redirected to classes online because of ongoing behavioral conflicts.

Before finally graduating in 2016, she had to deal with the death of a favorite cousin. Her inability to manage her grief caused her to continue to make bad decisions.

On the first anniversary of her cousin’s death, she and another cousin got into an altercation. Smith got shot. She knew then that she needed to pull herself together. “That’s what knocked me back on track, honestly, because once I saw my life flash before my eyes I was like, ‘oh, no this is not what she would want me doing,” Smith said.

“Then I started being more productive. I stopped fighting. I stopped popping up at people’s houses. I stopped all the social media beef and social media rants. I started to focus more on my music.”

The desire to get her life in order inspired her to release “Ratchet Twerk Song,” which has more than 3 million views on YouTube. Since its release in 2019, Yvette has received more bookings and gained attention from a couple of different record labels. Her management team and her lawyer are still working out the details with the labels before making the information public.

“I’m flattered and I’m very much excited to

Sonnier and Cox receive Divided City grant to help fund their project

By Danielle Brown Of The St. Louis American

Alisha Sonnier and Jami Cox are long-term friends, passionate about informing and educating their community, particularly young people, on current events and local issues through their BlackTea, podcast.

“I think it’s important to inform young people about what’s going on,” Cox, 25, said. “I know that there’s a lot of information out there and it can be hard to go through it all. Looking at TV, your phone, Facebook, Instagram, listening to what your friends are telling you — for a lot of people, it gets to a point where you’re not really tuned into anything going on; there’s so much information.

n “It’s not supposed to be boring. It shouldn’t be. If I felt this stuff was boring I wouldn’t do it.”

— Alisha Sonnier

“We feel it’s important for people to know what’s happening, particularly in St. Louis, because this is the city where we live, work and go to school.” BlackTea was one of six works selected from 82 proposals to receive $10,000 in funding and support from “The Divided City: An Urban Humanities Initiative,” in partnership with the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Center for the Humanities, and the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts at Washington University. The initiative’s New Funding Opportunity provides individuals and organizations with the chance to draft proposals about global phenomena, social justice and a range of international issues.

The Mellon Foundation started the project in June 2014. Two months later, Michael Brown was killed by a white police officer in Ferguson. The impact of the events that followed Brown’s death has deeply influenced the initiative’s direction.

“The time from finding out about the grant to applying for it was really short,” Sonnier said. “We applied for the grant in August, received notice that the podcast was chosen in September, and then we released our first episode in October.

“There was a lot we had to learn ... because [neither] of us have a lot of experience in podcasting.”

While some people might feel like discussing politics is boring, Sonnier said she and Cox made sure to have fun with what they’re talking about because it’s still engaging.

Sonnier, who is also 25, and Cox post the podcast on all streaming platforms on the fourth weekend of every month. Each episode has three segments: — a political element where they explain a spe-

See Tea, C6

Alisha Sonnier and Jami Cox

Rapper Yvette is the alter-ego of Diamond Smith.

Photo/Monarch Photography

Jewel Johnson, St. Louis native Deva Williamson, Ray Miranda-Vizcaino and Linda Khachadurian were victorious as The Red Team for ‘Candyland,’ a baking competition that aired last month on the Food Network.

Photo courtesy of Food Network

“To not be around your teammates, to not really have any sort of communication, I want Kyrie to get the help that he needs.”

— Former NBA Star Richard Jefferson on current NBA star Kyrie Irving missing multiple games for personal reasons.

Sports

InsIde sports

With Earl Austin Jr.

Prep hoops heat up

Kelly Thames was one of the St. Louis area’s top basketball players during his stellar career at Jennings in the early 1990’s.

Thames went on to have a standout collegiate career at the University of Missouri, where his name is still present among the career leaders in several categories.

These days, you can find Thames patrolling the sidelines as the head coach at Pattonville High. He led the Pirates to a Class 5 district championship in 2017. Thames has another talented crew at Pattonville this year that is currently 6-0 heading into this week’s Washington Tournament, where the Pirates have the No. 1 seed.

The top player and leader of the Pirates this year is 6’5” junior guard Kellen Thames, the son of the head coach, who is following in his father’s footsteps as one of the top players in the St. Louis area.

Thames has already received a scholarship offer from Georgetown University and he has received recruiting interest from several other Division I schools. An excellent allaround player, Kellen Thames is averaging 18.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and two steals a game.

What makes the Pirates such an excellent team is their overall experience and team balance. They start five seniors and four of them have scoring averages in double figures. Senior Alijah Carter is an explosive 6’2” guard who is averaging 15.2 points and 5.3 rebounds a game. He is a high-energy player who can excite everyone with his dunking ability.

Senior guard Levi Banks is a shifty 5’11” southpaw who is averaging 12.8 points while shooting 41 percent from 3-point range. Senior Neno Lee is a 5’9” point guard who averages 12.7 points while providing consistent perimeter shooting from 3-point range. Providing the size up front is 6’7’ senior Jonathan Crosby, who is averaging nearly seven rebounds a game.

• Soulard Showcase is set for this weekend The Fifth Annual Soulard Showcase will be held on Saturday at Lift for Life Academy. The event will feature two boys games and two girls games. Each athlete will received two tickets for family or friends to attend. The games will also be streaming live on Lift for Life’s YouTube channel, Hawk Media.

Here is the schedule for Saturday: Orchard Farm vs. Lutheran North (Boys), 1 p.m. – Lutheran North is led by junior guard David Moore and senior forward Cleveland

Pattonville’s junior guard Kellen Thames (0) takes the jumper over Webster Groves Anthony Phiffer (10) during game action at Pattonville. The Pirates of Pattonville would defeat the Statesmen of Webster Groves 63-60 to remain undefeated in their conference.

p.m. – The host Hawks have a talented team led by senior Na’Teonia Russell and juniors Taylor Brown and Mackenzie Wilson. Gateway Legacy is led by 5’5” junior Carolina Rojas and 5’7” junior Ariana Williams.

University City vs. Lift for Life (Boys), 7 p.m. – The University City Lions have a talented team, led by 6’7” senior forward Jalen Hampton and 6’5” forward Brandon Ming. Host Lift for Life is led by 6’0” senior guard Rico Singleton, who is averaging 15 points a game.

• IWA remains undefeated Nationally ranked Incarnate Word Academy remained undefeated at 10-0 with a championship of the Visitation Christmas Tournament and victories over Marquette and Borgia last week. The Red Knights are led by 6’2” sophomore Natalie Potts, who averages 22 points a game, and the dynamic junior duo of point guard Saniah Tyler and forward Jaiden Bryant. Both Division I prospects average 10 points a game.

• Ronnie Perkins declares for NFL Former Lutheran North High football standout Ronnie Perkins announced that he was making himself available for the National Football League Draft after a very successful career at Oklahoma University. Perkins made his announcement on his Twitter account last weekend. The 6’3” 247-pound Perkins was a standout defensive end for the Sooners and one of the top pass rushers in the Big XII Conference. In six games this season, Perkins recorded 10.5 tackles for losses as well as 5.5 quarterback sacks. He finished his career at Oklahoma with 16.5 sacks. Perkins was the St. Louis American Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at Lutheran North in 2017.

sports eye

With Alvin A. Reid

Major college football fumbles

when it comes to diversity in leadership positions

The college football season ended Monday night with Alabama thrashing Ohio State in the national title game. While it was a blowout, the biggest NCAA football loser this season was diversity.

The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports (TIDES) released its annual report card on Division 1 (FBS) athletic departments’ hiring in “positions of influence.” The overall grade is a disappointing D-plus. This includes an F in gender hiring.

“The lack of representation of women in athletic director or president or chancellor positions has remained an issue within the arena of college sport,” Richard Lapchick, TIDES director, wrote in his executive summary.

“Although there were three more women athletic directors (a 2.3 percent increase) at FBS schools, the grade in this category remained an F.” Men hold 118 of the 130 leadership positions at DI FBS schools.

The highest grade on the report card is a B-minus in racial hiring, an improvement from last year’s C.

“The total percentage of people of color in president or chancellor positions rose to an alltime high of 17.7 percent, thus slightly reducing

the dominance of white people in these positions.”

Lapchick explained.

But the overall minority and gender hiring picture, especially for head football coaches, remains bleak.

According to TIDES, Black men comprise just 10 percent of head coaches compared to 48.5 percent of football student-athletes.

Lapchick called it “a sad statement,” that 80.8 percent of chancellors and presidents, 83.1 percent of athletic directors, 82 percent of faculty athletic representatives and 80 percent of conference commissioners are white.

Candice Storey Lee, Vanderbilt vice chancellor of athletics and university affairs and athletic director, is a rarity in the NCAA. The annual TIDES report card gave Football Bowl Subdivision schools an F in gender hiring for leadership positions and details an alarming lack of diversity in hiring practices, on and off the field.

White administrators held 327 of the 399 campus leadership positions reported in the study, a decrease from 84.3 percent in 2019 to 82 percent in 2020.

“Unfortunately, in college sports, specifically at the FBS institutions, the overrepresentation of white men has strongly influenced the lack of opportunities for women and people of color,” Lapchick wrote. He also chal-

lenged institutions, “to mirror the diversity of their students and student-athletes in a way that is more equitable for all leadership positions.”

House on Thursday. “The tragic events of last week occurred and the decision has been made not to move forward with the award. Above all, I am an American citizen with great reverence for our nation’s values, freedom and democracy… Boston Celtics All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week (Jan. 4-10). Unfortunately, Tatum contracted COVID-19 and will remain in quarantine for at least another week…

“The low grades recorded in 2020 reflect the lack of significant growth of diversity in FBS leadership and leads to the continued inequity in sport,” he wrote.

“The results again do not reflect the far more diverse composition of students and student-athletes at colleges and universities across the country. They do not even reflect the composition of the American people.”

The entire report card and statistical information is at www.tidesport.org.

The Reid Roundup

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick announced Monday he will not accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the White

Tatum greeted fellow St. Louisan Bradley Beal at midcourt after the Celtics beat the Washington Wizards last week. The result was a 48-hour quarantine for Beal. He returned to the Wizards lineup on Monday… Retired Florida A&M head coach Rudy Hubbard will be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame this year. Hubbard, who was also Ohio State’s first black assistant coach, led the Rattlers to the 1978 Division I-AA title (FCS). It remains the only HBCU to win that crown… A seventh NFL head coaching position suddenly opened on Monday when the Philadelphia Eagles fired Doug Pederson Jaylen Waddle, the Alabama receiver who broke his ankle earlier this year, returned for a few plays in Monday’s national championship game. Patrick Mahomes was one of several NFL players who took to Twitter to plead for head coach Nick Saban to take him out of the game. “Respect the heart. But you can’t let that man be out there!”

Washington. Orchard Farm is paced by 5’10” senior guard Brady Wolf. Cardinal Ritter vs. Westminster Christian (Girls), 3 p.m. – A great matchup between two of the top girls teams in the St. Louis area.

Cardinal Ritter is loaded with young talent while Westminster is led by 5’8” junior guard Brooke Highmark, who has already committed to Belmont. Lift for Life vs. Gateway Legacy (Girls), 5

Alvin A. Reid

Earl Austin Jr.

Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American

Kyrie Irving

St. LouiS american Career Center

PLANS EXAMINER

&

MECHANIC

The City of Clayton is now accepting applications for the positions of Plans Examiner & Mechanic. To apply, visit www.claytonmo.gov/jobs.

JANITORIAL - HIRING

The City of Richmond Heights is accepting applications for Police Officers. To apply go to https://richmondheights. applicantpro.com/jobs/ Applications will be accepted from January 11, 2021 through January 29, 2021.

COUNSELING SERVICES SUPERVISOR

Youth In Need is searching for a Counseling Services Supervisor to add to our team. Master’s Degree in Counseling or related field needed. Find more info and apply online at www.youthinneed.org.

SENIOR COURT CLERK – JOB ID 3691

Director, Departmental Planning & Capital Projects - Radiology – 49113• REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: Bachelor’s degree The University Advancement Team at Washington University in St. Louis is seeking experienced professionals to join a team that will implement and manage the migration from our current alumni & donor system to a Salesforce platform. We are looking for individuals with experience in: · Salesforce Administration

Data Migration · System Implementations · Change Management Positions may include System Administrators, Data Analysts, Business Analysts, Application Developers, Innovation/Change Management Specialists, and Administrative Support roles. For a list of available positions, please visit jobs.wustl.edu and search for Alumni and Development Programs under “Location”. Manager, Clinical Trials & Operations - Anesthesiology Clinical Research - 49452

POSITION SUMMARY:

Position oversees and coordinates complex clinical research studies for the Department of Anesthesiology and supervises the pool of shared research coordinators and research nurses. Serves as a resource to provide comprehensive information to faculty and clinical research staff by promoting a smooth operation of clinical research; responsible for preparation of metrics, performance measurement criteria, and audit processes. Works alongside grant team for financial management of clinical research funds, and in tandem with the Manager of Clinical Research – Regulatory and Clinical Research Specialist on regulatory and compliance matters.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent level of training and experience.

Minimum of one to two years’ experience in clinical research.

SOCRA or ACRP certification required within twelve months of hire and/or when eligible. Director, Departmental Planning & Capital Projects - Radiology – 49113

POSITION SUMMARY:

Position is responsible for physical facilities, space planning, utilization and reporting, and capital asset records for the department of Radiology. This includes planning, coordinating and managing MIR’s construction projects. Administers space management reporting and records within University systems. Develops and oversees maintenance activities of the Department’s physical plant. Advises bids and develops capital budgets related to physical facilities. Responsible for all in-house renovations, department moves, proactive management of MIR leases, equipment and supervision of MIR facilities support staff. Coordinate projects with FMD Design & Construction.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Bachelor’s degree in architecture, construction management or civil engineering. Minimum of 10 years experience in architectural project management and/or construction projects. Minimum of 10 years experience with site infrastructure and building systems including structural, architectural, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, fire protection, horizontal and vertical transportation systems for large campuses. Manager, Patient Accounts - Surgery – 47312

POSITION SUMMARY:

Position manages Pre-arrival/Pre-certification teams, which includes, but not limited to, successful management of quality standards, performance improvement and personnel performance and productivity. Establishes a culture for service excellence, focusing on patient, physician and colleague satisfaction and engagement to ensure financial clearance for all patient services at WUSM.

Essential Functions:

1. Develops protocols, quality assurance programs and productivity standards for the Pre-arrival/Pre-certification teams.

2. Monitors productivity of staff through observation of activity as well as thorough review of productivity reports. Develops and coordinates action plans with assigned staff to resolve issues and to improve process. Meets and exceeds departmental productivity standards.

3. Works in a cooperative fashion with other departments/divisions within WUSM to ensure effective coordinated efforts and good employee and departmental relations. Provides exceptional customer service.

4. Manages performance and operations improvement for pre-certification/referral denials

MENTAL WELLNESS NAVIGATOR

VOYCE, a nonprofit, seeks Mental Wellness Navigator to help launch new program. $22-25/hour. Details at voycestl.org

AR SPECIALISTS / STAFF ACCOUNTANT

Urban Strategies Inc is seeking applicants for the AR specialists / Staff Accountant position for in our Central office. To view the full job descriptions visit https://urbanstrategiesinc.org/ about-us/ under Careers

POLICE OFFICER

The City of Olivette is accepting applications for the position of Police Officer. Salary range $56,732 - $73,542 w/excellent benefit package. Applicants must be 21 years of age and POST certified at time of appointment, have a valid driver’s license, be a high school graduate or equivalent, Associate’s Degree or a minimum of 64 hours of college credit preferred. Duties include, but are not limited to, Patrol, Traffic Enforcement, Enforcement of State and local laws and providing police services to the commu-

CONTRACTOR AND LABORER

JOB OPPORTUNITY FAIR

Wellington Family Homes, an affordable housing development that is located in Wellston, Missouri, will be hosting an outreach and informational session at Wellston City Hall 1414 Evergreen Ave, St. Louis, MO 6313 on Thursday, January 21, 2021 from 9am-10am.

BID NOTICE

The City of Crestwood is seeking request for proposals for consultants for the Whitecliff Park Quarry Enhancement Project, Phase 2. This is an equal opportunity bidding event. Please call (314)729-4860 for more information. Qualified consultants may obtain a bid packet at www. cityofcrestwood.org. Submittal deadline is January 29, 2021 at 2:30 pm. The bids will to be received at the Crestwood Community Center, 9245 Whitecliff Park Lane, Crestwood, MO 63126. www.cityofcrestwood.org or emailed to eramirez@cityofcrestwood.org

BID NOTICE

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking bids for repairs to pedestrian bridges. Go to www.greatriversgreenway. org/jobs-bids/ by February 3, 2021.

ADVERTISEMENT FOR: REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS The City of St Louis Department of Health is seeking proposals to provide its Communicable Disease program with Website Design and Development Services for its HIV Prevention Programming. Requests for Proposals may be obtained beginning January 4 2021, from the City of St. Louis Department of Health, Natalie Torres, 1520 Market Street-Suite 4027, St. Louis MO 63103, negronn@ stlouis-mo.gov, (314) 657-1491. Proposals may also be downloaded from the City of St. Louis website at www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/ procurement.cfm. All questions must be submitted in writing no later than January 11, 2021, to Natalie Torres at the information listed above. All questions will be addressed through addenda posted on the St. Louis City website at http://stlouis-mo.gov/. The deadline for submitting proposals is January 29, 2021, by 4:30 P.M. at the address listed above. The Department of Health reserves the right to reject any or all responses with or without cause.

BID NOTICE

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking Bids for Mississippi Greenway: Walnut Bridge Canopy Repair. Go to www. greatriversgreenway.org/ jobs-bids/ and submit by February 10, 2021.

VISITOR MAP BROCHURE RFP 2021

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified contractors to print, store and deliver as needed, the Saint Louis Zoo 2021 Visitor Map Brochure. Bid documents are available as of January 13, 2021 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

BID NOTICE

Great Rivers Greenway is seeking Bids for (1) one Four passenger UTV with Pickup Bed. Go to www. greatriversgreenway.org/ jobs-bids/ and submit by February 12, 2021.

SITE CLEARING AND FENCE INSTALLATION RFP 2021

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks proposals from qualified companies to provide site clearing and fence installation at a property in Franklin County. The site clearing needs to be completed by March 31, 2021. Bid documents are available as of 01/13/21 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

Notice of Funding Availability

St. Louis City Housing

The St. Louis City Community Development Administration (CDA) seeks proposals through a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) from developers interested in facilitating the new construction or rehabilitation of affordable housing defined as housing sold or rented to households earning at or below 80 percent of Area Median Income (AMI) as defined by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Market-rate projects will be allowed on a limited basis (see NOFA for details). The NOFA will be issued on January 15th, 2021. A copy of the NOFA can be obtained from CDA’s website at https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/cda. Deadline for proposal submission is March 12th, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. A workshop to explain the NOFA process and answer questions will be held by videoconference on January 28th starting at 9:00 a.m. Details on how to join the videoconference can be found at https://www.stlouis-mo. gov/cda. Any questions concerning this NOFA may be directed only by e-mail to cdanofa@stlouis-mo.gov.

CDA does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, disability, or national origin in the administration of the program. CDA is an equal opportunity Agency. Minority participation is encouraged

To Advertise a Job, Bid, Public Notice, Proposals, Audits, email Angelita Houston ahouston@stlamerican.com

NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS

Date of First Publication: 1/14/21

City of St. Louis: Community Development Administration (CDA) 1520 Market Street, Suite 2000 St. Louis, Missouri 63103 314-657-3700 / 314-589-6000 (TTY)

On or after 1/29/21, the City of St. Louis (“the City”) will submit a request to the U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) for the release of the following funds, under Title I of the Housing & Community Development Act of 1974, PL93-383, as amended, 42 U.S.C.-5301 et seq., to undertake the following Public Improvement, within the City:

Public Improvement: Recreational Center Improvements

Purpose: The interior renovation of the existing facility public recreation centers to involve no ground disturbance consisting of the six recreational centers

Location: Site 1. 2907 Gamble, 63106 Site 2. 1515 N Kingshighway, 63113 Site 3. 1410 S Tucker, 63104 Site 4. 4025 Minnesota, 63118 Site 5. 4206 W Kennerly, 63113 Site 6. 3200 S Jefferson, 63118

Estimated Cost: Total development cost of this project is approximately $500,000, with $500,000 of funding coming from St. Louis City’s Year 2020 Federal CDBG Program Funds— Grant # B-18-MC-29-0006.

The activity proposed is categorically excluded subject to under HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58 from National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. An Environmental Review Record (ERR) that documents the environmental determinations for these projects is on file at the City’s CDA, at the address listed above, and may be examined or copied weekdays 8 A.M to 4 P.M, by contacting Rashonda Alexander, CDA, Program Manager II, at (314) 657-3803.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to Rashonda Alexander, CDA, Program Manager II, at the address listed above. Comments and questions pertaining to these programs can be directed to Matt Moak, CDA, Executive Director, at the address listed above. All comments received by 1/28/21 will be considered by the City prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds. Comments should specify which notice they are addressing. Visit https://www.onecpd.info/environmental-review/ environmental-review-records to review HUD ERR.

RELEASE OF FUNDS

The Certifying Officer of the City of St. Louis, Lyda Krewson, in her capacity as Mayor, consents to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal Courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental review process and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. HUD’s approval of the certification satisfies its responsibilities under NEPA and related laws and authorities and allows the City to use these program funds.

OBJECTION TO RELEASE OF FUNDS

HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the City’s certification for a period of 15 days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the City; b) the City has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR Part 58; c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD/State; or d) another Federal agency acting pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58.76) and shall be addressed to Ms. Renee Ryles, Acting Community Planning & Development Director, HUD, 1222 Spruce Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63103 (314) 418-5405. Potential objectors should contact HUD to verify the actual last day of the objection period.

Lyda Krewson, Mayor Certifying Officer

SEALED BIDS

Bids for Upgrades to Air Distribution System at the State Capitol Building, P r o j e c t N o . O2016-01, will be received by FMDC, State of MO, UNTIL 1:30 PM, 1/28/2021 via MissouriBUYS. Bidders must be registered to bid. For specific project information and ordering plans, go to: http://oa.mo. gov/facilities

REQUEST FOR BIDS PINNACLE CONTRACTING

Washington University Investment Management Company

101 South Hanley Rd, Suites 1850 & 1850A, Clayton, MO 63105

Due date: 1/21/21 at 5:00pm.

Partial renovation of existing office space, originally built out in 2016.

Existing video conference room to be converted into two separate focus rooms. Remove existing coat closet and portion of adjacent storage/file room to open up to open office/reception area.

Modify existing systems furniture in open office area. Ddd two standard and one executive office. MBE/WBE participation strongly encouraged from all bidding subcontractors. Contact Keana at keana@pinnaclecontracting.com or 314-783-8000 ext. 0 for more information.

CITY OF JENNINGS INVITATION FOR BID (IFB)

City Owned Property Auction – IFB #01-21

The City of Jennings is seeking sealed bids for the auction of city owned properties. Bids will be accepted during the period of January 25 - February 5, 2021 no later than 4:00 p.m. CST. They should be addressed “Sealed Bid” to the attention of the City Clerk. Bidder should submit one (1) original and two (2) copies of the bid. Sealed bids will be opened and publicly read aloud on February 11, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom. Visit Jennings City Hall or the City’s website at (www.cityofjennings.org) for details on the bid specifications, pictures and addresses of the properties.

Zoom Meeting Information: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89069226176?pwd=dXkxeEhHSkNqc2FzZzhsaXRxY3VDQT09

Meeting ID: 890 6922 6176 Passcode: 439475

One tap mobile +13126266799,,89069226176#,,,,*439475# US (Chicago) +19292056099,,89069226176#,,,,*439475# US (New York)

Dial by your location +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

Please contact Myra Randle, Economic Development Specialist, at 314-388-1164 or mrandle@cityofjennings.org if there are any questions or to request additional information.

BID NOTICE

The City of Crestwood is seeking request for proposals for consultants for the Whitecliff Park Quarry Enhancement Project, Phase 2. This is an equal opportunity bidding event. Please call (314)729-4860 for more information. Qualified consultants may obtain a bid packet at www.cityofcrestwood.org Submittal deadline is January 29, 2021 at 2:30 pm. The bids will be accepted at the Crestwood Community Center, 9245 Whitecliff Park Lane, Crestwood, MO 63126. www.cityofcrestwood.org or can be emailed to eramirez@cityofcrestwood.org

BID NOTICE

Please take notice that on November 17, 2020, the Circuit Court of St. Louis County, in Case No. 20SL-CC05483, appointed Hospitality Receivership Services, Inc. (111 Westport Plaza Dr., Suite 500, St. Louis, Missouri 63146) as the general receiver for Route 66 Hospitality, LLC (Registered Agent: SPRA Corp., 120 S. Central, Suite 1600, Clayton, Missouri 63105). Husch Blackwell LLP (190 Carondelet Plaza, Suite 600, St. Louis, Missouri 63105. Attn: Joseph P. Conran and Mohsen Pasha) seeks appointment to be counsel for Hospitality Receivership Services, Inc.

INVITATION TO BID FERGUSON-FLORISSANT SCHOOL DISTRICT/ OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE CENTRAL ELEMENTARY INTERCOM SYSTEM

ROOM FOR RENT Northside, Near Busline, Furnished, All Utilities Included 618-501-3361

Sealed bids to provide labor, material, and professional services to install intercom hardware are being requested from the FergusonFlorissant School District and will be received and publicly opened on Tuesday January 26, 2021 at 1:15pm at the Operations & Maintenance Facility located at 8855 Dunn Road (Rear); Hazelwood, MO 63042. Bid specs must be obtained at: http://new.fergflor.K12.mo.us/ facilities-rfq. Contact Matt Furfaro (314) 824-2418

ST. LOUIS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

St. Louis Community College will receive separate sealed bids for Contract No. F 21 501, Replace Boiler in Childcare Building, St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, until 2:00 p.m. local time, Tuesday, January 26, 2021. Bids can be dropped in the mail slot at the front door of Engineering and Design, 5464 Highland Park Drive. Bids will be opened and read by the Manager of Engineering and Design (Ken Kempf), 5464 Highland Park Drive (Plan Room). Specifications and bid forms may be obtained by emailing Angie James at ajames84@stlcc.edu

Voluntary PREBID Meeting: January 18, 2021 at 9:00am at Childcare Building, Florissant Valley 3400 Pershall Road, St. Louis, MO 63135 An Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer

BID NOTICE

The City of Crestwood is seeking bids for the Operation and Management of the Whitecliff Park Aquatic Center. This is an equal opportunity bidding event. Please call (314)729-4860 for more information. Qualified contractors may obtain a bid packet at www.cityofcrestwood.org

The sealed bids are due January 21, 2021 at 2:00 pm. The bids will to be received at the Crestwood Community Center, 9245 Whitecliff Park Lane, Crestwood, MO 63126. www.cityofcrestwood.org

STLZOO MAGAZINE RFP 2021

The Saint Louis Zoo seeks bids from qualified contractors to print four issues of stlzoo Magazine. Bid documents are available as of January 13, 2021 on the Saint Louis Zoo website: stlzoo.org/vendor

INVITATION TO BID

You are invited to submit a bid proposal for the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Mark Twain Building Mezzanine Repairs project. Work shall be performed in the northeast corner of the first floor. Project includes demolition, structural, mechanical, plumbing, and electrical work.

Subbids are due at 12 p.m. on January 20, 2021. These may be emailed to bids@tarltoncorp.com. Any questions, please contact Nathan Hart at 314.633.3334 or NLHart@tarltoncorp.com.

Diversity participation goals are as follows: Subcontracting with Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) of 20%, with Service Disabled Veteran Owned Business (SDVE) of 3% and with Women Business Enterprise (WBE), Disadvantage Business Enterprise (DBE), and/or Veteran Owned Business of 20% of awarded contract price for work to be performed. It is our desire to provide meaningful opportunities for minority-owned (MBE) and women-owned (WBE) businesses to participate in the construction projects we complete for our clients. Firms that do not have MBE/WBE status are strongly encouraged to include MBE/WBE firms in their contracting and purchasing plans. Additionally, we work to enhance diversity through the workforce, or “boots on the ground,” which serves to increase the representation of women, minorities, and apprentices, and St. Louis City residents.

To view this invitation on BuildingConnectedsite: https://app.buildingconnected.com/public/55b2997ad17b3807006f2618

Tarlton is an equal opportunity employer.

LETTING #8723

2020 Capital Main Replacement Program – New 20” Mains in Jefferson and Cass Ave.

Sealed proposals will be received by the Board of Public Service in Room 301 City Hall, 1200 Market Street, St. Louis, Mo. Until 1:45 PM, CT, on February 16, 2021, then publicly opened and read. Plans and Specifications may be examined on the Board of Public Service website http://www.stl-bps. org/planroom.aspx (BPS On Line Plan Room) and may be purchased directly through the BPS website from INDOX Services at cost plus shipping. No refunds will be made.

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

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

Actually, she ended up having a blast.

“My teammates were perfectly fitted to help me deal with the pressure. And I was able to help them,” Williamson said.

Deva Williamson, cake stylist and St. Louis native, was part of the winning team for Food Network’s ‘Candyland.’ The team took home a $25,000 grand prize.

Tea

Continued from C1

cific subject, such as how the Electoral College operates; — a community spotlight where they invite people who are changing the lives of others in the community, like Missouri Rep. Rasheen Aldridge, D-78, who was a recent guest; — ‘I Don’t Know Who Needs to Hear This,’ where they make light on topics such as throwing away Thanksgiving leftovers and taking down a Christmas tree.

Cox is a real estate and finance professional specializing in housing and commercial real estate.

The pair don’t always hold the same opinions on topics they discuss, which is why Cox feels it’s imperative to have discussions because in the real world you’re not always going to agree with everything people say.

“It’s important because we want the show to represent the real world,” Cox said.

with this.”

“I took that challenge and ran with it. And now I do this,” Williamson said.

“It’s been pretty great to watch how I have been able to progress with my art over the years. And now I just really like to teach people through baking, because it is really relaxing, and it can bring out your strength and creativity in different ways. It starts with a cake, but it can turn into so many other things.”

Her decorating made space for her to evolve into a photographer, columnist for American Cake Decorating Magazine. Thanks to “Candyland” she can add reality television champion to her resume.

Hosted by Emmy and Tony winner Kristin Chenoweth, the show paired two sugar artists and two cake artists on a team with the chance to share a $25,000 grand prize.

“The pressure was a lot — and way more than I expected,” Williamson said.

“I remember when I got there, and I realized how much the pressure was. I was like, ‘oh man, I came here to have fun.’”

“Because I work by myself mostly and I work on a very long timeline compared to six hours in a Food Network kitchen. I didn’t think that I actually had the skill set to help somebody through a pressure cooker situation — and I did.”

She said her husband, Mims Williamson, encouraged her to participate in the show, though it was not normally something she would have considered.

“You go through being critiqued on national television,” Williamson said. “So it’s like having to deal with your feelings of failure in front of so many people. But this experience taught me a lesson about doing things you are afraid of — and coming out alive.” She also learned a lesson about self-love.

“There were times when I didn’t feel like I had the skills that my team needed for us to succeed, but they let me know that what they needed was me,” Williamson said.

“It was really hard for me to understand that before, but I understood that when I was there.”

Because her business is designed for the sake of pho-

tography, she doesn’t sell her cakes. Once they are photographed, she donates them.

And once upon a time, before the coronavirus pandemic, she would use them as a centerpiece for fellowship by inviting people over via Facebook for a cake party.

“They would come over and share stories and share cake,” Williamson said. “I’ve had people laugh at my table. I’ve had people cry at my table, because the bite of cake brought them back to something they had forgotten or something that was special to them.”

One guest was moved to tears by a lavender raspberry cake, which is Williamson’s personal favorite (along with passionfruit coconut and cookie butter). The cake reminded her of the woman’s grandmother’s backyard lavender garden.

The moment gave Williamson yet another beloved memory associated with cake — and the opportunity to share the same feeling that was given to her so many years before.

“I hope that through my work that people just see storytelling, art and giving back,” Williamson said. “Because that’s what I’m about.”

For more information about Deva Williamson, visit https:// www.biglaughkitchen.com/

“It’s not supposed to be boring. It shouldn’t be,” Sonnier said. “If I felt this stuff was boring I wouldn’t do it. We call it ‘tea’ because you hear people say ‘get this ‘tea’ as in get this gossip. These are the things that are like gossip, or ‘I’m all for a good kiki on the latest happening with Cardi B’. The same way we can talk about that is the same way we can have other conversations.”

The two coming from two different professional backgrounds. Sonnier is a mental health advocate for a global worldwide health organization;

Diamond

Continued from C1

have all these deals coming my way, but the only thing I would ever want out of a deal is fairness,” she said.

As a new rapper and not having a large catalog people, think they can offer me whatever and I’m supposed to be like, ‘okay, let me just take it.’ Everything is very much a blessing, but if it’s not fair I don’t want it.”

Most people who are familiar with Yvette’s music aren’t surprised by her lyrical content, which talks about sex, twerking, giving men a taste of their own medicine, and more.

“I rap about what I wanna rap about because I know that sex sells, and I know women are not supposed to talk about

“Everyone doesn’t necessarily have the same perspective, but we hope by us being a team, whoever’s listening to the show will be able to connect with one of us in a way that they may not be able to connect with the other.”

Sonnier and Cox met in high school when they attended Cardinal Ritter College Prep around the same time.

Sonnier moved and ended up graduating from University City High School in 2014. She received her bachelor of science degree in psychology from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in December 2019. She plans to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Sonnier has been a community activist since the uprising

that,” she said.

“Men have this mindset that women are not supposed to say what they like during sex or they’re not supposed to talk about the things that turn them on. I’m gone talk about it. I’m gone be blunt.

“I have always been outspoken. I have never let it be, you are supposed to do this, you are supposed to do that. I am not supposed to do anything, but what I want to do.”

Yvette has exciting news for the end of next month: the video for her song “Dog A** N***a” will air on BET. Details will be shared closer to the date.

DJ Tab and Yvette also plan to release her album sometime this summer and host her first tour late-summer/early-fall depending on COVID-19 restrictions.

It’s been a while for a big-

of Ferguson when she was a high school freshman. She created the group Tribe X in a response to the events following Brown’s death. Since then they have spearheaded numerous protests about racial and social injustice issues. Cox is a 2014 graduate of Cardinal Ritter. She received her bachelor of arts degree in public policy from Vanderbilt University in 2018, and went on to become a Schwarzman Scholar, where she completed a master of economics in business at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. She launched the University City Youth Society while in high school to bring more awareness about what was happening in the community.

“I want you to leave the podcast feeling empowered and feeling lighter in spirit,” Sonnier said. I’m not just giving you numbers, dropping statistics, and talking, but I’m here to give you a real conversation, which is more engaging. That’s much easier to get your cup filled.”

To learn more about the initiative, visit http://thedividedcity.com/. The BlackTea podcast is available on all streaming platforms.

named female rapper to blow up from St. Louis. Yvette plans to change that by continuing to release more music and shine more light on the city as she becomes more popular.

“The thing about our city is, sometimes people have a ‘crabs in a bucket’ mentality,” she said. “We have to stop being that way. We must be able to support each other without tearing each other down. I want to change that. I want to help the upcoming artists from my city win. We all can eat. It’s enough room for everybody.”

“Out of all the artists from St. Louis, Yvette has the chance to be our city’s Megan Thee Stallion,” DJ Tab said. “Mark my words, she’s the next big thing.” For more information about Yvette and her music, visit www.yvettegang.com.

Weekday Locations

Photo courtesy of Big Laugh Kitchen